Guyana Times - Thursday February 11, 2021

GuySuCo working towards not P14 needing Govt bailouts – CEO

…says 2021 a critical year in turning around industry Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana Issue No. 4556

THE BEACON OF TRUTH THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2021

No tax increases in Budget 2021– 2021– Jagdeo

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

Gary Best P11 freed on drunk driving charge

…says Guyanese can expect a pro-poor, pro-entrepreneur budget

Barbados shares 3000 COVID-19 vaccines with Guyana …frontline health workers to get vaccinated today

Cop robbed of 2 motorcycles while asleep P10

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Suriname-Guyana backtrack route mishap

2 bodies recovered, search continues for 3rd missing person

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Region 10 P12 woman dies at home, tests positive for COVID-19 …51 new cases detected

128 CSEC P9 reviews remain outstanding – Education Minister …468 grades changed

The area where the three persons disembarked from the boat Dead: Alwin Joseph

Dead: Babuni Harrier Missing: Sharida Hussein

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Guyana re-engages India on technological support for renewable energy

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…all nations must embrace low-carbon pathway – President

Govt wants int’l persons above reproach for elections CoI – Jagdeo …says Lowenfield, Myers must go

34-year-old to face Judge, jury for rape of teen

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Man accused of forging dead man’s signature P8 in $50M property sale

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Guyana re-engages India on technological support for renewable energy …all nations must embrace low-carbon pathway – President

G

uyana has re-engaged the Indian Government through The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) to provide technological support in several sectors that will drive its achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals 2030.

President Dr Irfaan Ali made this announcement during his address to the World Sustainable Development Summit on Wednesday, an annual flagship event of TERI. He explained that this would aid in responding urgently to climate change and sustainable living – a goal which all countries should strive for.

“I am pleased to announce that my government has re-engaged TERI to provide technological support in several areas including renewable energy and key productive sectors, including agriculture. These opportunities need to be upscaled if we are to respond with the urgency and boldness required to address climate change, sustained livelihoods, and protect the environment,” Dr Ali told the Summit.

To achieve a low-carbon footprint, the Head of State expounded that technology remained a critical component. With collaboration to share these resources among countries, the world will

move closer to its goal of reducing the global temperature and mitigating climate change.

“All nations must accelerate change towards low-carbon development pathways…

Many of the technological solutions necessary to increase efficiency and productivity and to reduce our environmental and carbon footprint are already available to us. What is required of us is greater political will to share and to upscale the development and use of these technologies,” he said.

The President pointed out that the extant coronavirus pandemic has proven that countries could refashion their approach to suit the situation much easier than previously imagined as long as there was political will. He emphasised that now was the time to redefine a common future that would address the existing global challenges in terms of sustainable development. For now, Guyana has pledged to continue along the lines of the Low Carbon Development Strategy, the brainchild of former President Bharrat Jagdeo to reduce climate-related risks.

“Guyana remains committed to its obligation under the Rio Convention and the Paris Agreement [a global framework to mitigate climate change by limiting global

warming]. Over the years, we have demonstrated this commitment in our efforts in protecting the environment, conserving biodiversity, tackling climate change and moving the country towards a sustainable development path though our low-carbon development strategy.

Climate justice

Meanwhile, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted that climate justice was the way to fight climate change.

“The road to fight climate change is through climate justice. At the root of climate justice is the principle of being large-hearted. Climate justice is also about thinking of the bigger and long-term picture.

The sad reality is changes in the environment and natural disasters impact the poorer the most,” he outlined.

It was expressed that India’s policies and plans are supported by ‘concrete action’ and powered by public efforts in order to achieve targets from the Paris Agreement.

“We are on track to exceed our commitments and targets on Paris. We are committed to reduce emissions intensity of GDP by 33 per cent to 35 per cent from 2005 levels.

You will be happy to know that a drop of 24 per cent of emissions has already been achieved,” he disclosed.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Dr Irfaan Ali during the summit

Fulfilling SDGs

UN Deputy Secretary General Amina J Mohammed reminded that more than 100 nations committed to net-zero emissions by 2050, with the exception of China (2060 deadline). However, the world is facing challenging times amid the pandemic, and less than a decade remains to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

“This momentum is significant. More than 70 per cent of the world economy and 65 per cent of carbon dioxide emissions are now committed to net zero. But this is not enough. The global coalition for net zero needs to grow to cover the entire G20 countries and more than 90 per cent of the emissions…At the same time, all commitment to net zero must be underpinned by credible plans with intermediate targets to achieving a just transition,” Mohammed noted.

G20 – The Group of Twenty – is a collection of twenty of the world's largest economies. The bloc was formed in 1999 to collate the most important industrialised and developing economies for discussions in international economic and financial stability.

She noted that major emitters in the Group must lead the way in keeping with the Paris Agreement. India was lauded for its vast efforts in solar, wind and energy storage, pushing to install 450 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity by 2030. This is expected to bring cleaner air and a reinforced power grid.

“Their combined shortterm actions will bend the temperature curve and open enormous room for opportunity that we need to achieve the SDGs. This is a mighty task, and I know that India will do its fair share. India is currently the only G20 coun-

try that will overachieve the objective of its nationally determined contribution,” the Deputy SG noted.

Mohammed acknowledged that the pandemic has set back global progress on poverty eradication, food security and the other SDGs. Nevertheless, she said countries must seize the advantages which it presents.

“First among these is a chance to relaunch and reshape the global economy.

Now is the time to reinforce the environmental imperatives, sustainable economic growths. Now is the time to build a robust and resilient economy that is compatible with our climate goals. Every investment made in the recovery from COVID must be an investment in sustainability,” she declared.

The three-day event will address the theme, “Redefining Our Common Future: Safe and Secure Environment for All.” (G12)

NEWS

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS OPENINGS BRIDGE

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Thursday, February 11 – 03:30h – 05:00h and Friday, February 12 – 04:00h – 05:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Thursday, February 11 – 16:20h – 17:50h and Friday, February 12 – 16:45h – 18:15h.

Govt wants int’l persons above reproach for elections CoI – Jagdeo …says Lowenfield, Myers must go

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

Light cloud will prevail during the day, interrupted by light rain in the mid-morning to noon hours and sunshine in the late afternoon.

Cloudy skies are expected at night. Temperatures should range between 21 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

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

High Tide: 16:37h reaching a maximum height of 2.63 metres.

Low Tide: 10:12h and 22:37h reaching minimum heights of 0.72 metre and 0.58 metre.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2021

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COMMODITIES Indicators

US$

Change %

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+0.62

Rough Rice

$232.074/ton

-0.08

London Sugar

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USD Per Ounce

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$1837.10

Low/High Change

$1834.60 -7.60

$1856.90 +0.41%

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo

I

t has been five months since the current Government took over after a long struggle for democracy to prevail.

According to Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, the Administration is currently seeking international persons who are above reproach to conduct the Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the election’s saga.

The Vice President made this announcement during a press conference on Tuesday.

Jagdeo noted the importance of ensuring that these persons are above reproach, lest they be accused by the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) of partisanship based on the outcome of the COI. “I know there have been discussions. We’re looking for individuals from abroad who are above reproach, so that there can’t be any accusation of partisanship. Knowing APNU, though, because if they could accuse (Barbados Prime Minister) Mia Mottley and everybody in the world…

I suspect if there is an adverse report, they can still do that,” he said.

Nonetheless, Jagdeo explained that the Government is presently engaged in looking at the Representation of the People’s Act, one of Guyana’s legislative acts that govern the conduct of elections.

The Vice President laid out the amendments the Government is looking to make to the Act. These changes, he explained, would close the loopholes that were exploited by persons from the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to plunge the country into an electoral crisis.

At the same time, Jagdeo noted that the continued presence of Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield and his deputy Roxanne Myers at GECOM is untenable. The Vice President pointed out that every external group, as well as local people, know of the part they played in attempted electoral theft.

Jagdeo made it clear that it would be in GECOM’s interest to get rid of them in order to inspire confidence in its operations.

“So, for example, the Statements of Poll. Before the counts start, when they are received, we want them

published in the newspapers, in the Gazette, and posted online. So even before the count starts, the industrious Guyanese can go see the SOPs and they can calculate who won the elections within the first days.

“It’s part of the Representation of the People’s Act. But remember, (there are those who) wanted to depart. They didn’t use the law for the recount. So that’s where we’re headed now… but we’ve made it clear, apart from those changes, that with Lowenfield and Roxanne Myers there, you cannot have free and fair elections. This is a red line for us,” Jagdeo further explained.

During his inauguration in August 2020, President Dr. Irfaan Ali had made it clear that his Government has an obligation to the nation to ensure that no other generation of Guyanese is subjected to such unlawful behaviour that transpired over the five months when the country was embroiled in a political and electoral impasse.

In the aftermath of the controversial five-monthlong elections, a number of high-ranking GECOM officials have been investigated by the Police and charged for misconduct in public office, and for forgery. They include Lowenfield, who on October 12, 2020 was slapped with six charges by the Police relating to forgery and misconduct in public office pertaining to his alleged role in the attempts to rig the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections.

The CEO is being accused of attempting to undermine the will of the people by repeatedly refusing to submit

Charged: Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield

the verified results from the National Recount to Chair of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Retired Justice Claudette Singh, for a final declaration.

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

However, he did submit unverified figures that would have given APNU/AFC the win.

Lowenfield eventually complied, paving the way for the declaration and subse-

Charged: Deputy CEO Roxanne Myers

quent swearing in of the new Government on August 2, 2020 – five months after elections were held.

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

Following the elections and its attendant controversies, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Scrutinizing Team had recommended a political audit into the functioning of GECOM. President Ali had previously said that persons for the COI could come from CARICOM, the Commonwealth, or the Organization of American States (OAS).

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 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

Restoring confidence in GECOM

I

t is no secret the general view is that public trust in the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Secretariat has been eroded significantly following the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections, hence there should not even be any question regarding the need for the entire Secretariat to be fixed before it engages in any activity in relation to holding an election: whether it is house-to-house registration, updating the National Register of Registrants’ Database, etc.

The President himself – being the candidate who was forced to wait five months before he was declared the winner of the March 2 polls, even though it was clear that his party had won – has stated firmly that GECOM cannot undertake another election without first fixing the system itself, which must deliver those elections to the satisfaction of all stakeholders.

However, the Opposition APNU/AFC coalition has pushed to have the elections held with the current lot of officials at GECOM, whom we understand are still on the job although they are currently before the courts facing electoral fraud charges.

The APNU/AFC coalition has already irresponsibly called on the Government to hold the Local Government Elections in 2021, and promised to increase pressure on the Government to ensure this is done; but, at the same time, that coalition is completely ignoring the widely-held view that there is a lack of trust in the Secretariat to run off the elections.

While we acknowledge the need to ensure Local Government Elections are held to allow citizens to choose their local representatives, no right-thinking person would agree to participate in elections with the current crop of leaders at the Secretariat.

Further, like many stakeholders, we believe there is need for electoral and constitutional reforms to avoid “brinkmanship” and a recurrence of the high level of political crisis that gripped the country from March to August of last year.

However, we support the view that such a process must be driven through consultation, with citizens getting an opportunity to have a say in the changes they would like to see implemented.

The time has come for all stakeholders to seriously commence talks regarding reforming GECOM, meaning its entire operational structure, starting with the manner in which the Chairman and Commissioners are appointed and the way the Secretariat functions.

It is clear that a major stakeholder, the Government, has lost confidence in the current CEO and other senior staff of the organisation. Some have expressed the view that those persons have no role to play in the Secretariat due to their conduct in the recent elections.

As an independent constitutional body, GECOM enjoys financial, functional and operational autonomy; and, like every agency which is financed with public funds, must be held accountable for its actions.

President Ali was very much on point when he outlined that, as a country, Guyana must put the necessary safeguards in place at the Secretariat, since “that is the system that would give you the end product”.

He had highlighted that while the composition of the GECOM Commission is one issue that would have to be addressed, what occurred post-March 2 polls goes beyond the Commission, as the electoral machinery itself was compromised. It was on this basis that the Government announced that it would take steps to have an international Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the events that occurred during and after the March 2 General and Regional Elections.

Because of the nature of the work it does, due to its constitutional mandate, GECOM must always strive to build public trust. Its officers must be seen as credible and working on behalf of the nation in every respect. In essence, every stakeholder in the country must have confidence in the organisation’s ability to carry out its mandate in a manner that could withstand public scrutiny. GECOM must be fixed.

The Kraken house float on Memphis Street, in Lakeview, is one of thousands in the New Orleans area decorated in celebration of Mardi Gras in Louisiana (Reuters)

Impressed with gas-to-shore proposal Dear Editor, I was most impressed with the Vice President’s press conference on the gasto-shore proposal and the other issues that have appeared in the media in recent days. As usual, Jagdeo did an exceptional job in responding to tough questions from reporters. It was, as a media savvy person stated, public relations at its best.

He dealt with queries expertly, speaking with confidence. Few Guyanese did or have done as much as Jagdeo to shape the trajectory of development post Jagan. He knows the issues well. As others have commented, he is a politician and economist of innovative ideas, a man who is willing to take economic risks and who is not afraid to confront opponents or critics. The Irfaan Ali-led administration is benefiting enormously from his wisdom and vision for the country. It is noted that Jagdeo’s thoughts are into future development with new mega projects like gas-to- shore and other shore-based projects tied to energy.

The overall latest Jagdeo conference was found to

be captivating. As viewers note, it is always a joy to listen to Bharrat Jagdeo.

His comments have always been newsworthy, because he is engaging, and not boring like other speakers. He is a master of press conferences, bringing an experience, expertise, and talent that only a few have in the government. There are few speakers who are as lucid as Jagdeo in commenting on socio-economic and political issues. The Opposition has not shown there is a match for him in its benches.

Readers and viewers care about the issues in the media, and his views always grab the attention of the public, who admire and respect his leadership. Few in the Government are as knowledgeable as he is on policies.

He seemed to have mastered technical issues pertaining to the gas-to-shore project rather quickly, based on the general announcement he made just before Christmas.

The VP provided clarification on a lot of issues pertaining to gas-to-shore, housing, infrastructure, public service training, fishing licensing, housing, among others.

The VP was bombarded with a plethora of queries on several subject matters, and he masterly defended the Government’s policies and programmes. His responses were not serendipitous.

Rather, they were studious.

He gave excellent, masterly, crafty, erudite, cogent responses to all the questions.

Jagdeo gave factual responses without a self-promotional tone. He did not evade questions as other public officials normally did, and he gave assurances on Government’s intentions on recent policies. His responses to questions were so direct that they seemed to have piqued journalists’ interest. His remarks were infused with some wit and humour. Overall, he was very engaging with reporters.

People would now be pleased that the VP has addressed the issue of the gasto-shore project. Gas-toshore had piqued the interest of the media and public, especially development economists like me. Some had felt very uneasy about the project when the VP announced it two months ago. The VP’s updated remarks now instill

some trust and optimism in the gas-to-shore project. It eases anxiety. Moreover, the project induces confidence in the future of the gas and oil economy. It offers an opportunity for a bright future.

If there is a favourable assessment, and it is cost- effective, the VP said, it would attract a lot of investors, and the project will create a lot of jobs. There are indeed immense possibilities for the future once this gets going.

In fact, Guyanese have expressed optimism for the future under this Government, unlike its predecessor, which was so secretive on governance and which was stingy on hosting press conferences.

There will be a lot of business activities if the project is approved.

Jagdeo is very knowledgeable about issues. The VP is applauded in moving quickly to address concerns expressed in the media. He is encouraged to continue to hold regular press conferences to keep the public informed on Government’s policies and programmes.

Yours truly Dr Vishnu Bisram

APNU/AFC must stop playing ghetto politics and inflicting lies on Guyanese Dear Editor, The leadership of the coalition APNU/AFC must cease creating a false narrative and spreading propaganda, and instead be honest with their supporters and the people of Guyana. During a recent visit to Region 10, some APNU/AFC MPs were giving the false impression that they were cheated during the March 2,2020 regional and general elections.

The APNU/AFC must re-

alise that Guyanese are not masochists – you cannot expect your supporters to vote for you and you try to create scenarios whereby the dead are alleged to have awoken and walked and voted and then walked back into the graves.

It was quite obvious from all the conspiracies, the deceitful manipulations and erratic shenanigans, that the APNU/ AFC leaders were aware from the second day after the 2020

regional and general elections that they had lost the elections. Trying to create mischief among their support base in Region 10, they are now telling the last of their supporters that the PPP/C’s intention is to give pittance to Lindeners who support them while they plunder the treasury and keep Linden and Region 10 from becoming viable and economically sustainable communities. However, this will not cut, Region #10 was privileged

to witness a first President and Cabinet outreach, followed by one week of ministers’ follow-up throughout the region, which never happened under the APNU- AFC administration.

It is disrespectful when politicians feel and think they can play with the intelligence of their supporters and the Guyanese people, like the APNU/AFC leadership is doing presently.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

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THURDSDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2021

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

Importance of agriculture to our survival cannot be overestimated

Dear Editor, I was most shocked and utterly disappointed by a letter published in the media captioned, ‘Ad hoc activities in Agriculture can’t quite cut it’. If there was anything ‘ad hoc’, it was the very letter itself, which failed to address the Herculean effort of the Minister of Agriculture, but went on a verbal rampage and tangential ramblings meant to disparage that selfless and dedicated effort which is aimed at propelling the sector to unprecedented heights in this very year.

Let me make it pellucid: The importance of agriculture to our survival cannot be overestimated. Agriculture supplies food, clothing, medicine and employment all over the world. It provides

food security to the human population, and it is the primary source of food products all over the world. All major food substances, namely carbohydrates, proteins and oils, are produced by agriculture. In other words, without agriculture, the human civilisation is doomed. It is our only chance of survival after oil is gone. We cannot, and must not, fall prey to the Dutch disease.

Yet, despite being cognisant of this indisputable fact, the Coalition Government attacked the agriculture sector with such hate and venom that the sector became decimated in a piecemeal manner. In fact, the sugar sector was the worst hit.

This stark reality bore a direct correlation to the yearly

unconscionable budget cuts and the filling of key positions with geriatrics and political hacks.

Where was that letter writer when all of this was unfolding for 5 long years?

It cannot be that he was hibernating, since he seemed to be adept at pointing out the ‘poor’ performance of all the subject ministers. It is only now that he has come to full realisation that ‘Noel Holder failed agriculture’.

Euphemistic indeed! He did not ‘fail’, he and the Coalition slaughtered it!

Why is this letter writer now doing a Rip Van Winkle?

His intentions are laid bare!

This letter writer should scrutinise the budgets the Coalition presented and he would become aware of the

fact that, every year, the budget for agriculture was reduced by at least 2 billion dollars, while the Office of the Presidency and other non-productive sectors were allowed huge increase to accommodate geriatrics of the Coalition. The Government’s coffers became the personal purse of the Coalition Ministers and their cronies and families.

It is clear that the letter writer has ignored the many plans which have been envisioned and formulated by Minister Mustapha, and which are awaiting Budget 2021 to unfold and be implemented. There are also detailed plans to bring back GUYSUCO to profitability, but it seems as though the writer has lost the ‘pa-

APNU/AFC must stop playing...

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APNU/AFC leadership, please stop pushing propaganda among your support base. It is not right. It does not help them. They all must know what you are saying is ludicrous. We are no longer in the 70s and 80s, when brainwashing was the norm.

The people of Guyana and Region 10 are smarter than you think.

Lindeners, Guyanese, the next time you see an APNU/ AFC leader, just ask them to show you their SOPs for the 2020 Regional and General Elections. The numerous instances of irregularities, discrepancies and anomalies which they claim to have uncovered during the recount process - amounting to fraud on the Guyanese people - apparently APNU/AFC leaders and the Opposition feel it is okay to play ghetto politics in Region #10. Last Saturday, through the APNU/AFC People’s Parliament held in front of the car park and in some communities, they used these events to score some cheap points and inflict lies on some unsuspecting folks in other locales. My question to the Opposition is: Isn’t the COVID-19 pandemic enough of a burden for Guyanese and Lindeners.

We are a diverse people.

Even in the midst of the challenges we are forced to endure because of COVID-19, we are on the verge of historic change and prosperity. With decisions and developments of our PPP/C Government in the last six months having spoken for themselves, I ask you, the Opposition, to allow Lindeners and Guyanese to enter this new era united and confident in the future that is paved for them

by President Dr Irfaan Ali and the People’s Progressive Party Civic Government.

West Watooka, a farming community located in Region 10, will soon benefit from a multi-million-dollar ($174M) contract water conservancy as part of the

Government’s efforts to ensure farmers benefit from irrigation throughout the year. This was made possible through the intervention of Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha after he held an outreach to several communities in the Upper Demerara-Berbice (Region 10) last month.

These were people who cried to you, APNU/AFC; what did you do?

Through the Ministry of Education, arrangements have already been made for 4500 scholarships to be awarded to some top-level foreign universities on their in-line platforms. The programmes include Bachelor’s, Master’s and beyond in a host of subject areas – from Accountancy to Zoology, and not forgetting engineering and computer sciences and hundreds more! This is evidently part of the 20,000 scholarships in five years the Government promised.

Guyana’s prospects have never been more promising.

The housing sector was in disarray, with unacceptably low levels of house lots and housing units being allocated or completed under you, the APNU/AFC. Today I am proud to say the Ministry of Housing and Water has managed to allocate over 3,500 house lots since the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic took office – which is half of the amount that was issued during the APNUAFC administration’s fiveyear stint.

As a citizen, I was indeed satisfied that the Government has seen it fit to continue assisting families and communities that are in desperate need as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the now recovering economic situation, where jobs are concerned. The $25,000 relief could not have come at a better time for many families.

YOU, the APNU/AFC, had the opportunity to do

something. What did YOU do?

It was People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Government that forged ahead with its plans to revitalise the sugar industry and rehire the sugar workers who were dismissed by YOU, A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) regime. rehiring of almost 700 sugar workers and the plan is to provide employment for over 3000 workers by the end of 2022.

As part of the efforts to ensure a growing, diversified and modernised economy, the PPP/C Government liberalised the telecommunication sector within the first 100 days of being in office.

G$150M in risk allowances were given to our frontline health workers.

The PPP/C know that this cannot compensate fully for their efforts, but they have done what was within their means at this time, given the state of the economy. They will do more as resources permit, as promised by our President.

Our Joint Services have benefited from a two-week tax-free payout for 2020 -which they were denied for the last five years by you, the APNU/AFC. Lindeners and every Guyanese had to shoulder burdensome increases and additional taxes and fees over the past five years. These taxes and fees deprived them of much needed disposable income. It stifled business activity within the productive sectors. The PPP/C have lifted those burdens. They have removed the unconscionable ValueAdded Tax (VAT) on water and electricity. They have restored free water for pensioners. They have cast off the oppressive corporation tax on private education and VAT on medical supplies.

Our farmers were saddled with increased fees for leases and drainage and irriga-

tion services. Many of them could not afford to pay these unconscionable increases imposed by the APNU AFC Government. The PPP/C Government have reduced these fees. They have also slashed by half the increases in licence fees which were instituted after 2014 - restoring hope for the Guyanese people by reintroducing the education cash grant which was callously snatched away from parents. But not only have they restored it, but they have increased it to $15,000. In addition, they have increased the uniform allowance. These measures will make it easier for parents to outfit their children for school.

I can outline so many more, but what Lindeners and Guyanese have seen the People’s Progressive Party Civic accomplish in six months was never accomplished by the APNU/AFC in their five-year term.

I would like the APNU/ AFC leaders to know that the people of Guyana have seen their incompetence and betrayal, the coalition supporters has seen the outright lies being told by the APNU/AFC Opposition. You, the APNU/ AFC, had an added responsibility to respect the people and let them know the truth, given the years of division and rancour in Guyana.

The People’s Progressive Party/Civic Government has an enormously high value on truth in their manifesto, and have kept their word to the people of Guyana by demonstrating through their actions and commitment every day over the last six months, and will continue to do so by representing the voice and will of the people; and assure every Guyanese citizen, whether you are a supporter of the PPP/C, APNU/AFC, every Guyanese will see their aspirations fulfilled.

Sincerely, David Adams

tience’ he feigned during the Coalition’s inglorious 5-year term in office.

He must be pardoned for concluding that the Minister is engaged in ‘ad hoc’ activities, since he may not be cognisant that the Minister was in fact conducting a SWOT analysis personally in every nook and cranny. He did not send, or delegate responsibilities to his subordinates, he went himself and assessed the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats faced by his Ministry, since he realised that the sector was massacred by the Coalition, and his Government must act decisively.

And in a mere 5-month period, he completed his analysis. He was welcomed in every community where he went, and every resident and farmer shared their

views, unreservedly sharing their vision with him. He took notes, and even resolved many issues on the spot.

This is unlike the ‘outreaches’ held by the Coalition after they were kicked out by the No Confidence Motion in 2018, and which cost the tax payers hundreds of millions.

Noel Holder was just enjoying the ‘good life’, just like his other cohorts, deliberately oblivious of the massive decline in the sector. The Agriculture Sector is in capable and competent hands, and the few naysayers with their destabilising agenda will not stop the trademark progress which the PPP/C Government is famous for.

We must never forget what they delivered in just 4 months in 2020.

Yours sincerely, H Yusuf

Open letter to the President of Guyana Dear President Ali, February 8 marked the 100th birth anniversary of Mr Balram Singh Rai. As you might be aware, Mr Rai served the Guyanese people as Minister of Community Development and Education (1959-61), and as Minister of Home Affairs (1961-62) in successive PPP administrations. Mr Rai played a historical role in the 1960 Constitutional Conference in London, where the issue of self-government was discussed.

Yet, almost 60 years after he resigned from his last ministerial position, Mr. Rai

remains the only Guyanese Minister who continues to be denied a parliamentary pension. After all these decades, the Government has not offered an explanation for denying Mr. Rai his pension.

We, the undersigned, request your urgent intervention in this matter, to ensure that this historical social injustice is corrected.

Sincerely, Baytoram Ramharack, Swami Aksharananda, Clem Seecharran, Yesu Persaud & 41 others

Y

ou may have the best of vegetables, you may be the most capable cook, but if the copper vessel in which you prepare the vegetable soup is not tinned, the concoction you cook will be highly poisonous! So ‘tin’ your heart with satya, dharma, shanti and prema (truth, right conduct, peace and divine love), it will then become a vessel fit for repeating holy name or symbols, meditation, religious vows, pilgrimage, ritualistic worship and other dishes that you prepare in it. It is an uphill task: to reform one’s tendencies and character. One may study all text-books of spiritual practice, all scriptures, and may even lecture for hours on them; but one will slip into error when temptation confronts. Like land that is parched, the heart may appear to be free from any crop of evil but when the first showers fall, the seeds and roots underneath the soil change the waste into a carpet of green! (Divine Discourse, Jan 13, 1965)

Shri Sathya Sai Baba Organisation

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2021

Page

Foundation ◄

Æsop’s Fables

FOR CHILDREN a) b)

A kite The sum of interior angles in a quadrilateral is 360°.

ii) Calculate 2 1/3 – 2 1/6 x (3 3 – 4 + 4) According to the rules of computation BODMAS, Step 1: Solve the part inside brackets ( 9 – 4 + 4) = 9 Now you have this: 2 1/3 – 2 1/6 x (9)

Tuesday’s answers

1)

Step 1: Solve the part inside brackets ( 3 3 – 4 + 4) Since there is a number with an index within the brackets and solving orders – numbers involving indices or square roots is next in the computational order Step 2: Rename the part that has the index 3 3 = 9 Therefore ( 9 – 4 + 4) = 9 Now you have this: 2 1/3 – 2 1/6 x (9) Step 3: Solve multiplication problems 2 1/6 x (9) First convert the fraction to a decimal 2.17 x 9 = 19.53 Now you have this: 2 1/3 – 19.53 Step 4: Solve subtraction problems 2 1/3 – 19.53 First convert fraction to decimal 2.33 – 19.53 = - 17.2

Materials

Shaving cream A large glass water Food colouring A spoon

ter

Instructions

Fill the glass 1/2 full with wa-

Spray some shaving cream on top of the water to fill the glass to ¾ full.

Use your finger or a spoon to spread the shaving cream evenly over the top of the water. The top of the shaving cream should be flat.

Mix ½-cup water with 10 drops of food colouring in a separate container. Gently add the coloured water, spoonful by spoonful, to the top of the shaving cream. When it gets too heavy, watch it storm!

How does it work?

Clouds in the sky hold onto water. They can hold millions of gallons! The layer of shaving cream is our pretend cloud in this experiment. The shaving cream layer can also hold onto water. Clouds can’t keep storing more and more water forever, eventually they get too heavy. When that happens, the water falls out (precipitates) as rain, snow, sleet, or hail. (sciencefun.org)

T

he beasts of the field and forest had a lion as their king. He was neither wrathful, cruel, nor tyrannical, but just and gentle as a king could be.

During his reign he made a royal proclamation for a general assembly of all the birds and beasts, and drew up conditions for a universal league, in which the wolf and the lamb, the panther and the kid, the tiger and the stag, the dog and the hare, should live together in perfect peace and amity.

The hare said, "Oh, how I have longed to see this day, in which the weak shall take their place with impunity by the side of the strong."

And after the hare said this, he ran for his life.

WORD SEARCH

NEWS

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

No tax increases in Budget 2021 – Jagdeo …says Guyanese can expect a pro-poor, pro-entrepreneur budget

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uyanese can expect a pro-poor and pro-entrepreneur budget when it is read on Friday, and be assured that Budget 2021 will feature no increased taxes – which the population had complained bitterly about under the former A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government.

This assurance was given by Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo. Asked about what the population can expect as it relates to taxes, Jagdeo made it clear that the Government will not be increasing any taxes. He also laid out the fiscal benefits people have experienced since the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic’s last budget, when a number of rates and taxes were lowered.

“That is why I made it clear, there will be no tax increase. Because that is clear as daylight. That has

been a feature of PPP budgets, and we made it clear that we don’t want to bring additional burdens on people. There will be no tax increase. The rates that we reduced or eliminated last year – when annualised this year, would amount to $40 billion in benefits to people this year.

“People that were paying $40 billion to the Government, they now have that money in their pockets. People who were paying higher electricity bills, because of VAT (Value Added Tax), higher water charges, higher taxes on medical issues because of VAT, those kinds of things,” Jagdeo said.

The Vice President went on to lay out some of the initiatives the budget will feature. According to him, the Government will be supporting small businesses while simultaneously lending support to the economy.

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo

“The budget will directly support many initiatives, not just in the organised Private Sector, but also in small business: hoping to incubate new entrepreneurs and assisting them directly through Government grants or soft loans,” he said.

Jagdeo also noted that

Budget 2021 would further build on what they have started in the 2020 emergency budget. He explained that they would continue to dismantle the anti-poor systems set up by the former APNU/AFC Government.

“It shall be a continuation of the framework al-

ready established… and reflected in our manifesto. We remain faithful to the key objectives in this budget and every budget in the coming years. These budgets will all advance us closer to those goals we have established,” he noted.

“We are going to dismantle all those policies that affected poor people that APNU/AFC put in place. Apart from dismantling some of the policies APNU/AFC put in place that were harming the poor and Private Sector, it (the budget) will create incentives for productive bases of the economy in all nonoil sectors,” Jagdeo also said.

It was announced a few days ago that Budget 2021 would be delivered in the National Assembly on Friday – a feat that would make this the second budget the PPP/C Government has been able to deliver in

just five months.

This year’s budget will be the first full-year national economic plan presented by the PPP/C Government since taking office in August 2020. The previous budget, which it presented in September 2020, was an emergency one that nevertheless contained sweeping measures rolling back the heavy taxation measures inherited from the former Government.

Budget 2021 comes at a time when it is expected that work will begin on the new Demerara Harbour Bridge, which will be among several projects that will take centre stage this year.

Major highways across the East and West Coast and East Bank of Demerara will also be commissioned.

Preparatory work is also set to start for the construction of the highway to Brazil and the Deep Water Harbour in Berbice. (G3)

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Man accused of forging dead man’s signature in $50M property sale

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Charged: Marlus Hendricks

man of North Ruimveldt, Georgetown was on Wednesday arraigned before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in that Georgetown Magistrate’s court to answer an allegation that he had forged the signature of a dead man to acquire a property valued at $50 million.

Marlus Hendricks, 42, pleaded not guilty to the charge, which stated that on July 17, 2019, in Georgetown, with intent to defraud, he forged a document to make an agreement of sale purporting to be signed by the late Antoine

Charles, knowing same to be forged.

Hendricks was released on $30,000 bail and instructed to make his next court appearance on February 16.

The Police Prosecutor told the court that Hendricks and the late Antoine Charles had agreed to sell for $50M a property located at Lots 39-46 High and Princes Streets, Werk-enRust, Georgetown.

Hendricks is claiming that he paid the asking price for the property, but when Charles passed away on July 2, 2020, his son noticed that the signature on the agreement of sale was not his father’s. As a result, a report was made to the Police, investigations were carried out, and Hendricks was arrested and charged.

Defence lawyer Clevon Humphrey told Magistrate

McLennan that the matter concerning the sale of the property is currently engaging the attention of the High Court.

According to the lawyer, the chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions is reportedly aware of two Government analyst reports confirming the authenticity of the agreement of sale. Humphrey, therefore, asked that the DPP reconsider the charge. (G1)

34-year-old to face Judge, jury for rape of teen

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hirty-four-year-old Linton Davidson was on Tuesday committed to stand trial at the High Court in Demerara for allegedly raping a 14-year-old girl.

Following a preliminary inquiry (PI), Magistrate Leron Daly ruled that sufficient evidence was led against Davidson to put him on trial before a judge and jury for the offence.

As a result, he will stand trial at the next practicable sitting of

the Demerara Assizes.

The indictable charge, for which Davidson was not required to plead at the Magistrate’s Court, states that between January 1, 2013, and January 3, 2013, at Norton Street Lodge, Georgetown, he engaged in sexual penetration with a 14-year-old girl.

Davidson was first charged on July 10, 2020.

According to reports, the child and Davidson are known

to each other. On the day in question, the girl was left in his care by her mother. It is alleged that during that time, Davidson raped her.

The young girl confided in her mother about what had transpired, and a Police report was made.

Investigations were carried out, and Davidson was arrested and charged. He remains on bail pending the hearing and determination of his trial. (G1)

Moving ahead…

T

…on the energy front he PNC’s a party of grandiose plans, but it has never been able to bring them to fruition, because it’s comprised of “men of words”, rather than “men of action”. Remember Burnham’s oath to “feed, house and clothe the nation”? If you’re over fifty, you certainly couldn’t possibly have forgotten, since the slogan was painted on any surface that didn’t move, and gave you nightmares as you became hungry, homeless and naked!!

The PNC’s manifesto in 2015 boasted ostentatiously about launching our (colonial) retarded industrialisation and boosting our manufacturing sector. That, of course, was a no-brainer for a country that had remained stuck as a primary producer of commodities - where we were price-takers rather than price-setters. The question was: what did they do about it? Zilch, that’s what!! Cause ever since independence, the greatest constraint to our industrialisation was the astronomical cost of electricity.

Forced to import expensive diesel and other heavy oils to run our generating plants - and suffering over 35% in transmission losses - electricity cost to businesses was over US$.26/kWh. Compared to US$.07/kWh in TT, you can maybe begin to appreciate why most of our light manufacturing goods come from there.

The PPP had attempted to address the power generation conundrum as far back as in 2009 when they embarked on the Amalia Falls HydroElectric Project (AFHEP). The road to the location, the financing, the contractor, and all other requirements for the 165-MW project had been put in place when the PNC and AFC torpedoed it by withholding parliamentary approval. The independent Norway Study had declared the project as the best option for a green Guyana. Yet, during 2015-2020, the PNC just sat on its haunches when it came to the matter of lowering energy costs.

Well, not surprisingly, the PPP have hit the ground running in this critical area; after all, they’re men of action, and not men of words! With associated gas from oil extraction available, it didn’t take a genius to figure out that the gas can be brought ashore to generate power.

Even the PNC had “TALKED” about it!! Didn’t next door Trinidad build a gas-fired 750MW facility that is supplying their cheap electricity?

But as soon as the Government announced the plan to situate the facility at Wales - site of abandoned sugar factory - there were howls of protest! Why? That the Govt should conduct EIAs and other geotechnical and geophysical surveys! Well, nothing wrong with that, since these are maters that would affect our national well-being.

But it does seem that some of the frontliners are very selective in their protests. Wasn’t the PNC’s attempted election heist worthy of protest?

So, don’t expect the VP’s assurances would quiet them! …or reversing race relations?

After years of muddling along and doing absolutely NOTHING about fulfilling their 24-point mandate to ensure harmonious race relations in our country, the ERC seem to be frantically trying to justify their QUARTER OF A BILLION DOLLARS’ ANNUAL BUDGET!! So, after all (racial) hell broke loose over social media following the PNC’s attempted elections heist, the ERC hauled in a handful of transgressors and had them utter “apologies”. As if that changed anything.

After the Sanctimonious Gangster and his sidekick Harmon incited crowds in W. Berbice following the Henrys’ murder, you’d think the ERC would’ve hauled them in in accordance with mandate #16- “Investigate on its own accord…any issues affecting ethnic relations.” Or #23“Make recommendations on penalties…to be imposed for any breach of provisions of this Constitution or of any law dealing with ethnicity.” Inciting racial riots violate the Constitution!

But no! They’re now excluding the Muslim and Indian reps from participating in decisions to investigate (or not) a social media call for “civil war”!

What a waste! …on being shafted Much of the intimate partner domestic violence involves cheating husbands. Well, we should follow North Carolina, If a woman’s husband cuckolds her, she can sue the outside woman for “alienation of affection”.

It’s Common Law! Readers are invited to send their comments by email to eye@guyanatimesgy.com

9 128 CSEC reviews remain outstanding – Education Minister NEWS

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

…468 grades changed

O

ne hundred and twenty-eight Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) grades of Guyanese students are yet to be reviewed by the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC), after they were submitted last year by the Education Ministry owing to concerns raised by students regarding their performances.

Education Minister Priya Manickchand on Wednesday addressed the issue during a press conference as many students were frustrated by the current delay.

CXC, which is headquartered in Barbados, has not been able to complete all reviews owing to the complete COVID-19 lockdown in the country. A total of 12,009 students sat the CSEC examinations last year and 1258 grades were sent for review. Some 468 grades have been changed, but 674 remained unchanged.

The Minister also gave a status report for the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE) results, revealing that 33 grades were outstanding.

CXC has completed some 90 per cent of the reviews for Guyana. Manickchand said they have continued engage-

ments with the entity about the delays, and reiterated that top performers could not be named until all grade reviews were completed. This was to ensure that students whose reviews were yet to be completed would not be disenfranchised.

“We continue to speak to CXC. Frankly, I speak with CXC quite frequently.

Sometimes, we’re talking to them daily…There are students with outstanding reviews that could change that picture, so if we were to make an announcement, it would be very clumsy,” the Minister expressed.

The review was initiated after students across the Caribbean made formal requests for their grades to be rechecked, owing to inconsistencies. The Council had committed to complete the process by January 2021, but this was not achieved owing to the present lockdown at the Barbados headquarters.

Guyana’s examination division has raised concerns about the untimely completion of this process, and CXC has since indicated that the last update to the results was made on January 29.

Candidates can access the Student Portal to view their results.

Students received their

sure and to move on, even to higher education. We are working closely with CXC and being very firm in our recommendations and advice and our vote whenev-

Education Minister Priya Manickchand

preliminary results through the CXC Student Portal since September 2020. The Ministry, since the queries and challenges to grades were first aired, has been updating and advising all stakeholders of CXC’s decisions and outcomes of this process.

Recently, the Education Ministry had clarified that a decision was taken to re-examine ‘borderline’ cases.

This category includes candidates with scores that fell within a small range to attain a better grade. These were done even for candidates who did not request a review.

“We know for each student who wrote these exams, this is probably the most important thing happening in their lives and they want clo-

er we are asked to exercise one, with a view to ensuring our students never have to face this level of uncertainty again,” the Ministry had assured.

The University of Guyana has since waived some of its requirements in order to ensure that enrolling students are not affected by this delayed process. (G12)

10 NEWS

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Barbados shares 3000 COVID-19 vaccines with Guyana …frontline health workers to get vaccinated today

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he Barbados Government has released 3000 doses of the coronavirus vaccine to Guyana; it arrived in the country on Wednesday.

This was confirmed by President Irfaan Ali, who communicated that 1500 people will be immunised, since two doses are required.

The first 200 doses will go to the Caricom Secretariat, while the remaining 2800 will be administered exclusively to frontline workers.

“I wish to thank Prime Minister Mia Mottley, and by extension the people of Barbados, for sharing with us from their first batch of vaccines. This act of kindness is among many in recent months that Guyana and Barbados have shared,” the Head of State included in his statement.

He outlined that in the coming weeks, Guyana will be in receipt of several tranches of vaccine. The aim, Ali assured, is to ensure that

every Guyanese is vaccinated by the end of the year.

Local media reports in Barbados have stated that the country was in receipt of 100,000 doses of vaccine from the India Government.

The AstraZeneca vaccines would be used to immunise the Barbados population, which accounts for just over 278,000 people.

Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony was present at the Eugene F Correia International Airport when the doses arrived.

This tranche contains the AstraZeneca vaccine which has been given emergency use authorisation from the World Health Organisation.

“The vaccine is the AstraZeneca vaccine, and it’s from the Serum Institute in India. It’s for 1500 people, because you have to give two doses per person… The expert committee on vaccines met yesterday (Tuesday) and they have greenlighted the AstraZeneca vaccine,

so WHO is going to put it as one of the vaccines under the emergency use listing,” the Minister detailed.

A vaccine drive will commence today, starting with workers from the Georgetown Public Hospital and the Infectious Diseases Hospital at Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara.

“We’ll start with those persons because they’re the ones that interact more often with patients… If they don’t want it, that’s fine, but we want to make sure they have an option to get it,” he added.

Guyana has established several streams to acquire vaccines, starting with the global vaccine mechanism COVAX, which is planning to deliver some 104,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine. Through the COVAX mechanism, Guyana will receive 20 per cent of the total vaccines needed to immunise the population at zero cost.

There is an existing

Cop robbed of 2 motorcycles while asleep

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Police sergeant is now counting his losses after someone allegedly went to his yard while he was asleep and made off with his two motorcycles.

The sergeant’s motorcycles were stolen from his Crane, West Coast Demerara (WCD) home at sometime between Monday and Tuesday.

According to the Police, the sergeant told investigators that the motorcycles were seen in the yard at about 20:00h on Monday.

However, on Tuesday morning, checks were made for the motorcycles, but they were nowhere to be found. A report was then made made to the Police and an investi-

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony receiving the first batch of vaccines on Wednesday

agreement with the African Union by which 149,000 doses will be purchased to immunise the population. This arrangement was brokered through the Caribbean Community, paving the way for 1.5 million doses to be donated to the region.

Additionally, Indian High Commissioner Dr K.J Srinivasa announced earlier this week that an initial donation of 500,000 vaccines would be made to Caribbean countries, of which Guyana will receive a fraction of this allotment.

China has also pledged to donate 20,000 vaccines manufactured by Sinopharm.

The Health Ministry has since been preparing for the vaccination rollout.

35 health teams have been trained to administer the injection as part of the vaccine deployment plan. The expansion of storage facilities is near completion.

These arrangements will ensure that the vaccines are at the right temperature when administered.

Once the vaccine is successfully administered to a per-

Attempted murder accused gets bail on armed robbery charge

A

gation was launched.

The motorcycles are valued at some $489,000.

Only a few days ago, a Police rank was attacked and robbed of his motorcycle along the Tuschen Public Road, East Bank Essequibo (EBE), while he was heading home.

The 22-year-old rank, of Tuschen New Housing Scheme, EBE, was riding

his motorcycle, and while in the vicinity of Light Street, Tuschen, he was attacked by two males as he approached a speed bump.

One of the men reportedly pulled out a knife and ordered the Police rank off his bike, a black CB 1 Honda, while the other man, who was unarmed, picked up a piece of wood and advanced towards the cop.

Out of fear for his life, the cop jumped off the motorcycle, and the two suspects then jumped on the motorcycle and made good their escape. (G9)

son, that person would receive an immunisation card.

Vaccinated persons would be kept under observation for a few minutes, to ensure that there are no adverse reactions.

Once the administration programme starts, health authorities would be able to deliver 70,000 vaccines per day across the country. Government has noted that there is no mandatory requirement to take the vaccine, but taking it is encouraged to reach herd immunity. (G12)

25-year-old resident of Agricola, Greater Georgetown, who is awaiting trial at the High Court for attempted murder, was on Wednesday placed on $150,000 bail after being slapped with a robbery- under-arms charge.

Curtis Vasconcellos appeared before Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Providence Magistrates’ Courts and pleaded not guilty to the charge, which stated that on February 2, at Houston Public Road, Georgetown, while armed with a gun, he robbed Sew Romaman of a cellphone valued at $110,000 and cash in the sum of $25,000.

The Police Prosecutor did not object to the robbery accused being placed on bail,

Robbery accused Curtis Vasconcellos

and Magistrate Latchman ordered Vasconcellos to report to the Ruimveldt Police Station every Friday until the hearing and determination of his trial.

He will make another court appearance on February 28.

The Police prosecutor told the court that Romaman was delivering ice to a customer on February 2, and while in the process of doing so, he exited his car and was answering a phone call when Vasconcellos approached and shot him to the knee before relieving him of his money and cell phone.

After receiving information about the robbery, Police conducted a raid in Agricola and Vasconcellos was arrested.

Defence lawyer Dexter Todd told Magistrate Latchman that his client

was not arrested in relation to the robbery.

During a bail application, the lawyer said his client is not a flight risk. According to Todd, his client is jointly charged with another man for attempted murder.

In September 2016, Vasconcellos and Orwyn Peters were committed to stand trial at the High Court in Demerara for attempted murder committed on Neezam Khan. The charge against the duo states that on June 6, 2015, at Grove, East Bank Demerara, with intent to commit murder, they discharged a loaded firearm at Khan with intent to commit murder. They were released on bail pending trial.

According to reports, Khan, a businessman, and several of his colleagues were outside a snackette which he owned when four men, including Vasconcellos and Peters, rode up beside them on motorcycles. Media reports are that one of the men held Khan at gunpoint and relieved him of jewellery, cash, and other items before shooting him to the left arm.

But before the bandits could have escaped, Khan opened fire on them, killing their accomplice Michael Grant of Agricola. It was reported that Vasconcellos was injured during the shootout, and still made attempts to get away, but was later found lying a short distance from the scene. (G1)

NEWS

Gary Best freed on drunk driving charge

Former GDF Chief-of-Staff Gary Best

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driving under the influence (DUI) charge against former Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Chief-of-Staff, Rear Admiral (ret’d) Gary Best was Wednesday dismissed by Georgetown Magistrate Clive Nurse.

In dismissing the charge, Magistrate Nurse upheld a no-case submission made by Best’s lawyers Nigel Hughes, Ronald Daniels, and Sophia Findlay.

According to the Magistrate, a prima-facie case was not established at the close of the prosecution’s case to call on Best to lead a defence.

The Magistrate noted that no evidence was led by the Prosecutor to prove that the breathalyser was approved by the subject Minister and that the Minister authorised the Police rank who performed the breathalyser test on Best, to use the device in keeping with the provisions of the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act. In the end, the Magistrate

noted that the prosecution failed to present evidence to prove the elements of the offence and accordingly dismissed the charge.

Following an accident that resulted in the death of a former national cyclist, 41-year-old Jude Bentley, Police charged Best with causing death by dangerous driving and DUI. On December 3, 2020, another city magistrate, Rondel Weever dismissed the causing death by dangerous driving charge.

It was alleged that on February 8, 2020, at Georgetown, Best drove Land Cruiser PRR 8182 in a manner dangerous to the public, thereby causing the death of Bentley. He had initially pleaded not guilty to the charge and was released on $500,000 bail pending trial.

Magistrate Weever had rendered a 30-page ruling in which she highlighted several weaknesses in the prosecution’s case. In dismissing the case, Magistrate Weever held that the prosecution’s case contained many gaps that the court could not fill, and to do so, she pointed out, would be inviting the court to speculate.

According to the Magistrate, a crucial element in the prosecution’s case was not established, that is, whether Best was driving dangerously on the day in question.

Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Shalimar Ali-Hack, SC, has filed an appeal asking the Court of Appeal to set aside

National cyclist Jude Bentley

and/or reverse the decision of Magistrate Weever. The Court is yet to fix a date for hearing that matter.

According to reports, Bentley was reportedly struck down and run over by the vehicle driven by Best on Clive Lloyd Drive near the Russian Embassy turn in Georgetown. The accident occurred around 04:00h.

Reports are that both Best and Bentley were travelling in an easterly direction. It was alleged that Bentley, who was at the time cycling to meet a group of cyclists, suddenly appeared in front of Best’s vehicle. Best had claimed that he applied brakes, but the right side of the front of his vehicle hit Bentley, who was knocked onto the roadway.

Best has on numerous occasions publicly expressed condolences to the family of the dead man. Best is an Executive Member of the People’s National Congress Reform PNCR and a former Presidential Advisor under the David Granger Administration. (G1)

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Region 10 woman dies at home, tests positive for COVID-19 …51 new cases detected

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he COVID-19 death toll has climbed to 182 after an 82-yearold woman from Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) died on Tuesday.

The Health Ministry confirmed her death on Wednesday, adding that she succumbed at her home, but a test was done posthumously after the body arrived at a medical facility and it was positive for the coronavirus.

Prior to this, the last death was reported on Sunday after a 74-yearold man from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) succumbed at a medical facility.

New cases

There were 51 new cases in one day after 407 samples were sent for analysis.

According to the Ministry’s dashboard, the total number of confirmed cases in the country is now 8092 –

in terms of reducing transmissibility,” the Minister stressed.

If anyone is displaying any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19, or need any additional information, they are asked to contact the COVID-19 Hotline 231-1166, 226-7480 or 624-6674 immediately, or visit www.health.gov.gy.

4214 males and 3878 females.

There are 876 active cases: eight in the designated Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 749 in home isolation and 56 in institutional isolation. Another 32 persons are also in institutional quarantine. The data shows that 7124 patients have recovered from the life-threatening virus while 53,782 persons have been tested.

Of the new cases, two were detected in Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara); 38 cases in Region Four, 3 in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), one in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), two in Region Nine (Upper EssequiboUpper Takutu) and

Persons with comorbidities have been asked to continue taking their respective medications or treatment to control their condition. The preventative measures and guidelines to protect against the virus must be adhered to, since this category of persons is at a greater risk if they contract COVID-19. (G12)

Deadly confrontation over money leads to conviction

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five in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

The cases in Regions One (Barima-Waini), Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), Five (Mahaica-Berbice) and Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) remain at 1014, 232, 217, and 452 respectively.

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony warned during the COVID-19 update on Wednesday that even with vaccines being made available now, persons would still have to wear their masks. This is

since the body takes some time to develop immunity.

“This thing doesn’t happen overnight. It takes some time before that immune response is developed. Persons would have to continue to abide by the measures. So, not because you got the vaccine, that means you can stop wearing masks or stop doing all the things that are recommended. We still have to continue to do that because the scientists are still trying to investigate how effective these vaccines are

he trial of 50-yearold Alvin Calder who was charged with manslaughter ended on Tuesday with a 12-member jury returning a unanimous guilty verdict.

Calder was on trial before Justice Gino Persaud at the High Court in Essequibo for the unlawful killing of Joseph Willy, called “Jeff-man”.

The killing occurred on April 12, 2007, at White Water Landing, Mahdia, Region Eight (PotaroSiparuni). As a result of his lawyer requesting a probation report, Calder was remanded to prison until March 9, 2021, when he will be sentenced.

State Counsel Lisa Cave appeared on behalf of the prosecution.

Media reports are that Calder was only apprehended in 2016, nine years after he killed the man. It was reported that the men were involved in a drug deal that went bad. Moreover, Willy had allegedly owed

Guilty: Alvin Calder

Calder $150,000 for goods he had taken from his shop and had refused to pay him despite several requests.

According to reports, on the day in question, Calder saw a relative of the now dead man and confronted her over the monies he was owed. After Willy learnt of the confrontation, he reportedly approached Calder armed with a cutlass. At that point, it was reported that Calder shot him twice, and then made good his escape. (G1)

NEWS

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Suriname-Guyana backtrack route mishap

2 bodies recovered, search continues for 3rd missing person P

olice on Wednesday morning recovered the bodies of two of the three persons who drowned whilst they were entering Guyana from Suriname via a backtrack route.

The body of 31-year-old Alwin Joseph, a father of one and of Suriname, was found at the Number 60 foreshore at about 06:15h by some fishermen in the area; while the body of 75-yearold Babuni Harihar, called, ‘Dorris’, was found among some mangroves at Number 69 Village at around 08:15h.

Up to press time, the search was continuing for the third person, 48-year-old Sharida Hussein, called ‘Sherry’, of Pilot Street, New Amsterdam, Berbice.

The three had gone missing on Monday evening whilst they were entering Guyana from Suriname via a backtrack route. They were feared drowned.

Joseph’s cousin Yudishwar

boat captain or the vessel used to transport the passengers from Suriname to Guyana. However, this publication was told that the boat is owned by a Guyanese.

Even as tragedy struck, when this publication visited the Number 63 Beach on Wednesday, there were persons waiting to be illegally transported across the Corentyne River to neighbouring Suriname.

Desist from using illegal crossings

Dead: Alwin Joseph

Dead: Babuni Harrier

the body, which was taken to the Skeldon Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Speaking about the discovery, Lakeraj said relatives had

“Like about two minutes after the Police reach,” he said, adding that the body was lying face down about 60 feet from the water.

Meanwhile, Police said fishermen setting fishing seine noticed the body of a female lying in a clump of bushes. A black and white haversack found about five feet next to her contained a quantity of clothing and a Guyana identification card. Like Joseph, her body was also taken to the Skeldon Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Both bodies are currently at the Anthony Funeral Parlour awaiting an autopsy.

Harihar left Guyana in December to visit her daughter and grandchildren in Suriname.

She had not seen them since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Her daughter, Sunita Sukra, said Harihar had arrived safely in Suriname, but after two months, had wanted to return home.

Sukra believes the boat captain was aware that his three passengers were put off at an area at which it would have been difficult for them to make it to shore.

Meanwhile, the Guyana Police Force has not provided any details on the whereabouts of the

Three persons from the search party that is searching for Sharida Hussein

Lakeraj was part of a search party of five. He told this publication that none of the man’s belongings was recovered.

Police have since said that no marks of violence were seen on

received a telephone call indicating that a woman’s body was discovered on the beach. However, when they arrived, they discovered it was that of Joseph, who was clad in a pair of short pants and a vest.

Meanwhile, Public Works Minister Juan Edghill on Wednesday said the Ministry deeply regrets the unfortunate situation. He has expressed the deep concern of that Ministry, and has offered prayers for the family members of the two persons who died and the one missing.

“As Minister responsible for transportation, I take this opportunity to appeal to all Guyanese

Missing: Sharida Hussein

options aimed at reopening the Guyana/Suriname border for safe travel.

Suriname closed its borders

The area where the three persons disembarked the boat

to desist from using illegal crossings, known as ‘backtrack’, considering the danger,” he said. He noted that the Ministry, with its counterpart in Surinamese, is examining various measures and

with Guyana in February as part of a series of measures aimed at reducing the spread of the novel coronavirus. The Surinamese military has since been patrolling the River. (Andrew Carmichael)

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

GuySuCo working towards not needing Govt bailouts — CEO …says 2021 a critical year in turning around industry

By Jarryl Bryan

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udget 2021 is just one day away, and with a history of being kept afloat by Government bailouts, Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) Chief Executive Officer Sase Singh hopes to one day turn this around.

In an interview with this publication, Singh acknowledged that GuySuCo has to move away from its reliance on the state to making enough money that it is able to self-generate its own revenue and pay for itself.

“The way we can navigate out of this pain is to bring more cash onto the table. And the only way we can do that - we cannot continue this model of running to the treasury and saying we want more, we want more - we have to self-generate more

GuySuCo CEO Sase Singh

revenue,” the CEO said.

“And that’s why we have to be very careful how we expand operations. Operations have to be done carefully.

And once it’s done carefully, we create the market at the value-added level to push off that production, rather than

produce and stop. The sugar model of the future is producing and sell it at the highest level.”

Laying out the corporation’s agenda for 2021, Singh explained that GuySuCo has to continue its efforts to fix up the factories, conduct land preparation, and revamp the cane transport system. He therefore appealed for patience from the Guyanese public.

“You, the Guyanese people, have made $3 billion available to us…,” he said, as he explained that that money would be carefully utilised in order to ensure that the most crucial components of the estate – the parts that bring the greatest value to GuySuCo - are renewed.

“At Uitvlugt, for example, we have several pieces of equipment that have not been touched or renewed for

years: the high-grade baskets, the mill rollers. It was totally engineering magic that a factory like Uitvlugt still stands, because of the lack of investments,” Singh said.

“Then you have the factories. They’ve always been struggling, and are not mechanically reliable. We have many cases of what you call toothless rollers. Parts of the rollers are broken and can’t squeeze the juice effectively, so juice is being lost. It takes extra energy to burn that bagasse when it’s produced; so, the problem is we have to fix all those things, and that’s started to happen… 2021 is a key year. And we’re turning this whole business to being more resilient,” Singh explained.

Added to this is the work that has to go into GuySuCo’s land preparation and into

Linden man attacked, chopped while walking home

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35-year-old man was admitted to the hospital in critical condition after he was chopped by two men while walking home on the Bamia Trail, Linden, Region 10 on Tuesday.

Injured is Junior Lewis, aka “Yankee” of Bamia Trail, Amelia’s Ward,

Linden.

Police said Lewis was walking along the Bamia Trail heading home when he was attacked by two men, who dealt him several chops to his left hand.

Following the incident, the man was left lying on the road while his assailants made good their es-

cape.

On Wednesday about 09:00h, a farmer who was travelling along the same trail found the man in a serious state and summoned the Police.

When the Police arrived on the scene, they observed the victim had two gaping wounds on his left hand.

He was picked up and taken to the Linden Hospital Complex, where he was admitted.

Police have since launched an investigation into the matter, and are currently looking for the suspects. Police, however, did not reveal the motive behind the chopping. (G9)

The East Demerara Sugar Estate

the timely transport of sugar cane from the fields to the factories. Singh explained why the timely transport of cane is so important.

“It is best for raw cane sugar to be processed in the factories within 48 hours.

In the industry, we call that the Burn to Grind Indicator, BGI. If you leave those canes out longer than that, you start to lose value rapidly.

So, the sugar declines. So, we have to fix the cane transport route across all the estates,” he said.

“The land has to be prepared and plowed, and it has to be planted on time.

Once it is planted, the right amount of fertiliser has to be applied at the right time. We cannot apply it when we feel like, or when its available.

That has been happening too much across the industry. If we cannot have it available, then why are (we) planting?”

The former Government had closed the Wales Estate in 2016, and subsequently shut down the Enmore, Rose Hall and Skeldon estates.

The downsizing of the sugar industry had resulted in only the Uitvlugt, Blairmont and Albion estates currently operating.

After taking office last year, the PPP/C Government announced, in the 2020 Emergency Budget presented in September 2020, that some $5 billion would be injected into the sugar industry for the phased reopening of the closed estates.

An initial $3 billion was earmarked for critical works for the remainder of 2020, while an assessment was simultaneously carried out on the state of the assets and the level of reinvestments needed at the Enmore, Rose Hall and Skeldon estates for their reopening.

NEWS

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Ramsammy’s Ruminations It’s world class: President Ali declares Budget 2021: one of the most anticipated budgets in the last two decades

as Sarwan unveils new hotspot

O

ne of the most anticipated budgets in the last two decades will be presented by the Minister with responsibility for Finance, the Honourable Dr. Ashni Singh, on Friday, February 12th. Among those sitting in the Government front benches will be the Vice-President of Guyana, the Honourable Bharrat Jagdeo, who served between 1994 and 1999 as Guyana's Finance Minister, the most successful Finance Minister in Guyana's history. His performance as Guyana's Minister of Finance propelled him to becoming one of the world's youngest Heads of State. Thousands of persons will be watching the proceedings in Parliament on Friday as Dr. Ashni Singh continues to show why he, too, has been a Finance Minister that has established such a high bar that Ministers of Finance around the world can aspire for.

There is great expectations and excitement for Budget 2021, from ordinary citizens, from public servants, from the private sector, from investors, Dr Leslie Ramsammy from workers in both the public service and the private sector, from pensioners, from young mothers, from families with chronic diseases and families with children in schools, from university students, from farmers and miners. Budget 2021 is expected to begin the transformation of Guyana's infrastructure, and the projects in Budget 2021, once completed, will change the physical face of Guyana, once the first term of the Dr. Irfaan Ali-government comes to an end.

People are filled with great expectations and confidence, but no one is certain exactly what "goodies" Budget 2021 will bring, although everyone is certain there will be many "goodies".

That is why people are eagerly awaiting Minister Ashni Singh's reading of Budget 2021 on Friday. While there is uncertainty about what "goodies" will be in the budget, every one is certain there is no new taxation or other burdens. Moreover, no one is sitting with any reservation and fear about Budget 2021.

PPP budgets in the past or present provide no reason for people to be concerned. PPP budgets are always anticipated.

As Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo promised, Budget 2021, like previous PPP budgets, will be "pro-poor" and "pro-business".

This is in direct contrast with budgets presented by the People's National Congress (PNC), including during the 2015-to-2020 period, when they disguised themselves as APNU+AFC. PNC budgets created great anxiety and concerns, and stressed out citizens. It invariably contained increases of, or new taxes. This was true for ordinary public servants, for businesses, for miners etc. When the new PNC Government took over in 2015, some had hoped their policy of tax-and-spend would come to an end.

But in the five years between 2015 and 2020, they proved that a tiger cannot change its stripes, it’s embedded in its DNA. Just as they did between 1964 and 1992, the PNC Government, which called itself APNU+AFC, between 2015 and 2020, introduced over 200 new taxes that affected every sector in the country.

So great was the stress PNC budgets caused in the past that people gave them names. As a youth growing up in the PNC days, I remember not only the stress among citizens, I remember people gave names to the PNC budgets. There were names like "pick-pocket" budget, "choke-and-rob", "voodoo", "empty rice pot" budgets. There were some even vulgar names that I will not list here. Besides new taxes, there were always other stressful things. After 1985, invariably, budgets had devaluations. Guyana dollar plummeted in value. Prices soared.

But, especially between 1968 and 1980, there were many things people valued that were banned. Common food items, like milk, flour, dhall, sardines and other staples were banned. The assault on the lives of ordinary citizens was brutal, and every single PNC budget left people reeling, left people with less and less.

The upcoming Budget 2021 is likely to include benefits and further entitlements for Guyanese citizens. The Guyanese people are expecting to see benefits for school children, an increase in the cash grants for school children, a resumption of the one-lap-top per family programme, increases and other benefits for pensioners, for university students, investments in housing, water, electricity, hospitals and schools.

Budget 2021 will include major infrastructure projects, such as bridges like the Demerara River and Corentyne River bridges, new highways, new drainage and irrigation structures.

Businesses expect incentives for investment and manufacturing.

One particular area that people are anticipating is the investment in housing. It is expected that major housing developments in various regions of the country would accelerate home ownership. The Government had promised 50,000 house lots in this term. In the truncated 2020 period, the PPP distributed more than 3,000 house lots. Even ardent detractors of the PPP Government now believe that the 50,000 house lots’ promise is realistic.

As the Guyanese people wait for Budget 2021, one of the sure things in it is: there will be enough projects to create thousands of new jobs. In the end, budgets are supposed to create jobs for people. While I am like most citizens, unaware of which "goodies" will be in Budget 2021, I am confident that after the budget is read on Friday, the Guyanese people will have myriad reasons to smile. Happy Budget 2021 Day on Friday.

Ramnaresh Sarwan’s West Indies 53 Jersey hangs in the newly- opened restaurant

By Jemima Holmes

M

any of the country’s ritzy restaurant destinations are packed into Georgetown or along the coastline, but now those with a taste for the upscale dining do not have to travel far.

Exuding chic ambience, Ramnaresh Sarwan’s RS53 Resto Bar is located at Providence, East Bank Demerara, and offers a soothing ambiance and multifaceted attractions to suit those whose palette crave fine dining or an elegantly intrinsic sport vibe.

The restaurant venue, first showing of which came on Tuesday evening, has long been a dream of the former West Indies cricketer, and it seems that he has perfected his vision, since the venue has received high praise from the President of Guyana.

Beaming with pride at his achievement, Sarwan was ecstatic at finally being able to bring his dream to fruition.

“I’m pretty happy!

Obviously, it’s a lot of work.

I had a little experience in Canada with a sports bar, but I never had the opportunity to be there or spend a lot of time there. But from the time I had that restaurant in Canada, I wanted to put one together. I know it took a while, but it’s finally become reality,” Sarwan relayed to Guyana Times on Tuesday.

He continued: “A lot of detail was put in this investment, and I’m pleased to know we’re finally getting it off the ground.”

The venue distinguishes itself from the competition not only in its ability to offer a family-friendly sport bar experience, but more so in the charm of its blended menu.

“I tried to use places I’ve been before and some of the food I’ve experienced to try

to put the menu together.

So, some of the food I’ve experienced abroad I’d like people locally to experience it,” The sports personality commented.

Regarding the menu, Sarwan came up with a crafty idea to give patrons access to it in a technologically advanced way. A patron can use their phone camera to scan the QR code, which is situated on every table. The scanned code takes customers directly to the menu website in a single touch.

While the ‘RS53’ needs no introduction, the former Guyana and West Indies batsman took more inspiration from his time in sport, other than his jersey number. Sarwan explained that this also played a role in the type of restaurant he hoped to curate.

He shared, “The reason I tried to strike a balance between a sports bar and a restaurant is due to the fact that I’ve participated in sport but I also wanted to facilitate the family coming here to have an opportunity to dine and to be able to bring their kids and stuff like that.

“The long section of it is more of where you can get well dressed and enjoy things like wine and alcohol,” Sarwan further explained.

World class

Briefly gracing the establishment on its opening night was President Dr Irfaan Ali, who not only was impressed with the quality of the venue, but also shared his contentment with Sarwan’s achievement.

“The facility itself is world class. I think that we did an exceptionally good job at putting this facility together,” the CommanderIn- Chief declared.

President Ali went on to state, “What I find particularly pleasing is that, in

The RS53 Resto Bar and Lounge boasts a wide array of wines

this case, we have a young man, Ramnaresh Sarwan, who was a sporting personality, and to see him redirect his energies in such a positive manner to the development of Guyana, but importantly to see him reinvest in Guyana, creating jobs and creating opportunities, is something I take great pride in.”

Looking at Sarwan’s investment from a country perspective, President Ali shared that these are the types of advancements citizens would witness as Guyana continues to develop.

“As our country continues to develop, there’ll be need for a greater level of service, different types of facilities, and this is just one of those facilities that would

add to the value chain of our country, the quality, experience and the diversity of service,” President Ali explained.

Further, the Head of State was quoted as saying, “When we speak of local content, it is the ability to stimulate investments like these: that will bring greater value to Guyanese, that will bring greater levels of income, that will make a positive impact on society itself.”

The West Indies batting legend also hinted that the grand opening of the Amazonia Mall, housed in the same compound, would take place in 4-6 weeks’ time, and the mall would offer attractions such as movie theatres and fast food joints apart from other businesses.

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Countrywide dam maintenance programme to be launched

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griculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha on Tuesday met with farmers from Greenwich in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), to listen to some of the concerns faced within the farming communities.

The meeting was part of a series of community engagements undertaken by the Minister since taking office to assess the state of affairs in Guyana’s agriculture sector.

As was the case at previous meetings, farmers highlighted the need for improved dams, better drainage and irrigation, and fair grading systems for paddy at rice mills.

One farmer said that she was receiving very poor grades for her paddy. She also told the Minister that the community

was in need of an all-weather road.

“The grading of our paddy is being done very badly, we are getting very bad grades. Grades that we have never seen before. Sample A, sample C and those kinds of things – very low grades. Also, the koker at Philadelphia, it is not being opened regularly. Because it is not being opened regularly, we are getting lots of flooding in the area. Right now, if you check, the dams are flooded.

We are also requesting the construction of an all-weather road. We have 13 dams and we need some help with that, because of the mud that keeps coming out with the tractors, it’s very dangerous for people on the roads,” the farmer said.

Another farmer said that farmers in the area were damaging the dam to benefit themselves. The Chairman of the Water Users Association for the area, said that there should be a structured programme in place for works being done. He also appealed for works to be done on a number of heavily forested dams in the area.

“We are tasked with cleaning a number of canals within the rice area and the other crops area. Comrade Minister, that’s one aspect, cleaning of the canals. Some of these dams, especially in the Namrick area, these dams are heavily forested. If you have contractors cleaning the dams, there’s no way any ranger could have access to these dams to verify that

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha (left) during the meeting

these works are being done in these canals. They are very bad. What I would like to see is a work programme laid out. We’d like to see a structured programme so that dams and canals would be maintained on a regular ba-

Local petroleum industry

GNBS, GEA sign revised MoU to ensure reliable measurements

T

he Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) recently revised and fortified a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) it signed with the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) in 2014.

The revised MoU was signed by Tourism, Industry and Commerce Ministry Permanent Secretary Sharon Roopchand, on behalf of the GNBS and GEA Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr Mahender Sharma.

The updated document will allow the two agencies to collaboratively ensure that a stringent monitoring, measurement, and licensing system is maintained within the petroleum

A GNBS inspector verifying a fuel tanker wagon compartment

industry.

In addition to all petrol meters, bulk meters and tanker wagons used at ser-

vice stations, and petrol terminals, the revised document will now facilitate measurement monitoring on marine fuel vessels.

It will ensure that these vessels, petrol dispensers (petrol pumps and meters) and transportation carriers are verified/calibrated before the GEA issues licences to them. The signed agreement also allows for efficient and effective information sharing on the agreed terms.

The Weights and Measures Act No 15 of 1981 mandates the GNBS to verify all weighing and measuring devices used for the purpose of trade, in order to ensure accuracy in measurement, equity in trade, and consumer satisfaction.

The GEA agrees to ensure that all measuring instruments under its ambit are verified or calibrated by the GNBS prior to the issuance of the requisite GEA licences.

The revised MoU covers five articles or components – the purpose of the agreement, scope, management, officers, and the amendment.

Among the aspects specifically agreed to for the management of activities under the MoU is the sen-

sitisation of fuel companies, proprietors of petrol filling stations, tanker wagon owners and other operators about the importance of calibration and verification of measuring instruments to ensure accuracy and equity in trade.

Additionally, tanker wagons used to transport fuel throughout Guyana will be calibrated or verified once yearly. Further, all non-conformities relating to use, calibration and verification of petrol meters, bulk meters, and tanker wagons will be reported promptly by the GEA to the GNBS or the respective Regional Weights and Measures Offices, in order to facilitate prompt and effective corrective actions.

Regarding the responsibilities of officers, the parties agreed that the officers of the GNBS and the Licensing Officers of the GEA shall be the executing persons to manage under the respective entities for the purpose of fulfilling the MoU. Under the newly-amended MoU, the Executive Director of the GNBS and CEO of the GEA must agree to any further action for change contemplated or decided.

sis. Not only the canals, especially the dams so the access would be there to verify these works,” the Chairman said.

While responding to the issues raised by the farmers, Minister Mustapha committed to doing rehabilitative work on the dams in the area. He also said that he would work with the farmers to implement a system to ensure farmers benefit from a proper grading system at the mills.

“I’ll make a commitment here today. All the dams in the area we’ll rehabilitate them. We’ll develop a work programme and we’ll do the dams so that you can bring out your produce.

I’ve asked the Chairman of the Board and the CEO of NDIA [National Drainage and Irrigation Authority] to do a programme, because I’m working on one for the entire country. We’ll have a dam maintenance programme that we’ll put into effect shortly… we are buy-

ing new excavators and we’ll send those excavators into the communities. The Water Users Association would like to see a programme; I’d like a request coming from the water users to see which areas are critical. So, areas like the forested dams that the Chairman spoke about, we would be able to start work on them. We are currently working to ensure all the dams are in a state where farmers can have free access to their cultivation,” Minister Mustapha said.

“I was at another community meeting with farmers with similar issues as it relates to grading. I asked the Rice Producers’ Association and the farmers to identify a person that will be trained by the GRDB [Guyana Rice Development Board]. I’m extending that to you now. If you can find a suitable person, we’ll train that person and they will be at the mill to monitor and ensure you get the correct grade for your paddy. In terms of the all-weather road, I know that the mud brought out by the tractors is dangerous, so my Ministry will be working with other Ministries like the Ministry of Public Works to see how we can develop proper farm-to-market roads,” he added.

Mustapha also told farmers that there would soon be a central extension service division established at the Ministry to monitor all extension services in the country.

Govt monitoring increase in prices for some vegetables

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he Tourism, Industry and Commerce Ministry is monitoring the increase in the cost of vegetables across the country.

Several consumers have complained of an almost 100 per cent increase in the cost of most vegetables at both main markets and supermarkets over the last three weeks.

The notable price hikes were also widely reported in the media.

Research conducted by the Department of Commerce within the Ministry confirmed the price increases.

These increases were attributed mainly to heavy rainfall, which affected the production of cash crops in Regions Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), Five (Mahaica-Berbice) and Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).

However, some prices have

started declining over the last few days and the ministry said it expected this trend to continue as the situation stabilised.

In a statement on Wednesday, Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister Oneidge Walrond said that the Ministry would continue to work with other Ministries and agencies to provide the necessary support and relief to farmers.

Walrond added that the Government understood the negative financial impact the sharp increase in prices of these staple items could have on the Guyanese consumer, as well as the tourism and hospitality sector. She stressed that the Government was monitoring the situation closely in a bid to determine any necessary intervention.

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Smart Classroom opened CH&PA online services resume – Croal H at Queen’s College …20 more expected within weeks

ousing and Water Minister Collin Croal has said that persons with housing queries can now have those addressed online through the Central Housing and Planning Authority’s (CH&PA’s) website, which was launched on Tuesday.

Croal made this disclosure at a public outreach in the border town of Corriverton in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), and the Department of Public Information reported that the Minister encouraged the public to make full use of the services offered via the website chpa.gov.gy instead of travelling to its Brickdam, Georgetown office.

“For the persons who are updating their information, we have put back, because for one reason or the other, the

allocated a two-day response time for queries made via the website.

“We want to make services available and much more accessible to you, as the citizens,” he said.

Croal said the Ministry would also be relaunching its webpage, mohw.gov.gy, where persons could update their status and access upto-date information from the Ministry.

Additionally, he said that this month the Ministry would be working to strengthen the regional housing offices countrywide. This is to ensure they can undertake their duties effectively.

Meanwhile, the Minister has assured residents of Corriverton that their housing challenges would be addressed. He reminded them

Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal

opment of the areas. You can be assured that we are working to acquire more lands, so that we can make allocations available,” he said.

He also pointed out that, through a public/private part-

Education Minister Priya Manickchand sitting through an English B lesson with students of Queen’s College in their smart classroom on Wednesday

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ducation Minister Priya Manickchand on Wednesday declared the second smart classroom in Guyana open at Queen’s College in Georgetown.

The classroom, second of its kind in the public education sector, would benefit not only Queen’s College, but would be used to reach students in other secondary schools across Guyana, who can benefit from lessons which they may not be able to receive in their respective schools, a Department of Public Information report has stated.

Manickchand has said the intention is to eventually have a smart classroom rolled out in every high school across Guyana. She said the Education Ministry is on track to deliver 20 more such classrooms within the coming weeks. The COVID-19 pandemic, she noted, has shown how important technology is to the

education sector.

“COVID has underscored how much we need advances and additions to our traditional chalk-and-talk, and it would have come in very useful if we had these features in the classroom; but we cannot wring our hands for what we don’t have, but we must recognise it as a failure and move on aggressively to rolling out these classrooms across the country,” Manickchand is quoted as saying by DPI. She is encouraging persons to see COVID-19 as an opportunity to do better for the country by improving systems and implementing initiatives to improve the education sector.

She told members of the staff and administration of the school that they now have a duty to share knowledge and information to as many students and teachers as possible using the smart classroom.

The smart classroom,

she added, would also be made available to master teachers who are not attached to the school, in order that they might use it to facilitate teaching students from various schools virtually, particularly if those students don’t have a particular subject teacher attached to the institution, or whether they need additional assistance with a topic or subject area.

President of the Parent Teachers’ Association, Kwabina Griffith, has said the school is excited about the classroom. She said this is the direction that education must go. The principal of the school, Ms. Jackie Ralph, also delivered remarks and echoed similar sentiments.

During Wednesday’s launch, Dianne Henry taught an English B lesson while engaging students physically in the smart classroom and those that were at home.

Persons who have housing queries were at the outreach which was hosted at Corriverton, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne)

last Government in 2017, it was taken off the website. So, you can now have your updated information scanned and be sent online to us, and we will update it… If you have queries, you can also send them in, and we will have someone from the relevant department respond,” he is quoted as saying.

The online service also caters for persons who have applied for permits and are seeking answers.

He noted that the Ministry recognises that accessing current information for persons who have applied for house lots has been challenging, and that many times eligible applicants could not be contacted due to a change of address or telephone number. As such, the Ministry has

that they have a Government that cares and would respond to their needs and wants.

He added that, in March, the Government would be addressing the backlog of titles for persons who were already allocated their house lots. Further, he noted that steps are already being taken to address the backlog of over 70,000 house lots’ applications that are in the system.

Speaking on the issue of infrastructure, he said that works are ongoing in Number 79 Village, Williamsburg, Hampshire, Number 75 Village, and at Ordinance Fortlands for the development of house lots.

“In Region Six, you can be assured that there will be continued investment in the housing sector for the devel-

nership, 200 homes would be constructed for young professionals. This would be done in Ordinance Fortlands and Williamsburg.

In January, during a similar exercise, he announced that no less than $2 billion would be invested in infrastructural works in Region Six under the 2021 work programme.

The PPP/C Government is committed to allocating 50,000 house lots over a fiveyear period, as outlined in its manifesto. In the 2020 Emergency Budget, several measures were implemented to make home ownership affordable for all.

Regional Chairman David Armogan also participated in Wednesday’s outreach.

Caribbean youth to benefit from UNFPA sexuality education initiative

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outh in the Caribbean will be benefiting from Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) activities that were launched by the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) in a virtual webinar on Wednesday.

CSE programmes enable young people to protect their health, well-being and dignity and is a strategic vehicle for promoting gender equality and human rights.

The activitieswill be conducted under the Spotlight Regional Programme for the Caribbean which is part of the wider Spotlight Initiative (SI), a global,multi-year partnership between the European Union and the United Nations to

eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls by 2030.

The webinar provided an outline of the CSE activities to be implemented and participants were given an opportunity to provide input in accelerating the planned efforts.

The effects of COVID-19 in the education sector that might also put at risk the continuity of the CSE delivery through Health and Family Life Education (HFLE) were also discussed.

Director and Representative for the UNFPA Sub-RegionalOffice of the Caribbean, Alison Drayton, who welcomed participants to the launch, highlighted that the growth and development of Caribbean youth continued

Director and Representative for the UNFPA Sub-RegionalOffice of the Caribbean, Alison Drayton

to be undermined by what she called “new manifestations of age-old threats”.

She identified a number of

CSE challenges being faced

by Caribbean youth and expressed that vulnerability to all forms of violence,

particularly bullying, sexual violence, abuse and exploitation and adolescent pregnancy rates remained very high.

Highlighting the role of the CSE initiatives in addressing these issues, the director explained that strengthening regional capacities to advocate for and deliver quality CSE for in and out of school youth in the Caribbean was at the heart of the Regional Spotlight Programme.

“The comprehensive sexuality education interventions, through the Spotlight Initiative, are informed by robust evidence and aim to contribute to the collaborative efforts in preventing violence against women and girls in the Caribbean,” she said.

The CARICOM Secretariat is one of the organisations that has partnered with the UNFPA on this initiative and is playing a significant role in the implementation of the Spotlight Regional Programme for the Caribbean.

Director of Human Development at the CARICOM Secretariat, Helen Royer, said the implementation of a regional HFLE curriculum, the creation of resources and toolkits, training of teachers to communicate the curriculum, and improved coordination among all the agencies at the regional and national levels, are among the outcomes of CARICOM’s efforts at strengthening HFLE. (Jamaica Observer)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2021

Regional

B’dos, Dominica to share donated COVID-19 Haitian protesters, Police clash after President moves against top Judges vaccines with regional neighbours

H

B

arbados and Dominica intend to share with their Caribbean neighbours some of the COVID-19 vaccines sent by the Government of India, Prime Minister Mia Mottley said on Tuesday evening.

A Regional Security System (RSS) aircraft arrived at the Grantley Adams International Airport earlier in the day with a shipment of 100,000 Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines, while 70,000 doses were sent to Dominica.

Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) member nations, as well as Guyana and Trinidad will benefit from India’s gift, Mottley said, as she emphasised that collaboration was key in the fight against COVID-19 and acknowledged Dominican Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit for his role in the overall effort.

“Prime Minister Skerrit and myself have worked very

Prime Minister Mia Mottley (second from left) was on hand with other Cabinet Ministers for the arrival of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine shipment on Tuesday

closely on this, and I really want to thank him… We’ve also agreed that members of the OECS, and indeed, in Barbados’ case, Trinidad and Guyana, who have helped us over the course of last year… that some of the vaccines we have received will go to our brothers and sisters in those territories,” she said.

“I hope that Barbados, Dominica and the rest of the Caribbean can be an example

to the rest of the world about how you cooperate. And even when you have a little, you share and you work together, because we know that’s the only thing missing in the world today.”

Meantime, Prime Minister Mottley disclosed that negotiations were underway with the Government of India to buy a second batch of the vaccine for Barbadians. (Excerpt from CMC)

Death of Honduran student in Police custody sparks protests

T

he death of a 26-yearold nursing student in Police custody has caused outrage in Honduras.

Police arrested Keyla Martínez on Saturday night for allegedly being drunk and breaching the nighttime curfew in place to curb the pandemic.

She was taken to a Police cell, where a female officer says she was found “close to death” suspended from the cell door by her blouse.

Police at first said it was suicide, but forensic tests suggest she was killed.

Officers took her to hospital, but doctors said that when they examined her, she was already dead.

Martínez’s death in custody triggered a number of protests when it was first reported, but outrage has grown since the preliminary post-mortem examination concluded that there were “strong indications” that her death was a “homicide”.

Martínez, who was in the final year of her studies to become a nurse, was spending the weekend in her hometown of La Esperanza.

Her family says she went

out with friends on Saturday evening. She was stopped in a car with a doctor friend of hers late that night.

Police allege that they established that as the two were not returning from work, they were in breach of the night-time curfew.

The officers also claimed that she was drunk, something her family has questioned, saying that she had not been drinking at dinner.

She and her friend were arrested and detained in separate cells at the local Police station. (Excerpt from BBC News)

3 Cubans survive on coconuts for 33 days on uninhabited island

T

hree people believed to have been stranded on an uninhabited island in the Bahamas for 33 days have been rescued, the US Coast Guard says.

An aircrew was on a routine patrol when it spotted the group frantically waving a makeshift flag on Anguilla Cay. The Cuban nationals told officials they had survived largely on coconuts.

One of the crew members involved in the rescue efforts told the BBC he was “amazed that they were able to survive for so long”.

The group was first spotted on the island located between the Florida Keys and Cuba on Monday.

Coast Guard official Riley Beecher told the BBC that he was out on patrol when “something caught the attention of my eye”. When he came back round at a lower altitude, he realised that there were people on the island in distress.

The crew was not equipped to carry out an immediate res-

aitian Police on Wednesday clashed with rock-hurling protesters in the capital Port-auPrince amid street demonstrations against President Jovenel Moise after his Government retired three Supreme Court Judges earmarked as his potential replacements.

Police fired teargas and shot in the air in an attempt to disperse pockets of protesters, who pelted the security officials with rocks, according to a Reuters witness.

“We are back to dictatorship! Down with Moise!” the protesters shouted as music blared from speakers amid chaotic scenes in the poor Caribbean nation of about 11 million people.

The protesters also yelled “Down with Sison,” a reference to the US Ambassador to Haiti, Michele Jeanne Sison.

Washington has so far backed Moise’s claim that he should step down in February 2022 after presidential elections are held this year.

The latest political tumult in the volatile island nation comes amid a crippling economic crisis and a sharp rise

Police officers detain a man during protests against Haiti’s President Jovenel Moise, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, February 8, 2021

in crime, especially kidnappings for ransom.

The Opposition is demanding Moise leaves power immediately, accusing him of acting like an authoritarian leader and violating the Constitution.

Tensions intensified over the weekend after Moise alleged there was an attempt to overthrow his Government.

Authorities on Sunday arrested 23 people, including a Supreme Court Judge and a senior Police official.

On Monday, the Government issued an executive decree retiring the arrested judge and two other Supreme Court justices.

All three had been approached by the Opposition as possible interim leaders to replace Moise and head a transitional government. In the end, the Opposition chose Magistrate Joseph Mecene Jean Louis, 72.

The opposition says Moise should have stepped down on February 7, when they say his five-year term in office expired, following disputed 2015 elections.

Moise rejects that, citing a term that began in February 2017 after he won fresh elections in 2016. He has pledged to step down in February next year. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Suspect charged with T&T kidnap victim’s murder

A

24-year-old Malabar man will be charged for the murder of Andrea Bharatt.

Bharatt was kidnapped on January 29 and her body was found six days later dumped over a precipice at Heights of Aripo.

Senior investigators told Guardian Media instructions were given by Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Roger Gaspard after investigators spent several hours at his office.

The Malabar suspect was in the vehicle with Joel Balcon when Bharatt was

kidnapped in Arima, Police sources said.

Balcon died at hospital on Monday and a post-mortem done on his body earlier Wednesday gave the cause of death as multiple trauma to the body.

A 35-year-old female suspect who is the girlfriend of the murder accused is expected to be charged with receiving stolen articles.

Meanwhile, a private forensic autopsy done on the body of Bharatt has revealed that she died from massive internal haemorrhaging after she was struck on the

head with a blunt object that caused her to fall back and crack her skull.

The autopsy was done at the Boodoo’s Funeral Home in Central Trinidad on Tuesday by forensic pathologist Professor Hubert Daisley after businessman and political activist Inshan Ishmael along with two others came together to pay for an independent autopsy.

It followed an inconclusive post-mortem done on Monday by a pathologist at the Forensic Science Centre in St James. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

Jamaicans encouraged to protect wetlands

T

The three people caught the attention of a US Coast Guard aircrew and were subsequently rescued

cue, but food, water and a radio were dropped to them so they could communicate.

“Unfortunately, we didn’t have any fluent Spanish speakers, but in my broken Spanish I was able to discern that they were from Cuba and that they needed medical assistance. They made sure to stress that they had been on the island for 33 days,” Lt Beecher said.

The group of two men and one woman told Coast Guard officials that they swam to the island after their boat sank.

Justin Dougherty said the group later told him they were “able to get nourishment from coconuts”.

“At first glance the island doesn’t seem to have much, but there is some shrubbery there and some trees so they were able to stay out of the elements somewhat,” he said.

The trio were finally airlifted from the island by helicopter on Tuesday and taken to a medical centre in Florida, though they have no reported major injuries. (Excerpt from BBC News)

he Natural History Museum of Jamaica (NHMJ) is calling on Jamaicans to play their part in protecting and conserving wetlands as it carries out habitat restoration work in the Mason River Protected Area.

Speaking at the second Wetlands Awareness Virtual Engagement (WAVE) on February 9, Assistant Botanist at the NHMJ, Sashalee Cross cited several threats the Mason River Protected Area in Clarendon has faced since the discovery of the property.

“Such threats include logging, clearance for agriculture, fires, bird shooting, invasive species and also climate change. One of the greatest threats to the biodiversity of the area has been

the spread of the invasive plant species, the vampire fern, (Dicranopteris pectinate),” said Cross, who is also the Lead Researcher on the Invasive Species Control and Habitat Restoration Project, currently under way at the Mason River site.

She said the team from the NHMJ has been removing the invasive vampire fern, which has been taking over a section of the property by killing other plant species and they are now in the phase of restoring the vegetation of the affected area.

While highlighting the numerous benefits of wetlands from providing habitat and water purification to sustaining livelihoods and providing economic opportunities, Cross urged people to protect wetlands by taking

on a few practices.

“Let us help to take care of our environment by also taking care of our wetlands.

We can stop littering [and] dispose of all our garbage properly; reduce use of pesticides and fertilisers, especially when living close to a wetland area; avoid planting non-native and invasive species of plants; do not remove plants that do not pose a threat to wetlands from wetland areas – they are important and are a vital part of the wetland ecosystem; keep your pets under control, as some of our aquatic pets may be harmful to wetland areas if they are released in them; and take part in conservation projects that help wetlands,” Cross said. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

guyanatimesgy.com

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2021

19

Around the World

OILNEWS OIL NEWS Oil prices post longest winning streak in 2 years

A

fter falling in early Asia trade, oil prices firmed up on Wednesday morning and extended their rally for nine straight days—the longest streak of consecutive daily gains in two

years.

As of 9:17h ET on Wednesday, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) Crude was up 0.29 per cent at US$58.47. Brent Crude was trading up 0.49 per cent at US$61.34.

The supply curbs from the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries-plus (OPEC+) and Saudi Arabia, the weaker US dollar, and the risk-on sentiment continued to stoke the rally in oil prices.

The deepening backwardation in both benchmarks is further incentivising long-position investors who hope to take advantage of a high-roll yield when they have to roll their futures contract to the following month.

In addition, the American Petroleum Institute (API) reported on Tuesday a draw in crude oil inventories of 3.500 million barrels for the week ending February 5, against analyst expectations of an inventory build of 985,000 barrels for the week.

Amid the longest winning streak in two years, analysts and industry professionals have already started to warn that oil appears overbought and the market has gotten ahead of itself.

Momentum indicators are increasingly pointing to a market in need of consolidation, Saxo Bank said on Wednesday.

“The +50% rally since November now also driving speculation that producers will try to produce more crude into a market where Saudi-led supply tightness has been the main supporting factor,” the strategists said.

Torbjörn Törnqvist, chief executive at one of the world’s largest independent oil traders, Gunvor, told Bloomberg last week that oil prices were unlikely to soar much above the US$60 per barrel mark, considering that this price level would incentivise a lot of oil supply, including from the United States.

Amrita Sen, chief oil analyst at Energy Aspects, doesn’t rule out US$100 oil next year, but she also believes that in terms of prompt fundamentals, the market has gotten ahead of itself, “because right now demand is still relatively weak”. (Excerpt fromOilprice.com)

“Tens of thousands” could starve to death in Ethiopia’s Tigray

Humanitarian workers and diplomats say continued insecurity has hampered the aid response [Eduardo Soteras/AFP]

E

ighty per cent of Ethiopia’s conflict-hit Tigray region has been cut off from humanitarian assistance and tens of thousands could starve to death, the Ethiopian Red Cross has warned.

The grim assessment on Wednesday came as fighting between Ethiopian and allied forces and those of the now-fugitive Tigray Government that had dominated political life for nearly 30 years entered its fourth month.

“Eighty per cent of the Tigray is unreachable at this particular time,” the President of the Ethiopian Red Cross Society, Abera Tola, told a news conference, adding that some starvation deaths have already been re-

ported and the figures could climb fast.

“The number today could be one, two or three, but you know, after a month it means thousands. After two months it will be tens of thousands,” he said.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has said the military campaign in Tigray responded to orchestrated attacks on federal army camps by Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), the regional governing party.

In late November, he declared victory after federal forces entered the Tigrayan capital Mekelle.

But humanitarian workers and diplomats say continued insecurity has hampered the aid response.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Myanmar coup: US announces sanctions on leaders U S President Joe Biden has approved an executive order to impose sanctions on the leaders of Myanmar's coup.

The measures will be focused on military leaders, their family members, and businesses linked to them.

Steps are also being taken to block access by the military to US$1 billion of Government funds held in the US. The sanctions come as a woman who was shot in the head during protests against the coup fights for her life at a hospital in the capital Nay Pyi Taw.

US President Joe Biden said violence against protesters was unacceptable

Mya Thwe Khaing, 19, was hurt on Tuesday when Police tried to disperse protesters using water cannon, rubber bul-

lets, and live rounds.

The wound was consistent with one from live ammunition, rights groups say.

Tens of thousands have turned out in street protests against last week's coup, which overthrew Aung San Suu Kyi's democratically-elected government in the South East Asian country – despite a recent ban on large gatherings and a night curfew.

There have been reports of other serious injuries as Police have increased their use of force, but no deaths so far.

Biden called for the coup to be reversed and for the release of civilian leaders, including Suu Kyi. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Trump was “inciter-in-chief” of riot

F

ormer President Donald Trump's impeachment trial has been shown new footage of violence he is accused of inciting.

In one clip, Senator Mitt Romney is seen running as Police warn him of the advancing mob.

The deadly riot at the US Capitol was an attempt by Trump supporters to stop the election result being

certified.

Democratic Prosecutor Jamie Raskin told the trial the mob "was sent here by the President".

Trump's lawyers have said he has freedom of speech to declare the election as fraudulent.

Seventeen Republicans will need to turn against their former President to convict him.

Meanwhile, Prosecutors

in the US state of Georgia are investigating attempts by the former President to overturn results from last November's election.

Trump was recorded telling the state's top election official to "find" more than 11,000 votes, enough to give him victory there.

The official is heard replying that Georgia's results are correct.

Joe Biden's win in Georgia and other swing states secured him the presidency.

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis sent a letter asking state officials to preserve documents including those relating to the phone call and saying that a criminal investigation was being carried out. (Excerpts from BBC News)

Saudi women's Pentagon to review rights activist US position on released from prison China, says Biden

T

he prominent Saudi women's right activist Loujain al-Hathloul has been released from prison, her family says.

Hathloul, 31, was instrumental in the movement to allow women to drive in the kingdom. She was detained in 2018, just weeks before the ban was lifted.

In December, a court found her guilty of seeking to change the political system and damage public order.

She was sentenced to nearly six years in a maximum security prison, but two years and 10 months were suspended.

Her family has warned that she is "not free" and

will face numerous restrictions while on probation, including a five-year travel ban.

"Loujain is at home!!!!!!"

Hathloul's sister Lina tweeted on Wednesday, breaking the news that she had been released after 1001 days in prison.

Another sister, Alia, wrote that "this is the best day of my life".

Hathloul became a symbol of the suppression of dissent in Saudi Arabia following her detention in May 2018 along with about a dozen other female activists who had also campaigned for women to be allowed to drive. (Excerpt from BBC News)

T

he United States military is undertaking a comprehensive review of its strategic position against China, US President Joe Biden has announced, as tensions between Washington and Beijing rose this week over US navy exercises in the South China Sea. In his first visit to the Department of Defence since taking office, Biden said on Wednesday that a new China task force would be formed at the Pentagon “to look at our strategy and operational concepts, technology and force posture and so much more”.

“We need to meet the growing challenges posed by China and keep peace and defend our interests in the Indo-Pacific

and globally,” said Biden, who was joined by Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin and Vice President Kamala Harris.

The task force will be made up of 15 civilian and military officials, who have yet to be named, and will be headed by Ely Ratner, a former national security adviser to Biden assigned to Austin’s staff, according to a Defence Department fact sheet.

“It will require a whole-of-government effort, bipartisan cooperation in Congress, and strong alliances and partnerships. That’s how we will meet the China challenge and ensure the American people win the competition in the future,” Biden said. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

COVID: WHO backs Oxford vaccine “even if variants present”

T

he World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends using the vaccine developed by the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca even in countries tackling new variants of coronavirus.

Some new forms of the virus appear to make vaccines less effective.

The WHO also says the vaccine can be used in people aged over 65, which some countries have advised against.

Spacing out the two doses, as is happening in the UK, makes the vaccine more effec-

tive, it advises.

The Oxford vaccine is seen as the "vaccine for the world" as it is cheap, can be mass produced, and is stored in a standard fridge.

However, it has attracted controversy about its effectiveness against new variants, whether it should be used in the elderly, and how far apart the doses should be given, due to a lack of data.

The WHO's Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunisation, known as Sage, has been scrutinising evidence from vaccine trials.

Its interim recommenda-

Its interim recommendations say the vaccine is 63 per cent effective overall

tions say the vaccine is 63 per cent effective overall.

However, early data from trials in South Africa showed the vaccine was offering "minimal protection" against mild and moderate disease in young people.

The WHO's Director of Immunisation, Dr Katherine O'Brien, said the South African study was "inconclusive" and it was "plausible" the vaccine would still prevent severe disease. (Excerpt from BBC News)

20

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2021

guyanatimesgy.com

ARCHIE

Join forces with those who share your concerns, and find a collective way to make a difference. Be objective, and take on a leadership position. Unplanned changes will work out well.

Take a step back if TAURUS you're feeling uncertain.

You're better off having a (April 20solid plan in place before May 20) you make a move. Look at every angle, and you'll find a unique way to overcome a problem.

ARIES

(March 21April 19)

DILBERT

GEMINI (May 21June 20)

CANCER (June 21July 22)

Let the past be your guide.

Trust your instincts, and refuse to let someone charm you into something that isn't in your best interest. Rely on common sense to help you make the right decision.

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Stay calm. Don't feel obligated to make a change because someone else does.

Weigh the pros and cons, then consider what will be in your best interest. A partnership will need an adjustment.

PEANUTS

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

CALVIN AND HOBBES

SUDOKU

Forge ahead with intelligence and enthusiasm.

You can master whatever you set out to do, as long as you don't let anyone interfere. Personal gain and growth are apparent.

Romance is favored.

Time is money, so step up and get things done on time.

Your effort and ability to adjust to whatever comes down the pipeline will put you in a good position. A partnership will take an unusual turn.

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

Excitement and new beginnings are heading your way, but that doesn't mean you can be overindulgent.

Pace yourself; don't overspend or overdo it Romance and self-improvement are encouraged.

SCORPIO

Take care of domestic problems quickly. If you let things linger, they will only get worse. Look for unique solutions, and take a proactive approach. Avoid risky situations.

(Oct. 24Nov. 22)

A stimulating conversaSAGITTARIUS tion will give you an inside (Nov. 23look into how others think Dec. 21) and feel. Positive suggestions will have a more significant impact than criticism.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19) TUESDAY'S WORD -- RESPOND

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

PISCES (Feb. 20March 20)

Fix up your space, but don't spend more than you can afford. Equality is necessary if you don't want to jeopardize a relationship that's important to you.

Tread carefully.

Distance yourself from anyone trying to pick a fight or tell you what to do. Pace yourself and be aware of what's going on around you.

A practical plan will help you stay on budget.

Refuse to let anger take charge when you should be focusing on your responsibilities. A unique idea will encourage you to incorporate something new and exciting into your daily routine.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2021

21

ANSA McAL renews longstanding relationship with RHTY&SC

L

ast Friday, the longstanding relationship between the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTY&SC), MS, and ANSA McAL (Guyana) Ltd was extended when the RHTY&SC’s Secretary/ CEO Hilbert Foster paid a courtesy call on Managing Director of ANSA McAL Troy Cadogan, at the company’s head office at Beterverwagting, East Coast Demerara.

Cadogan informed Foster that the company is very impressed with the work of the award- winning RHTY&SC MS, and as such would renew its long-standing sponsorship in 2021.

ANSA McAL has been sponsoring activities of the club for more than two decades.

Foster hailed the company as one of the main reasons for the great success of the RHTY&SC, MS, and expressed gratitude to Cadogan and other company executives Beverly Harper and Paul Chan-A-Sue for their cooperation and assistance over the years.

The compa-

Hilbert Foster

ny would, in 2021, be co-sponsoring the Annual Awards Ceremony and Youth Review magazine of the RHTY&SC, MS, but would be fully sponsoring the eighth edition of the RHTY&SC/ANSA McAL Award of Excellence programme.

The 31st awards ceremony of the club would be held in April, and would be on a smaller scale due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The club would be honouring several of its longstanding members for the services they have rendered over the last 31 years, while the performances of several cricketers would be recognised by management. A total of 30 awards would be given at the ceremony, which would be held at the St Francis Centre at Port Mourant on the Corentyne in strict adherence to COVID-19 guidelines.

Under the ANSA McAL Award of Excellence, a total of five outstanding Berbicians would be honoured for their respective contribution to sports, culture, education, community development and charity. Each of the

Troy Cadogan

awardees would receive a trophy, medal of excellence, framed certificate, and a collection of special gifts.

The 22nd annual Youth

Review magazine would be published at the F and H Printery and would highlight the work of the club in 2020 and early 2021.

Foster has said that, over the years, the company has also supported the club’s television programmes, cricket academies, summer camps, Christmas villages and charity programmes, among other initiatives. He assured Cadogan that the club would continue to uphold its high standards, and would continue to represent the company’s brand with distinction. He described the relationship between the two organisations as very strong and fruitful.

ANSA’s Country Manager Beverly Harper had served as the 4th Honorary Patron of the Club from 2010 to 2016.

Djokovic and Kyrgios through to next round of A – but Swiss Stan Wawrinka out

N

ovak Djokovic survived a scare, and Nick Kyrgios saved match points, as day three at the Australian Open caught the attention of the crowds.

Defending champion and world number one Djokovic overcame Frances Tiafoe 6-3 6-7 (3-7) 7-6 (7-2) 6-3, before Australian Kyrgios produced a thrilling five-set win over Ugo Humbert in front of a rowdy John Cain Arena.

Kyrgios showed his usual mix of fiery antics and exciting shots to beat the Frenchman 5-7 6-4 3-6 7-6 (7-2) 6-4.

He fell to his knees after winning the match, before sitting in his chair and shaking his head in disbelief. Kyrgios has often said the John Cain Arena, which is open to general ticketholders, is his favourite to play on because of the atmosphere.

With numbers at Melbourne Park restricted to up to 30,000 per day because of coronavirus - and falling well short of that so far this week this was the first time anything resembling a ‘normal’ tennis crowd noise had been heard for months. Home fans did not let up as they cheered a Kyrgios fightback from 5-4 down in the fourth set, before seeing

him through a tie-break and, somehow, a winning fifth set.

“Honestly, if you were in my head, I was thinking about everything I was going to cop if I lost that match,” a disbelieving Kyrgios said. “I don’t know what to say. I am lost for words.”

He will next face last year’s finalist and US Open champion Dominic Thiem, after the Austrian eased past Germany’s Dominik Koepfer 6-4 6-0 6-2.

The Kyrgios Show Kyrgios smashed a racquet after losing the first set, was given a point penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct, and continually complained about the technology for net cords.

However, when he dialled into the match, the antics stopped.

He served brilliantly, hitting 30 aces, and his swats from behind the baseline allowed him to hit 65 winners to run Humbert ragged. With the crowd celebrating every Kyrgios

point - and every error from Humbert - Krygios broke early in the deciding set.

At several points in the match, Kyrgios was the one applauding his opponent’s shots as the crowd continued to barrack for the home favourite.

Humbert sent a backhand long after three hours 39 minutes.

Djokovic outlasts Tiafoe In hot conditions at Melbourne Park, Djokovic served 26 aces to

Novak Djokovic took three hours and 30 minutes to overcome Frances Tiafoe

After holding his own match points, Humbert doublefaulted to hand one to Kyrgios, before saving it with an ace.

The French 29th seed recovered to force Kyrgios to serve out the match, with the Australian looking shocked as

Tiafoe’s 23 as the 33-year-old came through in three hours and 30 minutes.

“It was a very tough match and difficult conditions. While we had sun on the court, it was very warm (due to) a lot of long rallies,” Djokovic said. “I

want to give a hand to Frances for a great fightback; it was a fantastic match.

“It is not the first time I (was) in this kind of situation, but I was fortunate to get through the third set. It was anyone’s (game); high quality tennis, he gave it his all.”

A m e r i ca n Tiafoe was upset at being handed a time violation, and another led to the 2 3 - y e a r- o l d being docked his first serve in a game Djokovic went on to break in the fourth and final set.

He also later received a code violation after an expletive-laden protest to the umpire. “(It was) an unfortunate warning that took away his serve from him at 30-30 when I broke his serve,” Djokovic said.

“That was unlucky, because he deserved a first serve. It is what

it is.”

The other winners Austrian third seed Thiem was on court for only one hour and 39 minutes as he beat Germany’s Koepfer 6-4 6-0 6-2 on Rod Laver Arena.

But Swiss Stan Wawrinka exited in a fifth-set tie-break loss to Marton Fucsovics.

Hungarian Fucsovics, the world number 55, raced into a two-set lead before 2014 winner and 17th seed Wawrinka fought back on John Cain Arena.

Wawrinka then had three match points, but it was Fucsovics who got the better of a 15-minute deciding tiebreaker to progress 7-5 6-1 4-6 2-6 7-6 (11-9).

He will face 14th seed Milos Raonic in the next round after the Canadian beat the Frenchman Corentin Moutet 6-7 (1-7) 6-1 6-1 6-4.

Argentine eighth seed Diego Schwartzman is also through, after seeing off French lucky loser Alexandre Muller 6-2 6-0 6-3.

Alexander Zverev, who lost the US Open final to Thiem, made light work of American Maxime Cressy, winning 7-5 6-4 6-3. (BBC Sport)

22

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2021

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TAXI SERVICE Minister Oneidge Walrond (centre) with Chairman Micquel Perez and Sherlon Rodrigues (right) and Linden Green and Lair Frazer (left)

T

he Matarkai Sports Council (MSC) have recently engaged the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, the Hon. Charles Ramson, in talks aimed at soliciting assistance to “take sports at Matarkai to the next level”.

Represented by their Chairman Micquel Perez; Secretary Linden Green; the NDC Vice Chairman with responsibility for Sports, Mr. Lair

Frazer; and MSC Public Relations Officer Sherlon Rodrigues, the MSC paid a courtesy call on Minister Ramson.

Both parties were excited to meet each other for the first time, as officials of the Sports Council had been engaging Government Ministers over the past few days to submit proposals for sports clubs and communities across that Region One

Minister Charles Ramson Jr (centre) with Chairman Micquel Perez and Sherlon Rodrigues (right) and Linden Green and Lair Frazer (left)

sub-region.

After fruitful discussions, Minister Ramson assured the visiting delegation that he would be visiting Matarkai after the passage of budget 2021.

The Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Hon. Oneidge Walrond, also met with the members of the Matarkai Sports Council at her South Road office.

Their fruitful discussions centred on plans to develop Sports Tourism within the Matarkai sub-region of Region One. These engagements were made possible by Minister Collin Croal, who last December was declared Patron of the Matarkai Sports Council, and has been giving support to the Council in the discharge of their functions.

GR Taxi 227-1982, 225-7878 219-5000, 227-2100 Wanted: Contract Cars Tel: 614-6202

“There is work for Record-breaking Man the Jaguars’ City beat Swansea to batsmen reach FA Cup final 8 to do” ...says Captain Leon Johnson

G

uyana Jaguars are off to a winning start in the ongoing CG Insurance Regional Super50 tournament.

Having recorded a 56-run win against Barbados Pride in their opening match, the Jaguars will now shift focus to the impending clash with the Leeward Islands, set for Friday February 12 from 13:30h.

Reflecting on the first match against Barbados Pride, Guyana Jaguars captain Leon Johnson has said: “We played today; the bowlers did a good job.

Obviously ‘Hetty’ and ‘Sheppy’ brought their international experience for us…235 is just about par, but the second innings teams have struggled to past 190 runs, so we were always confident with the total on the board. We just have to take each game as it comes; Leeward Islands pose a different challenge, so it’s just about execution on the day.”

With the exception of Shimron Hetmyer’s 80, Romario Shepherd’s 58, and Chandrapual Hemraj’s 35, the Jaguars’ batsmen had lost their way in that encounter. In their second match of the season, Johnson and his men will be aiming for a more collective effort, and not being bowled out in 41.4 overs.

“There is some work for the batters to do. We were off to a very good start, but then we lost our way,” Johnson said after the first match of the Super50 tournament.

Leeward Islands Hurricanes squad reads: Devon Thomas (captain), Montcin Hodge (V/captain), Amir Jangoo, (wk), Ross Powell, Kieran Powell, Keacy Carty, Nitish Kumar, Hayden Walsh Jr, Jeremiah Louis, Sheno Berrige, Quinton Boatswain, Colin Archibald, Nino Henry, Ashmead Nedd and Terrance Ward.

Guyana Jaguars squad reads: Leon Johnson (captain), Shimron Hetmyer (vice-captain), Assad Fudadin, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Kemol Savory, Christopher Barnwell, Keon Joseph, Romario Shepherd, Kevin Sinclair, Ramaal Lewis, Nial Smith, Gudakesh Motie, Anthony Bramble, Akshaya Persaud and Tevin Imlach. (Brandon Corlette)

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(Ext 55)

NOW!

M

Gabriel Jesus scored his eighth goal of the season from close range

anchester City have rewritten English football’s record books, as a comfortable 3-1 victory at Swansea City sent them into the FA Cup quarter-finals.

Kyle Walker, Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus were on target as Pep Guardiola’s team won their 15th game in a row in all competitions, with Swansea pulling one back late on through debutant Morgan Whittaker.

This triumph means Manchester City have set a new record for successive domestic wins by an English top-flight club, surpassing the previous best of 14 achieved by the Preston team of 1891-92 and the 1987-88 Arsenal side.

Having eased to their latest victory, Guardiola’s men remain in contention for

a quadruple; while Swansea, who are third in the Championship, are left to focus on their bid to join Manchester City in the Premier League next season.

This was an early taste of the size of the task they will face should they secure promotion in May - even if not every opponent will be as formidable as the current Premier League leaders.

Manchester City have not lost since November, and never looked like getting beaten here, as they took charge from the outset, and went ahead on the half-hour as Walker’s cross missed everyone in a crowded penalty area and rolled into the net.

If the goal was a little soft, it was no more than the visitors deserved, given their control.

A Swansea revival looked unlikely, and any slim home hopes were quickly extinguished in the second half. First, Sterling found time and space to roll a shot low into the bottom corner of the net, then Jesus turned and steered home from close range.

Swansea’s application was rewarded late on when Whittaker, who had been on the pitch only 12 minutes, finished smartly from Ryan Manning’s cross. (BBC Sport)

223-7230-1 (Ext 55)

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2021

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

“Doing my best to help the team, and enjoying myself” – Shimron Hetmyer says F

resh from scoring a scorching 80 in the first match of the CG Insurance Regional Super50, Guyana Jaguars vice-captain Shimron Hetmyer has said he is delighted that he got the opportunity to hit a few balls after his long absence from competitive cricket.

Asked if he would continue applying that fearless and aggressive approach during

the rest of the tournament, Hetmyer told Cricket West Indies: “I will see how it goes.

It all depends on when and how we bat, if we are chasing or defending. I don’t want to play like that each and every game, and then we keep losing wickets. That won’t really help the team, so I am trying to do my best and help the team; and with doing that, enjoy myself at the crease.”

GFF President Wayne Forde, Nicholas Mc Arthur, Minister Charles Ramson Jr, and Alex Bunbury

In the first match, Jaguars were bowled out in 41.4 overs. Moving ahead in this tournament, Hetmyer has said the team would be looking to bat that full quota of 50 overs.

“It’s time for us to put that right now, and it’s been a couple of years now that we are not being able to bat full 50 overs as a Guyana team. I am trying to make that one of my goals: for us to bat 50 overs; and if we do more time than that, we make over 300 runs,” Hetmyer posited.

In addition to Hetmyer’s 80, fellow Berbician Romario Shepherd hit 58*, which proved to be an invaluable knock.

Hetmyer was happy to see his good friend ‘in the runs’. “Yes, I am very happy for him. He has been putting the work in as I would have seen, and he keeps doing his stuff. I am happy for him, and he is reaping his benefit, so it’s just for him to continue,” Hetmyer added.

Guyana Jaguars will play the Leeward Islands Hurricanes on Friday February 12 from 13:30 hours. (Brandon Corlette)

23

Shimron Hetmyer batting during his 80 in the opening match

GCB/Hand-in-Hand Under-19 Inter-County tournament…

Nandu’s all-round ABSAA brokers CSU efforts help Demerara scholarship for Golden brush aside Essequibo

Jags’ Nicholas McArthur W S enior Men’s National Team and Fruta Conquerors forward Nicholas McArthur has been offered the opportunity to take up a threeyear soccer scholarship at Chicago State University, thanks to the intervention of the Alex Bunbury Sports and Academics Academy (ABSAA).

19-year-old McArthur, currently in training with the Golden Jaguars ahead of FIFA World Cup qualifiers in March, will now be able to showcase his talents on a first division U.S. college platform – the highest level of intercollegiate sports sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

“I’m very happy! ‘Thank you’ to Mr. Alex Bunbury and the Federation for this stepping stone,” McArthur said during a ceremony to celebrate this announcement at the offices of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) in Georgetown. “I want to be a professional footballer. I want to play for PSG (Paris Saint-Germain). That is where my idol Kylian Mbappé plays; I want to be just like him.”

Plaisance-born former Canadian international Bunbury, who played for U.S. Major League Soccer team Kansas City Wizards, West Ham in the English Premier League, and top tier Portuguese side Maritimo, said the ABSAA organisation is proud to create this opportunity, and plans to open more doors for young Guyanese talent within the U.S. college system.

“This is a great moment for Guyana’s football. I saw an opportunity for this young man, who I believe has all the credentials and talent to showcase his God-given ability representing Guyana,” Bunbury said.

“This will give him an opportunity to be visible on a big stage, and an opportu-

nity to be an inspiration for other young people. This program has been assisted by the GFF, and we are planning to do more of this. We have more opportunities coming. We believe this is the start of something really special.”

Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr., praised Bunbury’s efforts and urged McArthur to lead by example and make the most of the opportunity.

“This is a great example of how the diaspora can impact Guyana,” Ramson said. “Keep pushing the envelope in wanting to give back, and understanding that this is where you are from.

“There are a lot of young people who want to be able to find a pathway for their passion, and they want to be able to see examples that can inspire them,” he told McArthur. “There are a lot of people who you will be inspiring just by doing this, so understand that you bear an additional responsibility.”

GFF President Wayne Forde said McArthur, who has captained Guyana at U20 level and starred in qualifiers for the Concacaf U20 Championship last year, has the potential to make a big impression on the U.S. college soccer scene, and to pave the way for more Guyanese to follow in his footsteps.

“Nicholas, you are going to be a trailblazer for many players after you,” Forde said. “It is so important that you are a good ambassador and set the right example, so there is an added incentive for the coaching staff and management of the college to want to offer similar opportunities to the players that will come after you. Congratulations to Mr. Alex Bunbury for networking and doing everything he has done to make this happen.”

est Indies Under-19 prospect Matthew Nandu has highlighted the first round of the Guyana Cricket Board’s (GCB’s) Hand-in-Hand Under-19 Inter-County 50-Over tournament with a blistering 53, before returning figures of 2-21 in 5.2 overs to help the city side register a crushing win against Essequibo.

In an encounter at La Bonne Intention (LBI) cricket ground, reduced to 38 overs per side to facilitate the Essequibo’s team travelling schedule, Demerara batted first and posted 162-8, while Essequibo responded with 86 all out in 27.2 overs to suffer a 76-run defeat.

Earlier, Demerara lost their ‘big fish’ Sachin Singh for a second-ball duck, but fellow opener Nandu joined forces with Ushardeva Balgobin, and the latter scored a 59-ball 45 that was decorated with two sixes and four fours.

Nandu’s knock was decorated with four boundaries in 147 minutes. West Indies youth player Mavindra Dindyal was run out for 27 made from 37 balls, as only three Demerara batsmen reached double figures.

Jason Holder claimed 2-28 in seven overs, while Wazim Mohamed picked up 2-26.

In Essequibo’s chase, it was only Guyana youth player Sheldon Charles who offered resistance, scoring 25 from 43 balls, while Nicko Vincent scored 12 in batting at number nine.

Dwain Dick was the chief destructor for the Demerara side, claiming 3-15 in seven top overs.

To polish off Demerara’s collective bowling effort, Chaitram Balgobin claimed 2-10 in two overs, whole Nandu’s 2-21 came off 5.2 overs. Left-arm spinner Zachary Jodah had 1-5.

The next match of the shortened tournament will be played on Friday February 12 from 8:45h, with Essequibo coming up against Berbice at LBI. The tournament will conclude on

Sunday, February 14 with Demerara looking to successfully defend their title against arch-rivals Berbice.

Matthew Nandu scored 53 runs and claimed two wickets in his all-round effort for Demerara

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2021

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

“Doing my best to help the team, and enjoying myself” Pg 23

– Shimron Hetmyer says

ABSAA brokers CSU scholarship for Golden Jags’ Nicholas McArthur Pg 23

Hero CPL delivers excellent value to commercial partners T

he Hero Caribbean Premier League (Hero CPL) has delivered record total value to its commercial partners during the 2020 season, increasing its revenue intake from the 2019 season by 58% to a total of US$371 million.

These figures were collated by YouGov Sport, a division of one of the biggest research firms in the world.

The 2020 tournament was played behind closed doors at two venues in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. While fans were unable to attend physically, the league had a record viewership of 523.5 million. With so many people watching the tournament around the world, the commercial partners involved with the Hero CPL got excellent exposure throughout the event.

The partners for the 2020 season were Hero Motorcorp, Digicel, El Dorado Rum, Republic Bank, Dream XI, Fun88, Bet Daily, Angostura

CPL Commercial Director Jamie Stewart

LLB, Republic Bank, FedEx, Visa, Guardian Group, Carib, Lifebuoy, Turbo Energy Drink and Rainforest Seafood.

Jamie Stewart, Hero CPL’s Commercial Director, has said: “Hero CPL relies on our fantastic set of partners in order to bring ‘the biggest party in sport’ to the world.

We are grateful to our partner family for standing with us during a challenging year, and hope to have repaid that loyalty by delivering high value.” (CPLT20)

Local franchise the Guyana Amazon Warriors

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