Guyana Times - Thursday, July 29, 2021

Over 2000 locals, migrants to benefit from Region 1 medical outreach P13 Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Issue No. 4723

THURSDAY, JULY 29, 2021

PRICE

ExxonMobil makes double oil discovery offshore Guyana

WHAT'S INSIDE:

See story on page 3

“We have P9 to be more skilled, better at fighting fires” – Benn tells GFS …“be more fire-conscious” – Fire Chief to businesses

…finds oil at Whiptail 1 & 2 wells

UK donates 84,800 AstraZeneca doses to Guyana See story on page 2

3 women Govt resources latest cannot be used for COVID-19 employers asking for fatalities, 81 PCR tests – Minister …companies not breaching law by new cases mandating staff take tests – Health Advisor Unvaccinated workers

See story on page 7

Page 7

Case filed by suspended PSC

No legal proceedings can be brought against President – AG tells court

…petitions to remove Head of State as a party

$80 VAT INCLUDED

Page 8

1-year-old P12 found dead in fish pond

Govt commits to intensifying engagements with Diaspora …plugs role Diaspora can play in Guyana’s development

P2

EBD fatal accident

Alleged drunk driver on $1M bail P8

Pavement vending hazardous to P10 visually-impaired persons – Minister Cocaine, P10 ganja, gun found during Police raids

2 NEWS

THURSDAY, JULY 29, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

UK donates 84,800 AstraZeneca doses to Guyana “The donations will help meet the pledge that G7 leaders made to vaccinate the world and end the pandemic in 2022. This week’s deployment will help meet the urgent need for vaccines from countries around the world, including in Africa, South East Asia and the Caribbean. These regions are experiencing high levels of COVID-19 cases, hospitalisations and deaths.”

Apart from Guyana, agreements were signed with Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Cambodia, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kenya, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Thailand and Vietnam – amounting to

High Commissioner Jane Miller with Permanent Secretary Malcolm Watkins at the signing ceremony

T

he United Kingdom will be sending 84,800 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to Guyana next week, stimulating the continuation of the national immunisation campaign against COVID-19.

On Wednesday, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab announced that the doses reserved for Guyana is from the first batch of 100 million which the UK pledged in order to vaccinate poorer parts of the world urgently. These jabs are expected to arrive in Guyana on August 2.

British High Commissioner Jane Miller, OBE, and Permanent Secretary of the Health Ministry, Malcolm Watkins have signed the bilateral agreement to pave the way for this consignment.

Miller was keen to note, “The UK is proud to be sup-

porting the expansion of Guyana’s COVID-19 vaccine programme. We congratulate the Government of Guyana for its determined efforts to roll out this important vaccination – a key step in our exit from all the COVID-19 restrictions we are all having to live through. I encourage everyone to get evidence-based information on the COVID-19 vaccine, get vaccinated and encourage your friends and family to be vaccinated too.

It saves lives.”

The UK is donating the University of OxfordAstraZeneca vaccine, made

by Oxford Biomedica in Oxford and packaged in Wrexham, North Wales. The UK Government said on its website that at least 80 million of the 100 million doses will go to COVAX, with the rest going to countries directly.

some four million doses.

Foreign Secretary Raab was quoted as saying, “The UK is sending nine million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine, the first batch of the 100 million doses we’ve pledged, to get the most vulnerable parts of the world vaccinated as a matter of urgency…We’re doing this to help the most vulnerable, but also because we know we won’t be safe until everyone is safe.”

In the local vaccination campaign, Guyana is using the AstraZeneca, Sinopharm and Sputnik V jabs to inoculate people. Some 62,400 doses of Astra Zeneca vaccines have already been delivered

through COVAX, with more to arrive in the near future until 20 per cent of the population is covered.

By next month, a shipment of Johnson and Johnson vaccines will arrive – a State purchase of 150,000 single-dose vaccines through a partnership agreement between the African Union and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

From the 400,000 doses of Sputnik V vaccines purchased by Government from Dubai, over 300,000 doses have arrived. Second doses have been arriving in smaller batches owing the rise of variants and surging cases in other parts of the world.

This week, 10,000 second

doses of the Russian-made vaccine were the last to arrive.

To ensure sufficient supplies, Government has held bilateral discussions with countries, namely India, China, Russia, the US, the EU, Kuwait and the UAE. In addition, Guyana had bilateral talks with manufacturers AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson and Johnson, SinoPharm, Covaxin, Russian Direct Investment Fund. There were discussions with several multilateral organisations, including the Organisation of the Islamic States, the African Union/ Caricom initiative and COVAX. (G12)

Govt commits to intensifying engagements with Diaspora …plugs role Diaspora can play in Guyana’s development

Education Minister Priya Manickchand; Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud and Diaspora and Remigration Unit’s Rosalinda Rasul among other officials during a Virtual Read Aloud with the Office of the Queens Borough on Wednesday

F

oreign Secretary Robert Persaud has reiterated Government’s commitment to intensifying its engagements with the Guyana Diaspora, something evidenced by the various outreaches the Government has embarked on.

The Foreign Secretary made these comments during a virtual read-aloud with the Office of the Queens Borough President that featured Education Minister Priya Manickchand, who read a short story while surrounded by local children.

According to Persaud, it is important that second and third generation Guyanese living abroad become familiar with their country of origin. Additionally, he noted that connecting to the Diaspora and getting them involved in Guyana’s development is a priority.

“Today’s (Wednesday) event is simple but also significant in the fact that we’re trying to bridge the gap or understanding of our young people, particularly the second or third generation Guyanese who live in the United States or the

wider Diaspora, in appreciating, understanding and being aware of Guyana.”

“Through this effort we hope that their knowledge and interest will be heightened. We want, as part of our Government’s effort, to intensify our engagement with the Diaspora. We started that in the business arena. We’re also looking at forms of youth engagement. We want to get more Guyanese in the Diaspora involved in development process of our country,” the Foreign Secretary said.

Particularly, he noted the importance of the children knowing more about Guyana, the country their parents or grandparents were born and migrated from. According to the Foreign Secretary, the hope is that these children will even encourage their parents to carry them to Guyana. Persaud also expressed hope that the event can be extended to other areas and boroughs.

“Let me acknowledge the collaboration we’ve been able to develop with the Queen’s Borough. We’re hoping to extend that to other boroughs within New

York, the tri state area, and even beyond. This is just a start,” he added.

Wednesday’s event was facilitated by the Queens Public Library, whose young members viewed the programme online. It is one of several initiatives that were conceptualised to foster greater relationship between the Office of the Queens Borough President and the Guyanese Diaspora in New York.

As part of promoting Guyana to young members of the Diaspora in a captivating way, a short video on Guyana’s unique fauna was shown, followed by a Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) activity to further reinforce the video.

Back in April, Persaud had said that the Government is partnering with the International Organisation for Migration to target the second and third generation migrant population and fill the demands in several sectors.

The aim, according to Persaud, is for them to come back: to serve/volunteer, and work with both the Government;

Private Sector, civil society, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and groups that are in need of special care, attention and support.

“We don’t want to lose the second and third generation of Guyanese living overseas, losing interest and also missing out on the opportunities here but also to attract their skill and capital to support what is taking place,” the Foreign Secretary had said at the time.

Apart from Diaspora engagement, Government has been engaging Guyanese missions, consulates, consul-generals and honorary consuls across the globe. This has extended to Guyanese organisations in North America and elsewhere to update on developmental projects.

An allocation of $50 million has been earmarked for the Diaspora and Remigration Unit for staffing, internships, and providing the positive information that will attract possible remigrants.

Rosalinda Rasul was recently recruited to spearhead this department. (G3)

NEWS

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THURSDAY, JULY 29, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS OPENINGS BRIDGE

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

Thursday, July 29 – 09:00h-10:30h and Friday, July 30 – 09:30h-11:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Thursday, July 29 – 07:40h- 09:10h and Friday, July 30 – 08:30h-10:00h.

ExxonMobil makes double oil discovery offshore Guyana …finds oil at Whiptail 1 & 2 wells

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

WEATHER TODAY Light rain showers are expected in the morning with sunshine in the afternoon. Clear skies are expected at night. Temperatures should range between 21 degrees Celsius and 31 degrees Celsius.

Winds: North North-Easterly to North-Westerly between 1.78 metres and 3.12 metres.

High Tide: 08:02h and 20:23h reaching maximum heights of 2.48 metres and 2.40 metres.

Low Tide: 13:58h reaching a minimum height of 0.78 metre.

Exxon Senior Vice President Mike Cousins

ExxonMobil makes double oil discovery offshore Guyana …finds oil at Whiptail 1 & 2 wells il giant ExxonMobil has announced its 21st and 22nd oil discoveries offshore Guyana in the Stabroek Block, striking oil at the Whiptail-1 well, which it started drilling only last month, and the Whiptail-2 well.

The double discovery of oil

by Exxon’s subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) follows its 20th oil discovery at the Longtail-3 well last month. According to Exxon, drilling at Whiptail-1 encountered 246 feet of oil reserves.

Additionally, Whiptail-2 well encountered 167 feet of oil reserves while being drilled. Exxon said that drilling will continue at both wells to test for deeper targets, with the results being evaluated for future development.

Commenting on the discovery was Exxon Senior Vice President of Exploration, Mike Cousins. According to Cousins, these discoveries could form the basis for future developments, even as an evaluation of the block continues.

“This discovery increases our confidence in the resource size and quality in the southeast area of the Stabroek Block and could form the basis for a future development as we continue to evaluate the best sequence of development opportunities within the block,” Cousins said.

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COMMODITIES Indicators

US$

Change %

Crude Oil

$74.74/barrel

+0.35

Rough Rice

$246.06 /ton

+0.04

London Sugar

$458.50/ton

+0.84

Live Spot Gold

USD Per Ounce

Bid/Ask

$1814.80

$1815.80

Low/High Change

$1792.00 +7.30

$1818.50 +0.40%

Govt welcomes

Meanwhile, Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat released a statement in which he congratulated Exxon on its double oil discovery. According to Bharrat, these discoveries add to the gross recoverable resources that have been estimated in the block. It is estimated that the block holds over nine billion oil-equivalent barrels.

“As with discoveries prior, the Government of Guyana foresees this new development increasing the potential for additional Floating Production, Storage And Offloading Vessels (FPSOs). This is further set to increase the estimated recoverable resource given by the operator, Esso

Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL).”

“In this regard, the Ministry and the petroleum sector regulatory agencies remain committed to working with all operators, in efforts to expedite their respective drill programmes as we seek the sector’s expansion,” Bharrat said in the statement.

The Minister further reiterated the Government’s commitment to using the oil resources for the benefit of all Guyana, while managing it in compliance with the tenets of transparency and accountability.

“The Government of Guyana welcomes these new discoveries offshore Guyana and reinforces its commitment to the sustainable exploration and development of Guyana’s oil and gas resources. This we commit to do with the highest level of compliance and transparency to ensure that the benefits from this sector improve the lives of all Guyanese,” Bharrat said in the statement.

ExxonMobil envisions at least six projects online by 2027 and sees potential for up to 10 projects to develop its current recoverable resource base. The Liza Destiny FPSO vessel is currently producing about 120,000 barrels of oil per day.

The start-up of Liza Phase 2 remains on target for early 2022, and the Liza Unity FPSO expects to sail from Singapore to Guyana in late August 2021. The Unity has a

Map of Exxon’s discoveries in the Stabroek block

production capacity of approximately 220,000 barrels of oil per day.

The hull for the Prosperity FPSO vessel is complete, and topsides construction activities are ongoing in Singapore with a startup target of 2024.

The first Payara development well was spudded in June 2021, and the offshore SURF installation will begin in third-quarter 2021.

Yellowtail has been identified as the fourth development project in the Stabroek Block offshore Guyana with anticipated start-up in 2025. Following necessary Government approvals and a final investment decision, this project will develop the Yellowtail and Redtail fields, which are located about 19 miles (30 kilometres) southeast of the Liza developments, and potentially adjacent re-

sources.

These new projects continue to contribute to the advancement of the Guyanese economy. More than 2600 Guyanese are now supporting project activities on and off shore, which reflects an increase of more than 20 per cent since the end of 2019.

ExxonMobil and its key contractors have spent approximately US$388 million with more than 800 local companies since 2015.

The Stabroek Block is 6.6 million acres (26,800 square kilometres). ExxonMobil affiliate EEPGL is operator and holds 45 per cent interest in the Stabroek Block.

Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd holds 30 per cent interest and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of CNOOC Limited, holds 25 per cent interest. (G3)

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guyanatimesgy.com

THURSDAY, JULY 29, 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

World Day against Trafficking in Persons

H

eadlining a news item in this newspaper on July 25, 2021 was an article “Mother pleads for safe return of 2 sons, allegedly taken by father”.

The article, which states that the matter was brought to attention of Police and the Child Care and Protection Agency (CC&PA), relates the plight of a mother who was a student at the Government Technical Institute and is pleading with the public to help her locate her two sons, aged two and six, who went missing since May this year. It is suspected that the children might have been taken by their father without her consent.

This was a mother who was valiantly attempting to better her circumstances so that she could independently provide the wherewithal for a good life for her children and, in pursuit of this goal, she left her children in the care of someone she trusted. But unfortunately, the caregiver colluded with someone else to take the children and place them in the custody of someone else. That the person she gave the children to was their father was irrelevant since there are legal recourses for custodial rights.

To add to this frantic mother’s woes, when her appeals to Police fell on deaf ears, she desperately took her story to social media in the hope that she would receive assistance from the relevant authorities; instead, she was charged for cyber-bullying. Police ignored a mother’s anguished pleas to locate and restore her children to her and when she attempted to use the only recourse she thought she had, they charged her instead of the perpetrators who kidnapped and hid her children.

The distressed woman told Guyana Times “I made a Facebook post in June… I got a call from the senior officer and he said ‘Miss Simmons, your children are here at the Vigilance Police Station and you can come and collect them”.

When I reach up there, I was charged.”

This was clearly a violation of professional ethics by the Police also, who are themselves adding to the agony of a distressed mother, who, because of their lies, thought she was about to retrieve her missing children, only to be charged.

The report continued that after receiving the report, Guyana Times contacted a senior Police Officer for a comment on the matter and he said that the children are not missing but in their father’s custody, adding that just like the mother, the father has 50 per cent right of the children’s custody.

With what right has the officer arrogated to himself the mandate to determine a matter that is solely the remit of the courts? Instead of punishing the perpetrators and returning the woman’s children, he adjudicated the matter, thus further victimising the victim.

Trafficking of Persons has many facets, and no parent has the right to clandestinely remove a child, without prior arrangement with the guardian parent, without their prior consent and/or foreknowledge: Worse yet was it to make that child inaccessible to its primary caregiver, who is left agonised and traumatised by the actions of both perpetrators and Police. MassLegalHelp posits: “… it is not legal for the other parent to take your child from you. Sometimes taking your child from you is a crime, like “parental kidnapping” .

KingLaw elucidates: “Avoid Parental Kidnapping Accusations. Be very careful about leaving the state with your kids without the consent of their other parent. This doesn’t look good to a judge and may open you up to parental kidnapping accusations.”

The UN has designated July 30, 2021 as World Day Against Trafficking in Persons and it behoves the relevant authorities to take cognisance of the varying forms of Trafficking in Persons and train ignorant Police ranks on pertinent laws.

People look at Mount Sinabung spewing a massive column of smoke and ash as seen from Karo, North Sumatra, Indonesia (AFP photo)

Pegasus spyware is just the latest tool autocrats are using to stay in power

….from silencing opponents to spying on citizens, the world’s authoritarians are refining a strategy for perpetual rule

By George Monbiot

D

emocracy depends on an equality of arms.

If Governments acquire political weapons unavailable to their opponents, they become harder to dislodge. They now possess so many that I begin to wonder how an efficient autocracy, once established, might ever again be overthrown.

The Pegasus spyware, whose widespread use by Governments the Guardian has helped reveal, is just the latest variety of asymmetric force. The ability to peer into someone’s life from a distance, to track their every movement, word and intention, grants autocrats an unprecedented power.

It turns us into informants against ourselves. No one subject to this spying can now plan, however peacefully and democratically, to replace a government without those plans being known in advance and in all likelihood thwarted.

Since the Berlin Wall came down, autocrats have refined a new strategy for perpetual governance: to maintain the process and appearance of democracy – including elections and Parliaments – while ensuring it doesn’t work. Power

is sucked out of democratic structures and relocated to a place where it can scarcely be challenged: an inner circle defended from opposition by a forcefield of money and patronage, a compliant judiciary and a grovelling media. Viktor Orbán, Recep Tayyip Erdo?an, Jaros?aw Kaczy?ski, Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko all know how it works.

Pwrotest, as we have seen from Belarus to Hong Kong, often becomes ineffective. Huge numbers take to the streets, pull the lever of democratic moral authority that has toppled so many regimes in the past, and nothing happens. The autocrats sit and wait for the protest’s energy to fizzle out, crack heads and imprison leaders, knowing they no longer need fear the people. They now have the means either to win elections through rigging, suppression or beguilement, or to ignore the result if they lose. The arc of history no longer bends towards justice.

The new surveillance tools complement a formidable array of modern weapons. Dark ads on social media; thinktanks using dark money to turn outrageous ideas that favour the ruling class into apparent common

sense; voter suppression; the stuffing of the courts; the long march through the institutions, shutting down opposition in the civic sphere; cleverly prosecuted culture wars: these are the ever-more sophisticated tools of autocratic power in nominal democracies.

Many of them are being deployed in the UK. While there is no evidence that the Government has been using Pegasus spyware, we have seen ever greater snooping on citizens, from the surveillance networks developed by the Government intelligence agency GCHQ and exposed

by Edward Snowden to the undercover police deployed against peaceful protesters, some of whom they deceived into sexual relationships. The cops promised, as revelations from this scandal piled up, to reform themselves. But last week, a former Police Officer who joined Extinction Rebellion alleged that the Metropolitan Police had sought to recruit him as a spy. Given the characterisation by Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, of peaceful environmental protesters as “criminals”, I would find it surprising if police spying had not resumed.

The Government is turning politics into a one-way

mirror. Just as it learns more about our lives, it ensures we learn ever less about its own machinations.

The proposed changes to the UK’s Official Secrets Act would treat Journalists and other citizens making “unauthorised disclosures” as if they were spies, threatening them with “increased maximum sentences”, which probably means 14 years. It has so far resisted calls for a public interest defence. But unauthorised disclosures of Government malfeasance are essential to democracy.

While illegitimate scrutiny is ramped up, legitimate scrutiny is stifled.

Serious unease is the motor of democracy. When and how do we recover lost political liberties?

As recent cases involving environmentally-damaging projects and COVID contracts show, legal challenges are essential to hold Governments to account.

They have used culture wars to try to stamp out criticism in universities and other public institutions, and combined with the billionaire press to demonise anyone confronting the interests from which they draw their power, often to devastating effect. (Adapted from The Guardian)

guyanatimesgy.com

THURSDAY, JULY 29, 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

Diaspora is potent resource Get vaccinated available for Guyana’s development

Dear Editor, I am referencing a news article published on July 25, 2021 in a section of the media titled “Diaspora stakeholder complains to President about slothfulness, discourtesy on investment webinars”. It is quite paradoxical that Mr Wayne Forde, who is “committed to promoting and encouraging active diaspora engagement for social and economic development in Guyana,” would exhort such energy and resources to complain and express disappointment with the Government and suggest widened mistrust between Guyana and the Diaspora. This seems quite contrary to his UGDGN’s core purpose of “a prosperous and harmonious Guyana for all Guyanese.”

I am an active member and advocate for deeper and wider engagement and participation of the Guyanese Diaspora in the development of Guyana. However, like so many in the Diaspora, we find Mr Forde’s statements insincere and counterproductive, especially in the midst of an unrelenting COVID pandemic and the recent floods.

Guyana’s development is directly and critically linked to its global Diaspora population. The global Guyanese Diaspora is estimated at one million possessing signifi-

cant wealth, skills, disposable income and a deep desire for Guyana. More than 50 per cent of the Diaspora are second and third generation Guyanese, who are talented, innovative and excited to explore and contribute to Guyana. Without a doubt, the Diaspora is our most potent and valuable resource, more than all the natural resources available in Guyana.

We must commend the Irfaan Ali Administration for recognising this prized potential and creating an environment to leverage the resources of our Diaspora.

Let’s mention a few for clarity. The early opening of the airports to ensure investors, diasporeans, and others can access Guyana’s potentials; upgrade of GO-INVEST to highlight and bring urgency to the vast investment opportunities in Guyana; the establishment of a Diaspora Unit within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to develop the structures and strategy for active and ongoing diaspora engagement; pursuing a bustling Private Sectorfocused economy with benefits for the Diaspora as well as local investors; the commitment to a “one window” economy to deliver efficient services; and more than anything else, the Government has placed Guyana back on a development path after

years of economic neglect and mismanagement.

No one will disagree that there is room for improvement on the Government’s strategy and execution. The Diaspora on the other hand, notwithstanding its potential, lacks leadership and organisation. Represented by hundreds of loose associations and groups globally, the Diaspora is largely without a single voice, framework, or strategy. So who does the government engage with or talk to when it comes to the Diaspora? I believe Mr Forde’s frustration and “disappointment” should be channelled to the Diaspora who he seeks to represent and claim to shepherd.

Mr Forde’s frustration stems from a planned investment webinar that did not happen because of the unavailability of the President.

Mr Forde should know that the President meets Diaspora investors almost daily in Guyana; these are serious investors who are making real effort with time and money to do business in Guyana. Secondly, the President has already outlined his vision and commitment in the May 22 Diaspora Conference, it is for the diaspora to learn and align itself to access investment opportunities. Thirdly, Mr Forde should have worked with GO-INVEST, Diaspora Unit

and the Private Sector, these are the organisations that execute on the President’s strategy and have deeper knowledge of the opportunities and how to access them.

As mentioned above, the Diaspora is the most potent resource available for Guyana’s development. It requires bridges and structures to be built that would enable a tangible and robust engagement between Guyana and its Diaspora.

This will have to go beyond talking, webinars and expectations from the Government and frustrations. The Diaspora, knowing their individual and collective worth with access to technology, finance and experience, need to professionally organise itself, build a strategy and establish the structures to engage and impact Guyana and Guyanese.

Sincerely, Salaudeen “Salim” Nausrudeen

Dear Editor, The Guyana Council of Organisations for Persons with Disabilities (GCOPD) wishes to commend the Government of Guyana for the efforts made to procure COVID-19 vaccines in a competitive environment; thus, ensuring all eligible Guyanese can receive their jabs. We wish to recognise and highlight the hard work of the honourable Minister of Health Dr Frank Anthony and is team at the Ministry of Health to ensure that all Guyanese are vaccinated. At this time, we wish to encourage all persons with disabilities and by extension all Guyanese who haven’t receive their life saving vaccine to visit one of the many vaccination sites and get their jabs. We must reinforce that vaccination is our only proven protection against this dreaded disease and is our only way out of this pandemic. We are sure all Guyanese have a desire to return to some

level of normality; hence the importance of the majority of Guyanese receiving their vaccines to reach a level of herd immunity.

We do note with concern the high level of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among our Guyanese brothers and sisters. Further, we are aware that there are various conspiracies on the vaccines being peddled by persons with their own hidden agendas. To this, we implore our fellow citizens to consume their information on the current COVID-19 pandemic and the vaccines from credible sources. We once again encourage all unvaccinated Guyanese especially our brothers and sisters with disabilities to get their jabs as soon as possible and protect themselves and families from this disease.

Sincerely, The Guyana Council of Organisations for Persons with Disabilities

GECOM should take note how an election is run Dear Editor, Results of elections held in sister Caricom country, St Lucia, on Monday of this week indicate a victory for the Opposition.

A clean victory, acceptance by the incumbent, democracy alive and well.

It is hoped our own elections body takes

note how an election is run with results declared within days of the poll.

Needless to say, anything more.

Sincerely, Shamshun Mohamed

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THURSDAY, JULY 29, 2021

Page

Foundation ◄ Past NGSA questions

BY MAHOGANY L. BROWNE

A fatherless child will do almost anything to receive approval from the world.

Writing activity: Who am I? F

or this activity, write a short poem that explores your own personal thoughts about who you are and where you came from.

Supplies

• Notepad or paper, pen or pencil

• Drawing paper and drawing tools: coloured pencils, markers, or watercolours (optional)

Let's get started

Write short poems about who you are — your dreams, your fears, vivid memories, how you're

unique, your family, where you're from — anything you want to express.

You can create a portrait of yourself to go along with the poem. You can draw your face on a regular-sized sheet of paper, or can make a life-sized portrait: have a friend trace around you as

you lie down on a big piece of craft paper, the back side of wrapping paper, or even a few pieces of newspaper taped together. Then you can colour in your clothes, if you want to — or write the poem in the torso of the body. (Adapted from startwithabook.org)

A nod or really any sign of recognition would cause me to put my own life in danger.

Once I let my sister lift me on top of both of her extended feet in the middle of the dark of our shared pink and white bedroom.

She mimicked a rickety resemblance of Superman her legs locked at the knee and me, dangling in the air both her hands holding tight my wrists.

I lie back on the soles of her feet let her kick me up into the night’s jawline.

I landed hard against a plank splintered against the edge of our new and exposed steel bed frame.

My forearm split itself into a welcome flood blood spilling like a song and I swore I could hear my father sing.

Source: Poetry (March 2021)

WORD SEARCH

NEWS

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THURSDAY, JULY 29, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

3 women latest COVID-19 Govt resources cannot be fatalities, 81 new cases used for employers asking Unvaccinated workers

GUYANA COVID-19 DASHBOARD JULY 28 UPDATE

NUMBER OF NEW CASES

81

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL ISOLATION

64

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN HOME ISOLATION NUMBER OF PERSONS IN COVID-19 ICU

857 11

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL QUARANTINE

2

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (FEMALES)

11,422

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (MALES)

10,893

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES IN GUYANA SINCE 2020

22,315

NUMBER OF RECOVERED CASES

20,850

TOTAL 1st DOSE VACCINATED

248,970

FULLY IMMUNISED

133,987

TOTAL NUMBER OF DEATHS

533

DISTRIBUTION OF TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES SINCE MARCH 2020 REGION 1

1296

REGION 2

623

REGION 3

2528

REGION 4

9992

REGION 5

747

REGION 6

1867

REGION 7

1278

REGION 8

380

REGION 9

2071

REGION 10

1533

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

Keep a physical distance of at least 6 feet.

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

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

A

s deaths continue to fall from the COVID-19 pandemic in Guyana, three women were announced as the latest fatalities on Wednesday.

Taking the death toll up to 533, these deaths contributed to 54 for just July.

They included a 64-year-old and a 68-year-old woman from Region Four- both of whom died on July 27; and a 67-year-old from Region Nine, who died on July 26.

An updated dashboard by the Health Ministry shows an increase of 81 detected positives within one day, moving the confirmed cases since the pandemic started to 22,315.

Active cases are pegged at 932: 11 patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 64 in institutional isolation, 857 in home isolation and two in institutional quarantine. Some 221,861 individ-

uals were tested – of which 10,893 males and 11,422 females were positive.

New cases were spread across seven regions, with one in Region One (BarimaWaini), 13 in Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara), 41 in Region Four (DemeraraMahaica), one in Region Five (Demerara-Mahaica), one in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), and 20 in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo).

There were no new positives in Regions Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) and 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice).

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony told media operatives on the sidelines of an event on Wednesday that there are no children in the designated ICU fa-

cilities. There are 10 persons seeking intensive care.

Among the 60 persons hospitalized, 40 are being housed at the Infectious Diseases Hospital, East Coast Demerara.

If anyone is displaying any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19, or need any additional information, contact the COVID-19 Hotline 2311166, 226-7480 or 624-6674 immediately or visit www. health.gov.gy.

All Guyanese are reminded to observe the protocols of the COVID-19 emergency measures which emphasises: the need for correct and consistent use of a face mask when leaving your home; the importance of maintaining the six feet physical distance from others; and the need for good hand-hygiene. (G12)

for PCR tests – Minister

…companies not breaching law by mandating staff take tests – Health Advisor

W

ith several local private sector companies taking the position that their unvaccinated workers present negative PCR COVID-19 tests regularly, Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony in responding to whether the ministry will be providing these tests, Dr Anthony said, “I hope not because if you need to get those tests, then the employer should specify where they should get those tests. I don’t think we should be utilizing the government’s resources in that way. We want to really check for persons who have been exposed and being at risk.”

The Minister went on to clarify that there aren’t ‘unlimited’ resources at the hands of the ministry to offer such services.

“One PCR test is probably about US$100. Every time you do a test on someone, it is a very expensive process. While we do have a lot of capacity, we want to ensure that persons who are exposed, that we’re using it for those purposes.”

Earlier in the coronavirus briefing, the health official has also pointed out that many places around the globe are already doing this.

In some States across the United States of America and France, vaccination has now become mandatory in an effort to drive higher vaccination rates.

“So, more and more countries now are going in this direction because they recognise that unless the population is fully vaccinated, we are going to have challenges with people getting sick, people dying and in many instances, it can overwhelm the health system.”

“Here, a lot of the private sector entities would want to make their work environ-

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony

Advisor to the Health Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy

ment safe and they are taking those precautions. So, they are giving their employees the option, either you go get the vaccine or you have to be tested on a regular basis for them to verify that the person is not infected with COVID…you got to understand that that’s one way of encouraging a safe environment,” Dr Anthony added.

ers also have an obligation to keep safe work places and for those who refuse, and if employers require them to demonstrate that they are COVID-free ,then that is up to the employer,” Dr Ramsammy posited.

In recent times, several local private sector companies have mandated that their unvaccinated workers present negative PCR COVID-19 tests regularly.

In most cases, the costs for these tests are to be borne by the employees.

The latest company to implement this measure is the Giftland Mall whereby unvaccinated workers are expected to submit their tests weekly.

Several persons have since taken to social media to point out that Section 47 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act stipulates that ‘if a worker participates in a prescribed medical surveillance programme, undergoes prescribed examinations or tests, his or employer shall pay.’

But Dr Ramsammy explained that this law does not apply in this situation.

No law broken

Meanwhile, Advisor to the Health Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy has made it clear that companies are not breaching any law by mandating that their unvaccinated employees stand the expense of their periodic COVID-19 tests.

In a telephone interview on Wednesday, the Health Advisor pointed out that the COVID-19 vaccines are free and persons who are making the choice not to take them, must bear the consequences of their actions. “[Tests should be] at the workers expense because they have the vaccines which are available [for free]. While they are free not to take it, employ-

TURN TO PAGE 12

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THURSDAY, JULY 29, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Case filed by suspended PSC

No legal proceedings can be brought against President – AG tells court

…petitions to remove Head of State as a party

Attorney General Anil Nandlall, SC

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ttorney General Anil Nandlall, SC, has made an application to the Demerara High Court to have President Irfaan Ali removed as a party in the case filed by the suspended Police Service Commission (PSC). The PSC is asking the court to declare that its June 16 suspension by the Head of State is unconstitutional.

Last week, the PSC, which is chaired by retired Assistant Commissioner of Police, Paul Slowe, instituted legal action against the President, Prime Minister Mark Phillips, the Attorney General, Police Commissioner Nigel Hoppie, and its secretary over the suspension of its Chairman and Commissioners Michael Somersall, Claire Jarvis, Vesta Adams, and Clinton Conway – all retired Assistant Commissioners of Police.

The case comes up for hearing next Wednesday before Justice Gino Persaud.

However, Nandlall contends that pursuant to Article 182 of the Constitution of Guyana, the President has immunity from the judicial process,

President Dr Irfaan Ali

and as such, naming him as a respondent in the matter is unconstitutional and in breach of the State Liability and Proceedings Act. Under Article 89, the President is the Head of State, the supreme executive authority, and Commanderin-Chief of the armed forces of the Republic of Guyana and, as a consequence, all actions brought against him, in his capacity as Head of State, should only name the Attorney General, he argues.

The Attorney General submitted that Article 182 states that subject to the provisions of Article 180, the holder of the office of President shall not be personally answerable to any Court for the performance of the functions of his or her office or any act done in the performance of those functions.

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

He added, “Whilst any person holds or performs

the functions of the office of President no criminal proceedings shall be instituted or continued against him or her in respect of anything done or omitted to be done by him or her in his or her private capacity.”

“And no civil proceedings shall be instituted or continued in respect of which relief is claimed against him or her for anything done or omitted to be done in his or her private capacity.”

According to the Senior Counsel, the constitutional issues raised in the PSC’s application can be properly dealt with by the Attorney General who is the principal legal advisor to the Government according to Article 112 of the Constitution.

Nandlall said that under Section 10 of the State Liability and Proceedings Act, proceeding for the enforcement of any claim by or against the State shall be brought by or against the Attorney General.

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

It is alleged that the officers collected payments amounting to $10 million, but never provided the Force with a raft of revised Standing Orders. President Ali suspended the Police Service Commission weeks after the Prime Minister wrote to Slowe and the other Commissioners, asking them to show cause why the fraud charges against them should not result in their removal from the PSC.

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Chairman of the suspended PSC Paul Slowe

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

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

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

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

The PSC was suspended pending the establishment of a tribunal.

EBD fatal accident

Alleged drunk driver on $1M bail S hivendra Ramraj of Herstelling, East Bank Demerara, who is accused of causing the death of a man in a drunken crash has been released on $1 million bail. Ramraj, 34, a salesman, was on Wednesday, arraigned before Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Diamond/ Golden Grove Magistrates’ Courts on two charges.

The first charge stated that on July 25 at Providence Public Road, East Bank Demerara, he drove motorcar PZZ 1621 in a manner dangerous to the public thereby causing the death of 51-year-old Stephen Bishop

Dead: Stephen Bishop

of North-East La Penitence, Georgetown.

It was further alleged that on the same day and at the same location, he drove the motorcar while he was under the influence of alcohol. The defendant who was represented by attorney-at-law Bernard Da Silva pleaded not guilty to both charges.

During a bail application, the lawyer told the court that his client has no antecedents.

Police said that the accident occurred on Sunday at about 18:55h.

According to reports, Ramraj was driving his mo-

The runner stumbles…

torcar at a fast rate of speed proceeding south along the eastern carriageway of the Providence Public Road when he alleged that Bishop ran across the road. The driver said that he immediately applied brakes but still ended up colliding with the pedestrian.

Bishop was picked up in an unconscious state and taken to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Meanwhile, Police said that a breathalyser test conducted on Ramraj revealed that his blood alcohol content was above the legal limit. (G1)

…on COVID-19 thical issues don’t only apply to humans, they extend – or should extend –- to the workings of institutions.

After all, the latter are formed by us to handle areas of our collective lives. This ponderous meditation is prompted by COVID-19’s inexorable decimation of our populace and our reaction to it.

For all of our history, we’ve been looking north – first England and then America – as our models for dealing with challenges. And within that model, ethics and morality, both at the individual and institutional levels, are immanent.

Isn’t this what our thrust for protecting “Human Rights” is all about? Or our insistence on democratic elections?

Or Governments’ responsibility for protecting their citizens – including their health. And we arrive at COVID-19 and some of the questions being posed right now.

Take the seemingly Hamletian one about whether “to vaccinate or not to vaccinate?” Taking our cue from the American Libertarians – Trumpian or otherwise – some are framing the issue as a human rights question and insisting that the State cannot intrude on the autonomy of the citizen. On the other side, there’s the Lockean duty of the State to prevent infected citizens from spreading the virus to their fellow citizens and threatening them with possible death. The greater good and all that. So the question is how and where does the State draw the line between the two competing (but equally valid) positions?

Well, against looking north – by creating institutions like the Judiciary to deal with a range of issues as they relate to us (including the Government) dealing with each other. In other areas – as in dealing with contagious diseases which include the COVID-19 pandemic – we have institutions like the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) that’re supposed to be guided by the science dealing with contagious diseases.

But what happens when these supposedly valueneutral institutions are influenced by outside pressure – like politicians as in the case with Trump – or worse yet, refuse to follow their own findings? And that’s where the CDC has really done a disservice to value-free decisionmaking on COVID-19 decisions. First, they didn’t take the disease seriously – even though China shut down 70 per cent of its economy to stop it cold. Then it insisted on cleaning surfaces rather than aerosol transmissions and discouraged face masks or even making homemade ones.

There’re other flip-flops on testing and on quarantining.

They’re even saying “vaccinated people don’t carry the virus”. Only to now somersault and say face marks should be worn indoors even among vaccinated persons!

But the worst is not to publicise present Israeli data that their Pfizer vaccine is only 39 per cent effective against the Delta variant!

Who’re we to follow?

…on alternative healings Now far be it from your Eyewitness to cast doubt – much less aspersions – on the power of faith healers of all traditions to heal people. Nowadays he sees them advertising their powers via social media, in addition to the old late night TV shows they used to frequent. The lame was made to walk, the blind to see and fatal diseases were cast out to allow the “saved” to live happily ever after.

Contributions were accepted, of course.

Some in Guyana who’ve rejected vaccination for COVID-19 seem to be rejecting the whole science behind the drive – that is, vaccines produce antibodies in us which fight off new viral infections – after being influenced by these healers.

So in the midst of this COVID pandemic, your Eyewitness has a question: has any healer cured a single COVID patient? We know that some very vociferous antivaxxers who belonged to the healing crowd and preached to their flock unfortunately succumbed to the disease.

The physician couldn’t “heal thyself”? …in the movies Your Eyewitness will explain his title. It’s taken from an old movie he saw during lockdown. A Catholic priest and a Nun fall in love and it ends in murder.

A moral dilemma because of arbitrary ethical rules.

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

NEWS

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THURSDAY, JULY 29, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

“We have to be more skilled, better at fighting fires” – Benn tells GFS …“be more fire-conscious” – Fire Chief to businesses

“Be more fire-conscious”

A section of the gathering at Wednesday’s fire safety and prevention outreach

W

ith the oil and gas sector introducing new industries in Guyana, Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn has called on members of the Guyana Fire Service to up their skills and knowledge so as to serve these new areas that are emerging.

Speaking at a fire prevention and awareness outreach exercise hosted by the Fire Advisory Board on Wednesday, Minister Benn underscored the important role that the Fire Service plays. But in the same breath, he posited that the challenges going forward will extremely significant and different.

“The very fact that we have very massive rigs offshore, pumping oil and gas, and the fact that we’re going to be bringing in new pipelines to a new estate at Wales to spur the economy using the off gas from

the pumping of oil, means that we will be dealing with pipelines with high pressure gas and sometimes liquid in them, and we not only have to be aware of how to build these things but we gotta also be aware of how we manage the results of any bad experiences in relation to these things,” the minister noted.

To this end, Benn outlined that the Fire Service will now have to rise to the challenge and upskill themselves in order to be able to effectively and efficiently serve in this new economy.

“So, the Fire service has to be capable, aware, trained and engaged in relation to this new situation.

The normal, maybe old or continuous ways in the normal fighting of fires, we gotta be better at it. We gotta be more skilled, we gotta be more confident, we gotta be more courageous,” he assert-

ed.

Similar sentiments were expressed by Head of the Guyana Fire Service, Kalamadeen Edoo. He noted that the rapid development in Guyana’s landscape that is emerging due to the oil and gas sector, requires now more than ever for assets such properties and infrastructure to be protected.

“It is importance that these assets be protected.

The first line of protection, therefore, is to have the building structures and other assets to be build or constructed in conformity with the international recognised standards and equally important, that they be fitted with the requisite fire protection device and systems as well as the adaptation of the Building Code,” Edoo said to the gathering, which included member of the business community.

Speaking directly to the business owners, the Fire Chief Kalamadeen Edoo is imploring with business owners especially those in Georgetown to ensure they implement the necessary safety mechanisms so as to prevent fires from breaking out.

“You, the business people, must construct your buildings with fire safety in mind. You must build the capacity of your staff with the knowledge of fire protection, fire prevention and fire safety as a high priority. You must afford your staff the opportunity to participate in fire safety seminars since these are vital to sustaining your businesses,” he noted.

Edoo went onto point out that fires have a widespread effect not just on property owners but the community and even the country. As such, he posited that it is important tackle fire safety and prevention efforts from all facets.

“Fire safety and fire prevention are very important.

It is, therefore, necessary that a recommendation provided by the Guyana Fire Service provided to you – our partner in helping to suppress and preventing fires – be implemented… to help detect and overpower any fire in the beginning stage,” he highlighted.

These, according to the

Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn

Fire Chief, includes the installation of smoke detectors, the correct fire-extinguisher and sprinkle system, among others.

“So today, I’m urging you the business community to follow the rules of fire safety and follow the advice given to you by the fire authorities so that we can have less businesses being destroy, less persons being jobless and less lives being lost.

This will help to boost our economy and we continue to grow and develop instead of having to rebuild and replace,” Edoo stressed.

Meanwhile, it was reported by Minister Benn that in comparison to last year, the number of fires as well as the number of calls to the Fire Service has re-

duced. While he did not provide these specific figures, the Home Affairs Minister did note however that the number of fatalities by fire have remained the same with seven deaths.

The most recent was an 83-year-old woman identified as Norma Semple, who perished in an early morning fire at her Wismar, Linden, home on Monday. The woman lived alone in the one-storey wooden structure.

Wednesday’s outreach, which was held at the Guyana Police Force’s Training Centre, was aimed at boosting fire safety, fire prevention and fire suppression practices.

Minister Benn lauded the exercise, which he says will help to address the deficit the Fire Service has in dealing with infernos.

“It has been one of the egregious experiences we’ve had in relation to being able to make sure that we have the appropriate assets, that we make use of the trainings that we’ve acquired in respect to engaging in the difficult task of fighting fires, making sure that we have enough mobile and other assets for fighting fire and that we fight them appropriately. But more importantly that we pay attention towards public awareness and engagement to make sure we mitigate and prevent the occurrence of fires,” the Home Affairs Minister contended. (G8)

10 NEWS

THURSDAY, JULY 29, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Ex-con, another remanded Cocaine, ganja, gun on armed robbery charges found during Police raids

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wo men have been remanded to prison on separate armed robbery charges.

Godfrey Lynch called ‘Follower’, 26, of Agricola, Greater Georgetown, and Selwyn Haynes, 21, of Pineapple Street, East Ruimveldt, Georgetown were brought before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Lynch was not required to plead to the charge which stated that on July 25 at Houston, Public Road, Greater Georgetown, while in the company of another man and armed with a knife, he robbed a man of a 10 pennyweights gold chain and a cell phone valued at $165, 000.

The Police Prosecutor told the court that the defendant was on a motorcycle when he committed the robbery. The prosecutor said that Lynch was positively identified by the virtual complainant.

However, Lynch told the court that at the time of the robbery he was at home with his relatives. He said that Police ranks came to his relative’s home and arrested him.

In the end, the robbery accused was remanded to prison until August 18.

In 2016, Lynch was charged and remanded to

Robbery accused: Excon Godfrey Lynch

prison for allegedly robbing a woman of $13 million in cash and jewelry. Just age 20, at the time, he was accused of robbing Yvonne Moe, while being armed with a gun on April 25, 2016, at Republic Park, East Bank Demerara.

It is alleged that he robbed her of $7,000,000, US$10,000 a quantity of gold jewellery valued $4,000,000, and a pistol, valued at $120,000, which were the property of Harry Narine.

The total value of stolen articles was $13,120,000.

Lynch was previously charged in March 2015 with allegedly robbing Dexter Richards, while armed with a gun, of a motorcycle valued

$175,000 and which was the property of Shondelle Mars.

On the same day, he also allegedly robbed Richards of his gold ring worth $50,000.

Then, in April 2020, Lynch was among three men who were charged for a brazen gunpoint robbery committed on businessman Ryan Rajmangal, and his family at Republic Park. It is alleged that they robbed the men of $2 million in items.

A few years ago, Lynch was jailed following a conviction on a robbery under-arms charge.

Meanwhile, Haynes is facing a similar charge.

He also was not required to plead to the indictable charge which alleged that on June 27 at Louisa Row, Georgetown, while in the company of another and armed with a gun he robbed a man of a cellphone, a handbag, and documents amounting to $88,500.

It was further alleged that on the same day and at the same location, while in the company of others and armed with a gun, he robbed a man of $69,000. According to the Prosecutor, on the day in question, at about 18:00 h, the men were walking on the road when they were approached and robbed by Haynes.

Haynes was remanded to prison and the case will call again on August 4.

P

Pistol and cannabis found during the Police search exercises

olice have unearthed drugs and a gun during separate raids in Berbice, Region Six (East Berbice Corentyne).

Reports are that on Wednesday at about 15:45h, a 53-year-old was searched by ranks at Matthew Allen Road, New Amsterdam.

Policemen acting on information received, discovered a 9MM RECK 92 military pistol and a magazine without rounds on the suspect.

He was arrested and taken to the Central Police Station.

Meanwhile, also in Berbice

during search exercises at residences at Number 65 Village, Corentyne and Timmers Dam, Angoy's Avenue, New Amsterdam, and East Canefield, East Canje on Tuesday, Police unearthed two parcels of cocaine weighing nine and 10 grams respectively, and suspected cannabis weighed at 500 grams and 100 grams respectively.

Two suspects were arrested.

Subsequently, a raid carried out by police ranks on an empty open lot at Kildonan Village, Corentyne, Berbice, led to the discovery of one

black plastic bag containing seeds leaves and stems suspected to be cannabis, and one transparent plastic bag containing a quantity of whitish rock-like substance, suspected to be cocaine.

The narcotics suspected to be cannabis amounted to 35 grams and, and the suspected cocaine amounted to 15 grams.

A search was also carried out on the suspect and at his residence where some 75 grams of suspected cannabis was found. He was arrested and taken into police custody.

Pavement vending hazardous to visually-impaired persons – Minister

Public Works Minister Juan Edghill

P

ublic Works Minister Juan Edghill has said that pavement vending is hazardous to the general public, especially for persons that are visually impaired.

He made this position clear on Tuesday, during an interview on the sidelines of an event at Owen and McDougall Streets, Campbellville, Georgetown, stating that persons are forced to walk on the roadway rather than on the pavements as a result of the congestion created by pavement vendors.

“People that are disabled, visually impaired and all of them – they are at risk.”

The minister has already met with representatives for visually impaired persons since the Government would have taken office, and the ministry has since rendered some assistance in regards to their safety whilst using the roads in Georgetown. “… we’ve tried to assist them in some aspects of road safety by putting in sounds at the traffic lights so they can know when the traffic lights change”, the minister said, adding that “we’ve spoken to shop owners who cast the front of their shops

Roadside vending in Georgetown

– the curbs and the pave – to prevent flooding. People who are visually impaired when they get their level, and then they come stumbling down because somebody has done something.” He highlighted however, that more works can be done in ensuring the safety of the visually-impaired.

Moreover, Edghill revealed that there are issues that need to be dealt with in regards to roadside vending on the main access roads and he has plans to meet with persons that are contributors to this reoccurring issue. This practice, he pointed out has been creating some amount of interruption and difficulties with road and traffic safety.

“We’ve had some issues with the road going into Parfaite Harmonie where people were just opening up shacks and building up.

We had to have some discussions with them,” Edghill explained.

“Now that we have Sheriff-Mandela completing at a four-lane, the temptation for other people to come out – we have to get that regularized. We have to deal with the same thing along Hunter Street.”

He also mentioned that discussions are ongoing with

persons that sell items such as bread and dog food along the road ways. “…so just like we did with vending on the seawall… I called everybody, we had a meeting, we put them in a regularized manner – 15 feet – everybody had to move in beyond the edge of the road to ensure that traffic is able to pass.”

“I will probably have to call in all the vendors who are selling especially bread and dog food – because when you come to the edge of the road and you’re selling and somebody stops to buy – you’re blocking up the whole traffic and you’re also interrupting a whole lot of other things.”

The minster stated that they (Government) will have to find a solution to this issue since they do not want to interrupt economic activities for persons trying to make a living during the COVID-19 pandemic, but at the same time they do not want to encourage “lawlessness” or an unregulated, uncontrollable environment. “… I’ll probably have to get all the vendors in, talk to them about how we could get things done better and ensure that they can make a living and we can get compliance.”

11 Design of new Central Fire Station on Homestretch Ave soon – Benn NEWS

THURSDAY, JULY 29, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

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The new site for the relocation of the Central Fire Station

overnment is moving ahead with plans to relocate the Guyana Fire Service’s Central Fire Station from its congested downtown location to Homestretch Avenue and according to Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn, the design concept will be out soon.

He made this disclosure during an outreach hosted by the Fire Advisory Board to push fire prevention and mitigation practices on Wednesday.

“We have three concept documents… Having reviewed the concept just now, we’ll rollout to the public what we’ll be having in terms of [the design of] a new, modern Fire Station to

deal with how we go forward in the future,” Benn told the gathering at the Guyana Police Force’s Training Centre.

According to the Home Affairs Minister, the new facility will be constructed on approximately 3.5 acres of land between the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall and the D’Urban Park Stadium.

A portion of the land at the immediate east of the stadium has been earmarked for the construction of a sports facility.

The current location of the Central Fire Station on Water Street near the Stabroek Market, is heavily congested and hinders response time.

In addition to this,

Minister Benn said the new location will also allow for more room to properly house, maintain and deploy assets. “[This is] the best place with open land to take in the number of new assets that we have and still acquiring the operating spaces needed and the fact that we have to cater for future development beyond that even which we are contemplating with the new design means we had to have adequate space… That also means that that emergency response service and the ambulances too will be moved to that new location,” he further told reporters on the sidelines of Wednesday’s event.

The Home Affairs

Minister had first announced last month that the D’Urban Park area has been identified as the site for the relocation of the Central Fire Station, which also houses the GFS Headquarters.

Provisions for the relocation has been set aside in the 2021 National Budget.

While no sum was specified for the construction of the new facility, funds were included in the GFS’ $1.9 billion budget allocation.

This accounts for the relocation of the Central Fire Station, the construction of a new fire station at Eccles, East Bank Demerara, and the purchase of six water tenders and two ambulances.

In fact, Minister Benn disclosed during Wednesday’s event that five new firetrucks have recently arrived for the GFS and are currently at the wharf to be cleared.

The Home Affairs Minister used the opportunity to implore with members of the Fire Service to ensure they take proper care of the equipment that are being provided to enhance their performance.

“We have to pay attention to the care and use of these assets because on a

Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn

unit basis, they are much more expensive than any other thing that we buy in the Ministry – $60 to $90 million for a new firetruck.

So we got to pay attention to their proper usage,” Benn stated.

Fire Stations will be set up in three of the new townships – Mabaruma, Region One (Barima-Waini); Mahdia, Region Eight (PotaroSiparuni) and Lethem, Region Nine (Upper TakutuUpper Essequibo). (G8)

12 NEWS

THURSDAY, JULY 29, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Girls’ Education Day

“We have had to delve well beyond superficial appearances” – Manickchand …commits to address issues impacting educational experiences

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he education of girls came into sharp focus when Education Minister Priya Manickchand participated in the Global Partnership for Education’s (GPE) Global Education Summit 2021 on Girls’ Education Day. A special virtual side event was organised to discuss the topic of “Getting Girls into and back to School” with the education minister presenting on the topic based on the Guyanese context.

During her presentation Manickchand said that Guyana is committed to improving the experiences of girls in education by devising strategies for improving the quality of education offered across all levels of the system in Guyana. She said that work will continue to ascertain and address any gender-specific issues impacting their educational experiences.

She spoke about the global recognition that an investment in the education

Education Minister, Priya Manickchand

1-year-old found dead in fish pond

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olice are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of a one-year-old boy, whose lifeless body was discovered in a fish pond located some 300ft from his home at Onderneeming, Essequibo Coast, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam).

Dead is Jeremiah Norton.

The discovery was made at around 09:30h on Tuesday by his mother, 32-year-old Elizabeth Henry.

According to the woman, she left her toddler in the house where he was playing with his two siblings. At the time, she was washing clothes outside of the house.

At about 09:30h, the woman said she decided to check on her children and upon doing so, she discovered that Jeremiah missing.

Upon investigating, the

of girls goes well beyond merely correcting the gender equality imbalance and has significant national developmental benefits.

She said Guyana has embraced the fact that the education of girls impacts the age of initial childbirth and the number of children conceived, the value of education passed on to future generations, the earning capacity of women and their degree of social participation among other significant benefits.

Manickchand explained to her fellow panel members and participants that similar to territories in the Caribbean, Guyana’s experience regarding girls’ educa-

Dead: Jeremiah Norton

mother found her child’s body floating in the fish pond.

The infant was rushed to the Suddie Public Hospital

where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

The body was examined for marks of violence by the police but none was found.

tion differs from some other parts of the world where girls are denied access and are marginalized in their educational pursuits.

She said that the reality in Guyana is that the number of girls enrolled in education exceeding that of the boys on many levels including tertiary.

“Beyond that, the performance of females has outstripped that of their male counterparts for a considerable period and is expected to continue. This has led to investigations into the phenomenon called ‘the feminization of education’ within our jurisdictions,” Manickchand explained.

Further, she said that taken on the surface, this reality might suggest that the experiences of girls in Guyana’s society is devoid of issues and challenges.

“The existing reality, however, is that we have had to delve well beyond the superficial appearances to develop a deeper understanding of where socio-cultural, socio-economic, political and other issues create structural barriers to the effective education of girls.”

Some of the factors that are considered significant to the educational experiences of girls are: the tra-

ditionalism and the urban/ rural divide, social ills such as teenage pregnancy and gender-based violence, menstruation and its related contextual realities, and socio-economic as well as geographic factors.

Responding to these challenges in light of the current COVID-19 pandemic, several interventions had been conducted to facilitate the continued education of girls as well as the reintegration of adolescent mothers the Education Minister noted.

According to the Education Minister, among the interventions included the Health and Family Life Education Skills for Life training and distribution of care packages for adolescent mothers adversely affected

by COVID in the hinterland regions.

As it relates to the issue of menstruation, she said that a national campaign is being devised for the free distribution of sanitary napkins. Also, worksheets and study materials were distributed for students at all levels of the education system while pedagogical and curricular approaches were introduced aimed at addressing learning loss at all levels.

Thieves steal chicken, sausage from Nappi hot meals building

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hieves have broken into the Nappi Primary School, Region Nine (Upper TakutuUpper Essequibo) hot meals program building and escaped with a number of items including groceries.

Reports are that the building was broken into sometime between Thursday and Friday last.

Among the items that were stolen are two whole chickens valued $2880; one pack sausage valued $1400; one knife valued $400; one cutlass valued $2000; one

bottle cooking oil valued $480; one jar nut butter valued $660 and one two litres of squeeze lime juice valued $4000.

Police have since said that enquiries disclosed that between July 22 and 23, a workshop was held at building with the villagers.

As a result, meals were prepared for the participants by the organisers who secured the building at the end of the day's proceedings.

However, on July 23, at about 06:00h, one of the or-

ganisers returned to the building to prepare breakfast for the participants where she discovered two boards from the northern door were pried open and braced to the door.

An alarm was raised and checks were for the articles which were in the freezer and kitchen but they were missing. As such the Police were called.

Investigators have since arrested a 20-year-old and 16-year-old and are looking for another person as their probe continues.

Govt resources cannot...

“That doesn’t apply.

Surveillance means that I’m going…to find those who are positive and to establish a prevalence, etc. That not what this is all about. This is an employer who wants to know whether you’re COVID-free or not, that employer is not doing no surveillance tests on our behalf,” he stated.

The Health Advisor also ruled out the option of the Guyana Government stand-

ing the expense for such PCR tests for unvaccinated workers.

“The Government’s resources for PCR tests is focused on diagnosis, making sure people who are sick, people who need to be contact-traced…that’s where our services are dedicated to.

“We can’t extend it. If we are providing you with free vaccines and you refuse them and we have to turn

FROM PAGE 7

around and pay for PCR tests, we can’t do that. So the government will not be providing free PCR tests for employment purposes,” he contended.

Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony has since urged the public to have an understanding of why employers have a right to require their unvaccinated employees to get tested regularly.

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THURSDAY, JULY 29, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Over 2000 locals, migrants to benefit from Region 1 medical outreach R

esidents and migrants within Region One (Barima-Waini) are to benefit from a comprehensive medical outreach next week, organised by the Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana with backing from several key agencies.

The CIOG has brought on collaborative partners for this undertaking, which includes the United States Embassy (HAP), Office of the First Lady, Guyana Medical Relief (GMR), International Organisation for Migration (IOM), National AIDS Programme Secretariat (NAPS).

The teams will be present in the communities of Port Kaituma and Mabaruma, Region One from August 2 to August 6, 2021. Among the list of services offered would be general medical checkups, HIV testing and counselling, COVID-19 vaccination, dental services, optometry, women’s health and physiatry.

United States Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah Ann Lynch explained that this is a significant step in providing healthcare to remote areas within the country.

“Almost 2000 people I think are scheduled to be seen next week, which is really amazing and mostly to support those in need, es-

Minister Frank Anthony (second from left) and US Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch (third from left) along with other stakeholders in the outreach initiative

pecially in underserved areas of Guyana. So, the upcoming Medical Outreach in Region One, it does underscore the US embassy’s initiatives to support Guyana in the areas of improved governance, enhance security and prosperity for all,” the diplomat shared.

US-based NGO Surgical and Medical Support Group will provide eight medical personnel to Georgetown Public Hospital, and nine medical personnel to outreach activities in Region One. These medical professionals will include nurses, physicians specialized

OB-GYN and anaesthesiologists with other medical personnel.

They're all very excited to share their knowledge and their skills out in the hinterland…The outreach will provide critical medical services and training in several areas of concern, some of which were previously mentioned, including women's health, basic trauma care and preventative medicine...It is really truly satisfying to see global, bilateral, national and local resources and experiences coming together for the benefit of those most in need,” Lynch further detailed.

More persons benefit from “Dream Realised” house lots

Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal listening to the concerns of Hilda Persaud at the “Dream Realised” event

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everal persons who applied for house lots over a decade ago received their lots at Block 18, Plantation Grove, East Bank Demerara (EBD) during the Housing and Water Ministry’s “Dream Realised” event on Tuesday.

Minister Collin Croal said as more lands become available and infrastructure works done, more citizens stand to benefit.

“We committed in our manifesto… 50, 000 over the five-year period and, as part of that exercise, we also have to seek land, acquire

land for us to have allocation exercises being done. That is done of course, with various agencies involved because we also have to look at the broader context of our national planning in terms of land use,” he said, in an interview with DPI. Croal also said 334 land titles and transports have been prepared and can be collected. He noted that the allocations are being done in targeted areas and persons desirous of becoming home-owners must complete their transactions before the Government transfers own-

ership.

Meanwhile, in an invited comment, senior citizen, Hilda Persaud, who said she applied for a lot in 2005, was grateful to have finally gotten her document.

“Thank the Ministers, thank all of the Ministries and everyone I thank.

God bless them to give me the land now that I can do something to help myself,” she said. Taxi operator, Mr. Peter Rickford, who said he applied for a house lot in 1993, is very happy to have finally received it.

“I was so fortunate today that something told me to come up here and I came up and met the Minister [Susan Rodrigues MP] and I’m happy she has given me a house lot.” Chandini Narine who applied in 2011 is also thankful for her lot.

“Thank God that we get through and the Government that we could get through now because we paying rent for so long so it’s a blessing. I’m really happy,” the woman said.

The two-day exercise was held at the Guyana National Stadium at Providence, East Bank Demerara.

According to Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony, vaccination against COVID-19 is also

an important factor for the region. The medical team was urged to use this opportunity in boosting the current vaccination figures.

“We would really like you to help us in one particular area and this is vaccination. Region One, we have had fairly good coverage but they still need to do a lot more. I think for first dose, we probably need about 9000 more people to cover…I think if the people who are coming to get other services, if you can encourage them to get vaccinated, it would be a very important message.”

In Region One, diseases predominantly range from malaria, leishmania, HIV, STIs among others. Persons also suffer from a range of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension.

Vulnerable groups

Speaking on the issue of migrants, IOM’s Chief of Mission, Robert Natiello highlighted that these vulnerable groups are in need of such care as he lauded Government’s support in accepting refugees.

“IOM believe that there is not one organization or one entity that really manages migration. We really have to work together to address migration issues, because migration is another cross-cutting issue. It cuts across a number of sectoral demographic - economic, political, social…I think it’s really important to recognize the efforts that Guyana has made to host migrants and to the needs of migrants.

The government of Guyana has really provided a welcoming space,” Natiello verbalised. (G12)

14 NEWS Collaboration between Govt, CARPHA on variant testing ongoing – Dr Anthony M THURSDAY, JULY 29, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

inister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, says testing for COVID-19 variants in Guyana is ongoing with the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), even as the Government explores other avenues.

The Minister made the disclosure during Wednesday’s COVID-19 update.

“We initially had some tests that were done by CARPHA. The first set that we had sent, of the 10 samples that went out, we really didn’t see any variants.

However, we saw, in subsequent reports, that they have found variants here and as you will recall, we were trying to find that out because we did not get an official report.

We will continue to work with CARPHA to see if we can get more testing done to understand what variants are circulating here. And we’ll try to find from other institutions who have the ability to sequence the Sars COV ge-

nome, to see whether or not we can get other people to look at it,” he said.

According to a DPI report, Dr. Anthony further noted that the Government may also utilise the Pan America Health Organization’s (PAHO) network of laboratories in Latin America for test-

ing hospitalised during this period,” he posited.

Minister Anthony had also reminded that none of the persons who died from COVID-19 so far were fully vaccinated against the virus.

As such, he reiterated calls for persons to get immunised.

He reiterated this during Wednesday’s update, urging persons to take what he has described as the “common-sense approach” to ride out this third wave of the pandemic.

Meanwhile, the Health

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony

ing.

“We can work with them to see how we can improve gene sequencing. But having said all of that, the thing here is that our public health management would not vary much in the sense that people would have to still abide by the rules that we have, and that is social distancing, wearing a mask. You will still have to continue those. And of course, observing these things because I think peo-

ple have gotten very complacent,” the Health Minister explained.

This sentiment was previously expressed by Dr Anthony. During one of his updates two weeks ago, the minister had stated that conducting more gene-sequencing is not a priority at this

time. At the same time, however, he had acknowledged that these more deadly variants of the virus that have been discovered around the world have somehow reached local shores.

“From a clinical perspective, we suspect that this is what is happening,” he had stated, referencing the changing patterns of infected cases, that is, more young people being hospitalised and, in some instances, dying after contracting the virus.

The Health Minister had pointed out that while gene sequencing would have to be conducted to definitively confirm this, air travel between Guyana and other parts of the world has exposed the country to these newer and deadlier variants.

“While Delta (variant) was first discovered in India, it is now the dominant variant in the US and we have travel back and forth from the US on a daily basis. So, one can assume that we have different types of variants circulating in Guyana and would’ve contributed to the clinical picture that we’re seeing here. So not only do we have more deaths, we’re seeing more people be-

Minister also revealed that the Government is paying close attention to the evolution of COVID-19 in order to ensure it adequately adjusts its vaccination response.

Dr Anthony said while several private sector companies have instituted mandatory vaccination within their organisations, the Government is keeping a close watch even as it explores other strategies to combat vaccine hesitancy.

“We [the Government] are looking at what is evolving from an epidemiological point

of view, and we will take all the necessary steps to ensure that people are protected,” the Minister said during Wednesday’s COVID-19 update.

Dr. Anthony noted that with the fast-spreading Delta variant several Governments around the world have also implemented mandatory vaccination. This includes several states in the United States, and France. The Minister said the Government will take a decision on the matter in due course.

Pre-summit for UN food systems summit

“Food availability, access, utilisation, stability must be holistically addressed” – Agri Minister

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griculture Minister and other officials from around the world participated on Wednesday in the Pre-Summit for the United Nations Food Systems Summit.

Due to the ongoing global pandemic, COVID-19, the Pre-Summit was held virtually and saw the participation of over 50 countries.

While delivering remarks, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha said that in order for countries to ensure safe and nutritious foods remain accessible, food availability, access, utilisation, and stability must be holistically addressed.

“The current food system makes ‘ultra-processed’ foods readily accessible, appealing and affordable, displacing more nutritious foods. Expanding the non-traditional agricultural sub-sector is therefore critical for diet diversification and enabling equality in availability and access, especially for rural populations. Further, of growing concern is the need to reduce on-farm and post-harvest food loss and waste through adopting appropriate harvesting, post-harvest, and storage technologies,” Mustapha is quoted in a release from the Agriculture Ministry as saying.

Following the onset of the current global pandemic, greater emphasis has been placed on building Guyana’s resilience to vulnerabilities, shocks, and stress. Minister Mustapha told pre-summit participants that systems are being put in place to confront such threats thus safeguarding the livelihood of farmers and fishers in the country.

“COVID 19 pandemic has exposed the vulnerability of our food production and distribution systems and exacerbated other challenges such as Climate Change.

Guyana must confront these threats to the livelihood of farmers and fishers by making its food systems more cli-

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha

mate-resilient,” said.

Mustapha

Caricom’s position

Guyana currently holds lead responsibility for Agriculture, Agricultural Diversification, and Food Security in the Caricom.

The Caribbean Region is amongst the most vulnerable to natural disasters and climate change impacts and has been identified as the second most hazard-prone Region in the world. Just recently, economies and food systems were impacted by the eruption of a volcano in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, affecting Barbados and other neighboring Islands, hurricanes left wind and flood damages in Barbados and other islands in the Eastern Caribbean, and Guyana and Suriname experienced unprecedented flooding that resulted in tremendous loss of crops and livestock.

“Actions to reposition Caribbean agriculture include, strengthening linkages between the agri-food, tourism, and health sectors; establishing public-private partnerships in local food production and processing; implementing climate-smart technologies and transitioning towards digital agriculture. Financing for mitigation and adaptation to climate change has become more critical today than ever before and is necessary to protect and transform Caribbean food sys-

tems. International support from international financial institutions, and bilateral partners will be critical to ensuring a more resilient agricultural sector through financing, technology, and creating an enabling global environment,” Mustapha said.

The Pre-Summit of the UN Food Systems Summit served as the preparatory meeting for the culminating global event in which is being held in September 2021 by bringing together diverse actors from around the world to leverage the power of food systems to deliver progress on all 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and our shared vision for people, planet, and prosperity. It will consolidate all of the substantive work of the Summit into a common vision and set a tone of bold ambition and commitment to action. The Pre-Summit will deliver the latest evidence base and scientific approaches from around the world; strengthen coalitions of action; and mobilize new financing and partnerships.

Through the PreSummit, the UN Food Systems Summit will reaffirm its commitment to promote human rights for all and ensure everyone, everywhere has the opportunity to participate. The event is open to all, with a small in-person component in the context of COVID-19, complemented by a vast virtual programme and platform.

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THURSDAY, JULY 29, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Alleged Ponzi scheme

Couple no-show at court after being slapped with 60 more charges

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he Guyana Police Force has instituted 60 new fraud charges against Cuban National Yuri Garcia and his Guyanese wife Ateeka Ishmael over the Ponzi Scheme they operated.

The couple was scheduled to be arraigned on Tuesday for the offence of Conspiracy to Defraud, allegedly committed on victims of a Ponzi scheme.

However, both suspects failed to appear at the Sparendaam Magistrate's Court to answer the charges.

Their lawyer, Attorney Dexter Todd, produced two medical certificates, on their behalf, to the police investigators which purport to show that they have both tested positive for the COVID-19 virus.

But according to a statement from the Police Force, a perusal of the medical certificates by investigators has raised the suspicion that they may be bogus documents.

“Consequently, the police have launched an investigation to determine the authenticity of the medical certificates,’ the police said.

Dominquez and Ishmael were first arrested in August of last year. They are currently facing close to 100 charges for obtaining monies by false pretence; operating a Pyramid Scheme and operating a financial institution without the requisite registration.

The couple is currently out on over $30 million bail.

In October 2020, the couple’s lawyer said that his clients will commence the process of repaying in-

Parcel 86 Fourth Street, La Bonne Intention, East Coast Demerara.

Norton and Seepersaud are accused of transferring

A

of income that could have generated the funds acquired to enable them to purchase these properties.

(G8)

“Education is a powerful tool for development” – McCoy …Guyana will see tremendous returns on education investment – Walrond Cuban national Yuri Garcia and his wife Ateeka Ishmael

vestors. But to date, only $3 million of the $4 billion has been returned.

Dominquez and his wife are the principals of Accelerated Capital Firm Incorporated.

Sometime last year, the company ceased all operations in Guyana after authorities discovered that it was operating without a license from the Guyana Securities Council.

The company claimed that it was not aware that it needed a license to operate in Guyana since it already has an international license to trade from the International Monetary Fund.

The Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Act prohibits businesses from operating as financial institutions without the necessary registration for regulation and supervision by the Regulatory Authorities, the Financial Intelligence Unit, and Guyana Securities Council.

The couple has maintained their innocence on

all the charges levelled against them.

Meanwhile, only last month, the police arrested and charged two persons who were identified as agents/marketers in the Ponzi scheme.

Aubrey Norton and Martina Seepersaud had reportedly accrued millions of dollars through this illegal scheme and they used the said criminal proceed to purchase properties.

It is alleged that on June 8, 2020, at Coldingen, East Coast Demerara, they entered into an agreement of sale and purchase with vendors to purchase property situated at Lot 36 First Street, Montrose, East Coast Demerara for the sum of $60 million.

They transferred the sum of $50 million in cash as a down payment with a balance of $10 million on the passing of the transport.

Norton and Seepersaud also allegedly transferred the sum of $53 million to vendors, being part payment for the purchase of property, being Block XIV

Guyanese woman fined for evading T&T immigration officers 25-year-old Guyanese woman has been fined $15,000 for evading immigration officers at the Piarco International Airport with the alleged assistance of a security guard.

Fathima Khan was slapped with the fine yesterday after pleading guilty to the Immigration offence before Magistrate Avion Gill during her second court appearance.

According to the evidence in the case, Khan arrived on a flight from Guyana on January 14, last year.

With the assistance of a security guard, she was allegedly able to bypass the Immigration Division and Customs and Excise stations and exit the Arrival Terminal into an awaiting vehicle.

Officers of the Special Operations Response Team (SORT) received information about the crime and

the said sums, knowing or having reasons to believe that the said sums are the proceed of crime as they had no legitimate source

arrested her at a house in Carapichiama, later that week.

Although Khan elected to plead guilty to the offence, her friend who picked her up and the security guard, who were also charged in relation to the incident, pleaded not guilty.

Their cases are expected to come up for hearing in September.

In her mitigation plea, Khan’s lawyer Renuka Rambhajan asked the court to impose a conditional discharge under the Summary Courts Act based on her client providing information to investigators.

Rambhajan suggested that a prison term was inappropriate and a fine was more suitable.

In deciding on the fine, Gill stated that she considered Khan’s early guilty plea, her clean criminal record and the fact that she

assisted police.

However, she rejected claims that she simply followed her friend’s instructions as she was fearful that she would be denied entry.

Gill noted that Khan, a higgler, had entered the country legitimately in the past and stated that she (Khan) could not claim that she was unaware of the proper immigration process.

Noting that the country was grappling with illegal immigration, Gill said that the fine should serve as a deterrent to persons considering similar conduct.

Khan was given three months in which to pay the fine. In the event that she fails to meet the deadline, she will face 18 months in prison.

The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) George Busby. (T&T Guardian)

Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister Oneidge Walrond and one of the beneficiaries of the “Because We Care” cash grant (DPI photo)

Public Affairs Minister Kwame McCoy and Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister Oneidge Walrond, visited several Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) communities at the weekend to distribute the $185 million “Because We Care” cash grant initiative for students.

At the Arapaima Primary School, McCoy told parents and guardians that unlike the ‘Five Bs’ programme initiated by the

and strategies to be able to deal with those challenges facing our ordinary Guyanese brothers and sisters,” McCoy is quoted

by DPI as saying.

McCoy said the education grant is the realisation of a PPP/C manifesto promise and allows parents to use it to equip their children for school.

He also highlighted the important role teachers play, particularly now as they help their students to navigate learning amidst

Public Affairs Minister Kwame McCoy hands over the cash grant to this grandmother

Coalition, the ‘Because we care’ cash grant will benefit every public-school student.

“We are a Government that understands the needs of our people and we develop and implement programmes and policies

the COVID-19 pandemic.

McCoy also said while the Government is building the educational infrastructure, and initiating programmes for education, parents are also being given assistance to

send their children to school.

He assured parents that exciting times are ahead for Guyana, and education is a powerful tool that will propel Guyana’s development.

“It is by educating our people, educating our children, our country will be able to benefit from their education and we will be able to accelerate the pace of development to move forward very quickly and swiftly, in implementing our infrastructural programmes that are necessary for the social and economic advancement of our country,” he said.

Meanwhile, Walrond said the grant will increase over the next five years in keeping with the PPP/C manifesto.

“We are convinced that our country as a whole, will see tremendous exponential returns when we invest in education,” she said.

Walrond also noted that today’s children seem able to learn faster than previous generations as times are changing rapdily. The Government recognises this, she said, which is why it is focused on ensuring that students are empowered.

The ministers visited several communities including Kumu, Moco Moco, Quarrie, Katoka and Yupukari.

16 NEWS

THURSDAY, JULY 29, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Phillip Pierre sworn in as new St Lucia PM 2 Kingston serial rapists sentenced P hillip Joseph Pierre was sworn in as the 12th Prime Minister of St Lucia, since independence in 1979, seeking the “divine intervention in fulfilling the hopes and aspirations of the people of St Lucia”.

Pierre, 66, an economist/ accountant, led the St Lucia Labour Party (SLP) to a convincing victory in Monday's general election, winning 13 of the 17 seats that were at stake in the National assembly.

The United Workers Party (UWP) which held office until then, won only two seats, down from the 11 it enjoyed in the last parliament with the other two seats going to independent candidates, including former Prime Minister Stephenson King.

“This is the start of a new beginning,” an emotional Pierre told the nation at the ceremony held at the official residence of the Governor General, Sir Neville Cenac, on the Morne, overlooking the capital and broadcast live across the island. ” As your servant leader, I shall serve all the citizens of the country regardless of their social class or station in life. The task ahead will not be easy, but together with my team and able and experienced men and women we will deliver to the people of St Lucia,” said Phillip, who served as deputy prime minister in a previous SLP

Prime Minister Phillip J Pierre (centre) being sworn into office

administration headed then by Dr Kenny Anthony during the period 2011-16.

“I ask for your patience in the coming weeks and months as we try to assess the state of the country's financing and capacity to deliver early as possible, the commitments made to the people of St Lucia,” Pierre said.

During the election campaign, Pierre, who led the SLP for the first time into a general election, said that St Lucia, had over the past five years, become the most indebted island within the sub-regional Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).

“It gives me no pleasure to report that among countries in the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU) our country has suffered the biggest economic decline, 23.8 per cent for the year 2020. The country's level of public debt has

ballooned under this UWP government to almost four billion (dollars) (One EC dollar=US$0.37 cents) again the highest among countries within the ECCU. “According to the ECCU, 60 per cent of the increase in the total public debts among OECS countries can be accounted for by the increase in St Lucia's Public debts,” Pierre said.

In his address after being sworn in, Pierre said “St Lucia we cannot fail. I will not fail you.”

“I thank you for the opportunity to serve. I won't do it alone. I will seek the counsel of the wise and if you stand firm with me, together we shall not fail,” he added.

Pierre said that the victory of his SLP on Monday was as a result of the voters “peacefully registering their voice, not only in support for me, but for the party and against the things you

thought were wrong, or the direction we were heading”.

He acknowledged that while not everybody voted for him and the party, “thankfully the majority were of a particular view and that is the country needed to be rescued from the abyss into which it was plunging”.

“The majority of you accepted my offer to lead that rescue mission,” he said, adding that the team that contested the polls, represented a blend of youth and experience and that the full rescue team would also include “you the people”.

“I promise to be Prime Minister, not for some of the people, but for all of the people. The St Lucia Labour Party has won the general election. However, we now have to manage an inclusive, equitable and just society.

“I believe that our island can be one where dignity of the human person is preserved and respected, where our citizens are treated equally and given the opportunity to grow and achieve their full potential, where the poor and less fortunate and vulnerable members of our society are protected and assisted by the government to achieve a decent quality of life,” said Pierre, who broke down while remembering his late parents, a policeman and a teacher, as well as his brother, who died recently. (CMC)

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axi driver Michael Swaby and his sidekick Dwayne Edwards, who were in June found guilty of 20 charges relating to a horrific string of kidnappings, robberies and rapes across the Corporate Area were today sentenced to 38 years and nine months and 38 years and five months respectively by the Corporate Area Gun Court.

The two, said to be illegal taxi operators, were downed by the testimonies of 17 witnesses, three of whom were complainants during a trial which started in May. Forensic evidence, video footage from surveillance cameras and call records analysis, as well as a discarded traffic ticket with Swaby's name, formed part of the trail of clues that led to the criminals downfall in the incidents which took place days apart, specifically October 31st, November 18th and November 25th of 2017.

Swaby and his co-accused had been on the police's radar for several years, Swaby as early as 2014. Both, fol-

lowing their arrest in 2018 were slapped with charges ranging from forcible abduction, rape, grievous sexual assault, assault occasioning bodily harm, assault at common-law, illegal possession of firearm to robbery with aggravation after being pointed out in identification parades.

Arrangements were made for the three cases to be joined in the one trial given the circumstances.

In the trial, which started in May, the women, two members of the nursing profession and the other a beautician, still traumatised, gave their testimonies through tears, leaving the stand at times, too distressed to continue. At least two of the women the Jamaica Observer learnt, chose to keep their backs turned to the accused at all times to avoid having to look at them.

The women in their testimonies detailed the modus operandi of the two, who typically struck at nights using the same white motor car. (Jamaica Observer)

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THURSDAY, JULY 29, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

US gunmaker offers US$33M to UK donates 12,000 vaccines Sandy Hook shooting victims to Antigua & Barbuda

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he company that made a rifle used in one of the worst school shootings in the US has offered $33 million (£24m) to several victims’ families.

The proposed settlement for the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre from Remington, America’s oldest gun-maker, came as part of a bankruptcy hearing for the company.

It also comes in response to a lawsuit brought by families of nine of the 26 victims.

Each family would receive some US$3.66 million.

It is subject to the approval of the Alabama judge overseeing Remington’s bankruptcy case.

It falls far short of what the families sought. In

February, they argued in court that wrongful death settlements could total $225m, with total punitive claims possibly exceeding $1bn.

A lawyer for the families said they would “consider their next steps” regarding the offer.

“Since this case was filed in 2014, the families’ focus has been on preventing the next Sandy Hook,” lawyer Josh Koskoff said in a statement.

“An important part of that goal has been showing banks and insurers that companies that sell assault weapons to civilians are fraught with financial risk.”

Remington, best known for its rifles and shotguns,

was founded in 1816.

After it emerged that a Remington semi-automatic rifle was used in the Sandy Hook killings, victims’ family members filed a lawsuit against the gun-maker alleging that the military-style weapon should never have been sold to a civilian.

The case has seen many twists and turns. Remington claimed it is protected by a 2005 law that prevents gun-makers from being found liable if their products are used in crimes.

In 2019, the Supreme Court allowed the case against Remington to proceed.

The school shooting in Connecticut shocked the US, a nation already familiar with gun crimes in schools.

The perpetrator killed 20 pupils and six teachers. He had earlier shot his mother dead. As police closed in on the school, he killed himself.

Despite the deaths of young children aged six and seven, no new national gun control laws were passed in the wake of the Sandy Hook shooting. (BBC)

Barbados: Visitors bringing fake test results, vaccination certificates

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arbados Minister of Health and Wellness Colonel Jeffrey Bostic has revealed that Some visitors to Barbados have been presenting bogus vaccination certificates and COVID-19 test results to avoid quarantine.

However, he gave the assurance that those individuals have not been slipping through the cracks.

According to Barbados Today, Bostic confirmed there were individuals entering the island with forged COVID-19 related documents, but told Barbados Today that officials at the airport have been on the alert and have been able to stop the frauds in their tracks. “Our team at the airport, they are very vigilant and they have demanded that persons coming in, either with vaccine certificates or test results that we do not recognize, that they be tested and go through the normal procedures at the airport. So we know this is an issue but we are trusting our team at the airport to continue to do the very vig-

Barbados Minister of Health and Wellness, Colonel Jeffrey Bostic

ilant job they are doing,” he added.

Bostic also sought to give the assurance that adequate systems were in place to deal with the gradual and expected subsequent rapid increase in visitor arrivals to the island. At the same time, he insisted that the responsibility of ensuring safety in the ongoing pandemic “rests with every single one of us doing the right things” and not just with visitors.

“Visitors will come because if they don’t, then that is another set of problems that we don’t want to see or have because we have experienced that before. We are doing everything possible at our ports of entry, and also by the COVID Unit going around and doing what they have to do,” the Health Minister said. He said “the vast majority” of cases recorded here were among locals, adding that “COVID has been in Barbados for a long time and it has not left the country. What has changed in Barbados is how people respond and react to the protocols”.

“But yes, we as the Ministry of Health, we have a responsibility also in relation to visitors and that is why the protocols in Barbados, irrespective of where you come from, even if mask wearing is not mandatory or encouraged in your country, it is in Barbados and you will follow the protocols we have here in Barbados,” Bostic added.

(Antigua Newsroom)

F

ive million doses are being offered to COVAX, the scheme to ensure equitable, global access to Covid-19 vaccines. COVAX will urgently distribute them to lower-income countries via an equitable allocation system, which prioritises delivering vaccines to people who most need them. Another four million doses will be shared directly with countries in need.

This is the first tranche of the 100 million vaccines the Prime Minister Boris Johnson pledged the UK would share within the next year at last month’s G7 in Cornwall, with 30 million due to be sent by the end of the year. At least 80 million of the 100 million doses will go to COVAX, with the rest going to countries directly. The donations follow the pledge that G7 leaders made to vaccinate the world and end the pandemic in 2022.

This week’s deployment will help meet the urgent need for vaccines from countries around the world, including in Africa, South East Asia and the Caribbean.

These regions are experiencing high levels of Covid-19 cases, hospitalisations and deaths.

“The UK is sending 12,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine to Antigua and Barbuda as part of the first batch of the 100 million doses we’ve pledged, to get the poorest parts of the world vaccinated as a matter of urgency. We’re doing this to help the most vulnerable, but also because we know we won’t be safe until everyone is safe.”

The UK has been at the forefront of the global response to Covid-19, including through investing £90 million to support the development of the OxfordAstraZeneca vaccine. Over half a billion doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine have been delivered at a non-profit price globally, with two-thirds going to lower and middle-income countries.

The UK also kick-started efforts to establish COVAX in 2020, providing a total of £548 million to fund vaccines for lower income countries. The scheme has deliv-

ered more than 152 million vaccine doses to over 137 countries and territories, including in 83 lower-middle income countries. 65% of the initial vaccine doses have been Oxford-AstraZeneca.

COVAX aims to deliver 1.8 billion vaccines to lower-income countries around the world by early 2022. UK’s Health Secretary Sajid Javid said: “This is a global pandemic and Covid-19 vaccines are the best way to protect people and prevent the emergence of new variants. We want to make sure developing countries can build a wall of defence against the virus as we have in the UK through our vaccine rollout.

“The UK is one of the largest donors to COVAX and this donation is part of our pledge to send 100 million vaccines to some of the world’s poorest countries.

“The government has secured enough doses for all UK residents, crown dependencies and overseas territories to support our ongoing vaccination programme and booster programme.”

(Antigua Newsroom)

US reports highest number of new COVID-19 cases in the world

People wait in line at a Miami-Dade County COVID-19 testing site, Monday, July 26, in Hialeah, Florida

T

he US has reported the highest number of new COVID-19 cases in the world over the last seven days, according to the World Health Organisation.

The US saw 500,332 new cases (a 131 per cent increase) the week ending July 25 compared to the previous week, the WHO said.

The world at large saw 3.8 million new cases (an 8 per cent increase) over the same time period. More troublingly, the number of COVIDrelated deaths (over 69,000)

represented a 21% jump.

“An average of around 540 000 cases were reported each day over the past week as compared to 490 000 cases reported daily the week before. This increasing trend is largely attributed to substantial increases in the Region of the Americas and the Western Pacific Region,” the WHO’s report reads.

Brazil, Indonesia, the United Kingdom and India rounded out the top five of countries with most new cases.

“If these trends continue, it is expected that the cumulative number of cases reported globally could exceed 200 million in the next two weeks,” the WHO said.

The increase in cases is largely being fueled by the spreading delta variant as well as a slowdown in the US’s vaccine drive.

According to the CDC, only 49.2% of the country is fully vaccinated, well short of the benchmark needed for herd immunity. (NY Daily News)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

THURSDAY, JULY 29, 2021

Regional

Haiti PM vows to work to hold Peru’s Castillo faces major elections “as quickly as possible” challenges as presidency begins

H

aiti’s newly-swornin interim Prime Minister has said his Government plans to work to allow the Caribbean nation to hold elections “as quickly as possible” after the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse plunged the country into deeper political uncertainty.

Ariel Henry, who was confirmed as Prime Minister in a ceremony in Port-au-Prince last week, said on Wednesday that “the mission of this Government is to prepare the conditions to hold the elections as quickly as possible”.

His comments come as Haiti continues to reel from political instability worsened

by Moïse’s killing in the early hours of July 7, when armed gunmen stormed his private residence in the capital and opened fire on him and his wife, who was seriously in-

Ariel Henry was confirmed as Haiti’s new Prime Minister during a ceremony in Portau-Prince on July 20 [Ricardo Arduengo/Reuters]

jured.

The attack sent shockwaves across the country and around the world – and thrust into international spotlight years of mounting gang violence and political instability that worsened during Moïse’s presidency.

The United States and the United Nations have urged Haitian leaders to move ahead with elections as a way to get out of the ongoing crisis, but civil society leaders have questioned whether the current conditions in Haiti are conducive to a free and fair vote.

Moïse had been governing by decree since last year, while Opposition groups, civil society organisations and leading jurists said his presidential term had ended in February, spurring mass protests urging him to step down.

Many State institutions are not functioning.

Leading Haitian human rights advocate Pierre Esperance on July 9 described as “shameful” a push for elections while gang violence continues to surge, leading to hundreds of killings, kidnappings and mass displacement.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Brazil to vote on tax reform next week, corporate profit changes seen

B

razil’s lower House of Congress is expected to vote on tax reform next week, with the bill likely be amended to exclude certain small companies’ profit and dividend taxes, senior lawmakers steering the process said on Wednesday.

Voting on the stage of the bill aimed at simplifying and lowering personal; income taxes and levies on corporate profits will take place when Congress returns from recess next week, Speaker Arthur Lira told GloboNews.

Speaking in Brasilia, deputy Celso Sabino, the bill’s

sponsor in the Lower House, said small firms registered with the ‘Simples’ tax regime will likely be exempt from paying tax on profits and dividends.

He also added that there was a “strong possibility” the 20,000 reais ($3883) monthly threshold above which companies must pay a 20 per cent tax on dividends could be reduced. The Economy Ministry proposed this threshold and rate only last month.

Sabino said he would meet with representatives of city mayors and state governors in the coming days to discuss the

proposals, and to insert “triggers” in the bill to ensure local authorities do not suffer financial losses with the reforms.

“We are very close to a text that is ready to be voted on,” Sabino said after a meeting with Economy Minister Paulo Guedes.

Brazil’s Government last month unveiled proposals to reduce income tax for up to 30 million workers, cut corporate profit tax, and increase levies on financial market gains.

Brazil’s tax regime is widely seen as one of the most complex in the world. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Energy giant bpTT alerts Govt on major gas shortfall

I

n what must be a major disappointment for the Government and a sure blow to the country’s economic prospects, bpTT has told the Dr Keith Rowley Administration that going forward it should expect much lower than forecasted natural gas production, with the shortfall being as high as 15 per cent this year and over 10 per cent until 2024.

In a confidential series of documents which Guardian Media has obtained, bpTT also told the Administration that it has sustained significant losses over the last five years, including a whopping TT$2.825 billion before tax last year.

The documents show that even with the announced projects like Matapal and Cassia C, while they will increase production by about 140 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscf/d) of gas, this will still fall short by an average of over 200 mmscf/d.

To put it into context,

F

or years, Peruvians have anticipated the 200th anniversary of the Andean nation’s independence (July 28, 1821) as an auspicious date meant to usher in a new, fairer and more prosperous society.

But as Pedro Castillo was sworn in as President on Wednesday, he and his 32 million compatriots will survey a society almost brought to its knees by the COVID-19 pandemic, political instability, endemic corruption and a bitter election campaign that has left Peruvians deeply divided.

The previously little-known rural school teacher and union leader was a surprise winner of the presidential elections earlier this year. Nearly one in three voters still believe his defeated opponent Keiko Fujimori’s unsubstantiated claims that Castillo owed his victory to fraudulent ballot counting.

Yet the 51-year-old is by definition a truly historic president, the first in Peru’s history to be a “campesino”, a subsistence farmer from the provinces with no prior connections

to Lima’s corridors of power.

“It’s time to rebuild a great national unity,” Castillo said during his inauguration speech to Congress. “We’ll do it democratically, seeking national consensus, guaranteeing that on July 28, 2026, I will return to my work as a teacher.”

As he spoke, Police kept a small group of his supporters well distanced from the Congress. Most of Lima and the rest of the country remained quiet. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Nicaragua Opposition names presidential ticket to take on Ortega

N

icaragua’s main Opposition alliance has named a former right-wing fighter and a beauty queen as its candidates to take on President Daniel Ortega in November’s general election.

The Citizens Alliance for Liberty (CXL) announcement on Wednesday comes amid a wave of arrests of Opposition figures, with more than two dozen people – including seven presidential hopefuls – arrested during the past two months.

Oscar Sobalvarro, 68, said he did not expect the nomination, but insisted that he would “take on the baton” from those detained, a move he said “is neither easy nor free from risks”.

His running mate is 27-year-old Berenice Quezada, the 2017 Miss Nicaragua who has no known history of political activism.

Rights groups and international observers have accused Ortega of presiding over a crackdown on potential opponents in advance of the November vote, during which the 75-year-old will be seeking

Oscar Sobalvarro and Berenice Quezada were named as presidential candidate and running mate for the CXL party, respectively, during a meeting in Managua on July 28 [Oswaldo Rivas/AFP]

a fourth consecutive term.

Among those arrested by the Ortega Government are five CXL leaders who were expected to compete for the presidential candidacy, as well as student protest leaders and other Opposition figures in the Central American nation.

The United States has imposed sanctions and visa restrictions on officials affiliated with Ortega’s government, while the Organisation of American States (OAS) has urged him to release

the detainees and ensure that free and fair elections can be held.

The longtime President has justified the arrests by saying his Administration was prosecuting criminals who were plotting a coup against him. Most have been arrested under a controversial law approved by Parliament in December that was widely criticised as a means of freezing out challengers and silencing opponents. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Paraguay: Record cocaine stash found in shipment of sugar that is enough gas to run two methanol plants and more than 60 per cent of all the gas the country needs for electricity generation.

The news could not come at a worse time for the Rowley Administration, already faced with the embarrassment of having spent quarter of a billion dollars in a desperate attempt to save Atlantic LNG’s Train 1 that is now likely to be mothballed. Sources said yesterday that Energy

Minister Stuart Young will soon make an announcement on Train 1.

Guardian Media has been told the Minister last week asked the shareholders to give him time to take the matter to the Cabinet and put in place a public relations plan around the announcement, which will include the soon-to-be released improved financial performance of the NGC. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

P

araguay seized more than 3400 kilos of cocaine near the capital city of Asuncion as it was being stashed in a load of sugar for international shipment, Police said on Wednesday, calling it the country’s biggest-ever drug bust.

National Police Commander Luis Arias told reporters that the illegal stimulant, made with coca leaves grown in South America’s Andean region, was found in a warehouse in the Asuncion suburb of Fernando de la Mora. It

was being prepared to be shipped out disguised in a load of organic sugar, he said.

“We are talking about more than 3400 kilos of cocaine,” Arias said. “This was the culmination of an investigation by the anti-narcotics Police, working with Prosecutors, that took almost a month.”

“The merchandise was in a container to be transferred to a safe port for export abroad, we do not know where,” he added.

“The warehouse was being rented and listed as a sug-

ar deposit.”

The bust exceeded the previous record in Paraguay, when 2900 kilograms of cocaine were seized in October 2020 in the private port of Villeta, about 40 kilometres from Asuncion. That cargo had been hidden in bags of charcoal.

Paraguay is one of the main marijuana producers in the region and is considered a transit country for cocaine produced in Andean countries for Europe and other markets.

(Reuters)

guyanatimesgy.com

THURSDAY, JULY 29, 2021

19

Around the World

OILNEWS OIL NEWS Oil settles up near US$75; sharp US inventory drop counters virus worry

O

il settled near US$75 a barrel on Wednesday after data showed US crude inventories fell to pre-pandemic levels, bringing the market's focus back to tight supplies rather than rising COVID-19 infections.

Brent crude ended the session up 26 cents, or 0.4 per cent, to US$74.74 a barrel, after posting on Tuesday its first decline in six days. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude settled up 74 cents, or one per cent, at US$72.39.

Crude inventories fell by 4.1 million barrels in the week to July 23, the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) said, helped by lower imports and a decline in weekly production.

Petrol stocks also dropped – bringing them largely in line with pre-pandemic levels.

Petrol product supplied, a measure of demand, has reached a four-week average of 9.5 million barrels per day, the highest levels since October 2019, according to EIA data.

"A rebound in implied demand for both petrol and distillates, as well as lower refinery runs, has encouraged decent inventory draws for both," said Matt Smith, Director of Commodity Research at ClipperData.

Oil prices are up 45 per cent this year, helped by demand recovery and supply curbs by the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies, known as OPEC+. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Kandahar residents fear Taliban advance on Afghan city

US, Russia hold nuclear talks in Geneva after summit push

S

enior US and Russian officials on Wednesday restarted talks on easing tensions between the world's largest nuclear weapons powers and agreed to reconvene in September after informal consultations, the State Department said.

US Deputy Secretary of State, Wendy Sherman and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov headed their delegations at the meeting at the US diplomatic mission in Geneva.

TASS news agency cited Ryabkov as saying he was satisfied with the consultations and that the United States showed readiness for a constructive dialogue at the talks.

Armed with mandates from their leaders, it was the first time in nearly a

US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose countries hold 90 per cent of the world's nuclear weapons

year that the sides had held so-called strategic stability talks amid frictions over a range of issues, including arms control.

US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose countries hold 90 per cent of the world's nuclear weapons,

agreed in June to launch a bilateral dialogue on strategic stability to "lay the groundwork for future arms control and risk reduction measures".

After informal consultations aimed at "determining topics for expert working groups" in the next round, the two sides agreed to reconvene in late September, State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement.

The decision to meet again showed the sides understand the need to resolve arms control disputes, a senior State Department official said, that have seen an end to several Cold War-era treaties, including one that limited intermediate-range missiles.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

COVID-19: No UK quarantine for fully-jabbed US and EU travellers

P

eople who were fully vaccinated in the European Union or United States will not need to isolate when coming to England, Scotland, and Wales from an amber list country.

The change will come into force at 04:00 BST on Monday.

Currently, only people who received their jabs in the United Kingdom can avoid quarantine when arriving from amber list coun-

tries, except France.

The UK Government said the rule change would help to reunite family and friends whose loved ones live abroad.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said it would apply to people who have been fully vaccinated with a jab approved by the EU or US, with the final dose at least 14 whole days before arrival.

Travellers will still need to take either a lateral flow

or PCR test pre-departure and a PCR test on the second day after they arrive.

Under-18s will be exempt from isolation, and some will not have to test, depending on their age.

It come as a further 27,734 cases were reported in the UK, bringing to an end a seven-day run of falling case numbers. Wednesday's case figure was, however, down significantly from a week ago, when 44,104 cases were reported.

Another 91 deaths within 28 days of a positive test were also reported.

Tougher rules will continue to be in place for France, which is on the amber list, but still requires travellers to quarantine when they return, even if they are fully vaccinated.

Shapps said this advice would be reviewed at "the end of next week" as part of the rolling assessment of travel rules. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Israel tells France it is taking Pegasus spyware allegations seriously Supporters of the Taliban carry their signature white flags after they seized the Afghan border town of Spin Boldak [File: Tariq Achkzai/AP Photo]

L

ast week, Kawsar Sama and her family packed up their belongings and got on a flight to the capital city of Kabul.

For the 21-year-old and her family, life in the southern city of Kandahar had become dangerous as the Taliban has pushed into the districts surrounding Afghanistan’s second-largest city in recent weeks.

“It’s too risky for people to send their children to school.

You’d only go to the market if you absolutely had to, and even then, so many of the stores would be shut. Life had stopped,” Sama said from her family’s temporary home in Kabul.

Though she says the Taliban is yet to enter the city centre itself, the fighting has come to the districts.

Residents Al Jazeera spoke to said this has left them feeling trapped, in constant fear that the Taliban could arrive any day.

For the Taliban, taking full control of a city home to

hundreds of thousands of people a month before the final withdrawal of USled foreign forces would be a big victory, but to the Kandahari people that all-consuming thought is a nightmare.

Navid Amini, 23, has spent his entire life in the city of Kandahar, but he says he has never seen anything like what has been going on in the province in recent weeks.

Like Sama, Amini says each Taliban advance in the surrounding districts exacerbates the fear among the people.

“There is war all around the city,” Amini said by phone from Kandahar.

Last week, Human Rights Watch released a report accusing the Taliban of summarily rounding up and executing people believed to work for the Government and members of the Afghan National Security Forces. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

I

srael is taking seriously allegations that spyware developed by an Israeli company was used against public figures worldwide, Defence Minister Benny Gantz told his French counterpart during a visit to Paris on Wednesday.

Israeli defence chief Gantz met French Defence Minister Florence Parly in part to share initial findings from an Israeli Government assessment of exports to France by NSO Group, which sells the Pegasus spyware.

A French Government spokesman said Parly would "seize the opportunity" to ask Gantz what his Government knows about NSO's activities, which have emerged as a diplomatic liability for Israel.

At Parly's request, Gantz "commented on the issue of NSO and told her that Israel is taking the allegations seriously", a statement from his office said.

"Israel grants cyber licences only to nation-states and only to be used for the needs of deal-

ing with terrorism and crime," the statement said.

An investigation published by 17 media organisations, led by the Paris-based non-profit journalism group Forbidden Stories, said the spyware had been used in attempted and successful hacks of smartphones belonging to Journalists, Government officials and human rights activists.

French President Emmanuel Macron's phone was on a list of potential targets for surveillance by Morocco, which used the

Pegasus software, French newspaper Le Monde reported. Macron has called for an investigation.

Israel has set up a senior inter-ministerial team to look into the spyware allegations.

NSO has said the report about Pegasus was "full of wrong assumptions and uncorroborated theories".

Pegasus is intended for use only by Government intelligence and law-enforcement agencies to fight terrorism and crime, the company has said. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Tunisia's President moves on economy and COVID-19 after dismissing Govt

T

unisia's President said on Wednesday he was addressing the dire economic and COVID-19 situation and probing widespread corruption after invoking emergency powers on Sunday to seize control of Government in a move his foes called a coup.

President Kais Saied justified the moves, which included dismissing the Prime Minister and suspending

Parliament, by citing a surging pandemic and misgovernance, saying he had acted to save the country from corruption and plots to sow civil strife.

Public anger had been growing in Tunisia over the political paralysis that had stopped any coherent response to the pandemic and after years of economic hardship and declining public services.

France said on Wednesday it was paramount that Saied quickly name a new Prime Minister and Cabinet, while civil society groups, including the powerful labour union, have said he must produce a roadmap to exit the crisis within a month.

A decade after ending autocratic rule through a popular uprising, Tunisia faces the sternest test yet to its democratic system, and

Western countries that have applauded its political transition have expressed concern.

Saied, who says his actions are constitutional but has yet to set out his next steps, has been urged by the United States to stick to democratic principles.

He met security chiefs on Wednesday, the presidency said. (Excerpt from Reuters)

20

THURSDAY, JULY 29, 2021

guyanatimesgy.com

ARCHIE

ARIES (March 21April 19)

Look for new possibilities. An adventure will lift your spirits and get you excited about something you’ve never experienced. Make freedom and happiness your goals.

Investigate the best way TAURUS to improve your surround(April 20- ings without going over budMay 20) get. Refuse to let someone push you into something you may not need. Know what you want and say what’s on your mind.

DILBERT

GEMINI (May 21June 20)

CANCER (June 21July 22)

PEANUTS

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

CALVIN AND HOBBES

SUDOKU

Look for the best opportunity and get started. Discuss your plans with people in the know who can offer valid suggestions. A show of patience and reliability will be necessary.

Control your emotions and concentrate on your responsibilities. Tie up loose ends, and play it safe when it comes to health, finances and contracts.

Have a target in mind, and don’t budge.

Choose your words carefully to avoid being misinterpreted. Less drama and more facts will help you get your point across. Handle your money with care. Being overly generous won’t buy respect or love.

Channel your energy and enthusiasm into the changes you desire, and you’ll feel jubilant. Take the initiative; less talk and more action will encourage productivity and positive change.

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

Mix business with pleasure, and it will help you develop a good rapport with your peers and provide insight into something that interests you.

A chance to advance is apparent.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)

Look past the obvious, and you’ll find a passage that leads to personal or spiritual growth. A transformation will encourage you to do things differently. Focus on what makes you happy.

Pay attention to health SAGITTARIUS and money matters. If you (Nov. 23rush into something, you’ll Dec. 21) regret it, and if you hesitate, you’ll miss an opportunity.

Balance, integrity and good timing will be crucial.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

YESTERDAY'S WORD -- MOTIONED

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

A problem with a friend or relative will cause stress. Look for alternative ways to help someone you care about without it costing you financially or emotionally.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 19)

A serious approach to how you earn or handle cash will pay off. Discussions regarding your direction will lead to valuable feedback and the push you need to get ahead.

PISCES

It’s up to you to make a change. Sitting around waiting for something to transpire will lead to depression and disappointment. Step up and act, or you will have no one to blame but yourself.

(Feb. 20March 20)

THURSDAY, JULY 29, 2021

21

Tokyo Olympics: Badosa taken from court on a wheelchair as temperatures soar P

aula Badosa was forced to withdraw from her quarter-final against Marketa Vondrousova and taken from the court on a wheelchair after suffering from heatstroke at Tokyo 2020.

Tuesday saw heavy downpours in the Japanese capital, but the hot and humid conditions from earlier in the week returned early on Wednesday with temperatures at times going above 30 degrees Celsius.

Vondrousova, who had shocked home favourite Naomi Osaka in the previous round, won the first set 6-3 at Ariake Tennis Park, but her opponent was clearly struggling as she prepared to play the second set.

She required medical assistance to depart the court, as Vondrousova progressed to the final four.

Vondrousova comments on the heat

The conditions for the tennis in Tokyo have been a quite literal hot topic with both Daniil Medvedev and Novak Djokovic stating matches should start at 15:00h (3pm) so the majority can be played as temperatures cool.

Vondrousova explained how it was playing in the searing heat, saying: “It was a big struggle from the beginning.

“I warmed up in the morning and I felt it was really hot and humid. Also, I

was a bit tired from yesterday because I had doubles too.

“But I knew she had too [singles and doubles]. I felt

Men’s Olympic football: Brazil through to quarter-finals in Tokyo, but Germany go out

like we both were struggling from the beginning.

“I was just thinking, you have to stay there mentally, just fight for every point and just see what happens. It’s good for me that I can have some rest now.

“It’s all about the head too. You have to stay there mentally and fight. Even when you lose the point, you have to get up and fight again. It’s really a struggle here with the weather, but

that’s it, we have to fight.”

Olympics like a slam for Svitolina

Next up for Vondrousova is a last-four meeting with Elina Svitolina, the fourth seed and highest-ranked player left in the women’s draw.

The Ukrainian was a 6-4 6-4 victor over Camila Giorgi and talked up the significance of winning Olympic gold.

“I know that for Ukraine, [the Olympics] is a really big thing,” Svitolina said.

“I value the Olympics as a grand slam, and I tried to prepare to bring my best tennis. Here I am in the semi-final, and I can get a chance to get a medal. It’s very special for me, but I try to take one match at a time.”

Belinda Bencic (9) came through 6-0 3-6 6-3 against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova on the other side of the draw. She will face Elena Rybakina (15), who was too good for seventh seed Garbine Muguruza in a 7-5 6-1 win.

Ash Barty was beaten along with partner Storm Sanders in the women’s doubles quarter-finals earlier on Wednesday, but the world number one bounced back to win her first-round mixed doubles match with partner John Peers.

The Australian duo beat Argentina’s Horacio Zeballos and Nadia Podoroska 6-1 7-6 (7-3).

(Sportsmax)

Tokyo Olympics: Swiss sprinter Alex Wilson out of Games after ban reinstated

D

efending champions Brazil eased through to the quarter-finals of the men’s Olympic football, but 2016 silver medallists Germany are eliminated.

Everton striker Richarlison scored two late goals as Brazil beat Saudi Arabia 3-1 to finish top of Group D, with Ivory Coast second after holding Germany to a 1-1 draw.

In Group B, South Korea beat Honduras 6-0 to qualify as group winners.

New Zealand drew 0-0 with Romania to finish second on goal difference.

Brazil looked set to be held to a frustrating draw when a header from Saudi Arabia defender Abdulelah Al-Amri cancelled out Matheus Cunha’s early opener at the Saitama Stadium.

However, Richarlison, who hit a hat-trick in Brazil’s opening group game against Germany, edged them ahead

again with 14 minutes remaining before sealing the win in stoppage-time.

Germany needed to beat Ivory Coast to make it through, but fell behind midway through the second half when Benjamin Henrichs put the ball into his own net while attempting a tackle in the six-yard box.

Eduard Loewen levelled with a free-kick six minutes later to set up a frantic finish, but despite piling on the pressure Germany could not find a winner.

Hosts Japan became the only side to win all three of their group games after thumping France 4-0 in Yokohama.

Goals from Hiroki Sakai, Takefusa Kubo, Koki Miyoshi, and Daizen Maeda sealed the victory and set up a last-eight clash against New Zealand.

Mexico secured second place and will play South Korea next after a 3-0 win against South Africa, who

lost all three of their group matches.

Egypt will play Brazil in the quarter-finals after a 2-0 win over Australia secured second place in Group C ahead of Argentina, who could only draw 1-1 with group winners Spain.

Argentina midfielder Tomas Belmonte scored a late equaliser to cancel out Mikel Merino’s opener, but it was not enough to prevent Argentina from slipping to third and bowing out.

Spain, who end with five points from their three group games, face Ivory Coast in the quarter-final.

All four teams in Group B went into the final round of games level on three points each, but it was South Korea, who progressed as group winners as a hat-trick from Hwang Uijo helped secure a 6-0 win over Honduras, with New Zealand joining them in the quarter-finals. (BBC Sport)

S

wiss sprinter Alex Wilson is out of the Olympics after his provisional doping suspension was reinstated despite his claims the banned substance came from eating contaminated beef.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has reinstated the 30-year-old’s suspension with immediate effect.

He had successfully appealed a ban from AntiDoping Switzerland after testing positive for the steroid trenbolone.

Wilson was due to contest both the 100m and 200m in Tokyo.

Wilson tested positive in

March, but Swiss Olympic, the umbrella organisation for Swiss sports and the national Olympic committee, lifted the ban in early July – a decision which was appealed to CAS by governing body World Athletics.

The Jamaica-born athlete, who won European 200m bronze in 2018, claimed the presence of the substance was due to consumption of contaminated beef he had eaten in a Jamaican restaurant in the United States.

CAS said: “The panel concluded that the provisional suspension imposed should not have been lifted

by the disciplinary chamber of Swiss Olympic.

“It follows that the decision of the disciplinary chamber of Swiss Olympic dated July 2, 2021 is set aside and the provisional suspension shall be reinstated with immediate effect.”

In its response, Swiss Olympic said: “Swiss Olympic very much regrets this case and would be very disappointed if the offence was confirmed.

“Swiss Olympic is convinced that the fight against doping must be conducted with all consistency.” (BBC Sport)

22

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

THURSDAY, JULY 29, 2021

Rain had final say as West Indies-Pakistan opening T20I gets washed out

Lendl Simmons was struck down by a bouncer

– Hasan Ali and debutant Mohammad Wasim impress for Pakistan with the ball Kieron Pollard slammed a six off the final ball (AFP photos)

I

ncessant rain first reduced the first West Indies-Pakistan T20 International to a nineover shootout before eventually washing away the match.

Pakistan had chosen to bowl first under cloudy skies with rain also predicted, but the teams raced off to the dressing room just after completing their national anthems. It took almost three hours for the rain to stop and the ground to dry, with the umpires then deciding to curtail the contest.

But of whatever was played, Kieron Pollard and the Pakistan bowlers combined to ensure there was entertaining cricket while it lasted.

Debutant Wasim has instant impact All it took right-arm pacer Mohammad Wasim to land a blow was five balls, although that was not a wicket. In the second over of the West Indies innings, he pitched one short of a length on middle and off, and got it to angle in with the bounce on to Lendl Simmons, who missed his pull. The ball instead hit him on the right side of his neck, immediately inviting the physio on the ground, who decided to take Simmons off with a sling protecting his right arm.

Wasim was taken off after that, but returned to bowl the seventh over. After hurting Simmons, he then had Chris Gayle caught at long-on as he now brought out his slower ball.

Gayle, who had come in after Simmons, played away from his body to try and heave that, but only found the fielder in search

SCOREBOARD

Pakistan bowlers showed skill

of rapid runs.

Just wickets and sixes Amid a flurry of dot balls – which were 30 in total – and a bunch of extras, which contributed 14, there were four wickets claimed with as many sixes slammed from the second over until the seventh. Hasan Ali took two, while Mohammad Hafeez, Usman Qadir and Wasim all grabbed a wicket each. Nicholas Pooran cracked twin sixes off Hafeez, before Gayle deposited Shadab Khan over his head and Andre Russell dispatched Qadir over extra cover.

Pollard provides late entertainment, but Hasan delivers too Pollard arrived at the crease with one ball of the sixth over left, but only watched from the other end as Gayle fell in the following over with West Indies’ run rate still under nine. With Pollard on strike, Ali was brought back for the eighth after foxing Evin Lewis off his first ball earlier in the innings. This time, Ali was whacked first ball over deep square leg, as Pollard swung

his bat to a good length ball on middle and leg, and despite not quite finding the middle of the bat, sent the ball sailing over deep square leg.

But that was the only boundary Ali conceded off his two overs, digging the slower balls perfectly on a rain-affected pitch to keep the West Indies batters quiet. Ali got Shimron Hetmyer three balls later, with the hosts struggling for momentum amid the flurry of cutters from the visiting bowlers.

Pollard was on 10 off five deliveries when only four balls remained in the innings, and the West Indies Captain ensured they were well taken care of. A dot ball later, Shaheen Afridi pitched one short on middle and leg as Pollard pulled fiercely to bisect deep square leg and deep midwicket for four. After nabbing two more runs, he ended with a maximum by sending the ball crashing over deep square leg when he made room to a length ball on middle and off, and pulled with disdain.

Although he got 12 runs off the last three balls, rain would have the final say with Pakistan not having to chase the total.

(ESPNcricinfo)

GVF to host 2nd leg of exhibition matches tomorrow

T

he Guyana Volleyball Federation (GVF) is hosting a second leg of exhibition matches on Friday, July 30 at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

The games will begin from 18:30h (6:30pm) with the first game showcasing some of Guyana’s best female players.

This is the first female game hosted by the GVF for the year.

The Federation is hoping to increase female participation in the sport and also to develop the level of female volleyball in Guyana. The second game will see a rematch between

the national senior team and the national U-23 male teams which will begin at 19:30h (7:30pm).

In the last exhibition match, which was held on July 2, the national u-23 team came out victorious with top scorers Kristoff Shepperd and Tyrone

Farley leading the charge.

The seniors hope to come back swinging in this second exhibition match.

The Federation continues to encourage all athletes to stay safe during the pandemic, hence all COVID-19 protocols will be in effect.

West Indies Innings Lendl Simmons retired hurt 9 Evin Lewis c Shaheen Shah Afridi b Hasan Ali 6 Chris Gayle c Hasan Ali b Mohammad Wasim 7 Nicholas Pooran † c Shadab Khan b Mohammad Hafeez 13 Andre Russell c †Mohammad Rizwan b Usman Qadir 7 Kieron Pollard (c) not out 22 Shimron Hetmyer c†Mohammad Rizwan b Hasan Ali 5 Jason Holder not out 2 Extras (lb 8, w 6) 14

TOTAL (9 Ov, RR: 9.44) 85/5 Did not bat: Dwayne Bravo, Hayden Walsh, Akeal Hosein Fall of wickets: 0-16* (Lendl Simmons, retired hurt), 1-16 (Evin Lewis, 2.1 ov), 2-37 (Nicholas Pooran, 3.6 ov), 3-51 (Andre Russell, 5.5 ov), 4-51 (Chris Gayle, 6.1 ov), 5-71 (Shimron Hetmyer, 7.4 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Shaheen Shah Afridi 2-0-20-0 Mohammad Wasim 2-0-20-1 Hasan Ali 2-0-11-2 Mohammad Hafeez 1-0-12-1 Shadab Khan 1-0-8-0 Usman Qadir 1-0-6-1

Coaches expect great show in Osaka Presents PSO Carient T20 Cup

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he men in charge of the two exciting teams are anticipating an exhilarating series when West Indies face Pakistan in the Osaka Presents PSO Carient T20 Cup. The two sides faced off in the opening T20 International on Wednesday morning at the historic Kensington Oval in Barbados. West Indies Head Coach, Phil Simmons, and his opposite number Misbah ul-Haq of Pakistan, agreed that the flamboyant way their teams play should lead to a series full of non-stop action. But on Wednesday the rain had the final say (see story above).

The Coaches were then speaking at the launch of the Osaka Presents PSO Carient T20 Cup, which was done via Zoom meeting on Tuesday. Also in attendance were representatives of the sponsors – Mian Muhammad Usman, Chief Marketing and Innovation Officer, Pakistan State Oil; as well as Mustafa bin Tulha, Director of Osaka Batteries. They offered best wishes to both camps and expressed their great delight to be associated with West Indies cricket.

Misbah said: “Cricket between Pakistan and West Indies is always exciting, and we expect this series to be much of the same. We have some really great players in our camp and the West Indies have some

great players as well. These four matches will be great for the fans. We have to play top quality against them. I think, we need to be right up there, at our best, when we play against West Indies.”

Simmons said: “As Misbah said, West Indies and Pakistan are two very competitive teams and we can expect a very competitive series. Right now, we see it that we have four games against one of the toughest teams in the world. We are looking forward to see where we are. If we gel well, we are very hard to beat, so that is what I’m looking at before this final series before we go into the T20 World Cup." The teams will be using this four-match series as part of their build-up to the International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s T20 World Cup due to be played in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman from October 17 to November 14. West Indies, the reigning world champions, have won the ICC T20 World Cup twice under the captaincy of Daren Sammy – 2012 when they beat Sri Lanka at the Premadasa in Colombo and 2016 when they had a sensational win over England at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Pakistan have won the title once, in 2009 when they beat Sri Lanka at Lords. (Windies Cricket)

Call: 223-7230-1 Ext 50

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THURSDAY, JULY 29, 2021

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

23

Caribbean players to feature in 2 Best v Best matches in Jamaica

– Permaul, Smith among Guyanese confirmed

A

fter the T20 International series between Pakistan and West Indies, the two teams will play two Test matches at Sabina Park in Kingston, Jamaica starting from August 12.

While Cricket West Indies (CWI) has not shed light on players travelling to Jamaica, Guyana Times Sport was reliably informed that some of the red-ball players are in Jamaica.

In preparation for the Test series, two Best v Best matches will be played. Additionally, it was confirmed that thus far, two Guyanese are encamped.

Tucber Park fast bowler Nial Smith and Albion Community Centre Cricket Club spinner Veerasammy Permaul are the two Guyanese in Jamaica.

Smith impressed in the last Best v Best series while Permaul, who dominates regional cricket, continues to

wait on his opportunities.

CWI lead selector Roger Harper is also on the ground in Jamaica observing the preparations. Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic and the packed international schedule, the Regional 4-Day tournament has been put on hold. CWI has introduced the Best v Best matches to prepare players in the red-ball format which are played across four days.

West Indies began their Test

campaign in 2021 with a 2-0 away win against Bangladesh followed by a drawn 0-0 series against Sri Lanka at home. With expectations high, the West Indies then suffered a heavy 2-0 defeat against South Africa.

During that South Africa series, the West Indies had Nial Smith and Veerasammy Permaul a poor showing and from With the upcoming two- to make announcements the batting perspective, no Test series against Pakistan, shortly as it relates to Test player surpassed 100 runs in the Test players will have to preparation for the Pakistan four innings across two Tests. come good. CWI is expected series.

Balgobin, Chinkoo, Stewart highlight Allicock maintains positivity following MMZ weekend with double wins Olympic stint

E Looknauth Chinkoo scored another half century

T

he action continued over the weekend in the Caribbean Fest 40-over tournament and the NYNCL 30-over tournament. In their matches, the Meten Meer Zorg Cricket Club registered comfortable wins thanks to the efforts of Andy Mohammed, Looknauth Chinkoo, Ushardeva Balgobin, and Navin Stewart.

In the NYNCL game, the MMZ side posted 249-5 in the allotted 30 overs against the Friends XI. The match- winning innings came compliments of Andy Mohammed with 71; Looknauth Chinkoo with 55 (for back-to-back half-centuries) and Ushardeva Balgobin, who blasted an aggressive 63 off 29 deliveries. When Friends XI

Navin Stewart blasted 99 off 49

came to bat, they could only afford 187 in 24.4 overs as Chinkoo returned with the ball to bag 3-37, with support from Rickey Kissoon (2-30).

In the Caribbean Fest 40-over tournament, MMZ came up against the Majestic CC. Majestic batted first and posted 185-9 in 30 overs, after the match was reduced owing

to a late start). Top-scoring was Damion Vantull (52), supported by Derick Narine (40). Matthew Luchean 5-43 was the chief destroyer for the bowlers. In reply, MMZ made it over the line, ending on 1878 in 23.4 overs. Leading the charge was Navin Stewart with 99 off 49 balls to wrap up the MMZ weekend of action.

Allard’s 127 not out highlights ORSCA’s 3rd round

D

estructive left-handed batsman Zaheer Allard hit an entertaining 127 not out to inspire Renegades to a convincing 104-run win over Cool Runningz on Sunday in Brampton, Ontario, Canada as action continued in the 2021 Ontario Round-Arm Softball Cricket Association (ORSCA) 20-over tournament.

Allard struck 14 sixes and five fours as his team piled up a massive 230-2 from the allotted 20 overs while Cool Runningz only responded with 126-9 when their overs expired.

Apart from Allard, skipper Faheer Juman scored 53 not out too. In Cool Runningz’ innings, Rishi Sukhoo topscored with 33 and Captain Mitch Bacchus made 27.

Juman complemented a fine all-round display by capturing 3-28 from his maximum four overs and Allard, 2-11 off three frugal overs.

Zaheer Allard

Davendra Ramkissoon

At another venue, Canada-based Guyanese Davendra Ramkissoon also registered a century (105*) as Brampton Gladiators made light work of Industry Cricket Club (ICC). Gladiators raced to 266-4 from their allotment of 20 overs while ICC, in reply, reached 1736. Veteran softball player and former Demerara intercounty softball skipper Bobby Parasnauth supported the flamboyant Ramkissoon with 56 and exciting opener Avish

Rukhram made 40. When ICC batted, Fazal Khan hit a fighting 46, and Ramesh Lall and Paul Anderson 42 and 30 respectively. Naresh Bhagwandin grabbed 4-17 in his four-over spell.

And Spartans continued their winning ways chalking three consecutive victories in as many matches. On Sunday as well, they thrashed 11-Man Army by a comprehensive 174-run margin. Spartans rattled up a formidable 2275 off their 20 overs and then

bowled out the Army Boys for 53 in the 14th over. Kemel Khan snatched 3-17 off four overs to lead the demolition job while skipper and former Essequibo inter-county youth player Fazil Gani and Raymond Sitaram assisted with two victims each.

When Spartans batted, aggressive opener Morrison Edwards led the way with 76 and another hardhitting batsman, Rawl Scott slammed 76 as well. Dave Budhram and Deo Bajja took two wickets each.

In another game, Aces Cricket Club defeated Smashers by 41 runs. Aces tallied up 139-4 off 20 overs and then restricted Smashers to 98-9 off 20 overs. Krishna Persaud scored 47 for Aces and Imtiaz Abjal 34. When Aces bowled, Kemraj Rama grabbed 4-9 off four overs.

The competition will resume on August 8.

ven after a defeat at the Olympic Games, Keevin Allicock remains resolute in his faith and ability to bounce back.

The Guyanese boxing sensation has managed to maintain a positive attitude throughout his first Olympic Games and has credited this to his faith in God, during a recent interview with Sportsmax TV. “The reason that I’m here, the true reason is not because I’m strong, it’s not just because I’m disciplined in the sport of boxing, it’s because I’m disciplined to God. Put him first; with him you can get to the sky, with Christ anything is possible,” he posited.

“I’ve been hit harder than this and I’m still here. My dad passed away and I’m still fighting it. So, if I can do it, if I can recover from this so fast, because I’m not grieving.

I’m a fighter, I learned from this the best failed many times. Many Olympians failed five, six times; I’ve been looking at videos and they come again and destroy it,” the boxer related to Sportsmax in the Olympic Village.

“So, this is my plan, I’m trusting in God that at the next Olympics I will be back even more stronger.”

Sharing a bit about his upbringing, Allicock credited his father’s influence and that of his community for his boxing career.

“It’s such an honour for me to represent my country at this level. I’m feeling happy still because I did a wonderful job.

“It all start, you know when I was a kid where I grew up in Guyana. I grew up in the ghetto which we call Albouystown. You know, you have to fight a lot, so, he (his father) started to teach us.

Because he really loved boxing, he loved this guy Chavez. He just grow into boxing, also he used to fight street fights, so he just plant it in us and said ‘Listen, you

guys have the talent, you have the skill, I’m going to push you in the sport of boxing’,” Allicock recollected.

Another component of the 22-year-old’s resilience came from his intention to show his late father that he can be successful in the sport.

“My dad never really had me to be, to meet this far in boxing.

Because my brothers are very talented, they’re very skillful in the sport of boxing, so he never really had me to box, you know; he just trained me and stuff like that.”

He continued, “That is one of the things that motivate me, I look at this and say ‘listen, I’m going to prove to him that I’m the best’. The Bible mention that the last will become the first and the first will became the last and the stone that the builder reject will become the head cornerstone.

“So, I see myself as that, as a kid coming up. I wanted to prove to my dad that I’m that one, I’m that son that’s going to make you shine.”

When it came to his thoughts on his bout against the Dominican Republic’s Alexy de la Cruz, Allicock was not satisfied with the outcome, but maintained the judges have the final word.

“I wasn’t pleased with the decision. The judges’ decision is final though, I cannot question it. But like I said I wasn’t pleased with it. I thought that I know that I win the fight, based on my performance,” Allicock maintained.

He further highlighted, “I didn’t really see what this guy was doing to win the fight. ‘Cause if you view the fight for yourself, he was just moving all over the place.”

Allicock lost to de la Cruz on Saturday, during their Round of 32 featherweight bout, by unanimous decision.

THURSDAY, JULY 29, 2021

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

Balgobin, Chinkoo, Stewart highlight MMZ weekend with double wins

Pg 23

Allicock maintains positivity following Olympic stint

Page 23

Rain had final say as West Indies-Pakistan opening T20I gets washed out Page 23

– Hasan Ali and debutant Mohammad Wasim impress for Pakistan with the ball The umpires and officals in discussion

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