Guyana Times - Tuesday, April 20, 2021

Guyana’s Local Content Policy incorporates best practices – Economics Professor P 7

Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 4623

THE BEACON OF TRUTH TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2021

PRICE

La Soufrière eruption

“It must not only be disasters that bring us together” – President Ali

See story on page 3

$80 VAT INCLUDED

WHAT'S INSIDE:

P9 House lot controversies will be resolved case by case – Minister …as dozens of Region 2 house lots in reserve until issues fixed

APNU/AFC questions bona fides of GPF's Communications P10 Unit ...submits questions to National Assembly

…as 3rd relief shipment to set sail for St Vincent

Berbice sugar workers strike again …up pressure on GuySuCo to address unsettled wage increases

Toshao robbed of boat P14 and engine DJ “Raw Gold” P11 charged for assault, unlawful wounding

Page 2

83,000 more COVID-19 vaccines arrive in Guyana

Page 11

Shady NICIL land deals

Page 8

James Bond a no-show at 2nd court hearing, former NICIL Head still stranded in Jamaica

PUC mandated to protect interest of the public …as fmr Labour Minister sworn in as new Commissioner Page 14

Guyanese accused of wounding P12 T&T Soca artiste “Benjai” freed

Police station shooting

Cop charged for assault, colleague who shot him on P12 the run

2 NEWS

TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Berbice sugar workers strike again …up pressure on GuySuCo to address unsettled wage increases

By Andrew Carmichael

F

actory workers, cane harvesters and other field workers attached to the Blairmount and Albion sugar estates in Berbice on Monday went on strike, intensifying their demands for the Guyana Sugar Corporation to address the issue of wages and salary increases.

The workers are demanding promised increases by Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) for the year 2019.

Since 2018, the workers had been pushing the Corporation by way of strikes for wage and salary increases. They have not received any since 2014.

However, in 2020, the Corporation agreed to pay a 5 per cent across the board increase with the promise that they would also pay retroactive increases for 2019.

The 5 per cent increase for

2020 was open for further discussion.

The workers are being backed by the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU).

Cane harvester attached to the Blairmount Estate and workers’ representative Vicram Singh explained that the Union and GuySuCo met last on March 9.

“In that meeting, the CEO told us that they would have to engage the Government for the outstanding retroactive increases. However, the meeting concluded with the understanding that the CEO will get on to us by the end of March and he is yet to make contact with us,” the cane harvester disclosed.

At Blairmont, the workers held a picketing exercise in front of the main administrative office while a similar exercise was held at Albion, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne).

At Albion, 1582 workers went on strike on Monday with 683 opting to work and over at Blairmount 306 opted to work and 906 were on strike.

Nical Hero, who is employed as a weeder at the Blairmount Estate said the increases are needed in the wake of rising prices.

“Cost of living gone high, everything raise in the shop.

So, why we cannot get a raise in salary?” the weeder asked.

Meanwhile, in an invited comment, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha noted that the Government did not make any promises to the workers in relation to pay increases.

“It is not the Government.

The sugar workers need to be clear. I saw that GuySuCo met with the workers and said that they would look at their request.

As a Government, we don’t interfere with management

and Union negotiations,” the Minister explained.

Meanwhile, cane harvester Singh said as workers, they have lost confidence in the CEO. He further explained that the CEO requested that they put forward their proposals for the retroactive increases which included 2019, 2020 and 2021.

“I have copies of letters which was sent to GuySuCo since 2019, explaining our proposal and on October 6, a similar letter was penned to the CEO of GuySuCo Sasenarine Singh.

So, to ask us to submit

proposals again is an eye pass to us as workers.”

Meanwhile, workers who fall under the umbrella of the National Association of Commercial and Industrial Employees (NACIE) did not participate in the strike.

Those employees say they do not think they are getting the kind of support they should from their Union.

Addressing the issue of wage and salary increases, Mustapha said the workers should take note that over the past eight months huge

be able to assist.

“We also have to look at GuySuCo’s ability to pay.

We have been putting funds into GuySuCo over the last nine months in order to develop GuySuCo. As a matter of fact, we are starting to see results already from some of the estates.”

He singled out the Albion and Blairmount Estates, which have been able to qualify for three additional days’ pay for workers as an incentive for achieving set targets.

“That came about be-

sums of money has been injected into the sugar industry.

“Our commitment was to ensure that we reopen the closed sugar estates. We are working aggressively to do that. Our first target is Rosehall Estate.”

That estate is scheduled to commence grinding operations by the second crop in 2022. Both the Enmore and Skeldon Sugar Estates are also on stream to become operational shortly after that.

According to Mustapha, Government will endeavour to work with GuySuCo to see in what way they might

cause the factories are now being enhanced because of critical capital works and also in the cultivation area we are now looking at making proper infrastructure and roads so that the canes can come faster to the factories.”

The Agriculture Minister said he is still to be briefed by the CEO on the discussions between the workers, the Unions and the management of the sugar corporation.

He said he is hoping to be briefed during the current week.

NEWS

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TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS OPENINGS BRIDGE

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, April 20 – 00:30h – 02:00h and 10:30h – 12:00h and Wednesday, April 21 – 01:00h – 02:30h and 11:00h – 12:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, April 20 – 09:25h – 10:55h and Wednesday, April 21 – 10:50h – 12:20h.

La Soufrière eruption

“It must not only be disasters that bring us together” – President Ali …as 3rd relief shipment to set sail for St Vincent

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

WEATHER TODAY There will be sunshine during the day. There will be clear skies and partly cloudy skies during the night. Temperatures should range between 22 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.

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

High Tide: 10:03h and 23:09h reaching maximum heights of 2.13 metres and 2.05 metres.

Low Tide: 16:24h reaching a minimum height of 1.05 metre.

President Irfaan Ali and Prime Minister, Retired Brigadier Mark Phillips examining some of the items destined for St Vincent

and Barbadians. The Civil Defence Commission and Coast Guard also played a key role in mobilising relief.

“I think the Private Sector of Guyana has shown on many occasions that they can rise to different challenges; that their commitment to the development of Guyana and the region as a whole is key

Palm Court Managing Director Navin Prashad making a contribution of about 600 cases of water to the CDC for St Vincent

SATURDAY, APRIL 17, 2021

LOTTERY NUMBERS H

10 11 15

16 19 25

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MONDAY, APRIL 19, 2021 DAILY MILLIONS

03 12 15 18 25 LUCKY 3

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

COMMODITIES Indicators

US$

Change %

Crude Oil

$67.05/barrel

+0.42

Rough Rice

$231.86/ton

+0.08

London Sugar

$454.00/ton

-2.01

Live Spot Gold

USD Per Ounce

Bid/Ask

$1769.70

$1770.70

Low/High Change

$1766.10 -1.30

$1790.80 -0.07%

E

mergency supplies have been loaded onto a vessel for St Vincent and the Grenadines – the third shipment which Guyana has prepared for the affected island within recent days.

Presently, St Vincent is still witnessing seismic tremor generated by explosive activity at La Soufrière volcano, and thousands of residents continue to take refuge at shelters on the other side of the ravaged island.

The MV Lady Fazeela, carrying 275 tonnes of food supplies and other needed articles, will set sail today for the volcano-ravaged island. But first, it will deliver bottled water and 450-gallon tanks to Barbados – which has been facing the brunt of the volcanic ash.

Items sent to St Vincent are in keeping with the list of necessities provided by the Government. In the local relief efforts, the Private Sector and civil society have mustered up to the challenge of contributing to a large percentage of the aid.

President Dr Irfaan Ali was at the Georgetown Wharf on Monday afternoon as the supplies were packed into the vessel. This humanitarian relief, he noted, was heavily backed by volunteerism and the Private Sector – an act which must be commended.

Ali said it shows a strong commitment to social responsibility in getting necessities into the hands of St Vincentians

to their success. In Caricom itself, there should be great recognition for the tremendous work of Guyana’s Private Sector in mobilising resources, not the first time, not the second time.”

The Head of State continued, “There are no barriers that can stop us from achieving what we plan to achieve.

But it must not only be disasters that bring us together, to push us to work like this together. This must be a part of our culture in building our country and the Caricom region. Guyana understands our responsibility to Caricom.

We understand our role in Caricom.”

Prime Ministers Gonsalves and Mia Mottley were given assurances of support from Guyana and in rebuilding their nations and the livelihoods of people.

On Saturday, the first vessel arrived at Port Kingstown, St Vincent. Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves lauded the Government and its people for efforts to help the small island republic, hailing Guyana as the “head cornerstone” within the Caribbean Community.

TURN TO PAGE 5

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guyanatimesgy.com

TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2021

Views NASA lands 1st Helicopter on Mars

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

Newer forms of cigarette substitutes attracting youths

M

ore than 40 million young people aged 13-15 have already started to use tobacco, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has outlined. This, by any measure, is quite alarming, and one can only imagine the kind of impact this would have on our young people if urgent action is not taken to discourage such actions.

The WHO, for some time now, has embarked on a global campaign to highlight the “strategic, aggressive and wellresourced tactics” employed by the tobacco industry to target youths, and to debunk the myths they create.

The campaign seeks to provide young people with the knowledge required to easily detect industry manipulation – from product design to marketing campaigns – and equip them with the tools to rebuff such tactics, thereby empowering young people to stand up against them. The WHO described this effort as a counter-marketing campaign, as it would reinforce work in assisting countries to implement effective policy interventions to reduce the demand for tobacco.

Guyana’s Chronic Diseases Coordinator, Dr Kavita Singh has, in the past, lamented the fact that the tobacco industry is capitalising on new trends, targeting young persons. She noted that it was during this point in time that ‘big tobacco’ was using strategic marketing techniques to try to get young people to experiment with the new and emerging novel products, like the e-cigarettes and the heated tobacco products.

While there is a myth that these products are safe, they are equally as harmful as the smoke of an actual cigarette.

According to WHO, smoking e-cigarettes and hookah pipes – marketed as “safer” alternatives to conventional cigarettes – is harmful, addictive, and increases the risk of developing heart and lung diseases.

Of note is that these products have the same tobacco, which has cancer-causing agents among other deadly emissions. The WHO notes that most of the countless flavours on offer – such as bubble-gum and candy – are there to attract youngsters, who at least double their chances of smoking cigarettes later in life.

It should be stated that tobacco is responsible for over seven million deaths per year worldwide. This includes approximately 900,000 persons who die from diseases related to exposure to tobacco smoke. Over 40 per cent of all tobacco-related deaths are from lung diseases like cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, and tuberculosis.

Guyana’s tobacco control law, enacted in 2017, follows several of the Articles of the WHO Convention, and mandates the adoption and implementation of a series of tobacco control policies that make it one of the most complete tobacco control laws. These include: 100 per cent smokefree environments in all indoor public spaces, indoor work spaces, public transportation, and specified outdoor spaces to protect people from exposure to tobacco smoke; a ban on all forms of advertising and promotion and sponsorship of tobacco products; health warnings featured on 60 per cent of tobacco product packaging, including images. It also includes a ban on the sale of tobacco products to and by minors, prohibition on vending machines’ sales, and a ban on the manufacture and sale of toys and candies, and any other goods in the form of tobacco products.

However, there is still much work to be done to win the battle against tobacco, as 78 per cent of all deaths here are caused by Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), some of which we all know are strongly related to tobacco use.

Having the necessary legislation in place is a good starting point, but there are many other challenges which health authorities here must address if Guyana is to really reduce the number of persons dying or becoming ill due to tobacco use or exposure. These challenges relate to monitoring and compliance, stricter enforcement of the legislation to ensure that the population is protected from the dangers of tobacco use; and, more recently, tackling the newer forms of cigarette substitutes, which are proving to be very attractive to youths.

NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter captured this shot as it hovered over the Martian surface on April 19, 2021, during the first instance of powered, controlled flight on another planet (NASA/JPL-Caltech)

The world won’t be a greener place until it’s a fairer one – action on the climate crisis must come with a social contract to protect the poor and vulnerable

By Simone Tagliapietra

A

s a climate policy researcher, I am often asked: what is the biggest obstacle to decarbonisation? My answer has changed profoundly over the last couple of years. I used to point to the lack of affordable green technologies and an absence of political will.

Today, I point to something else. Something less tangible, but possibly more challenging: the absence of a green social contract.

The green revolution is already unfolding, driven by a stunning reduction in the cost of green technologies and by a global momentum for climate neutrality by the mid-century. So, if cheaper green technology and an unprecedented political green ambition are rapidly converging, what could go wrong? Unfortunately, the situation is not as simple as it seems. Decarbonisation will reshape our economies and our lifestyles. Nothing will be left untouched in the process: the green world will be profoundly different from the one we know today.

But such a radical transformation also raises questions about who should bear the cost of climate action, both within and between countries. The cost of climate action cannot disproportionately fall on the most vulnerable, exacerbating inequality. Climate action should be designed in a way that improves social equality. And this is precisely what a new green social contract should be about.

The French experi-

ence with the gilets jaunes – Yellow Vests – movement represents the clearest example of the perils and political headwinds that Governments worldwide face as they try to wean their citizens off fossil fuels.

The French Government was right to introduce a price on carbon in transportation in 2018. But it would have immediately translated into higher petrol and diesel prices, hitting hardest people living outside French cities who were already feeling the pain of stagnating incomes and lacking the same public transport options as urban residents.

Had the design of the carbon tax included compensation mechanisms to cushion the blow for the most vulnerable, the backlash could have been prevented.

This is exactly what a group of economists including 28 Nobel laureates and four former Federal Reserve Chairs – among them Janet Yellen – have been calling for in the United States: the introduction of a robust carbon tax, together with a compensation system to ensure that the most vulnerable benefit financially by receiving more in “carbon dividends” than they pay in increased energy prices.

This discussion illustrates how important it is to include equity and fairness considerations into the design of climate policies.

Even in Europe, the global climate policy frontrunner, support for climate measures is broad but shallow.

In a recent survey conducted in eight European countries,

the Open Society European Policy Institute found that nearly all voters were happy to buy less plastic, though far fewer were keen to pay more for fuel or flights. In short, as climate policies become stronger, new gilets jaunes-type movements could emerge across the continent. The usual suspects here span the coal mining regions of Poland, that are highly reliant on carbon intensive industries, to those cities in which Mayors have declared war on diesel cars.

Populists and culture warriors may well find in climate policy their new flagship issue, arguing that urban elites are driving the policy, but the cost ultimately falls on the shoulders of “ordinary” citizens. This risks making it politically more dangerous for mainstream parties to really go green, as parties on the extremes offer voters an easy alternative.

But a new green social contract could interrupt this political vicious cycle.

Equity and fairness considerations go well beyond national boundaries. As developed countries scale up domestic climate actions, they will probably introduce measures – such as carbon border taxes – to ensure that their industries are not undercut by competitors based in countries with weak climate policies. Already in the initial stages of development in the European Union, such measures were also pledged

by Joe Biden as part of his election campaign. Boris Johnson is now considering using his G7 presidency to try to forge an alliance on

carbon border taxes.

However, carbon border taxes could affect the economies of the poorest countries.

A recent survey conducted by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation on the perceptions of policymakers in the Asia-Pacific region revealed how carbon border taxes are perceived as protectionist and discriminatory towards developing countries. As with domestic carbon taxes, this problem can be prevented by factoring equity and fairness into the design of the measures. The poorest countries could be exempted from border charges for example. Another possible solution would be to use the revenues from carbon border taxes to scale up international funding for green projects in these countries.

This discussion should be at the core of the international dimension of the new green social contract.

At the national level, countries can learn from France, which eventually reacted to the gilets jaunes crisis with the launch of the Citizens’ Climate Convention – an experiment in direct democracy aimed at identifying climate solutions rooted in social equity and fairness.

Internationally, the same principles could be placed at the core of the forthcoming Cop26 UN climate talks in Glasgow. Such actions are fundamental to ensure longterm social support for the green transition, and to prevent its derailment – which would have catastrophic consequences for the planet.

(The Guardian)

guyanatimesgy.com

TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2021

5

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

Harmon remains a devoted accuser NDC-Lusignan and Dear Editor, I recall the Leader of the Opposition Joseph Harmon, on more than one occasion, saying that the A Partnership For National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) is asking that the “PPP regime (bring an end) to the discrimination in the distribution of COVID-19 relief grants and hasten its distribution since there are thousands of Guyanese countrywide in desperate need, who are yet to receive their grants.”

First of all, APNU/AFC has no credibility. Harmon has been spearheading a campaign, since post-March 2, 2020, that embodies untruths of the most egregious nature. I will just mention the Statements of Poll and Statements of Recount (SoPs and SoRs) of the March 2020 Guyana Elections.

Harmon and his cohorts are even trying to get the courts away from their well-hidden SoPs, especially those decisive Region Four ones, which will embarrass the APNU/AFC and confirm what is public knowledge; the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) won the 2020 elections.

So, when it comes to attacking the PPP/C, the Harmon posse will never be taken serious-

ly. Editor, in the same way that all and sundry are asking to see the APNU/AFC SoPs, I am asking Harmon to bring evidence that the COVID-19 cash grant was distributed in a “discriminatory” manner.

Since he is claiming that “… the coalition has compiled a list of approximately 1710 households that did not benefit from the cash grant,” but received only “…pink slips which appear to be an “empty promise” and others did not receive any, as they were simply ignored by the distribution teams,” then like the demand for SoPs, I request this list and location/identity of these people in a corporeal manner. Accusations carry a “burden of proof” and unless Harmon can substantiate, he will be ignored and life will go on with him merely on the sidelines.

Bordering on the ludicrous, Harmon is claiming that “… close to $1.5 billion from the money that was allocated for the cash grant was siphoned off for political purposes.” Well, prove this is so.

He detailed that the actual amount was derived by virtue of “household surveys” that were actually incorrect.

So, he needs to give details of

surveyed areas, the number of households, premises with more than one household, and exactly how much money was utilised for necessary expenses in the distribution. By asking for details, I do not mean to quote figures, as was the case in the now-infamous spreadsheet shenanigan, but at least get snapshots, photos and videos of the people, especially when it comes to Region One, where Harmon is “trying a ting,” telling people that some 376 households did not receive the grant, 101 households did not receive the pink slip, while 275 households received pink slips.

I have no need to elaborate further. Harmon and his cronies are clutching at straws.

Life in Guyana is moving ahead and his vacuous words are now becoming silent.

I yet again inform readers that the PPP/C’s leaders have already started birthing the idea of a second $25,000 Cash Grant. They have had a few logistical hiccups with the ongoing first wave distribution, but nothing in terms of being surreptitious and dishonest.

Yours truly, Attiya Baksh

“It must not only be disasters...

The third shipment comprises water and other supplies

Gonsalves noted that metaphorically, St Vincent and the Grenadines is in a precarious position when the volcano eruptions, the COVID-19 pandemic and the upcoming hurricane season is considered and therefore expressed gratitude for Guyana and any other country that assisted them.

That first shipment contained 350 tonnes of varied aid including water, water storage containers, sugar, rice, peas, chowmein, sanitisers, detergents, disinfectant, personal care items and supplies for infants. A 20-foot container of water

from Guyana was also sent to the volcano-ravaged island.

Volcanic activity

Since the first eruption two Fridays ago, which covered the island in a blanket of thick smoke, there have been some 30 identifiable explosive events at the site.

Reports from the University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre said small long-period and hybrid earthquakes started to be recorded again on Monday, at a rate similar to before the last explosive activity.

Meanwhile, one rockfall was recorded, at 01:39h.

Rockfalls can be generated by a growing lava dome, but this could not be confirmed without visual observations.

The continuous Global Positioning System (GPS) network has shown a change in the horizontal and vertical movement since the initial depressurisation noted immediately following the April 9 explosive phase.

The network is used to track changes in ground shape on and around the volcano. As

Annandale woes Dear Editor, I have a number of issues regarding what is happening in Lusignan and Annandale, (where my parents live). I visit these two villages quite frequently and so I can substantiate my complaints. Let me itemise with explanations and questions.

1. Trucks are driving through narrow “cross” streets and these streets are sometimes a mere dam, without any kind of revetment and they are gravel-covered. Hence, they are eroding and becoming narrower. I invite relevant officials to examine what is obtaining in the two “cross” streets in Annandale South and North. At the same time, these officials should bring along a convenient mode of transportation to remove the many garbage mountains.

2. Garbage is being collected on Mondays, sometime once every fortnight, when only non-employed people are at home. This means that employed villagers have to find night jobs, dump their garbage in empty lands, or the sideline trenches, now the resort of many. Sometimes, the garbage-affected villagers are too far from these erstwhile trenches and do not have any way of taking their worm-infested barrels that far, so they use the closest empty lot.

3. A few mechanics are using the road, separating Courabane Park from

Annandale North (next to the Hindu Temple), to do vehicular repairs. I suggest that they use the stretch, close to the Main Road, that was earmarked years ago for the Annandale Market (and even lotted out for this purpose). The Government can build a shed for the mechanics and they can pay a small fee. The never-used toilet, now in disintegration, may still be rehabilitated.

4. The Annandale Market Road, leading to the Main Road, is a grave cause for concern. On the eastern side, there are two businesses and they are constantly off-loading goods from huge trucks. The damage from this kind of activity within the vicinity is a problem for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers. Plus, the stretch is a pick-up spot for taxi drivers, who park on both sides of this already damaged and narrow road and hence the problem is compounded.

I ask that Minister Nigel Dharamlall and his team pay a visit and secretly observe happenings within Lusignan and Annandale. I also invite the general media to come and do some investigative work and, of course, take shots and let the world see what is staining here in “paradise” Guyana.

Yours truly, Leon Moonsammy Kanhai

FROM PAGE 3

magma moves beneath the volcano, changes in pressure cause the volcano to change shape (inflate/deflate).

“These changes may suggest magma influx from deep within the sub-volcanic system, however, more investigation is needed to confirm this interpretation. The volcano continues to erupt.

Its pattern of seismic activity over the last few days is typical of the growth and destruction of lava domes.

Explosions with accompanying ashfall, of similar or

larger magnitude, can occur with little or no warning, impacting St Vincent and neighbouring islands.

The volcano is at alert level Red,” the Centre said in Monday’s update.

The World Meteorological Organisation also announced that emissions of sulphur dioxide from the St Vincent eruptions made their way as far as India.

This has now sparked

fears of increased levels of pollution in the northern parts of the country and acid rain – caused by a reaction of the SO2 with water.

According to DownToEarth.org, there are tensions of increased levels in the northern parts of the country and acid rain.

Sulphur dioxide reacts with water to form sulphuric acid which can come down with rainfall. (G12)

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TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2021

Page

Foundation ◄

Question 1 a) Factorise 10xy2 – 5xy ii) 3m2 – m – 12

b) Solve the equation q + 2 = 2(q – 8)

Monday’s answers

c) Make c the subject of c2 = a2 + nb2

It Is The Constant Image Of Your Face

By Dennis Brutus

It is the constant image of your face framed in my hands as you knelt before my chair the grave attention of your eyes surveying me amid my world of knives that stays with me, perennially accuses and convicts me of heart’s-treachery; and neither you nor I can plead excuses for you , you know, can claim no loyalty – my land takes precedence of all my loves.

Yet I beg mitigation, pleading guilty for you, my dear, accomplice of my heart made, without words, such blackmail with your beauty and proffered me such dear protectiveness that I confess without remorse or shame, my still-fresh treason to my country and I hope that she, my other, dearest love will pardon freely, not attaching blame being your mistress (or your match) in tenderness

Questions: What type of poem is it?

What is it all about?

How did you know what it was about?

WORD SEARCH

7 Over 86,000 persons receive 1st COVID-19 vaccine NEWS

TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

…38 new cases reported in 1 day

W

ithin the course of Guyana’s countrywide COVID-19 vaccination programme, over 86,000 persons were vaccinated – a remarkable success for the Health Ministry, Minister Dr Frank Anthony has said.

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony announced on Monday that outreach teams in the various communities contributed to this figure over the weekend.

“As of yesterday, we’ve had approximately 86,601 persons who were vaccinated across Guyana.

We had a good weekend because we had a number of outreach teams in all the regions working to get vaccines out to those communities. I think the response has been very good throughout Guyana,” the Minister said.

Amid concerns from the public about insufficient vaccines for the second dose, the Minister clarified that from every tranche, doses are reserved for the next jab.

“With the AstraZeneca vaccine, whatever you use for the first dose, you have to use a similar vaccine for the second dose. When we received the 80,000 from India, we used 40,000 to immunise people and we kept back 40,000. So, every person who receive a vaccine, we have the second dose set aside.”

He added, “Again, when persons would be ready for their second dose with the Sputnik V, we’ll have those doses available. So, I don’t think there should be any worry pertaining to whether you’ll get both doses because we have set aside your second dose.”

Recently, Guyana joined Caricom’s call for an equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and appealed to international financial institutions to provide low-cost financing to all developing countries, particularly small states.

New cases

Guyana’s active coronavirus cases are now at 1384, after 38 new positives were detected within the course of one day. Saturday’s dashboard saw the overall positives rising to 11,901 - 6024 males and 5877 females. The number of deaths remains at 271.

Some 13 patients are seeking treatment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), while 71 are in institutional isolation, 1294 in home isolation and 10 in institutional quarantine. The country has seen 10,246 recoveries. Meanwhile, 108,207 individuals were tested thus far.

Of the new positives, two were from Region One (Barima-Waini),

70 from Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), seven in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), three in Region Five (DemeraraMahaica), 14 in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) and two in Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice).

Cases in Regions Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), Eight (PotaroSiparuni) and Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) remain at 1038, 994, 247, and 481 respectively.

The National COVID-19 Task Force Secretariat sent a reminder to citizens on Monday that the gazetted COVID-19 Emergency Measures (No 16) for the period April 1 to April 30, 2021, remain unchanged and in force.

As a result, the curfew period remains from 22:30h to 04:00h.

Only essential services are authorised to operate on a 24-hour basis. Other services are expected to close operations by 21:30h.

“All persons involved in essential services should have in their possession a valid company identification card, accompanied by a letter from their employer verifying that they are performing essential services at a specified area/location,” the Task Force notified. (G12)

Guyana’s Local Content Policy incorporates best practices – Economics Professor

T

he Local Content Policy that was the product of consultations and work by a Local Content Panel set up by President Dr Irfaan Ali’s decree soon after he entered office last year adhered to all the recommendations of that panel.

This is according to panellist Floyd Haynes. In an interview with this publication, Haynes explained that after examining the completed policy, it is clear that it adhered to the recommendations submitted to the Government in November of 2020.

“It’s an excellent plan.

We were empanelled and our role was to come up with recommendations that could help guide the formation of quality. So, we had something on the President’s desk in November and they began to draft the policy and

by January they had a first draft. I’ve looked at it and it’s incorporated all of our recommendations.”

“Even prior to our recommendations, we met with just about everyone. We met civil society, we met various stakeholders. We met the oil companies. All the various professions represented.

The University of Guyana.

Other training schools. But we were very concerned as we were making our recommendations.”

According to Haynes, a concern had been striking a balance to achieve deliverable local content. For one, if the policy was too strident and did not take into account capacity building, forcing Exxon or other inter-

Shyam Nokta, compiled and submitted the Local Content Report. Also on the panel were Carl Greenidge, Carvil Duncan, Anthony Paul, Kevin Ramnarine and the Ministry of Natural Resources’ Legal Officer Sasha Rajkumar-Budhan.

The end product was a list of recommendations and subsequently, a draft Local Content Policy that the Government had released in

Economics Professor Floyd Haynes

national companies to use inefficient services, Guyana would have been negatively impacted.

“There has to be a balance that has to be struck.

We cannot come out and force the companies to implement or embrace these policies 100 per cent immediately. There has to be a gradual process. And the reason is because we have to make sure that our businesses and our people are sufficiently trained and have the necessary qualifications and those types of things.”

“So what we’re saying is that, where you can find Guyanese and Guyanese businesses, that can provide the same quality of work that you’re looking for, you should use them rather than seek that service elsewhere.

And we don’t want them to use Guyanese businesses just for using sake. Because if we force that, and we force them to use labour and other service that is not efficient, then what that ineffi-

ciency does is increases the cost of Exxon doing business.”

According to Haynes, this would end up impacting Guyana detrimentally, hence they made an effort to strike a balance. He noted that the policy has done a good job in this regard.

Additionally, it came from a broad-based consultation, within four to six months.

Haynes was confident that the policy encapsulated this and so much more and therefore was confident in the end product. Added to this, he also noted that wide-ranging consultations were conducted and persons had a chance to make submissions on the policy.

After assuming office in August last year, President Ali established a High-Level Local Content Panel to review policy initiatives on local content in the petroleum sector and provide guidance for the development of Guyana’s Local Content Policy and Legislation.

The panel, chaired by

February of this year.

The stakeholders’ consultation on Guyana’s draft Local Content Policy for its petroleum sector started in February and President Dr Ali himself opened the discussion from which authorities were expected to receive feedback and comments for the finalisation of the critical document.

Approximately 140 stakeholders were engaged

by the panel on the compilation of the report. The report outlines several recommendations to improve the country’s policies and legislation.

Government is likely to hire experts to examine and incorporate comments and suggestions emanating from these stakeholder consultations into the final policy document that will be presented in the National Assembly.

8 NEWS

TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Shady NICIL land deals

James Bond a no-show at 2nd court hearing, lawyer blames “transportation issues” …former NICIL Head still stranded in Jamaica

Former NICIL Head Colvin Heath-London

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ormer Executive Member of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), Attorneyat-Law James Bond was a no-show at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Monday where he is charged in connection with leasing State lands at Peters Hall, East Bank Demerara (EBD). His reason for being absent from court, according to his lawyer Patrice Henry, was “transportation issues”.

Former Head of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), Colvin Heath-London, who is also charged, was also absent from court. This is his second absence. His lawyer, Narissa Leander, informed Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan that her client is stranded in Jamaica where borders are closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Also similarly charged are: Director of the A-Z

Pharmaceuticals Medical Supplies and Equipment Inc, Eddie Doolal, and Principal of the Arken Group Inc, Jermaine Richmond. The quartet was first charged on April 1, 2021.

Monday was the second hearing for the matter. Only Doolal and Richmond along with their lawyers were present for the hearing.

It is alleged that between August 1, 2017, and November 30, 2020, at Georgetown, Heath-London and Bond conspired together and with others to defraud NICIL, its sole shareholders, and the Government, of property interest in land; namely, the grant of a lease of land known as Plot A17, A18, A19 Plantation Peters Hall, EBD, owned by NICIL, without the necessary Board and Cabinet approval to do same, and for purposes other than that of NICIL. It has also been alleged that Heath-London, Bond, and Doolal, between August 1, 2017, and November 30, 2020, at Georgetown, conspired together and with others to defraud NICIL, its sole shareholders, and the Government, of property interest in land; namely, the grant of a lease of land known as Plot A7, A8, A20 Plantation Peters Hall, EBD, owned by NICIL, without the necessary Board and Cabinet approval to do same, and for purposes other than that of NICIL. The final charge stated that Bond, Heath-London, and Richmond, between August 1, 2017, and November 30, 2020, at Georgetown, conspired together and with others to defraud NICIL, its sole shareholders, and the Government of property interest in land;

namely, the grant of a lease of land known as plot A1, A2, A3, A4 Plantation Peters Hall, East Bank, Demerara, owned

by NICIL, without the necessary Board and Cabinet approval to do same, and for purposes other than that of NICIL.

W

Application granted

At Monday’s court hearing, Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) Prosecutor Attorneyat-Law Leslyn Noble made an application for the charges against the defendants to be deposed of summarily. With no objections raised by defence counsel, the Chief Magistrate granted the application. In light of this, the defendants will be allowed to plead to the charges at their next court appearance on May 10, 2021.

In the meantime, Bond was placed on $150,000 bail, while Richmond and Doolal were each ordered to post $100,000 bail. Bond is the lawyer who had represented three companies that are at the centre of the Peters Hall land investigation – Life 1 Pharms Incorporated, A-Z Pharmaceutical Medical Supplies and Equipment Inc, and Arken Group – in the drafting of leases by NICIL for the lands.

Shortly after the PPP/C assumed Government in August 2020, a thorough probe was conducted by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) in the matter, and it was revealed that several irregularities had occurred. During the investigations, Bond and his co-accused were questioned.

The principals of the company reportedly told the Police that Bond arranged the sale of the lands, after which he found a

Attorney-at-Law James Bond

buyer and was paid. It is being alleged that Bond received some $60 million from each of them.

The leases were controversial since they were in contravention of the stipulations regarding the disposal of State lands, which stipulate that when State lands are leased, the lease must state that the lessee must not part with possession of the land without the consent of the State.

However, in this case, both Life 1 Pharms Incorporated and A-Z Pharmaceutical Medical Supplies and Equipment Inc – which each leased 15 acres of land from NICIL at an annual rate of US$11,700 – flipped those lands to a Chinese national for just $100.

In the case of Arken Group, the proprietor of that company leased 20.8 acres of land for an annual fee of US$16,224 and had his address listed as the same as Bond’s. It was revealed that Bond then received US$1 million for the property after it was flipped to a local oil and gas company. (G1)

“Smallie” on trial for 2007 double murder

Murder accused: Mark Royden Williams, called “Smallie”

M

ark Royden Williams appeared before Justice Sandil Kissoon on Monday to face trial on two murder charges.

Williams, also known as “Smallie”, is accused of the December 16, 2007 murders of 35-year-old Rajesh Singh and 25-year-old Fazil Hakim.

The murders occurred at Lot 82 Agriculture Road, Triumph, East Coast Demerara.

Following a virtual appearance at the High Court in Demerara, Williams, who is being represented

by Attorneys-at-Law Nigel Hughes and Ronald Daniels, pleaded not guilty to the

charges. State Counsel Lisa Cave and State Counsel Tyra Bakker are appearing on behalf of the prosecution.

The Police in a statement on the killings had said that Hakim, Singh, and another man were consuming alcohol at a shop owned by one Narendra Mukhram when bandits turned up.

As Mukhram went to close the shop, he was confronted by three men who were armed with a rifle, a shotgun, and a handgun. One of the gunmen held him at gunpoint and took him to his home next door.

The other two gunmen entered the shop and one of them ordered the three patrons to lay on the ground. When they hesitated, the gunmen opened fire, killing Singh and Hakim.

Over at the house, the armed men held Mukhram’s wife and children at gunpoint and demanded jewellery and cash.

According to reports, they handed over $500,000 in jewellery and $300,000 cash to the gunmen.

The cause of death of the two men was given as shock and haemorrhage due to multiple gunshot wounds. At the time of his demise, Hakim called “Boyee” resided at Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara, while Singh called “Rabbit” lived at Martyrs Ville on the East Coast of Demerara.

Raising concerns...

Dead: Fazal Hakim

Dead: Rajesh Singh

Heerlall Seeram was the first witness who testified for the prosecution.

Seeram told the 12-member jury that during December 2007, he lived at Agriculture Road, Triumph, East Coast Demerara. He said that about 21:00h on December 16, 2007, he was at home when he heard loud explosions, sounding like gunshots coming from the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI).

The witness told the court that he went outside and ran towards “Navin Rum shop” where he saw a large crowd gathered. He testified that he went through the crowd

and into the rum shop where he saw Singh and Hakim lying motionlessly in a pool of blood on the ground. With the help of others, Seeram said he placed the injured men into a car and drove them to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.

He said that the men were seen by a doctor who pronounced them dead. The State’s next witness was Police Inspector Suraj Singh, the detective in charge of crime at the Turkeyen Police Station. His evidence led to the court conducting a voir dire. This trial continues on Wednesday.

...of, or on, PNC? ell, look wha happen heah! Joe Harmon – erstwhile Guyana’s Leader of the Opposition (Guy LOO) – has written to the Chairman of Exxon demanding that he and his “Shadow Energy Minister” David Patterson and other MPs meet with their local subsidiary. When your Eyewitness saw the headline, his eyes lit up since he figured at long last the PNC was owing up to the disastrous contract their “negotiator” Raphael Trotman had signed for oil.

With their obviously superior knowledge as to why Trotman had given away the store (and then some!), they were the only ones who could get Exxon back to the table to RENEGOTIATE the contract! Was Trotman given some “inducements” under the table apart from the wining and dining and 5-star hotel accommodation? Did Harmon have some information on which offshore bank accounts these “inducements” might’ve been lodged in? Did they have info that Trotman didn’t have the “capacity” to sign a valid contract? We know he wasn’t a minor...but did he lack “mental capacity”? Was he under the influence of “drugs or alcohol”? These would all be grounds for making the contract “voidable” After all, there’re all these Guyanese “oil experts” – especially from “foreign” – demanding “renegotiation”. But the PPP’ve been balking – pointing out (not unreasonably) that since the contract was a valid one as far as they know, Exxon had to’ve since committed some material breach to demand renegotiation. The problems with the compressor and the flaring aren’t “material” enough – contrary to the claims of the above-mentioned “foreign armchair experts”.

Was Harmon taking the opportunity to pull the rug out from under the PPP’s feet and close that 5000 vote gap between the PPP’s and PNC’s votes? Nah... couldn’t be that since it would mean that Harmon’s admitting his election petition is a “cock” and Irfaan Ali isn’t only the President conditionally but ABSOLUTELY! But as your Eyewitness went beyond the headline, he realised that Harmon was just talking about the flaring because of the still-problematic compressor.

But the PPP have already made their displeasure known about the flaring and Exxon has reduced production by 75 per cent to produce the least amount of associated natural gas. So what exactly does Harmon achieve with his “demand”. Well, your Eyewitness will tell you what. He realises he’s drifted into oblivion in the public consciousness – including his own base – and is desperately clutching at “gas” to save himself.

His tactic to “not recognise” Irfaan Ali as President while insisting he’s the “LOO” – through the same elections process – has exposed him to universal snickers.

He obviously wants to enjoy the salary, office and perks of the LOO, but not the responsibility to be a “loyal opposition”.

What a joker!

...on dams and access They say “a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush”.

With the complaints of the rice farmers of Upper Corentyne about the horrendous condition of their roads to their crops in the “back dam”, we might point out to the authorities that “an agricultural road on the cultivated coast is worth two in the virgin intermediate savannahs”. The point is that rice farmers on our coast built and sustained the largest agricultural industry in the country on their own – even as the sugar industry went into a tailspin after the ministrations of the PNC in the 1970s.

They’ve increased their production to over 600,000 tonnes which places us in the top 15 rice exporters in the world, bringing in US$222 million in 2019!! This is a big bird in the hand! We’ve heard of the Government’s $500 million committed to roads and other infrastructure to facilitate producing US$25 million in soya and corn.

Let’s get those coastal farm-to-market roads fixed!!

...on personal crime We’re losing our perspective on the upsurge in crimes against persons. In the recent robbery on city businessman Mattai, some suggest he should’ve had an automatic gate opener.

Where do we stop after grilled doors and windows, CCTVs and high fences?.

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

NEWS

9

TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

House lot controversies will be resolved case by case – Minister …as dozens of Region 2 house lots in reserve until issues fixed

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ouse lots that are being held up due to the cloud of suspicion and controversy hanging over them will be resolved on a case-by-case basis and where it is determined that the allottees are entitled to the land, this will eventually be allocated.

This is according to Minister of Housing and Water Collin Croal, who was taking part in a “Dream Realised” housing drive in Anna Regina. Following the outreach, the Minister was asked about persons who have been waiting for some time for their titles and other matters to be looked after.

“That has also been an issue. What we’re doing is to ensure that a thorough investigation is done before we can process those titles.

We’ve had cases of persons who paid for their land but those monies were not remitted to the State and that is why you had for years these matters held up.”

“And we’ve taken a conscious decision of dealing with them case by case

and I’m sure persons will be pleased to know that we will be able to rectify once a thorough investigation is done to process their titles and transport,” the Minister said.

Croal also noted that Government will be paying keen attention to the functioning of the regional housing office and noted that he will be visiting the new facility. He further explained that they have increased the staff complement and also the quality of staff.

When it comes to the Dream Realised event, Croal explained that they have been able to allocate over 300 lots. According to him, no one was turned away.

Additionally, a number of lots have been reserved as they conduct investigations into individual issues.

“We’ve just completed two days here in Essequibo.

This is phase one of our allocation for 2021. Our next allocation exercise, at the appropriate time, will be at Charity. And it’s been a successful activity.”

“I know Essequibo Coast

Farmer, pensioner slapped with forgery charges

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nn Baird, a 63-yearold farmer of Façade Parika, East Bank Essequibo, was on Monday arraigned before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan after she allegedly forged documents.

The first charge stated that between August 1, 2020, and September 22, 2020, at Georgetown, with intent to defraud, Baird forged a Limited Power of Attorney dated February 5, 2020, purporting to show that it was issued by Cledwin Barnwell, knowing same to be forged.

It was further alleged that on September 22, 2020, at the Guyana Revenue Authority, Camp Road, Georgetown, with intent to defraud, Baird uttered to Marlon Baburam one Limited Power of Attorney #1128/2019 order to be used as genuine, knowing same to be forged.

Baird denied both charges and was released on $40,000 bail. She is expected to return to court on April 26.

Meanwhile, a second pensioner also appeared at the court to answer to a separate count of forgery.

Paul Basdeo, 69, of Section B Non Pariel, East Coast Demerara (ECD), pleaded not guilty to his charge.

The court heard that on March 27, 2019, at Charlotte Street, with intent to defraud, Basdeo forged a Limited Power of Attorney, purporting to show it was issued by Ramdass, knowing same to be forged.

Following his not guilty plea, he was ordered to post bail of $60,000 by the presiding Magistrate Ann McLennan.

The case was adjourned to April 27. (G15)

2 charged for cocaine, ganja trafficking

A

36-year-old resident of John Street, Lodge, Georgetown, was hauled before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts for a trafficking in cocaine charge.

The charge stated that on April 13, at North Road, Bourda, Angelo Lupe had in his possession 18 grams of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.

Lupe pleaded not guilty and was released on bail in the sum of $100,000.

Also appearing at the court for a possession of narcotics

charge was Derrick Robinson, a 65-year-old labourer.

Robinson, who hails from D’Urban Street, Lodge, denied the charge when it was read to him by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

The charge stated that on April 13, at North Road, Bourda, Robinson had in his possession nine grams of cannabis.

Following his not-guilty plea, Robinson was granted $50,000 bail.

Both matters have been adjourned to May 17, 2021.

(G15)

Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal handing over a title to a resident on Friday

has not been hearing much for a while about our plans and programmes in terms of land allocation for Region Two. So over the two days, we’ve seen over 1000 persons who came into the facility for one reason or another,

inclusive of for allocations,” the Minister also said.

But he noted that there have been instances where persons have started constructing on land that doesn’t belong to them, so the Ministry’s database would reflect the land as

vacant. According to Croal, there are a number of such issues but the Ministry is trying to rectify them.

“So what happens is that after a big constructing and then the Ministry system doesn’t show an allocation and so for us, it appears as vacant, we have a number of issues like that. Lima sands, for example, has a history and we’re trying to rectify all of that,” the Minister said.

“We have been able to allocate over 300. There are a number, about 40, that we’ve reserved based on investigation that has to be conducted on individual issues. You know Essequibo Coast has had its issues of these matters that border on double allocations, persons illegally occupying and then constructing on areas that are not under allocation.”

He rated the two-day initiative as successful, with both him and Deputy

Housing Minister Susan Rodrigues able to meet with every citizen who came in with a problem. According to him, no one was turned away. He also assured that the event was carried out in keeping with the COVID-19 guidelines.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), Sherwyn Greaves, meanwhile, told residents that the agency is making every effort to ensure homeownership becomes a reality for residents on the Essequibo Coast.

Greaves added that the massive housing drive was propelled by a recent visit to the region by President Irfaan Ali. On this note, he had stated that over the two-day event, over 100 titles and transports would be distributed and that the Ministry would also process new applications during the outreach.

10 NEWS APNU/AFC questions bona fides of GPF's Communications Unit TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

...submits questions to National Assembly

S

hadow Home Affairs Minister Geeta Chandan-Edmond has submitted to the National Assembly a plethora of questions regarding the operations of the new Corporate Communications Unit of the Guyana Police Force (GPF).

On February 16, 2021, radio broadcaster Stan Gouveia announced that he was appointed Deputy Communications Director of the GPF while former Editor-in-Chief of the Stateowned Guyana Chronicle,

Mark Ramotar became the Director. Gouveia and Ramotar assumed their new roles effective February 1.

This new arrangement is a deviation from standard practice whereby a serving member of the Force would assume responsibility for the organisation’s public relations.

Just before the establishment of the rebranded Communications Unit, Assistant Commissioner Royston Andries-Junor served as the Public

Relations Officer (PRO).

Prior to him, the position was held by Senior Superintendent Jairam Ramlakhan.

Chandan-Edmond, who represents the APNU/AFC Opposition, has asked Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn to explain the rationale of setting up a new unit to manage the Force’s communication and public relations.

In particular, she asked “Can the Hon Minister state whether the recent-

Members of the Corporate Communications Unit of the Guyana Police Force

ly established Corporate Communications Unit was created in accordance with the Standing Orders of the Guyana Police Force? If yes, can the Minister indicate which Section was amended.

If no, can the Minister state under which authority was the Unit established?”

Minister Benn was also asked to disclose whether the positions of Director and Deputy Director were advertised and what criteria was used in arriving at suitable candidates.

Chandan-Edmond further requested that copies of the terms of the contracts for the appointments of the Director and Deputy Director of the Corporate Communications Unit be made public.

The Opposition Member also asked the Home Affairs Minister to disclose their qualifications, duties, and responsibilities and state if other allowances and benefits are afforded to the Director and Deputy Director, which are not in-

cluded in their contracts.

In addition, ChandanEdmond questioned whether additional costs are attached to the services rendered by the Director and Deputy Director “for which the Government of Guyana and, by extension, taxpayers are responsible”.

She also wanted the Minister to state whether the roles of these new employees overlap those of Police officers who have been trained and assigned to perform these tasks.

Moreover, ChandanEdmond inquired whether other civilians are attached to the Unit.

“If yes, what are their qualifications, salaries, and allowances. Further, were these positions advertised and what criteria used in selecting these individuals?”

She also asked whether Police officers operate within the Unit, and if yes, for the Minister to disclose how many.

Her final question was “Can the Hon Minister state

how many staff are assigned to this Unit?”

Minister Benn is expected to make his answers available in writing at the next sitting of the National Assembly.

The new Corporate Communications Unit (CCU) in March 2021 began a countrywide familiarisation programme where the team would explain its vision and speak about the various programmes and initiatives being undertaken at specific locations to help keep the communities safe.

Ramotar was Head of the State-owned Chronicle for a number of years. He also worked as an Editor of Guyana Times.

On the other hand, Gouveia is a well-known television and radio personality with almost 29 years’ experience in the field. He is a graduate of the University of Guyana in Communication Studies. He landed his first job as a broadcaster in 1992 at the Guyana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC). (G11)

NEWS

11

TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2021|| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

“Raw Gold” charged for 83,000 more vaccines DJ assault, unlawful wounding arrive in Guyana

Clyde Watson called DJ “Raw Gold”

The shipment of Sputnik V vaccines arriving at CJIA on Monday

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consignment of 83,000 Sputnik V vaccines landed in Guyana on Monday at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, as part of Government’s purchase to immunise 200,000 persons.

The doses sent are divided into 43,000 first and 40,000 second doses. In recent weeks, some 55,000 first doses were sent to Guyana.

The Sputnik V vaccine was developed by Gamaleya National Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology in Moscow. It uses two different viruses that cause the common cold (adenovirus) in humans and these are weakened so they cannot replicate or cause a disease. They are also modified so that the vaccine delivers a code for making the coronavirus spike protein.

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony indicated that with the second doses in stock, persons will be completely immunised once they are eligible. This is the third tranche to be delivered but more is expectedly shortly.

“Those persons who would require their second dose will have their second dose ready. Then we’re expecting another batch of the vaccines shortly. So, the vaccines are going to come in tranches and as they come, we’ll continue the distribution,” Dr Anthony shared.

Government has taken a stance of pursuing vaccines vigorously so that every adult can be provided with the opportunity to get inoculated. The Minister said in keeping with this plan, various avenues are being explored.

“Our plan has been and continues to be that we’re securing vaccines for every single adult in Guyana.

So, there would be a vaccine for every adult in Guyana.

While we secure the vaccine, it is still voluntary so people can decide if they want it or not. Of course, we would prefer if people could come forward and get their vaccine because this is what is going to protect them,” he positioned.

The doses of Sputnik V were purchased to the tune of US$4 million. Another 24,000 doses were sent through the COVAX mechanism – the first tranche from 100,800 shots. The Government of China and India also donated 20,000 and 80,000 vaccines while Barbados sent 3000.

Sputnik uses a different vector for each of the two shots in a course of vaccination. This provides immunity with a longer duration than vaccines using the same delivery mechanism for both shots, according to the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF).

The two shots are given approximately four weeks

apart and have proven to be 91 per cent efficacious.

Sputnik V is to be stored at -18°C in its liquid form.

However, in its freezedried form, it can be stored at 2-8°C, in a conventional refrigerator without any need to invest in additional cold-chain infrastructure.

Sputnik V is approved for use in over 55 countries with a total population of over 1.5 billion people, according to RDIF. With successes in vaccinating the population, the Health Ministry had said this is an “incredible achievement in an environment where developing countries have had little to no access to COVID-19 vaccines”.

“More than 30 countries have had no access to even a single dose of vaccines as yet. Dozens of countries have only received enough vaccines for less than one per cent of their population.

Over the next several days and in the coming weeks, Guyana will pursue access to an even larger amount of vaccines,” a statement had said.

Since April 6, the vaccination rollout has been ramped up with almost 100 fixed sites around the country. There are mobile teams in all ten regions. In addition to these sites, there are special sites organised through a collaboration with religious leaders. (G12)

A

36-year-old Disc Jockey (DJ) was on Monday charged for assault and unlawful wounding when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Clyde Watson also known as DJ “Raw Gold”, of Cummings Lodge appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann Mclennan where he denied both charges.

The first charge stated that on April 10, at Lance Gibbs Street, Georgetown, he unlawfully assaulted Melissa Duke. It was further alleged that also on April 10, at the same location, he unlawfully and maliciously wounded Marlon Williams, also known

as “Selector Yannick”.

In court on Monday, the police prosecutor told the court that Watson, who is also a broker, is a part-time DJ and had a programme at HJ Radio Station while Williams is a selector of music. He furthered that on the day in question, a scuffle ensued between Watson and Duke, during which he pushed her to the ground, causing her injuries.

He added that Watson further armed himself with a glass bottle with which he dealt Williams a lash to his face. The bottle reportedly broke, thus causing Williams bodily harm.

The prosecutor added that Watson then took the broken bottle and dealt Williams several stabs.

Following the facts, the presiding Magistrate adjourned the matter to May 3 and ordered that Watson lodge bail in the sum of $55,000.

Police had reported that the incident had occurred at about 08:45h at HJ Radio 94.1 on Lance Gibbs Street, Queenstown.

It was stated that after the ordeal, “Raw Gold” made good his escape, while “Selector Yannick”, was taken to Georgetown Public Hospital where he was treat-

Marlon Williams called “Selector Yannick”

ed and sent away.

Following reports of the incident, the radio station had released a statement maintaining that the incident occurred between an independent DJ and his selector during a paid programme.

In addition, the station’s management said that the parties were to face disciplinary actions by the business.

“The matter is currently under investigation by the Police and HJ 94.1 has made a decision to suspend the independent programme and the two individuals from our airwaves,” the statement added.

12 NEWS

TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Police station shooting

Cop charged for assault, colleague who shot him on the run

David Lampkin

T

wenty-fou r-yea rold Police Constable David Lampkin of

Goed Fortuin, West Bank Demerara (WBD) appeared before Magistrate Ann McLennan on Monday charged with unlawful assault.

Lampkin pleaded not guilty to the charge read by Chief Magistrate McLennan, which stated that on January 31, 2021, at Brickdam Police Station, his unlawfully assaulted his colleague, Constable Corinth Corbin.

Meanwhile, the Constable’s Attorney told the court that his client was shot to his leg by another officer while he was on duty. He added that his client who was the victim is complying with the

his client.

However, the Prosecutor told the court that the officers were involved in a scuffle and Lampkin was shot. He added that Corbin was wanted, and once arrested, would face charges.

Lampkin was released on

self-bail, and was scheduled to reappear in court on May 18, 2021.

Police, in a previous report, stated that Constable Lampkin was shot to his leg about 05:00h on January 31.

Police said that the two ranks were on duty at the

Brickdam Police Station when an argument ensued over a missing pair of slippers.

Following the incident, Constable Lampkin was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was treated for the gunshot wound to his right leg. (G15)

Guyanese accused of wounding T&T Soca artiste “Benjai” freed On the run: Corinth Corbin

court while the accused was still on the run. As such, he requested reasonable bail for

Freed: Maverick De Abreu

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averick De Abreu, the father of two who was charged back in 2017 with wounding Trinidad and Tobago Soca artiste Rodney Le Blanc, popularly known as “Benjai”, has been freed following a ruling

by Principal Magistrate Faith McGusty. Confirming this on Monday was one of Benjai’s lawyer, Eusi Anderson.

Anderson noted that the charge against De Abreu was dismissed by the Magistrate due to insufficient evidence.

De Abreu had initially pleaded not guilty to the charge

T&T Soca Artiste Rodney Le Blanc, popularly known as “Benjai”

which alleged that on April 16, 2017, at Palm Court, Main Street, Georgetown, he unlawfully and maliciously wounded Le Blanc.

Based on reports, De Abreu was accused of hitting Le Blanc to the face with a glass bottle, causing him to suffer severe injuries during an argument moments after the artiste wrapped up a concert at the popular nightspot.

According to reports, a heated argument reportedly ensued between the Soca ar-

tiste, who was allegedly heavily intoxicated, and a taxi driver.

Reports are the driver came out of his car and Le Blanc advanced towards him.

However, after seeing the commotion outside, De Abreu allegedly rushed out and dealt the singer one blow to his face with a bottle. It was reported that earlier in the night, Le Blanc had allegedly misbehaved with De Abreu’s girlfriend. The T&T artiste was rushed to a private city hospital where he received over a dozen stitches to his face.

De Abreu, who was represented by Attorney-at-Law Mark Waldron, had been out on $50,000 bail pending trial.

Also in 2017, De Abreu was charged with discharging a loaded firearm at this pregnant girlfriend and her sister. The charges against him were, however, dismissed after the women refused to offer evidence.

Two years later, in 2019, Police had issued a wanted bulletin for him in connection with the assault of gay rights activist Joel Simpson.

Accused serial fraudster charged for fraudulent conversion

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n accused fraudster who currently has a number of charges before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts pleaded not guilty on Monday to a count of fraudulent conversion of some $7 million.

Micah Sonaram, 24, of Flying Fish Street, North Ruimveldt, Georgetown, made his appearance before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

The charge read to the accused fraudster stated that on November 4, 2020, at North Road, Bourda, Georgetown, being solely entrusted by Steve De Costa, he fraudulently converted $7 million obtained from De Costa to purchase an excavator.

Initially, the charge was indictable, however, after the prosecutor’s request for a summary disposal, the defendant was required to plead.

Further, Sonaram’s defence attorney, Latchmie Rahamat, in her bail application told the court that the charges brought before her client are invalid.

She added that on March 15, he made a previous court appearance for the exact charge which was classed as false pretence. As such, she asked the Magistrate for nominal bail for Sonaram and

Micah Sonaram

for additional facts pertaining to the charge.

Meanwhile, the police prosecutor told the court that the Director of Public Prosecutions had requested for the first matter to be discontinued since Sonaram was initially charged under the wrong Section of the Criminal Law (Offences) Act. Further, he explained that the current charge against the defendant is the same matter with a corrected classification.

Sonaram was ordered to post bail in the sum of $50,000 and is set to return to court on May 10.

On March 24, Sonaram was slapped with three counts of fraudulent conversion, when he appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

The first charge had alleged that between November 19, 2020, and December 29, 2020, at Georgetown, being solely entrusted by Mohamed Ahmad, he fraudulently converted $3.5 million obtained from Mohamed Ahmad to purchase a motor vehicle, knowing same to be false.

In addition, it was also alleged that between November 29 and January 2, 2021, at Georgetown, being solely entrusted by Mohamed Ahmad, he fraudulently converted $3 million obtained from Mohamed Ahmad to purchase an excavator, knowing same to be false.

It was further alleged that between December 2, 2020, and December 11, 2020, at Georgetown, being solely entrusted by Mohamed Ahmad, he fraudulently converted $2 million obtained from Mohamed Ahmad to purchase an excavator, knowing same to be false.

Sonaram was not required to plead to the indictable charges and was granted $20,000 bail on each charge.

(G15)

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TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Astrotourism could be a successful industry in Guyana – President of local astronomers club ...as regional experts call for more collaboration to promote astronomy in Caribbean

Mahendra Mahadeo

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uyana’s prime geographical position near the equator coupled with its low light pollution make the country an ideal destination for astrotourism where stargazers from around the world can gather to observe the celestial activities in the mysterious night sky.

This point was underscored by local astrophotographer Ferlin Pedro, who is the founder of the Amateur Astronomers Association of Guyana (AAG) which was established in 2015 to promote astronomy among Guyanese.

During a recent panel dis-

Astrophotographer Ferlin Pedro

But tourism is not the only opportunity available for astronomy lovers in Guyana and the Caribbean.

Mahendra Mahadeo, a Guyanese who hails from the East Coast of Demerara (ECD), explained how his hobby in astronomy turned into a promising career. During the panel discussion, he shared how growing up in Guyana, resources and knowledge about astronomy were very limited. In fact, they still are.

But this was not going to stop Mahadeo from pursuing his passion and at the age of

Dr Shirin Haque

fractor telescopes.

“I was doing what I was passionate about. When I couldn’t get a telescope, I built one and I did it just as a hobby...in Guyana, I was an engineer working in the heavy machinery industry so I had a job that made me money and then I used that money to pursue my hobby ... I didn’t expect to make a living out of my hobby,” he explained.

Mahadeo’s raw talent left President of the Barbados Astronomical Society David Marshall in complete awe.

Marshall, who is an amateur astronomer, noted that

Three telescopes which were built by Mahendra Mahadeo. [The telescope on the right is currently a work in progress]

cussion on “Astronomy in the Caribbean” which was hosted

by Moray House, Pedro was asked about the possibility of Guyana adding astrotourism to its international tourism portfolio.

Pedro admitted that he did have discussions with various tourism groups on the matter, but he cautioned that stargazers are a minority population.

He agreed that the concept of astrotourism would be perfect for the country, especially since developed countries have immense light pollution whereas Guyana offers many destinations for stargazing.

“It is a real industry and it is one we can tap into,” Pedro said, as he encouraged all interested persons to lobby the relevant authorities and start having public conversations about astrotourism in Guyana.

“The Caribbean region on a whole is a very special place because of our position along the equator. Guyana aligns perfectly there along the equator. We get the best of both worlds, the northern and southern hemisphere,” Pedro also explained.

24, he built his own telescope.

In fact, he admitted that to date, he has never really purchased a telescope, he just continues to build his own.

“The mirror was not coated, I simply assembled the tube with the uncoated mirror and I put all the pieces together ... but the mount was not finished as yet and so I just propped [it] on a chair and pointed it towards the moon and brought the image into focus...and that was the first time I ever looked through a telescope,” he reminisced.

Mahadeo said he made many observations with his homemade telescope during his time in Guyana, including being able to see comet Lovejoy in 2015. Over time, Mahadeo also developed his skills for astrophotography - another exciting realm of opportunity for astronomy in Guyana and the Caribbean. Today, his hobby has turned into a career as he is now working with Tele Vue - a Chester, New York-based astronomical optics company known primarily for its premium brand of speciality eyepieces and apochromatic re-

there is a great opportunity for regional collaboration in the area of astronomy in the Caribbean.

“We don’t really have a framework for regional collaboration...at least I’m not aware of it...,” he expressed.

Noting that a larger interest in astronomy is being developed in the region, Marshall said there is a need for more information sharing and collaboration among Caribbean States.

For example, he explained if there is a noteworthy celestial event occurring within the region, there can be joint efforts to provide coverage.

Another example, he said, is Mahadeo’s skill and knowledge in building his own telescope, which can be shared among other persons who are interested in the science but are unable to see through a telescope.

According to Marshall, the region has to overcome challenges such as restrictions on resources and information/ knowledge sharing in order to aid in the promotion of astronomy in the Caribbean.

Meanwhile, Dr Shirin

President of the Barbados Astronomical Society David Marshall

Haque, who hails from Trinidad and Tobago, also explained that as a child, she was always told that astronomy is not possible in the Caribbean.

But today, she is a professional astronomer, working right in her home country. Dr

Haque was the recipient of the Laureate in Science and Technology Award at the 2020 Anthony Sabga Caribbean Awards. She was also the first woman to be awarded the Caricom Science Award in 2018. A former Deputy Dean in the Faculty of Science and Technology and former Head of the Department of Physics at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Dr Haque is currently the Programme Director for the Caribbean Hub in Radio Astronomy through the National Radio Astronomy Observatory and National Outreach Coordinator in International Astronomical Union.

She has undertaken extensive astronomy research right within the Caribbean.

For instance, she noted that OJ 287 - a BL Lac object located 3.5 billion lightyears away, is observed from St Augustine.

“When it can be visible in the northern countries and there’s an observing campaign, our team on the ground...starts to take over the observation,” Dr Haque explained.

She noted too that a team from Trinidad was a part of the historic Rosetta Mission which landed a probe on a comet.

Another exciting aspect of astronomy is astrobiology. In Trinidad, Dr Haque would study the mud volcanoes which would be used as an analogue to “try to understand if you can find microbial life on Mars” where there are also mud volcanoes.

According to Dr Haque, “we can be small but it doesn’t mean that you are invisible.”

“We are doing wonderful and exciting things. So we can be here with next to no funding, but we can make magic happen.” (Devina Samaroo)

14 NEWS

TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

PUC mandated to protect interest of the public …as fmr Labour Minister sworn in as new Commissioner

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ith the swearing-in of his onetime Cabinet colleague and former Labour Minister, Dr Nanda Gopaul as a Commissioner on the Public Utilities Commission, President Dr Irfaan Ali has warned the body that their work will intensify with Guyana’s developmental trajectory.

The Head of State made this assertion after he administered the Oath of Office to Gopaul, who will be the fourth Commissioner of the PUC, at the Office of the President on Shiv Chanderpaul Drive.

“The work of the PUC is expected to intensify as Guyana enters this new phase of its development, one which has already witnessed the liberalisation of the telecommunications sector and plans are ahead for boosting power generation and water supply,” President Ali said.

“In the exercise of their duties, regulators of public utilities protect the interest

of the public; they are expected to examine the services provided by public utilities referencing the social and economic welfare of consumers and ensuring the provision of quality and efficient services.”

President Ali pointed out that unless judiciously regulated, public utilities can use their market dominance to avoid fair pricing and the provision of adequate, reliable and quality services.

He then expressed his satisfaction that today Guyana operates in an environment where the monopoly on the telecommunications sector has been dismantled.

The PUC, he reminded, is tasked with regulatory, investigatory, enforcement and other functions conferred upon it by the Public Utilities Commission Act and by other laws, including the Guyana Energy Agency Act, the Electricity Sector Reform Act and the Telecommunications Act. Ali noted that determining the effectiveness of

the PUC’s service can be achieved by examining the quality of services consumers receive, examining the work done to protect their interests and ensuring that they are receiving what they pay for.

“Or we can examine how effective we are based on how we perform the task of investigatory powers and the way we have handled various complaints of consumers,” President Ali explained.

In outlining the various functions of the PUC, via the Public Utilities Commission Act, President Ali stressed that the Commission is also required to ensure that every public utility maintains its property and equipment in such condition that enables service that is adequate, efficient, non-discriminatory, affordable, and safe.

The President pointed to concerns at the Guyana Power and Light (GPL), which were recently brought to his attention. According to him, the power company

Toshao robbed of boat and engine

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he Toshao of Chinese Landing, Region One (Barima-Waini) was robbed of a $4.5 million boat and engine between Sunday and Monday.

Orin Fernandes was robbed sometime between 18:00h on Sunday and 05:00h on Monday at Chinese Landing in the North West District. According to Police, based on information received, Fernandes secured his boat and a 200-Hp Yamaha outboard engine at the back of his home, which is just about 100ft from the creek. However, on Monday

Toshao Orin Fernandes

morning he observed the boat and engine were missing. He made several checks in and around Chinese Landing but came up empty-handed. However, information the Toshao received from persons in the area stated that a suspect, who they named, cut the boat’s rope. They claimed that the suspect was seen heading towards the Waini River with the boat.

As such, the Toshao made a report via cellular phone to Acquero Police Station.

An investigation has been launched.

has not been maintaining its facilities for almost four consecutive years. This includes the lines. He made it clear that this has to be corrected.

President Ali reiterated his Government’s commitment to support the work of the PUC and expand and improve the quality of public services provided to citizens.

He expressed confidence that Dr Gopaul’s stellar record of public service and his wealth of experience will be an asset to the PUC. “Today, I am pleased to have administered the Oath of Office to the newest member of the PUC, Dr Nanda Kishore Gopaul…I wish him and the PUC every success in protecting the public interest.”

Dr Gopaul joins Chairperson Dela Britton and three other Commissioners: Dr Leyland Lucas, Verlyn Klass and Rajendra Bisessar at the PUC. The PUC, guided by the Public Utilities Commission Act No 26 of 1990, came into effect on

President Irfaan Ali (right) with former Labour Minister and now PUC Commissioner, Dr Nanda Gopaul

October 1, 1990. The Act was amended in 1991, 1994 and 1999.

The PUC is tasked with regulating utilities and service providers including

GTT, Guyana Power and Light (GPL), Guyana Water Inc (GWI), and Digicel. In the past, it had to level fines against certain utility providers.

Nail technician charged for leaking explicit photos on social media

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26-year-old nail technician was on Monday charged for leaking explicit photos of her aunt and cousin when she made her appearance at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Merissa Waterman of Lot 56 David Street, Kitty, Georgetown, was arraigned before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

The first charge against the nail technician stated

that between January 30 and 31, 2021, at Kitty, she used a computer system to transmit data that was explicit to humiliate Latoya Cameron, thus causing her distress.

Additionally, it was stated that between January 30 and 31, 2021, at Kitty, Waterman used a computer system to transmit data that was explicit to humiliate Deon James, thus causing her distress.

Waterman pleaded not

guilty to both charges.

Meanwhile, Cameron told the court that Waterman is her cousin. She added that James is also Waterman’s aunt.

The defendant was represented by Attorneys-atLaw Mohammed Alli and Yashmini Singh, who made a successful bail application.

Waterman was released on $20,000 bail and the case will continue on May 24.

(G15)

NEWS

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TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Land, road issues dominate Mahdia miners meeting

A section of the residents at the meeting in Mahdia, Region Eight

A vehicle stuck in the mud at Tiger Creek blocking traffic to the bridge (DPI photo)

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iners and other residents of Mahdia over the weekend met and interacted with the Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat and Amerindian Affairs Minister Pauline Sukhai where numerous issues affecting the industry were raised.

According to a Department of Public Information report, the miners used the opportunity to raise their concerns, with land and roads being common themes. The small miners believe they are at a disadvantage when it comes to the use of mining lands. It was Bharrat’s first official visit to the mining town, but he was no stranger to the issues.

“I know as small miners you are faced with this problem that you are being used as prospectors, meaning that the big miners put you on the land, and when you find something, they come and put you off the land. I know that’s one of the biggest issues that we have, but you need to understand our position in a situation like that too; that was a private arrangement between you and the landowner, so when you make a contract between someone, you need to make a proper contract,” Bharrat is quoted as saying. He urged the miners to make formal agreements because the matter is difficult to resolve when this is not done even if they approach the Ministry for assistance.

Bharrat added that a lottery is being considered to make more lands available later this year or early 2022. This would give small miners a chance to acquire lands. The miners can still apply to the GGMC or the Closed Area Committee for land in the meantime. The Minister also told the gathering that there are efforts to ensure there are proper roads in the hinterland regions.

“Our objective over the next two to three years is to ensure that we open up new areas. As a matter of fact,

what we are discussing right now is for GGMC to have a road works unit, meaning we have truck and bulldozer and excavator and roller and all this equipment, so that we can open up new areas because it is expensive to open new areas, I can tell you that.”

The Natural Resources Minister noted that there has been a renewed interest in mining in recent months and added that he would continue to make representation for incentives to develop the sector.

He said mining benefits close to 200,000 directly and indirectly, and since taking office, the Government has placed a lot of emphasis on the mining sector, including removing VAT from mining equipment. “Mining has been driving our country’s economy over the last couple of years; mining is driving our economy right now. That is why I want to commend you for the effort that you are

making. Yes, we have oil and gas, and there is so much talk and so much emphasis on oil and gas, but I want to assure you, on behalf of the Government of Guyana, that we will not neglect the mining sector or the logging sector or agriculture or any other of the traditional and non-traditional sectors at the expense of oil and gas.”

The miners were also urged to respect the environment when engaged in mining activities.

The Minister noted the concerns raised and is optimistic that the necessary steps will be taken to resolve them. Consideration will also be given to the possibility of decentralising some of GGMC’s services to the town.

While in the mining town, the Ministers also visited the bridge at Tiger Creek, a major area of concern for those who reside and work in that part of the country. The team also con-

ducted a community walkabout, interacting with residents while listening to their problems.

Head of the Geology and Commission Dennison and

Guyana Mines Newell Deputy

Commissioner of the Guyana Forestry Commission Tasreef Khan were also on the visit.

Over 5000 persons receive COVID-19 vaccine in Region 2

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egion Two Regional Health Officer (RHO), Dr Ranjeev Singh is urging Guyanese to take the COVID-19 vaccines to protect themselves from the severe effects of the coronavirus as the opportunity has been made available for them. He said that to date, over 5000 persons in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) were vaccinated.

While speaking with the media recently, Dr Singh said the region has 39 active cases and he believes once persons take the vaccine, the rate will go down.

“The programme has intensified in the region and targets persons 18 years and older and also persons living with chronic illness. So with us immunising these persons, it is going to be a major achievement within the re-

Regional Health Officer, Dr Ranjeev Singh

gion and as such we will be COVID free,” the RHO said.

Vaccination sites are available at Charity, Windsor Castle, Dartmouth,

Anna Regina, Queenstown, Abram Zuil, Huis’t Diren, and Good Hope Health Centres from 08:00h to 16:00h daily. There are also mobile sites where frontline workers are stationed to give the vaccines.

On Sunday, the region had a massive COVID-19 Vaccination Drive at Taymouth Manor Primary School, Affiance. The vaccination campaign aims to immunise approximately 500 residents per day in the region.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health advised that persons should adhere to the COVID-19 guidelines and as such those who take the vaccine must still wear their masks, practice social distancing, sanitise, and also avoid huge crowds.

16 NEWS

TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Pomeroon farmers continue 13 days later to benefit from flood relief Labourer chopped by “Gangster” dies

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labourer, who was chopped several times while working at a location in the backlands of Albion, Corentyne, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne), has died. Police in a release on Monday evening said the man died at about 16:00h on Monday at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

Dead is Vishnu Dalchan, 53, a labourer of Follow Up,

Prime Minister Mark Phillips watches as fertiliser is loaded for the flood-affected farmers

O

ne hundred farmers operating in Lower Pomeroon, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), whose farms were inundated earlier this year will soon benefit from flood relief efforts by the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) and Regional Democratic Council.

Farming, the Department of Public Information (DPI) reported, is the main economic activity in the Pomeroon. The main crops grown there are coconuts, avocado, citrus and vegetables. In January 2021, Lower and Upper Pomeroon experienced flooding for many weeks and as a result, the earning ability of farmers was hindered. Following a commitment by Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha to assist the farmers, 255 farmers of Upper Pomeroon

received fertiliser to restore nutrients to the soil, thus allowing farmers to once again cultivate their lands, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NAREI, Jagnarine Singh said.

“Today (Monday), we sent 100 bags of 12-12-172 fertiliser and 300 packs of ant bait to the Regional Democratic Council for distribution. The fertiliser will be distributed to farmers of Martindale and neighbouring communities. And, the Acoushi ant bait will be distributed to every Amerindian community in Region Two,” Singh is quoted as saying by the DPI. Regional Chairwoman Vilma DaSilva expressed gratitude for the intervention by the Minister and NAREI. She related that the flood had affected the livelihoods of farmers and the effects are still being expe-

rienced owing to reduced productivity.

“Since the relief effort started, farmers of Jacklow UPR, Marlborough LPR, Cozier Canal LPR have already benefitted. This assistance will greatly help farmers to restart production as well as reduce production cost. We want our farmers to produce and earn,” DaSilva said. NAREI is also helping to combat Acoushi ants in the region. A total of 300 packs of Acoushi ant bait will be distributed in the Pomeroon and Amerindian communities. This would be a collaboration between the Institute and the communities. Some communities that will receive bait this week are Wakapao, Akawini, Karawab, St Monica and Kabakaburi. Additionally, fogging exercises will be done in the various communities.

Albion.

Police had initially reported that he was attacked by his workmate, who goes by the alias “Gangster.”

According to the Police, another colleague told investigators that he was informed that “Gangster” had injured Dalchan during a misunderstanding.

During the attack, the labourer sustained wounds to his chest and left shoulder.

Dalchan was discovered in an unconscious state in the backlands and taken to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital, where he was admitted and later transferred to Georgetown Public Hospital for a Computerised Tomography Scan.

Meanwhile, the body is currently at the Georgetown Public Hospital Mortuary awaiting a post-mortem examination. (G4)

PI (Brazilian) variant.

“The sample was taken from a COVID-19 positive patient in the Mayaro County and was sent via the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) to UWI” and that “contact tracing required to restrict the spread of the virus has already begun”.

In Barbados, the island recorded three new positive cases of COVID-19 from among the 288 tests carried out by the Best-dos Santos Public Health Laboratory.

Additionally, 16 people were discharged, while 86 patients remain in isolation. The overall number of confirmed COVID-19 cases has moved to 3,784 and 3,681 persons have recovered. The virus has claimed

44 lives.

In Guyana, the Ministry of Health has announced that country recorded 38 new cases of the virus on Monday.

It also reported that 13 people are currently housed in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

This takes the total number of confirmed cases to 11,901 with 108,207 tests conducted thus far.

Of the new cases recorded, 22 are males and 16 are female. The daily COVID-19 dashboard related that 77 persons are in institutional isolation, 1294 in home isolation and 10 in institutional quarantine. The death toll is now 271 and 10,246 persons have recovered from the virus. (CMC)

Trinidad records COVID death, Brazilian variant

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rinidad and Tobago recorded one new death from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic while Barbados and Guyana reported new cases of the virus over the past 24 hours.

The Ministry of Health also announced that there were also 24 new cases, bringing the number of active cases here to 834.

The ministry did not disclose the gender of the person who died from the virus, but said the tally had now reached 154.

It said also that a variant of concern (VOC) had been detected in a local sample, which has since been sent to the University of the West Indies and it has since revealed the presence of the

NEWS

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TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

All systems go as school reopening expands in Antigua and Barbuda

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he expansion of the reopening of schools across Antigua and Barbuda for face-to face learning is expected to go quite smoothly, according to Director of Education, Clare Browne.

All private and public secondary and primary schools as well as preschools and daycare centres are opening for classes for all levels, following receipt of the green light to do so by the Cabinet last Wednesday.

Browne said he is confident that the principals, teachers and all those involved in the education system are “fully prepared” to accept students for the third and final term of the 20202021 academic year.

“Many principals and senior teachers have spent much time working out instructional plans for school that would have been tested during the first team of

teaching in September to December last year. These principals and teachers would have tested and adjustments made to make them better. The second term was aborted because of an epidemiological crisis beyond their control,” he remarked. Browne revealed that since the announcement was made two weeks ago to reopen schools in a phased manner allowing only fifth and sixth grades of primary schools and fourth and fifth forms in secondary schools to attend in-person teaching, the entire education system had been preparing for a full rollout of all students since then.

These included meetings with the principals of all public schools as well as meetings with representatives of the Private Educational Institutions of Antigua and Barbuda (PEIAB), which is a new or-

ganisation grouping these institutions. “I am persuaded that the principals of private and public schools are ready to revert to the instructional plans implemented in the first term which have been strengthened and tweaked to suit the individual schools in which they are being implemented,” he observed.

The Director of Education was also very complimentary towards the principals and teachers who he said have responded well to the crisis brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.

“I am very proud of our principals and teachers in the manner in which they have weathered the crisis; no university could have prepared you for what was to come with this pandemic,” he noted.

Over the next few weeks, Browne said the focus will be on helping students to

successfully navigate the CSEC examinations for those writing those exams and for those Grade Six students to be successful at the National Assessment exams. He added that for Grade Six students these exams are not for ‘pass’ purposes but for placement in the secondary school system come September. For all other students, the focus will be on completing the curriculum.

“The focus here will be on filling those gaps in the teaching of the curriculum to our students. We want to ensure that all students are taught the completed curriculum for his/ her level,” he remarked.

Browne took time to single out the relationship the ministry enjoys with the Antigua and Barbuda Union of Teachers (ABUT) and other stakeholders in education. He said there may be

Director of Education, Clare Browne

times when there are public spats between the ministry and the union but that they do not take away from the good relations between the two entities.

Similarly, he spoke to the importance of private schools to the educational system. He stated that the government schools cannot accommodate all the students in the country and this is where private schools assist by providing education to students opting for school within the private school system.

He however had a stern

warning to parents who failed to live up to their obligations to these institutions. “Some parents are failing to pay their school fees as required and this is not good. When private schools fail, this puts additional burdens on the public school system and helps no one,” he declared.

Browne is issuing an appeal to all involved in the education system to be vaccinated as this is the only sure way to defeat the virus and for the country to return to normality. (Antigua Newsroom)

Canada’s new budget sets aside Chad’s Deby wins 6th billions for pandemic support term as army fends off rebel advance C anadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government has unveiled a new budget that allocates billions of dollars to coronavirus-related support and stimulus measures, as the country struggles to contain a surging third wave of the pandemic.

Speaking in the House of Commons in Ottawa on Monday afternoon, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said the budget allocates $80.9bn ($101.4bn Canadian) over three years to help boost the economy.

Of the nearly $39.9bn ($50bn Canadian) in new spending this year, more than half will go to extending coronavirus recovery measures, including wage and rent subsidies, as well as to a new programme to help companies begin hiring workers again.

Another $23.9bn ($30bn Canadian) over five years

Canada's Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland watches Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as she delivers the budget in the House of Commons in Ottawa [Blair Gable/Reuters]

will help set up a nationwide childcare system in cooperation with Canadian provinces.

Freeland defended the budget price tag, saying Canadians are struggling due to COVID-19 and need support, while promising a return to more restrained spending once the pandemic

is under control.

“Some will say our sense of urgency is misplaced.

Some will say that we’re spending too much. To them, I say this: Did you lose your job during a COVID lockdown?” she said from the floor of the parliament.

“Our country cannot prosper if we leave hundreds

of thousands of Canadians behind.”

Canada is experiencing a surging third wave of the pandemic, with healthcare workers in the largest province, Ontario, sounding the alarm over rapidly rising infections and intensive care admissions.

Canada’s deficit for the fiscal year that started on April 1 will be the second largest in recent decades, with the closely watched debt-to-GDP (gross domestic product) ratio hitting 51.2 percent.

Daniel Beland, a professor at McGill University in Montreal and director of the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada, said in a statement that Monday’s budget “is perhaps the most important federal budget in a generation”. “We have never witnessed a longer gap between two federal budgets since 1867,” he said.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Big rise in numbers of migrant children on Mexico-US border

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he number of migrant children trying to reach the US from Mexico has increased ninefold since the start of 2021, UN children's agency Unicef says.

The rise from 380 to nearly 3,500 has overwhelmed the facilities at Mexico's reception centres, it says.

The children are mainly from Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador and Mexico itself. Half arrived without parents.

Nearly 300 children are added to their number every day, as they wait to cross into the US or are sent back.

In border towns like Reynosa migrant families are establishing makeshift

camps.

"We are deeply concerned that living conditions for migrant children and mothers in Mexico could soon deteriorate further," said Jean Gough, Unicef's regional director for Latin America and the Caribbean.

Many families will end up attempting to send their children over the border unaccompanied or via people traffickers, in the hope that - once inside the US - President Joe Biden's administration will reunite them with family members there, reports the BBC's Latin American correspondent Will Grant.

However, the Mexican government has recently sent troops to its south-

Migrant children wait to enter a temporary shelter in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico (Reuters photo)

ern border to clamp down on migration north, and many more unaccompanied young people and migrants' families are likely to be detained in the coming weeks, our correspondent says.

Last week, President Biden reversed course hours

after signing an order to keep the number of refugees admitted annually to the US at Trump-era levels.

Reports say Biden is concerned about letting in more people amid a record influx at the US-Mexico border.

(BBC)

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had's veteran president, Idriss Deby, has won a sixth term, provisional election results showed on Monday, as the army said it had beaten back a column of insurgents advancing on the capital, N'Djamena.

The 68-year-old Deby, who came to power in a rebellion in 1990, took 79.3% of the vote in the April 11 election, which was boycotted by top opposition leaders.

He was expected to give a victory speech to supporters, but his campaign director, Mahamat Zen Bada, said he had instead gone to visit Chadian soldiers on the front lines.

"The candidate would have liked to have been here to celebrate ... but right now, he is alongside our valiant defence and security forces to fight the terrorists threatening our territory," Zen Bada told reporters.

The rebel group Front for Change and Concord in Chad (FACT), which is based across the northern frontier with Libya, attacked a border post on election day and then advanced hundreds of kilometres (miles) south.

But it suffered a setback over the weekend. Chad's military spokesman, Azem Bermendao Agouna, told Reuters that army troops killed more than 300 insurgents and captured 150 on Saturday in Kanem province, around 300 km (185 miles) from N'Djamena.

Five government soldiers were killed and 36 were injured, he said.

FACT said in a statement that an "error" on Saturday had "slowed by a little bit the victorious march ... to N'Djamena" but that the

Chad's President Idriss Deby

rebels had routed the army in battle on Sunday and Monday, killing, wounding and capturing hundreds of soldiers. Reuters was not able to independently verify the tallies of casualties.

Chadian state television on Sunday showed images of a crowd of soldiers cheering next to what state television said were dozens of captured rebel fighters, who sat with their hands tied behind their backs.

The unrest has raised alarm bells among Western countries, which have seen Deby as an ally in the fight against Islamist extremist groups, including Boko Haram in the Lake Chad Basin and groups linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State in the Sahel.

Deby, who has long faced insurgencies in the north, is also dealing with mounting public discontent over his management of Chad's oil wealth and crackdowns on opponents. The United States ordered all of its non-essential embassy staff to leave the country on Saturday. The British government had urged its citizens to leave the previous day. (Reuters)

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guyanatimesgy.com

TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2021

Regional

Food Programme, Venezuela reach Vincentian group under World deal to supply food to 185,000 children fire for volcano trip T A

Vincentian adventure-seeking group has come under heavy criticism for their trip to the La Soufrière volcano on Sunday.

The group visited the volcano, which has been explosively erupting since April 9, on Sunday.

They later posted a video to their Youtube channel.

Hours after, at 16:49h, the volcano erupted again.

But while some praised their “bravery”, the man who has been the University of the West Indies (UWI) Seismic Research Centre’s foremost expert on the ongoing explosions has described their actions as “dotish”.

In a comment on the video, Professor Richard Robertson said the trip was unnecessary.

The five-minute plus video shows one of the men, from the group filming himself and the summit of the volcano.

He is heard saying repeatedly, “We outside!”

The summit itself seems to be an ash covered wasteland.

The La Soufrière volcano has erupted some 30 times since its explosive eruptions began on April 9.

The volcano continues

he United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP) and Venezuelan officials said on Monday they had reached a deal to supply food to schoolchildren in the South American country suffering a humanitarian crisis spurred by an economic collapse.

The programme will reach 185,000 children in the crisis-stricken country this year, and aims to expand to some 1.5 million by the end of the 2022-2023 school year, the WFP said in a statement. Child malnutrition has increased in Venezuela as the once-prosperous country’s economy

The St Vincentian adventure-seeking group who visited the La Soufriere volcano

to pose a threat to life in St Vincent and the ash fall from its eruptions has affected neighbouring islands and even countries as far as India.

Several of the explosions so far contain pyroclastic flows, a deadly mix of volcanic rock, gas, and ash.

Pyroclastic flows destroy anything in their path and moves at speeds of up to 200 miles an hour. Humans and most vehicles cannot outrun a pyroclastic flow.

In his comment on Sunday, Robertson said the

person filming was putting not only himself in danger but his entire group.

“I have personally told you that what you are doing is quite simply mad.

This volcano, in its current state, can erupt explosively without further warning,” Robertson wrote.

He said anyone on the volcano at the time of an eruption is at risk of dying horribly from blunt force trauma to the body, from excessive burns and asphyxiation. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

Jamaica: Digicel kicks off 20th anniversary celebrations with church service

W

ith powerful praise and soul-stirring songs Digicel gave thanks for 20 years of providing communication services to Jamaica at a service of thanksgiving held at Fellowship Tabernacle in St Andrew on Sunday.

The event, held on the eve of Digicel’s 20th anniversary, was attended by Science, Energy and Technology Minister Daryl Vaz; Opposition spokesman

on science, commerce and technology Hugh Graham; and several members of the Digicel executive management team.

Delivering greetings on behalf of Prime Minister Andrew Holness, Minister Vaz noted Digicel’s role in making the bold move to introduce advanced telecommunications services to Jamaica back in 2001. He singled out the work of then Science and Technology

Minister Phillip Paulwell, who saw to the breaking up of the telecoms monopoly and paved the way for Digicel to invest.

Vaz reiterated the Government’s responsibility to create an enabling environment for the telecommunications sector to offer quality services in a way that reduces the dimensions of digital inequality. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer )

C

Miguel Díaz-Canel (left) will take over as first secretary of the Central Committee of the Cuban Communist Party from Raúl Castro (right)

Díaz-Canel had not been officially named yet as first secretary, Raúl Castro said that

he would hand over the leadership to a younger generation “full of passion and an-

low the WFP to distribute food aid in Venezuela. The political Opposition accuses Maduro’s Government, which it calls a dictatorship, of conditioning State food assistance on political loyalty, a claim Maduro denies.

“Thank you for allowing us to be independent and to not let any of our work be politicised by anybody,” Beasley said. An earlier WFP statement had said schools were the “most appropriate platform” to “reach communities in an independent manner”.

The agreement was widely applauded by Venezuelan aid workers and activists.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Trinidad: 4 suspended officers sue CoP over appointing Barbados cops in DSS probe

F

our Police Officers who were suspended as part of an investigation into the return of more than TT$22 million in cash seized from Drugs Sou (DSS), last year have received the court’s permission to challenge Police Commissioner Gary Griffith’s appointment of two foreign investigators.

On Monday, Justice Nadia Kangaloo granted the officers leave to pursue their judicial review claim against the Commissioner.

The officers claim the appointment of the two Police Officers from Barbados was illegal, since the Special Reserve Police Act did not give the Commissioner the power to appoint anyone as SRPs to do a criminal investigation.

They allege that the cat-

alyst behind the appointments was the Government.

They relied on statements made by the Prime Minister at a post-budget public meeting and a press release from the National Security Minister speaking of the hiring of the two foreign cops. The officers also referred to statements made

by Griffith, who reportedly

said he welcomed “what the Prime Minister has done” and “It will assist me greatly”.

In their application, the officers – an Inspector, a Sergeant, and two Police Constables – say the commissioner acted irrationally and surrendered his independent statutory discretion to either the National Security Minister or the Prime Minister in making the appointments.

The application said the appointment of the two Barbadian officers was not a “genuine exercise of discretion” by the Commissioner.

It said the “impetus, genesis and driving force” (behind it) lay with the Executive and the two officers were appointed at the behest of politicians. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

The judgement issued Monday morning in London means that former PNP President Portia Simpson Miller, as well as Phillip Paulwell, Robert Pickersgill, Colin Campbell, and Norton Hinds must testify in open court about a $31-million donation by Trafigura Baheer to the then-governing PNP in 2006.

The matter was taken to the Privy Council after the Court of Appeal, in 2017, dismissed an appeal against a Supreme Court ruling that the five appellants must testify in open court about the Trafigura donation.

The money was deposited into an account named CCOC, which turned out to be the acronym for ‘Colin Campbell Our Candidate’ to which certain members of the PNP were signatories.

The money was transferred to the account just prior to the PNP’s annual conference that year.

At the time the PNP said the money was a donation,

but Trafigura said it was payment on a commercial transaction. The party later reported that the money was returned.

The Government of The Netherlands want to question the five appellants about the payment made to the PNP, which was the governing party at the time, while Trafigura had an oil-lifting agreement with Jamaica.

The National Public Prosecutor’s Office (NPPO) of The Netherlands is investigating alleged breaches of the Dutch Criminal Code by Trafigura Beheer BV for the potential bribery of public officials of Jamaica. Between December 2007 and May 2009, the NPPO wrote various letters to the Director of Public Prosecutions, which is the designated Central Authority under the Mutual Assistance (Criminal Matters) Act 1995, requesting assistance in the form of taking evidence from the appellants on oath or affirmation. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

Police Commissioner Gary Griffith

Privy Council dismisses appeal of PNP five in Trafigura case

T

he Judicial Committee of the United Kingdom Privy Council has dismissed the appeal of five members of the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) in the Trafigura case.

Miguel Díaz-Canel to lead Cuba’s Communist Party uba’s Communist Party has announced Miguel Díaz-Canel will succeed Raúl Castro as the party’s first secretary.

Díaz-Canel, who in 2018 succeeded Castro as Cuba’s President, had been widely tipped for the arguably more influential post of party leader.

The transition means that the island will be governed by someone other than Fidel or Raúl Castro for the first time since the Cuban revolution in 1959.

Díaz-Canel is seen as loyal to the Castros and their economic model.

Speaking on Friday, when

collapsed.

“This is the first step toward a series of ambitious projects that will provide food support to all of the Venezuelan people,” Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro said in an address from the Miraflores presidential palace broadcast on State television, where visiting WFP Executive Director David Beasley was also present.

“Count on me to tell you the truth, to communicate with you permanently, and to open the doors to new initiatives,” Maduro said.

Humanitarian aid groups have long pushed for Maduro’s Government to al-

ti-imperialist spirit”.

At 60, Díaz-Canel is almost 30 years younger than his predecessor.

It follows the announcement on Friday – on the first day of the party’s four-day congress – that Raúl Castro was stepping down from the key position of first secretary.

The 89-year-old had been in the post since 2011, when he took over from his older brother, Fidel Castro.

Between them, the two brothers have ruled Cuba since the 1959 revolution which overthrew the authoritarian ruler General Fulgencio Batista. (BBC News)

guyanatimesgy.com

TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2021

19

Around the World

OILNEWS OIL NEWS Oil climbs as dollar slumps; gains capped by pandemic surge

O

il prices edged higher on Monday, supported by a weaker US dollar but gains were capped by concerns about the impact on demand from rising coronavirus cases in India.

Brent crude settled up 28 cents, or 0.4 per cent, at US$67.05 a barrel, after rising 6 per cent last week. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) US oil ended the session up 25 cents, or 0.4 per cent, at US$63.38 a barrel, having gained 6.4 per cent last week.

The US dollar traded at a six-week low versus major peers on Monday, with Treasury yields hovering near their weakest in five weeks.

A weaker dollar makes oil cheaper for holders of other currencies. However, COVID-19 cases have surged in India, the world's third-biggest oil importer and consumer, dampening optimism for a sustained global recovery in demand.

"If today's broad-based weakness in the US dollar is sustained, the energy complex should be able to maintain the bulk of last week's gains," said Jim Ritterbusch, President of Ritterbusch and Associates.

"The primary hazard to continued oil price strength is the possible pre-emergence of COVID-19 case counts on a broad scale ... large portions of Asia are seeing a renewed increase in cases that could force a re-appraisal of recent upward global oil demand adjustments."

India reported a record rise in infections, which lifted overall cases to just over 15 million, making the country the second-worst affected after the United States, which has reported more than 31 million infections.

Deaths from COVID-19 in India also rose by a record 1619 to nearly 180,000.

The capital region of Delhi ordered a six-day lockdown, joining around 13 other states across India that have decided to impose restrictions, curfews or lockdowns in their cities.

"This new wave of measures, while so far likely to be less stringent than what we saw in March 2020, when gasoline and gasoil/diesel demand in the country fell by close to 60 per cent, is nevertheless set to weigh on transportation fuel consumption," consultancy JBC said.

Hong Kong will suspend flights from India, Pakistan and the Philippines from April 20 due to imported coronavirus infections, authorities said on Sunday.

Lending some support, Saudi Arabia's crude oil exports fell in February to their lowest in eight months, the Joint Organisations Data Initiative (JODI) said on Monday, as the world's biggest oil exporter voluntarily capped output to support oil prices.

JP Morgan now expects Brent prices to break the US$70 mark by May, compared with September in its previous forecast, the bank said in a recent note. It still expects them to finish the year at a similar level of about US$74. (Excerpt from Reuters)

World can bring pandemic under control within months – WHO chief

T

he world can bring the global COVID-19 pandemic under control in the coming months provided it distributes the necessary resources fairly, the head of the World Health Organisation (WHO) told a news briefing on Monday.

Global climate change activist Greta Thunberg, joining the briefing as a virtual guest from Sweden, took a swipe at "vaccine nationalism" and said it was unethical that rich countries were prioritising their younger citizens for vaccination ahead of vulnerable groups in developing countries.

"We have the tools to bring this pandemic under control in a matter of months, if we apply them consistently and equitably," said the head of WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

However, he also expressed concern over the "alarming rate" at which COVID-19 is spreading in those aged

L

launched in Germany and France.

"The groups call on Swedish judicial authorities to open an investigation into these attacks, so that Syrian officials responsible for these war crimes can be put on trial under the principle of universal jurisdiction," the groups behind the legal action said in a statement.

The Syrian Government denies ever using chemical weapons against its own civilians in the course of conflict with rebel forces. The conflict, which began in 2011, has largely subsided with Assad having regained control of most key territo-

25-59 worldwide, possibly due to much more contagious variants.

NASA successfully flies small helicopter on Mars

T

he American space agency has successfully flown a small helicopter on Mars.

The drone, called Ingenuity, was airborne for less than a minute, but NASA is celebrating what represents the first powered, controlled flight by an aircraft on another world.

The space agency is promising more adventurous flights in the days ahead.

Ingenuity will be com-

manded to fly higher and further as engineers seek to test the limits of the technology.

The rotorcraft was carried to Mars in the belly of Nasa's Perseverance Rover, which touched down in Jezero Crater on the Red Planet in February.

"We can now say that human beings have flown a rotorcraft on another planet," said a delighted MiMi Aung, project manager for

Ingenuity at Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California.

Ingenuity even carries a small swatch of fabric from one of the wings of Flyer 1, the aircraft that made that historic flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, more than 117 years ago.

Getting airborne on the Red Planet is not easy. The atmosphere is very thin, just 1 per cent of the density here on Earth. This gives the

blades on a rotorcraft very little to bite into to gain lift.

There's help from the lower gravity at Mars, but still - it takes a lot of work to get up off the ground.

Ingenuity was therefore made extremely light and given the power (a peak power of 350 watts) to turn those blades extremely fast - at over 2500 revolutions per minute for this particular flight. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Pakistan PM calls for West to criminalise blasphemy against Islam

P

akistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has called for Muslimmajority countries to band together to lobby Western Governments to criminalise the insulting of Islam’s prophet, as negotiations between his Government and a far-right anti-blasphemy religious group continue.

In a televised address to the nation from the capital, Islamabad, on Monday, Khan said he would lead a campaign of Muslim-

Victims of chemical attacks in Syria file complaint with Swedish Police awyers representing victims of chemical weapons attacks in Syria filed a criminal complaint with Swedish Police on Monday, calling for an investigation into the role of officials in President Bashar al-Assad's Government.

Allegations of war crimes can be investigated by Swedish Police regardless of where they were committed.

Similar legal actions, taken by groups such as Civil Rights Defenders, the Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression, Syrian Archive, and the Open Society Justice Initiative on behalf of victims have already been

World Health Organisation (WHO) Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus attends a news conference organised by Geneva Association of United Nations Correspondents (ACANU) amid the COVID-19 outbreak, caused by the novel coronavirus, at the WHO headquarters in Geneva Switzerland July 3, 2020

"It took nine months to reach one million deaths; 4 months to reach 2 million, and 3 months to reach 3 million."

Thunberg said that whereas one in four people in high-income countries had now been vaccinated against COVID-19, only one in more than 500 people in poorer countries had received a shot.

"Vaccine nationalism is what is running the vaccine distribution," she said.

"The only morally right thing to do is to prioritise the people who are most vulnerable, whether they live in a high income or a low income country."

Thunberg also drew a direct link between the pandemic and the environmental destruction that she said made it much easier for dangerous viruses to leap from animal populations to humans. (Excerpt from Reuters)

ry with Russian and Iranian military support.

According to the complaint, the Syrian Government used chemical weapons in attacks on the opposition-held towns of Ghouta in 2013 and Khan Sheikhoun in 2017.

Hundreds of civilians, including children, were killed.

"In the ten years since the first assaults on pro-democracy protesters in Syria, the government has used chemical weapons more than 300 times to terrorize the civilian population," said Steve Kostas, a lawyer at the Justice Initiative. (Excerpt from Reuters)

majority countries to “convince” Western countries on the issue of blasphemy against the Prophet Muhammad.

“We need to explain why this hurts us, when in the name of freedom of speech they insult the honour of the prophet,” Khan said.

“When 50 Muslim countries will unite and say this, and say that if something like this happens in any country, then we will launch a trade boycott on them and not buy their goods, that will have an effect.”

Khan likened the issue to that of the Holocaust, saying the Western nations had understood that questioning the Holocaust hurt the sen-

timents of the Jewish community, and that it needed to treat the issue of insulting Islam’s Prophet Muhammad in a similar manner.

Khan’s address came as his Government continued to negotiate on Monday with the far-right Tehreeke-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) group, which held days of violent protests last week and abducted several Police officers on Sunday as they continued their agitations on the issue of perceived “blasphemy” by the French President Emmanuel Macron.

Since November, the TLP has demanded that Pakistan expel the French ambassador over comments

Khan's statement came amid continuing negotiations between his Government and the TLP, a far-right antiblasphemy religious group [Mohammad Ismail/Reuters]

by Macron where he defended a publication’s right to republish caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad, an act considered “blasphemous” by some Muslims. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

New Zealand says it will set China policy, not US-led Five Eyes

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ew Zealand will not let the United Statesled Five Eyes alliance dictate its dealings with China, the Pacific nation’s Foreign Minister said on Monday, adding that Wellington is “uncomfortable” with expanding the remit of the intelligence grouping, which also includes the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada.

Nanaia Mahuta’s comments came as tensions between the US, its allies and

China soar amid differences on a range of issues, including trade, technology and Beijing’s actions in Hong Kong, Xinjiang and the South China Sea. China is New Zealand’s largest trading partner, and Mahuta told the Government-funded New Zealand China Council that Wellington wanted to chart its own course in dealings with China.

China’s Foreign Ministry has repeatedly criticised the

Five Eyes alliance after all members issued a joint statement about the treatment of Hong Kong pro-democracy legislators in November.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying also accused the Five Eyes last month of taking “coordinated steps to gang up on China” after Australia and New Zealand issued a joint statement condemning Beijing’s treatment of the Uighur minority in Xinjiang.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

20

TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2021

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ARCHIE

ARIES

(March 21April 19)

Be bold, share your thoughts and feelings, and bring about changes that will make it easier for you to follow your heart. An adjustment at home will encourage you to be more productive.

Listen carefully. Giving others the chance to explain (April 20themselves will make it easier May 20) for you to keep the peace. Take the high road, and you’ll have no regrets. Personal growth will lead to better decisions.

TAURUS

DILBERT

Your curiosity will get you GEMINI into trouble if you don’t abide (May 21- by the rules and regulations.

June 20) Think twice before you get involved in something questionable. An impulsive move will limit you.

CANCER (June 21July 22)

Money will be tight if you haven’t saved for an unexpected expense. Don’t feel you must buy someone’s love or purchase things for others. Keep your life simple and moderate, and live within your means.

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Mixing business with pleasure will put you in a vulnerable position. Don’t share personal information or give anyone insight into your feelings. Time is on your side; for now, gather information.

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

Listen and observe, and you will gain insight into what others want. Fine-tune your message based on what will be accepted by the majority. There is no need for risk if you choose your words wisely.

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

Take on a challenge, but don’t make cash donations or place a bet. Investments and joint ventures will not turn out as anticipated. Focus on self-improvement, fitness and expanding your knowledge.

PEANUTS

CALVIN AND HOBBES

SCORPIO

SUDOKU

(Oct. 24Nov. 22)

You’ll have trouble making up your mind. When in doubt, go back to the drawing board and do your research.

Find a fresh angle on something you want to pursue.

Take the high road, do SAGITTARIUS what’s right and steer clear (Nov. 23of joint ventures. Put your Dec. 21) money and possessions somewhere safe. Verify any information you receive before passing it along.

Take care of personal and CAPRICORN family matters yourself. Don’t (Dec. 22let anyone meddle or take adJan. 19) vantage of your vulnerability.

Personal improvements will lift your spirits. Romance is in the stars.

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

Rethink your plans, with the lessons of experience in mind. Don’t give in to someone playing mind games.

Someone will make an unexpected move; don’t let it fluster you.

Do the best job possible, PISCES apply for a new position and (Feb. 20update your skills and qualiMarch 20) fications. Consider what you can do, and make a positive attempt to reach your goal.

TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2021

21

UEFA blasts “disgraceful” Super League plan, threatens clubs with ban

E

uropean soccer’s governing body UEFA on Monday said clubs and players joining a proposed breakaway Super League could be banned from all of its competitions and the World Cup as it condemned a “disgraceful and self-serving proposal”.

Addressing an emergency meeting the day after 12 of Europe’s top clubs announced the breakaway, UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin upped the ante, describing the Super League plan as a “spit in the face” of all football lovers.

“My opinion is that as soon as possible they (the clubs) have to be banned from all our competitions and the players from all our competitions,” he added.

The US investment bank JP Morgan is financing the new league, which includes clubs such as Real Madrid and Manchester United and is a rival to UEFA’s established Champions League, Europe’s elite club competition.

JP Morgan is providing a 3.5 billion euro (US$4.21 billion) grant to the founding clubs to spend on infrastructure and recovery from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The bitter battle for control of the game in Europe and its multibillion-dollar revenues entered a new phase with a letter sent by the 12 clubs to UEFA on Monday in which they said they would take legal steps in unnamed

courts to protect their interests as they set up the league.

The breakaway has been criticised by soccer authorities, fan organisations, and several politicians across Europe who say it entrenches the wealth and power of a small elite of clubs.

The breakaway clubs --six from the English Premier League plus three each from Spain and Italy – will be guaranteed places in the new competition in contrast to the Champions League, which requires teams to qualify via their domestic leagues.

“Disgraceful proposal”

UEFA chief Ceferin said the Super League went against the core of the European football pyramid in which all clubs can dream to play in the Champions League.

“UEFA and the football world stand united against the disgraceful and self-serving proposal we have seen in the last 24 hours for a select few clubs in Europe motivated by greed. We are all united against this nonsense of a project,” he added.

“As previously announced by (soccer’s world governing body) FIFA and the six (continental) federations, the players... in teams that might play in the closed league will be banned from playing in the World Cup and Euros....

“We’re still assessing with our legal team, but we will take all the sanctions that we can.”

FIFA had warned in

Founding members

January that any breakaway league would not be recognised and that players taking part could be banned from the World Cup. FIFA issued a statement on Sunday, noting its “disapproval” of a “closed European breakaway league”.

Bans or other sanctions could open the way for complicated legal battles. The Super League letter urged FIFA and UEFA to agree to talks and said they wanted the breakaway league to exist alongside current European club competitions.

The UEFA meeting was originally scheduled to confirm plans to expand the Champions League from 32 to 36 teams and create more group stage games before the knockout rounds – a move designed to appease the top clubs.

Ceferin said the new format would start from the 2024-25 season but it has been overshadowed by the Super League announcement.

He also stressed that UEFA distributes close to 90 per cent of its revenues back to

all levels of the game.

“So whoever thinks Super League is about money and UEFA is about money as well is not right. Super League is only about money, money of the dozen, I don’t want to call them dirty dozen, but UEFA is about developing football,” Ceferin said.

While guaranteed spots in the Super League go against long-standing tradition in European football, the founding clubs argue it will create a more sustainable financial model.

“The formation of the Super League comes at a time when the global pandemic has accelerated the instability in the existing European football economic model,” the clubs said.

In the past, breakaway threats have led to compromises between UEFA and the big clubs in the Champions League, over the format and revenue distribution.

This is the first time the wealthiest clubs have gone beyond threats and taken the step of creating a new league.

Amid financial challenges, CWI restores full salaries across the board D

espite admitting that their finances were in dire straits, Cricket West Indies (CWI) President Ricky Skerritt has revealed that staff and players are now receiving their full salaries again after agreeing to a 50 per cent pay-cut last year.

It was in July 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic which left CWI facing a major loss of income in the absence of regular cricketing activities, that CWI enforced pay cuts across the board, but the President now said all salaries were back to normal, even if only temporarily.

“The cut doesn’t exist at the moment…but let me just remind you (the cut) was part of the crisis management strategy,” he told Line & Length on Sportsmax over the weekend.

“We had put in place what

we had called a financial strategy advisory committee, which was a small task force combined from our finance committee and our audit risk along with the compliance committee, the CEO (Johnny Grave) and myself.

“The pandemic isn’t over, but we have relaxed one of those conditions, which is we are back to full remuneration,” said the 64-year-old Kittitian.

According to auditors KPMG, the Board’s financial records show that CWI’s liabilities exceed assets and raised the “material uncertainty” about the sports organisation’s ability to keep operating indefinitely.

“We draw attention to Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements, which describes that the group’s revenue is cyclical in nature and

depends on the popularity of the various reciprocal tours undertaken by West Indies teams,” the independent auditor’s report said.

“As at September 30, 2020, the group’s current liabilities exceeded its current assets by US$14,836,946 and its total liabilities exceeded its total assets by US$10,747,720.

“These events or conditions, along with other matters as set forth in Note 2, indicate that a material uncertainty exists that may cast significant doubt on the group’s ability to continue as a going concern. Our opinion is not modified in respect of this matter.”

Skerritt, who was just handed another two-year term along with his Vice President, Vincentian Dr Kishore Shallow, also indicated there were much bet-

CWI President Ricky Skerritt ter relations with stakeholders, players, and staff over the last two years.

“The whole process is to not distract players away from their focus on cricket as far as possible and doesn’t give any interventions or any intrusions from an administrative or management level that can cause the players any kind of distress or any kind of unnatural concerns to do with the environment they find themselves in, whether on tour or not,” the CWI President said.

(Sportsmax)

As well as Manchester United, owned by the American Glazer family, USowned Premier League clubs Liverpool and Arsenal, AbuDhabi-backed Manchester City, Russian-owned Chelsea, and Tottenham Hotspur, who sacked their manager Jose Mourinho on Monday, have signed up to the plans.

Barcelona and Atletico Madrid join Real Madrid from Spain, while AC Milan and Inter Milan join the trio from Italy along with Juventus.

Qatari-owned Paris StGermain and European champions Bayern Munich, which is majority-owned by the fans, have not signed up, meaning France and Germany are not represented.

The Super League said it was aiming to have 15 founding members and a 20-team league with five other clubs qualifying each season and would start playing as “soon as is practicable”.

Fans of clubs involved

have united in condemnation as have major European domestic leagues and football federations. French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi have also voiced concerns.

“We are going to look at everything that we can do with the football authorities to make sure that this doesn’t go ahead in the way that it’s currently being proposed,” Johnson said in a pooled interview.

British broadcaster BT Sport, which pays hundreds of millions of pounds a year to show the Champions League, said the game needed to be protected.

“BT recognises the concerns raised by many of football’s leading voices and fans, and believes the formation of a European Super League could have a damaging effect to the long-term health of football in this country,” it said. (Reuters)

NACAC to make final decision on 2021 Carifta Games in May after Bermuda experiences COVID-19 spikes

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ith recent spikes in the number of COVID-19 cases in Bermuda, a final decision on the fate of the 2021 Carifta Games will be announced in May. The May date for a final decision was arrived at during a North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletics Association (NACAC) meeting on Saturday attended virtually by member federations as well as chairs of NACAC commissions and working groups.

This year’s edition of the Carifta Games is scheduled for August 13-15, in Bermuda. The regional junior meet was not held in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Bermuda transferred its hosting responsibilities to 2021.

The pandemic eliminated the possibility of staging the Games on Easter weekend.

NACAC had chosen July 2, 3 and 4 as the new dates, but was forced to postpone again because of the scheduling of Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) external exams.

The August dates, however, are now under threat.

Bermuda is currently experi-

encing a spike in COVID-19 cases. At Saturday’s meeting, Carifta 2021 Local Organising Committee (LOC) member Mia Bean spoke about a non-negotiable requirement that any unvaccinated visitor to Bermuda must be quarantined for 14 days.

Since the vaccination requirement would impact all under-17 athletes as well as some of the under-20s, it is a major stumbling block.

Other potential challenges were put on the table, including the impact of positive COVID-19 tests during the Games, available hotel rooms, and timelines for booking charters and making payments.

Following extensive discussions, the Carifta 2021 LOC was given until April 30 to report to the NACAC Council on the latest situation with all the issues raised at the information session.

The LOC is expected to meet with Bermuda Government officials before the monthend deadline.

Following receipt of the Bermuda LOC report, the NACAC Council will make a decision and communicate it to member federations.

(Sportsmax)

22

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2021

Batting depth, spin twins Moeen Ali and Ravindra Jadeja seal it for Chennai Super Kings

Moeen Ali bagged three wickets

A

batting order that stretches all the way down to number 11 continues to mask the Chennai Super Kings' flaws – two very glaring ones at least. But the rest of their team is functioning pretty well. Too well as it turned out for Rajasthan Royals, who collapsed in the middle overs in a chase of 188, and were beaten long before the match ended.

The opener rising to the challenge

When Faf du Plessis walks out to bat, he knows he needs to score runs for two people, and he kinda seems

okay with it.

Jaydev Unadkat probably was not. He was left totally confused as he leaked two fours behind the wicket and two sixes in front of it.

Du Plessis' innovation – he appears one of the few Super Kings batsmen willing to try unorthodox shots – helped them to 46 for 2 in the powerplay. And so long as he can do that, his under-fire partner has some room to breathe.

Ruturaj Gaikwad does not have a power game and in all three of his innings so far, he has looked very out of place.

The fading captain

T h e r e were so many times in the past that the arriva l

Jos Buttler scored 49 in a losing effort

of MS Dhoni, with the score at 125 and six overs left in the game, would herald total destruction.

Here he

Dwayne Bravo scored 20 off 8 balls

faced 17 of the last 37 balls of the innings and made 18 uncomfortable runs. A run a ball for half the deliveries at the death is not ideal.

The Royals deserve credit for that. They forced him to play spin, which he hates at the start of his innings, and their two left-arm quicks, Chetan Sakariya in particular, were brilliant with their changes of pace.

It's not just that Dhoni's powers are fading. His opponents know just what to do to make them fade.

The end-overs rally

The Super Kings bat deep. And they just would not stop swinging.

Sam Curran (13 off six) launched his second delivery for a jaw-dropping six over point. It is hard to reconcile his power and his frame.

But he has it. And he uses it superbly.

Dwayne Bravo (20* off eight) was on it too, starting

Friends of Adams T20 Developmental Tournament

Looknauth, Fredericks, Gibson record fifties W ell-played and classy half-centuries from Richie Looknauth, Norman Fredericks, and Orin Gibson highlighted the day of action as the Friends of Adams/Team Daniels South Essequibo Cricket Development Tournament got underway. All matches were played at the Golden Fleece Ground under strict COVID-19 guidelines.

In match number one, the Jaguars defeated Golden Fleece Under-19 by 49 runs.

The Jaguars won the toss and opted to bat; they posted a total of 121-3 in 12 overs.

Top-scoring was Gibson with 66 (4x4, 3x6), while Rayon DeCosta made 20 not out (2x6) and Shaieed Khan 16.

In reply, Golden Fleece could only produce 72-8 in their 12 overs; scoring for them were Rohan Persaud (19 – 2x4, 1x6); Jarred Allicock (17 – 2x4). Bowling for the Jaguars

were Fezal Mohamed (3-6) and Anthony Osborne (2-21).

In match number two, NOC thrashed Scheme Gunners by seven wickets. Gunners won the toss and batted first, scoring 110-4 in 12 overs.

Leading the way was Fredericks with 79 not out (7x6, 2x4). Royan “Norwayne” Fredericks made 16, while Keon Davis bagged 2-18 for NOC. In reply, NOC raced to 112-3 in 9.2 overs.

Leading the batting was Mark Gonsalves (43 – 3x4, 3x6), with Reaz Mohamed scoring 35 not out (1x4, 4x6) and Kevon Boodie 22 (3x6).

Spearheading the bowling for the opposition was Matthew Pellow (2-24).

In the final match ,Venom duked it out with Crown Xi and won by 80 runs. Venom won the toss and batted first, posting 156-5 in 15 overs.

Top-scoring was Looknauth (61 – 5x6, 3x4), with support

Richie Looknauth scored 61 and bagged 3-6

from Romario Mohabir (43 – 6x6) and David Williams (22 – 1x6, 1x4). Bowling were Mahendra Raj (2-21) and Ramsingh Tajbally (2-23). In the end, Crown XI could only manage 76-10 in 11.1 overs.

Putting up some resistance for them were Besham Dasrat (21 – 3x6) and Shannon Jagmohan (16 – 1x6, 1x4).

Leading the bowling for Venom were Looknauth (36); Sachin Persaud (3-18) and Ramkisson Seeram 2-6.

off with a vintage loft over extra cover and signing off with a six straight down the ground.

The amount of effort he was putting into clearing the boundary was apparent when one time when he tried the bat just flew out of his hand and went halfway to fine leg.

Thanks to their efforts, the Super Kings made 45 runs off the last three overs to finish with 188.

The new Mr Super King

Last season he was their best hitter. And as a result of that, the management is now giving him the chance to face more deliveries. Ravindra Jadeja walked out to bat in the 14th over tonight. And while he could not reprise his big-hitting heroics from 2020, he has found his bowling groove again.

An impossibly beautiful delivery that bowled Jos Buttler was ample proof of that.

It pitched on middle and leg, at a spot and pace that did not allow the batter to

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Faf du Plessis scored a quickfire 33

push forward or back, and turned waspishly to strike the middle and off stumps.

Buttler was practically keeling over, his balance and his wicket both ripped out of his hands.

That kickstarted a Royals collapse. Five wickets – two to Jadeja, three to Moeen Ali – for just eight runs. And here are the names that were part of that procession. Shivam Dube, David Miller, Chris Morris and Riyan Parag. All potential match-winners. All undone in the tamest way.

The first two lbw playing across the line. The next two caught slogging to the deep.

With Royals slipping from 87 for 2 to 95 for 7, their chase was, y'know… sad face emoji. (ESPNcricinfo)

SCOREBOARD CHENNAI SUPER KINGS INNINGS (20 OVERS MAXIMUM) Ruturaj Gaikwad c Dube b Mustafizur Rahman 10 Faf du Plessis c Parag b Morris 33 Moeen Ali c Parag b Tewatia 26 Suresh Raina c Morris b Sakariya 18 Ambati Rayudu c Parag b Sakariya 27 Ravindra Jadeja c †Samson b Morris 8 MS Dhoni (c)† c Buttler b Sakariya 18 Sam Curran run out (Mustafizur Rahman/†Samson) 13 Dwayne Bravo not out 20 Shardul Thakur run out (†Samson/Mustafizur Rahman) 1 Deepak Chahar not out 0 Extras (b 1, lb 4, nb 1, w 8) 14 TOTAL (20 Ov, RR: 9.40) 188/9 Fall of wickets: 1-25 (Ruturaj Gaikwad, 3.5 ov), 2-45 (Faf du Plessis, 5.4 ov), 3-78 (Moeen Ali, 9.2 ov), 4-123 (Ambati Rayudu, 13.2 ov), 5-125 (Suresh Raina, 13.5 ov), 6-147 (MS Dhoni, 17.2 ov), 7-163 (Ravindra Jadeja, 18.3 ov), 8-174 (Sam Curran, 19.1 ov), 9-180 (Shardul Thakur, 19.4 ov) BOWLING Jaydev Unadkat Chetan Sakariya Mustafizur Rahman Chris Morris

4-0-40-0 4-0-36-3 4-0-37-1 4-0-33-2

Rahul Tewatia Riyan Parag

3-0-21-1 1-0-16-0

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(Ext 55)

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RAJASTHAN ROYALS INNINGS (TARGET: 189 RUNS FROM 20 OVERS) Jos Buttler b Jadeja 49 Manan Vohra c Jadeja b Curran 14 Sanju Samson (c)† c Bravo b Curran 1 Shivam Dube lbw b Jadeja 17 David Miller lbw b Ali 2 Riyan Parag c Jadeja b Ali 3 Rahul Tewatia c Gaikwad b Bravo 20 Chris Morris c Jadeja b Ali 0 Jaydev Unadkat c Jadeja b Thakur 24 Chetan Sakariya not out 0 Mustafizur Rahman not out 0 Extras (b 1, lb 3, nb 1, w 8) 13 TOTAL (20 Ov, RR: 7.15) 143/9 Fall of wickets: 1-30 (Manan Vohra, 3.5 ov), 2-45 (Sanju Samson, 5.5 ov), 3-87 (Jos Buttler, 11.1 ov), 4-90 (Shivam Dube, 11.6 ov), 5-92 (David Miller, 12.5 ov), 6-95 (Riyan Parag, 14.1 ov), 7-95 (Chris Morris, 14.3 ov), 8-137 (Rahul Tewatia, 18.6 ov), 9-143 (Jaydev Unadkat, 19.2 ov) BOWLING Deepak Chahar Sam Curran Shardul Thakur Ravindra Jadeja Dwayne Bravo Moeen Ali

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TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2021

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

4th developmental meet pushed to April 24 …postponement due to COVID-19 concerns T

he Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) last week made the decision to postpone its fourth developmental meet owing to coronavirus concerns.

Sunday, April 18 would have marked the fourth developmental meet on Guyana’s athletics calendar. The weekend of April 17 and 18 was initially penciled in to host the country’s Senior National Track and Field Championships, but this plan was quashed owing to issues with the track and starting blocks, which were not up to international standard.

The revised plan to host a developmental meet in that slot instead was, however, also not seen through, owing to the decision by AAG to postpone the event.

Speaking via telephone with Guyana Times Sport on Monday, AAG President Aubrey Hutson shared why

his Association made that move.

“The decision, as a matter of fact, to postpone was done against the backdrop of us observing in Guyana that the number of COVID cases are rising,” Hutson explained.

He added, “And we are still in a dilemma, as it relates to what's going to happen at the South American level with Argentina.”

“Just coming off of another developmental [meet], I think, give it some space, and I hope that the numbers go down, so we could have a comfortable meet,” the athletics boss concluded.

A fourth meet is still on the cards and is expected to be executed this coming weekend, on Saturday, April 24, with requisite permission from the National COVID-19 Task Force.

In the meantime, while the national meet was put

on hold, club training was not, giving Coaches ample time to get their athletes prepared for the approaching competition.

“No, no, no, our athletes are training; you know, doing what they have to do,” Hutson disclosed.

He continued, “But in order for you to prepare for competition, the Coach will need to know long beforehand exactly which days we will have competition, to know, you know, how to schedule his training, what kind of sessions to have AAG President Aubrey Hutson with his athletes in Meanwhile, the preparation.”

Additionally, accord- South American Senior which ing to the athletics boss, Championships, this shift in dates will are slated for May 14-16, not affect the May 29 and still remain a question May 30 dates scheduled mark, owing to the risfor the National Senior ing COVID-19 cases in the South American region.

Championships.

FIBA World Cup Central America and the Caribbean Pre-Qualifiers 2023…

Guyana remain winless after defeat by Costa Rica T

– Rose Jr, James, Moe, Bovell among top performers

rying their best, but failing yet again were Team Guyana who registered another loss in the FIBA World Cup Central America and the Caribbean PreQualifiers 2023. This time it was to Costa Rica 78-75, spelling the end of the road for Team Guyana who lost all four of their matches.

Costa Rica held off the final-quarter push Stanton Rose Jr from Guyana, who entered the fourth trailing by 10 (6656), and quickly tied it at 66 after two minutes at the José Adolfo Pineda National Gymnasium in El Salvador.

Costa Rica then recovered the lead and had the game 77-69, with 4:05 minutes left on the clock.

Guyana Delroy James challenged with a three-pointmade three consecutive deer from Delroy James, which brought them fensive stops to secure the recloser 77-75, with 2:11 re- sult.

Forward Daniel Shedden maining. But after that efled Costa Rica with 19 points, fort, Guyana apparently ran out of fuel and could not including four three-pointscore another basket. Credit ers, while Martinez had 14. also goes to the winners who James, with 29 points and

Anthony Moe

Deylon Bovell

12 rebounds, was the most prominent player for Guyana, followed by Stanton Rose Jr with 16.

At the end of the competition, Rose Jr had scored a total of 74 points over the

four games with an average of 18.5 per game.

His deputy, Delroy James a total of 89 points with an average of 22.3 per game.

The only other two players to fall within a respectable mark were Anthony Moe and Deylon Bovell with 45 and 40 points each, at an average of 15 and 10 per game.

On the last day of action, Nicaragua will meet Costa Rica (4:00pm l o c a l time) and Jamaica will go up against hosts El Salvador (7:00pm), to solidify the three teams that will advance to the second round of the FIBA ??World Cup Pre-Qualifiers 2023, to be held in July.

(Adapted from fiba.basketball)

23

Hero CPL joins forces with Caribbean Cricket Podcast

T

Caribbean Cricket Podcast founders Machel St Patrick Hewitt and Santokie Nagulendran

he Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) has joined forces with the Caribbean Cricket Podcast to bring even more engaging and entertaining content to its ever-growing social media following.

The Caribbean Cricket Podcast, hosted by Machel St Patrick Hewitt and Santokie Nagulendran, has seen phenomenal growth over the last 12 months and has been given increasing recognition from established cricketing pundits for the depth and insight their show has offered.

This partnership with Hero CPL will see the Caribbean Cricket Podcast given a much bigger audience with the podcast being available across the CPL’s social media channels which have a combined following of six million.

The CPL will work with the Caribbean Cricket Podcast to source guests and improve production values to build on an already very strong show that offers in-depth coverage and opinions on cricket in the Caribbean.

CPL’s Head of Marketing, Chris Watson said: “At CPL, we are always working hard to produce year-round engaging content and we have been really impressed at what

CPL’s Head of Marketing, Chris Watson

the Caribbean Cricket Podcast have been producing. We look forward to working with them to make something that is already very good even better and ensure that even more listeners tune in to the podcast.”

Santokie and Machel, founders of the Caribbean Cricket Podcast, said: ‘’This is a massively exciting partnership, we look forward to our content, which engages stakeholders across the Region, being brought to a bigger audience via CPL channels.

The CPL has established itself as an integral part of cricket in the Caribbean, and it is a pleasure to be working alongside them.

We will continue to create the podcasts and videos that fans have enjoyed so much over the past year and take things to the next level with this partnership.’’ (CPLT20.com)

Kendall’s Union Sports Club secures million-dollar sponsorship

K

endall’s Union Sports Club last Sunday secured the sponsorship of Shudeo Bachan (Amar) and his family. Bachan and his family have been supporting the club for the past four years, particularly its children’s Christmas party and back-to-school programme.

Following some discussions between the executives and Bachan, he agreed to sponsor the club and made a significant donation of over $1 million in cash and kind to the club and also to members of the community on April 11.

The donations received

Shudeo Bachan (Amar) and his family

included cricket gear, white uniforms, floppy hats, caps; shirts for the youth teams; four wheelchairs; walking sticks; pressure kits; 12 shirts for the executives and over $170,000 in cash prizes.

TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2021

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

FIBA World Cup Central America and the Caribbean Pre-Qualifiers 2023…

Pg 23

Guyana remain winless after defeat by Costa Rica

– Rose Jr, James, Moe, Bovell among top performers Pg 23

4th developmental meet pushed to April 24

Local athletes are expected to head back to the track this weekend

…postponement due to COVID-19 concerns See story on page 23

HERO CPL Joins Forces With Caribbean Cricket Podcast

Kendall’s Union Sports Club secures milliondollar sponsorship GUYANA TIMES - www.guyanatimesgy.com, email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, NEWS HOTLINE: 231-8063 EDITORIAL: 223-7230, 223-7231, 231-0544, 225-7761 SPORT: sport@guyanatimesgy.com SALES AND MARKETING: 231-8064 - marketing@guyanatimesgy.com - PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY GUYANA TIMES INC.

Pg 23