Guyana Times - Tuesday, February 2, 2021

MoE launches “Be Kind” P13 campaign to tackle cyberbullying on social media Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Issue No. 4547

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2021

Govt moves motion to remove Patterson as PAC Chairman – Opposition's refusal to submit replacement leaves PAC in limbo See story on page 3

Uncle attacks, kills 2 nephews at Berbice wedding house See story on page 11

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

Gazetted P17 COVID-19 guidelines extended until February 28 – bars can open to 40% capacity

Soldier charged for killing P16 Pomeroon farmer in boat mishap

– suspect arrested, murder weapon retrieved

Canada pledges more assistance to Guyana in combating COVID-19 as new envoy accredited – President Ali lauds partnership between 2 countries

Fire averted at Shaheed P10 Orphanage

Page 7

Man crushed to death P12 at Houston worksite by excavator

His Excellency, President Irfaan Ali poses with newly-accredited Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana, His Excellency, Mark Berman; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hugh Todd and Permanent Secretary of the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Elisabeth Harper

Region 10 Guyana to get 104,000 AstraZeneca Amerindian villages vaccines from COVAX receive $92M from COVID-19 Relief Fund – Health Minister See story on page 9

Page 16

CIOG calls P13 for release of Guyanese fishermen from Venezuela – says Venezuela in violation of international human rights

Man arraigned for murdering P10 vagrant

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

NEWS

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS OPENINGS BRIDGE

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, February 2 – 09:00h – 10:30h and Wednesday, February 3 – 09:30h – 11:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, February 2 – 07:35h – 09:05h and Wednesday, February 3 – 08:15h – 09:45h.

Govt moves motion to remove Patterson as PAC Chairman

– Opposition's refusal to submit replacement leaves PAC in limbo

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Expect light cloud during the day. There will be partly cloudy skies during the night.

Temperatures should range between 22 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-Easterly to North-Easterly between 1.78 metres and 4.47 metres.

High Tide: 07:48h and 20:12h reaching maximum heights of 2.63 metres and 2.62 metres.

Low Tide: 13:43h reaching a minimum height of 0.59 metre.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 30, 2021

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COMMODITIES Indicators

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Government PAC members Sanjeev Datadin (left) and Juan Edghill speaking with the media after the meeting

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he Public Accounts Committee (PAC) meeting came to a halt on Monday after a motion of no-confidence was moved against Chairman David Patterson and his Opposition colleagues refused to take up the seat he left behind after he recused himself.

The motion, calling for Patterson to step down as PAC Chairman, was moved by Government Chief Whip and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Gail Teixeira. While Teixeira moved the motion, the Opposition side argued steadfastly for Patterson to be retained.

The standing orders stipulate that only the Opposition can chair the PAC. The result was that when Patterson eventually recused himself, the rest of his Opposition colleagues’ refusal to take up the chair caused the entire meeting, which was a closed-door affair that excluded the media, to come to a close.

During an interview with the media afterwards, Public Works Minister and PAC member Juan Edghill was peeved at the Opposition’s stance. He noted that they are currently examining the former A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government’s spending in office and described it as an effort by the Opposition to avoid scrutiny of their record.

“We had a long debate which was totally unnecessary. The Clerk of the National Assembly (Sherlock Issacs) was summoned to give guidance and clarity, which he did, indicating that the motion was proper, it can be put and it should be voted on… at that stage, after the Clerk gave his clarifications, Mr Patterson recused himself to allow for the vote.”

“He did not recuse himself during the debate, which was a clear conflict of interest. Because if the motion is affecting you, at that stage he should have recused himself… when he did recuse himself after guidance from the Clerk and called on the Opposition to chair the meeting, none of them accepted that offer. So, the PAC has been left without a Presiding Officer,” Edghill explained, adding that it is unclear how the matter will be resolved.

Texieira, meanwhile, laid out the way forward, if the Opposition continues to refuse the Chairmanship.

According to her, the matter may very well return to the Parliamentary Committee of Selection.

“If the Opposition continues on their position that none

of them will take the chair, then obviously the Committee of Selection will have to go back and raise the issue as to the selection of the Committee

full confidence in David Patterson and we have given him that authority and privilege to chair the Committee.

He is a sitting Member of the National Assembly and once he is given that confidence by the Opposition, he can chair the Committee,” Mahipaul said.

Mahipaul even went on to accuse the Government side of seeking to stall the PAC meeting so that the People’s Progressive Party’s (PPP) spending record for late 2020 will not come up for scrutiny.

However, the PAC is currently examining the Auditor General’s report for the year 2016. The Audit Office has not yet produced a report for

During Monday’s sitting of the PAC at Parliament, the media was locked out

and the Speaker will probably have to get involved with having another election of the Committee Chair,” the Chief Whip said.

But according to Opposition Member of Parliament and PAC, Ganesh Mahipaul, there is no need for Patterson to be removed as Chairman. He was backed up on this by fellow Opposition PAC members Jermaine Figueira and Juretha Fernandes.

“A member of the Opposition must chair the PAC. The Opposition has

2020. It is only after the audit report for a preceding year is laid in the National

Chief Whip Gail Teixeira

Assembly, which usually occurs in the latter part of the year, that the PAC can examine the accounts.

There have been calls for Patterson to be removed as PAC Chairman after he admitted to receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars in gifts while he was a Minister.

These gift items, which consisted of gold jewellery, were purchased by agencies under the then Public Infrastructure Ministry, which he headed in the previous APNU/AFC Government.

Patterson is meanwhile also in hot water when it comes to the sole-sourced contract to Dutch company LievenseCSO for the design of the new Demerara River bridge. At present, he is out on $200,000 bail and will return to court on February 15.

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guyanatimesgy.com

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2021

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

The quest for social justice

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ccording to the United Nations, the principles of social justice are upheld when countries promote gender equality or the rights of Indigenous peoples and migrants.

Additionally, countries advance social justice when they remove barriers that people face because of gender, age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture, or disability. On November 26, 2007, the General Assembly declared that starting from the 63rd session of the General Assembly, February 20, will be celebrated annually as the World Day of Social Justice.

For the UN, the pursuit of social justice for all is at the core of its global mission to promote development and human dignity.

This year’s theme is “Workers on the Move: the Quest for Social Justice”.

The adoption by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) of the Declaration on Social Justice for a Fair Globalisation is just one recent example of its commitment to social justice. The Declaration focuses on guaranteeing fair outcomes for all through employment, social protection, social dialogue, and fundamental principles and rights at work. It constitutes a compass for the promotion of a fair globalisation based on Decent Work, as well as a practical tool to accelerate progress in the implementation of the Decent Work Agenda at the country level. It also reflects a productive outlook by highlighting the importance of sustainable enterprises in creating greater employment and income opportunities for all.

The General Assembly recognises that social development and social justice are indispensable for the achievement and maintenance of peace and security within and among nations and that, in turn, social development and social justice cannot be attained in the absence of peace and security or in the absence of respect for all human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Further globalisation and interdependence are opening new opportunities through trade, investment and capital flows and advances in technology, including information technology, for the growth of the world economy and the development and improvement of living standards around the world. Today, there remain serious challenges, including serious financial crises, insecurity, poverty, exclusion, and inequality within and among societies and considerable obstacles to further integration and full participation in the global economy for developing countries as well as some countries with economies in transition.

To mark this occasion, Journalists around the world will bring together concrete stories and testimonies about the challenges of social justice and labour migration and to suggest possible policy responses to address these challenges. They will also use the opportunity to bring to the fore issues on labour migration by highlighting the positive contribution of migrant workers to countries of origin, transit, and destination as well as the key aspects such as their fair recruitment.

As part of the programme of activities, participants will also contribute to the UN TOGETHER campaign, which has the purpose of encouraging global action in promoting non-discrimination and addressing the problem of rising xenophobia against refugees and migrants.

In his message, Secretary General of the ILO, Guy Ryder emphasised that migrant workers, like all workers, are entitled to fair treatment; however, he also pointed out that many migrant workers end up trapped in jobs with low pay and unsafe and unhealthy working conditions, often in the informal economy, without respect for their labour and other human rights.

He further outlined that good governance will foster strong cooperation across migration corridors and regions, which should be guided by international labour standards, in particular the fundamental principles and rights at work and the relevant ILO and UN Conventions.

The ILO is, therefore, encouraging the adoption of fair labour migration governance frameworks at all levels – global, regional and national. These include a comprehensive, integrated and “whole of government” approach that engages labour ministries together with business, and employers’ and workers’ organisations – those on the frontlines of labour markets.

February 20, 2010, marks the annual commemoration of World Day of Social Justice, which recognises, in the words of UN General Assembly Resolution that “social development and social justice cannot be attained… in the absence of respect for all human rights and fundamental freedoms” .

Most migration today is linked, directly or indirectly, to the search for decent work opportunities. While there are many Guyanese who seek employment in other countries, there are also immigrants who have opened businesses locally who are also deserving of fair treatment. On this day, therefore, all Guyanese should join in the global call for social and economic justice and demand that the Government promote inclusive development for all citizens.

Snowploughs remove snow from the Times Square in New York City, February 1, 2021 (Reuters/Carlo Allegri)

The expectations of Caribbean Americans & other minorities of Biden-Harris Administration

Dear Editor, America has a new Administration. Like all other immigrant communities, Guyanese Americans and other communities of colour, too, have similar legitimate concerns and issues. Over the years, these groups have been climbing the social, economic, professional and political ladders, and have established themselves as one of the main pillars of American structure.

Intrinsic in these vested interests, our expectations also are on the rise. This has been buoyed by the fact, for the first time in our history, a person of both Indian and Caribbean heritage, Vice President Kamala Devi Harris, occupies this high position. She is literally a heartbeat away, God forbid, from the highest post in the world - the President of the United States.

So what are the prospects of Guyanese and Caribbean American communities in the BidenHarris Administration that resoundingly voted for change? What issues would we like the Biden Administration to prioritise?

We have fought long and hard for this day, which has ushered in the new BidenHarris Administration. We have paid our dues in all areas of American life, as taxpayers, voters, immigrants, US citizens, professionals, publishers, teachers, workers, labourers, daycare, and diplomats indeed, in every area of life. We have collectively helped to build the American dream.

When I first ran for public office in 2005, I was the only person of minority heritage running, and I knew then that my efforts would have been a pioneering effort and precedent that has been the

forerunner for several “new Americans” being elected today. This has now taken root, and gives us all voices in city, state and federal governments. Now, we have a Vice-President, Congress members, Governors, Mayors, State, Assembly and City Council members, Ambassadors, and other high-profile officeholders.

Our journey, which began with small steps, have entrenched us all in American life, and must continue!

There has been an unconscionable disparity in the COVID vaccine distribution, which has shortchanged many minority communities, many of which included GuyaneseAmerican communities, like Richmond Hill, South Ozone Park and Ozone Park (“Little Guyana”). This has caused disproportionate and systemic deaths, pain and suffering in our communities of colour, and is reflective of the institutional barriers Caribbean Americans and other minorities have been suppressed with.

Richmond Hill, South Ozone Park and Ozone Park have been reduced to ghost towns, with the painful closure of many small businesses, foreclosures, and the debilitating reality that we are ground zero in the ravages of the pandemic. We will need accelerated city, state and federal resources to get us back on our feet.

This is a wake-up call for all of us. Our journey is far from complete, although many gains have been painstakingly wrought. We must continue to fight for inclusion, empowerment and respect from our fellow Americans, as we sacrifice and aspire to a common goal of making our nation more perfect, and tolerant, and much more inclusive.

Consequently, much is expected of the new BidenHarris Administration.

Whereas some brilliant and deserving Caribbean Americans have been installed in some functions and positions, we wish to see Cabinet positions, diplomatic positions, advisors and federal civil service positions being given to our many qualified brothers and/or sisters in every level of Government. We are as good, and as deserving, as anybody else.

We also wish to see more positive changes and improvements, especially in the immigration, justice, civil rights and labour laws.

The rollback of anti-immigrant measures have been heartening. We have distinguished ourselves in the sciences, technology, professions, indeed, in every walk of life. More professional work visas (H1-Bs), and green cards, like Caribbean nurses, physicians, scientists and teachers must be extended to Caribbean Americans, and other emerging groups, by admitting the brightest people from around the world.

All Dreamers must have a quick path to US citizenship. Amnesty will result in more revenue and accountability to the government, and enhance public safety by bringing people out from the shadows. Better wages, the right to unionise, especially our taxi drivers and other gig workers, freedom of religious worship, mutual respect for all cultures and religions, equitable enforcement of the laws, and the eradication of hate crimes, must be addressed, as all have a stake in this.

America must also improve international relations with the Caribbean, and be a powerful ally on

our side, like fighting back against the bullying tactics of Venezuela to seize and occupy 2/3 of Guyana’s oil-rich territory, and in eradicating the drug trade.

Unemployment benefits, saving small businesses, universal healthcare, upgrading area schools and hospitals, transportation and other infrastructures, redirecting resources to areas where they are truly needed, like away from the US-Mexico wall, eradicating hate crimes and hate mongers, should be priorities.

At this year’s redistricting, we demand the end of the gerrymandering of city, state and congressional seats, which have suppressed our communities of interest, and stagnated our voices and demands. “Little Guyana” must be united politically, socially and economically, and thus be able to speak with one voice to address our common issues and concerns, instead of being divided into several districts that have diluted our power.

We must also have equitable access to medical care and education, unemployment insurance, job, trade and educational opportunities, corporate social responsibility, strategic and trade alliances, and deter international and domestic terrorism.

These initiatives will not only make American great again, but more tolerant and inclusive, and more competitive in the world economy, while being a well-respected leader in world affairs.

It will also widen the base of support for the BidenHarris leadership, and convey the message that they care.

Sincerely, Alberto Baldeo

guyanatimesgy.com

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2021

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

Religions and forgiveness Maduro’s aggression towards Guyana

Dear Editor, Religions are the highest need of mankind irrespective of one’s religious affiliation. They play an integral part in our lives.

Just as our body requires food for its sustenance, our body requires the tenets of religions to provide us to the right path to God. Though these tenets may vary in the various religions, the concept of forgiveness is one of the tenets in Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, Judaism, as with other religions, which I will venture to expound in my presentation.

Forgiveness can be construed as to forego the need for revenge by releasing the negative thoughts of bitterness and resentment from one who is directly or indirectly in any way wronged by another party. It is further believed that by harbouring these negative thoughts, one tends to suffer most when one chooses not to forgive.

But for most, forgiveness can be a very difficult challenge. It is an innate quality or should I say, a natural instinct exhibited by us, to always protect ourselves when we are wronged.

The burgeoning act of forgiveness is a quality being nurtured from birth to death and is being played out so often in every home.

From the time a child is born, he or she learns to perceive things and to act and react per his or her intellect. However, in this precocious stage of life, one tends to make mistakes and is easily forgiven by his or her parents. Even the parents, who have amassed a wealth of experience, very often make mistakes contrary to the family norms, and forgive one another for their actions or inactions.

The concept of forgiveness is very vividly pro-

mulgated by Lewis B Smedes in his book entitled “Forgive and Forget” and I quote “When you release the wrongdoer from the wrong, you cut a malignant tumour out of your inner life. You set a prisoner free, but you discover that the real prisoner was yourself”. Forgiveness, therefore, is a choice one makes through a decision of one’s will.

But forgiveness is not diametrically centred in the home alone. This theme, too numerous to mention, is vividly promulgated in Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, and Judaism to name a few.

Of the many religions, Hinduism is considered the oldest religion, dating back more than 4000 years, but is considered the world’s third-largest religion. The largest being Christianity followed by Islam. One of the tenets of Hinduism is forgiveness, as with other religions.

This tenet of forgiveness is vividly promulgated in the Bhagavad Gita; one of the crown-jewels of Hindu philosophy, which is a key principle, and essential in a Hindu’s life.

As per Chapter 5, Verse 6, Lord Krishna states “That the peace of God is there for those who are free from desires and wrath”.

Also in the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna says “You cannot free yourself of your own sins. I will liberate you from your sins.

See, everything that we do – fasting, visiting places of worship, feeling guilty, etc, all this we do to free oneself of sins. He says, “Come and seek refuge in me”, that is His first condition. And then he says, “I will liberate you of all your sins. That is my job”.

In addition, in the Ashtavakra Gita, Chapter

1, Verse 2 states “To be free, shun the experiences of the senses like poison.

Turn your attention to forgiveness, sincerity, kindness, simplicity and truth”.

Christianity also advocates forgiveness, as the bible states: “God made man in his own image, and in forgiving others, we follow in the footsteps of God who is all-forgiving”. To further corroborate this concept, in Matthew 18:21-22 Peter asked Jesus “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother, when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy times seven”.

Also in Matthew 6:146 states “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men for their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” In St Luke, 6:37 it is stated “Do not judge and you will not be judged. Do not condemn and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven.” And even Jesus Christ, the son of God, while being crucified on the cross said as per Luke 23:24 “Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.”

Islam like Judaism propagates forgiveness.

As per the Qur’an, Allah is full of love and mercy and He is ever merciful and always forgiving. He accepts the repentance of those who sincerely repent and turn to him. Islam also believes that in order to gain Allah’s forgiveness, one must also forgive the one who does wrong to him or her.

Judaism also as per the Jewish bible, instructs its

followers to forgive each other for any sins they have committed among themselves so that their lives on earth can be a better place to exist and coexist. If knowingly or unknowingly they have sinned against God, they participate in a holiday called Yum Kippur in asking God for forgiveness.

But while religions are advocating forgiveness, early society and society of today have taken a more dogmatic approach when laws are instituted.

Today, there are many who are incarcerated due to crimes committed beyond the norms of society. Some of these offenders are incarcerated for life without the possibility of parole.

They have nonetheless rehabilitated by improving academically and accepted religions as a source of redemption. But while most of us like to believe that every human being deserves a chance at forgiveness, crimes against the norms of society can never be forgiven, but rather, face the consequences.

Religions are constantly urging us regardless of our affiliation to be better people; to transcend our mundane lives, to achieve more and to give more. They have united us. They teach us what our responsibilities are to our parents, siblings and to society; they teach us what life is all about, and how to exist and coexist in society; the basis of which lies the dogma of forgiveness, which is probably the nucleus of all religions.

Sincerely, Mani Jadunauth

Dear Editor, I was just about captioning my discourse with you this morning as “The Venezuelan aggression,” making specific reference to the border controversy between the two states, but I stopped short of doing so knowing fully well that we have no controversy with that country’s peoples but with its leader. Hitherto this time we’ve had excellent relations with the Bolivarian Republic in a good neighbourly friendship in the bartering of our rice and sugar in return for cheap petroleum and their byproducts.

This is the kind of cordial relations that each country enjoyed until something drastically took place, when all of that changed.

That eventful something was the change in USA policy towards Venezuela which in essence started this turn of events. So if someone should ask the question, why would a change in Venezuela’s relations have any bearing on us? Well, the simple answer to that question is ever since relations between Venezuela and the Americans soured, this caused the Bolivarian Republic to shift its stance with us, meaning, everything from that time until now hit a discordant note where friendship is concerned.

Venezuela now views Guyana as a threat to them and in that regard, the concomitant hostilities meted out towards us. They are picking a fight with poor defenceless Guyana when the real object of their indignation is the United States, this is the way Maduro sees it. He thinks that we are too close to the USA, which is an arch-enemy of theirs, hence

the peeved performance of this man when he sees our fishermen near his territorial waters. And from the look of things, this aggression will not go away anytime soon, even though they have agreed to a resumption of the good neighbourly diplomacy policy. Even at this latest conciliatory move of theirs, we cannot drop our guard but keep a constant, watchful eye, on the actions of Maduro.

But lest we be carried away with the Venezuelan discussion, we need to take a step back and review the actions of our neighbour to the east of us, theirs was a similar course of action taken to resolve the disputed maritime boundary. In fact, Suriname’s actions were even more severe, in that they routed the prospecting CGX oil rig out of the disputed waters with gunboats. That matter was only settled when we resorted to the international court.

In short, Guyana has had its fair share of hostilities from both our neighbours.

The point I am making is that the legal resolution is the only recourse we must take to get to a final and lasting settlement to our borders.

In addition, we must get back to the beaten path of good neighbourly relations; neighbours ought to live like neighbours.

To our legal team, I would reiterate the point that we must add our maritime boundary dispute matter on to the ICJ’s case docket, in this way we will get to a final and definitive settlement of this issue.

Respectfully, Neil Adams

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2021

Page

Foundation ◄

Monday’s answers

1) i) The fraction of girls = the whole – the fraction of boys = 8/8 – 3/8 = 5/8 ii) The total number of pupils What do we know in terms of real numbers?

432 girls = 5/8 of the school, therefore 5/8 = 432 So, total number of pupils in school = 432/5 x 8 = 691.2 students, since 0.2 of a student is impossible round to the nearest whole number = 691 students 2) (a) Ratio of purple to blue pencils: 1: 2

You’ll need: a glass jar with a lid heavy cream (35% whipping cream)

(b) 1 box contains 8 blue pencils Therefore, 3 boxes will have 8x3 blue pencils altogether = 24 pencils (c) If 1 blue pencil was replaced with 1 purple one, there would be 7 blue pencils in a box and 5 purple ones.

To find the number of boxes Soia must buy, divide the number of blue pencils she wants by the number of blue pencils found in 1 box:

blue pencils ÷ 7 = 5 boxes

Æsop’s Fables

FOR CHILDREN low, first divide it into simple shapes, for example two 6cm x 6cm squares and a 6cm x 18cm rectangle A = LxB Area of the complex shape = the sum of the areas of the component shapes = (6x6) + (6x6) + (18x6) = 36cm2 + 36cm2 + 108cm2 = 180cm2

3) Find the perimeter and area of the shape below Perimeter = the distance around a 2-D figure Perimeter = 6 + 6 + 6 + 6 + 6 + 6 + 6+6+6+6+6+6 = 72 cm Area = (l x b) To find the area of the shape be-

2 or 3 glass marbles I do not use them, but (optional) others say it speeds up the Please note that the process because they provide marbles are optional. extra agitation for the cream.

If you use the marbles, make sure your glass jar is made from thick tempered glass, ie a Mason jar. You wouldn’t want the marbles to break the glass.

Instructions Step 1: Fill your jar half way with cream. If you’re using marbles to speed up the process, drop them in now.

Step 2: Put the lid on tightly and SHAKE it like crazy! After a minute or two, the cream will thicken, and you won’t hear liquid sloshing around anymore. Keep shaking. As the cream thickens, you get whipped cream!

Keep shaking. After a few more minutes, you’ll hear liquid sloshing around in the jar again. The first time I made butter, I thought something

had gone wrong, and that the whipped cream had thinned back into cream.

But a peek inside will reveal that the sloshing is the buttermilk separating from the butter that’s starting to solidify in the jar. Almost ready!

Once again, pop the lid back on, and shake it for another minute or so, until the butter has formed a solid mass.

Pour off the buttermilk, and shake the butter out of the jar. Be sure to save your buttermilk for baking.

Step 3: To finish, you need to rinse your butter under cold water. Knead it a little as you rinse. This will remove the last of the buttermilk and will prevent your butter from going rancid quickly.

Mmmmm! …Homemade butter is out of this world! (Excerpted from happyhooligans.ca)

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fir tree said boastingly to the bramble, “You are useful for nothing at all; while I am everywhere used for roofs and houses.”

The bramble answered: “You poor creature, if you would only call to mind the axes and saws which are about to hew you down, you would have reason to wish that you had grown up a bramble, not a fir tree.”

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Canada pledges more assistance to Guyana in combating COVID-19 as new envoy accredited – President Ali lauds partnership between 2 countries

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new Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana was on Monday accredited by President Dr Irfaan Ali, amid pledges to deepen ties between the two countries and for Canada to further assist Guyana in combating the COVID-19 pandemic.

New Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana, His Excellency Mark Berman presented his credentials to President Ali at the Office of the President.

The Canadian dignitary is replacing Lilian Chatterjee as the Resident High Commissioner.

Chatterjee, who played an integral part in the local fight for democracy after the March 2020 elections through her advocacy on her Government’s behalf, has since left Guyana to take up a new post in Barbados.

In his address to the gathering, Berman spoke of Canada’s intentions to deepen ties with Guyana and for further assistance with COVID-19, which he noted Guyana has made strides in addressing.

“During this difficult time, as we all face the challenges associated with COVID, I congratulate Guyana on its efforts to tackle this pandemic. And I would reiterate a commitment made to Guyana and the wider Caricom region, to assist in the response to the pandemic to the extent possible,” he said.

The new Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana Mark Berman presenting his credentials to President Irfaan Ali

Berman also referred to the recent launch of the Canada-Guyana Chamber of Commerce and pledged that he would play his part in advocating for Canadians to invest locally. Additionally, the diplomat said that support from Canada will continue in other, non-economic areas.

“You can continue to count on the High Commissioner to support Guyana in the development priorities, working in areas such as Private Sector development, strengthening the Judiciary, promot-

ing gender equality, supporting indigenous peoples and other areas as you continue your rapid economic growth,” he said.

“Canada remains committed to Guyana’s development. In trade, Canada and Guyana has experienced a long and successful history especially in the mining sector… with the recent launch of the Canada-Guyana Chamber of Commerce, trade between our two countries will no doubt increase as both Canadian and Guyana businesses will further

work together.”

Meanwhile, President Ali lauded the Canadians for the support they have given and continue to give to Guyana. In accepting the Letters of Credence, President Ali reiterated his appreciation for the unwavering stance which Canada took in defence of Guyana’s democracy and its support for the county’s development. He noted that the two countries share a history of cooperation which has intensified since the establishment of diplomatic relations.

The President said that the countries’ shared respect for democracy, human rights, the rule of law, the promotion of sustainable development, each other’s territorial integrity, and the peaceful resolution of controversies have provided a firm foundation for bilateral relations.

“On behalf of the Government and people of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, I express our gratitude for Canada’s continued support for the peaceful resolution of the border controversy between Guyana and Venezuela that is now before the International Court of Justice (ICJ),” President Ali said.

President Ali noted too that with Guyana on the cusp of major economic transformation, new opportunities for mutually beneficial partnerships are aris-

ing, which is exemplified by the recent establishment of the Canada-Guyana Chambers of Commerce.

“This reciprocal initiative paves the way for greater trade ties between our states as is evident with the presence of major Canadian companies operating in Guyana.

Guyanese-owned businesses are partnering with Canadian companies.

I welcome your own commitment to facilitate the contributions of Guyanese Canadians to Guyana’s development.”

High Commissioner Berman formerly worked as the Director General for Global Affairs Canada. He will also serve as Canada’s representative to Caricom.

The High Commissioner was accompanied by his wife Allison Berman along with staff of the High Commission.

8 NEWS

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Herstelling woman gets bail for attempting to smuggle ganja into prison

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orty-one-year-old Parveena Kissoon of Herstelling Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara (EBD), was on Monday granted bail by Magistrate Sherdell Isaacs when she appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’

Courts.

Police stated that on January 26, 2020, Kissoon had attempted to smuggle 43 grams of cannabis into the Camp Street penitentiary.

She was represented

by Defence Attorney Leslie

Sobers, who argued that his client was not aware that the cannabis was in the package.

He noted that Kissoon usually visits the prison to see her husband but on the day in question, a friend had asked her to take a parcel for

another prisoner. It was in that parcel the cannabis was found.

After listening to the arguments, the Magistrate granted bail in the sum of $20,000 and ordered her to return to court on March 1, 2021.

It was reported that on January 26, 2020, Kissoon visited the prison at about 10:00h to drop off personal items for her husband. In the process of checking the items at the self-support area, prison staff discovered the leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be cannabis.

When the cannabis was discovered, it was reported that the woman attempted to run away. However, ranks of the Police Force had chased and managed to apprehend her.

Fisherman, mother of 5 granted bail for drug possession

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22-year-old fisherman was on Monday slapped with a possession of narcotics charge when he made his appearance at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Magistrate Sherdell Isaacs.

Antone Hoppie of La Grange, Station Road, West Bank Demerara (WBD), pleaded guilty to the charge which stated that on January 28, 2021, he had 70 grams of cannabis.

The Police prosecutor stated that on the day in question, Police acting on information received, conducted a search on the young man at his cigarette stall in Stabroek Market.

No cannabis was found on his person, however, a Ziploc bag containing the ganja was found in a blue haversack belonging to Hoppie.

Hoppie was granted $60,000 bail and is set to return to court on February 22, 2021.

Meanwhile, Alicia Henry, 26, also appeared before Magistrate Sherdell Isaacs on a drug-related charge.

Police stated that on January 30, 2021, she was found with 485 grams of cannabis at a residence in Queen Street, Kitty, Georgetown.

Henry pleaded not guilty.

She was represented by attorney Leslie Sobers, who told the court that Henry is a mother of five and resides at West Ruimveldt Estate.

According to the attorney, the woman was spending time with her child’s father at his home in Queen Street and that the house has multiple occupants.

The Police prosecutor stated that the Police conducted a search on the home after they received information.

At the time, Henry was the only person there. She allegedly claimed ownership of the ganja. She was placed on $20,000 bail and is set to return to court on March 1, 2021.

Seismic event...

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... in Rupununi our Eyewitness’s social media feed lit up early last night about Guyana being hit by an earthquake. This, of course, hit him for a loop – but it was because he hadn’t felt a thing as he lazed in his armchair watching reruns of “The Office” for the umpteenth time! Hey! It ain’t easy trying to get through this COVID lockdown! He then realised that the epicentre was over the border in the Brazilian town of Boa Vista and it only affected our southern Rupununi region. Now if there’s one takeaway it should be the vastness of our country: you could have an earthquake hitting one end and your teacup doesn’t even rattle at the other end! In the interest of fair disclosure, your Eyewitness must confess that the drink in his glass also wasn’t spilled!

We’ve always boasted about us being spared the hurricanes and earthquakes that regularly ravage our Caribbean neighbours. Of course, the Big Man up there evened all of that out by inflicting us with the PNC under Burnham, and Granger. They did more damage than all the natural disasters. What about Hoyte, you ask? Well, he got himself into a straight-jacket trying to clean up Burnham’s mess while defending his rear-end against the Burnhamites.

He was forced to stick to the straight and narrow. Granger, of course, vowed to fulfil Burnham’s legacy but was headed off at the pass with his first rig! We were saved by the hair on our chinny chin!!

But back to the earthquake. Another epiphany came in the dailies the following morning when we saw pics of the walls of several huts collapsed and the debris of bricks scattered like confetti on the ground. The revelation wasn’t the bricks but the thatched roofs of the standing structures.

Most of us on the coast don’t realise that, yes, many of our Indigenous Peoples are still living in huts covered with thatched roofs. While this might sound quaint to the tourists who we’re trying to lure with our ecotourism spiel, try to imagine what it means to live your entire life dealing with all the creatures that creep out of the straw thatching. It ain’t quaint!

And this is what your Eyewitness hopes with the “seismic” event coming out of this tremor in the Rupununi: the visualisation of what every economic survey has shown since records were kept in Guyana – that our Indigenous Peoples are the most poverty stricken of all.

And that it’s obscene for the PNC brigands to begrudge the assistance the PPP Government is offering those communities.

If we won’t be our brothers and sisters in the interior keepers, how can we ask for equity on the coast? ...painting If you didn’t realise we’re living in a tinderbox, then the nasty chatter over a painting of our First Family connecting them with the First Lady’s outreach to the community, should open your eyes. What! You didn’t hear about that?

Were you trekking in the Pakaraimas! The painting was by a Mixed artist, who’d done one of the most circulated images of the Henry boys and Haresh Singh after their murders – not to mention ones of David and Sandra Granger .

In the montage painting, President Ali is shown holding his son, while below is the First Lady next to a mother holding her newborn – with another daughter standing and a gift bag at their feet. It’s clearly inspired by a pic in the papers of the First Lady visiting newborns and mothers in GPHC over the holidays.

But because the mother was an African Guyanese, the painter was viciously attacked for being “racist”!! And what if the mother was Indian?

The President would’ve been attacked for “only helping Indians”! Poor Guyana. ...border decision The UN Secty General wants Guyana to engage Venezuela in discussions over their seizure of at least two Guyanese fishing boats. “Absolutely not,” replied President Ali, “until our boats are released.”

No negotiations with terrorists!

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

NEWS

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Guyana records 177th COVID-19 death, 13 new cases – 35 cases imported since reopening of CJIA

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he Health Ministry on Monday announced that another person who tested positive for the novel coronavirus

is that of a 58-year-old female from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica). She died while receiving care at a medical facility.

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony

(COVID-19) succumbed, thus taking the death toll to 177.

The latest death was recorded on Sunday and it

“Officials of the Ministry have contacted all relatives and persons to facilitate contact tracing and rapid assistance to everyone who

may have been exposed to the now-deceased person,” the Ministry said.

However, a total of 13 new cases were also reported, taking the confirmed cases to 7654. Statistics show that five persons remain in the Intensive Care Unit, 55 in institutional isolation, 782 in home isolation and eight in institutional quarantine.

From the 3965 males and 3689 females that contracted the virus, 6635 have recovered completely. To date, health officials have tested 50,152 persons.

New cases were reported across five administrative regions, with one in

Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam); one in Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara); 10 in Region Four (DemeraraMahaica) and one in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice).

There are 1004 cases in Region One (Barima-Waini), 428 in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), 618 in Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni), 234 in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), 410 in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) and 590 in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

Meanwhile, during Monday’s COVID-19 update, Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony stated that since the airports were reopened last October, 35 imported cases were recorded.

“I think what has helped is that many countries are requiring now that you have PCR for travel. By having tighter measures in terms of travel, it has drastically reduced the amount of persons coming in.”

He further divulged that an exercise was carried out in December, where health teams randomly went into various communities and conducted testing. This would have detected a number of positive cases and the

A testing facility at Cheddi Jagan International Airport

Ministry is seeking to continue this activity in the future.

“We conducted some specific exercises in a number of villages. Those were effective because we were able to detect positives where we didn’t have positives before.

It shows that we probably would have to develop a roving team to move around in random communities and do random checking. That’s something that we will be developing over the next couple of weeks. The places where we had testing going on, I think we were able to yield positive cases.”

Presently, there are fixed sites in all the regions where persons can be tested. In ad-

dition to the antigen and PCR tests, another type will be introduced using the GeneXpert machines. One will start working in Lethem this week while Linden and New Amsterdam will also receive one each.

These machines were used to test persons for tuberculosis prior to COVID-19, but were recalibrated to test for the coronavirus.

“They will be able to do the testing at the hospital itself. They don’t have to send samples to Georgetown; they can do it right there and they will be able to get back results within an hour using that particular machine,” Dr Anthony outlined.

Guyana to get 104,000 AstraZeneca vaccines from COVAX – Health Minister

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lobal vaccine mechanism, COVAX has confirmed that Guyana will receive 104,000 doses of the coronavirus vaccine shortly.

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony on Monday stated that the vaccines Guyana will be receiving will be manufactured by AstraZeneca. Presently, the said vaccine is before the World Health Organisation for emergency use listing.

Once this is granted, it will be sent here.

“We have received correspondence from COVAX indicating that they have been able to do an indicative allocation of vaccines to Guyana and this is going to be close to 104,000 doses that we will be getting shortly. The vaccines are going to be from AstraZeneca and this is currently before the WHO to be granted emergency use listing. Once WHO greenlights the vaccine, then we’ll be able to get those vaccines in Guyana,” the Minister informed.

The European Union has approved the AstraZeneca vaccine for emergency use authorisation along with several countries including India and the United Kingdom.

The Health Minister indicated that this is a larger amount than expected within the first wave but

President Irfaan Ali

Guyana is prepared to start the rollout when the doses arrive.

“It is a start and we would be working closely with them to see when these vaccines would arrive in Guyana. As soon as we get them, we’ll start rolling out. This is much more than we had anticipated in the first wave because initially, they had told us we’ll get a smaller sum in the first wave. But now, it seems we’ll get a bigger lot and we are nevertheless prepared to receive the vaccines.”

When the vaccine is injected, it causes the immune system to start making antibodies and to attack any coronavirus infection.

It is highly effective and can be kept at normal refrigeration temperature – making it much easier to distribute.

On Saturday, President

Dr Irfaan Ali indicated that the first batch will be administered to the frontline medical personnel, people with comorbidities and the elderly.

Through the COVAX mechanism, Guyana will receive 20 per cent of the total vaccines needed to immunise the population at zero cost.

While this mechanism is in place, Guyana is also in talks with the Caribbean Community, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and European Union for the remaining vaccines. China, India and Russia have also been engaged. Thus far, China has already pledged to donate 20,000 vaccines once available.

The President added, “Discussions are ongoing and arrangements to acquire vaccines from these countries will be finalised very shortly. We’re also negotiating with the major manufacturers: Pfizer, Biotech, Moderna and AstraZeneca and hope shortly to finalise the supply of vaccines from these manufacturers.

Your Government is wholly committed to obtaining vaccines in a shortest possible time, utilising every means at our disposal for our people.”

Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony had added that Government is prepared for the rollout. A total of 35 health teams have un-

dergone training to administer the injections as part

of the vaccine deployment plan. The expansion of stor-

age facilities will be completed very shortly.

These arrangements will ensure that the vaccines are at the right temperature when administered. Once the vaccine is successfully delivered to a patient, they will receive an immunisation card. These persons will be kept under observation for a few minutes to ensure that there are no adverse reactions.

TURN TO PAGE 11

10 NEWS

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

“Mad Dog” acquitted of 2015 murder

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tafrei Alexander also called “Mad Dog”, who is serving a life sentence for the near-death shooting of a man, was on Monday acquitted by a jury at the Demerara High Court on Monday.

Alexander, also known as, “Ratty” was accused of murdering Terrence Maxwell Thomas between December 8 and 11, 2015.

It was reported that Alexander and the now dead man were arrested for the robbery/murder committed on Wismar, Linden businesswoman, Shevon Gordon.

She was killed on April 4, 2015. However, while in

custody at the Mackenzie Police Station, Alexander and Thomas escaped.

The Police had issued wanted bulletins for their arrest. After some time, Alexander was recaptured and during interrogation as to the whereabouts of his accomplice, he allegedly confessed to murdering the man.

He reportedly told detectives that he did not want Thomas to implicate him in the murder of the businesswoman and as such, on the day they escaped, he reportedly dealt Thomas several blows to the head with a piece of wood and dumped him in

the Demerara River in the vicinity of West Watooka, Wismar, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

The body was discovered sometime later and was identified as Thomas’ via fingerprints.

Alexander is also charged for the murder of 44-yearold Richard Remington which occurred between February 9 and 12, 2015.

The decomposing remains of Remington were found in a clump of bushes along a track in the vicinity of Matthews Lane in Christianburg/ Cholmondeley Hill, Region 10. He had been shot three times, including once to the

Man arraigned for murdering vagrant

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wenty-seven-year-old Kareem Stewart of Toucan Drive South Ruimveldt, Georgetown, was on Monday arraigned for the murder of Mark Benjamin, also known as “Curl up Toe”, a vagrant, which occurred on January 27, 2020, at the Camp Street pavement.

He appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts and was not required to plead to the indictment. He was, however, remanded to prison until February 11, 2021

Remanded: Kareem Stewart

According to the prosecutor, on the day in question, at about 03:30h, Stewart attacked Benjamin while he was asleep on the pavement at Camp and Robb Streets in the vicinity of Teleperformance.

From CCTV video footage, Stewart was seen pounding away on the victim’s head with a piece of brick. After the attack, Stewart made his escape. The man was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Stafrei Alexander

head.

Back in 2018, Alexander was found guilty by a jury on an attempted murder charge and was sentenced to serve life in prison. It was report-

ed that on March 23, 2015, in the county of Demerara, he discharged a loaded firearm at Curtis Thom with intent to commit murder.

The facts of the case are that the two men were not friends, even though they resided in the same community.

On the day in question, Thom had held a christening at his Laing Avenue, Georgetown home to welcome his baby daughter.

When the event concluded and the guests left, Thom went to the back of his yard to clean up and feed the dogs. It was then Alexander walked past him and grumbled something.

As Thom was entering

his home facing backwards, he saw Alexander standing next to him holding a shiny gun. Alexander shot him twice and he collapsed to the ground and started to bleed.

The injured man was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he underwent surgery and remained a patient for seven weeks.

During the trial, Thom testified that he was able to see his shooter with the aid of lights attached to his home and surrounding buildings.

Alexander was among several high-profile inmates who escaped when a fire destroyed the Camp Street prison back in 2017.

Fire averted at Shaheed Orphanage

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major catastrophe was averted on Monday after a fire started at the Shaheed Girls’ Orphanage at Oleander Gardens, Ogle, East Coast Demerara.

Persons would have noticed some degree of smoke emanating from inside the building after 11:00h and immediately summoned the Guyana Fire Service.

Firefighters managed to contain the blaze, resulting in little damages.

This is the second time in a few years that a fire started at the organisation. The last one would have flattened the structure.

The orphanage was completely destroyed by a fire in late October 2018. Eighteen orphans were at the facility when the fire had started in the upper flat of the wooden and concrete build-

Shaheed’s Girls Orphanage

ing after 06:00h. A caretaker was alerted by one of the children, who noticed the dense smoke emerging from a room on the western end of the building.

That inferno would have caused damages in excess of $50 million and it is even more devastating since the

building was uninsured.

In August 2019, the building was reopened after months of efforts to have it rebuilt. Chief Executive Raheema Rahaman had sad that the reconstruction of the home was a huge success story after lots of obstacles and negativity.

NEWS

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2021|| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Uncle attacks, kills 2 nephews at Berbice wedding house – suspect arrested, murder weapon retrieved

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Dead: Surendra Sooknanand

Dead: Mahendra Ramator

wo brothers were attacked and brutally stabbed to death by an uncle while attending a wedding at No 43 Village, Corentyne, Berbice, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne), on Sunday evening.

The dead men have been identified as 21-year-old Mahendra Ramator also called “Sunny”, a labourer and his brother, Surendra Sooknanand, 23, called “Ranga”, both of Number 43 Village.

During the ordeal, the victims’ mother, Sukamattie Richmond, 40, also called “Baby”, and 30-year-old Anthony Persaud were injured.

Based on reports received, the suspect was at a friend’s home located

opposite the wedding house consuming alcohol when an argument broke out between a husband and wife.

and as such, armed himself with a knife, walked out of the yard and approached his two nephews who were standing in front of the wedding house with others.

Out of frustration, he reportedly stabbed the two young men. They both received severe injuries about their body and were picked up by other relatives and taken to the Skeldon and Port Mourant Hospitals where they were both pronounced dead on arrival The two injured persons were subsequently transferred to the New Amsterdam Hospital where they were admitted as patients. Their condition is regarded as serious.

Meanwhile, Bibi Faroozadeed, a relative of Surendra, related that she

Police at the scene on Monday carrying out their investigations

“I told my brother, who is Sunny’s father, and he was in a state of shock. Then I went to No 43 Village and there I heard that they got into an argument and the step-father brother bore Sunny and his mother and the other brother, Ranga, he get slashed to his throat.”

According to Faroozadeed, from the information she was able to gather, the suspect was

at another relative’s home which is situated opposite the wedding house.

“It was a little gettogether and the stabbing happened on the road. The girl tell me that she heard the commotion and went to check what was happening.

What I heard is that Sunny stepfather got some marks on his face, so, probably he was going to part and he got injured. The mother got

a slash under her breast,” Faroozadeed told the media.

At the scene, the other family members remained tight-lipped since all the parties involved are related.

The suspect has since been arrested and a knife suspected to be the murder weapon was found by investigators at the scene.

He is expected to be charged with the capital offence of murder later in the week.

Guyana to get 104,000...

The wedding house

The man reportedly became annoyed by the continuous loud talking

was at her home in Black Bush Polder when she heard of the incident and travelled to the scene.

Once the administration programme starts, they will be able to deliver 70,000 vaccines per day across the country. Government has noted that there is no mandatory requirement to take the vaccines but it is encouraged to reach herd immunity.

“Right now, we’ve done a risk analysis to determine how people may react to vaccines. It is called a hesitancy survey and we have the results of that. Based

on that, we have developed a risk communication plan that just before we roll out vaccines, we’ll be able to roll that out,” the subject Minister had outlined.

Some 12 CARPHA (Caribbean Public Health Agency) Member States have signed agreements with Gavi – the Vaccine Alliance - namely Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Jamaica,

FROM PAGE 9

St Kitts and Nevis, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos to access vaccines when it becomes available. CARPHA is assisting seven of these member states with the downpayment.

Guyana is among a list of countries, including Dominica, Grenada, Haiti, Saint Lucia, as well as St Vincent and the Grenadines that automatically qualify to access the Vaccine Alliance.

12 NEWS Man crushed to death at Houston worksite by excavator A TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

worker was crushed to death on Monday by an excavator while working at the Guyana Shore Base Incorporated site at Houston, Greater Georgetown.

Dead is Royton Souvenir, 49, of Canal Number One Polder, West Bank Demerara (WBD).

The victim was allegedly employed with a third-party contractor at the worksite.

The accident would have occurred after 13:00h in the full view of other employees.

He was reportedly killed by the excavator, which was op-

erating on a pontoon at the time.

Police stated that on the day in question, the now dead man was standing at the back of an excavator unknown to the operator. However, he turned the excavator and hit Souvenir to his chest and abdomen, causing him to fall to the ground.

The injured victim was picked up and taken to the St Joseph Mercy Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

When Guyana Times visited the scene, eyewitnesses

The worksite at the Guyana Shore Base location where the accident occurred

Man convicted of murdering ex-lover asks Appeal Court to reduce sentence

Convicted: Jermaine Maynard

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ermaine Maynard, 48, who was sentenced to 88 years’ imprisonment back in 2016 for murdering his 20-year-old ex-girlfriend, Carlissa Matthews, has moved to the Guyana Court of Appeal requesting for his sentence to be reduced.

Following a trial before Justice Navindra Singh at the Demerara High Court, a jury

found Maynard guilty of the charge, which stated that he murdered Carlissa Matthews between December 31, 2013, and January 1, 2014, at Croal Street, Georgetown.

Dissatisfied with the decision of the High Court, Maynard is now asking the Court of Appeal to reduce his sentence which he deems as being manifestly excessive and not in keeping with established sentencing guidelines.

During a brief hearing on Monday, Maynard’s lawyer, Nigel Hughes, informed the court that he has already laid over submissions addressing the severity of the sentence.

Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Dionne McCammon was given until Friday to respond.

The Court of Appeal will hear arguments in the case on February 16, 2021. The presiding Judges are the Chancellor of the Judiciary Justice Yonette CummingsEdwards and Justices of Appeal Dawn Gregory and

related that an ambulance arrived on site but they were told little of what had transpired. A few staffers who were still present refused to divulge any information with regards to the fatal accident.

Minister Hamilton has

since stated that labour officials will be dispatched to the location to launch an investigation. Activities at the worksite have since come to a halt.

Guyana Shore Base Inc is a Guyanese company, focused

on supporting the offshore oil and gas industry in Guyana.

In December, the Labour Minister had disclosed that some nine persons lost their lives as a result of workplace accidents within the course of five months. Seven of the deaths had occurred in the mining areas, while the remaining two happened on construction sites – one being at the Infectious Diseases Hospital at Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown.

Later, Hamilton also announced that his Ministry would be pursuing a legislative agenda that will continue the amending process of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. He had explained that the amendments will cater to a number of new changes in the country’s economy such as the emerging oil and gas sector.

PI into murder of Better Hope moneychanger, daughter continues tomorrow

Dead: Carlissa Matthews

Rishi Persaud.

Media reports are that Maynard and the young woman shared a relationship that ended a few months before her demise. On December 31, 2013, Matthews was standing in front of a Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) outlet in the Stabroek area when Maynard approached and asked to speak with her.

At the time, Matthews, who was in the company of relatives and friends, walked away and chatted with Maynard before he whipped out a gun and shot her to the head. The woman, who fell to the ground, was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where she died the next day.

Maynard was arrested by Police while he was about to board a boat at the GuyanaSuriname “backtrack” crossing at Springlands, Corentyne, Berbice. Reports are that Maynard was found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to 14 years in prison for unlawfully killing a woman he had shared a relationship with.

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ollowing directives from the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Magistrate Alisha George presiding at the Sparendaam Magistrates’ Courts will on Wednesday proceed with the Preliminary Inquiry (PI) into the murder of Better Hope, East Coast Demerara money changer Aaron Latchman and his daughter Arianna Latchman.

The PI had been stalled for several months after 25-year-old Mark Rufina, one of the five men charged with the killings, escaped from the Lusignan Prison between October 20 and October 21, 2020. The murder accused remains on the run. In light of the circumstances, Magistrate George instructed the Police prosecutor to seek legal advice on the way forward.

The others charged with the murders are 37-year-old Paul Chan, called “Anthony”, a bus conductor of Dennis Street, Sophia, Greater Georgetown; 44-year-old Troy Abrams, called “Rasta Man”, a vendor of Middle Street, Agricola, East Bank Demerara (EBD); 37-yearold Lloyd Sadloo of Mocha Arcadia, EBD; and 41-yearold Sean Thomas, called

Dead: Aaron Latchman and his daughter Arianna

“Yankee”, an electrician of William Street, Kitty, Georgetown.

It was reported that on the day of the murder, both Aaron and his 19-year-old daughter had just returned to their Lot 58 Robert Street, Better Hope, East Coast Demerara home when they were attacked by armed men. It is being alleged that the men in question had reportedly held the man and his daughter at gunpoint and took them into the upper flat of their home, where they demanded money.

Upon receiving the bag that contained an undisclosed amount of cash, the men then shot the money changer and his daughter before escaping from the scene. Shortly after, the businessman and his daughter were rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital,

where they were both pronounced dead.

Sometime later, a motor car that belonged to the dead businessman that was used by the bandits was found at Front Road, La Penitence, Georgetown. During a search of the vehicle, an illegal firearm and several rounds of ammunition were found.

Two of the accused murderers – Abrams and Sadloo – were arrested and placed before the court before for varying offences ranging from robbery under arms to trafficking in narcotics. In fact, in 2016, Abrams was found guilty and sentenced to five years in prison for robbery under arms committed on moneychangers Rayburn Fraser and Osaffo Ward at America Street, Georgetown, on November 3, 2015.

NEWS

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

CIOG calls for release of Guyanese fishermen from Venezuela – says Venezuela in violation of international human rights

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ith Venezuela currently illegally detaining two Guyanese fishing vessels and their 12-man crew, a number of organisations have made calls for their release. The latest to make such a call is the Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG).

In a statement it issued on Monday, the CIOG called on Venezuela to immediately release the fishermen, who are presently being kept captive on their boats in the Venezuelan port of Guiria, as well as their vessels and catch.

In their statement, the CIOG noted that such actions violate international law. Additionally, it was pointed out by CIOG that Venezuela’s recklessness has a humanitarian aspect,

which cuts to the heart of whether these fishermen will be able to sustain their livelihoods.

“The arrest of the twelve fishermen represents thus far a reckless action undertaken by Caracas threatening Guyana’s sovereignty and hindering economic activity of innocent civilians of Guyana. These fishermen should not be made collateral damage or used as scapegoats by the Maduro regime.”

“The action taken by Caracas is a violation of international human rights law, regarding the right to livelihood and the prohibition on arbitrary arrest and detention. The CIOG, therefore, echoes its demand for the release of the 12 fishermen, their catch, and their boats. Guyana is a peaceful

country where all are welcomed including citizens of Venezuela,” CIOG also said.

Moreover, CIOG noted that should Venezuela release the fishermen and their property, it will be viewed as a positive gesture and can be used as a basis to resume dialogue between the two countries.

“The Central Islamic

Organisation of Guyana (CIOG) stands firmly behind the Government of Guyana in ensuring the preservation of our territorial integrity and sovereignty,” CIOG said in its statement.

On January 21, two Guyanese-registered fishing vessels and a 12-man crew that were operating off the coast of Waini Point in

Guyana’s EEZ were intercepted by the Venezuelan naval vessel, Commandante Hugo Chavez GC 24, which was illegally traversing Guyana’s waters.

The Venezuelans boarded the vessels and the captains were instructed to chart a course to Port Guiria where they were detained and are being kept to this day. The men have since been brought before a Venezuelan court and reports indicate they will be kept in custody for some 45 days pending an investigation.

Since then, however, a number of countries have condemned Venezuela’s actions and urged the Spanishspeaking country to release the fishermen. Last week, the OAS Permanent Council met to discuss, among other things, the

tensions between Guyana and Venezuela.

During the Permanent Council’s virtual meeting, Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the OAS Riyad Insanally informed the Council about the recent actions of Venezuela.

A number of countries on the Council took a firm stance against Venezuela, including the US, Canada, Trinidad, Brazil, Antigua and Barbuda and Belize.

The Permanent Council is one of the two main political bodies of the OAS, the other being the General Assembly. The Permanent Council keeps vigilance over the maintenance of friendly relations among the member states and, for that purpose, effectively assists them in the peaceful settlement of their disputes.

new approaches to education delivery to be successful. At times, some parents found it challenging to navigate these platforms.

It is in this context that the Minister of Education Priya Manickchand urged social media users to be kinder, less harsh and judgmental and less insensitive.

“Think twice before laughing at, mocking or poking fun at other social media users at this time,” the Minister said.

Manickchand urged users not to be bullies but the best version of themselves and to utilise the forum for upliftment. The campaign, which runs for an indefinite period, will use engaging and interactive posts to have discussions with users on the platforms on the issue. Also, short videos, sharable graphics, short animated videos and wallpaper graphics will be used for the advancement of the campaign.

NWD miner stabbed with MoE launches “Be Kind” campaign to scissors during argument tackle cyberbullying on social media

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Barabina Hill, North West District (NWD) miner is now hospitalised after he was stabbed with a pair of scissors by a carpenter during a confrontation on Sunday.

The injured man was identified as 27-year-old Myial Benjamin. Based on reports received, the now injured man was imbibing with the 25-year-old at Barabina Hill when an argument erupted.

It was at that time, the suspect armed himself with a pair of scissors and dealt the

STABBING victim one blow.

Benjamin was escorted to the Mabaruma Regional Hospital, where he was examined by the doctor on duty

and admitted in a stable condition.

Police ranks have since located and arrested the suspect.

GTT donates 1500 reusable masks to Region 9 villages

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he Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) recently donated 1000 reusable masks to the Mayor and Town Council of Lethem Region Nine (Upper TakutuUpper Essequibo) and an additional 500 to Nappi Village with the aim of flattening the COVID-19 curve.

GTT’s Chief Marketing Officer, Orson Ferguson visited the community to make the donations. He indicated the importance of ensuring everyone remains safe during these unprecedented times and highlighted GTT’s myriad of actions in supporting this effort.

“We continue to do all that is necessary to ensure everyone has the means to be masked up. The distribution of masks is just one way that GTT contributes to combating COVID-19; we have also donated hygienic hampers to several healthcare organisations and continue to provide doctors and nurses with a free mobile plan on a monthly basis. Our nation’s education sector has also received our support, as we joined the effort to support online learning,” Ferguson shared.

GTT Chief Marketing Officer Orson Ferguson hands over the donation to Deputy Mayor of Lethem, Debra King

Receiving the donation on behalf of the Council was Deputy Mayor Debra King, who expressed gratitude to GTT for the timely donation.

“These masks will be allocated to Council members who will then have the responsibility to further distribute to the residents of the municipality of Lethem. We have engaged many organisations like GTT since the beginning of the pandemic in early 2020, and are continually grateful for each contribution,” Deputy

Mayor King said.

She added that GTT’s donation would assist the ongoing efforts of the municipality to provide masks to residents.

In the 30 years of GTT’s existence, the company continues to contribute to the development and well-being of communities – their contributions throughout the current pandemic continue to reflect this commitment as they live out their corporate theme of “togetherness”.

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he Education Ministry has launched a new campaign titled “Be Kind” which seeks to address the upsurge in unkind behaviours being meted out to Guyanese.

The primary targets of the “Be Kind” campaign are children, teachers, and parents who have had harsh experiences due to COVID-19 and its impact.

The campaign aims to promote the development of emotional intelligence of children, teachers, parents, and all Guyanese through education and kindness. It also aims to celebrate and amplify the power of kindness through education.

The MoE is cognisant that the advancement of emotional intelligence is critical in helping youths prepare for the difficulties they face as youngsters today, and as grown-ups tomorrow.

Therefore, developing a culture of graciousness and kindness can create a ripple effect that has a far-reaching impact on their families, communities, and country.

Recently, the Education Ministry observed that some persons on social media have been unkind to others with what they say and the actions they take while using the platform.

At a time when schools are closed for the majority of the school population due to the coronavirus pandemic, teachers, parents and students have had to find new ways to ensure learning continues. Towards this end, teachers started using Zoom, WhatsApp, Edmodo and other similar platforms to engage children while they are at home.

This meant that parents have had to play a more integral role in their children’s education for these

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Digicel to make 14 customers millionaires during 14th anniversary celebrations

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igicel Guyana is taking its promise of "Simply More" and is delivering as the company launches its 14th anniversary promotion, "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire."

The digital operator announced that they will be making fourteen of their loyal customers millionaires as they celebrate fourteen years of service in Guyana.

The "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" promotion gives prepaid and postpaid customers on an active Prime Bundle or who top up with $1400 or more a chance to win one million dollars ($1,000,000) daily

for 14 days which started on February 1 and will conclude on February 14, 2021.

Once you have an active Prime Bundle or top up with $1400 or more on the day of the draws, you will get an entry to win one million dollars. There will also be a special surprise for any winner who has been with the network since 2007.

Digicel will also be rewarding 100 customers with $1400 in free credit daily for the same period. Customers performing any activity on the said days will qualify, whether sending a text, making a call, browsing, activating a plan, or using

Digicel Guyana CEO Gregory Dean

any of Digicel's eight apps – Billo, MyDigicel, D’Music,

Bip, GoLoud, PlayGo, Sportsmax, Loop.

In addition, the telephone giant will allow its social media fans to become part of the celebration too by simply following its Facebook page (Digicel Guyana), to get a chance to win one of fourteen laptops.

Answering the trivia questions, which will be posted daily from February 1-14, can make you a winner.

For the music and messaging lovers, Digicel has something for you too.

Download the Bip messenger app from the Play Store or App Store and be part of the daily Bip Trivia and get

a chance of winning $20,000 daily.

Music lovers can also stream the "Ultimate Valentine's Day" playlist in the D’Music app and get a chance to be 1 of 3 winners of $140,000. To end the 14 days of celebration, on Feb 14, customers on an eligible Prime Bundle can "Shake to Win" in the MyDigicel app and get a chance to win 1 of 14 laptops.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Gregory Dean noted, "As we celebrate this milestone, our focus remains on our customers and we hope customers enjoy taking part and winning

millions with us. Since liberalisation, we have committed over $5 billion to service expansions and improvements. We have completed to date LTE expansions in Bartica, Linden, Port Kaituma, Mahdia, Kwakwani, Potaro Riverain communities, Berbice and Essequibo to support our Prime Bundles and digital launch. This adds to our LTE services in Georgetown and surrounding areas. We eagerly await the granting of various licences, permissions and spectrum allocations to expand our service offerings and coverage in the coming months.”

N&S Algoo Brokerage opens 2nd branch at Cornelia Ida

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&S Algoo Licensed Customs Brokerage Services Inc opened its second office at Public Road, Cornelia Ida, West Coast Demerara (WCD) on Sunday.

During the simple ceremony, Marketing and Finance Director, Sabrina Algoo noted that the office was opened following research which showed that there is need for a brokerage office on the West Coast of Demerara, Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) She added that many cus-

The spanking new office of N&S Algoo Custom Brokerage at Cornelia Ida

tomers residing in Regions Two and Three had expressed their concerns about travelling to Georgetown to transact business with the company.

"We know how this feel, and we have established this office to make them more comfortable. We have a lot of customers who live on the West Coast, and they always wanted to feel comfortable with an office here,” Algoo added.

Algoo also stated that the business will not only serve the public but it will create job opportunities for the locals.

The spanking new building, which has been under construction for the past five years, will also see a family bistro opening soon and will

Marketing and Finance Director Sabrina Algoo and her husband Nandalall Algoo

only be operational on weekends.

“There aren't many restaurants that cater for the Muslim community and also like a family-oriented environment. I have friends with special needs children, and I have noticed that

restaurants are not ready for those kinds of dining because all children are different,” Algoo added.

However, the company thanked its customers, staff, family, and friends who have supported them to make this dream a realisation.

NEWS

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Appeal Court overturns 2012 D’Urban St murder convictions, orders retrial

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hree murder convictions from 2017 were on Monday overturned in a unanimous decision by the Guyana Court of Appeal which found that trial Judge Navindra Singh sought to destroy the case for the defence by seeking to give the omissions and discrepancies as against the case for the prosecution.

The trial of Steffon Campbell, Faisal Moore, and Ray Yokum, who were charged with the May 9, 2012 murder of Glen Xavier, which occurred during a robbery at Cornbread Mini Mart at D’Urban and Lime Streets, Georgetown, ended with guilty verdicts and a prison sentence of 80 years for each of them.

Dissatisfied with the decision of the trial court, the men, through Stanley Moore, SC, and Attorney-at-Law Nigel Hughes filed an appeal against their conviction and sentence in which they contended that among other things, the trial Judge failed to adequately put their defence to the jurors and misdirected them on the accessory concept.

The Appeal Court led by Chancellor of the Judiciary Justice Yonette CummingsEdwards found that majority of the grounds of appeal advanced by the men had merit. In the circumstances, the

Faisal Moore

court held that this is a case that must attract a retrial.

The court also overturned the convictions and remitted it to the High Court for a new trial.

Duty-bound

According to Justice Cummings-Edwards, the defence of the men were the unsworn statements they gave from the prisoner’s dock. The Appeal Court found that although the trial Judge was duty-bound to go over every detail of the men’s defence to the jury, he failed to do so.

The Chancellor pointed out that the trial Judge only told the jury that it was up to them to believe the men’s story and that if they believed what they said, then they must therefore believe that they did not give the caution statements to the Police, and they would have to return a verdict of not guilty.

According to Justice Cummings-Edwards, the men’s caution statement would have put forward what is termed in law as a cutthroat defence, and in the circumstances, the trial Judge was duty-bound to explain the men’s defences to the jurors.

“The trial Judge just gave a synopsis of their statements. We [the court] believe that this was not sufficient.

The trial Judge sought to destroy the defence by seeking to gave the omissions and discrepancies in their defence as against that of the case for the prosecution. While the trial Judge may be able to comment on a defence unfavourably, he is duty-bound to be fair in such comments.

Such an approach was not taken in the prosecution’s case and that was unfair…” she noted.

Caution statements

Campbell was first to be arrested by the Police in relation to reports of a robbery. Yokum was arrested the following day and taken to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters, where he allegedly told the Police: “I didn’t kill the man; I just link up the wuk. I didn’t know [Moore] would shoot the man.”

Moore when arrested give

Ray Yokum

Police different names and in an oral statement said: “Is not me who shoot the man.”

Yokum, on the other hand, gave a written statement detailing his activities on the day in question.

Their lawyers, however, challenged the voluntariness of the statements and alleged that they were given under duress. As such, in their appeal, they argued that Justice Singh erred in law by admitting the caution statements into evidence.

They also argued that the trial Judge failed to give reasons for admitting the caution statement and also failed to gave the jury any warning as to the dangers of convicting solely on a caution statement in the absence of other evidence.

According to the court, the trial Judge would have admitted the caution statements having established

Steffon Campbell

that they were admissible after conducting a voir dire.

While the trial Judge warned the jury that what is said in the statement by one accused cannot be used against the other accused, the court said he did not further explain how they should consider the evidence in that regard.

The appellate court, therefore, found that this ground of appeal “had some merit.” Concerning the caution statements, the Chancellor said that the trial Judge gave reasons, though not detailed reasons for admitting the statements into evidence.

She pointed out that what was left for the jury to determine was a question of fact, of course, after proper directions, given that the authorship of the statement was established. The court further held that Justice Singh misdirected the jury about the accessory concept, as the di-

rections given in this regard were incomplete and required more explaining for the jury’s benefit.

As a consequence, the Court of Appeal ruled that this is a case that should attract a retrial, the appeal was allowed and the convictions for murder were overturned.

The case was remitted to the High Court for a new trial at the next practicable sitting of the Demerara Assizes.

Apart from the Chancellor, Justices of Appeal Dawn Gregory and Rishi Persaud also deliberated on this case.

It was reported that on the day in question, two men went to the Cornbread Mini Mart where one of them pulled out a large sum of cash while purchasing beers.

They were sitting on the bridge when gunshots rang out at the location. The man who had a large sum of money was seen holding onto a man, who was wearing a helmet and who attempted to rob him.

In the end, 26-yearold Xavier of Harlem, West Coast Demerara (WCD), was shot to his chest and left arm and later died. His cause of death was given as haemorrhage and shock due to gunshot injuries. After the robbery, the gunmen escaped with an undisclosed sum of cash on two motorcycles.

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Govt’s gas-to-shore project Region 10 Amerindian economically viable villages receive $92M from – financial analyst COVID-19 Relief Fund

Joel Bhagwandin of JB Consultancy and Associates

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n analysis carried out by local financial analyst, Joel Bhagwandin, has found that the Government’s gas-toshore project is financially viable.

The Government’s transformative gas-to-shore project is underway and is set to be completed by 2023. The main objective is to transport sufficient gas from the Stabroek Block’s petroleum operations to supply some 200-250 megawatts of energy to the national grid, leading to a significant reduction in electricity costs.

Bhagwandin of JB Consultancy and Associates said he felt compelled to conduct the study to dispel some negative commentaries on the project.

“Reducing the cost of energy would not only make the country more competitive in terms of we could export more, with the objective of having a trade balance surplus, but we will also save foreign exchange because we spend more than $500 million a year to import fuel.

So, if the gas-to-shore

would mean that we will get cheaper electricity, we will be pushing industrialisation and reduce manufacturers’ cost. It also means we are going to save about $250 million or more in fuel import,” he told DPI, in an exclusive interview on Monday.

The Government has identified the former Wales Sugar Estate, West Bank Demerara, as the site for establishing the power generation plant. Bhagwandin said that location makes economic sense as it will open avenues for greater development.

“Because that region has been depressed, there was no sort of economic activity; it, therefore, makes sense to develop the Wales Development Authority.

With the gas-to-shore project coming there, with the Liquified Petroleum Gas Plant, which the President announced … talking about the economic trajectory, where the country is heading, putting all these into context is to explain the long-term economic viability of the project,” he said.

The analysis estimates

the project cost at $86 billion (US$400 million).

It proposes that the project could be financed through a project financing model wherein a Special Purpose Vehicle could be established.

With this, the Government could opt to hold 15 per cent equity or $6.4 billion (US$30 million), and the remaining 35 per cent could be financed through equity and debt instruments from a consortium of private investors and the local, regional or international capital market.

The study shows that public and private investments could potentially increase by more than 50 per cent annually, effectively translating into the creation of more than 100,000 jobs along with tremendous growth in entrepreneurship opportunities during this period.

In this regard, with unemployment currently estimated to be more than 25 per cent or 125,000 persons of the total labour force, the number could be reduced to the lower single digits over the next five years.

The Government believes that the gas-to-shore project will transform Guyana’s economic landscape, bringing tremendous development for all.

President Ali had said the landing of the gas-toshore pipeline in Region Three would lead to “big industrial development taking place there that is linked to not only power generation and a power plant.”

He also said the investment on the Demerara River’s shoreside would create massive opportunities and a trickle-down effect.

Minister Juan Edghill with recipients of the COVID-19 relief

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everal Amerindian communities across Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) on Monday benefitted from millions of dollars, through the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs COVID-19 Relief Fund.

A total of $92 million in grants were handed over to Village Councils to aid in job creation, income generation and infrastructural development projects.

The grants were handed over by Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill, who is also tasked with political responsibility for the region, during a handing-over ceremony hosted at the Watooka Complex in

to ensure the sustainability of Amerindian communities and to ensure there’s vibrancy in Amerindian communities,” the Minister said.

He further urged village leaders, including Toshaos, to ensure that the grants are properly utilised to the benefit of the communities.

“Transparency is key.

This is not money for anybody to hustle, and you as village leaders got to lift yourselves and hold yourselves to the community with great decorum, dignity and respect by ensuring they have full information on what you receive and that they participate in, how it is expended for the development of everybody...

Soldier charged for killing Pomeroon farmer in boat mishap

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member of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) was on Monday arraigned for killing 30-year-old Rayan Kahyum in a boat accident in April 2020 at Martindale, Lower Pomeroon River, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) The soldier, 29-year-old Junior Fairas of Section C Grove, East Bank Demerara (EBD), appeared before Magistrate Esther Sam at the Charity Magistrate Court.

He was not required to plead to the charge which stated that on April 20, 2020, he killed Kahyum.

Police stated that since the boat collision that resulted in the death of Kahyum, the soldier went into hiding.

He was nevertheless arrested on January 29, 2021, and charged with the offence of manslaughter. He was released on 300,000 bail and will make his next court appearance on February 22, 2021, but he was instruct-

Dead: Rayan Kahyum

ed to report to the Grove Police Stations on Mondays, Wednesdays and Friday until the determination of the matter.

It was reported that the farmer was thrown overboard after a Coast Guard vessel belonging to the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) collided with the boat in which he was travelling.

It was alleged that GDF

ranks were under the influence at the time of the accident, since they were reportedly seen imbibing on Monday at Charity.

Reports are that the body of Kahyum was identified by the clothes he was wearing, since his face had been badly disfigured from the impact of the collision.

Reports are that the GDF vessel, bearing registration number GDFS HAWK, which had four ranks on board, was returning from Charity to the Floating Base when it collided with the civilian boat carrying the now dead man, his wife and two workers.

Following the collision, three of the civilians were rescued and taken to the Oscar Joseph District Hospital at Charity.

Based on allegations made against the ranks, GDF has launched a Board of Inquiry (BoI) to investigate the circumstances surrounding the accident.

Public Works Minister and recipients of the school grants

Linden.

The 10 communities which benefitted included Hururu, Wikki Calcuni, Wiruni, Sand Hills, Malali and Muritaro which all benefitted from $10 million dollars. Kimbia received $7 million dollars; as well as Rockstone and Great Falls which both received $5 million each. The community of Riversview will also receive $15 million, though this was not handed over on Monday.

In addressing the gathering, Minister Edghill emphasised that the move is part of the process to provide financial support to empower Amerindian communities, while noting that it is not a one-off project.

“This is part of a structured...well-orchestrated strategy to ensure, number 1: the empowering of Amerindian communities

and you don’t only owe it to the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs who has to account for this in the Parliament but you also owe it to the recipients that you are collecting it on behalf of - the people of the village,” the Minister warned.

He noted that Amerindians are Guyanese who are equal at the table of decision making, hence the move. The Minister also charged residents to put an end to division and infighting and to work to ensure harmony and togetherness.

“These grants that are being issued today, must not be the source of contention and further fighting in the villages. These must be the causes for celebration and working together for the development of your communities...This is for everybody,” he noted.

Minister Edghill further

urged residents to elevate their level of thinking and to look at producing products for export which are of international standards.

He also encouraged leaders to sit together and come up with development plans, noting that Government will continue to work for and with the communities.

The Minister also reminded of the commitments made

by Government immediately after assuming office, many of which he noted are already in place. Already, he noted that the distribution of the $25,000 cash grant and $4000 school uniform voucher programme have been completed in the villages.

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Corentyne fishermen engage Agri Minister on zoning with trawler operators – reassured of Ministry’s support

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griculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha on Saturday conducted an outreach to several villages along the Corentyne Coast, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne), and met with a group of fishermen who appealed for improved zoning in Guyana’s waters.

During the meeting at Hogs Town, in Fyrish, the fishermen, who usually fish in a dedicated area in the Atlantic Ocean, told Mustapha that there has been a recent migration of the fish stock that requires them to venture beyond their dedicated zone.

Sankar Samaroo, one of the affected fishermen, explained that climate change had adversely impacted the catch level and population within their current fishing zone.

“Due to the climate change, the fish not coming into the amount of water you guys give us to fish in. We gotta go over by the trawlers and we ah get cuss. They say-

Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha

this so that there can be a specific time for the trawlers to fish and the fishermen to fish. We’ve met with them and asked for us to be allowed to fish from 6 o’clock in the morning to 2 o’clock in the afternoon and they could fish during the rest of the day and the night because they are fishing primarily for shrimps.

The fishes feed on the shrimp

noted.

In response, Mustapha committed to raising these concerns with the recently installed bodies mandated to overlook the industry and give recommendations to Government.

“Last week I installed two bodies that are responsible for dealing with these matters; the Fisheries Advisory

Several firemen at the meeting on Saturday

ing that that is not our zone.

We are asking the Minister if there can be a review of

so where ever the shrimps go the fishes following,” Samaroo

Committee and the Guyana Fisheries Limited Board

(GFLB). Members of the trawlers association have also raised issues pertaining to the low level of catches and the Ministry, through the Fisheries Department, will launch an investigation into the matter soon. In relation to your matter, I will raise it with the heads of both bodies so that they can meet with all parties involved, launch an investigation and make recommendations for a way forward to the Fisheries Department,” Minister Mustapha said.

Other fishermen also appealed for assistance with the irrigation channel used when discharging their catch and for works to be carried out on the access dam used to transport their engines.

“When the tide low, boat cannot come in. We have to wait for the tide to rise then boats can come in. We are coming in a line so by the time the first boat finish discharging the catch, the catch from the last boat spoil. The channel is very, very narrow.

Another issue, whenever the channel where the Albion Estate blow water, the dam is breaking so the channel is being affected. We are asking if… they recently bring a long-boom hymac, but it cannot reach to the middle, so, we’re asking if they can get a pontoon with the hymac and get that thing resolved. The revetment on the eastern half of the channel from where the concrete irrigation is which is like about 500 feet so that the dam cannot break away. It’s tough on us to take out our engines when the tide is low and the catch. We cannot work during low tide. We are asking for something to be done so that we could get better access,” Ramsarran related.

The Minister committed

Black Bush Polder security officers protest over non-payment of salaries …as December and January salaries still outstanding

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ecurity officers of Black Bush Polder who are attached to Integrated Security Services on Monday took to the streets demanding that the company pay their December and January salaries.

The security firm was contracted to provide security to Government buildings.

One of the officers, Sookdeo McTuria, who has been performing duties at the Mibicuri Hospital, said he will not be returning to work until his demands are met.

“We did not have a salary for the past two months and we did not have any leave package for the past three years since Integrated Security come on. Since 2017, we have been working with the company.”

Previously the security officers worked with another company but after the

Several security officers protesting for their salaries on Monday

contract was awarded to Integrated Security Services, the guards who were already working at the various locations were employed.

The guards are also alleging that their National Insurance Scheme (NIS) deductions are being made but not paid over.

The guards were last paid on December 18 for the

month of December.

Meanwhile, several of the aggrieved officers explained that they either ride a bicycle or walk to their respective work stations since they can no longer afford to take public transportation to get to work.

This is not the first time security officers attached to the security firm protested.

Back in May 2018, the securi-

ty personnel had protested in New Amsterdam demanding March and April salaries.

They had also protested in January and February of that year, calling for payment of salaries.

Only two months after the security company took up the contract, workers protested, demanding uniforms and salaries in December of 2017.

In September 2020, Labour Minister Joseph Hamilton had called out security companies for not submitting NIS contributions and late payment of salaries.

He had also said that his Ministry was going to look into allegations that a certain security company was in the habit of withholding salaries from the working class.

Meanwhile, telephone calls to the company’s head office in Georgetown went unanswered.

Sankar Samaroo, a resident making a point at the meeting

to having works executed to bring some level of assistance to the fishermen.

“I’ve asked the CEO of the NDIA, and within two weeks we’ll send the pontoon with the excavator to clear the entire enlarged channel so that you can have some level of relief,” Minister Mustapha said.

The Minister also told the fishermen that soon there will be a National Aquaculture Conference, during which His Excellency, President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali will launch the Government’s aquaculture master plan.

Recently, stakeholders in the fishing industry across the country have raised concerns over low-level catches in both fish and seabob species in Guyana’s waters.

During a recent meeting with the newly installed Fisheries Advisory Committee, President of the Guyana Association of Trawler Owners and Seafood

Processors (GATOSP) Ruben Charles expressed concern over the current low level of catches with Minister Mustapha.

This, he said, may be linked to the current oil exploration activities offshore. He added that although no scientific research has been done in Guyana to officially link low levels of catches to oil exploration, there have been similar instances of low-level catches in other nations with current oil and gas operations offshore.

Farmers also raised issues about drainage and dilapidated roads and dams. Minister Mustapha committed to having a machine deployed to the area to carry out the works.

He told residents that the machine will remain in the area until the works were completed. He also committed to providing crusher run gravel to do revetment work on the dilapidated dams.

Gazetted COVID-19 guidelines extended until February 28 – bars can open to 40% capacity

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he Government has further extended the gazetted COVID-19 measures from December 2020 until February 28, 2021. The measures maintain the curfew from 10:30h to 4:00h daily, and restrictions on social activities.

However, the new guidelines facilitate the opening of bars and restaurants from 4:00h to 21:30h. The updated order restricts indoor dining to 40 per cent of the capacity of the building, with tables placed six feet apart and no more than four persons allowed at one table.

Further, staff at the restaurants and bars are required to wear their masks properly and sanitise tables, chairs and bar countertops after each use. Buffet dining remains prohibited.

The guidelines restrict social gatherings and recreational activities including private parties, receptions, wakes or vigils. Restrictions on visitations are still in

place at places of quarantine or isolation, prisons or correctional facilities, hospitals and nursing homes.

Additionally, healthcare workers must still benefit from preferential treatment when conducting business and, on submission of proof of identification.

Physical exercise is only allowed in parks, on roads, seawalls and near creeks and rivers. Gyms are also allowed to open at 50 per cent capacity, while sporting events are subject to approval from the Ministry of Health and must comply with the measures.

While the country’s borders with Brazil and Suriname remain closed, the Lethem crossing will be opened on Thursdays to facilitate trade.

The measures also stipulate the wearing of masks, social distancing, along with frequent sanitising and handwashing to curb the spread of the disease.

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2021

Regional

LAC needs to immunise about 500 million people to control COVID-19 – PAHO

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he Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) said the Americas region needed to immunise about 500 million people to control the pandemic.

The COVAX global vaccine-sharing scheme expects to deliver 35.3 million doses of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine to 36 Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) States from mid-February to the end of June, the World Health Organisation’s regional office said.

It said WHO would complete its review in a few days of the Oxford UniversityAstraZeneca vaccine for emergency use listing (EUL).

“The number of doses and delivery schedule are still subject to EUL and manufacturing production capacity,” PAHO said, adding that supply deals also had to be agreed with producers.

Of the 36 nations receiving AstraZeneca’s shot, it said four countries, namely Bolivia, Colombia, El Salvador and Peru, would also receive a total of 377,910 doses of the PfizerBioNTech vaccine from mid-February.

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A demonstrator holds a banner reading ‘’vaccine now’’ during a rally honouring COVID-19 victims and demanding vaccines in Brasilia, Brazil [Adriano Machado/Reuters]

The GAVI alliance, the group that co-leads COVAX with WHO, said last week it aimed to deliver 2.3 billion vaccines worldwide by the end of 2021, including 1.8 billion free doses to lower-income countries.

Geneva-based GAVI was expected to publish details of its allocations by country on Monday.

The 36 LAC nations to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine ranged from regional giants Brazil and Mexico to small islands such as Dominica and

Montserrat.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Friday that the country planned to import an additional 870,000 doses of AstraZeneca’s vaccine from India in February, as well as producing it locally.

Mexico and Argentina have a deal with AstraZeneca to produce its vaccine for distribution in Latin America, with financial support from the foundation of Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

local time in front of one of the offices of the FMLN party. Five other people were injured.

Party activists had attended a rally launching the mayoral campaign of FMLN’s candidate Rogelio Canales.

Nidia Díaz, a FMLN lawmaker, said she saw the car with the attackers block the path of an open-backed lorry carrying party supporters. “A man got out with a gun in his hand and started shooting,” she tweeted.

El Salvador’s Attorney General, Raúl Melara, called the attack “serious”, saying: “The electoral battle cannot become a bloodbath”.

In a reference to the country’s civil war, San Salvador’s Mayor, Neto Muyshondt, also condemned the attack,

calling it a “step back” in El Salvador’s history.

According to a 1993 United Nations Truth Commission report, 80,000 people were killed in the conflict, which lasted from 1979 until a peace deal was signed in 1992.

The FMLN party was formed by left-wing rebels as part of the peace deal and quickly became an influential force.

It won the 2014 presidential election and its candidate, Salvador Sánchez Ceren, served as president until 2019.

In the most recent presidential election, however, the FMLN’s candidate lost out to Nayib Bukele of the centre-right Gana party. (Excerpt from BBC News)

COVID-19 outbreak at Barbadian prison “under control”

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arbados’ largest coronavirus (COVID-19) cluster has been brought under control at Her Majesty’s Prison Dodds.

At its peak, the cluster comprised 363 infected people – 85 prison officers, 261 inmates, and 17 staff members.

A media statement from the COVID Communications Unit said that on Monday, only seven COVID-19-positive people remain to be medically discharged.

“Operations at the prison have so returned to normalcy, that virtual court will resume from the prison effective today, Monday 1st February.”

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razil’s Senate voted 57-21 on Monday to elect Rodrigo Pacheco, the candidate endorsed by right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro, to head the upper chamber for a two-year term.

Although he is a

Bolsonaro ally, Pacheco of the centre-right Democrats party has said he would not make a priority of privatising Eletrobras, Latin America’s largest utility and one of the Government’s biggest potential asset sales as it

works to cut the fiscal deficit.

Before the vote, Pacheco vowed to seek a compromise between fiscal restraints and assistance to socially vulnerable Brazilians hurt by the coronavirus pandemic. (Reuters)

3 THA Secretaries resign after Chief Secretary’s call to do so

El Salvador violence: Deadly attack on party activists

unmen opened fire on activists from El Salvador’s main Opposition party, killing two people, a rare political attack that has shocked one of Latin America’s most violent countries.

The Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN) supporters were returning from a campaign rally when their lorry came under fire by suspects in a car.

The attack on the leftwing party came four weeks before legislative and municipal elections are due to be held.

Three people have been arrested.

The attack happened in the centre of the capital, San Salvador, on Sunday afternoon

Brazil Senate elects Bolsonaro ally to head the upper chamber

Home Affairs Minister Wilfred Abrahams; Superintendent of Prisons, Lieutenant Colonel John Nurse and Dr Carl Ward, who was the Medical Officer of Health responsible for care and health systems at the prison during the outbreak, have expressed satisfaction.

The outbreak at the prison started on December 31, last year with the diagnosis of a prison officer.

According to the statement, it was brought under control through an “aggressive campaign” led by Manager of Isolation Facilities, Dr Corey Forde and Dr Ward. This in-

cluded extensive sanitisation of the prison, preventive scanning, testing, quarantining, and isolation of prison officers, civilian staff, and inmates at Dodds.

Additionally, the medical facility at the prison has been transformed into a full tertiary level COVID-19 treatment facility with ventilation capacity.

Nurse said prison leadership implemented “observance and practice of the 4Es – engagement, education, encouragement and enforcement among all staff members and inmates”. (Excerpt from Nation News)

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hree Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Secretaries Kelvin Charles, Jomo Pitt, and Hayden Spencer have resigned.

Charles, a former Chief Secretary, headed the Division of Education, Innovation, and Energy, while Spencer was the Secretary for Food Production, Forestry, and Fisheries. Pitt was Secretary for Youth Affairs and Sports.

This follows a decision by Chief Secretary and People’s National Movement (PNM) Area Representative for Buccoo/Mt Pleasant, Ancil Dennis.

Dennis asked for the Secretaries’ resignations as they did not offer themselves up as candidates in the January 25 THA elections and are no longer Assemblymen.

With a tie of six seats each for the PNM and Progressive Democratic Patriots in the THA elections, no new Executive

Former THA Chief Secretary Kelvin Charles

Council can be formed. The old one remains in place.

The Assemblymen have not chosen a Presiding Officer despite attempting to do so on two occasions.

Without the Presiding Officer, there can be no new Chief Secretary and other Secretaries and Assistant Secretaries.

Speaking with reporters outside the Assembly Legislature building, Jerningham Street, Scarborough on Monday,

about the Secretaries’ resignation, Dennis said the remaining Secretaries would handle the additional portfolios.

Asked if rejected candidates, Infrastructure’s Secretary – Kwesi Des Vignes and Community Development’s Assistant Secretary – Shomari Hector, would remain in their respective portfolios, Dennis said yes. (Trinidad Guardian)

Gunman fatally shoots Trelawny woman at worship

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he police theorise that a contract killing stemming from a domestic dispute triggered Sunday’s horrific death of a woman who was brutally gunned down as she worshipped at Agape Christian Fellowship Church on Market Street in Falmouth, Trelawny.

Quick Police action resulted in three persons of interest being taken into custody for questioning in connection with the gun slaying. The Police say they have also seized the vehicle which reportedly transported the trigger man. No one else was physically harmed during the attack.

“Following strong investigative leads the Police were able to zone in on several persons of interest in this matter and were able to seize the vehicle. But it is still tenuous, so we cannot say much more at this time,” Head of the Area One Police Division, Assistant

Andrea Lowe Garwood

Commissioner of Police (ACP), Clifford Chambers told the Jamaica Observer Sunday night.

The Police have identified the deceased as 50-year-old National Commercial Bank employee Andrea Lowe Garwood, of a Stone Brook Manor, Florence Hall, Trelawny address.

About 10:30h on Sunday, pandemonium struck during the praise and worship segment of the church service after

the gunslinger, who had been posing as a worshipper, fired a volley of shots hitting Lowe Garwood and sending members of the congregation scampering in all directions.

The Police say the attacker reportedly fled from the church and boarded a waiting motor car which sped away. The injured Lowe Garwood was taken to the Falmouth Public General where she was pronounced dead. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

guyanatimesgy.com

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2021

19

Around the World

OILNEWS OIL NEWS Oil prices gain as inventories fall and demand picks up

O

il prices rose on Monday buoyed by falling inventories and hopes of a swifter global economic recovery, although halting vaccine rollouts and renewed travel restrictions capped gains.

Brent crude was up 57 cents, or 1 per cent, at US$55.61 a barrel by 1449 GMT. US crude gained 41 cents, or 0.8 per cent, to US$52.61.

Both benchmarks gained nearly 8 per cent in January.

“Positive risk sentiment is one factor helping oil prices. The outlook of an ongoing decline in oil inventories over the coming weeks, as result of lower production from Saudi Arabia, is also helping crude,” UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo said.

He said he expected Brent to hit US$60 a barrel by mid-year.

Goldman Sachs said prices could rise to US$65 a barrel by July, forecasting an oil market deficit of 900,000 barrels per day (bpd) in the first half of 2021, a higher level than its previous prediction of 500,000 bpd.

OPEC oil output rose for a seventh month in January, a Reuters survey found, after the group and its allies agreed to ease supply curbs further, although the production growth was smaller than expected.

“OPEC is continuing to implement the agreed production cuts in a disciplined manner ... which is one of the main reasons why oil prices are so stable,” said Commerzbank analyst Carsten Fritsch.

Russian oil and gas condensate production also increased in January, two sources told Reuters on Monday, but the increase was in line with expectations, following Moscow’s deal with OPEC on output cuts.

US oil and gas drillers are gearing up for a pick-up in demand. As higher prices make new wells profitable again, they added rigs for a sixth month in a row in January.

US production data from the Energy Information Administration showed output rose above 11 million bpd in November, the first time it has exceeded that figure since April.

Oil also found some support from the dollar’s weakness. Crude prices tend to move inversely to the US currency. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Coup prompts outcry from Myanmar as West ponders how to respond

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estern leaders condemned the coup

by Myanmar’s military against Aung San Suu Kyi’s democratically elected Government and hundreds of thousands of her supporters took to the social media to voice their anger at the takeover.

The sudden turn of events in the early hours of Monday derailed years of efforts to establish democracy in the poverty-stricken country and raised more questions over the prospect of returning a million Rohingya refugees.

The UN Security Council will meet on Tuesday, diplomats said, amid calls for a strong response to the detention of Suu Kyi and dozens of her political allies, although Myanmar’s close ties with

NLD supporter holds up a picture of leader Aung San Suu Kyi outside Myanmar's embassy after the military seized power from a democratically elected civilian Government and arrested her, in Bangkok, Thailand February 1, 2021

council member China will play into any decision.

US President Joe Biden said the coup was a direct assault on Myanmar’s transition to democracy and the rule of law.

The army handed power to military chief General Min Aung Hlaing and imposed a state of emergency for a year in the country, saying it had responded to what it called election fraud.

Min Aung Hlaing, who had been nearing retirement, promised a free and fair election and a handover of power to the winning party, without giving a timeframe.

Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) party, which won a landslide 83 per cent in a Nov 8 election, said that she called on people to protest against the military takeover, quoting comments it said were written earlier in anticipation of a coup.

But the streets were quiet overnight after troops and riot police took up positions in the capital, Naypyitaw, and the main commercial centre Yangon. Phone and internet connections were disrupted.

Many in Myanmar voiced their anger on social media.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Gang close to Bangladesh PM extracts bribes for State contracts

A

criminal gang is colluding with Bangladesh’s security forces to extract bribes for State contracts and job positions, all the while maintaining powerful links with the country’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, an Al Jazeera investigation has found.

All the Prime Minister’s Men reveals how Haris and Anis Ahmed, both convicted of murder, are being protected by their brother, a high-ranking military officer,

after they fled abroad to escape law enforcement.

Their brother is General Aziz Ahmed, head of the Bangladesh Army and close confidant of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, leader of the ruling Awami League.

During the two-year investigation, Al Jazeera’s Investigative Unit managed to track down Haris and Anis Ahmed, who were found guilty for their involvement in the 1996 murder of Mustafizur Rahman

Mustafa, said to be a member of a rival political party, in Dhaka.

Following that murder, both Haris and Anis fled from the authorities and went into hiding abroad.

Haris, who is still on the country’s list of most wanted criminals, fled to Budapest, Hungary, and has been living there using the assumed identity of Mohammad Hasan.

The second brother, Anis Ahmed, is living in Kuala Lumpur, where he escaped

to after his murder conviction was upheld in 2007.

Despite the fact that they are wanted by Bangladesh law enforcement, General Aziz stays in contact with both his brothers.

In March 2019, Haris and Anis even visited Dhaka for the wedding of Aziz’s son, where the two fugitives partied alongside Bangladesh’s President Abdul Hamid and foreign dignitaries during an opulent ceremony. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

ter of weeks”, if Iran continues to lift restraints put in place by the 2015 deal.

Iran began to lift the restraints after the former administration of President Donald Trump withdrew from the deal in 2018, a widely-criticised move.

The Iran deal was signed on July 14, 2015, by a group of six countries called the P5+1 – China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, United States

and Germany, and the European Union.

It agreed to lift sanctions imposed on Iran, giving it greater access to the global economy, in return for measures blocking Iran’s development of nuclear weapons.

Washington would consider issues that were not on the table during the negotiations surrounding the 2015 Iran deal, Blinken said, including the release of US prisoners held by

Iran.

Iran has said it will not renegotiate the deal and placed blame on the US for its unilateral withdrawal.

Blinken also discussed possible new sanctions against North Korea and Russia, which has jailed top opposition politician Alexey Navalny and thousands of protesters demonstrating for his release, among disputes with the US. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Huge snowstorm hits US east coast Iran “weeks away” from enough nuclear material for bomb – Blinken

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T

he massive winter storm expected to pummel the US east coast has begun its snowy deluge, grounding flights and shuttering vaccination sites.

By Monday morning, snowfall had begun in New York state, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, where up to 60cm (24in) of snow may fall in the coming days.

Wind gusts of up to 50mph (80km/h) are also forecast for several days creating a blinding, blowing snowstorm.

New York City and New Jersey have both declared a state of emergency.

The storm - which is expected to bring snowfall for two days straight - has already wrought havoc on local travel.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio issued an order restricting non-essential travel from 06:00 local time (11:00GMT) on Monday.

In New Jersey, Governor Philip Murphy suspended the state's bus and rail operations

on Monday. His emergency order allows authorities to shut roads and evacuate homes.

Major airports in the storm's path, including Newark Liberty International Airport, John F Kennedy Airport, and Philadelphia International Airport, have cancelled hundreds of fights. At New York's La Guardia Airport, all flights were suspended as of Monday morning.

The storm will also halt vaccine distribution in Connecticut, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Philadelphia, parts of Washington, DC and the New York area.

In New York City vaccinations will be cancelled today, as Mayor de Blasio has said it is "not safe" for older residents to go outside in the blizzard conditions.

"We're in a local state of emergency," de Blasio said at a news conference. "I'm fearful that this tough situation we have now could get worse."

(Excerpt from BBC News)

he Biden Administration will return to the Iran nuclear deal provided Tehran return to compliance and then negotiate a “longer and stronger” accord, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in an interview with NBC News.

During the interview, taped on Sunday, Blinken said Iran was months away from developing enough nuclear material to create a bomb, in “a mat-

Israel and Kosovo establish diplomatic relations in virtual ceremony

I

srael and Kosovo established diplomatic relations on Monday, via online links due to the coronavirus crisis, under a US-brokered deal that includes a pledge by the Muslim-majority country to open an embassy in Jerusalem.

Israel sees its new ties with the tiny Balkan country as part of its broader normalisation with Arab and Muslim countries under agreements sponsored by former US President

Donald Trump.

Trump announced the two countries’ ties in September as a side deal to an economic agreement between Kosovo and Serbia.

As part of the deal, Serbia, which has ties with Israel, also agreed to open an embassy in Jerusalem.

During a signing ceremony held via Zoom video conference, Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi said the new ties were “historic” and “reflect a change in the region, and in the

Arab (and) Muslim world’s relationship with Israel”.

Ashkenazi said he had received an official request from Kosovo to establish a Jerusalem embassy, which Israeli officials hope will open by end-March.

Only two countries the United States and Guatemala - have embassies in Jerusalem. Others, including Malawi and Honduras, have pledged to make the move.

The status of Jerusalem is one of the thorniest ob-

stacles to forging a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians, who with broad international backing want East Jerusalem, captured by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war, as their capital.

Kosovo Foreign Minister Meliza Haradinaj-Stublla said Kosovo and Israel share a “historic bond” and had both “witnessed a long and challenging path to existing as a people and becoming states”. (Excerpt from Reuters)

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2021

guyanatimesgy.com

ARCHIE

You’ll be right on target.

Your insight and ability to (March 21- take control and get things April 19) done will be impressive.

How you handle others will pay off. Spend some meaningful time with a loved one.

Uncertainty will prevail TAURUS if you make a premature move. Consider every angle (April 20before you forge ahead with May 20) plans that can affect your income. When in doubt, talk to an expert. Be careful with your health.

ARIES

DILBERT

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CANCER (June 21July 22)

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Nurture essential relationships to avoid a falling-out.

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You’ll be offered insight that can help you make an important decision. Added discipline will pay off when putting together a proposal or taking advantage of an opportunity that comes your way.

Do whatever it takes to arm yourself with the necessary information, skills and experience to follow your dreams. Take responsibility for your happiness. It’s up to you to make things happen.

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

Don’t procrastinate.

Opportunities are available; all you have to do is to take action. Speak up, share your ideas and engage in stimulating conversation. Love and romance are favored.

SCORPIO

Keep your thoughts and plans secret. Don’t give anyone ammunition that will set you back or interfere with your life. Work under the radar until you have everything in place.

(Oct. 24Nov. 22)

Reach out to people who SAGITTARIUS can help you bring about (Nov. 23positive change. An opporDec. 21) tunity to raise your earning potential or start a new career looks inviting.

Romance is in the stars.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

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

PISCES (Feb. 20March 20)

Take a back seat and listen carefully. The information offered will help you make adjustments at home to improve your performance, but roommates, family or friends aren’t likely to be impressed.

Take care of financial, medical and legal matters before they have a chance to escalate. Let your instincts lead the way. You must find out who’s on your side and who isn’t.

Use your intuition and creative mind to push forward. Make changes that will help you get ahead.

Let go of what no longer works for you. Choose a positive path.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2021

21

Players did not stick to the game plan, says Fenwick following 7-0 thrashing

A

Excitement builds as rival teams arrive for CG Insurance Super50

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layers and match officials for the upcoming CG Insurance Super50 Cup arrived in Antigua as they prepare for the return of cricket in the West Indies.

The six franchise teams will do battle in the marquee 50-over tournament, which bowls off on Sunday, February 7. It will conclude with the grand final on Saturday, February 27 at the Coolidge Cricket Ground, when a new winner will be crowned.

Guyana Jaguars all-rounder Christopher Barnwell was among the players and said he was looking ahead to the tournament. The Guyanese last won the event back in 2008, and are keen to lift the Sir Clive Lloyd trophy this year and record their 11th triumph.

“It’s been a long time since we last won this tournament and we’re eager to come out, give a good account of ourselves this year. I think we have a very good chance of winning,” said Barnwell. “We had a few really good weeks of training...some very good preparation. Obviously, the pitches in Antigua will offer more bounce than those back home, so we will have to make that adjustment. I’m hitting the ball sweetly in the

nets and my mind is clear. As an experienced member of the team, I know I have a key role to play and we’re here to win for Guyana.”

Emmanuel Stewart will be the first choice wicket-keeper for Windward Islands Volcanoes in the upcoming tournament. He too is excited and has visions of doing great things in the coming weeks.

“I have been working on my skill-set and been training specific to my role as wicket-keeper and batsman. I will be batting in the middle and I’m working hard on rotating the strike and hitting the ball in the gaps and keeping the momentum going in the middle overs. It’s an area we have been lacking, so we are working to get it right,” Stewart said.

“Once we carry this preparations in games, we will do well… not just in the 50-overs matches, but also in the four-day First-Class tournament. Credit to Cricket West Indies to put on this tournament, it gives us as players an opportunity to play and show what we can do. This is what we love and what we enjoy, and I’m sure the fans all around will be tuning in to watch the matches.”

Boxing: A

suspected crime boss is still working at the top of world boxing, a BBC Panorama investigation has found.

Daniel Kinahan has no criminal convictions, but has been named in the Irish courts as the head of one of Europe’s most prominent drug cartels.

The suspected gangster helped set up boxing management business MTK Global – but it was announced last year he was stepping away from the sport.

But the company has now confirmed he still advises some of its boxers.

Panorama has spoken to several boxing insiders who have expressed concerns about Kinahan’s power and influence in the sport.

Former world champion Barry McGuigan said there was an element of terror around the Kinahan name.

“There is no doubt that there is an intimidation effect, there is no question about that,” he said.

“If we were to believe what we believe, this is a very dangerous man.

“Someone has

disappointed but not disheartened Terry Fenwick, Coach of Trinidad and Tobago said the team failed to stick to the game plan which resulted in the 7-0 drubbing at the hands of the United States on Sunday night.

Two goals in the first 10 minutes from Johnathan Lewis and Jesus Ferreria paved the way for the heavy defeat at the Exploria Stadium in Orlando, Florida. Lewis and Ferreria each added second goals in the match in which Paul Arriola also scored twice.

Miles Robinson also scored in the rout that had Fenwick and his team smarting at the end.

The USA had 12 shots on target and to rub salt into the wound, Alvin Jones missed a 66th-minute penalty denying the Trinidadians a consolation goal.

The 61-year-old former Tottenham Hotspur defender said there were a number of factors that contributed to the loss.

“We were pulling a squad together in 48 hours to play the USA, who has had five to seven years playing together and who play for some of the biggest clubs in the world.

It was going to be a tough task,” Fenwick on Monday told Sportsmax.TV. Going deeper, he explained that he was only able to manage three sessions with the US-based players, six of whom were included in the starting XI. The early pressure from the US, who scored two goals within the first 10 minutes of the game, saw his team abandon the game plan, Fenwick said.

However, he said the team performed better in the second half once the home-based players came on, players with whom he has been working for about a year. “They knocked the ball about better and got a penalty,” he said.

(Sportsmax)

“Crime boss” Daniel Kinahan still working in the sport

Barry McGuigan

got to look out for this sport. They really need to look at this situation very carefully, because it’s bloody dangerous.”

The courts in Ireland have accepted the Kinahan Organised Crime Group is involved in drug trafficking, money laundering, and gangland executions.

Kinahan moved to Dubai in 2016 and Police believe the Kinahan family is now running the drugs gang from there.

His role in world boxing caused an outcry in June last year when it emerged he had been working as a personal adviser to world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury ahead of his much-anticipated title fight with fellow British champion Anthony Joshua.

Kinahan’s involvement in boxing was raised in both the British and Irish Parliaments, but the criticism fizzled out when it was announced he was stepping away from the sport.

The Panorama investigation shows this has not happened.

Lawyers for MTK Global told the programme: “It is true that Mr Kinahan provides some personal advice to a number of boxers managed by MTK Global and we are instructed that Mr Kinahan also provides such advisory services to boxers who are managed by other worldwide boxing management companies too.”

They said Kinahan had never owned, controlled, or been an employee of MTK Global.

Panorama asked Fury whether Kinahan was still his personal adviser, but he did not respond.

More than 30 people linked to the Kinahan cartel have already been jailed in Ireland.

Panorama understands the Irish authorities are going to try to get other gang members deported from the United Arab Emirates.

John O’Driscoll, an assistant commissioner from the Irish Police, said they had been successful in identifying members of the cartel – but declined to

confirm any names.

Panorama also understands the American Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) may be investigating the gang.

The DEA said it was not able to comment on the activities of the Kinahan cartel because it was part of an ongoing investigation.

Kinahan’s lawyers said he has no criminal convictions and the allegations about him running a violent cartel are false and have no evidential basis.

“He is proud of his record in boxing to date.

He has operated on the basis of honesty and with a commitment to putting fighters’ needs first,” they said.

“Mr Kinahan is a successful and independent advisor in the boxing industry in his o w n right. It is a matter of p u b l i c record that he has exited the business of MTK.” (BBC Sport)

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GUYANATIMESGY.COM

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2021

Guyanese Campbelle, Fraser impress as women’s camp hits high gear S

hemaine Campbelle, Stafanie Taylor, and Afy Fletcher showed their experience and skill with some excellent batting as the West Indies women held their second intra-squad match at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on Friday.

Team One captained by Hayley Matthews posted 167-9 from their 50 overs with Taylor, playing a patient knock of 42 from 78 deliveries which included four boundaries. Fletcher, well-known for her leg-spin, took a liking to the death over bowling; she smashed five fours on her way to 40 not out.

Cherry-Ann Fraser, the right-arm medium pacer bowling from the Sir Andy Roberts end, was the pick of the bowlers, with figures of 2-20 from five overs, while Steffi Soogrim with the left-arm spin had the batters in a web once again, as she picked up 2-22 to follow up her three wickets in the first match. Fast bowler Shamilia Connell was again in top form and finished with 2-30 from eight overs.

In the second innings, Campbelle made 50, which included two fours and a six. She shared a 56-run partnership with Anisa Mohammed to rescue Team Two, led by Deandra Dottin, from 70-6 before Mohammed retired hurt on 26.

They eventually ended on 154-8 from their 50 overs.

Campbelle had a late charge at the target, hitting a lofty blow to cow-corner for a six, but it just was not enough to take her team over the line.

Fast bowler Shakera Selman and off-spinner Stafanie Taylor combined for the one-two punch of seam and spin to scalp two wickets a piece.

Selman finished with 2-13 from eight overs while Taylor had 2-26 from eight overs.

The West Indies women’s squad is presently in Antigua for a training camp under the guidance of Head Coach Courtney Walsh. The 24 players will play one more match before the training camp wraps up on February 3. (Windies Cricket)

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Fidel Edwards

targets West Indies comeback after end of Kolpak status

F

idel Edwards has made himself available for West Indies and hopes to return to international cricket for the first time in almost 10 years.

Edwards celebrates his 39th birthday this week and last represented he Guyana Football Federation (GFF) is investigating reports of the West Indies in 2012. But, reasoning he is as fit now as he has ever launch of an unsanctioned football tournament in the East Coast been, he believes he could play a part in West Indies’ T20 World Cup Demerara region, and wishes to remind the football community campaign later in the year. that no authorisation has been granted by the National COVID-19 Task He also hopes he can secure a return to the Indian Premier Force or the Federation for any further resumption of football activities.

League (IPL). He last played a match in the tournament in The GFF urges all players, match officials, and coaches to abide by 2009 – he was part of the Deccan Chargers side that won the the Federation’s constitutional regulations at all times in the interest of tournament – but will put himself into the auction this year. the entire football community. Any breach of GFF regulations, including “I have made myself available for West Indies,” participation in unsanctioned events, will be investigated and could result Edwards, who is currently representing Delhi Bulls in the in suspension. Any suspected breach of national COVID-19 rules will be Abu Dhabi T10 tournament, told ESPNcricinfo. “I have reported to the authorities. spoken to Kieron Pollard and Phil Simmons and let them GFF regulations, under its constitution, are in place to protect the interests know that, if there’s any opportunity, I’m ready. and welfare of players, match officials, and coaches, and to safeguard the “Training has always been a big part of my game, but, future development, good governance and orderly organisation of football. in the last 18 months or so, I’ve changed what I do and Under FIFA’s global structure of football governance and its constitution, I’m the fittest I’ve ever felt. the GFF controls football in all its forms in Guyana.

“I’ve had my time in England and now I’ve made “We cannot emphasise enough the need for all of our friends in myself available to represent West Indies again. I think football to abide by the GFF constitution and the national COVID-19 I did pretty well in the CPL [Caribbean Premier League] rules at this time of global crisis,” said GFF President Wayne Forde. “We and I’m keeping my fingers crossed.” are planning for the safe and responsible resumption Edwards’ availability for both West Indies and the IPL is due, of football in the coming months, in partnership in part, to Brexit. The United Kingdom’s departure from the with the National COVID-19 Task Force. No football European Union has put an end to Kolpak registrations in the competitions should take place until it is safe to do county game and means that Edwards, who signed such a deal so and until they have been approved by the GFF Fidel Edwards has been a with Hampshire in 2015, is free to play international cricket and the Task Force.” stalwart at Hampshire in again. And while Kolpak registrations were theoretically entitled “Unauthorised competitions at this crucial to play in the IPL, Edwards was obliged to remain available for stage in the pandemic not only risk the health of recent years Hampshire for the entire season and was not, therefore, free the people taking part, but also the wellto enter the auction. being of their loved ones and wider “I enjoyed my time at Hampshire, but that was a big part of society,” Forde said. me not playing in the IPL,” he says. “But now I’m not with them, Special dispensation was my aim is to put my name back out there and hopefully get granted by the Task Force for another chance to play. Anything is possible.” a spectator-less, limited GFF Although few 39-year-old fast bowlers win top-level tournament in December-January comebacks, Edwards does have some skills that West Indies – as part of the Federation’s “return and some IPL teams, no doubt – may require. Not least, he can to play” plans, which pave the bowl in both the powerplay and at the death and he can still way for the responsible return generate sharp pace. In the most recent CPL season, he was timed of football in accordance with at over 148 kilometres per hour (92 mph) and dominated the list of national protocols. The Task quickest deliveries in the tournament. He isn’t ruling out playing 50Force has also over or even First-Class cricket again, either. granted permission for “I still love the game,” he says, “and I’m still doing what I do best: the Golden Jaguars to begin GFF President bowling quickly and taking wickets. You never know what can training for FIFA World Cup happen. But if the opportunity comes, I’ll be ready. (ESPNcricinfo) Wayne Forde qualifiers in March.

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“We’ve been working hard predominantly against spin,” says Simmons …team will capitalise on every opportunity given

The West Indies team during a training session

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head of the first Test match which is slated to commence today at 11:30 pm, West Indies Head Coach Phil Simmons was able to shed light on the possible selection of the final XI heading into the first Test and what he expected from them when they took to the field.

It has been seen that throughout the One-Day International (ODI) series, West Indies had a major problem facing spin bowling, as the Bangladeshis rattled the Caribbean side’s batting line-up. However, in the warm-up match, the side showed much improvement in their tactics towards spin and showed much fight in the bowling department, as Rahkeem Cornwall stood out with a fifer.

When asked his view on

what the team have been doing as they prepare to face some of Bangladesh’s best spinners, Simmons said, “We’ve been working predominantly on playing spin – using your feet, using the crease, whichever one suits the particular batsman. So, we’ve just been working a lot on all the disciplines of playing spin.”

Simmons also made comments on Guyana’s very own Veerasammy Permaul, who many believe stands a great chance in securing a spot in the final XI with his crafty offspin. “Everybody that is here is here is close, we won’t say that nobody is closer than the other. I think he has bowled well since he is here, he has worked hard and so does everyone in the squad. But he does work hard and he is up for selection and everyone is

fit and raring to go and maybe tomorrow we will decide on what the final XI is,” Simmons opined.

The Windies Head Coach also went on to discuss Cornwall and Jomel Warrican, whom he credited for adjusting to the wickets as they are not the same as in the Caribbean. He further noted that he was expecting that the fast bowlers would play their roles in the team. While the Windies fast bowlers were not so successful on the pitches in Bangladesh, Simmons did re-

West Indies players shake hands with Bangladesh Cricket Board XI players at the end of the tour match

iterate that it is just about adjusting your line and lengths on the pitch and knowing what to bowl as everyone has a role to play in the team.

According to Simmons, the West Indies unit are unlikely to have an edge against their opponents on home turf.

While the Caribbean side would have match fitness as they played England and New Zealand during the Rahkeem Cornwall was able to bag a fifer during the warm-up match

pandemic as compared to Bangladesh who have not played a Test in almost a year, Simmons was adamant that while Bangladesh are a good team, they are particularly hard to beat on their home surface despite not playing for a lengthy period of time. He urged the players to develop an improved attitude towards spin as this would be beneficial towards them spending longer hours at the crease and making more runs as seen in the warm-up match. Simmons went on to state that the West Indies would look to capitalise on Bangladesh’s lack of Test match play and while he believes that vulnerability would not last long, he noted that the team would try their best to pounce on every opportunity.

Asked what role Warrican

is expected to play in the Test as he played a supporting role to Cornwall during the warmup, Simmons responded, “He will play whatever role comes in the game if he is selected. All the bowlers will have to play their role based on the situation they are in and also what the Captain wants them to do at that given point in the game. In the end, they all have to be available to do what the Captain wants them to do at that given time.”

The West Indies will be optimistic of bagging the Test series to make up for their horrid performance in the ODI series. To date, they have a successful record against Bangladesh in the Test arena; from 2002 to 2018/2019, the two teams have played a total of eight Test series, with the Caribbean side winning six and Bangladesh two.

Taffin leads Senior Chess Championships after 3 rounds W

ith two days of competition and three rounds almost completed, former Chess Champion and Candidate Master Taffin Khan currently leads the charge in the ongoing Senior Chess Championships.

The chess action began Saturday last at the National Stadium, Providence and continued on Sunday, with Khan romping to three victories, inclusive of a win over reigning champion FIDE Master Anthony Drayton.

On day one, playing white against Errol Tiwari, Kahn played the closed Sicilian variation. The game was about equal until move 16 when Tiwari missed a combination that Khan had, which led to Tiwari losing his Queen, after which the game was practically over.

Khan’s second game of the Championship was against FM Drayton, in which Khan utilised the black pieces. The former champion opted for the Chigorin defence against d4. Their encounter flowed smoothly until around move 20. Khan was able to win a pawn and follow a simple chess rule “passed pawns must be pushed”, to set up his imminent victory.

On Sunday, Khan took on Rai Sharma, playing white. In that round, he played the Vienna game. The fast-paced encounter saw Khan being able to get a past pawn on the 7 rank, forcing Sharma to give up a piece at

Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn and Tournament Director Shad Hussain look on as Anthony Drayton takes on Loris Nathoo

which point he resigned.

In spite of the loss to Khan, Drayton still managed to pick up two wins in his three rounds. His first game was against Sharma on Saturday, which he described as “not that difficult”. Paying homage to Netflix sensation “The Queen’s Gambit”, Drayton chose that very opening and by the eighth move, his opponent gave up the Bishop pair and blundered a pawn at the very next move.

After that, it was smooth sailing until the game finished in 46 moves.

“It’s only after the game and reviewing it, I realised that I too made a critical blunder at move 16, which could have cost me the game by losing a piece, but lucky for me, my opponent was playing very fast and didn’t capitalise on it. In the coming matches, I will have to keep my focus to be able to regain my title, because

the other players wouldn’t be so kind to miss an opportunity like that,” Drayton said, reflecting on his opening game.

Among other notable victories, Glenford Corlette defeated National Blitz champion Davion Mars. In that game, Mars chose to play the Sicilian defence, which was going well for him until he failed to adequately defend his kingside castle. Acting on this, Corlette successfully man-

aged to remove the two defenders of the f7 pawn, by first attacking his Rf8 with bishop to h6 followed by d5 pawn push threatening white bishop at e6. Mars’ defence of king side rapidly crumbled soon after and the hourglass of his defeat was activated.

Loris Nathoo also picked up an exciting win over Errol Tiwari.

Tiwari opened with pawn to d4 and Nathoo countered by playing the opening lines of the Kings Indian Defence. However, Tiwari opted to play the Samisch variation, with the subtle pawn to f3 on move 5, setting up a positional battle for both players to strive for attacks on the opposing kings.

On move 15, however, Tiwari made a tactical blunder that caused him to lose one of his minor pieces – the black bishop.

Nathoo then quickly liquidated Tiwari’s other minor pieces.

Seeing the writing on the wall, Tiwari resigned on move 25.

While CM Khan has three wins, FM Drayton and CM Wendell Meusa have two points each. Nathoo has 1.5, with a win and a draw with Mars. Corlette has one point, Mars 0.5 and Sharma and Tiwari currently have 0.

The chess action will continue today and Wednesday, when Meusa takes on Corlette and Sharma battles with Corlette.

Thereafter, the games will return to their weekend schedule as Round 4 commences.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2021

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

GFF investigates unauthorised tournament Page 22

… Forde urges responsible behaviour during pandemic

“We’ve been working hard predominantly against spin,” says Simmons Pg 23

…team will capitalise on every opportunity given

Pg 22

Taffin leads Senior Chess Championships after 3 rounds Pg 23

Guyanese Campbelle, Fraser impress as women’s camp hits high gear

Candidate Master Taffin Khan has the most points in the tournament thus far

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