Guyana Times - Tuesday, August 31, 2021

Mobile health teams to aid P COVID-19 adolescent vaccination drive

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

Issue No. 4756

THE BEACON OF TRUTH TUESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2021

Govt building capacity to fight corruption – Teixeira See story on page 13

President Ali points to equity in house lots distribution …governs for all Guyanese See story on page 3

Guyana, French Guiana, Suriname to develop common security master plan

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

ExxonMobil’s local P2 workforce increased by 40% in last year – EEPGL Rift between APNU, AFC P14 deepens after motion against Region 4 Chair …APNU’s rep brands AFC’s actions as “distasteful”

P12 Former Magistrate dies outside GPHC waiting on attendants

Page 15

More Sputnik V 2nd doses arrive in P7 Guyana

Case filed by suspended PSC

4 confess to beating Corentyne pandit to death Page 7

…Police hunt 2 more suspects Page 11

2 more COVID-19 deaths, 80 new cases See stories on pages 9 & 10

…over 1900 active COVID-19 cases countrywide – Health Minister …says rise in infections triggering increased hospitalisation rate

Vendor crashes vehicle, dies while escaping from bandits

High Court to rule on P8 President’s immunity on Sept 16 P10 Heated exchange ends in murder

2 NEWS

TUESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

ExxonMobil’s local workforce increased by 40% in last year – EEPGL …increased to 2865 locals, including 568 women

Exxon Country Manager Alastair Routledge

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sso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), a subsidiary of oil giant ExxonMobil, has recorded an almost 40 per cent growth over the past year in the Guyanese workforce supporting the company’s activities offshore Guyana, taking the total workforce close to 3000.

In a statement on Monday, the company noted that despite the COVID-19 challenges there has been continuous growth in the locals employed by Exxon and its prime contractors - a fact reflected in its Half

Year 2021 report, recently handed over to the Natural Resources Ministry.

“As of June 2021, 2865 Guyanese were supporting the company’s overall activities, representing 53 per cent of the total workforce.

The Guyanese workforce grew by 38 per cent to 2865 at the end of June 2021 from 2070 in June 2020 – and includes 568 women,” Exxon said.

“More than 82,000 hours of training were provided to Guyanese staff working on ExxonMobil Guyana activities, over 85 per cent of which were in Professional, Technical and Craft, and Trade training areas,” it was further explained.

Exxon said that during the first half of 2021, the company and its contractors spent nearly $19 billion with more than 750 Guyanese vendors of goods and services ranging from food to engineering. The economic impact of this expenditure, whether directly or indirectly, amounts to $23.1 billion.

“Since 2015, a total of $96.4 billion has been spent directly with Guyanese suppliers. Outreach to local businesses continued through the Centre for Local Business Development (CLBD) with 141 electronic

tender notifications being issued to over 3000 Guyanese companies and mentoring seven Guyanese companies to be compliant in ISO9001,” Exxon said.

ExxonMobil Guyana President Alistair Routledge meanwhile reaffirmed the company’s commitment to collaborating with the Government to support the development of a framework that manages local content in a realistic and sustainable way.

“We are proud to have been able to deliver these local content figures which are a reflection of tangible progress. Further growth is expected and ExxonMobil will continue to work with Guyanese businesses to build local content together,” Routledge said.

With three sanctioned projects in Liza Phase 1, Phase 2 and Payara, and a fourth project, Yellowtail, up for approval, Routledge also spoke about the importance of timely processing and approvals for local content development.

“It is important to identify and invest in successive projects that allow for the expansion of efficient operations to provide sustainable employment opportunities, local business growth and

The Liza Destiny FPSO

broader economic development across Guyana,” the oil executive also said.

It was previously reported that CLBD, which was established to bridge the gap between local businesses and local content opportunities in the oil and gas sector, had over 2700 Guyanese businesses registered in its database.

The CLBD was set up in 2017 by ExxonMobil, in collaboration with DAI Global, LLC, to assist small and medium-sized local businesses to build their capacity and their ability to compete to offer services in the oil and gas sector and other industries.

When it was set up, the

Centre was expected to focus on developing local vendors that serve key sectors of the oil and gas industry, including areas such as safety equipment, marine operations, offshore supply and civil construction. It was also supposed to provide mentoring, coaching, and access to financial support.

In April, it was announced that the Ministry of Natural Resources had concluded a series of strategic engagements with various stakeholders on the revised draft Local Content Policy (LCP) – a policy initiative for Guyanese to play a greater role in the advancement of the petroleum sector.

The revised policy docu-

ment seeks to put into context the current and evolving state of Guyana’s oil and gas sector, and to enable an improved level of local business participation therein through addition of value, access to opportunities, and capacity building for Guyanese within the energy sector.

After assuming office in August last year, President Dr Irfaan Ali had established a High-Level Local Content Panel to review policy initiatives on local content in the petroleum sector, and provide guidance for the development of Guyana’s Local Content Policy and Legislation. (G3)

NEWS

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS OPENINGS BRIDGE

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

Tuesday, Aug 31 – 12:00h – 13:30h and Wednesday, Sept 1 – 00:30h – 02:00h and 13:00h – 14:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Tuesday, Aug 31 – 11:10h – 12:40h and Wednesday, Sept 1 – 12:40h – 14:10h.

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

WEATHER TODAY There will be sunshine during the day. Expect clear skies at night. Temperatures should range between 21 degrees Celsius and 32 degrees Celsius.

Winds: South South-Westerly to North NorthEasterly between 1.78 metres and 4.47 metres.

High Tide: 10:36h and 22:59h reaching maximum heights of 2.07 metres and 2.11 metres.

Low Tide: 16:27h reaching a minimum height of 1.19 metre.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 28, 2021

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MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 2021

President Ali points to equity in house lots distribution …governs for all Guyanese P

resident Dr Irfaan Ali has reinforced that his Government is a Government for all, amid calls for national unity and referencing the equity with which Government services such as house lots are provided.

During the 125th birth anniversary celebrations of AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada, organised by the Hare Krishna movement on Sunday, President Dr Irfaan Ali made it clear his aim is to be a just leader.

“I have one responsibility. And that responsibility is to be a just leader. And that is what I’ve sought to do every single day, since assuming office. I’ve asked the Cabinet to also do the same. Even in the greatest adversities, when stones are thrown your way that do not reflect the truth or the correct position, you’re tempted to either respond or react. I have held back on reacting in any way that would add, in Guyanese terms, firewood to the fire.”

He went on to clarify that that does not mean they shouldn’t respond, since there is a responsibility to set aside untruth from the truth. One example he cited of his Government’s justness and equity is the way housing policies have benefitted Guyanese from every walk of life.

“When President Ramotar was there, I re-

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President Irfaan Ali

member him asking me on more than one occasion, shouldn’t we share the statistics on Ministry of Housing because of wild accusations. And recently I’ve had the cause to ask for those stats.

“We’ve never been interested in governing in that way, because we’re supposed to govern for all. But I challenge anyone to look at the stats, look at the facts. And you will see the reflection of the core principles of the Government, that is to uplift the lives of every single Guyanese (and that) is shown in ev-

ery piece of those stats.”

When it comes to national unity, President Ali admitted that it would not be a smooth road given the numerous challenges. But he contended that it should be the only road, especially since we are fundamentally stronger together.

Since coming to office, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Government has made it clear that it is aiming to fulfil its manifesto promise of distributing 50,000 house lots over the next five years. The Ministry of Housing has also said it would work

with other State agencies to make more land available for housing development.

These agencies include the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL); the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GLSC) and the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) to pursue land acquisition for housing developments.

This year, the housing sector received a total allocation of $8.9 billion in the budget. Of this sum, $6 billion will go towards infrastructure and utility works in new and existing areas. This will pave the way for the allocation of over 10,000 house lots and 7000 land titles to citizens.

The Government has also gone countrywide with its “Dream Realised” house lot distribution campaign… an exercise that has so far distributed over 4000 house lots and over 500 land transports.

In the Government’s first four months in office, 3500 house lots were distributed… an amount that was half the number of house lots distributed during the former Government’s five years in office. (G3)

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 31, 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

Alcohol abuse and noise nuisance

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ver the weekend, the issue of alcohol and the massively damaging effects it is having on individuals and communities was once again brought to the fore.

Excessive alcohol usage not only tore a Crabwood Creek, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) family apart but also left members of the Hindu community mourning the loss of one of their leaders.

This horrific killing is among the statistics of excessive use of alcohol and uncontrollable behaviour as a result.

More so, the particulars that led to the unfortunate death of Pandit Rishi Bharrat are not unfamiliar as over the years alcohol abuse and noise nuisance have been a burden to many, but despite advocacy not much has been achieved to curb this lawlessness.

The effects of alcohol abuse kill over three million people worldwide each year, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). This is more than AIDS, violence and road accidents combined.

In one of WHO’s Global Status Reports on Alcohol and Health, it presents a comprehensive picture of alcohol consumption and the disease burden attributable to alcohol worldwide. It also describes what countries are doing to reduce this burden. And for those that are lagging, it explains what could be done to discourage the use of alcohol and possibly reduce the huge negative impact it is having on countries.

According to the WHO, alcohol causes more than one in 20 deaths globally each year, including through drunk driving, alcohol-induced violence and abuse, and a multitude of diseases and disorders. Men account for more than three quarters of alcohol-related deaths.

The WHO report had explained that alcohol drinking is linked to more than 200 health conditions, including cirrhosis of the liver and some cancers. Alcohol abuse also makes people more susceptible to infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis, HIV, and pneumonia.

For young people, the numbers are even more alarming, with a full 13.5 per cent of all deaths among 20-to-29-year-olds considered to be alcohol-related, the study found.

In comparison, HIV/AIDS was responsible for 1.8 per cent of global deaths in 2016; road injuries accounted for 2.5 per cent, and violence for 0.8 per cent. Globally, an estimated 237 million men and 46 million women suffer from alcohol use disorders, WHO said.

Here, in Guyana, there are many social ills affecting citizens, and alcohol abuse is seen as one of the contributing factors.

Owing to poor lifestyle choices, such as alcohol abuse, tobacco use, unhealthy diets and physical inactivity, NonCommunicable Diseases (NCDs) have resulted in large numbers of our young people dying. Another significant number have also fallen ill, and therefore cannot contribute to their families or the development of their communities in any way.

WHO has been urging countries to do more to counter harmful drinking, and to reach a goal of cutting global consumption by 10 per cent between 2010 and 2025.

It is also urging countries to tax alcohol, and ban advertising of such beverages to reduce consumption.

However, this is not enough, there is need to push for a change in attitude and lifestyle changes in general, especially among the younger segment of our population.

While the Government must play a crucial role in designing the relevant programmes and policies, and putting in place the necessary legislative framework and other support mechanisms aimed at addressing the harmful use of alcohol, this burden must also be shared by other stakeholders, such as religious groups, the Private Sector, and other Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), etc.

The death of Pandit Bharrat is one of the many horrific and grappling effects of alcohol abuse on society.

Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips along with Public Works Minister Juan Edghill on Monday evening observed the annual festival of Sri Krishna Janmashtami at the Sri Sri Gaura Nitai Ashirvad Mandir at Crane Village on the West Coast of Demerara (Office of the Prime Minister photo)

Timely vaccine effort for children

Dear Editor, “Because We Care” takes on a whole new meaning as over 200 students received their vaccine at the St Stanislaus College. This is a timely humanitarian gesture from the United States Government which donated 146,250 doses of the PfizerBioNTech vaccines as our Minister of Education is placing emphasis on the re-opening of our schools. This is the same vaccine which is now being administered to students in the USA and has a 95 per cent efficacy rate.

The current protests by anti-vaxxers must be seen for what it is: it is simply a political ploy which is supported by the Opposition due to lack of any concrete issues to tackle. This was substantiated by a survey done

by Dr Vishnu Bisram. The Opposition just needs an excuse and anything is something. At this juncture in Guyana the Opposition is simply splitting hairs to find issues which can be used and commandeered to their advantage.

Imagine the New York Schools (148,000) has made it mandatory for teachers to become vaccinated by September 27th, a mandate which already applies to city employees and health workers. This mandate will not allow school personnel to even submit a negative COVID-19 test result in place of getting vaccinated yet in Guyana the Government’s guidelines are not so stringent. A teacher can still submit a negative test report and gain entry.

We have now seen that the anti-vaxxers have now triggered another wave of infections in the USA. Currently there is a dramatic surge in the infections among children especially older teens in the 16 and 17 age range and this is now happening in Guyana as well.

We must not for one moment feel that the surge of infections in the US is not happening in Guyana. The daily infection rate in the US is now over 150,000 with a population of approximately 330 million and for a small population like ours with less than 800,000 persons our daily infection rate of approximately 150 is actually the same (.001 per cent). But whilst this rate of infection causes great alarm in the US, the Opposition and its anti-vaxxers see this as an opportunity to gain political mileage at the expense of our peoples’ lives.

COVID-19 vaccination is a critical strategy to ensure that our children are back in school and the GTU must not be swayed by political considerations. I have noted with interest that the FDA has approved the use of the Pfizer vaccine and that the GTU has signalled that some teachers may be inclined to take the US-made Pfizer vaccines. I do feel that the GTU should advise its members to do so immediately and not to be involved in wasteful obfuscation. Our children’s health and education are of paramount importance.

GTU needs to be reminded that the right to work as guaranteed by our Constitution should not be overlooked by Articles 25 and 40 which state as follows: “Every citizen has a duty to participate in activities designed to improve the environment and protect the health of the nation” and “Every person in Guyana is entitled to the basic right to a happy, creative and productive life, free from hunger, disease, ignorance and want”. These Articles speak about “protect(ing) the health of the nation” and every Guyanese is entitled “to a happy, creative and

productive life free from… disease”. These are fundamental rights which must be secured and protected at all cost. How can these Articles be achieved when the Teachers’ Union is frustrating the efforts of the Government?

It is time that the GTU see the benefits of our teachers and our students be vaccinated. If the Leader of the Opposition is honest then he should convene a meeting with the GTU and advise them to act in this nation’s interests.

Yours sincerely, Haseef Yusuf

Current role, responsibilities at M&CC Dear Editor, It has been brought to my attention that in some sections of the media, reference is made that I, Julian Orgista Deputy Town Clerk (ag) of the Mayor and City Council of Georgetown either implicitly or directly indicated a willingness to sign cheques on behalf of the Municipality of Georgetown during its current impasse.

I wish to clearly state categorically that at no point in time did I agree to or indicate willingness to sign any cheque on behalf of the Council.

Further, it is important to note that I functioned as Acting Town Clerk for the period December 14, 2020, to February 22, 2021, during

which time the Town Clerk (ag) Ms Sherry Jerrick was on vacation leave. That acting stint and all that goes with it has ended. It is in this capacity that I exercised dutifully the stewardship of the office of Acting Town Clerk during that time to ensure the smooth and efficient running of the municipality was carried out.

I therefore humbly trust that with this information there will be no further doubt or misrepresentation about my current role and responsibilities to the Mayor and City Council of Georgetown.

With regards, Julian Orgista Deputy Town Clerk (ag)

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Opposition continues to rant Anti-vaccinated and make baseless claims persons come

Dear Editor, I have taken note of a letter penned by Annette Ferguson to which I feel compelled to respond. The letter which was titled “Coalition gov’t was instrumental in having adequate housing programme approved” holds no merit as it is very clear that Ferguson continues to be disingenuous as she seeks to take credit for initiatives being undertaken in the housing sector by the current Administration. The former Minister speaks of another illusory plan that was never implemented by the APNU/AFC coalition, quite like their promised

good life and decade of development.

Editor, there were a lot of diatribes stated by Ferguson but perhaps she can state how many new housing schemes were created, the number of homes constructed and occupied, the basic infrastructure for the housing schemes, the geographical spread, and the diverse selection of potential homeowners. I believe that providing this information will give merit to her claims which should be dismissed until such time as she does so.

Ferguson stated, “Every home, in turn, should belong to a community in

which our citizens can enjoy good health, fresh air and clean water; where they walk the streets free from molestation, benefit from good roads, streetlights and pavements and where their children have access to a sound education and facilities for play and recreation.” But the facts are that the APNU/ AFC just completed five years in Government. It would be good if Ferguson can therefore identify one such community that they developed along those lines during their time in office.

Additionally, it is important to note that Ferguson sits in the PNC’s leader-

ship. The PNC/APNU/AFC has been in control of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council for decades.

Therefore, relative to her contention as quoted above, I’m forced to question how come their stewardship of the capital city has not resulted in this?

Editor, I end by saying that the former Minister, like her colleagues who now occupy the Opposition, continues to rant and make baseless claims. Her latest offering is another puerile attempt at fraud, as the APNU/AFC is noted for.

Sincerely, Thomas Cole

Condemning horrific murder of Pandit Rishi Bharat

Dear Editor, The Maha Sabha condemns the horrific murder of Pandit Rishi Bharat of Crabwood Creek, Berbice.

It is understood that the perpetrators of this heinous crime were imbibing close to the home of the pandit when he requested that they refrain from doing so due to the noise caused. As a result, the pandit was verbally and physically abused

resulting in his death.

The Sabha, for years, have supported calls by the wider Hindu community for more attention to be paid to alcohol abuse and noise pollution in rural communities. These calls have always been side-lined by the relevant authorities.

Today, we see clearly the grappling effects alcohol abuse can have on our communities.

The Maha Sabha call on all Hindus to condemn this horrific killing of Pandit Bharat and for justice to be served in a swift manner.

An appeal is also made to the relevant authorities to urgently put stringent measures in place as it relates to the public consumption of alcohol and disturbance of public order caused therein, all of which are unlawful under Section 131 of

the Summary Jurisdiction (Offences) Act, Cap 8:02 of the Laws of Guyana.

The Maha Sabha extends heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the late Pandit Rishi Bharat and pray that his Atma finds a place in the abode of Bhagwan Shri Krishna.

Sincerely, Maha Sabha

Inaccuracy about fishing licences Dear Editor, The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation wishes to refer to the Stabroek News Editorial of 29 August 2021 titled “Fishing Licences”, the opening sentence of which reads in part that Guyana and Suriname have agreed that “licences would be issued by Paramaribo to this country’s fishermen to operate in the Corentyne beginning in January 2022.”

The Ministry wishes to state that the 150 licenc-

es are to permit Guyanese to fish in Suriname’s exclusive economic zone – that is off of its coast – and not for fishing in the Corentyne River.

Having clarified that the premise of the entire editorial is incorrect, and not based on fact, there seems to be no need to correct the other statements and assertions that directly flow from that inaccuracy in the editorial.

The Ministry hopes that the editorial board of the Stabroek News will

find it appropriate to acknowledge the efforts of the leaders of Guyana and Suriname to meet common ground on issues of day-today interest to their peoples now that it is known that a desire harboured by

Guyanese fisherfolk for decades has official sanction.

Sincerely, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation

to their senses

Dear Editor, It is nothing short of remarkable that Guyana has accessed more vaccines, including now, the PfizerBioNTech that has now opened the door to our being able to vaccinate children from ages 12 to 18, than all other Caribbean countries.

In fact, it is nothing short of exceptional, that our Government has made it possible for our country to get ahead of the curve and take us to herd immunity.

It is also nothing short of shameful that yet large numbers, almost 30 per cent of our people, are refusing to be vaccinated and organising against mandated requirements for vaccination.

A shutdown of Region 10 is advertised against mandated vaccination.

It is appalling that the Guyana Public Service Union plans to challenge the legality of the lockout of healthcare workers who are not vaccinated.

We have arrived to the point of 600 Guyanese dead from this pandemic, but not a single one who has died was fully vaccinated.

No one who has been fully vaccinated has died in our country from this dreaded yet conquerable disease.

Are we blind to the lesson to be learnt from the most prominent anti master, Caleb Wallace, in the US and leader of “Defenders against Mandates” has just died from COVID. A PNCR parliamentarian is on the verge of losing his life, and others like him, from this pandemic, having refused to be vaccinated.

Those of our people who continue to refuse to be vaccinated must face the fact that they threaten the vaccinated when employed alongside of them, that they threaten the lives of those they sit next to in restaurants, in public transportation and places of entertainment.

In Canada, the unvaccinated cannot use any form of public transportation.

It is time that the anti-vaccinated come to their senses or be made to do so.

Yours sincerely, Kit Nascimento

Why such a vicious and vile attack?

Dear Editor, The Police didn’t come when summoned, which may have prevented a murder, but came to offer condolences in the brutal murder of the Hindu priest of CWC. Why, it must be queried, such a vicious and vile attack on a man of God?

Was it a case of vengeance of spurned affections? And why couldn’t the Police respond? This must be investigated.

My condolences to the grieving family.

Sincerely, Shamshun Mohamed

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2021

Page

Foundation

By Mother Goose Hush little baby, don’t say a word, Papa’s gonna buy you a mockingbird.

And if that mockingbird won’t sing, Papa’s gonna buy you a diamond ring.

And if that diamond ring turns to brass, Papa’s gonna buy you a looking glass.

And if that looking glass gets broke, Papa’s gonna buy you a billy goat.

And if that billy goat won’t pull, Papa’s gonna buy you a cart and bull.

And if that cart and bull turn over, Papa’s gonna buy you a dog named Rover.

And if that dog named Rover won’t bark, Papa’s gonna buy you a horse and cart.

And if that horse and cart fall down, You’ll still be the sweetest little baby in town!

Source: The Dorling Kindersley Book of Nursery Rhymes (2000)

WORD SEARCH

NEWS

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

More Sputnik V 2nd doses arrive in Guyana

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uyana is in receipt of another 5000 doses of the second component Sputnik V vaccines, as announcement by the Health Ministry on Monday.

This batch of Russianmanufactured jabs arrived at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport on an Amerijet aircraft and once distributed to the various sites, persons awaiting their last dose will be able to access the shots.

Due to the rise of variants which affected the supply chain to Guyana, the Health Ministry is only receiving 5000 doses per week.

An arrangement is currently activated regionally to ensure that sites receive jabs in time to vaccinate those in waiting.

The State purchase is a sum of 400,000 doses of the Sputnik V vaccine – 200,000 first doses and 200,000 second doses. From that, Guyana has already received the 200,000 first doses as well as 61,000 of the second doses.

The country then placed a second order for 86,000 doses, comprising of 43,000

first doses and 43,000 second doses. However, while all of the first doses from this second order were received, only a fraction of the second doses were delivered.

As such, in total, the country is still awaiting more of the second component.

Guyana’s vaccination rates are improving, with 311,539 persons or 60.1 per cent of the adult population taking their first doses.

Some 160,649 individuals or 31.3 per cent of the eligible population have returned for their second shot.

Digitalised certificates

The World Health Organisation has said the digital documentation of COVID-19 certificates has been proposed as a mechanism by which a person’s COVID-19-related health data can be digitally documented via an electronic certificate.

“The certificate can be used in the same way as a paper-based vaccination record/card. That is to provide information to healthcare providers about the vaccination status of in-

dividuals, providing a basis for health workers to offer a subsequent dose and/ or appropriate health services as appropriate. In some instances, vaccination cards are also used to facilitate international travel, for example in the case of yellow fever, where a vaccination certificate may be required by some countries as a condition of entry,” the Organisation said in a statement.

The WHO noted that paper-based vaccination records have presented many challenges – such as the possibility of losing or damaging the card, or even the possibility of fraud. The proposed digital solutions are designed to address these challenges.

“A vaccination certificate can be purely digital and replace the need for a paper card, or it can be a digital representation of the tradi-

tional paper-based record.

The link between the paper record and the digital record can be established using a barcode, for example, printed on or affixed to the paper vaccination card. A digital certificate should never require individuals to have a smartphone or computer.”

A few days ago, the WHO published a guidance document for countries and implementing partners on the technical requirements

for issuing digital certificates for vaccination against COVID-19. The guidance is part of a series of planned documents on digitalisation of COVID-19 certificates.

The guidance will, amongst other things, support member states in adopting digital tools for documenting COVID-19 vaccination status for the purposes of effective healthcare, and proof of vaccination should it be needed for other purposes.

The guidance was developed in collaboration with a multi-disciplinary group of experts, to ensure that it will be useful to governments and implementing partners who have built or who are currently developing systems for issuing or verifying digital vaccination certificates.

The technical content of the guidance has been made available to partner countries and economies that have developed, or are in the process of developing, national digital vaccination certificates to ensure that these digital certificate products will be interoperable. (G12)

4 confess to beating Corentyne pandit to death …Police hunt 2 more suspects

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our persons have provided investigators in Berbice with confession statements as to their involvement in the fatal beating of a Crabwood Creek, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) religious leader on Saturday night.

Rishi Bharrat, 60, was attacked and beaten to death outside of his Lot 10 Grant 106 Crabwood Creek home after he requested that the disorderly men who were all imbibing remove from in front of his home. A post-mortem examination on his body has been scheduled for Wednesday.

There are reports that eight young men were in

Pandit Rishi Bharrat

front of the pandit’s home imbibing, using foul language and behaving disorderly.

Bharrat had reportedly gone out to the group to confront them since he was unsuccessful in his bid to get them to go elsewhere when he spoke to them from his window.

Police arrested eight persons on Sunday morning, and three more later on Sunday.

On Monday, another person was arrested and four of them have provided investigators with confession statements about their involvement in the beating.

Reports are that the group were at a wedding celebration at Number 70 Village, also on the Corentyne and the event was stopped by the Police as part of measures

to enforce COVID-19 guidelines.

The group went to Crabwood Creek and purchased alcoholic beverages from a shop nearby and continued imbibing.

When Bharrat went out to them, there was an exchange of words between himself and the men and he was attacked.

Two persons of the group reportedly removed boards from a bridge which

stretched across a canal and lashed the father of four, one of which hit his head.

He was also hit to the head with beer bottles after falling to the ground.

The pandit, who operated his own temple which was situated on the same premises, was pronounced dead at the Skeldon Hospital.

According to the now dead man’s wife, Jasmine, she had telephoned the Skeldon Police Station twice

seeking Police intervention after complaining of noise nuisance and was told on the second occasion the Police were responding and were already in the community.

Meanwhile, this publication was told that the Skeldon Police Station has to share two motorbikes which also have to be used to patrol the Upper Corentyne and the Black Bush Polder areas. (G4)

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Case filed by suspended PSC

High Court to rule on President’s immunity on Sept 16 Acknowledging…

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President Irfaan Ali

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n September 16, High Court Judge Gino Persaud will rule on whether President Irfaan Ali is immune from being named as a party to a case filed by the Police Service Commission (PSC) challenging its June 16 suspension by the Head of State. The imminent ruling has its origin in an application filed

by Attorney General Anil Nandlall, SC, who is asking that the President be struck out as a respondent.

On Monday, Justice Persaud entertained full arguments on the issue from Nandlall and Attorney-atLaw for the PSC, Selwyn Pieters. Elaborating arguments proffered in his written submissions laid over ahead of Monday’s hearing, the Attorney General maintained that is unconstitutional and unlawful to name the President in legal proceedings regardless of whether it is criminal or civil in nature.

The Senior Counsel placed heavy reliance on Article 182 of the Constitution and Section 10 of the State Liability and Proceedings Act. Under the aforementioned constitutional provision, Nandlall argued that the President has immunity from the judicial process.

According to him, Article 182 states that subject to the provisions of Article 180, the holder of the office of President shall not be personally answerable to any court for the performance of the functions of his or her office, or any act done in the performance of those functions.

“Whilst any person holds or performs the functions of the office of President, no criminal proceedings shall be instituted or continued against him or her in respect of anything done or omitted to be done by him or her in his or her private capacity. And no civil proceedings shall be instituted or continued in respect of which relief is claimed against him or her for anything done or omitted to be done in his or her private capacity,” said the Attorney General as he

Attorney General Anil Nandlall, SC

quoted from the constitutional provisions.

Given that Article 89 states that the President is the Head of State, the supreme executive authority, and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces of Guyana; Nandlall submitted that in accordance with Section 10 of the State Liability and Proceedings Act, all actions brought against him in his capacity as Head of State should only name the Attorney General.

History of presidential immunity

The Senior Counsel went on to highlight the history of presidential immunity which he said evolved out of the Crown Prerogative.

“The Crown was replaced by the President in Guyana where the President is both the Head of State as well as the Head of Government. In that regard, Guyana is different from the rest of the Caribbean for example in Trinidad and Tobago where the Head of State is the President, and the Head of Government is the Prime Minister.”

According to the AG, the compendium of immunities and privileges conferred on the Head of State are like the compendium of powers and immunities that have been historically devolved upon members of the Judiciary as well as members of the legislature. And he noted that they find expression in constitutional provisions, in statutory provisions as well as in the common law.

He added, “And there is one golden thread that runs through this immunity, and it is conferred on the office not necessarily the officeholder, but the office because of the functional responsibilities which devolve upon that office. When the office is occupied, the occupier of that office then enjoys that immunity and all interpretations going back centuries…”

Having regards to the foregoing, the Attorney General submitted that no court which has had the op-

Justice Gino Persaud

portunity to interpret this immunity “has ever been able to alienate the holder of the office from the office itself.” He went on to say, “In other words, the cloak of immunity that covers the office, covers the individual impenetrably and that has been the consistent interpretation.”

“You cannot take away the officeholder from the office. When does the President stop being the President? He is President 24 hours per day, every day of the week, every hour of the day… and once he performs either a function of his office or he does it personally. The wisdom of the law has been that it is impossible to draw a distinction between the officeholder and the office.”

In support of his arguments, the Attorney General cited case laws from Guyana, the Caribbean, and other Commonwealth nations. Moreover, Nandlall made it clear that he is “not at all” saying that decisions made by the President are barred from judicial review.

President’s actions

In fact, he submitted that as a creature of the Constitution, the President’s actions are reviewable by the High Court which is conferred with the authority to strike it down should it be found to be unlawful.

Having regard to his arguments, he asked the court to remove President Ali as a party to the case.

For his part, Attorneyat-Law Selwyn Pieters, who is the Police Service Commission’s lead counsel, urged the court to dismiss the AG’s application because President Ali is “indeed a proper and appropriate party being named in his official capacity” as he unlawfully suspended the Police Service Commission.

In addition, he said he is also challenging the actions of Police Commissioner Nigel Hoppie and Secretary of the PSC following its “unlawful” suspension by President Ali. “The declarations sought is the reason we named His Excellency

Retired Assistant Police Commissioner Paul Slowe

Attorney-at-Law Selwyn Pieters

as a respondent,” he told Justice Persaud.

“Somewhat unusual”

While he acknowledged that the naming of the President in these proceedings is “somewhat unusual”, the lawyer submitted that this simple fact reflects the “unusual and unprecedented nature” of this case and of the course of the action which the President and his Government has taken against the PSC. The PSC’s lawyer advanced that the case laws relied on by the Attorney General are not applicable in this case, as Guyana’s Constitution has nothing that prohibits proceedings from being brought against the President in his official capacity. He said that the decisions in those cases are “faulty and not binding”.

Justice Persaud will hand down his ruling on September 16.

Besides President Ali, others listed as respondents in the matter are Prime Minister Mark Phillips, Attorney General Anil Nandlall, Police Commissioner Nigel Hoppie and Secretary to the Commission.

Chairman of the PSC, Retired Assistant Commissioner of Police Paul Slowe and several members of the Commission are currently facing criminal charges in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

TURN TO PAGE 10

…our Indigenous Peoples f it’s Sept 1st, it must be “Amerindian Heritage Month”!!!

When he’d finally taken his rightful place as President of Guyana after the Machiavellian Burnham had rigged elections for 28 years – Cheddi Jagan acknowledged the place of our Indigenous Peoples at the centre of our nation’s foundation by dedicating the entire month of September to them. In 1995, he chose that month because it was on Sept 10, 1957 that Stephen Campbell had become the first Amerindian to be elected to the National Assembly! He was a member of the UF. Imagine that!! The Dutch started the ball rolling on Guyana all the way back in 1621 when they launched a settlement up in the Essequibo. And it took over 300 years for them to get a seat at the table where the pie was being divvied up! Campbell made good use of that seat because after Burnham coalesced with the UF to oust the PPP, he took Campbell with him up to London to negotiate the terms of Independence. And Campbell demanded – and received – one of those terms acknowledging the Indigenous Peoples rights to the lands they’d been occupying from “time immemorial”. This was incorporated in Annex C of the Independence Agreement!

Burnham didn’t have much wriggle room so he passed an enabling Amerindian Act in 1976 to implement the decision – but never demarcated those lands! It wasn’t until the PPP was in power that they finally amended the Amerindian Act and the demarcation started. Indigenous Peoples were finally getting more than lip service. In 1992 ,it had also been shown that their rate of poverty was twice that of coastlanders – over 70 per cent!! The PPP initiated programmes that continue into the present to bring them on par with their fellow citizens. Which is nothing to write home about, in any case!!

When the PNC snucked back into office in 2015, they reversed many of those programmes. In one of their first acts, they fired 1972 Amerindians previously employed under the Youth Entrepreneurship and Apprenticeship Programme (YEAP)!! This has since been reversed by the PPP and a host of other empowering initiatives have been launched. But what will be the game changer for Indigenous Peoples will be the completion of the Highway from Georgetown with the Linden-Lethem section to finally kick off later this year!!

Finally, they and their villages won’t be locked away in the interior, but will have choices in the economic arena with the new physical connectivity. In the meantime, the communications connectivity and solar electrification have been proceeding apace.

So this Amerindian Heritage Month will see much more than the usual well-meaning platitudes.

They’ll be enjoying their gains under the PPP!! …murder most foul Looks like we have much more to learn from nextdoor Suriname than cooperating on development in general and petroleum in particular! We can learn from how they’ve sought – and continue to seek – justice for the 15 Surinamese Opposition citizens who then de facto President Bouterse had ordered murdered in Dec 1982.

He’d seized power in a coup with some other Surinamese Army Sergeants in Feb 1980 and ruled from behind. It was in June the same year that Burnham ordered the assassination of Walter Rodney!

When he became actual President, he dodged the bullet on murder charges (as well as various and sundry drug-smuggling charges) brought by the Dutch by invoking presidential immunity. But as Joe Louis warned “you can run but you can’t hide”. After charges were brought and his party gave him amnesty, a military court (irony of ironies!) scuppered that and he was convicted.

He’s still dodging, but next Monday his 20-year sentence will be confirmed!!

While here, some of Rodney’s comrades are biggingup Burnham!!

….truth Your Eyewitness never ceases to be amazed at how some folks can refer positively to Burnham when he was contemptuous of ALL Guyanese by destroying their democratic right to choose their government!

Truth is relative??

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

NEWS

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

2 more COVID-19 deaths, 80 new cases GUYANA COVID-19 DASHBOARD AUGUST 30 UPDATE

NUMBER OF NEW CASES

80

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

106 1740 31

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL QUARANTINE

9

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (FEMALES)

13,107

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (MALES)

12,296

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES IN GUYANA SINCE 2020

25,403

NUMBER OF RECOVERED CASES

22,913

TOTAL 1st DOSE VACCINATED

311,539

FULLY IMMUNISED

160,649

TOTAL NUMBER OF DEATHS

613

DISTRIBUTION OF TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES SINCE MARCH 2020 REGION 1

1358

REGION 2

782

REGION 3

3030

REGION 4

11,736

REGION 5

830

REGION 6

2055

REGION 7

1351

REGION 8

399

REGION 9

2246

REGION 10

1616

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

Keep a physical distance of at least 6 feet.

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

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

T

wo more deaths from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) have been recorded locally, the Health Ministry reported on Monday.

This takes the country’s death toll from the virus to 613. Latest fatalities are two men from Regions One and Four – both of whom are 47 years old. They died on August 29 while seeking medical care.

In one day, 80 out of

the 468 people that were swabbed tested positive, leading to confirmed cases rising to 25,403.

There are 31 patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 106 in institutional isolation, 1740 in home isolation and nine in institutional quarantine. Since the pandemic, 265,731 individuals were tested – of which 12,296 males and 13,107 females contracted the virus.

Meanwhile, a region-

al breakdown of new cases showed two for Region One (Barima-Waini), six in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam), 15 in Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara), 38 in Region Four (DemeraraMahaica), one in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), five in Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) and 13 in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni).

Cases in Regions Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), Nine

(Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) and 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) did not increase.

The Health Ministry’s vaccine drive-through for the adolescent population on Sunday saw some 2000 persons being vaccinated.

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony shared on Monday that the response at their MovieTowne location was overwhelming.

“We saw a lot of people coming out, not just with vehicles but people came out and turned part of the drive-through into a walk-through. We literally have hundreds of people who showed up that way.

We have about 2000 persons or so who got vaccinated. While the numbers were predominantly for children who came to get vaccinated with their parents, some of the parents also took the opportunity of getting their shots as well,” he expressed during the COVID update.

The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines are administered within 21 days. If continued, it was shared that children 12 years and above could be vaccinated within a short timeframe, allowing for a safe reopening of schools.

But in offering more options and mediums to get vaccinated, the Ministry is con-

verting their mobile units to conduct vaccination at schools.

“We really hope that we can get the cooperation from parents and if the trend continues as we have seen at MovieTowne, I think we will very soon be able to vaccinate our entire school population. These children would probably be able to return to school in a very safe environment…We’re converting those mobile teams now to do vaccination for the school children. We have a schedule which we have worked out with the Ministry of Education, where we’ll be going to the different schools and hopefully we’ll get the entire school population coming out and so that

we can vaccinate that school and move on,” the Minister noted during the briefing.

If anyone is displaying any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19 or needs any additional information, they are asked to contact the COVID-19 Hotline 231-1166, 226-7480 or 624-6674 immediately or visit us at www.health.gov. gy All Guyanese are reminded to observe the protocols of the COVID-19 emergency measures which emphasise the need for correct and consistent use of a face mask when leaving your home; the importance of maintaining the six feet physical distance from others; and the need for good hand hygiene.

10 NEWS

TUESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Over 1900 active COVID-19 cases countrywide – Health Minister …says rise in infections triggering increased hospitalisation rate

A

ctive infections from the coronavirus disease are saturated within Georgetown, with health authorities monitoring some 409 positives within various communities.

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony on Monday highlighted the alarming trend of rising positives within the capital city. The 400 active cases, he noted, are divided into hotspots but there is also a general distribution of positives across Georgetown.

In and around Georgetown, there are now have 409 cases. “That’s quite a lot and when you disaggregate it, you see places like Campbellville having about 37 cases, Sophia with 37 cases, Kitty with 29 cases but almost every ward in Georgetown, we have cases that are active. So, if people are not going to adhere to the measures, we are going to see a significant increase in these cases,” the Health Minister said on Monday.

Recently, the surge in cases have led authorities to conclude that there are more infectious variants circulating locally.

Tuschen in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) is still a hotspot with about 35 active cases; while La Parfaite Harmonie has 23. On the East Bank Demerara, Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), there are now 50 cases in Diamond; 44 in Grove and 28 in Timehri. Over on the

to get inoculated against the virus.

“One of the best ways that you can protect yourself is by getting vaccinated…If these people are not isolating themselves and they’re not wearing masks, not protecting others, a lot more

people can become infected,” the health official cautioned.

It was reported that over 800 new positives were reported by Health Ministry last week, coupled with 16 fatalities. Last week, the Health Minister had emphasised that rising cases could

be linked to the circulation of a more infectious variant in the country. While no genomic sequencing has been conducted to definitively indicate the presence of a more infectious variant, he indicated that it is highly likely. (G12)

Heated exchange ends in murder Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony

East Coast, there are 28 cases in Better Hope; 22 in Enmore and 21 in Mahaica.

For Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), New Amsterdam has 27 active cases; while Bartica in Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni) has 41.

“Over the last week or so, we have seen an increase in cases. On a daily basis, we’re getting on average maybe more than 100 cases and that’s a worrying trend.

From all the clinical parameters that we’re seeing, it might be the new variants that are circulating and apart from the increase in cases, we have also seen an increase in hospitalisation,” he outlined.

Increased hospitalisation

Guyana’s active cases have now surpassed 1900.

Dr Anthony pointed out that the rise in daily infections is triggering an increased hos-

pitalisation rate, with the numbers in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) doubling in recent time.

“Right now, we have 1910 active cases across the country and in terms of hospitalisation, we have 104 persons who have been hospitalised. At Ocean View, we have 78 persons in the hospital right now and we have 26 persons in the ICU. You can see within a very short period of time; our ICU numbers have moved from about 12 right up to 26. This is showing that people are getting infected but they’re getting a more severe form of the infection.”

Once a person becomes infective, they are required to isolate until recovery.

Otherwise, it could effectuate a bigger spike in the country, and thereby overwhelming the health system. However, officials are still pleading with persons

A

The area where the stabbing occurred

heated exchange between two men who are known to each other ended in the murder of a 27-year-old man at Quamina Road, Beterverwagting, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

Dead is Alwyn Eastman.

Reports are that Eastman and his cousin were walking along the Beterverwagting Access Road at around 18:30h on Sunday when they were approached by the suspect. Police said that a heated exchange erupted between Eastman and the 29-year-old suspect, which

Dead: Alwyn Eastman

resulted in a scuffle.

According to Police, during the scuffle the suspect fell into the trench but eventually crawled out and ran behind Eastman where he whipped out a knife and stabbed the man twice to the chest and abdomen.

The victim was picked up in a conscious state and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

On Monday, Police said checks were made for the suspect but he is yet to be located. An investigation has been launched.

High Court to rule on...

They have been implicated in a $10 million fraud over duties delegated to them for revising the Police Force’s raft of Standing Orders. It is alleged that the officers collected payments amounting to $10 million, but never provided the Force with a raft of revised Standing Orders.

President Ali suspended the PSC Chairman and Commissioners Michael Somersall, Claire Jarvis, Vesta Adams, and Clinton Conway – all retired Assistant Commissioners of Police – weeks after the Prime Minister had written to them, asking them to show cause why the fraud charges against them should not result in their remov-

al from the constitutional body.

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

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

The tribunal is to be appointed following the advice of a prescribed authority, in this case, the Prime Minister and is to be constituted in consultation

FROM PAGE 8

with the Judicial Service Commission (JSC).

The JSC is currently not functioning. The last JSC was appointed by former President Donald Ramotar on September 11, 2014. The tenure of each appointed member is for three years; therefore, the tenure of the last Commission expired on September 12, 2017. The life of the PSC expired on August 9.

The Police Service Commission is vested with the authority to exercise disciplinary control over persons holding or acting in high offices within the Police Force or even remove them from office as well as the promotion of ranks above the rank of Inspector. (G1)

NEWS

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Vendor crashes vehicle, dies while escaping from bandits

P

olice are investigating the death of an Essequibo Coast, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) vendor who died after he crashed the minibus he was driving into a fence in order to escape bandits.

Dead is 39-year-old Shawn Albert called “Dexter Prince” and “Rastaman”.

Reports are that the father of one and his colleague, Decklon Lees, who are both employed by Lins Bakery, located at South Road, Georgetown, were selling pasties at about 18:45h at Pam John shop at Church Street, Onderneeming, Essequibo Coast, when two masked men approached

Dead: Shawn Albert called “Dexter Prince”

them.

Police on Monday said that one of the men pointed a handgun at Lees and ordered that he hand over the money as Albert sat in the driver’s seat of the minibus, GWW 1783.

A scuffle ensued with Lees and the suspect with the gun and the gunman discharged about three rounds in Lees’s direction, however, the bullets missed him. Albert in response attempted to escape the bandits and drove the bus but crashed into a nearby fence.

The bandits escaped with between $60,000 to $70,000.

Albert was rushed to the Suddie Public Hospital

The crashed minibus

where he was pronounced dead on arrival. His body was examined but no gun-

Parks Commission workers protest management’s “disrespect”

The workers and their Union representatives outside the National Park on Monday

S

everal workers attached to the National Parks Commission along with officials of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) on Monday morning staged a picketing exercise outside of the office of the National Parks Commission (NPC) located at the National Park.

The picketing was in response to what the workers described as the “disrespect” of the Commission’s management to the Union.

The GAWU last week, through its field officer, sought a meeting with the Commission to discuss certain matters and according to the Union, even though such meetings are provided for within the context of the Recognition and Avoidance and Settlement of Disputes Agreement between the GAWU and the NPC, the Commission bluntly refused to engage the Union’s officer.

In a statement, GAWU maintained that both parties must respect fully and abide with the relevant clauses of the agreement.

Moreover, GAWU said it is the first time that the Union

has encountered such attitude from the NPC and was taken aback by the swift refusal to engage the Union which has shared generally cordial relations with the Commission.

GAWU said another major bone of contention revolves around the departure from engagements between the Union’s branch and the Commission’s management.

For several years now, GAWU said, the branch, following its monthly meeting, would engage the Commission and the meeting allowed for an exchange of information between the workers/Union and the management and helped to improve the relations while

encouraging collaboration.

Following the July 2021 branch meeting, the Union said that as has been the norm, it wrote the management seeking a meeting to be convened to facilitate the usual discussions.

Through its letter the branch was seeking to engage the management regarding twelve matters but according to GAWU, the Union’s letter was greeted with an eerie silence from the Commission and as such by letter dated August 5, 2021, it reminded the Commission of the request to meet.

The Union has since indicated that to date the letter has not benefitted “from

the dignity of an acknowledgement”.

Meanwhile, the workers also expressed concerns regarding the quality of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) being provided to them. “Through the Collective Labour Agreement, the management is required to provide certain PPEs to workers.

However, in recent times, the quality of those PPEs has declined. The workers lamented that defective PPEs are inhibiting

them from completing their tasks in a safe manner.

“Additionally, the quality puts them at risk. This represents a serious breach of the Occupational Safety and Health Act,” the Union said on Monday.

The Union also indicated that it sought to discuss this with the management, but “the good intentions have been a victim of the Management’s seeming policy to ignore the workers and their Union.”

GAWU said that it remains willing and ready to work with the management of the NPC. No comments from the NPC were forthcoming on Monday.

shot wound was seen, Police said, noting that the body

is at the Suddie Hospital Mortuary awaiting PME.

12 NEWS

TUESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Appeal Court upholds Former Magistrate dies outside GPHC man’s murder conviction waiting on attendants …changes 65 years’ jailtime to 27 years

…hospital to launch probe

F

ormer Magistrate Cecil Sullivan on Monday died at the entrance of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) after having to wait for a prolonged period for attendants to wheel him inside.

Sullivan, who tested positive for COVID-19, was in home isolation, but on Monday he began experiencing severe respiratory problems and was rushed to the medical facility by relatives.

Guyana Times understands that the 88-year-old man’s relatives were directed to a specific entrance of the hospital where COVID-19 patients are attended to, but died before he could receive medical help due to the delay.

In a statement on Monday evening, GPHC revealed that based on accounts from staffers and bystanders, Sullivan was taken into the East Street, Georgetown triage area with respiratory distress.

“Upon arriving at the triage facility, a public security officer accompanied Sullivan’s relative into the triage area and alerted the medical staff. However, upon

Dead: Clifton Bonus

Former Magistrate Cecil Sullivan

examination, Sullivan was unresponsive,” the hospital’s statement read.

The hospital’s management, also said that it would conduct an investigation into the events which led to Sullivan’s demise.

Sullivan became a lawyer in 1985, and a Magistrate subsequently in 1987. He also served as acting Chief Magistrate prior to his retirement in 2007. (G12)

T

he Guyana Court of Appeal on Monday upheld the murder conviction of 41-year-old Clifton Bonus but varied his 65year jail sentence which it found was severe. Led by Chancellor of the Judiciary Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards, the appellate court instead imposed a jail sentence of 27 years.

The court’s unanimous ruling was delivered by Justice of Appeal Rishi Persaud. Back in 2017, Fredericks was sentenced to 65 years in prison by Justice Navindra Singh after he was found guilty of the June 2011 murder of

his brother-in-law Clifton Bonus, who was found buried in a shallow grave.

Media reports are that Bonus called “Mutts” was found buried in a shallow grave at Old England Backdam, Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), days after he was reported missing.

The man’s body was found in the shallow grave, buried almost three feet deep beneath groves of cannabis days after he was reported missing. Media reports are that the men argued over marijuana seeds before Bonus was killed. The post-mortem examination proved that he was shot to the head.

During the hearing of the appeal, Fredericks’ lawyer Rachael Bakker had argued that the 65year prison term imposed on her client is unduly severe and not in keeping with modern sentencing practices.

While she acknowledged that statutes dictate what sentences are to be imposed on persons convicted of the capital offence of murder, she said that Guyana’s Criminal Law (Offences) Act is outdated.

The lawyer had submitted that even though the discretion of sentencing lies entirely with the Trial Judge, the penalty imposed on her client is not only strenuous to him but also taxpayers. Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Diana Kaulesar O’Brien presented the case for the State.

Convicted Killer: Lakeraj Fredericks

The Court of Appeal ordered that Fredericks is to be given full credit for the time he spent in custody dating back to June 22, 2011, when he was first charged.

Meanwhile, Fredericks is already serving a 22-year jail sentence for the June 11, 2011 unlawful killing of 38-year-old Vernon Romaldo, who was stabbed twice to the chest at Land of Canaan, East Bank Demerara.

Initially charged with murdering the man, he appeared at the Demerara High Court and pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter. (G1)

COVID-19 vaccination cards

2nd Health Ministry driver remanded on theft charges W ithin four days, two Health Ministry drivers were charged and remanded to prison for allegedly stealing COVID-19 vaccination cards. The latest person to be charged is 31-year-old Mark Samuels of Lot 276 South Ruimveldt, Georgetown. The defendant was arraigned before Principal Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus.

Samuels pleaded not guilty to the charge which stated that between August 22 and August 23, at Brickdam, Georgetown, he broke into the vaccination centre of the Ministry of Health, and stole 66 COVID-19 vaccination cards valued at $1014. His lawyer is Dexter Todd.

During a bail application, the lawyer told the court that his client does not know about the alleged stolen cards since none of them were found on his person or at his home.

However, Police Prosecutor Annalisa Brummell stated that during the period mentioned in the charge, a female nurse discovered that the lock on the cupboard in which the vaccination cards were stored was broken. Upon checking, Brummell said that the health worker noticed that the items were missing.

The nurse immediately notified her supervisor and a report was lodged at the Police station. According to the prosecutor, Samuels was caught on CCTV footage entering the vaccination centre. Following investigations, the man was arrested and charged with the present offence.

His next court date is

Remanded: Mark Samuels

September 27, at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Back in 2018, Samuels was charged for fraudulently obtaining over $1 million in diesel from GuyOil. He had pleaded not guilty to the charge which stated that between December 12, 2017, and January 7, 2018, at Georgetown, with intent to defraud, he obtained $1,054,789 in diesel from GuyOil on Regent Street by presenting a cheque in the name of Clyde Fowler, knowing same to be forged.

He was granted $70,000 bail.

Meanwhile, last week Friday, 27-year-olf Avinash Rameshwar, a driver attached to the West Demerara Regional Hospital was remanded to prison for allegedly stealing one dozen COVID-19 vaccination cards.

The Lot 50 Goed Intent, West Bank Demerara resident was

arraigned before Magistrate Zamilla Ally-Seepaul at the Leonora Magistrate’s Court. He was charged with simple larceny as well as forging an official document. He was not required to plead and he was remanded to prison until September 20.

Rameshwar was among the three men arrested by Police last Wednesday after they were caught with 12 blank and unstamped COVID-19 vaccine books, 17 stamped sick leave forms, and several pieces of medical equipment, including a stethoscope, sugar testing kit, and pressure testing kit.

Initially, the suspects were caught with four blank and unstamped COVID-19 vaccine books, but based on investigations, Police ranks went to the West Demerara Regional Hospital, where a request was made to conduct a search on minibus PWW 3747, which is usually driven by Rameshwar.

During the search, ranks found seven blue blank COVID-19 books in a compartment between the driver’s and passenger’s seats.

This was brought to the suspects’ attention but they bowed their heads and remained silent. The trio was arrested after two of them visited the Vreed-en-Hoop Health Centre, West Coast Demerara, and requested a female nurse to stamp the booklets.

The nurse checked the booklets and observed that they were all blank, and knowing that the men were not supposed to be in possession of same, she immediately brought the issue to the attention of her supervisor, who subsequently reported the matter to the Vreed-en-Hoop Police Station.

said these items were immediately seized.

Police Headquarters in a subsequent statement said that Rameshwar admitted that he would sometimes uplift the COVID-19 vaccination cards from the Health Ministry in Georgetown and take them to the West Demerara Regional Hospital, during which he took out 12 of the booklets.

Police said further investigations led to a nurse being interviewed, but she denied that the signature in one of the books found in the suspects’ possession belonged to her.

Full brunt of the law

Remanded: Avinash Rameshwar

As a result, the suspects were contacted and arrested at the West Demerara Regional Hospital and were escorted to the Vreed-enHoop Police Station.

During questioning, Police searched the motor car of one of the men and found a black and gold stethoscope, 17 blank sick leave forms which were all stamped with the West Demerara Regional Hospital stamp, and one COVID-19 book which was not stamped.

Police then went to the suspect’s home where further searches were conducted which unearthed one machine for testing pressure and a machine for sugar testing in his bedroom. He was questioned about the items and he stated that he had purchased them in Georgetown.

However, he could not produce any receipt for them. Police

Meanwhile, in light of reports of persons selling and forging COVID-19 vaccination cards, Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony has issued a stern warning that such persons will face the full brunt of the law. In doing so, he reminded that under Section 240 of the Criminal Offences Act, Chapter 8:01, forgery is an offence. “…you can be prosecuted for forgery and the fine, if you’re found guilty of forgery, would be up to three years’ imprisonment. And if you forge a vaccination card, you will be liable to this type of punishment if caught. So, I want to encourage people: desist from such practices because when we catch you, you are going to feel the full brunt of the law,” the Health Minister declared.

He went on to say that the punishment, “…goes to the people who have access to the vaccination card and the people who are buying the vaccination card”. (G1)

NEWS

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Govt building capacity to fight corruption – Teixeira …urges civil society, others to get on board

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arliamentary Affairs and Governance Minister Gail Teixeira, whose Ministry is spearheading an anti-corruption workshop with support from the United Nations (UN), said the Government is intent on building institutional capacity for fighting corruption.

A three-day workshop, supported by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, commenced on Monday at the Police Training Centre.

In her opening remarks, Minister Teixeira spoke of the need for Guyana to make active efforts to strengthen its institutions and honour its treaty obligations. She also called for everyone to be on board in the fight against corruption.

“We need to build institutional capacity in our country, that this becomes part of the fabric of what we do in Government. That the preparation of the reports requires the development of capacity in our institutions.”

“The preparation must be one where the partners and agencies in the country, civil society, begin to see this as an important function they have to play. Instead

(From left to right) UNODC Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Officer Jason Reichelt; UN Resident Coordinator (ag), Dr Gillian Smith; Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira, MP

of making it a political football.”

In addition, Teixeira emphasised the importance of Guyana building institutional capacity to eliminate instances of bribery, underhand deals, fraud, and exploitation in the public sector. This is also important for Guyana to be able to punch above its weight at anti-corruption conferences.

“We need as a country, as a small country in terms of population and skill space, to be able to work in an organised, structured manner and to be able to devel-

op the capacity when each of the agencies are involved, as well as the national level.

And that’s what this workshop is about. And we went to the UNODC and asked them, could they assist us,” the Minister said.

Global fight

Meanwhile, Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Officer at the UNODC, Jason Reichelt described the fight against corruption as a global one. He noted, however, that eliminating corruption has become even more critical and

urgent now during the pandemic.

“In the time of the pandemic and the time of COVID-19, we know that corruption has had particularly challenging effects on governments’ ability to respond to the crisis, to respond to the pandemic through corruption in public procurement and the acquisition of necessary medical supplies and equipment and the distribution and the manufacturing of vaccines and treatments for recovery,” Reichelt noted.

The workshop is also

aimed at providing a high-level review of the UNCAC Implementation Review Mechanism, focusing particularly on the procedures and various steps in a review, along with an indepth article-by-article discussion on the chapters under review.

This will allow experts and members of the National Coordinating Committee to engage in discussions to exchange information and clarify key concepts to get an understanding of information that might be relevant for the review of each

article.

The agencies participating in the three-day workshop include the Public Service Commission, Police Service Commission; the Ombudsman; Integrity Commission; Special Organised Crime Unit; Public Procurement Commission; departments under the Guyana Police Force; Office of the Auditor General; Financial Intelligence Unit; Judicial Service Commission; Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions; the Ministry of Legal Affairs; the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board; the Bankers’ Association of Guyana, as well as the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs.

Over the next three days, the participants will familiarise themselves and receive knowledge on the codes of the UN Convention; public procurement and management of public finances, public reporting and participation of society preventative anti-corruption policies and practices; measures relating to the Judiciary and prosecution services, among other key areas. (G3)

WWF launches “sweet water” campaign website for freshwater protection in Guyana

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WF-Guianas on Monday launched its “sweet water” campaign for freshwater protection in Guyana. The campaign website, sweetwater.gy, explains the urgent need for freshwater protection.

It also offers persons the opportunity to support the campaign by making a virtual pledge in support of using smart approaches to in-

frastructural, economic or agricultural development, while protecting nature.

On Monday, WWFGuianas said that the campaign is supported by South Rupununi District Council (SRDC) and Policy Forum Guyana.

The availability, quality and flow of freshwater, it noted, is becoming increasingly unpredictable as it is threatened by climate

change and poorly planned developmental activities.

The sweet water campaign is aimed at the protection of freshwater in Guyana and Suriname under the theme “Together for Clean Rivers”.

According to WWF, the main component of the campaign focuses on bringing awareness to the importance of taking a “building with nature” approach and developing nature-based

solutions to infrastructural development around our critical freshwater ecosystems, particularly in the Rupununi region.

WWF-Guianas Country Manager, Guyana, Aiesha Williams on Monday said that the intention is to use the knowledge “that we gather to help inform how and where development progresses, with the interest to avoid sensitive areas and areas where it does not make sense to invest money in if every wet season it is ex-

pected to flood.”

The SRDC’s component of the campaign focuses on the four important river ecosystems in the South Rupununi by advocating for the protection of the headwaters of the South Rupununi at the national level and to raise awareness of the importance of headwaters at the local and national level.

The work of Policy Forum within the campaign concentrates on combatting river pollution and aims to in-

crease awareness to develop a realistic sense of the scope of the task of rehabilitating polluted rivers.

WWF also indicated that in the final stages of the awareness campaign, in December, it will engage Government and other key stakeholders in high-level discussions with the aim of securing a commitment to developing new policies and regulations towards the protection and maintenance of sensitive areas where water flows.

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2021|| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Rift between APNU, AFC deepens after motion against Region 4 Chair

…APNU’s rep brands AFC’s actions as “distasteful”

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Partnership for National Unity (APNU)-nominated Chairman of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region Four (DemeraraMahaica), Captain Daniel Seeram has branded the recent actions and statements made by the Alliance For Change (AFC) as “distasteful”.

Seeram made this pronouncement in a statement on Monday. It comes after the AFC had brought a NoConfidence Motion (NCM) against him and had issued a statement citing continued failures and shortcomings in the management of the RDC. The smaller party had also expressed their lack of confidence in the APNUelected Vice Chairman, Samuel Sandy. In his statement, Seeram expressed concern at the statements and actions of the AFC Regional Councillors on Thursday.

“It is most unfortunate

that these actions were done in the absence of the Regional Chairman which makes the situation distasteful. After careful assessment and consideration of the reported issues it was determined that many of these issues were inaccurately stated, while others were ventilated at the level of the RDC statutory meeting where the records can attest that the necessary guidance was given and formal complaints were lodged,” Seeram said.

“To our partners in the APNU+AFC Coalition there is mutual respect for all concerns that are brought to the leadership of the RDC Demerara-Mahaica. These matters are discussed, consulted and then informed decisions are made. With the current posture it would be favoured that good sense prevail and the intellectual authors of such actions would comprehend that this course of action bears no fruit, but only creates mis-

APNU Vice Chairman Samuel Sandy

APNU Region Daniel Seeram

chief.”

Going forward, Seeram urged that a collective and unified approach is adopted by all stakeholders in the region. The Chairman also urged that all pertinent issues affecting the region be immediately communicated in order to bring relief and provide assistance.

edness of the APNU Chairman and the manner in which the RDC’s business is handled. For instance, one of their concerns was the suspension of the Regional Administration of Committees meetings without a word to them. This, according to the AFC, resulted in chaos.

“The alienation and exclusion of the AFC and its representatives by the Chair is seen in that he currently holds Chairmanship of key committees including the

High-handedness In the AFC’s statement announcing the NoConfidence Motion, they had detailed the high-hand-

4

Chairman

Ubudi Eco-Lodge commissioned at Moraikobai

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ourism in Moraikobai, the only Indigenous community in Region Five, was given a boost with the commissioning of a new ecolodge that will cater for tourists who wish to make overnight trips to the community.

The newly constructed eco-lodge was officially commissioned on Monday by Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister, Oneidge Walrond, who was accompanied by British High Commissioner to Guyana, Jane Miller.

Walrond during her feature address noted that tourism development is a priority of the Government, as it has the potential of being one of the top income earners for the country.

“The eco-tourism product is about sustainability, the fact that it can last, because we want to make it last, we will never cut down the forest because that is what’s going to attract people to Guyana, we will never get rid of our flora or fauna because that’s what’s going to bring people here, so that’s why eco-tourism is sustainable, so you are all a part of this,” she was quoted by DPI as saying.

Walrond noted that President Dr Irfaan Ali has a passion for our tourism product and believes in it.

“I see Moraikobai and I see that this is the vision that he [President Ali] has, that Government has, that tourism is not just about a small lodge, that this is the beginning of big things for Guyana.”

DPI reported that the

Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister Oneidge Walrond cuts the ribbon, officially commissioning the eco-lodge

Minister noted that the establishment of the ecolodge is just the beginning of greater things in the community. She noted that the goal must be to offer visitors with accommodations that are on par with other countries.

She said visitors must have access to different tiers of experiences, be it rustic, mid-range or luxury experiences. It was disclosed that Expressions of Interest will soon be sent out for more eco-lodges.

“This is a developmental strategy that Government has engaged on, that we have decided that our economy should not be an oil and gas economy alone, but it should be a diversified economy, where tourism is going to be a way for you to feed your families for generations to come.

“People are going to be coming to these lodges many, many decades from now, coming to your lodg-

es, coming to experience this beautiful Moraikobai, and continue to do it in a sustainable fashion and continue to understand that what you are selling here is the nature, the pristineness.”

She urged the community to look at how they deal with waste and protecting the wildlife.

“This is just the beginning, the best is yet to come we will continue to work with you to make sure that Moraikobai is one of the flagship tourism products, because this is the only Amerindian community in Region Five, we are building out in all the other regions so you have that attention.”

The British High Commission donated a photovoltaic solar system that will power the facility.

Meanwhile, the British High Commissioner noted that the Commission has been working with the Government of Guyana for

some time. She said the Government is keen on creating more jobs and developing tourism as part of the economic development strategy. “It’s such a beautiful country, people want to visit places like this and so we are very keen to support the Government and within the tourism sector, eco-tourism is one of the key things.

“There are some countries we are really working hard to reduce their carbon footprint, but for Guyana, it’s protecting these beautiful forests, not just because they are beautiful, not just because they are a tourist attraction, but because they are the lungs of the earth and we need to be protecting those forests. So, this project is one of those win wins, it’s bringing together tourism and jobs, it’s looking at how you protect your forests and how we actually save our environment at the same time,” she added.

Tourism Committee which to date has never met as well as the Drainage & Irrigation committee.”

“The Chairman is currently the sole representative on the Sea Defence Board of the Ministry of Public Works, the National Drainage & Irrigation Authority (NDIA), the Board of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Covid Task Force of the Office of the Prime Minister,” AFC also said in their statement.

In September 2020, the actions of APNU had set the tone for how things would go at the Region 4 RDC. APNU, which has a history of infringements against the smaller party, had locked the AFC out from the Vice Chair position despite a previous agreement.

That agreement stipulated that the AFC would get the Vice Chair positions in Regions Seven and Four.

True to that agreement, AFC had nominated Neilson McKenzie for the Region 4 Vice Chairman position.

However, APNU nominated Samuel Sandy and the PPP nominated Desmond Morian.

Voting along party lines, APNU and PPP cast their 14 votes each for their candidates and the AFC, with its five votes, backed McKenzie.

Seeram then used his deciding vote to elect Sandy, overriding the AFC’s nominee.

Since it came into office after joining forces with the APNU in 2015, the minority AFC has been criticised for

the submissive role it has been playing to the abusive APNU. Decisions the former Government made, such as the closure of sugar estates, which put thousands of sugar workers out of jobs, were passed unchallenged and even supported by the AFC. This is despite the AFC retaining the Agriculture Ministry.

This passive relationship with APNU was cited by former AFC parliamentarian Charrandas Persaud, as one of the reasons he voted for the No-Confidence Motion that brought down the APNU/AFC Government in 2018.

In addition, there has been the former Government’s strategic reallocation of responsibilities away from Ministries that were headed by AFC officials, to other Ministries.

There is also the fact that despite the Cummingsburg Accord containing stipulations that should have seen former Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo being vested with the responsibility for chairing Cabinet and domestic issues, the former APNU Government never honoured this.

Since their loss of office, the AFC has also been hit by a number of resignations. These resignations include Joel Edmond, the husband of Opposition coalition Member of Parliament Geeta Chandan-Edmond.

Former coalition MP in the 11th Parliament, Reynard Ward also resigned. (G3)

Mobile health teams to aid COVID-19 adolescent vaccination drive

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he Health Ministry will begin using mobile teams to continue the countrywide COVID-19 vaccination of children 12 to 17 years.

This is according to Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony, who on Monday said that the teams will complement the already over 100 fixed COVID vaccination sites across the country.

He said his Ministry has collaborated with the Education Ministry to work out a schedule to have the vaccines administered at various schools. “…And hopefully we’ll get the entire school population coming out so that we can vaccinate that school and move on,” he said during the daily COVID-19 update.

Anthony reminded that the vaccine is available to children 12 to 17, noting that it is the first of two shots they must take to be fully immunised.

“The Pfizer vaccines that

we are using for school children would require the children to come back after twenty-one days, so that they can get a second shot and once they get that second shot, they’ll be fully immunised.”

The Minister said the Government hopes to get the cooperation of all parents for all eligible children to take the vaccine.

He said if the trend of high turnout continues, soon all adolescents would be vaccinated. He noted that it would also allow for schools to reopen to face-toface learning in a safe environment.

Based on calculations so far, some 2000 adolescents received their vaccine on Sunday. However, the number is not yet finalised as the Ministry is still tallying.

While the number of vaccinations on Sunday was predominantly children, some parents took the opportunity of getting their vaccines as well.

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Guyana, French Guiana, Suriname to develop common security master plan ...as PM leads high-level team to Guiana Shield Strategic Dialogue

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uyana, French Guiana and Suriname have all committed to developing a common security masterplan during the first edition of the Guiana Shield Strategic Dialogue.

The meeting which was held last week was hosted in Cayenne, French Guiana, with Guyana being represented by Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips. At the trilateral engagement, the discussion centred on joint security threats and challenges facing the countries.

On Monday, the Office of the Prime Minister said that the dialogue also underscored the importance of shared respective understanding of the regional strategic defence and security environment.

The issues of how the

countries can collaborate and structure their operational and technical cooperation in the fight against the security threats and other challenges facing the populations, territories, maritime space and interests were also discussed.

Within the framework of the Guiana Shield Strategic Dialogue on security and defence and to develop a common security masterplan, the dialogue agreed on to exchanging views and working closely on technical and operational areas, including increased joined land, and sea patrol missions.

Additionally, it was agreed to strive for a global and coordinated approach against illicit trafficking and serious crimes, including drugs trafficking, illegal gold mining, environmental crimes and irregular immi-

Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips along with Suriname’s Defence Minister Krishna Mathoera and Brigadier General of French Guiana Régis Colcombet

gration with a focus on anticipation, threat assessment, prevention.

The third area that was

agreed to was response and increasing joint attention to the environment and climate change, including se-

curity and defence impact on climate change and to help safeguard essential conditions for peace and sustain-

able development.

Suriname’s delegation was led by Defence Minister Krishna Mathoera and the French Delegation

by Brigadier General Régis Colcombet.

The Guyana delegation also included Home Affairs Minister, Robeson Benn; Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force, Brigadier Godfrey Bess; National Security Advisor to the President, Captain Gerry Gouveia; Director of the National Intelligence and Security Agency, Colonel Omar Khan; Director of Customs Anti-Narcotics Agency, James Singh; Staff Officer of the Guyana Defence Force, Lieutenant Colonel Andy Pompey; Aide to the Chief of Staff, Captain Rondell Douglas and Aide to the Prime Minister Captain Godwin Cameron.

2nd body found in canal at Guard chops alleged chicken thief Port Mourant in 10 days P P

olice in Berbice are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of a 43-yearold man whose body was discovered in a canal at Port Mourant, Corentyne, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne), on Monday afternoon.

Dead is Anand Sookoo of Babu Jaan, Corentyne.

Reports are that the body was seen floating in a canal just off the Corentyne Highway at around 15:00h on Monday.

This newspaper was told that Sookoo lived alone and was last seen earlier on Monday.

According to his uncle, Tamishwar Jagmohan, who arrived in the country earlier in the day, he went to the

Dead: Anand Sookoo

scene after hearing that a body was discovered in the

canal.

He said it was only after it was fished out that he realised that it was his nephew.

He said his nephew was unemployed and frequently consumed alcohol.

“He lived by himself and his mother recently left the country,” Jagmohan explained.

This is the second body to be found floating in a canal at Port Mourant in ten days.

On August 20, a man was seen lying motionlessly in a drain on the northern side of the Port Mourant Public Road.

According to Divisional Commander Jairam Ramlakhan, the man is yet to be identified. (G4)

olice have launched an investigation into the chopping to death of an alleged chicken thief at Perseverance East, Providence, East Bank Demerara.

According to Police, the incident occurred on Monday morning between 03:00h and 04:00h but the dead man is still unidentified.

Investigations revealed that the 41-year-old guard was at the farm located at Perseverance East when he heard noises coming from a chicken pen. Police said that upon making checks, he saw several persons moving in the pen. The man then armed himself with a cutlass and returned to the pen where he was confronted by three men, who were making their way out of the pen with two large bags, suspected to have contained

chickens.

The guard, in his statement to Police, said that he blocked their exit and told the men to put back the chickens, when two of the males whipped out a cutlass and a hammer and rushed towards the man. He said he dodged a chop and dealt the male armed with the hammer a chop with the cutlass he had in his possession.

He said that the third thief then armed himself with a piece of wood and rushed towards him and he too was chopped several times.

The thief with the cutlass, he said, fled. Police said that the guard called his employer and informed him of what had occurred and the owner visited the farm and with the assistance of a taxi driver, transported the injured men to the Providence Police Station where the incident

was reported.

The injured men were then escorted to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre where one was pronounced dead on arrival.

The other male who has since been identified as a resident of Coverden, East Bank Demerara, is said to be an ex-worker of the farm’s owner. Police on Monday evening said that the man is also the prime suspect in two larceny reports made by the owner over the past week.

The injured man was subsequently transferred to the Georgetown Hospital, while the body of the unidentified male was escorted to the Memorial Garden’s Funeral Home awaiting a post-mortem examination.

The 41-year-old guard is in Police custody assisting with investigations.

they really saved me. I have a seven-year-old son who needs things and school opening. I have all my bills to pay but don’t worry, God will provide,” he said.

Joseph said the truck will have to remain in the forest until the bridge is fixed.

“There is no way that the truck can be brought out.

There are four wooden bridges on the other side and the truck too heavy to pass,” he said.

He said he stayed in the forested area until nightfall and when he went for medical treatment at the San Fernando General Hospital yesterday, there was a long wait and he was fearful of becoming infected with COVID-19. He then went to Couva Hospital but there were more long lines and he again left, fearful of contracting the virus while seeking medical attention.

Joseph said he wanted as-

sistance in getting medical aid.

Meanwhile, resident Leo Morgan said the collapse of the bridge will cause hardship to over 75 farmers from Moruga. He said he plants eight acres of land and now that the bridge is gone, there was no way to bring out the produce.

“We want the Government to look at fixing this situation now because without that bridge is plenty people will suffer,” Morgan said.

He explained that some time ago, A&V Drilling was doing works in the Edward Trace forests and they used a steel beam to prop the bridge.

Morgan said other bridges in the area were also on the brink of collapse.

Councillor for Moruga/ Tableland Joseph Lorant said a team from the Princes Town Regional Corporation will visit the area today.

He said since the pandem-

ic, many people had been planting the area to provide for their families, especially since unemployment was high.

“This area is highly traversed by Heritage Petroleum and other energy companies, so I am not sure what will happen tomorrow (today),” he said.

The Corporation will close off the road once a site visit is done. In the meantime, the Corporation is asking people to stay away from the bridge.

Also contacted for comment last night, Works Minister Rohan Sinanan said the bridge does not fall under the purview of the ministry.

“However, we will support the responsible corporation to have it resolved,” Sinanan added.

Anyone wanting to assist Joseph with paying his bills can contact him at 473-5306.

(T&T Guardian)

Men rescue driver after truck falls in river, then rob him

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ighting for breath after his truck fell into a river when a major bridge in Moruga, Trinidad collapsed under him on Saturday, truck driver Terrence Joseph clawed his way to safety with the help of three men.

But while he was thankful to be alive, Joseph recalled how his rescuers robbed him of $1,400 after saving him. This was all the money Joseph had to pay bills and buy food for his family.

The father of one told Guardian Media that up to yesterday he still had not received medical treatment.

Recalling the ordeal, Joseph, 39, of Marabella, said he collected a truckload of crush material and went to Edward Trace, Moruga, to drop it off at a hunter’s camp, where they were building a driveway.

While traversing the forested road, Joseph said he

came upon a group of scrap metal dealers who offered to take him to the location.

“The scrap metal dealers crossed the bridge first and I followed, then all of a sudden I heard a loud sound and all I saw was trees, the sky and the river as the truck went down with a thud.”

Joseph was thrown from the driver’s seat to the back of the cab and the truck began sinking.

The scrap metal dealers came in after him.

“I heard one of them pounding the glass and saying, ‘Don’t worry big man, I here. Fight your way out.’”

He said another one of his rescuers jumped down into the river and said, “‘Breathe, catch yourself. Try and come out’. By then the back of the truck was submerged,” Joseph said.

He added that his rescuer eventually opened the door and helped him onto the side

railing.

“I slipped and fell into the river and they came back down for me. By then I had swallowed half the river water. They threw down a strap and I wrapped the strap around my hand. Then I scaled the river wall. Part of the wall was dislodged but they pulled me up,” Joseph added.

He said in a confused state, he pulled out his wallet and his Samsung Galaxy S20 phone.

“One of the men told me, ‘boy, your foot bleeding. Go and wash out. That is river water you went in’,” Joseph said.

By the time he washed out the blood and came back, his wallet was empty and his rescuers and his phone were gone.

Joseph said he was now worried about how he would pay his bills.

“I am happy to be alive,

16 NEWS Venezuelan woman fears teen EU drops US from daughter kidnapped in T&T list of COVID-safe countries for travel T TUESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

of seven.

The house does not have electricity, and Gonzales does gardening and odd jobs to help care for the family.

The family previously lived in Tucupita. On reaching Trinidad, they were living in a make-shift tent in the Moruga forest.

Villagers Reanne Sonnylal and her sister Roxanne have built a structure for the family to stay.

he mother of a missing 16-yearold Venezuelan girl believes that someone has kidnapped

her.

At her Moruga, Trinidad home on Sunday, an emotional Rosana Theresa Gonzales said, "Gabriella, come home baby. Call Mama."

Between sobs, Gonzales added, "I need my daughter. I am suffering.

Please bring her home."

Gonzales said someone called the police on Sunday morning and pretended to be her.

“Police came this morning thinking my daughter came back home and was safe. They said her ‘mother’ called them. It was not me, and she is still missing!” Gonzales said.

Gonzales last saw her daughter Gabriella Marin Gonzales on Wednesday at about 10:00h.

She left the family's humble wooden structure at La Fortune Trace, an agricultural-based community, saying she was going to look for work in the Chaguanas district.

The minor was hoping to take care of a "bambino" (meaning someone's baby or young child.)

On Thursday, someone called the family saying Gabriella was injured in an accident and was at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex in Mount Hope.

“The person told my son that the accident happened somewhere in Cunupia on Wednesday night. When we got the news of the accident on Thursday, we hired a car to see her.

When we reached, the staff members told us Gabriella had to get a CT scan,” Gonzales said.

“I did not get to see her. On Friday,

Gabriella Marin Gonzales

we went back, but the receptionist said she had left with someone.”

From what the family was told, staff members initially believed Gabriella was 20. The male person she left with falsely claimed to be a relative. All calls and messages to Gabriella’s cell phone have gone unanswered.

To make matters worse, a woman called Gabriella’s brother's phone on Friday.

“The person did not ask for a ransom but wanted me to meet her somewhere in San Fernando. I really wanted to go, but they (people) said it was unsafe. We are not rich people,” Gonzales said.

“I cannot eat or sleep properly.

Today is four days since I saw her.

My husband is 70 and is worried.”

Gonzales reported Gabriella missing to St Joseph police on Friday.

Gonzales is the mother of eight, between 21 and 11, and grandmother

Sonnylal said, “It was hard on them in the forest exposed to so much rain. The family did not even have a mattress. Snakes were crawling on the ground. I hired some of the men who work in my garden to build the house.”

Cunupia police could not confirm receiving any reports of an accident in the district on Wednesday involving Gabriella.

Newsday learnt that the Antikidnapping Unit is also investigating the disappearance.

On Saturday, the police called on the public to help find Gabriella.

Gabriella is about five feet tall and light brown in complexion. She has a slim build with long dark hair and grey eyes. Gabriella also has tattoos on her right hand.

She was last seen wearing long black pants, an orange jacket and white slippers.

Police are asking anyone with information on her whereabouts to contact St Joseph at 662-4038/2522 or any police station.

They can also call Crime Stoppers at 800-TIPS, or police at 555, 999, 911 or share information via the TTPS App. (T&T Newsday)

E

uropean Union governments agreed on Monday to remove the United States from the EU's safe travel list, meaning U.S. visitors and those from five other countries are likely to face tighter controls, such as COVID-19 tests and quarantines.

Israel, Kosovo, Lebanon, Montenegro, and North Macedonia have also been taken off. The list seeks to unify travel rules across the bloc, although it does not bind individual EU nations, which are free to determine their own border policies.

Already some EU countries, such as Germany and Belgium, categorise the United States as red, requiring tests and quarantines, while for neighbours France and the Netherlands, the United States is classified as safe.

The list is largely compiled on the basis of the COVID-19 situation in each country, with reciprocity also a factor. Average daily

U.S. COVID-19 cases have risen to more than 450 per million people in the week to Aug 28, compared with below 40 in mid-June when the European Union added the United States to its list, figures from Our World in Data show.

Case rates for Israel, Kosovo and Montenegro are even higher, the data shows.

The EU safe list now comprises 17 countries, including Canada, Japan and New Zealand.

The bloc still lets in most non-EU visitors who are fully vaccinated, although tests and periods of quarantine can apply, depending on the EU country of arrival.

Despite EU appeals, Washington does not allow European citizens to visit freely. The bloc itself has been divided between those concerned about the lack of reciprocity and increased U.S. cases and others more reliant on tourism and reluctant to restrict U.S. travellers. (Reuters)

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Hurricane Ida: 1 million people Highly polluting leaded petrol now in Louisiana without power eradicated from the world – UN

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ouisiana residents may be in the dark for weeks as officials take stock of the damage from Hurricane Ida. Ida made landfall on Sunday with 150mph (240km/h) winds, the fifth strongest to ever hit the US mainland. About one million locals remain without power.

“It’s going to be a difficult life for quite some time,” said one local leader in the Greater New Orleans area.

About 5,000 National Guard members have been deployed to aid search and rescue.

In addition, more than 25,000 workers from around the country have mobilised to support power restoration in the state, according to CNN. At least one person is dead after a tree fell on their home in Ascension Parish, in Louisiana’s Baton Rouge area.

State and local officials have conceded that number is likely to grow as search and rescue efforts continue, but argued the city had largely “held the line”.

“The systems we depended on to save lives and protect our city did just that and we are grateful, but there is so much more work to be done,” said New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell on Monday.

She urged residents who had already evacuated their homes to stay put and not return until power and communications have been restored.

As the slow-moving Ida continues to move inland,

T

it has weakened to a tropical storm - but the National Hurricane Centre warned that heavy rain could still bring flooding to parts of Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.

Ida was previously deemed “life-threatening”, drawing comparisons to Hurricane Katrina, a 2005 storm that had a path similar to Ida and killed 1,800 people.

But it seemed that New Orleans’ flood defences, strengthened in Katrina’s aftermath, have done their job.

Governor John Bel Edwards said the levee systems had “performed magnificently” and none have thus far been breached.

“But the damage is still catastrophic,” he acknowledged on Monday. “We are still in a life saving mode.”

President Joe Biden has declared a major disaster in the state, releasing extra funds for rescue and recovery efforts.

On Monday, he pledged that the federal government would “stand with the peo-

ple of the Gulf [Coast] for as long as it takes for you to recover”.

Entergy, the largest power company in Louisiana, warned that it would take days - and likely weeks in the hardest hit areas - to restore electricity to the more than one million homes without power across the state.

Ida gathered strength over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico during the weekend. More than 90% of oil production there has been shut down as a result of the storm.

On Sunday, Ida made landfall south of New Orleans as a category four hurricane - meaning it would cause severe damage to buildings, trees and power lines. As it moves inland, Ida’s winds have dropped to 95mph (153km/h), meaning it is now a category one storm.

There are still fears of storm surges along the coast - which could be as high as 16ft (4.8m), potentially submerging parts of the low-lying coastline. (BBC News)

here is now no country in the world that uses leaded petrol for cars and lorries, the UN Environment Programme has announced.

The toxic fuel has contaminated air, soil and water for almost a century.

It can cause heart disease, cancer and stroke, and has been linked to problems with brain development in children.

Most high-income countries had banned the fuel by the 1980s, but it was only in July that Algeria the last country still to use leaded petrol - ran out.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres called the eradication of leaded petrol an “international success story”.

“Ending the use of leaded petrol will prevent more than one million premature deaths each year from heart disease, strokes and cancer, and it will protect children whose IQs are damaged by exposure to lead,” he said.

Lead started being added to petrol in the early 1920s in order to improve engine performance. The alarm was raised as early as 1924, when five workers were declared dead and dozens more hospitalised

after suffering convulsions at a refinery run by the US oil giant Standard Oil. But despite this, lead continued to be added to all petrol globally until the 1970s.

Wealthier countries then started phasing out its use - but three decades later, in the early 2000s, there were still 86 nations using leaded petrol.

North Korea, Myanmar and Afghanistan stopped selling leaded petrol by 2016, leaving only a handful of countries, including Iraq, Yemen and Algeria, still providing the toxic fuel in the latter half of the last decade. The UN’s environmental body Unep has worked with governments, private companies and civic groups to end the use of

leaded petrol since 2002.

“Leaded fuel illustrates in a nutshell the kind of mistakes humanity has been making at every level of our societies,” Inger Andersen, Unep executive director, said.

But, she added, eradicating the fuel shows that “humanity can learn from and fix mistakes that we’ve made”.

Environmentalist campaign body Greenpeace hailed what it called “the end of one toxic era”.

“It clearly shows that if we can phase out one of the most dangerous polluting fuels in the 20th century, we can absolutely phase out all fossil fuels,” Thandile Chinyavanhu, climate campaigner at Greenpeace Africa, said.

(BBC News)

Britain reports lowest number of COVID cases in nearly 3 weeks

B New Zealand flash floods force evacuations A ucklanders have been forced to evacuate their homes in the middle of the night due to flash flooding, after New Zealand’s largest city was hit by unexpectedly heavy rainfall.

Evacuations were carried out in the suburbs of west Auckland and nearby townships, such as Kumeu and Piha, with firefighters having to use jet skis to reach motorists trapped in their cars, according to the New Zealand Herald.

Emergency services received 150 calls for assistance through the night.

At least 50 homes across the region were evacuated, with flood waters yet to subside as rain continues.

One family said they had been forced to bring their horses into their home and appealed for neighbours to kayak in horse feed.

“With the weather last night we lost everything,” the Huapai resident posted on Facebook. “We have pushed ourselves to the limit swimming horses in and bringing them up into the second level of our house … thankfully we were able to get the kids taken out by jetski … if anyone has some hay or horse feed they can kayak or boat down to us it would be so so appreciated.” “We’ve been dealing with drought conditions and suddenly we’ve got this,” Auckland mayor Phil Goff told

Algeria, the last country to still sell leaded petrol, ran out of its last supplies in July

ritain has reported 26,476 new cases of COVID-19, the lowest number since Aug. 10, government data showed on Monday.

The figure meant cases reported between Aug. 24 and Aug. 30 were up by 1.8% compared with the previous seven days.

Case numbers often dip after weekends and the latest figure might be skewed by Monday’s bank holiday in much of the United Kingdom.

A further 48 people were reported as having died within 28 days of a positive test for COVID-19, the lowest since Aug. 23,

taking the seven-day increase to 14.8%. A total of 48.025 million people had received a first dose of a vaccine against coronavirus by the end of Aug. 29 and 42.719 million people had received a second dose, equivalent to almost 79% of people aged over 16. (Reuters)

South African scientists identify new COVID variant with “increased transmissibility” A vehicle submerged in the Kumeu River as heavy rain caused extensive flooding and destruction in Auckland, New Zealand (Photograph: Fiona Goodall/Getty Images)

Radio NZ. “The rain through the night was hitting around 90mm an hour which is a hell of a lot of rain.

“That’s now come back but it’s still around 40mm an hour … then the weather is expected to dissipate so we imagine later this morning things will be getting better.”

New Zealand’s weather forecasting agency MetService issued a yellow “heavy rain watch” on Monday, upgrading it to orange warning on Tuesday morning after the bulk of the rain had fallen.

“We knew it was going to rain overnight ... but there was no early indication that this was likely to cause the level of flooding it has,” Goff said. “Our forecasters are pretty good but they’re not miracle workers. They can’t be expected to know everything.

This has hit in a pretty local-

ised way.”

The fruit-growing centre of Kumeu has been devastated, with the main road and shops under water, with houses and cars damaged.

Auckland remains in a strict lockdown due to a Covid-19 outbreak, with almost 500 cases identified in New Zealand‘s biggest city over the last fortnight.

But stay-at-home orders are trumped by emergency management controls, meaning affected Kiwis can take the necessary action to safeguard property and family.

“People need to know that while we are under alert level 4 ... that is superseded by the more urgent requirement to get out of homes that are no longer habitable,” Goff said.

Emergency shelters have been set up in Henderson and Kumeu. (The Guardian)

A

new, potentially more contagious variant of COVID-19 has been found in South Africa, and elsewhere, according to new research.

The C.1.2. variant was discovered by scientists from South African groups the KwaZulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform, known as Krisp and the National Institute for Communicable Diseases. It was first flagged in May and has since been spotted in most of South Africa’s 9 provinces as well as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mauritius, Portugal, New Zealand and Switzerland.

According to Bloomberg, the researchers said the mutations seen in this variant give it “increased transmissibility” and an “increased ability to evade antibodies,” such as those provided by previous infection and recovery or vaccination.

Tulio de Oliveira, the director of Krisp, said at an

A man looks on as he receives a jab of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine from a healthcare worker inside the Transvaco COVID-19 vaccine train stationed at the Springs Train Station outside of Johannesburg, on August 25, 2021

immunology conference on Monday that researchers are still examining how vaccinated and unvaccinated people react to the new variant.

“It has only been detected in around 100 genomes, a very low number,” he said.

“It’s still a very small percentage, but again we are really keeping a good eye on that.

It has all of the signatures of

immune escape.”

Still, the researchers noted C.1.2. has a “concerning constellations of mutations.”

According to the paper, the new variant accounted for 2% of all cases in South Africa in July while the delta variant accounted for 89%.

Only about 14% of South Africa’s population is fully vaccinated. (NY Daily News)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

TUESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2021

Regional

Persad-Bissessar in Brazil: Bank robbers tie hostages to getaway Independence Day message: SoE an insult to Constitution cars in Araçatuba

B

ank robbers strapped hostages to the top of their getaway vehicles after a raid in the southern Brazilian city of Araçatuba in the early hours of Monday local time.

Police said that at least three people were killed, among them one suspect.

Officials said more than 20 people took part in the heist, blocking off roads with burning vehicles and placing explosive devices across the city.

Large-scale bank robberies have become more frequent in recent years, with hostages used as human shields.

Initial reports had put the number of assailants at more than 50, but that number has since been revised down to between 15 and 20.

Lieutenant Alexandre Guedes of the Military Police told GloboNews that one man was killed by the gang when they found him filming them.

A woman and a suspect were killed in a stand-off with Police outside the city as gang members tried to make their escape, officials said.

A 25-year old cyclist was seriously injured when one of the explosive devices planted by the gang went off as he cycled past.

He was taken to hospital, where both of his feet had to be amputated, local media reported.

Three other men are in hospital with bullet wounds.

Lieutenant Guedes said there were still at least 14 bombs across the city and that the first indication was

W

People in nearby buildings captured grainy video of the shocking incident on smartphones

that they had some sort of sensor, which is triggered either by heat or motion.

Schools will remain closed on Monday and residents have been urged to stay indoors until all the devices have been dismantled.

Police said three suspects had been arrested.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

hile she is optimistic that Trinidad and Tobago can overcome the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar in her Independence Day message criticised the Government for the extension of the State of Emergency (SoE), describing it as an insult to the country’s democracy.

The motion to extend the SoE was passed in the House of Representatives on Wednesday last week. It did not require Opposition support. All 21 Government Members of Parliament (MPs) voted for it, while all 18 Opposition MPs abstained. Two MPs were ab-

sent.

In a media release on Monday, Persad-Bissessar said while T&T has faced turbulent times before, the current restrictions can be described as an insult to the Constitution.

She said this year’s Independence Day was a special one as it would be observed by citizens whose rights were restricted and urged the public to understand the seriousness of the occasion.

“Nothing of the past can compare to what our citizens are being subjected to today. It is an insult to our Constitution and the pioneers of our independence that on Independence Day 2021, all our citizens’ rights

are suspended for no good reason.

“The Executive arm has full authority to utilise these emergency powers, but with good reason.

Implementing the State of Emergency – the ultimate legislative tool rendering all rights and freedoms non-existent, must only be used as a last resort.

“Therefore, this Independence Day is a solemn one. For whilst we mark 59 years an independent nation, we do so with none of our constitutional rights and freedoms. I, however, remain confident in the collective will of our people to get through this dark period in our history.” (Excerpt from Trinidad Newsday)

Several killed in boat collision in Peru’s Amazon Mexico condemns violent actions by migration agents caught on video

M

exico’s National Migration Institute (INM) condemned the actions of agents caught on video over the weekend throwing a migrant to the ground and kicking him in the face with the help of National Guard troops.

The Government deployed hundreds of security forces to head off a caravan of migrants and asylum seekers who left the southern city of Tapachula on Saturday for Mexico City, where they hoped to seek expedited asylum proceedings.

Videos posted to social media showed confrontations along a highway in the state of Chiapas between members of Mexico’s militarised National Guard and the migrants, many of whom were accompanied by young children or carrying babies.

One of the videos shows an INM agent, with the help of National Guards wear-

Migrants and asylum seekers from Central America and the Caribbean walk in a caravan headed to the Mexican capital to apply for asylum and refugee status, on a highway near Escuintla, in Chiapas state, Mexico, August 29, 2021

ing riot gear, grabbing one of the migrants and knocking him to the ground, as another agent kicks him in the face.

In a statement, INM announced the two agents had been “suspended” due to what it described as their

inappropriate conduct on Saturday.

“No conduct outside human rights protocols and policies will be tolerated,” the statement said, adding that additional punishment will be determined by an internal inspector. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Haiti’s hunger crisis bites deeper after devastating quake

I

n a tent encampment in the mountains of southern Haiti, where hundreds of villagers sought shelter after a powerful earthquake flattened their homes this month, a single charred cob of corn was the only food in sight.

“I’m hungry and my baby is hungry,” said Sofonie Samedy, gesturing to her pregnant stomach.

Samedy had eaten only intermittently since the 7.2-magnitude earthquake on August 14 destroyed much of Nan Konsey, a remote farming village not far from the epicentre. Across Haiti, the quake killed more than 2000 people and left

tens of thousands homeless.

In Nan Konsey, the earth’s convulsions tore open the village’s cement cisterns used to store drinking water and triggered landslides that interred residents’ modest subsistence farms.

Since then, Samedy and the rest of the community have camped alongside the main highway, about a 40-minute walk from their village, hoping to flag down the rare passing truck to ask for food and water.

“I’m praying I can still give birth to a healthy baby, but, of course, I’m a little afraid,” she said.

Haiti, the poorest coun-

try in the Americas, has long had one of the world’s highest levels of food insecurity.

Last year, Haiti ranked 104 out of the 107 countries on the Global Hunger Index.

By September, the United Nations said four million Haitians – 42 per cent of the population – faced acute food insecurity.

This month’s earthquake has exacerbated the crisis: destroying crops and livestock, levelling markets, contaminating waterways used as sources of drinking water, and damaging bridges and roads crucial to reaching villages like Nan Konsey. (Excerpt from Reuters)

A

collision of two river boats in the Amazon in Peru has left at least 11 passengers dead and others missing, according to a Government statement.

The accident took place at 05:30 local time (10:30 GMT) on the Huallaga River, in Muyuna on Sunday, when a boat full of passengers crashed into a freight barge amid dense mist at dawn, according to State channel TV Peru.

The crash caused the wooden passenger boat, the <<<Ayachi>>>, to capsize.

“So far there is an undetermined number of missing persons, as well as 11 dead and six injured,” the National Institute of Civil Defence said in a statement.

Firefighters, Policemen

The passenger boat was returning to the city of Yurimaguas in Peru [File: Guadalupe Pardo/Pool via AP]

and sailors are in charge of the search for those who disappeared.

Local television footage showed survivors crying on the riverbank as authorities carried some bodies away.

Entire families were travelling in the damaged boat, including about 20

children, according to the survivors.

The passengers belonged to a religious community that was returning to the city of Yurimaguas after participating in a vigil in a secluded hamlet in the jungle known as Santa Maria.

(Al Jazeera)

COVID-19: Medical oxygen shortage in Jamaica

T

he Health Ministry on Sunday confirmed reports of a shortage of medical oxygen across the island.

In a statement, the Ministry sought to assure the nation that suppliers and the regional health authorities were working to ease the crisis.

“With lives at stake given the high number of hospitalisations associated with COVID-19, the Ministry of Health & Wellness is pursuing all efforts to support public health facilities that are low or otherwise now out of oxygen.”

According to the Ministry, all hospitals were low in supply and those that were out had to be supplemented.

The statement added

that the Ministry was now in dialogue with oxygen suppliers IGL Limited, who were seeking to have stores increased on Monday and into Tuesday.

“All hospitals – through the regional technical directors at the regional health authorities (RHAs) and senior medical officers – have, in the interim, been instructed on oxygen conservation while the island awaits the restoration of supplies.”

The Ministry also said that of particular concern at this time are critically-ill COVID-19 patients as well as non-COVID-19 patients in need of high amounts of oxygen.

Based on this, surgeries will also not be performed as patients will not be able to be ventilated without ox-

ygen.

Meanwhile, the Ministry is continuing to encourage members of the public to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

The Ministry is also urging the public to remain vigilant in their adherence to infection prevention and control measures: notably, mask wearing, maintaining physical distance from others, and frequently washing and/or sanitising hands.

In the latest tally, the Health Ministry said the island recorded 929 new COVID-19 infections and confirmed 21 deaths.

The new cases moved the total number of infections to 66,663 since the first case was recorded last year while the death toll climbed to 1504. (Excerpt from CMC)

guyanatimesgy.com

TUESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2021

19

Around the world

OILNEWS OIL NEWS

Oil settles up as US producers, refiners assess storm damage

O

il rose on Monday, lifted as US Gulf Coast platforms, refineries and pipelines grappled with uncertainty on restart timelines after Hurricane Ida wreaked havoc on the region.

Gains were capped as OPEC+ looked set to go ahead with a planned oil output increase.

Global benchmark Brent settled at US$73.41 a barrel, up 71 cents or 0.98 per cent. Brent touched a session high of US$73.69, the highest since Aug 2. US crude futures rose 47 cents, or 0.68 per cent to US$69.21 a barrel.

Within 12 hours of coming ashore, Ida had weakened into a Category 1 hurricane, and has since dropped to tropical storm status. Hundreds of oil production platforms were evacuated ahead of the storm and nearly all offshore Gulf oil production, or 1.74 million barrels per day, was suspended.

After heavy winds and rains, nearly 1.2 million homes and businesses in Louisiana and Mississippi were without power on Monday and the storm’s move inland shifted the oil market’s focus to when refiners can restart.

Oil and gas pipeline operators checked for damage.

Power utilities warned that customers in the hardest-hit areas could face extended outages.

Exxon Mobil Corp said it was shutting the 520,000 barrel-per-day (bpd) Baton Rouge, Louisiana, refinery units until utilities resume providing power and feedstocks are available.

“We’re in wait-and see mode on how badly the refiners will be impacted by the power outages,” said John Kilduff, a partner at Again Capital Management in New York. “There’s going to be an accounting to be done later this week as damage is assessed - I would give it some time to breathe, like a fine wine,” he said.

US gasoline was up more than 1.5 per cent, lending support to crude. Power outages added to refinery closures on the Gulf coast and traders weighed the possibility of prolonged disruptions.

“It’s still early days,” said Vivek Dhar, analyst at Commonwealth Bank of Australia. “Oil products, like gasoline and diesel, are likely to see prices rise more acutely from refinery outages especially if there are difficulties in bringing refineries and pipelines back online.”

Brent has rallied 40 per cent this year, supported by supply cuts by the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies, known as OPEC+, and some demand recovery from last year’s pandemic-induced collapse.

OPEC+ meets on Wednesday to discuss a scheduled 400,000 bpd increase in its oil output, in what would be a further easing of the record output cuts made last year.

OPEC delegates say they expect the increase to go ahead, although Kuwait’s Oil Minister said on Sunday it could be reconsidered. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

China cuts children’s online gaming to 1 hour

O

nline gamers under the age of 18 will only be allowed to play for an hour on Fridays, weekends and holidays, China’s video game regulator has said.

The National Press and Publication Administration told state-run news agency Xinhua that game-playing would be only allowed between 8pm to 9pm.

It also instructed gaming companies to prevent children playing outside these times.

Earlier this month a state media outlet branded online games “spiritual opium”.

Inspections of online gaming companies will also increase, to check that the time limits are being enforced the regulator said.

Earlier rules had limited children’s online game-playing to 90 minutes per day,

rising to three hours on holidays.

The move reflects a long running concern about the impact of excessive gaming on the young.

A month prior to the latest restrictions, an article published by the state-run Economic Information Daily claimed many teenagers had become addicted to online gaming and it was having a negative impact on them.

The article prompted significant falls in the value of shares in some of China’s biggest online gaming firms.

In July, Chinese gaming giant Tencent announced it was rolling out facial recognition to stop children playing between 22:00h and 08:00h.

The move followed fears that children were using adult IDs to circumvent rules. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Last US forces leave Afghanistan after almost 20 years T

he United States on Monday said it had completed the withdrawal of its forces from Afghanistan following a chaotic airlift nearly 20 years after it had invaded the country in the wake of the Sept 11, 2001, attacks on America.

More than 122,000 people have been flown out of Kabul since Aug 14, the day before the Taliban - which harboured the al Qaeda militant group blamed for the 2001 attacks on New York and Washington - regained control of the country.

The chief US diplomat in Afghanistan, Ross Wilson, was on the last C-17 flight out, Marine General Frank McKenzie, the head of the US Central Command, told

US soldiers, assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division, arrive to provide security in support of Operation Allies Refuge at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, August 20, 2021

a Pentagon news briefing.

The emergency air evacuation came to an end before a Tuesday deadline set

by US President Joe Biden,

who inherited a troop withdrawal deal made with the Taliban by his predecessor Donald Trump and decided earlier this year to complete

the pull out.

The United States and its Western allies scrambled to save citizens of their own countries as well as translators, local embassy staff, civil rights activists, journalists and other Afghans vulnerable to reprisals.

The evacuations became even more perilous when a suicide bomb attack claimed

by Islamic State - enemy of both the West and the Taliban - killed 13 US service members and scores of Afghans waiting by the airport gates on Thursday.

Biden, who faced intense criticism at home and abroad over his decisions, promised after the bloody Kabul airport attack to hunt down the people responsible.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

“Deeply troubling”: North Korea nuclear activity stokes fears

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orth Korea appears to have restarted a nuclear reactor that is widely believed to have produced plutonium for atomic weapons, the UN nuclear watchdog said, a likely signal Pyongyang is expanding its banned nuclear programme.

Signs of operation at the 5-megawatt (MW) reactor, which is seen as capable of producing weapons-grade plutonium, were the first to be spotted since late 2018, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in a report dated Friday. “[North Korea’s] nuclear activities continue to be a cause for serious concern.

Since early July 2021, there have been indications, including the discharge of cooling water, consistent

with the operation,” the report said of the reactor at Yongbyon nuclear complex.

“The new indications of the operation … are deeply troubling.”

The facility, which North Korea calls “the heart” of its nuclear programme, has been the focus of international concerns for decades.

It is unclear exactly how much weapons-grade plutonium or highly enriched uranium has been produced at Yongbyon and where North Korea stores it.

The IAEA has had no access to North Korea since Pyongyang expelled its inspectors in 2009. The country subsequently pressed ahead with its nuclear weapons programme and soon resumed nuclear testing. Its last nuclear test

North Korea’s key Yongbyon nuclear plant is photographed in June 2008 [Kyodo via Reuters]

was in 2017.

The IAEA now monitors North Korea from afar, largely through satellite imagery. “[The IAEA report] appears to indicate North Korea has resumed producing plutonium for its nuclear weapons programme,” said Gary Samore, director of the

Crown Center for Middle East Studies at Brandeis University, told the Wall Street Journal.

“While North Korea already has a significant stockpile of nuclear weapons, this suggests it is moving to expand its current arsenal.” (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Japan considers Oct 17 election as PM ratings hit record lows

T

he Japanese Government is considering holding a general election on Oct 17, Kyodo news said on Monday citing Government sources, even as public support for Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga hits record lows in two new opinion polls.

Suga has failed to capitalise on delivering the Olympics for the country, currently being hit hard by a fresh wave of coronavirus infections. The Government has declared a fourth state of emergency in most of the country amid a sluggish vaccination rollout.

The Mainichi newspaper poll showed public support for Suga had slid below 30 per cent for the first time, to a dismal 26 per cent. The Nikkei daily put his ratings at 34 per cent, in line with a record low hit in its survey last month.

If the general election plan is approved at a Cabinet meeting, it would mean Suga will

not call a snap election but instead allow the members of the Lower House of Parliament to serve out their full terms.

But before the general election takes place, Suga faces a challenge for the leadership of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), due for Sept 29, whose winner is all but assured of being premier due to the LDP's majority in the Lower House.

Public support ratings are watched particularly closely because the new party chief will lead the LDP in the general election.

One of the polls showed that Suga's possible rivals for the party leader job, such as Administrative Reform Minister Taro Kono, in charge of Japan's vaccination push, and former Defence Minister Shigeru Ishiba, were more popular with the public.

The 72-year-old Prime Minister also faced criticism from writer Haruki

Murakami, who in rare public comments said that if the premier was able to see a way out of the pandemic, "he must have very good eyesight for his age".

In a radio appearance on Sunday, the author of the 1987 novel, "Norwegian Wood", said, "I'm the same age as Suga, and I don't see a way out.

"That man has ears that don't hear much, but his eyes are exceptionally strong. Or perhaps he just sees what he wants to see."

The comments were among the most trending topics on Japanese Twitter. Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato did not comment on the statements at his regular morning news conference.

Despite the disappointing ratings, the party's powerful Secretary General, Toshihiro Nikai, reiterated his support for the Prime Minister in a Monday interview with Kyodo news.

"In the current difficult situation, he's working hard every day as Prime Minister.

It's very good for the party if he continues to be in charge," Kyodo cited Nikai as saying.

Speaking to reporters after a meeting with Suga, Nikai urged the Government to deploy "bold" spending from its emergency budget reserves as part of an economic stimulus package, which he was tasked with crafting by the prime minister.

Kono and Ishiba, who have yet to declare if they will run in the Sept 29 contest, were backed by 16 per cent of respondents when asked by the Nikkei who would be the best new leader of the LDP. Suga, who has said he would fight to stay in his post, came in fourth at 11 per cent, two points behind former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida, who declared his candidacy last week. (Excerpt from Reuters)

20

TUESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2021

guyanatimesgy.com

ARCHIE

ARIES (March 21April 19)

TAURUS

DILBERT

(April 20May 20)

GEMINI (May 21June 20)

CANCER (June 21July 22)

PEANUTS

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

CALVIN AND HOBBES

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

SUDOKU

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)

You’ll advance if you shift your thoughts to what’s important to you and use your intelligence to fasttrack what you want to accomplish. Change requires action and finishing what you start.

Concentrate on getting ahead professionally. Put your energy into showing others how efficient and eager you are to use your skills diversely and navigate your way into a better position.

Distance yourself from people who nag or criticize you. Trust your ability to get things done your way and on time. Use your intelligence and finesse to choose the direction you want to pursue.

You’ll gain insight if you listen and observe. Don’t trust someone with personal information or financial or contractual matters. Take control, and bring about the changes you want to happen.

Resurrect old ideas and reconnect with people who have something to offer. A reunion will encourage you to team up with someone who shares your enthusiasm. Love and romance are favored.

Take nothing for granted. If you want something done correctly, do it yourself. Choose your path, and follow through with your plans. Letting someone else lead the way won’t work.

You are sitting in a good position, so don’t let an emotional incident sabotage your plans. Put serious thought into how you live, what you want to accomplish and where you stand on the big issues.

Live within your budget.

Pay attention to the cost of living and where you can cut corners. Do what you can yourself instead of paying someone. A change will encourage you to rethink how and where you live.

SAGITTARIUS Pay more attention to the (Nov. 23way you look and the serDec. 21) vices you can offer. Explore new ways to use your skills, knowledge and attributes.

A partnership will blossom.

Romance is favored.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

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

PISCES (Feb. 20March 20)

Don’t share personal or financial information. You’ll get more in return if the people you deal with feel comfortable around you. Be a good listener. Fine-tune your style and appearance .Look at the logistics of a situation you face, then make decisions based on facts, not on emotions. A disciplined approach to money, health and rules will spare you any awkwardness.

Get everything in order before you share your intentions with others.

Expect someone jealous to challenge you. Know your boundaries and put your energy into finishing what you start.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2021

H

e's in a different country, playing in a different league and representing a different team, but nothing has changed about Tim David's extraordinary run of form.

The Australian-Singaporean batsman has made a bright start to his first season in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), slamming 43 from just 32 balls overnight after opening the tournament with a 28-ball 56 on debut.

David, who has played international cricket for Singapore but who grew up in Perth with ambitions to represent Australia, is coming off a stunning cameo for Surrey in England, having also shone in the Pakistan Super League earlier this year.

And having recently secured a deal to play alongside Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers and Glenn Maxwell in the Indian Premier League (IPL), the 25-year-old's breakout winter abroad is far from over.

David produced a matchdefining innings for his St Lucia Kings side against the Trinbago Knight Riders on Monday morning (AEST), hitting three

sixes and three fours in his 43 having come to the middle with the score 4-69 in the 10th over.

His 68-run partnership with Roston Chase steered the Kings to 157 from their 20 overs, a score they defended by just five runs to secure their first win of the season.

The right-hander had also played a lone hand on debut against Jamaica on the weekend, posting a 22-ball half-century from number six in the order in St Lucia's total of 135.

He'd earlier watched on as Jamaica slammed 255 from their 20 overs, headlined by a record-breaking 14-ball halfcentury from Andre Russell.

Since being signed by the Hobart Hurricanes last November after a brief and unsuccessful stint at the Perth Scorchers, David has achieved remarkable consistency with the bat in the high-risk finisher role in the middle order.

Since December, he's played 36 matches in four countries for five different teams and scored 958 runs at an average of 43.54 and a strike rate of 155.77.

After David had been overlooked by Australia's selectors for the upcoming T20 World Cup, former Australia opener Mark Waugh said the right-hander's hot form in the highly-specialised position deserved a call-up.

"The one player that's really jumped out of nowhere is Tim David," Waugh told foxsports. com.au last week.

"I think he played really well last season for the Hurricanes with limited opportunities. His strike rate was over 150 and every time he came into bat, he struck the ball so cleanly.

"He's a good fieldsman, he can bowl a bit and he's played well in England in the offseason, so he's a guy I thought they might have thrown in on the reserve list, but they haven't. But he's definitely one to keep an eye on.

"He's improved a lot. He's a good clean striker in that middle order, which is the sort of player (Australia have) been looking for."

Contracted with the Hurricanes again this season, David does not have a deal with any state team, although

he could work his way onto a contract list through selection.

David grew up in Perth and despite representing Singapore, where he was born, dreams of playing international cricket for Australia.

"Of course, I have the ambition to play for Australia," he told ESPNcricinfo in June.

"If that opportunity comes up, then I would love to take that. But, at the moment, I am happy playing for Singapore. There are some very important tournaments coming up and it's been an important part of my development so far, and I am looking forward to being a part of it going forward."

Just a fortnight ago, David had posted his second hundred in less than a week to steer Surrey into the finals of England's domestic One-Day cup.

Having signed a lastminute deal with Surrey in June after the club had lost several players to injury and international selection, David produced an extraordinary run

21

Tim David

of 140no from just 70 balls, 52no from 38 balls and 102no from 73 deliveries.

He finished the tournament with 340 runs from 10 games at an average of 68 and an eyewatering strike rate of 150, the highest in the competition.

He then earned a late deal with the Southern Brave in The Hundred, hitting two sixes in his brief innings of 15 from six balls in the final at Lord's.

The powerful right-

hander enjoyed a breakout KFC Big Bash league (BBL) campaign with the Hurricanes last Australian summer and impressed again in the recent Pakistan Super League (PSL), slamming 180 runs at a strike rate of 166.

He will soon join his Hurricanes Coach Adam Griffith at the Royal Challengers Bangalore, having signed on to replace Kiwi batter Finn Allen.

(Cricket Australia)

Edinson Cavani: Manchester United striker Ben Stokes: The Sun newspaper pays has international call-up cancelled by Uruguay damages to England cricketer over front-page family tragedy story E dinson Cavani will remain with Manchester United over the international break after his call-up to the Uruguay squad was cancelled.

Premier League clubs had unanimously decided not to release players for World Cup qualifying and friendly matches in red-list countries.

Cavani was set to miss United games as FIFA extended the international windows by two days in South America.

He would also have had to quarantine for 10 days on his return to the UK. Instead of joining up with his country for three World Cup qualifiers against Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador, Cavani will stay in the UK. The Uruguayan Football Association said in a statement it had "decided to cancel the call for footballer Edinson Cavani".

The situation with South American players has led to Spain's La Liga request to the Spanish football federation for two games scheduled for September 1, Villarreal-Alves and Sevilla-Barcelona, to be postponed and for the kickoff times of the other fixtures in the matchweek to be modified.

Tottenham pair Giovani Lo

Celso and Cristian Romero are set to travel home to Argentina – a country on the red list – meaning they will miss three Spurs games.

Argentina have World Cup qualifiers against Venezuela, Brazil and Bolivia – four countries all on the red list that require isolation in a Government hotel for 10 days after returning to the UK. Tottenham boss Nuno Espirito Santo has appealed for help from football and political authorities saying: "We cannot stop it but we try and find the best way, so when they return, we can get them sooner."

Aston Villa have also said their two Argentina internationals, goalkeeper Emi Martinez and

midfielder Emi Buendia, will travel to South America for the first two qualifiers, but will miss the third against Bolivia. This means they

will only be unavailable for one club game, against Chelsea on September 11.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino confirmed last week that he had written to UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and "appealed for the necessary support, in particular, so players are not deprived of the opportunity of representing their countries in qualifying matches for the FIFA World Cup".

La Liga lost an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport over the release of players for the South American World Cup qualifiers.

The league argued against FIFA's decision to extend the September and October windows in South America to catch up on qualifiers postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

It says a postponement of league fixtures will "mitigate the irreparable damage caused by this decision that threatens the sporting integrity of our competition".

(BBC Sport)

T

he Sun has paid damages to England cricketer Ben Stokes and his mother after the newspaper published a story that detailed a family tragedy.

Deborah Stokes took legal action over the September 2019 frontpage article, saying it exposed private information that was not in the public interest.

The Sun initially defended the story, but has now apologised to the family for causing "great distress".

"We should not have published the article,"

read The Sun's statement.

"We apologise to Deborah and Ben Stokes.

We have agreed to pay them damages and their legal costs."

In 2019, The Sun told the BBC it had received the cooperation of a Stokes family member and added the events described in the story were "a matter of public record" and "the subject of extensive frontpage publicity in New Zealand at the time".

Stokes was born in New Zealand and moved to Cumbria with his family aged 12.

At the time, he de-

scribed the article as "utterly disgusting" and the "lowest form of journalism".

"The decision to publish this article was a decision to expose, and to profit from exposing intensely private and painful matters within our family," said Deborah Stokes.

"The suffering caused to our family by the publication of this article is something we cannot forgive.

"Ben and I can take no pleasure in concluding this settlement with The Sun. "We can only hope that our actions in holding the paper to account will leave a lasting mark, and one that will contribute to prevent other families from having to suffer the same pain as was inflicted on our family by this article."

In July, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced Stokes was to "take an indefinite break from all cricket with immediate effect" to prioritise his mental well-being and rest his injured finger.

(BBC Sport)

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GUYANATIMESGY.COM

TUESDAY, AUGUST 31 , 2021

TKR to seek redemption against St Lucia Kings

T

rinbago Knight Riders and Saint Lucia Kings are all set to lock horns in Match No 9 of the 2021 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) today, Tuesday, August 31 at Warner Park.

The Kings, in their previous game, beat the Knights by five runs.

Roston Chase became the Player of the Match for scoring 30 runs and picking up two wickets. It was also the first instance when the Kings beat the Knights since 2016.

Despite the win, the Kings are placed at the bottom of the points table, mostly owing to their hefty 120-run loss to Jamaica Tallawahs. The Knights, in the meantime, are placed third but need to up the ante at the earliest.

Pitch Report The pitch at Warner Park has been fairly decent for batting.

However, the slower bowlers have also played a significant part in the games. The teams batting second have found it tough in most matches. Hence, batting first should be the way forward.

Avg first innings score: 166 (8 matches in the CPL 2021 at Warner Park) Record of chasing teams: Won – 3, Lost – 5, N/R – 0, Tied0 Playing combinations Trinbago Knight Riders Predicted XI

Lendl Simmons; Sunil Narine; Colin Munro; Tim Seifert; Tion Webster; Denesh Ramdin (wicketkeeper); Kieron Pollard (centre); Isuru Udana; Akeal Hosein; Ravi Rampaul and Jayden Seales.

Bench – Yasir Shah, Anderson Phillip, Ali Khan, Khary Pierre, Leonardo Julien, and Darren Bravo.

Saint Lucia Kings Predicted XI Rahkeem Cornwall; Andre Fletcher (wicketkeeper); Faf du Plessis (centre); Roston Chase; Mark Deyal; Tim David; Keemo Paul; Wahab Riaz; Alzarri Joseph; Usman Qadir and Jeavor Royal.

Bench – Samit Patel, Keron Cottoy, Javelle Glenn, Kadeem Alleyne, Kesrick Williams, and Obed McCoy. Head-to-head Overall Matches – 18, Trinbago Knight Riders – 13, Saint Lucia Kings – 3, N/R – 2 At Warner Park Matches – 2, Trinbago Knight Riders – 1, Saint Lucia Kings – 1, N/R – 0 Probable best batter of the match Tim David— Saint Lucia Kings Tim David has arguably been the standout batter for the Kings in the ongoing CPL edition. In

B

two matches, the right-hander has scored 99 runs at an average of 49.50. Moreover, his strike rate of 165 shows that he hasn’t found the going tough even on bowling friendly surfaces.

The Singapore cricketer can’t afford to drop his guard by any means.

Probable best bowler of the match Ravi Rampaul — Trinbago Knight Riders

Ravi Rampaul has been outstanding for the Knights in the tournament. In three matches, the fast bowler has picked up six wickets at an economy rate of 6.88. In the previous game against the Kings, he picked up three wickets in the middle overs.

Among the TKR bowlers, Rampaul has the best bowling strike rate and he’ll want to carry the momentum.

(Crictracker)

Jamaica Table Tennis Association St Kitts & Nevis Patriots' Mikyle in race against time to find Louis forced to leave CPL US$33,000 to send team to 2021 following bubble breach Pan Am Youth Championships

T

he Jamaica Table Tennis Association (JTTA) finds itself in a race against time to raise approximately US$33,000 to fund a 12-member team to the Pan American Youth Championships set to serve off from September 12 to 19 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

Jamaica plans to send U-19 and U-15 teams to the championships but according to JTTA President Andrew Lue, while the Association has a team on paper, it needs to raise the funds that will enable them to confirm participation by September 3.

“We have received permission for all players in the team events to also play singles, doubles and mixed doubles so it’s an excellent opportunity for not only the athletes but for Jamaica to gain international ranking points. The US$33,000 (approximately J$5 million) will go towards travel, accommodations, entry fees,

gear, COVID tests and stipends,” Lue told Sportsmax. TV. “International competitions are an integral part of our strategic development and Olympic road map for Paris 2024.”

The full team include Tsenaye Lewis, Kelsey Davidson, national women’s champion Solesha Young, Neveah Scott, Joel Butler, Jon Pierre Daley, Christopher Lyn, Jayden Ebanks, Brian Blake, Matthew Fung, Garu Whyte and Rasheed Clarke.

There are four players to each team, Lue explained, U-19 girls, U-19 boys and U-15 boys.

The players who have qualified to play singles are Davidson, Lewis and Alessio Tulloch.

However, Tulloch is unable to go and will be replaced by Rasheed Clarke, who won the U-19 title at the recent national championships.

However, everything depends on if the JTTA can raise the money required.

(Sportsmax)

S

t Kitts and Nevis Patriots player Mikyle Louis has been forced to leave the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2021 following a breach of the tournament's operating protocols. The 21-year-old, who left the hotel bubble without permission, will take no further part in this year's tournament.

According to the CPL 2021 protocols, the tournament bubble will be maintained for the entire duration of the tournament and no one from outside the bubble will be allowed in at any of the bubble locations. Conversely, no one from inside the bubble will be allowed out of the main bubble areas.

The protocol also states that people who break the rules will be expelled from the tournament without exceptions.

"Following the receipt of some tragic news about a close friend, the player took the unfortunate and ill-advised decision to leave

the hotel bubble without permission," tournament operations director Michael Hall was quoted as saying in a press release. "While the league is sympathetic about the circumstances which led to the player's decision, it cannot allow the integrity of its COVID-secure bubble to be compromised."

Louis, who has represented West Indies at the U-19 level, was yet to make his debut in the tournament.

The ongoing season of the CPL, which began on August 26, has been scheduled to take place entirely in St Kitts and Nevis, with the final on September 15. This edition is also open to crowds with attendance capped at 50 per cent unlike last season, when the entire season took place behind closed doors.

Currently, Patriots are on top of the table with six points, having won all three matches they have played so far. (ESPNcricinfo)

arbados Royals and Jamaica Tallawahs are all set to lock horns in Match No 10 of the 2021 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) on Wednesday, September 1 at Warner Park. The Royals started their campaign with two defeats against Trinbago Knight Riders and St Kitts and Nevis Patriots, but made a stupendous comeback.

In their previous game, they beat the Tallawahs by 15 runs. But despite the win, they keep languishing in the bottom half of the points table. The Tallawahs, on the other hand, are placed second. They have a net run rate of 2.625 mostly because of their 120-run win over Saint Lucia Kings.

Lewis; Haider Ali; Rovman Powell (Captain); Andre Russell; Shamarh Brooks; Carlos Brathwaite; Migael Pretorius; Chris Green; Veerasammy Permaul and Imran Khan.

Bench – Jason Mohammed, Qais Ahmad, Fidel Edwards, Joshua James, Kirk McKenzie, Ryan Persaud, and Abhijai Mansingh.

Pitch Report The pitch at Warner Park has been a fairly sporting one thus far. The track has helped the slower bowlers, and shot-making has been a tad tough at times. Chasing can be a tad tricky and hence, putting runs on the board should be the way forward.

Avg first innings score: 166 (8 matches in the CPL 2021 at Warner Park) Record of chasing teams: Won – 3, Lost – 5, N/R – 0, Tied – 0

Probable best batter of the match Glenn Phillips— Barbados Royals Glenn Phillips has played for the Tallawahs for several seasons and hence should be aware of their bowling attack. In the previous game, he scored an unbeaten 56 and guided his team to a victory. For the time being, he is also the leading runscorer for the Royals. The New Zealand batter will be looking to churn out another knock of substance next time.

Playing combinations Barbados Royals Predicted XI Glenn Phillips; Johnson Charles; Shai Hope (wicketkeeper); Jason Holder (Captain); Azam Khan; Kyle Mayers; Thisara Perera; Raymon Reifer; Hayden Walsh; Mohammad Amir and Oshane Thomas.

Bench – Justin Greaves, Jake Lintott, Nyeem Young, Joshua Bishop, Smit Patel, and Ashley Nurse.

Jamaica Tallawahs Predicted XI Chadwick Walton (wicketkeeper); Kennar

Head-to-head Overall Matches – 17, Barbados Royals – 8, Jamaica Tallawahs – 8, N/R – 1 At Warner Park Matches – 2, Barbados Royals – 2, Jamaica Tallawahs – 0, N/R – 0

Probable best bowler of the match Migael Pretorius — Jamaica Tallawahs Migael Pretorius, the South Africa fast bowler, started his campaign after Rahkeem Cornwall hit him for 14 runs off three balls.

However, the pacer came back to pick up four crucial wickets and pushed the Kings on the backfoot. In the second game against the Royals, he got one wicket.

The pacer is again expected to deliver and lead the bowling attack. (Crictracker)

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GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Hero CPL 2021…

23

Positive Pooran says it isn’t over yet

By Jemima Holmes

“T

he tournament hasn’t gone anywhere yet,” Nicholas Pooran answered when asked to sum up the Guyana Amazon Warriors’ performance thus far in the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL), as he maintained that the team would get better going forward.

With only three games down, it’s too early in the Hero CPL season to make big predictions and the Guyana Amazon Warriors (GAW) Captain agrees. The team have lost their last two games, but once again, an optimistic Pooran has managed to see the brighter side of the picture.

To him, the portrait is shaping up nicely.

Following a nail- biting weekend, Pooran, during a media engagement on Monday morning, verbalised his thoughts on the franchise’s performance thus far with a pretty concise – and honest – review. “(We) started really good against TKR, bit disappointing again losing back-to-back games to the St Kitts Patriots, they actually played really good, they utilised the conditions to the best of their abilities. From our side, I just feel like the first two games we didn’t really bat too properly; in fairness to us, the pitches were a bit challenging in those first two games we played,” Pooran shared.

He continued, “The third game, I felt like we got to a really good score, five runs short maybe, but still a good total.

I think our bowlers, we didn’t get early wickets, we struggled for that. I think we didn’t hit the pitch as much as we wanted too, we just couldn’t execute as a death bowling team.”

Admittedly, it hasn’t been the dream start that the Warriors would have hoped for. Pooran explained that with Nial Smith’s debut and Romario

GAW Captain Nicholas Pooran

Shepherd’s niggle, the bowling department was ‘coping’, but the batsmen have not had any faults.

The GAW Captain related, “To be honest, we’re fine. We expect a lift from Naveen UlHaq and Romario Shepherd. It’s unfortunate that he couldn’t play after that first game, that set us back a little bit. You know, Nial Smith’s a bit inexperienced and in a high-pressure tournament, it’s challenging as well, but we’re coping with it.”

On the topic of the batting department, Pooran could relax his shoulders in contentment as he shared how “pleased” the team were with the change to their opening pair, which saw Mohamed Hafeez and Chanderpaul Hemraj put on a 47-run partnership for the first wicket on Sunday.

Going deeper, Pooran clarified that the Amazon Warriors have been trying to allow a smooth flow in the batting order, which at times included maintaining the leftright combination.

“We’re obviously fortunate to have a lot of left-and-righthand combinations in our team and that’s our plan. So far, I felt that we’re still batting good as a unit, especially in tough conditions and yeah, it’s basically myself sending someone to bat in a certain position. So far, I can’t fault the

batsmen for anything yet, but we’re doing a really good job,” Pooran said with an assertive nod.

Individually, the Amazon Warriors players have done quite well for themselves thus far. For the batting department, “The Professor” Mohamed Hafeez has led the way with 116 runs at an average of 58.0, a mature but fiery Shimron Hetmyer follows closely behind with 110 runs at an average of 36.6. The pair are currently second and third on CPL’s Highest Run Getters list currently.

On the other hand, the experience of Imran Tahir continues to show and his five wickets just prove that he cannot be kept out of the game.

Ul- Haq, Odean Smith and Shepherd all have three wickets to their names, with Shepherd’s three coming in just one game.

As the Warriors go forward with a 15-man team, Captain Pooran does see everyone on the bench playing a part for the local franchise and hopes that they can all capitalise.

“In order for us to be successful in this tournament, everyone need to have a part.

Some point in time in this tournament, players would get opportunities. Players are getting hurt, some players have niggles in areas, so everyone will play a part in this tournament. I just hope that whenever you do

The Guyana Amazon Warriors’ first win came against the Trinbago Knight Riders

get your chance, you’re ready to take it.”

With the Amazon Warriors scheduled to size up against the Trinbago Knight Riders again on Wednesday, Pooran is still confident highlighting that it’s only the beginning of the tournament.

“The good thing is that, it’s one team that beat us twice; we obviously won against Trinidad, so I feel like we’re still in a really good position because if you look at the points table, St Kitts won all their games, the rest of teams, they’re on two points, so the tournament hasn’t gone anywhere yet,” he said.

A fact that he has hit firmly on the head: while the Patriots lead the points table with six points after a perfect three from three, the Warriors like the other four teams –The Barbados Royals, TKR, St Lucia Kings and Jamaica Tallawahs – all have two points, as their differentiating rankings are currently being decided by run rate.

Pooran concluded his point, stating, “I think every team in this tournament is still looking for their best combinations as well, we also are looking for our best combination. We have two days’ break, hopefully we could

Hallmark Guyana Invitational set for September 4 …LGC grateful to Hallmark for stepping up

O

n May 29, 2021, the Hallmark Guyana Invitational was set to be launched, however, due to inclement weather, the tournament was postponed.

More so, the weather made it even worse for any form of golf to be held at the Lusignan Golf Club (LGC). But the sun is out and the club is raring to go as it returns to golfing action once again. The action will commence on Saturday, September 4, 2021, with teeoff time set for 12:30h.

The preferred format of the game will be Medal Play over 18 holes net score, shotgun start. Medal Play, also known as stroke play, is where the total number of strokes attempted is added up over 9 or 18 holes. The winner is the golfer with the fewest number of strokes.

Trophies and vouchers based on net scores will be

LGC Secretary Chet Bowling

up for grabs. The first-place winner will cart off a trophy plus a $5000 voucher, second place will receive a trophy plus

a $4000 voucher and third place will collect a trophy plus a $3000 voucher. Players will also duke it out for the best net

front nine (trophy plus $1500 voucher); best net back nine (trophy plus $1500 voucher); and nearest to the flag (trophy plus $1000 voucher).

Sharing his thoughts on the resumption of golf after a long wait, LGC Club Secretary Chet Bowling said, “We are excited you know, after that drag of continuous rain, I think people are raring to get back in to competition and playing golf on a regular basis. So, we at the Lusignan Golf Club are very appreciative of Hallmark for stepping up and doing their corporate social responsibility – so yes excitement.”

All participants are advised to contact the club’s manager on the day of the tournament to collect their scorecard, pay the tournament fee and proceed to their allocated tee box to tee-off at 12:30h.

Registration closes at 12:00h, Friday, September 3, 2021.

relax a little bit, come up with a better plan and get ready to play on Wednesday morning.”

While this article has gone on vehemently about Pooran’s thoughts and hopes, a figure to highlight is that of Shimron Hetmyer, who was playing the Vice Captain role quite passionately, as the Warriors battled the Patriots on Sunday last.

A sight that was welcomed

by Pooran who shared, “Obviously, I trust Hetty a lot as

well, he’s the Vice Captain of the team, so I lean on him for a lot of decisions as well. He knows how to relate to the Guyanese players, the local players and I’m very happy that he’s showing such maturity in this team.”

“That’s something the whole world and the entire Caribbean was looking forward to in the last couple months and I’m very happy that he’s showing that maturity now,” he acknowledged with a smile.

Demerara demolish Essequibo to secure finale spot … rain postpones final, to be played at later date

D

emerara crushed Essequibo in the yearly inter-county tournament in New York, to book their spot in the final against Berbice; however, rain spoilt the grand finale between the two, forcing the game to be postponed.

Essequibo skipper Renwick Batson won the toss and sent Demerara led by Avi Dhanpaul to bat in overcast conditions.

Demerara scored 133 for 7 in 20 overs. CGI Academy player Akshaya Persaud top-scored with 39 and was supported by Kelvin Leitch (36) and Guyana Jaguars player Vishal Singh (18). Bowling for Essequibo, Captain Batson bagged 2 for 24.

Essequibo, in reply, posted 96 all out in 16.3 overs, Mark

Kelvin Leitch had figures of 36 and 5 for 14

Gomes top-scored with 25.

Bowling for Demerara, Leitch bagged 5 for 14, Samuel Raghubir 2 for 16 and one wicket each for Seon Daniels and Akshaya Persaud.

The final will be played on a later date to decide the 2021 winner.

Akshaya Persaud top-scored with 39 and bagged one wicket

TUESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2021

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

Pg 23

Pg 23

Hero CPL 2021…

Demerara demolish Essequibo to secure finale spot

… rain postpones final, to be played at later date

Hallmark Guyana Invitational set for September 4

…LGC grateful to Hallmark for stepping up

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