Guyana Times - Tuesday May 17, 2022

“It will be a great service to your P country” – CDC calls for volunteers 13

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

Issue No. 5011

THE BEACON OF TRUTH TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2022

Govt announces more groundbreaking measures to cushion rising cost of living See story on page 3

$1 billion worth Special one-off grant Removal of of fertiliser of $25,000 to every VAT on for free single household in sheetrock and distribution riverine and hinterconcrete board to farmers land communities

Construction Assistance for houselot owners

Former APNU/AFC REO, officials approved payments for non-existent pump house Major disaster 250 exhibitors, averted at CID 550 delegates to headquarters as converge for Agri Forum and Expo cops contain fire See story on page 7

PRICE

$100 VAT INCLUDED

WHAT'S INSIDE: Personal injury lawsuit

Guyanese P10 cleaner accepts $7M settlement from oil services company “Alcohol P10 consumption can make us do things we regret” – Judge to manslaughter convict GWI leading studies for potential P11 surface water sources – CEO Canje boat mishap

Body of excop recovered on his 30th P14 birthday

Page 12

Logger attacks co-worker P15 who refused to purchase alcohol

Page 9

…investors to tap into potential markets ...as Guyana leads agri-food agenda for Region

Police, EPA sign agreement to fight noise nuisance Page 13

Driver injured after truck P14 topples downhill

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TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

NEWS

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TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS OPENINGS BRIDGE

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

Tuesday, May 17 – 03:30h – 05:00h and Wednesday, May 18 – 04:00h – 05:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Tuesday, May 17 – 17:30h – 19:00h and Wednesday, May 18 – 05:35h – 07:05h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

Parika and Supenaam departure times – 05:00h, 10:00h-12:00h, 16:00h, 18:30h daily

WEATHER TODAY

There will be thundery showers during the day.

Expect light rain showers at night. Temperatures should range between 23 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: North-Easterly to East North-Easterly between 2.23 metres and 4.47 metres.

High Tide: 17:36h reaching a maximum height of 2.71 metres.

Low Tide: 11:07h and 23:21h reaching minimum heights of 0.3 metre and 0.57 metre.

Govt announces more groundbreaking measures to cushion rising cost of living

P

resident Dr Irfaan Ali has announced a series of ground-breaking measures, ranging from cash grants to households in hinterland and riverine communities to the provision of free fertilisers for farmers, which are aimed at improving the lives of citizens.

The President made the announcements in a special broadcast on Monday. The first initiative he announced is the distribution of a oneoff $25,000 cash grant to every household in the riverine and hinterland communities of the country. This measure, according to Ali, will

President Dr Irfaan Ali

Government to purchase $1 billion worth of fertiliser for free distribution to farmers Special one-off grant of $25,000 to every single household in riverine and hinterland communities result in $800 million being pumped into the economy and will cushion the impacts of the rising cost of living.

SATURDAY, MAY 14, 2022

Free fertiliser

LOTTERY NUMBERS H

02 03 05

11 16 22

FREE TICKET

04 Bonus Ball

MONDAY, MAY 16, 2022

DAILY MILLIONS

04 18 24 25 26 LUCKY 3

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1

2

0

Afternoon Draw

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Evening Draw

DRAW DE LINE

05 06 07 09 10 13 20 SUPER

PAY DAY

PAY DAY

FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2022

04 08 09 12 14 13

03 06 10 14 17

2

3 Afternoon Draw

2X Afternoon Draw

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0 Evening Draw

2X Evening Draw

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

COMMODITIES Indicators

US$

Change %

Crude Oil

$114.24/barrel

+2.35

Rough Rice

$318.96/ton

-0.76

London Sugar

$549.20/ton

+0.04

Live Spot Gold

USD Per Ounce

Bid/Ask

$1827.20

$1828.20

Low/High Change

$1786.80 +3.30

$1830.20 +0.18%

“The second measure I wish to look at is fertiliser support to farmers in order to cushion the impact of the rising cost of fertiliser on farmers and to limit the pass through to food prices my Government will be purchasing 1 billion dollars’ worth of fertiliser for free distribution to farmers for use in planting and replanting activities,” he said.

According to the President, this initiative is being done “considering that fertiliser accounts for between 15 to 30 per cent of the total operating cost for farmers. This initiative will significantly reduce input cost and help ensure scaled up production and adequate supply of output which is critical to maintaining price stability.”

These two measures, he noted, will be financed by the $5 billion allocated in Budget 2022 for the purpose of easing the impact of rising cost of living of locals.

Housing

The third measure announced by the Government, is the setting up a special unit to help landowners of both private and Government-owned lots build their houses. President Ali said the unit will support applicants with the process of applying to banks for financing and with the ini-

ing the process of contracting their homes. That, of course, is perfectly understandable because managing construction of a house is not a trivial task, considering that most of these families have no prior experience in home construction.”

As such, he said in order to help Guyanese families, a special unit will be established.

“Persons who have a house lot and wish to receive Government help to construct a home on that lot may register their interest with a unit that will be establishing soon for this purpose. At the time of registra-

tial phase of construction by releasing the necessary resources. Persons will also have the option of choosing $7 million, $9 million or $12 million house models, for the Government to help

Removal of VAT on sheetrock and concrete board

them build.

President Ali explained that, “one issue that has been brought to our attention during our consultations with communities across the county is the fact that many households who now have house lot encounter huge challenges manag-

tion, the applicant will also select preference from three standard predesigned models at the cost of $7 million, $9 million, and $12 million depending on the applicant’s income level,” the Head of State said.

TURN TO PAGE 7

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TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2022

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

Coping mechanisms

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t should come as no surprise to anyone that many persons suffer from the debilitating epidemic that is suicide. Guyana has been, in the past, the country with the highest per capita rate of suicide in the Caribbean and around the world.

Suicide, the act of intentionally taking one’s life, is attributed to many factors, including despair, mental disorders, depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder, and addiction among many others too numerous to mention. The World Health Organisation (WHO) posits that more than 800,000 persons commit suicide every year, equivalent to one death every 40 seconds.

According to the WHO, globally among young adults aged 15-29, suicide accounts for 8.5 per cent of all deaths and is ranked as the second leading cause of death.

Among adults aged 30-49, it accounts for 4.1 per cent of all deaths and is ranked the fifth leading cause of death.

Contrary to what many may think, persons who commit suicide or persons who show the signs – for example: saying that they want to die or are willing to take their lives – do not really want to kill themselves.

Research has shown that people who talk about committing suicide are really reaching out for help, since they might be suffering from anxiety, depression and hopelessness which might be occasioned by a multitude of factors, such as job loss, discrimination and even an unstable economic environment, among many others.

According to the health body, suicide impacts on the most vulnerable of the world’s population and is highly prevalent in already-marginalised and discriminated groups of society. “It is not just a serious public health problem in developed countries; in fact, most suicides occur in low- and middle-income countries where resources and services, if they do exist, are often scarce and limited for early identification, treatment and support of people in need. These striking facts and the lack of implemented timely interventions make suicide a global public health problem that needs to be tackled imperatively.”

The WHO has identified a host of measures to be used which might mitigate the prevalence of suicide, some of which include creating national strategies for suicide prevention; restricting access to the most common means of suicide, including pesticides, firearms and certain medicines; incorporating suicide prevention as a central component in health services; providing medical follow-ups for persons who have attempted suicide; identifying and treating mental health and substance abuse disorders as early as possible; and responsible reporting on suicide by the news media.

The Government, over the years, has instituted a host of mechanisms to deal with the epidemic, including incorporating mechanisms advanced by the WHO, but suicide still remains a predominant feature on the tapestry of Guyana’s fabric.

Some scholars have argued that the mechanisms which are being advanced will do no good for Guyana, since they are only addressing the symptoms of suicide and not the disease.

Moreover, there is a need to change how we as Guyanese are socialised about suicide, possibly incorporating within our homes, as well as school, religious and education systems from a young age, social teachings that are often overlooked, such are building confidence, self-esteem and tolerance, etc.

By reinforcing positive behaviours and displacing negative stereotypes over a period of time, change will take place, as the populace will have more defined coping mechanisms to deal with the stresses associated with life and will be less inclined to choose the option of death.

President Dr Irfaan Ali accepting the Letters of Credence from the Non-Resident High Commissioner of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas to Guyana, Leslia Miller-Brice at the Office of the President on Shiv Chanderpaul Drive, Georgetown (OP photo)

Why does the Caribbean have two candidates for Commonwealth Secretary General? (Part 1)

By Lloyd George Waller

T

here are numerous questions around the issue of candidature for Commonwealth Secretary General, and each is deserving of an answer.

Before looking in greater depth at the candidates and the candidacy process, let us begin by looking at how Caricom treats with foreign policy.

The Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas (RTC) aspires towards coordination of foreign policy where possible, and we understand this to include candidatures for positions in external forums, such as the Commonwealth.

Notably, the treaty does not prescribe harmonisation of foreign policy as an obligation; instead, it provides for member states to establish measures to coordinate foreign policies as far as practicable, thereby recognising the sovereign right of each member state to make its own decisions.

Indeed, in the case of Commonwealth candidatures, we have the precedent of three countries — Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, and Trinidad and Tobago — initially putting forward candidates for the post of Secretary General in 2015. Ultimately, it was only a week before the convening of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in November 2015, that one Caribbean candidate stood in the race against the candidate from Botswana.

It is on the strength of the leverage provided in the RTC, coupled with the con-

viction that its candidate has value to add to the leadership of the Commonwealth at this time, that Jamaica has put forward a candidate, even as the incumbent seeks to continue in office.

We can look shortly at some of the considerations that will most certainly have impacted the fact that not all Caricom States — nor other Commonwealth countries — supported a second term in office for the incumbent and why another Caribbean country has come forward at this time.

As it stands, we currently have a British peer, Baroness Patricia Scotland, born in Dominica, serving as Secretary General since April 2016. With the term of office of Secretaries General established on the basis of a four-year contract, Baroness Scotland’s tenure would have come to a natural end in 2020. It was anticipated that a decision on future leadership, including a possible second term for the Secretary General (permissible under the guiding principles), would be taken at the CHOGM scheduled for 2020, to be hosted

by Rwanda. However, it was postponed as the advent of the novel coronavirus pandemic meant that a meeting was not feasible at that time.

This was clearly an unprecedented situation and naturally required consideration.

Most certainly an early decision would have needed to be made about leadership in the interim, particularly given that the Secretariat is the driver of action mandat-

ed by Heads in the interest of their people. We note that the Heads agreed to a shortterm extension of the tenure of the Secretary General in the hope that a meeting in Kigali, Rwanda’s capital, would materialise in short order.

A “triumvirate” of strong supporters of Baroness Scotland within the Caribbean region then sought to lobby Commonwealth Governments for her automatic reappointment for a second four-year term of office. We imagine, of course, that the process of decision-making regarding the approval of a second term for a Secretary General would have to be guided by certain performance criteria. In the interim, Caricom Heads continued discussion on the matter, but never reached consensus on supporting Baroness Scotland, even though she remained the sole nominee at the time.

Sadly, relatively early in Baroness Scotland’s tenure, member states were privy to audit reports and staff complaints alleging multiple ill-conceived management decisions.

We note that this gave rise to several influential member states withholding significant funding from the Commonwealth. Certainly, that status quo would not be in the long-term interest of the 54 member states of the Commonwealth. What decision would the Heads make, therefore, about renewing the contract of a Secretary General whose tenure has been dogged by allegations of impropriety?

Interestingly, we have learnt from letters from the Commonwealth chairin-office Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson, that consultations among Heads of State and Government resulted in the rejection of the idea of an automatic second term for Baroness Scotland and deemed the matter of future leadership in a new term of office one that should be discussed in a face-to-face setting. But COVID-19 was still at a global peak and no precise date for the CHOGM appeared to be in sight.

In the face of these uncertainties, surely some action would be urgently needed to treat with a possible extended hiatus in leadership and the attendant impact on member states.

Accordingly, Heads agreed to offer Baroness Scotland a further extension of her contract until such time as the next CHOGM could be convened in Kigali to decide on leadership for the next four years.

Again, through the chairman’s letters, which have been floating in media, it was confirmed that the Secretary General accepted that offer. Questions remain, however, regarding the decision for the extension of her tenure. Should countries have been invited to immediately put forward candidates for consideration, instead of continuing with a leader with whom a “diverse and significant” number of States were not fully comfortable? Those answers now remain in the realm of 20/20 vision.

(Jamaica Observer)

guyanatimesgy.com

TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2022

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

New laws long overdue

Indian movies’ impact

By Guyanese

F

of

Indian Ancestry Association

ollowing the end of Indentureship in 1917, the steady stream of immigrant Girmitiyas who had replenished the village culture of India that had been painfully adapted to circumstances in Guyana dried up. But two decades later, Bollywood movies arrived to make a most significant impact on the community.

The first Indian movie shown in Trinidad in 1937 was 1935’s “Bala Joban” (Beauteous Youth) with playback singing that added a fillip to the experience. While we need to do the research for Guyana, anecdotal evidence indicates it also started our Bollywood wave, since cinemas had been built here since the 1920s.

The movies of the 1940s reflected the mood of India then fighting for independence and they also had an impact here. The major stars were Raj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar and Nargis with playback singers Noor Jahan, Shamshad Begum, KC Dey, etc. They were followed by Lata, Mukesh and Rafi, especially after partiPoster for Bala Joban tion in 1947.

Dilip’s early films were typical and were heavily influenced by the then dominant socialist ethos in addition to the ideal of village India being the fulcrum of Indian culture. One of his earliest hits, “Shaheed” (Martyr) of 1948 – when India would have just won independence – dramatises the “Quit India Movement” led by great revolutionaries like Bhagat Singh.

The song “Watan ki raha mein”, which calls upon youths to sacrifice their lives for the freedom of their country, was very popular in rural Guyana because it echoed the similar call by Cheddi Jagan on the sugar estates. Especially in rural areas movie going was an activity for the entire family and for the youths there was much imitation of dress, hairstyles, and even ways of courting.

Mukesh (right) with Raj Kapoor (left)

DID YOU KNOW? •

Sponsored Indian music over Guyanese radio was scheduled for one hour daily at 5am and three hours on Sundays. Because it wasn’t heard regularly, “English” music become normalised as the “national culture” approved music.

•

Yet in 1985, then Information Minister Yvonne Harewood-Benn ordered broadcaster Eshri Singh to include “English” songs even though his Sunday programmes were all privately sponsored. He quit in protest and emigrated to the US.

Dear Editor, The Attorney General should be commended for his very wise initiative in proposing tougher amendments to the Motor Vehicle and Road Traffic Act, and the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Act; and for recognising how interconnected these two important legislative Acts are in controlling the current unbridled road carnage in Guyana.

Bartenders should reserve the right to stop selling liquor to intoxicated patrons, and if found culpable can face criminal charges.

Stiffer laws should certainly lower the horrendous carnage on the roads by impaired drivers, many of whom are alcoholics some of whom might have actually “bought” their driver’s licence, with others continuing to do so, if this well-known unlawful and most backward practice still

continues to plague Guyana.

This legislation is way overdue as Guyanese have been slaughtered on the roads of Guyana, with a great percentage of these drivers being either drunk or under the influence of alcohol at the time of these permanent disfiguring and fatal crashes.

In addition to the proposed amendments to these Acts, the Attorney General should also consider the mandatory use of car ignition locking technology which automatically turns off the ignition and locks the steering wheel when the system detects the driver’s blood alcohol as being above the lawful limit thus preventing the impaired driver from driving. This system should be mandatory for all first offenders and the cost and installation of the car ignition locking device should be entirely borne and paid for

by these inebriated offenders.

‘Causing Death by Dangerous Driving’ should be replaced to Vehicular Manslaughter.

Additionally, if such death occurs while the driver is under the influence then such charge should be modified to Criminal Negligent Homicide.

Another area that cries out for modern regulations is the real estate sector. This is a twofold issue: the practice of real estate brokers regarding disclosure to clients, safekeeping of purchase deposits in escrow accounts, representation of real property use and zoning etc. The actual Laws of Guyana regarding real estate (land, waterways, properties, and deeds) need to be upgraded to present day standards – the Deeds Registry is a sore point. It is irrefutable that a vast array of procedures is ambig-

uous and therefore subjected to several interpretations, as opposed to clear cut provisions. Notwithstanding, a huge preponderance of cases, ultimately reach the pinnacle jurisprudence in the Apex Caribbean Court of Justice in Trinidad. Properties are sold without the owner’s knowledge or consent while land titles are transferred in clandestine – yet legal—procedures as laws are shrouded in ambivalence and ambiguity and many times are unable to provide for true justice. Properties under litigation have stymied economic growth. With modern efficient laws, coupled with rational sentencing, the society will save billions wasted on litigation.

Sincerely, Leyland Chitlall Roopnaraine

Vaccination drive is still necessary Dear Editor, Yet again, our people are being warned against complacency regarding the still very deadly COVID-19 pandemic. The word from the Ministry of Health is that the COVID-19 vaccination rate is not where it should be, and this is at a time when the country is currently seeing a new wave of infections.

The recent figures show that the Ministry of Health reported that a total of 32 new COVID-19 cases were recorded from 1530 tests, taking the overall number of confirmed cases to 63,804. In fact, over the past week or so, the active cases were more than 265, and on Saturday, the new numbers recorded in the following regions were: three – Region Three; 20 – Region Four; four – Region Five; two – Region Six; and three – Region Nine. These returns suggest not just complacency, but a level of carelessness that can result in many innocent and careful people becoming infected to the point of reaching fatality.

Let me first state that the World Health Organisation is still advocating for extra-care even though many mandatory restrictions have now been eased. The latest plea is that all citizens must protect themselves and those in close proximity. The word is still intact; people must: Get vaccinated as soon as it’s your turn and follow local guidance on vaccination; Keep physical distance of at least 1 metre from others, even if they don’t appear to be sick; Avoid crowds and close contact; Wear a properly fitted mask when physical distancing is not possible and in poorly ventilated settings; Clean your hands frequently with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water; Cover your mouth and nose with a bent elbow or tissue when you cough or sneeze; Dispose of used tissues immediately and clean hands regularly; and they develop symptoms or test positive for COVID-19,

they are to self-isolate until they recover.

So, he has a right to be concerned, that is, our Health Minister, who stated that “… the rise in cases is a worrying trend …” He explained that “The Sars-Cov2 is a very tricky virus…there are different variants and sub-variants … some are very contagious. In January of this year, we saw a spike in cases, close to 30,000 cases in that month before we saw a significant decline… But the sub-variant is highly transmissible, so we have seen over the last few days a rise in cases.” This kind of reality should ‘hit home,’ but it is not, and the sad thing is that many who are taking all the necessary steps in terms of getting vaccinated and exercising due caution may become victims of the ‘brave and foolish.’

Let me remind our citizens, like the Minister did, that “…After that, the immunity begins to wane, (we) need to take the booster shot … but a lot of people have stopped coming for the vaccines because they believe COVID is over.” It is not over, and from what I have read, in our land, many Guyanese are at risk given that a sizeable portion of the population has co-morbidities.

Secondly, I need to call attention to the medical and scientific fact that getting vaccinated is nothing new and chancy. It is a well-established universal phenomenon in medicine. In this day, credible information is so readily available, but I will still point out some things.

We need to know that vaccines differ from other medical drugs in that they are designed to prevent disease, rather than treat it. They do this by priming a person’s immune system to recognise a specific disease-causing bacteria, virus or other pathogen. This “memory” can last years, or in some cases for life, which is why vaccination can be so effective, stopping people from getting sick rath-

er than waiting until disease occurs.

Further, vaccines prime the immune system to detect a particular virus or bacteria by showing it a harmless version of the pathogen, or part of it – much like giving a bloodhound a rag to sniff – so that it can remember it and is able to mount a defence if the person ever becomes infected. They typically do this by stimulating the production of antibodies, which are proteins made by our bodies to fight disease. This can also help stimulate other parts of our immune defences, such as T cells. This is the basic premise for how all vaccines work So, I am with Dr Anthony, who detailed that “We also must remind ourselves that we are in a pandemic, and in this pandemic one of the most effective tools that we have is to use vaccination to im-

munise people so that even if they get infected, they would not get the most severe form of the infection.”

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), a country should strive to get 70 per cent of its population vaccinated against COVID-19 by the end of June 2022. Therefore, with the requisite personnel, facility and vaccines, Guyana can very well achieve this important goal. Guyana is now hovering quite close to this target. The Minister pointed out that “We are not very far from achieving that target of 70 per cent, we are in our 60s, and so if we make an additional effort, we will be able to get to that 70 per cent mark before June of this year.”

I hope we do - it is vital indeed.

Yours truly, H Singh

Tuesday, May 17, 2022

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TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2022

Page

Foundation ◄

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n this fun and easy magic science experiment for kids, we’re going to explore inertia by seeing if we can catch a coin that is balanced on the back of our elbow.

Coin

Materials: Instructions:

Hold your arm so that your upper arm is parallel to the floor.

Make sure your hand is open and facing upwards.

Balance the coin on your elbow.

CONTINUED FROM MONDAY

SCENE III. Another part of the island.

Enter ALONSO, SEBASTIAN, ANTONIO, GONZALO, ADRIAN, FRANCISCO, and others GONZALO By’r lakin, I can go no further, sir; My old bones ache: here’s a maze trod indeed Through forth-rights and meanders! By your patience, I needs must rest me.

ALONSO Old lord, I cannot blame thee, Who am myself attach’d with weariness, To the dulling of my spirits: sit down, and rest.

Even here I will put off my hope and keep it No longer for my flatterer: he is drown’d Whom thus we stray to find, and the sea mocks Our frustrate search on land. Well, let him go.

ANTONIO

Always walk through life as if you have something new to learn, and you will.” — Vernon Howard

With one quick motion, snap your hand forward and catch the coin.

How it works:

Newton’s First Law of Motion states, “An object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in motion unless acted upon by an outside force.” When you move your elbow, the coin wants to stay at rest for a split nanosecond before gravity takes over and pulls it towards the ground. This quick moment in time allows you to catch the coin before

[Aside to SEBASTIAN] I am right glad that he’s so out of hope.

Do not, for one repulse, forego the purpose That you resolved to effect.

SEBASTIAN [Aside to ANTONIO] The next advantage Will we take throughly.

ANTONIO [Aside to SEBASTIAN] Let it be to-night; For, now they are oppress’d with travel, they Will not, nor cannot, use such vigilance As when they are fresh.

SEBASTIAN [Aside to ANTONIO] I say, to-night: no more.

Solemn and strange music ALONSO What harmony is this?

My good friends, hark!

GONZALO Marvellous sweet music!

Enter PROSPERO above, invisible. Enter several strange Shapes, bringing in a banquet; they dance about it with gentle actions of salutation; and, inviting the King, & c. to eat, they depart ALONSO Give us kind keepers, heavens!

it falls.

Make this a science project:

Try different coins. Try stacking multiple coins. Try moving the coin farther up your arm. (sciencefun.org)

What were these?

SEBASTIAN A living drollery. Now I will believe That there are unicorns, that in Arabia There is one tree, the phoenix’ throne, one phoenix At this hour reigning there.

ANTONIO I’ll believe both; And what does else want credit, come to me, And I’ll be sworn ‘tis true: travellers ne’er did lie, Though fools at home condemn ‘em.

GONZALO If in Naples I should report this now, would they believe me?

If I should say, I saw such islanders-For, certes, these are people of the island-Who, though they are of monstrous shape, yet, note, Their manners are more gentle-kind than of Our human generation you shall find Many, nay, almost any.

PROSPERO [Aside] Honest lord, Thou hast said well; for some of you there present Are worse than devils.

ALONSO I cannot too much muse Such shapes, such gesture and such sound, expressing, Although they want the

use of tongue, a kind Of excellent dumb discourse.

PROSPERO [Aside] Praise in departing.

FRANCISCO They vanish’d strangely.

SEBASTIAN No matter, since They have left their viands behind; for we have stomachs.

Will’t please you taste of what is here?

ALONSO Not I. GONZALO Faith, sir, you need not fear. When we were boys, Who would believe that there were mountaineers Dew-lapp’d like bulls, whose throats had hanging at ‘em Wallets of flesh? or that there were such men Whose heads stood in their breasts? which now we find Each putter-out of five for one will bring us Good warrant of.

ALONSO I will stand to and feed, Although my last: no matter, since I feel The best is past. Brother, my lord the duke, Stand to and do as we.

Thunder and lightning.

Enter ARIEL, like a harpy; claps his wings upon the table; and, with a quaint device, the banquet vanishes

WORD SEARCH

NEWS

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TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Former APNU/AFC REO, officials approved payments for non-existent pump house T

he Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Monday probed payments that were approved and paid by Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) officials for a pump house that does not exist and a pump that was not delivered.

Auditor General Deodat Sharma had flagged overpayments on a contract for a water trestle at Karawab Health Centre in his 2017 report. There was also an issue with money that was approved for a pump and a pump station. However, neither of these items can be found.

During PAC’s statutory meeting on Monday,

Region Two Regional Executive Officer (REO) Susanah Saywack and her officials were none the wiser as to the whereabouts of the pump or pump station.

She said, however, that verifications were not made before the payments were approved.

“It’s very clear that verification was not made, but how is it possible? You don’t have any information as to why, in perusing the records, why is it payments were approved for a pump that was never bought or installed?”

PAC Member Dharamkumar Seeraj questioned, to which Saywack confirmed that she did not have such documents.

“The bill of quantities provides for the construction of a pump house. Payments were processed and paid to the contractor for this pumphouse. But there is no pump house to be found by the Auditor General office.

Again, how is it possible for payments to be made for a pump house that was never constructed?” Seeraj further probed.

Saywack, who has been the REO since last year, could not provide any answers for this either. Additionally, the engineer present at the PAC meeting was also at a loss, though he admitted he was aware of the project.

It was related by the then

Former Region 2 REO Rupert Hopkinson

REO that the signatures of the regional engineer, the superintendent of works, as well as the Region Two Vice Chairperson at the time, were affixed to the certificate of completion. A decision was therefore taken to have these officers make an appearance before the PAC at its next meeting.

“Again, I make the point, the person who visited the site placed their signature as the guiding document to the REO. So, the REO sat in his office, received a document with the signature of three persons… the engineer, the superintendent of work and the Vice Chairman, who was the Works Committee

Govt announces more groundbreaking...

“Government will support the applicant through the process of applying for bank financing to meet the cost of constructing the home, would also look at helping in the initial phase of construction by the releasing of resources to expedite the construction process and help in bringing the banks, the homeowners together so that you can own your own home,” he added.

President Ali said that the Government will also help to undertake the construction of the home on behalf of the applicant and deliver to the applicant a complete home in accordance with the option selected.

This measure, he highlighted, “will help to drastically accelerate the capacity of Guyanese families to own and occupy their own home and house lots they have already owned or they have been allocated but on which they are currently having difficulties managing the complex process of home ownership and also having access to the financing.”

VAT removal

The other measure will see the removal of Value Added Tax (VAT) on additional construction materials until the market stabilises.

These include sheetrock and

concrete boards. President Ali also reminded that these measures are in addition to a wide range of initiatives already announced by his Government to address the rising cost of living and to bring relief to all citizens. He noted too that Government will continue consultations and will in the future make more announcements aimed at bringing further relief to the public.

“As you know we have already removed VAT on a wide range of basic construction materials. Most recently we removed VAT on cement to reduce the cost of this critical input in home construction. We are now proposing to extend the removal of VAT to sheetrock and concrete board until the market stabilises…this measure, I expect to cost a $100 million annually, but will provide critical additional relief to persons constructing their homes, in keeping with our strong commitment to make homeownership affordable to every single Guyanese family,” the Head of State said.

Back in March, President Ali had said during a press conference that the Government is not turning a blind eye to the rise in cost of living. According to him, it is a matter that is being addressed on multiple fronts,

which includes addressing input cost and issues at the consumer and market levels. Accordingly, he had cited the $5 billion set aside in the 2022 budget.

Previous measures

President Ali reminded that these measures are in addition to a wide range of initiatives already announced by his Government to address the rising cost of living and to bring relief to all citizens as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and then the war between Russia and Ukraine.

Since taking office in 2020, the Ali-led Administration has introduced several measures to put more disposable income in the pockets of Guyanese.

From the onset, VAT was removed from water and electricity. There has also been the increase in old-age pension and public assistance, putting $2.3 billion and $432 million, respectively, into the pockets of Guyanese.

Additionally, the PPP/C Government had reinstated the “Because We Care” cash grant and school uniform cash grant which stands at $30,000 per child in both public and private schools.

In addition, a $25,000 per household cash grant was rolled out to assist families

struggling during the pandemic.

Moreover, the Government had announced a one-off cash grant of $25,000 to all pensioners where almost 65,000 persons benefitted; this measure placed a total of $1.6 billion in disposable income into the hands of the elderly population.

A one-off grant of $25,000 was also given to all public assistance recipients and persons living with disabilities. This grant benefited about 25,000 persons, and placed more than $600 million in additional disposable income in their hands.

Further, a one-month free electricity for households

FROM PAGE 3

consuming not more than 75 kilowatt per hour a month was announced – a measure that was intended to benefit some 40,000 households.

Future measures

Meanwhile, President Ali said his Government will continue consultations and will in the future make more announcements aimed at bringing further relief to the public.

“So, our Government is continuing this exercise of consulting to see the best possible measures that can be brought on stream to support those groups,” the President said, referring to vulnerable sections of society.

Chairman,” PAC member Ganesh Mahipaul said.

Meanwhile, PAC Chairman Jermaine Figueira said that the officers in question would be invited to join the PAC at its next sitting, presumably on Monday.

This is a proposal that was agreed to by the committee.

Additionally, Figueira said that efforts would be made to contact the then REO to respond to the PAC’s questions.

Saywack succeeded former REO Devanand Ramdatt last year, after he was sent on leave. In 2017, the Regional Executive Officer (REO) for Region Two was Rupert Hopkinson, whose tenure was marred by controversy.

There have been protests against the former REO and in 2018, then Regional Chairman Ramdatt had said that the RDC had no confidence in Hopkinson. The RDC had also met in 2018 to discuss matters involving the abuse of millions of dollars from the RDC’s Economic Project Amounts; and poor implementation of projects that have already started in 2018.

Other matters that were discussed concerning Hopkinson’s tenure were delays in signing vouchers; insanitary and unsafe conditions of many schools; and persons contracted to clean school compounds and road shoulders have been waiting to be paid since 2017 and 2016 respectively. (G3)

8 NEWS High Court upholds appointment of Cricket Ombudsman TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

The wages of…

W Culture, Youth and Sport Minister Charles Ramson Jr

H

igh Court Judge Franklin Holder last Friday upheld the appointment of Attorneyat-Law Kamal Ramkarran as Cricket Ombudsman.

His ruling was premised on an application filed by Secretary of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Anand Sanasie, President of the Essequibo Cricket Board Fizul Bacchus (now deceased), and Chairman of the Enmore Community Centre Cricket Club Bheemraj Ramkelewan against Ramkarran’s appointment which was made by public notice on February 19, 2021, by Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Charles Ramson Jr. That day, too, Minister Ramson also designated February 26, 2021, as the date for the GCB elections.

But those elections failed to take place on that day and Ramson on March 19, 2021,

Attorney-at-Law and Cricket Ombudsman Kamal Ramkarran

declared by a notice that the elections will be held on March 29, 2021.

Prior to the elections, Sanasie, Bacchus, and Ramkelewan filed a Fixed Date Application (FDA) seeking an injunction to prevent Ramkarran from holding/conducting the GCB elections. However, the reliefs sought by them were refused by the High Court.

The GCB elections eventually took place and a newly elected GCB was formed.

But on June 29, 2021, the trio filed an amended FDA asking the High Court to nullify Minister Ramson’s decision fixing dates for GCB elections on the basis that it was null, void, illegal, invalid, unreasonable, irrational, and of no legal effect. They also sought, among other things, an order of certiorari nullifying, cancelling, and/ or quashing the purported

GCB Secretary Anand Sanasie

High Court Judge, Justice Franklin Holder

appointment of Ramkarran, another order invalidating the GCB elections, and a further order setting aside the result of the elections.

They further asked the court to declare that there must be a verification of a register of clubs prior to the holding of the GCB elections in keeping with the provisions of the Guyana Cricket Administration Act. The trio also sought a declaration that the Minister failed to engage in meaningful consultation with the Board of Cricket West Indies before making his decisions Justice Holder found that there were two main issues to be dealt with. These included whether the appointment of Ramkarran as the Cricket Ombudsman was lawful and in keeping with the provisions of the Act and whether Ramkarran complied with the provisions of

the Act prior to the holding of the GCB elections. In relation to the first issue, the Judge found the reasoning of former Chief Justice Ian Chang on the issue of “meaningful consultation” in Essequibo Cricket Board 2015- HC- CIV-DEM- CM- 2 to be instrumental in the instant case.

In that case, Justice Chang held that “meaningful consultation” was not an absolute procedural requirement. It was a provisional or conditional procedural requirement, breach of that procedural requirement could not and did not render the act of appointment invalid”. Considering this, Justice Holder held that Ramkarran’s appointment was lawful.

As it relates to the second issue, Justice Holder held that the Act does not define what is a register of clubs nor does it speak to the Cricket Ombudsman establishing such a register.

He held that it is unreasonable for the Cricket Ombudsman to create the register of clubs and then verify same. He also found that by Section 9 of the Act it was the County Boards that shall keep a register of clubs within their respective county. He said that it was for the Cricket Ombudsman to verify the register of clubs and determine the method he uses to verify same as the verification process is not prescribed in the Act. In determining the verification method used by Ramkarran, he found that the Essequibo Cricket Board was non-compliant and therefore they cannot use their reluctance to comply, to stymie the holding of the elections.

Justice Holder, therefore, found that Ramkarran did his best and complied with the Act prior to holding the GCB elections. For these reasons, the High Court Judge dismissed the FDA with costs to be paid to the Attorney General, Ramkarran and the GCB in the sum of $350,000 each.

(G1)

…extremism hen your Eyewitness read about the latest act of terrorism in America, he had a sinking feeling in his stomach that was becoming all too familiar and frequent. This was the third one in May alone – there was the one in California with one dead, then another in Texas with two – and we’re only halfway through the month!! But this one with 10 dead and 3 wounded brings all the pathologies that infuse the slayings. Unfortunately, they have a lesson for us in Guyana.

Here’s this young white man – just out of high school – who drove 200 miles from the small town he lived in upstate NY all the way to Buffalo, just to kill Blacks. He came prepared. He had an automatic rifle…wore body armour and had to’ve reconnoitered the store earlier to make sure that it was in a Black neighbourhood and filled Black folks.

On the video circulating on the Internet – he wore a bodycam to show the world what he was doing – we can see that as soon as he stepped out of his vehicle, he started shooting persons in front of the store. He killed two.

Entering, he continued methodically murdering persons in the store, including a guard who shot at him – to no effect because of his body armour. Now the man was eventually captured and we now know that he’d already threatened to kill Blacks before. But more pertinently, he left a 180page manifesto explaining THE PHILOSOPHY behind his murderous carnage. Yes…a philosophy!! There’s even a name for it because he didn’t invent it and – as a matter of fact – it had been behind several horrendous racial mass killings not only in America but in places as far away from each other was Norway and New Zealand.

The philosophy is based on “White Replacement Theory” and posits that America is a white nation and it is being taken by non-whites from within (Blacks and other non-whites) and from without (non-white immigrants).

Positing that it’s a matter of “survival” for whites – since these non-whites “breed” faster than whites – killing them is argued as justified!! Violence against the “other” is thus normalized by narratives that are repeated incessantly in a process called the social embeddedness condition. Meaning that there are some who will inevitably be influenced by the social networks in which they operate and will become motivated to act in accordance to the premises of the narrative.

In the US, the “white replacement theory” is quite common. The danger for us in Guyana is there are some extremists on social media who’re preaching the theory in Guyana.

By substituting “black” for “white”. We’ve already had several explosions. …democracy Guyana’s a funny place. Not “ha, ha” funny…but “peculiar” funny. We’re supposed to be a “representative” democracy. That is, since we can’t all show up in front of the Public Buildings to vote on issues confronting the nation, we elect “representatives” to Parliament to do so. They would’ve outlined their work programme in “Manifestoes”. But the “funny” thing alluded to above is that immediately after the representatives are chosen, a few citizens can’t wait till the next elections – but insist in second guessing the representatives!!

Now, take this electoral reform business that’s on our national agenda because the PNC tried to rig the last elections. Neither of the two parties that got 96% of the populace’s votes had said anything about forming a National Government. The new government was supposed to make proposals to tighten up the voting process to stop stealing! Yet we have some “know-it-alls” who’re insisting that “shared governance” is what the “electoral reform” should impose!!

Maybe we should have a referendum? …rigging elections Now VP Jagdeo proposed that one reform to help stop rigging would be the GRO submits annual lists of the deceased to GECOM to take off the voters’ list.

The PNC’s Alexander wants Biometric checks? They aren’t incompatible, are they?

The views expressed in this column are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Guyana Times’ editorial policy and stance

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

NEWS

9

TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Major disaster averted at CID headquarters as cops contain fire

W

hat could have been a major catastrophe following the detection of smoke emanating from a building at the Criminal Investigations Department Headquarters was on Monday morning averted – and this win is being attributed to the basic firefighting training of Police officers who were on duty at the time.

The Guyana Fire Service (GFS) has since said that it has launched an investigation into the cause of the fire.

Reports are that at around 10:00h, smoke was seen emanating from the ceiling of the crime laboratory department attached to the CID. Fire Chief (acting) Gregory Wickham said that the Police’s training in basic firefighting helped in putting out the blaze.

“I want to give shoutout, and thanks and good work to the members of the Police Force who would’ve used their training that they would have received from the Guyana Fire Service in basic firefighting with the use of fire extinguishers until the arrival of the fire service,” he expressed.

Five fire tenders responded to the fire: two from the Central Fire Station, one from Alberttown Fire Station, one from Campbellville Fire Station, and one from West Ruimveldt Fire station.

“On arrival of the first appliance, smoke and fire was seen emanating from a particular room and so the Fire Service was able to gain entrance into that room, find the seat of the fire, put it out.”

Neither Commissioner of Police nor Fire Chief (acting) Gregory Wickham could have pronounced on the damages caused as a result of the minor blaze.

“I’m hoping that at the end of this exercise there would not be much damage that would’ve been done by fire, neither by the water.

And, also on the conclusion of this firefighting exercise, our investigators will be going in to do their investigative work and I’m certain

they’ll be able to come up with the cause of this fire,” Wickham said.

This fire comes on the

heels of the blaze that destroyed the Force’s Office of Professional Responsibility building in November 2021

and the fire which destroyed the Brickdam Police Station in October of that year.

10 NEWS

TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

“Alcohol consumption can make us do things Personal injury lawsuit we regret” – Judge to manslaughter convict Guyanese cleaner

L

eonard Fredericks will spend the next five years and six months in prison for killing a 50-year-old man.

Fredericks, 30, of Matthews Ridge, Region One (BarimaWaini), had earlier pleaded guilty to a manslaughter charge over the unlawful killing of Peter James, called “Ochro Man” on December 30, 2015. The custodial sentence was handed down to the convict on Monday by Justice Jo Ann Barlow at the High Court in Demerara.

Fredericks was represented

by Attorney-at-Law Teriq Mohammed while State Counsel Latifah Elliott appeared on behalf of the prosecution.

Reports stated that Fredericks stabbed James several times. The men, who had had a run-in two months prior, had been drinking at a bar at Hell Hill, Matthews Ridge on the day in question.

In a caution statement, Fredericks had told the Police, “Officer, me and “Ochro Man” had a problem two months ago when he lash me with a wood in my back. I see him in the club and I remember every-

Jailed: Leonard Fredericks

thing that he did to me. I had two knives in my waist and a cutlass, and I went up to him and I pulled out a knife and I started to stab he with it. I can’t remember how many times I stab he.”

A post-mortem report revealed that James sustained 10 incised wounds.

His cause of death was given as haemorrhage and shock due to perforation of the heart compounded by blunt trauma.

In arriving at a sentence for the convict, Justice Barlow commenced at a

starting point of 18 years.

From that, she deducted six years for Fredericks’ early guilty plea and another six years and four months which reflects the time he has already spent in pre-trial custody.

Justice Barlow, in her sentencing remarks, advised Fredericks to use his time in prison to prepare for his release into society. She also warned him about the ills of imbibing too much alcohol.

While there is the view that a highly-intoxicated

person is not the master of his own mind and that this can be used as a defence, Justice Barlow noted that she did not find that Fredericks was so drunk that he did not know what he was doing. She told him that she believed he was an intelligent person “and you must know what brought you to this place that you are in”.

“Whenever you are returned to society, you know that it is high wine and other alcoholic beverages that got you into the problem that you got into. And so, my advice to you is… I can’t tell you don’t drink, but I can tell you that you should not drink until you get to that place where you do stupid things. Alcohol consumption can make us do things we regret when we are sober. Try to always maintain a level, sober head so that you never find yourself back in the prison or in a situation where you have caused harm to another person,” Justice Barlow advised the convict.

Fredericks will undergo counselling for persons who committed offences while under the influence. (G1)

accepts $7M settlement from oil services company

A

lmost a year after she was awarded a default judgement in a personal injury lawsuit she brought against oil services company Centipede Offshore (Guyana), Tanesha Fredericks has accepted a settlement of $7, 497, 187.

The agreement between her and the company was made on May 6, 2022.

Fredericks had been employed as a utility cleaner with the Trinidad and Tobago-headquartered company, which has a local office at 35 Delhi Street, Prashad Nagar, Georgetown.

In the action, she had sought damages in excess of $1,000,000 for chemical burns she sustained on her fingers between October 28 and October 29, 2020.

She had also claimed special damages for medical expenses, loss of income, and loss of earning capacity and costs. The woman complained therein that during

her tenure at the company, she was forced to perform duties which included the handling of toxic chemicals and cleaning agents with surgical gloves instead of industrial-strength gloves.

After complaining several times for better gloves, Fredericks said that she was transferred to various departments on the sea vessel, and then subsequently fired.

She said that when she came onshore, her fingers began feeling numb, and as such, she sought medical attention at a city hospital, where doctors informed her that she would never again be able to have feeling in her 10 fingers.

The woman had instituted the claim in early 2021.

With Centipede Offshore failing to file a defence by the prescribed time, High Court Judge Fidela CorbinLincoln granted the default judgement on July 8, 2021.

(G1)

NEWS

11

TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

GWI leading studies for potential surface water sources – CEO

L

ifting its dependency on only groundwater to supply the population, the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) has embarked on studies across several locations to examine potential sources of surface water.

Chief Executive Officer of GWI, Shaik Baksh communicated at a recent press conference that the company is equipping itself to utilise a blend of water sources.

This is also in keeping with its revisioning of operations to address climate adaptation.

“GWI has already geared itself up to take on the challenges that will confront the sector in the coming months and years. We have embarked on a re-envisioning of GWI because only by doing so, would we be able to meet these challenges and contribute to the overall economic programme of the government of Guyana and this economic take off.”

Baksh added, “We are promoting integrated water resources management. We have set up a unit at GWI to look at water resources, including integrated water resources management and climate adaptation issues…

To ensure that there is a balance going forward between groundwater supplies through the aquifers and surface water, we’re doing a lot of studies on surface water.”

Areas under study include the East Demerara Conservancy, the Boeraserie Creek, and Five Miles

223-7230-1 (Ext 55)

stream in Bartica. These efforts are in collaboration with the hydrometeorological office, to determine whether these can be viable sources of water in the coming years.

The Dakoura Creek in Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice) has been identified as a potential source of water to supply the township of Linden.

“We have embarked on a study of that source. It’s already a very good water supply, minimum treatment of that water, which has already been supplied to res-

idents through the Wisroc plant. Only chlorination is required, so it reduces our operation costs for chemicals and electricity also,” the CEO reported.

GWI has 135 wells that are currently functioning as the major suppliers of potable water. Government has set clear objectives to achieve Sustainable Development Goal Six: water and sanitation for all by 2030. These include increasing potable water coverage to 100 per cent by 2025 and increasing treated water coverage.

In Guyana, groundwater from the coastal aquifer system provides about 90 per cent of the domestic water for the country. In March, the Environmental Protection Agency had highlighted that since groundwater is the most accessed source of freshwater around the world, including for drinking, irrigation, and manufacturing, citizens have to ensure that waterways are kept clean and safe.

Meanwhile, in widening access, the water company has already mapped out

its network to service new areas being developed for housing. On the East Bank of Demerara, there will be an interconnected system from Diamond coming down to Eccles.

“We have already mapped out what transmission lines are needed to service the new housing areas.

You have to have distribution lines and transmission systems. We already know where the transmission lines [will be placed] and what is the source to service these transmission lines,” Baksh explained. (G12)

12 NEWS 250 exhibitors, 550 delegates to converge for Agri Forum and Expo TUESDAY, MAY 17,, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

…investors to tap into potential markets ...as Guyana leads agri-food agenda for Region

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha

U

ndertaking the mantle to lead the agrifood agenda for the Caribbean Region while cutting the colossal food import bill, Guyana will be the hub for potential investment talks this week at the inaugural Agri-Investment Expo and Forum.

Preparations are in the final stage for the hosting of the three-day event, organised at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre on the East Coast of Demerara with key input from Caricom.

Over 250 exhibitors have already booked their booth, with international stakeholders from countries such as Jamaica, the United States of America, Trinidad and Tobago, Ghana and Barbados.

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha shared during Monday’s update of the event that 82 local agro-processors will be involved. Some 550 delegates – 400 of whom are overseas-based – will be in attendance.

During the event, potential investors and donors will discuss emerging opportunities for agriculture in Caricom. A matching of bankable agricultural projects with willing private and public financiers will also advance the food system agenda for the region.

Thus far, five Heads of Government from Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Dominica; and Trinidad and Tobago will attend. The Deputy Prime Minister of the Bahamas, and the Premier of Montserrat will also be arriving. The Agriculture Ministers of the Bahamas, St Vincent and the Grenadines,

Preparations are ongoing at the ACCC for the Expo

ASG for Trade and Economic Integration at Caricom, Joseph Cox

Belize, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Dominica and Barbados will be part of this event.

Commenting on the support received from regional counterparts, Mustapha underscored, “This is demonstrative of the priority that has been placed on the much-needed commitment and investment in agriculture and food security; and aligns with the vision for this sector of President Irfaan Ali.”

He added, “Guyana, as the inaugural host, is not only demonstrating its unwavering commitment to the development and modernisation of the agriculture sector, but is realising its potential in being the hub and breadbasket for this sector and the region. Interest, partnership and confidence continue to grow here in Guyana and across the region, as exemplified by the increasing number of young people who are getting involved.”

At the 32rd InterSessional Conference of the Caricom Heads of Government, a special ministerial task force was established and tasked with guiding the transformation of the regional agri-food system towards full commercialisation. A prime focus was to address the rising food import bill and to stimulate investment in agriculture and food production.

By the 33rd Sessional Conference, President Irfaan Ali had presented a detailed plan for commercialising the agri-food sector and at the same time, attaining the vision for reducing the food import bill by 25 per cent by 2025.

Emphasis was placed on countries and their respective target areas. The Heads of States had also agreed on an agriculture forum and expo, cementing a platform for investment in the regional agriculture sector.

“The forum is therefore geared towards the promotion, engagement and informed dialogue among key stakeholders along the agri-food value chain of policymakers, development partners, foreign and local private investors, farmers, distributors, and on how investment could be encouraged,” the Agriculture Minister asserted.

Assistant Secretary

General for Trade and Economic Integration at the Caricom Secretariat, Joseph Cox zeroed in on the US$6 billion food import bill for the region during the press conference, identifying the vast potential for investors to tap into.

“That’s US$6 billion of potential opportunities for the region that we have to seek to capitalise on. We’re extremely buoyed by the interest that has been shown from countries all over the world and indeed by participants who continue to bombard us at Caricom and Guyana in terms on how they can participate. There is an appetite for it and it is full time that we start to treat with, and confront the opportunities that exist.”

The event runs from May 19 to 21, 2022, in which the public will be able to visit the participating booths.

The forum is exclusively for registered delegates. (G12)

13 Police, EPA sign agreement to fight noise nuisance I NEWS

TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

n an effort to better address the issue of noise nuisance in the country, a Memorandum of Agreement was signed on Monday between the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The MoA was signed

by Deputy Commissioner ‘Administration’ (ag), Calvin Brutus, and Executive Director of the EPA, Kemraj Parsram.

“This agreement will be a collaboration between the EPA and the Police in the field of training and enforcement of noise management and also to assist the EPA in mitigating noise nuisance,” the GPF said in a statement.

Over time in the media, there has been a plethora of

Deputy Commissioner of Administration Calvin Brutus and EPA Executive Director Kemraj Parsram signing the Memorandum of Agreement (GPF photo)

complaints from persons in various parts of the country pertaining to noise nuisance. In every instance, the frustration of those affected

was very evident, and one common gripe was the perceived lack of action by the authorities to fully address the situation.

Regional Commander for Division 4 C, Superintendent Khali Pareshram has said that statistics show an increase in complaints of noise

nuisance on the East Coast Demerara (ECD) corridor.

The Commander said that while ranks on the ECD are attempting to act on every report, their biggest challenge is that persons are not officially making reports. Thus, prosecution chances are low.

Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn had also weighed in on the issue of noise nuisance, saying that excessive noise in discos, nightclubs, and bars across Guyana will lead to immediate closure by local authorities.

“If we visit a place two times, on the third occasion with respect to noise or any other untoward activity, we’ll close them, we’ll have to close down the activity,” Benn had said.

The EPA’s website states that excessive emission of noise is an offence under the Environmental Protection (Noise Management) Regulations (2000) wherein defaulters can be fined up to $700,000 and face up to one year’s imprisonment.

Meanwhile, at the signing were: Force Training Officer – Superintendent Keithon King; Head of the Strategic Planning Unit – Assistant Superintendent Nicola Kendall; Head of the Community Relations Department – Senior Superintendent Crystal Robinson; Police Legal Advisor Mandel Moore, among others. (Report by Corporal Odellis DosSantos and photos by Constable Avin)

“It will be a great service to your country” – CDC calls for volunteers

N

oting that it will be a great service to one’s country, the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) has issued a call for persons to come onboard as volunteers.

The CDC – which was established in 1982 to respond to disasters across the country – currently has a pool of 200 volunteers.

However, according to the organisation’s Public Information Officer Patrice Wishart, the CDC is always looking for persons who are willing to volunteer their time and efforts in helping others.

“We need volunteers generally. Actually, a general part of the CDC’s support system is made up of volunteers, and volunteers of all walks of life,” he explained.

Wishart noted that anyone can be a volunteer.

“Currently, our volunteer pools have persons in the civil service, we have

dentists, pharmacists, we have doctors, lawyers…we also have persons who are entrepreneurs, who not only live along the coast but in the inland regions and what not. So regardless what you can bring to the table, the fact that you bring something to the table is very much all you need to volunteer with us.”

He also assured that before volunteers get dispatched to the fields, they undergo the necessary training. He noted too that in some cases, volunteers receive stipends.

“We won’t just throw you to the wolves, so to speak… when you come on as a volunteer and once you’re confirmed, you receive general training and then specific training for a particular area…”

“In some instances, and this is not generally across the board or this is not consistent, there is also the

availability of stipends depending on the type of volunteerism that you do and depending on the circumstances.”

Wishart, who started at the CDC as a volunteer, explained that there are risks involved in volunteering with the CDC but he asserted that safety is the organisation’s top priority.

“We tend to operate on a very safe basis. Our number one priority is of life and limb. That being said, there are risks involved in everything that you do. For instance, when we go in to the

impacted areas and there is rising floodwaters and what’s not, there is obviously [risk]. But because of the training and because of the support system the volunteers have from CDC staff, that risk is minimal because we look after them first and the persons, of course, who are impacted.”

“The minute you come on as a volunteer, the minute you receive your training and what not depending on the type of training and the type of volunteering you’re doing, you’ll get a package.

If you’re going out into the

field, because you have field volunteers, we give life jackets, get your rainboots, your coats, we give first aid kit, your get a snake bite kit, the full works.”

The CDC spokesperson noted that there is no limit to the number of volunteers needed at the moment. But he said with the rainy season upon us and the possibility of flooding countrywide, extra helpful hands are welcomed.

“Particularly during the rainy season now, we are anticipating heavy rainfall between early May and July.

As a result, there might be some flooding, as result of that, persons might have to be relocated. For instance, we might look for volunteers to do shelter management to help with hamper distribution and that sort of thing.”

“We have a very competent department that filters and assesses which vol-

unteers are needed when, based on their skills, based their availability, and that sort thing.”

According to Wishart, the main criteria for being a volunteer is willingness.

“We’re looking for willing people. That’s essentially it,” he expressed.

“It will be a great service to your country…the Civil Defence Commission, as you know, is Government entity and as a result of that, we stretch the length and breadth of Guyana. If you’re a CDC volunteer, you will do that too…almost every time we take a trip to an affected community or an impacted area, we take a volunteer with us,” he noted.

Of the 200 volunteers registered with the CDC, most are from Regions Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara); Four (Demerara-Berbice); Five (Mahaica-Berbice) and Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).

14 NEWS

TUESDAY, MAY 17,, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Canje boat mishap

Body of ex-cop recovered on his 30th birthday

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he body of an ex-Police officer was on Monday morning fished out of the Canje River. He was missing following a boat mishap on Saturday.

Dead is 29-year-old Kevin France of Lot 2 Manchester Village, Corentyne, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne). He would have been celebrating his 30th birthday – May 16, 2022; the day his body was fished out of the Canje River.

Reports are that France along with two of his cousins, aged 28 and 35, along with a 52-year-old man and the 62-year-old boat operator boarded a 14-foot boat - “Simplicity” - which was powered by a 50hp outboard engine and headed to Banib which is along the Canje River.

The men were reportedly on an expedition to make

Undertakers removing Kevin France’s body in the presence of family members

checks on cattle belonging to one Ronald Victor.

Reports are that while at New Forest Village, there were two boats coming in the opposite direction ahead of “Simplicity” and as they

passed, the waves from the boats caused “Simplicity” to capsize. Four of the men - Kenton Tyndall, Manley Grant, Paul Tyndall and Cecil Chisholm, managed to swim to shore. However,

upon checking, it was observed that France was missing.

According to France’s aunt, Natasha Williams, with whom he lived, her nephew left home shortly af-

ter 06:00h to go with a cousin to the Canje River to do some work with a cousin.

She later received information that there was an accident and the others were able to survive.

France could not swim but made a trip to Banib the previous day and returned in the afternoon.

His aunt said that his uncle wanted someone to work on his farm and was taking the now dead man to get acquainted with the farm.

The body was discovered at New Forest the same spot where the incident occurred.

Police had initially kept all the men that were in the boat with France in custody.

According to one of the dead man’s uncles, the entire family is grieving, but he noted that they are pleased that they were able to recover the body.

After leaving the Police

Force, France was employed with a private security company but was unemployed for the past six months.

France was a father of a four-year-old child. (G4)

taken to Tuseneng Health Centre. He was treated for injuries and then referred to the Mahdia District Hospital where he was admitted as a patient for observation.

However, at about 13:30h on Monday, Singh was trans-

ported from the Mahdia District Hospital to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation for further medical attention. His condition is regarded as serious but stable.

Investigations are ongoing.

Dead: Kevin France

Driver injured after truck topples downhill

A

62-year-old man is now injured after the truck he was driving toppled down a hill in North Pakaraima, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni).

Injured is Dalip Singh of Shell Road Kitty, Georgetown.

Police said at around 16:00h on Friday last, motor lorry GAB 5892 was proceeding east along the Tuseneng Road, which was wet at the time, and is made up of gravel and loam. At the time, the truck was laden with foods including fuel.

“While ascending a steep hill, it was alleged by the driver that he could not have completed the climbing of the hill and as a result, he began reversing down the hill, when he lost control of the lorry, causing same to turn turtle before coming to a stop,” Police explained in a statement.

As a result, the driver received injuries about his body. He was picked up by public-spirited citizens and

NEWS

15

TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Guyana’s active COVID-19 cases surpass 300 W

ith coronavirus positives rising again in Guyana, the active cases are also taking a hike. Twelve new infections were reported as of Monday, with confirmed cases moving up to 63,861.

In the Health Ministry’s dashboard, there are 305 persons in isolation, three in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 10 in institutional isolation and three in institutional quarantine. Active cases have surged past the 300 mark.

An analysis shows new cases dispersed among three regions, with two in Region Four (DemeraraMahaica), one in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) and nine in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).

Meanwhile, the death toll has not increased in weeks, having remained at 1228. A total of 62,315 persons have since recovered.

The recovery rate is approximately 97.5 per cent in Guyana, from the 29,395 males and 34,466 females that have tested positive.

In Guyana, most recent

vaccination figures indicate that 441,071 first doses and 340,572 second doses were distributed to adults. This is approximately 86 per cent and 66.4 per cent respectively. For children aged 12 to 17, 25,355 or 34.7 per cent are completely vaccinated.

Booster coverage is 63,574.

The spread of the Omicron strain and its subvariants are still continuing across several countries.

Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5 have been detected in more than a dozen countries, said the World Health Organisation. The two appear to be more contagious, officials have confirmed. Another Omicron subvariant called BA.2.12.1 has been detected in 23 countries.

WHO’s technical lead on COVID, Maria Van Kerkhove has urged governments across the world to closely monitor BA.2.12.1, BA.4, BA.5 and other subvariants that could emerge in the future. She has also stressed on the need to continue COVID testing and sequencing.

With suspicion that the Omicron subvariant BA.2 might be in circulation locally, Guyanese authorities had signalled plans to send samples for gene sequencing. Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony identified this as a likely reason for the recent rise in positives during a briefing last week.

Currently, the country does not possess the resources to conduct its own sequencing, but relies on agencies such as the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA).

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 www.health.gov.gy.

Global figures show that almost 517.6 million people have tested positive for the virus and 6.2 million have died. In the Americas, more than 154.2 million confirmed cases have been reported with over 2.7 million deaths. (G12)

Logger attacks co-worker who refused to purchase alcohol

P

olice in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) are investigating the circumstances surrounding an attack committed on a 30-year-old man who refused to purchase alcohol for a co-worker.

Injured is James Dos Santos of Pearl, East Bank Demerara (EBD), who is a supervisor at a logging company.

Reports are that at around 21:00h on Sunday,

the supervisor was sleeping in the company’s truck at Kaburi Village, Essequibo River, when he was awakened by the co-worker who requested money to purchase alcohol.

Dos Santos reportedly refused to give the co-worker money and as such, the man became enraged. “…the suspect then picked up an object and dealt the victim one lash to his right leg, causing him to col-

lapse to the ground. The victim raised an alarm and was assisted by members of the village,” Police explained.

Dos Santos was then escorted to the Bartica Regional Hospital. He is suffering from a fracture to the tibia and fibula of his right leg. The man was referred to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he underwent surgery.

Police are currently on the hunt for the suspect.

GUYANA COVID-19 DASHBOARD MAY 16, 2022 UPDATE

NUMBER OF NEW CASES

12

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL ISOLATION

10

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN HOME ISOLATION

305

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN COVID-19 ICU

3

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL QUARANTINE

3

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (FEMALES)

34,466

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (MALES)

29,395

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES IN GUYANA SINCE 2020

63,861

NUMBER OF RECOVERED CASES

62,315

TOTAL 1st DOSE VACCINATED FULLY IMMUNISED TOTAL NUMBER OF DEATHS

DISTRIBUTION OF TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES SINCE MARCH 2020 REGION 1

2520

REGION 2

2510

REGION 3

8100

REGION 4

31,619

REGION 5

2392

REGION 6

5890

REGION 7

2426

REGION 8

886

REGION 9

4042

REGION 10

3476

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

441,071 340,572 1228

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.

16 NEWS

TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Opportune time for Guyana, Bahamas to forge stronger partnership – Ali

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resident Dr Irfaan Ali said that the opportunity is before Guyana and the Commonwealth of The Bahamas to forge a stronger partnership.

President Ali also told the Non-Resident High Commissioner of The Bahamas – Leslia MillerBrice during her swearing-in ceremony that a stronger relationship between the two States could enhance sectors such as agriculture, tourism, education, sport, youth development, financial services and trade and investment. He said that as the 50th anniversary of bilateral relations between the two countries near its mark, “the opportunity is therefore before us to craft a stronger partnership and a programme for bilateral collaboration and cooperation”.

Ali noted that it is his hope that the two countries can intensify cooperation during the High Commissioner’s tenure, particularly given the people-to-people links that exist.

“I know that there is a significant Guyanese population in the Bahamas. We must therefore work on establishing a functional cooperation programme that will rebound to the benefit of both our peoples,” the Head of State is quoted as saying by the Press and Publicity Unit at the Office of the President.

Food security

The Head of State also noted that he is looking forward to welcoming The Bahamas’ Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of

increase our knowledge base and agricultural fields for food security, rural development and sustainable development,” the High Commissioner said.

Climate change leadership

President Ali emphasised that Guyana has not only demonstrated its leadership in words but in actions in the fight against climate change. This, he said, is testament to the fact that although Guyana’s current standing forest is worth over US$500 billion, the country has not made any moves to cut down “this important

global asset”.

“As a matter of fact, we are known to have the lungs of the world and not only are we committing to keep it standing, we are committed to expanding the conversation methods.”

The High Commissioner also noted that The Bahamas is an archipelago country with vulnerable low-lying coastal areas, and it continues to be threatened by the adverse effects of climate change.

“My Prime Minister has made repeated calls for immediate action by the world’s largest polluters. It

is The Bahamas’ view that more needs to be done in this area, as doing nothing can no longer be an option,” she said while also thanking Guyana for its support and solidarity extended to The Bahamas following the passage and destruction of Hurricane Dorian in 2019.

President Ali reaffirmed that it is “paramount that the region presses ahead with its advocacy for action by the largest greenhouse gas emitters and for change to the global financial architecture that takes into account Caribbean vulnerabilities”.

Foulis man who brutally murdered wife found dead President Dr Irfaan Ali and Non-Resident High Commissioner of The Bahamas Leslia Miller-Brice share a handshake during her swearing-in ceremony on Monday

Tourism, Investments and Aviation, the Honourable Chester Cooper, who will be leading a Bahamian delegation to attend this week’s Agri-Investment Forum and Expo.

According to the Press and Publicity Unit, the President said he hopes that with the participation and support of Caricom Member States, including The Bahamas, development partners and the Private Sector, concrete solutions to improve regional food security and increase the intra-

regional trade in food commodities and products will be formed.

During her address to the President, the High Commissioner also said that The Bahamas is looking forward to collaborating at the technical level towards reducing its exorbitant food import bill by strengthening its agricultural sector through expanded production and increased capacity.

“We look forward to engaging in constructive discussions to expand our technological experience and

Dead: Vijaimal Raj

T

he partially-decomposed body of a 56-year-old man who brutally murdered his wife last month was found in the Enmore, East Coast Demerara (ECD) backlands.

The discovery was made on Monday by a cattle farmer who reported to the Police that at around 12:30h, as he was grazing his cattle, he observed a mosquito net in the bush and upon checking, he saw the body which was positively identified as murder suspect Vijaimal Raj.

The farmer led a party of policemen to the area where the murder suspect was found. Two bottles of insecticide were seen next to the body.

The body was later identified by the man’s son.

Raj, a fisherman, was wanted by the Police for the murder of his wife, 57-yearold Savitri Raj. The incident occurred on April 12 at the couple’s Foulis, East Coast Demerara home.

Savitrie Raj, a mother of three of 15th Street, Foulis, was brutally murdered by her abusive husband of 33 years, whom she had been trying to escape.

In fact, the couple were scheduled to appear in court on April 13 as the woman had filed a report against him three weeks prior, after he attacked her with a glass bottle, causing her to receive injuries to the head.

But around 01:00h on the April 12, the couple’s only son was in the lower flat of house when he heard his mother screaming. As such, he ran to the upper flat of the house where he saw his mother lying on the bed in a

Dead: Savitrie Raj

pool of blood. Three wounds were seen on her face and neck.

The husband, a fisherman, was allegedly seen jumping through the window.

When Guyana Times visited the home of the couple, the woman’s daughter, Dian Raghunath, and her husband said Raj had been abused by her husband and two other children for years, with the grieving daughter saying that she believes her mother’s death was planned.

The family had related that the now dead woman then went to the Social Security Ministry where she was promised that someone would visit her home, but no one visited. She then revisited the Police Station where she was given a court date for April 13, 2022.

Just after 21:00h (9:00 pm) on April 12, Raj locked her bedroom door and went to bed; the suspect reportedly waited until she was fully asleep before jumping the wall and stabbing her about the body. He then threw her phone a far distance from her, so that she could not call anyone to come to her rescue.

The man then reportedly drank a poisonous substance before escaping.

NEWS

17

TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

275 additional shade houses to be constructed

Producing crops in the constructed shade house (DPI photo)

A

griculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha said the President’s shade house initiative has been so successful that the Ministry will be expanding the project to reach a wider section of young farmers.

The project, which falls under the Agriculture and Innovation Entrepreneurship

Programme, was launched in January, 2022 with the aim of initially constructing 25 shade houses. However, the Government will be constructing an additional 275 shade houses that will benefit farmers across the country.

“We are looking to build 100 shade houses at Mon Repos in the first instance,

One of the constructed shade houses built for young farmers (DPI photo)

and also to build shade houses across the country.

So, the shade house project is moving very rapidly and we’re hoping that at the end of this 100, we can go to a different part and start build, but in all for this project we’ll be building 300 shade houses for the young people,” the Minister said in an interview with DPI.

He noted that the Government is close to completing 54 shade houses, some of which are already producing. He said the produce are being marketed and sold locally to consumers including the Marriott, Pegasus and other hotels, as the demand for food items increases.

Additionally, with the

shade house initiative moving apace, farmers will be able to cultivate the targeted high-value crops including carrot, broccoli and cauliflower. The initiative has also expanded to allow the cultivation of a variety of other crops.

Further, the Agriculture Minister said Guyana plays a significant role in en-

suring food security in the Caribbean. As such, the Government is currently training and teaching eight students from Barbados to build shade houses, as well as prepare crops for planting. “So, the Caribbean now also looks forward to Guyana to help them to build that industry,” the Agriculture Minister noted.

Wife, children of Haiti’s ex-Senator to be deported

I

n an impassioned speech to the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court on Monday, the attorney-at-law representing the family of former Haitian Senator Joseph Joel John, expressed his displeasure at the Government’s handling of their application for refugee status, resulting in the eventual deportation of his clients to their country of origin.

John’s wife, Edume, 38, and her two sons applied for asylum in Jamaica through the Passport Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA). The application was subsequently denied and an appeal was made.

Moments before he addressed the court regarding PICA’s denial of the refugee status, the family pleaded guilty to illegal entry into Jamaica and their attorney, Donahue Martin, requested that the court admonish and discharge them, causing the family to be sent back to Haiti.

“Your Honour, I do have instructions today to have this matter removed from the court list… might I invite Your Honour to admonish and discharge the offenders. The reason for my application, Your Honour, is that the offenders entered the island quite literally with clothes on their backs as a result of issues in their place of origin. They had applied to our Government to be considered refugees,” Martin said, noting that he believes if his clients don’t represent the definition of refugee status, then no one

can do the same. “So practically speaking, You Honour, it is quite problematic for the persons to remain in custody in not the best of conditions, and this is in the context of what I consider to be well founded concerns concerning their safety as well,” he

continued.

Adding that he is calling on the Government to “review their protocols” concerning persons who are applying for asylum status, Martin stated, “Because this certainly is not the best example of how it is we should

honour our international obligations. I do believe we can do better as a people because at any point the shoe can be on our foot where it is that we might have some instances where us as citizens need the help of our neighbours, and we certain-

ly wouldn’t want to be treated like this.”

John has since been extradited to the United States, as he is accused of conspiring to commit a murder or kidnapping following the July 7 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel

Moïse. John is the third person slated to be tried in Miami in the case of Moïse.

The family was held by police in Jamaica on January 14 during an operation in Warminster district, St Elizabeth. (Jamaica Observer)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2022

Regional

Brazil Senate leaders offer support US revises Cuba policy, eases for courts facing Bolsonaro attacks restrictions on remittances, travel

T

B

razilian Senate leaders are stepping up support for the Judiciary as it comes under fresh attack from President Jair Bolsonaro, who is gearing up for a re-election campaign by questioning the integrity of a voting system run by the courts.

The far-right President, who is trailing in the presidential race, has called the country’s electronic voting machines vulnerable to fraud without providing evidence. That has raised concerns that he will not concede defeat if his leftist rival Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva prevails in this October’s election.

Supreme Court Justices, who say the voting system they oversee is secure and transparent, have asked the Senate to offer more public support for the democratic institutions under fire from Bolsonaro, people involved in the talks told Reuters.

A group of Senators has arranged meetings between lawmakers and senior Justices, successfully

Brazil’s Senate President Rodrigo Pacheco

pressing Senate President Rodrigo Pacheco to take a more forceful public stand, said the sources, who requested anonymity to discuss private meetings.

“It is unbelievable that in 2022, with all the problems the country faces, we still have to defend democracy from these attacks,” Pacheco tweeted on Friday.

That was the latest public result of the informal task force of Senators and Justices mounting a shared defence of Brazil’s electoral process, several of whom gathered on

Wednesday at a dinner hosted by Senator Katia Abreu, sources said.

“I will not leave the Supreme Court isolated,” Pacheco told several Supreme Court Justices at the dinner, according to a Senator who was present.

Pacheco has also met formally in recent weeks with the head of the Supreme Electoral Court (TSE), Justice Edson Fachin, and said publicly there was no reason to doubt the electronic voting system overseen transparently by the courts.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Attorneys claim TTCG stalling in Venezuelan baby killing probe

A

ttorneys representing Venezuelan national Darielvis Sarabia, whose one-yearold baby was shot dead by the T&T Coast Guard in February, are calling on the Director of Public Prosecutions to initiate criminal proceedings or investigations into the matter.

This is because Attorney Criston Williams, one of the family’s legal representatives, believes recent evidence points to a cover-up in the matter.

“There is evidence of witness tampering. There is evidence that witness-

es to the matter were removed from T&T without being interviewed. There is also a direct statement to TTCG that they have not done any investigation into that matter,” Williams told Guardian Media Sunday.

In fact, in a letter to DPP Roger Gaspard, SC, Williams and other Attorneys called on the DPP to force or initiate some form of positive action in the matter for Sarabia, in order to negate any international reputational risk to T&T, which has already faced calls from international organisations, includ-

ing the UN refugee agency UNHCR; UN human rights office (OHCHR); International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF); for better protection for migrants.

If the DPP fails to initiate proceedings, the Attorneys requested reasons as to why this could not be done.

The letter stated that to date, the Chief of Defence Staff has not provided access to the documents requested, nor has an investigation been conducted into the killing. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

In El Salvador’s gang crackdown, quotas drive ‘arbitrary’ arrests of innocents

D

ozens of innocent people have been apprehended in El Salvador in recent months amid President Nayib Bukele’s “war on gangs,” after superiors forced officers to meet daily arrest quotas during a state of emergency, five officials told Reuters.

In March, El Salvador registered 62 murders in a single day, the bloodiest since the end of the country’s civil war in 1992. In response, the Legislative Assembly dominated by Bukele’s right-leaning populist party declared a state of emergency, sus-

pending citizens’ constitutional rights. In the past month and a half, more than 25,000 people have been arrested.

“We have received some 40-45 complaints from [officers in] different areas of the country where officials demand specific quotas of people to be detained,” said Marvin Reyes, General Secretary of the Police Workers Movement Union.

“In some places they impose six (captures) a day, in others five, in others three.”

In response to a request for comment, a Police spokesperson denied the

use of quotas and said such an order is considered a serious offence and urged staff to report it.

Security forces have been deployed in areas considered high-risk, rounding up suspected gang members, sometimes just for having tattoos, according to three Police and two military sources who requested anonymity to share the information.

Since he took office as President in June 2019, Bukele has made the fight against crime and violence a banner issue. (Excerpt from Reuters)

he United States on Monday announced a series of steps to revise its policy toward Cuba, including easing some Trump-era restrictions on family remittances and travel to the island and sharply increasing the processing of US visas for Cubans.

The measures, which come after a lengthy US Government review, mark the most significant changes in the US approach to Havana since President Joe Biden took office in January 2021.

But the announcement stopped short of returning US-Cuba relations to

the historic rapprochement engineered by former President Barack Obama, under whom Biden served as Vice President. That included less crimped flow of remittances, fewer travel curbs, and faster visa services.

US State Department spokesperson Ned Price in a statement said the measures announced Monday were to “further support the Cuban people, providing them additional tools to pursue a life free from Cuban Government oppression and to seek greater economic opportunities”.

The State Department

said the United States would lift the cap on family remittances, previously set to US$1000 per quarter, and authorise donative remittances to non-family members.

But it made clear that the United States would not remove entities from the Cuba Restricted List, a State Department list of Cuban Government- and military-aligned companies with whom US firms and citizens are barred from doing business.

The Cuban Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

India’s President in Jamaica for 4-day State visit

I

ndia’s President, Ram Nath Kovind, along with his wife Savita, is officially in Jamaica in an effort to strengthen diplomatic ties between both countries.

The aeroplane carrying the couple landed at the Norman Manley International Airport at precisely 16:06h on Sunday to the sound of a 21-gun salute from the Jamaica Defence Force.

Kovind is paying a State visit to Jamaica and St Vincent and Grenadines from May 15 to May 21, the first visit by an Indian Head of State to these Caribbean countries. He will be in Jamaica until May 18.

In a statement pending his arrival, India’s Ministry of External Affairs said, “Jamaica and India have friendly relations. Jamaica is also one of the Girmitya countries with a 70,000 strong

Indian President Ram Nath Kovind, along with his wife Savita Kovind, exit the aeroplane after landing in Jamaica on Sunday evening

Indian Diaspora who act as a living bridge with India.”

“The visit comes at a significant milestone as 2022 is the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Jamaica.

Furthermore, India and Jamaica are celebrating [the] 75th and 60th anniversary of their independence, respectively,” the statement added.

During his visit, Kovind is expected to hold “delegation-level talks” with the Governor General, Sir Patrick Allen. He will also meet Prime Minister Andrew Holness and other dignitaries and will address the joint sitting of the two Houses of Jamaican Parliament.

(Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

Cyber-attack on Costa Rica grows as more agencies hit, President says

T

he number of Costa Rican institutions hit in a wave of cyber-attacks in the past month has grown to 27, President Rodrigo Chaves said on Monday, in one of the earliest challenges to face the new leader during his first month in office.

He added that nine of the institutions struck, mostly Government agencies, were considered “very affected.”

The attacks have had an “enormous” impact on foreign trade and tax collections in the Central American country, Chaves acknowledged in comments to reporters barely a week after he was sworn in as President.

In mid-April, outgoing President Carlos Alvarado’s Government reported hack-

Costa Rica’s new President Rodrigo Chaves

er attacks on the country’s Finance Ministry, which spread to other state institutions after authorities refused to pay a US$10 million ransom demanded by the Russian hacker group Conti.

“We are at war and that is not an exaggeration,” Chaves said at his inauguration on May 8, as he announced a

national state of emergency.

Chaves did not provide an updated list of institutions targeted by the hackers.

Speaking at the same news conference, Science and Technology Minister Carlos Henry Alvarado said the Governments of Israel, the United States and Spain have provided assistance to help protect Costa Rican computer systems and repair the damage.

The full extent of the damage is not yet known, Alvarado said.

The attacks have forced the Finance Ministry to deactivate Costa Rica’s tax collection systems, although a substitute platform has allowed some customs transactions to go forward, Chaves said. (Excerpt from Reuters)

guyanatimesgy.com

TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2022

19

Around the World

OILNEWS OIL NEWS Oil prices rise on China demand optimism, gasoline strength

O

il prices rose on Monday on optimism that China would see significant demand recovery after positive signs that coronavirus pandemic was receding in the hardest-hit areas.

Brent crude rose US$1.34, or 1.2 per cent, at US$112.89 a barrel at 12:10 pm EDT (1710 EDT) 1342 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose US$2.22, or less than 0.1 per cent, to US$US$112.71 a barrel.

Shanghai aims to reopen broadly and allow normal life to resume for the city's 25 million people from June 1, a city official said on Monday, after declaring that 15 of its 16 districts had eliminated cases outside quarantine areas.

However, it is estimated that 46 cities in China are under lockdowns, hitting shopping, factory output and energy usage.

"We are seeing a lot of signals that demand will start returning in that region, supporting higher prices," said Bob Yawger, director of energy futures at Mizuho.

In line with the unexpected industrial output decline, China processed 11 per cent less crude oil in April, with daily throughput the lowest since March 2020.

US gasoline futures set an all-time high again on Monday as falling stockpiles fuelled supply concerns.

"Oil prices will remain bullish, especially WTI's near-term contract, as US gasoline prices continued to rise amid weaker imports of petroleum products from Europe," said Kazuhiko Saito, chief analyst at Fujitomi Securities.

Oil prices also found some support as the European Union's diplomats and officials expressed optimism about reaching a deal on a phased embargo of Russian oil despite concerns about supply in eastern Europe.

Austria expects the EU to agree on the sanctions in the coming days, Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg said on Monday.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said the bloc would need a few more days to find agreement.

"With a planned ban by the EU on Russian oil and slow increase in OPEC output, oil prices are expected to stay close to the current levels near US$110 a barrel," said Naohiro Niimura, a partner at Market Risk Advisory. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Ukrainian force begins evacuating from last Mariupol stronghold

T

he force holed up in the last Ukrainian stronghold in the besieged port of Mariupol began evacuating on Monday, appearing to cede control of the city to Russia after months of bombardment.

Five buses carrying troops from the Azovstal steelworks arrived in the Russiancontrolled town of Novoazovsk late on Monday, some 32 kilometres (20 miles) to the east, a Reuters witness said.

Some of the evacuated troops were wounded and carried out of the buses on stretchers. Ukrainian Deputy Defence Minister Anna Malyar said 53 were taken to a hospital.

It was not immediately clear how many troops were aboard the buses. Malyar said

Ukrainian serviceman Shaba stays at a trench used as an observation point at a frontline area in Ruska Lozova, a village retaken by the Ukrainian forces, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kharkiv region, Ukraine, May 15, 2022

211 other troops were taken to another site. Some 600 troops were believed to have been inside the steel plant.

The Ukrainian regiment at

Sri Lanka down to its last day of petrol, warns new PM

S

ri Lanka’s newly appointed Prime Minister has said that the cashstrapped island nation has run out of petrol stock, as he said the country desperately needed to secure US$75 million in foreign exchange in the next few days to pay for essential imports, including medicine.

“We have run out of petrol … At the moment, we only have petrol stocks for a single day,” Ranil Wickremesinghe said on Monday in an address to the nation, as the country suffers from fuel and medicine shortages.

He said the Government was also unable to raise dollars to pay for three shipments of oil, with the ships

awaiting outside the Colombo harbour for payments before discharging their cargoes.

“The coming months are going to be the hardest this country has ever gone through,” Al Jazeera’s Minelle Fernandez said, reporting from the capital Colombo. “Obviously this affects all factors of life, not just the industrial sector and the manufacturing sector, but also day-to-day life, children going to school – every aspect you can think of, you name it.”

“So far the people did not have a clear picture of how bad things were. We kept getting reassured by successive politicians and that didn’t help as people had almost a false sense of optimism that

China’s Shanghai aims to end COVID Turkey threatens to block lockdown by June 1 Finland and Sweden NATO bids

T

he Chinese city of Shanghai has announced plans to reopen gradually after spending more than six weeks in lockdown and stamping out COVID-19 transmission in 15 of its 16 districts.

The opening will be rolled out in phases, state media reported on Monday, with city authorities saying “normal life” will resume on June 1.

Shanghai’s first priority will be resuming industrial production and manufacturing and then commercial business, Deputy Mayor Zong Ming was quoted as saying.

Grocery stores, pharmacies, and convenience stores will be allowed to open this week, as will in-person teaching at some schools, although anti-epidemic measures will remain in place to prevent a relapse.

Private cars and taxis will also be allowed on

the streets from Monday onwards, and some public transit will resume on May 22.

“From June 1 to midand late June, as long as risks of a rebound in infections are controlled, we will fully implement epidemic prevention and control, normalise management, and fully restore normal production and life in the city,” Zong said.

But the announcement was met with scepticism by some Shanghai residents, who have been disappointed time and again by shifting schedules for the lifting of restrictions.

Some pointed out that returning to daily life could be a challenge as many districts and even buildings have been placed under a “hard lockdown”, with Police and city employees erecting physical barriers, fences, and even roadblocks to restrict the flow of movement.(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

the steel plant said it was fulfilling orders to save the lives of troops by evacuating them.

It said its troops in Mariupol, on the Azov Sea in

the southeast, had held out for 82 days, buying time for the rest of Ukraine to battle Russian forces and secure Western arms needed to withstand Russia's assault.

But the evacuation likely marked the end of the longest and bloodiest battle of the Ukraine war and a significant defeat for Ukraine.

Mariupol is now in ruins after a Russian siege that Ukraine says killed tens of thousands of people in the city.

Since Russia launched its invasion in February, Mariupol's devastation has become a symbol both of Ukraine's ability to withstand Russia's invasion and of Russia's willingness to devastate Ukrainian cities that hold out. (Excerpt from Reuters)

T

urkey's President has restated his opposition to Finland and Sweden joining NATO - just hours after they said they would seek membership.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the two Scandinavian nations need not send delegations to convince Turkey, a key NATO member, of their bids.

He is angered by what he sees as their willingness to host Kurdish militants.

Earlier, Sweden said Europe was living in a dangerous new reality, referring to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said the move

by Finland and Sweden to join the 30-member military alliance did not threaten Moscow directly - but stressed that any expansion of military infrastructure would trigger a response from the Kremlin.

At a news conference on Monday, Erdogan said Turkey opposed the Finnish and the Swedish bids to join

NATO, describing Sweden as a "hatchery" for terrorist organisations.

Turkey accuses the two Nordic nations of harbouring members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a group it views as a terrorist organisation, and followers of Fethullah Gulen, who Ankara accuses of orchestrating a 2016 coup attempt.

Erdogan's Government has also pledged to block applications from countries that have imposed sanctions on it.

In 2019, both Nordic nations slapped an arms embargo on Ankara after its incursion into Syria.

Sweden has formally announced its decision to join NATO, a move that will end the Scandinavian country's centuries-long military non-alignment.

Last week, Sweden's neighbour Finland said it would seek Nato membership.

Russia criticised both announcements. (Excerpt from BBC News)

things would be ok,” she added.

Wickremesinghe assumed office on Thursday after his predecessor Mahinda

Rajapaksa was forced out after weeks of protests over the government’s handling of the economic crisis turned deadly. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Some Ethiopians claim forced recruitment by Tigrayan forces

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uthorities in Ethiopia's war-shattered Tigray region are forcing young people to join their army's fight against the Central Government by threatening and jailing relatives, according to captured fighters and residents.

The war in northern Ethiopia since late 2020 has killed thousands of civilians and uprooted millions, triggering famine and devastating infrastructure, though it has garnered less attention globally than other conflicts, such as the war in Ukraine.

The Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) says it is defending the region's 6 million people against subjugation by Federal Government. But Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed accuses the Tigrayan party of rebelling to try to restore its grip on national Government, which it dominated until his appointment in 2018.

Reuters conducted a dozen interviews from February to May with residents of Tigray, captured fighters and aid workers that provide a picture of forced recruitment by local officials in several parts of the region.

The testimony suggests some Tigrayans, who volunteered in droves earlier in the war, are becoming increasingly reluctant to fight in a conflict that has ground to a stalemate following a ceasefire in March.

Kindeya Gebrehiwot, from the Tigray external relations office, told Reuters by email that some low-ranking Government officials had detained family members to force their relatives to enlist but said such incidents were rare, the relatives had been released and the officials punished.

The arrests were not Tigrayan Government policy, he said.

Ethiopian government spokesman Legesse Tulu said government officials had received multiple reports of forced recruitment.

The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, whose head is appointed by the Government, said in response to Reuters' questions that it had received credible reports of forced conscription by Tigrayan authorities, as well as the imprisonment of parents who refused to give up their children.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

20

TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2022

guyanatimesgy.com

DAILY HOROSCOPES

ARCHIE

Invest in your future. Supplement your qualifications, update your look and prepare to promote what you want to do next. Don't limit what you can do; follow through with your plans.

(March 21-April 19) Consider what others expect of you and address your responsibilities headon. Leave nothing to chance or up to others to complete. Keep your money, important papers and passwords safe.

DILBERT (April 20-May 20)

You can make a difference if you speak up and offer concrete solutions.

Don't trust anyone promising the impossible or delivering vague responses.

Show your willingness to work hard.

(May 21-June 20) Put on a happy face, even if you find someone irritating. It's amazing what a positive attitude can do. Pitch in, keep busy and show compassion, and you'll make a difference.

PEANUTS (June 21-July 22)

Choose your associates wisely. Listen carefully and be resourceful. Follow through and get the facts. Take responsibility for your actions and words, and live up to your promises.

(July 23-Aug. 22) Open your mind and learn. A change of attitude will give you a new take on an old situation or relationship. Pick up the pace and say what's on your mind.

Beware of someone with a vendetta.

CALVIN AND HOBBES

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Bring up topics of conversation that need addressing. Show compassion, but don't let anyone take advantage of you.

Keep your money and possessions safe.

Change things around at home.

(Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Call the shots and do things your way. Don't waste time trying to convince others to follow your lead. If someone doesn't like your decisions, give them the freedom to take a different path.

SUDOKU (Oct. 24-Nov. 22)

Distance yourself from people who take you for granted. Put more time and effort into domestic responsibilities and personal growth. Make improvements to your surroundings.

(Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Be secretive regarding finances, contracts or medical issues. Focus on changes that improve your lifestyle, or drum up worthy connections at networking events. Take better care of your health.

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19) You'll attract unique people and opportunities, but before you decide to change your life, do your research. If you act on hype alone, disappointment will follow. Know what you are up against.

(Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Be careful not to offend someone.

Choose your words wisely and concentrate on doing what's right. Control your emotions, work on yourself and don't try to change others.

(Feb. 20-March 20)

TUESDAY, MAY 16, 2022

Marsh, Thakur, spin duo lift Capitals to 4th spot

M

itchell Marsh produced a masterful half-century in severely difficult conditions for run-scoring. He was so good in judging when and whom to attack, to the point that this win – which lifts Delhi Capitals to fourth spot – may as well have been built on his restraint as it was on his big hits.

Meanwhile, Punjab Kings, for all of the bravery that Jitesh Sharma (44 off 34) showed in taking it close, have now lost seven of their 13 games and are pretty much out of the tournament. Only a miracle can take them into the final four.

The part-timer Liam Livingstone is a fearsome six-hitter. So he more than most knows which balls can be hit into orbit, and which can't be. That little bit of insight becomes his greatest strength when he indulges in his second skill. Right-arm all-sorts.

David Warner, who insisted on taking first strike only after seeing Livingstone coming on to bowl, was caught at point first ball.

Rishabh Pant was stumped

right after he hit a six.

Both of those dismissals involved Livingstone understanding the fact that a power-hitter's best asset is a strong base. Deny that by hiding the ball out from their reach and your chances of success increase.

Normally that is a tactic to restrict runs. Here it became wicket-taking because a) ego – Capitals just couldn't resist taking Livingstone down and b) the pitch was slow and low so powering the ball away like they were all trying to do wasn't really an option.

The big hitter Marsh was 32 off 26 at the halfway stage. When a power hitter of his quality is tied down like that, you know the pitch isn't great for scoring.

So he decided to play the long game. To bide his time. To wait for the death overs which often tend to be a bit of a lottery. Edges go for sixes. Bowlers panic and miss their lengths.

He came into the 17th over on 47 off 37. At the end of the 18th, he was 63 off 46. These were exactly the wrong conditions for him – the ball barely bouncing, or coming onto the bat – but he

played it really well.

Marsh barely even tried hitting the spinners. Instead, he focused all of his aggression where it could actually pay off.

On Arshdeep Singh (19 off 8, SR 237.50) and Kagiso Rabada (16 off 9, SR 177.77).

It was beautiful, calculated, gutsy batting.

Honourable mention: back in the powerplay, Sarfaraz Khan played a little gem of 32 off 16 balls replete with several of the most audacious shots, including a dilscoop to the third-man boundary. Coming into the game in place of Prithvi Shaw, who had only recently recovered from typhoid fever, his early impetus allowed Marsh the luxury of never having to feel dot-ball pressure.

Game over For a man who had so much success baiting big hitters into his trap, Livingstone fell into one hook, line, and sinker.

In the eighth over, when the game was on his shoulders after the openers and the captain had fallen, he charged down the track to perhaps the Capitals' best bowler – Kuldeep Yadav – and

was completely done in by the googly.

Pant was so gleeful by the deception that he collected the ball and had it hovering over the stumps for an absolute age because the batter had charged so far out he just had no hope of getting back.

At the fall of Livingstone's wicket, ESPNcricinfo's forecaster gave Kings an 18 per cent chance of winning the game. Just one ball before that, it was 46 per cent.

Kings crumbled from 53 for 1 to 82 for 7, but they weren't giving up. Jitesh wouldn't let them. He prides himself on his ability to finish games. He says it's a skill that doesn't come to everyone and he says he's got it. He kept a dead game alive all on his own, and with 39 to win off the last 18 balls anything was possible.

Shardul Thakur (4-36) came on and put an end to the fairy tale, one of his special slower balls finally breaking Jitesh's spirit. The Capitals seamer had paved the way to victory by dismissing both Shikhar Dhawan and Bhanuka Rajapaksa in his first over of the day. It was rather fitting that he took the wicket that sealed the game too. (ESPNcricinfo)

FM Anthony Drayton

IDE Master Anthony Drayton and Jessica Callender have won the National Open and Women’s Qualifiers respectively after four days of intense rivalry at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence. The tournaments ran concurrently, starting on Saturday, May 7 and concluding on Sunday, May 15, 2022.

Open Qualifiers FM Drayton played undefeated to storm to victory, finishing on eight points after eight rounds. Drayton, a former national champion himself, will now go on to challenge Candidate Master Taffin Khan for the 2022 National Championship title. The other eight players in contention are: Candidate Master Wendell Meusa (7 points), Roberto Neto (5 points), Loris Nathoo (4.5 points), Frankie Farley (4.5 points), Ethan Lee (4 points), Rashad Hussain (4 points), Justino De Silva (4 points), and Rai Sharma (4 points) who finished second to ninth place respectively. These players will now move on to the nine-round Round-Robin Open National Championship Tournament.

In the just-concluded competition, third-place finisher

Neto played against sixth-place finisher Lee in round seven of the tournament. What began as a solid opening led to a fourhour struggle for dominance.

Tiny inaccuracies plagued Lee's development into the middle game, which Neto capitalised on intensely. Lee held valiantly, in an attempt to convince his opponent that there was nothing more than a draw in the position as things went from bad to worse.

An accurate piece exchange for multiple of Lee's pawns was made

by Neto, promising an enjoyable endgame. Time had dragged on, and both Neto and Lee's time had elapsed, leaving both of them to play on the 30-second increment.

Inaccuracies from both sides began to flow, but Lee managed to recapture some of his lost pawns, draining Neto's advantage and allowing Lee's extra piece to show its strength. The players agreed to a draw in the end, letting Lee escape from a position that was dead loss.

Women’s Qualifier Callender finished in first place to win the Women’s National Qualifiers with seven points. She finished just ahead of Pooja Lam, who also managed to earn seven points, but ranked below Callender due to a direct encounter tie-break. In third place was deaf player 12-year-

old Anaya Lall, who successfully defeated players such as Adia Alphonso, Maliha Rajkumar and Nellisha Johnson to gain six points in the competition.

Nellisha Johnson and Alphonso both finished on five points to place them fourth and fifth respectively. Rajkumar, Waveney Johnson and Angel Rahim placed sixth to eighth on four points each. Elizabeth McRae took the final qualifying spot with three points. These girls will challenge reigning Women’s Champion 18-year-old Sasha Shariff as she fights to retain her title. The Women’s National Championship Tournament will also consist of a nine-round Round Robin.

In one of the highlights of the recently-contested ladies tourney, in round five, Nellisha Johnson had the white pieces against eventual champion Callender. Both players began and almost immediately lead into an interesting position. Tiny inaccuracies by Callender led to an excellent position for Johnson right out of the opening with a devastating attack. Callender defended well and avoided checkmate, but the damage was already done. Johnson was left up the exchange and with a powerful passed pawn, one square away from promotion. The game was converted to a win gracefully, as Callender lost her last piece preventing the past pawn from

SCOREBOARD

DELHI CAPITALS INNINGS (20 overs maximum) David Warner c Chahar b Livingstone 0 Sarfaraz Khan c Chahar b Arshdeep Singh 32 Mitchell Marsh c R Dhawan b Rabada 63 Lalit Yadav c Rajapaksa b Arshdeep Singh 24 Rishabh Pant (c)† st †Sharma b Livingstone 7 Rovman Powell c S Dhawan b Livingstone 2 Axar Patel not out 17 Shardul Thakur c Harpreet Brar b Arshdeep Singh 3 Kuldeep Yadav not out 2 Extras(lb 6, nb 1, w 2) 9 TOTAL 20 Ov (RR: 7.95) 159/7 Did not bat: Anrich Nortje, Khaleel Ahmed Fall of wickets: 1-0 (David Warner, 0.1 ov), 2-51 (Sarfaraz Khan, 4.5 ov), 3-98 (Lalit Yadav, 10.6 ov), 4-107 (Rishabh Pant, 11.6 ov), 5-112 (Rovman Powell, 13.3 ov), 6-149 (Mitchell Marsh, 18.2 ov), 7-154 (Shardul Thakur, 19.3 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Liam Livingstone 4-0-27-3 Kagiso Rabada 3-0-24-1 Harpreet Brar 3-0-29-0 Rishi Dhawan 2-0-17-0 Arshdeep Singh 4-0-37-3 Rahul Chahar 4-0-19-0

PUNJAB KINGS INNINGS (Target: 160 runs from 20 overs) Jonny Bairstow c Patel b Nortje 28 Shikhar Dhawan c †Pant b Thakur 19 Bhanuka Rajapaksa c Nortje b Thakur 4 Liam Livingstone st †Pant b Kuldeep Yadav 3 Mayank Agarwal (c)b Patel 0 Jitesh Sharma †c Warner b Thakur 44 Harpreet Brar b Kuldeep Yadav 1 Rishi Dhawan b Patel 4 Rahul Chahar not out 25 Kagiso Rabada c Powell b Thakur 6 Arshdeep Singh not out 2 Extras (nb 1, w 5) 6 TOTAL 20 Ov (RR: 7.10) 142/9 Fall of wickets: 1-38 (Jonny Bairstow, 3.5 ov), 2-53 (Bhanuka Rajapaksa, 5.4 ov), 3-54 (Shikhar Dhawan, 5.6 ov), 4-55 (Mayank Agarwal, 6.3 ov), 5-61 (Liam Livingstone, 7.6 ov), 6-67 (Harpreet Brar, 9.3 ov), 7-82 (Rishi Dhawan, 12.4 ov), 8-123 (Jitesh Sharma, 17.4 ov), 9-131 (Kagiso Rabada, 17.6 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Khaleel Ahmed 4-0-43-0 Anrich Nortje 4-0-29-1 Lalit Yadav 1-0-6-0 Shardul Thakur 4-0-36-4 Axar Patel 4-0-14-2 Kuldeep Yadav 3-0-14-2

Boston’s 6 cart off Arianna and Noah Shew feature dominoes

– 18 players qualify for National Championship

F

21

Jessica Callender

promoting. The game ended in checkmate and as an excellent victory over the tournament champion for Nellisha Johnson.

Nationals The Open and Women’s National Championships begin on May 21 at the same venue from 09:00h sharp. It concludes on May 29, 2022. KFC Guyana is the primary sponsor of this year’s Women’s Championships while Gaico Construction will be the sponsor for the Open National Championship. The Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) is ecstatic to have the support of KFC Guyana and Gaico Construction and looks forward to their continued partnership. The GCF congratulated the players and wished them every success in the upcoming national tournaments, where they will vie for the coveted top positions paving the way for team selection for the 44th Chess Olympiad in Chennai, India in JulyAugust of this year. Women and girls who are interested in learning the game are encouraged to register with the Federation on its website guyanachess.org under the Women in Chess Community.

Sponsor Mannie Shew (right) hands over the winning trophy to Orin Boston, skipper of Boston’s 6

Muntaz Ali (left) collects the runners-up trophy from Mannie Shew

oston’s 6 led from pole to pole to emerge winners of the Arianna and Noah Shew feature dominoes tournament, played last Wednesday night at the Everest Cricket Club pavilion.

The tournament was sponsored by Mannie Shew of Shew’s General Store, in honour of his twin grandkids Arianna and Noah who reside in Toronto, Canada, and are celebrating their seventh birth anniversary on May 22.

Boston’s 6 romped to victory with 85 games, while Ali’s trailed 17 games behind on 68 and Persaud’s were in the cellar with 62.

Deno “Slammer” Bissessar led the way for the winners with 17 games while skipper Orin Boston, Khedar Seopaul and Arvin Ajodha registered 15

games each.

The top marker for Ali’s 6 was Ramroop “Spoon” Sukhai while Ronald Beharry and Edmund Sammy topped for Persaud’s 6 with 15 and 12 games respectively.

Trophies were awarded to the winning and runnersup teams and the three best players on the respective teams. Bissessar copped the award for Boston’s 6, Sukhai for Ali’s 6 and Beharry for Persaud’s 6.

Muntaz Ali, who led Ali’s 6, was a long-standing member of International 6; he now resides in Florida and is vacationing in his homeland.

Sponsor Mannie Shew expressed appreciation to the executives of Everest Cricket Club for allowing the game to be played at the venue.

B

22 GCC dominate BountyAntonio’s Grill hockey opener TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2022

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

By Timothy Jaikarran

Mentore, Grimmond, Millington, Mattadeen decimate Select XI

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Ladies’ champs GBTI GCC Tigers

mong moments of brilliant sunshine and scattered drizzles over the immaculate Providence Stadium field, the GCC ladies and men opened the 2022 local hockey season with dominant showings.

The GBTI GCC Tigers would win in a penalty shootout after needing to make up a twogoal deficit against their club counterparts the GCC Spartans while the GCC Junior Vets were victorious over the Pepsi Hikers in similar fashion after a 0-0 draw at full time.

With opening goals from unlikely juniors Ameriah Sahadeo and Madison Singh, chance seemed to favour the Spartans to defeat the favoured GCC Tigers. Aliyah Gordon did a fine job in goal for the Spartans and saw them to the half without conceding despite the Tigers’ firepower of national strikers Princessa Wilkie and Samantha Fernandes. The second half saw Tigers Captain Gabriella Xavier pushed up from defence into a midfield playmaking role to pile the pressure onto the Spartans.

Defender, and eventual Most Valuable Player (MVP), Ulrica

Men’s champs GCC Junior Vets

Sutherland was all over the field in an effort to tame the Tigers, but Xavier finally was able to make the breakthrough by scoring with four minutes remaining on the clock. Frustration grew as the Tigers surely thought time would rob them of gold, but striker Sandy Roopnarine found herself free in the circle to deflect an accurate cross from Xavier with mere seconds remaining in the match.

The 2-2 draw would take the final into a penalty shootout.

Princessa Wilkie and Samantha Fernandes both scored their penalties, but only midfielder Madison Fernandes could match them with a goal on the Spartans end, leaving the Tigers to celebrate their victory.

The men’s final also came down to the wire although the match remained scoreless at full time. Both sides displayed good moments of hockey, but outstanding defending from GCC’s Dwayne Scott and Hikers’ Rayon Brandford coupled with good goalkeeping at either end denied all attempts at goal.

Goalkeeper Michael Xavier would be GCC’s hero in the resulting

shootout as he denied the national duo of Aroydy Branford and Jamarj Assanah during their shootout attempts. Devin Hooper and Alan Fernandes, however, converted their penalties for GCC in spite of great efforts by custodian David Williams.

The finals followed a full day of hockey which started at 08:00h and went till dark. Eight men’s teams and six women’s teams competed in the two divisions.

This competition marked a late start to the Guyana Hockey Board season and the first full return of hockey in a couple of years after a suspension of activities resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The final results were as follow: * Ladies’ champions – GBTI GCC Tigers * Ladies’ runners-up – GCC Spartans * Ladies’ MVP – Ulrica Sutherland (Spartans)

S

success in his role as a finisher: the West Indies' left-hand batter has smashed 291 runs at an average of 72 while remaining undefeated in seven out of the 11 times he has batted this IPL. Hetmyer's impact can also be gauged from the fact that his strike rate in the death overs – 214.28 – is the fifth-highest among the most destructive finishers this season.

Such a dominant form was enough for West Indies' selection panel, led by Desmond Haynes, to consider Hetmyer for the tours of Netherlands and Pakistan, where the Nicholas Pooran-led side are scheduled to play threematch One-day International (ODI) series each.

However, Haynes said during a media briefing that Hetmyer had told the selectors via email he was unavailable for the tours owing to the birth of his child, but that he would be returning to the IPL. "We got the email from Hetty saying that he is unavailable for selection because of the birth of his child," Haynes said. "That is all the information we received so we acted that way; we had considered him for selection

Katanna Mentore, Shenetta Grimmond, Plafinna Millington and Oma Mattadeen were instrumental in Berbice's win

Select XI won the toss and chose to bowl, and Berbice post 131-3 in 13.4 overs. Maria Samaroo was the first wicket to fall as she was caught off the bowling of Karishma Ramnauth for 11. Shortly after, Shabika Gajnabi was removed for 13 with the score at 64-2. But the Berbicians weren't worried; they played their natural game as Katana Mentore and Shenetta Grimmond took to the crease and began a selected assault on the Select XI. They dealt in boundaries, frustrating their opponents. Eventually,

and the note stated he was unavailable."

Hetmyer, 25, was West Indies' leading run-maker at the T20 World Cup last year, but instead has made headlines over fitness issues. In December, West Indies' Head Coach Phil Simmons said it was "heart-wrenching" to see Hetmyer continue to fail to meet the fitness standards mandatory to make the cut for West indies.

That meant that Hetmyer did not play in the home series against Ireland and England and then was left out of the series in India.

But while announcing the squad for the India tour, Haynes had pointed out that Hetmyer remains part of the selectors' "plans" subject to him reaching the minimum fitness levels required.

"What we need to do is we need to put our arm around these guys and let them know that we are interested in their development," Simmons had said. "To also [make them] understand that there's a level of fitness that is required to play at international level. But Hetmyer is in our plans. There's no question about it." (ESPNcricinfo)

chase went horribly wrong from the get go, nothing went right for the Select XI as Plafinna Millington bagged two wickets in the first over to leave them reeling at 0-2. Ashmini Munisar then bagged the third wicket and from there, the rest was history; wickets just kept tumbling. Oma Mattadeen bagged a couple, Millington added one more to her rally and Shenetta Grimmond and Kimmone Thomas chipped in with one each. Select XI were restricted to 19-8 in their allotted eight overs.

Tertiary/University Basketball League

* Men’s champions – GCC Junior Vets * Men’s runners-up – Pepsi Hikers * Men’s MVP – Warren Williams (Old Fort)

Hetmyer rejoins Royals, will be available for May 20 game against CSK himron Hetmyer, who recently became a parent, has rejoined Rajasthan Royals and will be available for selection for their final league match, on May 20 against Chennai Super Kings.

Hours after scoring a highimpact 16-ball 31 in the victory against Punjab Kings on May 8, Hetmyer rushed back home to Guyana to be by the side of his wife Nirvani, who was due to give birth to their first child. Days later, Hetmyer announced the news of the birth of a baby boy via his social media account.

It is understood that Hetmyer is undergoing quarantine as per International Premier League (IPL) protocol and will be out in time to train ahead of Royals' final league match on Friday.

Royals have emerged strong favourites to make the playoffs after an emphatic 24-run victory against Lucknow Super Giants on Sunday. The win also took Royals to second on the points table with eight wins from 13 matches.

Hetmyer, who was bought

by Royals for INR 8.5 crore (approximately US$1.13 million) in the auction, has played a significant role in his team's

he third round of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Female Inter-County T20 tournament got underway with some good news and some bad news. The first match of the day between Demerara and Essequibo was abandoned owing to overnight rain and a wet outfield, while game two saw Berbice decimate a Select XI in a 15-over affair.

Mentore fell for a well-played 44 off 37 deliveries.

Grimmond, 36 not out, kept things ticking before the rain came at over 13.4; nevertheless, the Berbice side placed a formidable total on the board.

Karishma Hardat bagged 2-17 while Tricia Hardat chipped in with 1-27.

With the rain having its say earlier, the overs were reduced via the Duckworth-Lewis Method, thus leaving Select XI a target of 88 in 8 overs. The

GTI, UG, LTI among others record wins

T

– semi-finals set for May 22

he action in the Tertiary/ University Basketball League continued on Sunday at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, as Government Technical Institute (GTI), New Amsterdam Technical Institute (NATI), Linden Technical Institute (LTI) and the University of Guyana (UG) among others recorded comfortable wins.

Heading into the penultimate round this Sunday, the teams will be raring for the highly-anticipated semi-finals, which are set for 16:00h at the same venue. In game one, UG will lock horns with New Amsterdam Technical Institute while in game two, GTI will face LTI. Earlier, GTI stayed perfect as they wrapped up the preliminaries with a relaxed 69 points to 57 points win over a much-improved Port Mourant Training Centre team. Leading the way for GTI were their reserves with Josiah Robert and Leron Thom both recording double-doubles – 15 points, 11 rebounds, and 14 points, 10 rebounds respectively. Most Valuable Player (MVP) candidate Kobe Tappin chipped in with 12 points. The Corentyne boys had their best stat line with Joseph Daniels scoring 17 points and

Shamar Savory led with 15 points

13 rebounds, Shaquan Lucas 14 points and 10 rebounds, Angelino Ramdial 13 points, and Michael Jordan 12 points.

In the second game, LTI were the superior team, recording their first win of the tournament to clinch a place in the semi-finals, defeating the talented but coachless Guyana School of Agriculture (GSA) team by 61 points to 46 points. Captain Shamar Savory led the way with 15 points and 15 rebounds, Ming Wong supported with a rare 11 points and 10 steals double-double.

For GSA, Jushawn Bayley ended with another good showing of 19 points, 7 rebounds, and Richard Semple added 12 points and 12 rebounds.

The final game of the night saw UG finishing the round-robin round as the clear number two with a 69 points to

58 points statement win against a tough NATI team. Shaquawn Gill once again showed his class with an impressive 25 points, 14 rebounds performance, making the claim as a front-runner for the tournament’s MVP award, which is sponsored by the Fireside Suites. Kwesi Roberts pitched in with 10 points and 6 rebounds, for the winners. For NATI, the talented Qwesi Joseph had 17 points and 6 assists, and Charles Williams finished with yet another double-double of 10 points and 12 rebounds.

The tournament is sponsored by the National Sports Commission, ExxonMobil, G-Boat Guyana, Edward B Beharry & Company Ltd, Fireside Grill and Suites, and Banks DIH Ltd.

CLASSIFIED ADS VACANCY R.A Soda Factory, Rossignol, West Coast Berbice. Tel.# 330-2399, 330-2852, 656-7456, 6922981. Male and Female Workers, Accountant, Bond Clerk, Machine Operator, Drivers.

23 6 teams, 1 prize – everyone wants to win the Headley/Weekes Trophy TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2022

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he six captains have been talking up their team’s chances as we eagerly prepare for the restart of the West Indies Championship.

The Region’s marquee fourday tournament resumes in Trinidad on Wednesday, May 18 with the third round and everyone is fit and ready for the battles ahead. The first two rounds were played in February ahead of the Apex Test series.

Speaking to the media via Zoom on Monday, the team skippers indicated that their players have been working hard over the last two months and are keen to get back onto the field as they all look to get their hands on the coveted Headley/ Weekes Trophy – named in honour of George Headley and Sir Everton Weekes – pioneers of West Indies cricket and two of the greatest batsmen the game has ever seen.

Barbados Pride lead the points standings, followed by Trinidad and Tobago Red Force.

Barbados head into Round 3 on 42.0 points, with the home team on 38.6 points and the Leeward Islands Hurricanes rounding out the top three

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Some of the West Indies Championships action earlier this year

on 24.6 points. Fourth on the table are Guyana Harpy Eagles on 21.4 points, followed by Windward Islands Volcanoes on 10.9 points and Jamaica Scorpions on 8.8 points, respectively.

Live ball-by-ball scoring of each game will be available through the www. windiescricket.com match centre. Cricket West Indies (CWI) will be streaming matches with commentary via the Windies cricket YouTube channels.

The Championship will also be streamed live in India on FanCode, as part of CWI’s partnership with the Indian broadcaster.

Barbados Pride Captain Kraigg Brathwaite said: “The guys are looking forward to the challenge after the lengthy break. For us, it’s backing our plan and sticking to it. We cannot underestimate any of the opponents and execute what we‘ve been doing at training.”

Windward Islands Volcanoes Captain Kavem Hodge said: “We have to do the basics for longer and let everything fall into place. The stats don’t reflect the kind of cricket we’ve been playing; our focus now is to finish off games after coming very close in the previous

rounds.”

Leeward Islands Hurricanes Captain Rahkeem Cornwall said: “Our preparations coming into the remaining rounds have been going well and we are just ready to get out and play. Cricket is played on the day, so we just must assess the conditions, stick to our game plans, and execute.”

Trinidad and Tobago Red Force Captain Imran Khan said: “We are confident heading into round three, but we are taking it one game at a time and not taking anyone for granted. Our only focus is Red Force and executing the plans that we have as a team.”

Guyana Harpy Eagles Captain Leon Johnson said: “It’s good to see the players getting in good performances during the practice matches we had. It’s about getting our mental focus in order and perform as we know we can.”

Jamaica Scorpions Captain John Campbell said: “The previous two rounds were some time ago and it’s almost as though we’re starting from zero again, though the

points standing won’t reflect that. What we must do now in this round is to start well and execute what we have been doing in practice.”

Full squads for Round 3 Barbados Pride: Kraigg Brathwaite (Captain); Shamarh Brooks; Jonathan Carter; Roston Chase; Shane Dowrich; Keon Harding; Chaim Holder; Shai Hope; Akeem Jordan; Shayne Moseley; Raymon Reifer; Ramon Simmonds; Jomel Warrican; Camarie Boyce and Justin Greaves.

Guyana Harpy Eagles: Leon Johnson (Captain); Keemo Paul; Chandrapaul Hemraj; Tagenarine Chanderpaul; Tevin Imlach; Vishaul Singh; Akshaya Persaud; Veerasammy Permaul; Anthony Bramble; Gudakesh Motie; Nial Smith; Demetri Cameron; Antony Adams; Kevin Sinclair and Ronsford Beaton.

Jamaica Scorpions: John Campbell (Captain); Nkrumah Bonner; Jermaine Blackwood; Leroy Lugg; Oraine Williams; Aldaine Thomas; Gordon Bryan; Paul Palmer Jr; Jamie Merchant; Marquino Mindley;

Nicholson Gordon; Derval Green; Patrick Harty; Kirk McKenzie and Brandon King.

Leeward Islands Hurricanes: Rahkeem Cornwall (Captain); Hayden Walsh Jr; Devon Thomas; Amir Jangoo; Kieran Powell; Colin Archibald; Terence Warde; Jeremiah Louis; Keacy Carty; Sheno Berridge; Daniel Doram; Damion Williams; Ross Powell and Kian Pemberton.

Trinidad & Tobago Red Force: Imran Khan (Captain); Jason Mohammed; Jeremy Solozano; Isaiah Rajah; Khary Pierre; Shannon Gabriel; Darren Bravo; Jayden Seales; Bryan Charles; Yannic Cariah; Akeal Hosein; Uthman Muhammad; Anderson Phillip; Keagan Simmons and Joshua Da Silva.

Windward Islands Volcanoes: Kavem Hodge (Captain); Keron Cottoy; Denis Smith; Devon Smith; Ackeem Auguste; Alick Athanaze; Darius Martin; Desron Maloney; Josh Thomas; Kenneth Dember; Kimani Melius; Preston McSween; Shermon Lewis; Teddy Bishop and Larry Edward.

(Windies Cricket)

Biblical tales inspiring Golden Jags Nations League campaign

By Jemima Holmes

“W

hen the battle was on and David tell his brother and them ‘listen I going’, they said ‘stay home’ and David decided he want to go, he insists. Goliath and his crew was winning the battle and like you see on all those movies, David with a slinging shot, the least of resources,” an animated Jamaal Shabazz said on Monday morning.

“What would have prompted David, a youth at the time, to even want to go to the battlefield with Goliath. It had to be something inside him, to drive him to create and action and this is the same thing.”

He continued, “We feel that we are prepared. We will not compare our preparation with the opponent; we will not compare resources, but we feel we’ve prepared. And we have a firm feeling inside us, and we cannot be denied this feeling.

Just as David’s brother could not deny that feeling inside, and hopefully, with that faith and with the help of God and with effort and commitment, we’ll get the job done.”

That, the story of David and Goliath, is where the senior men’s national football team Head Coach draws his inspiration from as they embark on yet another CONCACAF Nations League journey.

Along with Shabazz’s inspiring words, the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) on Monday morning released a 31-member shortlist for the senior men’s national team as they ramp up preparations for the upcoming tournament.

Shabazz, speaking at a press conference at the GFF’s Campbellville Headquarters, reiterated the confidence he felt, telling of the high spirits in the Golden Jaguars training sessions.

“I can say very strongly that the group feeling in the team is a very,

Golden Jaguars Head Coach Jamaal Shabazz

very positive one. We have players committed to play for Guyana and making the necessary sacrifices.

So, where we lack in resources, we certainly want to make up in the right attitude and a sensible and committed approach,” the Head Coach shared.

“I would say to the nation, come aboard now and make an emotional investment in this effort.”

“This is how we have to approach this journey with the Golden Jaguars, that everybody must see the stake in it. The fans, Government, corporate Guyana, the players, the GFF, the Olympic Association, everybody must see their stake in it and we must do this thing together,” he added.

The Golden Jaguars will have a busy few weeks ahead with a week’s training in Trinidad and Tobago, inclusive of two practice matches before heading to the Dominican Republic for their first fixture on June 4, 2022.

The national team will take on Monserrat and Haiti in away games on June 4 and June 14 while they battle Bermuda and Haiti at home on June 7 and June 11.

Shabazz went on to discuss the rationale behind the friendlies and the Golden Jags’ game plan heading into the tournament.

He disclosed, “We’re going to play two closed-door friendlies to help them to bond better, but the emphasis, generally, will be trying to develop an approach, an attack and a defence that suits what we’ve been doing. And there are couple boys who I’ve not worked with before like Mckenna and a few others that I’m working with for the first time.

“It’s really an interesting weeks’ work. It’s going to be tough, but speaking to the guys, I think they’re all looking forward to it as well.”

Meanwhile, GFF President Wayne Forde detailed the preparation that was injected into the national team while letting corporate Guyana know that the GFF would be reaching out for support.

“The Nations League is one of the most important tournaments that we participate in as a Golden Jaguars brand and you would have all seen in the past months.

The team has been in preparation from the beginning of January and continues to prepare,” Forde said, “To date, we would have participated in six international friendlies.”

He added, “I want to use this occasion to ask our sponsors and other organisations who’ve come on board in the past to support this undertaking of the GFF, to expect to hear from us.”

The Nations League will commence on June 2, and run until March 2023. While 31 names have been shortlisted, the team will be reduced to 26 persons ahead of the tournament’s commencement.

The 31-member shortlisted squad reads: Goalkeepers 1. Alex Murray 2. Quillan Roberts 3. Sese Norville 4. Akel Clarke

Defenders 5. Marcus Wilson 6. Quincy Adams 7. Jaylen Jones 8. Jeremy Garrett 9. Kevin Layne 10. Matthew Briggs 11. Leo Lovell 12. Shemar Fraser 13. Sam Cox Midfielders 14. Daniel Wilson 15. Nathan Moriah Welsh 16. Clive Nobrega 17. Job Caesar 18. Curtez Kellman

1 9 .

J a v i e r George 20. Neil Danns Forwards 21. Trayon Bobb 22. Marcel Barrington 23. Kelsey Benjamin 24. Jamal Perriera 25. Terell Ondaan 26. Ryan Hackett 27. Pernell Schultz 28. Anthony Jeffrey 29. Omari Glasgow 30. Emery Welshman 31. Stephen Duke McKenna.

TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2022

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

Tertiary/University Basketball League

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Biblical tales inspiring Golden Jags Nations League campaign

6 teams, 1 prize – everyone wants to win the Headley/Weekes Trophy

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