Guyana Times - Tuesday, May 31, 2022

2nd booster dose to be offered from P16 June 1 – Health Minister Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 5025

THE BEACON OF TRUTH TUESDAY, MAY 31, 2022

Pres Ali urges more partnerships in agricultural sector See story on page 3

– as Demerara Bank launches Farmer’s Credit Line

PRICE

$100 VAT INCLUDED

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Amaila could be retendered as Chinese P11 company now wants BOOT model changed – VP Jagdeo says Govt not budging on BOOT model

Captain feared dead following 2-boat collision in Mazaruni River P10 Peacemaker shot dead by co-worker P15

President Dr Irfaan Ali presents a disbursement letter to one of the 20 approved borrowers as Demerara Bank launches its Farmer's Credit Line on Monday. This "hassle-free" initiative caters to rice farmers and will include other farmers in the future

Govt leaning towards passive shareholder model for ownership of oil blocks – Jagdeo Page 7

… but says National Oil Company may get more support if Guyana could get more revenue Page Landowners 16 can access up to $12M to construct homes

Murdered school Page teacher was 12 severely beaten to head – autopsy

Taxi driver dies, cousin critical after Corentyne smash-up P16 Policeman P13 seriously injured after slamming into parked car

– as Govt launches home construction assistance programme ...suspect’s car found parked in Coverden lumberyard Page Cocaine found in container at city wharf

CANU working with DDL to strengthen security systems

2

Reg 4 man dies from COVID, death toll now 1234 P17 – active cases surpass 600

2 NEWS

TUESDAY, MAY 31, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Cocaine found in container at city wharf

CANU working with DDL to strengthen security systems

CANU Head James Singh

I

n light of the recent discovery of $17 million worth of cocaine at the Demerara Shipping Wharf, Head of the Customs AntiNarcotics Unit (CANU), James Singh has related that the drug enforcement body is working with Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) to strengthen its security system.

This is the second drug-related bust at the city port in several months. In November last, authorities in The Netherlands discovered over 1100lbs of cocaine in a rum shipment that departed the same port. The cargo belonged to DDL and the company contended that

the shipment was not contaminated here.

The CANU Head told Guyana Times that while port facilities were privately owned, they must be compliant with the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code – a set of measures to enhance the security of ships and port facilities.

He added that making sure goods were not contaminated with illegal substances was part of the security management of these facilities and it was their responsibility to ensure that was done.

Further, he added that the Maritime Administrative Department (MARAD); the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and CANU were always available to support and bring an end to the drug trade.

“In that case, law enforcement would not have to come into your yard and discover narcotics…that is why there is security, their job is to protect the facility and to check every person, every bag, every vehicle entering and leaving the compound,” James explained.

“You are either working with us or against us,” he

The cocaine found in a container at the city wharf on Saturday

added.

On Saturday, ranks of CANU discovered several parcels of cocaine at the Demerara Shipping Limited Wharf on Lombard Street, Georgetown.

It was reported that CANU officers, acting on intelligence, conducted an operation at the wharf during which they discovered a bag containing 21 parcels of suspected cocaine inside a container.

The suspected narcotic was transported to CANU headquarters, where it was tested and confirmed to be

cocaine. It weighed a total of 24.63 kilograms or 54.29 pounds. According to CANU, the cocaine has a street value of approximately $17 million.

“However, the fact that it was discovered on the wharf indicates that it was intended for transshipment to another overseas territory which would have increased its street value,” the AntiNarcotics Agency explained.

Back in January of this year, CANU officers had discovered 16.046kg (36 lbs) of marijuana, worth $14 million, on a vessel docked at the

Guyana National Industrial Company Incorporated (GNIC) Wharf, Lombard Street, Georgetown.

A CANU operation at the GNIC Wharf saw officers from the Special Operations section conducting a search on the vessel that was scheduled to leave Port Georgetown on the morning of January 19 with a quantity of cement.

However, the narcotic was discovered on the foreign-registered vessel that had a crew of 19 foreign nationals.

Three persons were

charged in relation to that discovery.

A national of the Dominican Republic, Fredy Diaz Cabrera was jailed for four years and six months as well as fined $14 million after he pleaded guilty to the trafficking charge.

The two other persons – the mother of Cabrera’s child, Epiphany McLennan called “Tiffany” of B Field, Sophia, Greater Georgetown, and Eustace Rodrigues, called “Fine Man” of Albouystown, Georgetown, were remanded after pleading not guilty to the same charge.

NEWS

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TUESDAY, MAY 31, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS OPENINGS BRIDGE

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

Tuesday, May 31 – 03:30h – 05:00h and Wednesday, June 1 – 04:00h – 05:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Tuesday, May 31 – 17:25h – 18:55h and Wednesday, June 1 – 04:50h – 06:20h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

There will be sunshine during the day. Expect partly cloudy skies at night. Temperatures should range between 22 degrees Celsius and 31 degrees Celsius.

Winds: North North-Westerly to Northerly between 1.78 metres and 4.02 metres.

High Tide: 17:04h reaching a maximum height of 2.48 metres.

Low Tide: 10:39h and 22:47h reaching minimum heights of 0.58 metre and 0.75 metre.

SATURDAY, MAY 28, 2022

LOTTERY NUMBERS I

06 07 13

14 15 22

FREE TICKET

3 Bonus Ball

MONDAY, MAY 30, 2022

DAILY MILLIONS

01 04 09 15 23 LUCKY 3

7

1

7

8

Afternoon Draw

0

8

Evening Draw

DRAW DE LINE

02 10 11 12 13 16 19 SUPER

PAY DAY

PAY DAY

FRIDAY, MAY 27, 2022

01 03 05 12 16 13

06 07 13 15 19

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FP 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

$122.43/barrel

+0.62

Rough Rice

$314.73/ton

+0.09

London Sugar

$574.40/ton

0.00

Live Spot Gold

USD Per Ounce

Bid/Ask

$1848.80

$1849.80

Low/High Change

$1845.40 -5.30

$1865.60 -0.29%

Pres Ali urges more partnerships in agricultural sector – as Demerara Bank launches Farmer’s Credit Line

W

ith examples of partnerships and consortiums flourishing in the oil and gas sector, President Dr Irfaan Ali believes that partnerships within the agricultural sector are important for Guyana to reach its agricultural targets for local, regional and global markets.

The President laid out his vision on Monday, during the official launch of Demerara Bank’s Farmers Credit Line. According to the President, there is a long-term benefit to farmers partnering that will not only boost their own revenue but also aid in the Government’s vision to slash the regional food import bill by 25 per cent by 2025.

“When you have access to the $20 million, you can move towards investing in higher capital type farming.

Which, in the initial phase is higher, but the long-term benefit brings more revenue.

Especially dealing with climate change and all of this,” President Ali explained to the audience.

“So, if you have 20 farmers coming together and you have capital formation of $20 million, we can now have at least five large greenhouses that make your agriculture climate-resilient, increase your productivity by 25 to 30 per cent, give you the opportunity to go in high-value crops. It opens up new opportunities.

And this is the direction we have to go if we’re to achieve the types of targets we want to achieve.”

He also noted the importance of looking at technology in agriculture and also a market-oriented approach.

According to President Ali, the Government is committed to supporting the farmers in this, as well as the necessary farm-to-market roads, access to more land, and other infrastructure necessary for the agriculture sector.

“While we’re doing, all of this, we’re working on the other fronts to remove the barriers to the market and to trade. Working with the State of Roraima, improving our varieties, improving our yield, and looking at new areas of investment. Wheat, we’re experimenting with wheat.”

“We have to understand that the issue of food production and agriculture is one in which we have to address all the issues. And it’s not only one issue we have to focus on. But for agriculture to be successful, you need a Government responsive to the needs of the sector. Let our track record speak for itself.”

President Ali gave the

President Dr Irfaan Ali (centre) beside Demerara Bank CEO Pravinchandra Dave, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha and other officials at the launch of the credit line at the bank’s Mahaica, East Coast Demerara (EBD) branch

example of Barbados, where he noted farmers have to pay for irrigation water.

According to the President, Guyana itself was heading in that direction under the former A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government, which increased farming-related fees. According to Ali, his Government is committed to building irrigation-related infrastructure and other support systems for the farmers.

The Farmer’s Credit initiative was described by Demerara Bank Corporate

Secretary Chandra Gajraj as a game-changer. Noting the importance of food security, she explained that the bank wanted to play its part in the growth of the agricultural sector, by improving access to capital.

“The recent Agriculture Investment and Expo, is testimony to the critical importance of agriculture, for the sustenance of food security.

The target of 25 by 25 is ambitious but doable. And the bank is excited to be a facilitator of achieving the goal of a vibrant and accessible agriculture sector in Guyana.”

She explained that the

credit line focuses at this time on the rice sector and will provide structured financing of up to $20 million for farmers’ costs. It was pointed out by her that Demerara Bank’s branches are conveniently situated in areas dominated by rice farming.

It was explained by the bank’s Marketing Manager Christina Correia that they received close to 200 applications for the programme in just three weeks. During Monday’s ceremony, 20 of the approved borrowers received their disbursement letters.

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guyanatimesgy.com

TUESDAY, MAY 31, 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

No to tobacco E

very year, more than eight million people die from tobacco use, about 15 per cent of all deaths per year, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). More than seven million of those deaths are the result of direct tobacco use while around 1.2 million are the result of non-smokers being exposed to second-hand smoke.

Nearly half of all children breathe air polluted by tobacco smoke and 65,000 children die each year owing to illnesses related to secondhand smoke.

Another sobering fact – tobacco kills up to half of its users.

Seventy per cent of fatalities occur in less developed and emerging nations. In excess of 40 per cent of all tobacco-related deaths are from lung diseases like cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, and tuberculosis.

The tobacco epidemic is one of the biggest public health threats the world has ever faced, the WHO has stated. “All forms of tobacco are harmful, and there is no safe level of exposure to tobacco. Cigarette smoking is the most common form of tobacco use worldwide. Other tobacco products include waterpipe tobacco; various smokeless tobacco products including e-cigarettes; cigars, cigarillos, roll-yourown tobacco, and pipe tobacco”. Many are misled into believing that e-cigarettes are not as harmful as the traditional cigarettes, but experts have warned that they are equally damaging as they raise blood pressure increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

“More than 80 per cent of tobacco users worldwide live in lowand middle-income countries, where the burden of tobacco-related illness and death is heaviest,” the WHO noted. “The economic costs of tobacco use are substantial and include significant health carecosts for treating the diseases caused by tobacco use – as well as the lost human capital that results from tobacco-attributable morbidity and mortality. Tobacco use also contributes to poverty by diverting household spending from basic needs such as food and shelter to tobacco.”

Here, in Guyana, 78 per cent of all deaths are caused by noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), some of which we all know are strongly related to tobacco use. Over 15 per cent of the adult population currently smoke; and, more worryingly, the results of a Global Youth Tobacco Survey conducted in 2015 revealed that 14.8 per cent of adolescents aged between 13 and 15 years also use tobacco.

Countries, including Guyana, must take stock of what is happening, and continue to work diligently with international health partners to increase action to protect people from exposure to tobacco use. Too many people are dying senselessly, and urgent action must be taken, as these are deaths which can be avoided.

The WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) is an international public health treaty and a guiding framework for the global fight against the tobacco epidemic. Guyana has been a party to the FCTC since 2005. The FCTC requires countries to apply a series of policies and measures aimed at reducing the global tobacco epidemic.

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

Having the necessary legislation in place is a good starting point, but there are many other challenges which health authorities must address if Guyana is to really reduce the number of persons dying or becoming ill owing to tobacco use or exposure. These challenges relate to monitoring and compliance, and enforcement of the legislation to ensure that the population is protected from the dangers of tobacco use. Much of the success will be based on the quality of enforcement mechanisms in place. So, the question is how have we been doing on that front?

Ensuring the protection of a country’s population is no easy task, but the well-being of citizens is of prime importance.

And as we, today, commemorate World No Tobacco Day, under the theme “Tobacco: Threat to our environment”, we must face the challenge of living up to the name of this global observance every day.

President Dr Irfaan Ali accepted the Letters of Credence from H.E Gerhard Doujak, non-resident Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Austria to the Co-operative Republic of Guyana on Monday at Office of the President, Shiv Chandrapaul Drive. President Ali acknowledged Austria’s assistance thus far in bolstering Guyana’s health sector while he expressed optimism that the continued bilateral relations between the countries will open doors to examine other key areas of support.

The two countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in September 2018 for transport, innovation and technology to enhance the local healthcare facilities.

The heart of the mother: Three children roasted to death

Dear Editor, I write this letter to get into the heart and consciousness, the wisdom and positive thought of our Excellency Dr Irfaan Ali, the people’s Cabinet, and mostly the Hon Minister of Human Services. The topic speaks for itself and I know it’s a harsh topic.

The harshness of the caption is intended to help open the eyes of the people, particularly those whom we have had and whom we have as our Government to manage the affairs of this country and indirectly, the affairs of our lives. When we hire a Government, it does great honour to them.

Also, we bequeath to them our trust, faith, hopes, and all the endeavours that we are entrusted within our souls by the creator.

It is a great honour for a political party to become a Government to serve our people! This Government of Guyana in my opinion serves excellently and well although no one is perfect.

Yet I would like to applaud them for always trying to go to the people and for listening to the people. So this lamentation from the depths of my heart is to cry out to the consciousness of our Government for those people who are in need.

The roasting to death of

these three beautiful children and the wrecking of the heart of the mother to whose body the children were part of for nine (9) months, all of whom took years to wean. Men abandoned women and children after they would have had their pleasure, leaving them to wonder in pain and travail to make ends meet. Imagine the mental torture and physical abuse in most cases from men, who enjoyed their mothers’ bodies and just used them.

It is said that the fire is of electrical origin but the fact remains that the children and the mother suffered at the hands of the man. Father(s) would always cause bewilderment, confusion, and trauma in the minds of the mother and the children.

No Government in the world can ever provide perfect Social Service to everyone in every community and at all times. They can provide some support and help in various communities to cater to single parents and families. In these situations, such support is created as a nurturing environment for these children when a single parent mother or father has to go to work.

So what do we do? Here are my suggestions:

1. I ask our Government through the Hon Minister Vindhya Persaud of Human Services to work in various communities in order to create a support system which would be at a percentage of costs. The parents would have to aid in subsidising the cost and some fundraising will also go a long way. I am speaking of the various communities having facilities, be it the use of a kindergarten school, be it sections of a Government school or some area of social service.

Like community centres and all-purpose centres. We have seen many all-purpose centres throughout the country that are hardly ever used, these can also be utilised.

The Government can partner with the leaders of the communities in association with the various NDCs and or CDCs to have homes where these children could rest overnight while the parents are working, as nights are more vulnerable. This way we can lower the chances of potential accidental fires that may be caused by minor children being left unattended who may want to experiment.

2.

In number one I am admitting that there have been accidental fires like these that have tak-

en these lives. There have been intentional fires set by passionate drunken fathers that kill the mother and children. There have been fires set by drunken passionate husbands to create havoc in the family.

3. To encourage members of the various communities to report situations like these to the authorities, where children are left alone as well as the elderly or mentally ill.

4.

To the authorities to not necessarily harass or prosecute the single parent, particularly the mother but so that the Ministry responsible could pay some attention to the children and parents with her excellent team backing her up. Our Hon Minister is a soul that is known to be most divine and I am sure she and her team will consider some of the views that I have mentioned here and maybe others that they will come up with.

My prayer and hope are to prevent crises like these from occurring, I am sure the Hon Minister and her dedicated team may have ideas far better than mine.

Sincerely, Hajji Dr Roshan Khan

guyanatimesgy.com

TUESDAY, MAY 31, 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

Burnham needs to be remembered Indians and politics

By Guyanese of Indian Ancestry Association

A

fter the Indian Indentureds had completed their contractual obligations and decided to remain in British Guiana, they became full citizens. However, the franchise to elect members of the 1814 inherited Dutch Governance system (Court of Policy and Financial Representatives) while altered in 1891, continued until 1928 to exclude Indians because of income and literacy requirements.

Jagdeo of Mahaicony, for instance, who farmed 3000 acres of rice, brought the first tractors in the colony, dug a canal to the Abary Canal that still bears his name, etc, could not vote because of the literacy requirement!

In 1916, the first Indian, JA Luckhoo was elected as a Financial Representative to the Combined Court. His brother EA Luckhoo was elected to the Court of Policy in 1926.

In 1916, JA Luckhoo had launched the British Guiana East Indian Association (BGEA) in Berbice and in 1919, he relaunched it in Georgetown.

It strove to represent Indians in all areas of national life while the franchise was very restricted. Its leadership was drawn from the emerging Indian middle class in law, JA Luckhoo medicine and business. They printed a newspaper, “The Indian Opinion”.

In 1928, Guyana was converted to a Crown Colony with an elected Legislative Council, but the qualification for voting continued to exclude Indians disproportionately. In 1910, there were 188 Indian voters out of a total of 4104 – 4.6%.

By 1922, it rose to 714 out of 4408 – 15.6% and in 1927, it was 2701. In 1931, EA Luckhoo, AE Seeram, and Jang Bahadur Singh were elected to the Legislative Council.

In 1937, Ayube Edun formed the MPCA to represent sugar workers.

Massive changes in the franchise followed WWII and in 1945, the income qualification was reduced so that there was now 17,755 Indian voters out of 59,384 or 29.9% and with the election of Dr Cheddi Jagan to the Legislature in 1947, the dawn of a new political era was beginning.

The fears by African Guyanese of Indian political dominance made HN Critchlow renege on an earlier call for full adult suffrage.

In 1953, full adult suffrage was granted and the nationalist, ethnically-united PPP, founded in 1950 under the leadership of Dr Jagan, won 18 out of 24 seats.

Forbes Burnham split the PPP when he quit in 1955 and formed the PNC in 1958. From that time voting has been ethnically dominated. With the Disciplined Forces and Civil Service dominated by ethnic supporters of the PNC, Dr Cheddi Jagan Indians have faced violence for their political choice.

DID YOU KNOW? •

• •

After agitating for the end of Indentureship in 1917, successive Indian Governments have maintained a hands-off stance on Girmitiya politics.

Indians and all other ethnic groups are minorities in Guyana and as such, can be much accommodative to each other to be elected to Government.

Dear Editor, Someone wrote that Burnham and his legacy need to be thrown into a bin and be forgotten forever, however, I am of a different opinion. Men of the ilk of a Burnham need to be remembered. I am talking about documented and reproduced for all to see, that is, all the atrocities this man committed on the people of this great country. He was a ruthless dictator who championed the ideology of one race being superior to another. It was the doctrine of the Black race being bullies and of the Black race being in the ascendancy. Sadly, that foolishness is still being perpetrated by members of that party.

Yes, we need to know that he led this nation to Independence and into a Republic with the sole aim of dominating the local scene through fraud.

And much of what he did was built solely on the strength of the British and Americans who were very

complicit with Burnham.

However, I was heartened when they could have seen the true extent and scope of this man and the party he had built. I am talking about the fraud, the divisive politics that was brought to bear on the Guyanese people. It was so overwhelming that they themselves became embarrassed of him, this drove them to take a strong stand against him and put us once again on the democratic road.

Like Papa Doc in Haiti, he ruled by fear and intimidation, putting together that admixture of fear and voodoo. His was an iron fist, with those Blacks who dare oppose him suffering the brunt of his assault. Some like Dr Walter Rodney paid the ultimate price. I do not want to be associated with a man like that nor with the party that he formed.

Even, the Caribbean leaders who were strangely silent during his dictatorship reign could have

Government handout

Dear Editor, GHK Lall, before criticising the handouts to hinterland citizens and farmers should first analyse the differences in terms of dedication, loss of time, sacrifices, risks and outcomes between the farmers, including fishermen, and those employed in the public and private sector.

I can emphasise with the farmers because in the fifties, I assisted my parents in farming and in the process was bitten on two occasions by water snakes, fortunately not a labaria, chased by an alligator, stung on numerous occasions by marabuntas, picked wiri peppers until I saw red and, nothing has changed since then to now where similar conditions abound.

That apart, a farmer works seven days a week with very little time for friends and family, toiling all day in the sun or rain to eke out a living while his efforts are subject to the weather as currently obtains, an infestation of pests and subject to theft.

So rather than spewing your usual nonsense, why not take a ride on a tractor with a farmer to the backdam at 4 am after using a stinking pit latrine filled with mosquitoes and experience the hazards of these farmers. You are probably aware of the young farmer who died recently when his tractor turned over.

With respect to the public sector, a larger percentage of the budget is allocated to sustain a black bureaucracy who mostly work for less than forty hours a week and enjoy the following:

1) security of tenure, cannot be dismissed at will 2) One month’s passage allowance at time of leave 3) Non-contributory pension scheme, payable at age 55 4) Average of four working days per week taking into consideration public holidays, Saturdays and Sundays, annual leave, sick leave, casual leave, maternity leave, special leave, etc 5) Guaranteed NIS pension at age 60 and old-age pension at 65 in addition to Government pension at 55 6) Unmeasurable time loss due to lateness, absenteeism, malingering, bathroom usage, gossiping, etc 7) Travelling allowance, duty-free concessions, tax breaks, and for some of the elites, maids, gardeners and security 8) Additional perks due to bribery 9) Yearly bonus for the security force With respect to the private sector, prior to any increase, consideration should be taken of the prevailing circumstances where COVID and other factors devastated many businesses and a substantial increase will inflate employment costs that may result in further unemployment or increase in costs for goods and services.

So, rather than inferring your racial bias evident in your missive, do an objective analysis to determine who benefits more in terms of monetary awards, and at the same time supply evidence to prove that African farmers were deprived of the handout.

Sincerely, D Singh

finally come out of their comatose position and throw their voices in a call for the rule of law and the restoration of democratic rule in Guyana. This was evident when the present bunch of his remnants barefacedly tried to rig the election 2020 when five Caribbean Heads flew in to advise Granger on the way forward. They told him that he had lost the election and it was time for him to step aside and allow democracy

to lead the way.

Yes, Burnham needs to be remembered so that never again would this atrocity stalk our land. Never again I say, never again would fraudulent rule take a hold on the Guyanese society. It is our bounding duty to edify our upcoming generation of men and women to know about the horrible past we came out of.

Respectfully, Neil Adams

Stop the hypocrisy Dear Editor, The PNC leadership once again asks to bring about racial harmony and a harmonious community based on democratic values. This is the same PNC that placed a blatant opponent to democratic values in Parliament after she clearly disregarded the elections process.

This is the same PNC that has never acknowledged their role in the massacre and the attempted genocide of Indians in what is now known as Linden. This is the same PNC that uses every opportunity to start riots where the raping of Indian women and the killing of innocent Indians take place.

They have invited violence against the Indian community every time they have lost power. This is the same PNC that added insult to injury by making the period of the massacre a time when

the country's Independence is celebrated. Stop the hypocrisy!

You want tangible steps, then first acknowledge those evil acts and the attempted genocide of Indians in what is now known as Linden.

Facing those crimes against humanity is the first tangible step required. Provide the names of all those involved and allow the courts to play its required role.

Ensure our history correctly reflects what occurred and agree to change the date when our Independence is celebrated. These are all tangible steps that should be taken. Actions speak louder than words. If you are serious, then ensure these tangible steps occur. Until then, the PNC will always be viewed as hypocrites.

Sincerely, Jamil Changlee

TUESDAY, MAY 31, 2022 06:00 06:30 07:00 08:00 08:30 09:30 10:00 11:00 11:30 12:00 13:38 14:00 14:30 15:00 15:53 16:00 16:30 17:00 17:45 18:00 18:30 19:00 20:00 20:30 21:00 22:00 23:00 00:00

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TUESDAY, MAY 31, 2022

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Foundation ◄

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serve what happens.

his quick and easy kitchen science experiment will teach you how to make a ketchup packet do seemingly magical and crazy things.

How it works:

Materials: Ketchup or any other small condiment packet Empty 2-litre soda bottle with cap Water Bowl

Instructions:

The first thing you will want to do is fill the bowl with

some water.

Place your ketchup packets in the water. You ketchup packets will need to float in order for this science experiment to work.

After you have found a ketchup packet that floats, put it inside the 2-litre soda bottle.

Fill the 2-litre soda bottle full to the rim with water and securely put on the cap.

The packet should be floating near the top on the bottle.

Now squeeze the bottle and ob-

When the ketchup packets are made, a bubble of air gets trapped inside. This bubble of air will cause the ketchup packet to float. When you squeeze the bottle, the air bubble is compressed making it more dense. This will cause the ketchup packet to sink to the bottom of the bottle. Once you release the pressure, the air bubble will expand and cause the ketchup packet to float again.

Make this a science project:

Try different types of condiment packets. Add salt to the water to see if this causes the ketchup packet to behave differently when the bottle is squeezed. Try different sized bottles.

Test different liquids. (sciencefun.org)

“True independence and freedom can only exist in doing what's right” – Brigham Young

Read the following extract and answer the questions below “I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.

I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past

I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.” – Frank Herbert, Dune How does the persona feel about fear?

Describe the type of writing

WORD SEARCH

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TUESDAY, MAY 31, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Govt leaning towards passive shareholder model for ownership of oil blocks – VP Jagdeo – but says National Oil Company may get more support if Guyana could get more revenue

T

he People's Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Government is leaning towards a strategic passive shareholder model partnership with oil companies, for ownership of oil blocks that have been allocated.

During a press conference on Monday, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo spoke about the issue of a national oil company. He noted that the Government is aware of all the concerns and further, encouraged healthy debates on the issue.

Jagdeo explained that the Government is currently not in favour of the traditionally styled oil company, which takes on the fiscal risks of developing oil blocks themselves. Further, he noted that if they vest the remaining oil blocks in a national oil company, it can slow down the exploration process.

“From our side, we’ve been putting some additional concerns about national oil companies. Not the most

obvious ones I mentioned that have been written about by everyone. And not the fact that the IMF said we shouldn’t do it, because we don’t take IMF lectures as gospel in this country.”

“From our own and what we have been looking at, an examination of the situation, we believe that having an old-styled model for a national oil company could present major difficulties… with net-zero by 2050, it becomes harder to raise money globally for national oil companies,” Jagdeo explained.

He explained that this can work with the Government getting a strategic partner they have no control over except through shareholder access.

He stressed, however, that the only thing that may tilt the Government in the direction of establishing such an oil company is if they can get more revenue through a modified PSA. “How does that work? We just simply say that we’re getting a strategic partner, we’re taking a share of the

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo

company, but we have no control over operations or management, except for the control given to shareholders through passive ownership. I’m just telling you this because I want you to understand the thinking of the Government.”

“But no decision has been made. We have a lot

of cons and a few pros. And the only pro that would tilt this in the establishment of a NOC with a more passive form of ownership is whether we can get more revenue for the country that will come from a modified PSA,” Jagdeo said.

It had been previously reported that Guyana has

already been the recipient of significant interest, particularly from Middle Eastern companies, to partner with the State in developing the available oil blocks.

Countries getting into the business side of oil and gas is nothing new. In neighbouring Brazil, Petrobras is a well-known example of a State-owned oil company. Venezuela also has its own State-owned oil company, Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA). There is also the Petroleum Company of Trinidad and Tobago Limited (PETROTRIN).

However, the latter two companies have not fared well, with PETROTRIN closing its refinery and laying off thousands and PDVSA closing and then reopening, amid Venezuela’s economic meltdown.

Guyana has long been expected to go out and auction oil blocks, both untapped and relinquished.

Considering the more than 25 oil finds that have been made by oil giant ExxonMobil in the Stabroek

Block, the country is likely to be in a good position to leverage the value of those blocks when the context of the global oil and gas industry is considered.

The relinquishment clause is typically included in contracts so that companies can relinquish a portion of the block when the renewable period is up, thereby allowing other companies to buy into the respective blocks.

For the Stabroek and Canje Blocks, operators are required to relinquish 20 per cent of their blocks after the first renewal period; while those of the Demerara and Corentyne Blocks are expected to relinquish 15 per cent within this period.

The Kaieteur Block’s relinquishment provision is said to be 25 per cent, then 20 per cent by the first renewal; with the Mahaicony and Roraima Blocks at 25 per cent. By the time of the first renewal for the Orinduik Block, the operators are not expected to relinquish any portion.

Guyana’s development will not be held hostage – Ali after Norton a no-show

President Irfaan Ali and Attorney General Anil Nandlall

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riticising what he considers to be an act of unwillingness and immaturity, President Dr Irfaan Ali has made it clear that the country’s development will not be held hostage by political objectives.

He made the remark after the Leader of the

Opposition, Aubrey Norton, was a no-show for the second round of consultations with the Guyanese Head of State.

Following their meeting on May 13, President Dr Irfaan Ali and Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton had agreed to meet again within

a week to continue consultations on several constitutional appointments.

However, due to several pressing matters, that second meeting was not scheduled within a week. These matters included the massive inaugural Agri Forum and Expo which attract-

ed hundreds of delegates from across the globe including Caricom Heads of Government. This was closely followed by the regional and national Independence Day celebrations.

On May 27, 2022, Governance Minister Gail Teixeira wrote the Opposition Leader explaining the circumstances and invited him for a second meeting at 14:00h on May 30, 2022.

However, when President Ali and his team showed up for the meeting, the Opposition Leader never showed.

Addressing the matter in a live broadcast thereafter, President Ali shared, “The Leader of the Opposition has absented himself from

Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton

this meeting. We have received no verbal or oral communication from the Leader of the Opposition or his office…We made it very clear to him that in the event that he may not attend, he can

share his thoughts with us in writing. In addition to his absence to this meeting. We have not received any communication from the Leader of the Opposition.”

TURN TO PAGE 15

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TUESDAY, MAY 31, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

2nd brother arraigned for murder of US-based Guyanese

Dead: Lakhan Chaterpaul

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second man has been charged and remanded to prison for the murder of a young US-based Guyanese who was killed during his brother’s wedding celebrations back in March.

Leon Gonsalves, called "Never Please", a barber, of Crabwood Creek, Corentyne, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), was arraigned at the Springlands Magistrate’s Court last week before Senior Magistrate Alex Moore.

He was not required

to plead to the indictable charge which stated that he murdered 21-year-old Lakhan Chaterpaul, also called "Rickash", of Ohio, USA on March 8, 2022.

A few days after Chaterpaul was murdered, Gonsalves’ brother, Eon Gonsalves, also of Crabwood Creek, was charged and remanded to prison for the crime. He, too, had appeared at the Springlands Magistrate’s Court.

Chaterpaul, along with five other family members, had arrived in Guyana to attend his brother’s wedding at Crabwood Creek.

Reports are that Chaterpaul was allegedly stabbed to death during an altercation with three men, who showed up at his relatives’ house during a party. The dead man’s grandfather had said that they were having a get-together at his home when the three men walked into the yard.

However, after the men, who are from the same community, were reportedly seen with marijuana, they were asked to leave.

According to media reports, the trio left the yard and went into the street

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Murder accused: Eon Gonsalves

Murder accused: Leon Gonsalves

where they began to destroy the vehicles belonging to persons at the party.

As such, family members rushed out to confront them.

It was during this altercation that Chaterpaul was reportedly stabbed once to his heart. It is believed that Eon Gonsalves inflicted the fatal blow.

Meanwhile, following the arrest of Leon Gonsalves, he reportedly confessed, telling investigators that he took the knife out of his waist-

band and inflicted the fatal injury. After reviewing the Police file, the chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) advised that the persons who were involved in injuring Chaterpaul be charged.

Eon Gonsalves was reportedly handed over to the Police at the scene suffering from several injuries. He had indicated that he suffered them at the hands of a mob that swarmed him at the scene of the crime.

$60M CJIA cocaine bust

Fmr media worker changes plea to not guilty

Remanded: Zanneel Williams

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fter spending one month on remand, former Communications Officer Zanneel Williams has changed her guilty plea to not guilty in the case concerning the discovery of over $60 million in cocaine in her luggage at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Timehri, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

Williams, 25, of Lamaha Gardens, Georgetown, was scheduled to be sentenced on Monday after her initial guilty plea to a drug trafficking charge last month. But when her case came up on Monday at the Diamond-Golden Grove Magistrates’ Courts, she opted to change her plea.

As a result, Magistrate Sunil Scarce remanded her to prison until June 27 for disclosure of statements.

The charge against her stated that on April 22, she

Charged: Anil Sookhoo

Calling out…

had 9.628 kilograms (21 pounds) of cocaine in her possession for the purpose of trafficking.

She was charged along with former Customs AntiNarcotics Unit (CANU) Officer Anil Sookhoo, 33, of Kuru Kururu, LindenSoesdyke Highway and Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) Officer Shameka Caesar, 27, of D’Urban Street, Wortmanville, Georgetown.

Sookhoo and Caesar denied the charge at their first court appearance and were each released on $750,000 bail.

On the day in question, Williams was an outgoing passenger on a JetBlue

The cocaine that was found inside Williams’ luggage

Charged: Shameka Caesar

flight destined for the JFK International Airport, New York, USA, when CANU officers found a quantity of cocaine concealed inside a laptop inside her hand luggage.

As a result, she was arrested and taken to CANU’s headquarters, where more cocaine was found strapped to her body.

Based on investigations, Police later arrested Sookhoo and Caesar.

The cocaine found in her luggage amounted to 7.962kg while another 1.666kg of cocaine was found strapped to her body. The narcotic had a total street value of over $5 million and upon arrival in the US, it would have been worth US$300,000 ($60 million).

Williams was a former Communications Officer at the Department of Public Information (DPI).

…the Trotman “giveaway” oday, the permit for developing and exploiting the Liza 1 field in the Stabroek Block by the Exxon Consortium – which includes Hess and CNOOC (Chinese) – expires.

And as sure as the sun rises in the East, up popped this lady Melinda Janki demanding – yes demanding – that the EPA refuse to extend the permit and bring the entire operation to a sputtering halt!!

But while your Eyewitness – like any other red-blooded Guyanese patriot – would so like us to get a bigger piece of the oil pool, don’t the EPA have to show some reason why it should take that action? Flaring and polluting the air? Well, the EPA did negotiate with the consortium on that issue and has imposed a fine for continued flaring?

And has collected $1.7 billion to date?? Possible spills and accidents? Hasn’t the EPA insisted on insurance and is continuing to insist on more comprehensive policies that incorporate the parent company’s responsibilities??

But your Eyewitness wants to remind Janki (does she live in Guyana or in the US along with Exxon?) that in order to get Exxon to open up her purse strings, the easiest way is to show that the contract had an element of fraud. And all goes back to that fella Trotman, who negotiated it on behalf of the PNC Government, which he’d help install via “Operation Nassau”!! When he was treated to first-class travel, chauffeur-driven limousine rides, stayed at a pricey hotel and dined at the company’s exclusive Wolfgang Puck Restaurant at Exxon’s expense at a time when negotiations for the deal were ongoing in Houston –along with his entourage – wasn’t he “unduly influenced”?? Surely, any Court will grant that plea once they were informed of the grubby life of Trotman in Guyana!!

Then there’s the matter of Trotman betraying his fiduciary duty to his country – and his office –- by not accepting expert advice that was available to him before he signed the contract. Didn’t that international corruption watchdog in “the report, titled “Signed Away: How Exxon’s exploitative deal deprived Guyana of up to US$55 billion”, state: “Trotman also failed to capitalise on Guyana’s strong bargaining position. During negotiations, he knew that the company was analysing a new possible oil find. Trotman even knew the company would announce its results on a specific day: June 28, 2016. But the minister did not wait for these results, which would have allowed Guyana to assess Stabroek’s true value and which turned out to be one of the world’s largest recent finds. Instead, on June 27, Trotman signed Exxon’s licence”.

But these so-called watchdogs are all part of the cabal who believe that only their class can run Guyana! Even as – like Burnham – they’ll take Guyana back to the Stone Age. …Caricom President Ali reciprocated Barbados PM Mia Mottley’s visit to our Agri-Expo by attending hers that followed immediately. There were a number of Guyanese exhibitors and this is as it should be since all our plans for food security and “25 by 25” – cutting Caricom’s US$billion food bill – will go awry, if not torpedoed, unless all Caricom territories put their shoulders to the wheel. And that wheel is the rebooted Jagdeo Initiative 2.0!! But where were the other Caricom leaders?

In addition to opening a wharf facility that can accommodate some 45 containers of food products simultaneously, Pres Ali announced an even greater initiative – offering 50 acres of land for Bajan youths to practise their food growing skills. Now your Eyewitness is sure someone out there will be mumbling about that.

But where’s the other Caricom leaders?? Why don’t they persuade their businesses to accept our offer to develop acreage in our Intermediate Savannahs that Guyana can provide?

God helps those…. …Linden naysayers After 1000 temporary jobs; 200 small business $250,000 loans; the Wismar Bridge and other infrastructure fixed and 5000 scholarships…what say the naysayers now??!!

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

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TUESDAY, MAY 31, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Guyana-Barbados collaboration to bring prosperity to both countries – President Ali

– says effort will bolster Black Belly Sheep Initiative

President Dr Irfaan Ali and Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley visiting the site for the BarbadosGuyana Food Terminal President Dr Irfaan Ali visiting one of the booths at the Agro Fest in Barbados

H

is Excellency Dr Irfaan Ali said that the growing relationship between Guyana and Barbados is aimed at ensuring that both countries prosper economically.

This, the President added, is evident by the expanded Black Belly Sheep Initiative between the two countries that will see land in Guyana being allocated to selected groups in Guyana and youths from Barbados to boost production.

He made the disclosure during the opening ceremony of Barbados’s Agro Fest 2022 that was held over the weekend under the theme “Greening Together - Ah Caribbean thing”.

“We are not looking at winning in one area or creating a situation where we are carving out an area for you (Barbados) and an area for Guyana. That is not what we want. We want a holistic

approach to this relationship with this development so that we can create economic prosperity in every sector and in everything that we do together as one country – Guyana and Barbados.”

The President said that the economic expansion and cooperation between the countries must be built on a platform of respect and fairness.

He noted that cooperation has improved at the Government and Cabinet levels and also at the level of the private sector and technical staff.

These people-to-people partnerships, he stated, are what will “cement this relationship going forward”.

Expanded Black Belly Sheep programme

President Ali pointed to the areas of cooperation between Guyana and Barbados, including agriculture, and

noted that the Black Belly Sheep Initiative launched in late March will now be expanded.

“We are setting aside 50 acres of land to be owned by young people as part of the Black Belly Sheep project in Guyana, 50 acres to be owned by persons with disability, 50 acres to be owned by single parents, women and importantly, 50 acres that will be owned by your young people here in Barbados.”

The President added that the farms will be working together in an integrated way to supply the market in Barbados.

“We are working on training your butchers here so that they can do the best cuts, and Barbados can work on creating that logistics hub of moving these products on along the market chain. These are the types of initiatives that will create a long-term sustainable relationship to what

we are advancing and the path we are taking.”

Model for entire Caricom

President Ali noted that the model that Barbados and Guyana are building can be replicated for success across the entire Region to create a “win-win scenario and position for all of us”.

For this to work efficiently and effectively, he said, countries in the Region cannot see themselves as competitors.

“We have to see ourselves as a singular collective, a singular partner working together for one common goal and vision, that is, to give the best possible opportunity to the people of our country, to bring prosperity to the people of our country, to put food on the tables of our people in this Region at a less cost – at a sustainable cost and in a much healthier fashion.”

Meanwhile, Prime Minister of the Republic of Barbados, Mia Amor Mottley

lauded President Ali for his commitment to the Region, especially as it relates to advancing its vision of reducing the food importation bill by 25 per cent by 2025.

“President Ali, you could quite easily have said you were busy. Your presence in Barbados at this first Agro Fest after two years represents your absolute commitment to the Region and to ensuring that this project of food security in the Caribbean is something that you are not simply writing out on paper or making speeches from Georgetown on, but your presence here will motivate our people in understanding that there is a train that has left the station, and that train is the Caribbean Food Security Station, and its captain is Irfaan Ali. I know that you are on a cricket ground.

I know that you are a cricket fan. And I have every confidence that when this part of our history is written, you will have scored a triple cen-

tury.”

Both President Ali and Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha were praised for moving with “lightning speed” over the course of the last 18 months.

Mottley added that the Guyanese Government has worked hard to “put this Region in a position where we not only endorsed the plan in March in Belize at the Caricom Heads of Government meeting, but we were able to then meet in Guyana last week in perhaps one of the largest agricultural investment forum ever to be held in this Caribbean region in the post-independence era”.

Barbados’s Agro Fest was represented by more than 150 Guyanese and more than 50 Guyanese businesses. Tourism, Industry, and Commerce Minister Oneidge Walrond and other representatives of the Government and Guyana’s private sector also attended the event.

10 NEWS

TUESDAY, MAY 31, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Pensioner found dead Captain feared dead following 2-boat collision in Mazaruni River in Mandela Ave trench A

The body and the bicycle in the trench along Mandela Avenue

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he motionless body of a pensioner was on Monday morning pulled from a trench along Mandela Avenue, Georgetown.

Dead is 68-year-old Clive Lawrence Primus of D'Urban Street, Lodge, Georgetown.

Police stated that at about 7:30h on Monday, the Operations Room at Brickdam Police Station received a call relating that a body was seen in a trench along Mandela Avenue in the vicinity of Cevon’s building.

The trench runs north to south and has weeds about three feet in height.

However, the body was lying face down and was clad in a pair of black and red pants and a brown and green striped jersey. A grey-coloured pedal cycle was also observed in close proximity to the body.

The deceased’s wife reportedly told detectives that they separated and he was living with his brother at the abovementioned address, but she still communicated with him.

She recalled the last time she saw him alive was on Friday. In the same breath, she indicated that the now deceased man would frequently suffer from seizures

and high blood pressure.

Information received by the Police indicated that Primus left home on Sunday at about 17:00h on his bicycle and was never seen or heard from, until his body was found on Monday morning.

“The body was processed by a rank attached to the Crime Scene Unit, CID Headquarters, Eve Leary, and no marks of violence were seen on the body,” the Police stated in a release.

The body was taken to the Memorial Gardens Mortuary awaiting a post-mortem as investigations continue.

boat captain is feared dead while another was taken into custody following a collision between two boats on Saturday at Jawalla Village, Upper Mazaruni River, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).

The missing man was identified as 40-year-old Fabian Sam of Jawalla Village.

Based on reports received, on the day in question at about 17:45h, Sam was operating a 35-foot boat which was powered by a 30 HP outboard engine, while the other boat - a 30-foot powered by a 15 HP engine - was captained by a 48-year-old resident from another village in the Upper Mazaruni region.

However, initial reports stated that Sam was navigating his boat along the Mazaruni River with five occupants and upon approaching the confluence of the Mazaruni and Kukui Rivers, the light from the other boat was observed approaching from the opposite direction. The boat was reported-

The area where the accident occurred

One of the boats involved in the accident

ly heading head-on into the other.

Charles Hernandez, an occupant in Sam’s boat, attempted to get the other boat to change direction and as such, flashed his torchlight in a bid to avoid a collision but to no avail.

As a consequence, the boats collided, resulting in Sam being thrown overboard and Hernandez sustaining injuries thus rendering him unconscious. A search for Sam proved futile.

Hernandez was transported to the Kamarang Hospital where he was treated and referred to the Georgetown Public Hospital.

The other boat’s captain was taken into custody and is assisting with the investigation.

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TUESDAY, MAY 31, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Amaila could be retendered as Chinese company now wants BOOT model changed – VP Jagdeo says Govt not budging on BOOT model

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he Amaila Falls Hydropower Project (AFHP) is at risk of being retendered and delayed, as China Railway First Group (CRFG), the company that won the contract, has informed the Government that it has difficulties meeting the contract obligations and wants the model changed.

The award of the contract to CRFG on a BuildOwn-Operate-Transfer (BOOT) model was announced in November of last year. Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo during a press conference on Monday revealed that the company now wants to enter an Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract with the Government.

“Amaila, we’ve been in discussions with the company since November. The negotiations are very difficult.

And as of April 22nd, they wrote us saying they’re having a hard time doing the BOOT contract and they want to shift to an EPC+ finance, that the Government finances the project and they would be the EPC contractor,” Jagdeo said.

“We’re in the negotiations. We’re still trying.

Because to get them to meet

The Amaila Falls Hydro Project

the commitment that they bid for. But you know how this started. With Sithe Global, which is a subsidiary of Blackstone, choosing China Railways. And then the project didn’t go through, we retendered. And they came out at about 7.7 cents per kilowatt.”

According to Jagdeo, the Government is not in agreement with any attempts to change the basis of the tender that went out last year.

He made it clear that if they cannot get the contract done under the BOOT model, then it will have to be scrapped and retendered. He made it clear, however, that other

projects such as the gas-toshore project and the solar panels are on course.

“We will not be able to conclude the contract, because that is what the tender was about, a BOOT model, not an EPC model. And so, in the last six months or so, we’ve been struggling to reach an agreement. We’re now going to have to give a deadline and cancel if they can’t proceed with the original model.”

“So, we may have a set back there, but on the solar panels. Remember that is our money. That 35 megawatts will go out to tender very soon. That is for Linden/

Essequibo and Berbice… so (Amaila) may be a setback, but on the other hand we’re moving full steam ahead.”

It was explained that one of CRFG’s main stumbling blocks to achieving the terms in the BOOT contract, is finance. Jagdeo also noted that the Government has not opted to move on to the next responsive bidder, since that bid had been at 9.9 cents per kilowatt… significantly more than CRFG. As such, no decision was made to move on to this bidder.

According to the Vice President, there is also a possibility that the timelines previously set to start

construction on the AFHP, may have to be pushed back. However, he stressed that this will not impact the Government’s commitments to drop the price of electricity by 50 per cent.

“We will definitely have to revise timelines. We’ll have to, it depends on what will happen. But that will not affect, in any case, our commitment to drop the price by 50 per cent. Because the commitment was on the basis of the power supplied from the gas to energy project. So that timeline is very strong, dropping the price of power by 50 per cent by 2024, as soon as that one gets (implemented).”

Construction on the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project (AFHP) was supposed to start this year, as Government continues to ramp up spending on renewable energy projects as well as upgrades to the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) infrastructure. The expected completion date was to be 2027.

The AFHP will be based on a Build-Own-OperateTransfer (BOOT) model where the company will supply electricity to GPL Inc at a cost not exceeding US$0.07737 per kWh and

where the company will provide the entire equity required by the project and undertake all the risks associated with the project.

The revival of the 165-megawatt AFHP was one of the promises made by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic in its manifesto. The project was initiated under the previous PPP/C Administration but was scrapped by the coalition Administration which had controlled the National Assembly by a one-seat Opposition majority.

The AFHP was the flagship of Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS).

Amaila was expected to deliver a steady source of clean, renewable energy that would have been affordable and reliable, and was envisioned to meet approximately 90 per cent of Guyana’s domestic energy needs while removing dependency on fossil fuels.

The AFHP was first identified in 1976 by the Canadian company Monenco during an extensive survey of hydroelectric power potential in Guyana. Various studies have since justified and strongly supported the construction of the AFHP.

12 NEWS

TUESDAY, MAY 31,, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Murdered school teacher was severely beaten to head – autopsy ...suspect’s car found parked in Coverden lumberyard

Murder suspect Clarence Farley and Omega Ault in happier times

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n autopsy performed on the remains of 39-year-old Omega Ault whose body was found in her Crane, West Coast Demerara (WCD) home, proved that she died from brain haemorrhage and multiple traumas to the head.

Breaking down the results, a source stated that the woman might have been severely beaten to the head.

The autopsy was per-

formed on Monday by Government pathologist, Dr Nehaul Singh at the Ezekiel Funeral Parlour. The body was subsequently handed over to relatives for the funeral.

The school teacher’s decomposed body was found on Friday evening and soon after, the Police issued a wanted bulletin for her husband for questioning in relation to the murder.

It was reported that on Friday, the woman’s brother, Kevin Ault, a mechanic of Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara (EBD), went to the Vreed-en-Hoop Police Station and reported that, for the past two weeks, he had been trying to contact her but to no avail.

The man added that after calls to his sister had gone unanswered, he went to her home to check on her.

He related that he pushed open the front door to the house, and immediately got an unpleasant scent.

He then went into the front room of the house and saw the body of his sister lying motionlessly almost in a state of decomposition. Reports are that the deceased woman had been living with her husband, Clarence Farley, called “Junior”, and their threeyear-old son, and had been encountering “problems” in their marriage.

Police have said that about four days ago, Farley took the three-year-old son to Tracy Ault, the deceased’s sister, who resides in Diamond, EBD. He left the boy there, telling her that he was going into the backdam.

Meanwhile, Police have confirmed that the man’s

car was found over the weekend in a lumberyard at Coverden, EBD. A source told Guyana Times that Farley was contracted with the lumberyard and two Sundays ago, he parked his car at the business place at Coverden, EBD, and used one of the company’s vehicles to travel into the interior.

On his way in, the vehicle reportedly encountered mechanical issues and the wanted man returned the following day to the office to get the parts to fix the problem. He left with the intention of securing the parts but was not seen or heard from since.

Following the discovery of the vehicle – a blue Toyota Spacio – it was taken to the Timehri Police

The car belonging to Farley that was recovered at Coverden

Station where it was impounded as investigations continue. Detectives work-

ing on the case suspect that the man might have left the country.

Prisoner found dead in lock-ups

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he lifeless body of a prisoner who was arrested for assault under the Domestic Violence Act was found in the Leonora Police Station lock-ups on Monday. Dead is 48-year-old Brian Knight of Fellowship Street, Dem Amstel, West Coast Demerara (WCD).

Based on reports received at about 13:30h on Monday, a Police rank went to check on the prisoner who was held in the Number One (#1) cell when he made the discovery. He was reported-

ly found hanging.

Knight was expected to make his court appearance today, charged with assault.

In August last, convicted prisoner Allen Thomas, 25, of Shea Village, South Rupununi, was found in a sitting position and hanging from the inside door handle of the lock-ups at the Lethem Police Station with his underwear tied around his neck.

The Police said that he was rushed to the Lethem Regional Hospital where he

was pronounced dead on arrival.

It was reported that Thomas had appeared before Magistrate Allan Wilson on July 27, 2021, at the Lethem Magistrate’s Court on a charge of assault causing actual bodily harm, where he pleaded guilty, and was sentenced to twelve months’ imprisonment.

At the time of his demise, he was the only prisoner in the lock-ups, pending transportation to the Georgetown Prison.

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TUESDAY, MAY 31, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Banks DIH hosts Policeman seriously injured after slamming into parked car recruitment drive in Uitvlugt

Prospective candidates being interviewed by Banks DIH officials at Uitvlugt on Sunday.

Injured Policeman Persaud

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n a ploy to tackle unemployment in Guyana, manufacturing giant Banks DIH Limited hosted a recruitment drive on Sunday at Uitvlugt on the West Coast of Demerara.

Director of Engineering Services, Shabir Hussain, who coordinated the drive, stated that the objective was to interview prospective employees from Uitvlugt to MetenMeer-Zorg and surrounding communities who are out of jobs due to the non-functioning of the sugar factory and

Robindra

Police Constable attached to the Timehri Police Station was admitted to the West Demerara Regional Hospital following an accident along Patentia Public Road, West Bank Demerara (WBD) on Saturday evening.

The injured Police Officer was identified as 22-year-old Robindra Persaud of Belle West Housing Scheme, WBD. Based on information received, on the day in question about 22:45h, Persaud was driving motor car PKK 1590 along the Patentia Public Road at a fast pace.

He subsequently lost control of the vehicle and collided with another motor car, bearing registration number PZZ 999, which was parked on the eastern side of the roadway.

As a result of the collision, Persaud sustained injuries to his body and was picked up in an unconscious state by public-spirited citizens and taken to West Demerara Regional Hospital, where he

The car that Persaud was driving

The car with which the Policeman collided

was treated and admitted as a patient.

His condition is regarded

as stable. An investigation was launched into the accident.

who may be able to fill skilled and unskilled vacancies within Banks DIH Limited.

“We have a number of vacancies opened including engineers, technicians, electricians, mechanics, gardeners, cleaners and clerical staff. We are seeking to fill those posts and at the same time give opportunities to the workers who were affected by the estate closure to secure employment with our company,” he said.

Hussain explained that plans are in place to revisit

Uitvlugt as well as other communities where there are similar unemployment issues.

“We plan to do more career fairs because our company is expanding and the fairs will be opened to everyone who may be seeking employment,” he added.

The four-hour programme saw over 30 prospective candidates from as far as Triumph of the East Coast of Demerara, Georgetown, and surrounding communities in West Demerara in attendance.

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TUESDAY, MAY 31,, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Flood water in Reg 9 remains on farmlands – water levels drop in Kwakwani

The water level in Region Nine a few days ago

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he Civil Defence Commission (CDC) has reported that it continues to monitor the flooding situation in several regions which have left residents relocating to shelters due to the water levels in some areas.

The CDC stated that there is still a substantial amount of water on the farmlands in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) but it has started to recede from some households.

Only a few days ago, it was reported that more than 130 persons in that region are occupying shelters - one at the Tabatinga Sports Complex, one at the Tabatinga Nursery School and another at the Culvert City Nursery School.

In addition, several fam-

ilies were urged to move to higher ground if they refuse to relocate to a shelter.

It was reported that several low-lying communities were inundated due to heavy rainfall and water run-off from neighbouring Brazil.

This has forced the Prime Minister and Civil Defence Commission (CDC) Director General (ag) Major Loring Benons and other officials to visit the areas to assess the situation.

However, the CDC on Monday reported that Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni) has not reported any further impacts from the flooding.

Further, it stated that communities along the country’s coastland and those in Region 10 have indicated that water levels are dropping even though rains con-

tinue intermittently. Just days ago, the water level in Kwakwani had risen due to the constant downpours.

As the situation intensifies, the Kwakwani Neighbourhood Democratic Council has identified a Government-owned property on the Kwakwani Staff Hill to house a small number of persons who are desirous of relocating. Relocation efforts would be ramped up if the situation worsens.

On Thursday, there were several inches of water in some communities, and several homes on Lamp Island were under water. The Civil Defence Commission (CDC) has recently deployed a team in the area to assist the affected residents.

Meanwhile, the CDC stated that it is monitoring the situation in conjunction

The situation at Lamp Island, Kwakwani

with relevant agencies and regional authorities as more precipitation is expected mid-week.

The Above Normal High Tide Advisory is in effect

and will continue until June 2. As such, residents are encouraged to remain vigilant and cautious during this rainy season.

Additionally, one can re-

port any impacts to local authorities or the National Emergency Monitoring System (NEMS) on 6007500 or 226-1114 at any time.

Lack of financial records at local organs being reviewed at PAC – as $465M paid to contractors by GM&CC still to be verified

F

inancial records to document transfer of funds and other transactions at some local organs were brought under the spotlight on Monday thus raising eyebrows at the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) meeting.

On Monday, scrutiny was brought to the former Communities Ministry as the PAC continued its examination of the 2017 and 2018 Audit reports.

According to the 2017 report, the Audit Office said it was unable to verify the accuracy, validity, and completeness of $475.6 million paid to contractors of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council. It could not locate records to account for the payment, labelling the documents provided as “sketchy” at best.

According to Permanent Secretary of the Local Government Ministry Prema Roopnarine, these were expenses incurred by City Hall. A Cabinet decision was taken for this afore-

Monday’s PAC meeting at Parliament Buildings

mentioned sum to be paid to three contractors.

City Hall has since been asked to provide a reconciliation on how these figures were derived but according to the records, “severe difficulties” have been encountered in getting documents to justify the breakdown of the amount.

A $52.1 million payment made to a contractor could not be verified. Records cannot be found by the Local Government Ministry.

“The City Treasurer and

Town Clerk managed to find some contracts and copies relating to this. They have shared those with the auditors. We’re making some headway. In conclusion, Ministry of Communities paid $475 million based on a Cabinet decision that clearly outlined who to pay…Up until now, we’re having severe difficulties getting the documents to justify the breakdown of $475 million,” informed the PS. In 2018, $297.7 million was transferred to munic-

ipalities but it was highlighted that these local organs continue to breach the Municipal and District Council Act, in relation to submitting timely financial statements.

PAC Executive Dharamkumar Seeraj questioned, “Can the Permanent Secretary tell PAC if the Ministry is taking any action to bring municipalities up to date with requirement under the Municipal and District Councils Act before they contemplate making

more transfers for these municipalities?

Is the Ministry contemplating making it conditional that these defaulting municipalities bring their books up to date before transfers are made?”

According to the Permanent Secretary, letters have been dispatched, asking Councils to submit timely financial statements. She said they are implementing a comprehensive training programme, to build capacity in making these commitments.

“The Ministry of Local Government has written several letters to all municipalities encouraging them to bring their accounts up to date and submit for audit. We have also noted that there is an issue of capacity with training. We’re implementing a comprehensive training programme across the municipalities to help them in whatever areas they need to get these accounts up to date.”

The PAC also drew atten-

tion to the need for financial regulations governing local democratic organs, in order to bring about greater accountability. When the matter was discussed, Former Permanent Secretary, Emil Mc Garrell supported the need for financial regulation.

“It is indeed a challenge in relation to financial management at the municipalities and NDCs, in particular in relation to transfers from Central Government.

Without financial regulation, as how they ought to conduct themselves, they are free to conduct themselves in financial matters in accordance to Chapter 28:01 and Chapter 28:02…

As far as there is no financial regulation in place for municipalities and NDCs across the board, we have the challenges that we face here,” the former Permanent Secretary outlined.

PAC Executive Ganesh Mahipaul said in the case where moral suasion has not been upheld, there is a need for regulations.

NEWS

15

TUESDAY, MAY 31, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Homeless persons benefit from CIOG outreach T

he Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG) in collaboration with the Guyana Cancer Society held a medical outreach at Niem’s Soup Kitchen, Brickdam, Georgetown, on Thursday which saw more than 200 persons benefitting.

The purpose of the outreach was to provide medical assistance to the community and surrounding area in general.

The residents were able to have their blood pressure and glucose levels tested, HIV and STD testing, and access to mental health care, eye, and den-

Persons at the medical outreach

Peacemaker shot dead by co-worker

A

n operator attached to Toolsie Persaud Limited Logging Company was allegedly shot and killed by a co-worker on Saturday after he attempted to make peace during a row over an accusation. The shooting incident occurred at Tiger Creek, Essequibo River.

The dead man has been identified as 29-yearold Rohit Hansraj called “Master”, of Wakenaam Island, Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara).

Police stated that on the day in question at about 14:30h, the now dead man along with two other workers were consuming alcohol at the worksite.

However, the suspect approached one of the men and accused him of “look-

ing” at his wife. At this time, Hansraj intervened and managed to get the suspect to return to his cabin.

Nevertheless, the suspect reportedly returned with a shotgun. “Hansraj and the suspect became embroiled in an argument during which the suspect discharged a round from the firearm which struck Hansraj to his upper left shoulder area,” the Police stated.

After committing the act, the suspect made good his escape in the bushes with the said firearm. The matter was reported to the Police and upon arriving at the scene, the detectives observed Hansraj lying face-up, clad in a pair of blue trousers and a grey jersey.

The body was exam-

Dead: Rohit “Master” Hansraj

ined and a gaping wound was seen on the upper left shoulder. The body was taken to the Bartica Hospital Mortuary awaiting a post-mortem.

The Police have since launched a manhunt for the suspect as investigations continue.

Guyana’s development will...

In this regard, President Ali made it clear that he will not let the country’s development be held hostage, as Government will pursue its plans for Guyana regardless of the Opposition’s support.

“I am pursuing One Guyana. It is clear to me that those aspirations of mine may not be shared by Mr Norton because he did not have the dignity, the professionalism to even respond orally or in writing to an invitation by the Office of the President. If this is the approach of the Leader of the Opposition, I have no problems with that. My approach is to move this country forward. Our approach as a Government is to take this country forward in keeping with the constitutional requirements and we will not have those requirements held up or held hostage by political objectives.”

Accompanying the President was Attorney

General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall who added, “I think we have complied with the Constitution and the narrative outlined by rule is quite elaborate. It set out the facts as unfolded…We have extended every convenient opportunity and we have satisfied the spirit of meaningful consultations as provided for and contemplated by the Constitution.”

Meanwhile, in a correspondence dated May 30 that was released to the media, the Leader of the Opposition wrote Minister Teixeira saying that he is unavailable to meet due to his prior commitments and press schedule.

Norton has argued that it was unacceptable that the second meeting was not scheduled within the week as was initially agreed during the first meeting of May 13.

“The aforesaid time having expired without the re-

FROM PAGE 7

sumption of in-person consultations and without prior communication is testimony to your Government’s disregard for agreements it signs and a manifestation of bad faith,” Norton contended in his missive.

He also stated that he did not attend the meeting on Monday since he believes that the notice was too short and more so, he had other pressing issues.

This meeting was expected to address among other constitutional matters, the appointments for key positions as governed by law. Among the appointments to be discussed were those for the Police Service Commission, Public Service Commission, Teaching Service Commission, Judicial Service Commission, and the Integrity Commission.

The appointments of a Chancellor and Chief Justice are also pending.

tal upkeep, with medical advice from general and specialty doctors.

The medical team was able to provide care to over two hundred homeless persons.

Along with the medical care provided, the residents present were issued with packages that catered for basic daily necessities, inclusive of disinfectant wipes, face masks, clothing, and diapers (both children and adults) and provision of over the counter and prescription medication.

The recipients of the

Homeless persons receiving haircuts

outreach were also able to have access to haircuts and other necessities that cater to their daily hygiene.

The CIOG extended thanks to the management of Niem’s Soup Kitchen for their hard work and dedication and their support as well as the supporting partners including doctors, nurses, and personnel who give their time and services voluntarily in making this humanitarian initia-

tive a successful one.

The outreach was supported by Guyana Medical Relief, the US Embassy to Guyana Civil Affairs and Regional PSYOP Team, SEWA International, Mike’s Pharmacy, the Guyana Cancer Society, National AIDS Programme Secretariat, and International Organisation of Migration, the Cheddi Jagan Dental School, and the Ministry of Health.

16 NEWS Landowners can access up to $12M to construct homes TUESDAY, MAY 31, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

– as Govt launches home construction assistance programme

An applicant (left) is being registered by a CHPA Housing Administration Officer (right)

T

he Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA) on Monday opened applications for the home construction assistance programme at its Head Office on Brickdam Street,

Georgetown.

Minister within the Housing and Water Ministry Susan Rodrigues and CHPA Chief Executive Officer Sherwyn Greaves were present at the launching.

The programme is the brainchild of President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali which seeks to accelerate the Government’s housing drive, while also addressing challenges faced

by Guyanese families who have acquired lands but are unable to build their homes, due to inaccessibility of financing and issues with contractors.

“We promised 50,000 house lots, which we have been ensuring that we make available to the citizens but we have been adamant that our primary focus is homeownership [and] ensuring that Guyanese move from being renters to becoming homeowners,” Minister Rodrigues stated on Monday.

The Minister added, “what we found is that in some cases there is a disconnect and there is more help that is needed especially for our low-income earners”.

Minister within the Housing and Water Ministry Susan Rodrigues

Through the programme, the CHPA and the banking institutions will now be under one roof at CHPA’s Head Office. So far, the New Building Society and Republic Bank (Guyana)

Limited are on board.

Applicants will be assisted with the process of bank financing to meet the cost of construction. CHPA will also be constructing the homes for the applicants, who can choose from three pre-designed units - $7 million, $9 million and $12 million.

CHPA Chief Executive Officer Sherwyn Greaves stated that the programme will also stir economic activity.

“Our housing drive is synonymous with the creation of employment. This will not only help the landowners, it will at the same time provide employment for our citizens across the country,” CEO Greaves said.

He further stated that the agency will soon be inviting individuals, groups and companies to express their interests in providing

CHPA Chief Executive Officer Sherwyn Greaves

various skills and services for the initiative.

Already, the programme is being expanded to cover other administrative regions and is expected to be rolled out in Region 10 before the end of the week.

Taxi driver dies, cousin critical 2nd booster dose to be offered from June 1 – Health Minister after Corentyne smash-up …first booster for teens to be available …paediatric vaccines to arrive in 2 weeks

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Dead: Kevin Alert

O

ne man is now dead while another is seriously injured following an accident along the Corentyne Highway, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), on Sunday evening.

Dead is 26-year-old Kevin Alert of Eversham Village

The car in the trench after the accident

The uprooted utility pole

while the injured man was identified as 21-year-old Nicklous Johnson of Number 51 Village.

According to the Police, on the day in question at about 22:50h, Alert was driving motor car bearing registration number PAC 1403 along the Number 63 Public Road at a fast rate of speed when he lost control and slammed into a concrete culvert and then into a utility pole.

The car then came to a halt in a nearby trench.

At the time, Johnson was

in the front seat passenger.

However, as a result, both Alert and Johnson received injuries to their bodies.

They were picked up in an unconscious state by public-spirited citizens and taken to the Skeldon Public Hospital and subsequently transferred to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital. Johnson was admitted in a serious condition.

Alert, however, succumbed while receiving medical attention. An eyewitness told Guyana Timesthat it was his culvert that the car hit.

According to Lakeram Singh,

the car was travelling at a very fast rate.

“He was taking the Number 63 Village turn going towards Skeldon and the tires started to screech because the driver lost control of the car and it careened onto the tip of my culvert, hit one of the road light poles; breaking it from the root and continued its journey towards the rice mill first entrance.”

The eyewitness said at that point the vehicle flipped twice before coming to a halt in front of the rice mill which is situated next to his property.

Meanwhile, Afia Alert explained that her now dead brother operated a hire car between Corentyne and Georgetown, and on the night of the accident, he and his cousin were on their way to Skeldon.

She could not say what the reason for the trip to Skeldon was but noted that the car belongs to another cousin. Police say that the incident is still being investigated.

rom the beginning of June, the Health Ministry will be offering a second booster shot for the adult population and a first booster jab for adolescents.

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony made the announcement on Monday, adding that the shots will be available at all vaccination sites.

The Health Ministry is currently utilising Sinopharm, Johnson & Johnson, and Pfizer vaccines to continue its immunisation campaign.

However, Government is expecting a shipment of paediatric Pfizer vaccines, used for children between the ages of five and 11 years.

“We are also expecting to get the paediatric Pfizer vaccines…By the second week in June, we will start making these vaccines available. It would allow us to adequately train our staff in the use of the vaccines and once we do that, we will start rolling out that vaccines for the five to 11 age group,” Dr Anthony shared.

Vaccination figures show 441,994 first doses being administered to adults, accounting for 86.2 per cent.

Meanwhile, 341,574 second doses or 66.6 per cent coverage has been achieved.

For the 12 to 17 category, 34,691 or 47.6 per cent first doses were administered, followed by 25,416 or 34.8 per cent second doses. Booster shots were listed at 65,145.

“We have adequate supplies of vaccines right now and when it is necessary, we will get more. Right now, we have adequate supplies,” added the Health Minister, when asked if Guyana has

Vaccination continues across all sites in the country (MoH photo)

enough vaccines to roll out a second booster dose.

The Minister explained again that having a booster dose is essential in upkeeping immunity against the novel coronavirus. When immunity wanes, the risk of contracting the virus heightens. After approximately six months since a shot is administered, the protection would decrease, leaving the individual susceptible to infection.

“Since we have been vaccinating people, one of the things that we have noticed is that after about six months, the immunity that you would have developed from the vaccine would start dropping.

Therefore, there is an absolute need for you to get a booster dose. We have been appealing to persons to come out and get their booster doses because from the numbers we’re seeing, a lot of people received their primary doses but many of them have not come back for their booster dose. By now, their immunity would have dropped and they

would be at risk.”

Despite sensitisation on vaccine importance in the country, he contended that coverage remains low in recent time.

“We haven’t seen a lot of persons coming forward to get vaccinated, despite the many appeals that we have been making to people. By now, everybody should know that with vaccination, you get protection. If you’re not vaccinated, you can get infected and get a more severe form of COVID, especially if you have underlying illnesses.”

Comorbid conditions or underlying conditions include cancer, cerebrovascular diseases, chronic kidney diseases, chronic lung diseases, chronic liver diseases, diabetes, Down Syndrome, heart conditions, HIV, mental health disorders, neurological conditions, obesity, pregnancy, sickle cell anaemia, tuberculosis, solid organ transplant patients, smokers or those with substance use disorder.

NEWS

17

TUESDAY, MAY 31, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Lawyers call on Police to reopen probe into Kescia Branche’s murder …say willing to work with crime sleuths to crack case

and slapped with a murder charge.

Following a Preliminary Inquiry (PI), a city Magistrate had ruled that there was sufficient evidence against him to put him on trial at the High Court. Munroe had allegedly departed Guyana for the United States of America at some time in November 2017, but after spending some time overseas, had returned to Guyana and presented himself to the Brickdam Police Station in the company of his attorneys-at-law.

From left: Attorney-at-Law Shercola Exeter, Attorney-at-Law Dexter Todd, Matthew Munroe, and Attorney-at-Law Nicola Sandford at Monday’s press conference

D

ays after taxi driver Matthew Munroe was freed of the 2017 murder of Richard Ismael Secondary School teacher, 22-year-old Kescia Branche, his lawyers are calling on the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to reopen investigations into the brutal killing of the young mother, even offering to render assistance.

Last week Tuesday, Munroe, 52, of Diamond, East Bank Demerara (EBD), was arraigned for the teacher’s murder before Demerara High Court Judge Sandil Kissoon.

His trial commenced after he pleaded not guilty to a charge of the capital offence.

The prosecution had 31 witnesses. During the morning session, the prosecution led evidence from three witnesses before the case was adjourned for lunch. When the trial resumed, the prosecution indicated that it could not find its key witnesses.

At this point, the Judge explained that due to the absence of these witnesses, he did not believe that the prosecution would be able to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt and therefore directed the jury to return a formal not guilty verdict.

The prosecution’s case was based primarily on circumstantial evidence.

Fresh investigation

During a press conference on Monday, Munroe’s lawyers, Dexter Todd, Nicola Sandford, and Shercola Exeter bemoaned the Police investigation into Branche’s murder. Based on the evidence, Todd said that his client should not have been charged. According to him, any person, even a layman would conclude that “clearly a wrong person was charged for this murder”.

Munroe, as well as his legal team, are calling on the Police to reopen the case because they believe the family of the deceased teacher needs justice. “Open this investigation and if during this investigation, the authorities come to a point in which they believe that they need better experts, then they must do so. We need better Police investigation,” Todd

Dead: Kescia Branche

lamented.

Meanwhile, a tearful Munroe told reporters that he cooperated fully with Police investigations, stating that although he was vacationing in the USA at the time, he returned home to clear his name. He said that during interrogation, Police ranks beat him with a rope, covered his head with a plastic bag several times, threw water onto his face, and demanded he confesses to the crime.

He, nevertheless, pleaded with the Police to conduct a fresh investigation into the murder.

“I would like for this case to be reopened. If the media and the general public could join with me and we could ask the Government or whoever is responsible for this case to be reopened so that justice could be served. It is not fair for Ms Branche and her family and even for her son…it is not fair for them; justice must be served. I was taken away from my family for five years…,” he said.

No evidence

Even if the prosecution’s key witnesses had testified, Todd noted that this still would not have been sufficient to convict his client.

He said that the matter did not fail because the prosecution failed to produce its main witness but rather because the circumstantial case, even if all the witnesses were presented, would not have allowed the court to put the case to a jury.

He also said that witnesses that the prosecution was unable to locate could not be the main witnesses as “there was no main witness in this case”. Todd stressed that whenever a matter goes before the court, it should be one of “substance”, adding that too many matters are presented that were not properly investigated.

Against this backdrop, he described Munroe’s committal to stand trial as a travesty. Additionally, the lawyer believes that investigations into this murder were “tainted in a particular way” and “we cannot allow these things to happen in society”.

Munroe’s lawyer said that he and his associates have no intention of bashing the Police and are hoping to partner with them in an effort to make the criminal justice system better. He added, “It is a responsibility that we [lawyers] have to ensure that we do our part to better our society. The purpose of this press conference is to highlight that there is something definitely going wrong in the [Police Force].”

While he refrained from suggesting where the Police Force should direct its investigation, Todd said that 90 per cent of the persons who lawyers represent are innocent people who were wrongfully charged. The counsel noted that such injustices need to be highlighted not to embarrass the Police Force but to forge partnerships to improve the system.

Munroe, who has been on remand for the past five years, is contemplating suing the State for malicious prosecution.

Found unconscious

Branche, a mother of one, of Cummings Lodge, Greater Georgetown, had been found unconscious at the corner of Louisa Row and Princes Street, Georgetown, in the vicinity of the Le Repentir Cemetery on November 5, 2017. She died two days later without regaining consciousness at the Georgetown Public Hospital. Her cause of death has been given as haemorrhage and blunt trauma to the head. Munroe was arrested sometime after

The Police have said that, during interrogation, Munroe could not provide information on his whereabouts on the night that the school teacher was killed, as well as a reason for his car bumper being missing. According to reports, the young mother had left home for a night of partying with her friends. Her young son was left in the care of a friend, who revealed that Branche had told her she had intended to go to a city nightclub to meet a male friend. Branche had later re-

turned home but had subsequently left again.

She had told her friend that she would be home by 02:00h but had never returned. She had last been seen leaving a nightclub on Lamaha Street in the company of two Policemen. The father of Branche’s child was also arrested after the teacher’s mobile phone was found in his possession. He and four Policemen had been questioned about her death, but they were later released from custody.

Reg 4 man dies from COVID, death toll now 1234 – active cases surpass 600

GUYANA COVID-19 DASHBOARD MAY 30, 2022 UPDATE

NUMBER OF NEW CASES

11

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL ISOLATION

20

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN HOME ISOLATION

606

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN COVID-19 ICU

3

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL QUARANTINE

3

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (FEMALES)

34,906

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (MALES)

29,722

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES IN GUYANA SINCE 2020

64,628

NUMBER OF RECOVERED CASES

62,765

TOTAL 1st DOSE VACCINATED FULLY IMMUNISED

REGION 1

2522

REGION 2

2562

REGION 3

8180

REGION 4

32,081

REGION 5

2411

REGION 6

5997

REGION 7

2430

REGION 8

886

REGION 9

4046

REGION 10

3513

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

441,911 341,493

TOTAL NUMBER OF DEATHS

DISTRIBUTION OF TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES SINCE MARCH 2020

1234

Keep a physical distance of at least 6 feet.

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

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

T

he Health Minister on Monday reported that a fully vaccinated 59-year-old man from Region Four has succumbed to COVID-19 thus taking the death toll to 1234. He reportedly died on Sunday while receiving treatment at a medical facility.

However, new statistics showed that 11 new cases were detected within a 24hour period. Confirmed cases have reached 64,628 – 29,722 males and 34,906 females.

In addition, statistics showed that there are 20 persons in institutional isolation, 606 in home isolation, and three in institutional quarantine. Meanwhile, recoveries are at 62,765 while the country has tested 628,090.

Of the 634 active cases in the country, 23 are hospitalised with three in the

Intensive Care Unit. The remainder has been placed in home isolation.

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony on Monday cautioned that persons in home isolation should abide by protocols set out.

“One of the challenges is that when people test positive and they should be isolating themselves, sometimes they’re not doing that. By not doing that, they risk spreading the virus to other persons.

Even when they’re at home, if they don’t take the right precautions like wearing an N95 mask and staying away from other persons in the household, they can infect other persons living in that household. It is very important if you test positive that you isolate properly,” Dr Anthony cautioned.

Persons with comorbidi-

ties have been continuously asked to continue taking their respective medications or treatment to control their condition. The preventative measures and guidelines to protect against the virus must be adhered to since this category of person is at greater risk if they contract COVID-19.

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 526 million people have tested positive for the virus and 6.2 million have died.

In the Americas, more than 156 million confirmed cases have been reported with over 2.7 million deaths.

18

guyanatimesgy.com

TUESDAY, MAY 31, 2022

Regional

Cuba dissident leaders face Jamaican Opposition Leader trial in tightly-held proceedings slams PM for NHT comments

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wo leading Cuban artist-dissidents faced their first day of trial on Monday after being detained nearly a year ago, part of an ongoing judicial process that human rights groups have called a “farce” and a “circus”.

The activists, Luis Manuel Otero Alcantara and Maykel Castillo, are prominent members of the Havana-based San Isidro Movement, an artists’ collective that led several protests before many of the group left Cuba, alleging repression.

Otero Alcantara is accused of defaming the national flag, contempt and public disorder, and faces seven years in jail, according to a March 8 court filing obtained

by Reuters; Castillo, a rapper also known as Osorbo, has also been charged with assault and faces 10 years, the court document shows.

Both Otero Alcantara and Castillo appeared in the music video for “Patria y Vida”, a defiant hip-hop song that became the unofficial “anthem” for widespread anti-government protests last

J

A Police Officer stops a car with diplomats from heading to the courthouse where Cuban leader of a dissident art collective Otero Alcantara and rapper Maykel Castillo stand trial for public disorder and defamation of public institutions and national symbols, in Havana

July 11, believed to be the largest since Fidel Castro´s 1959 revolution.

On Monday, Police and security forces surrounded the courthouse in Havana from early in the morning. A small group of family was allowed access to the courthouse, an official from Cuba´s International Press Centre told Reuters.

Representatives from the Havana Embassies of several European countries, including the Netherlands, Germany, Czech Republic,

United Kingdom, Norway, and Sweden stood huddled a block from the courthouse awaiting access for nearly two hours after asking to enter and observe the proceedings.

“We were not authorised to enter the courthouse,” said a representative of the German Embassy before departing. The representative asked not to be named and declined to say why the group had been denied access to the courthouse. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Lula regains double-digit lead over Bolsonaro in poll

F

ormer President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has reclaimed a double-digit advantage over incumbent Jair Bolsonaro ahead of Brazil’s October election after another centre-right candidate quit the race, according to a new poll on Monday.

The opinion survey, run

by Instituto FSB with sponsorship from investment bank BTG, found that 46 per cent of voters support Lula, up from 41 per cent in April.

Support for Bolsonaro was unchanged from a month ago at 32 per cent in the survey.

In an expected second-round run-off between the two men, Lula would

gain 54 per cent of the votes and Bolsonaro 35 per cent, a 19-percentage point advantage that Lula had in March.

FSB Director Marcelo Tokarski said Bolsonaro had gained ground in April after former Justice Minister Sergio Moro dropped out, but Lula saw a bump after Joao Doria, the former Governor of São Paulo state, threw in the towel last week.

Frustrations about surging food and fuel prices have also taken their toll on Bolsonaro’s support in the race.

“The surge in inflation, but mainly the expectation among most voters that prices will continue to rise in the

next three months, has been a hurdle for Bolsonaro’s re-election plans,” Tokarski said.

The poll showed that the Brazilian election is more polarised than ever, with centrist alternatives to Lula and Bolsonaro garnering just 13 per cent of voter support, down from 17 per cent in April and 24 per cent in March.

The rejection rates for both Lula and Bolsonaro remain virtually unchanged, with 43 per cent of voters saying they would never vote for the leftist Workers Party leader and 59 per cent saying they would never vote for the far-right incumbent. (Excerpt from Reuters)

amaican Opposition Leader Mark Golding has accused Prime Minister Andrew Holness of sending confusing signals about the National Housing Trust (NHT) in declaring that it was not a charity organisation but a financial institution.

Golding argued that the impression some people were getting from the Prime Minister’s declaration was that the NHT would no longer be providing loans to its contributors.

“He has created pure confusion in his remarks about the Housing Trust. What is he really saying in his remarks about the housing trust? The impression he has given people is that the Housing Trust is no longer going to make loans but is going to provide interest rate subsidies to Private Sector institutions like the banks,” Golding argued.

The Opposition spokesman was ostensibly reacting to Holness’ comments

Opposition Leader Mark Golding (left) and Prime Minister Andrew Holness

while addressing the recent ground-breaking ceremony for the Union Acres Housing Development in Irwin, St James.

“The NHT is, first and foremost, a financial institution to support the development of housing in Jamaica. There is an illogical thinking amongst our people where it believed that if we run our business as a charitable organisation,

almost, that we will have the resources to be charitable. I want that point to sink in,” the Prime Minister stated at the time.

But Golding underscored that the housing trust was established by former Prime Minister Michael Manley with a mandate to provide housing solutions for the working masses. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

Traumatised families demand reforms after Ecuador prison riots

Prison riots in Guayaquil, Ecuador, in September last year killed more than 100 inmates [File: Dolores Ochoa/AP Photo]

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lex Burbano’s youngest brother, Jonathan, was quiet and serious.

The 23-year-old was halfway through a two-year prison sentence when he was killed in a massacre at Guayaquil’s Litoral Penitentiary in September 2021.

It was one of the deadliest in a string of Ecuadorian prison riots last year, resulting in 119 deaths. Alex said his family received an email on

the morning of September 28 warning that riots had broken out at Litoral, and they waited anxiously all day for news about Jonathan.

He finally called around 9pm via WhatsApp, a common form of communication within Ecuador’s prisons, and told his family he was OK – but they could hear explosions and gunshots in the background.

They never heard from

Jonathan again. Witnesses later told Alex that a grenade had been detonated near his brother’s cell. An autopsy showed that he died of a traumatic brain injury.

It took authorities two days to confirm that Jonathan had died because they did not have records of who was incarcerated in each cell, Alex told Al Jazeera.

Ecuador’s national prison management system and the Interior Ministry did not immediately respond to Al Jazeera’s requests for comment.

Alex says he will never know who killed his brother, but he puts the ultimate responsibility on the Ecuadorian State. Along with relatives of other prisoners who died in the recent massacres, Alex helped form the Committee of Families for Justice in Prisons to push for reforms and to demand that the State be held accountable for decades of negligence.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

The Bahamas says US must do more to control weapons smuggling ‘TikTok King’, 77, challenges

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he United States needs to do more to control the illegal flow of weapons to The Bahamas, the country’s Prime Minister said on Monday, amid growing concern about gun violence and homicides in the Caribbean nation.

More than 90 per cent of guns confiscated and used as murder weapons in The Bahamas can be traced back to American manufacturers and gun shops, according to official figures.

“We are saying to the Americans that they need to do more,” Prime Minister Philip Davis told reporters on the sidelines of a Police conference.

Bahamas’ Prime Minister Philip Edward Davis addresses the 76th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York City, US, September 25, 2021 (Reuters/ Eduardo Munoz/pool/file photo)

“Whereas we don’t want to get involved in their domestic issue of the right to bear arms, we are concerned that purchasers of

guns are not just buying it to bear but rather to export and to traffic.”

Davis said he has spoken with high-ranking US officials about the issue, and they were receptive to his concerns. He declined to identify the officials.

The State Department did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Police say 22 people were murdered in The Bahamas in March in what could be one of the highest monthly figures on record, apparently driven by gang conflicts and drug disputes.

Police have seized 172 firearms so far this year.

(Reuters)

ex-rebel for Colombia’s top job

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olombians have voted for change.

Voters in Colombia, who have never before elected a left-wing leader, overwhelmingly cast their ballots for ex-rebel Gustavo Petro.

But while Petro secured a 12-percentage-point lead over his nearest rival, he did not gain the 50 per cent needed to win outright.

He is joined in the second round by 77-yearold businessman Rodolfo Hernández, whose savvy campaign proved an unlikely success with voters. He

also won the sympathy of many Colombians when he was asked in one of his few TV appearances about his daughter.

Juliana Hernández was 23 when she was kidnapped in 2004 by the National Liberation Army (ELN), the smaller of Colombia’s two main left-wing rebel forces.

Rodolfo Hernández says that the ELN demanded a ransom of $2 million, but that he refused to pay, arguing it would put the rest of his family at a higher risk of kidnapping.

Juliana, a law student, was never heard from again and is presumed dead.

Both candidates have promised to change Colombia and shake up its politics, which for decades has been dominated by a small and powerful elite in the capital, Bogotá.

But with the candidates’ backgrounds and policy proposals poles apart, voters will have to decide what kind of change they want before they cast their ballots in the run-off election on June 19.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

guyanatimesgy.com

TUESDAY, MAY 31, 2022

19

Around the World

OILNEWS OIL NEWS

US will not send Ukraine rocket systems that can reach Russia, says Biden

Oil climbs above US$121 a barrel as China eases restrictions, EU meets

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il prices climbed above US$121 a barrel on Monday, hitting a two-month high as China eased COVID-19 restrictions and traders priced in expectations that the European Union will eventually reach an agreement to ban Russian oil imports.

Trading activity was muted due to a public holiday in the United States.

The Brent crude futures contract for July, which will expire on Tuesday, settled up US$2.24, or 1.9 per cent, at US$121.67 a barrel. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were up US$1.99, or 1.7 per cent, to US$117.06 a barrel at 18.03 GMT, extending solid gains made last week.

"One reason being cited for this is the imminent lifting of coronavirus restrictions in Shanghai, which is sparking hopes that oil demand will pick up again in China," analysts at Commerzbank said in a note to clients.

Shanghai announced an end to its two-month-long COVID-19 lockdown, and will allow the vast majority of people in China's largest city to leave their homes and drive their cars from Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the EU is meeting on Monday and today to discuss a sixth package of sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, which Moscow calls a "special military operation."

"Europe has been haggling about this for the better part of a month, but increasingly the market is pricing (additional sanctions) in as a risk," said Daniel Ghali, senior commodity strategist at TD Securities in Toronto.

EU countries failed to agree on a Russian oil import ban despite last-minute haggling before the summit got under way in Brussels. But leaders of the 27 EU countries will agree in principle to an oil embargo, a draft of their summit conclusions showed, while leaving the practical details and hard decisions until later.

Any further ban on Russian oil would tighten a crude market already strained for supply amid rising demand for gasoline, diesel and jet fuel ahead of the peak summer demand season in the United States and Europe.

Underscoring market tightness, the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies including Russia, a group dubbed OPEC+, are set to rebuff Western calls to speed up increases in output when they meet on Thursday.

They will stick to existing plans to raise their July output target by 432,000 barrels per day, six OPEC+ sources told Reuters.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Nepal plane crash: Rescuers find 21 bodies from wreck

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escuers have found 21 bodies so far from the crash site of a plane that went down in northern Nepal.

The small plane had been carrying 22 people, and searches continue to find the remaining missing passenger.

The plane was on a 20-minute flight when it lost contact with air traffic control five minutes before it was due to land.

The wreckage of the plane, operated by Nepali carrier Tara Air, was recovered in Mustang district.

"We have found 20 dead bodies, the body of an additional person has been located and rescuers are trying to retrieve it from difficult mountain terrain," the country's Civil Aviation Authority spokesman Deo Chandra Lal Karn told the BBC on Monday.

"Rescuers are still searching for a missing individual at the crash site," he said.

Four Indians, two Germans and 16 Nepalis were on board the plane, according to reports. But search operations have been hampered by bad weather and mountainous terrain.

Images posted on Twitter by a spokesman from the Nepalese Army showed the remains of the plane - prominently bearing its registered call sign 9N-AET. The plane, which was made by Canadian aircraft firm de Havilland, had departed the tourist town of Pokhara at around 0955 local time on Sunday (04:10 GMT).

It was bound for Jomsom - a popular tourist and pilgrimage site.

The Nepalese Government has said it has formed a panel to investigate the fatal crash.

Nepal has had a fraught record of aviation accidents, often due to its sudden weather changes and airstrips located in rocky terrains that are difficult to access. (Excerpt from BBC News)

US President Joe Biden boards Marine One on return travel to Washington, from Brandywine Creek State Park in Wilmington, Delaware, US, May 30, 2022

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he United States will not send Ukraine rocket systems that can reach into Russia, President Joe Biden said on Monday, as Ukraine pushes for longer-range weapons system to help in its fight.

Ukrainian officials have been asking allies for longer-range systems including the Multiple Launch Rocket System, or MLRS, that can fire a barrage of rockets hun-

dreds of miles away.

"We're not going to send to Ukraine rocket systems that strike into Russia," Biden told reporters after arriving back at the White House after a weekend in Delaware.

Biden did not rule out providing any specific weapons system, but instead appeared to be placing conditions on how they could be used. Biden and his team are working on a new package of

Archaeologists uncover trove of ancient Egyptian mummies

Sarcophaguses that are around 2500 years old, from the newly discovered burial site near Egypt's Saqqara necropolis, are seen during a presentation in Giza, Egypt May 30, 2022

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rchaeologists working near Cairo have uncovered hundreds of ancient Egyptian coffins and bronze statues of deities.

The discovery at a cemetery in Saqqara contained statues of the gods Anubis, Amun, Min, Osiris, Isis, Nefertum, Bastet and Hathor along with a headless statue of the architect Imhotep, who built the Saqqara pyramid, Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said on Monday.

The 250 coffins, 150 bronze statues and other objects dated to the Late Period, about 500 BC, the Ministry said.

They were accompanied by a musical instrument known as a sistrum and a collection of bronze vessels used in rituals for the worship of the goddess Isis.

The painted wooden coffins were found intact in burial shafts and contained mummies, amulets and wooden boxes. Wooden stat-

ues of Nephthys and Isis from an earlier period were also found, both with gilded faces.

One coffin contained a well-preserved papyrus written in hieroglyphs, perhaps verses of the Book of the Dead, and was sent to the laboratory of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo for study, said Mostafa Waziri, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities.

A collection of cosmetics was found, including kohl containers, as well as bracelets and earrings.

The coffins will be transferred for display at the Grand Egyptian Museum under construction near the Great Pyramids of Giza and due to open later this year.

Saqqara, to the south of the Giza pyramids, has provided a steady stream of archaeological discoveries in recent years. The mission has been excavating in the area since 2018. (Excerpt from Reuters)

military equipment and it is expected to be announced in coming days.

The MLRS was under consideration, but nothing with long-range strike capabilities outside of battlefield use, a senior administration official said.

The Ukrainian Government has urged the West to provide it with more longer-range weapons in order to turn the tide in the war, now in its fourth month.

Biden wants to help Ukraine defend itself but has been opposed to providing

weapons that Ukraine could use to attack Russia.

CNN and The Washington Post reported on Friday the Biden administration was leaning towards sending the MLRS and another system, the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, known as HIMARS, as part of an upcoming military aid package.

Thousands of people have been killed in Ukraine and millions more displaced since the Russian invasion on Feb 24, which Moscow calls a "special military operation."

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Suspect arrested after Mona Lisa attacked with cake

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he Mona Lisa was attacked but unharmed when a visitor to the Louvre in Paris tried to smash the glass protecting the world’s most famous painting before smearing cake across its surface in an apparent environment-related publicity stunt.

The Paris prosecutor’s office said on Monday that the 36-year-old man was detained following Sunday’s incident and sent to a Police psychiatric unit.

An investigation has been opened into the damage of cultural artifacts.

Videos posted on social media show a man in a wig and lipstick who arrived in a wheelchair. The man, whose identity was unknown, was also seen throwing roses in the museum gallery.

The perpetrator, disguised as an old lady, then jumped out of the wheelchair before assaulting the bulletproof

glass.

The cake attack left a conspicuous white creamy smear but the famous work by Leonardo da Vinci was not damaged.

“Think of the Earth, people are destroying the Earth,” the man said in French in another video that showed him being led away by security from the Paris gallery. “Think about it.

Artists tell you: think of the Earth. That’s why I did this.”

The 16th-century Renaissance masterpiece has been targeted before. The painting was stolen in 1911 by a museum employee, an event that increased its international fame.

The Mona Lisa has been behind glass since a Bolivian man threw a rock at the painting in December 1956, damaging her left elbow. In 2005, it was placed in a reinforced case that also controls temperature and humidity. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Senegal: Police arrest 2 after death of 11 babies in fire

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enegalese officials have arrested two health workers from a neonatal unit where a fire killed 11 newborns last week.

The arrest happened on Sunday, according to private Senegalese radio station RFM. The nurse and a nurse’s aide were on duty Wednesday night when the fire took place at the Abdoul Aziz Sy Dabakh Hospital in Tivaouane, a town 120 kilometres (75 miles) northeast of the capital, Dakar.

They were arrested for “neglecting children” and “endangering the lives of others”, according to a report by RFM. The arrests came days after President Macky Sall promised investigations to determine the cause of the fire.

He also called for auditing of all medical equipment that accommodates newborns in the country.

Health Minister Abdoulaye Diouf Sarr was fired last week and replaced by senior ministry official Marie

Khemesse Ngom Ndiaye, the Government said.

Sarr, who was attending the World Health Assembly in Geneva, cut short his trip to return to Senegal and told RFM that the fire was caused by an electrical short circuit.

A year earlier, four other newborns died in a hospital fire in Linguere in northern Senegal.

A series of other deaths also have raised concerns about maternal and infant health in the West African nation believed to have some of the best hospitals in the region.

Earlier this month, authorities discovered a baby that had been declared dead by a nurse’s aide was still alive in a morgue. The infant later died.

Last year a pregnant woman died in Louga, in the north of the country, after waiting in vain for a cesarean section.

Three midwives were given six-month suspended sentences for not giving help to a person in danger. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

20

TUESDAY, MAY 31, 2022

guyanatimesgy.com

DAILY HOROSCOPES

ARCHIE

Think big, but pay attention to detail, be precise and finish what you start.

Don't let anyone stand in your way or disrupt your plans. Separate your emotions from your responsibilities.

(March 21-April 19) Keep your plans to yourself until you are sure you will execute your intentions successfully. If you say you will do one thing and then do another, you will be harshly criticized.

DILBERT (April 20-May 20)

Get your facts straight before passing along information. Protect your possessions, reputation and position. It's OK to dream, but don't get carried away with something that isn't feasible.

(May 21-June 20) Keep your reactions minimal. Listen to reason and be practical regarding money and the changes you want to make. Look for an original way to make your skills profitable.

PEANUTS (June 21-July 22)

Concentrate on getting things done.

Don't offer information that someone can use against you. Rely on your strength, courage and experience to outmaneuver anyone who tries to compete with you.

(July 23-Aug. 22) Walk away from anything or anyone causing stress. Consider making some changes that will boost your happiness.

Take nothing for granted or leave anything to chance. Go after what you want.

CALVIN AND HOBBES

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Learn from experience and carry on with discipline and the intent to make things happen. Do the best job possible by using the latest and greatest methods and technology.

(Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Don't let a change someone makes throw you off your game. Assess the situation and adapt your plans to reach your goal. A unique idea will separate you from the masses and give you a needed edge.

SUDOKU (Oct. 24-Nov. 22)

Verify information before passing it along or relying on it. A change at home will give you more space to get things done. Spread out and work diligently to realize your dreams.

(Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Gather information and downsize your plans. Be creative in how you assess what's necessary. Come up with a reasonable goal, and don't stop until you are satisfied with the results.

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Observation will be crucial when dealing with a friend, relative or peer.

Don't feel obligated to make a move if you aren't ready. Consider your options and prepare appropriately.

(Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Put in the time and effort, and you will bring about positive change. Getting together with someone who makes you think and offers a unique perspective will lead to new beginnings.

(Feb. 20-March 20)

TUESDAY, MAY 31, 2022

21

RHT NAMILCO Thunderbolt teams honour medical workers and law enforcement officers T

he Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTY&SC) NAMILCO Thunderbolt Flour Under-21 and first- division teams last weekend honoured a combined eight law enforcement officers and medical workers under the Club’s Tribute to Heroes programme.

The teams, led by Kevlon Anderson and Jonathan Rampersaud respectively, have a mandate from club management to host a total of 40 personal self-development programmes under a wide range of sub-headings including sports, public health, awards, education, community development and youth development.

Club Secretary/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Hilbert Foster, in remarks, congratulated the awardees on a job well done and stated that the RHTY&SC and its cricketers were honoured to recognise their service to Berbicians in general. He noted that the law enforcement officers were all positive role models to youths in the Rose Hall Town area and called on them to uphold the image of the Guyana Police Force.

He expressed thanks to them for allowing residents of the township to sleep in relative

Awardees of the Tribute to Law Enforcement Officers

peace at nights and also for the current low crime rate in Guyana's smallest town.

The awardees – Constable Roger Saunders, Constable 24973 Coleen Ayling, Special Woman Constable Marcilla Profitt and Constable 25105 Kevin Tyndall – were selected by the management of the Rose Hall Town Police Outpost and the club.

At Port Mourant, the teams honoured four medical workers who were specially selected by the hospital management based on their hard work and dedication. Those honoured were Abdool Kadir (Porter); Teola GonsalvesJames (Lab Technician);

Verona Campbell (Pharmacy Dept) and Venelli Brewster (Nursing Assistant). Foster stated that the award was launched five years ago when he was a patient at the Port Mourant Hospital and was very impressed with the highly-professional attitude of the management and staff. He stated that over the years, the RHTY&SC has developed a very close working relationship with the hospital and has made several donations to the institution. The Regional Health Officer, Dr Vishalya Sharma expressed thanks to the cricket teams and Foster for recognising the performance of the work-

Celtics reach NBA final for 1st time since 2010

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he Boston Celtics reached the NBA Finals for the first time in 12 years as they held off a determined Miami Heat for a 10096 game-seven win.

Boston failed in their last five play-off runs and almost did so again as Jimmy Butler missed a late three-point attempt which would have given Miami the lead.

But the Celtics go on to face the Golden State Warriors in the Finals.

"This is a typical Celtics win," Coach Ime Udoka said.

"We fought through a lot of adversity this year. We're a resilient group and tonight seemed to signify our season.

We can't ever seem to shut the

The Boston Celtics celebrate their win

door and have to grind it out."

The Celtics led by 17 at one point in the second quarter, but a fourth-quarter flurry helped Miami repeatedly reduce the advantage.

After Butler's missed three-pointer, Boston's Marcus Smart – who had 24 points and nine rebounds in total – made two free throws to seal the long-awaited finals place.

Series Most Valuable Player (MVP) Jayson Tatum

starred for the Celtics with 26 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists, while Jaylen Brown had 24 points.

Tatum said: "The road we took to get here, not a lot of people believed in us. We took the toughest route and it worked out."

Boston face the Warriors, who beat the Dallas Mavericks to earn their place in the Finals, for game one in San Francisco on Thursday.

(BBC Sport)

Awardees of the Tribute to Medical Workers programme pose with Regional Health Officer, Dr Vishalya Sharma; Head of Port Mourant Hospital, Dr G Sukhdeo and RHTY&SC Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster

ers and called for more organisations to follow in their footsteps. She praised the positive efforts of the Port Mourant staff and the effect they were having on the lives of residents in the area. Each of the awardees received a plaque, medal of excellence, framed certificate of excellence, and four special gifts that included a NAMILCO Thunderbolt

Flour hamper.

The teams will soon join hands with their clubmates in the Farfan and Mendes Under-15 team, Bakewell Under-17 and second-division teams, Pepsi Under-19 and intermediate teams, and Metro female team to honour teachers, retired educators, firemen and post office workers under the massive Tribute to

Heroes programme. Among the players in the NAMILCO Thunderbolt Flour teams are Kevin Sinclair, Clinton Pestano, Kevlon Anderson, Junior Sinclair, Shawn Perriera, Slyus Tyndall, Keon Sinclair, Jonathan Rampersaud, Jeremy Sandia, Mahendra Gopilall, Christopher Deroop and Assad Fudadin.

Former Windies Captain Daren Sammy conferred with prestigious Sitara-i-Pakistan Award

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ormer West Indies Captain Daren Sammy has been conferred with the Sitara-i-Pakistan Award for Services to Pakistan during a ceremony held on Monday.

The 38-year-old all-rounder was being recognised for his role in helping bring international cricket back to Pakistan. It is the third-highest civil award conferred by Pakistan.

The citation read in part: “At a time when most of the foreign players backed off from playing cricket in Pakistan for security reasons, it was Mr Daren Sammy, the Captain of Peshawar Zalmi, who against all odds helped the cause of restoration of international cricket in Pakistan and highlighted its soft image.

Mr Daren Sammy stood out this whole time and has been a true ambassador and flag bearer of Pakistan ever since.”

He expressed his appreciation and gratitude in a post on Instagram on Sunday.

“Cricket took me all over the world, enabling me to see and play in some amazing

Former West Indies Captain Daren Sammy was all smiles receiving his award

places. Pakistan is definitely one of these places. A place that always makes me feel at home. It is such an honour to have received this prestigious award from the Government and the people of Pakistan.

Thank you,” said Sammy, who played for Peshawar Zalmi in the inaugural Pakistan Super League in 2016 and now serves as the franchise’s Head Coach.

In the 2017 PSL draft, he was retained by Peshawar Zalmi. During the draft, Captain Shahid Afridi announced Sammy as the new Captain of Peshawar Zalmi.

With Sammy as its captain, the team won the second edition of the PSL. Sammy, who led the West Indies to two T20 World titles (2012 and 2016), was receiving his second civil honour from Pakistan in as many years. In March 2020, he received the highest civilian medal of Pakistan, Nishane-Pakistan, for his part in helping bring international cricket back to Pakistan. He was also awarded honorary Pakistani citizenship by the President of Pakistan, Arif Alvi. (Sportsmax)

22

TUESDAY, MAY 31, 2022

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

GCF National Championship…

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Open Championship andidate Master (CM) Wendell Meusa dominated the Gaico National Open Chess Championship to earn the National Chess Champion title for 2022. He finished the tournament on eight points after nine rounds, just half of a point ahead of former National Champion CM Taffin Khan, who finished the tournament in second place. Meusa’s only defeat came during the sixth round against Roberto Neto (fifth place).

In third and fourth place are FIDE Master Anthony Drayton (6.5 points), who won the qualifying tournament, and Frankie Farley (5 points) respectively. Loris Nathoo, Ethan Lee, and Rai Sharma came in sixth, seventh and eighth with 4.5, 4 and 3 points respectively.

Women’s Championship In a close contest for the National Women's title, Pooja Lam emerged victorious. It was still anyone’s game up until the very last day of the KFC Guyanasponsored championship.

Fourteen-year-old Lam took the lead in Round Seven of

CM Wendell Meusa takes on Ethan Lee

the championship when she defeated Nellisha Johnson, who had been leading for the earlier part of the competition.

Lam managed to hold her position at the top of the rankings to eventually win the tournament with eight points after nine matches. She suffered no losses throughout the tournament, only conceding two draws – one against former women’s champion Sasha Shariff and another against Jessica Callender, who won the qualifying tournament.

Shariff finished the tournament in second place with seven points. Johnson and Callender both finished on six

BFA searching for new generation of female footballers

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BFA President Alden Marslowe

he Guyana Football Federation (GFF) on Saturday launched its Under-15 Girls Development Programme, which is being sponsored by Blue Water Shipping, and is expected to involve all nine Regional Member Associations.

As a result, the Bartica Football Association (BFA) has started its quest to identify players to join the programme. With the aim being 10 teams, the BFA has been reaching into the secondary schools to bring awareness to young female students, and also to have them registered with clubs within the jurisdiction.

BFA President Alden Marslowe said that the nine

clubs of the BFA would be required to manage one U-15 girls’ team apiece, and the Association would manage the 10th.

The clubs are: Beacons FC, Wolves United FC, Rising Stars FC, Lazio FC, Mil Ballers FC, Potaro Strikers FC, Rivers View United FC, Agatash United FC, and AK Galaxy FC. The recruitment exercise is expected to greatly boost the female component of the clubs, and also inspired the love of the game in more young females in the community.

The BFA has already received a package containing balls, gear and equipment from the GFF for the running of the programme.

points, but owing to a direct encounter tie-break, Johnson finished third and Callender finished fourth. In fifth place is 12-year-old Anaya Lall, who won four matches and drew one to finish on 4.5 points.

Maliha Rajkumar and Adia Alphonso finished with 4 and

3.5 points respectively, while Waveney Johnson and Angel Rahim finished on three points each.

Players who were victorious in their respective tournaments will be rewarded at an official award ceremony hosted by the Guyana Chess Federation (GCF).

This event was the final qualifying event that served as part of the point-based system inclusive of results from the Grand Prix Tournaments to determine the 10-member team to represent Guyana at the 44th FIDE Chess Olympiad.

The team that will represent Guyana in Chennai, India are expected to be announced in the coming week.

The two nine-round, roundrobin tournaments concluded on May 29, signalling the end of the back-to-back tournaments

Fourteen-year-old National Women’s Champion Pooja Lam

hosted by the GCF during the last three months.

The GCF wished to congratulate the winners and thank all participants who played diligently as well as FIDE arbiters John Lee and Anand Raghunauth whose tireless work made these tournaments successful.

In addition, the GCF wished to extend gratitude to the Culture, Youth and Sport Ministry; the National Sports Commission (NSC) and the management of the National Stadium. Special thanks to KFC Guyana and Gaico Construction for their sponsorship were also expressed.

Running Brave reign supreme at Independence track meet

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he Running Brave Athletics Club (RBAC) came out on top on Sunday, as the Guyana Overseas-Based Sports Association hosted its annual Independence Track and Field Classic at the Leonora Track and Field facility, West Coast Demerara.

The track at Leonora was set alight, not only with the usual 100m, 200m and 400m sprints but with an exciting line-up of relays, featuring athletes of all ages.

CARIFTA finalist Keliza Smith achieved the sprint doubles in the women’s category, registering 11.54s and 24.04s to win the 100m and 200m events. The remainder of the podium was the same in both events, as Running Brave’s Karese Lloyd locked 12.02s and 25.56s for second, while GDF’s Tonya Rawlins clocked 12.34s and 25.78s for third.

CARIFTA medallist Naris McPherson also registered a double win, in the Under-19 400m and 800m races.

McPherson stopped the clock at 57.97s in the 400, and registered 2:30.34 in the 800m race.

In the 400m, she was trailed by Tiana Springer in 1:01.71 and Shevon Younge in 1:05.02. Over in the 800m, another CARIFTA athlete in Hannah Joseph was second in 2:30.36, while Shelly-Ann Captain was third in 3:06.84.

Guyana’s premier male sprinter, Emanuel Archibald demolished the competition in the men’s 100m, clocking 10.20s for first place.

Noelex Holder was second in 10.45s, while Osa Blair was third in 10.79s.

Holder went on to win the 200m event in 21.51s, while Loneil Marks and Revon Williams clocked 21.69s and 21.83s for second and third respectively.

Hopetown Flames’ Williams took the crown in the 400m event, crossing the line in 49.02s for the victory.

Joshua Lam clocked 50.06s for second while Nilon Spencer was third in 50.15s.

Leslain Baird, who is making a comeback after injury, once again proved to be the best in the javelin field,

Emanuel Archibald was unbeatable in the 100m sprint

Keliza Smith copped the women’s sprint double

throwing 71.65m for the win.

Kleon Spelling was second with 62.16m, while Tremaine Beckles was third with a 58.40m throw.

CARIFTA gold medallist Anisha Gibbons won the distaff contest, with a 40.68m throw. Police’s Stacy Wilson was second with a 28.65m attempt, while Noriann King placed third with a throw reaching 23.08m.

The mixed 4x100m relay brought much excitement to the track and was won

by Running Brave in 45.88s.

The GDF team were second, clocking 46.37s, while Super Upcoming Runners completed the podium in 47.79s.

Of the 15 relays contested during the event, the Running Brave Club captured gold in 10 of them, resulting in them being the best performing club over the weekend.

While Running Brave picked up 324 points, Police Progressive Youth Club (PPYC) gathered 216 points, Upper Demerara Schools amassed 146 points, and Hopetown

Flames picked up 134 points.

GDF rounded off the top five with 113 points.

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23 “A lot of my decisions you may not like” – Pooran on captaincy TUESDAY, MAY 31, 2022

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oday, not only will the West Indian cricket team embark on their first-ever One-Day International (ODI) series in the Netherlands but recently-appointed Captain Nicholas Pooran will completely take the reins of the team.

A little over a month ago, West Indies Men’s whiteball Captain Kieron Pollard shockingly announced his retirement from international cricket, making way for the ascension of the explosive batsman, who has acted in the role before.

Now, with his first series as the official captain on the horizon, Pooran is pretty confident that he has what it takes to lead the Men in Maroon.

The batsman expressed his thoughts on the subject during a virtual pre-match press conference on Monday.

“I’m very confident, confident in my ability as well. I believe I’m here to win and I’ll do what it takes to try to get some points for us and get some victories for us. You know, we’re looking to be successful as a team, as a group and that’s our goal. So, my mindset is to get the guys headed in the same direction, so we could be victorious,” the Trinidadian player shared.

Still on the topic of his captaincy, Pooran likened his

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

…says not underestimating the Netherlands scheduled to commence at 05:00h (5am) local time this morning, Pooran says the Netherlands are “not to be underestimated”, given their recent performances.

The new West Indies white-ball captain remarked, “Obviously, we don’t want to be complacent.

We just saw the Netherlands play New Zealand and they did well, it wasn’t successful, but as a team, I thought they played really well. They have some good players as well, with goods skills. So, we’re looking forward to the

they learnt in that camp, they can go out tomorrow (today) in this series and try to execute what they learnt.”

“Again, we can’t make runs every single game, but hopefully as a team, we can just learn from our mistakes, learn from the past.

Hopefully, the future is bright,” the WI Captain concluded.

The West Indies will play three ODIs in the Netherlands, on May 31 (today), June 2, and June 4 respectively. (Jemima Holmes)

Sarwan resigns from selection panel role for personal reasons Nicholas Pooran will lead the West Indies men for the first time today since Kieron Pollard’s retirement

leadership style to that of his batting, admitting that he expected push-back over his impending decisions. “[I will] Try to make the best decision for the team. I’m very instinctive,” he said, “a lot of my decisions you guys may not like, but, hopefully, it could be the right decision for the team at that point in time, it’s similar to my batting a bit.

Hopefully, that goes well.”

Pooran was also quizzed

about the team’s reaction and revealed that they have been fully supportive of his new role.

“The support has been really good, the guys are gelling well. It’s just the beginning; obviously, in the beginning, it isn’t that challenging. For now, the guys are on the same page with us and they’re supporting us good and that’s wonderful,” Pooran disclosed.

With their first ODI

Wong, Billingy, Van Lange shine at NSC TT tournament

A

ction in the MCYS/ NSC/GTTA Annual Independence Table Tennis Tournament concluded at the National Gymnasium with the likes of Colin Wong, Malachi Moore, Jasmine Billingy, and Jonathan Van Lange winning in their respective categories.

Heading into the final day, all players were aiming to bring their best version of the game to the tournament.

They had their game faces on, and only the best-of-thebest would emerge victorious.

In fact, the most anticipated match-up saw the men’s singles players battle, with names such as Van Lange, Elishaba Johnson, Joel Alleyne, Miguel Wong, Orin Hickerson, Niran Bissu, Levi Percival, and Colin Wong participating.

This category was an absolute thriller. In one of the semi-final matches, Van Lange defeated Elishaba Johnson 11-8, 7-11, 9-11, 115, 14-12 (4-2), in a back-andforth affair, with both players using every serve in the book to their advantage. It was a boost of confidence for Van Lange, as he booked his spot in the final. Alleyne, in the other semi-final, beat Bissu, managing to win four games to zero to book his spot in the final.

In the grand finale, it was Van Lange who added another title to his name,

contest and hopefully we can do the right thing: just stay in the present and get those victories.”

Touching on the team’s batting woes that have plagued their success in the past, Pooran remains optimistic that his colleagues have been able to learn from their mistakes.

“The last series to now, we had two months; guys went back home. There was a camp in Antigua as well, a lot of guys went there and they worked on their batting as well. So, hopefully what

Director of Sport, Steve Ninvalle presents Jonathan Van Lange with a trophy

copping the men’s singles title with a 4-1 margin – 11-3, 4-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-9.

Belying the scores, Alleyne challenged Van Lange and made him work hard for his victory.

In the Under-13 boys’ category, Moore defeated Ebo McNeil 9-11,12-10,1311, 11-6 (3-1) The Under-15 girls’ tournament saw Billingy defeating Akira Watson. The scores at the end of the 3-0 win were 11-8, 11-8, and 119.

The next encounter saw Colin Wong and McNeil

fighting for the 15-yearsand-under boys’ title. Colin Wong emerged was the last man standing as he won all three of his games.

In the Under-19 boys’ contest, Van Lange defeated Bissu 11-2, 11-5, and 117, and in the Under-19 girls’ tourney, Billingy defeated Watson 11-4, 11-3, 11-7.

For the B-Class Open, Van Lange defeated Colin Wong 8-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-8.

The championships started on Friday, May 20, 2022 and concluded on Sunday, May 29, 2022.

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ricket West Indies (CWI) confirmed the resignation of West Indies Senior Men’s and Youth Selector, Ramnaresh Sarwan owing to personal reasons.

Sarwan was appointed as a Selector for the West Indies Men’s and Youth Selection Panels on January 6, 2022; however, he has informed CWI that he was no longer able to continue in the role. Sarwan was expected to remain on the panel until its June 30, 2024 expiration date.

CWI Director of Cricket, Jimmy Adams thanked Sarwan for his contributions during his tenure, saying “Given the depth of his experience in the game, we are disappointed that Ramnaresh is unable to continue in the role of Selector, but we fully understand and

Former Guyanese Ramnaresh Sarwan

batsman

accept his reasons. We are grateful for his contribution during the period he was involved and hope that he will be able to contribute to West Indies cricket in some capacity in the future.”

CWI will initiate a recruitment process for the Selector role as soon as possible through a competitive process, based on estab-

lished criteria. The aim will be to complete this process in the shortest possible time so that a suitable candidate can complete the Selection Panel. Robert Haynes, who is the current Lead Selector of the Men’s Youth Selection Panel and former interim Chairman of Selectors, will act as replacement until a suitable full-time candidate is appointed. Haynes will work on the Selection Panel alongside Senior Men’s Team Lead Selector Dr Desmond Haynes and Head Coach Phil Simmons.

The West Indies Men’s team are currently touring the Netherlands for the first-ever ODI series between the Netherlands and West Indies as part of the International Cricket Council (ICC) ODI Super League.

TUESDAY, MAY 31, 2022

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

GCF National Championship…

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Sarwan resigns from selection panel role for personal reasons

“A lot of my decisions you may not like” – Pooran on captaincy Page 23

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