Guyana Times - Tuesday November 9, 2021

P16 Health Ministry, McMaster University sign MoU for fellowship training in medicine Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Issue No. 4826

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2021

PRICE

Small number of houses to be removed for construction of new Demerara bridge

$80 VAT INCLUDED

WHAT'S INSIDE:

P9 3 more persons die from COVID-19, 77 new cases …active cases in Region 4 decline

Story on page 3

…as APNU Region 4 Chair supports Govt on project

Labour shortage affecting Berbice business sector – officials …“can’t get combine operators at $10,000 a day” – rice farmer

“Lookout” P8 man gets 8-year jail term for murder of businesswoman

See story on page 16

Alleged bandits who posed as GPL meter readers remanded P11 Men must be “deeply” involved in parenting – Minister to P12 fathers Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, who is performing the functions of President, shares a photo op during a courtesy visit from British High Commissioner to Guyana, Jane Miller, OBE; Deputy Trade Commissioner for Latin America and the Caribbean, Spencer Mahony and the Caribbean Regional Director, UK’s Department of International Trade, Laura Ferguson. Issues of trade relations between the United Kingdom and Guyana among other areas of collaboration were discussed at the meeting (Office of the Prime Minister photo)

Former APNU/AFC REO Page 7 Region 2 RDC under changed health centre scrutiny over rent-free story on contract without Seepage 15 quarters, overpayments retendering – PAC hears …regional staff owe over $17M …writes letter admitting act, says “sorry” for actions

Boatbuilder dies after P10 boat capsizes in Pomeroon River

in salary advances by APNU/AFC

Fmr SOCU Head surrenders to Police, released on $300,000 bail Page 7

Unauthorised COVID-19 P10 testing facilities shut down

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

NEWS

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS OPENINGS BRIDGE

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

Tuesday, Nov 9 – 09:00h – 10:30h and Wednesday, Nov 10 – 09:30h – 11:00h and 23:00h – 00:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Tuesday, Nov 9 – 07:25h – 08:55h and Wednesday, Nov 10 – 08:20h – 09:50h.

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 clear skies at night. Temperatures should range between 20 degrees Celsius and 31 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Westerly to North North-Westerly between 1.78 metres and 4.91 metres.

High Tide: 07:31h and 19:43h reaching maximum heights of 2.41 metres and 2.49 metres.

Low Tide: 13:15h reaching a minimum height of 0.88 metre.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2021

LOTTERY NUMBERS F

01 05 11

14 20 26

FREE TICKET

09 Bonus Ball

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2021 DAILY MILLIONS

03 04 06 22 26 LUCKY 3

2

1

8

8

Afternoon Draw

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Evening Draw

DRAW DE LINE

01 08 09 11 14 15 20 SUPER

PAY DAY

PAY DAY

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2021

01 02 10 12 17 13

03 06 11 13 16

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3 Afternoon Draw

FP Afternoon Draw

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2X Evening Draw

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

COMMODITIES Indicators

US$

Change %

Crude Oil

$83.43/barrel

+0.83

Rough Rice

$243.68/ton

-0.38

London Sugar

$507.70/ton

+0.18

Live Spot Gold

USD Per Ounce

Bid/Ask

$1824.90

$1825.90

Low/High Change

$1811.80 +0.90

$1827.80 +0.05%

Small number of houses to be removed for construction of new Demerara bridge …as APNU Region 4 Chair supports Govt on project

A

small number of properties will have to be acquired by Government to facilitate the building of the new Demerara River bridge.

This was revealed by the Public Works Ministry’s Chief Transport Planning Officer, Patrick Thompson during a tour of the site on the East Bank of Demerara end of the proposed structure at Nandy Park.

“Best to my knowledge, there aren’t any properties on the West Bank that is within the alignment of the bridge. There are a few properties on the East Bank here that will fall within the alignment to the bridge and we are in the process of as I said earlier, trying to commence what is required by law to acquire those properties,” Thompson told the media.

Asked specifically about the exact number of homes that will have to be relocated, Thompson said a mere “handful”. “…But there are a handful of properties that that will likely fall within the right of way of the bridge.

And those will have to be acquired,” Thompson said.

Joining the team for the tour of the area was Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) APNU appointed Regional Chairman, Daniel Seeram.

Seeram told the media that although the project is still in an infancy stage, he will give his support for it. “…such a construction in this area will be massive and will be impacting a lot of communities within the areas. We would have noted that some of the properties would fall directly in the right of way zone of the Demerara bridge and that has caused some amount of legal decisions to be made in terms of public acquisition of lands to facilitate that, that construction,” Seeram told the media, adding that “…these constructions uplift the region and I guess it will be welcomed by all Guyanese, those living on these East Bank the East Coast and in Georgetown to ease the traffic woes that we have in the morning rush hour period and in the afternoon rush hour periods.”

He said that the regional authorities are supporting Central Government and other local authorities to ensure that project is effective, as such infrastructure brings “more economic prosperity.”

“So here we are working together as a team at both the regional governance along with the Central Government and the other local authorities to ensure that such projects have all of the questions answered and that all of the Guyanese could understand that some amount of discomfort will be there. But we are keeping to push into more transformative development within the

region that can bring more economic prosperity and could relieve some of the issues that we’re generally having on a day-to-day basis.”

He added that “I love to give the no objection because the project is warranted for the region. But we have processes that we have to follow right. My governance strategy at the region is meaningful consultation, thorough discussions leading to informed decisions. So I’m leaning towards yes, given that no objection, however, I have to make sure that consultations were happening below me in terms that the local authorities level and I must check with the other stakeholders before I can give that final no objection on behalf of the region.”

Economic expansion

During a recent sit down with the media, Finance

Minister Dr Ashni Singh spoke on a wide range of topics concerning development.

One thing he spoke on was the new Demerara River bridge, which he described as critical to Guyana’s developmental trajectory.

“If you consider that when the Wales Development Authority is constructed, which is going to happen, and given the volume of economic activity that we’re going to have in Wales and by extension the West Bank of Demerara, the need for a more efficient crossing over the Demerara River becomes more obvious. So, the new Demerara River bridge will meet that critical need.”

Singh noted that a lot of studies have been done in terms of planning Guyana’s development path.

According to the Finance Minister, the work the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) is doing on these individual projects must be

seen in the grander scheme of things.

“What you are witnessing here is the various elements of a comprehensive plan. So, a lot of study has gone into where we see the country going in terms of its development trajectory.

Where we see major new centres of economic activity.

Major new developments in terms of urbanisation, new housing areas, major population centres. Shifting population centres.”

“And recognising all of these developments, making sure we put in place the infrastructure prerequisites, to anticipate those developments and meet the needs associated with those developments. So all of these developments, whether its Amaila Falls, the gasto-shore project, the new Demerara Harbour Bridge, these are all critical parts of our Government’s comprehensive plan to meet the infrastructural needs of the modern Guyana,” Singh explained.

With the construction of the new Demerara River bridge slated to start in the fourth quarter of 2021, the project is expected to be finished within two years.

The bridge will land aback Nandy Park on the East Bank of Demerara and at La Grange, West Bank Demerara.

Only recently, Cabinet granted it’s no objection for China State Construction Engineering to construct the bridge.

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2021

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

Fathers’ role in parenting

T

he issue of fathers and their roles and responsibilities in the family, and society as a whole, mostly take centre stage when Guyana joins other countries, mainly those in the West, in celebrating Father’s Day each year.

However, the issue of the role of father figures and their influence and impact in raising children has always been a concern in Guyana.

It is against this backdrop that we welcome and support the call by the Human Services Minister, Dr Vindhya Persaud that more men to be deeply involved in parenting.

To quote the minister’: “…I would like to tell fathers that they should be more engaged and should be actively present, not only to provide the material to the home, but before the birth, during the birth and throughout a child’s life.”

It has become a trend that in the days leading up to Father’s Day then there is a special call for fathers to take up their responsibilities more seriously so as to help create and build stronger family units.

In Guyana, while there are no readily available statistics, it is believed that there is a huge percentage of children growing up in single parent headed homes; in most cases without the muchneeded guidance and support of a father figure. No one can deny the importance of fathers in helping to nurture and care for children, especially in their early stages of development.

According to a UNICEF analysis, more than half – or 55 per cent - of children aged between three and four years-old in 74 countries – approximately 40 million – have fathers who do not play or engage in early learning activities with them. The UNICEF analysis, which uses Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) data on parenting behaviours, looked at whether children aged three and four engaged in any play and early learning activities with their fathers. The activities include having their father read to the children, tell them stories or sing with them; taking them outside, playing with them; and naming, counting or drawing with them. The MICS is the largest collection of comparable data on parental behaviours in the world.

According to UNICEF, advances in neuroscience have proven that when children spend their earliest years in a nurturing, stimulating environment, new neural connections can form at a once-in-a-lifetime speed of 1,000 per second. These connections help determine their health, ability to learn and deal with stress, and even influence their earning capacity as adults.

Research also suggests that exposure to violence and a lack of stimulation and care can prevent neural connections from occurring; and when children positively interact with their fathers, they have better psychological health, self-esteem and life-satisfaction in the long-term.

The Lancet’s Series, Advancing Early Childhood Development: from Science to Scale, launched in October 2016, revealed nearly 250 million children under 5 were at risk of poor development due to stunting and extreme poverty. International organisations, such as UNICEF, have embarked on a campaign to encourage governments and the private sector to increase spending and influence policies to support early childhood development programmes that focus on providing parents with the resources and information they need to provide nurturing care to their children.

As stated by UNICEF: “We must break down the barriers that prevent fathers from providing their babies and young children a conducive environment for them to thrive, including love, play, protection and nutritious food. We must ensure that all parents have the time, resources and knowledge they need to fully support their children’s early development.”

That said, it is generally accepted that when both parents are present in a home and carry out their roles fully in nurturing and providing the necessary guidance and support for children; they (children) turn out to lead more responsible and progressive lives as adults.

Certainly, much more could be done to encourage more fathers to play an active role in their children’s development. The relevant government agencies, religious and community organisations must continue to highlight the importance of love, play, protection and good nutrition for the healthy development of young children.

Performers entertain as travellers queue to check into Virgin Atlantic and Delta Air Lines flights at Heathrow Airport Terminal 3, in London, following the lifting of restrictions on the entry of non-US. citizens to the United States imposed to curb the spread of the COVID-19 (Reuters)

Govt must enforce Guyana’s electoral integrity Dear Editor, The Ministry of Governance and Parliamentary Affairs released draft amendments to the Representation of the People Act (RoPA) on Friday in keeping with President Dr Irfaan Ali’s directive to publicise the intended amendments by the end of this week in order for planned consultations.

After more than year and a half, the APNU/AFC attempts to rig Guyana’s 2020 General and Regional Elections, the Government has released proposed amendments setting out processes to be followed for the declaration of results along with penalties ranging from millions in fines to life imprisonment for violations.

However free and fair elections in Guyana are foundation of our democracy and the PPP/C Government is committed to protecting the rights of all Guyanese to vote and enforce our electoral integrity.

In 2020 Guyanese and the world had witnessed a breach of public trust that resulted from illegal acts by the APNU/

AFC that subverted Guyana’s electoral process. Enforcing the legal framework of elections is essential in order to maintain electoral integrity. Even the best legislation can be thwarted or negated without sufficient enforcement enforcement is a deterrent to fraud and a safeguard against problems that threaten electoral integrity. Dishonest or fraudulent practices are not the only source of integrity problems. Problems may also result from human error or unintentional omissions. Even when there is no ill intent, these mistakes should be subject to appropriate corrective measures. Different institutions and mechanisms must be put in place that are responsible for enforcing election integrity and legislation, as specified by the legal framework in Guyana going forward.

Generally speaking, effective enforcement involves: Clear definition of the types of violations or offences; the opportunity to make a complaint; determination to investigate; decision to

initiate proceedings in order to determine facts and obtain evidence; administrative or civil proceedings, or prosecution and criminal proceedings to hold offenders accountable for their actions; a detailed ruling and the opportunity to appeal; and appropriate and effective penalties and sanctions for those found responsible. There is an ongoing debate over a single, universal definition of electoral integrity. It is not (yet) clear whether it could serve as a comprehensive and independent concept, an overarching quality standard, or as a synonym for a “good election”. This is an active conversation in scholarly and policy circles over the proper definition and application of the term.

Without electoral integrity, leaders and officials lack accountability to the public, confidence in the election results is weak, and the Government lacks necessary legitimacy. Electoral integrity allows for peaceful resolution of conflict, open dialogue, debate, and information

sharing amongst leaders and the public. The Commission acknowledges that “at its root, electoral integrity is a political problem”, not just a technical problem. Integrity depends on public confidence in electoral and political processes. It is not enough to reform institutions; citizens need to be convinced that changes are real and deserve their confidence.

Inclusiveness, transparency, and accountability are all fundamental to developing that confidence to ensure that elections have integrity, other factors outside of the electoral institutions themselves need to be taken into account and strengthened. Election officials, Judges, and courts must have independence that is respected by politicians. Last week, President Ali told a virtual press conference six weeks will be given for the review and comments on the amendments after which it would be laid before the National Assembly.

Sincerely, David Adams

Alteration of attitudes and work behaviour Dear Editor, Recently, the Guyana Police Force conducted what it called its Inaugural Integrity in Policing Symposium at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre. I am not certain what the objective/ objectives were. However, I read excerpts of the presentations by the Prime Minister, Minister of Home Affairs and the Top Cop. After speaking with some participants, I got the impression that the thrust of the symposium was about attitude and behaviour of members of the Force.

It is so nice to know that the Police are attempting to address and influence the behaviour of their members which has constantly come into serious public criticism. As a retired member of the Force who has an abiding interest in law enforcement, I wish to posit some free advice on integrity for the Police.

A simple definition for

integrity is the steadfast adherence to an ethical code.

According to Wayne W Bennett and Karen M Hess in their book Management and Supervision of Law Enforcement, “ Ethical codes usually have at least three important themes: Justice and fairness is the dominant theme. Officers are not to take advantage of people or accept gratuities; Because of the importance of law and the Police as tools of the Constitution, law enforcement behaviour must be totally within the bounds set by the law; At all times, law enforcement officers must uphold a standard of behaviour consistent with their public position. “A good starting point to promote ethical behaviour and integrity is to eliminate the code of silence: “The code of silence encourages members of the Force not to speak up when they see another member doing something wrong.”

Fulton (2000) stresses: “Police

Commanders must exemplify the honesty and integrity they seek in their subordinates.” In addition: “Ethical mentoring and role modelling should be consistent, frequent and visible.”

McCarthy (2000) presents seven steps that can help prevent unethical behaviour and promote integrity: “(1) Recruit with great care. (2) Establish appropriate policies and put them in writing. (3) Adopt a good employee evaluation process. (4) Make sure your Sergeants share management’s values and philosophies. (5) Develop operational controls. (6) Perform regular anti-corruption inspections and audits. And (7) implement ethics and integrity training into every training activity.”

Change involves alteration of attitudes and work behaviour as individuals, as team members and as members of the department. If Police are

not self-developed or developed by leaders at all levels, where will the future leaders come from? The groups of people that have the most ability to create an organisational culture based on integrity are the subordinate officers. True, they may not be able to change the department but they can change their squad; Inspectors and junior officers may not be able to change the department but they can change the large number of ranks under their control. At some point these subordinate officers, Inspectors and junior officers will be the regional division and other Commanders - the senior officers, where they may be able to change the department. Focus heavily on them.

Sincerely, Clinton Conway Assistant Commissioner of Police (Retired)

5 Finance Ministry response to Winston Jordan’s misrepresentations

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

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inance Ministry response to Winston Jordan’s misrepresentations The attention of the Ministry of Finance has been drawn to a number of pronouncements made by former Minister of Finance Winston Jordan, during his increasingly frequent forays in the media in recent times. It is a matter of public record that Jordan has frequently described himself as a professional.

Regrettably, his recent pronouncements reinforce the widely held and very credible view that he is at best a grossly incompetent professional and at worst a downright dishonest one.

Indeed, many of his pronouncements constitute a clear attempt to mislead the people of Guyana with blatant distortions and misrepresentation of facts.

Alternatively, they indicate that he was sleep-walking through the last five years during which he was “the least impressive of all of the Finance Ministers since the first self-Government Administration at the beginning of 1950” in the words of Freddie Kissoon.

Letter sent on proposed new projects Mr Jordan is quoted in the November 8th Edition of the Kaieteur News as saying, “what I found to be astonishing was that the letter to the Chinese Ambassador, requesting the loan, was signed by a senior official of the Ministry of Finance and copied to the President, Vice President, the Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, among others… Section 58 (1) of the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act 2003 (FMAA) reposes in the Minister of Finance the sole authority to borrow on behalf of the Government of Guyana.”

In doing so, he sought to repeat an accusation he made previously that there is somehow something irregular about an official signing such letters instead of the Minister.

The Laws of Guyana are crystal clear. Only the Minister responsible for Finance can contract loans on behalf of the Government of Guyana. This is enshrined in the External Loans Act and it is reinforced in the FMAA. As a result, in practice, only the Finance Minister signs loan agreements on Guyana’s behalf.

This has been in place since time immemorial, and has always been honoured, even during Jordan’s lacklustre tenure which was marked by repeated breaches and illegalities.

However, while the Finance Minister is the only authority empowered to sign loan agreements, it is routine practice for senior technical staff of the Ministry of Finance to communicate with donors and development partners throughout the project cycle, including at the earliest stages of mobilising resources to fund projects.

Indeed, the Head of the Project Cycle Management Division, which division is charged with responsibility for resource mobilisation, has always been the lead Government interlocutor with development partners and has been engaged in communication with development partners on issues of resource mobilisation for many, many years.

Attached to this release are a number of examples of such letters in which this same official wrote donors – during Jordan’s tenure – requesting loan financing for several different projects.

For Mr Jordan to insinuate that there is something irregular about this, is a clear indication that he is either woefully unfamiliar with a well-established practice that continued under his tenure (the question of Jordan feigning ignorance of what was transpiring in his own Ministry and under his watch will be returned to shortly), or that he is aware of this practice but would still dishonestly seek to insinuate that something is irregular about it, in an obvious attempt to mislead those who don’t know otherwise.

The fact of the matter is that there is absolutely nothing irregular about the letter to which Jordan is referring, and he should be aware of this if he had any modicum of familiarity with the law and semblance of familiarity with a long-established practice in the Ministry.

Natural Resources Fund In his most recent foray in the media, Jordan also attempted to give the impression that the APNU/AFC Government of which he was a part had crafted a superlative Natural Resources Fund (NRF) (letter in SN of November 8, 2021, under caption “The coalition sought an NRF of the highest calibre”). Here again, his letter is replete with brazen misrepresentations.

He asserts that “the NRF Act was the product of extensive national and international consultations”, but conveniently omitted to disclose that that

Act was rushed through the National Assembly after his Government had already lost the No-Confidence Motion (NCM) and had therefore lost their mandate to govern. Well after the Government had fallen, in total disregard for the clear consequences that are constitutionally due to flow from a NCM, Jordan’s Government rushed in January 2019 to sneak the NRF Bill through Parliament with no Opposition participation and no Opposition input.

This is the single most important piece of legislation to have been enacted in many years, and the APNU/ AFC Government saw nothing wrong with sneaking it through Parliament at a time when they had lost their mandate to govern, when they were widely regarded as an illegal and illegitimate Government, and without any Opposition input whatsoever. Yet, Mr Jordan now has the audacity to speak of “extensive national and international consultations”.

Mr Jordan then goes on to attempt to hide behind the reputations of two professionals from the Commonwealth Secretariat and two Ministry of Finance officials, in his attempt to assert the quality of the NRF Act. Without any disrespect intended to any of these four distinguished professionals, it is apposite to note how subject matter experts have assessed the same NRF Act. The Inter-American Development Bank recently issued a publication entitled “Economic Institutions for a Resilient Caribbean” which includes a detailed assessment of Guyana’s NRF (pages 268-274).

Amongst the observations made by that assessment are the following: * “The objectives and design of the NRF raise several issues. The fund on its own cannot achieve the objectives that have been set for it. The rigid withdrawal rules may do little to foster stabilisation or saving but may entail fiscal costs” (p. 270) * “The formula for the maximum permissible withdrawal is among the most complex operational rules for a resource fund in the world. Its design departs from good practices”. (p. 271) * “State-of-the-art advice based on international experience and good fiscal management principles emphasizes simplicity, flexibility, transparency, and close integration with the budget and public asset-liability management. The rule’s complexity may also conspire against fiscal transparency and public understanding.” (p. 271).

The irrefutable fact of the matter is that the NRF Act in its current formulation was a piece of legislation which was very poorly conceived, and was “rammed down the throats” of the nation during a period when the APNU/AFC was in a state of illegality and illegitimacy. While it must be recalled that this NRF Act (which Mr Jordan so proudly and presumptuously touts in his letter) was passed during a period that his Government was occupying an illegal period in office, it must also be noted that his letter serves as the most recent reminder of his Government’s prevarications that the law does not mean what it says and that 33 votes in the National Assembly are not greater than 32.

Burgeoning Overdraft Jordan, also in his most recent letter, speaks of a burgeoning overdraft of the Consolidated Fund. It is a matter of public record that it is Jordan who ignored the advice of the International Monetary Fund as well as his own technical staff, and refused to address the rapid accumulation of the overdraft during his tenure. It is also a matter of public record that it is this PPP/C Government that has regularised that overdraft, securitising it with appropriate debt instruments, and putting in place arrangements to ensure that the fiscal operations of Government are adequately financed without recourse to re-accumulation of the overdraft. Despite this publicly known fact, Jordan soldiers on, continuing to repeat yet another falsehood.

The Signing Bonus Revisited Mr Jordan’s most recent misrepresentations are a reminder of the chronic behaviour he displayed throughout his tenure in office.

It would be recalled that Jordan presided over the illegal diversion of the US$18 million signing bonus from the Consolidated Fund. The fact of the matter is that the law required that bonus to be deposited into the Consolidated Fund. Jordan presided over and facilitated the illegal diversion of that sum into a secret bank account. He is yet to state publicly un-

der what law and by what legal authority that amount was diverted from the Consolidated Fund and secretly stashed away to finance unknown activities, bypassing the budgetary and appropriation process.

Even more astonishingly, Jordan famously denied any knowledge of the existence of the signing bonus, long after his own Ministry had requested in writing the opening of a special bank account to receive the funds. As if this were not enough, he would then stumble over one excuse after another trying clumsily to feign ignorance of the illegality he facilitated: firstly, that he knew nothing about the bonus, secondly that he thought it was a gift, and thirdly that the individual who negotiated the bonus (apparently by this time he knew who had negotiated it) had misled the APNU/AFC Government.

A Pattern of Behaviour History is replete with examples of Winston Jordan trying to mislead the nation. It would be recalled that at one of his first sittings in Parliament in 2015, he attempted to mislead the nation by quoting incorrect debt numbers, a matter on which, after he was challenged on the accuracy of his statements, he would subsequently reluctantly apologise to the Assembly for the misinformation he was caught peddling redhandedly and for creating an erroneous impression.

The repetition of falsehoods and misrepresentations

by Winston Jordan is a clear pattern of behaviour. It points clearly to either a complete dereliction of duty to the point where he apparently was unaware of everything, or a woeful lack of knowledge of established norms and practices, or a deliberate and sudden amnesia, or downright dishonesty in order to hoodwink the public and score cheap political points.

What is clear is that Winston Jordan has no reservations deploying all manner of misrepresentations as he seeks belatedly to acquire some semblance of relevance and as he desperately tries to repair the strikingly lacklustre mishap that his ministerial tenure constituted.

In the final analysis, these public pronouncements provide ample illustration that, contrary to his often-repeated self-proclamation as a professional, Winston Jordan has no hesitation to distort facts in order to mislead the nation.

It would appear that the APNU/AFC needs Winston Jordan to crawl out every now and then, to ramble on economic matters given the obvious and glaring void on their parliamentary benches. Sadly, for them, his occasional forays serve more to discredit them and reinforce their now unshakeable reputation for incompetence and dishonesty.

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2021

Page

Foundation

Materials: 20 oz drinking glass Water Pie Pan cardboard toilet paper roll Ice (optional) egg Space where your family is okay with you doing the experiment because you may crack a few eggs the first couple of tries Instructions: Fill the glass with water.

Place a pie pan right side up on top of the glass.

Place toilet paper roll vertically in the middle of the pie pan.

Balance egg on top of the toilet paper roll so the egg is lying on its side.

Once everything is balanced on top of each other, with one swift and quick motion hit the side of the pie pan with your hand. This is a horizontal swing, not a vertical swing. This needs to be enough force to push it off the glass.

Watch in amazement as your egg falls into the glass unbroken.

How it works: It’s all about Inertia! Inertia says an object, the egg in this case, will stay at rest, unless an outside force acts upon it, your hand in this case. When you move the pie pan with your hand, gravity takes over and pulls the egg straight down into the glass of water.

Extra experiments: Try adding food colouring to the water, just for a fun effect.

Try boiling the egg first, does it still work? Why or why not?

Don’t use the toilet paper roll, does the experiment still work? Why or why not?

By William Wordsworth

Five years have past; five summers, with the length of five long winters! and again I hear these waters, rolling from their mountain-springs with a soft inland murmur.—Once again do I behold these steep and lofty cliffs, that on a wild secluded scene impress thoughts of more deep seclusion; and connect the landscape with the quiet of the sky.

The day is come when I again repose here, under this dark sycamore, and view these plots of cottage-ground, these orchard-tufts, which at this season, with their unripe fruits, are clad in one green hue, and lose themselves 'Mid groves and copses. Once again I see these hedgerows, hardly hedge-rows, little lines of sportive wood run wild: these pastoral farms, green to the very door; and wreaths of smoke sent up, in silence, from among the trees! with some uncertain notice, as might seem of vagrant dwellers in the houseless woods, or of some Hermit's cave, where by his fire the Hermit sits alone.

These beauteous forms, Through a long absence, have not been to me as is a landscape to a blind man's eye: but oft, in lonely rooms, and 'mid the din of towns and cities, I have owed to them, in hours of weariness, sensations sweet, felt in the blood, and felt along the heart; and passing even into my purer mind with tranquil restoration:—feelings too of unremembered pleasure: such, perhaps, as have no slight or trivial influence on that best portion of a good man's life, his little, nameless, unremembered, acts of kindness and of love. Nor less, I trust, to them I may have owed another gift, of aspect more sublime; that blessed mood, in which the burthen of the mystery, in which the heavy and the weary weight of all this unintelligible world, is lightened:—that serene and blessed mood, in which the affections gently lead us on,— Until, the breath of this corporeal frame and even the motion of our human blood almost suspended, we are laid asleep in body, and become a living soul: while with an eye made quiet by the power of harmony, and the deep power of joy, we see into the life of things.

If this Be but a vain belief, yet, oh! how oft— in darkness and amid the many shapes of joyless daylight; when the fretful stir unprofitable, and the fever of the world, have hung upon the beatings of my heart— how oft, in spirit, have I turned to thee, O sylvan Wye! thou wanderer thro' the woods, How often has my spirit turned to thee! and now, with gleams of half-extinguished thought, with many recognitions dim and faint, and somewhat of a sad perplexity, the picture of the mind revives again: while here I stand, not only with the sense of present pleasure, but with pleasing thoughts that in this moment there is life and food for future years. And so I dare to hope, though changed, no doubt, from what I was when first i came among these hills; when like a roe i bounded o'er the mountains, by the sides of the deep rivers, and the lonely streams, wherever nature led: more like a man flying from something that he dreads, than one who sought the thing he loved. For nature then (The coarser pleasures of my boyish days and their glad animal movements all gone by) to me was all in all.—I cannot paint what then I was. The sounding cataract haunted me like a passion: the tall rock, the mountain, and the deep and gloomy wood, their colours and their forms, were then to me an appetite; a feeling and a love, that had no need of a remoter charm, by thought supplied, nor any interest unborrowed from the eye.—That time is past, and all its aching joys are now no more, and all its dizzy raptures. Not for this faint I, nor mourn nor murmur; other gifts have followed; for such loss, I would believe, abundant recompense. For I have learned to look on nature, not as in the hour of thoughtless youth; but hearing oftentimes the still sad music of humanity, nor harsh nor grating, though of ample power to chasten and subdue.—And I have felt a presence that disturbs me with the joy of elevated thoughts; a sense sublime of something far more deeply interfused, whose dwelling is the light of setting suns, and the round ocean and the living air, and the blue sky, and in the mind of man: a motion and a spirit, that impels all thinking things, all objects of all thought, and rolls through all things. Therefore am I still a lover of the meadows and the woods and mountains; and of all that we behold from this green earth; of all the mighty world of eye, and ear,— both what they half create, and what perceive; well pleased to recognise in nature and the language of the sense the anchor of my purest thoughts, the nurse, the guide, the guardian of my heart, and soul of all my moral being.

7 Region 2 RDC under scrutiny over rent-free quarters, overpayments NEWS

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

…regional staff owe over $17M in salary advances by APNU/AFC

A

situation at the Region Two Regional Democratic Council (RDC), where employees were benefitting from free housing they were not entitled to, was among the issues that were ventilated at the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) during Monday’s statutory sitting.

The Auditor General had found in his 2016 report that 14 persons were occupying the RDC Government quarters rent-free. Additionally, it was found that there was no proof that these employ-

ees were entitled to rentfree perks.

During Monday’s sitting of the PAC, acting Regional Executive Officer Susanna Saywack was made to answer for these discrepancies and provide an update on the issue. In 2016, the Regional Executive Officer (REO) was APNU/AFC appointee Rupert Hopkinson.

She explained that only one of those officers was actually entitled to rent-free quarters.

“My knowledge is one of the officers, out of the 14,

is entitled. She is presently our acting DREO (Deputy REO). For the others, no records I have found, stipulating that they’re entitled to rent-free.”

“What was did in terms of writing them, asking those who are occupying to pay rent. Which we are doing. I was identifying earlier. Nine are currently paying house rent, seven persons were written to, two vacated and two officers are presently entitled to the house… rent-free, that is,” Saywack explained.

Of the 76 quarters in the RDC’s possession, 18 are currently occupied.

Meanwhile, another issue that was brought up was overpaid salaries and advances. A whopping $17.9 million is still outstanding.

“Through the Chair, in recovering same I know that we would have tried to reach out to the staff that have these advances to be cleared. A few of them would have addressed same and we are awaiting responses from the others,” she said, explaining that

Fmr SOCU Head surrenders to Police, released on $300,000 bail

S

everal days after the Guyana Police Force (GPF) issued a wanted bulletin for former Head of the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) Sydney James, he has surrendered to authorities.

This was confirmed

by Head of the Force’s Communications Unit Mark Ramotar, who explained that James was placed on $300,000 station bail.

James had been sent on administrative leave and subsequently replaced under the APNU/AFC coalition Government following allegations of mismanagement and falsifying documents at SOCU. In a notice issued on

Former SOCU Head Sydney James

November 3, the Police said that James, whose address was given as George Avenue, Lamaha

Springs, North Ruimveldt, Georgetown, is wanted for questioning in relation to obtaining money by false pretence and fraud offences. “[He is] wanted for questioning in connection with a series of reports of obtaining money by false pretences committed in Georgetown, Guyana,” the notice said.

In 2019, SOCU officials, including James, had faced accusations regarding falsified invoices which had borne forged signatures.

This was unearthed after a forensic audit was launched by the Police Force, which has oversight of the white-collar crime body, into SOCU’s operations.

Other irregularities that were unearthed had included falsified records and missing documents.

According to reports, there was even a case of an official who alleged his signature was forged. In addition, there are reports of listed expenditure being concocted and receipts being backdated.

James was sent on leave and subsequently replaced by then Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan.

Acting Region 2 REO Susanna Saywack

they were written to.

Saywack explained that only some of these workers are still employed by the RDC, although she could not confirm exactly how many persons are no longer working with the region. According to her, monies are deducted from the salaries of those who owe advances and are still employed with the RDC. Meanwhile, Accountant General Jennifer Chapman, who was present during the sitting, emphasised that the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act (FMAA) empowers the RDC to deduct money from the salaries of these workers in order to recover their debts.

She recommended that this

APNU/AFC appointee Rupert Hopkinson was the REO in 2016

course of action be followed through.

According to Civil Service Law, 2004 Public Service Rules, “Government quarters provided to public servants as a condition of service, eg in the case of hospital staff where presence on a hospital compound may be required on a continuous basis, shall be free of rent.”

It goes on to state that: “In lieu of quarters, a house allowance may, with the approval of the Permanent Secretary, Public Service Ministry, be granted to a public servant who is entitled to free quarters but for whom quarters are not available.” (G3)

8 NEWS

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

“Lookout” man gets 8-year jail term for murder of businesswoman knew Bascom is involved in criminal activities, that they planned to rob Ramnaress, and that his role was to keep watch for Police vehicles.

Grant was charged with the woman’s murder on November 11, 2015.

Campaigning…

O

“I’m sorry”

Confessed killer: Colin Grant

C

olin Grant, who admitted to acting as the “lookout” man while his accomplices went into the home of a Diamond, East Bank Demerara (EBD) businesswoman and robbed and killed her, was on Monday sentenced to 21 years’ imprisonment by Demerara High Court Judge Jo Ann Barlow.

However, one third of the time was deducted for his early guilty plea and the six years he spent on remanded was also deducted.

Initially indicted for the capital offence of murder, Grant pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter thereby admitting that between August 30 and 31, 2013, at Demerara, he unlawfully killed Sirmattie Ramnaress, called “Kavita”.

Grant, a father of one, was represented by lawyer Dexter Todd while the case for the prosecution was led by State Counsel Sarah Martin and State Counsel Nafeeza Baig.

The lifeless body of 36-year-old Ramnaress was found at around 10:00h on August 31, 2013, at her Lot 2430, 21st Avenue, Diamond Housing Scheme, EBD home.

Her throat had been slit, her head bashed in, and her hip disjointed. Sections of her property had been destroyed by fire.

The bottom flat of the house had been completely drenched with kerosene, and the entire house had been ransacked, which suggested that the woman was robbed before she was killed.

The perpetrators had also set alight a bond behind the house, and it was completely destroyed.

After the robbery, the killers escaped in one of the woman’s motor cars. Recordings from the internal and external surveillance cameras were missing. From the inception, investigators believed the robbery might have been an inside job since there was no sign of forced entry into the premises.

The woman’s property was protected by a high, grilled fence and an alarm system, which according to neighbours, did not go off during the night of her gruesome murder. An autopsy revealed that Ramnaress died as a result of cerebral haemorrhage due to blunt trauma compounded by a fractured spine.

Plot to rob

During

Monday’s

sen-

tencing hearing, the prosecutors said that Grant and another man, Paul Bascom, had hatched a plot to rob Ramnaress. Bascom and Alberto Grant were shot dead

by Police on December 7, 2013, at Golden Grove, EBD, in the yard of a businessman, who they were reportedly going to rob.

Prosecutor Martin said that in November 2015, a

Grant, who appeared in court via Zoom, cried uncontrollably. His voice was barely audible resulting in Justice Barlow advising him to take deep breaths. “I am very sorry…I’m sorry for what transpired that night. I have a daughter out there…she never got to see her father; she is seven years old. I have never been there for her. I am sorry for being with the wrong set of friends them on the road…”

Grant said.

In a plea in mitigation, Todd said that his client is throwing himself at the mercy of the court. Given the nature of the offence (felony

“I am very sorry…I’m sorry for what transpired that night. I have a daughter out there…she never got to see her father; she is seven years old. I have never been there for her. I am sorry for being with the wrong set of friends them on the road…” – Colin Grant Police detective went to a house in Diamond Housing Scheme, EBD, where he contacted Grant and informed him that he was accused of killing the businesswoman.

The prosecutor added that Grant fainted after the murder allegation was put to him.

She said that he later regained consciousness and Police ranks searched the premises and found a laptop belonging to Ramnaress on a barrel. He was arrested and taken to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown. The prosecutor said that Grant later told detectives a story.

In a written caution statement, Grant, according to her, detailed that his friend, Bascom, told him that he was going to Ramnaress’ home to rob her. She added that in the statement Grant said that on the morning of August 31, 2013, Bascom came to his home and gave him certain instructions.

According to Prosecutor Martin, Grant told detectives that he followed those instructions by joining a car driven by a man who took him to the head of 21st Avenue Diamond, EBD, to look out for Police vehicles.

After about three days, the prosecutor said, Grant confessed that Bascom gave him a laptop, a gold ring, and $100,000 in cash “as his share for the wuk”.

The gold ring and laptop were later identified as the now dead woman’s property.

On November 7, 2015, Grant admitted to detectives that he

murder), the lawyer declined to go into details about the role Grant played.

Counsel only stated “there is no evidence that he [Grant] played a role in inflicting injuries on [Ramnaress]. [He] did not contribute, support, or even attempted to encourage any form of violence being committed on [her].” The lawyer referred to Grant as “one who found himself with the wrong friend.”

Prior to his arrest for murder, Todd said that his client had no brushes with the law. This, he added, was evident from a probation report and a report from the prison. “[Grant] is one who had good character. He is a prime candidate for rehabilitation. He has never been able to father his child,” the lawyer added.

According to Todd, the real perpetrator of this crime is not before the court. Among the factors, the lawyer asked the court to consider when passing sentence is the fact that his client cooperated with Police investigations and pleaded guilty at the first opportunity available to him.

Blame

For her part, Justice Barlow told Grant that although he was not at the woman’s home, he was a party to what his comrades went to do, so the blame has to be laid at his feet because he was part of the original plan. “You engaged in a plan to commit a felony at the home of the woman whether that plan was to rob her or kill her it was still a plan to commit a felony,” said the Judge in her sentencing remarks.

Dead: Sirmattie Ramnaress

According to the Judge, Grant could have been found guilty if he was tried for murder. She explained that because the evidence shows he did not have the requisite intention to kill since he was not at Ramnaress’ home, the court accepted his guilty plea to the lesser count. She said that given the factual circumstances of the case, she did not see it fit to impose the maximum sentence which is life imprisonment.

In the end, the confessed killer was sentenced to 21 years in prison. It was further ordered that the prison is to deduct one-third of that sentence for Grant’s early guilty plea. The prison was also ordered to make a further deduction of six years which reflects the time Grant spent in pre-trial custody.

Acquitted

Former Police Sergeant, 57-year-old Colin Bailey had been jointly charged with Grant for the woman’s murder. However, last month, during his trial, prosecutors conceded that there was no evidence against him. As such, Justice Barlow directed the jury to return a formal verdict of not guilty.

The Judge expressed much dissatisfaction at the state of affairs of the prosecution’s case and urged prosecutors to ensure that they examine relevant documents before presenting indictments.

“I must plead to the prosecutorial arm of the State to examine the material. Examine the committal records, examine all other relevant material carefully, and fulfil the constitutional mandate that dictates that no one should be before the courts unless there is some lawful reason for that person to be there.”

Emphasising that this “must not happen again”, Justice Barlow said given what transpired in Bailey’s case, she will take on the task of getting familiar with depositions before starting trials and made it clear that she will take “drastic measures” if there is no evidence to substantiate a charge.

Bailey, who spent almost six years in jail for the crime, said he will be suing the State.

His lawyers, Nigel Hughes and associates are calling for a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the operations of the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). (G1)

…by Baby Jesus ne of the dailies has an interview with Van West Charles on his campaign to become leader of the PNC. Van insisted he doesn’t want to talk about his (infamous) father-in-law. But that’s a bit rich - even maybe ungrateful - isn’t it? If he hadn’t married Burnham’s daughter, would he have even been in the picture, much less Min of Health forty years ago?

Anyhow, back to his campaign. Earlier he’d rejected a reference by Norton to him as a “latecomer”. But when you’ve been abroad for more than two decades in a cushy PAHO job you got courtesy of your Guyana Burnham-bequeathed portfolio - you REALLY can’t pretend you were in the “trenches”, can you? He also claimed he’d sold New Nation in the markets. But HE was lucky: most of the class to which he belonged had to do manual labour at Hope Estate under the baleful gaze of a horseback-riding Burnham!! He also said he was in a party group and that’s why he was elected to the PNC Central Executive!! Really?? He forgot why he was called “Baby Jesus”? Since his father in law was God… Since he wanted the interview to focus on himself, he should’ve concentrated on his role in helping that party. When he ran for the leadership before and was such a sore loser to David Granger, he could’ve claimed he wasn’t doing it for himself, but insisting on democracy INSIDE the party! But then all Granger did was to use the tried-and-true method of rigging elections introduced by his father in law!! And even though Van he’d leapfrogged over to the AFC, Granger made him head of Guyana Water. And the following year a license to import chickens for Christmas and a license to import fuel -a sure-fire way to make some quick bucks!

He could say he only accepted this to show the PNC was encouraging entrepreneurship!! He was so adept at this boondoggle that the GRA a hauled him before the Courts for “under-invoicing”!! He’d learnt this at PAHO and maybe the profits were used to support the PNC? But his biggest contribution to the PNC on record came with his GWI a position. While Volda only TALKED about only giving jobs to her “PNC friends” - Van West walked the talk!

He hired one convicted drug smuggler as a “debt collector” - who his Board had to fire for being “unqualified”. And he doubled the staff with “PNC friends” and more than doubled the payroll!! Hundreds were hired just as the coalition was being ousted. 157 of them had to be fired by the PPP. PNC to the bone!! Go Van West! …for Climate Change Well, we know for sure that the commitments made up to now by the biggest emitters of Climate Warming gases will ensure that global warming continues on its northward climb!! One Report by the IEA concluded, “Even if we fully achieve all net zero pledges to date and the Global Methane Pledge by those who signed it would limit global warming to 1.8C.” The goal was 1.5C. Then there were the pledges on spending to assist poorer countries to comply. This was supposed to hit US$100B by 2020 - that won’t happen till 2023 - if the commitments are NOW kept!! Which they won’t!

The other letdown was the exclusion of Indigenous People in the COP 26 negotiations. They make up 5% of the world’s population yet protect 80% of the world’s biodiversity and received only 1% of the funding. It’s not a coincidence they were hardly visible at Edinburg.

One bit of good news (?) is after spending $5.5B on a single space flight, Amazon’s Bezos will now donate US$2B to fighting Climate Change! …for electoral reform Your Eyewitness is happy that the Electoral Reform Group (ERG) hasn’t folded. How else could the PPP prove that “Civil Society” is alive and kicking.

Well, not exactly “kicking” but they did “issue a statement”!

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

NEWS

9

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

3 more persons die from COVID-19, 77 new cases …active cases in Region 4 decline

GUYANA COVID-19 DASHBOARD NOVEMBER 8, 2021 UPDATE

T

hree more unvaccinated persons who were infected with the novel coronavirus have died, taking the country’s death toll to 945.

The latest update on the pandemic locally was provided by the Health Ministry on Monday, showing two males from Mahaica, aged 80 and 50, succumbing on November 7. Previously on October 31, a 56-year-old female from Region Three also died.

There were 77 new cases in one day according to the Ministry’s dashboard, with the total confirmed cases in the country moving to 36,257 – 17,126 males and 19,131 females.

Some 12 patients are in the designated Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 2514 in home isolation, 73 in institutional isolation and five in institutional quarantine. The data shows that 32,713 patients have recovered from the life-threat-

ening virus while 364,203 have been tested.

A breakdown shows one for Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), three in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), 70 for Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne), two for Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) and one in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

Cases in Region One (Barima-Waini), Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), Region Five (DemeraraMahaica), Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) and Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) remained unchanged.

Imported cases of COVID-19 that have reached Guyana’s shores have amounted to 60, according to statistics from the Health Ministry.

The imported positives were detected at the airports after passengers arrived

from other countries. There are 2696 active cases across Guyana, of which there are 70 hospitalised cases. At the Infectious Diseases Hospital, 40 are being housed - with 12 in the ICU. Five individuals are at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation’s Maternal Unit.

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony said active cases in Region Four have decreased significantly, and is linked to high vaccination uptake.

“Region Four has a relatively high uptake of first dose vaccination and over the last week or so, we have seen more people coming out to get their second dose. Once you’re fully vaccinated and 14 days after your second dose, you’ll be better protected. What we’re observing in Region Four is a good example of that.”

Latest adult vaccination statistics show 386,350 per-

Berbice Chambers demand to be more involved in regional decision-making

Upper Corentyne Chamber of Commerce President Hemchand Jaichand

T

he three Chambers of Commerce in Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) are calling on the regional administration to include them at the discussion table when decisions are being made regarding development of the county.

The calls were made over

Berbice Chamber of Commerce and Development Association President Ryan Alexander

the weekend when Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh met with representatives of the three business representative organisations.

On Sunday, Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh met with the Upper Corentyne Chamber of Commerce, the

Central Corentyne Chamber of Commerce and the Berbice Chamber which has its support base in the New Amsterdam area.

President of the Berbice Chamber of Commerce and development Association Ryan Alexander said the regional administration has not been engaging the Chamber.

He called for a more inclusive arrangement noting that the business sector is the engine of growth. In fact, he highlighted that at the national level, the Private Sector Commission is being consulted by Government on critical decisions.

President of the Upper Corentyne Chamber of Commerce Hemchand Jaichand expressed similar sentiments, saying that he is disappointed with the interaction between the Central Government and the business sector on the Corentyne.

TURN TO PAGE 14

NUMBER OF NEW CASES

77

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL ISOLATION

73

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN HOME ISOLATION

2514

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN COVID-19 ICU

12

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL QUARANTINE

5

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (FEMALES)

19,131

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (MALES)

17,126

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES IN GUYANA SINCE 2020

36,257

NUMBER OF RECOVERED CASES

32,713

TOTAL 1st DOSE VACCINATED

386,350

FULLY IMMUNISED

251,908

TOTAL NUMBER OF DEATHS

945

DISTRIBUTION OF TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES SINCE MARCH 2020 REGION 1

1627

REGION 2

1467

REGION 3

4921

REGION 4

17,152

REGION 5

1330

REGION 6

2804

REGION 7

1762

REGION 8

604

REGION 9

2453

REGION 10

2137

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

Keep a physical distance of at least 6 feet.

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

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

sons or 75.3 per cent first dose coverage; with 251,908 or 49.1 per cent second dose uptake.

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 All Guyanese are reminded to observe the protocols of the COVID-19 emergen-

cy measures which emphasise the need for correct and consistent use of a face mask when leaving your home; the importance of maintaining the six feet physical distance from others; and the need for good hand hygiene. (G12)

10 NEWS

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Unauthorised COVID-19 testing facilities shut down T

he National COVID-19 Task Force, in conjunction with the Guyana Police Force, has been investigating instances of unauthorised testing facilities, which have since been shut down upon inspection.

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony has announced that authorities have clamped down on facilities that are doing COVID-19 testing without the requisite authorisation.

Two of the facilities were located in Bartica and Linden.

“The Task Force would have gone to some unauthorised providers because

they were providing antigen tests when they were not licensed to do so. In those instances, those facilities have been closed and we have advised them that if they want to offer the test, they should do the requisite things as is outlined by the technical department within the Ministry,” he vocalised.

An application for permission is required before a facility can offer testing.

Meanwhile, there are instances where allegations are made against entities, claiming that tests are being entered as negative without due testing. These are usually investigated by the Task

Force, while the Ministry’s Technical Department has been working to conduct periodical inspections to ensure compliance with national measures. Presently, no one has been charged for

such an offence.

“From time to time, we get reports that entities providing the test might just write the report without actually offering the test, so they give you a piece of

paper saying you’re negative without doing the test. When we get such reports, we take it very seriously and the Task Force would start an investigation to see whether that is so or not. We have had a few incidents that we’ve heard of and the task force, along with the Police Force would have investigated those,” Dr Anthony shared.

Due to monitoring in the past, people have been prosecuted for forging documents and vaccination cards in Guyana. Only last month, two nurses attached to the One Mile Health Centre, Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), were charged for forging COVID vaccination books.

Previously, two drivers at-

tached to the Ministry of Health were also charged for alleged theft of vaccination cards.

Under Section 240 of the Criminal Offences Act, Chapter 8:01, forgery is an offence and as such, warrants penalties for persons caught in such an act.

“You can be prosecuted for forgery, and the fine, if you’re found guilty of forgery, would be up to three years’ imprisonment. And if you forge a vaccination card, you will be liable to this type of punishment if caught. So, I want to encourage people: desist from such practices, because when we catch you, you are going to feel the full brunt of the law,” the Health Minister had warned a few months ago. (G12)

Boatbuilder dies after boat capsizes in Pomeroon River

Charity Waterfront

P

opular boatbuilder Chris Williams of Jacklow, Upper Pomeroon, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), died after the boat he was operating capsized in the Pomeroon River.

Reports are that the incident occurred at about 17:30h on Saturday in the vicinity of the Charity Waterfront.

The 36-year-old father of two was said to be under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident.

Persons who witnessed the incident immediately went to his assistance.

Williams’ body was recovered and immediately rushed to the Charity Oscar Joseph Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

“He drove off and we heard the loud sounds.

When we searched, we

Dead: Boatbuilder Chris Williams

weren’t finding him, then we found him below the boat,” an eyewitness told this publication.

The body is currently at the Charity Mortuary awaiting a post-mortem. (G14)

NEWS

11

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Alleged bandits who posed as GPL meter readers remanded

T

he two men who posed as Guyana Power and Light (GPL) meter readers and attempted to rob a 56-year-old housewife were on Friday charged and remanded to prison.

Jose Fraser, 25, a porter of Bagotstown, East Bank Demerara (EBD), and 20-year-old Jaleel Thomas of Cinema Street, Diamond, EBD, appeared at the Diamond/Golden Grove Magistrates’ Court.

They pleaded not guilty to the charge, which stated that on November 2, at Covent Garden Back Street, EBD, they attempted to commit a felony, to wit, robbery. They will return to court on January 3.

It was previously reported that at around noon on November 2, the housewife was in her yard doing laundry when the two men ap-

Remanded: Jose Fraser

proached her and told her that they were GPL meter readers.

The woman allowed the men into enter her yard, pointed them in the direction of the meter, and con-

tinued washing. The woman told investigators that whilst she was doing her laundry, someone suddenly grabbed her and demanded that she hand over her money.

The suspect then began forcing her up the stairs to her home. This caused her to scream and shout “thief”. As a result, the perpetrators let go of the woman and walked out of the yard. Shortly after, public-spirited citizens went to the woman’s aid and she pointed to the suspects, who were walking towards the public road.

With the assistance of a Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) officer and a Police Constable attached to the Providence Police Station Traffic Department, the 25-year-old porter was apprehended.

Quick response by Police ranks also resulted in the apprehension of the second perpetrator who was found hiding in the storeroom of an apartment complex which is located in the area.

They were arrested and

Remanded: Jaleel Thomas

taken to the Golden Grove Police Station where they were kept pending charges.

A Police report said that one of the perpetrators was being grilled in connection with a robbery. (G1)

12 NEWS Murder accused denies Men must be “deeply” involved in parenting – Minister to fathers killing Berbice couple W TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

By Amar Persaud

ith mounting calls for there to be paternity leave for fathers, the Human Services and Social Security Ministry said consideration is being made to make such provisions mandatory for employers.

The country’s laws only cater for women to go on three months’ maternity leave.

However, during an in-

Murdered: Arthur Rajkumar and Diane Chamanlall

A

24-year-old man accused of murdering a Berbice couple during a robbery back in 2016 pleaded not guilty at his arraignment before Justice Sandil Kissoon at the High Court in Berbice. As such, a 12-member mixed jury was empanelled to hear the case.

It is alleged that between January 8 and 9, 2016, Nazameed Rafeek of Bush Lot, West Coast Berbice (WCB), murdered Arthur Rajkumar, 81, and Diane Chamanlall, 44, during the course or furtherance of a robbery.

The murder accused is being represented by Senior Counsel Mursaline Bacchus, while State Counsel Abigail Gibbs is appearing for the

prosecution.

A Police report stated that on January 9, 2016, at around 03:00h, Police ranks acting on information went to a home at Lot 93 A Bush Lot, West Coast Berbice. As the ranks approached the home, three men were seen jumping over a fence on the premises.

The Police ranks gave chase but the men managed to escape. Upon checking the house which was ransacked, the ranks found the couple with chop wounds about their bodies. They were taken to the Fort Wellington Hospital where Rajkumar was pronounced dead on arrival.

The man’s wife died while receiving medical at-

leave has already been implemented in some countries. And while I cannot commit to saying that it is something that will happen in the shortest possible time, we will be considering a number of areas including paternity leave,” she responded.

“If you are going to consider paternity leave, it is not to be considered in isolation. There are many other reasons to having fathers have paternity leave and its

Human Services and Social Security Minister, Dr Vindhya Persaud

Murder accused: Nazameed Rafeek

tention. It was reported that the couple operated an ice cream parlour at their home.

Reports indicate that the elderly man was brutally chopped about his body and his neck was almost severed while his spouse sustained nine chop wounds - including on her hands, face, and head.

In 2020, Rooplall Abrahim and Madanpaul Gocoul, who were also charged with the couple’s murder, pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter. Abrahim was sentenced to life imprisonment; he will be eligible for parole after serving 25 years. Gocoul was handed a 24-year prison sentence. (G1)

terview with this publication, Human Services Minister Dr Vindhya Persaud was asked about whether she will push to make paternity leave equally mandatory.

“I think there are a lot of progressive policies around the world and paternity

impact on the workforce and productivity,” Dr Persaud added.

Meanwhile, speaking on the role of father figures in raising a child, the Minister encouraged more men to be deeply involved in parenting.

“Outside of paternity leave I would like to tell fa-

thers that they should be more engaged and should be actively present, not only to provide the material to the home, but before the birth, during the birth and throughout a child’s life,” she contended.

According to the Minister, absent fathers can largely impact a child’s life in a negative way.

“What we would’ve seen happen over many years is the whole impact of absentee fathers in homes and we have lots of single parents and we have lots of children without positive role models and I don’t think paternity leave will fix that. I think that is something that be achieved without paternity leave.”

In 2019, the Women and Gender Equality Commission laid over a report with several recommendations including paternity leave for men.

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14 NEWS

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2021|| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Guyana must seek to eliminate “silent” pandemic of suicide – Columbia professor A

“silent pandemic” masked by an alarming suicide rate in Guyana is now at the forefront of issues to be addressed, with a new approach to mental health and wellness among the population.

At the Guyana Mental Health and Wellbeing Conference on Monday, University of Guyana Vice Chancellor, Professor Paloma Mohamed-Martin sought to point out that the COVID-19 pandemic gave rise to worsened stress levels among students and faculty staffers.

“The COVID context has created a tremendous amount of stress, of course alienation is one of those big things in our population of students but also in the faculty and most importantly, in our pensioners, that is the faculty who are no longer working and at home. This is a major issue,” said the VC. According to her, this resulted in the need to bolster their approach to mental health strategies and counselling, as well as learning challenges which students may encounter.

“The University has now been very focused on mental health in our own university community. We

creased suicide and mental health issues in Guyana. It is intended to continue as an annual event, in tracking the progress made to end the “plague”.

to that point. We can intersect those attitudes and beliefs if we think about it and try.”

New study

Alarming statistics

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony

are looking at anxiety and depression in our students and we are looking at other types of challenges that students might have and focus very significantly on things like learning challenges, autism, learning disabilities and so on.”

UG has created, in collaboration with the Human Services and Education Ministries and UNICEF, an inclusion policy which will guide this support for students who are suffering from both learning and mental health challenges.

The conference was organised as part of a comprehensive plan to identify the gaps which contribute to in-

Data shows that Guyana still has the highest suicide rate in the Caribbean Community, followed by Suriname. Globally, it is the second highest in the world. Currently, the figure stands at 58.2 per 100,000 people, and has been on a consistent increase throughout recent years. In addition, for every person that commits suicide, there are 20 attempted cases.

Professor at Columbia University, Christina Hoven said as the world prepares to exit the novel coronavirus pandemic, Guyana still has another in the form of suicide which it must seek to eliminate.

“The pandemic is not over and it will continue to take lives and sicken people. However, the good news is that the grip of the pandemic has been loosened.

Leadership, education, awareness and changed personal behaviour as well as a joint commitment has put in our sight, the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Suicide on the other hand,

Columbia University Professor, Christina Hoven

is Guyana’s ongoing private pandemic, a private plague placing this beautiful country at the top of the list of countries around the world for its high rate of suicide,” she outlined.

However, she noted that in some cases, the numbers are much higher but are being classified under labels which distort the actual magnitude of suicide-related deaths.

“Transport injuries, car accidents, unintended injuries, self-harm and violence; that’s how it gets classified in the emergency room when the body comes in from a car accident or from a fall. It gets classified this way, not as a suicide.

But you can be sure, many of those cases are a suicide.

So again, the numbers are worse than we know.”

Across the country, the figures are ununiform, meaning socioeconomic and cultural deprivation are some factors which increase risks of such occurrence. She reminded that every case is different and speaks to the need for a multifaceted approach.

Hoven added, “We can do a lot of things. We can do it from a multifaceted perspective because suicide is multifaceted. Everyone that kills themself is different and they have a range of activities and attitudes at the least to bring them

In the coming future, the Guyana Wellbeing Project will be conducted in collaboration with several partners. It is divided into three segments, the first of which is a national representative community cohort using 5000 people across the country, aged 15 and above. The second part is a clinical attempter’s sample, where every person that visits a crisis clinic will be assessed.

“The assessment of that group will be almost identical to the national representative sample so we can begin to tease out who is coming into these clinics and how they compare to the community sample…

If we don’t start the process to attack the plague of suicide in Guyana, we’re not going to get there. We have to start,” the professor divulged.

The third step involves a survivors’ sample, interviewing persons in close connection with suicide victims. Such actions were decided with the intention of going beyond traditional research and deeply explore the reason for Guyana’s current status.

On the cards is an injury and trauma training programme in collaboration with UG. Together, the two initiatives form the Guyana Wellbeing Project.

Legislation

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony reminded that Government has been pursuing a Draft Suicide Prevention Bill, which they are hoping to add to the parliamentary agenda.

“If we do this year, we’ll be able to pass it and change those old things that have been there that has not really created an enabling environment, what we need to be to pre-

UG Vice Chancellor, Professor Paloma Mohamed-Martin

vent suicide in Guyana…

With persons championing for this, I’m sure we’ll get it changed,” Dr Anthony asserted.

Laws dealing with mental health, he noted, have been “problematic” due to outdated approaches that cannot work to curb current issues. Since 2011, a draft document was crafted but later shelved, while another was started in 2017.

Recently, both pieces of legislation have been examined to draw the strengths and formulate a comprehensive draft bill. This will be circulated for scrutiny.

“Some of the terminology that are being used are not in keeping with what we’d like to see in a modern mental health architecture and these things have been changed. Again, there have been attempts for us to develop special laws relating to mental health in a good way, not to stigmatise anyone.”

The Minister added, “From the side of Government, we are very much interested in creating that conducive, modern, mental health framework so that our practitioners, clinicians, social workers would be able to work with this new framework.”

The decriminalisation of suicide is also a key move being touted by the current Administration. (G12)

Berbice Chambers demand...

“I believe and I am subject to correction, that the region feels that it should not have any discussion with the Private Sector. We are saying that we are promoting democracy. We believe that we should be part and parcel of decision making. This is not happening.

Mr Regional Chairman, this is not happening,” he said Meanwhile, Past President of the Central Corentyne Chamber Muhhamed Rafeek noted that the regional administration has been neglecting to involve the Chamber even when the issues directly relate to the business sector on the Central Corentyne.

Regional Chairman David Armogan who attend-

ed all three of the meetings explained that there is need for more engagement on the part of the Chambers.

At the Upper Corentyne meeting he said on many occasions members of the business sector do not attend meetings especially on agricultural issues when invited.

Minister Singh explained that Government sees the Private Sector as playing a key role in the development process and has been engaging the Private Sector.

He recalled that on the very first day President Irfaan Ali assumed office he had an engagement with the Private Sector and has since had other engagements with the body.

FROM PAGE 9

“I recall your very active participation and engagement with the national Private Sector at the Pegasus Hotel,” he told Jaichand.

“That is only an example of multiply channels through which we continue to engage with the Private Sector. I prefer to think of these engagements as an ongoing process. I don’t believe too much in these oneoff consultations,” Minister Singh added.

While it was the first time the Minister was meeting with both the Berbice Chamber and Upper Corentyne Chamber, it was his second engagement with the Central Corentyne Chamber. (G4)

NEWS

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2021| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Former APNU/AFC REO changed FFTP donates over 1000 health centre contract without pieces of furniture to retendering – PAC hears Education Ministry …writes letter admitting act, says “sorry” for actions

PAC member and Governance Minister Gail Teixeira

D

uring Monday’s perusal of the 2016 Auditor General report at the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), sparks flew over a contract’s varied scope of works for which no approval was sought and for which all the former Regional Executive Officer (REO) could say was sorry.

On Monday, officials from the Region Two Regional Democratic Council (RDC) came up before the PAC. One area of concern in the AG’s 2016 report was the reduced scope of works for a contract at the Marlborough Health Centre, Lower Pomeroon.

Instead of the works on a timber bridge, perimeter fence and revetment, it was discovered that the entire contract sum was used to construct a longer timber revetment. The audit Office found that no bridge or fence was constructed and no approval or variation order was ever presented for

the changes.

“The regional administration should ensure in future that works are retendered when there is an entire change in the scope of works to allow for competitive bidding and fairness to all bidders and variation orders are prepared and approved in keeping with the conditions of the contract when there are changes to the scope of works,” the Auditor General had noted.

In a missive to Clerk of the National Assembly Sherlock Issacs, former REO Rupert Hopkinson wrote that not seeking approval for the changes to the scope of works was an oversight and expressed regret.

“It has been realised that revetment was an emergency work. It was an oversight that no approval was sought, this effort is regretted and such occurrence has stopped,” Hopkinson wrote of paragraph 673.

However, PAC member and Governance Minister Gail Teixeira was unamused, noting the seriousness of the matter.

She highlighted the points made by Auditor General Deodat Sharma on the matter, documented in the report, and noted that there have been several violations of due process.

“I want to ask to look at the recommendations of the Audit Office, which is the crux of the mater… the response of the regional officer was that this is an oversight. However, the

Former Region 2 APNU/ AFC appointed REO Rupert Hopkinson

Auditor General is making a very serious charge here. To ensure that works are retendered when there is an entire change in the scope of works.”

“There are two recommendations and both are very serious recommendations. This is not just about the works committee. This is about where the regional administration is being called to books. Whether it’s the works committee or the engineer, they all failed! In that they changed the scope of works without approval.” (G3)

From left: Book Distribution Unit Coordinator Darshini Balac, Education Minister Priya Manickchand, Food for the Poor (Guyana) Inc CEO Kent Vincent and the organisation’s Public Relations Officer Jonelle DeViera with some of the donated pieces of furniture

T

he Education Ministry on Monday received over 1000 pieces of furniture from Food For The Poor (Guyana) Inc (FFTP) to be distributed to schools across Guyana to benefit students and teachers.

In total, 41 bookcases, 762 chairs, 461 student desks, 12 teacher desks, 34 file cabinets, 61 tables and

one storage cabinet were handed over.

Education Minister Priya Manickchand in accepting the donation said that the two entities should highlight priority areas to make the established partnership even more meaningful.

Chief Executive Officer of FFTP, Kent Vincent said

that he looks forward to continued collaboration between the organisation and the Ministry of Education to make the lives of both learners and teachers better.

The items will be stored at the Education Ministry’s Book Distribution Unit (BDU) until they are ready to be distributed to the schools.

16 NEWS

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Health Ministry, McMaster University sign MoU for fellowship training in medicine Hospital President and VP of Woman and Children’s Health, Bruce Squires.

In brief remarks, Dr Anthony thanked several

physicians who have been instrumental in partnering with IHSC to develop many of the post-graduate programmes in Guyana.

These include Dr Ronald Barr, Dr Brian Cameron, Dr Andrea Hunter, Dr April Tam, Dr Karen Baley and Dr Narendra Singh.

Labour shortage affecting Berbice business sector – officials …“can’t get combine operators at $10,000 a day” – rice farmer

By Andrew Carmichael

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony holds the MoU in the presence of Faculty of Health Sciences Dean, Dr Paul O’Byrne and Board of Directors Chair of St Joseph Health Systems International Outreach Programme Karen Belaire

T

he Health Ministry has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with McMaster University to facilitate training of Guyanese physicians in various sub-specialities at the education institution.

On Monday, the Ministry said in a release that Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony made a recent trip to Toronto and Hamilton, Ontario, to finalise the MoU with McMaster University.

Dr Anthony was accom-

panied by Dr Narendra Singh, Associate Professor of Paediatrics at McMaster University and President of Guyana Help The Kids (GHTK) organisation, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) partnering with Guyana to address infant mortality.

This MoU essentially sets in motion a partnership in which McMaster has agreed to facilitate the training of Guyanese physicians in various sub-specialities. In return, McMaster will continue to expand its

global health and research initiatives with a major focus in Guyana.

According to the Health Ministry the MoU was signed by Dr Frank Anthony; Faculty of Health Sciences Dean, Dr Paul O’Byrne and Board of Directors Chair of St Joseph Health Systems International Outreach Programme Karen Belaire.

Also attending the signing of the MoU was Chair of Paediatrics at McMaster Children Hospital, Dr Angelo Mikrogianakis and McMaster Children’s

A

shortage of labour is having a significant impact on the business sector in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).

This is one of the issues discussed with Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh when he met with the Central Corentyne Chamber of Commerce (CCCC) on Sunday.

A large percentage of that Chamber’s membership is farmers. However, retail, agro processing, manufacturing and construction members are engaged in and employ a large percentage of the workforce between Number 43 Village and Number One. Despite the wide range, Chamber members are complaining of a lack of both skilled and unskilled labour.

During Sunday’s meeting, President of the Guyana Rice Producers Association, Leaka Rambrich, who is also a rice farmer, noted that the labour shortage or reluctance of persons to work could have a significant impact on the coming rice crop.

That crop, he said, should see 60,000 acres under rice cultivation which will be significantly more than the past two crops.

In giving an example of the significant impact the lack of available labour is having on his operations, Rambrich told the Finance Minister that he had to operate a tractor in the rice field as he has started preparing land for the next crop while still harvesting other fields.

“I need 20 persons to work now if I get them. Find 20 or 30 persons in Region Six, you can’t. It took me two months looking for two tractor operators and it is not that we are paying cheap. We are paying $6000 a day [to] operate tractors now. Combine operators getting $10,000 a day and you can’t find them to work,” Rambrich disclosed.

Meanwhile, Rose Hall Town businessman Imran

Hamid explained that he is facing a similar problem. He said there are many persons who just don’t want to work.

“When you call them to work, the first thing they ask you is ‘how much you paying’? I am wondering what the Government or the people can come up with to get these people to work.

Handouts is one of the things they look forward to and support from foreign. You give them US$50 for one month and they would value that more than $40,000,” Hamid revealed.

Another member, Bhigroog Poonai, who operates a pharmacy among other businesses and is also a past President of the Chamber and employs fifteen persons, disclosed that within a three-month period he lost three of his core staff - one of whom had been with his organisation for fifteen years and the other two for seven years each; they all migrated.

“While there are so many plans for Berbice that we want to open call centres and other businesses it comes back to the same thing; where are we going to get the labour. As entrepreneurs in Berbice we would want to invest. Not that we need Government to invest, we can invest but who are we going to get to do the job. So, we have to think out of the box and see what incentives we can have to keep our own here,” Poonai suggested.

One contractor explained that Venezuelans have been

more punctual at his work sites and attend work daily unlike locals.

Serious dialog with private sector

Past CCCC President Muhammed Rafeek called for a database on available labour.

Singh said initially he thought the issue was one only affecting the agriculture sector but noted that it is a very important issue.

“I say important because while on one hand I hear from the Private Sector I am hearing on the other hand that there are people out there that are looking for work and I have some difficulty reconciling these two.

The views that you have expressed are not new to me.

How do we reconcile these two? I do not dispute your experience because you are on the ground.”

Singh said he is trying to understand the issue but suggested that there needs to be serious dialog with the Private Sector nationally in addressing the issue.

“We have to have a conversation on labour market issues. Is it maybe that we might have some mismatches in the labour market? Is it a case of where the jobs are is not the same place where the people are looking for jobs, so we have some geographical mismatches because labour is not generally geographically mobile?”

The Minister added that there could also be a skills mismatch.

17 Kingston Seawall to be developed into major tourist hub by next year W NEWS

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

ith works ongoing at the Kingston Seawall, the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) is hopeful that this area will be developed into one of the city’s major tourist hubs.

The redevelopment of this once thriving commercial and cultural centre forms part of the First Lady’s National Beautification Project. It is being executed in partnership with the Public Works Ministry and corporate sponsors.

What was intended to be a moderate facelift of the bandstand area has now become an elaborate plan to boost tourism in the capital city.

“As we continue to welcome investors and tourists to our beautiful Guyana, it is very important for the

physical appearance of the country to complement the investment climate,” First Lady Arya Ali has said.

Ali shared that it is crit-

ical for Guyana to capitalise on the social and economic opportunities which come from having an influx of for-

eigners.

Equally important, she added, was ensuring that Guyana protects its environmental credentials.

“This is why I pursued this project and made it part of my National Beautification Project; because these kinds of initiatives must have environmental considerations and must fall within the sustainable development framework,” the First Lady noted.

The National Beautification Project aims to safeguard and enhance the scenic qualities of Guyana’s roadways, and urban and rural spaces while simultaneously creating a more environmentally-friendly society.

Presently, reinforced concrete drains are being

built opposite the bandstand to expand the landscape for the construction of food kiosks. Twenty-five (25) units are expected to be erected in the coming months – thirteen of which will be built by a corporate sponsor and the remaining twelve by the Public Works Ministry.

Not only would this help to create employment, but it would also assist in the regulation and monitoring of vending in and around the area.

To eliminate the existing issue of flooding, slipper and subsurface drains are under construction at the bandstand periphery to improve drainage, while rehabilitative works will restore the bandstand to its pristine state.

The recently includ-

ed boardwalk, north of the bandstand, will be extended to the roundhouse behind the Pegasus Hotel, and the tarmac area will be fully resurfaced with asphalt.

Accessing the tarmac area will no longer be a worry for persons in wheelchairs since a ramp is currently under construction.

Both design and funding

the area to improve solid waste management. A commitment has also been made by one of the country’s leading telecommunications companies to provide free Wi-Fi within the vicinity of the bandstand and tarmac.

Prior to the completion of this project in the first quarter of next year, it is the First Lady’s intention

for a sanitary block have been approved by a corporate sponsor. This will be situated adjacent to the food kiosks and a promenade will extend to the “I Love Guyana” sign.

The entire area will also benefit from improved security with the inclusion of a Police outpost, patrol officers, and increased lighting.

Thirty new garbage bins will also be installed around

to engage the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to have live cultural performances return to the bandstand.

“I hope that upon completion of this very ambitious project, we value and take pride in what is ours.

I want everyone to benefit from this undertaking, and they must do so conscious of the work that went into making it possible,” the First Lady said.

18

guyanatimesgy.com

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2021

Regional

Nicaragua vote: Ortega tightens grip Man dies during morning on power in “pantomime election” church service in Couva

Daniel Ortega has been President since 1997, and led Nicaragua between 1979 and 1990

P

reliminary results from the Nicaraguan general election suggest that incumbent President Daniel Ortega has won by a landslide.

With about half of the ballots counted, Ortega has secured around 75 per cent of the vote. But as the BBC’s Central America Correspondent Will Grant reports, the result hardly comes as a surprise.

As the Nicaraguan President stepped back from casting his ballot, his supporters lining the polling station broke into sup-

posedly spontaneous applause.

Holding his thumb in the air to show off the voting ink, he and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, drank in the noise for the State television cameras before being whisked away in a silver Mercedes-Benz.

He might as well have declared himself the victor there and then.

This was an election in which the result was never in question. In fact, the outcome in Nicaragua was decided months before a vote

was even cast or counted.

From the moment on June 2 when Police appeared at the home of his main rival, Cristiana Chamorro, and placed her under house arrest for alleged money-laundering, it was clear that President Ortega would be re-elected for another five-year term.

In the following days and weeks, there was a slew of further detentions of presidential hopefuls – seven of them in total – including a former Nicaraguan Ambassador to the US, Arturo Cruz Jr, and Cristiana Chamorro’s cousin, Juan Sebastián Chamorro.

Even her brother, Pedro Joaquín, a Journalist in his 70s, was arrested for merely voicing interest in running during an interview.

The clampdown has shocked Latin America for its speed and ruthlessness. Most of the detained candidates and many other Ortega critics have been charged under a controversial treason law. (Excerpt from BBC News)

CDB Head calls on international community to fulfil commitments

C

a r i b b e a n Development Bank (CDB) President, Dr Gene Leon wants the international community to fulfil financial commitments to help Barbados and other Caribbean states battle the effects of climate change.

He made the call on Monday, while saying he was encouraged by undertakings made at the ongoing United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP26).

Leon, who is leading a CDB delegation to COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland was speaking during an online panel discussion organ-

ised by the CDB and the European Investment Bank.

“From the climate side, we need to rebuild confidence that the international community really appreciates and can commit to helping move towards a better space from a climate side, and that means simply living up to the commitments that have been made with regard to helping to finance,” he said.

“That, I think for me, is the beginning. It has to be the catalyst that says we have confidence things are changing. I think if you can do that, then it will catalyse a number of other things

like Private Sector or, for that matter, Governments, feeling that they can do a little more, they would not be stuck out on a limb.”

Leon said he was encouraged that COP26 would result in a positive outcome for the Caribbean’s efforts to adapt to global warming.

“Absolutely I am encouraged, absolutely I am optimistic, but it will depend a lot on us, how we make use of whatever support that is pledged, that is promised, . . . [and] we have to be able to take that responsibility to deliver on it,” the economist added. (Excerpt from Nation News)

C

hurch-goers to the Nistar Presbyterian Church, Couva on Sunday were left traumatised after beloved parishioner Richard Harold Sitahal collapsed and died at the church during the morning prayer session.

Extending condolences to Sitahal’s family, General Secretary of the Presbyterian Secondary Schools’ Board of Education, Gary Samai said he was shocked to learn of the unfortunate tragedy.

Offering words of comfort to Sitahal’s wife and two children, Samai said the sudden death was even more sad as Sitahal’s parents, retired Reverend Harold Sitahal and his wife who is the organist at the

Richard Sitahal died during worship at the Nistar Presbyterian Church, Couva on Sunday morning

church, were both present at the time.

Sitahal, 50, worked as an area manager at the T&T Electricity Commission (T&TEC).

The incident reportedly occurred around 10:30h during the service which was being conducted by officiating Reverend Winston Ramkissoon.

Samai was unable to share specific details, but said Sitahal was known to be suffering with heart-related ailments.

While it is believed that he died of a heart attack, his exact cause of death will only be confirmed when the autopsy is performed.

Confirming the Presbyterian Church will be providing counselling services to the traumatised congregation, Samai said they began reaching out to affected persons since Sunday and this will continue throughout the week.

(Trinidad Guardian)

Bolsonaro to join center-right PL party to take on leftist Lula

B

razil’s far-right President Jair Bolsonaro will join the centre-right Liberal Party (PL), the party’s leader Valdemar Costa Neto said on Monday, aligning forces ahead of the President’s re-election bid next year.

Bolsonaro confirmed his intention, telling supporters “it might happen as soon as this week”.

It was Bolsonaro’s first step toward building a campaign for the election next October, when he is likely to face off against former leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Neither has officially declared their candidacy.

“All our members are committed to receiving the President,” said PL Senate leader Wellington Fagundes after meeting with Bolsonaro. He said affiliation should take place on November 22.

Bolsonaro, who has relied on social media to rally his base, has no political party

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro

at the moment, after quarrelling with the leaders of the small party that he joined to win office in 2018.

The Social Liberal Party (PSL) emerged from obscurity to become the second-largest party in Congress on the Bolsonaro bandwagon, as Brazil’s electorate shifted right after 13 years of Government by Lula’s Workers Party (PT).

But Bolsonaro fought

with PSL leadership over control of the Party’s coveted campaign chest and quit the party in 2019.

Costa Neto last month invited Bolsonaro and his three sons to join the party. Bolsonaro said recently he was also being courted by the center-right Progressives (PP), whose leader Ciro Nogueira is presidential chief of staff. (Excerpt from Reuters)

COP26 a public relations exercise, PAHO urges member states to prioritise says Antigua’s Prime Minister immunisation of vulnerable people

A

ntigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister, Gaston Browne has described the ongoing United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow as a “public relations exercise”, even as he acknowledged that there had been some “benefits” to the event.

Browne said that the establishment of the Commission of Small Island States on Climate Change and International Law is likely to be one of the most significant outcomes of the November 1-12 conference.

The Commission creates an avenue through which

larger countries can be held accountable for their role in global warming and its impact on the most vulnerable states.

“We will be writing to the international tribunal on the Law of the Sea to get a final determination on the liability and I am pretty sure by the next COP for sure we would have made a lot of progress and this matter will become far more significant,” said Browne, who chairs the Alliance of Small Island States, (AOSIS).

Browne said that AOSIS had detailed a number of issues it wanted debated ahead of the meeting, in-

cluding compensation for loss and damage due to climate change from the world’s major polluters.

The Prime Minister, who is also Chairman of the 15-member regional integration grouping, Caricom, shared the recent views echoed by the Executive Director of the Belize-based Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCC), Dr Colin Young, who said that the larger countries were basically kicking the can down the road when it comes to meeting their commitments on climate change.

(Excerpt from Nations)

A

ssistant Director of the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), Dr Jarbas Barbosa da Silva Jr, says that as more coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine doses become available, member countries need to determine how they will prioritise the immunisation of their populations.

Speaking during PAHO’s recent COVID-19 weekly digital media briefing, Dr Barbosa said data in some countries show doses reaching all levels of populations before a significant percentage of vulnerable groups are fully immunised.

“PAHO urges countries to prioritise the elderly,

front-line workers, and people with pre-existing conditions, not only to protect them but also to prevent health systems from becoming overburdened with severe cases,” he emphasised.

Dr Barbosa said this recommendation by the World Health Organisation Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunisation (SAGE) is based on the “most robust evidence available”.

“Once those at greatest risk are protected, the next step is to immunise a high percentage of the adult population. Only afterwards should countries consider vaccinating young-

er groups,” the Assistant Director noted.

Dr Barbosa said while the decisions regarding prioritising groups for immunisation are up to individual countries, based on their vaccination coverage and vaccine availability, these should be made on the basis of evidence, equity “and the commitment to protect our most vulnerable”.

“This approach lays the best foundation for countries to reduce circulation of the virus and eventually get their economies and societies back on track,” he added.

(Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2021

19

Around the World

OILNEWS OIL NEWS French Catholics agree to sell Oil lifted by US spending, as supply concerns weigh

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il prices rose on Monday as positive signs for global economic growth supported the outlook for energy demand and the United States said it was weighing options to address high prices.

Brent crude was up 71 cents, or 0.83 per cent, at US$83.44 a barrel by 2:28 pm (1828 GMT), having lost nearly 2 per cent last week. US oil gained 68, or 0.84 per cent, to US$81.95 after a 3 per cent fall last week. Both contracts rose by more than US$1 a barrel in early trade.

US President Joe Biden on Saturday welcomed congressional passage of a long-delayed US$1 trillion infrastructure bill, which could boost economic growth and demand for fuel.

"Global demand is exceeding supply right now - the Build Back Better plan could exacerbate that situation - and there's little the Biden Administration can do to reply to meet that demand," said Phil Flynn, senior analyst at Price Futures Group in New York.

Further price support has also come from a decision last week by the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and allies including Russia, a group collectively known as OPEC+, not to speed up their planned production increases.

Biden had called on OPEC+ to produce more crude to cool the market and on Saturday said his Administration had "other tools" to deal with high oil prices.

US Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm on Monday said that Washington was weighing its options to address high gasoline and heating prices in the United States, which some analysts say could involve tapping the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

"After Tuesday, no one wants to alienate voters," said Kevin Book at Clearview Energy in Washington, referring to an election night in which Democrats saw losses. That may make them wary of pushing measures to curb climate change that could be expensive, he said: "Talk of the energy transition comes with a need to keep to keep cars running and houses warm."

Adding to bullish sentiment, China's export growth slowed in October but beat forecasts, buoyed by rising global demand ahead of the winter holiday season and improvements in coronavirus-hit supply chains.

Saudi Arabia on Friday raised the price of its benchmark crude for customers in Asia in December, exceeding market expectations.

"Saudi Arabia also reckons that the next few weeks will be tight. This is why its official selling price to Asia was increased

by US$1.40 a barrel," said Tamas Varga, analyst at PVM Oil Associates.

Global demand for jet fuel also looks set to take off as more governments make air travel easier with reduced pandemic-related restrictions. (Excerpt from Reuters)

property to compensate abuse victims F

rance's Catholic Church said on Monday it would sell real estate and, if needed, take out loans to set up a fund to compensate thousands of people sexually abused by clergy.

A major investigation found in October that French clerics sexually abused more than 200,000 children over the past 70 years.

Senior clergy meeting in the holy site of Lourdes had

recognised their Church's “institutional responsibility” and decided "to go on a path of recognition and reparation," France's top bishop, Eric de Moulins-Beaufort, said.

Bishops would set up a fund "financed to whatever extent necessary through the divestment of real estate and other assets", de Moulins-Beaufort, archbishop of Reims and the head of the French Bishops' conference, told journalists.

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including the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and corruption.

The feud has paralysed legislative work, hindered efforts to boost the OPEC member’s state finances – hit hard last year by low oil prices and the pandemic – and enact measures including a debt law needed to tap global markets.

Deadlocks between the Cabinet and assembly have for decades led to Government reshuffles and dissolutions of Parliament, hampering investment and reform.

Kuwait does not permit political parties, but it has given its legislature more influence than similar bodies in other Gulf monarchies, including the power to pass and block laws, question Ministers and submit no-confidence votes against senior Government officials.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

At the time, Pope Francis called the findings - the latest revelations to rock the Roman Catholic Church after a series of sexual abuse scandals around the world - "a moment of shame".

De Moulins-Beaufort said the bishops had also decided to ask the Pope to send them special envoys to supervise each bishop's and diocese's handling of individual abuse cases. (Excerpt from Reuters)

COP26: Rich countries “pushing back” on paying for climate loss V ulnerable countries at COP26 say rich nations are pushing back against their attempts to secure compensation for the damage caused by climate change.

Poorer countries see it as critical that money for loss and damage be part of negotiations this week.

Negotiators agreed in Paris in 2015 to address the issue, but there is no agreement on who should pay for it.

Rich nations are said to be

resisting any commitments as they do not want to accept liability and risk being sued.

Developing countries argue that rich countries are responsible for most of today's climate change impacts because they started emitting carbon much earlier than the rest of the world.

The resistance from rich countries behind closed doors is particularly frustrating when they are at the same time "talking about transparency in this whole process."

A report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) this year showed that in 2019, about 25 per cent of climate finance from developed countries went towards adaptation - preparing for extreme weather events, or building seawalls, for example - while the rest went to fund projects to reduce carbon emissions.

Poor countries say climate change is impacting on communities with such inten-

sity that they can no longer adapt, but instead need financial support to rebuild, or to move away.

There has been criticism from developing countries that adaptation has not received enough attention at COP26, and that the agenda has been dominated by carbon emissions reduction which has to do mainly with developed nations and fast-emerging economies like China and India. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Poland fears major UN food agency: 45 breach by migrants million people on on Belarus border the edge of famine

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oland has stepped up security on its eastern border over concerns about a large group of migrants trying to enter the country from Belarus.

Video showed hundreds of people near a barbed-wire border fence, which some have tried to force their way through.

The Polish Government called a crisis meeting on

Poland, which has been criticised for pushing back migrants and refugees at the border, has responded to the large number of people by building a razor-wire fence.

Conditions for migrants on the border are hostile to the point of being deadly, and fears have been raised for their safety in the region's sub-zero winter.

Kuwaiti Government submits resignation to emir

uwait’s Government has submitted its resignation to the emir, local media reported, in a move that could help end a standoff with Opposition lawmakers that has hindered fiscal reform.

The resignation on Monday, reported by Al-Qabas and AlRai newspapers, was the second time a Government headed by Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al Khalid Al Sabah has resigned this year in the feud with the elected Parliament.

It was not immediately clear if Emir Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Sabah, who has the final say in state matters, would accept the resignation of the Cabinet, which was formed in March after the previous Government resigned in January.

Several opposition MPs have insisted on questioning the premier on various issues,

"If needed, we are also prepared to take on loans in order to fulfil our obligations," he added at the end of the meeting. He gave no details on the size of the fund or what property might be sold.

The October report found that the French church had shown "deep, total and even cruel indifference for years," protecting itself rather than the victims of what was systemic abuse.

The jump was largely down to a food security assessment that found another three million people facing famine in Afghanistan, the World Food Programme (WFP) said

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Poland has erected a barbed-wire fence along its border with Belarus

Monday and put 12,000 troops on duty at the border.

Poland has accused Belarus of pushing the migrants towards the border, describing it as hostile activity.

Poland, Lithuania and Latvia say there's been a surge in the number of people trying to enter their countries illegally from Belarus in recent months.

Many of them have come from the Middle East and Asia.

The European Union has accused Belarus's authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko of facilitating the influx in retaliation against sanctions.

As they are summarily expelled from Poland and Belarus refuses to allow them back in, people are finding themselves stranded and freezing in Poland's forests. Several have died of hypothermia.

Poland said it is closing a border crossing with Belarus near to where the migrants have gathered.

The Belarusian border guard agency told state media that more than 2,000 "refugees" had amassed in front of Polish barriers. They were heading for the EU "where they want to apply for protection", the agency said. (Excerpt from BBC News)

he United Nations food agency has said that the number of people on the edge of famine across 43 countries had risen to 45 million, as acute hunger spikes around the world.

The jump from 42 million people earlier in the year was largely down to a food security assessment that found another three million people facing famine in Afghanistan, the World Food Programme (WFP) said on Monday.

“Tens of millions of people are staring into an abyss. We’ve got conflict, climate change and COVID-19 driving up the numbers of the acutely hungry,” WFP Executive Director David Beasley was quoted as saying.

“And the latest data show there are now more than 45 million people marching towards the brink of starvation,” he said after a trip to Afghanistan, where WFP is upping support for almost 23 mil-

lion people.

“Fuel costs are up, food prices are soaring, fertiliser is more expensive, and all of this feeds into new crises like the one unfolding now in Afghanistan, as well as longstanding emergencies like Yemen and Syria,” he added.

WFP said the cost of averting famine globally now stands at $7 billion, up from $6.6 billion earlier in the year, but warned that traditional funding streams were overstretched.

Families facing acute food insecurity are being “forced to make devastating choices”, marrying off children early, pulling them out of school or feeding them locusts, wild leaves, or cactus.

“Meanwhile media reports from Afghanistan point to families reportedly being forced to sell their children in a desperate attempt to survive,” it said.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2021

guyanatimesgy.com

ARCHIE

ARIES (March 21April 19)

TAURUS

DILBERT

(April 20May 20)

GEMINI (May 21June 20)

CANCER (June 21July 22)

PEANUTS

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

CALVIN AND HOBBES

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

SUDOKU

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)

Do what's necessary, then get on with life. Finishing what you start will be a relief and lift a burden that's been weighing you down. Alter your lifestyle to encourage a healthy and happy future.

Promote what you have to offer instead of dwelling on what you can't do. Be the first to make a move, change your direction or incorporate something new and exciting into the mix.

Look at the good, the bad and how to find the middle ground when dealing with peers, relatives and anyone in a position of authority. Knowing who you are dealing with will be your ticket to success.

Get involved in something that concerns you or will help you get ahead.

Raise your qualifications and eliminate any knowledge-based restrictions that are holding you back.

Refuse to let change cause stress. Analyze the situation and get an expert opinion. Aim to stabilize and secure your position, life and relationships, not to upend them.

You have everything in place; don't procrastinate or hold up progress in pursuit of perfection. Striking a balance between quantity and quality will be your passage to success and fulfillment.

Keeping the peace is essential if you want to finish what you start. A steady pace forward with an optimistic attitude will help surmount any obstacles you encounter.

Trust your instincts.

It's OK to mull over options, but you must take action as well. Do your research and move forward with your plans, and you'll leave a lasting impression on important people.

Trust your instincts, not SAGITTARIUS what someone leads you to (Nov. 23believe. Focus on what's imDec. 21) portant to you and where you can gain the most ground financially. Be direct and leave no room for error.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

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

PISCES (Feb. 20March 20)

Seize the moment and take care of business. Gain experience and knowledge through observation and discussions with experts.

Develop your style by implementing the best of what you encounter.

Through adversity comes strength of vision and an enriched sense of what you are capable of accomplishing. Stand tall and do your own thing, and you'll discover what works best for you.

Be careful how you handle money matters and joint ventures. Make your voice heard and stay in the loop. Don't leave money and essential decisions in someone else's hands. Make important changes.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2021

21

All-round India sign off with big win in Kohli's last game as T20I Captain

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the 10th over. Kohli didn't come out to bat, promoting Suryakumar Yadav, who, in company with KL Rahul, saw India through.

ndia signed off from the T20 World Cup on a winning note after restricting Namibia to 132. It is not easy to be up for such dead rubbers after you have been knocked out of the competition, but intensity has hardly been an issue for Virat Kohli, who was captaining in his last T20 International. The man Kohli hinted at as his successor, Rohit Sharma sealed the chase with 56 off 37 after Ravindra Jadeja and R Ashwin took three wickets each.

Namibia's innings goes nowhere

Usually, T20 innings have ebbs and flows, turns and bends. A big over or a maiden to turn things around.

Punctuations.

This one was just one long sentence of no pace.

From the moment Jasprit Bumrah got Michael van Lingen caught at mid-off with a bouncer, wickets fell regularly, but not too quickly and runs came regularly, but not too quickly.

Test spinners take threes

Jadeja and Ashwin then owned the middle overs with three wickets each even as Rahul Chahar went for 30 for 0 in his only match of the tournament.

SCOREBOARD

Ravi Shastri gestures to the crowd as Bharat Arun looks on

Jadeja had Craig Williams stumped, Stephan Baard lbw, and JJ Smit caught at cover. Ashwin used changes of pace and direction of turn to claim his three victims, Jan Loftie-Eaton edging a slow offbreak to slip, Gerhard Erasmus edging a carrom ball and Zane Green bowled middle stump off a really slow, drifting offbreak.

Wiese, Trumpleman get something to bowl at

David Wiese top-scored with 26 off 25 to make sure Namibia were not bowled out, and the Number 10 Ruben Trumpleman hit a six and a four off

the last over, bowled by Mohammed Shami, to take Namibia to 132.

Rohit enjoys early luck

There is a misconception around that Rohit has some weakness against left-arm pace, and he nearly added to it in the first over of the chase. He played for swing first up, but the ball didn't come back in as much as expected, beating him on the outside edge. The next one he tucked off the hip straight to short fine leg, but was dropped. In the third over again, he lobbed one to midwicket, but Smit misjudged the catch and went

Heyliger’s 2-11 helps Canada win their 1st World Cup Qualifier T20 match

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a n a d a - b a s e d Guyanese Dillon Heyliger produced a fine bowling performance for Canada in their first match of the 2022 World Cup T20 Americas

Rahul ended with another fifty, and India with another win, albeit a hollow one. (ESPNcricinfo)

Qualifiers in Antigua and Barbuda against The Bahamas, on Sunday.

The right-arm Essequibian seamer, who represented Guyana at the youth level, picked up two wickets for 11 runs from 1.2 overs.

The Bahamas were all out for 68 in the 16th over replying to Canada’s formidable 190-5 off the 20 overs.

Spinner Jatinderpaul Matharu led the way for the Canadian bowlers with three for six runs from two overs while left-arm orthodox spinner Saad Bin Zafar grabbed two for nine off three overs.

When Canada batted, Hamza Tariq hit a top-score of 54 while Ravinderpal Singh made 47 and Rayyan Pathan chipped in with 38.

Jagnauth Jagroo collected three wickets for 24 runs from his maximum four overs.

Marc Taylor made a fighting 44 for the losing side.

Canada, The Bahamas, USA, Bermuda, Panama, Argentina and Belize are competing for two spots in the Americas round-robin leg.

Canada will be back in action on Monday against Belize.

on his knees too early and was unable to take the couple of steps needed to take the catch.

Rohit shows off stroke-play

Lofts down the ground, pick-ups off the hips, square cut, pull, crashing legspin over mid-off, Rohit then unfurled the goods to make sure India were well on their way to victory. By the time he skied a slower ball from Jan Frylink, India had reached 86 in

NAMIBIA INNINGS (20 OVERS MAXIMUM) Stephan Baard lbw b Jadeja 21 Michael van Lingen c Mohammed Shami b Bumrah 14 Craig Williams st †Pant b Jadeja 0 Gerhard Erasmus (c) c †Pant b Ashwin 12 Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton c Sharma b Ashwin 5 David Wiese c Sharma b Bumrah 26 JJ Smit c Sharma b Jadeja 9 Zane Green † b Ashwin 0 Jan Frylinck not out 15 Ruben Trumpelmann not out 13 Extras (lb 8, nb 1, w 8) 17 TOTAL (20 Ov, RR: 6.60) 132/8 Did not bat: Bernard Scholtz Fall of wickets: 1-33 (Michael van Lingen, 4.4 ov), 2-34 (Craig Williams, 5.3 ov), 3-39 (Stephan Baard, 7.4 ov), 4-47 (Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, 9.1 ov), 5-72 (Gerhard Erasmus, 12.3 ov), 6-93 (JJ Smit, 14.6 ov), 7-94 (Zane Green, 15.4 ov), 8-117 (David Wiese, 18.5 ov)

BOWLING O-M-R-W Mohammed Shami 4-0-39-0 Jasprit Bumrah 4-0-19-2 Ravichandran Ashwin 4-0-20-3 Ravindra Jadeja 4-0-16-3 Rahul Chahar 4-0-30-0 INDIA INNINGS (TARGET: 133 RUNS FROM 20 OVERS) KL Rahul not out 54 Rohit Sharma c †Green b Frylinck 56 Suryakumar Yadav not out 25 Extras(lb 1) 1 TOTAL (15.2 Ov, RR: 8.86) 136/1 Did not bat: Virat Kohli (c), Rishabh Pant †, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Rahul Chahar Fall of wickets: 1-86 (Rohit Sharma, 9.5 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Ruben Trumpelmann 3-0-26-0 David Wiese 2-0-18-0 Bernard Scholtz 1-0-11-0 JJ Smit 2-0-17-0 Jan Frylinck 2-0-19-1 Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton 4-0-31-0 Michael van Lingen 1.2-0-13-0

Jamaica given green light to host 2022 Carifta Games

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ollowing the cancellation of the Carifta Games in Bermuda earlier this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Jamaica is in line to host the Games during the Easter weekend in 2022.

The development comes as Garth Gayle, President of the Jamaica Athletic Administrative Association (JAAA) announced at the North American, Central American and Caribbean

(NACAC) Special Congress on Saturday, that Jamaican Sports Minister Olivia Grange has given a green light to the Games.

According to Gayle, Minister Grange is of the view that hosting the Carifta Games will be an ideal fit with the Government’s plans for a year-long celebration of the country’s Diamond Jubilee as an independent nation.

The Carifta Games were

scheduled to be held in Bermuda earlier this year, but were eventually cancelled because of spikes in the spread of the COVID-19 virus in that country.

Usually held during the Easter weekend, the Games were first moved to July 2-4 and then to August 13-15 before they were eventually cancelled in May. Jamaica last hosted the Carifta Games in 2011.

(Sportsmax)

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22 Dottin's career-best 132 seals West Indies victory GUYANATIMESGY.COM

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2021

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146-ball 132 from Deandra Dottin and an all-round display from

Hayley Matthews helped West Indies open their tour of Pakistan with a win. The

SCOREBOARD

WEST INDIES WOMEN INNINGS (50 OVERS MAXIMUM) Deandra Dottin lbw b Anam Amin 132 Rashada Williams b Anam Amin 15 Kyshona Knight c Iram Javed b Fatima Sana 3 Stafanie Taylor (c) c †Sidra Nawaz b Nashra Sandhu 6 Hayley Matthews c Nashra Sandhu b Anam Amin 57 Shemaine Campbelle †b Anam Amin 23 Kycia Knight c Muneeba Ali b Anam Amin 6 Qiana Joseph c Nashra Sandhu b Fatima Sana 3 Shamilia Connell not out 0 Extras (b 1, lb 1, w 6) 8 TOTAL (50 Ov, RR: 5.06) 253/8 Did not bat: Shakera Selman, Anisa Mohammed Fall of wickets: 1-44 (Rashada Williams, 11.5 ov), 2-72 (Stafanie Taylor, 17.4 ov), 3-191 (Hayley Matthews, 41.2 ov), 4-235 (Deandra Dottin, 46.5 ov), 5-243 (Kycia Knight, 48.1 ov), 6-247 (Shemaine Campbelle, 48.5 ov), 7-253 (Qiana Joseph, 49.5 ov), 8-253 (Kyshona Knight, 49.6 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Fatima Sana 10-1-65-2 Anam Amin 10-2-35-5 Sadia Iqbal 10-0-45-0 Nashra Sandhu 10-1-43-1 Aliya Riaz 3-0-22-0

Kainat Imtiaz

7-0-41-0

PAKISTAN WOMEN INNINGS (TARGET: 254 RUNS FROM 50 OVERS) Muneeba Ali c Taylor b Mohammed 28 Sidra Ameen c Taylor b Selman 2 Ayesha Zafar lbw b Selman 17 Kainat Imtiaz c Connell b Matthews 24 Iram Javed c & b Matthews 40 Aliya Riaz run out (Selman) 46 Sidra Nawaz (c)† c Mohammed b Joseph 23 Fatima Sana b Matthews 3 Nashra Sandhu not out 11 Sadia Iqbal run out (Kyshona A Knight) 2 Anam Amin not out 3 Extras (lb 1, w 8) 9 TOTAL (50 Ov, RR: 4.16) 208/9 Fall of wickets: 1-5 (Sidra Ameen, 1.6 ov), 2-37 (Ayesha Zafar, 7.6 ov), 3-51 (Muneeba Ali, 12.1 ov), 4-108 (Iram Javed, 23.3 ov), 5-121 (Kainat Imtiaz, 27.5 ov), 6-164 (Sidra Nawaz, 40.4 ov), 7-176 (Fatima Sana, 43.1 ov), 8-198 (Aliya Riaz, 46.2 ov), 9-202 (Sadia Iqbal, 47.1 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Shamilia Connell 9-0-35-0 Shakera Selman 10-0-35-2 Anisa Mohammed 10-0-44-1 Qiana Joseph 10-0-52-1 Hayley Matthews 10-1-31-3 Stafanie Taylor 1-0-10-0

Hayley Matthews scored a half-century and bagged three wickets

duo's 119-run stand took West Indies to 253 in the first One-Day International (ODI) in Karachi, following w h i c h their bowlers st r u c k

Anam Amin bagged 5 for 35 in the first ODI

at regular intervals to restrict the hosts to 208 for 9.

After being put in to bat, openers Dottin and Rashada Williams got off to a good start before the latter departed in the 12th over. Kyshona Knight, coming in at 3, then retired hurt in the 13th over without scoring a run. Captain Stafanie Taylor, the next batter in, did not stay much longer at the crease, making an 11-ball six following which Matthews then joined Dottin in the middle. They kept the runs flowing, hitting boundaries regularly as Matthews brought up her half-century off 58 balls.

It was soon Dottin's turn to bring up her big milestone, as she got to her century off 124 balls.

"My plan was to occupy

the crease l o n g , w a t c h t h e bowlers and see how the pitch was playing and just go from there," Dottin said after the match. "Going through my mind was that I had to bat through the 50 overs or at least 40-45 overs in order for us to have a good total on the board, after the two quick wickets fell... to be honest, when I got to the half-century, it was just to start fresh again (to get to the century) and get a high total for the team."

It was Anam Amin who finally got the breakthrough, first removing Matthews in the 42nd over and then returning to send Dottin back in the 47th over. Amin and Fatima Sana did not allow the West Indies to score much in their last four overs. Amin then went on to dismiss Kycia Knight and Shemaine Campbelle – who contributed a 23-ball 20 – as she finished with 5-35, her best figures in the format. Fatima, meanwhile, dismissed Qiana Joseph and the returning Kyshona.

In reply, Pakistan lost their first wicket in the second over, with Sidra Ameen falling to Shakera Selman for 2. West Indies bowlers kept the top four quiet, making

Deandra Dottin raises her bat after getting to her century

sure none of them crossed 30. Iram Javed (40 off 34) and Kainat Imtiaz stabilised things a bit with their halfcentury partnership for the fourth wicket but both fell to Matthews. Aliya Riaz at No 6 then made a 61-ball 46, but found no support from the other end, with the asking rate soaring. Pakistan eventually fell short by 46 runs. (ESPNcricinfo)

Farley re-elected as GCF President Michael Joseph's double sinks Rupununi

The victorious Bartica boys

CLASSIFIED ADS

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The newly-elected members of the GCF’s Executive

rankie Farley has been re-elected to serve another term at the helm of the Guyana Chess Federation (GCF), following the Federation’s Annual General Meeting (AGM).

Farley, the incumbent President, was first elected to the post back in August 2019 and will serve another two-year term.

During the GCF’s virtual AGM last week, a number of items were on the agen-

da, including the President’s report, the financial report, and the election of the Executive.

Farley’s slate ran unopposed and as such, their election was unanimous.

Aside from Farley being elected as President, Anand Ragunauth is the new Vice President, while Marcia Lee is the Company Secretary.

There are four Directors, inclusive of accomplished women’s player and Attorney-at-Law Yolander

Persaud, veteran player Loris Nathoo, Davion Mars and Irshad Mohammed.

It is reported that the Directors will oversee various aspects of the GCF’s mandate, inclusive of finances, tournaments, and youth development.

Over the past year under Farley’s stewardship, the GCF has been proactive in hosting tournaments, especially for the younger crop of players, by utilising online mediums.

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FOR SALE

Michael Joseph and Rockcliff Adamson

s was expected, fierce competition ensued when Bartica and the Rupununi clashed at the Aranaputa Playfield in Annai, North Rupununi, on Saturday in the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Boys’ Under-13 ATC Challenge Trophy.

But it was the visiting team that emerged victorious by 3 goals to 1, thanks to a double from Michael Joseph and one off the boot of Rockcliff Adamson.

It was young Adamson who opened the scoring in the 11th minute when his chipped

shot caught the Rupununi goalkeeper off the line. But the hosts soon replied with a goal of their own by way of a clean finish by Josh Glasgow at the end of a rebound off the Bartica goalkeeper. But it was two infringements that afforded the visitors a free kick just outside the box and a penalty kick, both of which were finished with high class by Joseph, to give the Bartica boys the victory.

Bartica now sit on six points from three matches, with one more group match to be played next Saturday at home against the West Demerara FA team.

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2021

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he Junior Jaguars picked up a well-deserved three points on Monday afternoon, following their CONCACAF Under-20 Qualifiers encounter with the US Virgin Islands, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

Omari Glasgow’s performance was befitting his captaincy role as he injected three strikes into the opposition, along with another two from teammates Darron Niles and Ravi Coates to hand Guyana a 5-1 victory.

Guyana’s Under-20 starting XI featured Glasgow, Joshua Narine, Kehance Scott, Sealon Sue, Devon Padmore, Brandon Solomon, Alex Davidson, Jerome Harrigan, Darron Niles, Keenan Harper, and Perry Gaul.

While an early chance in the 16th minute went a begging for the Guyanese, the local boys soon found themselves in a deficit owing to a red-card incident.

Perry Gaul was the unlucky Jaguar, as he tried to manoeuvre in a tough spot between two Virgin Islands

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

However, all was not lost for Guyana as Glasgow soon took the scoring into his own hands. Working with an assist from Niles, Glasgow effected a sliding kick to beat

the goal again. This time, the goalkeeper, Dimitri Nieboer,

Omari Glasgow

players, Julius Brown (C) and Jair Whyte, but instead took a tumble alongside Whyte.

What appeared to be grabbing of the uniform by Gaul landed him in hot water and the Junior Jaguars were a man down. In a show of poor sportsmanship, the Virgin Islands’ Naqwan Henry did a celebratory dance as Gaul walked off.

Darron Niles

Ravi Coates

the goalkeeper and register Guyana’s first goal in the 34th minute. Seven minutes later, Glasgow charged to

was well outside his area and lost his footing as the Guyanese Captain eased past him for a comfortable goal.

After assisting, it was Niles’ time to shine in the 45th minute. The Santos FC player took an assist from Glasgow and with a long strike on the edge of the box, sealed a 3-0 lead for Guyana at the half.

The beginning of the second half was not what the Guyanese imagined it would be as their opponents fought back fiercely. A hand ball saw the Virgin Islanders being awarded a penalty and Henry successfully connected the opportunity for his team’s first (55th).

Glasgow, however, cut short their celebrations with his third goal in the 57th.

Much later, Coates made the most of a substitution

23

opportunity by adding one to Guyana’s tally. Subbed in for Alex Davidson in the 76th minute, Coates struck in the 87th minute, as Guyana finished the encounter 5-1.

Guyana’s next and final Group game will come on Wednesday, November 10 against Nicaragua. The Junior Jaguars currently have four points, with a draw against Cayman Islands and the win on Monday, making it a mustwin game for the Guyanese, if they are to advance out of the Group.

The CONCACAF Under-20 Qualifiers are not only the gateway tournament to the CONCACAF U-20 Championships in 2022, but also the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in 2023 and the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

(Jemima Holmes)

7 Berbice youth players benefit from BCB Patron Education Trust Fund

5th Prime Minister’s Cup set for November 12-14

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…final to be held at Providence

he fifth edition of the highly-anticipated Prime Minister’s Cup T20 competition will kick off this Friday, November 12, 2021 and will conclude on Sunday, November 14, 2021.

The lucrative tournament is being held in collaboration with the Georgetown Softball Cricket League Inc, the Prime Minister's Office and the Culture, Youth and Sport Ministry. Matches will be played at the Queen’s College, Police Sports Club, MYO, Guyana Defence Force, and Demerara Cricket Club Grounds. The finals will be held at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

This event will feature three categories of play: the Masters Over-50, Masters Over-45, and the All-Stars. More than $1 million in cash and prizes will be up for grabs. Teams from New York and Florida will be

Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat poses with the seven cricketers who received educational grants

The Prime Minister will be delivering the first ball to open the tournament

In the open All-Stars category, there are a total of six teams; in the Over-45, six, and in the Over-50, eight. The open teams are Regal, Speedboat, Success, Ariel, Airport and Brand Name,

Keith Fraser scored 178 runs in the 2020 edition

participating in the tournament alongside those from Guyana.

The first ball is set to be bowled off at the MYO Ground where the Prime Minister himself, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips will bowl off the first ball.

with Essequibo, Regal, Success, Fisherman, New York Cricket Doctors and Ariel Masters in the Over-45. The Over-50 category will see Orlando Legends, Regal, New York Hustlers, New York Softball Cricket League Legends,

Carpet Doctors, Wellman, Floodlights, and Rockaway Legends. There will be free entry for all teams.

In the 2020 edition, the winners of the competition were Speedboat All-Stars (open category); O-45 Fishermen Masters and O-50 Regal Legends, and they would all be keen to defend their titles. The Man-ofthe-Series award for the Over-50 category went to Eric Thomas, who had scores of 117 and 120 and bagged three wickets. In the Over-45 category, Keith Fraser walked away with the bulk of the awards. These included the Man-of-the-Series and Man-ofthe-Match awards. For the open category, Quintin Sampson was the Man of the Series.

The grand finale will have live radio and social media commentary. The National COVID-19 Task Force has set total capacity for the event at 40 per cent, and all COVID protocols will be in effect.

T

he Berbice Cricket Board (BCB), Guyana’s most active cricket organisation, on Saturday continued its investments in the educational careers of junior players in the Ancient County.

The Board since the election of Hilbert Foster as President in 2018 has placed special emphasis on the promotion of education among its junior players and hundreds of them have received assistance to stay in school.

The Board handed over seven educational grants under its 2021 Patron Educational Trust Fund, during the hosting of a social skills development seminar for youths in the New Amsterdam-Canje area. The Fund is supported by Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat, who is the Honorary Patron of the BCB. The seven players who shared the combined grant of $100,000 were Aaron Craig, Ronaldo Gomes, Anthony Persaud, Dinesh Persaud, Aaron Seitaram, Shaquan Whyte and Daniel Victor.

BCB President Foster stated that the Board strongly believed that education was the key to a successful life and as such, it has invested heavily in the

promotion of education among youths playing the game of cricket since 2018. He disclosed that over the last four years, hundreds of youth cricketers have received assistance in the form of grants, educational materials, uniforms, cycles and school bags among other items.

The BCB also created history when it became the first cricket board in Guyana to hand out an educational scholarship to the University of Guyana.

Foster, who is also a Vice President of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) and a Director of Cricket West Indies (CWI), shared that close to 30 Under-17 players would benefit under the Patron Fund during the month of November. The players would each receive a voucher that would allow them to uplift educational materials from Metro Office Supplies.

Further speaking on why the BCB invests so heavily in education, Foster stated that an educated mind makes for better all-round cricketers and also prevents major embarrassment on the international stage.

He reminded the youths that nothing could take away what they learn and most importantly,

an educated mind allows you to think faster on your feet in a crisis. He hailed the outstanding work of Minister Bharrat in his capacity of Board Patron and expressed thanks to him for funding the educational grant programme.

The Natural Resources Minister, in a well-received feature address, spoke broadly on the importance of education and personal discipline. He shared that he was very impressed by the outstanding work of the BCB and he was fully committed to making sure that the county of Berbice produces cricketers who would excel on and off the cricket field.

The Minister also handed over two cheques valued $1.1 million to BCB Treasurer Dr Cecil Beharry for the Patron Fund. The funds would be used to provide the educational grants across the county and to also hosts four social skills developmental seminars in the four subassociations in Berbice. Minister Bharrat committed another $1 million to the Fund for 2021, which would be used to assist the county’s 11 First- Division clubs with cricket balls for the packed upcoming season.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2021

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

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7 Berbice youth players benefit from BCB Patron Education Trust Fund

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