Guyana Times - Wednesday, January 20, 2021

Joe Biden P19 to be sworn in as new US President today Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Issue No. 4534

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2021

PRICE

Botched Yarrowkabra School construction

Govt files $717M lawsuit against BK, Nafico for breach of contract Page 3

Former APNU/AFC Govt renamed Ogle Airport without consultation – CCJ hears …failed to consider economic impact Page 17

Qatar delivers field hospital

$80 VAT INCLUDED

WHAT'S INSIDE:

“I am really moved by (Guyanese) P7 culture” – outgoing Chinese Ambassador …pays President, PM farewell courtesy call

Cooperation with medical team P9 needed to control Region 5 COVID-19 spike – Minister …19 new cases recorded Cummings Lodge fire

Landlord recalls pensioner’s tragic P14 death

Brazilian miner killed after being pinned under P8 ATV Police, robbery suspect shootout P16

A plane from Qatar Emiri Air Force at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) delivering a field hospital from the Government of Qatar. The hospital, with added amenities such as beds, air conditioning, generators, respirators and other medical equipment, was received by Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony on Tuesday evening (Office of the President photos)

Audit of foreign missions in backlog due to COVID-19 – AG

Page 16

Govt to Documents stolen from Police Service decriminalise Commission …probe launched suicide attempts Page 10

Page 10

Suspect nabbed at private hospital seeking treatment for gunshot wound

Police probing P16 stand-off between farmer, "fake" surveyors

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

NEWS

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS OPENINGS BRIDGE

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Wednesday, January 20 – 09:30h – 11:00h and Thursday, January 21 – 10:00h – 11:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Wednesday, January 20 – 08:40h – 10:10h and Thursday, January 21 – 09:40h – 11:10h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

Sunshine will prevail during the day. There will be clear skies during the night. Temperatures should range between 19 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-Easterly to North-Easterly to North North-Easterly between 1.78 metres and 4.91 metres.

High Tide: 09:26h and 21:53h reaching maximum heights of 2.28 metres and 2.23 metres.

Botched Yarrowkabra school construction

Govt files $717M lawsuit against BK, Nafico for breach of contract

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he Attorney General’s Chambers have instituted legal proceedings against BK International Inc and the North American Fire and General Insurance Company (Nafico) for breach of contract in relation to the belated and ultimately botched construction of the Yarrowkabra Secondary School.

According to the Statement of Claim filed by Attorney General Anil Nandlall, SC, the Government is seeking a total of $717.8 million in damages from the respondents for BK’s breach of contract.

It has been pointed out in the claim that BK was issued a commencement order dated March 12, 2020 by the Education Ministry, giv-

ed to another contractor, and as a consequence, the people of Yarrowkabra are without a school. Thus, BK’s actions have impacted the interest of the public and “the exigencies of the common good should prevent the first and second named defendant from being unjustly enriched based on the advances received under the contract.”

The contract

Managing Director of BK International Inc, Brian Tiwarie

$165.3 million for advance payments; $137.1 million as restitution for works already paid for but not executed; $50 million for trespassing; and $100 million in aggravat-

Low Tide: 15:23h reaching a minimum height of 0.96 metre.

The construction site at Yarrowkabra Secondary when the Ministry took possession of it

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ing that company a 12-month time frame to complete all works by March 11, 2021.

BK also provided a work execution schedule to both the Education Ministry and that Ministry’s consultant, and the contractor is expected to adhere to that schedule.

“In breach of its obligations under the contract agreement, the first named defendant (BK) failed to complete the scope of works in accordance with the contractual work execution schedule which was submitted,” the statement of claim states.

In fact, as at November 2020, only five per cent of work on the school was completed, which translated to the school not being completed in accordance with the contractual obligation. The Ministry has since pulled the contract from BK, and true to the Government’s word, legal proceedings have been instituted.

A breakdown of the Statement of Claim shows that the State is claiming $100 million in general damages for the breach of contract; $82.6 million as liquidated damages pursuant to the provisions of the contract; $82.6 million payable by BK under performance bonds issued by Nafico for the contract agreement;

ed damages for breach of contract.

Additionally, the State is asking the Court to issue an Order of Restitution against Nafico for all monies owing to the Government of Guyana on the advance guarantee and performance bonds. The State is also seeking interest in accordance with Section 12 of the Law Reform Miscellaneous Act, Chapter 6:02 of the Laws of Guyana, in addition to legal costs incurred for taking the defendants to court.

It was pointed out in the claim that, to date, the contract has not been award-

On December 31, 2019, the then A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government entered into a contract with BK International Inc to construct a secondary school at Yarrowkabra, Linden-Soesdyke Highway, to the tune of $826.7 million.

The school, the Ministry of Education had said, was intended to benefit 600 children in Yarrowkabra and neighboring communities along the Linden Highway.

But construction made little progress under the former Government, and by the time the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) took office in August 2020, less than five per cent of the work was completed.

On November 1, 2020, Nandlall wrote BK International Inc, informing the entity that the contract was terminated with immediate effect. He noted that the company had committed a fundamental breach of the terms of the contract, and, as a result, the Government of Guyana exercised its right to terminate the contract.

In the said letter, the contractor was advised to remove all machinery and equipment from the site. On November 10, 2020, the consultancy firm visited the site and observed that the company was still progressing with works despite the contract being terminated.

In a letter dated November

Attorney General Anil Nandlall, SC

11, 2020, the consultancy firm wrote the Managing Director of BK International Inc, Brian Tiwarie, informing him that pursuant to Clause 40.5 [Termination] “the contractor is to stop the works immediately, make the site safe and secure, and leave the site as soon as reasonably possible.”

In that letter, the consultants instructed the contractor to stop works immediately, and advised that any work done or materials ordered beyond the date of termination, November 1, 2020, is done at the contractor’s own risk.

The Ministry added that on November 19, 2020, Permanent Secretary of the Education Ministry, Alfred King, wrote BK International Inc, instructing the company to bring all work to a halt with immediate effect, and vacate the project site within 24 hours.

The Ministry has since installed its own security after taking possession of the site with the help of the enforcement arm of the State.

This publication had meanwhile done an interview with Education Minister Priya Manickchand earlier this month, and she had said the project was being reviewed, and would soon be retendered. (G3)

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guyanatimesgy.com

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 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

COVID-19 and women’s development

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he issue of women and their role in development has always been a topic of interest, not only in Guyana, but in countries around the world. The debates have centred around the challenges women face in getting access to the same opportunities as men, and, in a general sense, programmes and policies that could be implemented to ensure their economic and social advancement.

Women, over the years, have made tremendous progress, not only in terms of their own advancement, but by playing key roles in the development of their own communities, and, by extension, allowing other women opportunities to develop themselves. However, many challenges remain, and these must be tackled to ensure that women have access to the opportunities and resources needed to allow them to lead more productive and fulfilling lives.

We believe that when women are allowed to develop their full potential, it is not only women who gain, but the entire society. Women make enormous contributions to economies, whether in businesses, on farms, as entrepreneurs or employees, or by doing unpaid care work at home.

According to the United Nations, investing in women’s economic empowerment sets a direct path towards gender equality, poverty eradication, and inclusive economic growth.

Here, in Guyana, women have made tremendous progress at every level of the society, and they enjoy rights equal to what their male counterparts enjoy. This country deserves commendation for the advances it has made in ensuring that, in addition to women being protected under the law, they are also given relevant opportunities for their personal and professional advancement.

However, there is still a far way to go before we can safely say that women have access to the resources and opportunities they need to fully develop themselves. For example, our single-parent mothers have, over the years, found it very difficult to make ends meet. Many of them have found themselves in a position where they work from month to month and there seems to be no end to the financial hardships they experience.

In some cases, they lack the necessary skills and qualifications required to get suitable well-paid jobs, so that they can earn enough to provide for themselves and their children.

For some, who would like to venture out into establishing their own small business etc, the strict criteria set by banks and other lending institutions make it difficult to access the necessary loans. There are a few institutions which give grants and other forms of support, but that is on a limited scale, and most of them are Georgetown-based, making it a bit difficult for rural women to easily access.

There is also the issue of the high level of domestic violence affecting countless families, with women being at the receiving end of the violence most times. There were numerous dialogues, with the involvement of the relevant stakeholders, to tackle the issue, but the number of cases of women being abused or killed is going up.

We believe that policy-makers should revisit the issue and come up with practical solutions to address this scourge in a holistic manner, with greater focus being placed on the root causes of the problem.

The COVID-19 pandemic has also worsened the situation, as it continues to have serious socio-economic repercussions on the lives of women. As a consequence of the partial lockdown, significant sections of the female working population are now unemployed, or are receiving reduced pay, and those include single-parents.

Many women-owned small businesses are no longer operational, and women in the private care industry have lost their jobs because they can no longer work at the homes of their employers, due to fear of COVID-19 transmission.

The Human Services and Social Security Ministry had announced that it would soon be funding projects for industries led by women, so that they can secure their livelihoods.

The economic and social advancement of all women, including those in hinterland and rural communities, should remain a priority for this Government.

Ethiopian Orthodox Christian priests sing next to the pool of Fasilides Bath during the celebration of Timkat, the Ethiopian Epiphany, in the city of Gondar (AFP photo)

Trump leaving the State of the Union worse than he had inherited

Dear Editor, History is well in the making as this article is being read today. Times has changed, and the world is experiencing a tinge of excitement as Joe Biden is being sworn in as the 46th President of the United States of America, and Kamala Harris is being sworn in as the Vice President.

There is great hope and unsurmountable anticipation, as Americans are witnessing an unprecedented, record-breaking first achievement in the annals of politics and lifestyle in America. It is the first time that a woman is occupying the seat as a Vice President; it is the first time a non-Caucasian has been chosen for this portfolio; it is the first time a Black AsianAmerican has attained this status; it is the first time an immigrant’s child has risen to the penultimate of being the President; it is the first time an American with Indian ancestors has risen to such a high level; it is the first time an American with West Indian ancestors has been elevated to this honourable position.

This manifestation represents the will of the American people to reach out and accept the current changes challenging today’s social issues; to acknowledge a willingness to be flexible; to be cognisant of a culpable multi-cultural society; to be more aware of a vibrant metropolitan surrounding; to embrace reality and practise equality; to override and overrule white supremacy.

President Barack Obama, a Black American, is the shining beacon, and now the baton is in the capable hands of Kamala Harris, a daughter from immigrants. All this is happening as we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr’s Day, to further unveil his dream from his generation to materialise and the current generation to realise.

Democracy has been restored, and America is once again the keeper of liberty and the protector of fraternity. The failed coup of Trump and his mob of anarchists has dismantled an infrastructure of bullies masquerading as mercenaries and revolutionaries, for the demand of power-drunk madness. The upheaval at Capitol Hill on January 6th reinforces the need for America to be wary of domestic terrorists. What is scarier is the new evidence highlighting the involvement of the Republicans’ support for Capitol Hill siege.

Meanwhile, there have been numerous arrests and hundreds of charges instituted. Many were dismissed from their jobs for their involvement. Many Republicans have switched parties. For today’s inauguration, some 25,000 National Guard troops are being deployed, more than three times the amount in Iraq and Afghanistan combined.

This siege followed a turmoil that began with a highly contested election engulfed with the re-emerging of dangerous white supremacy advocating the perva-

sion of racial domination, and the Black Lives Matter Movement protesting for the treatment of equality and justice. Protesters took to the streets in all the States, many of them suffering injuries from serious clashes with the Police. Rioters also took advantage of the rallies to create mayhem, damaging properties and going on a rampage of looting.

On top of all these skirmishes, President Trump vaulted and faulted to reveal his true colours; his ethnic preference; his devious characteristics; his prejudice; his lies, deceits and dishonesty; his convoluted agenda to mislead; his choice for injustice; his insane lust for power, grabbing same illegitimately; his wicked, corrupt mind and his willingness and eagerness to fool Americans for his selfish gain.

Yet, he won some 74 million votes at the November 2020 election.

On the penultimate day for leaving office, President Donald Trump is departing as a battered and broken man, besmirched in shame and disgrace, isolated and lonely, with many close allies deserting his company and abstaining from his friendship, angry, flustered, confused, shaken and disturbed with a number of negative firsts. His ratings have drastically dropped to 29 percent approval on his last day in office, making him the first person with the lowest rating as a president on his way out. He is the first President to be twice impeached by the House; he is the first President to

incite a revolt on Capitol Hill in the past century; he is the first President not to attend his successor’s inauguration; he is the first President not to concede defeat in an election; he is the first President to boycott the symbolic passing-of-the– torch traditions that have been the capstones of the peaceful transition of power from one administration to the other; he is the first President to withdraw the US from The World Health Organisation; he is the first President not to acknowledge climate change; he is the first President to have been married 4 times; he is the first President to have filed 6 bankruptcies.

The tarnished Trump and his wife Melania are expected to depart at 8am today, to leave for their new residence in Mar-A Lago in Palm Beach, Florida.

In one of his final acts as President, Trump was expected to grant clemency to as many as 100 people. The list of pardons and commutations is expected to include unfamiliar names as well as political friends and allies like those he pardoned in the past. There is talk of potential demonstrations in all the States, and there is a high alert code for security in the nation.

President Trump leaves the White House in a sad state of despair, out-of-touch with reality, still believing that he was robbed of an election victory, and leaving the State of the Union worse than he had inherited.

Respectfully, Jai Lall

guyanatimesgy.com

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2021

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

Federalism is justifiable only where diversity is cultural and territorial Dear Editor, Ravi Dev, in his continued contribution to the civil conversation in search of solutions to Guyana’s ethnic problem, has once again made a pitch for federalism.

On this occasion, he seeks to debunk what he describes as the reservation that AfricanGuyanese have expressed about federalism.

As an African-Guyanese who does not support federalism as a possible solution to our problem, I find it necessary to respond, since none of the anti-federalist arguments that Ravi attributes to African–Guyanese have ever been articulated or embraced by me.

Ravi contends that “the history of African-Guyanese

having slaved to build the foundation of the country, their dominant creole values, their occupancy of the key state institutions, etc. have served to engender an entrenched belief of greater legitimacy to the national patrimony”.

While I appreciated his acceptance of the role played

by African-Guyanese to build Guyana, I have never argued the case of their “greater legitimacy”. To the contrary, in my letter to the Editor of January 25, 2018, I referred to the collective right of all Guyanese to Guyana’s patrimony, and even proffered that “No one part of ‘Guyana’ can historically be attributed to any one ethnic group, except the Amerindians”.

In his pro-federalism argument, Ravi argues that “minorities across the globe from Assam to Zimbabwe have been clamouring for federalist principles to be instituted to protect their interest against actual or potential majorities.” This is exactly where Ravi’s argument for federalism flounders. Federalism is not about protecting minorities. It is about a certain degree of autonomy or self-determination (intra-sovereignty) for nations which had been subsumed in an imposed unitary state; or unitary nations which are prepared to give up their unitary status and some degree of sovereignty to benefit from the advantages of federating.

Encounters with the late Majeed Hussein

Dear Editor, The late PPP activist Majeed Hussein and I were not friends, but I had several helpful encounters with him on the streets, on the campaign trail in recent elections, and in visits at Freedom House to gather data for my research. He was very simple; I found him to be a gentleman.

I happen to be in Guyana to conduct an opinion survey, and I used my presence in the country to attend Majeed’s funeral. Everyone I met lauded his role in the PPP and in helping people.

He was a peoples’ person.

Everyone praised his activism and honesty.

Majeed was extremely resourceful. He was also a dedicated activist and loyalist to his party. He played an extremely critical role in the protection of the containers that held the ballot boxes during the five-month ordeal to get the right count as the incumbent tried to steal the March 2 election.

Although I saw Majeed at Freedom House over the last several years during visits, we never conversed there, and I did not know who he was in terms of office position or title. I visited Freedom House to meet longtime friends whom I knew from my decades of struggle for the restoration of democracy in Guyana.

I would see Majeed there, but would not interact with him more than just a ‘Hi!’ or ‘Hello’. We did not know each other by name. I never told him who I was. He must have found out who I

was from colleagues.

One day, some years ago, I visited a parlour on Robb Street to buy a soft drink. I was chatting with the proprietor on the politics of the country, as I normally do with people across the country during my countless visits to conduct surveys.

Majeed came to the shop minutes after to buy an energy drink. He and the proprietor had a chat, and I was introduced. I said I saw him around Freedom House, and on the campaign trail and doing party work, but I never knew his name or role in the PPP. Surprisingly, Majeed announced he knew me through my polling and writings. I normally don’t tell people who I am, as I am bashful on that front; others would introduce me.

Before the proprietor could introduce me, Majeed stated: “I know of Mr. Bisram, and I know of his work. I look forward for his polls, and I read his many letters in the press. I don’t always agree with his views, but I admire his courage”.

Majeed showered accolades on my polling and activism to help protect democracy and free and fair elections in Guyana. We had several brief encounters thereafter, talking politics. He was always busy with running errands or engaging in some kind of activity for his party or for the public good.

After he left the shop, the proprietor praised his down-to-earth character and demeanour. I learnt of his generosity and kind-

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ness, and of his activities to help the downtrodden and poor. I learned that he would seek assistance to help others, not himself. In fact, he neglected his own health to take care of others. He would help people to repair or build their homes.

Just a couple of days before the last elections, we talked about the expected outcome. He was very passionate about his party. He was confident PPP would win by a landslide, not less than 55%. He asked for my view. I responded PPP would get about 52%.

He said I would be proven wrong. The PPP actually got 51%.

Our encounters would be missed, and I am sure his party would miss his activism.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

In each of the instances from Assam to Zimbabwe, those clamouring for federalism are not necessarily minorities. They are nations/ tribes/ original countries; or homogeneous peoples associated with a specific land mass. In the case of America, it was individual colonies conglomerating/ federating. In the case of Nigeria, it was original nations/peoples who had been subsumed into a unitary state regaining a certain degree of self-de-

termination by entitlement through the devolutionary process. Sudan opted for the creation of two states, rather than federating.

None of those scenarios is applicable to Guyana, particularly in relation to the Afroand Indo-ethnic problems.

Our diversity is cultural, but not territorial. Federalism is justifiable only in instances where the diversity is cultural and territorial; or where homogeneous groups are associated with a specific land

mass. It is an intra-sovereign arrangement, unlike local government, which is an infra-sovereign arrangement.

It should be noted that federalism may or may not be equated to partition; however, in many instances, it does provide for secession, as occurred in the cases of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia.

Yours truly, Vincent Alexander

Top priority is focus on tourism sector’s development

Dear Editor, The infrastructural plans for the ferry system do provide an opportunity to further leverage the rich heritage of our country while elevating our level to that of a world class standard.

For example, the piers that are being refurbished, renovated and installed should incorporate features that speak to the heritage of the area. Whether it be the Dutch Fort that is being visited, the Lighthouse or an Amerindian area that is being newly discovered by tourists, to be able to experience the architecture of an Amerindian benab or something from the Spanish, Dutch or English colonial era makes travel throughout the country an adventure for the senses.

A key standard component should be a covered waiting room that is guarded and has the basic well maintained bathroom facilities. The piers should also be well maintained, with rails and stairs where necessary.

The larger ports should

also incorporate the artistic richness of the local population, and have some historical information on display for increased awareness with informational content for tourists.

Ecotourism is a very stimulating endeavour that brings the very inquisitive to visit. Learning about the natural habitat, the fauna, flora, animals, the inhabitants and the history of each landing point along the transport and ferry system provides a great opportunity to also incorporate the local population’s participation in the tourist industry’s development. Art, food and guided tours within and around the major ports help to increase the attractiveness of our Guyanese offering within the global tourist industry.

It does get very competitive, and we must ensure we have an appealing, attractive, safe and distinct offering for our visitors. Our competitors and target consumers should be clearly outlined. Is it the independent adventurous traveller,

a lover of horse racing, or a family of environmental enthusiasts? Those in search of an alternative to a Safari, looking for a new and undiscovered frontier, learning about the lungs of the planet, green and environmentally conscious consumers, all may be within the consumer category being pursued.

It may be a mix of the aforementioned; therefore, our tourism offering must cater to the needs of those target consumers, and should also meet the needs and desires of the intended group, with the needs of the core group maintaining the top priority and focus of the sector’s development.

Sculpting the beauty of our dear land via the tourism sector and new infrastructural investment brings with it a clearer outline of that beautiful woman in a dress wearing an elegant hat made for horse racing, the one whom we lovingly call Guyana.

Best regards, Jamil Changlee

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2021

Foundation ◄

Page

Module test 3

Æsop’s Fables

FOR CHILDREN

3) Write the following number using scientific notation: 3,356,725.0094 4) Manny collects postcards and stamps. His collection consists of 3 postcards and 1 stamp from New York, 5 postcards and 2 stamps from Florida and 4 postcards and 3 stamps from Georgia.

If each postcard costs US$1 and each stamp US$0.55, how much did Manny spend on his collection. If the exchange rate is US$1 = $208 Guyana dollars, how much did Manny spend on his collection in local currency?

Complete the following test items 1) Which of the following triangles is obtuse? __________ Right-angled? __________ acute? __________

5) Which of the following angles is obtuse? __________ Right? __________ acute? __________

2)

Calculate the following expression: 4 + (8 – 3)3 + 5(3 + 2) – 5 (5)

Tuesday’s answers 1) 51,044 grams. 51,044 grams = ing 5mm and the least 1mm.

51.044kg so Robby’s luggage would not exceed the weight limit.

3) The most popular pastry is the pine tart. On Friday the most pastries 2) New York is the wettest city. On were sold.

8/9 there is the greatest difference in rainfall of 4mm, with the greatest amount be- 4) A sphere

5) a) 6/23 b) 13/23 c) 4/23

A

t a country fair there was a buffoon who made all the people laugh by imitating the cries of various animals.

He finished off by squeaking so like a pig that the spectators thought that he had a porker concealed about him.

But a countryman who stood by said: “Call that a pig’s squeak! Nothing like it. You give me till tomorrow and I will show you what it’s like.”

The audience laughed, but next day, sure enough, the countryman appeared on the stage, and putting his head down squealed so hideously that the spectators hissed and threw stones at him to make him stop.

“You fools!” he cried, “see what you have been hissing,” and held up a little pig whose ear he had been pinching to make him utter the squeals.

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

“I am really moved by [Guyanese] culture” – outgoing Chinese Ambassador …pays President, PM farewell courtesy call

Prime Minister Mark Phillips and Ambassador Cui Jianchun

President Dr Irfaan Ali received a farewell courtesy call from outgoing Chinese Ambassador Cui Jianchun at State House

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resident Dr Irfaan Ali on Tuesday received a farewell courtesy call from outgoing Chinese Ambassador Cui Jianchun at State House.

Ambassador Jianchun was accredited in 2017.

The Chinese diplomat also paid a farewell courtesy call on Prime Minister Mark Phillips.

Prime Minister Phillips thanked the Ambassador for his service and said that he is optimistic about continued cooperation between the two countries.

“On behalf of the people of Guyana, I want to thank the Ambassador for

“…I am really moved by the culture here, Guyana is a melting pot and I am proud that Chinese is one of the six ethnic groups. Not many countries have such an advantage and I am very proud that the country’s first President was Chinese” – Ambassador Cui Jianchun four years of service that has benefited the Guyanese people. During those years, the Ambassador would have spearheaded many initiatives that contributed immensely to the development of Guyana. Those projects would have been in the

health sector, infrastructure, ICT, assistance to the Police and assistance to the Guyana Defence Force and we look forward to continued cooperation with his successor,” he is quoted as saying in a statement from the Department of Public

Information.

The Chinese Ambassador praised Guyana for its unique culture and said that he is optimistic about the development of the country over the next decade.

“I thank the Guyanese people and the Government for their warm welcome and hospitality… I am really moved by the culture here, Guyana is a melting pot and I am proud that Chinese is of one of the six ethnic groups. Not many countries have such an advantage and I am very proud that the country’s first

President was Chinese,” the Ambassador said.

Guyana was the first country in the Englishspeaking Caribbean to establish diplomatic relations

with the People’s Republic of China. The historic event took place on June 27, 1972.

By October 1973, Guyana had opened an embassy in Beijing.

8 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

PNCR’s Amna Ally discharged from hospital

PNCR General Secretary Amna Ally

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eneral Secretary of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), Amna Ally has been discharged from the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation’s

(GPHC) Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (ICU) after being admitted on Sunday.

Sources close to the hospital confirmed that Ally was discharged on Tuesday morning and is resting comfortably at home.

Ally was suffering from shortness of breath and was rushed to the Suddie Public Hospital in Region Two

(Pomeroon-Supenaam) on Sunday last. She was subsequently medivacked to the city and is being treated in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU).

Opposition Leader Joseph Harmon had confirmed that the former Social Protection Minister under the APNU/AFC coalition regime was in the

hospital being treated by Cardiologist, Dr Mahendra Carpen.

This is the second time that Ally had to be rushed to the hospital in recent years.

Back in June 2018, the then Social Protection Minister was rushed to the GPHC after complaining of feeling unwell.

Brazilian miner is now dead after he lost control of his All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) which toppled and pinned him on Monday.

Dead is 58-year-old Raimunda Alves De Sousa, a Brazilian national of Sandhill Oku, Mazaruni, Region Seven (Cuyuni-

Mazaruni).

Reports are De Sousa died on the Oku Trail, Mazaruni, on Monday at around 12:15h. It was reported that De Sousa was on the western side of the trail heading up a hill in a northern direction when he reportedly fell into a hole and lost control of the ATV.

As a result, the ATV toppled, pinning him underneath. He received severe injuries about his body and was picked up in an unconscious state by cops and taken to the Bartica Regional Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Investigations are ongoing.

Just recently 53-yearold Clarence Williams of Port Kaituma, North West District (NWD) in Region One (Barima-Waini), sustained serious injuries about his body after the AllTerrain Vehicle (ATV) he was riding toppled.

Less than one week after the accident, he succumbed to his injures at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

It was reported that on the day of the accident, Williams was driving an unregistered ATV. This newspaper understands that he was proceeding north along the western side of Floor Access Road at Port Kaituma, at a fast pace, and while negotiating a right turn, he lost control of the ATV and it toppled in a north-westerly direction.

Following the accident, he was picked up in an unconscious state by public-spirited citizens and placed in a passing motor vehicle, which took him to the Port Kaituma District Hospital. As a result of the injuries he sustained, he was transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital for treatment and remained there as a patient until he died. (G9)

Bum’s rush…

Brazilian miner killed after H being pinned under ATV A

…to the PNC ave you even seen someone picked up simultaneously by the seat of their pants and the scruff of their neck and thrown out bodily from an establishment? That’s a “bum’s rush” - and it ain’t pretty or dignified!! Well, that’s what happened to the PNC from an establishment that’s been pretty much their “home away from home” for the last year or so: the High Court!! Never in the history of our republic has one government (or Attorney General) spent so much on legal fees like the PNC!! The PPP’s still trying to clean up that squandermania!

This time - as your Eyewitness knows you know by now - they were ejected because one of the two Election Petitions they’d filed to overturn the elections was found to be FATALLY defective. When they’d filed on Sept 18, 2020, your Eyewitness had pointed out right then and there that they were signalling they had absolutely no confidence in their first petition (filed on Aug 31). It’s all well and good to have a back-up, but after the PNC had held the country at ransom for five months, insisting they had incontrovertible evidence that the PPP had stolen the elections, you just knew something wasn’t regula’!

Well, the PNC’s back to only having their first (shaky?) petition to be heard - by March, the first anniversary of their attempted heist. Maybe we might still get to see the “INCONTROVERTIBLE” evidence! Like your Eyewitness, maybe you’re curious as to why the Chief Justice threw them out on their ear on the second one? Some might say - like the PNC lawyers, such as their newly-minted Senior Counsel Roysdale Forde and his high-priced Trini counterpart Jeremie - that the defect was merely “technical” and not “substantive”.

But, as should’ve been known to these two gentlemen, in law, the devil is in the details, and the particular details they messed up in their petition revealed something fishy was definitely going on. It all had to do with the date they served notice on Granger, since he was a party to the action. This was supposed to have been done, according to the requisite statute, by Sept 18. Simple, no? But the affidavit they presented to the Court showed that Granger had signed on Sept 25. When this was pointed out at the preliminary hearing last year, Jeremy and Forde first said it was “no big thing”!!

Upbraided by the Court, they then claimed that Granger had actually been served on the 24th but had indicated the “25th”! As the CJ pointed out this time, the 24th was still beyond the statutory period! She didn’t spare their blushes, calling their explanations “preposterous”, “unmeritorious” and “contrived”!

Ouch! …to the Aussies There were many who were ready to read funeral rites for Test cricket after the stupendous success and growth of the T-20 version. But the Test match between India and Australia two nights ago proved that the venerable elongated form can produce more than enough drama to keep fans around the world glued to their TVs, and can pull all-nighters! And your Eyewitness isn’t even talking about the racial taunts hurled at the Indian players by the spectators.

The Indian team had been depleted not only by the absence of their charismatic captain Kohli, but their entire frontline bowling attack! Nine of the eleven players in the deciding last Test weren’t even picked for the first Test! They were facing an Aussie team at full strength especially in the bowling department. No one gave the Indians much chance of winning - and most thought they’d go for the draw. But the young’uns in the team rose to the occasion, played their designated roles and won.

Hope our players were looking! …for ego The Chair of G77+China was just passed on to Guinea.

Most of the world can’t even distinguish between Guyana and Guinea.

But the PNC spent over US$1million to have some washed-out crony strut around. What did Guyana get?

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

NEWS

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Cooperation with medical team needed to control Region 5 COVID-19 spike – Minister

…19 new cases recorded

W

ith increased cases of COVID-19 emerging in Region Five (MahaicaBerbice), the public and positive patients have been asked to comply with the guidelines and instructions set out by the Health Ministry.

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony said on Tuesday that they are seeking to strengthen presence in Moraikobai and New Amsterdam – areas which have reported spikes of the novel virus.

A new team, comprising of a doctor, was sent into Moraikobai and will spend a few weeks in the community until the situation normalises. At New Amsterdam specifically, a number of persons were placed in home isolation.

“Hopefully, by having permanent presence with a different team, maybe we’ll get more people to comply. I’m sure once we get persons to work along with us, we’ll get a better picture of what is happening in the community…

Those persons who have tested positive and are in home isolation, we’ll continue to monitor them and of course, if they are deteriorating in any sense, then we will be able to bring them out to our hospital,” he indicated.

For now, the major challenge facing authorities is the cooperation from members of the community. He said support from the populace is essential to identify those who are infected. There are also instances where persons are refusing to get tested.

“The challenge that we have is that when [we] talk to members of the community, support is pledged. But when the regional officials leave, somehow the community no longer work along with the medical team. We’re hoping that as we reach out to the persons who have influence in the community, that these types of attitudes will change. It’s important that we get that cooperation.”

New cases

For Tuesday, 19 new coronavirus cases were detected after 165 persons were tested.

The new statistics provided in the Health Ministry’s dashboard show that there are still 170 deaths – the latest of which was reported two Mondays ago.

In the facilities, six patients are in the Intensive Care Unit, 31 in institutional isolation, 70 in institutional quarantine and 537 in home isolation. Out of the 3560

males and 3390 females that tested positive, 6206 have recovered completely. To date, Guyana has tested 44,665 individuals.

Meanwhile, an analysis of new cases showed 14 being detected in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), one in Region Five (DemeraraMahaica), three in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) and one in Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni).

There are still 982 confirmed cases in Region One (BarimaWaini), 219 in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), 496 in Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara), 228 in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), 404 in Region Nine (Upper TakutuUpper Essequibo) and 533 in Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice).

The Ministry has reminded the public of the need for correct and consistent use of a face mask when leaving home; maintaining the six feet physical distance from others and good hand hygiene to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.

If anyone is displaying any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19, or need any additional information, kindly contact the COVID-19 Hotline 231-1166, 2267480 or 624-6674 immediately or visit www.health.gov.gy. (G12)

10 NEWS Govt to decriminalise suicide attempts T WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

he Health Ministry is seeking to update and introduce new legislation for the sector, having identified that several documents are outdated and ineffective in this modern era.

Speaking on the issue was Health Minister, Dr

Frank Anthony on Tuesday, where he outlined that several pieces of legislation date back to the mid-1900s.

Against this backdrop, he stressed the need for more modern laws to govern the medical field. Thus far, 21 pieces of legislation have

been examined.

“We have identified 21 pieces of legislation that we would want to look at.

Some of them would have been existing legislation that are quite dated, going back to 1934 and beyond.

A lot of those things have

no relevance in what we do currently. Nevertheless, they’re on the books and they’re quite outdated,” the Minister informed during the COVID-19 update.

One of the frameworks under review is the Antibiotic Act, where medications mentioned in the document are no longer in use. As such, the Ministry is looking to develop a Pharmaceutical Act, that will look at the medications that are currently used.

Another is the Public Health Ordinance, which dates back to 1945. For this, he shared, “Again, we want to replace those with a new Public Health Act. This is going to have similar things like the ordinance but upgraded to suit modern conditions.”

For amendments, it has been requested by the Guyana Medical Council that the Medical Practitioners Act be changed to allow for registration of specialisations.

Under the current laws, a person who attempts suicide can be charged and liable to imprisonment. This is another aspect where amendments will be made, to offer guidance instead of jail time.

“I think the offence carries with it a penalty to be jailed and therefore, we believe in the modern thinking dealing with psychiatry and so forth, that you shouldn’t have these types of punitive measures. What you should do is to be able to offer that person help.

Therefore, prison would not be the place to get that help. They would need to be referred to specialised services,” the health official

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony

contended.

Drafting new laws

The Attorney General’s Chambers is expected to play an instrumental role in the drafting of new laws, but Dr Anthony cautioned that it will take some time before these elements are completed. After the drafts are completed, there will be consultations from stakeholders after which it will be taken for approval by Cabinet. After that, it will be laid in the National Assembly where a committee can review the document. Eventually, it will be submitted to the President.

“We in the Ministry have identified areas where we need to strengthen legislation and it will take some time before all the elements are developed so we have identified areas of weaknesses. That then goes to the Attorney General’s Chambers and we will work with him to ensure that we can draft legislation…

Doing legislation is not a very quick thing to do. It takes a lot of time for us to go through all the process so I want people to understand that.”

The issue of outdated legislative frameworks was evident when former President David Granger resurrected a 1945 Public Health Ordinance to fight COVID-19 last year.

Then People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Member of Parliament, Dr Vindhya Persaud had expounded the minimal changes and draconian nature of the ordinance towards the populace.

In fact, no changes were made to the ordinance, which, according to her, becomes evident when both the 1945 and present-day edicts are examined. Moreover, no direct measures for COVID-19 were found listed but rather those for other infectious diseases. (G12)

Documents stolen from Police Service Commission …probe launched

T

he Guyana Police Force is investigating the circumstances surrounding the breakin and subsequent removal of a number of documents from the Office of the Police Service Commission (PSC) at Fort Street, Kingston, Georgetown.

Police Public Relations Officer, Assistant Commissioner Royston Andries-Junor on Tuesday said that information surrounding the incident is still being gathered since ranks are still conducting preliminary investigations.

The PSC’s Office is located in Kingston, Georgetown, within the compound of the Local Government and Regional Development Ministry. There are always security guards stationed in the compound so it is unclear whether those guards heard or saw anything.

The incident comes on the heels of Police Commissioner Nigel Hoppie

revoking the promotion of several junior ranks who were promoted on January 1, 2021. The reason for the revocation of those promotions is still unknown.

On January 1, the Guyana Police Force announced the promotion of several Police ranks at the Force’s annual junior promotions party.

It was then, a supplementary list of persons who were also named as promoted was released.

Following the announcement of the revocation of the officers’ promotion, Minister of Home Affairs Robeson Benn said he would be reviewing the lists of junior and senior Police ranks who were recently promoted by the GPF. Additionally, on December 31, 2020, acting Chief Justice Roxane George granted an order blocking the promotion of several Police ranks to Assistant Commissioner by the PSC.

The order came following complaints of discrimination levelled by Senior Superintendent Calvin Brutus against the PSC. Brutus complained to the High Court that he is being bypassed for promotion to the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police, even though he was recommended for promotion by the Commissioner of Police.

The told the court that his promotion was being overlooked because of “frivolous” allegations of indiscipline levelled against him.

He contended that he has not been called to defend the allegations.

Just last week, Chief Justice George adjourned the hearing of senior ranks’ promotion until February 5, 2021, after Attorney General Anil Nandlall told the court that the Police Service Commission (PSC) is willing to solve the issue outside of the court.

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14 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Cummings Lodge fire

Landlady recalls pensioner’s tragic death T

he landlady of a 68-year-old man who perished in a fire at his Cummings Lodge, Greater Georgetown home on Monday afternoon recalled the horrible shock she suffered after realising that her house was on fire, and her tenant had been burned to death.

The 63-year-old woman, who requested not to be named, said the entire incident is overwhelming, and a lot to process at this time.

It was reported that the

fire that claimed the life of Lyndon Kyte, a security officer, started around 04:20h at Lot 570 Tenth Field, Cummings Lodge, ECD, and his burnt remains were discovered in the kitchen area of the house.

Guyana Times understands that the man lived alone, and rented the apartment from the 63-year-old woman. When this publication visited the premises where the fire occurred, the landlord said she last spoke to the man on Monday after-

noon sometime before the fire started.

“I checked on him in the morning and I called out to him… when I went at the back there, he was groaning in pain, I called out to him and I gave him some soup through his window because nobody couldn’t go in because he locked the door from inside. Nobody couldn’t go in because he didn’t want to go to the hospital.”

The woman said after talking to the man she left and went out, and upon her

The pensioner’s apartment that was destroyed by fire

return in the afternoon, she went straight to the man’s apartment that is located at the back of her house, and called out for him again.

“I called for Lyonel and he said yes Carol, I asked him if he drink the soup and he said yes, I asked him if he wanted something to drink and he said no he drank the coconut water, so I left and I came in the house thinking that he is ok because he talked good,” she said.

She revealed that the man suffered from urinary retention commonly known as “stoppage of water”, and has been sick for the entire month of January. According to her, she and a friend had encouraged him to seek medical at-

tention, but he refused and locked himself inside the house, and refused to come out or let anyone in.

“I was in the house and I hear this big “boom”. I don’t know if he fall down, I don’t know if he had some big kero bottle and it explode…. I really don’t know, but, from the time I hear this fall and I rush out, he could not have burn up so fast, so I don’t really understand,” she said.

Having made this observation, the woman raised an alarm after which neighbours formed a bucket brigade in an effort to extinguish the fire but their efforts were in vain.

Shortly after, a fire tender from the Campbellville Fire Station arrived on the

scene and went into action extinguishing the fire.

Afterwards, the pensioner’s burnt body was discovered among the rubble.

The landlady said she is still baffled as to what really occurred, since she did not hear the man scream or call for help, which is unlike him.

“He was like family and he was a very, very nice person, I am still in shock and I don’t know what happened.

I don’t even know how to explain how I feel about the situation, I just thank God that other house didn’t catch…”, she explained.

Investigations are ongoing.

(LaWanda McAllister)

COVAX working to distribute vaccines in 2nd quarter – Dr Anthony

G

lobal procurement mechanism for the COVID-19 vaccines, COVAX has given some positive news that two billion doses will finally be procured for distribution. Now that efforts have succeeded, they are working to have it distributed by the second quarter of 2021.

Relaying this information was Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony during Tuesday’s coronavirus update. Since last year, Guyana was listed among the countries eligible for coverage under COVAX, a body of organisations, including the World Health Organisation (WHO), that will ensure there is equal access to and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines when it becomes available on the market.

“Our main discussions on vaccine have been centred on working with COVAX and we continue to do that…

We have had some good news through that mechanism so COVAX has reported that they now have deals

in place to acquire two billion doses of vaccines. They are working to have these vaccines out by the second quarter of this year,” he notified.

Presently, the regulatory approval for the vaccines determines when it will be rolled out. The World Health Organisation has only approved the Pfizer vaccine for emergency use listing but there are several others under consideration – which have been given emergency use authorisation in other countries. It is expected that Moderna and AstraZeneca will be given the green light

in the next two months.

Sputnik 5, which was approved for use in Russia, is also on the waiting list along with two Chinese-developed vaccines, Sinopharm and Sinovac. The earliest approval will come in March.

According to the Minister, this is an indication that there will be more than one option to choose from. Since COVAX can only supply 20 per cent of the vaccines required to immunise the population in 2021, Guyana will also explore other partners to access more vaccines.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 15

NEWS

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Ramsammy’s Ruminations Hotel Manager, Special Constable robbed Patterson’s chairing the A Public Accounts Committee is untenable; he must resign

T

he Public Accounts Committee (PAC) is the parliamentary mechanism to scrutinise the Auditor General's Report, to ensure Government is accountable, and that any weakness in Government's accountability framework is remedied. The PAC's responsibility includes holding public officers - including ministers accountable for the people's money. In Guyana, the PAC is made up of Members of Parliament from both the Government and Opposition sides of the House, with the Government side having a majority of members, but the Chair of the PAC is from the Opposition.

Between 1964 and 2015, no Minister sat on the PAC, the reason being that Ministers cannot scrutinise themselves.

In 2015, APNU+AFC changed the rules, allowing Ministers to be members of the PAC. In the last Parliament, Dr Irfaan Ali was the Chair of the PAC. In the new Parliament, David Patterson is the Chair of the PAC. Mr. Patterson has a dubious Dr Leslie Ramsammy record as a Minister, having been a Minister in a Ministry that the Auditor General has consistently cited for breaching the laws of Guyana when it comes to transparency and accountability. His Ministry's commitment to financial integrity has been questioned in every Auditor General's Report, but there are also many transactions of a personal nature that raise serious integrity issues.

Most recently, records have come to the general public's attention that the Demerara Harbour Bridge Authority, and the Asphalt Plant which is operated by the Bridge Authority, spent more than $500,000 in procuring birthday gifts in the form of jewellery for Patterson. To be fair, the record shows that these expenditures were made for that purpose. Patterson has not denied or affirmed that those expenses are real, but has strongly denied he received those gifts. And there is the now famous case of a Chinese company depositing $US9K in Patterson's personal account.

Other staff members also have bought expensive jewellery for themselves using finances from the Authority.

The Demerara Harbour Bridge fell under the Ministry of Public Infrastructure during the period 2015 to 2020, when David Patterson was Minister of Public Infrastructure. Regardless of whether such jewellery ever ended up with Patterson or not, he was the responsible Minister. How could such slackness and recklessness be allowed for five years? The record shows the purchase of expensive jewellery was not a one-time thing. The Manager of the Bridge Authority benefited from the gift of an expensive bracelet, and so did other members of the Authority, and there are records of at least two purchases of expensive jewellery as birthday gifts for Minister Patterson.

As Chairman of the PAC, Patterson now must sit in judgment of such egregious flouting of the financial and procurement laws of Guyana. The Auditor General has done his job and pointed out these violations; the PAC must now hold officers accountable. Clearly, Patterson is now the head judge. How will he handle this egregious flouting of the laws, when he was responsible for the Demerara Harbour Bridge? Is he willing to throw the managers of that Authority under the bus? Will he try to shield them? Will he excuse himself from the deliberations?

Over the years, there have been other blatant violations by the Ministry of Public Infrastructure under Patterson's tenure. There is the shameful management of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport modernisation and expansion project. The project, which was initially conceived and implemented under the PPP Government, was amended after 2015. The final cost of US$150M was never changed, but the project itself was downsized. For example, instead of eight air-bridges, there were only two. Later two more were added, but those were procured outside of the US$150M project. Instead of new departure and arrival buildings, we today have rehabilitated buildings. The sewer system was never expanded. No provision was made for any accommodation of Port Health, or for parking spaces.

The new Minister, Bishop Juan Edghill, has negotiated with the Chinese contractor for some upgrades, at the expense of the Chinese company, to the tune of US$9M. But the damage was done. What happened to the money saved by downgrading the project? We know things like TVs and toilet bowls etc. were procured at exorbitant costs. Whether anyone personally benefited from the project is left to be seen. But the whole project leaves a stench that suffocates the citizens of this country. The new PAC now inherits the responsibility to scrutinise this project. Can the new PAC do so satisfactorily with David Patterson as its head?

There is not space in this column for us to itemise the dozens of projects in the last five years that fell under David Patterson's Ministry that now are in the Auditor General's room of corruption poster child. This is the Ministry that at one time had the responsibility for the infamous Durban Park project, which cost more than $1.6B and, to this day, almost half of that amount cannot be accounted for.

The Auditor General has remarked previously of difficulties getting documents for various projects, including the CJIA and the Durban Park projects for a thorough review. Now Paterson, as Chair of the PAC, must lead the oversight of blatant violations of the financial and procurement and accountability laws. Can he do so without fear or favour?

It is an untenable position to be in. David Patterson should do the right thing and resign.

hotel manager was on Monday robbed of a cell phone and a quantity of items by two armed men while he was walking home.

Paul Rodney of Douglas Street, Nabaclis, East Coast Demerara (ECD), was robbed of one Motorola cell phone valued $50,000 and a bag with keys by two males at about 23:10h.

Rodney told Police that while he was walking home, one of the men placed a

knife to the back of his neck and relieved him of the items. Both men subsequently made good their escape on foot.

The Police were summoned shortly after, and the area was combed for the suspects fitting the description provided, but they were not found.

Also on Monday, Sharon Marks, a Special Constable stationed at the Special Constabulary Headquarters and of Victoria, East Coast

Demerara, was robbed of her shoulder bag which contained two national identification cards, a bank card, $800, a Police shirt and a headdress.

The woman was robbed at about 20:26h at Goed Hope, Railway Embankment, ECD, by two males.

According to reports, Marks was heading to work and was walking on the Goed Hope Embankment when she was confronted

by the two suspects who grabbed her and demanded that she hand over the bag.

The Special Constable said one of the suspects then pulled the bag from her hand, and both him and his accomplice escaped on foot. The matter was subsequently reported to the Police, and checks were made for the suspects in the area, but it proved futile.

Investigations into both the robberies are ongoing.

(G9)

COVAX working to distribute...

“There are several options that are available and we’re still working with COVAX to ensure that we can have access to the vaccine. We know of countries that have been doing bilateral deals outside of COVAX and that’s because this year, COVAX would only be able to give countries that are participating, 20 per cent of the vaccine to cover the population. That is not going to be enough to achieve herd immunity and a number of countries are looking at other options,” Dr Anthony insisted.

Priority groups

When a vaccine becomes available in Guyana, the first set will be used to immunise frontline healthcare workers. Anthony had indicated that after the first consignment, more vaccines will be procured. Next in line is the older population and persons suffering from comorbidities – regarded as the high-risk category. This represents another 17 per cent of the total vaccines required.

He had shared that Guyana will need to immunise approximately 80 per cent of its population to safely protect and emerge from the pandemic. This is termed “herd immunity” whereby there is indirect protection from an infectious disease after a percentage of a population has become immune to an infection.

“We will have to continue working and trying to get more vaccines because many of the experts believe that for us to exit the pandemic, we will have to achieve something that is called herd immunity. To get to herd immunity, some of the experts are projecting that about 80 per cent of our population would need to be immunised.

We would still need to get some more vaccines to reach that level,” the Minister was quoted as saying a few weeks ago.

Preparations

Nevertheless, the country’s cold storage facilities and human resources are being developed in the meanwhile. Regional facilities are being expanded and rehabilitated. Orders were placed last year for additional freezers since the vaccines received from COVAX could require storage at varying temperatures.

Some 12 CARPHA

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

Cayman Islands, Jamaica, St Kitts and Nevis, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos to access vaccines when it becomes available.

CARPHA is assisting seven of these member states with the down payment.

FROM PAGE 14

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

(G12)

16 NEWS Audit of foreign missions in backlog due to COVID-19 – AG WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

…as airports' shutdown leaves State auditors grounded

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he Auditor General’s audit of foreign missions, which receive millions annually in order to carry out Guyana’s foreign policy objectives, is currently in a backlog due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This was revealed during a sitting of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Monday, where Auditor General Deodat Sharma was asked by PAC member and Governance Minister, Gail Teixeira for the status of the audits of foreign missions.

According to him, these audits are usually carried out with auditors travelling to various foreign missions to audit their books. But the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which had caused countries including Guyana to lock down their airports, put a stop to much of that.

According to Sharma, the backlog is expected to be cleared when the pandemic allows travel.

“Except for COVID, we normally go once a year to the larger missions and sometimes every two years to the smaller missions. But we were unable to go there

Auditor General Deodat Sharma

last year because of the COVID,” Sharma said.

“We hope as soon as that settles down, we can go back to auditing some of these missions. But 2019, we were there, the Auditor General further explained to the members of the PAC. It was further explained that revenue from foreign missions is usually put in a bank account as an intermediary solution and at the end of every month, reconciled and transferred to the Consolidated Fund.

According to the AG, however, there have been

accountability issues at the Foreign Affairs Ministry when it comes to revenue and refunds to the Consolidated Fund. This had led to a new system being set up for most of these transfers.

“Previously, we use to have issues with these refunds, because you had to do it with a money order, etc. But we had sat down with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and were able to work a system out where immediately, the money comes straight into the Consolidated Fund.”

“We still have to go through [some] of the intermediary accounts, but you don’t have to use money orders where the money orders are stale-dated.

Everything comes straight into the Consolidated Fund and is being reconciled,” Sharma told the PAC. One of the findings of the 2016 report is that $220 million from 16 overseas missions were paid over late to the Consolidated Fund.

As of 2019, those breaches to the Fiscal Management Act continued. However, the Ministry has since im-

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs

plemented home-based accounting staff at these overseas missions to assist with accounting for the refunds.

Other discrepancies from the report were 26 advances totalling $11.5 million which were at the time not repaid to the Ministry. As of 2019, 10 advances totalling US$14,310 ($2.994 million) remained outstanding, while 16 advances were cleared.

Meanwhile, the Ministry also had issues with logbooks

Police probing stand-off between farmer, “fake” surveyors

P

olice are currently investigating claims of a clash between a Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara farmer and “fake” surveyors who visited his farmlands under the pretext of being employees of Guyana Lands and Survey Commission (GLSC).

Farmer, Balam Lagoo in an interview with this publication recounted that on Saturday while he was tending to his land, the two men approached his farm with a tractor and drone claiming they were in the area to do a survey.

Lagoo said he was surprised about the impromptu visit since in most instances when National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) or any other Government

Farmer Balam Lagoo

agencies are visiting his property they usually notify him or go bearing identification. Suspicious of the men, Lagoo said he then called his father to inquire whether or not he was informed of a visit and his father too was unaware.

According to the man, he continued to ask questions,

but the “surveyors” said they would answer no further questions and proceeded to fly their drones in the area.

“I asked them what is the activity here big boy and if anybody give y’all permission or anything to come in this place. This place is a private property. He said he nah got time to listen to me,” Lagoo explained.

In order to intercept the men, Lagoo took their tractor keys and demanded more information about the purpose of their visit. “I say big man you gotta give me some sorta information and I take away de tractor key,” the farmer said.

It was then one of the men allegedly drew his cutlass and chased the farmer.

“He pull out a cutlass from de tractor and rush me fuh chop me. Done held up the cutlass about six or seven feet away from me over me head fuh chop me,” Lagoo recounted.

Lagoo said that he then drew his licensed firearm and discharge a round in the air. “Well, I’m a licensed

firearm holder, I always have me gun in my pocket when I’m in the field. I barely pop a shot in time or else sometime he woulda strike me and I woulda be a dead man by now,” the farmer recalled. He said that he called the Police, who arrived at the scene and took the men into custody at the Beterverwagting Police Station.

When this publication contacted the Land Administration Officer at the GL&SC, one Hutson (only name given), confirmed that the two men were not employees of the agency but they are customers of the GLSC. “The men are in the process of applying for a piece of the remaining land, they paid their inspection fees and were granted permission by the GLSC to view the land,” Hutson explained.

He further stated that sometime during the 1960s, Lagoo’s father was granted permission to occupy 50 acres of land at the Mon Repos, ECD location pending the approval of his application, which has still not been approved. The remaining 150 acres were to be left unoccupied.

Speaking with this publication, a senior Police officer close to the investigation said that Lagoo was held for discharging his firearm with intent and was placed on bail. “We reported the matter to the DPP and are waiting on more guidance as to how we will proceed with the matter,” the officer said. (G15)

for nine of fifteen serviceable vehicles not being presented, while some of the logbooks were not even properly written up. Additionally,

there were issues with 115 employees being employed between 2015 and 2016, but for which there was no employment contract.

Police, robbery suspect shootout

Suspect nabbed at private hospital seeking treatment for gunshot wound

Suspect: William De Abreu

T

wenty-four-year-old William De Abreu, who was wanted by Police in relation to a series of robberies, was arrested at a private city hospital several hours after he was involved in a shootout with ranks of the Guyana Police Force.

According to Police, De Abreu had received a gunshot wound to his left leg during the crossfire with cops on the East Coast of Demerara and went to the private facility to receive medical attention. Along with the robbery suspect, two persons who accompanied him to the hospital were also arrested. Police said that they were all taken to the Brickdam Police Station and subsequently transferred to Cove and John for further investigation.

On Monday, Police had reported the robbery suspect had opened fire on ranks who were about to arrest him at Bachelor’s Adventure, East Coast Demerara (ECD). As a result, they returned fire and the suspect was injured.

In a statement, Police had revealed that they were acting on information received and intercepted a motor car at Church Road, Bachelor’s Adventure, ECD, when the 24-year-old opened fire on them.

At the time they said they signalled De Abreu to stop, but he attempted to drive away and ended up crashing into the Police vehicle. He subsequently discharged a round in the direction of the ranks, who then returned fire.

De Abreu then reportedly exited the vehicle and discharged another round whilst trying to escape. This caused the ranks to fire several shots in the direction of the suspect.

He then ran into an unoccupied yard where he escaped into the dense vegetation at the back of the yard.

The premises were searched and a red haversack with suspected blood stains was discovered in the yard.

The motor car was later lodged for analysis at the Cove and John Police Station. (G9)

NEWS

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Former APNU/AFC Govt renamed Ogle Airport without consultation – CCJ hears …failed to consider economic impact

Solicitor General Nigel Hawke

T

he Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) on Tuesday heard legal arguments seeking the reversal of the Eugene F Correia Airport name change on the grounds that the move is anti-competitive and moreover, that the former APNU/AFC Government did not adequately consult with those affected.

Lawyer for Air Services Limited Devendra Kissoon argued before the CCJ for the revocation of the name change. During the virtual hearing, Kissoon argued that the former Government failed to consider the economic impact the name change would have on other operators in the airport.

Kissoon also read documents suggesting that former President David Granger and former Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson had committed to addressing the concerns that were raised soon after the idea to rename the airport began floating around.

However, the lawyer con-

tended that this was not done and that the former Government failed to meet the threshold for consultation with those who had the most to lose, thus violating common law principles attached to consultations. Rather, all the consultations occurred in the Ogle Airport Incorporated (OAI) board room, where most of them do not have a seat.

“There is a letter written by former President Granger to the representative of the applicant, on December 2nd, 2015, where he states that he is aware the Minister of Public Infrastructure has undertaken to ensure that the airport is administered efficiently and in the public interest. So the administration of the airport is in the public interest,” Kissoon explained.

“The majority of the applicants are small private operators whose livelihood depend on the fair management of Ogle airport. And make up nine out of the 10 domestic operators currently in Guyana. Save for three of them, none of them are Board members of OAI, but are simply arm’s length lessees of the space OAI provides to aircraft operators. And all compete for the market.”

The lawyer further contended that the Correia Group of Companies and the applicants in the case have historically had a strained relationship for the very reason of anti-competitive practices that include the name change.

Kissoon in his submissions made it clear that as per the lease, the airport is a public one, with Government as

Attorney-at-Law Devendra Kissoon

a major stakeholder. Hence, there was a duty to consult with all the operators and not just those on the OAI Board who overwhelmingly represent Correia Group. He, therefore, urged the court to issue orders paving the way to reverse the name change.

Consultations In his rebuttal, however, Solicitor General Nigel Hawke argued that there were consultations - just not the consultations Kissoon meant. Hawke noted that the correspondence between the operators and the then Public Infrastructure Minister satisfied the criteria for consultations.

“From what we understand from the evidence, all that the appellants wanted to say to the Minister was put before the Minister. And issues were raised at some time at some level regarding the (economic impact),” Hawke also said.

Following the oral submissions, CCJ Justice Jacob

WCD hit and run

Family now advised that file was never sent to DPP

T

he family of Rajendra Doodnauth, who was killed in a hit-and-run accident in December 2020, was told that the file was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions, Shalimar AliHack for review.

Three weeks later, they were left dumbfounded after they were finally informed that this is not the case. In fact, it was never sent. Now, they are raising questions as to where the investigation is going.

The dead man’s son, Devindra Doodnauth, told Guyana Times that the family has been checking in with investigators to determine the status of the investigation as they await justice. During an engagement, they were informed by a senior rank that the case file was never sent to the DPP. This was also confirmed to them by Commander of Region Three, Senior Superintendent Errol Watts, who later assured that he would review the details. The son indicated that they are relying on the Guyana Police Force to ensure that justice is served, especially given the

Dead: Rajendra Doodnauth

manner in which his father was killed.

“We were told that the file was sent since December and now when we check in, they said this didn’t happen and that it got to be reviewed by two officials before they send it over. We really want justice for my father,” the younger Doodnauth expressed.

Doodnauth, 55, of Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara, died after being hit by a speeding car on the Stewartville Public Road. Enquires revealed that the motor car was proceeding east along the northern side of

the road, reportedly at a fast rate, while the pedal cyclist was proceeding in the same direction as the motor car.

Doodnauth came off his bicycle and was waiting to cross the road. He collided with the front of the car and fell onto the front window screen of the vehicle, then onto the road’s surface where he was dragged some distance before the vehicle came to a stop.

He received injuries about his body and was picked up in an unconscious state and was taken to the Leonora Cottage Hospital where he was seen and examined by a doctor on duty. The man was pronounced dead while receiving medical treatment.

The deceased was a former employee at the Uitvligt Estate. At the time of the accident, he went to make a purchase at a nearby shop.

The 41-year-old driver of Non Pariel, East Coast Demerara, was released from custody the day following the accident.

“My father was killed by the driver and they let him go the next day. So, we want to understand what is happening,” the son contended. (G12)

Wit informed the parties that they will get a notice when the court is ready to deliver its judgement.

The controversy surrounding the renaming of the OIA started when former President Granger, on September 17, 2015, at the commissioning of the Correia-owned Trans-Guyana Airways Beechcraft, urged that the Board of Directors of the airport consider renaming the facility the Eugene F Correia International Airport in recognition of Guyana’s first Minister of Communications, Shipping and Aviation.

However, nine of the ten operators at the airport had rejected the proposed name change, arguing that it would create unfair competition, since the name is similar to that of the Chairman of the Board, Michael Correia.

Additionally, they had

The Eugene F Correia Airport

argued that the Correias are controlling the Board of Directors and are the owners of a competing airline, TransGuyana Airways, which operates out of that airport.

The nine companies opposing the change were Air Services Limited (ASL); Domestic Airways; Hinterland Aviation; Hopkinson Mining Aviation; Jags Aviation; Oxford Aviation; Phoenix

Airways; Roraima Airways, and Wings Aviation – all members of NATA. The Ogle International Airport was renamed to the Eugene F Correia international airport on May 9, 2016, after the aviation pioneer. Prior to that, however, NATA unsuccessfully sought injunctions against the name change in the High Court and Court of Appeal. (G3)

Housing Ministry earmarks $100M for EBD communities’ road upgrades

H

ousing and Water Minister, Collin Croal on Monday announced that this year, $100 million will be spent on road works in several communities along the East Bank Demerara.

Croal said the project will come under the Ministry’s Community Road Repair and Enhancement programme in the 2021 National Budget.

“Some of these roads will be from Herstelling all the way to Mocha and where you have that Providence main road. That will include Covent Garden and Farm so you can see improvement immediately in this year,” he said in a Department of Public Information report.

The Minister was at the time conducting a community outreach in the

Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal interacting with a resident during an outreach to the Little Diamond/Herstelling Neighbourhood Democratic Council

2021 work programme.

Meanwhile, some $40 million will be spent to construct a new well at Providence as part of efforts to address the water woes along the East Bank. Croal said the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) will start work on the new structure shortly.

“The resources have been

CH&PA CEO Sherwyn Greaves addressing a resident’s concern during the outreach

Little Diamond/Herstelling Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC). He was accompanied by CEO of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), Sherwyn Greaves, and a team of technical officers.

At the meeting, residents raised concerns about dilapidated roads, water and the need for street lights in the communities. Several persons had issues regarding their lands addressed.

Croal used the opportunity to highlight some of the projects that will be executed in the new and existing communities along the East Bank corridor, under the Ministry’s

made available to GWI. They are currently working at Farm; when they complete that project then they will move to put in that new well at Providence. The intention is to have a complete interconnectivity so that everyone will be receiving the same pressure,” he is quoted as saying.

He also noted that GWI will be procuring water filter media for the water treatment plants along the East Bank. He added that residents would benefit from an improved quality of water through their taps by May. He explained that as part of the Government’s holis-

tic community enhancement programme, infrastructure such as roads, bridges, drainage and water channels and electricity and street lights would also be built in housing schemes.

To this end, the CH&PA will be installing solar lights in Farm, Covent Garden and Providence by the end of February.

The CH&PA is also reviewing several proposals to establish markets in Farm and other neighbouring communities. While a location has been proposed by the NDC, the Ministry will be engaging the Guyana Sugar Corporation on the availability of the area identified.

“All our schemes will cater for a market so you can have cluster. There is one model that will see tarmacs and you have multi-use of those tarmacs, similarly like what is happening in Diamond. And the other model is for a specific identified market building so you can have the necessary sections depending on what you are selling,” Croal said.

Meanwhile, the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) addressed the issue of animals being left to graze in communities. GLDA’s Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Dr Dwight Walrond convened a separate meeting with cattle farmers who indicated their willingness to relocate their cattle from residential areas once they have access to lands.

18

guyanatimesgy.com

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2021

Regional

Trump Administration imposes Venezuelan oil-related sanctions

T

he United States on Tuesday sanctioned a network of oil trading firms, individuals, and vessels that have helped Venezuelan Staterun oil company Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) sell crude mainly to Asia despite Washington’s sanctions on the South American nation.

The measure targets a network that the US Treasury Department says helped the Administration of President Nicolás Maduro, whose 2018 re-election Washington called a sham, broker the sale of hundreds of millions of dollars in Venezuelan oil.

“Those facilitating the illegitimate Maduro regime’s attempts to circumvent United States sanctions contribute to the corruption that consumes Venezuela,”

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a news release.

The US Treasury said its Office of Foreign Assets Control, or OFAC, targeted three individuals, 14 entities, and six vessels for their ties to a network attempting to evade US sanctions on Venezuela’s oil sector.

It said the “principal actors” were Alessandro

Bazzoni, Francisco D’Agostino, and Philipp Apikian, as well as oil trading firms including Elemento Ltd and Swissoil Trading SA. Washington first imposed sanctions on PDVSA limiting its oil sales in early 2019, which cut off its main destination for exports, the US. The measure was followed last year by sanctions

on two units of PDVSA’s main trading partner, Russia’s Rosneft, as well as shipping sanctions blacklisting tankers involved in the transportation.

The FBI started probing Elemento and Swissoil last year, along with Mexicobased Libre Abordo and Schlager Business Group, aiming to gather information for the Treasury’s inquiry into possible sanctions-busting. Libre Abordo, Schlager and Mexican citizens Joaquin Leal Jimenez, Olga Maria Zepeda and Veronica Esparza were sanctioned in June.

Venezuela’s Information and Oil Ministries, PDVSA, Libre Abordo, Schlager and Elemento did not immediately reply to requests for comment. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Cienfuegos innocent when it sent him back to Mexico and dropped US charges against him after he was arrested in California last year.

He defended his own decision to close a Mexican probe into whether Cienfuegos had colluded with a drug cartel, saying the US evidence was inconsistent, included questionable physical descriptions of the retired General, and tes-

timony from two dead witnesses.

The spat, one of several serious hiccups during the Trump Administration, risks souring Mexico’s most important bilateral relationship as the two countries seek to turn over a new leaf with the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden today.

In an interview on Mexican radio, Gertz said he was being accused of bias in favour of Cienfuegos, something he described as “a lynching”, and that he was

exploring his legal options at the level of “all” courts to which he had access.

He did not specify to which international tribunal he could go, but said he would consult with a Mexican judge who served at the International Court of Justice at The Hague.

The Justice Department last week said it was “deeply disappointed” that Mexico had decided to close the investigation, saying it fully stood by its own evidence and charges in the matter.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

The Administration of outgoing US President Donald Trump first imposed sanctions on Venezuela's State oil company, PDVSA, in 2019 [Ivan Alvarado/Reuters file photo]

Mexico's Attorney General escalates fight with US over former Minister

M

exican Attorney General Alejandro Gertz said on Tuesday he was considering elevating to international courts a dispute with the United States over Mexico dropping an investigation into a former Defence Minister.

Gertz said the US Department of Justice had effectively declared ex-Defence Minister Salvador

Deep in remote Amazon, Indigenous villagers receive coronavirus vaccine Adam Stewart named

B

razilian military flew medical personnel and 1000 doses of a Chinese vaccine deep into the Amazon rainforest on Tuesday to start inoculating Indigenous people against the coronavirus.

Isabel Ticuna, 68, was the first to receive the vaccine in Umariaçu, a village of wooden houses on the banks of the Amazon River. The village is a remote community near the border of Peru and Colombia.

“Vaccination is so important for all of our Indigenous community. It was this that we were waiting for,” she told Reuters after getting an injection of the CoronaVac shot, developed by China’s Sinovac Biotech.

Villagers clapped as she received her injection, a collective show of relief for a community that has seen 37 residents die of COVID-19 and some 2000 more infected.

“I was so worried, but this

D-Day has arrived finally after so many deaths here and in the world,” said Tarcis Marques Ticuna, the village medic. “This is hope for us.”

Brazil’s more than 800,000 Indigenous people have been badly hit by the pandemic sweeping through their villages, many of them located days away from the nearest medical post by river boat.

The coronavirus has killed 926 indigenous people in Brazil and infected more than 46,000, according to tribal umbrella organisation APIB. Anthropologists have warned that the communal way of life, with families sharing dwellings, ruled out social distancing and made them particularly vulnerable to contagion.

Brazil’s right-wing Government is facing criticism for its slow response to the pandemic that has so far killed more than 210,000 Brazilians. (Reuters)

Executive Chairman of Sandals Resorts International

S

andals Resorts International has announced Adam Stewart’s appointment as the Executive Chairman.

Stewart becomes just the second Chairman in the company’s 40-year history. He is preceded by his late father, Gordon “Butch” Stewart, who died earlier this month.

The elder Stewart, a pioneer in Caribbean tourism, founded the organisation in 1981.

Stewart assumes the role after working alongside his father for more than two decades, serving as Chief Executive Officer and, most recently, deputy chairman.

“Some people are dreamers, and some are doers; my dad was the magical combination of both. He was fiercely passionate about offering a product that would exceed expectations, and we are incredibly honoured to contin-

Adam Stewart

ue his pursuit of innovation, raising the bar, and creating landmark moments for our valued guests,” Stewart said.

The Executive Chairman has been recognised for his leadership in the travel industry. In addition, in 2009, Stewart launched the Sandals Foundation with a mission to lift communities through education, health care, and environmental protection.

Stewart also assumes executive chairmanship of the Jamaica-based ATL Group.

(Nation News)

PAHO to receive 195 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines between March and June

T

he Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) is expected to receive approximately 195 million doses of the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines between March and June.

This will be for deployment to member countries joining the World Health Organisation's COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) Facility, through which the provisions are being procured.

The amount will be from two billion doses for which the WHO has already secured agreements with manufacturers, through the Facility, for global distribution.

Among them is Pfizer Inc, the first entity issued with an emergency use licence for its vaccine by the WHO. The COVAX Facility is designed to accelerate equitable access by countries globally to appropriate, safe and efficacious vaccines.

Speaking during PAHO's COVID-19 digital briefing on Tuesday, PAHO Assistant Director, Dr Jarbas Barbosa said delivery of the vaccines was expected to get underway in March when the first 20 million doses are expected to be received for deployment, thereby facilitating the targeted commencement of the vaccination pro-

PAHO Assistant Director, Dr Jarbas Barbosa (file photo)

gramme roll-out in member countries.

Dr Barbosa indicated that another 35 million doses are expected in April, 45 million in May, and approximately 95 million in June, noting that these are the latest estimates from COVAX. “Through COVAX, what we want to start is a constant flow of delivery of vaccines, so that we can begin with the strategy of [vaccinating] priority groups of every country continuously, without suspending vaccination for any reason whatsoever,” he informed.

These groups, which would comprise approximately 20 per cent of each State's population, include health-care workers, among them those on the front line in the fight to suppress COVID-19; the elderly, and persons with pre-existing health conditions. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

Migrant mom, child to remain in T&T pending legal matter

T

rinidad and Tobago has agreed not to deport a Venezuelan woman and her four-yearold daughter pending the determination of a lawsuit brought by her Trinidadian companion on their behalf.

State Attorneys gave the undertaking in a consent order that was entered as an appeal against a Judge’s decision not to grant a stay of their deportations and which came up for virtual hearing before Appellate Judges Charmaine Pemberton and Peter Rajkumar on Monday.

As part of the order, which resulted in the withdrawal of the appeal, the State agreed to release them from the immigration detention centre at the Chaguaramas Heliport after they pay a TT$3200 security bond.

Permission was also granted by the National Security Ministry for the woman to work pending the eventual outcome of the case.

According to the evidence in the case, the woman, who cannot be named to protect her daughter’s identity, entered the country illegally in April 2019 and participated in the Government’s registration scheme.

Last year, she returned to Venezuela for her daughter and they were arrested with a group of illegal immigrants in Barrackpore, shortly after arriving.

The woman’s ministerial permit was cancelled for the infraction and they were issued with deportation orders.

While being detained at the facility, the woman contracted COVID-19, but has since recovered.

In the substantive lawsuit, the woman’s companion, who she has been in a relationship with for over a year, claimed that State officials did not follow the proper procedure before issuing her with the deportation order. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

guyanatimesgy.com

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2021

19

Around the World

OILNEWS OIL NEWS Oil gains on stimulus optimism ahead of Biden inauguration

O

il prices climbed with US stock markets on Tuesday ahead of Joe Biden’s inauguration as US President on optimism that more Government stimulus will eventually lift global economic growth.

Brent futures for March delivery rose US$1.08, or 2.0 per cent, to US$55.83 a barrel by 1:25 pm EST (1825 GMT), while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose 52 cents, or 1.0 per cent, to US$52.88. Front-month February WTI futures expire today.

Wall Street’s main indexes rose after upbeat earnings from big US banks and comments from US Treasury Secretary nominee Janet Yellen ahead of Biden’s inauguration today.

Yellen urged lawmakers to “act big” on the next coronavirus relief package, adding that the benefits outweigh the costs of a higher debt burden.

“As we are approaching the beginning of the Biden Administration era in the US, traders now have their hopes up for a rapid positive effect on markets coming from the promised ($1.9 trillion) stimulus package,” said Rystad Energy’s head of oil markets, Bjornar Tonhaugen.

Investors were also upbeat on demand in China, the world’s top crude oil importer, after data showed its refinery output rose 3 per cent to a record high in 2020.

Halliburton Co, meanwhile, predicted a recovery in the global oil and gas industry from the second quarter after the oilfield services provider beat profit estimates on cost cuts and modest gains in activity following last year’s slump.

And OPEC’s Secretary General said he was cautiously optimistic the oil market would recover this year from the slump in demand brought about by the coronavirus pandemic.

Crude prices rose even though the International Energy Agency (IEA) cut its outlook for oil demand in 2021 but pointed to a recovery in the second half of the year to an annual average of 96.6 million barrels per day. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Japan: 1 dead as snowstorm causes 130-car pile-up

Joe Biden to be sworn in as new US President today

P

resident-elect Joe Biden offered an emotional farewell to his home state Tuesday, weeping openly several times as he spoke in front of a bank of Delaware flags before boarding a flight to Washington for his swearing-in as president at noon today.

“I know these are dark times. But there’s always light,” Biden said from the Major Joseph R “Beau” Biden III National Guard/Reserve Center at the New Castle Airport, a venue named after his son, who died of brain cancer in 2015.

“You’ve been there for us in the good and the bad and never walked away,” Biden said, after calling out to sev-

eral friends in the audience.

“And I am proud, proud, proud, proud to be a son of Delaware.”

As Biden spoke, tears rolled down his face, and he fought for control several times.

Paraphrasing an adage from Irish writer James Joyce, Biden said: “Excuse the emotion. But when I die, Delaware will be written on my heart.”

Biden said his only regret was that his eldest son, who had been the state’s attorney general and was looking toward a run for governor before his death, was not the one leaving for Washington to be sworn in as president. Biden’s plane arrived at Joint Base Andrews two hours later.

Biden’s raw goodbye matched the tumultuous moment in the country’s history as he prepares to take over as president.

More than 20,000 troops are billeted in the nation’s capital to keep peace during Biden’s inauguration. And roughly 400,000 Americans have died from covid-19, which is spreading across the nation amid a struggling effort to vaccinate the most vulnerable.

As a result, the events leading up to the inauguration will be subdued rather than celebratory and festive.

Even before the Capitol riot two weeks ago, many events associated with a transfer of power had already been

scaled back due to the virus. Biden’s first event in Washington, on Tuesday evening, will be a commemoration of those who have died in the pandemic; lights will shine from the Reflecting Pool before the Lincoln Memorial and on buildings throughout the country.

On Inauguration Day, the National Mall will be filled with flags instead of people.

White-tie balls will be replaced with online events.

Additional security precautions were made in the days since President Trump incited a deadly mob to storm the Capitol, including scrapping a train ride Biden planned from Wilmington to Washington.

(The Washington Post)

In parting shot, Trump Administration declares China's repression of Uighurs “genocide”

T

he Trump Administration has determined that China has committed “genocide and crimes against humanity” by repressing Uighur Muslims in its Xinjiang region, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Tuesday, delivering an embarrassing blow to Beijing a day before US President-elect Joe Biden is set to take office.

Pompeo said he made the move - which is certain to strain further already frayed ties between the world’s top economies - “after careful examination of the available facts,” accusing the Chinese Communist Party of crimes against humanity against the Uighurs and other Muslim minorities since at least March 2017.

“I believe this genocide is

Security guards stand at the gates of what is officially known as a vocational skills education centre in Huocheng County in Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, China, September 3, 2018

ongoing, and that we are witnessing the systematic attempt to destroy Uighurs by the Chinese party-state,” Pompeo said in a statement.

China has been widely condemned for its Xinjiang com-

plexes, which it describes as “vocational training centres” to stamp out extremism and give people new skills and which others have called concentration camps. It denies accusations of abuse.

The rare US determination follows intensive internal debate after Congress passed legislation on Dec 27 requiring the US Administration to determine within 90 days if forced labour or other alleged crimes against the Uighurs and other Muslim minorities are crimes against humanity or a genocide.

Biden’s campaign declared, before the Nov 3 US election, that genocide was occurring in Xinjiang. But Pompeo’s move will ensure an especially difficult start to the new Administration’s relations with Beijing, with USChina ties having plummeted to their lowest level in decades during the last year of President Donald Trump’s Administration. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Thai court hands out record 43-year jail term for insulting king

A A

Those stuck behind the vehicles have been given food, water and blankets

huge snowstorm has struck a highway in north Japan, causing a 130-car pile-up, killing one person and injuring 10.

The storm blanketed a stretch of the Tohoku Expressway in Miyagi prefecture at around noon (03:00 GMT) on Tuesday.

Some 200 people have been caught up in the pile-up and rescuers are currently at the scene, officials said.

Japan has been hit by severe snowstorms in recent weeks with some parts of the country seeing double the average expected snowfall.

Images from the expressway show the sheer scale of the pile-up.

Authorities had already enforced a 50km (31mile) speed limit on the road due to visibility.

There was a maximum wind speed of about 100km/h (62mph) at the time of the incident, local weather officials

said.

Those who were involved have been given drinking water and food, and have been provided with blankets to keep warm, NHK News reports (in Japanese).

The snow has affected some of Japan's high-speed railway network, with a number of train services in the Tohoku region cancelled.

According to local media, the region is expected to record up to 40cm (15 inches) of snow in the next 24 hours.

The country has been experiencing a large amount of snowfall this winter.

Last month, heavy snow left more than 1000 vehicles stranded on the Kanetsu expressway for two days.

The weather was so bad that an emergency meeting was called and the country's Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga called on members of the public to be cautious. (Excerpt from BBC News)

court in Thailand has sentenced a former civil servant to a record prison term of 43 years and six months for breaching the country’s strict law on insulting or defaming the monarchy.

The Bangkok Criminal Court on Tuesday found the woman guilty on 29 counts of violating the country’s lese-majeste law for posting audio clips to Facebook and YouTube with comments deemed critical of the mon-

archy, the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights group said.

The sentence, which comes amid a continuing protest movement that has seen unprecedented public criticism of the monarchy, was swiftly condemned by rights groups.

Violating Thailand’s lese-majeste law – widely known as Article 112 – is punishable by three to 15 years’ imprisonment per count. The law is controversial not only because it has

been used to punish things as simple as liking a post on Facebook but also because anyone – not just royals or authorities – can lodge a complaint that can tie the person accused up in legal proceedings for years.

During Thailand’s last 15 years of political unrest, the law has frequently been used as a political weapon as well as in personal vendettas. Actual public criticism of the monarchy, however, had until recently been ex-

tremely rare.

That changed during the past year when young protesters calling for democratic reforms also issued calls for the reform of the monarchy, which has long been regarded as an almost sacred institution by many Thais.

The protesters have said the institution is unaccountable and holds excessive power in what is supposed to be a democratic constitutional monarchy. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Pandemic could be WHO's Chernobyl moment for reform – review panel

T

he COVID-19 pandemic could be the catalyst for much-needed reform of the World Health Organisation just as the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986 forced urgent changes at the UN nuclear agency, an independent review panel said on Tuesday.

The panel, set up to investigate the global response to the coronavirus, said the WHO is underpowered, underfunded and required fundamental reform to give it

the resources it needs to respond more effectively to deadly disease outbreaks.

“We are not here to assign blame, but to make concrete recommendations to help the world respond faster and better in future,” the panel’s co-chair, former Liberian president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, told a news briefing.

The panel’s report said earlier that Chinese officials should have applied public health measures more forcefully in January to curb the

initial COVID-19 outbreak, and criticised the WHO for not declaring an international emergency until Jan 30.

At the WHO’s Executive Board on Tuesday, China defended its early actions to fight the outbreak in the city of Wuhan and rejected some paragraphs of the panel report as being “inconsistent with the facts”.

“While the pathogen was still unknown, the public was advised to avoid en-

closed, unventilated and crowded places. Wearing masks was also recommended for going out. Wuhan closed the Huanan seafood wholesale market on the first of January 2020,” said Sun Yang of China’s National Health Commission.

WHO DirectorGeneral Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told the board that the WHO was “committed to accountability” and change. (Excerpt from Reuters)

20

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2021

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ARCHIE

ARIES

(March 21April 19)

TAURUS (April 20May 20)

DILBERT

GEMINI (May 21June 20)

Listen carefully, take notes and ask questions.

What you learn today will help you get ahead in life, in love or at work. You can pick up some information that will be valuable in negotiations.

Reach out to people who share your beliefs and interests. The relationships you form will encourage you to use your imagination more and to focus on new possibilities. Accept the inevitable.

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

An offer will have a hidden agenda behind it. Go over the fine print, make adjustments and refuse to let anyone cause problems for you. Protect your reputation and use your intelligence.

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

SUDOKU

Make a sound decision, not a snap decision.

Indecisiveness regarding your work, position, status or purpose will result in confusion and worry. Time is on your side; explore your options!

CANCER (June 21July 22)

PEANUTS

CALVIN AND HOBBES

Pay close attention to what’s going on around you.

Distance yourself from risky or deceiving situations. Don’t let anyone rope you into spending more than you can afford.

A change of pace will give you a chance to evaluate a confusing situation.

A partnership will encourage you to look at the positive, deal with the negative and proceed with confidence.

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

Trust what you know, despite opposition. Work you can do from home will provide insight into a way to earn more money. Check out your options. Be clear about your feelings and plans.

SCORPIO

A problem with a colleague, friend or relative will surface if you procrastinate or change your mind. Be careful how you approach situations that depend on others.

(Oct. 24Nov. 22)

Keep your life simple.

SAGITTARIUS Avoid overspending and ex(Nov. 23cess. Don’t trust someone Dec. 21) who is vague or too complimentary. Consider making a lifestyle change that promotes better health.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

YESTERDAY'S WORD -- EPISTLES

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

PISCES (Feb. 20March 20)

Set reasonable goals, and stick to your plans.

Refuse to let trivial matters interfere. Set high standards, and focus on getting results. A personal change is worth considering.

Speak up, and share your thoughts and intentions. Don’t fold under pressure or make an abrupt change because someone else does. Follow your heart and do your own thing.

Let go of the past. Take care of your health and physical well-being. Don’t take unnecessary risks or make hasty decisions that could result in illness or injury. Put your energy where it counts most.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2021

21

Magnificent India take epic series

– in last hour of last day of last Test

targeted.

Pant was promoted to No. 5, as he had been in Sydney, and showed the kind of resolute batting that can be masked by the rest of his power game. In putting on 61 with Pujara, who was trapped by Cummins as soon as the second new ball was taken, Pant rarely took the minimal baits Australia had set for him. When he did, trying to clear a mid-on fielder who had just been brought in, Paine

failed to gather the ball Lyon had spun past Pant. Though it's never fair to say a singular event could have changed the match one way or another, it did form a poignant moment in the game. The Australian captain, who had said after the last Test that he couldn't wait to get India to the Gabba, was the one to miss a chance that might have preserved the most dominant record in the Australian summer.

(ESPNcricinfo)

SCOREBOARD

M

The Indian team celebrating with their trophy

averick India matured, and with only three overs of the final day of a superlative Test series left, India produced a win for the ages at the Gabba. Punctuating the end was Rishabh Pant, newly minted superstar, who could barely hold it together at the presentation when he called this one of “the best things” to ever happen to him.

In cricketing terms, that “thing” was an expertly paced unbeaten 89, which helped shatter a 32-year streak of Australia not losing at this ground, and sealed for India a 2-1 series win with three wickets in hand.

Pant's dashing best came during the last hour of play, after a series of partnerships had taken India to within 63 runs of victory; at which point they lost Mayank Agarwal. The burden of either pushing for a win or shutting the gates then fell on Pant and debutant Washington Sundar. To put it in terms that would be lost on their older team-mates, the two left-handers woke up and chose violence.

The final push began with Sundar taking on Pat Cummins, who had become the singular threat to India's ambitions, as the rest of the bowling had become exhausted. Sundar got his first boundary against Cummins, a neat check-punch past midoff that signalled a change in tempo for India, and what had been an endeavour to take the day as deep as possible with as much sensible cricket as possible suddenly became a lively exercise in trying to hunt down the target as quickly as possible.

Cummins's plan to counter that was to tuck Sundar up at his chest, only to be hooked for six.

When the next ball flew over the cordon off the outside edge, all bets were off.

What that meant was that Pant, having resisted going across the line for more than an hour following a stumping survival, was ready to open up the leg

side against Nathan Lyon.

The offspinner had shown no sign of trying to attack Pant in the last session, bowling wide from around the wicket to Rishabh Pant is all smiles after guiding India home him with only a slip as a closeAustralia's batsmen copped cost for Australia's bowlers, as in fielder. If it was a play on Pant's several deliveries that lifted up fatigue set in. Pujara's manner patience, it came apart in the at them. That was perhaps the against the short ball was merely 94th over, as Pant walked across consequence of Australia being a reflection of how he chose to his stumps to ramp him fine. A fuller because of the moisture tackle it, rather than a sustained, boisterous sweep to the deep from overnight rain, but that effective strategy that would midwicket fence came next ball, played into Shubman Gill's bring Australia close to getting a crack in the pitch turned Lyon's scoring options. With no demons him out. off-break into a gigantic leg-break and no lateral movement despite In contrast, Gill welcomed that was too much for Tim Paine, an overcast morning, the opener the short bowling, particularly and that 15-run over took India pushed into his forward stride from Mitchell Starc, whom he within 24 runs of victory with six often and with assurance as he banished from the attack for overs left. single-handedly kept the score the best part of 25 overs with Australia's chances were, at moving after Rohit Sharma had a hooked six, a slash over gully, this point, directly dependent been nicked off early. and a pull through midwicket off on how chaotic the end would For Cheteshwar Pujara at consecutive deliveries in the 46th be. Sundar reverse-swept Lyon the other end, the brief seemed over. On the last ball of that over, onto his own stumps, and hope to be simply do what Gill does, from which 20 runs were reaped, sprung when first-innings batting and be strong in defence. This Pujara piled pressure on the fast hero Shardul Thakur miscued a seemed to be India's game plan bowler with a boundary through slog to midwicket. for the day – to take the match point. In all, Starc bowled 16 But chaos is how Pant makes deep on both time and runs. For overs and went for 75 runs a living. In the last over of the that, Gill and Pujara formed the without taking a wicket. innings, he fell on his backside perfect pair on the day.

That period of counterfor a pulled boundary, survived On the flip side, what it did punching ended with Gill losing a splice to sweeper cover as he allow was time for Australia to his shape, however, and edging looked to finish with a six, and adjust to try and use the cracks Lyon to slip as he tried to drive managed to cross over when in the surface. That was the start big through the off side. There Thakur's slog was still in the air. of a day full of stingers for Pujara, were still 52 overs left, and just Josh Hazlewood had two who was hit on the helmet thrice under 200 runs to get for India balls at him, and there was an during the course of the day. when he fell, and there was a injured Navdeep Saini at the That was apart from a blow to forecast for drizzle in the middle other end. Hazlewood fired a full the thumb that had him floored session as well. one down the leg side that Pant for over five minutes, and several None of that seemed to play looked to sweep one-handed bruises in the midriff and upper on Ajinkya Rahane's mind, the and missed. Pant was indignant body as he endured to record captain coming out slashing and at not being awarded a wide for 8 runs off 94 deliveries at one scything as India persisted with it, but was composed enough point. their two-pronged strategy of next ball to reach out and pat a At the end of the 52nd over, batting for time on one end and tired attempted yorker past the Pujara had faced 62 short or runs on the other. That 22-ball bowler for the win. short-of-good-length balls from 24 from Rahane ended when Tired bowling had been the the fast bowlers, and had been he took on Cummins and edged theme of the day for Australia. out of control against only ten behind trying to play a late cut.

At the start, India made use of of them. Of the ones he didn't It would be the last time India batting conditions that were control, Pujara looked up for attempted to attack Cummins a significant improvement taking the blows; and ultimately, at all, but the tiring legs at the on the previous day, when it was a strategy that came at a other end would continue to be

INDIA 2ND INNINGS (TARGET: 328 RUNS) BATSMEN R B Rohit Sharma c †Paine b Cummins 7 21 Shubman Gill c Smith b Lyon 91 146 Cheteshwar Pujara lbw b Cummins 56 211 Ajinkya Rahane (c) c † Paine b Cummins 24 22 Rishabh Pant † not out 89 138 Mayank Agarwal c Wade b Cummins 9 15 Washington Sundar b Lyon 22 29 Shardul Thakur c Lyon b Hazlewood 2 3 Navdeep Saini not out 0 0

Extras (b 18, lb 8, nb 3) 29 TOTAL (97 Ov, RR: 3.39) 329/7 Did not bat: Mohammed Siraj, T Natarajan Fall of wickets: 1-18 (Rohit Sharma, 8.2 ov), 2-132 (Shubman Gill, 47.6 ov), 3-167 (Ajinkya Rahane, 56.5 ov), 4-228 (Cheteshwar Pujara, 80.2 ov), 5-265 (Mayank Agarwal, 86.4 ov), 6-318 (Washington Sundar, 95.5 ov), 7-325 (Shardul Thakur, 96.4 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Mitchell Starc 16-0-75-0 Josh Hazlewood 22-5-74-1 Pat Cummins 24-10-55-4 Cameron Green 3-1-10-0 Nathan Lyon 31-7-85-2 Marnus Labuschagne 1-0-4-0

Messi on 2-match ban for red card in Supercopa de Espana

B

arcelona captain Lionel Messi has been banned for two domestic matches following his red card in the Supercopa de Espana final defeat to Athletic Bilbao.

Messi was dismissed in the 119th minute of Sunday's game as he took a swing at Asier Villalibre in an off-the-ball incident that was spotted by the VAR, and referee Jesus Gil Manzano subsequently showed him the red.

It was the first time he has been sent off for the club, and only the third time in his entire 17-year

career that he has received a red card for Barca and Argentina.

Reports in Spain had suggested an extended ban could be imposed on Messi, and a statement by the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) confirmed on Tuesday that he would be suspended for Barca's next two games.

Therefore, he would miss the Copa del Rey game against Cornella, and the league trip to Elche, but would return in time for another tussle with Villalibre and Athletic on January 31. (Sportsmax)

22

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2021

“Miya bhai” Siraj lives his father’s dream to the fullest

T

here is a lovely Instagram video posted

by Mohammed Siraj from Virat Kohli’s birthday during the most recent IPL. On a yacht party, Siraj got the DJ to play “Miya Bhai”, a Hyderabadi song, and he is doing the most joyful uninhibited Marfa that nobody in the side can keep up with.

There are team-mates leaving literally exhausted, but Siraj keeps going.

The Marfa dance is popular among the Hyderabadi Muslims, and has roots in Afro-Arab music. Miya Bhai is an eponymous song performed by the then 18-year-old Ruhaan Arshad, also known as Miya Bhai. It glorifies the already celebrated lifestyle of the Hyderabadi Muslims, while also having a laugh at himself and his community.

Among his team-mates, Siraj is known as Miya Bhai.

It is a term of respect and endearment put together.

Miya is sir, Bhai is brother. The song just talks of the qualities - or, a “flex” in today’s language - of the Hyderabadi Muslims, one of which is

Mohammed Siraj (center) looking to the heavens in his customary celebration

tity to wear lightly in today’s India; but Siraj does it so effortlessly, as he does most other things on a cricket field.

In just his third Test, Siraj is the leader of the attack, and now has a five-for on his first

good he is.

Siraj played the whole IPL in a state of worry about his father’s health. His father had a lung condition and was in and out of the hospital. Siraj told RCB’s YouTube channel that he would break down every time he called home. If his father was out of the hospital, he would feel lighter that day and enjoy his cricket more. It was in this state that he chose to tour Australia.

Then he missed his fa-

ther’s funeral, because going back would mean another hard quarantine upon coming back. And that would delay what his father wanted him to do: play Test cricket.

In Test cricket, as early as his first two wickets, Siraj showed he understood what it was mostly about. And when someone so skilled and fit talks about it, it sounds ridiculously simple: Keep bowling to your field at your best pace. That got him Marnus

Labuschagne, caught at leg gully; and change up after you have got the batsman used to one kind of delivery - which brought him Cameron Green, with an inswinger after a series of outswingers.

And now some of the Miya Bhai flex comes in. “Arun sir told me, ‘Jo tu domestic karke aaya, A cricket mein karke aaya, wohi karna hai.

Experience kuch nahi hai’.”

Basically, Arun told him he just needs to repeat what he has done in domestic cricket and ‘A’ cricket, and that experience is nothing.

In three Tests, Siraj has lived up to all of Arun’s expectations, and the reward is in the five-for and the eyes that welled up as he walked back holding the ball aloft and likely thinking of his father and their struggles. Only two men have had had a better series when making their debut in Australia, and both played more Tests than Siraj’s three. Not too unlike in his Instagram comments section, there were some in the crowd who called him names, but Siraj had introduced himself to everyone, “Apun ko bolte Miya Bhai.”

Do yourself a favour and take the ride along with him.

This Miya Bhai has the skill and the endurance, and also the willingness to take you along. (ESPNcricinfo)

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GABF officials to participate in training by CONCENCABA

– 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup Qualifiers shifted to April 7-11 Mohammed Siraj and his late father

“khandani daulat dhuen mein udaye”. Which is, to smoke away the family wealth as a flex.

Siraj wasn’t born into any family wealth; not in the conventional sense. The wealth he inherited from his family was the strength and athleticism that he has honed tirelessly to become a fast bowler at the top level. That is not wealth you blow away.

The wealth Siraj has to blow away is the raw emotion he feels when playing the cricket. It is for everyone to bask in: the joy at doing the improvised dab upon taking a wicket, the energy of his dance, the pain at being abused racially, the tears at taking a five-for.

Life is too short to keep it bottled in. Or to not use the conventional wealth generated from this game to give his parents a better life, to end his father’s life as a rickshaw-driver, to buy them a house, get them to Haj, the biggest wish for a practising Muslim.

It is just as well that this Miya Bhai did all that, because his father didn’t live long enough to see his other dream come true: to watch his son play Test cricket for India.

Life is too short. That’s what drove him to tears during the national anthem in Sydney.

The kind of “good Muslim” comments that it attracted, or some of the vitriol his Instagram post generated, tell you Miya Bhai is not an iden-

tour to Australia. It was a fraught debut because, apart from Jasprit Bumrah, Indian bowlers’ recent debuts away from home haven’t led to long careers. Before Bumrah, these came out of desperation either before time - Jaydev Unadkat, for example - or too late Pankaj Singh, perhaps.

Bumrah was a freak who found himself at home in Test cricket, despite having not played any first-class cricket in the year leading into that debut. Siraj’s case was different: he is a more conventional bowler who doesn’t have the gifts of Bumrah; which, frankly, very few have. He was good enough, though, to be identified as the next fast bowler, given enough ‘A’ matches as experience, including in Australia. He was coming back to the coach under whom he excelled when he started playing for Hyderabad, Bharat Arun, who is actually more an angel, a farishta, to Siraj than coach.

Siraj was a nets bowler when Royal Challengers Bangalore were playing in Hyderabad. Arun was with RCB at the time. Arun was so impressed that he pushed for Siraj where he could, and as fate would have it, he was the Hyderabad coach in the Ranji Trophy next year. Siraj was the third-highest wicket-taker in the tournament that year.

Whenever he is tense about something, Arun calms him down by just telling him how

G

223-7230-1 (Ext 55)

FIBA/GABF Regional Workshop in 2018

uyana Basketball officials have already concluded day one of the FIBA 3×3 Officiating Basics Webinar presented

by CONCENCABA. With the first session being held on January 19, 2021, the officials would be eager to complete the other two sessions, scheduled to be held on January 27 and 28.

According to General Secretary of the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF), Patrick Haynes, these sessions will serve as an introduction to the 3x3 officiating format.

The webinars would focus mainly on the difference between 5v5 and 3x3, with the audience being both referees and table officials.

According to Haynes, the focus of GABF is to increase the pool of officials in the federation by focusing

on referees, table officials and statisticians. This initiative would help to drive the GABF’s official improvement plans as defined in the strategic roadmap.

In a statement, Haynes also said, “In reference to the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup Qualifiers, the new date is April 7 to 11 in El Salvador. The team will be making the necessary adjustments to begin training at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall. We must reiterate that we have not been given the official approval from the national COVID-19 Task Force to begin training in an indoor facility. All players who have been shortlisted have been updated on their personal fitness development prior to coming into the first session. Both the federation and the national coach are closely monitoring the situa-

General Secretary of the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation, Patrick Haynes

tion, and will be able to provide further updates on the progress of the training.”

The GABF has also identified a 27-man provisional squad comprising of Harold Adams, Travis Belgrave, Travis Burnett, Akeem Crandon, Orlan Glasgow, Delroy James, Anthony Moe, Stanton Rose, Nikkoloi Smith, Gordon James, Timothy Thompson, Ray Victor, Shaine Webster, Tyron Welch, Kevon Wiggins, Jamal Gilkes, Israel Yaw, Shelroy Thomas, Richard Semple, Dominque Vincente, Jason Ramrattan, Nathan Saul, Shamar France, Ryan Short, Emanuel Atherly, Linden Adams and Jonathan Browne.

2237230-1

(Ext 55)

NOW!

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2021

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

23

Johnson, Hetmyer to lead Super50 team …Fudadin returns

E

xperienced captain Leon Johnson will again lead the Guyana Jaguars into the CWI CG Insurance West Indies Super50 tournament, this time supported by West Indies prodigy Shimron Hetmyer as his second in command.

An announcement to this

on February 8, 2021.

The Jaguars 2021 squad reads: Leon Johnson (Captain), Shimron Hetmyer (Vice Captain), Assad Fudadin (who returns to Guyana colours), Chandrapaul Hemraj, Trevon Griffith, Christopher Barnwell, Keon Joseph, Romario Shepherd, Kevin

Shimron Hetmyer has been handed vice-captaincy of the Guyana Jaguars

Monday’s practice match in action

effect was made by Cricket Guy Inc., who named a strong Guyana Jaguars team to compete in the Super50 tournament in Antigua & Barbuda next month.

The Guyana Jaguars are scheduled to departure Guyana for Antigua on January 30, where they will continue to engage in the prescribed COVID-19 safety measures leading into their first match on the said island

prior to their departure from Guyana and arrival at their destination. On January 23, the team would do the first of two tests scheduled prior to their deTrevon Griffith parture, after which they are required to isolate before their second match on January 27,2021.

Upon Arrival in Antigua, a 2-day room isolation is required, after which they would undergo the third Test on February 2,2021, with the fourth test scheduled for February 6,2021, between which players will be allowed to practice as a group.

covery from an injury, whereas Sherfane Rutherford, who was considered for selection, has opted to play T/10 and T/20

Sinclair, Ramaal Lewis, Nial Smith, Gudakesh Motie, Anthony Bramble, Akshaya Persaud and Tevin Imlach.

The team is led by Coach Esuan Crandon and Manager/ Assistant Coach Shivnarine Chanderpaul, and the Physiotherapist is Ernesto Campo Gonzalez.

Keemo Paul will sit out the tournament in order to facilitate adequate re-

Assad Fudadin will feature for the Guyana Jaguars

cricket in Bangladesh and Pakistan respectively, which collectively coincides with his time demands to play for the Guyana Jaguars during the Regional Super50.

In keeping with the COVID-19 protocols, the Guyana Jaguars will undergo a series of tests

GRFU wraps up fruitful meeting with Sport Minister

L

ed by its President Ryan Dey, the Guyana Rugby Football Union (GRFU) on Tuesday met with the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr, at the National Racquet Centre on Woolford Avenue, and they engaged in fruitful discussion on the way forward for the sport.

It has been the first meeting between the two since Ramson became the Minister for Sport back in August, 2020.

Minister Ramson Jr told the GRFU delegation that Rugby has been listed as a “core sport.” He said core sports are his Ministry’s priority, and would receive financial assistance.

President Dey informed the Minister of the current state of the rugby pitch in the National Park, and requested that it be properly fitted to accommodate rugby once again.

The ground had been earmarked for rehabilitation by the former Director of Sport but was neglected, and heaps of mud were dumped on the ground in 2016.

Minister Ramson promised to conduct a site visit with the aim of reforming

P C

Sport Minister Charles Ramson Jr is flanked by members of the GRFU delegation

the rugby pitch. He also requested a Memorandum of Understanding between the GRFU and the National Parks Commission for use of the ground.

Dey also underscored the intention of the GRFU to decentralise Rugby from Georgetown, stating that plans are in the pipeline to establish rugby clubs in Linden and Berbice.

Minister Ramson reminded of the construction of the multi-purpose complex in Linden, saying it “may be of use” to the GRFU. Ramson insisted that there should be a nursery in every sport association/ union in the country. The

GRFU president noted that there is a current system of youth training in rugby, but revealed that funding hinders exponential expansion.

Minister Ramson Jr assured the union that the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport intends to forge a partnership to elevate Rugby in Guyana. To this end, he urged for there to be a “National Tournament” to showcase the sport.

The GRFU team at this meeting included President Ryan Dey; Senior Vice President Joshua Griffith; Secretary Terrence Grant; Sevens Coach Theodore Henry, and Female Coach Kenneth Grant-Stuart.

Stephen Curry helps Warriors end Lakers’ winning streak

S

tephen Curry finished with 26 points as the Golden State Warriors beat the Los Angeles Lakers 115-113 to end the latter’s five-game winning streak.

Curry scored a three-pointer with 1:07 left, before the Lakers’ LeBron James missed a three-pointer at the horn.

Kevin Durant scored a key late three-pointer in his 30 points as Brooklyn Nets beat the Milwaukee Bucks 125-123.

James Harden, with 34 points, became the first Nets player to score 30 points in his first two games.

Harden, the NBA Most Valuable Player in 2018, joined the Nets from the Houston Rockets last

week as part of a fourteam deal. That trade saw the Rockets acquire Victor Oladipo from the Indiana Pacers, and he scored 32 points on his team debut at the Chicago Bulls, but the hosts ran out 125-120 winners, with Zach LaVine scoring 33 points.

Bam Adebayo produced his fifth double-double of the season, with 28 points and 11 rebounds, to help the Miami Heat - without four key players because of COVID-19 protocols - rally to a 113-107 win over the Detroit Pistons.

In Tuesday’s other game, Kyle Lowry scored 23 points as the Toronto Raptors won 116-93 to hand the Dallas Mavericks their

third straight loss.

It is the first time this season that the Raptors, playing at their temporary home in Tampa due to COVID-19 restrictions in Canada, have won three in a row.

The Washington Wizards game scheduled for Wednesday at the Charlotte Hornets is now postponed after six players tested positive for COVID-19.

It is the fifth match in a row over an eight-day span to be called off for the Wizards. It was called off because the Wizards were unable to send a minimum of eight players on to the court under NBA health and safety protocols. (BBC Sport)

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2021

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

Page 22

Page 21

Magnificent India take epic series – in last hour of last day of last Test

Page 23

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