Guyana Times - Wednesday, March 17, 2021

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First Lady raises $6M to start fight against period poverty Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Issue No. 4590

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021

President Ali and team hold discussions with China’s Xi Jinping …greater bilateral cooperation, help with COVID among issues discussed Page 7

“We’re watching you”– you”– Ashni Singh warns contractors

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

Orealla facing threats of illegal crossing from Suriname – Toshao P15 …concerns raised as village now COVID-free

Man accused of killing aunt to face retrial P16

Page 3

…as $13.9B in contracts signed for housing development

Bank of Baroda Uitvlugt Estate workers demand GuySuCo to now offer address pay raise issues home mortgages Page 14

Region 4 woman Guyana’s 209th COVID-19 death …51 new cases from 1012 tests

P10

Miner jailed P12 for breaching protection order Pensioner dies 1 month after being stabbed by girlfriend P18

…as Govt expands financing options for housing drive

Page 19

Drugs, improvised weapons, alcohol found during prison raid See story on page 18

Health Ministry to bridge "fragmented" chronic disease treatment P16 – Dr Anthony

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS OPENINGS BRIDGE

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Wednesday, March 17 – 04:30h – 06:00h and Thursday, March 18 – 04:30h – 06:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Wednesday, March 17 – 06:05h – 07:35h and Thursday, March 18 – 06:25h – 07:55h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

Expect sunshine during the day. There will be clear skies at night. Temperatures should range between 21 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.

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

“We’re watching you” – Ashni Singh warns contractors …as $13.9B in contracts signed for housing development

T

he Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) on Tuesday signed a record-setting 199 contracts valued at almost $14 billion, with contractors being warned that the Government will be watching them to ensure their work is up to standard.

Issuing this warning was Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh, who was present during the presentation of the contracts at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre.

Singh urged the Ministry of Housing and the CH&PA to keep a close eye on the con-

responsibility to ensure that these contracts are executed on time and in line with specifications. It is my intention to visit some of these communities, to see what is happening on the ground.

So, I urge the Ministry to ensure that implementation proceeds immediately,” the Minister said.

According to Minister Singh, this is an opportunity for the contractors to demonstrate their capability to implement their contracts in an efficient way.

In particular, he noted that medium-scale contractors also have an opportunity to

“In this year alone, for the first half of this year, and these are committed funds, we are referring to an investment of $4.1 billion

by June of this year, with an additional $6 billion in the last half for these contracts that we’re signing here.”

“In Region Three alone, we’re referring to an investment of $2.2 billion for five areas. In Region Four, an investment of $6.6 billion. In Region Six, an investment of just under $1 billion. That, for all who’re listening, is what the PPP Government represents whereby we walk the walk,” he said.

High Tide: 06:41h and 19:02h reaching maximum heights of 2.66 metres and 2.59 metres.

Low Tide: 12:36h reaching a minimum height of 0.54 metre.

The contractors, along with officials from CH&PA, pose for a photo with the Housing Ministers Collin Croal and Susan Rodrigues along with Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh after signing the requisite documents

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tractors and warned that he would be visiting the works personally.

“We must not sign today and then have to chase contractors down to see work happen. And I’m referring here to the Ministry of Housing. You are to enforce your contracts very strictly.

We would like to see mobilisation happen and it must happen. And those not capable of mobilising quickly or meeting the timelines and delivering… good quality work.”

“Minister Croal and team, you have an important

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COMMODITIES Indicators

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$1726.00 -1.30

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223-7230-1 (Ext 55)

demonstrate that they are ready for bigger projects.

Meanwhile, Housing Minister Collin Croal detailed how the $13.9 billion in housing contracts will be spent throughout the year.

According to him, the contracts are a testament to the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Government’s commitment to the housing sector.

The contracts in question will be to do infrastructural works necessary to develop housing schemes, as well as to construct actual houses. Infrastructural work will be done in Regions Three, Four, Five and Six. In fact, these works will account for 85 per cent of the overall total.

The villages that will be benefitting from infra-

Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh

structural works are Anna Catherina, Cornelia Ida, Edinburgh, Stewartville, Mon Repos, Vigilance, Bladen Hall, Strathspey, La Bonne Intention (LBI), Great and Little Diamond, Prospect and Providence.

During the ceremony, it was explained that a total of 60 contractors will benefit from these contracts, including 26 new contractors.

Meanwhile, a total of four contracts have had to be retendered. These contracts pertain to infrastructural works on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) and the East Bank of Demerara (EBD).

Since coming to office, the PPP Government has made it clear that it intends to fulfil its manifesto promise to distribute 50,000 house lots over the next five years. The Government has allocated $6 billion for enhancing infrastructure in existing housing areas. A significant sum has also been set aside for improving water service and developing new wells. (G3)

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guyanatimesgy.com

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 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

Monitoring contractors

A

s Government signs off 199 contracts valued almost $14 billion, the Finance Minister is asking that a “close eye” be kept on contractors.

The warning by Dr Ashni Singh comes even as the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration is still uncovering some of the inherited governmental infrastructure that one of his colleague ministers refers to as a “rotting and has decayed” system. Additionally, the cautionary notice by Singh that he will be visiting some of these sites “personally” is laudable.

Over the years under the A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC), the quality of work that was carried out by some contractors engaged in public infrastructure projects was unbelievable, and most of those works had cost the treasury millions of dollars. All around the country, one can point to numerous examples of substandard work for which contractors were paid huge sums. In fact, in some cases, they were even overpaid.

As this publication has said time and time again, in many cases, very little action was taken by the APNU/AFC Administration against those errant contractors for not meeting their contractual obligations, resulting in them walking scot free. In fact, some persons would even be shocked to learn that these same persons who have done poor work or left work uncompleted were awarded additional contracts.

Year after year, the Auditor General would highlight numerous examples of substandard or uncompleted work in construction projects across the country – whether they be schools, hospitals, roads, bridges etc.

The Auditor General, on more than one occasion, pointed to instances wherein projects were uncompleted or left abandoned, even though contractors were already paid huge sums to do a proper job. Many had asked what actions were being taken against these contractors by the then APNU/AFC Government to recoup those sums of money, or what sort of systems had been put in place to ensure those contracting firms were debarred from bidding for future projects.

At several past sittings of the then Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and regional officials, to address several irregularities, it was pointed out that sums of money were overpaid to contractors in mobilisation fees – which is a fraction of the contractual cost that is paid to the contractor to get his/her equipment to the site where the project is to be implemented. In some cases, sums of money over the standard or required amount were paid to the contractor, and the works were still not completed.

This certainly is unacceptable. And while tax payers had previously used different forums to complain, the relevant agencies had a duty to ensure that public monies were well spent and properly accounted for.

From what is gathered, there were several lapses in the national procurement system under the APNU/AFC Administration, which this new Government has assiduously been trying to correct urgently. For example, it is clear that there were poor monitoring and reporting mechanisms in place to ensure contracting firms carry out works as per contractual agreement. Also, there seemed to have been no strict policy to penalise and/or debar contractors for failing to meet their contractual obligations.

Prior to demitting office, the then Public Infrastructure Ministry, which is now the Public Works Ministry, had said it was in the process of establishing a database which would keep a track record of the number of projects awarded to local contractors, and their performance in respect to each. It would also be helpful if procuring entities keep proper records of the performance of companies in regard to projects awarded. This could be used as an effective measure to better inform the process for selecting competent contractors to handle Government projects.

One had hoped that the relevant mechanisms would have been put in place with the aim of ensuring those lapses are corrected. The Public Works Ministry, under its new leadership, now needs to re-examine and implement effective measures to keep those contractors accountable, so that contractors who are consistently delinquent could face the requisite level of debarment. A contractor found to have a record of producing poor and incomplete work cannot, and should not, be awarded additional contracts. Such strict enforcement is needed to curb the unacceptable trend of substandard work.

Menstrual Hygiene Campaign: Front row (from left): Tourism, Industry, and Commerce Minister Oneidge Walrond and Parliamentary Affairs and Governance Minister Gail Teixeira. Back row (from left): Public Service Minister Sonia Parag; Education Minister Priya Manickchand and Human Services and Social Security Minister, Dr Vindhya Persaud. The Ministers were all part of the charitable event to raise funds for the Menstrual Hygiene Campaign launched by First Lady Arya Ali to help vulnerable girls access sanitary napkins

Don’t believe hydrogen and nuclear hype – they can’t get us to net zero carbon by 2050 …big industry players pushing techno-fixes are ignoring the only realistic solution to the climate crisis: renewables

By Jonathon Porritt

N

ow that the whole world seems to be aligned behind the goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050, the nuclear industry is straining every sinew to present itself as an invaluable ally in the ambitious aim. Energy experts remain starkly divided on whether or not we can reach this global net zero target without nuclear power, but regardless, it remains a hard sell for pro-nuclear enthusiasts.

The problems they face are the same ones that have dogged the industry for decades: ever-higher costs, seemingly inevitable delays, no solutions to the nuclear waste challenge, security and proliferation risks.

The drawbacks to nuclear are compounded by the burgeoning success of renewables – both solar and wind are getting cheaper and more efficient, year after year. There is also a growing realisation that a combination of renewables, smart storage, energy efficiency and more flexible grids can now be delivered at scale and at speed – anywhere in the world.

While the majority of environmentalists continue to oppose nuclear power, there is now a significant minority, increasingly concerned about accelerating climate change, who just don’t see how we can get to that net

zero comfort zone without it. They’re right to be concerned – it is a truly daunting challenge. All emissions of greenhouse gases (across the entire economy, including those from transport, heating, manufacturing and refining, farming and land use, as well as from shipping and aviation) must be brought down to as close to zero as possible, with all residual emissions compensated for by the removal of an equivalent amount of CO2 from the atmosphere.

It’s the sheer scale of that challenge that has led a lot of people not just to keep a flag flying for the nuclear industry, but to revisit the idea of hydrogen doing some of the heavy lifting.

Hydrogen hype has become all the rage over the last 18 months, with some offering up this “clean energy technology”, as Government officials insist on describing it, as the answer to all our net zero prayers.

For those prayers to be answered, there will need to be a complete revolution in the way in which hydrogen is produced. As it is, 98 per cent of the 115 million tonnes used globally is “grey hydrogen”, made from natural gas or coal, that emits around 830 million tonnes of CO2 per annum – two per cent of total global greenhouse gas emissions. Beyond that, there’s a tiny amount of so-called “blue hydrogen” – essentially grey hydro-

gen, but with its CO2 emissions captured and stored – and an even tinier amount of “green hydrogen” from electrolysing water, both of which are much more expensive than the climate-wrecking grey hydrogen.

The gulf between that current reality, one rarely mentioned by hydrogen enthusiasts, and the prospect of readily available and affordable green hydrogen that could help us get to net zero, is absolutely vast.

Don’t get me wrong: we will indeed need significant volumes of green hydrogen and it’s good that the government has set an ambitious target for 2030, in the hope that this will significantly reduce the costs of electrolysis to create it. But we need to be clear about what that green hydrogen should be used for: not for electricity; not for heating homes and non-domestic buildings; and not for cars, where electric vehicles will always be better. Instead we will need it for what are called the “hard-to-abate” sectors: for steel – replacing carbon-intensive coking coal – cement and shipping.

Much of the hype for hydrogen is coming from the oil and gas sector, in the hope that gullible politicians, seduced by an unattainable vision of limitless green hydrogen, will subsidise the vast investments needed to capture the emissions from gas-powered hydrogen.

Their motivation couldn’t be clearer: to postpone the inevitable decline of their industry.

The nuclear industry is also desperate to get in on that game. One has to admire its capacity to pivot opportunistically.

Rather than being the solution we have been waiting for, this nuclear/hydrogen development would actually be a disastrous techno-fix. Low-carbon nuclear power will always be massively more expensive than renewables and we can never build enough reactors to replace those coming offline over the next decade.

We also know that producing hydrogen is always going to be very expensive. The truth is, you need a lot of electricity to produce not a lot of hydrogen.

Environmentalists who are tempted by this new nuclear/hydrogen hype should remember that our transition to a net zero world has to be a just transition. Every kilowatt hour of nuclear-generated power will be a much more expensive kilowatt hour than one delivered from renewables plus storage.

So let’s just hold back on both the hydrogen hype and the nuclear propaganda, and concentrate instead on ramping up what we already know is cost-effectively deliverable: renewables.

We need to do it as fast as we possibly can. (Excerpt from The Guardian)

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 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

Acceptance as Opposition Leader is ipso facto recognition of Irfaan Ali as President Dear Editor, This charade of Joseph Harmon’s utterances of not recognising HE President Irfaan Ali as the duly elected Head of State has ultimately run its course. The mere fact that Harmon officially accepted the title and office as the Leader of the Opposition is tantamount

to accepting the fact that President Ali is the Head of State of our Republic. As Opposition Leader, who really is Harmon opposing? It cannot be a mythical figure.

We do have a President in HE Irfaan Ali. So, if you really examine both sides of this standoff with Harmon not recognising Ali as President

and Ali not engaging Harmon until he recognises him as President, you cannot help but conclude that it is all about grandstanding and gamesmanship. Both of them, by acceptance of their respective official titles, ipso facto recognise each other’s constitutional roles.

I guess the gamesman-

Sinister motive behind Harmon’s call Dear Editor, Recently, Mr Joseph Harmon, Leader of the main Opposition party, issued a call for the confirmation of the positions of Chief Justice and Chancellor of the Judiciary. Now, this is a very noble position to take, judging from the fact that these ladies - at least one of them - have been acting in that position for some time now and it’s high time that their positions be made substantive. So, as is the case in every decision taken by the Opposition, one is tempted to ask pointed questions such as, why now, what took him near 6 years to come to this enlightened position? The PNC had five years five months in which to make up their mind but did not, so why the frenetic rush to confirm them now?

Taking all of the above into consideration, one views this latest proposal with a great degree of suspicion.

For starters, what glorious epiphany came upon him to make that sudden call for their appointments to be made substantive and what took him so long to come to this point? Is this latest call shrouded in mystery? If the answer to the preceding statement is yes, then why this sudden rush of blood by the Opposition Leader to make out a mystery case, interesting? So, to clear up all of these discrepancies, let us do a little background check of the Opposition where judi-

cial appointments are concerned.

I am quoting from a section of the media on February 9, 2018, when then Minister of State Joseph Harmon signalled his intention to make Justice Kenneth Benjamin Chancellor and Justice Yonette Cummings as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Nowhere in that proposal was there mention made of Justice Roxane George, who was and still is, a practicing Judge in our court. This is quite revealing and shocking, to say the least! But such is the duplicitous and diabolical nature of the PNC. Further, Justice Benjamin was not a practicing Judge in our jurisdiction and one who has a questionable history in the Belizean jurisdiction where he presently serves. So, one can now rightly decipher the code behind Harmon’s decision to appoint the two, while discarding that one Judge, Justice Roxane George. You see, in Harmon’s book, any Judge who can interpret the law to the letter and not deviate into sidebars of illegalities is unfit for office, so, Justice George is automatically categorised as unfit. Well, Harmon has to sanitise his mind where that is concerned, because it is not going to happen. In a modern and civilised world, such notions would not be allowed.

Now, in his latest move,

one would have thought that this man is moral in his call for the confirmation of the two Judges, but that is far from it. Harmon is now on a crusade to see if he can in some way influence the Judiciary; he has adopting the sanctimonious gangster approach.

And you do not have to be a rocket scientist to see through this scheming action of his. The petition hearing is soon to commence and that same Judge will be the adjudicator in that matter, so try to persuade her into making a decision in their favour. But like I said in the preceding paragraphs, Harmon will have to carefully rethink that duplicitous move of his. The Judiciary should be separate and independent of political influence and that is how it is going to be, end of discussion!

So, finally, we can all conclude that the PNC is the epitome of hypocrisy and cannot be trusted in Government again.

Respectfully, Neil Adams

ship was necessary since each has to pander to their constituency in bolstering their image of being the ultimate strongman and relentless fighter.

Well, unless they have not been reading the tea leaves, the majority of Opposition and Government supporters are no longer hyped up about the elections shenanigans since the flashpoint has long passed and the courts are dealing with the miscre-

ants. People in general want to see the Government implementing its policies and robust monitoring by the Opposition. We all want to see the Government’s business moving on, particularly in the areas that require consultations and recommendations between the President and the Leader of the Opposition.

We need to appoint the various Commissions such as the Procurement, Judicial,

Local Government, Integrity etc. The long outstanding issue of confirmation of the Chancellor and Chief Justice is a dark stain on our collective ability to self-govern.

It is time the President and Opposition leader exhibit political maturity and show some enlightened leadership, this political grandstanding is no longer cute.

Yours sincerely, Reggie Bhagwandin

Territories should support lifting West Indies cricket from doldrums

Dear Editor, Following the announcement by Anand Sanasie that he will run for the presidency of Cricket West Indies Inc with Calvin Hope as his Vice President, I decided to do some background checks on the four candidates, namely Rickey Skeritt, Kishore Shallow, Anand Sanasie and Calvin Hope and it was revealing what I discovered.

Since Skeritt and Shallow took over the leadership of West Indies cricket, Guyana has been sidelined with regards to international cricket along with Barbados, Trinidad and Jamaica to a lesser extent. Most of the international and even regional cricket was played in the Leewards and Windwards Islands. We here in Guyana were starved of international cricket, a clear case of insularity and payback time for those who voted for them.

Guyanese cricketers also suffered tremendously during

the two-year reign of Skeritt and Shallow. Although we are the best team in regional four-day cricket, the most we got at any one time is one cricketer in the test team and now we don’t have any.

And the treatment meted out to Hetmyer is scandalous when his fitness is compared to Gayle, Cornwall and Edwards. What more must Permaul do to make the playing eleven in test cricket. Why were Hemraj, Johnson, Barnwell, Paul, Motie and others not given the same opportunities as lesser talented players from the other islands, many of whom continue to fail and are selected over and over again? Once again it is a clear case of insularity and Skeritt and Shallow do nothing about it. And finally, the financial position of CWI is in red throughout their term and so there is no money to fund grassroots cricket in the various territories

to help develop and nurture promising young cricketers.

Anand Sanasie has done a tremendous job to lift Guyana cricket to the state it is in today with one of the best academic programmes in the West Indies that is churning out quality cricketers year after year resulting in Guyana being the top team in all formats of West Indies cricket. And in terms of financial position, the Guyana Cricket Board is never in the red and I, therefore, would like to take this opportunity to endorse Anand Sanasie and Calvin Hope to be the President and Vice President of CWI and I call on the other territories to support them to lift West Indies cricket from the doldrums that it has been in for a very long time now and to take its rightful place at the top of world cricket.

Yours faithfully, Imtiaz Baccus

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021

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Foundation ◄ Tuesday’s answers

Question 1:

Æsop’s Fables

FOR CHILDREN

2xn–1=x

Materials:

Ivory Soap Large microwave-safe bowl

Instructions:

Place the bar of soap in the bowl, and microwave it on high power for two minutes.

Watch it grow!

Wait 2 minutes for the bowl and foam to cool.

How does it work?

Ivory soap has lots of little air bubbles in it. As the air bubbles are heated in the microwave, they get bigger. The soap is a solid, so once it expands, it stays expanded (although it does shrink a little as it cools).

Further experiments:

The soap still works as soap, so you can use it by breaking off pieces to wash your hands. The whole

bowl of foam can be used to make a bubble bath, or you can create some Clean Clay with the soap, one cup of hot water, and a new roll of toilet paper.

Put the expanded soap in a container large enough to hold it all, then pour the hot water over it. Stir and squish the soap until most of the lumps are gone.

Unroll the toilet paper a few feet at a time, and add it to the soapy water. Squish and mix them as you add more paper. For thick toilet paper, you will only need half a roll. For thin paper, use the whole roll.

Squish and mix the Clean Clay, breaking up lumps, until it is the texture of clay. Then sculpt it and experiment however you want! After you’re finished, you can clean your hands just by washing them in the sink. You already have soap on your hands!(sciencefun.org)

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fowler caught a partridge and was about to kill it.

The partridge earnestly begged him to spare his life, saying, “Pray, master, permit me to live and I will entice many partridges to you in recompense for your mercy to me.”

The fowler replied, “I shall now with less scruple take your life, because you are willing to save it at the cost of betraying your friends and relations.”

WORD SEARCH

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

President Ali and team hold discussions with China’s Xi Jinping

…greater bilateral cooperation, help with COVID among issues discussed

G

uyana’s President, Dr Irfaan Ali, along with a high-level team of Government Ministers, on Tuesday held discussions with China’s President, Xi Jinping on a number of key issues that pertain to increased bilateral cooperation and help from China against the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to a short release from the Office of the President, Ali was accompanied in the discussions by a team that included Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo; Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh; Foreign Affairs Minister Hugh Todd and Public Works Minister Juan Edghill.

China’s State-run Xinhua News Agency reported that during the call President Xi proposed that the upcoming 50th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic ties be used to push for increased bilateral ties. “They stressed their nations’ excellent bilateral relations that should facilitate executing Guyana’s infrastructural component of its development drive.”

Also raised was the Belt and Road initiative, with the Chinese President suggesting the promotion of cooperation on the Initiative as well as the expansion of collaboration in other areas like energy and infrastructure. Additionally, the Chinese President is reported to have pledged increased cooperation to assist Guyana with vaccines and other help against the COVID-19 pan-

China’s President, Xi Jinping

demic.

“China and Guyana, though far apart, enjoy a deep and close friendship,” Xi noted, according to the Xinhua News Agency report, adding that China’s President said that the two countries have achieved fruitful results in bilateral cooperation in various fields since they established diplomatic relations. He is quoted as saying that two-way trade increased last year despite the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrating huge potential.

“Both countries are standing at an important stage of development and facing broad prospects and great opportunities. China stands ready to strengthen cooperation with Guyana in COVID-19 vaccines and continue to provide assistance and support within its capacity for Guyana's economic and social development,” the President said according

to the statement from the State news agency.

The virtual meeting is reported to have also seen Xi urging that the two countries strengthen collaboration when it comes to the United Nations, the Caribbean Community (Caricom) and the fight against climate change.

“Xi stressed that both China and Guyana are developing countries and have similar positions on a series of international and regional issues. The two sides should strengthen collaboration in issues related to the United Nations and climate change, so as to foster a more fair and equitable reform of international systems.”

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.

There are a number of close economic ties between Guyana and China. In 2012, under the then People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration, Guyana had secured a US$138 million loan from the China Exim (ExportImport) Bank to fund the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) expansion and modernisation project, for which the Guyana Government was supposed to put up some US$12 million.

Upon completion, the

Guyana’s high-level team participating in the virtual meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

From left, Public Works Minister Juan Edghill; Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo; President Dr Irfaan Ali, Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh and Foreign Affairs Minister Hugh Todd

airport was expected to have eight air passenger boarding bridges for arrivals and departures; a 450-seat departure area, escalators, and elevators in addition to an extended runway measuring 400 and 690 metres at the respective ends to cater for larger categories of aircraft.

Although under the former A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC), there was a marked deviation from the contract, the contractor has since been tasked by the current Government with revising the scope of works to include the original terms of the contract.

Guyana had also received a US$45.3 million concessional loan from the China Exim Bank to complete the East Coast Demerara (ECD)

road expansion project back in 2017. With the China Exim Bank putting up most of the funds for the road expansion, engineering firm China Railway First Group executed the contract to

complete the works.

Even now, the Government will be tapping into monies left over from this loan to fund connector roads along the expanded ECD highway. (G3)

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Cleaning up the mess... …at GECOM Some Government representatives have recounted their plans to straighten out GECOM, so we don’t repeat the tragedy of our last elections. Your Eyewitness doesn’t have to remind you about those goings-on, of which the stained bedsheets were only one episode does he?

Thought not! He’d hoped they’d get this done pronto, because we’re assured that Local Government Elections (LGE) will be conducted this year.

The AG pointed out that some of the necessary changes need amendments of some Articles of the Constitution demanding a two-thirds majority vote in the National Assembly. Clearly, this signals a changing of the actual structure, staffing and composition of the Commission itself - not the Secretariat, which executes the policies set out by the former. The rules for staffing the Commission are laid out in Article 161 [1] via the Constitutional Amendment Act No. 2 of 2000.

Basically, these rules go back to the “Carter Formula” introduced for the 1992 elections, through which the Government and the Combined Opposition each select 3 Commissioners. And then the Opposition Leader submits a list of six candidates to the President to select one as the Chair.

From our own (bitter) history, we know that the way the Commissioners are selected will always lead to a Mexican Standoff: both sides with guns drawn, daring the other side to shoot and face certain death! And while the selection of the Chair, who was then understood to be the casting-vote arbiter, had been previously non-contentious, the Sanctimonious Gangster has now irretrievably changed this. The man went backwards to try and impose his own “toothless poodle”, James Patterson, to match Burnham’s Harold Bollers - obviously to facilitate the rigging he always had in mind. But with this change out for now, guess we’ll have to depend on the incumbent Claudette Singh to follow Spike Lee’s advice and “do the right thing”.

So, what’s been promised? Well, that the Secretariat’s CEO, Lowenfield; Dep CEO Myers, and Reg 4 RO Mingo must go. No problem there, but is that it? And this is where your Eyewitness believes there must be a proper inquiry immediately. That dyspeptic trio are just the tip of a very humongous Secretariat iceberg that’ll derail any hope for fair elections. The ERC had already received a complaint and inquired into the hiring practices that led to its ethnically-skewed composition. All Guyanese understand the implications of this selection process, which certainly doesn’t end up with the fittest - just the most compliant!

The AG also mentioned that some rules will be changed to head off situations like where official SOPs still haven’t been shown to the electorate.

The PNC will find new loopholes once their personnel are inside the Trojan Horse! …in the GPF Your Eyewitness received quite a few comments on his piece detailing the fallout from the Chaplain’s prayer for the GPF to repent of its “sins”. One ex-GPF officer revealed that the person who fired the Chaplain didn’t even have the authority to do so!! And that’s part of the problem right there, isn’t it? Military and paramilitary organisations are characterised by their “chain-of-command” structure.

Folks just can’t arrogate to themselves powers that weren’t delegated! This woulda been grounds for an appointment with the firing squad! Today, a suspension?

But the question, “where do we begin”, elicited the same answer in many: Traffic cops. In this day of “a car in every driveway”, the most frequent encounter of ordinary folks with the GPF is with the men and women in light blue shirts. Frequently holding (non-calibrated) speed guns, or behind (non-authorised) roadblocks, they even more frequently demand booty (a fried rice evidently doesn’t work anymore!) or threaten a trip “to the station”.

Fix with body cams? …in the PNC We all have a vested interest in a viable PNC for our democratic future. No…not because we need aggravation, but peace of mind.

But who will wean them away from their rigging ways?

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

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10 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Region 4 woman Guyana’s 209th COVID-19 death …51 new cases from 1012 tests

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nother death has been recorded from the novel coronavirus – a 66-year-old female from Region Four (DemeraraMahaica). This takes the death toll to 209.

According to the Health Ministry, the elderly woman died while receiving medical treatment.

The last death prior to this was recorded on Monday after an 89-year-old woman

from Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) succumbed while receiving care at a medical facility.

There were also 51 new cases in one day after 1012 samples were sent for analysis. According to the Ministry’s dashboard, the total number of confirmed cases in the country is now 9238 – 4754 males and 4484 females.

There are 671 active cases: seven in the designated

Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 626 in home isolation and 38 in institutional isolation.

Another 11 persons are also in institutional quarantine.

The data shows that 8359 patients have recovered from the life-threatening virus while 77,427 have been tested.

New cases

From the new cases, 11 were detected in Region Three, 30 cases in Region Four, six in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), and four in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

The cases remain at 1025 in Region One (BarimaWaini), 239 in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), 262 in Region Five (MahaicaBerbice), 787 in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), 246 in Region Eight (PotaroSiparuni) and 436 in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo).

Guyana is currently rolling out its vaccination programme countrywide for the coronavirus, after receiving 80,000 doses from India and another 20,000 from China. Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony indicated on Tuesday that standard procedures are in place to ensure that the vaccine is safely administered. This entails taking the second dose at the appropriate time.

He underscored, “We have a standard protocol so we’re not going to encourage anybody to come before the time.

Part of the process when you come to one of the vaccination sites, the nurse or the clinical staff working there will explain to you what vaccine you’re getting. They will enter that into the card and put the date when you got your first dose and the date when you’re expected to come back.”

The vaccination sites include West Demerara Regional Hospital, Parika Health Centre, Lethem Health Centre, Aishalton District Hospital, Brothers Health Centre, Den Amstel Health

Centre, Versailles Health Centre, 47 Health Centre, Skeldon Regional Hospital, Port Mourant Health Centre, Sand Creek Health Centre and New Amsterdam Regional Hospital.

From the tranche of vaccines received, the country has sent some over to Barbados.

Initially, the Barbadian Government had assisted Guyana with 3000 doses to start its programme.

If anyone is displaying any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19, or need any additional information, they are asked to contact the COVID-19 Hotline 231-1166, 226-7480 or 624-6674 immediately or visit www.health. gov.gy Persons with comorbidities have been asked to continue taking their respective medications or treatment to control their condition. The preventative measures and guidelines to protect against the virus must be adhered to since this category of person is at greater risk if they contract COVID-19. (G12)

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Lusignan Prison escapee recaptured Miner jailed for breaching

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fter being on the run for some four months, Phillip Jhagroo, who had escaped from the Lusignan Prison in November 2020, has been recaptured.

The man’s “days of freedom” came to an end after he was arrested by ranks at Ruby, West Coast Demerara (WCD), at about 07:00h on Tuesday.

According to the Guyana Prison Service, the recaptured man will be placed before the court for escaping lawful custody.

Back in November 2020, Jhagroo, 47, along with Mark Emmanuel, 18, and Donald Baird, 40, had escaped from the penitentiary using a rope of bedsheets.

The prison service had reported that on the day in question, during a routine check at 05:20h, officers discovered an improvised rope made of bed-

Recaptured: Phillip “Tanky” Jhagroo

sheets hanging from one of the prison fences and raised an alarm.

All the inmates were gathered at once and a headcount was conducted which revealed that Jhagroo, Emmanuel and Baird were unaccounted for. Emmanuel and Baird are still currently on the run.

Baird was on remand for murder while Mark Emmanuel was remanded for robbery.

Jhagroo, called “Tanky” of Good Intent, Leguan, Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), was remanded on May 14, 2019, for allegedly killing his friend, Mark Narine.

According to reports, the 22-yearold was on his way home when he was “lashed” off his motorcycle by the accused.

The accused allegedly tossed Narine’s body in a nearby trench. The body was found the following day, submerged in the trench.

protection order

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miner, Linden who appeared beMagistrate fore Wanda Fortune at the Linden Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, was jailed for breaching a protection order.

Osbert Johnson of One Mile, Wismar, Linden, was slapped with a two-week

prison sentence after he pleaded guilty to the charge.

The court heard that the 37-year-old man failed to stay 300 feet away from the Virtual Complainant (VC), Natasha Lambert, and her home, as stipulated by the protection order which had been issued against him.

NEWS

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

WCB killings

Henry cousins’ PI to begin on May 3

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agistrate Peter Hugh on Tuesday upheld an application by Attorney-at-Law Dexter Todd to have a Preliminary Inquiry (PI) into the deaths of 16-yearold Isaiah Henry and 19-yearold Joel Henry.

The matter was called on Tuesday at the Blairmont Magistrate’s Court. Initially, there were submissions to have a paper committal but Todd argued that he would like to have the witnesses appear and testify to the evidence submitted by the Police.

Those charged for the murders are 19-year-old Akash Singh, called “Monkey,” of Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo;

his stepbrother, 33-year-old Anil Sancharra, called “Dan pole”; “Rasta” of D’Edward Village, and 34-year-old Vinod Gopaul called “Magga” of Yakusari, Black Bush Polder, Corentyne, Berbice. They were all charged with the murders of the Henry boys back in January. However, Attorney Todd is representing Sancharra and Gopaul.

Police Prosecutor Inspector Phillip Sherriff informed the court that the State has 20 witnesses. As such Magistrate Hugh said he will commence the PI on May 3. “We can take four witnesses per day,” the Magistrate said in setting his timeline.

Dead: Isaiah Henry and Joel Henry

Todd also informed the court that he is encountering difficulties with commu-

nicating with his clients since Gopaul is currently at the Mazaruni Prison.

“I have not been able to speak with Gopaul,” the lawyer informed the court while noting that there are some issues in communicating with prisoners at the Mazaruni Prison.

Singh, who according to the Police had confessed, was charged separately with the murder of Isaiah while the other two accused were charged jointly for both murders. On September 6, 2020, the badly mutilated bodies of Isaiah and Joel were found in the backlands of Cotton Tree, West Coast Berbice – almost two days after they had left their Number Three Village, WCB home to pick coconuts.

The murders of the Henry cousins had sparked protests across several villages along the West Coast Berbice corridor, where commuters were beaten and robbed. With roads blocked, some vehicles were also torched.

Then, days later, on September 9, 17-year-old Haresh Singh was found murdered at the Number Three Village backlands. It is suspected that his death was in retaliation for the murders of Isaiah and Joel, since he is related to one of the persons initially held by the Police for the cousins’ murders. However, the Police are yet to make any breakthrough in that case. (G4)

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Bank of Baroda to now offer home mortgages

…as Govt expands financing options for housing drive

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ust over a week after the Government had given approval to the New Building Society (NBS) to raise its loan ceiling, the Government will be granting the India-owned Bank of Baroda approval to offer mortgages to homeowners.

According to a notice, this move is in keeping with Government’s continued effort to increase access to mortgage financing for prospective homeowners as well as expand the housing drive countrywide.

It means that the Bank of Baroda, which was on the verge of exiting Guyana’s market back in 2018, will be designated as an approved Mortgage Finance Company in keeping with Section 15 of the Income Tax Act, Cap 81:01.

In this regard, it was also announced that the Finance Ministry will be hosting a

ceremony today to formalise this process with the Bank of Baroda at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC).

Last week NBS, which is already known for its low mortgage interest rates, announced a reduction in its interest rates. This is a measure that will likely bump up the number of new loans being granted.

During a brief ceremony at the ACCC on March 10, Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh handed over approval to raise the loan ceiling from $12 million to $15 million. This measure will allow homeowners increased financing options when borrowing a loan.

In his address to the gathering, Dr Singh lauded the New Building Society’s commitment to reduce mortgage interest rates effective April 1. He recalled how the number of new homeowners ap-

plying for loans at NBS plummeted after 2014. “(NBS) was giving approximately 1000 homeownership loans when we were in office… in fact, I should make the point that in 2014, our last year in office, NBS gave 896 new loans. In 2020, that number had fallen to 400.

That tells a story,” Dr Singh had revealed.

“So, consider now, the Ministry of Housing rolls out their land distribution programme and 10,000 persons get their house lots this year.

Let us say 1000 of those persons come into NBS and they borrow on average $10 million loans. That is literally $10 billion of construction activity.”

According to Minister Singh, the new measures are likely to not only boost the construction sector but the economy as a whole. He pointed out that material has

to be purchased and labourers have to be employed.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the NBS, Floyd McDonald gave a breakdown of how the mortgage will be reduced. In the first instance, low-income loans of up to $6 million will see the interest rates being reduced from 4.25 per cent to 4 per cent per annum.

When it comes to loans between $6 million to $12 million, the interest rate will now be 5.95 per cent per annum, down from 6.15 and 6.75 per cent while loans above $12 million, up to $15 million, will be offered at a rate of 6.25 per cent annually.

“The Society is indeed appreciative of the im-

The Bank of Baroda

proved ceiling approved by Government. We know that our collective efforts will redound to an improved standard of living for Guyanese,” the NBS Chairman said.

One of the measures outlined in the 2021 budget had been an increase in the loan ceiling. It is one of several

measures the Government is pursuing in a bid to re-energise an economy stunned by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The measure also goes hand in hand with the Government’s drive to deliver on its promise of 50,000 house lots within its five-year term. (G3)

Father fined for assaulting daughter

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Linden, Region 10 man who assaulted his daughter was fined $10,000 by Magistrate Wanda Fortune on Tuesday when he appeared at the Linden Magistrate’s Court to answer to the offence of assault.

Fifty-eight-

year-old Elvis Fraser of Constabulary Compound, Mackenzie, Linden, was charged with the offence committed against Priscilla Fraser. The court heard that Fraser “slammed” the Virtual Complainant’s head into a cupboard at their

Constabulary Compound home on March 14. He pleaded guilty to the charge. In addition to the fine, Fraser was placed on a bond to keep the peace for one year. Failure to comply with the order will result in him serving six weeks’ imprisonment.

NEWS

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Ramsammy’s Ruminations Orealla facing threats of illegal Patterson cannot chair crossing from Suriname – Toshao Public Accounts Committee …concerns raised as village now COVID-free – Parliament must depose him

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avid Patterson is Chair of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament. He has lost all moral right to this position. Any decent person would do the right thing and resign, but Patterson is pigheaded, he is refusing to respect the integrity of the Parliament and the integrity of the PAC. More importantly, the other APNU/AFC MPs who are members of the PAC are collaborating with Patterson to block the PAC from itself doing the right thing. The majority of MPs who are members of the PAC are agreed that David Patterson is not morally or ethically qualified to be the Chair, but the minority are able to block action in removing Patterson as the head by using a technical procedural rule; that is: that the Chair must come from the Opposition.

The Opposition MPs have been doing a morally repugnant dance. Patterson, as the Chair, Dr Leslie Ramsammy usually starts a meeting, then recuses himself, followed by the refusal of other MPs from the Opposition side to accept the Chair's position.

In the circumstance, the Parliament must act. Since one of its most critical Standing Committees is being sabotaged and obstructed, the Parliament, as a whole, must unlock the logjam.

It is time the Parliament act and remove David Patterson from the PAC. Any failure to remove Patterson from the PAC would mean that the PAC has lost the moral authority to adjudicate and to scrutinise the Auditor General's Report. It would be like putting "cat to watch milk".

In keeping with its legacy of obstructing and sabotaging democracy and good governance, APNU/AFC (PNC in disguise) is presently engaged in blocking the work of the PAC. The PAC is one of the more critical Standing Committees of Parliament; it is responsible for scrutinising the Auditor General's Annual Report, and therefore holding Government accountable for the resources the Parliament allocates to the Government, and for ensuring the resources within the Consolidated Fund are managed in accordance with the laws of Guyana. The Chair person, in accordance with our laws, must be an MP from the Opposition.

The Opposition chose David Patterson as the Chair of the PAC. A number of corrupt transactions have been alleged to have occurred when Patterson was Minister of Infrastructure. He is, in fact, charged with a crime, and is presently before the courts. It is an untenable situation: how can he, having been charged and under a cloud with the numerous allegations of corruption, be the Chair of the parliamentary mechanism that is mandated with responsibility to stop abuses of the public purse?

The PAC, at an earlier meeting, had before it a motion for Patterson to suspend himself as the Chair. Patterson, once the motion was presented, recused himself, but his colleagues refused to Chair the PAC meeting. Since the PAC must be chaired by the Opposition, the refusal essentially is designed to stymie the functioning of the PAC. It is a deliberate plan to prevent the PAC from continuing its scrutiny of the Auditor General's Reports for 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. Those reports represent a compendium of the worst examples of corrupt transactions in the history of this country.

The Auditor General's Report for those years provides evidence of corruption in all the Ministries, but the Ministry that stood out as the poster child for corruption was the Ministry of Infrastructure. The Minister responsible for that Ministry between 2015 and 2020 was David Patterson. One of the transactions that were featured in the Auditor General's Report and was one of the cases for a damning report by the Procurement Commission was the feasibility study for the Demerara River Bridge. This was a single-sourced contract for $160M. That case is before the courts.

It is sheer brazenness that a man under such a cloud would insist that he has to lead the scrutiny of the Auditor General's Report. It is a lack, a total lack of integrity that a man would hypocritically want to be the head scrutiniser of a report in which he is one of the parties for which serious questions have been raised surrounding his role. He has even received expensive gifts from agencies under his control, gifts procured with taxpayers’ money. Any decent person would have opted to resign, but not David Patterson.

Patterson's behaviour is not shocking, although unacceptable.

This is the same man who was part of a machinery that tried to thief a whole election. This is one of the men who defended those who had led the attempted rigging of the March 2020 elections.

Thus, when we look at the corruption with the Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation, the DHB asphalt plant, the CJIA expansion project, and the very many questionable transactions: like the Durban Park scandal, like the Leguan Stelling etc., we wonder how could any Government have permitted such a man to stay as a Minister for five long years. This is the man who insists he has the right to head the scrutiny of the Auditor General's Report. Enough is enough! Patterson must go!

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realla, a community in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), has managed to erase all positive coronavirus cases which were detected in recent months but is now faced with newer threats that can cause reinfection.

Presently, the riverine Indigenous village is facing an infiltration of persons from neighbouring Suriname and is not equipped with resources to monitor this issue.

Speaking with Guyana Times on Tuesday, Toshao Carl Peneux expressed that people are entering the country via barges. This problem started shortly after the border was opened to allow for ferry service between Moleson Creek in Guyana to South Drain, Suriname.

“We have the challenge of people crossing the border. When they heard that the ferry started to operate, they thought that the border was now open so we have people infiltrating and coming across via barges.

I don’t know what help we can get on a security standpoint,” Peneux detailed.

At this point, the village chief said it is important for authorities and law enforcement to monitor the waters in ensuring that persons do not cross illegally. If this continues, there is a high chance of detecting COVID-19 again in the community.

“We need the authorities to monitor. I don’t have the capability or the authority to get into that sort of operation. It needs speedboats to patrol in that area because the virus can easily come across from Suriname and infect people.”

In Orealla and its satellite village, Siparuta, the situation was labelled nor-

Orealla Toshao Carl Peneux

mal since new cases stopped emerging. Residents are still urged to follow the national and safety guidelines outlined but roadblocks remain in persuading people to comply.

Peneux highlighted in the interview, “Testing wasn’t done recently but we don’t have any known positive at this time in Orealla or Siparuta. We are still encouraging residents to con-

tinue following the national protocols, abide with the curfew and we’re asking the Police to enforce those…

The challenge is still there because persons like the bar owners opening their bars and we were not getting the cooperating from the Police.

They have not been enforcing these laws so we still have that challenge.”

Permission to enter the village is now premised on obtaining a negative test and following all guidelines when in the community.

He added, “Generally, we expect all residents to be properly educated on what and what not to do. The onus is now on all residents to take care of themselves and their families. They know they have to wear masks, stay home, sanitise and the protocols if they come out at Corriverton.”

The Toshao also spoke on sustaining livelihoods and the economic impact, noting that many persons in the logging industry have continued their jobs. On the other hand, farmers are fac-

ing challenges in accessing markets.

“It’s not that perfect but generally, our local workers are carrying on.

We are signing a contract with Barama Company for Orealla and Siparuta to supply logs and the loggers will get an opportunity to earn. Our lumbermen have been working nonstop since last year to supply the market on the Corentyne Coast.

The farmers continue to fare but there are challenges with markets. At least, there is produce to eat and the fishermen are continuing their work.”

Hampers were sent out to elderly persons and single mothers throughout the community to provide relief.

Orealla and Siparuta had recorded numerous positive cases within a short period last year, prompting health teams to visit the community to test persons and conduct contact tracing. Over 100 persons were isolated after their results were positive. (G12)

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Health Ministry to bridge “fragmented” chronic disease treatment – Dr Anthony

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hen it comes to chronic diseases in Guyana, the Health Ministry has undertaken a new plan to change the landscape of treatment, after realising that patients are dealing with a fragmented system to access care.

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony indicated on Tuesday that while treatment is offered at the various healthcare levels, the current system does not cater for holistic treatment – a challenge they are now trying to change.

“Our current system from health centres, district hospitals, regional hospitals, we can care for diabetics and other people with chronic disease. However, in some instances, the care can be fragmented so that’s what we’re trying to address,” he noted.

For this, several areas within the sector will be assisted with new resources, programmes and partnerships with international agencies. The Ministry has established a team within the Chronic Disease Department, specifically to execute this five-year agenda.

“Our anticipation is that we’ll also have a plan for the next five years in differ-

nents of cancer and dedicate focus on prevalent cancers among men and women.

“We’re getting support from the International Atomic Energy Agency to help us to develop that cancer care programme. There’s a consultant that is assigned

to work along with us. Over the next couple of months, we’re hoping to have that programme developed.”

To address cardiovascular diseases, Government will be partnering with the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health

Organisation (PAHO/WHO) to introduce a programme called Hearts. Hearts is aimed at reducing some of the risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease, including reduced sugar consumption and trans fats. (G12)

Man accused of killing aunt to face retrial

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Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony

ent areas of chronic diseases and hopefully we’ll be able to roll that programme out and change the landscape of what is happening with chronic diseases here in Guyana. We have some specific areas that we’re looking at because of the prevalence of some of these illnesses.”

One of the priority areas is looking at special programmes for diabetes treatment. One such initiative is a “one-stop-shop” where various services will be offered.

In this year’s budget, an allocation of $35 million has been set aside to build this facility. It is a project that has already shown promising results in countries around the world.

The Minister outlined,

“When you come to the centre, all the services will be available to you and we think by doing that, we’ll prevent the kind of fragmented care that is sometimes obtained. If this model works, then we’ll replicate it in other regions. We have seen similar programmes like this working in India and Haiti. They have been working at this for the last 10 years or so and there’s also a programme like this in Brazil. It’s not a new concept. It would just be new to Guyana.”

For cancer care, a specific cancer control programme is being developed – a process that is slated for completion within a couple of months.

It will look at the subcompo-

retrial is pending for 27-year-old murder accused Kevin Mohan, also known as “Chucky”, after his murder trial ended in a hung jury on Tuesday.

After about two hours of deliberation, the jury failed to reach a verdict on charges of murder levelled against Mohan, who is accused of the 2016 stabbing to death of his 48-year-old aunt at her home.

The matter was presided over by Justice Navindra Singh at the High Court in Georgetown.

As a result of the failure by the jury to reach a verdict, the accused has since been remanded to prison.

It is alleged that on September 4, 2016, at Cummings Lodge, Greater Georgetown, he murdered Anita Mohan during a robbery.

Kevin Mohan, called “Chucky”

Dead: Anita Mohan

Mohan, who pleaded not guilty, was represented by Attorney-at-Law Ravindra Mohabir, while the State’s case was led by prosecutor Tiffani Lyken.

Based on reports, Anita’s battered body was discovered in a pool of blood in the kitchen of her Lot 315 South East Cummings Lodge,

Greater Georgetown home.

An autopsy performed revealed that Anita had sustained a chop wound to her head and one in the vicinity of her temple, along with a stab wound to her chin and one in her mouth.

A portion of her tongue was severed, and she was strangled. (G15)

NEWS

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Guyanese should adopt better diets, less food wastage – FAO

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he Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations has said that food systems in Guyana can be radically changed for the better by creating sustainable approaches.

Among these approaches is the need to ensure the availability of safe and nutritious food for all.

This, the organisation noted, entails the abundant production of fresh food and policies that promote better access to healthy, nutritious diets.

The FAO further added that this approach can have multiple positive impacts,

ty line.

Further, the FAO highlighted that while issues of obesity, stunting and wasting, and occurrence of non-communicable disease in Guyana may be lower relative to many other countries, they still represent a significant toll in health costs and human suffering, and are directly related to what is eaten.

In addition, the organisation highlighted that a shift to more sustainable consumption patterns will help Guyana’s population to be more competitive and healthier. This includes better diets and less food wastage.

particularly if targeted to vulnerable groups such as single female-headed households, Indigenous communities, rural dwellers, the elderly, the unemployed and under-employed, and persons living below or on the pover-

It added that optimising the use of natural resources in food production, processing, and distribution is vital to creating a successful and sustainable transformation of agriculture in Guyana and preserving natural resource

into Guyana’s transformation agenda for its agriculture sector and its ambitious

wealth for future generations.

This, the FAO noted, is boosting nature-positive production.

Moreover, the FAO highlighted the need for more advanced equitable livelihoods.

This means not only providing opportunities for decent employment but also incentivising rural living. This thematic area requires concrete and integrated actions to promote sustained opportunities to improve earnings, support equitable access to finances for farmers and agri-processors and reduce inequities in access to food leaving no one behind.

The FAO further stated that what is needed is ambitious planning, cross-cutting solutions and decisive actions, cultural change, trust, investment and partnerships, all of which Guyana

has in abundance, along with its natural resources.

Ultimately, building resilience to vulnerabilities, shocks and stress within the food system is key. The organisation in its statement said that COVID-19 has highlighted how vulnerable our food systems can be at the household, community, national and global level. However, we also see that strong, well organised, and inclusive production systems can not only weather shocks but also thrive. Resilient food systems in Guyana can withstand and recover from instabilities and deliver food security, nutrition and equitable livelihoods for Guyanese and the region.

Meanwhile, the FAO noted that the Global Food System Summit slated to be hosted later this year is timely to provide input

plans to remain an important economic driver in an emerging oil economy.

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Sophia stabbing stemmed from old grievance – mother of dead man

By LaWanda McAllister

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he 23-year-old man of Guyhoc Park, Georgetown, who was on Saturday morning stabbed multiple times by his brother-in-law at D Field Sophia, was killed during an argument that stemmed from an old grievance.

Twenty-three-year-old Daniel Boutrin succumbed to his injuries two days after the stabbing incident.

Bourtin was reportedly sharing a relationship with the suspect’s sister at the time of the incident’s occurrence.

Police said the now dead man was at the suspect’s house when an argument

The street at D Field Sophia, Greater Georgetown, where Daniel Boutrin was stabbed

erupted over a bicycle that Bourtin had borrowed since December 2020. The argument escalated and as such, the suspect armed himself with a knife and the victim with a cutlass.

However, Police said that

the suspect’s parents intervened and ordered both men to leave the premises.

Nevertheless, as Bourtin was about to enter a taxi, he was attacked and stabbed by the suspect.

Guyana Times visited

Drugs, improvised weapons, alcohol found during prison raid

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raid by law enforcement officers at the Lusignan Prison, East Coast Demerara, unearthed drugs, improvised weapons and alcohol among other contraband items.

Prison officials said that on Tuesday morning, ranks of the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Prison Service conducted a search a the Lusignan Prison between 06:00h and 08:15h.

Among the items seized were 34 improvised weapons, five cellular phones, six lighters, four pieces of broken mirror, three cellular phone chargers, three ear-

The items which were discovered during the raid on Tuesday

pieces, three mobile SIM cards, a bottle of fermented wine, and seven bottles of oil.

All of the items were

seized, as well as a quantity of cannabis which weighed 34 grams, and later taken to the Vigilance Police Station and lodged.

the home of the dead man on Tuesday, and his mother, Shanesa Carter, explained that she was at home when she received the dreaded news.

“My mother called me and said your son get stabbed. I asked her who stabbed him and she said he was stabbed by his girlfriend’s brother… I heard somebody in the background asking my mother who is it you talking to, and she said his mother… l later spoke

with his girlfriend father and he told [me] it wasn’t anything big. I turned and I said I hope it is a little thing,” the woman recalled.

The woman said even though she was told by his girlfriend’s father that he was not stabbed severely, she had a feeling that something was amiss.

“When you have a mother and child connection, you can feel when something is happening with your child…

I felt a sudden neck pain,

and a sharp pain in my chest and I said to myself this don’t seem right. I was uncomfortable,” she said.

Carter recalled that she went to the hospital and it was then that she was told that her son underwent two surgeries and was on a life support machine.

The young man’s mother said he was not showing any signs of recovery or improvements and subsequently died.

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Pensioner dies 1 month after being stabbed by girlfriend

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pensioner who was stabbed on February 8 by his girlfriend succumbed to his injuries on Sunday at the New Amsterdam Hospital.

Dead is 67-year-old Colin Heyliger. He was stabbed to the abdomen allegedly by his 43-year-old lover. Following the incident, the pensioner was placed in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the New Amsterdam Hospital while Police arrested the suspect and placed her at the National Psychiatric Hospital.

Heyliger was released from the hospital, but was subsequently rushed back to the medical facility where he was admitted again to the ICU until his passing on Sunday. His female lover, who was a security guard, was also released from the National

Dead: Colin Heyliger

Psychiatric Hospital.

Regional Commander, Superintendent Jairam Ramlakhan said a post-mortem examination was expected to be conducted on the body today. The case file would then be returned to the Director of Public Prosecutions for further legal advice.

The stabbing occurred at

Heyliger’s Pilot Street, New Amsterdam home. Police had stated that Heyliger and the suspect shared an intimate relationship; however about 05:30h neighbours heard the couple arguing. Heyliger, who was an artist by profession, was seen at a karaoke event in New Amsterdam on February 7 and the woman was reportedly not there. The argument at Heyliger’s home broke out some time after he had returned home, and was believed to have stemmed from his activities at the karaoke event.

Neighbours said the artist then called out to a neighbour holding his abdomen.

He went into the house as blood oozed through his fingers. The man was rushed to the NA Hospital by neighbours. (G4)

NEWS

19

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Uitvlugt Estate workers demand GuySuCo address pay raise issues

W

orkers at the Uitvlugt Estate on the West Coast of Demerara (WCD) on Tuesday morning staged a picketing exercise demanding that the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) stop procrastinating in rela-

at the Albion and Blairmont Estates in Berbice, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) staged a picketing exercise demanding that the same issues be addressed.

According to the Guyana Agricultural and General

Some of the Uitvlugt Estate workers during the picketing exercise on Tuesday

tion to the salary/wage discussions.

Just on Monday, workers

Workers Union (GAWU), the Uitvlugt workers are peeved that GuySuCo con-

tinues to engage in delaying tactics.

The workers lamented that the GuySuCo hierarchy has taken their cooperative attitude for granted.

They shared that they have learnt that while they are being asked to be patient, some in the top brass of the sugar company may be engaged in self-aggrandisement.

“The Uitvlugt workers underscored their willingness to engage the Corporation meaningfully in finding an amicable settlement to the long-standing issues. They are like their colleagues of Albion and Blairmont hopeful that the Corporation could come to its senses and serious talks could begin in earnest with a view to finding a solution,” GAWU said in a statement.

On Monday, the Union accused GuySuCo of dragging its foot on the issue of wage increases for workers.

The Union explained that salary negotiations have been ongoing for years and the Corporation seemed to

not be interested in bringing an end to the discussions. It has been several months now since GAWU and GuySuCo have resumed discussions on wage and salary improvements,

and yet it appears there has not been any movement on the part of the Corporation.

The Union said that the thousands of sugar workers remained committed to the success of the sugar indus-

try; however, it recognised too that the workers also played a critical role in the attainment of that success and, therefore, the procrastination seen could not be helpful in this regard.

20 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

First Lady raises $6M to start fight against period poverty

T

he Menstrual Hygiene Campaign of the First Lady, Arya Ali, is off to a bright start after she rose $6 million from her first charity event on Sunday, which was hosted at State House.

In January of this year, the First Lady had announced the launch of the campaign which she has created in efforts to put an end to period poverty in Guyana.

In a statement from the Office of the First Lady, it was stated that because of the magnitude of such an undertaking, the First Lady has decided that the project will be rolled out in phases, beginning with the provision of sanitary pads to the most vulnerable.

As such, school-aged girls within the hinterland regions of Guyana are slated to be the first recipients.

She noted that she is aware of the challenges and consequences faced by young girls who are unable to acquire sanitary napkins at the necessary times.

“The gravity of this problem was highlighted in a casual conversation I had with a stranger, who pointed out that girls were forced to skip school routinely, and in some instances drop out permanently because they could not afford sanitary products. This is un-

First Lady Arya Ali and Education Minister Priya Manickchand share a photo at the fundraising event on Sunday

acceptable. No girl should be placed in a situation in which she is forced to absent from or quit school because of her inability to afford sanitary products,” the First Lady told the donors at a tea party fundraising event on Sunday.

She further added that period poverty deprives girls of the very education which they need to grasp economic and other opportunities, while highlighting that it can result in harmful psychological effects such as impaired cogni-

tive skills and social isolation.

Further, the First Lady noted that in order to bring an end to period poverty, there must be an acceptance of the existence of the problem after which conversations around women’s health must be normalised, even in spaces occupied only by men.

“We must also disabuse ourselves of the idea that menstruation is exclusively a female concern. It is not. It is a concern for all because when girls are deprived of education

and economic opportunities as a result of period poverty, it is the entire society which is affected, not just women,” she added.

Moreover, the First Lady explained that society at large is responsible for ensuring that every female benefit from safe and hygienic menstrual products and the dignity that this affords.

As such, the First Lady commended all those who contributed financially and challenged them to also raise their voices to end the stigma associated with menstruation.

M e a n w h i l e , Education Minister Priya Manickchand, who will be working along with the First Lady to enable the distribution of the sanitary napkins within schools, applauded and expressed deep gratitude to the First Lady for beginning what she hopes will be a national conversation with effective solutions.

Manickchand further added that the Education Ministry will begin research to determine the impact of periods and period poverty on education.

“The Ministry will continue to support efforts which are aimed at ending period poverty and ensuring our girls and women have

equal access to educational and other opportunities,” the Minister said.

The fundraising event was sponsored by a number of local businesses.

Sophia stabbing...

FROM PAGE 18

Meanwhile, she noted that her son had been having issues with his girlfriend’s brother for some time now.

She believes that the stabbing stemmed from more than just the bicycle that her son had already replaced.

“I am not here to tell the public that my child was an angel. My child was good and bad. He had a balanced life.

He had brushes with the law and this later part in his life he had a big turnaround. Him and the girl did have a good relationship…” the woman recalled.

“People in Sophia went and show the girl brother a picture with him in bed with a member of the LGBTQ community from way back. The brother saw the picture and got upset about it. He told his mother how you can get an auntie man in the house living… I was made to understand that the father told the brother that his sister made a choice and you cannot choose for her but as a brother, he started to pick and nag at everything. The girl knew of his past and accepted him,” Carter explained.

Killed: Daniel Boutrin

Boutrin’s mother said her son and his in-laws had a good relationship, however, it was his girlfriend’s brother who was always causing trouble.

The dead man’s family said sometime before he was stabbed, he packed all of his clothes he had at his girlfriend’s house and took them back home. When questioned about this decision, Carter said that her son told his grandmother that he wanted to come back home to live but hours later, they got the news that he was stabbed.

The suspect remains on the run as Police continue their investigation.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021

21

Bolt not bothered by threat new shoe technology poses to world records

“It was always about gold medals,” he says

R

NBA ROUND-UP

J

Harden makes Nets’ history

ames Harden made history as the Brooklyn Nets earned bragging rights against their rivals, the New York Knicks, following their 117-112 win in the NBA on Monday.

Harden posted a triple-double of 21 points, 15 assists and 15 rebounds to fuel the in-form Nets to their fifth consecutive victory.

The former MVP became the first Nets player in franchise history to have a 15-plus point, 15-plus assist, and 15-rebounds game.

Kyrie Irving scored a game-high 34 points for the star-studded Nets, who won for the 13th time in 14 games.

A 33-point and 12-rebound double-double from All-Star Julius Randle was not enough for the Knicks in the ‘Battle of the Boroughs’.

Giannis follows in MJ’s footsteps

Giannis Antetokounmpo recorded his third straight triple-double to lead the Milwaukee Bucks past the lowly Washington Wizards 133122.

Two-time reigning MVP Antetokounmpo had 31 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists as the Bucks extended their winning streak to four games.

Antetokounmpo became the first reigning NBA MVP with three consecutive 20-point triple-doubles since Hall of Famer Michael Jordan in 1988-89, and he is the first Bucks player with three successive triple-doubles.

Big games from Bradley Beal (37 points) and Russell Westbrook (23 points and 17 assists) were not enough to inspire the Wizards.

LeBron lifts Lakers as Curry makes history

LeBron James produced another dominant display as the defending champions Los Angeles Lakers routed the Golden State Warriors 128-97.

Poetry in motion

James was at his brilliant best against the Warriors, highlighted by a driving run to the basket in the second quarter.

James put up his fourth triple-double of the season: 22 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds.

Warriors star Stephen Curry finished with 27 points, three rebounds, two assists and three steals.

With his second assist of the night, Curry (4,856) surpassed Guy Rodgers (4,855) as the franchise’s all-time assists leader.

Curry also nailed a three-pointer in his 100th consecutive game, the third three-point streak of at least 100 games in NBA history.

Curry holds the record with a 157-game threepoint run between 2014 and 2016.

MVP candidate Nikola Jokic put up 32 points and 14 rebounds in the Denver Nuggets’ 121-106 win at home against the Indiana

Pacers – his 35th double-double of the season.

Luka Doncic recorded a triple-double of 25 points, 16 assists and 10 rebounds, but the Dallas Mavericks lost 109-99 to the Los Angeles Clippers. With his 34th career tripledouble, Doncic moved ahead of Bob Cousy for 11th on the all-time list.

Morant and George lack efficiency

Both Ja Morant and Paul George tallied double-digit points for their respective teams; however, the performance of each was far from convincing.

Morant was four-of-12 shooting for 15 points in 29 minutes, as the Memphis Grizzlies went down 122-99 to the Phoenix Suns; while Clippers’ star George had 15 points on fiveof-18 shooting.

Monday’s results

Charlotte Hornets:122; Sacramento Kings:116 Milwaukee Bucks:133; Washington Wizards:122 Brooklyn Nets:117; New York Knicks:112 San Antonio Spurs:109; Detroit Pistons:99 Los Angeles Clippers:109; Dallas Mavericks:99 Denver Nuggets:121; Indiana Pacers:106 Phoenix Suns:122; Memphis Grizzlies:99 Los Angeles Lakers:128; Golden State Warriors:97(Adapted from Sportsmax)

eigning sprint double world record holder Usain Bolt insists he would not be perturbed if his world records were broken with the aid of advancing athletics shoe technology.

Recently, athletics sportswear giant Nike unveiled the controversial Nike Zoom Air Viperfly spikes, the advanced design of which has a carbon fibre mechanism under the ball of the foot that acts like a springboard which would generate more power in the sprinter’s stride, and hence lead to faster times.

This technology is geared towards helping the athlete in the last 20 metres of the race.

As it stands, this version of the shoe, which has been designed specifically with 100m sprinters in mind, would not be produced for this summer’s 2020 Tokyo Olympics, because the design currently falls afoul of the World Athletics’ regulations.

At some point, however, the introduction of such technology is bound to give athletes chasing the Jamaican’s marks a big advantage.

However, Bolt insists that he has always placed more emphasis on titles in any case, and would not be fretting over the records.

“I’m not going to be worried. The fact that everyone will know why, then it doesn’t bother me. As I’ve always said, I’m happy to be the fastest man in the world, but it was always the gold medals that mattered to me, because that is how you really prove yourself,” Bolt told CNN. “There are so many people that can say, ‘I am a former World record holder’, but they’re not a lot that can say I won three Olympic gold medals (In one event) back-to-back,” he added.

“To me, that is why I pushed myself so hard to dominate, because I know (that) at any point in time anyone can break your world record.

If you put so much emphasis on that, then what would you have left?”

Bolt’s world-leading marks of 9.58s in the 100m, and 19.19s in the 200m have stood since 2009. The Jamaican retired from the sport in 2017. (Adapted from Sportsmax)

22

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021

Edison Chouest Offshore Company inks million-dollar sponsorship with Youth Basketball Guyana D espite the ongoing pandemic and some forms of sport being at a standstill, things are returning bit by bit to the way they once were.

Edison Chouest Offshore Company is coming on board as a major partner for Youth Basketball Guyana (YBG), in support of the Schools’ Basketball Restart initiative. The sponsorship, when converted, is valued at approximately Gy$1.89M. The Schools’ Basketball Restart initiative focuses on helping student and youth teams get back into a regime of activities in a safe way. Most of those players had participated in the YBG Festival of July 2019, but there has since been a lot of falling away, since players began losing interest in the sport.

According to Rayad Boyce of Youth Basketball Guyana, the organisation has been

Ross Chouest, owner of Edison Chouest Offshore, and Daniel LaFont, Business Development Officer of Edison Chouest Offshore

dreading having to miss another National Schools Basketball Championship, because the YBG knows the value of the national tournament, as lots of teams and players have been discovered therein.

Thus, the YBG is very

focused on having a festival in July or August 2021, but this can be possible only if there is a safe and responsible restart programme.

Speaking at the simple ceremony to announce the sponsorship, Daniel LaFont, Business Development Officer

Rayad Boyce of Youth Basketball Guyana

of Eddison Chouest Offshore, said he is very excited to be part of youth basketball in Guyana, as he considers Guyana his second home. “(We have been) coming to Guyana since 2016, and this is our first trip since a year, and we are very excited (about)

basketball. I have done a lot of coaching, and we saw that basketball is kind of a lowertier sport, as you have cricket and soccer, (which) have a lot of support. We decided that we have to do something for basketball in Guyana, something that teaches them more than just the sport, but how to be men and women.

“We think that it’s important to do this, and get these kids back into a structure and give them goals and motivations and education, so we are very excited about this opportunity.”

Ross Chouest, owner of Edison Chouest Offshore, declared that basketball is something dear and near to his heart. He said the sport teaches an individual the core values and principles of life, and he is personally blessed and excited to be part of the partnership.

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Countrywide “Bat your own tape ball” Lucky 7, Super 4 overs set for March 27-28 – registration closes on March 23

T

James Lewis

he Public Service GOA will be staging a grand countrywide “Bat your own tape ball” Lucky 7, Super 4 overs knockout cricket competition during the period March 2729 at the Durban Park tarmac from 09:00h each day.

This competition is open to all cricket teams. The entrance fee is $15,000, but trophies and cash incentives will be up for grabs by the winner and runner-up team.

It must be noted that all teams are expected to adhere to the COVID-19 guidelines that are in place; and all tape ball teams must register with Coordinator James Lewis at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation no later than Tuesday 23rd March, 2021.

Lewis can be contacted on cell numbers 628-1656 or 689-5109.

The National COVID-19 Task Force has greenlighted this competition, but has said that spectator participation and alcoholic drinks’ bars will not be permitted at the venue.

Batting execution crucial in series victory – Pollard

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aptain Kieron Pollard has pointed to West Indies’ efficient batting as a key component in their One-Day International series win over Sri Lanka.

Speaking after West Indies beat the visitors by five wickets in Sunday’s third ODI, Pollard said solid starts, combined with a century in every game from the top order, had provided the batting with a high level of stability.

“We identified, at the start of our tenure, what we needed to do, and I think that was getting a start, getting guys to bat and bat 50 overs and bat long,” Pollard explained.

“And we’ve identified Hopey (Shai Hope) and he’s done a fantastic job for us, and that has laid the foundation for us more often (than) not, allowing the guys in the middle to come and play their natural games.”

Hope produced yet another sublime series, striking 110 in the opening ODI which West Indies won by eight wickets last Wednesday, before following up with knocks of 84 and 64.

The right-hander finished the series with 258 runs at an average of 86, and was at the centre of two record opening stands – 143 in the first ODI and 194 in the second – with left-hander Evin Lewis, who hit a hundred and a century to end with 181 runs at an average of 60.

In the third match, Darren Bravo’s 102 – his fourth ODI hundred but first in five years – spearheaded another successful run chase.

“These guys have been working really, really hard. There’s competition for places, and guys want to stick their necks out,” Pollard stressed.

“We have spoken about one guy batting through the order, batting (as) deep as possible, and it was nice to see that in each and every game we got a hundred…

“That means the guys are really focused on what they want to do and what they want to achieve, and it’s just for the [batsmen at the] back end to try and finish it off,” he explained.

While a l s o praising t h e effort from the West Indies white ball Captain Kieron bowlers, Pollard signalling with three fingers after the Pollard regional side won the CG Insurance One Day said International series 3-0 against Sri Lanka

2237230-1

(Ext 55)

NOW!

Pollard and Windies Head Coach Phil Simmons celebrating the moment whenever they had stumbled, the batting had picked up the slack.

“It’s been a total team effort from us. The guys bowled well,” he noted. “I thought we weren’t executing our yorkers and our deliveries at the back end of the innings [in the final game], and it cost us about 25-30 runs; so that wasn’t good for us going into the half.

“But the guys came, and we really played as a team; when the bowlers (faltered) the batters (took) up the mantle.”

The series was the first one at home for West Indies in over a year, due to the disruption caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic, but is expected to kick off a heavy schedule with the likes of Pakistan, South Africa and Australia expected to arrive.

And Pollard has said it is important West Indies built on the Sri Lanka series’ result for the upcoming assignments.

“We have to use our home advantage. We are accustomed to playing in the Caribbean, and once we come and we prepare as a team and do what is necessary, the sky is the limit for us,” he contended.

“We’ve got to build on this. And I will encourage the guys to go back and work, so that when we come back, we don’t have to start over.” (Adapted from CMC)

223-7230-1 (Ext 55)

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

FIFA 2022 World Cup Qualifiers…

23

Fresh faces expected in today’s team announcement The National Team in a training session

Head Coach Marcio Maximo Story and photos by Jemima Holmes

T

he Guyana Senior Men’s Football Team is on the brink of yet another international stint, but this time much is at stake; especially if the team is hoping to make it to the FIFA football World Cup someday.

While the COVID-19 pandemic has put a major dent in the kind of preparation the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) would have liked to offer the National Team, the Guyana Golden Jaguars have, since January, been

readying themselves for the CONCACAF version of the FIFA 2022 World Cup Qualifiers.

On the occasion of their final practice session on Monday, Guyana Times Sport visited the GFF’s National Training Centre at Providence to get a glimpse of just how intense the preparation has been.

Following two months of preparation with the local component of the team, Head Coach Marcio Maximo is pretty confident about what the Golden Jaguars would be able to produce later this month.

“Confidence is always

high. Because, for me, the tournament reflects what you did in training before if you train well with our local players. Also, I see the big interest of international players to join us, the senior players; so, I think that is a good combination,” Maximo shared.

The highly anticipated team announcement is expected to be made today (March 17), and giving a hint of what to expect, Maximo divulged that not only would the team be balanced, but a new crop of local and international faces is to be expected.

Head Coach Maximo stressed the need for balance in the National Team by stating, “We maintain our balance because you understand the real development, you should include the local players. You don’t have real development if you bring international players without using our local players, especially the younger players.”

He went on to elaborate on the pertinence of having local players in the lineup for reasons of representation and development.

“Because they should feel they are part of the process, to maintain the level of the

Omari Glasgow may have what it takes to step into the Senior Team

team, of course. We don’t lose the competitive level, but you also encourage players in Guyana to play, to produce more players. It’s like a cycle, when you have more players that come from here, our chance to compete in higher, level will be great, it will be big,” Maximo explained.

On the topic of the team that would be travelling, Maximo let it slip that there might be a handful of newbies. He said, “We have a plan to prepare and train

well there. We have a good combination, they know each other, we have some changes. It is important to say we renew, not only local squad, even the international players, we renewed that group too. We reduce the age to maintain this dynamic of the team, and I hope we take a good result.”

From the team’s perspective, their preparation has been intense and rigorous. Both Goalkeeper Akel Clarke and forward Omari Glasgow are tipped for

National Team selection, and shared their thoughts on the preparation.

Clarke, who was part of the CONCACAF Gold Cup team in 2019, stated, “I’m real confident with the guys coming in, and joining with them. Every game I go in, it’s always with high confidence. So, I have a lot of trust in the training that the coach was doing with the younger players, and I think we have a good chance of going into our first game and coming out victorious.

“It’s been exciting.

(There’s) a lot of exposure (in) coming into this squad.

I’m glad for the opportunity, and I’m waiting to see what more Coach Maximo has to teach me,” teenage National Team hopeful Glasgow shared.

Members of the National Team and coaching staff on Tuesday paid a courtesy call on Sport Minister Charles Ramson Jr. It is assumed that the players who were given the privilege to meet with the Minister are among the local selectees for the National Team. Those players include Jeremy Garrett, Ryan Hackett, Nicholas McArthur, Trayon Bobb, Kelsey Benjamin, Omari Glasgow and Akel Clarke.

LGC Executives heading in the right direction, say Walker and Hackett – LGC surpassing monthly goals

By Timothy Jaikarran

T

he Lusignan Golf Club concluded the Oasis Cafe-Akamai Trading golf tournament over the weekend, and the Akamai Transformers emerged victorious therein with 27, as compared to their opponents Oasis Fine Wine with 20.

Sponsors of the event, William Walker (Oasis Cafe) and Bryan Hackett (Akamai Trading), two experienced and wise minds in the sport, both expressed their belief that golf is more than just a game, but a facilitator of bringing people together.

They also expressed hope that they can continue their rivalry come 2022, as Hackett leads 1-0.

Speaking with this

publication, the pair spoke of the way going forward, as they hope the sport can experience more growth in Guyana.

Hackett said, “Well, one of the things definitely worki n g

on last

So

e acti me of th

ay

Saturd

ing with the public very well.

“And the other part of it, of course, is it is supported by the Private Sector to come on board and develop the game, and move it from beyond the Lusignan Golf Club to schools and to other institutions, and make people a part of the whole process. So these things, I think, can develop the sport going forward.”

Walker, who noted that the game of golf is all about camaraderie, thinks it is good to play golf if one is looking to move forward.

“Well, I’m not…I wouldn’t say anything about that. I think things are going in the right direction (in terms of the steps being taken by) the club, and we’re very happy. Brian and I are very happy about the direction and the executive, what they’re doing, so that’s good. I’d also just like to say that even though we had the

Tom Watkins goes down the ground as he aims to score valuable poi nts for his team

well is that you have a good grounding. We have a good committee, that is managing well and is interfac-

competition today, this thing is really about camaraderie.

“This is my good friend. So, now that we finished playing, we’re going to have a few drinks, social distancing of course, and enjoy ourselves, because it’s about community, that’s what it’s always been about. Brian and I are very strong on that at the club, and I think that is a good way to grow the sport internally… Of course we want more people to come up from play, but in the meantime we’re going to enjoy ourselves,” Walker said.

For the year 2021, the game of golf at the Lusignan Gold Club has seen tremendous growth. Back-toback competitions have been hosted, and sponsors have been coming on board to support the club’s activities. This is in keeping with the club’s goal of hosting at least one major tournament per month -something that has been surpassed, as, in February 2021, the club hosted two tournaments and, thus far in March, the club has hosted three competitions.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021

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

FIFA 2022 World Cup Qualifiers…

Fresh faces expected in today’s team announcement Pg 23

Head Coach Marcio Maximo (centre) and other coaching staff having a pre-training chat with the local team (Jemima Holmes Photo)

Sanasie reports Skerritt to CWI Ethics Committee

From left: Bryan Hackett and William Walker

– presidency bid in limbo

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Pg 23

LGC Executives heading in the right direction, say Walker and Hackett

– LGC surpassing monthly goals

ricket West Indies Presidential Contender, Guyana’s Anand Sanasie, made a bombshell disclosure on the Mason and Guest radio programme this evening: that he has “activated” an internal process to report incumbent President Ricky Skerritt.

While Sanasie did not disclose full details, it is understood that he has lodged a formal written complaint with CWI Corporate Secretary Alanna Medford-Singh regarding Skerritt’s meeting with Guyana’s Minister of Sport, Charles Ramson Jr. Sanasie is contending that the full CWI board was not informed of the meeting, and the decisions flowing from the meeting are designed to create an unfair advantage for Skerritt’s bid to be reelected.

Skerritt reportedly met in a virtual meeting with the Guyana Sport Minister, along with a group of handpicked CWI directors, excluding Sanasie and his running mate Calvin Hope of Barbados.

Anand Sanasie

Should Sanasie’s complaint be upheld by the CWI Ethics Committee, it could see Skerritt being disqualified from his reelection bid.

CWI President Ricky Skerritt

Skerritt is reportedly attempting to avoid facing the CWI Ethics Committee, which is chaired by Caribbean Court of Justice Judge Winston Anderson.

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