Guyana Times - Wednesday, June 16, 2021

P14

PM urges workers to get vaccinated against COVID-19 Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 4680

THE BEACON OF TRUTH WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 2021

President Ali engages US Congressman on COVID-19 vaccines, climate change Page 3

Patterson removed as PAC Chair following passage of motion in National Assembly – refused to follow directive from Speaker, Clerk to allow motion Page 7

Enmore Martyrs' sacrifice 7 more die remains relevant today – PPP from COVID, Page 17

death toll now climbs to 437

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

Burnt aircraft discovered near Kwakwani P2 – another found with 400kg cocaine in Suriname

12-year-old orphan allegedly raped, given abortion pills after becoming pregnant P11 – Police on the hunt for 2 brothers

Johanna P15 Cecelia man disappears after leaving home for work

See story on page 13

...says ... says Party will continue to honour their legacy

Lack of quorum forces adjournment of GECOM meeting See story on page 9

– Tuesday’s meeting was set to debate motion to remove Lowenfield, Myers and Mingo

– 84 positive cases recorded in 24h

Mohamed’s company gets green light for quarry P14 operation

Decomposed P18 body of 97-year-old woman found in NWD

2 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Burnt aircraft discovered near Kwakwani – another found with 400kg cocaine in Suriname

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n investigation has been launched into the discovery of a burnt aircraft near Kwakwani, Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice) on Monday evening.

Based on reports received, authorities received reports that an aircraft was seen circling the Bissaruni Trail – 12 miles East of Kwakwani on Monday at about 20:15h, From reports received, the aircraft landed and was sub-

The burnt aircraft found on Monday

sequently set on fire.

In a release to the media, the Home Affairs Ministry stated that the Cessna 206 was found in the Bissaruni Trail but there were no illicit drugs or burnt bodies.

This, the Ministry stated, is a clear indication that the aircraft was set on fire to destroy any evidence.

As such, a team from the Joint Services and the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) were deployed to the area where an examination of the burnt aircraft is underway.

In addition, a search is on for the occupants. The Police are asking anyone with information regarding the discovery to contact the nearest police station.

Meanwhile, the Ministry further reported that another aircraft was seen flying over Southern Guyana on Monday. Attempts were made by CANU and the GPF to intercept, but the aircraft managed to land in Kaaimangrasie, Suriname.

Surinamese officials, according to reports, were alerted and managed to arrive on site, and subsequently seized more 400kilograms of cocaine.

Last month, Guyanese authorities intercepted an aircraft carrying 450 kilograms of cocaine at Orealla - 50 miles up the Berbice River.

It was reported that the green and white Beechcraft

The Bissaruni Trail near Kwakwani

Bonanza plane, with registration number PTSRR, crash-landed in the Amerindian community of Orealla after encountering difficulties.

The two Brazilian nationals - Salim Nobrega De Alimser, 60, and Andre Pereira, 30, who were onboard the cocaine-laden aircraft were arraigned for trafficking in narcotics and illegal entry.

Upon landing, the men reportedly told residents that they were travelling and visiting several areas to do sport fishing and other leisure activities, but had encountered difficulties with the weather.

They further claimed that the aircraft was almost out of fuel, and they had gotten lost after circling the area for some time.

However, the men were

subsequently accosted by Police ranks, who questioned them about their presence in the area. They then took the ranks to the aircraft, where a search conducted unearthed a quantity of cocaine.

With a street value of about US$30,000 per kilogram, the estimated cost of the drug is $2.9 billion.

From all indications and information received, the aircraft was heading to Suriname. However, in addition to the 450 bricks of cocaine which each weighed one kilogram, two Global Positioning Systems, one radio set, three smartphones, two identification cards and the registration documents of the aircraft were found at the crash site.

The Brazilian duo is expected to return to court on June 22, 2021.

NEWS

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS OPENINGS BRIDGE

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

Wednesday, June 16 – 09:00h – 10:30h and Thursday, June 17 – 10:00h – 11:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Wednesday, June 16 – 07:40h – 09:10h and Thursday, June 17 – 08:40h – 10:10h.

President Ali engages US Congressman on COVID-19 vaccines, climate change

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

WEATHER TODAY There will be light rain showers and thundery showers during the day and night. Temperatures should range between 22 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Easterly to East North-Easterly to South South-Easterly to Southerly between 1.78 metres and 3.12 metres.

High Tide: 08:24h and 21:05h reaching maximum heights of 2.41 metres and 2.3 metres.

Low Tide: 14:32h reaching a minimum height of 0.8 metre.

SATURDAY, JUNE 12, 2021

LOTTERY NUMBERS F

06 13 16 18 19 20

FREE TICKET

11 Bonus Ball

TUESDAY, JUNE 15, 2021

DAILY MILLIONS

05 13 19 23 24 LUCKY 3

8

5

6

3

Afternoon Draw

5

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Evening Draw

DRAW DE LINE

01 04 08 09 14 18 20 SUPER

PAY DAY

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FRIDAY, JUNE 11, 2021

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COMMODITIES Indicators

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Change %

Crude Oil

$73.99/barrel

+1.53

Rough Rice

$222.89 /ton

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USD Per Ounce

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$1870.00 -0.14%

President Irfaan Ali

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resident Dr Irfaan Ali has facilitated dialogue with Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the United States House of Representatives, Gregory Meeks, where critical initiatives were considered in keeping with the nation’s interest.

After the meeting, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo indicated via his Twitter handle that these discussions focused on a number of areas, including health, environment, energy and economic areas of mutual interest for both countries.

Through the House, Meeks also positioned, “I was pleased to meet with President Irfaan Ali to underscore the importance of issues such as climate change, COVID-19 vaccine distribution, and economic growth and energy initiatives that will benefit all Guyanese people.”

The Biden-Harris Administration has prioritised climate change both domestically and internationally and it is looking for partners across the globe. In March, US Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch said Guyana will make a good partner on this front.

She had explained that while there is not any programme in place presently between the US and Guyana, this is an area that the two countries will definitely collaborate on. She had mentioned that Guyana’s participation in a Ministerial Roundtable hosted by the US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, John Kerry saw support for efforts to tackle the climate emergency and also interest with partnering with the US on this global issue.

Among its pledges to the global climate fight, the Biden-Harris Administration has committed to doubling overall climate financing and tripling the amount of finance going towards adaptation in countries that need help in managing climate impacts.

Since taking office last August, President Ali has been in frequent engagement

with foreign counterparts – including key partner the United States of America. In fact, US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo touched down last September, where the President held “candid” discussions at State House on governance, citizen security, and leveraging Guyana’s wealth of natural resources for its future.

Pompeo had played a prominent role in pushing for democracy in Guyana during the tumultuous five months after the March 2 elections. In fact, back in July, he had announced visa restrictions against Guyanese officials responsible for undermining democracy here. Secretary Pompeo had reiterated the United States’ commitment to defend democracy, combat COVID-19 while revitalising economies in the pandemic’s wake, and strengthening security against regional threats.

The US has supported the development of Guyana’s energy sector through technical partnership on best practices for energy sector policy, regulation, and revenue management. In fact, the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Technical Assistance supports training and development within the Guyana Revenue Authority’s Large Taxpayer Division.

Moreover, US agencies, including the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and USAID, have administered a multimillion-dollar regional programme of education, prevention, and treatment for those infected and affected

by COVID-19, and are contributing to the country’s healthcare capacity.

Guyana has also benefited from assistance from the US in the area of security. Through the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI), Guyanese law enforcement officers received training in the areas of professionalisation, enhancing the rule of law, and countering trans-national crime.

Assistance has focused on enhanced training for crime scene investigators, forensic video analysis, trial advocacy, and the development of a curriculum for continuing education programmes for Magistrates; in addition to training prosecutors and Magistrates on implementing Maritime Security Law. This has led to an increase in criminal prosecutions and convictions, as well as an increase in the speed of adjudications.

Moreover, the Department of State has helped to train Guyana’s Port Control Unit to deter the trafficking of cocaine and other illicit goods through

US Congressman Gregory Meeks

Guyana. The United States Coast Guard provides training and mentoring to the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) in order to improve port security. Additionally, the US military provides training for Guyana Defence Force personnel every year, which includes a current student at the US Coast Guard Academy.

In a bilateral Fact Sheet published by the Department of State, it was noted that the US-Guyana diplomatic relationship is more than 50 years old, and the cultural ties between the two countries is exemplified by the thousands of Guyanese in the diaspora.

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guyanatimesgy.com

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 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

Assassins of hope

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une 13, 1980 was the tragic day when young and dynamic political activist and late co-Founder-Leader of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA), world-renowned historian, human rights advocate, Pan Africanist and political analyst Dr Walter Rodney was assassinated in Georgetown. Rodney was a major critic of the People’s National Congress (PNC), and had been having lengthy discussions with then Opposition Leader Dr Cheddi Jagan – Founder-Leader of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP).

Dr Jagan welcomed the militancy of the young Walter Rodney in Guyana’s socio-political landscape and recognised in him a kindred spirit with whom he hoped to forge new bonds to gradually regenerate the unity of the working class people of Guyana. The then prevailing socio-political dynamic had sent this country plummeting to the depths of oppression, depression, and socio-economic destruction so pervasive and invasive that it seemed Guyana was a land doomed and scorned forever as a failed state, graphed on international indices as second only to Haiti as the poorest nation in the world.

Guyana, once deemed “The breadbasket of the Caribbean”, was itself starving – of food, but also of every democratic norm that constituted real freedom. The status seemed an irredeemable one, as the freedom-fighters of the land had few friends and lacked requisite support to stem the seemingly irreversible tidal wave of despotic and dictatorial leadership that was crushing the Guyanese people in tentacles of want, hunger, and oppression so severe that people were afraid to express their thoughts or opinions if it could be remotely translated into criticism of the reign of terror, deprivation and destruction to which they were subjected. Then it was that a new and vibrant voice emerged in the local socio-political demographics to re-energise the nation and provide support to the unceasing efforts of Dr. Jagan and his political party. The powers-that-were recognised the danger posed to their despotic rule by renewed and combined efforts of a national iconic hero like Dr Cheddi Jagan and a young and dynamic Pan-Africanist like Dr Walter Rodney, both of whom espoused the same overarching ideals and goals of a united Guyanese nation striving toward a future of peace, progress and prosperity; but most of all a goal of a country steeped in democratic norms that guaranteed equity and real liberation from oppression in a land that was free from fear, that espoused democratic norms.

The emerging unity of the working class, who were forging bonds of cooperative and collaborative struggle against the dictatorial rule of Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham, under the combined leadership of Drs Cheddi Jagan and Walter Rodney, through their respective political parties was such a frightening threat to the entrenched PNC that the reign of terror intensified; with intimidatory tactics even taking the frightening course of ad hoc and erratic imprisonment, torture and murder of the dissenting voices belonging to both opposing parties: The leadership of the oppressive forces rallied the joint services and the House of Israel, as well as individual supporters in violent, even murderous rampages against citizens who were brave enough to publicly support these two parties; and merely standing peacefully to listen to speakers at public meetings, or engage in the most mundane activities during these meetings posed a very real danger to life and limb, as was proven by the murder of peaceful Catholic Standard photographer Father Bernard Darke, who was openly run down and disdainfully bayoneted to death in full public view by House of Israel member Bilal Ato during a WPA event.

But a horrific bomb blast one fateful June evening in 1980 stopped the momentum of struggle cold in its tracks. The strongly vibrating voice of Walter Rodney, rallying the Guyanese nation to a joint cause of solidarity and unity of purpose of ejecting the dictatorial and oppressive regime that was illegally ensconced in the Government of Guyana had been effectively silenced.

In September of 2012, in response to requests from various fronts, especially the family of Walter Rodney, then President Donald Ramotar announced that preparations had begun for the international Commission of Inquiry (CoI) on the death of Walter Rodney.

In June of 2013, the PPP/C administration formally announced that an international inquiry would be launched into Dr Rodney’s death with the aim of bringing closure to the issue.

However, the Granger Administration had truncated the work of the RCOI, presumably because evidences presented had all been proving the culpability of the PNC in the assassination of Guyana’s voice of hope – Dr Walter Rodney. Today, again it took the PPP/C Government to rightly restore Dr Rodney’s legacy.

People come to see the rare blooming of the endangered Sumatran Titan arum, or the corpse flower, that is in full bloom for just a few hours, at the Warsaw University Botanical Gardens, in Warsaw, Poland, June 13, 2021 (AP/Monika Scislowska photo)

Parliament’s saga of gymnastic trauma and theatric drama

Dear Editor, The 29th sitting of the 12th Parliament took place on the 14th June 2021. It commenced at 2pm and ending until 5:22am on June 15th. It was intriguing to watch and listen to the sarcastic cajoling, the theatric gesticulation, the amusing answers, the heated argument, the absurd rhetoric, the language gerrymandering, the lawless interruptions, the absence of cordial felicitation, the repetitive rehashing, the idle boredom, the noisy heckling, the brash challenges, the name calling, the teasing temptation, the luring loudness, the incessant rapping, the strayed beguiling, the nasty remarks affronting the chair, the insulting provocation, the angry looks, the diplomatic reaction, the offended retort, the unexpected reply, the fitting response, the inappropriate comments, the distressed displeasure, the tiring ramifications, the uncomfortable twitching and swishing, and the uneasy ambience.

This provocation provides a lighter moment to evade the deadly, dangerous and damaging vulnerabilities of the feared flood and the nagging COVID-19 repercussions. It wasn’t paid entertainment, but forced humour.

The lady and lordly environment affirmed a consternation of awe and disgust in an unsettling subtleness, and the required gentle behaviour of many of the disciplined leaders formed a core of lacking in decorum. Of course, downgraded from the inception of flared and uncouth newcomers since the 12th Parliament began to sit with the PPP/C

Party as the new Government in power and the APNU/AFC as the new Opposition, the reality show nevertheless found favourable moments of average decency, and the respect of the chair was primarily conducive of learned individuals for the better part of the sessions. There was the exception of a pensive moment by the Opposition APNU/ AFC Member of Parliament Mr. Patterson, when he foxily tried to address the honorable speaker of the house with the provocative description of “blight,” under his breath.

His craftiness was quickly observed by the Chair, and Patterson was asked by Mr. Mansoor Nadir to retract the word, and Mr. Patterson denied using that type of language to describe the Chair.

He did allude that there may be other “B” words to ascribe in his vocabulary to use at his disposal. A $21.3 billion supplementary budget was approved, most of which will go towards the flood relief programme, the purchase of more vaccines to fight the COVID-19, and the balance for other economic and social activities and projects.

Also, the APNU/AFC Party woke up to a hangover from having a motion passed, ousting Mr. David Patterson as Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

During the discourse saturated with heated debates, boisterous arguments, vociferous screaming, volcanic ire and explosive anger, there were many consternated exchanges between both sides of the house, many times causing the intervention of the

Speaker and him having to ask many of the Opposition Members of Parliament to withdraw certain innuendoes.

As expected, there were many variables of gymnastic trauma and theatric drama, included in the night’s saga.

Here are a few excerpts from the evening, punctuated with a bellyful of laughter because of the staged satire.

It was amusing to listen to the Opposition saying, “Mismanagement will not be tolerated in this house.”

Sadly, the APNU/AFC Party is confused with who created bankruptcies and overdrafts, and who provided surpluses.

Imagine the Opposition having the gall to talk about needing transparency.

APNU/AFC Party must be reminded about all the exposed corruptions as revealed by the Auditor General during their tenure of stewardship.

The Opposition is accusing the Government of “breaching the Constitution.” Well, well, well, we can list endless pages of justice delayed is justice denied by the APNU/AFC Party. Should we mention for a start the staggering NCM issue, or the GECOM Chair Patterson’s appointment, or the refusal to demit office after losing the election?

Soul searching and sole sourcing came into the attack as perpetrated by the PPP/C. APNU/AFC wants to forget about all the flagrant illegitimate contracts, in particular the birth certificate purchase from one of their own members. APNU/ AFC MPs are really funny characters.

Imagine them accusing the Government of buying junk

instead of genuine stuff. Some of the boats they had purchased were misfits and their planes never saw their wings in the air. It was comical to listen to the Opposition army man talking about training to pilot the boats. He should have included the training required to ride a bicycle, which any schoolboy can do without having to go the USA. On top of that, 12 of them?

So hypocritical, the Opposition talking about the need to include items in the Budget before expending disbursements. The CCJ had cautioned Granger that he was in a “caretaker mode” only. But we all know what happened afterwards, don’t we? What a laugh, the Opposition alluding to a shortage of staff currently at the GWI after they had unnecessarily doubled the staff on being installed after 2015.

It was surely a horrible night at the movie, perpetrating the horror of despicable, destructive, desperate, denigrated and damaging meanness by APNU/ AFC bullish attitudes, tantamount to their legacy of blackguard behaviour and a mantra for dishonesty, lies, deceits and tongue-twisting.

At the end of the day (night or morning), the APNU/AFC Party is predicting that they will win the next election and then the PPP/C Party will have to face their wrath when they take the seat as the Opposition! Someone needs to needle that balloon early to spill their baloney. Is it a “day dream” or a “night-mare?”

Respectfully, Jai Lall

guyanatimesgy.com

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 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

Hamilton Green has built up a reputation that follows him Dear Editor, Since Mr Hamilton Green, in his initial letter to “Kaieteur News”, exhorted us to learn lessons from a massacre of AfricanAmericans, I kept my reply to him contained to a racial massacre here at home.

To clarify a point of fact: the “Sun Chapman” explosion was fully investigated by the then colonial Police, and there was no conclusive evidence as to its cause. Mr Green and the PNC continue to try and lay the blame at the PPP’s feet, when there is no evidence to support their propaganda.

Their continued effort to try and justify the horrors of

the Wismar Massacre with the “Sun Chapman” explosion by way of tit-for-tat reasoning does raise questions as to how much collateral damage cold-blooded politicians would undertake in order to gain a political advantage.

Mr Green and the PNC have mostly never shied away from showing themselves as the proud perpetrators of the various methods of home-grown terrorism to which they continue to subscribe in their continued attempts to leverage political power at any cost.

Now that he has waded in with a diatribe (letters, June 15, 2021) that takes

in other atrocities in an attempt to still whitewash the horrific human rights record of his political party, we can remind him of: the race riots of the 1960s; the political assassination of Father Darke and Dr Walter Rodney; the riot of 1992 to try to overturn a legitimate election after nearly 30 years of PNC dictatorship; Hoyte’s “slow fyah, mo fyah” campaign; the Buxton-centred terrorism to try and overturn a legitimate PPP Government; and the PNC’s anti-democratic antics of election riggery, and their targeted attacks on Indian-Guyanese just last year.

Since the PNC continue

to exhibit such behaviour, it is safe to conclude that neither Mr Green nor his political colleagues have learned any lessons from all the atrocities perpetrated here in over 60 years.

Why then does Mr Green think he should get away with taking us all the way to a massacre in the United States, and to sermonise to us from a moralistic high ground as if he were the victim?

It is not surprising that he feels the need for prayer, but too much is known about his role in Guyana’s history of violence that stands in his way of achieving redemption, at least not

without a public apology for the role he has played in his party’s terrorism, and a public request for forgiveness.

And whoever was doing whatever violations in the past, it is only Mr Green who has taken it on himself to ask us to learn lessons from a US massacre, while ignoring all the homegrown terroristic atrocities committed here, and of which he admits he is fully aware.

Since he is armed with so much information and appears willing to talk, he should now furnish us with full details of the death of Ms Shirley Field Ridley and Vincent Teekah, and

the attempted murder of UG lecturer Dr Joshua Ramsammy.

His attempt to cover himself in the glory of God is reprehensible, and serving up religious quotes only sullies the great religions and the moral decency for which they stand.

Since we are fellow Guyanese, it pains me to say to Mr Green that I have been warned, by several people who are very afraid for my safety, of the danger of writing to criticise him.

He has built up a reputation that follows him about.

Sincerely, Ryhaan Shah

APNU/AFC, a group of ‘unbelievers’ Now it’s time for relief and to rebuild Dear Editor, The Opposition, A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC), form a group of unbelievers. It is indeed most repugnant to hear and read that the Leader of the said Opposition, Hon. Joseph Harmon, said, “It has been revealed that mere weeks after Budget 2021 was approved, the PPP secretly swiped almost $2 billion from the Contingency Fund.” He adds, “These monies have already been expended without any oversight or accountability by the National Assembly (and) which the PPP is now seeking approval for after the fact.”

First, let me quickly recap a piece of recent bona fide history for the public.

In December 2020, APNU/ AFC’s withdrawals from Guyana’s Contingencies Fund for 2019 amounted to $4.150 billion. However, according to the Auditor General (AG), these funds did not meet the criteria set out in Section 41(3) of the Fiscal Management and Accountability (FMA) Act. The AG’s carefully audited report explained “… that Section 220(1) of the Constitution explicitly states that ‘Parliament may make provision for the establishment of a Contingencies Fund and for authorising the Minister responsible for finance to make advances from that Fund if he is satisfied that there is an urgent need for expenditure for which no other provision exists’.” I ask, who was the man in charge then? It was APNU/AFC’s Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan.

So, by virtue of moral rectitude alone, Joseph Harmon should be mute on this matter. The APNU/AFC amount was staggering, and the illegality of it was most obvious.

The Auditor General further detailed that “…for the period under review, all the advances granted from the Contingencies Fund were to meet routine (not emergency) expenditure, and did not meet the criteria defined in Section 41(3) of the FMA

Act.” So, Harmon is now deliberately forgetting this.

Let me now remind him and his cronies that what is currently ongoing in Guyana is almost unprecedented.

Just last week, President Irfaan Ali had to officially “Declare a disaster in Guyana” because of the ongoing flooding. Details have revealed that “… as of June 7, 2021, a total of 28,228 households were affected by flooding, some with water entering their homes, domestic animals and livestock in distress, or farmlands inundated.”

The magnitude of this catastrophe is such that Guyana is now in overdrive mode as it seeks to combat the rising crisis. The word is that the country is one step closer to securing assistance from the European Union (EU) to boost its flood-relief efforts.

Director-General of the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), Lieutenant Colonel Kester Craig, has said two applications have already been completed for assistance under the EU’s Civil Protection Mechanism (CPM).

We need to take note that the EU Chargé d’Affaires, Ms. Evelina Melbarzde, became very proactive, actually inviting the CDC to seek assistance.

“One application is to provide real-time flooding mapping and GIS support that would be able to give us a better understanding of the impact across the country. The second is to provide priority support.”

If what I aforesaid is not enough to hush Harmon, I now point to his verbal attack. This is plain childish and lacks substantiation.

He says that the PPP/C, in utilising funds and seeking for more, proves that there is a vulgar mismanagement of “…the economy at an unprecedented level, and is symptomatic of extraordinarily poor economic planning, incompetence, and the sort of ‘adhocracy’ which is characteristic of the PPP under Bharrat Jagdeo and, latterly, his eager collaborator

Dr. Ashni Singh.”

So, he cannot prove squandering, as he uses the term; and secondly, he cannot show illegality, as the right procedures are being followed by the Government.

This is so normal in these attacks from APNU/AFC as a whole. There was the call for ‘proof of discrimination’ during the COVID $25,000 Cash Grant exercise, yet none came. This is not dissimilar to the hiding of Statements of Poll (SoPs) for Region Four.

Here are some statistics to upend the verbose garbage constituting Harmon’s unmerited harangue. In 2014, the last full year of the PPP/C in office, Guyana’s total international reserves were US$668 million. By March of last year, that amount fell to US$518.5 million.

At the end of 2014, gold reserves in the Bank of Guyana totalled $25 billion.

In June 2018, this amount was reduced to $3.1 billion, and by mid-2019, this further dwindled to a disturbingly low $589 million.

In 2014, the last year that the PPP produced a budget, the total tax taken by the GRA was $135 billion. During the Granger Administration, over 200 new tax measures were placed on the backs of ordinary Guyanese, raking in $223 billion in taxes, which is $88 billion more in tax revenue on an annual basis. Yet, no national good became of it.

At the end of 2014, the total assets held at commercial banks were $421.8 billion. Commercial banks were therefore in a position to provide substantial credit to the Private Sector.

Interest rates in 1992 were 35%. By the end of 2014, interest rates had been reduced to 10.8%.

I hope the issue is settled, and that the Government simply goes ahead and does its mandated work. ‘So far so good’ is the pronouncement.

Yours truly, Name provided

Dear Editor, I am glad that Parliament passed the $10B supplementary spending bill, and once the President affixes his signature, its law. Then it’s expected that the Government would do much more for the poor people in this country, like myself.

Firstly, the Government would have to focus its priority on the residents in flood-hit communities, who are affected gravely by the natural disaster we have all witnessed over the past weeks. I want to urge the Government to waste no time in getting the communities the relief supplies and

necessary assistance to get them back on their feet.

Secondly, I am concerned about this coronavirus and the vaccine hesitancy. As a poor and ordinary Guyanese, I want to encourage the Government to push for more people to get vaccinated. I don’t care about the cost. We are saving people and protecting their lives.

Also, cost could be looked at by another committee that is charged with looking at the financial arrangements in place to make sure we are not getting short-changed and the purchase is affordable. I say continue with the Government-led vaccination

project, and do it on a larger scale. Every life lost must be a reminder of the need to be effective, efficient, and compassionate in the approach.

Thirdly, this money, I hope, would work towards getting Guyana back on its two feet. We need to be resilient and strong to cope with the changing world, regional, and national agenda around us.

Now it’s time for us to pick up the pieces and start a process that would rebuild and reform our economy.

Regards, Attiya Baksh

Walter Rodney speaks

Dear Editor, Walter Rodney and the motivational factors guiding his passionate denunciation and courageous struggles against an oppressive and dictatorial regime are being introduced herein through one of his speeches. The Guyana Chronicle, which Rodney describes under Burnham’s rule was replicated under Granger’s tenure. Excerpts are as follows: “The Chronicle of lies.

In one sense, we can dismiss this as nonsensical.

In another sense, however, it is a reminder to all of us how much contempt the Government of this country has heaped upon the people of this country.

“You have to be absolutely contemptuous of the people whom you are addressing to tell them such foolishness and expect them to believe. It is a total insult to anyone’s intelligence to be given such an interpretation, when most Guyanese today and certainly those of us who live in Georgetown have by now gotten a clear picture of what happened on that day. But the ruling class is continually trying to tell us that whatever they say is the truth — no matter what you see, no matter what you experience. Even if you saw it with your own eyes and they print the opposite in the Chronicle,

you are supposed to say to yourself, “I must have been dreaming when I thought I saw it that way.” (Laughter) They continually insult our intelligence and our capacity to make independent decisions.

The Chronicle, of course as you realise, have sunk to a new low. Part of their recent propaganda has to do with the Bauxite strike, and it is not the first time that they have concocted propaganda about the bauxite strike. I believe that they work on the assumption that because Linden is separated from Georgetown, or Kwakwani is separated from Georgetown, they can tell us here in Georgetown and tell the people in Corentyne and Essequibo anything about Linden, and people will believe. But they publish so many contradictions in their own newspapers that even the most uninformed reader must come to the conclusion that they are reading a tissue of lies.

“A few days ago, the Editorial comment on page one of the Chronicle proved itself a most remarkable document. I read it four or five times and still find it difficult to understand. In an editorial which dealt with the question of truth — they said they were searching for truth — they themselves wanted to know where to

find it. One day we hear the strike is crumbling and the next day we hear the strike is firm. One day we hear how everybody turned out to work. Next day we understand it is only one man.

(Laughter). And then they ask the question in the end, “Where is the truth amidst all of these confusing statements?

“The thing about that editorial is that the contradictory statements to which they refer are all published in their own newspaper.

They were not taking these statements elsewhere — they were using the information from the Chronicle to write an editorial saying that “We ain’t know wha is truth, because every day we does print a different story.” (Laughter). And yet, spectators continue to buy it, and to read it, while the PNC expect us to believe anything that they present to us. It is ultimately, as I said, apart from comedy, an insult to the Guyanese people, and we have to say that we will put an end to those in power who have such a low estimation of our abilities. (Applause). Not only are they insulting us, but in the real sense, it seems as if they have taken leave of all sanity.”

Yours very truly, Erin Northe

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Page

Foundation ◄

Question 1

Tuesday’s answers

By Percy Bysshe Shelley

Listen for the quietest sound in nature and describe what you find.

And like a dying lady, lean and pale, Who totters forth, wrapp’d in a gauzy veil, Out of her chamber, led by the insane And feeble wanderings of her fading brain, The moon arose up in the murky East, A white and shapeless mass.

WORD SEARCH

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Patterson removed as PAC Chair following passage of motion in National Assembly – refused to follow directive from Speaker, Clerk to allow motion

Parliamentary Affairs & Governance Minister Gail Teixeira

A

fter a marathon session that lasted until the wee hours of Tuesday, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government was able to pass a motion ousting A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Member of Parliament David Patterson from the Chairmanship of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

Before the motion was passed by a 34 to 31 majority in the National Assembly, the Government had to weather a lengthy debate and the calling of a division of votes.

Despite the main Opposition APNU/AFC’s minority in the National Assembly, they went down fighting for Patterson. But with Opposition MP and Deputy Speaker Lennox Shuman siding with the Government, the motion was passed shortly after 05:30h.

Minister of Governance and Parliamentary Affairs

Gail Teixeira, who sponsored the motion, referenced events leading up to it, including the Opposition’s failure to act after the interventions of Speaker of the National Assembly Manzoor Nadir and Clerk of the National Assembly Sherlock Isaacs.

“It is clear from the minutes of the PAC, that there has never been an intention in the motion that the Opposition would not Chair the PAC. What is the contention is the person holding the Chair, unless the APNU/AFC is saying to us that the only person fit and proper on their side to be the Chair is Patterson?”

Teixeira made it clear that even if the Opposition A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) avoids taking up the vacant seat, they will elect a Chairman at every sitting if they have to.

“The honourable thing for the member to have done was to resign. He was given that option. And if the Opposition feels it doesn’t want to take up the position, then the Committee will function and it will elect a Chairman day by day, as required by the Standing Orders,” she said.

Meanwhile, APNU/ AFC MP and PAC member Ganesh Mahipaul defended why the PPP’s initial motion of no-confidence in Patterson was not accepted. According to Mahipaul, the motion in its then form did not present enough reason for Patterson’s removal and thus, was not put to the floor by the Chairman.

“How can the highest decision-making body move to accept a two-line motion that says we don’t have confidence

APNU/AFC MP Ganesh Mahipaul

in Mr Patterson and then decide to say that he should resign. And we should accept that?”

Mahipaul also attributed Patterson’s failure to call a PAC meeting after being written to by the Speaker, to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to him, Patterson did not mean disrespect for the Speaker or the Clerk.

“You (Speaker) did write… the honourable David Patterson didn’t fail to call a PAC meeting after you wrote. You would recall, Sir, that it was you who said in a document that because of COVID-19 pandemic and because a number of staff members tested positive, we would have a suspension of meetings of standing committees until it returns to some level of normalcy. That is what caused that space from us reaching as a PAC so your letter could be formally tabled.”

However, Teixeira was having none of it. She pointed out that Patterson could have communicated this to

the Speaker by any means.

However, this was not done and moreover, the Clerk of the National Assembly himself came to the PAC meetings to inform Patterson that the motion was proper.

“You said there was no disrespect to the Speaker or Clerk. The Speaker wrote a letter on May 3. No acknowledgement. No information to the PAC by the Chair, by electronic means that (he) has received the letter and (he) will take action and comply.

Nothing. Silence.”

“And you tell me that you respect the Speaker? You said you don’t disrespect the Clerk. The Clerk came thrice to the Committee and advised you what to do, advised the Chairman that the motion was in order and he should put the motion. And the minutes describe what happened.”

Proper motion

MP Roysdale Forde, who has emerged as the Opposition’s point man on legal issues, argued that the motion should not be entertained because it is sub judice.

According to him, a motion to remove the Chairman of the PAC is also not provided for in the Standing Orders.

“The Standing Orders do not provide for the removal of the Chair of a Committee.

That is why we encountered the problems over the number of meetings that were referred to. They were asked to produce and point to the source of the motion. It could not be identified!”

However, Teixeira maintained that the Standing Orders do provide for Patterson’s remov-

APNU/AFC MP Roysdale Forde

al. According to the Minister, who also serves as the Government Chief Whip in Parliament, it is only logical that there is a provision for Patterson’s removal.

“No Chairperson is so entrenched and entitled to the position that he cannot be removed. Just like a Government can be removed, why not the Chairperson of a Committee? It’s logical, isn’t it? Or is it that the Chair has Patterson’s name on it?” she asked.

Patterson has been embroiled in controversy after he admitted to receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars in gift items from agencies and departments under the then Public Infrastructure Ministry, which he headed in the previous APNU/AFC Administration. He has also faced charges for his role in the sole sourcing of a contract for the design of the new Demerara River bridge. That contract went to Dutch company LievenseCSO. As such, there had been

Ousted: Former PAC Chairman David Patterson

widespread calls for the embattled Opposition MP to step down as Chair of the PAC – the parliamentary body that is responsible for scrutinising the Government’s spending via the audited reports from the Audit Office of Guyana.

However, the coalition Opposition has been adamant in having Patterson remain the PAC Chairman.

In fact, Teixeira, who is a member of the PAC, had tabled a motion of no-confidence against Patterson at a Committee meeting in February this year but his Opposition colleagues refused to take up his seat, arguing steadfastly for Patterson to be retained.

The Standing Orders stipulate that only the Opposition can Chair the PAC. However, when Patterson eventually recused himself to allow the motion, none of his Opposition colleagues took up the Chair.

Then at subsequent meetings, Patterson failed to put the issue on the agenda.

8 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

IN THE COURTS

Lusignan Prison escapee gets 18-month sentence

D

ays after prison escapee Andrew Chung was turned over to Police by his relatives, he was charged for escaping from lawful custody.

Chung, who had escaped from the Lusignan Prison, located on the East Coast of Demerara, was placed before the courts on Tuesday.

The escapee was charged with the offence of Escape from Lawful Custody Contrary to Section 339 (b) of the Criminal Law Offences Act, chapter 8:01.

He appeared before Magistrate Fabayo Azore, and pleaded guilty to the charge when it was read to him. As such, he was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment.

Chung was one of two prisoners who escaped from

Businessman slapped with attempted murder charge

T Andrew Chung

the Lusignan Prison on Tuesday last. He was on remand for break and enter and larceny.

The other prisoner – Shazam Kalil, also known as “Boi”, a murder convict who was serving a life sentence, remains at large.

Still on the run: Shazam Kalil, also known as “Boi”

The Joint Services have still not yet revealed how the inmates made their escape, but they did confirm that the men were discovered missing around 07:30h on Tuesday last during a roll call.

wenty-six-year-old Fazal Rahamat, a businessman of Better Hope, East Coast Demerara (ECD), was on Tuesday released on $150,000 bail on an attempted murder charge.

The accused made his appearance before Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Cove and John Magistrate’s Court, and was not required to plead to the charge.

The Police stated that the accused, who was arrested on June 1, 2021, was charged with the offence of Attempt to Commit Murder committed on July 12, 2020 at Lusignan, ECD. The matter was adjourned to July 22, 2021 for statements.

Cutting…

T

…the PAC Gordian Knot he “Gordian Knot” was this complex, ancient knotted rope that tied a cart to a pole (don’t bother why!). And it was said that whoever could unravel it and free the cart would become king of all Asia. Many tried through the ages, but failed. Enter the young, notyet-great Alexander, who wanted to conquer the world.

He took one look, then simply took out his sword and cut the knot in two!! Cart freed, problem solved!!

Since then, “cutting the Gordian Knot” has become a metaphor for solving intractable problems by not getting caught up with all the bells and whistles and extraneous details of problems, but finding a novel way to get to the heart of the matter and make the “knot” moot!! Well, ever since the PPP took office on Aug 2, 2020 - after Granger finally realised his rigging attempt had fizzled the PNC had presented what they thought was a Gordian Knot to the PPP in the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

In our Democratic System of parliamentary governance, we’d inherited from the British a triedand-true method of the Opposition keeping their eyes on the incumbent Government’s spending. We had the PAC - always headed by a member of the Opposition scrutinising the accounts of money spent. Sounds fair, doesn’t it? You can’t have a member of your own party watching over spending, can you? That’ll be tantamount to having the cat guarding the creamy milk!

But lo and behold, the PNC members of the PAC in 2020 nominated and elected no other than David “Bangles” Patterson to head the financial watchdog committee!!

The same Patterson - erstwhile AFC Executive who’d become more PNC than David Granger after 2015 - who’d earned his moniker after he insisted he saw nothing wrong in soliciting and accepting an $800,000 bracelet from one of the agencies under his Ministry!! Now, was this anything else than “eyepass” to the PPP? Maybe even “raaspass”!

Maybe the PNC was operating on the principle that “it takes a thief to catch a thief”? But heck…the PAC would have to review the spending of the PNC’s last year or so of being in office; the very time frame that Patterson was shaking down his staff for bling!! Can’t have that, can we? So the PPP simply said, “C’mon Patto, resign and have another Opposition member head the committee, and we could go on with business!” “Absolutely NOT!” screamed Patterson, who refused to call for a vote. And the Gordian Knot was created.

Well, the PPP simply convened the full house and, using its majority, as allowed by the law, removed Patterson at 5am on Tuesday morning!

Gordian Knot cut!! New Chair from Opposition?

…to the (money) chase Well, well, well…now that the PPP’s in office, they’re finally getting to count the PNC chickens that were brought to roost to fatten their (PNC) nest eggs. One of them being the $30 billion (US$150 million) bond that the SPU/NICIL floated - and the Government backstopped/ guaranteed - “for GuySuCo’s rehabilitation”. Now, this is almost as much as was borrowed for the Skeldon Modernisation Project they love criticising the PPP for!

But whether a white elephant or not, at least the PPP delivered an elephant that all can see for the money they borrowed. The question is what happened to the $30 billion?

The money was raised by a banking consortium back in 2018 at an interest rate of 4.75% per annum. Meaning that every year the Govt would have to pay $1.425 billion in interest alone!! And in 2023 the full principal of $30 billion becomes due!!

The Government just announced they’ll have to shell out another $608 million for this half-year.

Where did the money go??

…to Ramjattan’s legacy Harmon had pre-empted Public Security Minister Ramjattan to announce the Police would get more “horses, dogs and CCTV” to fight crime. Ramjattan didn’t take that slight sitting down.

He sent 30 Police to LA to learn to ride bicycles!

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

NEWS

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Lack of quorum forces adjournment of GECOM meeting

– Tuesday’s meeting was set to debate motion to remove Lowenfield, Myers and Mingo

T

he debate on the motions tabled by People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) appointed Commissioners to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) had to be postponed on Tuesday, due to a lack of quorum.

The motions were filed to have Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield, his Deputy Roxanne Myers, and Returning Officer for Guyana’s largest voting district – Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) – Clairmont Mingo fired.

GECOM Chair, Retired Justice Claudette Singh had written the three parties, asking them to provide, in writing, responses to the motion indicating why they should not be dismissed from their substantive posts. They had until June 15, 2021, to show why they should not be dismissed.

However, the meeting scheduled for Tuesday had to be cancelled after the PPP/C Commissioners showed up but no sign of the APNU/AFC-appointed Commissioners.

The motion was tabled

by Commissioners Sase Gunraj, Bibi Shadick and Manoj Narayan – all lawyers – to GECOM Chair, Retired Justice Claudette Singh when they met on June 1. Lowenfield, Myers and Mingo are all before the courts for a number of electoral charges for their attempts to sway the results of the March 2020 General and Regional Elections in favour of the then ruling A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government. The motion to dismiss Lowenfield from his substantive post as CEO was tabled by Gunraj and Shadick and listed 20 grounds on which he should be dismissed.

The Commissioners said that Lowenfield breached his functions, duties, responsibilities and obligations when he neglected to ensure due adherence and compliance with the statutory process outlined in Section 84 of the Representation of the People Act (RoPA), Chapter 1:03 by Mingo, who was under his direct supervision.

Mingo, according to the Commissioners, failed to

follow the stipulated process of adding up the Statements of Poll (SoPs) for his District and Lowenfield aided in his noncompliance. Lowenfield is accused of also breaching his functions when he neglected to provide proper and lawful directions, instructions and guidance to the officers and employees of the Secretariat in the performance of their statutory duties during the process of the adding up of the votes recorded in the SoPs for Electoral District Four.

The motion explained that the CEO, in spite of protests from contesting parties other than the APNU/AFC, deliberately chose to neglect the complaints of discrepancies in relation to Mingo’s numbers. He failed to adhere to a court order, issued by acting Chief Justice Roxane George, to prevent him from declaring the results of the election until Section 84 of RoPA has been complied with. Rather, Lowenfield prepared a final report pursuant to Section 99 of RoPA containing all of the unverified votes as declared by Mingo, ultimately declaring the APNU/AFC as the winners of the elections. He also sought to have the GECOM Chair convene a meeting to approve his fraudulent numbers.

Again, in breach of the orders of CJ George, in the case of Holladar v Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo; the Chief Elections Officer; and Guyana Elections Commission (2020-HCDEM-CIV-FDA-360), Lowenfield failed to have Mingo comply with the statutory process and this resulted in contempt proceedings against both of them. Throughout the process of adding up the votes for each list from the SoPs, the CEO either condoned or encouraged the numerous breaches and violations of Section 84 of RoPA committed by Mingo, and other election officers and staff of the Secretariat or he abdicated and abandoned his functions and duties to take the necessary steps to remedy such breaches and violations.

The motion said that on June 13, in breach of Paragraph 12 of Order 60 of 2020 (the recount order),

Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield

Deputy Chief Elections Officer Roxanne Myers

District Four Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo

the CEO submitted a report in which he disregarded the votes cast for each of the list of candidates as established by the recount process and instead produced revised totals of votes cast after he had deducted thousands of votes in favour of the PPP/C list of candidates on grounds of alleged “irregularities and anomalies”.

TURN TO PAGE 11

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

NEWS

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 2021| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

12-year-old orphan allegedly raped, given abortion pills after becoming pregnant – Police on the hunt for 2 brothers

R

anks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) are on the hunt for two brothers – one who allegedly raped a 12-year-old girl and the other for allegedly giving her pills to abort the child after she became pregnant.

Based on reports received, on April 10, 2021, the girl

who lost both her parents left home at around 13:45h to attend bible classes at a church in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam). The church is reportedly a 15-minute walk from her home.

However, reports stated that as she was on her way to the church, she was ap-

Fire destroys Church’s Chicken at Rosignol

T

he quick response by the fire department attached to Guyana Sugar Corporation’s Blairmont Estate prevented the Church’s Chicken outlet at Rosignol, West Bank Berbice, Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) from suffering total devastation.

Smoke was seen emanating from the extractor about 17:30h on Tuesday. According to an eyewitness, staff ran out of the building as thick black smoke billowed from the extractor.

Soon after, there was a small fire just beyond the counter.

A staffer who works at the fast food outlet related that the fire was caused by a stove, but provided no further de-

tails. He added that the staff was safe.

Reports are that a unit from the Blairmont Estate arrived about 25 minutes after the initial alarm was raised and quickly got into action, taking water from the Berbice River to douse the fire.

Fifteen minutes later, a tender from the Guyana Fire Service arrived on the scene to assist in putting out the blaze.

During the operation, one of the firefighters was injured and had to be taken to be medically examined.

Meanwhile, the supervisor of the outlet informed customers that the facility would not be opened today, since there was a lot of water damage.

Lack of quorum...

It reminded that on the June 22, 2020, the Court of Appeal made its orders in the case of Eslyn David v Chief Elections Officer, Civil Appeal No 41 of 2020, including an order that there be a stay of its judgement for a period of three (3) days and in breach and violation of the said order for stay of execution the CEO on June 23, 2020, submitted a second recount report to the Elections Commission. This act was the third instance where the CEO openly acted in defiance of orders made by the Court.

The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) in the case of Mohamed Irfaan Ali v Eslyn David and others found that in the June 23, 2020 report, the CEO “took it upon himself to invalidate such votes as he considered ought to be invalidated. This second report purported to invalidate well over 100,000 votes that had been previously counted and verified as valid votes within the meaning of the RoPA”.

“It is important to note that in this second report submitted after the recount process, the CEO again purported to declare the results showing that APNU/AFC won the General and Regional Elections. The CCJ in the Eslyn David case ruled that

FROM PAGE 9

the report of the CEO dated 23rd June, 2020, is invalid and of no effect,” Gunraj and Shadick stated in their motion.

In the case of Myers, the motion was submitted in the names of Shadick and Narayan. They argued that she aided Lowenfield in the Commission of all his infractions and even went out of her way to facilitate a meeting in a GECOM facility by then Foreign Affairs Minister Karen Cummings where she threatened to revoke the accreditation of international observers.

Myers’ order to have the Guyana Police Force remove Commissioner Gunraj and political party representatives from the GECOM Command Centre during the tabulation of the SoPs is also listed as one of the reasons she should be dismissed from her substantive post as DCEO. The grounds for Mingo’s dismissal surround his tabulation of the SoPs in which he clearly manufactured numbers to reflect a win by the APNU/AFC. It also concerns his conduct and defiance of the court orders mandating that he follow the outlined statutory process to acquire his final tally of the SoPs.

proached by one of the brothers who reportedly took her to a nearby busy track, where he made advances to have sex with her. He even threatened to assault her if she did not comply.

Fearful for her life, she reportedly gave in. After the man committed the act, he began praising himself by saying, “all them lil ones got to pass through me”. The man left and despite being raped, the girl made her way to bible classes.

After weeks of being traumatised by the incident, the child finally confided in an older sister. The child told her sister that she was pregnant, and she did not have the courage to tell her guardians.

The older sibling, however, reported the matter to the child’s guardians and upon questioning, she told them what transpired.

The child reportedly told

her guardians that on April 21, 2021, the alleged rapist’s brother approached her and gave her a pregnancy test with instructions on how to use it.

After taking the test, the girl said she handed it back to him, since she did not understand how to read the results.

The alleged rapist’s brother then gave the girl two tablets to drink to terminate the pregnancy. The girl said she took the pills and later that night, she began to bleed.

In a social media post, the child’s relative related that after listening to the child’s complaint, he visited the home of the perpetrators on May 3, 2021, and the child related what transpired to their mother.

In response to the child’s complaint, it is alleged that the man’s mother said, “if y’all have to go to the Police I can’t stop y’all… my sons are in the interior and I have no contact

with them, when I get contact with them, I will tell them so they can come out and speak for themselves”, it was reported.

The matter was also reported to the Police and the Village Council.

Guyana Times further understands that on June 8, the family received word that the brothers were seen in the village. As such, the family went to get the Police but by the time they returned to the area, the perpetrators had already gone into hiding.

Police reportedly searched the home and surrounding

area but to no avail. When questioned, an uncle of the suspects told the Police that the two young men left for the interior three days prior to the date the act was committed.

The family members of the child are calling for justice for the young girl. They also related that the girl is so seriously traumatised that she is now experiencing panic attacks.

When contacted, Regional Commander Crystal Robinson related that the matter is under investigation and Police are on the hunt for the two suspects.

12 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Govt to review APNU/AFC’s DNA Bill amid concerns from legal fraternity A

ttorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall said the Government will be revising the proposed amendment to the Police Act which would permit the taking of DNA samples from any person who might be in lawful custody.

His commitment comes in light of concerns raised by the Guyana Bar Association (GBA) regarding the current state of the DNA Bill, which it said creates room for “misuse and mischief”.

When contacted on Tuesday, Nandlall explained that “this piece of legislation was inherited by the Home Affairs Minister from his predecessor.”

The Attorney General said he had asked former Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan about

the origin of the legislative amendment and the policy direction that would have required such an amendment.

“He indicated to me that he cannot recall,” Nandlall said. Nevertheless, he said government has taken note of the concerns raised by the GBA and will seek to have them addressed.

“I have already discussed with my colleague, Minister Robeson Benn and he has agreed that the proposed amendment will be reviewed in order to address some of the concerns which have been raised,” the Attorney General said.

In a strongly-worded statement issued on Monday night, the GBA said the proposed amendment to the Police Act with regards to the collection of DNA samples of persons who are in

Attorney General Anil Nandlall, SC

lawful custody is very troubling.

The said bill proposes to amend part of the Police Act, to empower a member of the

Police Force, for the purpose of identification, to take the DNA of any person who may from time to time be in lawful custody.

The Bar Association contended however, that the proposed amendment, if passed in its current form, can result in the gross erosion and infringement of a person’s constitutional rights. It was pointed out that Article 143 of the Constitution protects against the search of a person without his/her consent or an Order of the Court.

The Bar Association said it finds it wholly unacceptable that the power to obtain DNA from the body, would be placed in the hands of a member of the Police Force without oversight and sufficient safeguards.

The Association further lamented that the act makes

provision in the case of refusal of a person to submit DNA samples, to be taken before a Magistrate.

But the Association contended: “…the threshold is low as the Magistrate only needs to be satisfied that the person is in lawful custody.

No consideration is required to be given to any other factor or circumstance including whether the ‘DNA’ is required in connection with the offence, there is sufficient evidence to ground a charge, the nature of the offence and or how the DNA is to be obtained or secured.”

It also contended that the obtaining of that information merely on arrest, without consent or Order of Court, is alarming and dangerous.

The Association also explained that generally, ‘DNA’

can only be obtained from the body by invasive means, which also raises concerns of State sanctioned assault, if done without consent.

It said: “The proposed amendment is so wide that it lays fertile ground for much mischief in the event of its misuse, without due and proper safeguards.”

“The Bar Association expresses its deep concern on the said proposed amendment in its current form and calls for its forthwith withdrawal; to be reconsidered with due and proper consultation, which is expected and required in a democratic society. The said proposed amendment does not have the support of the Bar Association and will be met with challenge should it proceed in its current form,” the Association added.

NEWS

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

7 more die from COVID, death toll now climbs to 437 – 84 positive cases recorded in 24h

T

he Health Ministry on Tuesday reported that another seven persons who tested positive for COVID-19 have succumbed thus taking the death toll to 437.

The Ministry stated that the patients were admitted with COVID-like symptoms but died while receiving care at medical institutions. Samples were taken at the time of admission which subsequently returned positive.

Among the fatalities are two males from Region Four – aged 84 and 66; and a 75-year-old female who died on June 13. On June 14, a 70-year-old male from Region 10; a 72-year-old male and 66-year-old female from Region Three; and a 51-year-old male from Region Two also succumbed to the virus.

Previously, a 39-year-old man from Region 10, a 54-year-old man from Region Six, a 76-year-old woman from Region Four, and a 78-year-old man from Region Six were the latest deaths. In total, 39 persons have died for June.

However, new statistics provided on Tuesday showed that 84 new cases were recorded, taking the confirmed positive cases in the country 18,530. There are 21 patients in the Intensive Care Unit, 112 in institutional isolation and 1378 in home isolation and two in institutional quarantine. Some 16,401 individuals have since recovered. To date, 121,246 tests

were conducted.

An analysis of new cases showed two in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam); 22 in Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara); 30 in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica); seven in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice); 21 in Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne); two in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni); one in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) and three in Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice).

Cases in Regions One (BarimaWaini) and Nine (Upper TakutuUpper Essequibo) are at 1162 and 1107, respectively.

Meanwhile, Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony has informed that some 102 persons are hospitalised across various institutions.

In Tuesday’s briefing, he said six persons are at the Linden Hospital, three in the Bartica Regional Hospital, eight in the Berbice facilities, six in Mahaicony Hospital and eight at West Demerara Regional Hospital.

Another 70 of them are at the Infectious Diseases Hospital at Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown.

Out of this number, 21 are in the Intensive Care Unit.

Latest figures show that some 222,373 persons or 45.7 per cent of the eligible population received their first dose. For second doses, the numbers are at 90,157 or 18.5 per cent.

GUYANA COVID-19 DASHBOARD

Health workers are curJUNE 15 UPDATE rently exploring various mechanisms in their region to up DISTRIBUTION OF TOTAL NUMBER OF NEW CASES 84 CONFIRMED CASES the vaccination rate.

SINCE MARCH 2022 “Each region, there are peNUMBER OF PERSONS IN 112 culiarities in those regions and REGION 1 1162 INSTITUTIONAL ISOLATION we don’t want a one size fits all REGION 2 513 campaign. We want the health NUMBER OF PERSONS IN 1378 REGION 3 2154 HOME ISOLATION personnel and other people in the region to customise their REGION 4 8680 NUMBER OF PERSONS IN response that is most suitable 22 REGION 5 639 COVID-19 ICU for their region,” the Minister REGION 6 1361 shared.

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN 2 During the update, it was INSTITUTIONAL QUARANTINE REGION 7 1234 outlined that monies that REGION 8 379 were recently granted in the TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY 9447 GENDER (FEMALES) National Assembly from the REGION 9 1107 Contingency Fund will be used REGION 10 1301 TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY to purchase over 200,000 dos9083 GENDER (MALES) es of Sputnik V vaccines and 100,000 Sinopharm shots.

HERE IS HOW YOU CAN BE TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES 18,530 SAFE DURING THE COVID-19 “We were able to purchase IN GUYANA SINCE 2020 PANDEMIC 200,000 doses of Sputnik V Wear a face mask. vaccines and 100,000 doses of NUMBER OF RECOVERED CASES 16,401 Keep a physical distance of at least the Sinopharm vaccine. Those 6 feet.

TOTAL 1st DOSE VACCINATED monies were used specifically 220,997 Wash your hands or use handfrom the Contingency Fund. sanitizer FULLY IMMUNISED We also received monies from 87,919 If you have any symptoms, call the the supplementary budget COVID-19 Hotline.

TOTAL NUMBER OF DEATHS 437 and those monies, we also allocated some of it to be able to GET MEDICAL ADVICE ON COVID-19 FROM MOH 24/7 HOTLINE NUMBERS: 2311166; 226 7480; 624 6674; 624 2819; 624 3067 OR 180/181. purchase vaccines, more specifically to get vaccines to the upgrades and medications for hos- equipment for these hospitals and Caricom-African Union initiative, pitals. health centres. In addition to that, and also some additional Sputnik “We have also, funds from this the Georgetown Public Hospital V vaccine,” Dr Anthony outlined. allocation to develop some of the would have received close to $1 From the supplementary bud- critical infrastructure works that billion and that is for a number of get allocation, a portion has been is needed right now. This include things, including the purchasing of allotted for additional vaccines repairs to health centres and hos- pharmaceuticals for patients.” while the rest was directed for the pitals; and we are purchasing

14 NEWS PM urges workers to get vaccinated against COVID-19 WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

P

rime Minister and Coordinator of the National COVID-19 Task Force, Mark Phillips made a special appeal to workers in both the private and public sectors to get inoculated against the deadly virus.

The Prime Minister and his wife, Mignon Bowen Phillips were among the first to take the jabs when the Health Ministry commenced the vaccination process for members of the public 60-years-and-older in March.

The Prime Minister stated that taking the vaccine as quickly as possible will not only protect yourself but your loved ones also.

“Although COVID-19 vaccination is not mandatory, it has been proven as the best method in the fight against this novel disease.

Unfortunately, too many Guyanese have died while vaccines are available,” Phillips noted.

Further, he added that as a Government, they are taking the occupational safety and health of all workers seriously.

In a correspondence to the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) dated June 4, 2021, the Prime Minister advised the trade union to encourage all public servants to get vaccinated at the earliest opportunity.

most to ensure that vaccines are available for the country’s entire adult population, and I appeal to you, play your part and please take the vaccine. A pandem-

ic, just like a disaster, brings challenges and disruption to the development process; however, you have chosen a caring Government that will be with you throughout this

time,” the Prime Minister added.

To date, over 220,000 persons would have received their first dose and another 80,000, the second dose.

Mohamed’s company gets green light for quarry operation

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Prime Minister Mark Phillips and his wife, Mignon Bowen Phillips after taking their jabs in March

This letter was dispatched after GPSU would have written to him regarding the safety of workers during the pandemic.

“I responded to the 1st Vice President of the GPSU, Ms Dawn Gardner, saying, ‘we are now in phase two of our fight against the COVID-19 pandemic in Guyana. I am requesting that the Guyana Public Service Union encourage all public servants to take the vaccine at the earliest opportunity.”

It is equally important that Private Sector employees protect themselves also, he posited.

Thus far, 45.4 per cent of the Guyanese population have received at least one dose of the vaccine. Some 18.1 per cent of adults are fully vaccinated. This num-

ber is expected to go up as more persons come forward to take their final shot.

“Vaccinating the Guyanese population will save lives, and it remains my Government’s number one priority in these trying times. As the Government pushes to achieve herd immunity within the fastest possible time, it is imperative that more persons come forward to get immunised against the virus.”

The Prime Minister reiterated that the process is simple, and as such encouraged everyone to take the guidance of the professionals within the Health Ministry and not be influenced by fear or rumours emanating from anti-vaccination campaigns.

“As a Government, we will continue to try our ut-

azar “Shell” Mohamed under the Hadi’s World Inc franchise has been given the green light from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to commence its quarrying operations.

The licence was on Tuesday issued to the company by Natural Resources Minister, Vickram Bharrat.

When contacted by Guyana Times, Azruddin Mohamed was elated that the application was successful, noting that they are expected to commence operation in the first quarter of 2022.

According to Mohamed, now that the licence has been granted, the company will begin the purchase and

Azruddin Mohamed collecting the licence from Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat while GGMC Commissioner Newell Dennison looks on

Georgetown, and owned by the senior Mohamed.

In March, the

Nazar "Shell" Mohamed receiving the licence from GGMC Chairman Jimmy Reece

importation of the requisite quarry equipment that cannot be sourced in Guyana.

He explained that the licence was granted under a sister company of Mohamed’s Enterprises located at Lot 29 Lombard Street,

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) notified the public that applications had been received from Mohamed’s for Kwapau Quarry Areas 1 and 2 and ATANA Quarry Blocks 1 and 2.

Both operations are located in the Mazaruni River, Essequibo; Mazaruni Mining District 3.

This comes on the heels of rapid economic growth in the construction field, especially a number of projects listed by Government and private developers including the construction of the Demerara Harbour Bridge and a number of road and highways projects.

However, this venture will not only see the creation of jobs for the locals within the communities airmarked but given the future demand for stone, every local operator will be able to benefit and see the competition as good for the industry.

Mohamed extended his gratitude to the Government for affording the company the opportunity to further serve the Guyanese populace.

NEWS

Ramsammy’s Ruminations

Correcting Rodney's assassination record – WPA totally, absolutely shameless, barefaced

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he PPP Government, under a President who was not yet born when Walter Rodney was assassinated, is about to correct the records, starting with Rodney's death certificate. President Irfaan Ali is leading the PPP Government's efforts to correct a grievous wrong done by the Burnham-led PNC Government. The Rodney family, wife and children, have been steadfast in seeking to correct a wrong done against a great Guyanese.

Guyana cannot undo the wrong and bring Walter back to life, but we can, at the very least, admit he died because he was assassinated.

The WPA, Walter's party, have been most of the time missing in action (MIA) in the struggle to give Walter's family justice. The death certificate, at the time when Walter was Dr Leslie Ramsammy assassinated, stated that Walter Rodney died of "misadventure".

It was brazen, shameless and barefaced at the time.

Deeming Walter's death as "misadventure" deserves language that cannot be printed. Now that justice is about to be served, with Rodney's death certificate recording the correct cause of death death by assassination - the party that Rodney formed and the party that murdered Rodney a second time, the WPA, have issued a most barefaced, shameless statement.

In a most bizarre, galling, brazen, insulting statement, the WPA claimed they have been in the forefront of the struggle to get justice for Walter Rodney's family.

This is the same WPA that wanted the PPP to support a PNC amendment in June 2005 to remove the word "assassination" from a motion submitted by the PPP in the National Assembly to convene an International Commission of Inquiry. The PNC, knowing they did not have the votes to block the motion, preferred the words "untimely and tragic death". The WPA claimed they wanted the support of the PNC for the CoI, and that it was a small price to pay to have a unanimous agreement for the CoI. The motion was passed, but the CoI was never convened. The reason was the WPA and Rodney family's representative, Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine, stymied the arrangements to appoint the Commission.

It was a betrayal of Walter Rodney, Mrs. Walter Rodney, the Rodney children and the whole Rodney family. How could this be the WPA in the forefront of the struggle to honour Walter Rodney and to correct the injustice?

The CoI was eventually appointed by President Donald Ramotar.

It was an international commission made up of some of the most respected international jurists. The Chairman was Sir Richard Cheltenham, a Barbadian Queen’s Counsel. Granger, who was a senior member of the army at the time of the Rodney assassination, refused to testify when he was requested to do so by the Commission. That CoI was still incomplete when APNU/AFC Coalition took office under David Granger. One of the first acts of the Granger-led APNU/AFC Government was to end the CoI and to deny any funding of the CoI. The WPA was part of the Coalition.

The WPA supported the decision to end the Commission's work.

Rupert Roopnaraine, a senior Cabinet member, the representative of the WPA in Government, supported the move to end the life of the Commission, supported starving the commission. The WPA never uttered a word of rejection.

Notwithstanding starving the commission of funds and legally ending the commission's life, Sir Richard Cheltenham persisted, prepared and submitted the CoI report. The Granger-led APNU/AFC Government promptly deposited the report into a black hole, for no one to see.

Rupert, Walter's good friend and ally, supported this course of action. It is up to him to say he did not. But no one in Granger's Cabinet objected in public. The WPA had lost their tongue, such that people asked: what, cat cut your tongue? Where was the WPA's struggle for five years? They were silent, hypocritically silent, brazen and barefaced, sitting with those who assassinated Walter Rodney. Each of them, the so-called leaders of Walter's party, is guilty; each aided and abetted the PNC crime and murdered Walter a second time.

Now that the records are being corrected, the WPA are claiming legitimacy in the struggle to correct a wrong that was committed 45 years ago. But they must answer why the annual observance of the Walter Rodney Assassination Anniversary was stopped when the WPA were part of Government. This was a day dedicated to remembering this great Guyanese; a day dedicated to reminding people of a dictatorship that murdered a political opponent; a day that reminded us we must fight for our democracy.

For the five years, only one such observance was kept.

And the WPA essentially boycotted it. It has been during these past five years that the Rodney Chair at UG and the annual Rodney Lecture were discontinued. No one in the WPA whispered a word. No one in the WPA thought they ought to raise their voice. No one in the WPA thought they owe it to Walter Rodney to speak out against more humiliation for the Rodney family. The WPA stood by like a loyal PNC poodle while the PNC heaped more insults on the Rodney family and further desecrate Walter's memory.

As the PPP Government enters a phase of bringing justice to the Rodney family, the WPA shamelessly, barefacedly want some redemption. They deserve none.

15

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Central Fire Station to relocate to D’Urban Park

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inister of Home Affairs Robeson Benn said the Ministry has identified the D’Urban Park area as the site for the relocation of the Guyana Fire Service’s (GFS) Central Fire Station.

The Minister made the disclosure during the graduation ceremony of the first batch of firefighters for the hinterland region on Friday.

“The location is supposed to be specified, but it is supposed to be at D’Urban Park, in that vicinity. We expect that, as was said, that the response times would be better. We expect that there would be more room to properly house, maintain and deploy the assets from out there,” he said.

The Guyana Fire Service at Stabroek

Minister Benn said provisions have been made for the relocation of the Central Fire Station in the 2021 National Budget. The GFS headquarters is currently located in the congested Stabroek area, which hinders response time.

While the preliminary design for the fire station is complete, Minister Benn said no sum has been specified for the construction of the facility.

Budget 2021 saw some $1.9 billion earmarked to enhance the capacity of the

Fire Service.

This accounts for the relocation of the Central Fire Station, the construction of a new fire station at Eccles, East Bank Demerara, and the purchase of six water tenders and two ambulances.

On Friday, the GFS graduated its first batch of trained firefighters for Regions One, Eight and Nine. In March, four fire tenders valued $202.9 million were handed over to the GFS. The vehicles were dispatched to Melanie Damishana, East Coast Demerara; Eccles, East Bank Demerara, another to West Demerara and to the Central Fire Station in Georgetown.

Johanna Cecelia man disappears after leaving home for work meet someone concerning a job…he called at about 14:30h asking mommy if she wants anything from Parika as he will be home with the afternoon big boat… but happened so, up to date he ain’t reach home as yet…I

Missing: Subhas Chandra Lall

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elatives of 44-yearold Subhas Chandra Lall also called “Rat” of Johanna Cecelia, Essequibo Coast, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), are soliciting the public’s assistance to locate him.

Lall reportedly left home on Saturday and was last seen at Parika, East Bank Essequibo (EBE). He has not been heard from since.

At the time, he was clad in a yellow jersey, a pair of blue pants, a pair of brown boots, a blue Nike hat and a green bag.

“My father left home on Saturday to go to Parika to

wanted him to return because we do not know what he is facing and where he’s at, at the moment,” his daughter Jaswantie Lall told Guyana Times.

As such, the young woman is asking anyone who

might know the whereabouts of her father to make contact with them on telephone number 687-6691.

She further stated that a missing person’s report was made at the Suddie Police Station.

16 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Seaman’s car missing after parking in front of workplace

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he motor car belonging to a seaman who works along Sussex

Street, Georgetown was reportedly stolen on Tuesday after he parked it outside his

work place.

Chandika Rai, the owner of the Mazda 2018 Pearl White vehicle, with registration number PRR-2425, related that he would usually park his car at a special area inside the compound where he works every day, but on Tuesday he was told by management that he had to park it outside because the place was congested.

He recalled that he parked

The car that was stolen on Sussex Street, Georgetown

his car about 09:00h, secured it and went into the building.

He reportedly left the building at 12:00h for lunch and

then realised that his car was missing.

“I thought something was blocking it, that’s why

I couldn’t see it, but when I go outside, my car was gone I couldn’t find my car,” the seaman said.

After discovering his car was missing, he made a report to the Police. A search was launched and while in the vicinity of Eccles, East Bank Demerara (EBD), Rai saw his car being driven past him.

The car was reportedly headed in the direction of Georgetown.

The Police are in possession of that information as investigations continue.

17 Enmore Martyrs’ sacrifice remains relevant today – PPP NEWS

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

…says Party will continue to honour their legacy

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aking it clear that the Enmore Martyrs’ sacrifice remains as relevant today as it was 73 years ago, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) made it clear that it would continue to honour the legacies of the five slain sugar workers.

This is according to the PPP in a statement on Tuesday, on the occasion of the 73rd anniversary of the Enmore Martyrs. According to the Party, it wants to remind all of the selfless sacrifices of the five slain sugar workers – Rambarran, Pooran, Lallabagee, Surajballi and Harry – and the profound relevance of the incident today.

“In 1948, having been strangled by social and economic hardships, the burdensome “cut and load” cane harvesting system and being deprived of having a union of choice to represent them, sugar workers were forced to mount pro-

test actions after their fair demands were continually being ignored by the sugar producers,” the PPP said in the statement.

“Instead of their demands being met, Riot Police fired on the poor, simple workers, killing five in the process. They died in their quest for a better life for all the workers and their struggles and horrific deaths significantly impacted Dr Cheddi Jagan.

On that unforgettable day of their funerals, he silently pledged to dedicate his life to the cause of the Guyanese people and to free them from bondage and exploitation.”

According to the PPP, the late President was fortified in his belief and determination, while remaining unrelenting in his struggle for the advancement of Guyana and Guyanese. The Party noted that having founded the PPP in 1950, Dr Jagan braved incarcera-

The Enmore Martyrs Monument

tion and deprivation of his human rights, never succumbing to the atrocities meted out to him and his followers by the oppressive forces.

“The struggles of the Enmore Martyrs and Dr Jagan were guiding forces during that ominous peri-

od when thousands of sugar workers were coldheartedly fired and plunged into economic despair through the politically-motivated closure of estates by the APNU+AFC [A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change] coalition,” the Party said.

“It was also a source

of inspiration when the APNU/AFC Government, through its visionless and inept leadership, strangled our people through harsh and unjustified economic policies and when in full view of the world, they shamelessly tried to steal the March 2, 2020 elections in defiance of the will of the

Guyanese people.”

When it comes to the present day, the PPP noted that the efforts of the martyrs have imbued in the present generation a profound sense of the value of our freedoms and the need for them to be safeguarded from those with a penchant for totalitarianism and constitutional transgression.

“In the end, truth triumphed and democracy prevailed. Our people and country, despite being challenged, remain resolute and fortified having endured that recent assault on our freedoms. It further exemplifies the relevance of the struggles of the Enmore Martyrs in today’s world.

The PPP will continue to honour the memory of those martyrs so as to ensure their sacrifices will not be forgotten.”

The Party will be conducting a wreath-laying ceremony at the gravesites of the five martyrs at the Le Repentir Cemetery today.

18 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

National Assembly passes $2.8B supplementary funding for Housing Ministry – to distribute another 350 new house lots in Charity

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ousing and Water Minister Collin Croal on Monday announced that 350 new house lots would be distributed in Charity, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), as the Government seeks to fulfil its promise of providing 50,000 house lots over five years.

The Minister was at the time addressing the National Assembly as the Government sought approval for its $23 billion supplementary budget. Included in this was the sum of $2.8 billion for the Housing Ministry to continue its housing projects.

“We will be in Region Number Two next week on June 25 to allocate 350 lots

Housing Minister Collin Croal

in Charity,” Minister Croal said, noting that it was part of a robust initiative of empowering people through land ownership.

Croal informed the Committee of Supply that there were 18 areas coun-

trywide with ongoing developmental works for new housing schemes or newly-allocated land. According to him, these areas will benefit from the requested sums.

“The $2.8 billion being asked at this time is part of the costs that will go towards the ongoing contracts that we’ve signed to the tune of $14.3 million, and all of the areas are for new openings.

“So, some would have commenced last year, on the last emergency budget, and continued into this year and the others are for the opening of new lands for allocations that have been made, including applications that were made under the APNU

[A Partnership for National Unity],” the Minister said.

Some of the areas that will be targeted with the monies include Experiment, Diamond, Providence, Hampshire, Cornelia Ida and Edinburgh. According to Croal, the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) will continue to execute works to meet the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Government’s manifesto target of a minimum of 10,000 house lots allocated per year.

Since coming to office, the PPP/C Government has made it clear that it intends to fulfil its manifesto promise of distributing 50,000 house lots over the next five years, with the first 10,000

by this year.

Among the initiatives being considered is the establishment of a Diaspora Housing Fund. President Dr Irfaan Ali had also revealed that Government was looking at other areas of securing financing for the housing sector, including efforts to raise some US$250 million for housing projects.

Additionally, the Ministry of Housing will be working with the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL); Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GLSC) and the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) to pursue land acquisition for housing developments.

And last year, the Government published invitations for Expressions of Interest (EoIs) from interested parties to finance housing development. Guyana Times had reported that there was local and foreign interest in funding the Government’s housing drive, thus resulting in Government creating a shortlist of the investors vying for opportunities in the housing sector.

This year, the housing sector received a total allocation of $8.9 billion. Of this sum, $6 billion will go towards infrastructure and utility works in new and existing areas. This will pave the way for the allocation of over 10,000 house lots and 7000 land titles to citizens.

Canadian High Commission launches joint migrant project with Guyanese NGO – to increase protection for vulnerable Venezuelan migrants in Guyana

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he Canadian High Commission has announced the launch of a joint migrant project that will target vulnerable Venezuelan migrant groups in Guyana, in collaboration with the HIAS Guyana NonGovernmental Organisation (NGO), which was formed last year.

In a statement, the High Commission explained that it signed an agreement to make a contribution to HIAS Guyana, entitled “Increasing protection and awareness for vulnerable Venezuelan women and adolescent girls in Guyana who are survivors or at risk of gender-based violence (GBV)”.

According to the release, the project aims at addressing the needs of the Venezuelan migrant population in local communities, specifically with a focus on providing GBV prevention and responsive services to migrant women and girls currently residing in Port Kaituma, Region One (Barima-Waini); Georgetown, Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) and Bartica, Region Seven

(Cuyuni-Mazaruni)).

In the statement, Canadian High Commissioner Mark Berman pointed out that there were over 5.6 million Venezuelans who have left or fled their homes since 2015, with over 4.6 million remaining in the region.

He explained that on a large scale Canada was supporting the migrant population by hosting the next International Donors’ Conference in solidarity with Venezuelan refugees and migrants on Thursday, June 17, 2021.

Berman explained that this was being done in collaboration with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), and that Guyana would also be a participant in the conference.

“At the conference, Canada will be collaborating with various partners to bring forward the voices of those affected by the crisis with the objective of highlighting the progress achieved to date; raising

A HIAS team in Port Kaituma, Region One

awareness of key opportunities and priorities, including the impact on women and girls; mobilising additional resources and identifying future actions to maintain focus on the crisis.”

“Funding from the 2020 International Donors’ Conference provided food, health, protection and cashbased assistance to the Venezuelan migrants and refugees, including women and girls. Due to the crisis, many of the migrants are

placed in vulnerable situations,” the statement said.

High Commissioner Berman also noted that the needs were growing for the Venezuelan migrant community and the partnership with HIAS in Guyana was timely, given the global call for support at the upcoming conference, as well as Guyana being a host country for Venezuelan migrants.

“The Government of Canada, through the Canada Fund for Local

Initiatives, is thrilled to be associated with this project.

I am also pleased that our Government has contributed in a very tangible way to supporting the Venezuelan migrant communities in Guyana. I must commend HIAS Guyana for the valuable work being undertaken,” Berman said.

It was explained that this new project being undertaken in Guyana would work to provide services to migrant women, adolescent

girls and LGBTQI+ identified survivors of GBV. The needs of these individuals will be assessed to provide psychosocial support, legal assistance, and the implementation of an action plan for the ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the cases.

Through the project, hygienic and self-care products will also be distributed to the women, girls and other GBV survivors to promote physical well-being, alleviate family budget constraints and ensure they can move around despite their periods.

The kits will also include health and protection information, which will raise awareness on hygiene, reproductive health and GBV. The project will be executed over the course of one year.

HIAS is an international Jewish humanitarian organisation that provides vital services to refugees and asylum seekers in 16 countries. It advocates for the rights of refugees to rebuild their lives and seek to create a world in which they find welcome, safety, and opportunity.

Diaspora donates mattresses to flood victims Decomposed body of 97-yearold woman found in NWD T he New York-based diaspora has once again donated a number of items to assist Guyanese who have suffered from the ongoing flooding due to the present heavy downpours.

New York-based businessman, Chief Samsair from Bakewell Inc and Imam Safraz Bacchus from Masjid Al Abidin, both from Richmond Hill, Queens, have collaborated and procured 100 mattresses from Comfort Sleep Company.

The 100 mattresses were delivered to the Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG). The CIOG, on behalf of Chief Samsair and Masjid Al Abidin, will

The mattresses donated by the NY-based diaspora

be handing over the mattresses to the CDC in Guyana.

Masjid Al Abidin is also coordinating with other donors from the community in

Queens, New York, to send a container with items that were identified by the CDC as needed.

This container will arrive in Guyana within the next few weeks.

There are other members in the Diaspora namely Dave West Indian Inc, Joey Swami Hibiscus Restaurant/Joey Pharmacy, Lake Narine from Timehri Restaurant in Orlando Florida, Ray Persaud from New York City Department of Correction DESI Society and Stanley Raj from the Queens Community Lions Club are just a few of the multiple donors that have responded to the “call” in aiding fellow Guyanese.

T

he partially-decomposed body of a woman who has been identified as 97-year-old Ruby Williams was discovered on Sunday at Perseverance Backdam, North West District (NWD), Region One (Barima-Waini).

According to a Police report, the elderly woman had refused to stay with relatives and lived alone in a camp at Perseverance Backdam.

On June 10, about 14:00h, the elderly woman was reportedly seen walking along the Perseverance Backdam trail towards her camp.

On June 13, about 13:00h, William Bell was reported-

ly walking through a trail where he observed a flock of vultures. On closer examination, he noticed a decomposing body and immediately contacted the Police.

Based on Police reports, the facial tissues and other parts of the woman’s body were eaten by vultures making it impossible to scan the body for marks of violence.

It was also reported that owing to the advanced state of decomposition and the damage done by the vultures, the body could not be transported and as such, a grave was dug and it was buried, with exhumation if needed possible.

guyanatimesgy.com

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 2021

19

Around the World

OILNEWS OIL NEWS Major traders see oil staying above US$70/bbl, US$100 not impossible

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he world's biggest oil traders said on Tuesday they see oil prices staying above US$70 a barrel with demand expected to return to pre-pandemic levels in the second half of 2022.

Oil prices crashed in April last year when the COVID-19 movement restrictions hit their peak with the US crude benchmark turning negative for the first time.

In a stark reversal, the traders do not discount a return to US$100 per barrel oil further ahead.

Vitol Chief Executive Russell Hardy sees the oil moving between US$70 and US$80 a barrel for the remainder of 2021 on the expectation that the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies (OPEC+) keep supply discipline, even as Iran's exports may resume if the United States rejoins a nuclear agreement with Tehran.

"Iranian production is probably going to come back at some time during the September to November period. OPEC wants to manage their situation to allow that to happen relatively smoothly...supportive of prices," Hardy told the FT Commodities Global Summit.

On Tuesday, Brent oil futures hit US$74, the highest for the global benchmark since April 2019.

"We're forecasting oil demand to come back to pre-COVID levels by Q3 or Q4 in 2022," Alex Sanna, Glencore's head of oil, told the conference.

"We have ample (spare capacity) at the front end, having said that if the Iranian deal doesn't happen and inflationary pressures continue to come, I see flat prices moving up from here."

Trading firms cashed-in last year on storage plays as oil rebounded but these are now mostly drawn down.

Mercuria expects oil demand to be mostly back by the year end at just over 100 million barrels per day (bpd), just shy of pre-COVID levels.

"Inventories are back to pre-COVID levels except for China, that still has a buffer...roughly 150 million barrels," said Marco Dunand, CEO of Mercuria Energy Trading.

With vaccinations under way and COVID-19 lockdowns easing, investors now weigh a triumvirate of factors - Iran, underinvestment and the wild card of new climate change policies.

Investments to replace depleting oilfields and develop new ones has fallen dramatically in part due to the COVID-19 economic slump as well as the energy transition.

"The supply situation is quite concerning. We've gone from 15 years of reserves to 10 years," Trafigura CEO Jeremy Weir said.

While sky-high oil prices could return, they are not part of a much-hyped commodities super cycle, which the traders see as metals-centric led by the requirements expand power infrastructure to keep step with the energy transition.

“Can oil return to over $100 a barrel? Of course it could," Gunvor CEO Torbjorn Tornqvist said.

"There's a risk that supplies of hydrocarbons goes down faster than the alternatives are able to make up for. That's the real danger." (Excerpt from Reuters)

At least 15 killed in Somalia suicide bombing claimed by militants

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t least 15 people were killed on Tuesday in a suicide bombing in the Somali capital that targeted recruits who were lined up outside an army camp, a Reuters witness who counted the bodies at Madina Hospital said.

Officials at the hospital confirmed that the bodies were those killed in an attack at a checkpoint outside the General Degaban military training camp in Mogadishu.

Al Shabaab's radio Al Andalus said the Islamist group's fighters carried out the attack.

Al Shabaab, which wants to unseat the Government and impose its strict interpretation of Islamic sharia

law, frequently carries out such bombings.

Dozens of people crowded outside Madina Hospital searching for their missing

relatives.

"My son is dead. I have seen with my eyes. Many boys perished. They were asked to come for recruit-

ment and then bombed. The Government is still hiding other casualties," said Amina Farah, sobbing into the arms of family members.

Government officials could not immediately be reached for comment.

Army recruit Ahmed Ali, who was struck in the head by shrapnel, told Reuters at the hospital: "The place was overcrowded with new recruits and soldiers when the blast occurred."

Military officer Odawaa Yusuf Rage had told state media earlier on Tuesday at least 10 new recruits had been killed and 20 others wounded when a suicide bomber detonated explosives. (Excerpt from Reuters)

ever before.

“The disappearance of summer sea ice in the Arctic is one of the first landmines in this minefield, one of the tipping points that we set off first when we push warming too far,” he said during the presentation in Germany’s capital, Berlin.

“And one can essentially ask if we haven’t already stepped on this mine and already set off the beginning of the explosion.”

The $165 million expedi-

tion returned to Germany in October after 389 days drifting through the Arctic, bringing home devastating proof of a dying Arctic Ocean and warnings of ice-free summers in just decades. It also brought back 150 terabytes of data and more than 1000 ice samples.

The data collected during the expedition included readings on the atmosphere, ocean, sea ice and ecosystems.

Rex said scientists found

that the Arctic Ocean ice had retreated “faster in the spring of 2020 than since the beginning of records” and that “the spread of the sea ice in the summer was only half as large as decades ago.”

Because of the smaller sea ice surface, the ocean was able to absorb more heat in the summer, in turn meaning that ice sheet formation in the autumn was slower than usual. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

A Somali soldier, injured in a suicide bombing attack at a military base, is helped as he leaves the Madina Hospital in Mogadishu, Somalia, June 15, 2021

Global warming may have already passed irreversible tipping point

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lobal warning may have already passed an irreversible tipping point, the scientist who led the biggest-ever expedition to the Arctic has warned.

Presenting the first findings of the world’s largest mission to the North Pole, an expedition involving 300 scientists from 20 countries, Markus Rex said on Tuesday that the researchers had found that Arctic ice is retreating faster than

COVID: US death toll passes 600,000 as vaccination rate slows

T

he number of Americans who have died from COVID-19 has reached 600,012 - the most of any nation - according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

The US also ranks highest in total number of recorded cases, with nearly 33.5 million infections since 2020.

This latest milestone comes as President Joe Biden's goal of getting 70 per cent of US adults vaccinated by July 4 appears increasingly likely to fail.

Over 173 million people, around 52 per cent of the US, have had at least one dose.

Brazil and India have re-

Uber ride share now operating in Jamaica

J

amaicans will now be able to use ride sharing app Uber in Kingston.

The United Statesbased company launched its operation in Jamaica on Tuesday and is now allowing Jamaicans to sign up to become drivers or request rides to get from one location within Kingston to another.

According to the company, to become an Uber driver, the person must be 21 years of age or older, have a 2001 or newer model year vehicle, and must a valid driver's licence, vehicle registration, vehicle insurance and a profile picture to the company.

Jamaica's Transport Authority last month

warned that potential public transportation service providers desirous of participating in ride-sharing services must have road licences and badges to operate these services locally.

Meanwhile, in an April release, Uber said Jamaicans can sign up to lease their cars and earn money by giv-

ing leases in their area.

The leases, Uber said, are to be covered by local insurance company Guardian Limited.

When the Jamaica Observer contacted Guardian for a response to the release, the company said it had “no comment on the matter at this time” and

directed the newspaper to Uber's local communications representative.

The Uber app is currently available in over 10,000 cities in 69 countries across six continents. Globally, Uber has completed more than 15 billion trips, covering 6.9 billion miles in 2019 alone.

Uber said as part of its commitment to safety for all, the app has various key safety features that will be available in Jamaica from day one, beginning with the very first trip. The app in the country will also have strengthened background checks and reinforced policies that put safety first, Uber said. (Jamaica Observer)

A woman adding flowers to a New York City memorial to those who died due to the virus

ported the next highest death tolls, with Brazil at more than 488,000 deaths and India at more than 377,000.

It took around four months for the US to go from 500,000 to 600,000 deaths about as long as it took to go from none to 100,000. It marks a significant change from the height of the pandemic when the death toll jumped from 300,000 to 400,000 in one month last winter.

But the country's vaccination rate has begun to fall to around 1 million doses administered per day - down

from a high this April of nearly 3.4 million.

Roughly 43 per cent of the US population, or about 144 million Americans, are fully vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

It comes as the CDC officially labels the Delta mutation, first discovered in India, a "variant of concern".

Delta variant cases amount to 10 per cent of all new infections, the CDC said, and is growing in comparison to the dominant Alpha variant, first identified in Kent, UK. (Excerpt from BBC News)

20

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 2021

guyanatimesgy.com

ARCHIE

ARIES (March 21April 19)

TAURUS

DILBERT

(April 20May 20)

GEMINI (May 21June 20)

PEANUTS

CALVIN AND HOBBES

SUDOKU

Study, learn, gather information and head in a direction that will bring you stability and a sense of accomplishment. Take better care of your health and well-being.

Reaching out to others will make you feel good. Revisit your financial situation.

Contemplate changes to the way you handle or earn your money. A creative outlet will lift your spirits.

Control your emotions, and avoid wasting time or making a domestic situation worse. Be up-front, and take pride in what you say and do. Learn from the experience and keep moving forward.

CANCER (June 21July 22)

An open, receptive approach to situations involving friends, relatives or neighbors will help bring about positive change. A suggestion will provide insight into a problem.

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Pay close attention to what others ask you to do and what that might require. Don’t make hasty decisions that conflict with promises you made to a loved one. Strive for balance and integrity.

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

Think twice before you say something you may regret.

Overreacting won’t help you get your way. Channel your energy into positive change that makes you feel good about who you are and how you look.

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

Do your best to help others. Gather information and put what you learn to good use. Look for a way to lower your overhead, and it will put your mind at ease.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)

Spend quality time with someone who offers encouragement and makes you feel good about yourself. An opportunity to put your skills to better use will also lead to some needed extra money.

Don’t give someone the SAGITTARIUS chance to push or manip(Nov. 23ulate you into doing someDec. 21) thing unrealistic. Avoid indulgence and instability.

Focus on fitness, finances and family.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

YESTERDAY'S WORD - SOBRIETY

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

Don’t sit back; put your plan in motion. Embrace people who share your interests and concerns. A positive change at home will bring you closer to a loved one.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 19)

Don’t limit what you can do. When one door closes, look for another way to reach your goal. Intelligence and stamina will be your saving graces.

Don’t be dissuaded from following your heart.

PISCES

Unrestrained behavior will lead to problems.

Nurture meaningful relationships, and pay close attention to how you take care of your physical and emotional well-being.

(Feb. 20March 20)

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 2021

21

Interim Coach Angus Eve wants to bring “a ray of hope” to T&T football

T&T Interim Coach, Angus Eve

I

NTERIM T&T men’s football team coach Angus Eve wants to give the TT public “a ray of hope” as he takes over the coaching mantle from Terry Fenwick, who was sacked last Friday.

The 49-year-old Eve, T&T’s most capped player with 117 international appearances, will serve as the national coach until August 31; and the former TT midfielder and captain

would like to improve the team’s fortunes after they were eliminated from the 2022 FIFA World Cup Concacaf Zone qualifiers last week.

Eve was unveiled as the new men’s team coach on Monday during a Zoom media conference organised by the FIFA-appointed N o r m a l i s a t i o n Committee which runs the affairs of the TT Football Association (TTFA).

“I want to say, ‘Thank you,’ to the Normalisation Committee for showing faith in me, for giving me this opportunity at this point in time,” said the former Joe Public, Defence Force, and San Juan Jabloteh player. “This is a total honour and privilege for me to have the opportunity to serve my country in a different capacity.

“My total aim is to try to help us to come out of a trying and difficult time in (T&T) football. I want to give people a ray of hope, and I embrace that oppor-

tunity.”

Eve’s immediate focus will be booking a place at the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup in July in the United States, with TT set to face Montserrat in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in the Gold Cup qualifiers.

Eve was asked about his view on the use of local-based players, especially in these COVID-19 times and with no local football taking place.

“I was a local player for most of my career,” was his response. “I think that we do have the ability and the talent here in our pool. In the past, I thought they weren’t given a fair chance; that was my opinion at the time. In this scenario it’s a bit different, we may have to look at the players who actually are in form.

“It does not matter whether they are local or foreign,” Eve continued.

“Hopefully, we’ll have an opportunity to see the local players, because the guys have been doing stuff at home, so we’ll have to look at them once we bring them

India name squad for WTC final against New Zealand – Jadeja, Vihari, Saha return

I

ndia have announced a 15-member squad for the ICC World Test Championship Final against New Zealand, from 18 June in Southampton.

India’s trio of Wriddhiman Saha, Ravindra Jadeja and Hanuma Vihari have made a comeback to the Test squad for the final at the Hampshire Bowl, after missing out on the England series in February because of injuries.

The inclusion of Saha alongside Rishabh Pant has ensured India head into the final with two wicket-keeping options, while the debate around who will open the batting looks to be resolved as Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill are the only regular openers who have made the cut.

India have also bolstered their reserve of fast-bowling options with the inclusion of five seamers - Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami, Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Siraj.

in, and see if there is an opportunity for anyone to be selected.”

A few European-based players, including central defender Sheldon Bateau and winger Levi Garcia, may be afforded time to rest after their 14-day quarantine period ends next week.

The pair were part of the T&T team which drew 0-0 against the Bahamas (June 5) and defeated St Kitts/ Nevis 2-0 (June 8).

Eve said, “I have spoken to some of the Europeanbased players. A lot of them have been going non-stop.

Some players will be given a bit of a break, and they’ll rejoin the team at a particular time.”

Eve, who had stints as coach of North East Stars, St Ann’s Rangers, and Club Sando (Pro League), Naparima (Secondary Schools Football League) and the TT Under-23 team, acknowledged, “This is an opportunity that I could not walk by. This is an opportunity to serve my country.

I had to take the chance. It is a difficult job, but with the proper support, I still believe that we can achieve some level of success.

“I believe that the person who has the jersey has the right to lose the jersey,” he added. “I’m going to give it the best that I can, and hopefully bring people around me who have

that same desire and will to achieve the objectives at hand.”

Concerning the Gold Cup qualifiers, Eve said, “Nothing is impossible.

Everybody knows the players that we have. There is always the possibility.”

Due to the state of emergency and lockdown measures, Eve hinted, he may have to organise a few warm-up matches in Florida.

“The way that we can solve that problem is actually being away from Trinidad, so that we can have a couple of practice matches in Fort Lauderdale,” he said. (TT Newsday)

Black Caps name squad for WTC final against India – Williamson and Watling return

N

ew Zealand have finalised their 15man squad for this week’s ICC World Test Championship final against India.

In a boost for the Black Caps, both captain Kane Williamson and wicket-keeper BJ Watling have been included in the 15 for the decider in Southampton, starting 18 June.

Williamson and Watling missed the second Test against England due to elbow and back injuries respectively. The WTC final will be the last game of Watling’s glittering career.

NEW ZEALAND SQUAD

With Jadeja’s return, Axar Patel, who made an impressive debut in the series with 27 wickets, has been left out, with Ravichandran Ashwin as the other spin-bowling option. The likes of Mayank Agarwal, Shardul Thakur, Washington Sundar and KL Rahul have not been included in the final list.

India Squad: Virat Kohli (c), Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammad Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Siraj, Hanuma Vihari, Wriddhiman Saha, Umesh Yadav. (ICC Cricket)

Kane Williamson (c), Tom Blundell, Trent Boult, Devon Conway, Colin de Grandhomme, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham, Henry Nicholls, Ajaz Patel, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Neil Wagner, BJ Watling, Will Young “Kane and BJ have certainly benefited from their week of rest and rehabilitation, and we expect them to be fit and available for the final,” New Zealand coach Gary Stead has said.

“Playing in a World Cup Final is a really special occasion, and I know the guys are looking forward to getting into their work here in Southampton.

“India are a world class outfit who possess match winners all through their line-up, so we’re under no illusion about how tough they

will be to beat,” said Stead.

The five players to miss the cut from New Zealand’s 20-man squad against England are Doug Bracewell, Jacob Duffy, Daryl Mitchell, Rachin Ravindra and Mitchell Santner.

“It’s not easy to say goodbye to guys who have given so much to the group. Doug, Jacob and Rachin have been selfless in their attitude to helping the team and supporting those in the playing XI,” he declared.

Stead singled out all-rounders Mitchell Santner and Daryl Mitchell as two in particular who were unlucky to miss out, with specialist spinner Ajaz Patel and the re-

cently returned Colin de Grandhomme preferred.

“There’s had to be some tough calls with Mitchell and Daryl (being) victims of the fierce competition we currently have for places in the Test side.

We’ve gone with Ajaz as our specialist spinner after an impressive outing at Edgbaston, and we believe he could be a factor at the Ageas (Hampshire) Bowl.

“Colin’s been an integral member of our Test set-up for many years, and it was great to see him return at Lord’s after a long injury lay-off. He’s a proven performer at the top level, and we back him to do a job with the bat or the ball if called upon.” (ICC Cricket)

22

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 2021

BCB Coaches to publish historic manual for youth cricketers …sponsorship already secured

T

he vibrant Berbice Cricket Board, under the leadership of the dynamic Hilbert Foster, will be creating local history when it publishes its own junior cricketers Coaching Manual.

The manual is being prepared by a high-powered team

of coaches and administrators, and will be published by the end of July for free distribution to every youth cricketer in the Ancient County.

Foster has said the idea of the manual came to him after he realised the BCB would be unable to host its regular

in-person coaching sessions because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

For the last two years, the BCB had been able to organise sessions under very strict guidelines for more than 500 youths, but had plans to host many more. The BCB would re-

Motie aids in Galaxy CC win over Cosmos

O

ver the weekend, the Galaxy Cricket Club clashed with the Cosmos Cricket Club in the “Caribbean Fest” 40-over tournament’s 2021 season. The encounter saw Galaxy whip Cosmos by 254 runs, with Gudakesh Motie of the Guyana Amazon Warriors aiding his side by picking up a couple of wickets at key moments in the game.

Having won the toss, the Galaxy CC elected to bat, and from the get-go, they began to score runs at an alarming rate. There was nothing the Cosmos CC could do to stop this assault.

Mushin Perkhan (101) and Yudesh Bissnauth (59) were the chief plunderers, as they took their side to a mammoth total. To the bottom end of the innings, Vejai Seonarine (57) and Zulfikar Ali (35) contributed some quickfire runs

Gudakesh Motie bagged 2-26

to have their side end on 342/8 in 35 overs.

The Cosmos bowlers did bag wickets, but they all were expensive in face of the assault from the Galaxy side.

A score of 342 has been chased in the past, but the Cosmos CC would have to give a celestial performance to achieve that score and win this encounter, which was worth 2 valuable points. Cosmos would have to score at 9.8 runs per over in chasing 343 to

win.

However, Galaxy snapped up the two opening batsmen for 2 and naught respectively, to shift the game in their favour.

Cosmos player Yudesh Shiverpersaud held on to his wicket for dear life, and was able to contribute a patient 57-ball 52 for his team. However, it was a little too late, as all the other batsmen meekly surrendered their wickets. With his left arm off-spin, Motie was able to further confound the opposing batsmen as he proved difficult to read. In the end, he bagged 2-26 from 5.2 overs as Galaxy dismissed their opponents for 88 in 23.2 overs.

Motie has played 2 matches thus far, and has bagged a total of four wickets, bowling 10.2 overs for 29 runs at an average of 7.81 and an economy rate of 2.81.

start its coaching programmes shortly, with the hosting of four mini cricket academies in the West Berbice, Upper Corentyne, Lower Corentyne and New Amsterdam/Canje sub-associations. A total of 40 youths would be accommodated at each academy, which would be conducted by a battery of coaches, including Winston Smith, Julian Moore, Balram Samaroo, Delbert Hicks, Travis Hardcourt, Leslie Rahaman and Ameer Rahaman.

Foster has already hosted a special meeting with the coaches, and it has been decided that the manual would focus on batting, bowling, fielding, wicket-keeping and physical fitness. Among the topics to be covered would be batting stance, bat grip, running between the wicket, bowlers’ run-up, how to play the different batting shots, how to stay physically fit, wicket-keeping stance and movement, and long barrier fielding.

Preparation of the booklet started last Sunday with a twohour photo shoot conducted by cameraman Brandon Corlette at the Albion Community

Centre, involving the coaches and eight youth players.

Foster disclosed that the coaches decided it would be better for local cricketers to demonstrate the different positions than to use images from the internet, as Berbice players would be able to identify with the coaches.

The booklet would be named the BCB Youth Coaching Manual- Preserving the legacy from John Trim to Shimron Hetmyer.

Berbice has produced a total of 19 Test cricketers since Trim made his Test debut in 1948. The booklet, which has already attracted full sponsorship, would also have features of the 19 Test players, and also fielding positions,

tips for captains, an article on mental health, and a brief history of Berbice Cricket.

Publication of this booklet would represent an historic moment for the BCB, as it would be the first time that a local board would be publishing such a coaching manual, and Foster has disclosed that a coaching video would also be produced by the end of the year, as the board seeks to make sure that every talent in the county is fulfilled.

Work on the video would start in early August. These special projects would allow players from the under-11 to under-19 levels to work on their game by themselves in the comfort of their homes during the pandemic.

Kraigg Braithwaite

H

ead coach Phil Simmons has conceded that the lack of substantive opening partnerships is becoming a worry, following West Indies’ chastening innings and 63run defeat to South Africa here last weekend.

The home side produced two feeble batting performances – bowled out for 97 and 162 – with Roston Chase getting their only half-century of the game.

Captain Kraigg Brathwaite and the recalled Shai Hope were out on 24 in the first innings, while Brathwaite and Kieran Powell – a concussion substitute for Nkrumah Bonner – managed only 12 in the second innings.

Over their last 18 Test innings, West Indies have scraped only two half-century stands, with the highest being 66 in the second Test against Bangladesh last February.

“That is one of the things we’ve been trying to work on very desperately, because if you watch back, a lot of times we win Test matches against the top teams, we have good opening stands,” Simmons pointed out.

“Against England the last time [in 2019], we had good opening stands between John Campbell and Kraigg. That has not been happening, and we’re working very hard on that.

“It’s disappointing, because when you look at the

last seven Test hundreds scored by an opener, I think they’re all scored by Kraigg.”

Campbell was axed for the ongoing series due to a run of low form, while Brathwaite recaptured his with a hundred and a half-century in the previous Test against Sri Lanka in Antigua.

However, Shai Hope, recalled as an opener, failed in the first innings against the Proteas with 15, while Powell got 14 in the second, as Hope dropped down to number three.

With Hope failing to produce the runs expected at the top of the order, questions are already being asked about his suitability as an opener in Test cricket, but Simmons defended the player.

“I think he has the ability to bat anywhere in the top six that he wants to bat,” Simmons contended. “And it’s a case of this is the position he was asked [to bat] because of where he scored his runs leading into the [Test], but…international cricket works like that sometimes.

“Powell came in and we decided that Powell would open, and he (Hope) would bat at three.”

West Indies take on South Africa in the second Test starting here on Friday, hoping for a win to level the series and keep their unbeaten series record intact this year.

And despite the wide

margin of defeat, with the first Test lasting only 2-1/2 days, Simmons has said he did not believe there was a massive deficit in quality between West Indies and South Africa.

“I don’t think there’s that big a gulf. I think we have to make sure that when we play these teams that are higher up, we play just as intense or more intense than when we play the teams at our level,” he stressed.

“I think we just have to be more clinical in the way we do things, whether it is teams above at number one or two or teams at ten.”

West Indies were ranked sixth at the start of the series, one notch ahead of South Africa. (CMC)

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23

Keevin Allicock is Tokyo bound!

– qualifies for Olympic Games

By Jemima Holmes

F

ollowing a 25-year wait, Guyana will be represented at the Olympics in the discipline of Boxing, with Keevin Allicock’s qualification for the Tokyo Summer Olympics.

On Tuesday afternoon, it was revealed that Keevin Allicock - the 22-year-old who hails from Albouystown, Georgetown and is being trained by Coach Sebert Blake - has been given the green light to the Olympic Games.

The bantamweight pugilist has long been tipped

Steve Ninvalle

for Olympic qualification, following his stellar track record as an amateur boxer, which includes a silver medal in the Youth

Commonwealth Games and a 19th place World Ranking in the Bantamweight class.

President of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA), Steve Ninvalle, expressed his elation at Allicock’s achievement, and noted that his qualification is a result of hard work on the part of both the boxer and the Association.

“Well, obviously we are very happy that Keevin could have qualified for the Olympics. I think it’s the worst kept secret that, for 25 years, Guyana has not had a boxer that qualified for this event,” the GBA President

Forde cites positive and negative drawbacks from WCQ …Golden Jags to play friendlies in Miami

P

resident of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF), Wayne Forde, on Tuesday expressed his disappointment at Guyana bowing out in the First Round Qualifiers for the FIFA 2022 World Cup. This admission did not come without an optimistic perspective, as Forde articulated the positives that can be taken away from the Senior Men’s National Team’s run in the tournament.

Forde shared, “The Golden Jaguars’ 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign did not go as we had planned or expected, and we are all very disappointed.

While there are positives to take away from each game, not least the promising performances of our young talent, it was heartbreaking to see the team consistently conceding soft goals in the early stages of the three games that we lost.”

Moving on to the GFF’s hope to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, and how the Golden Jaguars’ recent performance may have hindered or advanced that goal, Forde explained: “The GFF has consistently stated that its strategic focus is to qualify for the expanded FIFA 2026 World Cup; and while four years may seem to be a long time ahead, it is our intention to start the integration of new talent into the national team programme now, by building a squad that would reach its peak in time for that qualification process.

“However, we also understand the importance of maintaining public confidence as we pursue this ambitious goal.

As a stepping stone towards this ultimate goal, it was one of the senior men’s national team’s targets this year to reach the second phase of qualifying for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. We would therefore have to accept that while the successful integration of some potential stars of the future can be considered an encouraging step forward, the recent perfor-

GFF President, Wayne Forde

mance of the team fell short of creating the momentum we had hoped for.

“While it is critical that we begin the grooming process of the generation of players that will be tasked with achieving the goal of 2026 qualification, it was never our intention to do this at the expense of the nation’s flagship football brand, and noone within the national team programme should be saying otherwise.

“The public expects the GFF to manage the changing cycles of our national teams in a responsible and smooth way, and it is absolutely important that we do all that we can to meet that expectation.

“Despite the extensive work being done with our domestic-based national team players, we have to acknowledge that the lack of competitive game time has proven to be rather unforgiving. This is not for a lack of effort, the GFF had negotiated three international friendlies as part of our preparation for the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers: two against Suriname and one against Nicaragua.

Unfortunately, both nations were unable to meet those commitments due to factors brought about by the COVID-19 situation here in Guyana and within their respective countries.

The resulting absence of these crucial warm-up games was an unavoidable setback in the team’s preparation.”

As the Golden Jaguars turn their attention to the qualifying stage of the CONCACAF Gold Cup, in which they will be tasked

with taking on Guatemala, Forde has highlighted that the team would be pursuing friendly games as tests before their crucial encounter.

“Next month, the Golden Jaguars will make their second consecutive appearance at the CONCACAF Gold Cup, albeit in the expanded preliminary round of the tournament. Head Coach Marcio Maximo and his technical staff must now shift their focus to preparing the team for their opening game against Guatemala on July 3rd, 2021 in Miami.

“We are planning to travel to Miami early, with the hope of playing two friendly games as part of our preparation for this important encounter.

“These friendly games are crucial in assessing the players’ level of match fitness and other performance benchmarks,” Forde disclosed.

The GFF President added, “There is no doubt that Guatemala would be a tough obstacle in advancing to the round of 16, and we should be realistic about our expectations. However, we expect the squad and staff to give everything they have to cause Guatemala some serious problems throughout the match, and we know the support of the fans can make all the difference.

“After the Gold Cup, the team will not be in competitive action until next year.

We will use this time to further strengthen the development of our domestic-based national team players, together with a consistent level of local and international games.”

Keevin Allicock and Steve Ninvalle

stated.

Continuing, he said, “It was a lot of hard work on Keevin’s part. I think (that) on the part of the executives of the Guyana Boxing Association, we did our part also (in) getting him to the strategic and needed tournaments which would have allowed him to qualify.”

While explaining that the aim is now to have as much support for the amateur pugilist as possible for his preparation, Ninvalle shared the efforts that the GBA made in his qualification process.

“We will need all resources and all hands on deck if we are to get him anywhere near the medal rounds. This includes going to international training camps, which we are working on, as it is,” Ninvalle related.

On the topic of Allicock’s qualification, Ninvalle disclosed, “It just shows the need we have for exposing our boxers. In 2020 the

Olympics were not kept, and in 2021 the qualifiers were not kept, so they had to go to the rankings. And we would have been able to pull that off through a tripartite request that the GBA would have sent in.

“Congratulations to Keevin! Congratulations to his Coach Sebert Blake!

We intend to do the best that we can to make him very competitive in the upcoming Olympics,” Ninvalle concluded.

In extending gratitude, the GBA President verbalised his appreciation for the involvement of the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) and the Government of Guyana.

“We would want to thank the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) for the support it would have given in getting Keevin to several tournaments, and we would also want to thank the Government of Guyana for being part of the back-

bone of getting us to these tournaments also,” he said.

To date, Guyana has copped only one Olympic Medal, which came at the Moscow Summer Games in 1980. Similar to Keevin Allicock, Michael Parris fought in the bantamweight division and secured a bronze medal at those Games. The last time that Guyana was represented in Boxing at the global event was in 1996, and that was by light heavyweight pugilist John Douglas.

Allicock joins table tennis player Chelsea Edghill and swimmers Andrew Fowler and Jamila Sanmoogan, who will all be heading to the Olympic Games.

On the Regional front, Allicock will be joined by boxers from Antigua, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago as they represent their respective countries in the discipline.

$186M approved for sport sector

T

he National Assembly last evening approved $186.4 million to facilitate more infrastructural works through the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport’s Ground Enhancement Programme.

Sport Minister Charles Ramson Jr told the House that the Ministry has already exhausted its budget to undertake several ground enhancements works across the country, hence the request for additional funds.

“Ground enhancement forms part of what communities do for their community grounds, which includes playing of sports, but it is not only for the playing of sports; it is a community ground for which all kinds of activities occur, like social and training activities, and even medical purposes,” he said.

Of this sum, $10 million will be allocated for the development of community grounds in Region Ten. Responding to a question posed by Opposition MP Jermaine Figueira,

Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Hon Charles Ramson Jr

Minister Ramson said that while no specific ground has yet been identified, a decision would be made following a consultation with key stakeholders.

These include the Regional Administration and residents, among others.

He added that several grounds in the Region have already benefited from the programme; however, there is more to be done to ensure sportsmen and women have a space to train and exercise.

“There are options there, so when we go to Region

10, we will meet with the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) to identify the ground to start infrastructural works,” the Minister said.

The Ministry has allocated some $1.5 billion towards sport development, of which $915.5 million would go towards the improvement of community grounds countrywide. The work would include the establishment of multi-purpose sporting facilities of international standards in Regions Two, Six and Ten. (DPI.GOV.GY)

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 2021

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

Page 23

Page 23

– qualifies for Olympic Games

$186M approved for sport sector Pg 23

BCB Coaches to publish historic manual for youth cricketers …sponsorship already secured

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