Guyana Times - Wednesday, June 2, 2021

DDL donates $11.5M in flood relief items to CDC

P18 Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 4666

THE BEACON OF TRUTH WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, 2021

Motions tabled for immediate dismissal of Lowenfield, Myers, Mingo from GECOM Page 3

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

Guyana’s COVID-19 death toll approaches P9 400 …over 200,000 1st doses of vaccines administered

Activate P14 disaster response systems – CDC to Local Govt bodies

CEO Keith Lowenfield

Deputy CEO Roxanne Myers

Region 4 Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo

Canal No 1 farmers Diamond-Eccles buckle as floods bypass road slated wipe out hundreds for July opening of livestock, crops P2

P18

Kwakwani residents evacuated amid widespread flooding

…houses completely submerged

Page 12

Tree uprooted by heavy winds kills P11 miner Man found murdered in abandoned building at Victoria P10

Ganja found in old cinema P10 yard at Plaisance

Businessman allegedly robbed of $1.2M at P8 Parika

2 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Canal No 1 farmers buckle as floods wipe out hundreds of livestock, crops

S

tagnant floodwaters for several days at Canal Number One Polder, West Bank Demerara, have left farmers up in arms, with no option but to count millions of dollars in losses as livestock and crops perish.

On Tuesday, Guyana Times visited the affected community, where the plight of affected persons stemmedfrom poor drainage management and heavy rainfall.

As the water fails to recede, many crops and animals are slowly succumbing to the cold and wet environment – a detriment for farmers and their

Affected livestock farmer Gitendra Ketwaroo

investments.

Gitendra Ketwaroo, who rears livestock for a living, was overwhelmed that his livelihood has been severely impacted. With almost 300 chickens already dead, another few hundred are suffering from hypothermia and need higher, warmer ground to survive.

Since last week, his lands were inundated by heavy rainfall but the situation escalated this week as the water rose higher. Ketwaroo said the water started rising since last week and efforts were made to secure the live-

Some of these chickens have already died while others are suffering from hypothermia

stock. But the rainfall persisted and now the land has been covered in over a foot of water for over two days.

“All my chicken dying.

Two pens with 1200 chicken and by this time this water go down, I don’t know what I going to get. Right now, I don’t know who will help me…This flooding nearly start about week but wasn’t so high. It come around the pen but two days now, the water go in. I blocked the water and bail the water but it was coming in,” he noted.

He is more concerned that his investment of $4 million to build the existing infrastructure and hundreds of chicks. Since January, all of his resources were injected into this project, for which

However, persons in the community have noted that the moss needs to be removed.

Kowsilla Mohabir detailed, “A couple days now, the rain started to fall and this water started to rise up till under the house. I don’t know how long this will take to drain. I don’t know the reason why the water is not moving. I live alone and there is no one to assist me to move nothing…In 2005, it was bad and they had to dig both sides of the canal to take the moss out. At the conservancy dam, I would like to see what is going with people there. They’re really feeling it more than us.”

“If you know the moss is blocking the water, the Council was supposed to get

Residents are calling for the canal to be cleared of moss that is affecting drainage

he is yet to receive a profit.

The 51-year-old was hoping to sell some of his livestock soon.

“I put down the foundation, buy the chicken, buy the feed to grow them so big and watch what happen to me. I had to put zinc so that they (the chickens) can go there but they’re not going. They catching cramp and just lie there. That’s my last money that I invest...The water ain’t moving,” the distraught man highlighted.

Meanwhile, another farmer complained that he has already lost over 4000 citrus fruits, all intended for the local market. Tangerines, limes and oranges are submerged in floodwaters and are not salvageable.

Residents told this newscast that the canal was plagued with moss, which is affecting drainage. There are other drainage concerns as it relates to the sluice. After the flooding, then some effort was made to ease the situation.

people to clean the moss.

When the place flood, then they get tractor and so to clean. How can you see when the water high? When the water drop, then you would see what’s going on in the trench…If the trench was clean, water could’ve draw off the land. They wait till the place flood to clean,” Ketwaroo added.

Affected farmers are calling for authorities to intervene and provide some sort of relief or compensation to cushion their losses. For them, it will take a while to recover after the waters recede, especially in the financial aspect.

Canal Number One is among scores of villages to be affected by floods caused by high tides and intense rainfall within the past two weeks.

In conjunction with the Civil Defence Commission and civil society, officials have been reaching out to communities to offer relief and lend support. (Rupa Seenaraine)

NEWS

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS OPENINGS BRIDGE

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

Wednesday, June 2 – 10:30h – 12:00h and Thursday, June 3 – 00:30h – 02:00h and 12:00h – 13:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Wednesday, June 2 – 10:15h – 11:45h and Thursday, June 3 – 11:20h – 12:50h.

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

WEATHER TODAY

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

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

High Tide: 10:09h and 22:56h reaching maximum heights of 2.19 metres and 2.14 metres.

Low Tide: 16:19h reaching a minimum height of 1.01 metres.

SATURDAY, MAY 29, 2021

LOTTERY NUMBERS B

04 07 13 14 23 26 21

FREE TICKET TUESDAY, JUNE 1, 2021

Bonus Ball

DAILY MILLIONS

05 13 22 23 24 LUCKY 3

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Afternoon Draw

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DRAW DE LINE

05 06 07 10 11 15 20 SUPER

PAY DAY

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FRIDAY, MAY 28, 2021

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COMMODITIES Indicators Crude Oil Rough Rice London Sugar

US$ $69.63/barrel $238.82 /ton $459.60/ton

Live Spot Gold Bid/Ask Low/High Change

Change % +0.00 -0.24 0

USD Per Ounce $1999.10 $1891.50 -0.40

$1900.10 $1917.20 -0.02%

Motions tabled for immediate firing of Lowenfield, Myers, Mingo from GECOM

P

eople’s Progressive P a r t y / C i v i c (PPP/C) appointed Commissioners to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) on Tuesday filed motions 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.

The motion was tabled

by Commissioners Sase Gunraj, Bibi Shadick and Manoj Narayan – all lawyers – before GECOM Chair, Retired Justice Claudette Singh when they met on Tuesday.

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. This led to chaos, protests and confusion at the GECOM Command Centre and the Office of the Returning Officer for District Four which was housed at Ashmins Building at the corner of High and Hadfield Streets.

Deliberate neglect

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

Region 4 Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo

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 viola-

Deputy CEO Roxanne Myers

CEO Keith Lowenfield

tions 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.

as established by the recount process and instead produced revised totals of votes cast after he had deducted scores of thousands of votes in favour of the PPP/C list of candidates on grounds of alleged “irregularities and anomalies”.

“In short, he failed and/ or refused to produce the report as he was lawfully required to do as the CEO and instead, he was purporting to act as a Judge of the High Court hearing an elections petition,” it added.

Concocted numbers

The motion said that on June 13, in breach of Paragraph 12 of Order 60 of 2020 (the recount order), the CEO submitted a report in which he disregarded the votes cast for each of the list of candidates

CONTINUED ON PAGE 7

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guyanatimesgy.com

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, 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

Empowering women and youths O

ne of the best ways by which individuals can be empowered is by an appropriate education and creation of empowerment programmes to enable equitable opportunities for upward mobility for every citizen, yet disadvantaged women and youths proliferate, not only in Guyana, but the Caribbean and further afield as well.

Societies in general are veering away from male domination in work places, and Government and the Private Sector are determined to provide equal opportunities for employees – regardless of gender.

The issue of women and their role in development has always been a topic of interest, and debates have centred around the challenges women face in getting access to the same opportunities as men, and, in a general sense, programmes and policies that could be implemented to ensure their economic and social advancement.

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

However, women - the child-bearers and primary child-carers - are disadvantaged by domestic responsibilities; and many men abdicate their responsibilities in parenting and being equal partners in the home.

There is a dire need for men to create behavioural change in their domestic and child-rearing engagements: the accrued benefits to the entire family would be manifold; and the satisfaction and happiness of family togetherness would redound to the wellbeing of everyone, not least the children. If they grow up in an environment of caring and sharing, most likely they would become rounded adults, and incidents of juvenile delinquency would be reduced. Most of the ills in society are caused by delinquent fathers and spouses.

Despite many attempts by successive Governments to empower/educate women and youths in diverse ways, there are still great numbers of women with leadership skills and business acumen who are constrained by diverse circumstances from optimising their potential for wealth and job creation.

Some years ago, under the administration of former President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, the Social Protection Ministry, in collaboration with the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI), launched the “Women of Worth” (WOW) loan programme, which helped single parent women start and/or expand their businesses. This initiative was driven by then subject Minister Priya Manickchand.

Through initiatives like Women of Worth, Government, in partnership with institutions like GBTI, has proven that providing enabling mechanisms can make a tangible impact on the lives of vulnerable women and, consequently, their children. By removing financial obstacles, the partnership with GBTI helped women realise their true potential through building businesses. Through the WoW initiative, women used their acumen to grow local communities, build wealth, and ultimately contribute to making Guyana better as a whole.

Before their advent into politics in then British Guyana, local women were treated as less by the colonial overlords. Women could not work in the Public Service after marriage, and they certainly could not vote, among a multiplicity of human/women/s rights constraints.

Over the years, intrepid women fought for equality, and after much struggle and countless engagements at various fora, women were permitted greater freedoms in the socio-political dynamics of the nation. Today, women proliferate in leadership roles in every sphere of activity in the nation.

One of the most pressing needs for working mothers is the provision of safe childcare facilities in communities and workplaces. There are innumerable retired nurses and teachers who would certainly happily accept employment in such facilities.

The fledgling President Irfaan Ali’s administration is off to a great start in addressing pressing social issues, and, hopefully, projects slated to empower women in the society are yet to unfold.

Minister within the Housing Ministry, Susan Rodrigues met with a delegation from the US Embassy on Tuesday. The delegation comprised the Chargé D'Affaires, Mark Cullinane; Political/Economic Chief Seth Wikas; Foreign Service Officer Yamilee Bastien; and Economist and Commercial Specialist Richard Leo. During the meeting, the Ministry’s progress in the roll-out of the 10,000 house lots per year initiative 2020-2025, existing housing policies and prospects of public-private partnerships and potential investment opportunities were discussed (Housing Ministry photo)

Slowe must explain dilatory nature of resorting to besmirching President Ali Dear Editor, President Dr Irfaan Ali is ‘spot on.’ He was so right when he stated, “I find it convenient and opportunistic that Mr Paul Slowe would make the accusation that I tried to influence him and the work of the Police Service Commission. This is not only far from the truth, but it is a malicious attempt to change the narrative.”

The President explained, “If Mr Slowe is saying I tried to influence him, where are the results of that influence?” I add that Mr Slowe must say in what areas President Ali tried to solicit some kind of collusion from him.

We are now learning that Mr Slowe is bringing the independence and professionalism of the PSC into question by aligning the

PSC with Opposition member of Parliament Ganesh Mahipaul and retaining Opposition members of Parliament Roysdale Forde, Khemraj Ramjattan, Raphael Trotman, Geeta Chandan-Edmond and Amanza Walton-Desir to institute proceedings against the Government of Guyana.

Now, I need to ‘stick a pin’ here, and revisit something of utmost importance. To accuse His Excellency of trying to influence him, Mr Slowe is committing an act that is tantamount to the desecration of a holy terrain. Mr Slowe in fact must remember that he was a tainted figure when he was made Chairman of the Police Service Commission.

Back in July 2018, then Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo did inform then

President David Granger that he had hang-ups regarding Paul Slowe’s possible appointment to head the Police Service Commission.

Jagdeo actually said Slowe, “…had ‘baggage’ which may cause him to be biased in carrying out his duties.”

I dare say the Vice President was accurately prophetic, and had his warnings been heeded by David Granger, maybe the present charges of fraud and sexual molestation would not have been hanging over the head of Slowe.

As we all know, Mr Slowe, Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), and eight others (retired senior ranks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) have been jointly slapped with a fraud charge by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) for allegedly

conspiring to defraud the GPF of some $10M. Of course Paul Slowe is denying that he conspired with others to defraud the Guyana Police Force of Gy$10 million, and that he had sexually assaulted a female Police officer. So now, through Attorney-at-Law Selwyn Pieters, Mr Slowe has indicated that he would be filing a lawsuit against the Police Force for sullying his name.

I call on Mr Slowe to explain the dilatory nature of this resort to besmirching the President. Let us remember that the Head of State met with Mr Slowe within the first few months of his Presidency, and that was more than eight months ago.

Yours truly, Attiya Baksh

Govt and Opposition must work together Dear Editor, I was touched seeing Dr Irfaan Ali’s seething anger in the middle of the night happening on the koker and seeing turned off the pump that was supposed to be on draining water from the city. The attendant was exposed first hand failing to carry out his mandated duty during an emergency (flooding of the city). The worker must be disciplined.

President Ali has worked tirelessly over the last week,

and has gone the length to protect the nation from flood.

Others who know better are not doing their fair part.

Koker attendees must carry out their responsibilities with dedication and commitment.

It is not known to what extent koker attendees are not executing their jobs during this critical time of heavy rainfall. They are reminded that they are not at the koker to sleep, but to ensure that rising water is drained into the ocean.

The President and Government Ministers were also seen distributing food hampers to the affected.

Some charitable organisations and diaspora groups are also doing invaluable work to help victims during the flooding.

The rapid response of the President and Government is commendable.

The country must show its appreciation for the work of the Government during this crisis that is compound-

ed by the COVID pandemic.

While the role of the official Opposition is to criticise and oppose, the Opposition must give credit by recognising the work of the Government as in its response to the flooding, and critique it when necessary.

In the case of the current flooding, Government and Opposition must work together to mitigate the effects.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

guyanatimesgy.com

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, 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

Shameless to the core Educate yourself Dear Editor, This ‘noise-making’ over the Paul Slowe controversy – really, his court issues smacks of disgust. It is hinged on Slowe’s dishonest attempt to implicate President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali in some kind of constitutional wrongdoings, and this continues a pattern from the Opposition quarters.

Mr Harmon and the APNU/AFC must remember that people, both in and out of Guyana, as well as the designated International Community of Election Observers are still on top of Guyana’s situation, that seems never-ending since the March 2020 Guyana Elections.

Let me list a few happenings of recent that I hope would paint a true picture of the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition and cohorts. I hope readers would see who are the ones trying to influence constitutional and independent bodies.

There was the barefaced attempt by Simona Broomes, who sought to direct the Public Service Commission to halt promotions of Public Servants upon the instructions of former President David Granger. (Talk about infringement and seeking to influence!) That was in June of 2015. At the time, Acting Chief Justice Ian Chang

ruled that the directive given by the Minister in the Ministry of Social Protection, Simona Broomes, that the Public Service Commission (PSC) suspend interviews to fill vacancies within her Ministry, violated the Constitution, and as a consequence is unlawful, null, void, and of no legal effect.

Then there was the Carvil Duncan issue. Duncan, as Chairman of the Public Service Commission, was summoned to the Office of the President by President David Granger and Joseph Harmon and threatened that if he did not resign, there would be ‘blood on the carpet.’

Duncan challenged the attempt to remove him from office, and the then Attorney General, Basil Williams, threatened the Judge who was hearing the case in open court, causing the legal proceedings never to be determined.

Another example will suffice. During that May 2017 period, Attorney for Carvil Duncan, Anil Nandall, had announced his intention to challenge the appointment of Patrick Yarde as the acting Chairman of the Public Service Commission (PSC).

Yarde, as we all know, was sworn in by President David Granger as the acting Chairman of the Public Service Commission (PSC), redounding in his status as

an ex-officio member of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), the Police Service Commission, and the Guyana Defence Force Commission’s Board.

Nandlall, at the time, detailed that “Patrick Yarde’s appointment was capricious, arbitrary, unlawful, and unconstitutional.” Why? In his own words: “The position of Chairman of the PSC is not vacant,” as Duncan is substantively the holder of that office, despite the fact that he was suspended and there is an attempt to remove him; the crux of which is the subject of court proceedings.

Then there was the November 2017 matter, when Chief Justice Roxanne George-Wiltshire did rule that the directive given by the Minister of State to the Police Service Commission, to put a hold on the planned promotions of senior Police Officers, was unlawful and unconstitutional.

So on and on we can go, but I think the point is clear, and it is indeed most reprehensible that after so much time had elapsed, the public is only now hearing from Mr. Paul Slowe. And I add that the President has issued the challenge, “If Mr. Slowe is saying I tried to influence him, where are the results of that influence? Where is the result?”

I firmly believe that the real reason for Slowe’s wild

accusation is that he has been slapped with a $10 million fraud charge, along with a charge for sexual assault.

This top lawman, who had been tasked with enforcing the law, will now have to defend “…receiving millions of dollars from the Guyana Police Force while being the Chairman of the said Constitutional Commission, wielding disciplinary powers over the very Force.”

The old adage rings true again: “Never put cat to watch milk”, so it is quite vile for this Paul Slowe to seek to smear the President in his effort to come over as some character of moral rectitude.

By the way, this same Slowe is under investigation in another (kind) of issue. The news is that “… during the months of March and April 2019, a female Assistant Superintendent, who worked along with Mr. Slowe, was allegedly sexually assaulted by Slowe three times.” No wonder he is so desperate.

The President has rejected Slowe’s accusation of ‘interfering’, and so it is now left for the embattled lawman to produce evidence to back his claim. Then he has to find further proof that the charges against him, of fraud and sexual assault, are false.

Yours truly, Matthew Hendrix

We have lost a young, active, well-respected Journalist Dear Editor, Almost 200,000 Guyanese have received their first COVID-19 vaccination, but Mondale Smith was not among them, although he could have been.

Sadly, we have lost a young, active, well respected, professional journalist from our ranks. It need not have been so. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of young and old ones too - Guyanese who can be vaccinated but are not because they have chosen not to so be. Mondale had been among them. The question is: why?

There is overwhelming evidence, the world over and

here at home, that the vaccines work. There is no known case of anyone who has taken the second dose of the vaccine - where two doses are required to be fully vaccinated - who has been hospitalised or died from being infected by the COVID-19 virus. There are, however, many thousands who have not been vaccinated, and they continue to be infected and are dying.

I write this letter in the hope that those who read it who have not been vaccinated, either by carelessness or by choice - learn from what has happened to Mondale, and understand that they have made the choice to not only put their

own lives at risk, but the lives of the rest of the nation; and why do I say the rest of the nation?

Let me quote from a letter in today’s Stabroek News (1st June, 2021) written

by Dr. Jacquelyn Jhingree: “Vaccination is the long-term tool to get out of the pandemic and eventually beat COVID-19. Most of us know this by now. Scientists, health professionals, governments and science communicators all over the world have undertaken significant campaigns to convince people that it is in their best interest to get vaccinated”.

We cannot use that “long-

term tool” to serve Guyana and vaccinate at least 75% of our population to achieve “herd immunity” for our country if a substantial percentage of our population refuse to be vaccinated.

We have the vaccines.

Some 41% of our population have already received their first dose; they need to get their second. Those persons refusing to be vaccinated are holding the nation to ransom.

I repeat: they are not only putting their own lives at risk, but the rest of the nation with them.

Dear Editor, It is most reprehensible that the public is only now hearing from Mr Paul Slowe in regard to his present situation, wherein he is immersed in a legal quagmire and in trying to do some damage control by accusing President Irfaan Ali of trying to influence him, and by extension the Police Service Commission, many moons ago.

Slowe’s reaction stinks.

The sketchy and very vague explanation in the form of an allegation is “… that the President attempted to influence him in a conversation last year…”

Now, why this man kept that hidden all the time contradicts common sense and legal recourse. In fact, I think the impetus for his ‘anti-Ali fabrication’ is that “(he) Mr Slowe has been slapped with a ten-million-dollar ($10,000,000) fraud charge, along with a charge for sexual assault.”

This top lawman, who was tasked with enforcing the law, will now have to defend “…receiving millions of dollars from the Guyana Police Force while being the Chairman of the said Constitutional Commission, wielding disciplinary powers over the

very Force.” The old adage rings true again: “Never put a cat to watch milk.”

So, it is quite vile for this Paul Slowe to seek to smear the President in his

effort to come over as some character of moral rectitude.

Yours sincerely, Kit Nascimento

Belated accusation against President reeks of desperation Sincerely, Baldeo Mathura

Dear Editor, With COVID-19 having the world somewhat in a lockdown, the education sector is being greatly affected. Even though many parents are not working fulltime, and children are home most of the time, I expected there would be great improvement.

Incidentally, that’s not the case, even though the Government is trying its best to ensure there isn’t a lapse.

Many parents and children could be seen traversing to schools in order to submit their worksheets after completion. Data usage has increased immensely, as most of the work and research is being done through the internet.

Editor, many parents and children could be seen daily moving around with cellphones, and some attention is drawn to the phones as they do so.

Naturally, one would assume that they are well versed in using a cellphone, and are quite confident in surfing the internet, after being online for so much of the time. To my dismay, that expectation was shattered recently, based on an experience.

Due to the lockdown, many courses are being offered online, either free or at a small fee. In some cases, scholarships are being offered by many universities as a result of the collaboration between the Government of Guyana and the tertiary institutions. It should be noted that many courses being offered do not require any qualification, or minimal, if at all.

Knowing that this might be a rare opportunity, at all the places I frequent, I’ve been encouraging young people to embrace the opportunities and educate themselves.

To many who seemed inter-

ested, I forwarded the links for them to register, but, to my amazement, upon following up to see if they were pursuing the opportunities, everyone was having a problem, and in most cases, the problems were the same.

Because everyone is in possession of a cellphone, I assumed that they would be able to go through the process easily. Instead, their complaints were that they cannot find the sites (even though I sent them the links). Many of them don’t even have an email address, and don’t know how to sign up to get one!

Nevertheless, I managed to assist some, and further advise them to pursue the opportunities.

Finally, Editor, I’ve said repeatedly that with the excitement behind the discovery of oil in Guyana, without a doubt, lots of skilled people would be attracted to Guyana, and if we are not prepared to contend with them for jobs, we would end up in a peculiar position.

Presently, lots of opportunities exist, and many more would be emerging for us to further our knowledge/skills.

The way I am seeing it is that the Government of Guyana is making all attempts to ensure education is easily accessible, and equal opportunities exist for everyone.

For me, it doesn’t make any sense for someone to be walking around with the most expensive phone without knowing how to use it, except for Facebook, Whatsapp or making TikTok videos, when that same cellphone could make them enhance their career!

It tells me that we have a long way more to go.

Sincerely, Sahadeo Bates

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, 2021

Page

Foundation ◄

Question 1

Tuesday’s answers

By Derek Walcott

T

like clouds in the sky.

his activity creatively guides you in reflecting on and understanding what's happening inside of you.

Student "weather reports" can happen any time of day, and are a great way to cultivate self-awareness and self-management.

Record your reflections.

Now look into your heart for 30 seconds to see what your stress level is, what emotions you are currently experiencing, and how open or closed you find your hearts.

What you do:

First, check in with your body through scanning from head to toe for 30 seconds. Do you feel any sensations and what do those sensations feel like. For example, "My chest feels tight," "My neck feels stiff," etc.

Record what you feel on a sheet

Record your observations.

of paper.

Now, check in with your mind for 30 seconds and see how focused you are or if you have lots of thoughts.

Observe the thoughts come and go

Based on your observations, draw/write about your current internal weather. Then think about what you might do if you want to change your internal weather and how and when you plan to do that.

(Adapted from education.com)

The fist clenched round my heart loosens a little, and I gasp brightness; but it tightens again. When have I ever not loved the pain of love? But this has moved past love to mania. This has the strong clench of the madman, this is gripping the ledge of unreason, before plunging howling into the abyss.

Hold hard then, heart. This way at least you live.

The poem in few words: Love hurts Word cloud: Imagery Restriction Metaphor

WORD SEARCH

7 MoH dispatches medications to flood-affected regions NEWS

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

…no major health complaints reported

M

edications to treat water-borne illnesses have been dispatched to the flood-affected areas in the event of an outbreak. This was according to Health Minster, Dr Frank Anthony on Tuesday who stated that ointments, creams, and oral rehydration solutions have now been made available to residents.

“In anticipation of rashes and so forth, we have sent in skin ointments and creams to various regions.

In anticipation that children might get diarrhoeal diseases, we have sent in the ORS (oral rehydration solutions) and bleach to help to purify water. We’re anticipating and ensuring that supplies are closer to the point of usage. So far, we haven’t had any major health complaints,” Dr Anthony stated.

He added that health workers will be monitor-

ing the situation. Due to the widespread inundation, he noted that it has been a challenge to continue the COVID-19 vaccination in those areas.

“The health staff now have to do the monitoring for things like diarrhoeal diseases and other water-borne diseases and so forth…We’re still pushing ahead with our vaccination programme. It is challenging. It is difficult but we’re still moving ahead because we want people to be vaccinated as soon as possible.”

On Sunday, the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) reported that the regions that have experienced severe flooding are Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) and Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice). In addition, it stated that over 15,000 hampers were distributed to the flood-affected areas within the past few

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony

days.

Just a few days ago, the Minister had issued a warning, stating that that attention should be placed on ensuring that water sources are free from contamination during floods.

This can cause illnesses in both children and adults.

Motions tabled for...

FROM PAGE 3

The Commissioners reminded that Lowenfield not only concocted numbers but also defied several directives of the GECOM Chair – namely on June 16, July 9 and July 13, 2020. They reminded that on 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 Davis 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”.

“This invalidation process upon which the CEO embarked upon was found by the Caribbean Court of Justice to be unlawful and in conflict with the existing electoral laws. The Court said: ‘The idea that the CEO or GECOM could, in an unaccountable, non-transparent, and seemingly arbitrary manner, without the due process and the legal standards established in Article 163 and in the Validation Act, disenfranchise scores of thousands of electors is entirely inconsistent with the constitutional framework.’ 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 the report of the CEO dated 23rd June, 2020, is invalid and of no effect,” Gunraj and Shadick stated in their motion.

Unilaterally and arbitrarily

On July 11, 2020, the CEO submitted his third recount report with figures that were inconsistent with the figures from the National Recount and those shown on Certificates of Recount. Instead, the CEO unilaterally and arbitrarily decided to use the figures submitted to him by the ten Returning Officers pursuant to Section 84 of RoPA, including the fraudulently manufactured figures declared by Mingo for District 4. The report submitted by the CEO again showed a victory for the APNU/AFC list of candidates.

On June 13, the Chair had to declare that the report cannot be used and requested that Lowenfield produce another report reflecting the numbers of the recount process. This was the fourth opportunity given to the CEO to prepare the report pursuant to the recount results and he again failed to submit his report within the time stipulated, the duo reminded.

They said that Lowenfield has not only violated but discarded the oath of office which he took to faithfully discharge the duties of his office and to act fairly and impartially in the discharge of those duties.

They also highlighted that Lowenfield is also before the court facing criminal charges for his infractions and as such cannot contin-

“Some people have been capturing rain water and if you have rain water, it also means that you can add bleach so whatever bacteria is in the water, you can kill the bacteria so that you get water that is free from contaminants. A simple thing is to boil water. Once you boil it, it would kill the bacteria,” the Minister had stated.

Persons were urged to take extra precaution to reduce the risks of skin and diarrhoeal infections.

“For those communities

ue to function in the role he holds as head of GECOM Secretariat.

They noted that Lowenfield’s actions have also brought into disrepute the integrity of the operations of the Elections Commission and its Secretariat.

Myers and Mingo

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. Justice Singh has since written to both Lowenfield and Myers asking them to provide, in writing, responses to the motion indicating why they should not be dismissed from their substantive posts. They have until June 15 to show why they should not be dismissed.

The Chair is also expected to write to Mingo asking the same of him.

He added that apart from sourcing drinking water elsewhere, persons can also opt to use bleach or boil their water for safe consumption.

“If water supplies have been contaminated, people would be drinking that contaminated water. A lot of times, because the sewage can be flooded, it mixes with the water that probably they would be using to drink. We have to make sure that if that is happening, they get a better source of water.”

that have experienced flooding, I would urge that you take those extra precautions to keep your water supply safe. If you do that then, then we’ll not see an increase in the diarrhoeal diseases, especially in children.

In addition to diarrhoeal diseases that we normally see, we’re also on the lookout for skin rashes because would be walking through the water. They can get skin infections. That’s another thing that we’re on the lookout for,” Dr Anthony stated.

8 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Businessman allegedly robbed of $1.2M at Parika

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44-year-old businessman from Parika, East Bank Essequibo (EBE), was in the wee hours of Tuesday allegedly robbed of $1.2 million by two men who accosted him while he was waiting to be picked up.

Police stated that on the day in question at about 01:30h, the businessman along with this son and an employee arrived at Parika Stelling after conducting business in Leguan.

The businessman reportedly told Police that while at the stelling, he reached into his bag and realised that the money was missing. At that time, he suggested that the money may have been removed from his bag while he was socialising at a hotel.

As such, a report was made and Police accompanied him to check.

However, whilst heading to the hotel, he told the Police that he was at the Parika junction waiting to be picked up to go home when he was confronted by two men. He stated that the men placed “something to his side” and told him to “pass everything you got”.

They then relieved him

of his mobile phone and the haversack containing the money. The perpetrators, he added, made good their escape on foot in the direction of the Parika fisheries road.

The identities of the two suspects were given to the Police, who made checks at Parika Seadam but no one was found. The Police are

continuing their investigations.

Just a few days ago a businessman of Friendship, Corentyne, Berbice, was robbed of over $1.3 million in cash and valuables by three armed men.

It was reported that the 57-year-old businessman and a 23-year-old female were at his home in their hammocks when three men armed with handguns, wearing black clothing and fully masked held them at gunpoint and demanded cash and other valuables.

They then took them to the upper flat of the building, tied them up and dealt the businessman a cuff to his left eye, causing injuries.

The couple was relieved of cash and several pieces of gold and diamond jewellery.

Decolonisation…

T

…vs Independence he ongoing and deepening floods that have engulfed our country – on the 55th Anniversary of our independence – brings to your Eyewitness’s mind the difference between “decolonisation” and “independence”.

Everyone carries on about us being colonised for over three centuries – first by the Dutch and then the British; yet, somehow, we seem to expect that, on “independence”, we were just going to undo whatever the colonials had done.

Walter Rodney pointed out that what Burnham received for his betrayal of the nationalist cause to oust the PPP Government was just a “briefcase” independence.

Some signed documents by the British that declared he could pretty much do whatever the heck he wanted - once he didn’t threaten their strategic interests.

Burnham knew he was just a poseur – after all, Jagan was always there to remind him! - but he insisted he was decolonising”!

But his vulgar Marxism in assuming that whatever the colonials did was bad and “decolonisation” meant jettisoning them. And we arrive at our floods. The colonials had literally carved out the coastland, where 85% of us live, from mangrove swamps by creating an intricate network of canals and sluices (kokers) to drain the land. The famous 100 million tons of mud dug with shovels and all that! But this hydrological wonder had to be maintained!! From siltation, from overgrown grass etc.

But what did the PNC do? They played fast and loose with the system, and encouraged a slackness in the workforce - who were now INDEPENDENT! They couldn’t be ordered to maintain the routines the “white man” had imposed! Everyone had to be addressed as “comrade”, since the colonial “hierarchy” was now overthrown as part of “decolonisation”! Look at Georgetown – of which Burnham was the mayor just before Independence. Several of the canals - which acted as catchments and drainage conduits - were filled in to “beautify” the city!! And we sank from a “Garden City” into a “Garbage City”.

After he nationalised the sugar industry, Burnham’s managers of “PNC people with party cards” refused to even enter the sugar fields to look at the cane - much less the canals. While so many have bemoaned the precipitous decline of sugar production from 1976 to 1992, they failed to highlight that one of the reasons for the decline was the dilapidated state of the infrastructure - including the canals, which drained the fields AND THE FRONT LANDS WHERE THE POPULACE LIVED!!

Cognisant of the precariousness of the balance between dry and flooded house lots, “white man” had decreed those houses must be built on stilts, and village drains must be cleaned. That, however, was observed in the breach as “independence” was interpreted as living in Florida-style slab bungalows!

The PNC decolonised us into the Stone Age! …and politics Burnham’s greatest act of “decolonisation”, however, was to degut the Parliamentary Democracy the British colonials had left. This was “bourgeois” democracy, he thundered! He’d run things so that “the small man would be the real man!” He promptly began to rig elections till he died in 1985. Seems that “decolonisation” meant that the leader – Burnham, of course – would decide who’d rule.

He, of course. It was a dirty job, but somebody had to do it, and Burnham would bear any burden for his people!

By 1970, Burnham decided that “decolonisation” also meant a new form of government – as he cut all links with Britain and declared us a “republic”. We would now be a “Co-operative Republic” – the only one in the world!

Revolutionary, no? No! It was to be just a fancy term for extending his dictatorship into the economic sphere by nationalising 80% of the economy!

“Decolonisation” also meant all schoolchildren and public servants had to join his supporters in “mass games”.

And shout, “Hail Kabaka!” …and food bans Burnham also decided that “decolonisation” meant that we shouldn’t eat the foreign foods the colonials had imported. He banned them, and mandated we should “buy local”.

Sounded good! Save he personally imported the cognac and condensed milk he craved!

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

NEWS

9

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Guyana’s COVID-19 death toll approaches 400 …over 200,000 1st doses of vaccines administered

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he novel coronavirus has claimed two more lives – taking the country’s deaths to 391.

New fatalities are a 44-year-old male from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) and a 94-year-old woman from Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara).

They both died while receiving care at a medical facility on Monday, ending the month of May with a whopping 92 deaths.

One day prior, there were four reported deaths: an 81-year-old male from Region 10, an 83-year-old female from Region Four, a 30-yearold male from Region Nine and a 65-year-old male from Region Three.

Meanwhile, cases of the virus also increased by 162 on Tuesday, raising the confirmed positives in Guyana to 17,114.

There are 21 patients seeking treatment in the Intensive Care Unit, 99 in institutional isolation, 1745 in home isolation and four in institutional quarantine. In total, 14,879 persons recovered completely. Since the pandemic started, 155,228 individuals were tested – of which 8481 males and 8633 females were positive.

An analysis showed an alarming 105 new cases being detected in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), followed by 39 in Region Four (DemeraraMahaica), nine in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), three in Region Five (MahaicaBerbice); two in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) and Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara); and one in Region One (BarimaWaini) and Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).

The statistics in Regions Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) and Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) are constant at 1220 and 365, respectively.

Vaccine milestone

The Health Ministry reported on Tuesday that first doses in the COVID-19 vaccine administration have surpassed 200,000 in Guyana, following weeks of activities to immunise the entire adult population.

Lauding this as a significant milestone, Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony shared that the 201,347 persons represent 41.4 per cent of the adult population.

“I think we have hit what I would consider a very significant milestone because we now have 201,347 persons who would have received the first dose of their vaccine. That’s a significant mile-

stone…Now we have to make sure while we continue getting more people their first doses, that we want to also make sure that they come back for their second doses,” he underscored during the daily briefing.

It has been just over three months since Guyana started its vaccination campaign, to which 69,489 have been completely immunised. The country’s adult population is measured at about 500,000.

“That would mean that now, 14.3 per cent of our adult population have been fully immunised. We are going to work during this week to get more people to become fully immunised. We want to see more people coming in to get their second doses. You can receive your first doses for AstraZeneca anytime between four to 12 weeks; for the Sputnik V, anytime be-

tween four to 12 weeks and there’s still a few people who has the Sinopharm vaccine

that did not come back for their second dose.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

10 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Man found murdered in Ganja found in old cinema abandoned building at Victoria yard at Plaisance

T

he lifeless body of 42-year-old Woodrow John Lepps was on Monday discovered in an abandoned building at Victoria, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

The discovery was made in the old school building at about 09:00h on Monday and the body was found with a gaping wound to the head. Following the discovery, Lepps’ relatives told detectives that he would do odd jobs for persons in the community.

The now dead man reportedly visited his foster sister, Rita Lepps, at her Belfield, ECD home on Sunday. She recalled that her brother came to collect his breakfast as he usually would, and left.

“He came for his tablets and he drink tea and he left… we didn’t see him back but then we know that sometime he might come the next two days, sometime it depends,” the woman said.

However, on Monday she received information that her brother was found dead in the abounded building where he

P

The abandoned building where the man was found

would usually stay.

Upon her arrival at the scene, she explained that her brother’s body was lying in the building with a wound to his head and there were bloodstains on the walls.

“Somebody come and told me he get knock in he head and a next guy came and said he passed away. I washing clothes, so I left and I come and when I go in there, I find him lying down on his face.

Somebody lash he… all the blood spill on the wall,” the sister explained.

The dead man’s sister is of the belief that her brother might have had an argument with someone and was beat-

en to death. She remembered her brother to be a very good person, and said he did not deserve to die in such a horrible manner.

“He was very nice. If you and him have a problem, he would come back and say sorry, he is always doing something for somebody. It got to be somebody did it and I wish they get the person. It got to be somebody from around here,” the tearful woman said.

The body was then escorted to Lyken’s Funeral Home awaiting a post-mortem.

Several persons were questioned in connection with the discovery. The Police are continuing their investigations.

olice acting on information went to Victoria Road, Plaisance, East Coast Demerara (ECD), where a search was carried out at the old cinema yard during which a quantity of marijuana was unearthed.

While at the location, ranks of the mobile patrol observed a green strap bag in a clump of bushes and same was retrieved. An inspection was done and several zip lock bags containing the ganja were found.

The area was canvassed but no one was seen in the vicinity where the drug was found.

The narcotic was taken to the Sparendaam Police Station where it was weighed and amounted to 88 grams.

Just a few days ago, a 42-year-old man was arrested after a quantity of ganja was found at his Number 30 Village, West Coast Berbice (WCB) home.

Reports are Police, acting on information, went to the home of the man where

The ganja that was found

3928 grams (8 lbs) of cannabis was discovered. The suspect was told of the offence, cautioned, arrested, and es-

corted to the Fort Wellington Police Station, where he was processed for court and subsequently charged.

Guyana’s COVID-19 cases...

He noted that the vaccines have an expiry date, as is the case with all medical supplies, and persons should take the opportunity to get their jabs while these resources are available.

If anyone is displaying

FROM PAGE 9

any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19 or needs any additional information, contact the COVID-19 Hotline 2311166, 226-7480 or 624-6674 immediately or visit www. health.gov.gy.

NEWS

11

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, 2021| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Tree uprooted by heavy winds kills miner

A

miner was on Monday killed while two others were injured by a falling free at Sandhill Backdam, Cuyuni River, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni). Dead is Olrick Matthews, a miner of Port Kaituma, North

West District (NWD).

The injured men are 40-year-old Bryan Richard, a miner of Pomeroon River, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) and Edwin Garraway, 49, of Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

Based on reports received, on the day in question at about 12:45h, the three miners were working when the heavy rainfalls topped with high winds caused the tree to uproot and fall into the mining pit.

As a result, the tree

hit the three miners. The other workers who were close by ran to their assistance. After a short time, Matthews was pulled from under the tree in a motionless state.

The Police were contacted and the body was escorted to Bartica Regional

Hospital mortuary awaiting a post-mortem.

On the other hand, Garraway received a fractured left hand while Richard received lacerations to his forehead. Both are presently seeking medical attention at the Bartica Regional Hospital.

In a similar incident, three houses were destroyed by heavy winds and heavy downpours on Sunday leaving at least 15 persons homeless at Laing Avenue, Georgetown. The families are seeking the public’s assistance in rebuilding.

12 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Kwakwani residents evacuated amid widespread flooding …houses completely submerged

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everal homes in Kwakwani, Upper Berbice River, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), were covered by floodwaters on Tuesday, as the community continues to battle with the effects of major flooding.

The Region 10 community is one of the worse hit areas in the region, and residents have already begun evacuating.

The Kwakwani Primary

School is now serving as a temporary shelter for persons displaced by the floods. It was reported that mattresses from the Student’s Hostel and other supplies were recently taken to the location to assist residents.

The Lamp Island and Waterfront areas are amongst those mostly affected. The Regional Democratic Council (RDC) has reported

that floodwaters are threatening communities all across the 6555 square miles of the

region.

“With 4 inches of rain forecast for today and tomorrow,

Some of the houses that are under water

several homes at Kwakwani are already completely under water, with the top flat of others under threat from the flood waters. Efforts to mitigate against the impact of this situation continue,” Regional Chairman Deron Adams was quoted as saying on Tuesday.

Earlier, he noted that the RDC has distributed hampers to residents which was boosted by input made by officials and residents.

“This effort comes on the heels of the recent provision of hampers and other supplies committed by the Civil Defence Commission and the President in the wake of the initial response by our Councillors on the ground and the RDC’s appeals for same,” he said.

Regional Vice Chairman Douglas Gittens recently spearheaded the distribution of these supplies to affected communities as part of the relief efforts. Residents of Kwakwani were also assisted with cleaning supplies to

sanitise their surroundings as well as food hampers by Government and regional officials recently.

The RDC said it will continue to monitor the situation, and urged the provision of resources from the Government and other relevant agencies to address the needs of those affected.

The Riversview community is also said to be amongst the worst affected in the region.

“Apart from severely affecting the living conditions of residents and posing a serious health threat, flooding there has damaged crops and killed livestock, widening the area of response that the RDC has to grapple with. The Council has apprised the relevant authorities of the need to respond to this location as well, and will continue to coordinate these efforts to bring relief to residents here and at the several other areas affected, “the RDC said in a recent statement.

NEWS

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

1st local paediatric brain aneurysm surgery performed …as Dr Amarnauth Dukhi breaks more neurosurgical ground plained.

Brain aneurysms are so rare in children that less than 1 in every 100,000 children may be so diagnosed.

However, ruptured brain aneurysms can be life-threatening and the child will need immediate treatment to minimise damage to the brain.

Plan to save Ty’s life

Ty’s mother, Tonna David

Ty David

By Lakhram Bhagirat

N

eurosurgeon Dr Amarnauth Dukhi continues to perform ground-breaking procedures in Guyana in an effort to enhance the surgical landscape and offer citizens more economically-viable options when it comes to neurological services.

On Monday, Dr Dukhi and his team successfully broke new surgical ground by performing the country’s first paediatric brain aneurysm surgery.

The patient was Ty David, a 13-year-old boy who attends St Rose’s High School in Georgetown.

According to Ty’s mother, Tonna David, her son was perfectly fine on the morning of May 18, 2021, but later lost consciousness in the bathroom. She explained that he was attending online

classes and had a presentation that same day, and being the introvert he was, there was some anxiety.

“I think he was probably camera-shy to do his presentation and might have been nervousness and anxiety. He went to the washroom and he called for his granny, which is my aunt, because he lives with them and when they got there, he was on the floor and they tested his pressure and it was very high, he almost had a stroke. They realised that something was wrong and I thank them for the quick response in bringing him to the hospital,” she told the media during an engagement on Tuesday morning.

The actions of Ty’s caregivers did save his life because when he arrived at the Woodlands Hospital, in Georgetown, paediatrician Dr Hardat Persaud dis-

covered extensive bleeding in his brain following a CT scan. That prompted him to call Dr Dukhi for a consultation.

Dr Dukhi examined the reports and Ty, and made the presumptive diagnosis of a ruptured brain aneurysm but because of the rarity of aneurysms in children under the age of 15, a Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA) was done to confirm his diagnosis.

“When you, as a neurosurgeon, see someone who has a spontaneous subarachnoid haemorrhage, which basically means blood in this arachnoid space in the brain. It tells me that that’s not a stroke…(the MRA) what it actually does is study all the vessels in the brain so it is able to identify exactly the location of the aneurysm. In this case, the aneurysm was on the right internal carotid artery as it bifurcates and forms the anterior cerebral artery and the middle cerebral artery so it’s a huge aneurysm with a long neck,” Dr Dukhi ex-

Understanding the importance of crafting a treatment plan not only to save Ty’s life but also preserve brain function, Dr Dukhi began taking steps to “wash” the blood from the child’s brain.

Guyana, under the leadership of Dr Dukhi, in collaboration with NeuroSpine Services Inc began offering aneurysm surgeries just under seven years ago, and six such surgeries were conducted prior to Ty’s.

“Successfully, we have been able to do seven brain aneurysms. This is our seventh and as a matter of fact this is our first paediatric brain aneurysm done in Guyana. It is so rare that it is something we don’t see, even in my residency I didn’t see a paediatric brain aneurysm. It was my first attempt to a paediatric brain aneurysm. The previous six that we would have done were all adults,” he said.

Ty’s ruptured aneurysm placed him in a critical state, medically, and as such, it was imperative that he not be moved since his life was in immediate danger.

Overseas treatment also not a viable option, because that necessitated movement and

travel and meant his family having to get a private jet to take him for treatment, since he could not have flown commercially with a brain bleed and would have had to pay over US$200,000 for surgery.

Minimally-invasive surgery

Dr Dukhi’s plan was to be as minimally invasive as possible in the surgery so he chose the endovascular route.

“Now endovascular surgery or surgery for vascular brain disorders are extremely difficult and are considered to be the toughest neurosurgical procedures. That is the toughest procedure for us brain surgeons…It’s a procedure that is not done in the public health sector. It is a procedure that NeuroSpine Services Inc has brought to Guyana in collaboration with our foreign partners – intervention radiologist out of the US and we usually do this to prevent our people and patient from being sent overseas,” he related.

The surgery was performed on Monday afternoon at the Woodlands Hospital and lasted just about two hours.

“This child had a successful surgery last night. We did something what we call a minimally-invasive brain aneurysm stenting and coiling where we didn’t have to open his head. This is what we do in First-World countries and what I was trained to do overseas in a subspecialty of neurosurgery and also my professor was able

Neurosurgeon Dr Amarnauth Dukhi

to come in to be part of that.

He is an intervention radiologist. The procedure went very well. I’d like to call it a textbook-style surgery we had yesterday. We were able to get to his brain through his femoral artery on his right leg. We went through his heart with a camera straight through his brain and we were able to find the aneurysm which was extremely huge with a long neck.

“There are certain factors that you have to take into consideration when you decide the type of surgery, so what we did: we put a stent where the aneurysm was, so we blocked it completely from that vessel that it was formed and through the stent we were able to coil it. So, what the coil does, it blocks the aneurysm completely away from natural flow so when it coils, it thrombose and closes off completely and disappears,” the neurosurgeon explained during a media engagement on Tuesday. TURN TO PAGE 14

14 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Activate disaster response systems – CDC to Local Govt bodies

One of the flooded houses in Kwakwani, Region 10

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n light of the continuous flooding in communities across the country, the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) has urged Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDC), Community Development Councils (CDC), Village Councils and Regional Democratic Councils (RDC) to report, assess and provide support to residents affected.

As such, the body has implored the local organs to utilise the training and plans provided by the CDC over the past years.

The CDC, with support

from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) was able to improve the National Disaster Risk Management System (DRM) which has the Regional Disaster Risk Management Systems as critical components.

This allowed each region to develop its own DRM system in keeping with the wider national mechanism. Plans and systems have been developed and implemented in all ten administrative regions.

The CDC in a release to

the media explained that training was conducted with regional bodies in the areas of Community Based Disaster Risk Management, Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis, Shelter Management and Emergency Operation Centre Management in an effort to prepare them to act as first responders.

“During the trainings, participants were engaged in tabletop exercises to test how they would operationalise the system in the event of flooding and other events,” the release added.

CDC Director General, Lieutenant Colonel Kester Craig pointed out that now is the time for these bodies to take responsibility as it relates to conducting damage assessment and providing support to communities affected by flooding.

Preparedness and Response Manager, Major Salim October related that oftentimes, the NDCs and CDCs refer the situation to the RDCs without any initial assessment.

Under the Regional Disaster Risk Management System, there is a Disaster

Risk Management Committee chaired by the Regional Chairperson and includes programme heads, repre-

sentatives from the Guyana Defence Force, Guyana Fire Service, Guyana Police Force, Local Chamber of Commerce,

NGOs, Guyana Geology and Mines Commission and other agencies operating in the region.

At the time of the engagement, Ty had already regained consciousness. He was expected to be discharged from the hospital today.

Dr Dukhi further explained that in Guyana getting access to materials to do minimally-invasive brain aneurysm surgery is especially hard, but the relationship with NeuroSpine Services Inc allows them to bring in stents, coils, catheters, micro wires and other items on a case-bycase basis.

When asked about some of the other challenges in performing such a delicate surgery, Dr Dukhi said: ““With a 100 billion cells and 100 million miles of vessels (in the brain) – think about it, you have to go through from the leg to the brain and find it. So finding it wasn’t that hard, because you know anat-

omy, you know where it is and you got it … the hardest part is putting the stent in. Also, I should have told you that prior to going through this procedure you have to do certain preparation like putting the patient on blood thinners 72 hours before. So putting the stent in, that vessel could close down on you and if that vessel close down on you, then the brain that it supplies blood is going to die and suffer a stroke, so that is another risk that could happen. We were able to place the stent in just below the aneurysm and, through that camera we have, to put a coil – the coil is a thin wire and then you have to put that in the aneurysm and if it doesn’t, then it will block the vessel and cause a stroke also…you can have a rupture of the aneurysm during the procedure and if that hap-

pens, it converts to an open brain surgery.”

With all the risks and possible complications that come with brain surgery, Dr Dukhi is grateful that Ty’s went smoothly and he shows no neurological deficits.

1st local paediatric...

FROM PAGE 13

Praise Ty’s mother was all praise for Dr Dukhi and his team.

She said she never doubted his capabilities and placed her confidence in him, so that he could save her baby’s life.

The surgery was performed for just 10-15 per cent of the estimated US$200,000 the family would have had to pay for a surgery overseas.

Ty’s mother said that the family was able to raise the money from relatives and close friends who supported them emotionally as well as financially.

NEWS

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Ramsammy’s Ruminations Non-operational pumps, closed sluices in Georgetown – malfeasance in public office

H

eavy rainfall is not the fault of the Mayor of Georgetown, but idle pumps and closed sluices are totally his fault. Heavy rainfall would almost always lead to a certain amount of flooding in Georgetown. That several of the seven Georgetown pumps and the five sluices are idle and closed as the city floods is unconscionable, and the Mayor cannot excuse himself. In the present flooding situation in Georgetown, unconscionable underutilisation of city pumps and sluices is criminal.

Given the damages, the inconvenience and discomfort of floods, and the health risks, the Mayor and City Council are guilty of malfeasance in public office for not ensuring pumps and sluices are operational at 100% capacity. That those sluices remain closed and pumps are idle is more than incompetence; it is egregious mismanagement, deliberate sabotaging of the city's capacity to drain water out of the city.

The drainage system Dr Leslie Ramsammy in Georgetown is the total responsibility of the Mayor and City Council. No bones about it, the Mayor and City Council's management of drainage in Georgetown has been contaminated with a hefty portion of political strategising as part of an overall political calculation.

Those in charge of the city calculate that people would blame the President and his Government for the flooding woes of Georgetown. But the management of the city's drainage is one of the many responsibilities of the Mayor and City Council.

They collect taxes, they are supposed to ensure the city is kept clean, that the city's streets are in good condition, that the drainage system is working optimally, to prevent flooding. As part of managing the drainage system, the Mayor and City Council must keep drains and canals clean. They must also ensure that pumps are always in working condition, and, during heavy rainfall events, these pumps are put into operation, and sluice doors are operated (opened and closed) as necessary.

Last Saturday, in response to the flooding in Georgetown, Ministers Juan Edghill and Zulfikar Mustapha bemoaned the fact that city pumps were idle and city sluices were closed when they should have been opened. The Ministers claimed that underutilisation of the pumps and sluices was politically motivated.

The Mayor immediately responded on Sunday that the Ministers were politicising the floods, and that the pumps and the sluices were at maximal utilisation. Essentially, the Ministers were alleging that the Mayor and City Council were either deliberately underutilising the pumps and sluices in a politically perverted way, or their incompetence led to the underutilisation of the pumps and sluices. On the other hand, the Mayor denied that the pumps and sluices were being underutilised, thereby claiming the Ministers were engaged in spreading fake stories. Who was being truthful?

On Monday night, the President took a team for an unannounced visit to sluices and pumps in the city. At least two pumps were not in operation. At one site, the pump operator was asleep, and, when awakened, claimed there is no light for him to see and put on the pump. At least one other pump was being put into operation only when the President arrived. Two sluices were closed, when they should have been opened. Basically, the President proved that pumps and sluices that are required for the rapid movement of water out of city drains and streets and people's yards were not being operated in an optimal way.

The President confirmed what Ministers Edghill and Mustapha alleged on Saturday. The President proved that when the Mayor claimed all pumps and sluices were operated maximally, he was misrepresenting the facts. Whether those pumps and sluices were deliberately underutilised or it was simply the Mayor and the City Council's disinterest, the end result is the same - sustained flooding. Both are egregious, both are malfeasance in public office.

The Mayor insists that flooding in the City cannot be attributed to underutilisation of city pumps and sluices because there was flooding in other places in Guyana. But none of these places benefits from such extensive sluice capacity, or from seven pump stations. There is no excuse for city pumps being silent when there is need to pump water out of the city. There is no excuse for leaving sluice doors closed.

Such malfeasance is not new, and is not restricted to this Mayor. For decades, the Mayor and City Council of Georgetown have been controlled by a single political party, the PNC. They are the ones collecting hefty taxes from people. In addition, they collect the largest local government subvention given by Central Government.

Many of their services, such as health, are directly funded by Government. But if there is consistency from one Mayor and City Council to another in Georgetown, during times when the PPP controls Central Government, it is that they have never optimally operated pumps and sluices.

As Minister of Agriculture during the last PPP Government, 2011 to 2015, in all heavy rainfall events, I know most of the pumps were inoperable and sluices could not be opened. I need little convincing that the Mayor and City Council are using pumps and sluices as a political weapon. It is ugly, it is stupid.

Duo remanded for armed robbery committed on housewife

D

ays after committing an armed robbery on a Land of Canaan, East Bank Demerara housewife, two men were on Tuesday arraigned for the crime when they appeared at the Diamond/Grove Magistrate’s Court.

Anthony Maraj, 25, a labourer of Cornelia Ida, West Coast Demerara (WCD), and 35-year-old Ryan Chung of Soesdyke, EBD, were remanded to prison by Magistrate Sunil Scare.

They duo pleaded not guilty to the charge which

Partygoers arrested for breaching COVID-19 guidelines in Linden

O

ver 40 persons were arrested at a party in Linden, Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice) last Saturday and are expected to be charged for breaching the existing COVID-19 guidelines.

Regional Commander, Superintendent Hugh Winter said that the people were arrested at the event which was hosted at a home at Wisroc, Wismar, Linden.

Winter told Guyana Times that these persons will soon be processed for court for the offence of breach of restriction on social activities while confirming that no approval was granted by the Regional COVID-19 Task Force for the event to be hosted.

Ranks reportedly swooped down on the home where the party was being held shortly after midnight on Saturday and made the arrest.

Only last month, 40 Lindeners were arrested and charged for breaking the 6pm to 6am curfew as ranks of Region 10’s Police Division continue to be proactive in enforcing the mandatory regulation.

Many of these curfew breakers were caught as a result of roadblocks, community patrols and responding to calls of persons breaking social distancing regulations for entertainment purposes.

The 40 persons appeared virtually at the Linden Magistrate’s Court and were each fined.

The failure to pay the fines will result in persons being remanded to prison for up to three months.

Those who refused to show up for court were charged in absentia.

Of recent, the Police would have received reports of persons hosting house parties and other social gatherings indoors after curfew hours.

stated that on May 25, 2021, at Land of Canaan, EBD, they robbed Desiree DeFretias. They will return to court on June 11, 2021.

It was reported that on the day in question, the 53-year-old housewife of Land of Canaan, EBD, was sitting in a chair on the northern side of her yard, speaking with her aunt on her cell phone when a man dressed in a blue and black Police uniform opened the gate and entered the yard.

At the time, the man was armed with a handgun, the woman said in her statement.

According to the woman, the man approached her and demanded that she hand over all her valuables.

He then attempted to force her into the house, but she

L-R: Ryan Chung and Anthony Maraj

resisted, and a scuffle ensued. During the scuffle, the housewife received a hit to her head with the handgun.

The perpetrator then relieved her of a black Samsung Galaxy S9 cell phone valued at $160,000 before quickly walking out of the yard.

He then entered a silver-coloured Bluebird motor

car with registration number PTT 2987, which headed in a southerly direction as he made good his escape.

Police had arrested three male suspects in connection with the robbery. After investigations, Maraj and Chung were charged while the third person was released.

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

NEWS

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Giftland Group of Companies appoints new CEO

T

he Giftland Group of Companies, comprising the Giftland Department Store, FoodMaxx Supermarket, The Giftland Mall, FoodMaxx Cambio and MCG Power Plant on Tuesday announced that Devindra Deonarine has been appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the conglomerate.

Deonarine was first employed by the Giftland Group in 2013 as the Head of the Information C o m m u n i c a t i o n s Technology (ICT) Department. He grew into greater responsibilities, controlling the Electronics Department, Power Plant and then becoming Chief Operations Officer of the Group.

In a press release, the new CEO stated, “I could not be more pleased and gratified to be selected as the new CEO. I have been fortunate to work with outstanding teams through-

some challenging times and has piloted us through some significant changes in the

company. All of his accomplishments, development, and mentoring have assured

the organisation well into the future,” the company said in a statement.

Teen lashed to head with bottle during argument

N

Giftland Group of Companies CEO Devindra Deonarine

out the organisation. Highperforming people are core to our DNA and are critical to ensuring that we build a thriving corporate culture.

I look forward to working along with the Executives and management team to lead the Giftland Group to even greater levels of future accomplishments.”

Deonarine has been acting as CEO for the last year

and his appointment to the substantive position is just confirmation of the stellar job which he has been doing in adding greater depth to the company’s infrastructure.

The company added that he has been blessed with excellent executive leadership over his years in an operational capacity.

“He has led us through

ineteen-year-old Kevin Francis was on Monday lashed to the head with a beer bottle during an argument at Market Street, Supenaam, Essequibo Coast, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam).

Based on reports received, about 23:00h on

Sunday, Francis and the suspect, along with others, were imbibing when an argument broke out among them.

Within minutes, the argument escalated and the suspect armed himself with a beer bottle and dealt the victim one blow to the head.

As a result, the vic-

tim reportedly fell to the ground and sustained more injuries. He was picked up in a conscious state and taken to the Suddie Public Hospital, where he was admitted.

Meanwhile, the suspect fled the scene. The matter was reported and an investigation was launched.

18 NEWS DDL donates $11.5M in flood relief items to CDC WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

and flooding at this time.

We hope that our contribution will help in some measure to alleviate their pain and suffering at this difficult time. We stand ready

and committed to supporting the CDC through their national efforts to provide much needed aid to affected families.”

The donation is intended

to provide affected families with access to clean drinking water and sanitising agents, especially as the country is also grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Diamond-Eccles bypass road slated for July opening CDC Deputy Director General, Major Loring Benons (left) with DDL Brand Manager Larry Wills at the handing-over of the items

D

emerara Distillers Limited (DDL) handed over $11.5 million in supplies to the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) and the Human Services and Social Security Ministry for citizens currently affected by recent flooding caused by heavy rainfall.

On Tuesday, the company said that the donation to the CDC includes 1000 cases of its bottled 20oz Diamond Mineral Water; 700 cases of 1.14 litres alcohol-based Environ Sanitising Cleaner and 2000 cases of TOPCO 1L juice. DDL also donated 50 cases of Environ

Sanitising Cleaner to the Human Services and Social Security Ministry’s flood relief drive.

Commenting on the donation, Chairman of DDL, Komal Samaroo said: “DDL would like to be supportive of the many citizens who are affected by the heavy rains

T

he highly-anticipated Eccles-to-Diamond bypass road on the East Bank Demerara (EBD) is likely to be opened to the public by July month-end.

This is according to Housing Minister Collin Croal, who on Tuesday said that additional works are ongoing to develop a bridge at Mocha, EBD. That bridge, which is being constructed to the tune of $95.3 million, is expected to create a better flow of traffic from Diamond to Eccles.

According to the Housing Minister, it is intended to eliminate bottlenecks. This cost is separate from the $500 million allocated for the bypass road.

Construction of the bridge has commenced and is expected to be completed next month, following which, the alternative road will be officially opened to the public.

The bypass road will run from Sixth Avenue, Diamond, to the Winsor Estate Road that leads on to the Eccles Landfill Site Road, connecting through the new Herstelling Housing Scheme and other schemes that are being developed along the EBD corridor.

Meanwhile, works are simultaneously ongoing at the

A section of the Eccles-to-Diamond bypass road

head of Diamond for a second entrance into the housing scheme from the East Bank Public Road.

That new road is located between the Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) factory and the GuyOil Gas Station, and will run to First Avenue.

The $57.1 million project also entails a tarmac for a market and parking lots at Diamond.

The contract was awarded to Bardon Construction Service, and construction will be done in two phases.

Phase I will consist of crusher run and Phase II will consist of the application of asphaltic concrete and possible extension of the tarmac access road to First Avenue.

These projects come on the heels of the India-funded Bypass Road Project which

would link the East Bank Demerara corridor to the East Coast of Demerara, creating a new highway in the backlands.

The Indian Government had provided a US$50 million Line of Credit (LOC) for the road link that was initially slated for Ogle, ECD to Diamond. However, the project cost was driven up to over $208 million by the previous APNU/AFC regime and the project was at a standstill for several years.

The Ali-led PPP/C Administration has since redesigned the project into three phases to fit the LOC. It will now run from Ogle to Haags Bosch at Eccles in the first phase, then from Eccles to Diamond, and finally from Diamond to Timehri to connect to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).

19 Sod turned for Lethem GWI, Regional Housing offices S NEWS

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

taying true to his promise to improve and strengthen regional services across the country, Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal on Monday turned the sod for a new Guyana Water Inc and Central Housing and Planning Authority regional office at Lethem.

Also present at the sod-turning, which was held at the Lethem Commercial Block, where the new office will be constructed was the Director of Hinterland Services, Ramchand Jailall.

Under the 2021 budgetary allocation to Guyana Water Inc, the sum of $23 million has been budgeted for the construction of the new office.

Bids for the project are currently being evaluated, following which an award will be made and molibisa-

Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal turns the sod for the regional offices on Monday

tion will commence. The duration for the completion of this project is an estimated three months.

According to Croal, the new office will ease the fi-

nancial burden on the water company, as they are currently renting an office space for their operation in Lethem.

Additionally, a section of

the soon-to-be-constructed building measuring 24x40 ft will be set aside for the operation of the Central Housing and Planning Authority.

This new facility will aid in both agencies being able to offer better services and accommodate more persons at one time for business transactions.

According to the Minister, this signals the direction in which the Ministry of Housing and Water intends to go in, as it relates to strengthening its regional offices and offering a better quality of service to its customers.

Since taking office, Croal

during a visit to several regional offices stressed the need for improved infrastructure, adequate staff, and strengthening regional services offered by the Ministry.

Already under the Central Housing and Planning Authority, Regional Housing Officers have been appointed in Region Five and Six. In Region Two, a building has been identified for a Housing office, while additional staff has been employed to strengthen capacity. Further plans are in place for a regional office for Guyana Water Inc in Bartica, which will house the first-ever CH&PA regional office.

20

guyanatimesgy.com

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, 2021

Around the World

WHO approves Sinovac COVID shot in 2nd Chinese milestone

T

he World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Tuesday it has approved a COVID-19 vaccine made by Sinovac Biotech for emergency use listing, paving the way for a second Chinese shot to be used in poor countries.

A WHO emergency listing is a signal to national regulators of a product's safety and efficacy and will allow the Sinovac shot to be included in COVAX, the global programme providing vaccines mainly for poor countries, which faces major supply problems due to curbs on Indian exports.

The WHO's independent panel of experts said in a statement it recommended Sinovac's vaccine for adults over 18. There was no upper age limit as data suggested it is likely to have a protect-

A medical worker holds a dose of the Sinovac vaccine at a district health facility as Indonesia begins mass vaccination for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), starting with its healthcare workers, in Jakarta, Indonesia, January 14, 2021

ive effect in older people.

The WHO's technical advisory group, which began meeting on May 5, made the decision after reviewing the latest clinical data on the Sinovac vaccine's safety and

efficacy as well as the company's manufacturing practices.

WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus welcomed the move, calling the vaccine

The Pope said one aim was to "reduce the number of cases in which the... penalty was left to the discretion of authorities".

The changes to the Code of Canon Law took 11 years to develop and included input from canonist and criminal law experts.

The Catholic Church has been rocked in recent years by thousands of reports of historic sexual abuse by

priests, and cover-ups by senior clergy, around the world.

Victims and critics had complained for decades that the previous laws were outdated, designed to protect perpetrators and were open to interpretation.

The new code replaces the last major changes made by Pope John Paul II in 1983. It is designed to have clearer and more

safe and effective and noting its easy storage requirements make it suitable for low-income countries.

Branded CoronaVac in some regions, it is the eighth vaccine to win such a WHO listing to combat COVID-19 and the second developed by a Chinese company, after the May 7 approval of a shot developed by state-backed Sinopharm.

While a third Chinese vaccine, produced by CanSino Biologics, has submitted clinical trial data, no WHO review has been scheduled.

Sinovac said that it had supplied more than 600 million doses of its vaccine at home and abroad as of end-May and over 430 million doses have been administered. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Vatican laws changed to toughen sexual abuse punishment

P

ope Francis has changed the Roman Catholic Church's laws to explicitly criminalise sexual abuse.

It is the biggest overhaul of the criminal code for nearly 40 years.

The new rules make sexual abuse, grooming minors for sex, possessing child pornography and covering up abuse a criminal offence under Vatican law.

Tulsa Race Massacre: President Biden commemorates 100-year anniversary

J

oe Biden has become the first sitting President to commemorate the 1921 Tulsa Massacre - one of the worst incidents of racial violence in US history.

Biden flew to Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Tuesday to mark the 100th anniversary of the attack, which claimed some 300 African-American lives.

The two days of violence, sparked by a white mob, were largely erased from history for decades.

It re-entered the national discourse amid racial justice protests last year.

On 31 May, 1921, a group of white Americans

laid siege to the affluent and predominantly black neighbourhood of Greenwood in Tulsa.

The community - known by the moniker of "Black Wall Street" - was the country's wealthiest AfricanAmerican neighbourhood until its many homes and businesses were burned down in the riot.

In addition to the lives lost, many more black Americans were left injured or homeless.

In the years following the incident, many official records were lost or destroyed, and schools did not teach about the massacre.

On May 31, Biden issued a proclamation for a day of remembrance.

Only three survivors of the massacre - currently aged between 101 and 107 - are still alive. Biden is expected to meet them during his trip.

The President began his visit on Tuesday with a tour of an exhibit about the massacre at the Greenwood Cultural Center.

On Monday, Tulsa Mayor GT Bynum posted an apology on behalf of the city government for its failure to protect the community and "to do right by the victims".

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Blinken urges Central America to help on migrants, flags democracy concerns

U

S Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Central America's Governments to do more to contain illegal immigration and expressed concerns about the health of democracy and human rights in the region during a visit on Tuesday.

Speaking at a joint news conference with Costa Rican President Carlos Alvarado, Blinken said the United States wanted to hear from its partners in the region

about their shared commitment to tackling the challenge posed by migration.

US President Joe Biden has been under pressure to reduce a sharp increase in undocumented immigration at the US-Mexico border since taking office in January.

Many of the people caught at the border are from three violent and impoverished Central American countries, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, which Washington has pledged aid in return for

commitments to improve local governance.

That drive has been clouded by concern about corruption and signs of authoritarianism among regional leaders.

The United States has also pledged to support poorer countries in the fight against COVID-19 with vaccines, and Blinken said the Government would in the next week or so set out plans for how millions of vaccines would be distributed. (Reuters)

specific language, and dictates that bishops must take action when a complaint is made.

The new rules come into effect on December 8. They also prohibit the ordination of women, recording confessions and committing fraud.

The Vatican's law also now recognises that adults as well as children can be victimised by priests who abuse their authority. Previously, the Church believed adults could give or withdraw consent because of their age, and did not take into account that adults could also be victims, especially if there is a power imbalance. (Excerpt from BBC News)

OILNEWS OIL NEWS OPEC+ sticks to plan to ease supply cuts through July

O

PEC+ oil producers agreed on Tuesday to stick to the existing pace of gradually easing supply curbs through July, as they sought to balance expectations of a recovery in demand against a possible increase in Iranian supply.

The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies - known collectively as OPEC+ - decided in April to return 2.1 million barrels per day (bpd) of supply to the market during May through July as it anticipated demand would rise despite high numbers of coronavirus cases in India.

Since that decision, oil prices have extended their rally and have now gained more than 30 per cent this year, although the prospect of more crude from Iran, as talks on reviving its nuclear deal make progress, has limited the upside.

Benchmark Brent crude hit US$71 a barrel, its highest since March, on Tuesday.

Speaking after an OPEC+ conference - being held online most months after the pandemic prevented the usual faceto-face meetings in Vienna - Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said he saw a good recovery in demand in the United States and China.

"The vaccine rollout has gathered pace with around 1.8 billion vaccines administered around the world ... This can only lead to further rebalancing of the global oil market," he told an online news conference.

OPEC Secretary General Mohammad Barkindo said he did not expect higher Iranian oil supply to cause problems if and when Tehran reaches a nuclear deal with Western powers in return for an easing of oil sanctions.

"We anticipate that the expected return of Iranian production and exports to the global market will occur in an orderly and transparent fashion," he said in a statement.

Iran could boost production and exports by between 1.0 and 1.5 million bpd if sanctions are fully removed.

OPEC+ still forecasts a 6 million bpd jump in oil demand in 2021 - equivalent to 6 per cent of global consumption - as the world recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic.

OPEC+ cut output by a record 9.7 million bpd last year as demand collapsed when the COVID-19 pandemic first struck.

As of July, the curbs still in place will stand at 5.8 million bpd.

On Tuesday, OPEC+ did not discuss output levels beyond August, three sources said. OPEC+ would next meet on July 1.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Chile President urges open dialogue in drafting new Constitution

C

hile’s outgoing president has urged 155 representatives who will be drafting a new Constitution for the South American nation to abandon the “politics of the trenches”, engage in open dialogue and reach agreements.

In his annual State of the Nation address on Tuesday, centre-right President Sebastian Pinera said he would convene the new body “in the coming days”.

He said hoped the Constitutional Convention would “rigorously respect the limits and rules” of its mandate and preserve the rights, opportunities, and freedoms of all Chilean citizens.

“An agreement will only be possible if we are willing to talk and listen to each other and abandon the politics of the trenches so that history remembers (the convention) as those who forged powerful agreements and a better future for Chile,” he said.

Chile's President Sebastian Pinera presents his annual report at the National Congress in Valparaiso, Chile, on June 1 [Marcelo Segura/Chilean Presidency/AFP]

Last month, Chileans were tasked with electing representatives to replace the current Constitution, which was written in the 1980s during Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorship.

The representatives – who were among more than 1,300 candidates – will have nine months to write a new document. It will then be submitted to a mandatory plebiscite.

“I want to participate in

any way I can in the shaping of the future of our country,” voter Monica Manriquez, 83, told Al Jazeera from a polling station in Santiago on May 16. “Elections define in a significant way the destiny of a nation.”

While Pinera’s ruling Chile Vamos coalition had promised to win at least one third of the Constitutional Convention seats, it suffered a shocking loss at the polls.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

guyanatimesgy.com

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, 2021

21

ARCHIE

ARIES (March 21April 19)

Share only what’s necessary. The less others know about you, the easier it will be to get things done. An intelligent approach will open doors and encourage greater opportunities.

A change will help you see TAURUS your situation from a differ(April 20- ent perspective. Take advanMay 20) tage of shared information and use it to help you advance. A take-charge attitude will help you win favors.

DILBERT

GEMINI (May 21June 20)

CANCER (June 21July 22)

PEANUTS

Too much too fast will lead to disappointment. If you want something done, do it yourself. Don’t rely on others or trust anyone with sensitive information.

Focus on your ideas. A unique approach to a favorite pastime will turn into a part of your everyday routine. A financial gain is apparent if you invest in yourself. It’s time to get things done.

Make a change for the right LEO reason. Head in a direction (July 23that makes you feel good about Aug. 22) what you do and how you live.

Honesty and charm will be necessary. Don’t be afraid to go your own way.

CALVIN AND HOBBES

SUDOKU

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

You’ll be drawn to smooth talkers. Think twice before you let someone persuade you to do something that can affect your reputation or position.

Rely on those who have always provided sound advice.

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

Look at the big picture. Let go of the burdens and responsibilities that don’t belong to you.

Stop worrying about what others think or say. Do your own thing.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)

Step outside your comfort zone and explore new possibilities. Refuse to let outside influences disrupt your plans.

Don’t allow unfinished business to deter you from getting what you want.

A methodical attitude SAGITTARIUS will help you avoid trouble.

(Nov. 23Distance yourself from peoDec. 21) ple who play emotional games and are bad influences. Say no to indulgent behavior and yes to discipline.

You’ll find an interesting

CAPRICORN way to put your skills to good (Dec. 22use. A deal based on someJan. 19) thing you are good at will turn

YESTERDAY'S WORD - CONSUMED

out well. A partnership can be advantageous if equality is paramount.

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

PISCES

Keep an open mind, but don’t let anyone use emotional manipulation to get his or her way. Take a pragmatic approach to what you want to achieve. Personal improvement is encouraged.

You’ll find it difficult to get (Feb. 20- along with everyone. Listen March 20) more and say less. Figure out what’s important to you and seek out people who share your opinions and beliefs.

22

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, 2021

Edwards, Bradshaw optimistic about selections CLASSIFIED ADS F

ormer Barbados and West Indies fast bowling allrounder Ian Bradshaw believes that this crop of regional cricketers has what it takes to develop into a champion side.

Bradshaw and former Barbados and West Indies speedster Richard "Prof" Edwards recently shared their views about the selection of players on the Mason and Guest radio programme.

It is expected that, from June to August, West Indies will host South Africa, Pakistan and Australia in back-to-back home series.

“I just welcome the development of this team. This team is a champion team, and it has to start winning games. I am pleased that the West Indies Cricket Board has been able to organise so much cricket in these trying times. It is a big step for them,” Bradshaw said.

The Kieron Pollard-led T20 squad is building towards the International Cricket Council’s T20 World Cup tournament, scheduled to take place in India in October and November of this year.

“The selectors took a decision to select a group of players to build towards the World

Cup. They played a handful of games in Antigua against the visiting team, and I am a little surprised by the names I am seeing, but it is a process.

“I am glad to see someone like Andre Russell is back in the squad. Remember (that) before the prior series he was down with COVID, I believe, and he was unable to take part. So, I am glad that he is back in,” Bradshaw stated.

Most famous for leading the West Indies to the 2004 ICC Championship Trophy with a man-of-the-final performance, Bradshaw also commended Cricket West Indies for taking this step of hosting three major series.

“We have seen what has happened in Pakistan. We have seen what has happened in the CPL, and I think before that South Africa as well.

Maintaining these bubbles is not straightforward. I compliment them for stepping up to the challenge, and we did exceptionally well in CPL, and I hope that it rolls out well for us.

“It is critical that we make money from home series.

With the current model, you don’t make much when you travel, so it is important from a financial standpoint that these tours are successful,”

Ian Bradshaw

he added.

Meanwhile, Edwards shared his opinion on whether West Indies opening great Christopher Gayle and veteran fast bowler Fidel Edwards should be included in the T20 World Cup set up.

“You still want fellas to be very mobile. The trouble, as we all know, with Chris Gayle…he is not as fast as he used to be. He has slowed down quite a lot, but he is such a dangerous player with the bat. If he gets away and hits an 80 off 28 or 30 balls, you are in with a chance to win the match.

“Again, he (Fidel) has a lot of experience. He knows how to bowl at the end. He pitches the ball up and gets it to swing back into the righthanders, and at the end, he would bowl a full length. And he could pretty well bowl a yorker, and I don’t mind him.

“To tell you the truth, a lot of the other pacers around in the ODIs, Test matches and so on struggle a bit. So, if he is still fit and strong and able to bowl, I say good on him,” Edwards said.

Bradshaw shared the same sentiments as Edwards, stating that Fidel has earned his rightful place in the West Indies cricket team.

“He has something to prove, first of all. He has been away from West Indies Cricket, and he has expressed his desire to play. I think, as Prof said, he ticks a critical box; he performs. He performed in the CPL, so he put his name in the hat. If some of the guys that we expected to go on, the Keemo Pauls and some of those that had some issues, if those had performed, there would be no room for Fidel. But I think he is covered, along with Oshane Thomas, and we have Sheldon Cottrell as well; and it is healthy competition in

the pace arena. There is no guarantee that he will play. It is important that, within the next upcoming series, that each guy puts up his hands to show what he can offer, so we have as many options going into the World Cup,” Bradshaw explained.

Fitness, and by extension injuries, has been an issue for some players within the West Indies setup for some time.

Edwards said he believes playing at their maximum constantly was hard for many of the players to maintain.

“I think that they are playing to their maximum all the time. In these T20s, there is no holding back. They are going at a hundred percent all the time, and a lot of them are not as fit as they could be.

“Anybody could look at Oshane Thomas and see that he is overweight. His action is not bad, but he is too slow.

If you are looking to win, you have to have the best fielders.

Although Bravo (Dwayne) has had some issues - I don’t know how bad they are - but Bravo can still catch anything within reach, and he is very useful at the end bowling these slower balls…so he is still somebody you might be able to look at,” Edwards stated. (Barbados Today)

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1st round of inaugural GCB Under-19 ODI tournament rescheduled …live-streaming and commentary expected

T

he first round of the inaugural Guyana Cricket Board’s (GCB’s) Under-19 One Day International Franchise Tournament which has been severely affected by rain, has been rescheduled for Friday, June 4 from 09:30h. All matches in the tournament are scheduled to be played at the National Stadium at Providence, EBD. Partnering the GCB in the staging of this tournament are General Marine, Tropical Spring, 4R Bearings and Trophy Stall. The three teams contesting this first round of the tournament are Falcons, Eagles and Amazon Hawks, respectively captained

by Matthew Nandu, Zeynul Ramsammy and Marvan Prasad.

As a result of the rescheduled first round match between Falcons and Eagles, the Eagles’ second round win over Amazon Hawks places them at the top of the points table with 8 points. The Amazon Hawks sit quietly in the cellar position, awaiting their second and final round match against the Falcons. This match is scheduled for Saturday, June 5.

In indicating their decision to provide additional funding for the rescheduled first round match, the sponsors have collectively expressed their satisfaction with the concept of the Under-19 Franchise Tournament, the enthusiasm

The remaining matches of the Tournament will be held on Friday June 4, with the rescheduled match between Falcons and Eagles. On Saturday June 5, the Amazon Hawks will challenge the Falcons. Both matches begin at 09:30 hours.

The GCB has said it trusts this tournament would help to give the U-19 players an opportunity to be selected to partic-

GCB President Bissoondyal Singh (right) receiving sponsorship of Falcons from Aravinda Gainda (Tropical Spring)

and commitment shown by the players, and the belief that their investment is going towards a worthy cause.

The sponsors have indicated that the Under-19 players are at an important stage in their cricket development pathways. They indicated that the current Under-19 Tournament structure would help to adequately prepare the players for the progressive stages of West Indies Under-19, Guyana Senior and West Indies Senior teams.

The sponsors have posited that the supportive environment which they seek to provide is necessary for the growth and development of cricket in Guyana. They encourage the GCB to continue building partnerships with private businesses, and to use the Livestream system to facilitate private business advertisements at reasonable rates. They remarked that, based on feedback from

family members, and with the current COVID-19 situation, a number of persons are likely to tune into the Livestream with commentary feed on Youtube and Facebook. This feature will now be enhanced by employing the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph’s high Speed Fibre Optic Internet Service.

The sponsors concluded that with this sort of player development approach, Guyana and West Indies cricket has a bright future.

The tournament began on Saturday May 29, with Falcons taking on the Eagles, but was heavily affected by persistent rainfall, and was eventually abandoned. On Sunday May 30, although there was torrential rainfall until 11:00 hours, play was possible in the scheduled One Day International match between Eagles and Amazon Hawks, which was reduced to 27 overs a side, and Eagles emerging the winners.

ipate in the CWI U-19 preparatory activities for the 2022 World Cup. The GCB has arranged for an additional match to be played upon conclusion of the tournament on Sunday June 6, to involve the best performers from the tournament.

All matches will commence at 10:00 hours. The link for the livestream will be provided later.

223-7230-1 (Ext 55)

The teams are: Falcons

Matthew Nandu, Capt.

Sheldon Charles Sarwan Chaitnarine Tomani Caesar Jason Holder Abdul Ramsammy Jeremy Sandia Andre Seepersaud V. Capt.

Brandon Jaikaran Wazim Mohamed Pavindra Ganesh Rudranauth Kissoon Ajay Gainda Manager: Yeuraj Khemraj Coach: Julian Moore

Eagles

Zeynul Ramsammy, Capt.

Ricardo Ramdehol Mavendra Dindyal V. Capt Oren Gibson Isai Thorne Romal Hubbard Chanderpaul Ramraj Jonathan Rampersaud

Aryan Persaud Daniel Mootoo Chatram Balgobin Nicko Vincent Anthony Khan Alvin Mohabir Manager: Kumar Bissoondyal Coach: Orin Bailey

Amazon Hawks

Marvan Prashad, Capt.

Rampertab Ramnauth Ushardeva Balgobin Shamar Yearwood Trevon Charles Thaddius Lovell Gourav Ramesh Leon Cecil Zachary Jodah, V. Capt.

Collis Noble Niran Bissu Anthony Williams Jadesh Dowlatram Manager: Shaun Massiah Coach: Winston Smith

2237230-1

(Ext 55)

NOW!

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, 2021

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

23

Hutson proud of SA C/ships spoils …relay team already reaping benefits of podium finish

AAG President Aubrey Hutson

By Jemima Holmes

T

he proof has been in the proverbial pudding in regard to the development of athletics in Guyana, as Guyana walked away with 5 medals when the South American Senior Championships, staged in Paraguay from May 29-31 this year, were ended.

Guyana’s 12-member contingent secured one silver and 4 bronzes in a major improvement for the Guyanese contingent, as it represents Guyana’s highest medal haul ever at those Games.

During the last edition of this biennial event in Lima, Peru in 2019, Guyana was unable to bag a medal.

In 2017, Guyana won a single medal at those Games.

In 2015, while Guyana did not participate, Guyanese Stephen James had copped a lone medal – bronze in the 400M event in Cartagena, Colombia.

In Asuncion, Paraguay in 2013, Winston George was

the lone Guyanese on the podium, copping gold in the Men’s 200m.

Now with 5 medals in the bag, an elated Aubrey Hutson, President of the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG), shared with this newscast his thoughts on the contingent’s performance.

“I am pretty proud of the team. I mean, the percentage of athletes coming back home with medals is pretty high. I think they really and truly would have represented Guyana in a meaningful way,” Hutson commented.

Jovially recollecting the weekend’s events, Hutson shared that even the regional and world governing bodies were paying close attention to Guyana’s performances.

“From the comments I'm getting from my colleagues in South America, and even the President of the South American Athletics Confederation, he reached out to me personally and said, you know, ‘Thanks for sending such a large team’,

and also, every time they won a medal, he would send me a message to say, ‘Oh, one more medal for Guyana’.”

Continuing, Hutson said, “World Athletics also would have sent messages congratulating us on, again, the size of contingent that we would have sent, and also the performances of our athletes.”

On Monday, Andrea Foster crossed the line third in the Women’s 80m event in a time of 2.05.93.

On Saturday last, Emanuel Archibald bagged a silver in the Men’s 100M sprint. He clocked 10.23s behind Brazil’s Felipe Bardi, who placed first with 10.10s.

In the distaff, Jasmine Abrams copped bronze in the 100m in a time 11.50s. Also finishing third was Jenea McCammon, who competed the 100m hurdles in a time of 13.63s.

The Men’s 4x100m team also made the podium, clocking 40.02s for a bronze medal. That team comprised Jeremy Bascom, Akeem Stewart, Emmanuel Archibald and Noelex Holder.

Speaking specifically to the relay team’s achievement, Huston revealed that they have already received an invitation to compete again.

“It was great! It was great! And that 4x1 medal is stacked against Guyana and not stacked against the four athletes. So what those four athletes did is bring the recognition that Guyana has good 100-metre athletes, and also can produce great 4X1 teams. And that was my objective in sending that team over there,” an elated Hutson declared.

Further, the AAG boss disclosed to Guyana Times

Guyana’s 4x100m relay team

Sport that there are budding opportunities for the relay team. “So, a matter of fact, we've already got an invitation for those four athletes, or for Guyana, to appear in the NACAC Championships in Florida this weekend.

So, we're working on that though, and getting the team…there for them to go into competition again.

“And I think the more that we do this, it can only improve and create more visibility for us, which is good for our programme, because we needed visibility for sponsors to come on board and support us in our programme,” Hutson explained.

On a separate note, the AAG President shared his only disappointment, being the lack of qualifiers for the Tokyo Olympics.

“My only little downturn is that we did not have qualifiers for Tokyo coming out of this championship, which will put the burden on the

Minister, NSC Board, DoS meet …St Lucia boxing boss congratulates Ninvalle

I

n a meeting of the Sport giants on Tuesday, some of the key stakeholders in the future of Guyana’s sport had their first official meeting together.

Meeting with the recently appointed Director of Sport (DoS), Steve Ninvalle, was Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr, and the National Sports Commission (NSC) Board, comprising Sports organiser and Chairman of the Board, Kashif Mohammad; Guyana Lawn Tennis Association (GLTA) President Christy Campbell, Guyana Hockey Board (GHB) President Phillip Fernandes, Chartered accountant Cheteram Ramdial and Dellon Davidson.

While Guyana Cricket

SLBA President David “Shakes” Christopher

Board (GCB) President Bissoondyal Singh was missing from the photo opportunity, Melissa DowRichardson was present.

It is presumed that the meeting featured ideas on the way forward and how to raise the bar of Sport in Guyana.

Meanwhile, the St. Lucia Boxing Association (SLBA) has extended congratulatory messages to its boxing colleague, Guyana’s Director of Sport, Steve Ninvalle.

“The St Lucia Boxing Association (SLBA) joins other boxing associations

in the Caribbean in extending warm greetings to Steve Ninvalle, President of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA), who was recently appointed the new Director of Sport in Guyana,” a missive from SLBA President David “Shakes” Christopher stated.

“Congratulations to my brother Steve Ninvalle on his new appointment,” Christopher said moments after Ninvalle’s appointment was published in Guyana on Sunday. “May God give him the strength, wisdom and passion to serve all sportsmen and sportswomen in Guyana and the region as Director of Sport. Congrats again, and you have the support of the boxing family within the region,” the missive concluded.

athletes to be in Guyana for the National Senior Championships to really and truly make those standards,” Hutson explained.

Guyanese athletes will now rely on the Senior Athletics Championships here in a last bid for Olympic Qualification.

Balgobin makes impact in NYNCL 40 …Rampersaud contributes as well

U

young Guyanese befuds h a r d e v a dled his opponents to have Balgobin is them post 168 all out in a name that 31.5 overs. Guyanese many will look up to in Jonathan Rampersaud the future. This youngalso bagged 1-26. ster has been creatNeeding 169 ing waves in and for victory, the out of Guyana, West Coast and much more Warriors had to is expected put on their big from this young boy pants as, powerhouse. while the total In the rewas small, their cently held opponents were NYNCL 40 no joke. Openers tournament, Ameer Singh and Balgobin, or Balgobin made "Balgo", as he sure the Falcons is usually called paid, as they by his teamclipped their wings mates, representearly in the innings. ing the West Coast The pair put togethWarriors, made his er a score of 51 (3x4, presence felt be3x6), with Balgobin, fore returning to who was the aggresGuyana. sor of the two, scorThe same ing a whopping 24 could be said for ball 44 which inyoung Berbician cluded four classy J o n a t h a n boundaries and Rampersaud, who three towering played alongside maximums.

Balgobin for Rampersaud the Warriors.

Jonathan also chipped in He scored Rampersaud with a patient una brilliant 44 and beaten 36 off 32 deliveries, bagged 5-34.

The West Coast Warriors which included four tophad inserted the Falcons notch boundaries, to see his Cricket Club to bat first, and side over the line. The West the Falcons struggled early Coast Warriors ended on on in their innings, failing 169-4 in 22.3 overs.

Balgobin has played to hold a partnership until Becham Ramraj and Ryan only two matches with the Manickchan put together Warriors, and has scored 46 a healthy partnership with runs at an average of 23.00 scores of 39 and 51 runs re- at a strike rate of 164.29, and has also bagged a total of 5 spectively.

No other batsman could wickets. Rampersaud has offer any form of support, as played 3 matches, scored 73 Balgobin dented the Falcons’ runs at an average of 36.50 chance of getting a big total at a strike rate of 94.81, and with his crafty legspin. The has also picked up 3 wickets.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, 2021

The members of the NSC Board and Director of Sport, Steve Ninvalle flank Sport Minister Charles Ramson Jr

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

See story on page 23

Minister, NSC Board, DoS meet …St Lucia boxing boss congratulates Ninvalle

Balgobin makes impact in NYNCL 40

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Ushardeva Balgobin

Hutson proud of SA C/ships spoils

…relay team already reaping benefits of podium finish

…Rampersaud contributes as well

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