Guyana Times - Wednesday November 10, 2021

Less lip service, more sustained funding for disability projects – First Lady P14

…as ExxonMobil teams up with GCOPD for orientation, mobility training Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Issue No. 4827

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2021

GECOM in the process of shortlisting applicants for CEO – Commissioner …working to complete process by next week See story on page 3

Govt pushes for removal of visa restrictions on Guyana to UK travel

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Govt support critical against climate change impacts on P2 agriculture — World Bank economist …as report notes sugar in greatest danger

Illegal aircraft in Region 8

Venezuelan, Colombian P15 charged for illegal entry, narco possession BV resident, fisherman P8 caught with ganja, plants

Page 7 Foreign Affairs Minister Hugh Todd and a local team during discussions with the UK delegation — which included British High Commissioner to Guyana, Jane Miller; the Caribbean Regional Director for DIT, Laura Ferguson and Guyana’s Country Director of the Department of International Trade at the High Commission, Sherwyn Naughton — at the Foreign Affairs Ministry on Monday

7 City Hall 6 more COVID-19 treasury deaths recorded staff dismissed for …only fully-vaccinated persons will be embezzlement allowed into Guyana from December Page 9

Page 13

2 teens charged for killing Dr Collin Roach

Page 12

Health Ministry to craft new 5-year mental health plan P18

$346M contract signed for primary school at Amelia’s P18 Ward

2 NEWS Govt support critical against climate change impacts on agriculture – World Bank economist WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

…as report notes sugar in greatest danger

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s the world grapples with finding solutions to the climate crisis, the World Bank in its latest report shed some light on the danger of climate change to the agricultural and the fisheries sectors, and recommendations have come Guyana’s way to mitigate against it.

The report in question is the World Bank’s 360-degree resilience report, which deals with the shocks com-

ing the Caribbean’s way from climate change. The report covered 17 countries in the Region and urged a comprehensive approach to tackle the shocks from climate change, pandemics and shifting socio-economic factors.

During a virtual press conference to discuss the report, Senior Economist at the World Bank, Julie Rozenburg was asked by Guyana Times how the ef-

fects of climate change on agriculture and the fisheries sector might be mitigated.

Several things are clear.

According to Rozenburg, Government support will be crucial to keep the sectors viable for farmers and fisherfolk. Another important aspect of mitigating the effects of climate change on agriculture is investing in new technologies.

“Fisheries is also a sector that will be impacted.

According to the World Bank report, sugar cane is the crop in the greatest danger from climate change

Again, with a lot of uncertainty about what the possible impact could be. In general, the usual recommendations for having more sustainable resources (include) preventing overfishing, helping farmers and fisherfolk with their capital investments. All of this is even more important with the uncertainty brought by climate impacts.

“So, in general, helping farmers and fishermen access credit, investing in new technologies, learn new techniques. Because there are options to adapt. It’s just not always available. The information’s not available.

And then making sure there is no overfishing that could lead some fish populations to collapse would be the priority. The enforcement of quotas is also required,” Rozenburg explained.

According to the report, climate change will severely impact the Caribbean’s agricultural sector, which already suffers from hurricane seasons, as well as droughts. According to the report, the Caribbean as a whole will need to adapt to the changes, which could include crops experiencing heat stress and failing under the rising temperatures. Worryingly, the report notes, that based on modelling, the greatest impact will be on sugar pro-

Senior Economist at the World Bank, Julie Rozenburg

duction – a critical industry in Guyana.

“Recent modelling results show that the largest negative impact of climate change in Latin America and the Caribbean will be on sugar cane, followed by maize and cotton (Piñeiro et al 2020),” the report disclosed.

“The study finds that, compared to a scenario without climate change, maize yield losses due to climate change through 2030 in the Caribbean will be roughly 16.5 per cent… Except for one model projection for the Dominican Republic, all countries and subregions experience a yield loss due to climate change,” the report said.

TURN TO PAGE 11

NEWS

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS OPENINGS BRIDGE

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

Wednesday, Nov 10 – 09:30h – 11:00h and 23:00h to 00:00h and Thursday, Nov 11 – 10:00h – 11:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

GECOM in the process of shortlisting applicants for CEO – Commissioner …working to complete process by next week

Wednesday, Nov 10 – 08:20h – 09:50h and Thursday, Nov 11 – 09:40h – 11:10h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

Parika and Supenaam departure times – 05:00h, 10:00h-12:00h, 16:00h, 18:30h daily

WEATHER TODAY There will be sunshine during the day. Expect clear skies at night. Temperatures should range between 21 degrees Celsius and 31 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Westerly to Northerly between 1.78 metres and 4.91 metres.

High Tide: 08:30h and 20:46h reaching maximum heights of 2.24 metres and 2.3 metres.

Low Tide: 14:16h reaching a minimum height of 1.05 metres.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2021

LOTTERY NUMBERS F

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2021 DAILY MILLIONS

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COMMODITIES Indicators

US$

Change %

Crude Oil

$83.78/barrel

Rough Rice

$247.86/ton

-0.17

London Sugar

$514.00/ton

+1.24

Live Spot Gold

+1.59

USD Per Ounce

Bid/Ask

$1829.50

$1830.50

Low/High Change

$1819.00 -2.50

$1833.70 -0.14%

GECOM Commissioner Manoj Narayan

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he Guyana Elections C o m m i s s i o n (GECOM), which received over a dozen applications from persons seeking to fill the post of Chief Elections Officer (CEO), is currently in the process of shortlisting applicants.

This was confirmed by GECOM’s Governmentnominated Commissioner Manoj Narayan, who in an interview with this publication explained that they are aiming to complete the shortlisting process by next week.

“We’re actively working on shortlist and then moving to the interview process… because of the large volumes of applicants we have received for the various posts, it is not possible to interview all of them,” he said.

“And a lot of them do not meet the minimum criteria set forward in the advertisements either. So, there will be a shortlisting process we’re actively working on and when that process is complete, we’ll move immediately into the interview process.”

Narayan acknowledged that there is a need to fill the vacancies as expeditiously as possible. This is especially in light of the fact that Guyana was due to have Local Government Elections (LGE) this year.

“We understand that we need to fill these positions urgently, to carry out our work. So, we’re working on it. Shortlisting will be based upon those who have met the minimum criteria,” Narayan explained.

It was reported last month that GECOM’s advertisement for the post of CEO had generated significant interest, attracting local and international applications, some from as far as Texas, United States of America (USA).

According to a list seen by this publication, Dr Kurt Clarke from Texas, Leslie Oliver Harrow from Jamaica, and Eugene Godfrey Petty from St Kitts were the foreign applicants. Of the three, this

publication was able to ascertain from news reports in Jamaica that Harrow was up until May employed as head of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM).

Meanwhile, the local applicants include Gocool Boodoo, who was previously employed as CEO for several years. Vishnu Persaud, the former Deputy CEO, whose non-appointment for the role in 2018 triggered controversy of its own, had also applied.

Another applicant for the post was Attorneyat-Law Saphier Hussain, who was the Presidential Candidate for his National Independent Party (NIP) in the May 2015 General and Regional Elections. Former Permanent Secretary at the Office of the President, Omar Shariff, was also among the applicants.

The persons who are eventually hired will fill the vacancies caused by the removals of former Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield; his former Deputy, Roxanne Myers; and former Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo.

After several delays and legal proceedings, Lowenfield, Myers, and Mingo were on August 12 dismissed from their respective posts at the GECOM following a vote by the sev-

The Guyana Elections Commission

en-member Commission.

In a statement announcing the terminations, which she said came after weeks of deliberation on the motions, the GECOM Chair had indicated that the services of Lowenfield, Myers and Mingo would be terminated effective August 18, 2021, and they would be compensated in accordance with provisions in their contracts.

To this end, Justice Singh disclosed that CEO Lowenfield was dismissed via Clause 9 of his contract, which stipulates that his services can be terminated by giving him three months’ notice, or payment in lieu thereof.

Regarding the DCEO and the RO, their contracts

similarly state that the Commission may, at any time, terminate their employment by giving them three months’ notice or payment in lieu thereof.

Narayan and his fellow Government-nominated Commissioners, Bibi Shadick and Sase Gunraj, on June 1, 2021, had brought motions calling for the dismissal of Lowenfield, Myers and Mingo from GECOM. The trio are before the courts for a number of electoral charges for their alleged 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. (G3)

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guyanatimesgy.com

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 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

City Hall and accountability

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gain, City Hall and its accountability capability are in the news, and this time, persons have been dismissed for embezzlement.

Over the years, the issue regarding the operations of City Hall and the need for accountability have often times made headlines in the local press. When the PPP/C Government took office in 2020, the Local Government and Regional Development Minister Nigel Dharamlall raised questions regarding accountability for the $300 million Restoration Fund which was contributed to the Georgetown Mayor and City Council for the restoration of the dilapidated City Hall building.

As it stands, the iconic City Hall structure has become an eyesore, and it will be no surprise if it crumbles in the near future. The Georgetown municipality has been cash-strapped for many years – mostly linked to lack of transparency and mismanagement of funds - and certainly would not have the kind of resources needed to carry out the restoration project.

The Restoration Fund was therefore established for this purpose. It is one by which members of the public, including businesses, would donate monies towards the rehabilitation of the 19th-century building. There was much optimism when the idea was first mooted, and everyone was looking forward to the project.

While we are not accusing anyone of corrupt practices or anything of that sort, City Hall in itself has done very little to convince the public that it is serious about ensuring that public funds are accounted for in a transparent and efficient manner. To date, the City administration has not been very forthcoming regarding the present financial state of affairs of the City.

On his part, the Local Government Minister had accused City Hall of “gross incompetence and mismanagement”.

The issues of transparency at City Hall have been many.

It could be recalled also that the M&CC and then the APNU+AFC Government had embarked on a massive citywide cleanup campaign in Georgetown and its environs.

While these efforts produced fairly good results regarding the general appearance of the city and its environs, the political Opposition at the time (PPP) and other stakeholders had raised questions in relation to the contracts awarded to carry out the works.

The general perception was that friends and party supporters were the main beneficiaries. However, in spite of concerns that were raised about accountability and transparency, no effort was made to provide clarity to the public in relation to the sums expended and the beneficiaries of the contracts.

Only days ago, Dharamlall had warn City Hall about the consequences attached to undervaluing and disposing of the city’s assets in a ‘shady’ manner.

According to the Ministry, shared reports suggest that several properties owned by the Mayor and City Council have been undervalued and are currently being negotiated for disposal through very questionable processes.

In the past, there have been several letter writers, commentators and politicians calling for a forensic audit to be carried out on the operations of City Hall. These calls continue to reverberate in the interest of transparency and accountability of public funds.

Such an audit is needed, as in addition to determining to what extent public funds are being expended in a transparent and efficient manner, it would also seek to examine the tax collecting system to determine if the allegations of dishonesty, deficiency, and discrepancies have any merit.

The mere fact that millions of tax payers’ dollars are regularly used to bail out the City from its financial woes is enough reason for the Administration to act in the public’s interest.

Chief-of-Staff, Brigadier Godfrey Bess; Colonel General Staff, Colonel Julius Skeete and other senior officers of the Guyana Defence Force share a photo with children of uniformed and civilian personnel for their outstanding performances at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) examinations (GDF photo)

Why we need a ‘long telegram’ about the climate crisis — not conflict with China or Russia

By Katrina

P

vanden

H euvel

resident Biden has repeatedly and rightly called climate change an “existential threat.” The White House, the Pentagon and the intelligence community have all issued reports detailing climate change’s “threat multiplier,” which will worsen food and water scarcity, spread diseases, destabilize countries, and exacerbate mass migration. Most Americans increasingly understand that the threat is critical — and getting worse. Yet, despite some progress, the United Nations climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland — which U.S. special climate envoy John F. Kerry dubbed the world’s “last best hope” to avoid disaster — will end this week in disappointment. With China and Russia absent and refusing to accelerate their plans on greenhouse gas emission reductions, the goal of preventing temperature rises beyond 1.5 degrees Celsius becomes ever more fanciful. That condemns the world to deadlier heat waves, more destructive floods, more frequent wildfires and more cataclysmic weather.

To his credit, Biden has insisted that climate be one of the security priorities of his administration, and his Build Back Better plan — even in its reduced state — contains the government’s largest climate investment ever.

And yet, the administration has not begun the necessary rethinking — and reprioritizing — needed to address our most press-

ing national security challenge. The Biden White House’s first priority, as the Council on Foreign Relations’s Richard Haass noted, has been gearing up for the emerging great-power faceoff with China and Russia. In fact, as the Quincy Institute’s Anatol Lieven writes in an important new report, climate change has already wreaked greater destruction, economic disruption, loss of life and property on Americans than anything threatened by China and Russia could do short of a major war.

In December, for example, Biden will convene his Summit for Democracy, gathering democratic countries to take on the threat to democracy posed by the spread of authoritarianism. But surely any response to authoritarianism would focus on climate-caused dislocation, which already displaced an average of more than 21 million people each year between 2008 and 2016.

An estimated 143 million people from vulnerable countries in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and Latin America will be forced to move by the middle of the century. That will undoubtedly test the resilience of democracies in those regions. And while most of this movement is likely to be internal, the flood of immigrants to Europe and the United States already has strengthened xenophobic sentiment — a boon to would-be authoritarians in those regions.

To help meet the security threats of climate

change, the United States obviously needs to accelerate its own plans to reduce carbon emissions.

But more is required. One reform would be a massive reorientation of federal spending toward research and development on alternative energy and on new technologies to bolster resilience. As Adam Tooze points out, citing the American Association for the Advancement of Science, spending on military research and development reached $73 billion in 2020 — 20 times the government’s spending on energy research. Even if Biden’s Build Back Better plan passes, military research and development will still be 10 times larger than spending on energy research.

A second major initiative should be to focus U.S. aid programs much more on supplying aid and help with adaptation and resilience to vulnerable countries — particularly Mexico and in Central America — to save lives and limit economic calamities. Lieven suggests that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers should be “established as the most important and best-funded section of the armed forces.”

A third major area of rethinking has to address the emerging face-off with China. Biden has embraced President Donald Trump’s elevation of the great-power rivalry with Beijing. But the two countries were responsible for more than 40 percent of the world’s total fossil-fuel consumption last year.

The Biden administration argues that it can ratchet up pressure on China even while cooperating on climate concerns. Beijing, however, has made it clear that climate cannot be an “oasis” of cooperation in a desert of tensions. Michael Klare, defense correspondent for the Nation, concludes that “if the planet’s two ‘great’ powers refuse to cooperate in a meaningful way in tackling the climate threat, we’re done for.”

The priority for the safety of Americans — and for the rest of the world — is that the two countries join in leading the world to address the growing climate crisis. Chinese human rights abuses are deplorable; its continued economic piracy deeply troubling; its growing menace in the South China Sea foreboding. But none of these come close to the imperative of cooperating on climate. George Kennan’s famous “long telegram” outlined the strategy of containment at the start of the Cold War with Russia. The establishment Atlantic Council think tank has issued a new version — a “longer telegram” — to outline a confrontation with China.

What’s needed, however, is a long telegram to lay out the strategy for engaging China and Russia in facing the real and growing climate threat. If we don’t find a way to join in addressing it, the basic duty of the state — to defend the security of its citizens — will have been forfeited.

(Washington Post)

guyanatimesgy.com

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 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

Trail of injustice during atrocious period

Dear Editor, Prithima Kissoon, Attorney-at-Law, has triumphed over Basil Williams, Attorney-at-Law, SC. The former Attorney General’s disastrous attempts and pernicious conduct had been hatched to oust her from the public service as Deputy Solicitor General without lawful cause.

After the Honourable Justice Nandram Kissoon was recused by the Chancellor’s decision and Court of Appeal, Miss Kissoon, through her lawyer Mr. Nigel Hughes, then filed again alternative legal proceedings in the High Court to remedy the wrongful and unlawful conduct of Mr. Basil Williams and the Public Service Commission.

This matter (Prithima Kissoon v The Public Service Commission and the Attorney General of Guyana, Action No. 2021-HC-DEMCIV-FDA-320) was duly heard by the Honourable Madam Justice Sandra Kurtzious on 30th July 2021, when the respondents

consented to judgement to the several orders claimed by the applicant, and agreed that the process was unconstitutional, etc. and made the following Orders: (a) The decision of the PERMANENT SECRETARY of the Ministry of Legal Affairs, that PRITHIMA KISSOON had breached Rule H12(1) of the Public Service Rules for leaving the jurisdiction without permission, is quashed on the ground and for the reason that PRITHIMA KISSOON was not given a fair hearing or the right to legal representation. As such, the decision was ultra vires, an abuse of power, in breach of the rules of natural justice, null and void for the reason that the Public Service Commission is the only lawful authority empowered after due process to make such finding; and as a consequence, the said decision is unlawful, irrational, excessive, unreasonable, null, void and of no legal effect, and in breach of the Public Service

Commission Rules. (b) THE decision of the PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION, that PRITHIMA KISSOON, Deputy Solicitor General, had breached Rule H12(1) of the Public Service Rules for leaving the jurisdiction without permission, is quashed on the ground and for the reason that PRITHIMA KISSOON was not given a fair hearing or the right to legal representation; and as a consequence, the said decision is unlawful, irrational, excessive, unreasonable, null, void and of no legal effect, and in breach of the Public Service Commission Rules. (c) THE decision of the PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION, that PRITHIMA KISSOON had breached Rule H 12(1) of the Public Service Rules for leaving the jurisdiction without permission, premised and/ or founded on her alleged participation in a purported Commission of Inquiry; and as a consequence, the decision to dismiss PRITHIMA

KISSOON is quashed, since it is excessive, without merit, unlawful, ultra vires, unconstitutional, wholly in excess of jurisdiction, unreasonable, null, void and of no legal effect, in breach of the Public Service Commission Rules, in breach of and a denial of the principles of natural justice and legitimate expectation. (d) THE decision of the PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION that PRITHIMA KISSOON be dismissed is quashed for the reason and on the ground the Public Service Commission failed to follow the procedure as contained in the Public Service Commission Rules for the appointment and constitution of a disciplinary tribunal; and as a consequence, the said decision is unlawful, ultra vires, unconstitutional, wholly in excess of jurisdiction, unreasonable, in breach of the Public Service Commission Rules, in breach of and a denial of the principles of natural justice and legitimate expectation.

(e) PRITHIMA KISSOON do receive and be paid full salary for the period from the 31st day of August, 2017 to the 2nd day of May, 2018. (f) The years of service for the period between the 31st day of August, 2017 to the 8th day of August, 2021, both dates inclusive to be considered, be and is hereby preserved and computed on the permanent establishment of the Public Service for the purposes of calculating the pension and benefits of PRITHIMA KISSOON, the applicant herein. (g) These proceeding are brought to an end by the consent of the parties, and this Consent Order reflects the full and final settlement of the issues raised in this Action, and brings to an end all matters in relation to and or in connection with the applicant’s dismissal as Deputy Solicitor General, provided that libel proceedings instituted by the applicant prior to the date of this Consent Order shall not be affected by this clause.

Mr Basil Williams hid

this fact of Miss Prithima Kissoon’s successful claim from the public when he published the judgement of the Court of Appeal against Justice Nandram Kissoon, which he tactically published as he has a similar matter before the very Court of Appeal for extension of time to appeal a procedural issue in the libel matter pending in the High Court brought by Miss Prithima Kissoon, so he is claiming special relationship of the Judges with Miss Kissoon with the hope to succeed.

Thank you, Mr Williams, for the trail of injustice of your atrocious period as Attorney General of Guyana, as your defeat in the Courts is not few. “Our world is not divided by race, colour, gender or religion; our world is divided by wise people and fools, and fools divide themselves by race, colour, gender or religion” -Nelson Mandela.

Respectfully, J Kissoon Attorney-at-Law

Rumours and assumptions Salary advance is not a loan

Dear Editor, I was highly bemused when I read in the media an article wherein the former Minister of Finance Minister ‘has expressed grave concerns over Guyana’s borrowing spree, and he questioned the legality of a letter sent to the Chinese Ambassador regarding a loan request of US$1.5B’.

According to him, the latter is ‘rumour’, but I would say that the former is just one of his outlandish assumptions. Not so long ago, the Coalition, under his watch as Finance Minister, went on a real borrowing and squandering binge, which depleted all the reserves and ran an excessive overdraft on the Consolidated Fund in excess of $90 billion.

In addition, I have written exhaustively on the $30 billion Bond which was not used for the purpose intended, but was lavishly mis-

spent (euphemism). Interest on this Bond would have amounted to US$40 million (Gy$8.4 billion) in just 5 years to service it.

According to an article in 2019, $7.4 billion was disbursed to GuySuCo since 2018, but there are no records to show how the money was utilised.

This Government has, in January this year, paid a total of $606 million in just interest. This is wasteful spending!

On top of all of this, the previous Government ‘negotiated’ an Oil Production Sharing Contract and a Royalty rate which they now want this Government to correct. This is so barefaced. This Government was placed with such a huge burden to right the wrongs done by the Coalition that borrowing at this point is a necessity. The devastating flood and the deadly pandemic must also be brought

into this scenario.

What I would like to see Mr Jordan do is provide evidence that sums of money borrowed were squandered in the manner in which they did during their tenure in office. I refer the former Finance Minister to the countless ‘anomalies and irregularities and breaches (euphemism again) of the Procurement Act and Fiscal Management Act which occurred in a most brazen manner under his watch.

The evidence is so glaring for all to see.

The Coalition even used

the pandemic to squander whilst Guyanese were dying for lack of a proper COVID-19 facility. Just think about the Infectious Diseases Hospital at Liliendaal and the hundreds of millions mismanaged and wasted.

The list of squandering under the Coalition is endless. It is not the borrowing ‘binge’ which hurts, but the squandering binge which was the Coalition’s trade mark.

Yours sincerely, Haseef Yusuf

Dear Editor, It must be seen as an aberration, and by extension an indictment on the regional administration, that salary advances morph into loans and advances, and some five years later remain outstanding (GT Nov 9).

What lackadaisical and negligent management of the region’s finances.

A salary advance is just what it says: an advance, usually a percentage, taken against an earned month’s salary. It is not a loan, and the full amount of the advance is promptly deducted

from the month’s salary before the employee is paid.

On what basis the transaction becomes a loan is hard to discern.

If the amount advanced is a loan request, then borrowing and repayment terms and conditions must be determined, and not left undetermined five years later. The region’s finances are not our personal bank accounts, and must not be seen or treated as such.

Sincerely, Shamshun Mohamed

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2021

Page

E

xplore some of the cool properties of regular old cocoa powder in this fun and easy science experiment for kids.

Materials: Cocoa powder Spoon Bowl Water Instructions: Use the spoon and get a heaping scoop of cocoa powder.

Dip the cocoa powder into the water.

Raise the cocoa pow-

F

Foundation der above the surface of the water.

Tape the spoon and observe what happens to the Crazy Cocoa Powder.

How it Works: The cocoa powder contains fat which gives the cocoa powder a hydrophobic quality. Hydrophobic means “scared of water” and it is

called this because water does not penetrate easily. This is why when you tape the handle of the spoon the layer of water seems to magically fall off leaving the cocoa powder underneath perfectly dry.

Make this a science project: Will the cocoa powder behave the same way in other liquids? Will the addition of something in the water such as a detergent change the behaviour of the cocoa powder? Test other items for hydrophobic properties. (scienceisfun.org)

ossils are created when something is preserved over many years resulting in an impression or outline in or on a rock. Some fossils are over a million years old. Write a story about fossils you found in your backyard.

Nor perchance, If I were not thus taught, should I the more Suffer my genial spirits to decay: For thou art with me here upon the banks Of this fair river; thou my dearest Friend, My dear, dear Friend; and in thy voice I catch The language of my former heart, and read My former pleasures in the shooting lights Of thy wild eyes. Oh! yet a little while May I behold in thee what I was once, My dear, dear Sister! and this prayer I make, Knowing that Nature never did betray The heart that loved her; 'tis her privilege, Through all the years of this our life, to lead From joy to joy: for she can so inform The mind that is within us, so impress With quietness and beauty, and so feed With lofty thoughts, that neither evil tongues, Rash judgments, nor the sneers of selfish men, Nor greetings where no kindness is, nor all The dreary intercourse of daily life, Shall e'er prevail against us, or disturb Our cheerful faith, that all which we behold Is full of blessings. Therefore let the moon Shine on thee in thy solitary walk; And let the misty mountain-winds be free To blow against thee: and, in after years, When these wild ecstasies shall be matured Into a sober pleasure; when thy mind Shall be a mansion for all lovely forms, Thy memory be as a dwelling-place For all sweet sounds and harmonies; oh! then, If solitude, or fear, or pain, or grief, Should be thy portion, with what healing thoughts Of tender joy wilt thou remember me, And these my exhortations! Nor, perchance— If I should be where I no more can hear Thy voice, nor catch from thy wild eyes these gleams Of past existence—wilt thou then forget That on the banks of this delightful stream We stood together; and that I, so long A worshipper of Nature, hither came Unwearied in that service: rather say With warmer love—oh! with far deeper zeal Of holier love. Nor wilt thou then forget, That after many wanderings, many years Of absence, these steep woods and lofty cliffs, And this green pastoral landscape, were to me More dear, both for themselves and for thy sake!

WORD SEARCH

NEWS

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Govt pushes for removal of visa restrictions on Guyana to UK travel …Foreign Minister meets with UK delegation to discuss trade tivities which are slated to take place between the two nations. Additionally, they had pointed out that this is a privilege Guyanese once enjoyed.

GCCI President Timothy Tucker told <<<Guyana Times>>> that his organisation “continues to lobby for the removal of visa requirements to England”. Their latest advocacy was done on

Foreign Affairs Minister Hugh Todd and team during discussions with the visiting UK delegation on Monday

W

ith a delegation from the United Kingdom (UK) in Guyana to discuss bilateral trade opportunities, Foreign Affairs Minister Hugh Todd used the occasion of their meeting to push for, among other things, the removal of visa restrictions for Guyanese to travel to the UK. The delegation comprised of Britain’s Deputy Trade Commissioner (HMDTC) for Latin America and the Caribbean Department for International Trade (DIT) Spencer Mahoney, British High Commissioner to Guyana Jane Miller, Caribbean Regional Director for DIT Laura Ferguson and Guyana’s Country Director of the Department of International Trade at the High Commission, Sherwyn Naughton.

During the engagement, Todd highlighted that the political agenda of the Government of Guyana and the United Kingdom aligns well as both Administrations firmly uphold the pillars of democracy, good governance, and transparency.

He also informed

the delegation that the Government of Guyana is on a quest to create an environment that is conducive to business, as it recognises the importance of “ease of business” in attracting investors to Guyana.

It was also not lost on the group that Guyana’s economy is set to undergo a transformation in terms of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), owing to the oil wealth.

Despite these developments and Guyana being a part of the Commonwealth, a visa restriction is still in place for travel to the UK. Todd, a release from the Foreign Ministry said, emphasised the importance of the removal of visa restrictions to facilitate the travel of Guyanese to the UK to develop business relations.

He also alluded to priority areas for investment, such as alternative energy, agriculture and agro-processing, infrastructure, air transport, housing, ICT, and pharmaceuticals.

Meanwhile, Deputy Trade Commissioner Mahoney commended the Government of Guyana for being one of the first

Caribbean states to sign and ratify the CARIFORUMUK Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA). In addition, he expressed the keen interest of the Government of the UK to enhance trade relations with Guyana, and informed that his visit will be followed by an Official Trade Mission in February 2022.”

Additionally, Ferguson alluded to the opportunities that exist for UK support, especially in the area of export promotion. The officials also noted the importance of ensuring that trade relations are aligned with Guyana’s Local Content Policy.

It was explained by the Foreign Affairs Ministry that the visiting delegation will be meeting with several Ministers of Government, as well as members of the Private Sector during the coming days.

It was only last month that the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) had said it was lobbying for the return of visa-free travel to the UK, especially in light of the increased business ac-

October 4 when the GCCI met with the British High Commissioner to Guyana.

“We’ve lobbied for the re-institution of issuing of visas in Georgetown, barring that there’s no visa lifting, because we know up to 1992, it wasn’t a requirement for a visa to go to England, you could’ve gone there with your Guyanese passport. After 1992, when

we got back free and fair elections, a visa requirement was reinstituted,” Tucker explained.

Meanwhile, Tucker highlighted that with the development of Guyana’s economy, the GCCI finds it necessary to ask that such barriers be removed in order to strengthen the relations between the two countries. (G3)

8 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BV resident, fisherman caught with ganja, plants

T

wo men, a 41-year-old Beterverwagting (BV), East Coast Demerara (ECD) resident and a 25-year-old resident of Ocean Gardens, Meten-Meer-Zorg, West Coast Demerara (WCD), are currently in Police custody after a number of illegal plants and cannabis were found in their homes on separate occasions.

Police said the first arrest was made on Monday at around 15:00h after officers swooped down to a Quamina Road, Beterverwagting, ECD home.

There, Policemen carried out a cordon and search exercise on the home of the 41-year-old male, who is unemployed. The ranks found two plant pots containing four green plants which had leaves, seeds, and stems suspected to be cannabis.

The tallest plant measured at about three feet three inches in height.

The man allegedly admitted owner-

The cannabis plants

ship, claiming it was for his personal use. He was arrested and placed into

custody and the plants were lodged.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, a 25-yearold fisherman was taken into Police custody after he was found with a bulky black plastic bag that contained a number of leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be cannabis.

Five pairs of boots, a green water pump, a blue angle grinder, and a black electric drill were also found in his possession.

It was reported that a party of policemen went to the suspect’s home and in his presence conducted a search for drugs, guns, ammunition, and stolen articles.

He was questioned about the articles found but could not give a reasonable explanation on how he acquired them.

The suspect was arrested and an investigation was launched into the discovery. (G9)

Ending…

G

…our mental angst uyana’s a tormented place in more ways than one.

Shall we count the ways? Heading the list has to be the torment inflicted on half of the population every time a general election rolls around!! And since torment can be inter-generational, there’s the 28 years of hell that eventually the entire country had to endure when Burnham decided to rule as a dictator to satisfy his megalomaniac cravings. Just when we though our crippling by the British after they took over from the Dutch would be alleviated at “independence”, we had our own Kurtz, who took us back into “The horror! The Horror”!!

Political horror sometimes can lead to improvement - as we saw in China after Mao’s “Great Leap Forward” - which led to famines with up to 55 million deaths - the greatest famine in human history. With us, things got so bad that even bread was banned!! While famine didn’t actually stalk the land under Burnham, hunger and rampant crime certainly did. Can you imagine the impact of the mental state of our people - especially the victims? It caused half of them to flee to other shores - and left the PPP to clean up the mess.

The pressures and the terror forced our people to fragment into individual pieces - bereft of the comfort of social ties, as it became “every man for himself and the Devil take the hindmost”. Want to know what’s “alienation” - just talk to Guyanese!! Absolutely no connection to one’s fellow man. The negative reactions reinforced each other until the entire society was sick.

And we’re brought to the team from Columbia University that’s going to tackle the biggest symptom of our national mental breakdown - suicide.

Now, four decades after the 1978 mass suicide at Jonestown gave us the notoriety of having the largest number of people taking their lives at one time - NINE HUNDRED AND NINETEEN - we earned the dubious “honour” of becoming the country with THE HIGHEST RATE OF SUICIDE in the world!! Imagine that…Guyana, with less than a million people, at the top of the world rankings for suicide with 44 per hundred thousand!! Even Haiti - the poorest country in the hemisphere - having no Government to speak of, and being ruled by gangs - scores at 10/100,000.

Over the years, there’s been a whole lot of handwringing about the tragedy - not to mention every wannabe Beauty Queen taking it up as her “cause”! But for every step forward, there’s been two backward!! Meaning we’re still neck deep in our tragic mess. So, are we now gonna he saved by the three-staged Columbia intervention?

Your Eyewitness would be satisfied with even some improvement - but he ain’t too optimistic.

Where’s the commitment from the powers-that-be?

…homelessness?

Back when Burnham was “moulding” our destiny straight into the bottomless pits! - he promised to “feed, house and clothe” the nation. We ended up hungry, homeless and nekked!! And his acolytes still talk about his “vision”!! More like a “nightmare”? Anyhow, as your Eyewitness mentioned above, the PPP tried cleaning up this mess after 1992, and provided up to 30,000 house lots with basic infrastructure.

There was no question there were all sorts of hurdles for the next step of building houses, but gradually - at least 20,000 homes were built - the largest housing programme in the British Caribbean!! When the PNC-as-APNU coalition came into office - with all the fat talk they had - your Eyewitness would like to know whether they handed out even 1000 house lots, much less 100 houses!! Wankers!!

With the PPP back, in only a year-and-a-half, they’ve already given out 9000 house lots!! And worked with banks and NBS to offer low-interest loans!!

Homes sprouting up like mushrooms!!

…Police venality?

Your Eyewitness is chuffed that retired Assistant Commissioners of Police Paul Slowe and Clinton Conway are supporting the present Commissioner of Police on trying to raise the integrity-quotient of the GPF. But what were they doing when THEY were inside?

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

NEWS

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

6 more COVID-19 deaths recorded …only fully-vaccinated persons will be allowed into Guyana from December

GUYANA COVID-19 DASHBOARD NOVEMBER 9, 2021 UPDATE

W

ith six more persons succumbing to the novel coronavirus, Guyana’s death toll has taken a hike to 951.

Three of them were unvaccinated while the vaccination status of the others is unknown. One of the deaths was recorded on September 30 – a 64-year-old female from Region Four.

A 102-year-old female from Region Five (Demerara-Mahaica) died on October 3 while a 26-yearold female from Region Three died on October 30.

As of November 4, a 43-year-old male from Region Four also succumbed. Meanwhile, two females from Region Four – aged 49 and 69 – succumbed on November 6 and November 8, respectively.

The country has seen 48 new cases of the virus, taking the total positives recorded to date to 36,305.

Along with 17 persons in the ICU, 59 are in institutional isolation, 2284 in home isolation and five in institutional quarantine. Recoveries are now at 33,053.

Regionally, there were two new cases Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), five in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), 24

in Region Four (DemeraraMahaica), 13 in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), and two in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

Cases in Regions One (Barima-Waini), Five (Mahaica-Berbice), Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), Eight (Pomeroon-Supenaam) and Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) did not increase.

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony has cautioned that persons who are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will not be allowed into the country after November.

Speaking during the latest COVID-19 update, it was reminded that Government has allowed a grace period of up to November 30, which will allow persons to return from overseas.

However, after this has been expended, those who are partially vaccinated cannot enter the country.

“There are some Guyanese who only took one of the doses. Some of them took the dose and they have travelled abroad. To get back into the country would have posed a difficulty. We have given them a limited period. If they only have one dose, they have until the end of November and they will be allowed to return to

Guyana with that one dose.

Then they would get their second dose here. After the end of November, the mandate would be fully implemented so unless you’re fully vaccinated, you’re not going to be allowed into Guyana,” said Dr Anthony.

Since the beginning of November, the vaccinated status of a person was changed to reflect complete immunisation against the virus.

Any mix-and-match combination of approved vaccines administered at seventeen days apart will be accepted. Fully vaccinated also includes persons who have tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 virus fourteen days to three months ago.

Before travelling to Guyana, there must be proof of full vaccination and a negative SARS-CoV-2 antigen test or a negative SARsCov-2 PCR test, not older than 72 hours. Children under two years of age are not required to be tested.

Passengers who are advised against being vaccinated for medical reasons must present a “Letter of Exemption” from a licensed medical practitioner.

If anyone is displaying any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19 or

NUMBER OF NEW CASES

48

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL ISOLATION

59

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN HOME ISOLATION

2284

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN COVID-19 ICU

17

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL QUARANTINE

5

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (FEMALES)

19,154

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (MALES)

17,151

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES IN GUYANA SINCE 2020

36,305

NUMBER OF RECOVERED CASES

33,053

TOTAL 1st DOSE VACCINATED

387,505

FULLY IMMUNISED

253,938

TOTAL NUMBER OF DEATHS

951

DISTRIBUTION OF TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES SINCE MARCH 2020 REGION 1

1627

REGION 2

1469

REGION 3

4926

REGION 4

17,178

REGION 5

1330

REGION 6

2817

REGION 7

1762

REGION 8

604

REGION 9

2453

REGION 10

2139

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

Keep a physical distance of at least 6 feet.

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

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

needs any additional information, they are asked to contact the COVID-19 Hotline 231-1166, 226-7480 or 624-6674 immediately or visit www.health.gov.gy

All Guyanese are reminded to observe the protocols of the COVID-19 emergency measures which emphasise the need for correct and consistent use of

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

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

NEWS

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Govt support critical...

FROM PAGE 2

The report also zeroed in on the fisheries industry, noting that the sector could provide both growth and food security in the Region, but was also in danger owing to climate change. It was pointed out that within the Caribbean Community (Caricom), fishing employs 200,000 people. A further 100,000 people are indirectly employed in fish processing, marketing, and other supporting roles.

“Fish supplies seven per cent of protein intake in the Caribbean, and the sector supplies one per cent of all Latin American fish production and about 0.2 per cent of total world fishery production. The aquaculture sector is a promising source of growth and jobs, but its development in the Caribbean

has been slower than the global average.

“As of 2014, the Caribbean only constituted about 0.05 per cent of world total aquaculture production (Makara 2021). The fisheries sector is already affected by overfishing, habitat alteration, poor management, and other challenges, which are only compounded by the effects of climate change.”

According to the report, sea level rise, rising sea surface temperatures, acidification and increased storms have the greatest impact on fisheries in the Caribbean.

Besides destroying the physical habitat of the fish, it can also affect their behaviour, growth, distribution and even ability to reproduce.

This will be particularly felt

by Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and developing countries.

Between May and June this year, heavy rains in Guyana resulted in widespread flooding across the country, affecting thousands of households. The devastation included submerged buildings and vehicles with adverse effects on crops, livestock, and health. It also resulted in the Government shelling out billions of dollars in financial assistance.

The sugar industry and the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) were also significantly affected with estimated losses in the fields of more than $1.5 billion. Albion, which is GuySuCo’s largest estate, was the worst hit by the floods. (G3)

12 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

2 teens charged for killing Dr Collin Roach T

wo teenagers were on Tuesday remanded to prison for the murder of Dr Collin Roach, who was brutally killed in his Duke Street, Georgetown office.

Those charged are 19-year-old Hilton Oliver Junior Franklin and 18-yearold Lenrick Mosai Byass.

The teenagers appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts and were not required to plead to the indictable charge which stated that on November 2, they murdered Roach during the furtherance of a robbery.

The charge was laid under Section 100 (1) (c) (i) of the Criminal Law (Offences) Act Chapter 8:01. The duo was remanded and the case will continue on November 30.

19-year-old Hilton Oliver Junior Franklin

Byass is an unemployed 18-year-old male of Good Intent Village, West Bank Demerara (WBD), while Franklin is a 19-year-old taxi driver of Best Village, West Coast Demerara (WCD).

18-year-old Byass

Lenrick

Mosai

The men were charged just after the file of evidence compiled by the Guyana Police Force (GPF) as part of the investigation into the doctor’s murder, was submitted to the Director of Public

19-year-old Hilton Oliver Junior Franklin and 18-year-old Lenrick Mosai Byass

Prosecutions (DPP).

Initially, two of the doctor’s employees were arrested and questioned in relation to the murder but were sub-

sequently released since Police did not find any idence linking them to doctor’s death.

This was followed

the evthe by

Police making a breakthrough in the murder after the 19-year-old prime suspect was arrested while attempting to flee to Suriname and confessed to the crime.

It was reported that the suspect is a friend of the medical practitioner, who was found in a pool of blood a week ago in his Duke Street, Kingston, Georgetown office.

Following his arrest, the suspect confessed to inflicting the fatal wound on the doctor but also implicated 18-year-old Byass, whom he claimed assisted him.

Law enforcement officers also recovered two gold rings, a sum of cash, and a cell phone that belonged to Dr Roach which was reportedly stolen from him on the night he was murdered.

The doctor’s Audi SUV was discovered abandoned at Schoonord, WBD, with the number plate and key missing.

A post-mortem examination conducted on Dr Roach’s body revealed that he died from multiple blunt traumas to the head. (G9)

NEWS

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

7 City Hall treasury staff dismissed for embezzlement

LGC Chairman Julius Faerber

S

even employees of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council’s Treasury Department have been dismissed amid “serious” misconduct claims that have surfaced.

The Local Government Commission made this unanimous decision during a statutory meeting on October 26. It stated on Tuesday that these persons were two tax collection officers; two cashiers and three clerks.

The dismissals are in response to the Mayor and Councillors officially notifying the Local Government Commission of suspected financial irregularities which had surfaced within the City Treasurer’s Department.

“The seven named individuals were then sent on administrative leave to facilitate a full investiga-

tion into the alleged fraudulent activities,” said the Commission.

At the conclusion of the investigation, it was determined that the seven individuals were direct participants in the fraudulent financial activities and had breached their fiduciary duties to the Mayor and Councillors of the City of Georgetown. Their dismissal took effect on November 2.

Guyana Times understands that the money amounted to just over $900,000.

The Commission also took a decision to revert the Acting City Treasurer, John Douglas, to his substantive position of Accounting Manager. Edwana Miller was appointed to perform the acting duties of City Treasurer.

Section 13 of the Local Government Commission Act, Act No 18 of 2013 empowers the Local Government Commission as the only entity in Guyana with the authority to exercise regulatory and administrative oversight over all Local Government organs in Guyana.

It was just a few months ago that a lack of accountability had Local Government and Regional Development Minister Nigel Dharamlall making it clear the Government will not be giving any money directly

for capital projects.

“We are not going to give City Hall money directly. Because they have not been very forthcoming with how they spend taxpayers’ monies. So, we are going to be doing a lot of the funding, while we agree on what projects will be done, the Government will be spending the resources directly with the concurrence of City Hall on the projects,” he was quoted as saying during a State programme.

After taking office last year, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government had launched an audit into City Hall, which had targeted both the financial and oper-

223-7230-1 (Ext 55)

ational makeup of the municipality.

Calls for transparency come on the heels of reports last year that there was no

accountability for the $300 million Restoration Fund which was contributed for the restoration of the dilapidated City Hall Building.

In the past, several officers of the Council have been dismissed or disciplined for misconduct and other allegations. (G12)

14 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2021|| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Less lip service, more sustained funding for disability projects – First Lady …as ExxonMobil teams up with GCOPD for orientation, mobility training

“I

n every facet of life, we must be conscious of the limitations of persons with disabilities and reorganise our society in such a way that they are not excluded. It is critical to ensure that this is sustainable by mobilising and pooling resources and ensuring that persons with disabilities are able to benefit directly. This will call for continued collaboration, sustained funding, and less lip service.”

Those were the sentiments shared by First Lady of Guyana, Arya Ali as she gave the feature address during the launch of the orientation and mobility programme for blind and visually impaired persons.

The Guyana Council of Organisations for Persons with Disabilities (GCOPD) in collaboration with ExxonMobil (Guyana) and the Office of the First Lady on Tuesday launched an orientation and mobility programme aimed at assisting persons that are visually impaired to regain their independence and be reintegrated into society.

The event saw Chairman of the GCOPD Ganesh Singh, President of ExxonMobil (Guyana) Alistair Routledge, US Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch, and British High Commissioner to Guyana Jane Miller, in attendance.

A total of 500 blind and visually impaired persons hailing from Regions Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven

and 10 will soon be equipped with the necessary teachings that will see them learning how to use the white cane and carry out simple tasks on their own without assistance.

The First Lady lauded the programme and highlighted that the ultimate goal is to empower and build confidence among this group of persons.

She also noted that the programme is a step forward in creating the culture of acceptance and inclusivity as the country aims to build its “one Guyana”.

“This orientation and mobility training will help these individuals to claim enormous control over their lives by providing them with an opportunity to complete simple tasks on their own and reduce their dependence on others,” she expressed.

She went on to highlight that “Not only will this help to build self-awareness and raise their level of confidence, it is also a necessary step towards integration of these persons into the home, community, and by extension, the labour force. This should be our ultimate goal to ensure that these persons are equipped and empowered to live independent lives and to determine the direction of their future.”

Ali stressed that the ability to move independently, safely and purposefully should be of primary importance. “Any society that does not promote and facilitate

From left: President of ExxonMobil (Guyana) Alistair Routledge; a member of GCOPD, First Lady Arya Ali; US Ambassador to Guyana Sarah-Ann Lynch and GCOPD Chair Ganesh Singh

orientation and mobility for visually impaired and blind persons is a regressive one,” she stated.

Independence

Chairman of the Guyana Council of Organisations for persons with disabilities (GCOPD) Ganesh Singh while giving an overview of the programme explained that the aim of the programme is to teach blind and visually impaired persons to be independent and be reintegrated.

“For persons who are blind and visually impaired, like all other forms of disability, rehabilitation is needed. Rehabilitation is needed to ensure that those individuals can be able to regain some level of independence and be reintegrated

into society,” he stated.

He went on to explain that “For orientation and mobility, it’s the same as physiotherapy, occupational therapy and so forth, so as blind persons, an orientation and mobility officer specialist will provide you with the necessary skills and knowledge to use a white cane, do simple chores within your home like folding a blanket, washing some dishes, and probably even cooking, and use assistive devices, such as a computer with screen-reading software, a phone with the textto-speech application and so on.”

“Without orientation and mobility, persons who are blind or visually impaired would be lost. Many of them would be sitting at home and

depend on people to do simple things that they can do on their own. Many of them would become a burden to their relatives and the people around them. And they will also continue to have [of us] this perception that we are incapable of doing anything and being productive.”

The Chairman noted that this programme will aid in diminishing the dependence of visually impaired persons, giving them a new sense of purpose in society.

Privileged

Meanwhile, President of ExxonMobil (Guyana) Alistair Routledge indicated that the company is privileged to be in partnership with GCOPD in their new venture, while noting that the company began its col-

laboration with the organisation in 2019, through the funding of the Science Technology Engineering Mathematics (STEM) club programme for children with disabilities.

“As a company that understands the true value of diversity and inclusion at every level, ExxonMobil is proud to support the Guyana Council of Organisations for Persons with Disabilities (GCOPD) in this orientation and mobility training programme,” Routledge posited.

“Many of us take for granted everyday activities such as travelling to work or for pleasure. This programme aims to give participants the freedom to travel safely and develop independent living skills. The impact of impairment on mobility on social interaction, recreation, and quality of life goes far beyond any superficial meaning of inclusion.

This initiative can bring inclusion in an intangible way, allowing visually impaired people the opportunity [to fully enter] the communities and bring more of the valuable qualities and contributions to society.”

Routledge further noted that for those living with the challenge of impairment, having access to information, resources and support can be life-changing. This, he stated, is not just for the individual themselves, but also for their families who are also supporting them with these challenges. (G2)

NEWS

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2021| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Canadian agency donates CAD25,000 to train Police on gender-based violence

Some of the participants at the launch of the training programme

T

he Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI) has donated CAD$25,000 to Merubdoi, to facilitate and train ranks of the Guyana Police Force on how to deal with cases of domestic and gender-based violence.

The four-day ‘Legal Literacy and Access to Justice to End GenderBased Violence’ training workshop, which commenced on Tuesday will conclude on Friday, and cover six modules.

Day one delt with violence against women; day two laws affecting vulnerable groups, day three guidance on interacting with victims/ survivors/general public, day four how to document human rights violations, day five review, and day six international legal remedies.

At the launching ceremony Superintendent, Shivpersaud Bacchus, Force Training Officer, at Guyana Police Force said that this initiative came at a time when the Police Force is hoping to train 2000 ranks at the end of the year to deal with domestic violence.

“This comes in partnership also with the United Nations Population Fund, and it plays an integral role in regards of this program as it relates to your role and function. You the participants, I would like to challenge you all to harness your energy so that it would be utilised effectively to make a tangible impact wherever you are”, he said, Meanwhile, Training Consultant, Kobe Smith, said access to justice for acts of gender-based violence is lacking, and the justice system continues to deny women, girls, and other vulnerable groups equal protection before the law.

“This situation is not only inconsistent with the constitution of our country, but it also gives perpetrators the license to continue with their acts with impunity, because they just feel like nothing can be done to them, to hold them to account for their actions.

Access to Justice for All is a critical litmus test of peaceful, just, and inclusive societies and really underscores and tells the picture of how we really see vulner-

able groups in our society and how we treat them, and how we respond to their issues”, he said Also attending the launching ceremony was the Director of Social Services at the Human Services and Social Security, Wentworth Tanner, who said that domestic violence continues to be a troubling issue and needs our immediate attention.

“We are below the in-

ternational standard. It's an issue that requires our immediate attention.

Collaborative efforts such as this are required in order for us to move forward because it's not only a government responsibility, but it's everyone who resides within the land of the cooperative republic of Guyana”, he said.

High Commissioner of Canada Mark Berman, in his address also pointed out

that on the global stage, Canada has been a leading advocate for the elimination of violence against women and girls, as both a human right and a development priority.

He also stated that the Covid-19 pandemic has increased gender-based violence and it is imperative that countries continue to work together to combat the spurge of these cases. (G9)

Illegal aircraft in Region 8

Venezuelan, Colombian charged for illegal entry, narco possession

T

he two foreigners a Venezuelan and a Colombian- who were found onboard an aircraft which illegally landed at the Mahdia airstrip, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), last week, were remanded to prison.

Thirty-two-year-old Juan David Villa and 48-year-old Gustavo Gomez appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan on Tuesday.

They faced charges of illegal entry into Guyana and possession of two grams of marijuana.

Both men pleaded not guilty to the charges and were remanded to prison.

They are expected to make their next court appearance on November 16.

On November 4, the duo landed a twin-engine Piper Seneca without registration at Mahdia, Region Eight, and was promptly detained

by Police.

Gustavo Gomez (left) and Juan David Villa

Police said when they received reports of the incident, a party of policemen were dispatched to the

area. There, the plane was in front of the TransGuyana hangar and the foreigners were standing in front of the

aircraft talking to the security and ramp attendant.

When confronted by the Police, one of the men who spoke in English said: “We are lost, we came from Venezuela and going to look for gold.”

At the time, the aircraft contained three 15 gallon drums, two of which contained fuel, one hammock with net, one bag containing clothing and personal effects and a black bag with identification cards documents, one Garmin GPS, one Iridium Phone, one Icom radio set, one spot trace device, two phone chargers, one earpiece, one lighter, one torchlight, one Motorola phone, one Samsung phone, one knife, two wristwatches, one wallet, and bamboo wrap.

The items were lodged and the aircraft was placed under guard. (G9)

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

18 NEWS Health Ministry to craft new Ramsammy’s Ruminations Jordan continues to disgrace 5-year mental health plan himself, continues to insult WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

O

ver the course of five years, a new mental health plan will be introduced to guide the way such matters are addressed in the country as well as impact the root causes.

This was announced by Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony during a recent event, where he underscored the need for such a document. He related that after the previous plan was crafted, the Pan American Health Organisation found that many of the targets remained unfulfilled.

“Over the years, we have tried to come up with different health plans. We had a plan on mental health in 2015 to 2020 and when you review some of the things that you were supposed to do over the last five years, how much of it have we been able to accomplish? PAHO did a review for us and I can say that a lot of the aspirational things over the last five years, not much has happened,” he said.

According to the Minister, the document had

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony

promising information that could have been utilised to curb mental health issues in the country. However, it was not utilised.

“There are good things that people came up with.

You had all these consultative meetings, stakeholder groups that came and give ideas, plans to work with people and make sure we change the environment. But then, once the plan was written, not much happened. Obviously, it’s good to have a good plan and show a nice document

but if you’re going to take it and put in on the shelf, then that’s not going to change the outcome.”

Moving forward, the Ministry will be examining the conclusions drawn by PAHO after their review, using it to create an impactful plan.

The Minister added, “From the review that PAHO has done, we would like to also now work with stakeholders to develop a

new plan going forward, from 2021 to 2026, but this one we want to make sure that we use it. If we don’t we’ll just not be impacting the problem. All these plans are to make sure that we have impact on the problems.”

PAHO said it that together with partners, it is providing guidance and assistance to the Region of the Americas during the COVID-19 pandemic, to help support the mental and overall well-being of everyone, especially those who might require extra support during this difficult time.

Last month, it also launched a social media campaign to raise awareness of the sustained burden the COVID-19 pandemic poses on the mental health of frontline health workers, inviting them to share their stories and strategies to better manage and cope with this added challenge. (G12)

$346M contract signed for primary school at Amelia’s Ward

T

he signing of a $346 million contract by the Local Government and Regional Development Ministry will pave the way for the construction of a primary school in Amelia’s Ward/ Bamia, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

The contract was awarded to Sta8tment Investment Incorporated for the new school to be developed, catering for some 800 students.

According to Regional

Development Minister Nigel Dharamlall, the contract is expected to be completed within 20 months.

“This area is very important in the development scope of our country because of its magnitude and potential…We expect that by 2024, students are going to be housed in this school and it will be operable to its full capacity,” he outlined.

The Minister urged contractors to hire persons within the communities, as he added that a team will be supervising the scope of works to be completed.

“We expect that you are going to construct this school diligently. There will be an engineering firm that will provide supervision for the construction. This contract plus the supervision is in excess of $366 million. So, we hope that it will read down to the benefit of children in Region 10 and also, we hope that the contractors will take the opportunity to employ as many persons as possible from Region 10, more particularly the Bamia/Amelia’s Ward area.”

The bids were opened by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) in July of this year, from which four companies made submissions.

Government has committed to developing Region 10 through a number of projects in areas of education, infrastructure, agriculture and tourism.

(G12)

the intelligence of Guyanese

W

inston Jordan, APNU/AFC/PNC’s former Minister of Finance, has undergone yet another metamorphosis.

He is more prolific in metamorphosis that butterflies.

Every single time he opens his mouth, it is another version of “his facts”, another change in beliefs. On October 27, 2018, Guyana’s newspaper widely reported Jordan addressing the concerns raised about APNU/AFC’s debt binge. Guyana’s debt stock (debt to GDP ratio) in 2015, when APNU/AFC took office, was 47%. In 2017, it was 54%, significantly rising under Jordan’s tenure.

His response was that “borrowing was a necessity”, since there was much urgent need for infrastructural development. In an earlier Department of Public Information (DPI) interview, Jordan had passionately argued that roads, bridges, boats, health care and educational facilities were just some of the “tremendous developmental Dr Leslie Ramsammy needs” which can only be met through internally-sourced loans.

Indeed, foreign debt and annual fiscal deficits increased during the period 2015-2020.

At a signing ceremony for a loan for US$36M for broadband development, Jordan boasted that he had “the pleasure of signing several loans with China”. Jordan posited that Guyana had many infrastructural needs and not enough resources on hand to pursue those infrastructural necessities. After only one year in office, Guyana’s debt had already increased by more than 4% at the time.

At the time also, this was the same Jordan under whom NICIL took a $30B loan for GuySuCo with an interest rate of 4.75%, clearly among the highest loan interest rates any country in Caricom borrows money for. At the time, the almost US$150M was among the highest single loan this country had ever taken.

Has anyone forgotten when Jordan, as Guyana’s Finance Minister for a Government that was squatting in office in 2019, following the December 21st, 2018 No-Confidence Motion, bragged that his Government was negotiating a loan of US$900M with the Islamic Development Bank? This was Jordan with his “big borrowing” hat.

“Big Borrowing” Jordan of 2018 has now metamorphosed into “Borrowing is Dangerous” Jordan. In this new metamorphosed Jordan, he has donned his “Borrowing is Catastrophic” hat. Not only is he frightened by Government’s borrowing, but borrowing at interest rates of below 2% is scary to him. When he was in charge, borrowing was a necessity, even if borrowing was at unsustainable rates of 4.75%. But now he has conveniently forgotten that he advocated strongly and committed the Government and the Guyanese people to a borrowing binge at rates no responsible government should have dared.

Winston Jordon continues to disgrace himself, and continues to insult the intelligence of the Guyanese people. Jordan forgets that the Guyanese people, no matter who they voted for, have not forgotten the miserable job he did as this country’s Finance Minister.

Given the travesty of the attempt to hide the EXXON US$18M singing bonus, one would have thought Jordan would have stayed silent in his corner. Jordan has given various stories relating to the US$18M signing bonus, but the one that gets ordinary Guyanese citizens upset and at the same time hilariously laughing is the one that he thought EXXON had given them the money as a gift. He never explained who the gift was to, and why there was a need to hide the money.

But, in his latest media letter, he raised the concern of Government borrowing and the burden of Government debt. It is a funny thing that those who are most guilty always seem to keep attention to themselves. So let us remove the elephant in the room.

The political party that has the greatest need to keep Government debt issues off the table for discussion is the PNC. Who would forget that, by 1990, Guyana was one of the most indebted countries on earth? By 1990, Guyana’s foreign debt burden of US$2.1B was 953% Guyana’s GDP, and debt servicing was greater than 100% Guyana’s revenue earnings. That legacy squarely belonged to Jordan’s party – the PNC. After the PPP, largely under the leadership of Bharat Jagdeo, first as Finance Minister and then as President, managed the debt crisis and brought down debt to less than 48% GDP, the best in the Caribbean, and debt servicing to under 10%, Jordan’s party returned to Government in 2015 and resumed the debt binge under Jordan’s tenure as Minister of Finance. One would therefore think it is in Jordan’s and the PNC’s interest to remain silent in their corner, since they are the ones guilty of debt and fiscal deficit crisis in Guyana pre-1992 and between 2015 and 2020.

Jordan cannot fool us. He has never been scared to take debts on the backs of the people. He remains faithful to the ideology of his party – tax, borrow and spend now, and let the people bend under the weight later. This is the man that boldly announced in 2015 that he intends to lead Guyana back into the international bond market. Guyana, whose debt stood at 215% in 1982, largely through international bonds, had defaulted in repayments in 1982 under Burnham’s PNC. Under the PPP, Guyana had taken a hiatus in bond undertakings. In 2015, “Big Borrowing” Jordan announced a return. The GuySuCo $30B was an example. Now “Big Borrowing, High Loan Interest Rates” Jordan wants us to believe that borrowing is a heinous monster for Guyana.

guyanatimesgy.com

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2021

19

Regional

Mexican President floats global Brazil's Bolsonaro pressures anti-poverty plan in UN speech lawmakers before key fiscal vote B M exican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Tuesday pitched a global anti-poverty plan that seeks to uplift some 750 million poor people who live on less than US$2 a day and would be financed largely by the rich.

In a speech to the United Nations, Lopez Obrador stressed that the plan could give the world's poor masses "a dignified life" thanks to voluntary contributions from the richest individuals, corporations, and countries.

Lopez Obrador proposed that the programme be funded by an annual four per cent contribution from the fortunes of the 1000 richest people and corporations, plus a donation from G20 countries equivalent to 0.2 per cent of their economies.

"The resources of this fund must reach the beneficiaries

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador speaks at the United Nations in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, US, November 9, 2021

directly, without any intermediaries, by means of a personalised card or electronic wallet," he said, adding that the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund could help design the fund.

Mexico holds the rotating presidency of the 15-mem-

ber UN Security Council and Lopez Obrador spoke at the session at the body's New York headquarters. The leftist leader made the comments on only his second trip outside Mexico during his first three years as President.

(Reuters)

US to announce new Nicaragua sanctions “very soon”, official says

T

he Biden Administration plans to announce new US sanctions and other punitive actions "very soon" in response to Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega's re-election in a vote that Washington has denounced as a sham, a senior State Department official told Reuters on Tuesday.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the measures would be the first in a series of steps that the US Government would "ramp up over time".

Washington expects a strong resolution against Ortega when the Organisation of American States (OAS) meets this week

in Guatemala, but is not likely to use the event to formally seek Nicaragua's suspension from the bloc, the official said.

President Joe Biden is expected in the coming days or hours to sign congressional legislation aimed at ratcheting up pressure on Nicaragua, the official said.

Ortega, a former Marxist guerrilla leader, clinched a fourth consecutive term in Sunday's election after jailing political rivals ahead of a vote that drew international condemnation.

US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken said on Monday that Washington would coordinate with other Governments and was ready

to use a range of tools, including sanctions and visa restrictions against those complicit in "undemocratic acts".

"We'll see some actions we take very soon," the State Department official said. "I don't want to leave people the impression that it's going to be kind of one announcement and done... This will continue to go over time."

The official declined to elaborate on the types of sanctions in the works. But a US Government source last week said initial targets would likely be individuals, security force members, and Government-controlled companies. (Excerpt from Reuters)

razilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Tuesday said a vote against expanded Government spending next year was a vote against the country, adding pressure on Lower House lawmakers ahead of a crucial second-round vote on new fiscal rules.

Bolsonaro is pushing for a change to the Constitution that would let the Government spend an additional 92 billion reais (US$16.5 billion) next year, staggering court-ordered payments so he can ramp up welfare programmes ahead of next year's election.

A second-round vote was expected in the Lower House of Congress on Tuesday after an initial vote passed by just four votes last week.

A constitutional amendment must pass twice with at least three-fifths of the votes in each chamber.

If the Government is forced to pay all the court-ordered obligations coming due next year, it "would bankrupt Brazil", Bolsonaro said in a local media interview.

"Whoever voted against the parcelling out of the court-ordered payments voted against Brazil's poorest," he said.

The legislation's tough

path through the Lower House adds to doubts about its chances in the Senate.

On Monday, Bolsonaro said he expected it to face an uphill battle there. If it fails, the Government may have to seek a deal with the Supreme Court over how to pay for billions of reais in court-ordered payments.

A majority of Justices on the Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld an injunction suspending the "secret" earmarking of pork barrel funds included to win lawmakers' support for the bill, which could derail final passage of the measure. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Barbadian Minister lambastes bad business practices

S

mall Business and Entrepreneurship Minister Kerrie Symmonds is calling out the “barbarity” affecting Barbados’ workforce.

During a Zoom meeting on Monday to launch Global Entrepreneurship Week 2021, under the theme “Thriving Through Turbulent Times”, Symmonds said bad workplace practices, especially in construction, were driving people to seek self-em-

ployment.

“I am seeing and hearing about some developments . . . that worry me deeply.

Above and beyond the necessities created by the pandemic for people to embark on new enterprises, I see and hear developments that cause me to believe that . . . the resources which the Barbados Youth Business Trust (BYBT) offers will increasingly be called upon in this country as [entrepreneurship may be] the only

viable and logical alternative to some of the unrestrained barbarity that is running amok in some of the sectors of employment in Barbados,” he said.

The Minister highlighted practices in the construction sector where he said “hundreds if not thousands” of working-class people were being taken advantage of, particularly concerning National Insurance and retention sums. (Nation News)

Heavy rain wreaks havoc in Jamaica

Persad-Bissessar slams independent Senators

Opposition Leader Persad-Bissessar

O

Kamla

pposition Leader Kamla PersadBissessar questioned the impartiality of the independent senators when she addressed a United National Congress (UNC) virtual meeting on Monday.

She chided their voting record and hit Senator

Anthony Vieira's censure motion against Opposition members for their behaviour last month at the Electoral College meeting called to vote on President Paula-Mae Weekes' recent performance.

Urging Weekes to reveal the fate of the Commissioner of Police (CoP) merit list, Persad-Bissessar said until this was done, the whole process for selecting a new CoP should be paused.

Persad-Bissessar alleged that the independent Senators viewed themselves as the PM's rubber stamp, saying six of them had voted with the Government variously on 13-16 occasions.

She dubbed them "eat ah food" Senators, who had been hand-picked by the President and whom the Opposition would deal with if they enter the political gayele.

Persad-Bissessar dubbed

Vieira "a pawn in Rowley’s anti-democratic playbook within our Parliament.

"I want to remind you, Honourable Senator, that nobody voted for you, Vieira. You were handpicked by a President who was hand-picked by the PNM." Persad-Bissessar alleged Weekes had failed to answer serious questions on the Constitution and was now hiding from the public.

"And now you (Vieira) move this motion to try and silence the voices of the elected Opposition?

"May I remind you that we were elected by over 309,000 people. We are their voices in the Parliament and outside of Parliament."

She said Vieira's motion was "frivolous, vexatious, baseless, and without merit".

(Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

The flooded Jamaica Fire Brigade’s Area IV Headquarters in Ironshore, St James

A

stationary front across Jamaica dumped heavy rain on the western end of the island Sunday night into early Monday morning triggering heavy flooding that damaged roads and other infrastructure and had many senior citizens trembling in fear.

Residents in Unity Hall, a community with mostly elderly Jamaicans, were particularly hard hit and were Monday night bracing for more showers forecast by the Met Service.

One resident, Sharon Bowen, told the Jamaica Observer that she was jolt-

ed from her night's rest by the frightful sounds of water rushing into her yard.

In panic mode, she stood on her veranda watching the “disaster that was taking place”.

“We have been up from 4:00 am because mi seh mi a watch it enuh. Mi couldn't sleep just in case we have fi tek weh ourselves,” said Bowen.

“Mi nervous when mi see wah deh gwaan and my granddaughter was so scared, she was inside crying,” Bowen added.

With a wash pan in her hands, Bowen told the Observer that she had

just finished clearing water from some rooms in her house.

“Whole heap of dutty water come in pan we last night, mi just done clean it out. Mi gas cylinder all tun over and somebody bedhead wash weh inna my yard,” said the woman who blamed a drain in the community for the flooding.

“They need to fix the gutter. You know how long we a tell dem fi fix the gutter up deh so? We literally a beg dem fi fix it and all now it cyaan fix,” Bowen said.

(Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

20

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2021

guyanatimesgy.com

Around the World

OILNEWS OIL NEWS

COP26: World headed for 2.4C warming despite climate summit – report

D

espite pledges made at the climate summit COP26, the world is still nowhere near its goals on limiting global temperature rise, a new analysis shows.

It calculates that the world is heading for 2.4C of warming, far more than the 1.5C limit nations committed to.

COP26 "has a massive credibility, action and commitment gap", according to the Climate Action Tracker (CAT).

The Glasgow summit is seen as crucial for curbing climate change.

But the prediction contrasts with optimism at the UN meeting last week, following a series of big announcements that included

A prolonged drought set up the conditions for fire in this forested area of Indonesia

a vow to stop deforestation.

COP26 is expected to finish this week.

The projection comes as the UK's Met Office warns that a billion people could be affected by fatal heat and humidity if the global average temperature rises by 2C above pre-industrial levels.

The report by Climate Action Tracker looks at promises made by governments before and during COP26.

It concludes that, in 2030, the greenhouse gas emissions that warm the planet will still be twice as high as necessary for keep-

ing temperature rise below 1.5C degree.

Scientists say that limiting warming to 1.5C will prevent the most dangerous impacts of climate change from happening.

The COP summit held in Paris in 2015 laid out a plan for avoiding dangerous climate change which included "pursuing efforts" to keep warming under 1.5C. But when governments' actual policies - rather than pledges - are analysed, the world's projected warming is 2.7C by 2100, suggests Climate Action Tracker. The Tracker is backed by a number of organisations including the prestigious Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

France returns 26 treasures EU accuses Belarus of “gangster” looted from Benin approach to migrant crisis

F

rance has handed back 26 treasures that were looted from Benin during the colonial period, fulfilling a promise made

by President Emmanuel Macron to restore a lost part of Africa’s heritage.

Benin President Patrice Talon and Culture Minister Jean-Michel Abimbola travelled to Paris to bring home the artefacts that were snatched by French forces 130 years ago.

Talon said he felt “overwhelming emotion” at recovering the objects taken during the ransacking of the Kingdom of Dahomey in the south of present-day Benin, including a royal throne.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday at the presidential palace in Paris, where France signed over the artefacts to Benin, Talon said the treasures were much more than cultural goods – the term used by France to describe them.

“This is our soul, Mr President,” he said, flanked

by Macron.

The French leader hailed

“a symbolic, moving and historic moment” which had been long-awaited by Africans.

The return of the pieces taken from the Royal Palaces of Abomey, which also include three totemic statues, comes as calls mount in Africa for European countries to return the colonial spoils lining their museum shelves.

In France, most are held by the Quai Branly museum, which has begun a major review of its collection to identify works believed to have been acquired through violence or coercion.

French legislators last year passed a bill allowing Paris to return artefacts to Benin and Senegal, another former French colony in West Africa.

Talon made clear that he saw Tuesday’s handover as the first step in a large-scale restitution process, asking “how do you expect my enthusiasm to be complete” when France still held other key artefacts. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

T

he European Commission has accused the Belarusian Government of tricking migrants and refugees with false promises of easy access to the European Union in what it called a “gangster-style” approach to a long-running migrant crisis.

Hundreds of migrants and refugees remained camped out in near-freezing temperatures in Belarus on Tuesday after Polish security forces blocked people from attempting to cross the border.

Poland has for months accused Belarus of trying to cause a major confrontation by encouraging migrants and refugees from the Middle East and Africa to cross into Central Europe and the wider European Union in revenge for Western sanctions on longtime President Alexander Lukashenko’s Government.

On Monday, the situation escalated as hundreds of people headed towards the Polish border near Kuznica village. Some tried to breach a barbed-wire fence using

Facebook gives estimate of bullying, harassment on its platforms for 1st time

F

acebook for the first time on Tuesday disclosed the prevalence of bullying and harassment on its platform, saying such content was seen between 14 and 15 times per every 10,000 views on the site in the third quarter.

The company, which recently changed its name to Meta, also said in its quarterly content moderation report that bullying and harassment content was seen between 5 and 6 times per 10,000 views of content on Instagram.

The social media giant, long under scrutiny over its handling of abuses on its services, has been in the

spotlight after a former employee and whistleblower Frances Haugen leaked internal documents that include research and discussions about Instagram's effects on the mental health of teens and on whether Facebook's platforms stoke divisions.

Haugen has said the documents show the company picked profits over user safety. Facebook disputed this characterisation, saying the documents were being used to paint a "false picture."

The documents, which were first reported by the Wall Street Journal, have spurred calls for Facebook

to be more transparent and have raised questions over whether metrics such as prevalence give the full picture of how the company handles abuses.

Facebook said its bullying and harassment numbers only captured instances where the company did not need additional information, such as a report from a user, to decide if the content broke its rules.

They said that of the 9.2 million pieces of content the company removed from Facebook for breaking its bullying and harassment rules, it found 59.4 per cent proactively. (Excerpt from Reuters)

spades and other tools.

Poland deployed additional soldiers, border guards and Police, preventing refugees and migrants from forcing their way across the frontier.

Polish President Andrzej Duda on Tuesday accused Lukashenko’s Government of “attacking” the border and the EU “in an unparalleled manner”.

“We currently have a camp of migrants who are blocked from the Belarusian side.

There are about 1000 people there, mostly young men.

These are aggressive actions that we must repel, fulfilling our obligations as a member of the European Union,” he told reporters in Warsaw.

Later on Tuesday, a European Commission spokesperson said: “This is part of the inhuman and really gangster-style approach of the Lukashenko regime that he is lying to people, he is misusing people … and bringing them to Belarus under the false promise of having easy entry into the EU.” (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Oil rises on higher demand forecasts, tight supplies

O

il prices rose to a two-week high on Tuesday after the United States lifted travel restrictions and other signs of a global post-pandemic recovery boosted the demand outlook, while supply remained tight.

Prices rallied after the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) in its Short Term Energy Outlook (STEO) on Tuesday projected retail gasoline prices would decline over the next several months.

US President Joe Biden's Administration said it would use price forecasts in the STEO report to determine whether to release oil from the nation's Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR).

Analysts said if the STEO had shown a huge rise in projected gasoline prices, the Biden Administration was likely to release lots of oil from the SPR quickly, which would have depressed prices.

Brent futures rose US$1.35, or 1.6 per cent, to settle at US$84.78 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose US$2.22, or 2.7 per cent, to settle at US$84.15.

They were the highest closes for both benchmarks since Oct 26.

The price of Brent has gained over 60 per cent this year and hit a three-year high of US$86.70 on Oct 25, supported by recovering demand and supply restraint by the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies, known as OPEC+.

"The EIA STEO gives President Biden plenty of cover to do nothing, and claim he is waiting for bearish forecast to play out," said Bob Yawger, director of energy futures at Mizuho in New York.

In the STEO, the EIA projected average prices for retail regular grade gasoline would decline from US$3.32 per gallon in November to US$3.16 in December and US$3.00 in the first quarter of 2022.

OPEC+ added 400,000 barrels per day of crude oil to global supply at last week’s OPEC+ meeting. President Biden wanted it to add more. OPEC+ is scheduled to add 400,000 bpd a month through June 2022, Yawger said.

"Any release from the US SPR, although it would likely have a temporary bearish effect on prompt prices, is not a lasting solution for an imbalance between supply and demand," said Louise Dickson, senior oil markets analyst at Rystad Energy.

Global oil spare production capacity could diminish next year as air passengers return to the skies, removing an important cushion that the market is currently enjoying, Saudi Aramco Chief Executive Amin Nasser said.

Travellers took off for the United States again, while the passage of Biden's US$1 trillion infrastructure bill and better-than-expected Chinese exports helped paint a picture of a recovering global economy.

JPMorgan Chase said global demand for oil in November was already nearly back to pre-pandemic levels of 100 million bpd, following last year's collapse.

In India, fuel demand rose in October to a seven-month peak, with gasoline sales surging to an all-time high.

Despite a tight global market, analysts forecast US crude inventories rose for a third straight week, possibly helping to cap further gains in prices.

The first of this week's two supply reports, from industry group the American Petroleum Institute, is due later Tuesday. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Fire kills 4 newborns in Indian hospital, 36 others rescued

A

fire has swept through a newborn care unit in a hospital in central India, killing four infants, officials say, the latest in a string of hospital fires in the country this year that have killed dozens.

An investigation was ordered into the fire that occurred on Monday night at the Kamla Nehru Children’s Hospital in Bhopal, said Shivraj Singh Chauhan, the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh state.

“The untimely departure [death] of children from the world is an unbearable pain,” Chauhan said on Twitter, offering his condol-

ences to the families affected.

He announced a compensation of 400,000 rupees (US$5400) for the family of the victims.

There were 40 children in total in the unit, out of which 36 – most of them underweight – have been rescued, said Medical Education Minister Vishwas Kailash Sarang.

“The other children are being treated,” Sarang later said on Twitter.

While an inquiry is still ongoing, authorities told the Press Trust of India news agency that a short circuit might have caused the fire.

Footage on local news channels showed angry parents protesting at the premises, alleging that instead of saving the children, the hospital staff had fled.

Fatal building fires are not uncommon in India, where poor maintenance and lack of proper firefighting equipment often lead to deaths.

Hospital fires have killed at least 70 people in India this year, including 11 last weekend in the COVID-19 care unit of a hospital in Maharashtra, a state neighbouring Madhya Pradesh.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2021

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Check in with the people who have helped and offered you the best advice over the years, and you won't be disappointed. A kind word will encourage you to overlook a needless distraction.

Flipping from one thing to another won't get you very far. Consider your best path forward. Evaluate your current situation and your relationships with others, then adjust how you handle your personal and professional affairs. Be a leader.

Learn as you go. Ask questions, do your homework and explore new possibilities. What someone suggests may intrigue you, but before you decide to follow their lead, consider what's best for you.

Mix business with pleasure, and you'll make headway. Entertain ideas and proposals you encounter, but don't negotiate without taking a closer look. Costs could quickly spin out of control.

Slow down, rethink your strategy, make plans and surround yourself with people who are stable and receptive.

Keep change to a minimum, and work with what you already have on hand.

An open mind will lead to new beginnings. Listen and learn, but don't lose your identity. Add a unique spin to whatever you do, and you'll maintain your voice and gain respect and support.

Take responsibility seriously, and you'll gain support.

Make suggestions and compromise if necessary to clear up unfinished business. Take an innovative approach, but don't lose sight of your goal.

Understanding will help when dealing with others.

Say less and listen more.

Don't be judgmental if you want to avoid being judged by others. Play fair, be kind and take care.

Explore your options and SAGITTARIUS make intelligent decisions.

(Nov. 23How you handle your money Dec. 21) will determine what you can accomplish. A tight budget will put your mind at ease and give you needed wiggle room.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

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

Take a closer look at how you present yourself to the world. An update will give you a fresh perspective on what's current. Embrace change at home and work, and you will stand out.

Don't limit what you can do because of what others suggest or pursue. Make decisions that suit your needs and will help you reach your goals. Keep your feelings to yourself.

Don't trust anyone with your money, responsibil(Feb. 20- ities or documents. Step in March 20) and do things for yourself to ensure that you are happy with the results. Leave nothing to chance, and work to stay healthy.

PISCES

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2021

ICC T20I World Cup semifinal

England face test of depth against New Zealand's quiet efficiency B

y the time England and New Zealand take the field for another World Cup encounter, 850 days would have elapsed since the craziest contest of the lot.

Plenty has happened since that extraordinary day at Lord's in July 2019 - a global pandemic, for starters, not to mention New Zealand's own trophy capture in the World Test Championship final - but time does little to diminish the wave upon wave of drama that we were privileged to witness that afternoon.

Both teams are bound to claim that those events at Lord's would have little impact on this rematch: on a different continent, in a different format, at a different stage of the competition, and with largely different sides too. There may be as few as five survivors each in the XIs that take the field this time out. And yet, here we are once again.

An elite generation of players from both nations have been drawn together in the knockout stages of another global tournament. It would be quite a feat of single-mindedness if their thoughts manage not to wander at some stage in the narrative.

Will England, in particular, have cause to rue a wealth of significant absentees? Their injury list for this tournament was already bulging, but somehow - even without the services of Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer, the two most iconic stars of that 2019 clash - they had pulled together a balanced and hotly competitive outfit, fit to mix it with the very best on show for the past fortnight.

By degrees, however, that enviable depth has been challenged as the sharp end approaches. First it was Tymal

In a distant echo of England's own progression to the knockouts in 2019, they faced three must-win matches in a row to guard against elimination, and while there was physical exhaustion to contend with, their minds stayed unwavering in a series of faultless wins against Scotland, Namibia and Afghanistan.

The challenge is about to be cranked up a notch, but Kane Williamson's men know better than many global outfits about keeping their eyes on the prize.

In the spotlight

Mills, going lame with a thigh strain midway through a gripping tussle with Sri Lanka in Sharjah. No-one can claim to be a like-for-like for Archer, but through the addition of his own finely tuned skill-sets, particularly at the death, Mills had gone a long way towards mitigating that loss.

With all due respect to the fit-again Mark Wood, his subtleties - or lack thereof - don't offer England quite the same versatility.

Williamson wary of England's depth despite Roy, Mills’s absence

But then, perhaps more devastatingly still, came the popped calf that caused Jason Roy to limp out of the campaign midway through a sprinted single against South Africa. Roy is perhaps the great unquantifiable on England's card - arguably Eoin Morgan's favourite team-mate, given his wholehearted commitment to gungho, selfless aggression. Take his gallop-and-thwack against

Josh Hazlewood in the group stage for instance - a fierce slap through wide long-on to hit Australia's most probing seamer off his length from the very first ball he faced.

Roy made just 22 from 20 balls on that occasion, but the agenda had been set, and Jos Buttler at the other end was in the perfect mood to capitalise.

In spite of all this, New Zealand will be perfectly happy once more to slot into the role of underdog in Abu Dhabi.

In spite of all the evidence that India presented in their abject defeats to Pakistan and New Zealand in Dubai, there may be a sense once again that England will be grateful not to have to face Virat Kohli's men in a knockout, just as was the case in the 2019 final, when New Zealand again had been the side to oust them in the previous round.

Such a narrative does eternal, and wearying, disservice to New Zealand's proud record in ICC events. Finalists in each of the last 50-over events, semi-finalists so often before that that

you thought they might have shaken off the "dark horses" tag at some time around 1992.

But it has always suited their agenda to be underestimated.

That's unlikely to change now.

Besides, New Zealand have an array of weapons, particularly in their bowling stocks, to put the squeeze on any opponent. In Trent Boult, they have a bona fide T20 star, a masterful operator at the top and tail of an innings. In Tim Southee, they have a resurgent seam specialist much like his opposite number Chris Woakes; sometimes experience really does trump all else.

Conversely, Ish Sodhi and Mitch Santner have proven that excellence in this format doesn't always need to be refracted through a franchise-league prism for the full spectrum of skills to become apparent.

New Zealand's main challenge in recent days has been less their opponents, and more the context of a gruelling three matches in five days in the heat of the desert afternoon.

Who could be more driven for redemption than Martin Guptill, Mr "Barest of Margins" himself? His crestfallen visage at Lord's is now etched into the sport's lore, but quite apart from the neatness of that particular narrative, here is a player whose form so far in the tournament - 176 runs at 35.20 and a strike-rate of 131.34, with no score below 17 - implies that he's braced for a breakout. His long-levered approach allows him to gather momentum the longer he stays in situ.

Moeen Ali arguably has a similar point to prove, given the tailing-off in form that led to his omission from the 2019 final. But, in Sharjah, he was a significant beneficiary of Roy's misfortune, as he was promoted to No.3 with a license to pick up his free-flowing tempo, and he delivered with an agenda-setting 37 from 27.

As a trophy-winner with Chennai Super Kings on these same pitches a month ago, he has the confidence and knowhow to be the match-winner that England need. His powerplay offspin has been a revelation too…to England, if not to his IPL peers, whom you sense may have known his true val-

CWI, Republic Bank launch new “5 for Fun” children’s cricket format

C

ricket West Indies (CWI) and the Republic Bank Group have successfully completed the first trial edition of “5 for Fun”, a new and exciting cricket format designed to grow interest and participation in cricket for primary school-aged children.

Republic Bank and CWI have partnered to create and trial this unique 5-over, 5-player format of the game, which sees CWI leveraging their extensive coaching and schools’ development infrastructure and Republic Bank’s group-wide “Power to Make a Difference” programme.

“5 for Fun” is designed around the principles of fun, inclusion and equality. The ‘fun’ elements of the game are rooted in its speed, energy, and uncomplicated rules.

Each “5 for Fun” game involves five (5) players per team playing five 6-ball overs each. Each batter faces an over from a single bowler. If a batter is ‘out’, they will still face their allotted over, but 3 runs will be deducted from the team score. The “inclusion and equality” elements ensure boys and girls of all abilities have the opportunity to

play together as equals.

Republic Bank-CWI’s “5 for Fun”

The “5 for Fun” pilot scheme started with zonal games held earlier this year in St Lucia. The finals took place recently at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground with the support of the St Lucia National Cricket Association (SLNCA) and the St Lucia Ministry of Education.

Following the tournament, there was a special pre-

sentation ceremony wherein several enthusiastic players received their awards. It was attended by several senior Government officials, including Kenson Casimir, Minister of Sports; representatives of Republic Bank, and members of the SLNCA. With a combined parish structure forming 5 zones, 19 school teams participated in zonal preliminary rounds, leading to a grand “5 for Fun” festival finals. It is hoped that,

following this successful trial, this new fun and child-friendly format will be introduced into other West Indian countries in the coming years.

KJ Singh, Senior Project Officer, Schools Cricket for CWI, said: “5 for Fun is all about putting a bat and a ball into children’s hands for the first time, and getting them to participate in a straightforward game of 5 players per side and 5 overs each. We will prioritise fun, team work,

values, mental focus, tactical awareness and physical development over technical expertise. Those young players who demonstrate a real passion and aptitude for the game will then have opportunities within the wider Future Stars programme and the CWI development pathway.”

Karen Tom Yew, General Manager, Group Marketing & Communications at Republic Bank, commented: “Republic Bank is thrilled to see the launch of the ‘5 for Fun’ tournament. The underlying rationale behind this game really represents our commitment to building local communities, and cements our support of diversity, equity and inclusion in sport. We have been working with our friends at Cricket West Indies for some time on this ground-breaking partnership, and as creators of the format, we are committed to its success. ‘5 for Fun’ is a paradigm for marketing investments that combine social good with potential growth in shareholder value".

It is expected that the pilot scheme will ultimately grow into a significant component of the Future Stars cricket development programme.

(Windies Cricket)

ue in this format long before his fellow countrymen.

Team news

So how do England replace the irreplaceable? Jonny Bairstow is the obvious contender to return to the top in Roy's stead, but the ever-scrutinised Dawid Malan - an entirely different type of batter - might yet get the promotion, and a chance to make his mark on a tournament in which he's yet really to stand out, for better or worse. Malan's durable attitude to T20 batting might yet prove a useful insurance policy if England lose the toss and have to set a target, for it's been notable how he was shunted down the order for two very contrasting chases: against West Indies (56) and South Africa (190).

Once again, Moeen, carded at No. 6 or 7, is liable to float up the order in such circumstances, especially if there's spin to be attacked. Sam Billings is the worthy understudy in the middle order, although an alternative might be to use Roy's absence as an excuse to add an extra bowling option in David Willey's left-arm. He rarely dies wondering in the six-hitting stakes either, and Morgan suggested that a late call would be made depending on conditions.

England (probable): 1 Jos Buttler (wk), 2 Jonny Bairstow, 3 Dawid Malan, 4 Eoin Morgan (capt), 5 Liam Livingstone, 6 Moeen Ali, 7 Sam Billings/David Willey, 8 Chris Woakes, 9 Chris Jordan, 10 Adil Rashid, 11 Mark Wood.

Kane Williamson's longterm elbow complaint remains a "bit of a challenge" for the New Zealand captain, but it's not going to derail him from the task at hand. New Zealand boast a settled XI that has grown into the campaign since that early loss to Pakistan.

Adam Milne came in for Tim Seifert for their subsequent win over India, and they have since made it four in a row with no alterations.

New Zealand (probable): 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Daryl Mitchell, 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Devon Conway (wk), 5 Glenn Phillips, 6 James Neesham, 7 Mitchell Santner, 8 Adam Milne, 9 Tim Southee, 10 Ish Sodhi, 11 Trent Boult.

(ESPNcricinfo)

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23

BCB hosts successful Dr Tulsi Dyal Singh mini cricket academy for youths in New Amsterdam/Canje A

total of 50 youth cricketers drawn from 7 clubs in the New Amsterdam/Canje area participated last Sunday in a one-day mini cricket academy held at the ground in East Canje as the vibrant Berbice Cricket Board pushes ahead with its countywide coaching programme.

This was the first of four mini academies to be held during the month of November, and approximately 200 under-19 players are expected to benefit from these extensive coaching sessions.

This one-day session was conducted by a panel of coaches headed by level-three coach Winston Smith. Other coaches present were Leslie Soloman, Balram Samaroo and Gregory Crandon. The administrative aspect of the academy was taken care

by BCB executives Ameer Rahaman, Neil Rudder and Egbert Lyken Edwards.

BCB President Hilbert Foster was also present for a part of the day, and congratulated the coaches on a job well done.

Foster shared that the academy marks the start of the county’s preparation for the Guyana Cricket Board’s inter-county junior tournaments. Berbice, he stated,

The fifty youths at the BCB mini cricket academy pose with their coaches

aims to win all the titles and produce the majority of players on the national teams.

Mini academies would be held over the next three Sundays in West Berbice, Lower Corentyne and Upper Corentyne respectively, with 50 youths in attendance at each. The same set of youths would, on the Saturday before, be involved in a oneday special social skills seminar to im-

prove them socially and to prepare them to represent the county as ambassadors.

Head Coach Winston Smith disclosed that the coaches placed special emphasis on physical fitness, ground fielding, wicket-keeping, spinning the ball, run-ups for fast bowlers, running between the wickets, and hitting the ball along the ground.

Since election of the Foster-led exec-

utive, the BCB has invested heavily in coaching and the educational aspects of their players. Hundreds of youths have directly benefited from the countywide Dr Tulsi Dyal Singh Coaching Programme and the hosting of academies.

The GCB last month donated 10 coaching kits to the BCB, and they are been used at these sessions.

BCB Public Relations Officer Simon Naidu has expressed confidence that all the sessions over the next three weeks would be successful and well attended.

He said a lot of hard work is being done behind the scenes to ensure that all of the BCB’s objectives are achieved, and he hailed the hard work and cooperation that exists among the executives of the board and its coaching staff. The twoday activities in each sub- association are being sponsored by BCB Patron Vickram Bharrat and overseas- based Guyanese medical doctor Tulsi Dyal Singh.

All the sessions, Naidu stated, would be played under very strict COVID-19 guidelines, and any player who fails to follow the rules would be subjected to disciplinary actions by the board.

CWI hosts face-to-face components of High-Performance Coaches' Programme

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he next stage of Cricket West Indies’ (CWI) High Performance Coaches Programme has been successfully delivered as part of CWI’s development and investment strategy to upgrade and upskill coaches across the region.

A number of enthusiastic coaches from across the region participated in the week-long event at the end of October at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua, and the pro-

gramme was delivered on the back of five online modules leading into the event.

The latest stage involved face-to-face practical components to build coaches’ knowledge. In addition to the technical basics of elite cricket, topics included Leadership, Programme Management, Communication, Skills Acquisition, as well as Visual Technology and Data Analysis. One of the highlights was a bowling

master-class with iconic fast bowler Courtney Walsh, who is the Head Coach of the West Indies Women’s Team.

S h i v n a r i n e Chanderpaul, the legendary West Indies batsman, was among the participants, and he was very positive about the programme.

“It is a lot of information being passed on. There are so many different and informative things which we have gone through on this

Thompson-Herah cops NACAC Female of the Year honour

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amaica’s two-time sprint double Olympic Games gold medallist Elaine Thompson-Herah has been named Female Athlete of the Year by the North American, Central American, and Caribbean Athletics Association (NACAC), following her outstanding 2021 season

was a member of the women’s 4x100m relay team that won the gold medal.

American shot putter Ryan Crouser, who set World records in the indoor and outdoor shot put, was named the Male Athlete of the Year.

Thompson-Herah and Crouser have also both won

capped by three gold medals at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan in August.

Thompson-Herah successfully defended her sprint double titles, running Olympic Games records of 10.54 seconds and 21.53 seconds in the 100m and 200m respectively, and

Diamond League awards.

A release from NACAC has said the 29-year-old Thompson-Herah’s “2021 season will go down in history, as she produced one of the greatest runs of excellence of all time. Within the span of just over three weeks, between the end of

July and late August, she won two individual gold medals at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.

Her 100m win came in an Olympic record time of 10.61, while her 200m victory four days thence yielded a national record time of 21.53 seconds.

“Shortly after her double Olympic triumph, which she topped off by winning the sprint relay with Jamaica, Thompson-Herah lined up at the Prefontaine Classic in Hayward Field, Eugene, Oregon, USA. She stamped her class with a run of 10.54 seconds, a new national record, and like her 200m Olympic win, the fastest time in the world since Florence Griffith-Joyner’s world record in 1988.”

The NACAC release said that while it was the seventh Diamond League women’s 100m winner from Jamaica, “Only five women this century has ended a season with the fastest times in both the 100m and 200m. Coming into the season, four of those five were Jamaicans.” (Jamaica Observer)

High-Performance Level 3 Coaches’ course, and I am very happy to be participating; it is very beneficial for all of us. This is where coaching is going, and it is very necessary that we are aware and equipped to be able to share the knowledge to our players,” he said.

Several other former international players participated, including Nikita Miller, Garey Mathurin, Vishal Singh, Ryan Austin and Rayad Emrit.

This is the first-ever locally planned and delivered High-Performance Coaches’ Programme (Level 3) from CWI, which

forms a key part of the “Cricket First” strategic plan that includes investment in building coaching depth and quality across the region, especially considering the vital role coaches play in developing cricketers’ skills across all age groups and abilities, both on and off the field.

The High-Performance (Level 3) programme has been designed by CWI Coach Development Manager Chris Brabazon, in partnership with the University of the West Indies (UWI). It provides a number of the region’s best coaches with opportunities to further learn,

and develop contemporary coaching philosophies and techniques that would allow them to thrive in the high-performance environment of the West Indies Cricket Pathway.

The rigorous, holistic accreditation also consists of online discussions, tutorials, and ongoing mentoring. The course was delivered by CWI’s HighPerformance staff, in conjunction with UWI representatives, to provide participants with unprecedented access to best practice case studies and frameworks from the elite levels of West Indies cricket and beyond. (CWI)

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2021

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

Do or die as Junior Jags Windies unfazed by qualification battle Nicaragua today challenge for next year’s World Cup

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uyana’s national under-20 men’s team the Junior Jags will today fight to stay alive in the CONCACAF Under- 20 Qualifiers, with a championship spot on the line.

The Junior Jaguars are fresh from an emphatic victory over the US Virgin Islands on Monday afternoon, which they won in fine style 5-1, but they would need to repeat their aggressive performance if they are to qualify for the CONCACAF Under-20 Championships in 2022.

Coupled with a draw against the Cayman Islands last Saturday, the Jaguars now have four points and sit in second place in Group D., Their opponents Nicaragua meanwhile have two wins after downing Cayman Islands 2-1 in a close encounter on Monday night. This contest will surely decide the leader of the Group, and the team that will advance to the championships.

The Junior Jags and coach are pumped up following their win on Monday.

National team debutant Ravi Coates was especially grate-

Omari Glasgow

ful for the opportunity to play, which resulted in his first international goal at the age group.

“I’m very grateful for that first goal on my debut, very thankful to the coaches, and I hope we win against Nicaragua and qualify and make our country proud. I’d like to thank the fans for coming out, we’re very grateful,”

Coates shared.

Team Captain Omari Glasgow, however, is pretty optimistic about their chances today, hoping for the much-needed victory.

Glasgow stated, following the US Virgin Islands game, “This afternoon (Monday) was a great game. We bounced back from the last game we draw against Cayman Islands; I think the boys come out and put out a fight, and I just want to thank the fans and everybody that supported us. We’re looking forward to a victory in the next game.”

Head Coach of this under-20 team, Wayne Dover, is pleased with the grit that his team have shown, and is looking forward to what the team would do on the pitch today.

“So, I’m really happy that the players came out and fought a good fight and get these three points with some goals also,” Dover said.

He added, “Well, today (Monday) victory gave us an opportunity to come in the last game and compete and try to get a result and see how best we can qualify for the Championships next year.”

W

est Indies have missed out on an automatic spot in next year’s Twenty20 World Cup following their abysmal showing at the ongoing showpiece, but captain Kieron Pollard has said the Caribbean side are not fazed by the prospect of having to go through a qualifying tournament.

The deposed champions finished fifth in Group 1 on two points, after losing four of their five matches, slumping to 10th in the International Cricket Council rankings.

The top eight nations – the winner and runner-up of the ongoing T20 World Cup, along with the next six highest-ranked sides – qualify directly for the Super 12 group stage for next year’s tournament in Australia.

“Obviously we have to place a lot of emphasis on that. There’s nothing much we can do about it now,” Pollard said following West Indies’ eight-wicket defeat to Australia on Saturday.

“I think that journey

[to qualification] would not have started just at this World Cup, this journey would’ve started before in terms of getting points accumulated to get to this stage. It is what it is. We have to live with that.

“A couple years ago we had to qualify for the 50over World Cup as well, and the guys went and they did it, so whoever is in the positions now in terms of personnel to do that, we have no choice but to do it.

“So, we’ve got to rebuild, we’ve got to start over, and that’s what it is.”

A cut-off date of November 15 had been set for the qualification process, meaning West Indies will remain outside the top eight by the end of the ongoing tournament, while Australia, England, India, Pakistan, New Zealand, South Africa, Afghanistan and Bangladesh all secure automatic qualification.

Sri Lanka, who finished fourth in Group 1, lie ninth in the rankings, and will join Namibia and Scotland in going through qualifica-

tion in order to return to the Super 12s next year.

Pollard, who took over the reins of the white-ball side two years ago, said it was now important that West Indies overhaul their strategic approach to the shortest format.

“We have to look at the way we play T20 cricket.

Again obviously, our team was set up for our power-hitters to do a lot of the damage, but we weren’t able to do that,” the 34-year-old conceded.

“What we have seen especially in these conditions, is that one guy in that top four try to bat as long as possible, and when you get in, you try to stay in for as a long as possible, because it’s hard for guys to come in and try to hit.

“So that’s one of the things that, going forward, we need to do better.

But for us, the good thing is that you start building from the ground, so we have to start from the foundation now, and that’s just the reality of the situation.” (CMC)

John expecting keen rivalry as PM T20 Cup approaches

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…grateful to sponsors

he Prime Minister’s grounds: Queen’s College, Police T20 Cup 5, promoted Sports Club, MYO, Guyana Defence by the Georgetown Force, and Demerara Cricket Club.

Softball Cricket League This event will feature three catInc (GSCL), is set to bowl egories of play: the Masters Overoff on Friday at venues 50, Masters Over-45, and the Open. around Georgetown. The The Open category will see Regal, tournament concludes on Speedboat, Success, Ariel, Airport Sunday at the Providence and Name Brand; while Essequibo, Stadium.

Regal, Success, Fisherman, New President of the GSCL York Cricket Doctors and Ariel Inc, Ian John, has declared Masters will battle in the Overthat he expects fierce com45. The Over-50 category will see petition when the players Orlando Legends, Regal, New take to the field. In an inYork Hustlers, New York Softball terview with this publicaCricket League Legends, Carpet tion on what is to be ex- GSCL President, Ian John Doctors, Wellman, Floodlights, and pected in the fifth edition Rockaway Legends. of this competition, John said, “Well, basically, this year, even though the hype is not as much The fixtures for Friday are as follows: as the previous years, we had to deal with this OPEN CATEGORY-Morning pandemic and we are still dealing with it. But * Speedboat vs Ariel we think the tournament is going to be a spe* Regal vs Success cial one, regardless of what is happening. * Name Brand vs Airport “As you know, softball and cricket is something that will always get the interest throughAfternoon out Guyana, and with the inflow of teams com* Speedboat vs Airport ing from New York and Florida and teams * Name Brand vs Success from Guyana, we are expecting keen rivalry in * Regal vs Ariel all the categories.”

Further, he said he is grateful to all the OVER 45- Morning sponsors, especially Banks DIH, which has * New York Doctors vs Regal Masters been with the GSCL Inc for a long time. John * Fisherman Masters vs Success Masters is urging the teams to play by the rules and * Ariel Masters vs Essequibo follow all the guidelines and regulations that have been set in place.

Afternoon Matches will be played at the following * New York Doctors vs Essequibo

Part of the 2020-day 1 action

* Ariel Masters vs Success Masters * Fisherman Masters vs Regal Masters OVER 50- Morning * GFSCA vs Wellman * Regal Legends vs New York Hustlers * Orlando Legends vs Rockaway Legends * NYSCL vs Carpet Doctors Afternoon * GFSCA vs New York Hustlers * Regal Legends vs Wellman

* Orlando Legends vs Carpet Doctors * NYSCL Legends vs Rockaway Legends The tournament is being sponsored by Banks DIH, Regal Stationery and Computer Centre, Elegance Jewellery and Pawn Shop, It’s our Life ARD Youtuber, Crown Mining, Dinar Trading, Dyna’s Embroidery, Mohamed’s Enterprise, Permaul’s Trading, Rajiv Ghandi University, P and P Insurance, Star Party Rentals, Trophy Stall, Lucky Star Boutique, Price Chopper Store and Associate Packers.

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