Guyana Times - Wednesday, October 6, 2021

World Teachers’ Day

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“Your value is not lost on us” – Education Minister Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 4792

THE BEACON OF TRUTH WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2021

New paradigm between Guyana, Barbados necessary – Leaders See story on page 3

Flood relief grants

…First-World countries must honour commitments for development – Ali See story on page 2

PRICE

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

4 more unvaccinated persons P9 & 18 die from COVID-19 …115 new cases recorded …Pfizer vaccine extended to pregnant, breastfeeding women

Surinamese Police hunting fraudster pretending to be Guyana’s First Lady P12

Public servants caught in corrupt, unscrupulous schemes will be fired – VP

Porter falls to death P11 from moving vehicle

Guyana’s economy grew by 14.5% in 1st half of 2021

Bandits killed

by Police robbed man prior to fatally shooting P10 electrician

2021 Mid-Year Report

See story on page 5

Govt’s assistance to sugar workers corrects ‘injustice’ faced under APNU/ AFC – GAWU Page 13

Brickdam Station inferno

Fire Chief directed to proceed on leave with immediate effect See story on page 19

64th anniversary of party

“Political confrontation will lead us nowhere” – PNCR Chair on party infighting

…as Granger speaks against factions in veiled jab at rivals

Page 7

…used stolen motorcycle

Girlfriend of murder suspect busted with gun, ammo P11

Man arrested for raping intoxicated P11 woman

2 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Flood relief grants

Public servants caught in corrupt, unscrupulous schemes will be fired – VP P

ublic servants who are caught engaging in corrupt and unscrupulous activities in the distribution of the Government’s flood relief grant will be fired.

This warning was made

by Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo during a meeting at the Rose Hall Estate Community Ground, Canje, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne).

The vice President’s statement came in response to dishonest acts by a few to undermine the successful rollout of the support programme, which was announced on July 31, 2021, for farmers who were hard hit by flooding during the period of April to June this year.

“We hired people to look out for our (the Government’s) interest to verify it (the compilation of names of proposed beneficiaries),” he said.

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo

Jagdeo also announced that a mechanism is being put in place at the Agriculture Ministry to allow, over the next month, for persons who suffered losses during the floods to verify their names, for persons who were left off the list to have their names

added, and for investigations into persons who should not have been on the list.

In a release on Tuesday, it was stated that relative to the latter, members of the public with information on persons who did not qualify but benefited from the flood relief

grant are advised to contact the Agriculture Ministry with specifics to aid the investigation and action.

Jagdeo explained that assessments were done with the aid of regional organisations and a support programme of almost $8 billion was carefully crafted to help some 60,000 persons in various categories of households and farmers.

On July 31, 2021, the Government made available almost $8 billion to assist persons severely affected by flooding – a measure that was in response to a commitment that was made.

Cash of $100,000 was to be issued to homestead farmers, $50,000 to those with kitchen gardens, and $50,000 to affected households. These grants amounted to more than $3.5 billion.

There was a ceiling of $10 million in compensation for rice farmers. Those farmers who lost rice ready to be harvested were to receive $80,000 per acre. Those with rice sowed were to re-

File photo: Flooded Black Bush Polder in Berbice

ceive $65,000 per acre and those with land prepared were to receive $45,000 per acre. In addition, to this support, 60,000 bags of seed paddy were to be made available.

These totalled up to $3.2 billion.

Affected livestock farmers were collectively to receive $600 million. Subsistence farmers, small farmers, medium farmers, and large-

scale farmers were all targeted for support. In addition to these direct transfers, the Agriculture Ministry and the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) were to assist through genetic improvements, drainage and irrigation works, technical support, and extension services to the approximate value of $500 million.

NEWS

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS OPENINGS BRIDGE

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

Wednesday, October 6 – 03:30h-05:00h and 09:00h-10:00h and Thursday, October 7 – 04:00h-05:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Wednesday, October 6 – 16:20h-17:50h and Thursday, October 7 – 16:55h-18:25h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

New paradigm between Guyana, Barbados necessary – Leaders …First-World countries must honour commitments for development – Ali

P

resident Dr Irfaan Ali, who is in Barbados for the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) summit, on Tuesday held bilateral discussions with Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley on a number of issues.

Among the issues the two sides discussed were greater collaboration between the

President Dr Irfaan Ali during the UNCTAD panel discussion. On his far right sits Kenyan President Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta

to move forward,” the statement noted.

Sunny conditions are expected during the day.

Partly cloudy skies followed by light rain showers are expected at night. Temperatures should range between 22 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.

UNCTAD

Winds: Northerly to North-North-Westerly between 1.78 metres and 4.47 metres.

High Tide: 16:35h reaching a maximum height of 2.88 metres.

Low Tide: 10:10h and 22:30h reaching minimum heights of 0.39 metre and 0.29 metre.

President Ali and Barbados PM Mia Mottley

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2021

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two countries. According to the Office of the President, both Heads of Government agreed that a new paradigm in relations between Guyana and Barbados is necessary.

“Both President Ali and Prime Minister Mottley alluded to their desire for a new paradigm in the relations between Guyana and Barbados that would allow the peoples of both countries to benefit from an expanded programme of cooperation,” the statement said.

“They expressed a determination to succeed with a model for the region built on enhanced trust and cutting through bureaucracy to achieve their objectives within the shortest possible time for implementation.”

Several initiatives were also discussed to advance cooperation and investment in the areas of agriculture and fisheries, as well as oil and gas, mining, forestry, tourism, the hospitality industry, transportation, housing and water resources.

“Significant attention was paid to exploring how the agriculture potential of Guyana and Barbados could be utilised to reduce food importation bills as part of the overall regional food security plans. It was agreed that a monitoring mechanism would be put in place to oversee the implementation of an action plan,” it was further explained.

Meanwhile, counterpart meetings were also held at the ministerial level and between the Private Sector representatives of both countries with a view to advancing the decisions of the Heads of Government of Guyana and Barbados.

“The Heads of Government encouraged the members of their Private Sectors to become more aggressive in taking advantage of the opportunities, that should be seen not as competitive, but providing a measure of complementarity that would be a win-win for both sides.

They stressed the urgency with which both countries need

During the UNCTAD panel discussion on Tuesday, President Ali spoke of smaller states and their willingness to take their rightful places at the big table in the international arena, while also urging First World countries to honour their old commitments for development before new commitments are made.

The moderator of the panel posed the question of whether new pathways to development would have to be explored, in light of the failures of the old and the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide. He disagreed.

“I don’t know whether the crisis necessitates the changing of our development path, but the first thing we must ask is, in accessing what we’ve accomplished in the current path, what are the outcomes? To speak about new areas, a new path and new ideas in the context of what is happening would be, I think, giving a free pass to those who have not allowed the system to work,” Ali further explained.

President Ali noted that small states themselves have to be their own advocates to keep the developed world accountable. In this light, he lauded Barbados for hosting the summit, and signalled the willingness of small states to partner with the developed world on the international stage.

“We hear a lot of talk

about new commitments, but President Kenyatta raised the perfect question: Don’t tell us about new commitments now; how are we going to honour the old commitments? When are we going to honour the old commitments? When are we going to be true to that commitment that was made?

“That’s why I’m so happy that Barbados has taken the leadership of bringing such an important event to the region.

They’re not curtailed by size of country or population. The vision is to demonstrate to the world that we are equal partners on the table, and we’re willing to take our place at the table,” President Ali said.

President Ali; President of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta; Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan; Vice-President of the Dominican Republic, Raquel Peña; Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, Vera Songwe; Executive Director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, Winnie Byanyima; and President of the Inter-American Development Bank, Mauricio Claver-Carone, were all part of the speakers’ panel.

The UN Trade and Development conference brings together almost 200 countries as they seek to define global development in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Among the calls that have been made by world leaders, including President Ali, are for vaccine equity, debt forgiveness and action on climate change. (G3)

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guyanatimesgy.com

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 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

Professional standards for teachers

A

s Guyana joined in celebrating World Teachers’ Day, it was heartening to know that Education Minister Priya Manickchand publicly told teachers, “Your value is not lost on us. Your value is not lost on this nation…the nation knows your commitment and knows how special teachers are.”

As is practised around the world, teachers in Guyana are held to a very high standard by both students and society.

But Guyana is perhaps one of the few countries in the world where documented standards for teachers are yet to be implemented. Some time ago, we had touched on this issue, and had made a strong call for the authorities here to take all the necessary steps to have these standards drafted and implemented forthwith.

It could be recalled that, in March 2014, the Ministry of Education had begun a series of public consultations with teachers and other stakeholders across the country, and even overseas, to craft a model professional standards policy document for teachers. Its main aim was to get feedback from those involved in the profession and the general public on how teachers could raise the bar in terms of the way they function, and their own self development and that of the profession.

It is the present Education Minister, Priya Manickchand, who in 2014 had told the media that a report containing stakeholders’ recommendations was being prepared, but after the PPP/C Government came out of office in 2015, no one had given any indication since then as to what is the reason for stalling the process. It doesn’t matter that there was a change in Government and now again another change in Government, this is a policy direction that had been taken by most sister Caricom countries. And in the interest of the teaching profession, it is necessary that Guyana follows suit.

In some Caricom countries, there were efforts being made to ensure teachers abide by the set standards, and when it is found that there are certain breaches in the system, the necessary remedial actions are taken.

There is also need for Guyana to align its teacher education standards with that of the region, as Caricom seeks to harmonise teaching standards throughout member states in the region.

Professional standards for teachers are necessary, as they set expectations for achieving desired educational outcomes.

These standards are not intended as a tool for punitive action; rather, they reflect professional consensus of what is desirable in the supervision, leadership, and delivery of education.

They also provide a framework that permits professionals to engage in self-assessment.

Like other professions, such as law and medicine, professional standards for teachers offer the professional community specifications against which the people who ‘mould’ the nation’s children are able to set goals for personal development and progress in the profession. The standards are multi-dimensional and give cognisance to the key props for learning to take place, namely: (a) a motivated and willing learner; (b) effective teaching and learning, and (c) an enabling environment.

We had stated before that once implemented, the standards would serve as a tool to monitor and evaluate teachers’ performances in the classroom, knowledge of the subject(s) they teach, techniques used, level of commitment to the learners in their care, and effective management of diversity to promote inclusiveness in the learning process. The standards would also help teachers sharpen their professional skills and help them interact with parents and the community.

Previously, we had suggested that, as part of establishing professional standards for teachers, there be teacher career policies and programmes aimed at stimulating the profession; the provision of incentives to attract the best prospective candidates; established entry-level professional standards; and certification and licensing in accordance with established professional standards.

We must get on with the business of standardising, professionalising and making rules for the teaching profession. Any delay would be detrimental, and would only serve to stagnate the entire process. It is therefore hoped that the current administration would restart the work which was started in 2014 to have the document finalised and implemented soon. We believe that these standards are long overdue.

President Dr Irfaan Ali chats with diplomat and former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Guyanese Sir Shridath Ramphal during a courtesy call in Barbados. Also in photo is Permanent Secretary of the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Ambassador Elisabeth Harper. In background is Antiguan Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United States and the Organisation of American States (OAS), Sir Ronald Sanders (Office of the President photo)

Investigate Opposition ties to Brickdam fire

Dear Editor, I have read with fascinating interest the news, both on social media and traditional media, that cover the fire that occurred days ago at the Brickdam Police Station.

One thing that seems not to rest very well with me is the confession statement given by the prisoner Clarence Greene. It does not add up, because there are too many holes in his statement. First, who did Greene attempt to rob that got him in trouble with the law? How long was he being held for, and under what conditions? Does he have any previous brushes with the law?

Second, how did he get the matches or fire to set a piece of the mattress alight? Where was he being held? Did he start the blaze that led to the fire alone, or with the knowledge of the others?

How come he knew the documents were below so well? What made him confess so willingly to the arson attempt?

Thirdly, where are the family members of Clarence Greene? Why did he give the Police an address that does not exist?

I was not able to find him on Facebook or any other social media platform based upon the information supplied in the public domain.

I am not buying his alleged confession or half-con-

fession. There are too many questions that remain unanswered surrounding this dastardly incident.

I think the Police have to do a thorough investigation, because, for all we know, Clarence Greene is only the fall man. He could be part of a wider and more sinister political plot to cause instability throughout Guyana with the use of arson.

This whole thing requires both Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn and President Dr. Irfaan Ali conducting a thorough probe. We need to get to the bottom of this arson attack on these institutions of the state; They are becoming too frequent. Do not buy his reported confession so easily!

Secondly, investigate the handling of the fire, too. The firefighters must be held accountable for the decisions they made, which led to a preventable situation turning out to be a disaster. Start with the firing of top officials if you have to. Heads must roll. This is negligence of the highest form!

Thirdly, the Opposition APNU+AFC are suspect here. No one is fooled!

There are pieces of proof that the Opposition have been known to be capable of committing, aiding, abetting, supporting, influencing and defending criminals against the state whenever the PPP is in

power. They show a type of half-baked condemnation whenever they speak about crime.

This arson attack at the Brickdam Station comes after an earlier arson attempt on Vigilance Police Station and similar acts at North Ruimveldt Multilateral School and Mabaruma Secondary School. It also follows repeated threats along the line by various officials of the APNU+AFC. After all, Paul Slowe made a statement that had me screaming double standards from the top of my lungs about the removal of debris from the Brickdam Police Station fire. Slowe’s double standard is evident, because he had no such concerns when the APNU+AFC Government commenced removing debris two days after and before a proper investigation into the Camp Street prison fire which destroyed the facility and left prison officer Odinga Wickham dead.

This makes me think he

is political, more than just concerned.

Just recently, I read that an official of the Opposition warned that the country will be set on fire during a protest march held by the coalition in New York. Is this what they are hitting us at? And, more recently, I read that fire at the National Insurance Scheme was averted. Could this be linked to the Opposition campaign of ‘Mo’ fire, slow fire”?

Also, can readers recall that two men confessed a few months back to being paid by an APNU+AFC activist to set the GECOM Linden office on fire in 2020? Do you see the pattern with the recent spate of arson?

I think we as citizens should stay woke, because the faces behind the arson attack on the Brickdam Police Station are yet to be revealed.

Yours truly, Michael Younge

Something smells wrong Dear Editor, His Excellency President Dr Irfaan Ali’s avowal that Government will spare no effort to investigate the destruction of public buildings is comforting to those who are convinced and fearful that Guyana is returning to the days of the PNC and its affiliates ramping up their “slo’

fiah, mo’ fiah” programme.

Recall that they are unleashed periodically on the nation, especially with the incendiary, race-baiting rhetoric that is being regurgitated unceasingly through their social media outlets by their leaders and supporters in and out of Guyana.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

NEWS

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

2021 Mid-Year Report

Guyana’s economy grew by 14.5% in 1st half of 2021

T

he Finance Ministry’s Mid-Year Report for 2021 has revealed that Guyana recorded real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth of 14.5 per cent, while non-oil GDP grew by 4.8 percent, despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and even the devastating floods experienced in May-June.

In a release on Tuesday evening, the Finance Ministry said that due to the unprecedented floods, which impacted particularly the agriculture, forestry and mining sectors, along with the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the effects of which will spill over into the last half of the year and even beyond, the revised full-year forecast for real GDP growth in 2021 is now 19.5 percent overall and 3.7 percent for the non-oil economy.

The Mid-Year Report is expected to be tabled by Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh at the first sitting of the National Assembly, once the Assembly resumes after its current recess.

Sector performance

According to the release, in regard to sector performance, the agriculture, forestry and

Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh

fishing industries for the first half of 2021 are estimated to have contracted by 2.4 percent, compared with a decline of 4.1 percent for the corresponding period last year; and it was noted that this was as a result of lower output from the other crops, sugar growing, forestry and fishing industries.

“At the end of the first half of the year, the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) produced 29,650 tonnes of sugar. This performance reflects the record high levels of rainfall, which resulted in waterlogged soils, particularly at the Albion Estate, and strike action that resulted in over 5,600 man-days being lost,” the Mid-Year Report indicated.

As such, it was emphasised that the sugar industry declined by 22.4 percent when compared to the same period in 2020. Some of the reasons indicated were a 30 per cent mortality of mature cane at Albion estate, 10 percent at Uitvlugt, and 5 percent at Blairmont due to the floods.

Another 15,000 tonnes of sugar in the second crop was also expected to be lost, based on the Report.

Meanwhile, the Report noted that the rice industry grew by an estimated 7.8 per cent in the first half of the year, marginally lower than the target set for the period.

‘Other crops’ declined by 7.3 percent due to the floods, and the livestock industry was estimated to have grown by 10.6 percent when compared to the same period in 2020.

However, for that same period, the fishing industry contracted by an estimated 6.6 percent and the forestry industry by 7.1 percent.

Referring to the extractive industries, the Report indicated that in the first half of 2021, the mining and quarrying industries were estimated to have grown by 23.1 percent, with higher output from the petroleum and other mining

industries, despite contractions in gold and bauxite.

It was noted that total output from the petroleum sector increased by 65.4 percent when compared to the same period last year. With respect to diamond, sand and stone, these were estimated to have seen a total growth of 63.3 percent, with quarry stone having a growth output of 141 percent, sand declarations growing by 119.3 percent as a result of increased activity in the construction sector, while diamond declarations improved with a growth of 166.3 percent.

The outlook for the remainder of this year for other mining industries was estimated to be promising as well, with an estimated growth rate of 74.5 percent for the entire year.

In regard to manufacturing, this sector notably saw an estimated growth of 13.1 percent when compared to the same period last year, with expansion of the sector being attributed to a growth of 23.1 percent in other manufacturing. In the category of other manufacturing, growth was experienced in the manufacturing of non-metallic products, chemical products, and

beverages.

Meanwhile, the services industries were estimated to have expanded in the first half of 2021 by 9.4 percent when compared to the same period in 2020, as it was noted that the measures to curtail the impact of COVID-19 had severely impacted such activities last year.

Notably, the Report indicates that the gradual relaxation of these measures would have contributed to some growth in the sector.

The Report also noted the strong performance of the construction sector, which grew by 25.5 percent in the first half of 2021, reflecting increased emphasis on implementing the public sector investment programme as well as increased Private Sector construction reflecting improved Private Sector confidence and optimism regarding the economic outlook.

Balance of Payments – larger merchandise trade surplus

The Mid-Year Report noted that at the end of the first half of this year, ‘the overall balance of payments recorded a deficit of US$67.4 million compared with a defi-

cit of US$2.8 billion at the end of June 2020, with the current account registering a deficit of US$39.1 million in comparison to a deficit of US$396.5 million for the corresponding period in 2020. This was attributed to a ‘significant increase in the merchandise trade surplus, which moved from US$72.7 million to US$813.3 million. The merchandise trade account, according to the Report, improved as a result of export receipts expanding

by US$786.9 million, outweighing the US$46.2 million increase in imports.

Meanwhile, the Capital Account showed a deficit of US$19.6 million when compared with a surplus of US$419.7 million at the end of June 2020. This is attributed to ‘outflows of US$1,713 million from private enterprises in the oil and gas sector, along with outflows of US$123.6 million in revenue from the petroleum sector to the Natural Resource Fund’.

The Report also highlighted the fact that foreign direct investment in the first half of 2021 was 41.6 percent higher than the US$940.6 million recorded last year for the same period.

Thank you for keeping promise to sugar workers Dear Editor, I am ecstatic and happy at the news that severed sugar workers will receive

$250,000 each. I am even happier that the much-needed assistance will come in the New Year, as announced

Something smells...

Also reassuring is his assertion that he would be seeking international assistance to solve the case while preliminary investigations take place.

In 2020, Leader of the Opposition, Joseph Harmon, openly called for insurrection subsequent to the ruling of the Chief Justice on Elections Petition No. 88. His utterings have grave implications, given the PNC’s history and proclivity for instigating violent mayhem and murder in Guyana.

The inflammatory, subtle calls to their supporters at the homes of the murdered Henry boys precipitated the actions by criminal elements to burn, loot and destroy people’s homes and businesses.

The Police never received any encouragement and support from the PNC in their dangerous fight against the criminal elements in our society. So, if you examine the patterns of these periodic episodes, these latest threats at the Brickdam Police Station are symptomatic of the PNC/ APNU/AFC dogs of war and

FROM PAGE 4

pundits against the State.

Sincerely, Baldeo Mathura

by Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo at Skeldon, Upper Corentyne.

The Government is keeping all of its promises made to the people of this country.

I can speak for every sugar worker that was severed from the job and every family that has been displaced when I say, “Thank you”.

I am happier now that

the Government is making the necessary investment in its people, and also ordered GuySuCo to carry out a survey on all sugar workers.

Around 7,000 sugar workers were severed by the former APNU+AFC administration from the Wales, Skeldon, Rose Hall and

Enmore estates. These families suffered the brunt of the wrath of the APNU+AFC regime for almost five consecutive years when there was no plan to reintegrate the thousands who lost jobs back into society. I would never forget the tears that fell because of this cata-

strophic decision.

Now we are waiting on the full reopening of the Skeldon, Rose Hall and Enmore estates, in order for a next promise to be completed.

Yours truly, Erin Northe

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2021

Page

Foundation

By Robert Burns O my Luve is like a red, red rose That’s newly sprung in June; O my Luve is like the melody That’s sweetly played in tune.

So fair art thou, my bonnie lass, So deep in luve am I; And I will luve thee still, my dear, Till a’ the seas gang dry.

Till a’ the seas gang dry, my dear, And the rocks melt wi’ the sun; I will love thee still, my dear, While the sands o’ life shall run.

And fare thee weel, my only luve!

And fare thee weel awhile!

And I will come again, my luve, Though it were ten thousand mile.

WORD SEARCH

NEWS

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WEDNSDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

64th anniversary of party

“Political confrontation will lead us nowhere” – PNCR Chair on party infighting …as Granger speaks against factions in veiled jab at rivals

PNCR Chair Volda Lawrence during the ceremony

PNCR Leader David Granger A section of the gathering

P

eople’s National Congress/Reform (PNCR) Chairperson Volda Lawrence led from the front during the party’s 64th anniversary ceremony on Tuesday, calling for an end to the political confrontation she noted was a liability to the party.

The PNCR held its 64th anniversary ceremony at Congress Place, Sophia on Tuesday, and the small gathering was addressed by various leaders. While there, Lawrence used the opportunity to call for unity and a cessation of the confrontational politics. “…it is clear that political confrontation will lead us nowhere. Our actions must be set towards unification.

We want to proceed in a way

that will enable everyone to benefit. At least this should be our goal,” Lawrence said.

Lawrence, who formerly served as Public Health Minister, also spoke of the need for the PNCR to expand its reach as a political party.

Additionally, she noted that the party needs to improve on its organization in order to better serve the country.

“We must expand the reach of the PNCR and allow our principles and commitment to the people of Guyana to dominate the political realm, and improve the lives of all Guyanese,” the PNCR Chairperson said.

“From this historical starting point, our personal commitment as well as our responsibility to all Guyana must include working to have a more

organised and mobilised party, united in its efforts to advocate for its membership and all Guyanese.”

Meanwhile, party leader former President David Granger, who is taking a leave from politics, had a prerecorded message for the ceremony.

Anti-factionalism

In what appeared to be a jab at his rivals for the leadership position ahead of the biennial congress, Granger spoke against factions within the party.

“Our founder Forbes Burnham, at the party’s first biennial delegates conference in 1975, warned of the menace of factionalism. I quote: ‘To be sponsoring and joining factions in the par-

ty is to indulge in anti-party activity, calculated to weaken the party. There may be different motivations, some springing from personal ambitions, others from minority positions primarily held.

Whichever it may be, the result is undesirable and deleterious’,” Granger said.

Following the loss at the 2020 polls, the PNC-led A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) faction of the coalition has been falling apart, as two of the five parties that constituted the partnership resigned, citing the dictatorial nature of the PNCR. Several senior and longstanding party members have also left the PNCR, blaming Granger for the fallout within the party after he had handpicked the

list of Opposition Members of Parliament and excluded seasoned party leaders.

The division further widened after senior members of the party criticised Granger in July for adding two new “shell” parties to the APNU, and accused him of wanting to run the party as a “oneman show”. Arising out of that situation was a NoConfidence Motion brought against Granger by the party’s Georgetown district.

The PNCR Leader, during a subsequent edition of his weekly programme in July, acknowledged that there might be some opposition towards him within the party. At the time, he claimed to be unaware of any NCM against him within the PNC. But amid this internal power struggle, there has been mounting pressure for the party to host its Biennial Congress for new leadership

to elected. But the PNCR Leader has cited COVID-19 as the reason behind the delays.

PNC’s last biennial congress was in 2018, when Granger was returned unopposed as Leader of the party. The PNCR Central Executive Committee (CEC) has since agreed that the party’s 22nd biennial congress should be held by the end of November 2021, but not later than December 13, 2021.

Unlike in 2018, when he was returned as Leader uncontested, Granger now faces at least two challengers for the post of Leader. CEC member Dr Richard Van West-Charles threw his hat in the ring in June, making him and party stalwart Aubrey Norton the two executive members of the party who have indicated their interest in the top job. (G3)

8 NEWS 2 plead guilty to trafficking over 1000lbs ganja WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Partab Singh and Fabian Gonsalves pleaded guilty to trafficking in narcotics

D

ays after six men were busted with more than 400 kilograms (1000 pounds) of ganja along the Pomeroon River, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam), two of them pleaded guilty to the crime when they appeared at the

Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Tuesday.

Guyana Times understands that Fabian Gonsalves and Partab Singh pleaded guilty to the charge when it was read to them.

On the other hand, Dinesh Williams, Frank Gonsalves,

The ganja that was intercepted

Antonio Ramlagan, and David Jardine all pleaded not guilty and were remanded to prison by Magistrate Leron Daly. They all will return to court on October 11 when Gonsalves and Singh will be sentenced.

It was reported that the sting operation was executed by agents of the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) and members of the Guyana Defence Force Coast Guard on Friday last at Father’s Beach, Moruca.

The aim of the operation was to gather critical intelligence on the movement of narcotics from Guyana to other Caribbean territories by a local drug trafficking organisation.

It was during the operation that 1007.2 pounds of foreign marijuana were unearthed along with three gofast vessels and six outboard engines (two 250-horsepower, one 200-horsepower, and three 200-horsepower). The estimated street value of the narcotics is US$2.26 million at its final destination.

Following the operation, the six men were arrested and charged.

ss

Reality check...

A

…of social media nyone who had any doubts about social media making the world go round nowadays would’ve had them disappear like a snowflake in hell after Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp suddenly went down on Monday.

With Facebook having about 3 billion users plus another 1.2 billion on its Messenger, Instagram having another billion and WhatsApp having 2 billion, you’ve got almost the entire world of 7 billion covered!! So, imagine the scenario when none of these persons could communicate with each other.

It used to be asked that if a tree falls in the middle of the forest and no one hears it, did the tree really fall? Well, now we gotta ask whether all those millions of very important people, whose every sneeze gets covered by social media, really did anything on Monday? If it wasn’t covered, it never happened, did it? But honestly, folks, as a contributor to the old line media - that’s being degutted by social media, your Eyewitness must confess to a certain amount of gloating and schadenfreude when he realised what was happening - especially to all these young whippersnappers - when the platforms went down.

You’d think his neighbourhood had turned into a set for Night of the Living Dead!! Kids were walking around with shocked or blank faces as if in a stupor. None of those bouncy steps that they used to make when chatting with whoever from across the world on WhatsApp! But there were also some positives: There was none of those Guyanese talk shows over Facebook, haranguing folks about how come the PPP isn’t fixing their hangnail!! Well, Governments are elected to fix ALL problems, aren’t they?

But then this Government wasn’t ELECTED, but INSTALLED! One wonders what installed Governments are supposed to be doing.

But seriously, folks, we gotta stop and take stock as to where social media are taking us. It’s like when the motor car was invented…it set up a whole new set of social expectations about folks visiting each other. And made suburbs possible, as cities were abandoned to become inner city ghettoes that bred crime and social death. Same thing with social media. Folks now have expectations of being in touch with others - not even SIGNIFICANT others - 24/7!!

Bosses now expect to call you in the middle of the night to get that project you left hanging completed!!

If your WhatsApp message’s double grey ticks don’t turn blue, you get offended that the party on the other end doesn’t think you important enough to glance at your message! Offices might just become like shopping malls in the US – obsolete, as folks work out of their homes on social media. Zoom anyone?

Your Eyewitness could hear a global collective sigh - of relief and dismay! - when the services returned.

…On Arbitral Award Your Eyewitness was really pleased (he really CAN’T say “tickled pink”) when he saw that announcement of the 122nd Anniversary on Oct 2nd of the full and Final Arbitral Award that settled the demarcation of the border between us and Venezuela. This was the first time, your Eyewitness believes, that the anniversary was commemorated. And this is just the sort of thing we ought to be doing more of, to create a sense of awareness of our stand on the border controversy that Venezuela has been hanging over our heads since 1962.

Your Eyewitness is calling on the Ministry of Education to insist that the covers of all exercise books for our schoolchildren have this date emblazoned on them: Oct 2nd - every blade of grass belongs to us! The Ministry of Sport must host tournaments on this day in honour of “Arbitral Day”! Yes, it should be a holiday!!

That should get our kids patriotic!!

…on sugar workers It’s been four years since the PNC shuttered 4 sugar estates and fired 7000 sugar workers. The ones from GuySuCo finally received severance pay. But how to survive until new employment?

The $250,000 grant for Christmas announced by the VP is a start.

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

9 4 more unvaccinated persons die from COVID-19 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

…115 new cases recorded

GUYANA COVID-19 DASHBOARD OCTOBER 5, 2021 UPDATE

T

he Health Ministry on Tuesday announced four more deaths from the novel coronavirus, making it 807 persons to die locally from the life-threatening virus since the pandemic started.

These persons were all unvaccinated and died on Monday. For October, 13 deaths have been reported.

Patients were admitted with COVID-19-like symptoms, and died while receiving care at medical institutions. Samples taken at the time of admission subsequently returned positive results.

The victims were a 69-year-old male from

Region Five (MahaicaBerbice); a 74-year-old female and a 70-year-old male from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) and a 66-year-old male from Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara).

There were 115 new cases in one day according to the Ministry’s dashboard, with the total confirmed cases in the country moving to 32,701 – 15,505 males and 17,196 females.

There are 34 patients in the designated COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 3485 in home isolation, 129 in institutional isolation, and two in institutional quarantine. The data shows

that 28,246 patients have recovered from the life-threatening virus while 324,222 have been tested.

A breakdown shows five new cases in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam); 18 in Region Three; 41 in Region Four; three in Region Five (Demerara-Mahaica); 13 in Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne); one in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni); one in Region Eight (PotaroSiparuni); 13 in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) and 20 in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

There were no new cases in Region One (BarimaWaini).

TURN TO PAGE 12

NUMBER OF NEW CASES

115

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL ISOLATION

129

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN HOME ISOLATION

3485

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN COVID-19 ICU

34

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL QUARANTINE

2

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (FEMALES)

17,196

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (MALES)

15,505

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES IN GUYANA SINCE 2020

32,701

NUMBER OF RECOVERED CASES

28,246

TOTAL 1st DOSE VACCINATED

362,919

FULLY IMMUNISED

212,477

TOTAL NUMBER OF DEATHS

807

DISTRIBUTION OF TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES SINCE MARCH 2020 REGION 1

1513

REGION 2

1209

REGION 3

4381

REGION 4

15,667

REGION 5

1147

REGION 6

2331

REGION 7

1648

REGION 8

508

REGION 9

2393

REGION 10

1904

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.

10 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Bandits killed by Police had robbed man prior to fatally shooting electrician

…used stolen motorcycle

immediately informed the Police at Prashad Nagar.

The man was shown the Samsung Galaxy cellphone retrieved from Quacy Jupiter along with the motorcycle found, and he identified both items as among the items taken from him by the men.

Quacy Jupiter and David Smith were fatally shot by the Police during a confrontation last Saturday evening, October 2, in the vicinity of UG Access Road.

Dead: Quacy Jupiter

Dead: David Smith

Murdered: Joshua Denny

uacy Jupiter and David Smith, suspects who were killed by the Police days after they had executed 19-year-old Joshua Denny during a robbery in North Ruimveldt, had also robbed a man of his belongings in the Campbellville ward of Georgetown.

The Police have said that a 40-year-old man from

Lodge, Georgetown visited a Police station and reported that on Saturday September 25, 2021, at about 19:30h, he was in the Campbellville area when he was attacked and robbed by the two suspects.

He was relieved of $25,000 in cash, a Samsung Galaxy A20 phone, and his black HAOJUE UF-115 mo-

torcycle, number CK 8784.

According to the man, he was beaten by Jupiter and Smith during the robbery, thus causing him to sustain injuries to his lower abdomen.

He further stated that after the images of Jupiter and Smith were released by the Police, he instantly recognised his motorcycle, and

Q

Nineteen-year-old Joshua Denny of Festival City North Ruimveldt, Georgetown was shot and killed on the morning of Thursday 30th September as he was heading to work.

It was reported that the shooting incident occurred at about 7:20h, and his sister Felicia Denny has told investigators that shortly after leaving his home, she received information that he was shot. She said that as

she looked out, she saw her brother lying on the roadway with blood oozing from his chest.

Without hesitation, she picked him, up with assistance of others, and took him to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC), but he reportedly died while undergoing an emergency surgery.

The two now dead bandits reportedly took away a gold chain from the electrician after he was shot.

China Trading employees robbed by gunmen

A

sales representative and a manager attached to China Trading Warehouse at Durban Park, Georgetown were on Monday robbed by four men, two of whom were armed with handguns.

Respectively aged 36 and 53, the China Trading employees were reported-

ly relieved of their mobile phones.

Based on reports received, the two men and two other employees were in the warehouse when the perpetrators turned up at the location in a silver-grey motorcar. They exited same and brandished their firearms at the two males, after which they

tied the hands of their victims with shoe laces and relieved them of their mobile phones. After committing the act, the two men made good their escape in the said motorcar.

An alarm was raised, and other workers went to the victims’ assistance.

An investigation has been launched into the robbery.

NEWS

11

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Porter falls to death Pedal cyclist injured after colliding with motor car from moving vehicle T wenty-nine-yearold pedal cyclist Tarmattie Ramlall of Canfield, East Canje Berbice is now a patient at the New Amsterdam Hospital after she allegedly collided with a motorcar on Monday.

The Police have said that on the day in question, at about 15:00h, mo-

torcar PHH 3687, driven by a 34-year-old man of Betsy Ground, East Canje Berbice, was proceeding south along the eastern drive lane of the Canfield Public Road while Ramlall was proceeding in the said direction.

It is alleged that while the driver was in the process of passing the pedal

cyclist, she made a sudden right turn, thus resulting in her colliding with the front left side fender of the car.

As a result, she fell onto the windscreen and then onto the road surface, where she received injuries about her body.

She was picked up in an unconscious state, and

taken to New Amsterdam Public Hospital, where she was treated and admitted a patient in a stable condition.

The driver of the motorcar was arrested and was subjected to a breathalyzer test, which showed no trace of alcohol in his system.

Investigations are ongoing.

Girlfriend of murder suspect busted with gun, ammo

A The canter in which the porter was travelling when he met his demise

A

porter succumbed to his injuries while receiving treatment at the New Amsterdam Hospital following an accident on the No. 65 Village Public Road, Corentyne, Berbice on Monday.

The dead man has been identified as 30-year-old Dayonand Chandraban, also called Rasheed, of No. 65 Village.

Based on reports received, motor lorry GWW 7258, driven by a 27-yearold man, was proceeding along the public road allegedly at a rate of speed of 50 kph. At the time, the now dead porter was in the tray of the lorry, which was loaded with zinc sheets, cement and other building materials.

However, the driver claimed that he suddenly heard a loud noise coming

from the tray of the lorry, and as he glanced into his right-side rearview mirror, he observed the porter lying in the centre of the road in a motionless state.

As such, he immediately stopped the vehicle and assisted in picking up the porter, who was in an unconscious state. The injured man was taken to the Skeldon Public Hospital, where he was examined by a doctor, and due to the severity of his injuries, he was transferred to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital.

He was further examined and admitted a patient there, but subsequently died while receiving treatment. A breathalyzer test was conducted on the driver, but there was no trace of alcohol in his system.

He remains in custody as investigations continue.

29-year-old female nurse was arrested in B Field Sophia, Greater Georgetown on Monday after she was found to be in possession of a Beretta handgun with one magazine and two live 9MM rounds.

According to information received, Police, acting on information received, went to the home of the suspect in search of 34-yearold Romerio Hudson, called ‘Mario’, who is wanted in connection with an alleged murder.

The Police have said that contact was made with the nurse, and she claimed to be the murder suspect’s girlfriend. A search was conducted in her home, but

nothing of evidential value was found. However, a search done in the yard discovered a black haversack under a tree.

When opened, a Beretta

handgun with one magazine and two live 9MM rounds of ammunition were found.

The nurse, when questioned, admitted that she is not the holder of a licence for either a firearm or ammunition. She was then told of the offence committed and cautioned, whereupon she remained silent. As such, she was arrested and taken to the Turkeyen Police Station, where the firearm and ammunition were marked, sealed, and lodged in her presence.

Investigations are ongoing.

appeared to be unconscious.

The persons who saw him committing the act raised an alarm, but he made good his escape.

A report was made to the Police, and based on information received, the suspect was arrested and placed in custody pending addition investigations.

Only last month, the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) had launched an internal investigation into the allegations of rape against one of its ranks. The Police reported that a Lance Corporal had been arrested for the alleged

rape of a 14-year-old girl.

The incident occurred in Region One (Barima-Waini) sometime in September 2020.

It was reported that a preliminary investigation into the matter revealed that the victim and suspect shared a relationship for about one year. However, on September 14, 2021, the matter was reported to the Police, and the suspect was arrested.

In a statement, the GDF said it is aware that one of its ranks is currently the subject of a Police investigation into allegations of having sexual activity with an underage fe-

male.

The GDF further stated that the rank was stationed at one of the Force’s outlying areas, and that an internal investigation has since been launched.

“The Force wishes to reiterate and assure this nation that it does not condone these actions. Further, our ranks are bound by the values and standards and, as such, their conduct and professionalism are of paramount importance,” GDF had stated. To date, it is unclear whether the rank has been charged for the offence.

The gun and ammunition found at the girlfriend’s home

Man arrested for raping intoxicated woman

A

36-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a 27-year-old woman in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

The incident reportedly took place between October 4 and 5, and between 23:20h and 00:40h.

The Police have said that the victim and suspect are known to each other, and on the day in question, the woman had consumed alcohol and had become intoxicated, so she went to bed. However, the suspect was seen committing the act on the victim, who

12 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Surinamese Police hunting fraudster pretending to be Guyana’s First Lady

L

aw enforcement officers in Paramaribo on Monday arrested a man at his home for fraud, embezzlement, and theft of a necklace and bracelet.

According to reports in the Sun online publication, the suspect and a Guyanese woman defrauded several jewellers.

At the end of September, a woman with a Guyanese accent telephoned a jewellery store in Paramaribo Noord pretending to be Guyana’s First Lady, Arya

Ali and indicated that she was interested in the jewellery they posted online.

During the telephone conversation, she told the people at the store that she and her brother would visit to have a look at the jewellery.

The suspects reportedly went to the store and retrieved a bracelet and necklace from the window. In an unguarded moment, the man disappeared with the jewellery.

Paramaribo detectives

gathered information about the male suspect and officers succeeded in arresting him at his address in Winti Wai. The suspect admitted

wholeheartedly that he stole the jewellery and sold it for SRD 600,000. The necklace weighed 173 grams and the bracelet 125 grams.

The suspect claimed to

have sold the jewellery to a jeweller on Ladesmastraat.

Work is underway to locate the so-called ‘first lady of Guyana’.

4 more unvaccinated...

Guyana’s First Lady, Arya Ali

There are 3847 active cases – a majority of which are from Regions Four (1828) and Three (1251). Diamond, Grove, Kitty, Sophia, West Ruimveldt, Mon Repos, Good Hope, Tuschen, and Parfaite Harmonie are some of the areas with high spikes. Other communities and wards are also under surveillance.

“We have seen from the trend that if people are unvaccinated, we are going to

see more people getting infected among that grouping and the likelihood that they will get a severe form of COVID and end up in the hospital is much higher. We have a number of cases like this,” said Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony during Tuesday’s briefing.

If anyone is displaying any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19, or need any additional information, contact the

FROM PAGE 9

COVID-19 Hotline on 2311166, 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 emphasises: correct and consistent use of a face mask when leaving your home, maintaining six feet of physical distance from others, and good hand hygiene. (G12)

NEWS

13

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Govt’s assistance to sugar workers corrects ‘injustice’ faced under APNU/AFC – GAWU

T

he Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Union (GAWU) has lauded Government’s decision to distribute a oneoff payout to sugar workers who were sacked under the APNU/AFC administration.

This week, Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo announced that the Government would give a one-off payout of $250,000 to each sugar worker who was made jobless following the downsizing of the sugar industry. The money allocated for this initiative is pegged at $1.8 billon.

The closure of the Wales Estate in 2016, and Enmore, Rose Hall and Skeldon Estates in 2017 by the then APNU/AFC Government had seen over 7,000 workers being placed on the breadline.

They will now benefit from this grant. In a statement on Tuesday, GAWU shared that this support is essential in correcting the indignation faced by these workers.

“Indeed, given the hardships that have beset the thousands of workers since they were heartlessly thrown on the breadline, the support by the Government is welcomed and seeks to correct the injustice and indignation the workers and their fami-

Some of the sugar workers who were fired under the APNU/AFC Administration

lies confronted following the callous minimization of the sugar industry.”

It went on to say that Government must have taken account of the socio-economic tribulations encountered after the estates’ closure. A study by the International Labour Organization on the impact of estate closure had highlighted the magnitude in which persons were financially affected.

“That study confirmed that the workers and their families’ lives and well-being were significantly set back, and indeed some may never be able to make up the ground that they lost. As GAWU said then, and reiterates again,

the decision to shutter estates has no sincere economic or social rationale. We contend that it was an undisguised attempt to punish sugar workers and the sugar industry.

“GAWU must point out, too, that while heartened about the support to the severed workers, it cannot ignore the plight of those sugar workers who remained on the job under the APNU/AFC Government. It is now documented history of the decline in standard-of-living that sugar workers faced at the hands of the Coalition. Successive years of no pay increase, the arbitrary withdrawal of benefits, and a seeming policy to punish the industry exacted a

significant toll on the workers. We believe they, too, are equally as deserving, and we urge the Government to consider extending its support to all sugar workers.

We believe it will help to alleviate the many burdens the workers had to contend with during the term of the Coalition in office.”

The ILO had launched its findings in June, giving an in-depth analysis of the challenges faced by sugar workers and thousands more in the secondary network.

A section of the report states, “At the household level, there could have been compensating increases in economic activities out-

side of the sugar industry, and there could have been an increase in the number of other persons within the household who engaged in income-earning activities after the closures. The focus group data, however, confirmed that weekly household incomes had also fallen dramatically by 64 per cent, from an average of $32,238 to $18,450 after the closures.”

Workers affected by the closures had more leisure time, resulting in the “prevalence of excessive alcohol consumption in rural communities and in the sugar belt”. Suicide and crime rates also took a leap.

“An increase in crime is not unrelated to an increase in substance abuse itself, but beyond that, many of the factors that lead to an increase in substance abuse also led to an increase in crime. This includes the loss of income, unemployment, and the despair and the seeming hopelessness that arose in the households and communities after the closures. These things undermine the very social capital from which workers, their families, and communities could have benefited as they learnt to deal with the closure of estates in a manner that would sustain their livelihoods.”

In addition to the grant, the Vice President has also announced that 10,000 jobs are expected to be created under the Emergency Employment Programme (EEP).

He noted that despite injecting $14 billion into the industry since returning to Government in August last year, the deterioration of the industry caused by the previous Government has resulted in the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) spending more that the revenue it is currently receiving.

(G12)

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18 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Pfizer vaccine extended to Ramsammy’s Ruminations pregnant, breastfeeding women The October 5th legacy – a working people’s T Government in action he Health Ministry has now included pregnant and breastfeeding women in the ranks of persons who are eligible for vaccination with the PfizerBioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.

Since 146,250 doses of the vaccine arrived as a donation from the United States Government, the Pfizer jab has been used to vaccinate only the adolescent population, that is ages 12 to 18.

On Tuesday, Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony informed that pregnant and breastfeeding women could now benefit from the Pfizer vaccine.

“If they’re pregnant or breastfeeding, we would consider them because apart from those who are 12 to 18, we have now extended the persons who will be eligible for the Pfizer vaccines. That includes pregnant women and breastfeeding women.

We have been rolling that out for the past week and we expect that we’ll get more people coming to get the vaccine,” he stated.

In Guyana, 41.4 per cent of persons have been completely immunised against COVID-19, representing 212,477 of the adult population. The Health Ministry has administered 362,919 first doses, covering 70.7 per cent of the population, and some persons are still to return for their second shot.

Vaccination for adolescents stands at 25,180 first doses or 34.5 per cent; with 13,352 or 18.3 per cent returning for their second dose.

“With other approvals in the pipeline, the Ministry will

make other extensions. We’re expecting that in November, the US FDA [Food and Drug Administration] would approve the Pfizer vaccine for 11 to five, and once that is done, we’ll be able to extend vaccination for that age group as well,” the Minister said.

Pfizer, one of two double-dose vaccines which have been approved for children, is proven to be 95 per cent effective at preventing laboratory-confirmed infection with the virus that causes COVID-19 in people who receive two doses.

Later in the week, the COVAX mechanism is expected to deliver 100,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine.

COVAX is a partnership between the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI); Gavi – the Vaccine Alliance; the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

The mechanism aims to secure 1.3 billion doses for 92 low- and middle-income countries by the end of the year.

Guyana has been included among 10 countries in Latin

America and the Caribbean that are receiving vaccines at no cost through the Advance Market Commitment (AMC).

Thus far, 120,000 AstraZeneca vaccines have been sent to im-

munise Guyanese.

Since the virus was first detected in the Wuhan province of China, there have been several mutations. From the first-discovered Alpha variant in the United Kingdom last year, authorities have moved to trace the Beta and Gamma variants. However, the Delta variant has been dominant in many countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom. It has caused a resurgence of infections in Portugal and current spikes in Russia.

In unvaccinated populations, there are higher cases and deaths. (G12)

US Embassy donates over US$24,000 to Voices GY …to support migrant groups in Guyana

T

he United States Embassy in Georgetown on Tuesday announced that it would be directing some US$24, 897 in funds to local non-profit organisation Voices GY. According to the Embassy, the funds will be used to organise a 12-week course to teach communications and

community organising skills, and provide information on available social services, legal protection, and access to housing, medical assistance, and education.

The programme will also produce a migration-focused guide for civil society organisations and Government officials to help inform participative decision-making. The programme aims to build bridges between migrant populations and the local communities for the benefit of all who live in Guyana.

This grant is said to be part of the Embassy’s mission to build Guyanese social service delivery and support vulnerable populations by providing support to migrants and their host communities in Guyana, to engage leaders of vulnerable migrant groups and returning Guyanese in Regions Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) and Four (Demerara-Mahaica).

The support is provided under the aegis of the Julia Taft Refugee Fund, an initiative of the US Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, to fill gaps in assistance for refugee and migrant protection.

Meanwhile, Voices GY has emerged as one of Guyana’s leading civil society organisations in the areas of cultural integration, linguistic diversity, and human rights since activities began in April 2018.

Based in the capital, Georgetown, Voices GY has mobilised more than 2000 Guyanese and foreign nationals in multi-language events, important research initiatives, awareness campaigns, and language tuition to vulnerable groups.

The organisation has worked with diverse partners in the public, private and non-profit arenas.

H

aving already, after just more than one year in office, made direct cash transfers to Guyanese families amounting to more than $20B, or more than $US100M, the PPP turned its attention to those suffering sugar workers whom the previous Granger-led PNC/APNU/AFC Government brutally impoverished by taking away their livelihoods. As those sugar workers suffered, Granger and his heartless cohorts told them SUGAR is dead and the workers are collateral damage.

On the verge of the 29th anniversary of the restoration of democracy, this past Monday, the Vice-President, Bharrat Jagdeo, went to Skeldon and, with sugar workers surrounding him, announced that each sugar worker who was severed from SUGAR would receive $250,000, amounting to another cash transfer to the vulnerable population of $1.8B. Dr Leslie Ramsammy Cheddi Jagan became Independent Guyana’s first democratically-elected President. October 5, 1992, therefore, is historical and significant enough for October 5 annually to be observed. As we observe this very important milestone, the fivemonth-long rigging efforts to steal the March 2020 elections are still fresh in our minds. Some of the persons, including senior staff members of GECOM who were intimately involved with the rigging efforts, have been charged with serious crimes. But more than a year later, GECOM is still not in a position to fill positions, and there are also others who were part of the conspiracy to rig the elections still in positions at GECOM. However, our country tasted freedom, and we will never, as a country, ever again allow dictatorship to return to this beautiful country.

Twenty-nine years after we ended dictatorship in Guyana, we are still recovering from its deleterious effects. During the almost three decades of dictatorship before 1992, we were the laughing stock of the Caribbean, the poorest country in the Americas. We have come a long way in regaining our dignity, and we are poised now to be the leading economy in Caricom. Far from a laughing stock, we are now the envy of Caricom. But after a vigorous fivemonth resistance between March 2 and August 2, 2020, we barely managed to stop the theft of an election. While we celebrate freedom and democracy, remember we still deal with the aftermath of the 2015-2020 era, when the blueprint for renewed dictatorship was being put in place.

One aspect of that blueprint was the targeting of certain groups for harassment and intimidation. On more than one occasion, the sugar workers were identified as a group that had to be silenced. Closure of sugar estates was purely a political hatchet job. More than 7,000 sugar workers lost their jobs. Some were grudgingly paid their severance, but only after waiting a long time, during which time many became indebted and their children and families endured untold misery. Many waited years to get their severance. The court had to intervene on behalf of many of these sugar workers, who were deemed collateral damage. To hurt the PPP, the PNC forced sugar workers to pay a price.

But the closure of four estates and termination of employment of more than 7,000 sugar workers were not the only assaults on sugar workers. Those sugar workers who were lucky to still have their jobs and who APNU/AFC/PNC promised a 20% annual increase in wages and other benefits before the 2011 and 2015 elections had their wages and benefits frozen. Instead of a 20% annual wage increase, the Granger-led Government gave them a big, fat zero wage increase. They also reduced benefits such as the annual production and weekly production incentives. The PNC-led coalition were brutal in their harassment and intimidation of sugar workers. Among those who betrayed sugar workers were Moses Nagamootoo, who called himself the sugar workers’ champion, and Khemraj Ramjattan, who stood on the public platform before 2015 on many occasions with crocodile tears. Some fell for the crocodile tears, for the lies, some voted for Ramjattan’s party.

But the PPP, for more than seventy years, has been the sugar workers’ Rock of Gibraltar. As sugar encountered difficulties, the PPP stood with the workers and made sure not one of them lost their jobs. Even as sugar reeled from the combination of inclement weather, climate change and an international environment that arbitrarily abrogated agreements, the PPP stood in solidarity with sugar workers, making certain sugar workers, every year between 1992 and 2015, got a wage increase. That protection and that solidarity ended in 2015 when Granger’s PNC took control of the Government.

But in August 2020, the Irfaan Ali-led PPP Government returned.

Hope returned not only for sugar, but also for sugar workers and their families. The PPP started immediately to reopen the estates, creating jobs. This week’s announcement of a direct cash transfer to severed sugar workers is testimony to a caring Government, one that has sought myriad ways to help all vulnerable populations in Guyana. The PPP continues to demonstrate that it would stand with the people, with sugar workers, in good times and in bad times. This is what freedom and democracy represent. This is why October 5 will always be a special time in the life of this country.

NEWS

19

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

GOGEC, Int’l Energy Conference Brickdam Station inferno strike partnership for 2022 Expo Fire Chief directed to proceed …as advocacy body notes impact conference will have on sector

T

he Guyana Oil and Gas Energy Chamber (GOGEC) has announced that it has formed a strategic partnership with the International Energy Conference and Expo Guyana 2022, which is slated to be held in February 2022.

In a statement on Tuesday, GOGEC noted that the conference aims to bring together some of the leading experts in the industry, both locally and regionally. GOGEC also pointed out that the theme of the conference, “Charting a Sustainable Energy Future”, aligns with the country’s national energy agenda as Guyana is a signatory to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“One of the main targets in this framework is energy transition to 100 per cent renewable energy into the future. GOGEC, as the premier oil and gas energy chamber locally, supports the energy conference, and will be a key partner to promote the conference, as Guyana is embarking upon an aggressive economic transformation agenda, driven largely by the prospects of the oil and gas sector,” GOGEC have said.

“The event will aim to have a broader energy discussion beyond oil and gas within the context of an energy transition agenda, in keeping with the country’s energy targets that are also linked to the SDGs. The Conference is intended to bring together both international and local investors, as well as policymakers to advance Guyana’s energy transformation and transition agenda.”

GOGEC acknowledged the current COVID-19 pandemic, and as a consequence, revealed that the event will be facilitated by way of a blend of both virtual and in-person (physical) sessions.

“This major event is organised in partnership with several local and international companies and the major Private Sector organisations, including some of the affiliates from Houston, Texas. This signature event is also supported by the Government of Guyana,” GOGEC also said.

It was only a few days ago that Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat had declared the Government’s full support

GOGEC President Manniram Prashad

for the International Energy Conference and Expo, describing it as a chance for Guyana and its limitless investment opportunities to be put in the spotlight.

In a statement of support for the expo, which is to be held from February 15 to 18, 2022 at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), the Minister noted that the Government would even be using the expo to highlight its complement of spin-off oil and gas investments and forthcoming national infra-

structural projects planned for the short-to- medium term.

“The hosting of this conference is timely and strategic, given the growth and development of the energy sector while many nations around the world are coping with COVID-19 challenges coupled with declining economic growth,” Minister Bharrat has said.

“This International Energy Conference will further strengthen Guyana’s recognition as an emerging oil and gas leader and as a country with enormous potential for investments and business opportunities. It is anticipated that this event will catapult Guyana into the spotlight, that will continue on a path of economic and infrastructural transformation.”

The theme of the conference is “Charting a sustainable energy future”.

According to the Minister, this theme is appropriate, since it is in keeping with the vision of the Government of Guyana.

Hence, he said, it is against this backdrop that the Natural Resources Ministry and the Government of Guyana welcome the expo.

on leave with immediate effect

I

n the wake of the Brickdam Police Station inferno on Saturday that saw the majority of the iconic structure being razed to the ground, Fire Chief Kalamadeen Edoo has been directed to proceed on leave with immediate effect.

This was confirmed when Guyana Times made contact with Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn. “He’s been told to proceed on leave,” the Minister said, though he could not say how many leave days Edoo had outstanding or whether he had even obeyed the directive to proceed on leave. Efforts to get details from the Fire Service’s PR department on the issue were also futile.

Edoo only took over the reins of the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) in February of this year when former Fire Chief Marlon Gentle retired after 36 years of service.

During Saturday’s fire, Edoo was present on the scene – albeit in plain clothes and with no protective gear.

The fire started about 11:00h, consuming 80 per cent of the three-storey structure.

Among the destroyed facilities were the Property Room, Inquiries Office, Traffic Department and Officers’ Mess. Just the barracks, located on the west-

Fire Chief Kalamadeen Edoo

ern end along Manget Place, remain intact, as well as the Impact Building and the lock-ups.

All 16 prisoners within the facility were accounted for. Salvage records were saved, and the station’s arsenal of weapons was secure before the building was completely destroyed.

This publication understands that 398 officers were working from the Brickdam compound at the time of the fire.

On Saturday last, a suspect reportedly confessed on video to setting the Police Headquarters on fire after he was ratted on by two of his cellmates. Based on reports, the suspect was recently ar-

rested in connection with an alleged robbery-under-arms incident, and was placed in the Brickdam lock-ups.

The man told the Police that he became frustrated after being detained for a long period of time, and he then decided to start the fire.

The confession led Police to question all the prisoners at the Brickdam Station at the time of the incident.

The two informants were taken from the Brickdam lock-ups to the Sparendaam Station on the East Coast of Demerara, where they were placed in a cell with the suspect.

During that time in the cell, the suspect allegedly informed the men that it was he who had started the fire which destroyed the Station.

The two men said the man allegedly told them that he took a piece of sponge, wrapped it on a piece of wire, and lit it with a cigarette lighter before pushing it through a ventilation hole in the cell.

It is reported that the cell was connected to another room that had some documents in it, and that was how the fire became a blaze.

The suspect was later interviewed on camera, and he allegedly confessed again to the Police. (G3)

World Teachers' Day

“Your value is not lost on us” – Education Minister

“Y

our value is not lost on us. Your value is not lost on this nation,” were the words of the Education Minister, Priya Manickchand as she addressed teachers and headteachers on Tuesday during a luncheon held in their honour.

In observance of World Teachers’ Day, the Education Ministry hosted a luncheon for teachers and headteachers from various levels. Manickchand reminded teachers that their value to the nation would never go unnoticed.

“I believe strongly the nation knows your commitment and knows how special teachers are,” Manickchand is quoted as saying to the gathering of educators.

Manickchand said that if ever the value of teachers was in doubt, the last year and a half proved that they possessed a special skill and art in what they do to educate the nation’s children. “Teaching is a calling, a calling that you have responded to and an art that you have developed over

Education Ministry Permanent Secretary Alfred King hands over a token of appreciation to Francesca Vieira for her 50 years of service to the education sector in the presence of Education Minister Priya Manickchand

the years,” she remarked.

Further, she said, “This value is not lost on us. I want you to understand that at the level of the Ministry, that we understand your value. We know in the Ministry how valuable you are.”

She said that teachers and the Education Ministry together have a duty to take the standard of education in Guyana higher and higher every year so that better and better results could be achieved.

The Education Minister

said that she was happy that such a day was set aside to honour teachers, and said that she hoped teachers across the country used the day to reflect on how important they were to every child.

She said that teachers could make a difference between children living a life of comfort or continuing to live in poverty as an adult.

Additionally, she pledged that teachers would see improved relations from the Ministry. She said that this would not be achieved with a ‘big stick’ approach, but rather one where guidance was given to improve standards and levels of engagement.

Chief Education Officer, Dr Marcel Hutson told teachers they were valued as professionals and also for the difference they make in the lives of children.

During his remarks, Dr Hutson recalled how teachers made a difference in his life by encouraging him to work towards achieving a better life than he was exposed to as a youth. He said that every

child is born gifted and teachers have the responsibility to nurture the gifts in every child so that they can reach their full potential.

During the luncheon, Francesca Vieira was honoured for giving 50 years of service to the education sector. Also, teachers Malkia Payne of The Bishops’ High School and Candida Williams of Queen’s College were honoured for writing the Portuguese curriculum, which began in April 2013.

They trained teachers and prepared material to teach the subject in schools.

According to Manickchand, it is because of the work of these teachers that the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) is now offering Portuguese at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) exams across the Caribbean.

The subject was first written in 2017, with Guyana obtaining an 89 per cent pass rate.

She said that this was a representation of what persons were capable of doing when given the platform to deliver.

20

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2021

guyanatimesgy.com

Around the World

Facebook harms children and weakens democracy – ex-employee

A

former Facebook employee has told US lawmakers that the company's sites and apps "harm children, stoke division, and weaken our democracy".

Frances Haugen, a 37-year-old former product manager turned whistleblower, heavily criticised the company at a hearing on Capitol Hill.

Facebook, however, said Haugen spoke about areas she has no knowledge of.

It comes amid growing scrutiny of the social media giant and increasing calls for its regulation.

Facebook is the world's most popular social media site. The company says it has 2.7 billion monthly active users. Hundreds of millions of people also use the company's other products,

including WhatsApp and Instagram.

But it has been criticised for everything from failing to protect users' privacy to not doing enough to halt the spread of disinformation.

Both Republican and Democratic Senators on Tuesday were united in the need for change at the company – a rare topic of agreement between the two political parties.

Haugen told CBS News on Sunday that she shared a number of internal Facebook documents with the Wall Street Journal in recent weeks.

Using the documents, the WSJ reported that research carried out by Instagram showed the app could harm girl's mental health.

This was a theme Haugen continued during her testi-

Oil hits multi-year highs as OPEC+ sticks to output plan

Frances Haugen said the company repeatedly prioritised profits over its users’ safety

mony on Tuesday. "The company's leadership knows how to make Facebook and Instagram safer, but won't make the necessary changes, because they have put their astronomical profits before people," she said.

She criticised the company's founder and chief executive Mark Zuckerberg for having wide-ranging con-

trol, saying that there is "no one currently holding Mark accountable but himself".

And she praised the massive outage of Facebook services on Monday, which affected users around the world.

Meanwhile, Zuckerberg apologised for the six-hour outage. (Excerpt from BBC News)

French clergy sexually abused “over 200,000 children” since 1950

A

bout 216,000 children are estimated to have been sexually abused by thousands of French Catholic priests, deacons and other clergy since 1950, an independent inquiry has found, alleging the phenomenon was covered up by a “veil of silence”.

The details made pub-

lic on Tuesday are the latest to rock the Roman Catholic Church after a series of sexual abuse scandals around the world, often involving children, over the past 20 years.

Jean-Marc Sauve, head of the commission that compiled the report on the investigation, said the abuse in

Trio win physics Nobel for work deciphering chaotic climate

J

apan-born American Syukuro Manabe, German Klaus Hasselmann and Italian Giorgio Parisi won the 2021 Nobel Prize in Physics on Tuesday for work that helps understand complex physical systems such as Earth's changing climate.

In a decision hailed by the United Nations weather agency as a sign of a consensus forming around manmade global warming, one half of the 10-million Swedish crown (US$1.15 million) prize goes in equal parts to Manabe, 90, and Hasselmann, 89, for modelling earth’s climate and reliably predicting global warming.

The other half goes to Parisi for discovering in the early 1980s "hidden rules" behind seemingly random movements and swirls in gases or liquids that can also be applied to aspects of neuroscience, machine learning, and starling flight formations.

"Syukuro Manabe and Klaus Hasselmann laid the foundation of our knowledge of the Earth’s climate and how humanity influences it," the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said in a statement. "Giorgio Parisi is rewarded for his revolutionary contributions to the theory of

disordered materials and random processes."

Hasselmann, who is at the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology in Hamburg, told Reuters from his home that he did not want to wake up from what he described as a beautiful dream.

"I am retired, you know, and have been a bit lazy lately. I am happy about the honour. The research continues," he said.

Interviewed by US and Japanese journalists at his home, Manabe, who works at Princeton University, said he believed his award reflected the Academy’s recognition of climate change, which he said would continue to intensify with more droughts, torrential rains, warming of land masses, and melting of polar ice.

Parisi, who dialled into the media briefing announcing the winners, was asked for his message to world leaders due to meet for UN climate change talks in Glasgow, Scotland, from October 31.

"I think it is very urgent that we take real and very strong decisions and we move at a very strong pace," said the 73-year-old Nobel laureate, who works at Sapienza University of Rome.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

OILNEWS OIL NEWS

France was “systemic” and had been carried out by some 3000 priests and other people involved in the church.

About 80 per cent of the victims were boys.

Speaking at a public, online presentation of the report, Suave added that the Church had shown “deep, total and even cruel indifference for years”, protecting itself rather than the victims.

The Church not only failed to take necessary pre-

ventive measures, he said, but also turned a blind eye to abuse and sometimes knowingly put children in touch with predators.

“The consequences are very serious,” Sauve said.

“About 60 per cent of men and women who were sexually abused encounter major problems in their sentimental or sexual life.”

Victims voiced their disgust over the findings.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

O

il prices jumped on Tuesday, with US crude hitting its highest since 2014 and Brent futures climbing to a three-year high, after the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies, known as OPEC+, stuck to its planned output increase rather than raising it further.

On Monday, OPEC+ agreed to adhere to its July pact to boost output by 400,000 barrels per day (bpd) each month until at least April 2022, phasing out 5.8 million bpd of existing production cuts.

West Texas Intermediate (WTI) oil closed up US$1.31, or 1.7 per cent, at US$78.93 a barrel. During the session it surged more than two per cent to as high as US$79.48, the most in nearly seven years. Brent crude settled up US$1.30, or 1.6 per cent, at US$82.56. Earlier, Brent hit a three-year high of US$83.13.

Both contracts extended gains made on Monday, when they each rose more than two per cent.

"The market is realising we are going to be undersupplied for the next couple of months and OPEC seems to be happy with that situation," said Phil Flynn, an analyst at Price Futures Group in Chicago.

Oil prices have already surged more than 50 per cent this year, adding to inflationary pressures that crudeconsuming nations such as the United States and India are concerned will derail recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Macron to meet Biden at G20, hopes to move on after AUKUS dispute

Haiti’s top diplomat asks UN Security Council for help with gangs

U.S. President Joe Biden talks with French President Emmanuel Macron at the final session of the G7 summit in Carbis Bay, Cornwall in Britain, June 13, 2021.

Gang members march following the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse in Port-au-Prince, Haiti [File: Matias Delacroix/The Associated Press]

H

aiti’s top diplomat has called on the United Nations Security Council for help dealing with the country’s spiralling gang violence and crime.

Foreign Minister Claude Joseph told the 15-member body on Monday that the existing UN political mission needed to pivot towards strengthening security and law enforcement institutions in Haiti, which is also in the midst of a political crisis made deeper by the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in July.

“It’s vital to take account of the new realities that the country is facing and that the mandate is adjusted accordingly,” Joseph said.

The Caribbean nation has struggled since a devas-

tating earthquake in 2010.

Shortly after Moïse’s assassination, another earthquake in August killed more than 2200 people, and damaged or destroyed tens of thousands of homes.

That came as Haiti has continued to contend with escalating gang-related killings, kidnappings, and turf wars.

The violence has forced about 19,000 Haitians from their homes in recent months, with many living in makeshift shelters and unsanitary conditions, according to the UN. Meanwhile, the recent mass deportation of Haitian asylum seekers by US authorities from the TexasMexico border has shone a further spotlight on the dire situation in Haiti. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

F

rench President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday he hoped to close a rift with US counterpart Joe Biden when the pair meet in Rome at the end of October, saying he wanted the long-time allies to work together once again "in good faith".

Reconciliation at the Group of 20 summit on October 30-31 would follow a Biden-Macron phone call last month and potentially end a transatlantic row triggered last month by the United States' negotiation in secret of a military pact, known as AUKUS, with Australia and Britain to counter China, excluding France.

"We need to look with lucidity at the decisions taken by our allies. There were choices that were made and I can't say that France and Europe were taken into ac-

count, but we have a history that is bigger (than this)," Macron said as he arrived at a summit of EU leaders in Slovenia.

"We will catch up during the G20. I think it is the right occasion to see how we can re-engage," Macron said of his planned meeting with Biden.

"It is about facts and what to do together," he told reporters at the Brdo estate outside the Slovenian capital Ljubljana.

Australia's decision under AUKUS to cancel a lucrative submarine contract with France in September and opt for US-designed, nuclear-propelled vessels incensed Paris. Macron said the episode was a sign that the EU needed to do more on its own, particularly in crises on the 27-nation bloc's borders. (Excerpt from Reuters)

guyanatimesgy.com

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 06, 2021

21

ARCHIE

ARIES

Draw on your experience and what you know to get (March 21what you want. Call on those April 19) you trust to come through for you without supervision.

Say what's on your mind and explore multiple avenues.

TAURUS

DILBERT

(April 20May 20)

GEMINI (May 21June 20)

CANCER (June 21July 22)

PEANUTS

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

CALVIN AND HOBBES

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

SUDOKU

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)

Make "steady and ready" your motto. It's essential to stick to a path and show responsibility if you want others to take you seriously. Consistent behavior will show that you are a leader.

Get out and share your sparkling personality with others. You'll attract attention, and if you use your words wisely, you will gain support and respect moving forward.

Monitor what's going on around you. Problems at home will leave you confused if you are too close to the situation. Don't show anger or distress; remain calm.

Choose love over discord.

Concentrate on your responsibilities and map out a plan to ensure you use your time and energy wisely. Your discipline and hard work will not go unnoticed.

You'll get a valuable clue.

Use your imagination to come up with a plan that will help you achieve your goal.

Run your ideas by those who may be affected by the decisions you make. Deal with matters as they arise.

Don't get bogged down.

Take a systematic approach to knock off one chore after another. Rewarding yourself for your time, effort and patience will ensure that you don't fall behind or give up.

Think matters through and don't take on more than you can handle. Home improvements will end up costing more than anticipated.

Be innovative, and you'll find a way to save money.

You've got some good SAGITTARIUS ideas. Don't hold back; reit(Nov. 23erate what you want to do, Dec. 21) and you'll find out quickly who is supportive and who isn't. Handle those you live with carefully.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

Monday's Word -- Hydrate SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 19)

Be a good listener, and you'll find out information that will help you avoid a dodgy situation. Say little and keep everyone guessing until you are ready to reveal your next move.

Someone's exaggerated opinion will interfere with your plans. Look beyond what's right in front of you, and you'll know what to do to avoid getting involved in something risky.

You are on the right path. Do your research and (Feb. 20stick to a budget-conscious March 20) plan. Verify what's required to reach your goal without interference. Take care of details personally.

PISCES

22

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2021

W

est Indies and Leeward Islands cricketer Devon Thomas has disagreed with pundits that his best chance of impressing West Indies selectors is from behind the stumps.

Speaking on the Good Morning Jojo sports show, Thomas said he has not entirely ruled out a return to the wicket-keeping position, but believes his strong suit is his batting, and that if he is to earn a recall to the senior team, he must do so with the bat in his hands.

“Looking at the performances since I’ve been playing, I think I’ve been doing reasonably okay,

— says, “I think batting is the most important thing for me”

Devon Thomas

enough to get a look [into the West Indies team]; but, at the end of the day, I don’t have any control over that, so I just have to keep putting in the work.

Because, at the end of the day, I am more of a batting wicketkeeper, and I think this [batting] is the most important thing for me at the moment; or is my strongpoint, I should say,” he has said.

“The wicket-keeping is simply a plus, and that could have set me into the West Indies team lately, and even last year; but at the end of the day, I

need to put in the work, because I think I can make it as a batsman still,” he added.

Thomas scored a total of 197 runs in nine matches for the St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots in this year’s Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL), hitting a highest score of 55. He batted at an average of 24.62 and had a strike rate of 96.09.

The Antiguan said his role in this year’s tournament was to bat through the innings.

“The role I got this year was simple. The captain [Darren Bravo] spoke to me and said he doesn’t want me to score 20 and 30 from 15 balls; he wants me to

score a run a ball, so I set up the innings for if I could bat up to the 14th over, to set up the game for the power at the end; so that was my role this year,” the player said.

Thomas played only one season for Leeward Islands before being given his One Day International debut on 28 July 2009 against Bangladesh while the first team was involved in a pay dispute with the West Indies Cricket Board.

He batted in only one innings, scoring 29 from 32 balls, and took two wickets with his right-arm medium pace bowling. (Antigua Observer)

“Race to Dubai” to conclude with double-header

T

he “Race to Dubai” will conclude with a double-header for the second year in a row.

After finalising changes to the end of its 2021 schedule, the European Tour has confirmed the Dubai Championship will return for November 1114.

One week later, only the 50 leading players will be able to take part in the lucrative season-ending DP World Tour Championship, which determines the “Race to Dubai” winner.

Both events will take place at the Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai – one on the Fire course and the other on the Earth course.

The schedule change comes after the Nedbank Golf Challenge, hosted

by Gary Player in South Africa, was cancelled for a

second straight year, with its return expected in 2022.

Lee Westwood won the “Race to Dubai” in 2020, though it was Matthew Fitzpatrick who won the final event of the year.

This year, Collin Morikawa, winner of The Open Championship, leads the “Race to Dubai” standings, with Billy Horschel, Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton in pursuit.

"Last year's tournament on the Fire course, created to complete our 2020 schedule, was a great success," said European Tour chief executive Keith Pelley. "We are delighted to bring the AVIV Dubai Championship to our schedule as the final piece in our jigsaw this season.

It means we will have two strong 'Swings' to end our 2021 campaign –

the Iberian Swing in Spain and Portugal, and now this Dubai double-header at Jumeirah G o l f Estates.

G

"We look forward to a terrific fortnight as we conclude another Race to Dubai on the Fire and Earth courses."

(Sportsmax)

Rahm wants to emulate Nadal and transcend his sport

J

on Rahm hopes to "transcend golf and become an idol", echoing the achievements of tennis star and compatriot Rafael Nadal.

Rahm, who lives in America, has been amazed by his level of fame back home in Spain, where he is preparing for the Iberian swing of the European Tour.

This week, he will seek to claim a third consecutive Open de Espana title in Madrid, with the world number one having risen to a level where he is instantly recognisable on the streets of the capital.

"It is difficult to be an idol when I do not live here," said the U.S. Open champion. "I see it when I spend a certain amount of time here. When

you reach a certain level - and even more so today with social media, because you reach more people and you realise the impact that you have it only took 30 seconds for someone to recognise me when I left the hotel. If you were to tell me that this will happen to me in Bilbao, my hometown, I could understand it.

"I imagine that Madrid is full of sportsmen, but to be recognised so quickly is something I was not aware of. My parents and my friends tell me, but until I see it for myself, I do not realise it too much. Hopefully, I will transcend golf and become an idol."

Asked about an esteemed selection of his fel-

low countrymen – namely Nadal, former NBA stalwart Pau Gasol, and two-time Formula One world champion Fernando Alonso – and the level of fame they have achieved, Rahm chose the 20-time Grand Slam winner as the one he would most like to emulate.

"You have named three sportsmen that have been my idols; three that I have seen competing, especially Rafa, who I already said is an idol and a model for me to learn from," said Rahm.

"I don't know if I will reach the level in golf that he reached in tennis, because nowadays it's very competitive, but if I can be an idol for any Spanish kid, that would be welcome." (Sportsmax)

olden State Warriors’ swingman Andrew Wiggins has said he felt "forced" to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

"The only options were to get vaccinated or not play in the NBA," the No. 1 overall pick in 2014 said on Monday. "It was a tough decision. Hopefully it works out in the long run, and in 10 years I'm still healthy."

The city of San Francisco has a health order that prevents unvaccinated people from entering certain large indoor spaces, including Chase Center, the Warriors' home arena.

"It feels good to play, but getting vaccinated, that's going to be something that stays in my mind for a long time," Wiggins said. "It's not something I wanted to do, but I was forced to."

The 26-year-old applied had for a religious exemption with the NBA, but was denied, and thus risked forfeiture of at least half his $31.5 million salary for the 2021-22 season if he didn't receive the vaccine.

Wiggins said he got the Johnson & Johnson single-dose shot, adding he is the only one in his family who is vaccinated.

"I guess to do certain stuff to work, I guess you don't own your body," he said. "That's what it comes down to. If you want to work in society today, then I guess they made the rules

of what goes in your body, and what you do. Hopefully, there's a lot of people out there that are stronger than me and keep fighting, stand for what they believe; and hopefully, it works out for them."

Wiggins averaged 18.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 71 games last season for the Warriors.

The 2014-15 Rookie of the Year is entering his eighth NBA season. He has played for Golden State since a February 2020 trade with Minnesota, where he played his first five-plus NBA seasons.

He's averaged 19.5 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game in 525 career games (all starts).

(Reuters)

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23 Neesham, Coulter-Nile and Kishan demolish Royals WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2021

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

— Defending champions keep IPL 2021 campaign alive by chasing down target in just 8.2 overs

S

harjah is no longer a batting paradise; the pitch has no pace. On Tuesday, it didn't even have a lot of bounce. Rajasthan Royals tried their hardest to adapt to these conditions.

They batted in search of 120 instead of 160, and yet they ended up 90 for 9.

Honestly, the people who found the Titanic down in the frigid depths of the Atlantic had an easier job than those

and bring up victory.

Having been scoreless off his first six balls, Kishan had made all his 50 runs in just 19

Happy faces for Mumbai Indians

SCOREBOARD RAJASTHAN ROYALS INNINGS (20 OVERS MAXIMUM) Evin Lewis lbw b Bumrah 24 Yashasvi Jaiswal c †Ishan Kishan b Coulter-Nile 12

Sanju Samson (c)† c J Yadav b Neesham

Jimmy Neesham snagged 3-12 Ishan Kishan scored a quickfire 50

who had to find the boundary here.

Even the Mumbai Indians were wary of what might happen once the ball gets old and the fielding restrictions are lifted. They gunned down more than half their target within the powerplay itself (56

alive, winning in 8.2 overs with eight wickets standing.

The medium-pace masterclass

Some deliveries are just unhittable. And James Neesham produced 24 of them on Tuesday night. He bowled slow, so the batters had no pace to work with, and the

Nathan Coulter-Nile bagged 4-14

out of 91) and then cantered to a victory that still somehow keeps their IPL campaign

pitch wouldn't let his balls bounce, so they had no leverage either.

Combine all that and you get why the New Zealand allrounder finished with 13 dots and three wickets. The first one - Sanju Samson, caught at point - was the result of a knuckle ball. The second Shivam Dube chopped on came off a legcutter. The third - Rahul Tewatia, caught behind - was the exception that makes the rule; an effort ball with pace and bounce and movement.

The end of a broken innings

There was no relief at the other end as well, with Nathan Coulter-Nile picking up a four-for. He didn't care to bring down his pace, but, even then, the ball continued to misbehave.

Glenn Phillips was all set to pull a short ball, only for it to

squirt between his knees and utterly wreck his stumps.

This really wasn't a pitch for T20 cricket, and it played a big part in the Royals crumbling to their second-lowest IPL total after playing their full quota of overs.

Ishan Kishan finishes it off

Having been forced out of the XI, these probably aren't the kind of conditions Ishan Kishan would've wanted on which to make his comeback.

But, installed at the top of the order, he was given the best chance for success, and he took it with both hands, hitting 50 off 25 balls and batting through till the last runs were scored.

He was, in fact, the one who scored them, hitting Mustafizur Rahman for four and six to get to a half-century

NYNCL & ROCKAWAY GROUP T20 Cup…

MMZ storm to comprehensive win over Cosmos

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hat a start from the MMZ Boys in the NYNCL & ROCKAWAY GROUP T20 Cup, winning by 156 runs against the Cosmos Cricket Club at Beach 32, Batting first, MMZ got off to a flyer, thanks to the efforts of Ansar Khan (57), Looknauth Chinkoo (52), Andy Mohammed (93) and Kelvin Shewprasad (43). The innings of Andy Mohammed and Looknauth Chinkoo was a sight to watch, as the duo had recently returned from the American Premiere League.

MMZ were able to post 270-5 in their allotted 20 overs, every single Cosmos bowler went for an economy rate over 11, it didn’t matter about the wickets, as the damage had already been done by the MMZ unit.

Needing 271 runs to

balls. If Mumbai do make the playoffs, they'll be happy one of their best has come back to form. (ESPNcricinfo)

3

Shivam Dube b Neesham 3 Glenn Phillips b Coulter-Nile 4 David Miller lbw b Coulter-Nile 15 Rahul Tewatia c †Ishan Kishan b Neesham 12 Shreyas Gopal c †Ishan Kishan b Bumrah 0 Chetan Sakariya b Coulter-Nile 6 Kuldip Yadav not out 0 Mustafizur Rahman not out 8 Extras (nb 1, w 2) 3 TOTAL (20 Ov, RR: 4.50) 90/9 Fall of wickets: 1-27 (Yashasvi Jaiswal, 3.4 ov), 2-41 (Evin Lewis, 5.3 ov), 3-41 (Sanju Samson, 6.1 ov), 4-48 (Shivam Dube, 8.3 ov), 5-50 (Glenn Phillips, 9.4 ov), 6-71 (Rahul Tewatia, 14.6 ov), 7-74 (Shreyas Gopal, 15.6 ov), 8-76 (David Miller, 16.4 ov), 9-82 (Chetan Sakariya, 18.4 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W

Trent Boult Jayant Yadav Jasprit Bumrah Nathan Coulter-Nile James Neesham Kieron Pollard

4-0-24-0 2-0-17-0 4-0-14-2 4-0-14-4 4-0-12-3 2-0-9-0

MUMBAI INDIANS INNINGS (TARGET: 91 RUNS FROM 20 OVERS) Rohit Sharma (c) c Jaiswal b Sakariya 22 Ishan Kishan † not out 50 Suryakumar Yadav c sub (MK Lomror) b Mustafizur Rahman 13 Hardik Pandya not out 5 Extras (lb 1, nb 2, w 1) 4 TOTAL (8.2 Ov, RR: 11.28) 94/2 Did not bat: Saurabh Tiwary, Kieron Pollard, James Neesham, Nathan CoulterNile, Jayant Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult Fall of wickets: 1-23 (Rohit Sharma, 3.2 ov), 2-56 (Suryakumar Yadav, 5.4 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Mustafizur Rahman 2.2-0-32-1 Chetan Sakariya 3-1-36-1 Shreyas Gopal 1-0-9-0 Kuldip Yadav 2-0-16-0

“Names don’t win games” — Assistant Coach Roddy Estwick says West Indies must not rely on “big names” to retain their ICC Twenty20 World Cup title

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ssistant Coach Roddy Estwick has said it would take a collaborative effort, instead of individual brilliance, for the Windies to be crowned kings in the shortest format of the sport at the global showpiece to be staged from October 17 to November 14 in the United Arab Emirates and Oman.

“I think we have to represent well,” Estwick told NATIONSPORT yesterday.

“Names don’t

Roddy Estwick

win competitions, teams win competitions. We have got to gel as a team.

We’ve had a number of Twenty20 games over the last six months, s o the k e y thing is how well we gel and understand our roles, and how we can go out there and execute to the best of our abilities.”

(Nation News)

win, Cosmos needed to pull off a miracle, but it was a total flop, as they were reduced to 114-6 in their allotment of 20 overs. MMZ

pulled out all the stops and made it hard for Cosmos to score runs. The with the top score was Alex Chunilal, with 37.

Bowling for MMZ were Ansar Yasim (2-27), Rayhanul Islam (1-20), Mark Fredericks (1-24) and Andy Mohammed (1-13).

West Indies Assistant Coach Roddy Estwick has said leftarm pacer Obed McCoy is expected to play a critical role for West Indies with his death bowling during the ICC Twenty20 World Cup

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2021

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

Elite overseas coaches/training for Guyana’s Sport Academy I

Sport Minister Charles Ramson, Jr

t is by now no secret that Guyana will soon see the implementation of its first ‘Sport Academy’, where local athletes can train and play at the highest level without the burden of finances.

However, as the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport and the National Sports Commission hope to churn out quality athletes, it has been recognised that the coaching in the Academy system must be on par with the best anywhere.

In taking a closer look at the intended structure of the soon-to-be-launched Academy, subject Minister Charles Ramson Jr. has posited that elite coaching

is the key to the Academy’s success.

According to the Minister, top tier coaching would be an integral part of the Academy, and overseas coaches are being sourced. “All of those minor adjustments in terms of finessing your bio-mechanics and how you implement your particular playing of the sport and movement, that is where the financing comes in.

What is important for you to understand here is that this requires elite coaching. Elite coaching is key here,” the Sport Minister opined.

Speaking at the inaugural sport conference last Saturday, Ramson highlighted that the same coaches cannot be used for all levels of the Academy, the Ministry has to look into international candidates.

Continuing, Ramson said, “In most instances, and in probably all instances, you’re not going to be able to get your nursery sports organizers and coaches to be your elite coaches. These elite coaches will have to come, in some instances, from some of the players who are already successful, who have already proven themselves to be successful in that particular sport; or they may have to come from overseas.”

In an attempt to acquire the necessary human resource, the stakeholders have been in talks with the foreign and diplomatic communities.

“The Ministry has already started to engage with a number of the foreign diplomats, and open the discussion so that we will be able to get the support for either the training of the elite

Mercenary win as Canada-based Guyanese cricketers perform well

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ercenary continued their dominance of the competition at the invitational match, trouncing an Ontario Softball Cricket League (OSCL) All-Stars X1 by 70 runs on Saturday at Ashtonbee Park, Scarborough, Toronto.

The match was organised by the OSCL as part of their fun day, which included a kiddie’s match at the same facility. Their annual presentation also took place just after the conclusion of the 20 overs game.

Mercenary won the toss and opted to take first knock in glorious sunshine. They uncharacteristically struggled to 133 all out from their 20 overs. Their bowling effort was, however, phenomenal, as they restricted the All-Stars team to a modest 63 all out in 15 overs.

Anand Gurdial grabbed three wickets for 19 runs from his maximum four overs, while Amit Rukhram proved his versatility by taking two wickets for one run off 2.3 overs, after hitting a topscore of 39 for Mercenary.

Stalwart player the veteran Bobby Parasnauth bowled excellently and accounted for two early wickets that initiated the collapse.

Parasnauth eventually conceded 12 runs off three terrific overs.

Only All Stars skipper the former Guyana youth player Troy Gobin offered any resistance by making 22, as no other batsman reached double-figures.

Mercenary players posing with their accolades

After skipper the Berbician Looknauth Ramsuchit won the toss, the innings never suggested permanence, as they were at one stage placed disastrously at 56-5. Rukhram and Ramsuchit (11), however, helped rebuild the innings by engaging in a fighting 32-run six-wicket stand. Experienced batsman Riaz Kadir made 15 under the circumstances. Anil Samuel produced a fantastic bowling displaying, snatching five wickets for 34 runs from four overs; while Gobin also claimed three for 20 off his four overs to complement a fine-all-round display.

Mercenary were unstoppable in this year’s competition, winning ten of their 11 matches. The other game was a no-result with the points shared. They were the champion, accumulating the

Bobby Parasnauth has had a successful

most points (72), just 2021, winning with Mercenary, Toronto Blizzards and Canadian Legends ahead of Carr Tec, who finished with graced the occasion with his 70 points after losing only one of presence and congratulated the their 11 outings. victorious combination and the Mercenary stamped their other team.

He summed authority in the grand finale, it up that cricket was indeed defeating Canadian Legends by a the real winner, and expressed comprehensive 118-run margin. his gratitude to the OSCL for At the presentation, the invitation. He said he was President of the OSCL, Canada- delighted to attend. based Guyanese Ravin Babulall, He also told the gathering congratulated the winner and that the vaccination process thanked all the teams for their is genuine, as the fight against participation in the 2021 edition. the Coronavirus pandemic He also took the opportunity to continues. announce that there would be a The sponsors of the day’s bigger tournament in 2022. activities were: JDG Tooling and Vice-President Kim Sue Automation, Tropical Nights echoed similar sentiments and Restaurant and Lounge, Norman thanked all who had come out Sue Bakery, Platinum Lounge and played a part in Saturday’s and Sports Bar, Great Canadian event.

Oil Change, RDS Flooring and Deputy Mayor in the area east Renovation Inc, and as seen on of Toronto, Michael Thompson, TV.

coaches or for the elite coaches to come to Guyana to be part of the elite training program for that period,” Ramson revealed.

Further, he said, “Upskilling is also an important part for the coaches. For that period when that elite training programme is undertaken, the sports

associations and federations have to appreciate that this is a very serious part of how we’re going to transform talent into world class.”

The Sport Academy will be operated in three divisions, a nursery, tournament, and an elite programme.

BCB to benefit from $1.08M sponsorship from Tenelec Inc

— for Under 15 and First Division tournaments

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ricket in the Ancient County of Berbice continues to attract investments and sponsorship as the proactive Berbice Cricket Broad continues to work hard to prepare for a possible restart of tournaments later in the year or early next year.

The BCB, on Tuesday last, successfully completed discussions with the management of overseas-based company Tenelec Inc of the United States of America for a million dollars’ sponsorship of two major cricket tournaments for the 2022 season.

BCB President Hilbert Foster, who has, over the last three and half years, spearheaded a comprehensive marketing drive for the board, successfully completed discussions with coowners of the company, Bobby Deonarine and Tom Gruentzel, for the sponsorship.

The sponsorship will cover the cost of an under 15 and senior first division 50 overs tournament. Foster has said the under 15 tournaments will be for players born on or after the 1st of September, 2007. A total of twenty-three teams is expected to play in the tournament, which will be used to select the Berbice intercounty team and identify promising players for the future.

Those players will then be part of the BCB coaching programme which would be expanded in the new year.

Among the teams expected to play are Paradise, Bush Lot United, Achievers, Cotton Tree, Bath, Blairmont, Tucber Park, Rose Hall Canje, Kendall’s Union, Edinburgh, Mt Sinai, Albion, RHT Farfan and Mendes, Port Mourant, No 73, Cut and Load, and Rama Krishna.

The first division tournament

BCB President Hilbert Foster

will be one of at least four to be organised by the BCB in 2022.

Foster disclosed that the Tenelec Inc 50 overs tournament would be played using the 50 overs knockout format among the eleven first division teams. The teams that will participate in the tournament are West Berbice, Blairmont, Police, Tucber Park, Rose Hall Canje, Young Warrior, Albion, RHT Namilco Thunderbolt Flour, Port Mourant, Skeldon and Upper Corentyne.

Foster explained that the overseas-based company had sponsored the tournaments for over a decade up to 2016, but left in frustration in 2017 when their tournament was not organised despite handing over sponsorship. Confidence was restored in the operation of the BCB when Foster and his executives were elected into office in February 2018.

Deonarine, who is the uncle of West Indies Test player Narsingh Deonarine, expressed confidence in the current administration and said he is delighted to be on board again. The Tenelec tournaments have a rich tradition in the history of Berbice Cricket, and played a great part in the development of players like Narsingh Deonarine, Devendra Bishoo, Veersammy Permaul, Assad Fudadin, Royston Crandon Romario Shepherd, Nial Smith, Kelvon Anderson, Kevin Sinclair and Sewnarine Chattergoon among others.

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