Issuu

WEDNESDAY 9 th December, 2020

’ No. 106208

Exxon pumped $2.7B into economy

–– monies spent on social projects 03 over past five years PAGE

US investors show interest in corn, soya bean cultivation 04 PAGE

Guyana to become arbitration hub 09 PAGE

President, Dr Irfaan Ali presents a token of appreciation to outgoing High Commissioner of Canada to Guyana Lilian Chatterjee. Ambassador Chatterjee, who was accredited as High Commissioner here in September 2017, is set to leave these shores on December 11. Her next post will be as High Commissioner to Barbados (Office of the President photo)

‘Hot Skull’ found guilty of murdering footballer 11 PAGE

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, December 9, 2020

Exxon pumped $2.7B into economy

–– monies spent on social projects over past five years

GLOBAL oil giant, ExxonMobil, has expended more than $2.7 billion over the past five years on social programmes across all 10 administrative regions, in Guyana. ExxonMobil is firmly established in Guyana, operating an office in Georgetown with numerous ongoing exploration and development operations offshore. The company has made 18 discoveries since May 2015 and began production in December 2019 from its Liza Phase one development project. Outside of its commercial operations, the company has contributed heavily to social programmes in Guyana, with its most recent donations in 2020 reaching more than $285 million.

According to a statement from ExxonMobil, those funds were invested through contributions and sponsorships of various organisations and activities, in 2020. Nearly $140 million of the $285 million have gone towards helping students, other vulnerable groups and the government to adjust to the pervasive novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Other contributions have helped women start businesses, people train for jobs and wildlife organisations study and conserve Guyana’s unique natural heritage, among other causes. The Iwokrama International Centre for rainforest conservation received a donation for its science programme, which fo-

cuses on community relations, biodiversity, climate change and hydrology projects, fundraising, publications and capital equipment. ExxonMobil also contributed to the National Centre for Education Resource Development (NCERD) for the creation and airing of educational-based programmes on television and radio, for students preparing to write national and regional examinations The Volunteer Youth Corps also benefitted from continuous STEM education programmes, while the specialists in Sustained Youth Development and Research (SSYDR) received funds to conduct a job readiness summer camp for disadvantaged youths.

The oil and gas company also extended support to STEM Guyana, the Rotary Club of Stabroek, WeLead Caribbean and the Blue Flame Women’s Group from Region One (Barima-Waini). “This is one of the tangible gestures of our commitment to important social programmes here in Guyana. Contrary to one media report, these donations are funded directly by ExxonMobil and will not be part of the cost recovery mechanism under the Stabroek PSA,” said ExxonMobil Guyana President, Alistair Routledge. ExxonMobil and its prime contractors have also spent over $300 million with more than 700 local companies since 2015. More than 2,500 Guyanese companies are

registered with the Centre for Local Business Development, which was founded by ExxonMobil and its co-venturers in 2017, to build local business capacity to support global competitiveness. ExxonMobil affiliate, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited, is an operator and holds 45 per cent interest in the Stabroek Block. Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd. holds 30 per cent interest and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of CNOOC Limited, holds 25 per cent interest. Bloomberg had reported recently that ExxonMobil, Pfizer and Raytheon Technologies were kicked out of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, as part of the stock benchmark’s

biggest reshuffling in seven years. According to the report, while any change to the Dow is notable, the ejection of ExxonMobil — the world’s biggest company as recently as 2011 — marks a particularly stunning fall from grace, reflecting the decline of commodity companies in the American economy. Worth $525 billion in 2007 and more than $450 billion as recently 2014, the stock had fallen in four of six years before 2020 and is down another 40 per cent since January. Despite those constraints, Guyana has already received close to US$150 million from the sale of crude, which is being produced by ExxonMobil’s Liza phase one development.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, December 9, 2020

US investors show interest in corn, soya bean cultivation

AGRICULTURE Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, on Monday, met with a team of executives from the Yuken Corp from Florida to discuss areas for investment in the agriculture sector. During the meeting, the group discussed investments in corn, soya bean, fish and sugar, to name a few. Minister Mustapha said that with the incentives Government is giving for corn and soya bean, more

and more investors are showing an interest in these areas. “Apart from the traditional or more popularly cultivated crops, daily we are receiving letters of interest from a number of investors both locally and internationally for corn and soya bean cultivation. Given the fact that we are working to improve our poultry and fisheries sectors, Government took a decision to give special incentives immediately to

Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha (centre), flanked by Florida Investors and Ministry officials these two crops since they are primary ingredients in animal feed. Annually, Guyana imports about 40,000 tonnes of corn and soya bean which amounts to about US$24 Million. Over the next five years, we in-

Wednesday, December 9, 00:30hrs - 02:00hrs

tend to significantly reduce our food import bill. With these investments coming on stream, we will also see in increase in employment and further development of the sector and the economy,” Minister Mustapha said. Jasyson Baboolall, the Guyanese native heading the team from Florida, said that given the new environment for investments in the country, he is excited to start the ground work to see this project develop. He added that he was always interested in returning to Guyana to invest and now that the “red-tape” on investment seems to be a bit

more relaxed, investments in several sectors should be anticipated. Prior to August 2020, a number of companies publicly aired their grievances about the lack of support from the previous administration, which resulted in several delays or companies pulling out all together from a number of investments. In 2018, businessman Derick Chin criticised the then Government for not providing enough support to aid in the timely completion of the US$45M MovieTowne project. He had noted that the “red tape” and lack of Government support were two of the

major contributing factors to the delay in opening of the state-of-the-art entertainment hub for more than a year. Immediately after taking office, President Irfan Ali said that Guyana is open to foreign investments not just in the petroleum sector but areas that propel the country’s development and enhance the lives of its people. With 2021 being touted as the year of investments and development, the economy is expected to experience immense growth as Government continues to promote and foster its development agenda.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, Decemmber 9, 2020

Hanoman appointed chair of Broadcasting Authority

‒ Dr Rambarran takes charge of GPHC; Livestock, Prison boards also appointed

CABINET has approved the appointments of several new Boards of Directors for State agencies which took effect from December, 2020. These are the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA), the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) and the Prison Visiting Committee. The GNBA board is chaired by prominent Attorney, Glen Hanoman and the other board members are Valmikki Singh, a telecommunications and ICT specialist; Davie Sukdeo, an administrative and marketing

manager; Robert Mohamed, a broadcaster and radio frequency communication engineer; Jason Abdulla, a digital communications specialist;

GPHC Chairman, Dr. Madan Rambarran

and Darryl Akeung, an information technology specialist. The head of the telecommunications agency is also on the board. Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister, Kwame McCoy said the selection of the diverse and experienced board is indicative of Government’s commitment to ensuring professionalism, equity and high standards in the local broadcast industry. The GLDA Board will be chaired by Madanlall Ramraj while directors include Jennifer Chapman, George Jervis, Javed Mustapha, Erick Anderson, Ramsay Ali, Hakeem Mohamed, Debra Gopaul, Dr.

Nardeo Bassoodeo, Wilmot Garnett, Partick DeGroot, Courtley Crichlow, Shameer Mohamed, Mahendranauth Ramjit and Dr. Grayson Halley (ex officio). “In selecting this board, a lot of thought went into it because we were looking for people who can serve and enhance the livestock sector,” said Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha. Meanwhile, Dr. Madan Rambarran has assumed chairmanship of the GPHC Board. He will be supported by directors Harryram Parmessar, Chartered Accountant; Malcolm Watkins, Permanent Secretary, Minis-

try of Health; Dr. Amarnauth Dukhi, head of Neurosurgery at GPHC, representing the Guyana Medical Association; Dr. Fawcett Jeffrey, Director of Medical and Professional Services, GPHC (ex-officio member); Brigadier (ret’d) George Lewis, Chief Executive Officer, GPHC (ex-officio member); Dr. Emanuel Cummings, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Academic Engagement, University of Guyana, representing UG; Cleopatra Barkoye, representing the Guyana Nurses Association; and Dawn Gardener, representing the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU).

GNBA Chairman, Glen Hanoman

With regards to the board of the Prison Visiting Committee, Deoram Timran has been appointed Chairman while directors are Gloria Noble, Everton Poole, Chatergoon Jadoopat, Ragunandan Singh and Natasha Aulder.

33 graduate from MBA programme offered by ‘Nations’ ― university records 86 per cent pass rate for ABE exams By Navendra Seoraj THE “Nations University” continues to progress as one of the leading tertiary institutions in Guyana, recording ‘exceptional’ passes in every programme offered this year. According to a press statement from the university, the students there continue to establish themselves as ‘trendsetters’ in pursuit of advanced education, by continuously leading the way and excelling in the various international programmes offered by the institution. Nations administers a variety of programmes at the tertiary level offered by international institutions such as the University of Bedfordshire, University of London, University of Cambridge, the Project Management Institute (PMI), and the Chartered Institute for Procurement and Supply (CIPS), ACCA, ABE, NEBOSH and more. The programmes offered include Master Degrees in Business Administration with the option of five specialisations; a LLM in International Oil and Gas Law and another in International Business Law, project management, international tourism, planning and management, psychology, banking and finance, and public health; and undergraduate degrees such as the LLB and BA in business administration. A variety of other technical and professional development courses in project management, procurement and supply chain management, ISO 45001 health and safety, and FPSO and oil rig safety manager certification are also offered. In giving a breakdown of the performances by programme, Nations said 33 per-

sons have graduated from the MBA courses, with 10 persons graduating with an oil and gas management MBA; three with a human resources management MBA; three with a marketing MBA; two with a hospital and health services management MBA; and 15 persons with a general MBA. Over 700 students have so far graduated from MBA courses offered by Nations. This programme aims to enhance students’ professional prospects by helping them to develop the capability to apply the latest techniques related to organisational development and change in the competitive global area. Successful completion of the MBA highlights the potential to have a real impact on the transformation of any organisation. Another critical programme, the Master in Education (Leadership), has also “churned out” eight graduates this year. The programme was designed for persons who are in a leadership position or aspire to become a leader within the education sector. It gives educators an opportunity to advance their skills in management and leadership. Meanwhile, the LLM in International Oil and Gas Law, produced its first two graduates, who are now equipped with their Master of Law in Oil and Gas. This programme, which commenced in August, 2019, gives students one year to complete five modules inclusive of a dissertation. Students, throughout the course of this programme, are exposed to the regulatory environment surrounding both the oil and gas upstream and downstream sectors and international commercial litigation and arbitration. LaToya

Herbert and Sursattie Bholaramsingh are the first persons to acquire this qualification through Nations.

Dibbi Kissoon

In addition to the higher-level law programme, five persons were able to successfully complete the LLB programme offered by the Na-

tions School of Law (NSoL). “These students deserve full recognition and applause for such wonderful accomplishments achieved at such an uncertain time amidst a global pandemic that has affected all of us whether that may be financially, mentally or psychologically. “In the midst of an unprecedented move to online examinations and initial glitches in execution at the inception, these students portrayed remarkable dynamism and impeccable versatility and resilience in acquiring their LLB,” said Nations. Exceptional passes were also recorded in the Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration programme.

An 86 per cent pass rate was also recorded in the Association of Business Executives (ABE) programme. According to Nations, persons would have achieved 52 distinctions and 343 merits at those exams. As the second largest ABE centre in the world, Nations offers internationally recognised diplomas in business with specialisations in human resources and marketing that continuously produce world-wide top paper awardees. The five international top paper awardees this year are Ricardo Semple; Bhabita Sookraj; Odesa Blair; Dibbi Kissoon; and Oleita Loncke. For the technical programmes, the university re-

LaToya Herbert

corded 100 per cent passes in both the ISO 45001 and the FPSO and oil rig safety manager certification courses. Nations is currently registering for the January intake for all courses. For more information, interested person are encouraged to call 227 4623 or email info@nations.gy.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, December 9, 2020

Towards a safer city GUYANA needs a world-class city, where residents and visitors feel safe, secured and able to enjoy the full beauty of this country. However, petty street crimes in Georgetown threaten the good work that the Guyana Government has accomplished in elevating the image of Guyana on the world stage. Outgoing Canadian High Commissioner Lilian Chatterjee lauded the Government for repairing Guyana’s global image, restoring the country’s reputation as a thriving democracy. But all too often, media reports assail Guyanese and the world with street crimes in the city. Tragic news of senseless robberies, and cruel crimes on the streets of the capital city cannot be a good thing, as that generates a sense among citizens and potential visitors, including tourists and business investors, of Guyana being an unsafe destination. Government would therefore do well to establish a Cabinet emergency task force to curb all crimes on the streets of the city and towns, because the street-crime situation paints such a horrible picture of this country. The nation cannot accept this ongoing level of crimes on the streets, especially around the Stabroek Market entrance. News earlier this week that bandits trailed and attacked motorcyclist Peter Gonsalves, a senior citizen, as he was riding his motorcycle in the city, and shot him several times, killing him on the spot, while robbing him of his motorcycle, leaves a terrible feeling in the stomach of citizens. With the Christmas season upon the nation, based on past experience, city residents have learned to exercise extreme caution while going about their shopping and business in

their own city. In fact, many petty crimes go unreported, as victims feel their efforts is a waste of time and energy. People have learned to take extreme precaution when traversing the city streets, and citizens do not even wear jewellery or flashy accessories to walk around the city, for fear of armed robbers. Government has embarked on an ambitious project to beautify the city, with First Lady Arya Ali dedicating her energies to this task. After the makeover of the seawall, would there be a programme to ensure the area remains safe and secure, day and night? Once Guyana again enjoys the fun of being a Garden City, it is only natural that the streets should be made safe, secure and sound. The Mayor and City Council seems to lack what it takes to keep the streets safe and sound. The Police Force, over the years, could not curb street crimes. It is imperative, therefore, for Government to step in with an emergency programme to safeguard the streets. One of the major problems is the extreme poverty of areas such as Albouystown, Tiger Bay, pockets of Charlestown, and Werk-enRust. James Street, Leopold Street, Lombard and High Streets, are feeder grounds for dysfunctional youth and drug addicts and uneducated outcasts of society to prey on citizens in the city. Reports even indicate that robbers travel to Georgetown from poverty-stricken villages and inner-city wards of places like Linden and New Amsterdam. As Guyana develops its socioeconomic foundation, one side-benefit would be a reduction of poverty in these inner-city pockets, with less street crimes. But the country cannot

rely on economic upliftment alone to solve the problem; this problem has been going on for far too long, and may trace its roots to the kick-down-the-door bandits that existed in the 1980s. The years of economic degradation under the People’s National Congress pre-1992 devastated many inner-city areas, causing excruciating socioeconomic decline. Generations suffered the consequences. The current Government is making it a strong State policy to reach across all divides and develop every corner of the country. This is laudable, and will bear fruit with safer streets in the long-term. However, Guyana needs an immediate emergency solution to curb street crimes, especially in high-density areas of the city, particularly around the Stabroek Market, and on Regent and Robb and Camp Streets. So serious and critical is the situation, that the United States Department of Trade issued the following warning for 2019 and 2020: “There is serious risk from crime in Georgetown. The general crime rate in Guyana is above the U.S. national average. Serious crimes (e.g. murder, armed robbery) are common. The most recent information from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime lists Guyana’s 2016 homicide rate as 18.37 per 100,000 people; the fourth highest murder rate in South America behind Colombia, Venezuela, and Brazil. Guyana’s murder rate is four times higher than that of the U.S. As of August 2018, local media reports indicated a 7% decrease in overall serious crimes, but a 23% increase in robberies without a weapon. Criminals regularly use weapons, despite a rigorous licensing requirement to own fire-

arms. Handguns, knives, machetes, or cutlasses tend to be the weapons of choice. Criminals may act brazenly, and police officers have been both victims and perpetrators of assaults and shootings. Criminals are increasingly willing to resort to violence while committing all types of crimes. If confronted by an armed criminal, do not argue or attempt to confront him/her. Criminals are often organised, travel in groups of two or more, and conduct surveillance on their victims. Criminals generally will not hesitate to show multiple weapons as an intimidation tactic during a robbery. Quickly relinquish your valuables and do not resist, unless you believe your life is in imminent danger. Armed robberies including carjacking occur regularly, especially in businesses and shopping districts. Armed robberies of business/patron establishments occur frequently in Georgetown.” This is unacceptable for Guyana, as the Government opens up investment opportunities to the world. Making the capital city safe and sound and secure is an absolute imperative, if Guyana is to achieve Government’s goal of becoming a global success story. That will take strong, decisive, direct action from the highest levels of Government, to curb street crimes and secure every corner of Georgetown as a safe zone. People should be able to walk and use the streets of Georgetown, New Amsterdam, and Linden, and other towns day or night, knowing that they are in a worldclass city that secures their freedom to enjoy Guyana’s blessings.

Four months of rigging was very costly to some: The US does not bluff Dear Editor, AS an objective observer and a concerned Guyanese who is not a registered member of any political party in Guyana, I would say to all Guyanese, regardless of race or political affiliation, that they should never allow what happened in the aftermath of the March 2, 2020 general and regional elections to occur again. Everyone should put the country first, and stand up for what is right and just. The people of Guyana, especially the youths who are 65 per cent of the population, must never again experience such political trauma. What transpired at the Ashmin Building and at GECOM head office on March 4, 5, and 6 by the Returning Election Officer of Region Four and others was reprehensible, scandalous, outrageous and beastly. It was a blatant attempt to steal the elections, in order to remain in power. And those who perpetrated such vicious and thuggish acts and held the nation hostage for five months must face the full force of the law, and should be banished from politics and society. The anguish and grief suffered by many during the five-month ordeal could have long-term consequences on their psyche. For five months, Guyanese witnessed an election filled with trauma, falsehoods and threats of violence as the government at the time tried to discredit the elections and overturn democracy in the country. In this period, a number of frivolous cases were filed in the courts, and appeals were made all the way to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), but, as was expected, they were all were dismissed or thrown out, thanks to the sound judicial system in Guyana and the CCJ.

Every effort was made by the ruling party at the time to deny victory to the PPP. They did not succeed, thanks to the overwhelming support from ABC and EU countries, CARICOM, the Organisation of American States (OAS) and the Commonwealth of Nations who fought with all their might to make sure that democracy prevails in Guyana. If as stated by the APNU+AFC that they had won the election, then all they had to do was to present their Statements of Poll (SoPs) to the public to support their claim. The PPP, did and its numbers matched those of the recount results. To his day, the Coalition has not made their SoPs public, and they continue to tell their supporters that they had won the election, and that the present government is illegitimate. It shows that they are on Mars and not on Planet Earth. The truth is, the leaders of the Coalition knew that they’d lost the election, but they, like Trump, have refused to concede in order to have a peaceful transfer of power as was the case in 2015 when the APNU+AFC won the election. The ABC and the European Union diplomats were disgusted and appalled at the Region Four Returning Officer’s barefaced attempt to produce fake and artificial numbers in front of the world, in the advent of social media. He was not wise enough to anticipate the powerful impact of the social media which helped to discredit his hoax. The Western diplomats’ refusal to accept his scam have led to death threats, and a series of scathing and disparaging criticisms on them that were baseless, untruthful and spurious, to say the least. Similar threats and criticisms were made against the chairs of GECOM and CARICOM, the OAS, the Commonwealth of Nations and in particular to the former Prime Ministers of Barbados

and Jamaica. Not even the Justices of the High Court in Guyana and the Caribbean Court of Justice whose rulings were based on the Constitution were spared the threats, criticisms and disparaging remarks. But as the election saga continued, the recount of the votes showed that the PPP had won the election, despite the fictitious, baseless and illegitimate claims put forth by the Coalition. However, the Courts had ruled that the Chief Elections Officer (CEO) of GECOM was not constitutionally appointed, as was falsely claimed by some, and that the recount of votes, which showed that the PPP had won the elections, were legal and valid. Therefore, the CEO was asked by the Chair of GECOM to issue a report, based on the results of the recount votes. He did not; he presented a report which disqualified 275,000 of the 460,000 or 60 per cent of the votes cast. It was rejected by GECOM. As if his shameless and crooked action was not enough, the CEO issued a second report, which disqualified 115,000 votes. In both of his reports, he ignored the ruling of Guyana’s Appeals Court, the CCJ and the Chair of GECOM. However, it is important to mention the two false reports were issued by the same CEO of GECOM, who had earlier projected that it will take 156 days to recount the 460,000 votes cast, yet he was able to single-handedly count the same number of votes cast twice in less than seven days. What a moron! The five-month ordeal has disgraced the citizens, stained the country, and damaged its reputation in the international community, including the CARICOM member states, the Commonwealth of Nations and the OAS. It was silly of the leaders of the Coalition to blame foreign intervention by the ABC and

EU diplomats and their concocted claim that the diplomats supported the PPP. The fact is they were too preoccupied with overturning the election and maintaining power to realise that the same ABC and EU countries had supported the democratically-elected APNU+AFC in 2015. However, the PPP also has to share part of the blame for what transpired during the five months when democracy was threatened in Guyana. For the 23 years the PPP was in office, it did not make any serious attempt to change the structure of the Carter design of GECOM to better represent the interest of the people. The current GECOM structure, which comprises of three commissioners from each of the two main political parties means that the agency would be at an impasse in its decision-making process, given the fact that the commissioners are more likely to represent their party’s interest. After four months in office, the Government should have established a Commission of Inquiry into the 2020 elections. The delay on such an important issue is uncalled for. Needless to say, the leaders of the Coalition, including the former President, were warned on several occasions by the Western diplomats, especially the U.S., that their actions would result in severe consequences. They did not take the U.S. warnings seriously. As it turned out, they were wrong, as most of them had their U.S. visas revoked, and are barred indefinitely from entering the U.S. It was a costly mistake, and they have learned the hard way. The United States does not bluff. Yours truly, Dr. Asquith Rose

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, December 9, 2020

Several demand apology from Police Force for ‘wrongful arrest’ By Nafeeza Yahya-Sukar

SEVERAL persons who were “wrongfully” arrested and placed in the Springlands Police Station lock-up and then had their mugshot published in a local online media outlet are demanding a public apology from the Guyana Police Force and the news entity. Kimberly Hoyte, 21, a mother of two of Dukeston, Corriverton, East Berbice, Corentyne recalled that a group of police officers surrounded her home around 21:00 hrs on Saturday and demanded to search it. The woman explained that she complied, and, even though nothing was found, she was subsequently arrested and taken to the Springlands Police Station and placed in the lock-up. She noted later in the night she was joined by two

Kimberly Hoyte other young women, Sheniza Felix, of Scottsburg and Latoya Gilgeous. A teen was also arrested but was not placed in the cell. The teen at the time was spending holiday at her relatives. She too said the incident has left her traumatised. At around 03:00 hrs, the

women were taken out from the cell and made to hold a card alleging that they received stolen articles. Hoyte said the incident has affected her mentally. “I start crying because I say my reputation and job at risk then the female officer came in and asked the Corporal those girls on Facebook, who did that? And he tell she wha he gon do? The entire situation has had a negative on my life and mental health. First time ever I was arrested, locked and accused of something I didn’t even know about,” Hoyte. Meanwhile, Felix of Scottsburg, Corriverton noted that the police collected a flat screen television from her home but she had a receipt for the purchase of said television. “I want to take legal action for defamation of character. I need them to clear my

name and let my pictures come off the Internet. I want them to get to the bottom of it and find who was responsible for sending out the pictures. It was insulting to me and my family. People laughing me all and its very hurtful to me. My name is tarnished. Whoever is responsible should be held accountable. I don’t want anyone else to go through such insulting experience,” she stated. According to Mark Matthews, 18, the entire situation has embarrassed him. Matthews explained that he and

a friend were on their way to drop another friend home and while they were in the street they noticed the police. As they slowed down, the police began to tap on their car. He and the two other friends were arrested and were subsequently booked for robbery under arms. He too is demanding a public apology. Since the incident people had been looking at him differently, the teen said. “I riding today and people just looking at me. I only finish school couple months now and my reputation just

sink cause they do that,” the young man related. His friend, Shaundy Grimes, 20, said, “I want justice”. Three other individuals who were arrested also expressed similar sentiments via their social media. Commander of B Division, Jairam Ramlakhan has since issued an apology to two of the aggrieved persons. He stressed that an investigation has been launched and the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) is also investigating the incident.

Man who allegedly killed neighbour to know fate soon STATE prosecutor, Teriq Mohammed, on Tuesday, closed the State’s case in the trial of a 50-year-ol Mahaica, East Coast Demerara man, who allegedly killed his neighbour in 2017. Forrester Gravesande is before Justice Navindra Singh and a 12-member jury at the High Court. Justice Singh has set Thursday, December 10, 2020, for the summing up of evidence in the matter, following which he will hand the case to the jury to deliberate on a verdict.

Forrester Gravesande According to the murder indictment, Gravesande, on April 09, 2017, allegedly murdered 49-year-old Courtney Porter. He has pleaded

not guilty to the indictment. Gravesande is represented by Attorney-at-law, Dexter Todd. According to reports, Porter was reportedly beaten to the head with a piece of wood by Gravesande who had accused him of pulling his wife’s clothes. Porter was hospitalised while Gravesande was charged with attempt to commit murder and released on bail. However, Porter later succumbed to his injures and Gravesande was charged for murder.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, December 9, 2020

Guyana to become arbitration hub By Richard Bhainie

A PROPOSAL to revamp Guyana’s arbitration laws and practice has been accepted by the Government of Guyana. The Attorney General and The Minister of Legal Affair, Anil Nandlall, has engaged the services of retired Justice of the Supreme Court of Belize, Courtney Abel, to undertake the task of upgrading Guyana’s existing Arbitration legislation and make recommendations on developing the country into an arbitration empire. Arbitration is a form of an Alternative Method of Dispute Resolution (ADR). It is a private procedure, whereby parties involved in a dispute, submit the dispute to one or more arbitrators, mutually agreed upon, and the arbitrator makes a legally binding decision on the matter. Because of the adversarial nature of the court system, it is usually a last resort option for the commercial industry and arbitration is extensively preferred, due to its confidential and time-saving nature. Justice Abel, a prominent legal practitioner within the Caribbean, will review all of Guyana’s exist-

ing laws and regulations in the subject area and make appropriate recommendations for the repeal, reform and passing of new laws. He has so far recommended that Guyana sign onto and ratify into its domestic jurisdiction, The United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration (1985); the United Nations Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards (New York Convention); the Inter-American Convention on International Commercial Arbitration (Panama Convention); and the United States Bilateral Investment Treaty (USBIT). The implementation of the recommendations will be the first step of Guyana stepping onto the world stage and becoming up to par with international arbitration arrangements. Justice Abel is a Guyanese, who has practised privately on a broad range of matters in the UK, Anguilla and the Caribbean and has made appearance before the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. He was twice elected and served as President of

Teen boys remanded over rape of girl, seven THE two teens who were arrested for the rape of a seven-year-old girl in Bartica Friday last, were charged Tuesday with the offence and will make their next court appearance on December 31. The two teens appeared in court and were not required to enter a plea to the indictable charge. The 15-year-old was remanded to the Juvenile Detention Centre in Sophia while the 18-year-old was remanded to the Lusignan Prison. Reports indicated that the child’s mother retired to bed just around 22:00hrs Friday last with her youngest child, while the seven-year-old and her brother went to sleep in a separate room. The mother related that she was awakened at around 03:00hrs and noticed her son in her bed and upon checking on her daughter, she discovered her missing. The mother of three said neighbours formed a search party since the area was bushy. However, the mother expressed her dissatisfaction over the response of the police who were contacted to help the family in the search. She was told by the ranks that a missing person’s report will have to be filed after 24 hours before their intervention. Subsequently, two police officers arrived at the location to take the mother to the police station to file the report, but she refused to leave the search for her daughter. The child was later found naked by relatives in a bushy area leading to a creek. The mother wrapped her daughter in a towel and travelled to the police station in an attempt to get the matter sorted out as soon as possible, so she could then transport the child to seek medical attention. However, because of the delay in taking the statement at the police station, the mother took the seven-year-old to the hospital where she was admitted in a stable condition. Residents of the community had related that one of the suspects is a known character in the community and was involved in thefts at multiple homes in the district.

the Anguilla Bar Association, served as Secretary, Vice-President and as President of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Bar Association and as Treasurer and President of Organisation of Commonwealth Caribbean Bar Associations (OCCBA), as well as Vice-President of the Anguilla Financial Services Association. Justice Abel was also instrumental in the drafting of the Arbitration Act and Arbitration Rules of Belize and was the Chairperson for the Belize Court-Connected Mediation and Arbitration Programme. GOLD STANDARD ARBITRATION VENUE He expressed that he “very much hopes by his involvement in, what for him is a grand idea for

Guyana’s development, he would be able to build confidence in international investors that Guyana is a competent, gold standard arbitration venue; a regional arbitration hub or centre and a commercial gateway to South America, from within the Caribbean”. Minister Nandlall is of the opinion that the current developments will not only have a monumental impact within the local jurisdiction, but will also foster regional and international confidence in Guyana becoming a first-class commercial dispute resolution destination. Previously speaking to this publication on November 18, Nandlall indicated that “if one is to look at the contracts and the documents emanating from the sector, you will see that there’s a consistent

provision for disputes to be resolved by arbitration.” The current domestic legislation to facilitate Arbitration is the Arbitration Act 1919, with minor amendments. As a result of this archaic law, investors are deterred to undertake methods of alternative dispute resolution within Guyana. The Attorney-General previously expressed to this publication that, that is not conducive to Guyana’s growth and development and there is a wealth of opportunities associated with this being facilitated locally. “As a Government, it is our responsibility to ensure that these disputes are resolved here, so that, first of all, it will be quick; secondly, it will be less expensive, and thirdly, there are

great benefits which can be derived from the disputes being resolved here. It will provide jobs for people; it will generate income, and it will make Guyana an attractive litigation and arbitration destination,” Nandlall previously told this publication. The Minister of Legal Affairs and Justice Abel both recognise that the public must be kept fully informed of the whole proposed arrangement and as this move towards arbitration advances. They both acknowledge that the public, including court users, parties to disputes, court officers and administrators as well as businesses, would benefit from continuous sensitisation by way of public education, as to the customs and practices of arbitration.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, December 9, 2020

Drivers complain of unmarked and high speedbumps

DRIVERS have complained bitterly about the damage to their vehicles from unmarked speedbumps and speedbumps that are too high in Georgetown. Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle on Monday,

drivers in the city lamented that unmarked speedbumps and speedbumps with faded paint are unrecognisable at night, resulting in damage to their vehicles. The consensus among the drivers is that speedbumps

An unmarked speedbump at Red Road, Sophia

are essential, since they play a significant role in reducing the speed of traffic, but because they are unmarked, they blend in with the road at night, and are difficult to identify. Therefore, drivers who are not familiar with the area are not conscious of the existence of the speedbumps until they come in contact with them. “In the night, it’s a hazard, because until you reach the bump or sometime until you go over, then you realise there’s a bump there,” Gavin Morgan, a taxi driver explained. This results in drivers going over speed bumps unexpectedly which consequently damage the shock absorbers

of their vehicles, along with other parts. “Another problem with the speedbumps is that although some are marked, they are too high, Princes Street has some, and when you go over them the bottom of your car grazes and it damages your car,” Keith Walcott, a taxi driver, explained. Kevin Sandiford, a driver at the route 45 minibus park added that “some of them need to be a little lower, not too much, but they need a standard measurement system to implement for speedbumps.” Sandiford also recommended that caution signs are placed next to speedbumps so that drivers will be notified. Drivers are distressed that this is causing them unnecessary expenses to fix their vehicles when they are damaged. When contacted by this publication, officials of the See page 11

A faded speedbump at Duncan St, Georgetown

A faded speedbump at Middleton & Garnett St, Georgetown

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, December 9, 2020

‘Hot Skull’ found guilty Drivers complain ... of murdering footballer From page 10

THREE years after the gruesome murder of Albouystown footballer, Paul Daniels, who was ‘gunneddown’ during a robbery, his killer, Alvin Jones, called “Hot Skull” was on Tuesday found guilty of the crime. Thomas, formerly of Castello Housing Scheme, Georgetown, was convicted by a 12-member jury. Trial Judge, Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry, at the Georgetown High Court, further remanded Thomas to prison pending a probation report and sentencing for December 22, 2020. The State was represented by Prosecutor Nafeeza Baig, while Thomas was represented by Attorney-at-law Stanley Moore.

Alvin Jones, called “Hot Skull” The Guyana Chronicle has reported that on February 2, 201-7, Daniels, 32, called “Dundee”, who was a footballer attached to the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) was gunned-down at his fiancée’s Independence Boulevard, Albouystown

home. Based on reports received, two armed men entered the home through a door located on the northern side of the building, which was left open. The armed men held Daniels and his fiancée at gunpoint, and relieved him of a gold chain, which he was wearing at the time, and an undisclosed sum of money. The robbers then made good their escape, while Daniels gave chase behind them. During the pursuit, one of the robbers discharged several rounds, one of which hit Daniels in the region of his stomach and chest. Daniels was picked up and rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

DEAD: Paul Daniels

Traffic Safety Maintenance Department of the Works Services Group, Ministry of Public Works, explained that works are underway to paint the speedbumps. The officials at the department also explained that the marking of speedbumps is a continuous process, however, due to speedbumps fading over a period of time, it takes a while for the department to address the issue. “They are done in such a way that in some instances they bring you to a full stop, and in other instances you can just climb slowly,” a spokesperson, who prefers not to be named, from the department said. The spokesperson acknowledged that some speedbumps are indeed too high and the department is working to grade them down, and in some cases, widen them to allow for a smoother transition when going over the bumps.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, December 9, 2020

Appeal Court upheld sentence for murder convicts Morrison, Persaud

THE Guyana Court of Appeal on Monday affirmed a 20-year sentence imposed on Rafael Rene Morrison and Joshua Persaud for the murder of Marlon Andrew Ramcharran, who was fatally chopped at Tain, Berbice in 2013. In 2014, at the Berbice High Court, Persaud, called ‘Sunny Boy’ and Morrison, called ‘Red Head’ were found guilty of the offence by a 12-person jury. They were each sentenced to serve 20 years’ in prison by Justice Diana Insanally. Dissatisfied, the duo moved to the Appeal Court

seeking to have their conviction and sentencing overturned. The convicts argued that there were issues with the trial’s summing up as it related to the direction and guidance on how the jury must treat with the identification evidence given by the prosecution’s main witnesses. The men also asked the court for their immediate release from prison given that the appeal was heard almost six years after it was filed, and eight years after they were charged. While citing Article 144

of the Constitution which states that every person is entitled to a fair hearing within a reasonable time, the men argued that the delay in their appeal hearing amounts to a breach of their constitutional rights. Persaud was represented by Attorney-at-Law, Murseline Bacchus, while Morrison was represented by Attorney-at-Law, Kim Kyte-Thomas. The appeal was heard by acting Chancellor, Yonette Cummings-Edwards and Justices of Appeal, Rishi Persaud and Dawn Gregory. The Chancellor rejected

arguments made on behalf of the two convicts. According to the Chancellor, the delay is an issue faced by all other appellants due to the backlog faced by the judiciary. However, the Chancellor took into account the ruling in relation to the matter of Romeo Da Costa Hall, which was cited by the Caribbean Court of Justice where full credit should be granted for the time an accused person spent in pre-trial custody. In the end, the Court rejected the appeal to reduce the convicts’ sentence to reflect the time already spent in pre-trial custody,

and further ordered that the sentence take effect from the date of their conviction. The evidence in court revealed that the men had been drinking together at the ‘Dusk Till Dawn Night Club’ at Tain New Housing Scheme before an argument ensued, which led to the fatal chopping in which Ramcharran sustained wounds to his head, neck and other parts of his body. Ramcharran was at a bar in the village with two friends, Nicholas Beharry and Rakesh Jaikarran. They left the bar at 2.30 am. Ramcharran went ahead of his

DEAD Marlon Andrew Ramcharran friends. They then heard him shouting, “You chopping the wrong person” and they ran towards him. They allegedly saw when the men continued to chop Ramcharran, who collapsed to the ground.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, December 9, 2020

Murder charge against Milami Alli withdrawn THE Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), on Monday, withdrew a murder charge against 50-year-old Milami Alli, who spent the last 20 months on remand for allegedly murdering her reputed husband in 2009. Alli was before Senior Magistrate, Fabayo Azore, at the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court where a preliminary inquiry (PI) was being conducted. The indictment alleged that between July 11, 2009 and July 12, 2009, at Coldingen, East Coast Demerara, Alli murdered her husband, Ramzan Alli, who was a well-known fuel dealer and

businessman. She was represented by attorney-at law, Bernard DaSilva. When the case was called on Monday, the court was informed that, based on the advice from the DPP, the murder charge was withdrawn against Alli. Magistrate Azore, acting on the instructions from the DPP, dismissed the murder charge against the accused. However, Alli’s alleged ex-lover, Zaheed Mitchell, 39, is still on remand for the fuel dealer’s murder and will have to face a PI. According to reports, Alli, a well-known fuel dealer, was found in the trunk of a rented Toyota

calls to his cell phone went unanswered; his skull was said to have been bashed in. According to the prosecution’s case, Mitchell and others murdered Alli between July 11 and 12, 2009. Mitchell was remanded to prison until April 15, 2019. It was during the investigation that Milami Alli’s name surfaced and an arrest warrant was therefore issued FREED Milami Alli Carina motor car on the railway embankment at Coldingen, East Coast Demerara. The body was found by relatives who had mounted a search for him, after several

for her. According to reports, Alli had paid Mitchell, with whom she reportedly had an affair, $7M to murder her husband. Alli was arrested upon arrival at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport on the evening of Thursday, April 4, 2019, after leaving the U.S. aboard a Caribbean Airlines flight.

DEAD Ramzan Alli

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, December 9, 2020

Domestic air travel records 16% increase

–– International travels increase by 5.2% PRIOR to the globally devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, Guyana was on an upward trajectory as it relates to air travel, both domestic and international. This was outlined by Lt. Col. (Ret’d) Egbert Field, A.A, the Director General of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), in a message to observe International Civil Aviation Day on Monday, December 7, under the theme, “Advancing Innovation for Director General of Global Aviation Devel- the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority, (GCAA) opment”. Field specified that Lt. Col. (Ret’d) Egbert domestic air travel has Field, A.A, recorded a significant 16 per cent increase, with some 224,881 passengers travelling within Guyana’s borders in 2019. “Domestic aviation is also critical to the growth and sustainability of several sectors including Oil and Gas, Mining, Forestry, Agriculture and Tourism,” Field noted. Similarly, for the same 2018-2019 COVID-free period, airlift of international passengers grew by 5.2 per cent, with 751, 000 passengers being transported in and out of Guyana. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic, which has been alive and well for approximately one year, has taken a substantial toll on the aviation industry. “Aviation is now in a recovery mode,” Field said. RECOVERY He added that the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), through its Council’s Aviation Recovery Task Force (CART) has provided “practical, aligned guidance to governments and industry operators in order to restart the international air transport sector and recover from the impacts of COVID-19 on a coordinated global basis.” Field explained that the GCAA has been used as the framework established by the ICAO’s CART to formulate Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Airports and Aircraft Operators. “These SOPs were Gazetted as the COVID-19 Emergency Regulations for Aviation in Guyana, to protect aviation stakeholders and the public from exposure to Covid-19,” Field noted in his message. He said that the GCAA has also developed and launched a website - Guyanatravel.gy, which provides updated information on travel requirements for passengers desirous of coming to Guyana, and an online form for all passengers to complete 24 hours before travel. INNOVATIONS He noted that the pandemic has highlighted the critical need for States and aviation stakeholders to embrace innovation as a means of connecting people and transporting passengers in a safe, secure, and efficient manner, all while steering clear of a See page 16

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, December 9, 2020

Over 21,000 review requests received by CXC for 2020 examinations FACED with an unprecedented influx of over 21,000 review requests and over 3100 queries, the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) is yet to say when it will be releasing the official results of its 2020 examinations, and would only say that it is working assiduously to complete queries and review requests. The body received a total of 10,055 review requests for subjects at the Caribbean Secondary Ed-

CXC Chairman Professor Sir Hilary Beckles ucation Certificate (CSEC) and 11,551 requests for reviews of subjects written at the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE). The numbers represent a review of 1.8 percent of the results for CSEC and 9.67 percent of the results for CAPE. The review requests marks an over 1200 percent increase for CSEC and over 900 percent increase for CAPE of review requests, when compared to 2019. Additionally, the body received a total of 2,174 queries for CSEC and 945 queries for CAPE, both staggering numbers when compared with previous years. CXC has been facing an unprecedented situation since it released the preliminary results for its 2020 examinations on September 22, with complaints of a high number of “ungraded” and unsatisfactory results. The complainants believe the situation arose from CXC issuing a modified version of their exams at the 2020 sitting. The announcement of

and speedy completion” of the review process. “We understand that the wait has been long for many. It is expected that this process will be completed shortly and we therefore request your continued patience and support as we carefully navigate this challenging period,” the

CXC Registrar Dr. Wayne Wesley the official results from the exams were expected following the closure of the period for queries and review requests, for which the deadline was November 6. Several students are anxious for the release of the results and reviews, as the results are vital to their university and college applications, and other career pursuits. Several students have also individually paid US$15 per subject to CXC to have their results reviewed privately. Some students have begun to receive responses for some of their review requests. In a statement released by the Council, on Monday, the body would only say that the review process is expected to be completed shortly, and pleaded for patience from stakeholders. “We understand the psychosocial impact of the extended COVID-19 related circumstances and have heard the concerns of Ministry officials, teachers, parents and students. These concerns are being addressed with further consideration of the hardships that students and their parents may have been experiencing,” the statement said. The Council said that in addition to the review requests and queries received, it “has been reviewing single grade changes, as well as the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects”. According to the Council “this approach will help to expedite the process of reviews”. The body said that it is committed to a “thorough

statement said. To mitigate the situation, CXC registrar Dr. Wayne Wesley, and Chairman, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles had noted during a press conference in October that CXC would be increasing its capacity and putting several other measures

in place to handle the queries and reviews in a timely manner. However, some students do not believe things are being done as pledged. According to the Council it will provide a further update next week, via a media briefing. In Guyana over the

past weekend the Ministry of Education (MoE) had revealed that some 51 percent of the queries sent to CXC over unsatisfactory results have been resolved, while 17 out of the 20 schools where students received ungraded results, have now received results.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, December 9, 2020

Domestic air travel records 16% ... From page 14

deadly disease. “The need for paperless travel is greatest during this period of the pandemic and has highlighted the need for much investment in technological infrastructure,” Field posited. The Director General emphasized that the GCAA has, over the years, made notable strides in innovation, all of which are consistent with the aforementioned theme for this year’s Aviation Day observances. Some of the innovative projects include the establishment of “a modern Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) system, with remote ground Stations at Kaieteur, Annai, Port Kaituma, and Kamarang and the Central Station at Timehri, to monitor the movement of aircraft within our airspace; the establishment of a modern 3D flight simulator in the Civil Aviation Training School; the computerization of its Licensing and Examination system, as well as its transition from a paper booklet to plastic card licence for aviation personnel.

The agency was also successful in launching a Drones Unit to regulate the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles within Guyana’s airspaces. Meanwhile, Senior Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill, in his message, said that the aviation sector is becoming increasingly attractive for investment opportunities with significant increases in new and potential market entrants “which are demanding premium facilities and other complementary services. Hence, to make these facilities available, government has committed to developing and expanding infrastructure such as the Cheddi Jagan International Airport to cater to increased flights, larger aircraft, and improved safety for departures, and landings and thereby opening opportunities to become a regional hub for air transport.” Edghill maintained that Guyana stands ready with its fellow 193 member States and ICAO to work towards Global Aviation Development.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, December 9, 2020

Shopping for Christmas a hazard for Persons With Disabilities By Rehana Ahamad

ONE of the most important components of the Christmas season is the preparation for it. This very critical aspect involves much cleaning and shopping. While many of us aren’t always fond of the cleaning, we do find much joy in buying goodies for ourselves and those we love. Unfortunately, Persons With Disabilities (PWD) are prevented from fully indulging in the latter joy, because certain parts of our beloved Georgetown aren’t conducive to their mobility. Ganesh Singh, Programme Coordinator of the Guyana Council of Organizations for Persons With Disabilities, lamented this fact during an interview with the Guyana Chronicle. Singh said that although they may want to, many persons with disabilities avoid going out to shop, especially during the Christmas season. He made specific reference to limited access to stores, as many of these are not wheelchair-accessible. “Even if they (wheelchair users) have persons to accompany them, they can’t even enter some of the stores,” Singh noted. This can be attested to by Uttamkumar Isurdeen, a wheelchair user who refuses to allow disability-related challenges to keep him down. “I guess because of my willpower and so, I try my best to manage on my own, but it is difficult, because many of the stores are inaccessible,” Isurdeen maintained. A mere walk down Regent Street would reveal that many stores do not have

wheelchair ramps. As a matter of fact, most business entrances have been modified to become less accessible to persons with disabilities, boasting of steps and in some cases, unreasonably high stumps. Many businesses have defended their modifications, explaining that it is a mechanism to protect their entities from steady floods. Isurdeen maintained that while businesses are not entirely at fault, some remedies should be instituted to ensure inclusivity for persons with disabilities.

Accident survivor and celebrated athlete, Uttamkumar Isurdeen “Even though we might want to send somebody to buy something for us, or we might buy something online, it is not the same. I believe that anybody, when they want to buy something, they want to examine it properly…they want to feel it and so before they buy it,” the athlete related. Because of these very accessibility challenges, Linden make-up artist and fashion diva, Setra Oselmo has not done any of her own shopping in almost 14 years.

with no timeline attached. Singh noted too that engagements have been hosted with the govern-

Ganesh Singh, Programme Coordinator of the Guyana Council of Organizations for Persons With Disabilities “I usually take pictures of what I want, and I ask people to buy it for me,” she explained. Meanwhile, Singh lamented the need for heightened sensitivity from business places and sales persons. “For instance, a blind person who doesn’t have somebody to accompany them would need help with finding and getting the explanation for a product, and not many people are willing to provide that kind of assistance,” Singh stated. The local broadcasted also expressed concerns with regard to the use, or more specifically, the misuse of city pavements and pathways. He said that the Mayor and City Council of Georgetown are aware of the aforementioned grievances, and have promised that the concerns would be addressed and rectified in a new building code for the city. Mayor Ubraj Narine had told this newspaper that the draft document is currently under consultation,

ment of Guyana with the hope that inclusivity would prevail, and in excess of 50,000 persons with dis-

abilities would be able to indulge in their independence, as meaningful contributors to society.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, December 9, 2020

Fire Service advising safety for Christmas season

EVEN while the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) has recorded a decrease in total fires compared to 2019, the GFS is advising persons to ensure proper safety precautions are taken moving into the Christmas season. On Monday, Fire Chief, Marlon Gentle, in an interview with the Guyana Chronicle, provided detailed statistics on the effects of fires in 2020 and the years

past. According to the Fire Chief, a total of 1,036 outdoor vegetation fires were reported by affected residents; 336 fires were recorded at private buildings; 62 relating to motor vehicles; 32 at government properties and one in relation to a generator. The fire chief disclosed that the total amount of fires recorded for 2020 is 1,465 and show a significant decrease from the 1,730 that

was recorded in 2019. This reduction, the Fire Chief believes, comes as citizens are ‘seemingly behaving more responsibly these days’, as the fire service recorded a16-per cent reduction in fires that resulted from carelessness. He added that although the total number of fires saw a reduction from the 2019 figure, this year saw an increase in fires set with

malicious intent. “We had 141 cases of those activities this year as against 110 in 2019. Of course, we have to take into consideration the activities that took place on the West Coast of Berbice and even during the election period; some properties were purposely damaged by fires,” Gentle explained. Meanwhile, the Fire Chief stated that in the com-

ing season which has been known to reflect a slight increase in fires originating from residential properties, the fire service is encouraging persons to take the necessary precautions to avoid any potential loss or destruction of property due to fires. “We understand that for this holiday season, we are in a pandemic mode and more indoor activities will occur and, therefore, safety and the safety of your environment should be a major consideration, especially as you decorate, cook, utilize more cooking appliances and so on. We urge that you at least do the basic things as having your appliances cleaned and checked out, your stove serviced, your electrical systems checked out by a qualified or certified electrician that it is in keeping with what is rated for use, and also avoid using drop chords under carpeting and so on,” said Gentle. Further, the fire chief reminded persons that while running their Christmas lights in this festive season, consideration must be given to ensure that drop chords and electrical outlets are not overloaded. Gentle additionally reminded that citizens pay attention to the manuals of their equipment as they provide guidance for safe use of those items. Gentle further remind-

Fire Chief Marlon Gentle ed that while the GFS is cognizant that persons may be inclined to playing with firecrackers as a celebratory activity during this period, there are significant safety implications that may arise from this activity. “There is the tendency for persons to use fire crackers and these kinds of Christmas celebratory stuff, candles, and so; just ensure that you use them safely, ensure that you use them away from things like curtains and blinds and those plastic type decorations that are not fire resistant. Those things can pose a grave treat and can lead to losses if persons are not careful,” explained Gentle. The Fire Chief further advised that persons follow the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) and the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) guidelines for safe use of electrical equipment and appliance, so as to ensure that they continue to have a safe and festive Christmas season.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, December 9, 2020

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, Decemmber 9, 2020

CONCACAF Qualifiers for FIFA WC Qatar 2022 …

Three months preparation remain for inactive Golden Jaguars By Kizan Brumell

IT comes as no secret that the pandemic has had an extra impact on the sport fraternity in Guyana. With no one having much of a sturdy handle on the situation, teams and athletes continue to suffer from the guidelines which prevent them from effectively preparing for international events. Last Friday, CONCACAF confirmed the schedule for FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 with the first round of matches commencing in March 2021. That round will be played between the CONCACAF member associations ranked 6-35, based on the FIFA Men’s Ranking as of July 16, 2020. The Golden Jaguars are booked in Group F with Trinidad and Tobago (TRI), St Kitts and Nevis (SKN), Puerto Rico (PUR) and The Bahamas (BAH). Jaguars’ first two matches will be against TRI on March 25 while the second comes days later against BAH on March 30. They then have just over a month before the final two games in the Group stage against SKN (June 4) and PUR (June 8). The CONCACAF official rankings currently have T&T at 11th position, SKN at 14th, Guyana occupy the 20th spot while PUR are locked in at 25th and BAH are 30th. Guyana have just over three months to get their gears well oiled, with Golden Jaguars head coach Márcio Máximo eager to receive confirmation from the National COVID-19 Task Force so that the senior side can resume training. Until then, it will take a disciplined effort from the local athletes to keep active since the commencement of the pandemic. HEAD- TO-HEAD Guyana’s history with Trinidad and Tobago produces great competitions that are marginally decided or in most cases ending as a stalemate. In the last 5 headto-head games, both teams have only one win against each other, along with 3 draws that all ended 1-1. The second opponent is The Bahamas; this will be an unchartered territory since the two sides have never met. They then meet SKN who have won their most recent encounter in 2014 while PUR, the final Group stage hurdle, were defeated (1-0) in their last match in 2016. GUYANA’S DISADVANTAGE There has been partial resumption of training in a few sports in the nation and even a competition or two being approved by the National Task Force. However, football still remains

sidelined and alhough the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) submitted its application to the National Task Force, it is still awaiting approval close to a month ago. Meanwhile, the other four nations in the Group have already resumed training which immediately sets Guyana at a disadvantage. Speaking with president of the federation, Wayne Forde, he said: Guyana’s preparation is already frighteningly behind, as every day that goes by, our chances of performing well is sort of affected. What is of greater concern is to not give the local players an opportunity to showcase their talent and probably secure international contracts, given the visibility the FIFA 2022 World Cup will receive and also the CONCACAF Gold Cup in July.” He went on to say, “We know our international players are active in the international leagues but with no sport being allowed in Guyana, our local players have been inactive for almost a year. The time (few weeks) we have left is rapidly becoming untenable in regards to preparation. I don’t believe that if we go out of the December window that we will be able to adequately prepare the local players for a chance to break into the squad and that is very unfortunate.” With each passing day, the option for the federation to select a team only from a foreign-based pool of players looks more likely. The GFF president remains optimistic that once the Task Force is satisfied that the GFF can implement those plans submitted and not expose the players and anyone associated with the team to become infected, then the federation will be granted the approval. Forde also stated that since no response has been given since submitting the application, retesting will also have to occur. “Three weeks ago we tested the players and since nothing has happened in that time we will have to retest

those players; some of whom were afraid to do the test as most people are, and putting them back through that is something I do not want to do, but it will be necessary. T&T ready Among the group, T&T are Guyana’s oldest football rivals with a record that began in 1978 that features 22 matches between the two sides. Of the lot, T&T have won 14, drawn six and lost two. T&T men’s senior football coach Terry Fenwick, on learning of Soca Warriors’ opening match at home against Guyana on March 25, told T&T Guardian: “It’s a bit of important information for us at this stage as it relates to the schedule of the World Cup qualifiers. We knew the teams before but now we know exactly what we’re going to face.” “Being at home in the opening game is good and we will prepare as best as possible for this first game against Guyana which we know has a bit of history with T&T and will certainly be no pushovers. Matter of fact, no team will be a walkover in these qualifiers,” he disclosed. Fenwick added: “With this schedule before us now it tells you how important it was for us to have gotten the suspension lifted and having the Normalisation Committee in charge of our football. “I know for a fact that Chairman Robert Hadad and the rest of the Normalisation Committee are at work and are putting things together for us to be able to breathe a bit easier and for all the right conditions to be in place for our teams. I’m grateful that we’d been able to restart training last month and now we can look forward to executing our plans ahead of March.” The pandemic has affected all nations and they still face the same challenges in terms of local- and foreign-based selection, but the most troubling hurdle, which is resumption of training, has been crossed.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER WEDNESDAY, December 08, 2020

COMPLIMENTS OF XTRA ENERGY DRINK – STABROEK BAZAAR (Tel: 683-9500) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD – 83 Garnett street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) ANSWERS TO YESTERDAY’S QUIZ:

(1) Dinesh Ramdin-20 (19 catches/1 stumping-5 Tests) (2) B J Watling-13 (12 catches/1 stumping-4 Tests)

TODAY’S QUIZ:

(1) What was the result of the first Test of the current WI/NZ series? (2) Who was voted Man of the Match?

ANSWERS IN TOMORROW’S ISSUE

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, Decemmber 9, 2020

Cricket faces tough test as long bio-bubble stays add to mental stress By Nick Said

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (Reuters) - England’s cricketers hoped rounds of golf would ease the stress of long periods within a bio-secure bubble but after the One-Day series in South Africa was postponed organisers are taking a fresh look at the impact of COVID-19 protocols on players’ mental health.

ing to look carefully at how teams handle the strict conditions imposed on them by host countries. Some have found the toll of moving from bubble to bubble too much. England’s Tom Banton and Tom Curran have already pulled out of Australia’s domestic T20 Big Bash League this month. With England’s players restricted to bio-bub-

ECB managing director of men’s cricket Ashley Giles

The decision to postpone the series came after potentially five COVID-19 cases were flagged inside the teams’ bio-secure environment in Cape Town - one South Africa player, two hotel staff and two members of the England touring party. With cricket tours requiring players to be away from their families for weeks or even months, the sport is hav-

bles throughout the home summer, and some spending more time locked away while playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL), the England and South Africa boards agreed to create a “bio-secure environment”, where some movement was allowed under strict guidelines. “Golf was a key request for the tour to go ahead and we

were comfortable with that because some allowances have to be made for the players’ mental wellbeing,” South Africa team doctor Shuaib Manjra was quoted by the Daily Mail. “Many of the England players have been in some sort of bubble for months and you cannot expect them to sit in their rooms all day. Such concessions will have to be made if we want to continue playing cricket.” The teams did manage to play a three-match Twenty20 series prior to the ODI games, which England won 3-0, but the postponement will come as a massive financial blow to embattled Cricket South Africa (CSA) n . It also casts doubt on their ability to host planned future tours with Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Australia all set to arrive in the coming months. DIFFERENT APPROACH Manjra says there would be changes to the bio-secure environment for the visit of Sri Lanka, who start a two-Test tour in Pretoria on Boxing Day. “The Sri Lanka series was set to be very different because the hotel is very different,” he said. “Again, we were looking to try and balance the

mental wellness with strict COVID-19 protocols. But now maybe need a different approach.” ECB managing director of men’s cricket Ashley Giles said there were early concerns about the bio-secure environment, and that this build-up of anxiety among the players led to the decision to call off the remainder of the tour. “There’s clearly concern when infections spring up in what is a supposed to be bio-secure environment,” he was quoted as saying by BT Sport. “That definitely creates a level of anxiety and nervousness. “At the moment I don’t think there’s anyone who can tell us where these instances have sprung up from. In our group it created a great deal of anxiety. It came down to a wellbeing thing in the end.” Giles said it was likely the tour of South Africa was merely the tipping point for the players. “I don’t think it’s the last three weeks, it could be the last eight or nine months,” he added. “These guys have been living in bubbles for long periods of time and their mental health and wellbeing is the absolute priority for us.”

Wade stars as Aussies win final T20 game in Sydney

Australia opener Matthew Wade scored 145 runs in the three-match Twenty20 series against India

MATHHEW Wade blasted 80 off 53 balls as Australia beat India by 12 runs in the final Twenty20 international in Sydney yesterday. The opener shared a 90-run partnership with Glenn Maxwell, who scored 54 off 36, as Australia posted 186-5. Captain Virat Kohli’s 85 from 61 balls was the highlight of an India chase that saw them lose wickets regularly. The tourists had already wrapped up a series victory by going 2-0 ahead on Sunday, but their 10-match T20 winning streak comes to an end. India won the toss and chose to field, removing captain Aaron Finch without scoring. Steve Smith’s composed 24 off 23 balls helped settle the hosts’ innings, before Wade and Maxwell punished the India bowlers. Finch’s gamble of opening the bowling with spinner Maxwell paid off, with KL Rahul being caught on the midwicket boundary by Smith off the second ball of India’s chase. Smith then dropped a straightforward chance off Kohli on the same boundary, when he was on nine. Kohli went on to hit four boundaries and three sixes in a fine knock before being caught by Daniel Sams at backward point with 36 needed off the final two overs. Leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson was the pick of the Australia bowlers with 3-23 as India lost wickets at regular intervals. A four-Test series will start on December 17 in Adelaide. (BBC Sport)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, Decemmber 9, 2020

Poland, Hungary bring historic warnings for Southgate By Simon Evans

MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) - England were drawn with Poland and Hungary in their 2022 World Cup qualifying group on Monday - setting up encounters which recall two of the most famous and traumatic nights in the Three Lions’ history. In 1973, England were held to a 1-1 draw by Poland at Wembley which meant they failed to qualify for the following year’s World Cup - the first time they had been unable to reach the finals. The heroics of Polish goalkeeper Jan Tomaszewski, who before the game had been described as a “clown” by Brian Clough, working as a television pundit, lingered for the English, who also failed

to reach the 1978 finals in Argentina. “There is a great history with that fixture,” said England manager Gareth Southgate. “There was a spell when we seemed to draw them all the time. “I remember some of them. I’m old enough to be in that bracket. The Tomaszewski game is obviously a legendary one,” he added. Indeed, this will be the seventh time that the two countries meet in World Cup qualifying - most recently for the 2014 competition in Brazil as well as for the 2006, 1998, 1994, 1990 editions and that doomed 1974 campaign. Hungary produced England’s first-ever defeat at Wembley to non-British opponents with their 6-3 win in 1953. The victory by the

‘Mighty Magyars’ forced some major tactical rethinking in the English game, especially after Hungary won 7-1 in a ‘return’ fixture in Budapest a year later. “I’ve heard about those games and they were one of the leading nations at the time,” Southgate said. The Hungarian team were predicted by many to win the 1954 World Cup but lost to West Germany in the final and the team broke-up in the aftermath of the 1956 revolution in the country. Hungarian football went into decline in the 1990’s but there are strong signs of recovery with the team qualifying again for the European Championships after a solid display in France in 2016. “They’ve got some very

good young players coming through actually, they had some good results in the last European Championships and had a good campaign in the recent Nations League,” said Southgate. The England manager believes the chance to repeat those feats will fire up their opponents. “All of those nights with England are the opportunity for countries to make history. It’s always an opportunity for those opponents to not only play well to try to beat England but also put themselves on the map with Premier League clubs as well, so there’s always lots of incentives for our opposition,” he said. Group I also includes Albania, Andorra and San Marino.

GGA/NexGen help make Christmas bright for Enmore orphans

THE Guyana Golf Association (GGA) NexGen Golf Academy brought joy and delight to the orphans of the Enmore Orphanage following Sunday’s Curry-Q and fundraising golf event. A large number of Guyana’s premier business persons, expats and members of the diplomatic corps teamed up to make the holiday season for the less fortunate kids, something to cherish during these tough pandemic-afflicted times.

to play golf absolutely free all day and support a worthy cause. Director of the Orphanage, Kenneth Finlayson, summed it up in brief remarks “We wish to thank everyone and especially Mr Hussain, for all you did on Sunday for our children. The children really enjoyed the golf experience and the meals that were provided when they got home. God bless you all for caring for the less fortunate children.”

who attended with his family and benefited from golf lessons with Avinash Persaud, Guyana’s 10-time national champion, said, “This is one of the most important things we can do for the less fortunate children, give them the opportunity to be treated as a family and open our hearts to them. I am grateful to my good friend Aleem who allowed myself and family to be part of this event.” Hussain said, “The tire-

From left: GGA president Aleem Hussain shares a picture with sponsors along with members and a few kids from the Enmore Orphanage following Sunday’s Curry-Q fundraiser event

The Curry-Q was the brainchild of Ramesh Dookhoo and Christopher Ram, along with GGA president Hussain, who quickly adopted the idea to host it at the NexGen Golf Academy on Woolford Avenue. Persons were able to experience different types of curries and also have the opportunity to participate in a COVID-19 compliant event to relax, learn

Prime Minister Mark Phillips was unable to personally attend owing to a last-minute schedule conflict but expressed his gratitude and support for the activity that he felt was important, especially at this time of the year. Mexico’s Ambassador to Guyana, His Excellency José Omar Hurtado Conteras,

less efforts by a dedicated team who worked together was the reason this event was a success and they are the ones who really deserve the thanks - Rudy Ramalingum, Michelle Codrington, Al Junior Wilson, Nadia Kalika, Ashley Chu, Philip Haynes, Niketa Ashby, Reaz, Richard, Vicky, Banks DIH Special Events Team, members

of the Queenstown Mosque, Andrew Ramcharitar and Ramsey Ali, Scouts Association of Guyana, Steve Mohitram and family, Panco and staff, Coretta McDonald and the Executive of Guyana Teachers Union, Yogindra Arjune and Team Assuria, and golf coaches Avinash Persaud and Joaan Deo.” This is the third year that the Orphanage has benefitted from support though the efforts of the golfing community and current president of the LGC, Pur Persaud, expressed his feelings to Mr. Finlayson saying, “We definitely have to do more activities like this and I am glad that Aleem continues to push to get this done and I will continue to support his efforts. But at the end of the day, the real hero is you, who work every day to take care of these kids.” Hussain credited immediate response from entities such as Maraiko Bay Resorts, Hits & Jams 98.1 Real Radio, the Guyana Critic, Toolsie Persaud, Assuria General, New Trend Auto, AR Printery, Banks DIH, Crown Mining, the Shafura Hussain Foundation, and Panko Steel who helped to bring it to reality in a very short time. Being able to provide food and beverage along with golf in an open air, COVID-19 compliant manner has given the Academy a great opportunity to promote the game to new players and that was evident by the wide spectrum of people who attended.

England manager Gareth Southgate

Hope’s hundred seals win for Sir Garry Sobers XI BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – Discarded West Indies Test batsman Shai Hope made a sparkling century as Barbados Pride kick-started their preparations for the CWI Super50 tournament, scheduled for next year. Playing at Kensington Oval on Monday, the stylish wicketkeeper/batsman made 115 off 119 balls to lead the Sir Garry Sobers XI to victory over the Sir Wes Hall XI in the opening match of the Barbados Cricket Legend Cup.

Shai Hope hit a sparkling hundred

Hope, dropped for the ongoing Test tour of New Zealand due to a protracted run of poor form, hit six fours and four sixes as his team reached 289 for seven off their 50 overs. In reply, Sir Wes Hall XI were 262 for seven off 47 overs when the match was called off due to bad light, handing Sir Garry Sobers XI victory by one run under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method. Hope, who is the highest-ranked West Indies batsman at 11th in the 50-over format in the ICC rankings, played several audacious shots on both sides of the wicket during his elegant knock. He shared a century

stand of 161 for the fourth wicket with left-hander Nicholas Kirton, who made 83 off 90 balls before he was caught at midwicket by Ashley Nurseint he 38th over off medium pacer Jonathan Carter who was the best bowler with two for 36. Hope was fifth out at the start of the 46th over, dismissed by Barbados seamer Justin Greaves who picked up two for 55 Fast bowler Akeem Jordan, who represents Combined Campuses and Colleges in the regional one-day tournament, was effective with the new ball and ended with two for 41. The run chase was equally exciting with two electrifying half-centuries from Greaves who top-scored with a runa-ball 61 and wicketkeeper Tevyn Walcott who belted 55. Walcott faced 65 balls and struck two fours and three sixes, putting on 66 for the third wicket with the former West Indies batsman Carter whose 29 came from 34 balls. When both perished in the space of two balls in successive overs, Greaves arrived to crunch four fours and two sixes in a 54-run fifth-wicket partnership with Jameel Stuart (32) before adding a further 68 for the sixth wicket with Shamar Springer (24 not out). Fast bowler Jair McAllister was the best on show with two for 36 off eight overs while off-spinner Chaim Holder bagged two for 68 off his full quota. The three-team tournament continues tomorrow at the same venue when Sir Charlie Griffith XI clash with the Sir Garry Sobers XI.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, Decemmber 9, 2020

Joshua ‘‘ready ready for war war’’ against challenger Pulev

ANTHONY Joshua is “ready for war” against Bulgaria’s Kubrat Pulev as he hopes to make it a special occasion for those fans able to be present on Saturday. Heavyweight Joshua defends his IBF, WBA and WBO titles at Wembley Arena in what will be his first outing since regaining the belts from Andy Ruiz Jr a year ago. The 31-year-old was due to face Pulev, who has lost just once as a pro and is the mandatory challenger with

Heavyweight Anthony Joshua (left) faces Kubrat Pulev at Wembley Arena on Saturday night

the IBF, back in June, only for that date to be shelved amid the coronavirus pandemic. Pulev is the final hurdle to clear before a lucrative all-British fight with reigning WBC champion Tyson Fury next year, though a focussed Joshua is expecting a battle against the Bulgarian. “What can I expect? My body is just a vessel that carries my brain, so I’ve trained my brain more so than my body,” Joshua told Sky Sports News as he entered the bio-se-

cure bubble set up for the bout. “I’m ready for war; I’m ready for a fight. I’m looking forward to it. “The time will come when we go to war, so I’m looking forward to that date.” With a relaxation in the COVID-19 restrictions in London, the card will see 1 000 spectators present at the venue, a welcome boost for the reigning champion. This will be Joshua’s first outing on home soil since Sep-

tember 2018, when he defeated Alexander Povetkin at Wembley Stadium. “I like it, it will be intimate. It’s nice for the fans,” he said of the small crowd allowed to attend. “It is a special occasion to watch a heavyweight championship fight among 1 000 people when normally there would be tens of thousands of people. “There are a lucky thousand who will be there, so I hope that they enjoy it.”

Caribbean football players can benefit from ‘Brexit’ - Faizal Khan WITH the Football Association, Premier League and English Football League agreeing to a points-based system to sign overseas players, post Brexit, Guyana’s Faizal Khan, a former FIFA Agent, now head scout for the Malta, Montserrat and Guyana football federations, believes that the new arrangements can benefit players from the Caribbean. He was at the time appearing on the acclaimed SportsMax Zone Show in Jamaica. Khan said, countries in the European Union have been the breathing ground for players from around the world, from the youth division, particularly from the U-17 level, with no chance or room given for players from the Caribbean. “For me, like everything, there’s going to be some pros and cons to it, but hopefully it’s great to see some CONCACAF’s U-17 and U-20 players being given an opportunity to sign pro,” Khan said. The UK’s exit from the EU will also mean that clubs will not be able to sign players from overseas until they are 18. In the Premier League, the number of overseas U-21 players a club can sign will be limited to three in the January transfer window and six per season moving forwards. According to reports from the UK, from January 1, the day after the transition period of the UK leaving the European Union ends, clubs will not be able to sign players freely from Europe and instead players be will be required to gain a Football’s Governing Body Endorsement (GBE), like all other overseas players without the right to work in the UK. The GBE, as explained by SkySports, will operate a points-based system, where points are scored for senior and talented young players based on their Senior and Youth international appearances, quality of the selling club, based on the league they are in, league position and progression in

continental competition and Club appearances, based on domestic league and continental competition minutes. Players who accumulate the right amount of points will be granted a GBE automatically but those who fall short may be considered by an exceptions panel. Meanwhile, Khan, when asked about the possibility of the new arrangement affecting the popularity of the English Leagues, particularly the English Premier League, reasoned that on the flip side, it can force English Clubs to look at their English players based in the UK, instead of first searching overseas.

Faizal Khan

Khan used 20-year-old Jadon Sancho, who plays with German Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund, as an example, as players who were probably overlooked because of managers being enticed to first sign overseas players instead of some of England’s brightest prospects. The accomplished football scout and former FIFA agent, reasoned that Sancho, who is of Guyanese background through his father, had to head out to Germany in order to get a shot at the big leagues. “I’m an Arsenal fan, but look at what Frank Lampard did last season, he was forced to use young players at Chelsea and look at the results. So there are a lot of young players in the English set-up who are English, for me deserve to be playing first-team football. A manager comes in and what’s the first thing he does

and wants? He wants to sign a 50 million pounds (player) so no, I think it (Brexit) is going to force head coaches to shuffle the pack,” an animated Khan pointed out.

Some pundits argued that It appears that with 15 points being settled on, the Premier League has had to compromise more than the FA. The ban on the signing

of Under-18s and restrictions on Under-21 transfers, football experts and analyst said, will have a major impact on some clubs, while there will be concerns

that the Brexit move could weaken the quality of the league, and drive up prices for English players, putting more of an emphasis on academy recruitment.

Three months preparation remain for inactive Golden Jaguars

GFF president Wayne Forde

… National Task Force yet to issue response PAGE 28

Soca Warriors senior team men’s head coach Terry Fenwick gives instructions to his players as the team resumed training last month at the the St James Barracks (Courtesy TTFA) TTFA)

GOA’s ‘Maximising Media Seminar’ set for today American Kenin named WTA Player-of-the-Year

THE Guyana Olympic Association’s (GOA) Maximise the Sports Media Webinar is set for today, virtually on the Zoom platform, from 19:00hrs, and president Kalam Juman-Yassin, is encouraging all athletics, administrators and other officials, to participate.

Scores of athletes and officials have so far registered for the event which the GOA president has been promoting as “very important, especially for athletes.” “The aim of this virtual seminar of Maximising Media is to enlighten our sports athletes about the importance of the media which takes the form on many fronts,” Yassin said in a release issued by the GOA. Aliann Pompey, Guyana’s four-time Olympian and Commonwealth Games 400m gold and silver medallist is expected to lead the panel discussion and presentation. Multiple award-winning sports journalist Rawle Toney of the National Communications Network and the Guyana Chronicle is among the facilitators. The panel also includes Ishaka Jackman, Social Media Consultant and ICT Manager. SEE PAGE 31

After the brief opening word from Yassin, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr is scheduled to deliver an address to the participants. Meanwhile, Yassin is of the view that “as technology extends it is important to understand how it works and how to use it so as to develop each athlete’s branding.”

The long-serving GOA head is encouraging every athlete and coach to register in order to benefit from exposure to the media. Meanwhile, Pompey, who also serves as the Pan Am Athletes Commission president, believes that “the state we’re in provides unique opportunities for us to fine-tune certain things, including how to effectively use social and news media to help us reach our athletic goals.” “The content is timely and presenters are knowledgeable. With the Olympics and qualifying events on the calendar for next year and our athletes looking to attract sponsorship and agents, this seminar aims to teach participants how to raise their visibility and market and brand themselves,” Pompey said.

Jackman, having worked with a number of professional sports teams, specifically in the area of social media management, said. “The opportunity is now at the fingertips of the athlete and association to influence their future. The vehicle is already available, come get your keys.” For Toney, a sports journalist for over 15 years and Sports News anchor, the timing is perfect, as he pointed to the fact that “being active in the realm of social media; using it as the avenue to build my brand, it is something as a journalist that our athletes don’t truly understand.” “ Wi t h t h e O l y m p i c Games about seven months away, we know that athletes will be making a push to qualify for the biggest sporting event globally, and allowing the public to know more about them is important, not just for their sake, but also for the GOA’s. So I think I would bring a unique understanding of the sports media for the participants, taking my years of experience into consideration and the fact that I’m well-travelled and fully understand the landscape of the sports media,” Toney added. Registration is ongoing and persons can use the link information below to register and may visit GOA’s Facebook page for further information. A certificate and a T-shirt will be provided to persons who register, log on and participate in the programme.

FLASHBACK: Sofia Kenin of the U.S. celebrates as she kisses the trophy after winning her match against Spain’s Garbine Muguruza (KIM HONG-JI/Reuters) (REUTERS) - American Sofia Kenin has been named WTA Player-ofthe-Year after winning her maiden Grand Slam singles title at the Australian Open. Kenin defeated World No.1 Ashleigh Barty in the semi-finals and twice Grand Slam champion Garbine Muguruza in the final to claim the title at Melbourne Park. Kenin also reached the French Open final and finished the season ranked a career-high No.4.

The 22-year-old is the eighth American to win the WTA Player-of-the-Year accolade, joining Serena Williams, Martina Navratilova, Lindsay Davenport, Tracy Austin, Chris Evert, Venus Williams and Jennifer Capriati. Iga Swiatek, who became the first Polish player to win a Grand Slam singles title when she beat Kenin in the French Open final, was named the WTA’s Most Improved Player-of-the-Year. Former world number

one Victoria Azarenka was named WTA Comeback Player-of-the-Year after she claimed her first title in over four years at the Western & Southern Open and advanced to her fifth career Grand Slam final at the U.S. Open. The Belarusian also regained her spot in the WTA Top 20. F r a n c e ’s K r i s t i n a Mladenovic and Hungary’s Timea Babos were voted WTA’s Doubles Duo-ofthe-Year after capturing the Australian Open and Roland Garros titles.

Joshua ‘ready for war’ against challenger Pulev

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2020