Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 12-08-2021 by Guyana Chronicle

THURSDAY 12th August, 2021

' No.106451

Healthcare workers, others granted two weeks to comply with ‘COVID’ measures

Guyana one step closer to addressing archaic legal infrastructure 03

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– with activation of country’s first-ever Law Reform Commission

President Ali: Guyana’s commitment to democracy unwavering 02 PAGE

President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, on Wednesday, acknowledged and applauded the ‘selflessness and commitment’ of members of the Diplomatic Corps in ensuring that democracy was not derailed in Guyana, following the March 2020 elections

$7.5M in grants distributed CARICOM to receive 5.5M doses to 15 Region Two businesses 09 of Pfizer vaccine from U.S. 05 PAGE

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 12, 2021

Guyana’s commitment to democracy unwavering – President Ali affirms

– acknowledges diplomatic community’s efforts in helping Guyana overcome 2020 election impasse

HAVING overcome the destabilising five-month impasse following voting day on March 2, 2020, President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, has affirmed that the nation will never again endure such a testing period, as the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government’s commitment to democracy is unwavering. “We believe strongly that democratic values are values that should never be sacrificed, are values that are part of human dignity and human rights; and our commitment to Guyana is to ensure that never again should the people of this country have to experience such moments when the democracy of the country was tested. So, I want to say to all of you that be assured that Guyana and this government’s commitment to democracy is unwavering,” President Ali told diplomats

who were gathered at State House for a special luncheon in their honour, on Wednesday. The event organised by the President was a form of appreciation to the diplomatic community for its role in preserving Guyana’s democracy during the recent electoral impasse. “It has been just over a year since many of you who are here, led, with great admiration of the people of Guyana, the Caribbean and the rest of the world, an important battle…to ensure that democracy was not derailed and to ensure that Guyana will remain in the company of democratic countries,” President Ali said. The President added that Guyana would always be grateful to those who led from the front in defending the principles and democratic values of the country.

Those examples, the Head of State said, have cemented his government’s commitment to contributing, wherever and however possible, to democracy all across the world. He also assured the diplomats that his government is one that is open, transparent and accessible. To this end, he expressed hope that there will be more opportunities, despite the constraints of the pandemic, for a continuous exchange of ideas and a building of relations between the diplomatic corps and the government. “And that is why we wanted this event also. This will be part of the feature of the government, ensuring not only Guyanese have access, but the international community has access, and that we are ready and prepared to answer any questions, any queries, and also to listen to any ideas that you may

President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, addresses members of the Diplomatic Corps during a luncheon at State House, on Wednesday (Office of the President photo) we navigate another difficult ney-General and Minister of have,” He related. phase of this pandemic,” Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, S.C.; Senior Minister withPresident Ali said. PROACTIVE He used the opportunity in the Office of the PresiPresident Ali noted that he had also made it clear to to applaud, once again, the dent with responsibility for members of the cabinet that outgoing Secretary-General Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh; of CARICOM, Ambassador Minister of Parliamentary they have to be proactive. As a result, they will be Irwin LaRocque, for his stel- Affairs and Governance, Gail engaging the diplomatic com- lar service and stewardship Teixeira; Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony; Minister munity as part of efforts to over the years. The members of the Dip- of Education, Priya Manickcreate more opportunities for cooperation, to achieve lomatic Corps who attended chand; Minister of Foreign more outcomes and to discuss the luncheon were United Affairs and International possibilities. This, President States Ambassador to Guy- Cooperation, Hugh Todd and Ali said, will lead to a better, ana, Sarah-Ann Lynch; Eu- Minister of Home Affairs, more prosperous and dynam- ropean Union (EU) Ambas- Robeson Benn. sador to Guyana, Fernando A l s o p re s e n t w e re ic society. Ponz Cantó; Indian High Minister of Agriculture, “So, today [Wednesday], Commissioner to Guyana, Zulfikar Mustapha; MinI just want you to relax a bit in an environment that you Dr. K J Srinivasa; Deputy ister of Public Works, can interact with the Cabinet British High Commissioner Juan Edghill; Minister and continue this strengthen- to Guyana, Ray Davidson; of Natural Resources, ing of relationships; we value outgoing Secretary-General Vickram Bharrat; Minevery relationship, we honour of CARICOM, Ambassador ister of Human Services, every relationship, and we LaRocque; Cuban Ambas- Dr. Vindhya Persaud; believe that it is only in cre- sador to Guyana, Narciso Minister within the Office ating better relationships and Reinaldo Amador Socor- of the Prime Minister, understanding that we can ro; Mexican Ambassador to Kwame McCoy and Minhave a better and prosperous Guyana, Jose Omar Hurtado ister within the Ministry Contreras; Chilean Ambassa- of Housing and Water, dynamic society. “So, please convey to dor to Guyana, Juan Manuel Susan Rodrigues (Office your capitals also the best Pino Vásquez and other rep- of the President) wishes of the government, resentatives. Members of Cabinet in and also our prayers for your attendance were Vice-Presisafety and the safety of the dent, Bharrat Jagdeo; Attorcountries you represent, as

Guyana one step closer to addressing archaic legal infrastructure

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 12, 2021

– with activation of country’s first-ever Law Reform Commission

By Richard Bhainie GUYANA has moved one step closer to addressing its archaic legal infrastructure, with the swearing-in of persons to the country’s first-ever Law Reform Commission (LRC), on Wednesday. The activation of this commission through the swearing-in of the commissioners, paves the way for incremental legislative amendments to be made, in alignment with global legislative trends. A Law Reform Commission is an instrumental body in any society, as it ensures that the legal system does not remain stagnant. It keeps the law under constant revision, and makes recommendations to Parliament for the repeal, creation, consolidation and codification of the laws. Subject to Section 7 of the Law Reform Act, which enables the appointment of the commission, the duty of the Commission is to keep laws relating to Guyana under review, with a view to its systematic development and reform. The commission is tasked with overlooking the modification of any branch of the law, the elimination of anomalies, the repeal of obsolete and unnecessary enactments, the reduction of the number of separate enactments and, generally, the simplification and modernisation of the law. Leading the way in this regard, as the Chairman of the Commission, is Justice of Appeal (Ret’d) Beasraj Singh Roy, who was sworn in by President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, during a simple ceremony at State House. The other persons who were sworn in as commissioners are Vice-President of the Guyana Bar Association (GBA), Teni Housty; former High Commissioner of Guyana to Canada, Clarissa Riehl; Veteran educator and proprietor of Nations Incorporated, Dr. Brian O’Toole; and attorneys-at-law Emily Dodson, Roopnarine Satram, and Deenawatie Panday. While delivering brief remarks at the swearing-in ceremony, President Ali related that laws which are enacted at a particular time will only be applicable for a period of

President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, flanked by the newly sworn in members of the Law Reform Commission; President of the Guyana Bar Association, Pauline Chase (far left); Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, S.C. (fifth from left); Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards, O.R, C.C.H (seventh from right); Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira (fourth from right) and the Director of Public Prosecutions, Shalimar Ali-Hack, S.C. (second from right), among others (Adrian Narine Photo)

time, until society progresses and new laws to reflect societal changes are required. “Society does not remain static; it is subject to change. The law, as a central pillar of civilised societies, must, therefore, be regularly updated in order to keep abreast with societal changes … to fill gaps to the country’s legislative architecture, harmonise our laws with our international obligations and to be responsive to the demands of modern justice,” the President said. He added: “Law reform is not new to Guyana; throughout our history, new laws were enacted and old and existing laws were repealed and amended; however, much of Guyana’s laws still remain dated and run the risk, if not updated, of becoming obsolete.” The President said too that not every piece of legislation drafted in one society could be easily transplanted into another or will be able to produce the desired results in a society it was not drafted to reflect. For this reason, he reasoned that it has to be drafted to suite the peculiar circumstances of society. He posited that while the commission is vital to ensuring that the government develops a systematic approach to legal reforms and develops a pro-

Chairman of the Law Reform Commission, Justice of Appeal (Ret’d) Beasraj Singh Roy takes the Oath of Office in the presence of President, Dr. Irfaan Ali (Adrian Narine Photo)

gramme for such reforms, it will also facilitate the modernisation of the country’s laws. “The work of the commission is also critical to ensuring that Guyana keeps abreast with the emerging and evolving legislative trends in the word. The work of the commission will ensure that our country’s legislation does not stagnate or become backward,” President Ali said. The Law Reform Commission Act 2016 was enacted by the former A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) government, but was significantly flawed in relation to the appointment of Commissioners. That Act was eventually

amended when the Law Reform Commission (Amendment) Act 2021 – No. 2 of 2021 received Presidential Assent on February 16, 2021. TOP PRIORITY President Ali told the commissioners that law reform is a “top priority” for his administration. And the government’s commitment to legal reform was highlighted by the swiftness with which the amendments to the Act were made. “Legal reforms must enhance, not inhibit, human rights and freedoms. Legal reforms must, of necessity, empower citizens and protect them from arbitrariness. It must foster and facilitate not frustrate development. Legal

reform has helped to build greater trust between our system, citizens and our justice system. These, I believe, represent the litmus test of the effectiveness of legal reforms,” the Head of State said. Prior to the amendment of the Act, for one to be appointed a member of the Law Reform Commission, they first needed to be in possession of legal and judicial qualifications; be the holder of, or held judicial office; be an attorney-at-law for at least 10 years or possess experience as a teacher of law at a university. The amendment of the Act caters for diversity and inclusivity to be reflected as part of the commission, as this will allow for the commission to comprise persons who have a legal background, as well as persons who have at least 10 years of experience in the areas of banking, industry, economics or commerce, social or natural sciences, and law enforcement. Section 4(1) (b) also requires that the Minister of Legal Affairs consults with the organisations that appear to represent the legal profession, organisations such as the private sector; the trade union movement; the entities representing the interest of consumers’ affairs; the reli-

gious community; the rights commissions; and the National Toshaos’ Council for the appointment of members of the commission. The Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, S.C., said that the swearing-in of the commission is a “momentous and historic” occasion as it is the first commission of such to be appointed in Guyana, although the Commonwealth Nations have long realised this objective. While the Commission will play the important role of drafting law which captures the “aspirations, social issues, and important factors that people of society are affected by,” it will also play a pivotal role in the drafting of new laws to meet the exigencies that will arise with the new economic developments of Guyana. To get the ball rolling, the Attorney-General is desirous of the commission joining his office to undertake a law revision and consolidation project he is currently working on to revise the complete Laws of Guyana and draw together different enactments and amendments on a topic into their respective principal Acts. Dr. O’Toole told the Guyana Chronicle that his appointment came as a “surprise” since he is not even a lawyer. He hopes to make meaningful contributions since he worked on projects like the Citizen Security Strengthening Programme (CSSP) which enabled him to interact with thousands of prisoners across Guyana. Housty, on the other hand, told this publication as the President indicated, law reform is “very much needed” in Guyana and with a law reform commission there is a sound methodology to implement “sustainable and meaningful” change in Guyana. The establishment of a Law Reform Commission is part of a fundamental component of the US$8 million Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)-funded Support for the Justice System Programme. The IDB will fund the functioning of the commission for a specified period, after which the government is expected to take over.

COVID-19 vaccination rates increase

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 12, 2021

– Health Minister applauds this ‘positive’ change in attitude

IN recent weeks, the Ministry of Health has seen an increase in persons coming forward to get their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to subject minister, Dr. Frank Anthony. The minister made this disclosure on Wednesday during his daily COVID-19 update, where he noted that although many have publicly voiced their reluctance to get the vaccine due mainly to widespread misinformation, more persons are now turning up at the ministry’s vaccination sites. He said that this represents a positive change that will bene-

fit the country holistically in curtailing the deadly effects of the virus. “Well we’re seeing a lot of persons who were reluctant coming forward and getting their vaccine and I think that’s a positive thing so we will monitor to see how that is affecting our capacity to deliver service. But ultimately we want people to be vaccinated because our staff they are on the frontline where if you’re a medical staff, you’re constantly in contact with the general public and you’re offering services to the general public which puts you at risk if somebody is infected with COVID,

Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony

and the best way that you can reduce that risk is to be vaccinated,” said Minister Anthony. Government has been rolling out an aggressive COVID-19 vaccination programme that gives anyone above the age of 18 the opportunity to receive a vaccine to protect themselves agains t the severe form of the virus. Currently, gov-

ernment is offering the Russian-produced Sputnik V vaccine, the Chinese-made Sinopharm vaccine, and the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine. He noted that the ministry is expecting another shipment of the second dose of the Sputnik V vaccine “within the week.” Further, he stated that some 50,000 doses of the Oxford AstraZeneca Vaccine will also

arrive in the country later this week from the COVAX facility. Meanwhile, Minister Anthony noted the importance of health workers to the country and indicated that those who are opposed to taking the vaccine must present weekly negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests before entering their place of employment. “This is a public safety matter as well. Imagine if you’re unvaccinated or a patient who’s unvaccinated come to the hospital and you have staff

who are unvaccinated working with you, that could be dangerous. So, it’s ethical, moral, and we have to protect ourselves and I really do believe that with a little more education that the healthcare workers who are reluctant would understand the importance and the need to get vaccinated,” he said. With the government’s intensified efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, 275,451Guyanese or 56.6 per cent of Guyana’s adult population have received their first dose. Of that number, about 145,566 or 29.9 per cent have received both doses of the vaccine and are classified as fully vaccinated. Minister Anthony disclosed that while vaccination rates have been increasing, there is still a significant way to go before the country can achieve herd immunity which would be reflected in the vaccination of 80-85 per cent of the country’s adult population.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 12, 2021

CARICOM to receive 5.5M doses of Pfizer vaccine from U.S.

THE U.S. Government has donated 5.5 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), to support the ongoing battle against the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a press statement from CARICOM, this is the culmination of efforts initiated by the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr. Keith Rowley, who, as Chair of CARICOM, wrote to President Joseph Biden of the United States earlier this year requesting a supply of vaccines for the Community. President Biden subsequently announced that the U.S. will be donating a supply of vaccines to the region as part of its world-wide distribution of 80 million doses. Vice-President of the United States, Kamala Harris, also spoke with Prime Minister Rowley in June and confirmed the allocation to CARICOM. The CARICOM Member States will receive the much-anticipated Pfizer vaccines, with 1.5 million doses being allocated to Haiti and the other four million doses for distribution among the remaining 14 countries. The donation from the White House also includes three million ancillary kits containing needles, syringes, diluent and other supplies which have already been

tra-cold chain training, which Pfizer delivered to the countries receiving the vaccine donation”. Dr. St. John confirmed that three million ancillary kits have already been delivered, with the support of Caribbean Airlines and the CARICOM Regional Security System (RSS). Another tranche of one million an-

received. The donation follows months of discussions among the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Pfizer, the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and the CARICOM Secretariat. At the beginning of those discussions, the total number of persons vaccinated in CARICOM countries stood at a meagre 515,000, which emphasises the importance of the donation by the U.S. Government. CARICOM Secretary-General, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, expressed his appreciation to President Biden for his generosity and to his team at the White House for their commitment to delivering the vaccines. “This end result is due to the hard work put in by the White House staff, the staff of CARPHA, the staff of the Secretariat and the team at Pfizer,” the Secretary-General said. “These vaccines would

contribute significantly to the region’s ability to control this pandemic and place the Caribbean on a path to economic recovery. Importantly, it would also allow for schools to be re-opened given that the Pfizer vaccine has been approved for emergency use for children 12 years and over,” Ambassador LaRocque added. CARPHA’s Executive Director, Dr. Joy St. John, said: “As the public health agency leading the regional COVID-19 response, we have worked with Member States to ensure that they are ready to accept the vaccines, especially as it relates to regulatory approval, coordination, planning and delivery, logistics, shipment receipt and procedures”. D r. S t . J o h n a d d e d : “CARPHA was pleased to collaborate with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), as they facilitated specialised training on vaccine systems, while we facilitated the special ul-

Police recover car used by suspects in ‘Gordon Street heist’

POLICE have recovered the car used by the suspects who executed a daring daylight robbery at Wallison Enterprise, Gordon Street, Kitty, Georgetown, on Thursday last. According the Guyana Police Force (GPF), the car, a white new-model Toyota Allion bearing registration number PXX2237, was abandoned at the driver’s Cummings Lodge, East Coast of Demerara (ECD) house prior to him purportedly fleeing to the interior region of Guyana. Police reported that residents of the area said that prior to leaving the coast, the driver was seen offloading and taking into his house a ‘canter truck load’ of household items, namely a refrigerator, television and audio system, which were purchased the day after the robbery. Up to press time, Crime Chief, Wendell Blanhum, reported that it has been confirmed that the driver of the car is being pursued by police. A serving member of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), and two ex-soldiers were since placed before the court for their

The white new-model Toyota Allion bearing registration number PXX2237 used to execute the robbery at Wallison Enterprise, Gordon Street, Kitty, Georgetown involvement in the multimillion-dollar heist. Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Sergeant Keyon King, 32, of Vergenoegen, East Bank Essequibo, and two of Wallison’s security officers, Delroy Jackson, called “Bug”, 36, of Golden

Grove, East Coast Demerara; and Peon Lee, called “Nino Brown”, 35, of Mocha, East Bank Demerara, were on Tuesday slapped with four counts of robbery over the multimil-

Continued on page 10

cillary kits will be delivered directly by Pfizer along with vaccine shipments. Guyana’s President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, had said that once Guyana gets the Pfizer vaccine, it will be going to children. A research from a 2000plus sample size in 2020 had shown that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is 100 per cent

effective in preventing the COVID-19 virus in children ages 12 through 15. In late 2020, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allowed emergency use of the vaccine from age 16. This year, the vaccine was given to children in the U.S. from ages 12 to 15.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 12, 2021

Caring disposition

JUST recently, President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, announced that the government would be foregoing some $4.8B in revenues for the rest of the year in an effort to provide further relief to consumers during this ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. This latest intervention of adjusting custom duties and excise taxes is intended to mitigate the impact of rising commodity prices as a result of steep increases in shipping costs of imported goods. In announcing these new measures, the President was firm that the agencies must ensure that the deductions which will be derived are passed on to the consumers and not pocketed by unscrupulous

importers. That is significant because it demonstrates that the President is aware of the actions of some who use such opportunities to take advantage of situations at the expense of the consumers. In addition, it’s demonstrative of his concerns that those impacted must benefit from measures implemented. This is in keeping with his government’s thrust of directly engaging residents with regard to the provision of relief as once again evident through the current distribution of the “Because We Care” education grant by government ministers across the country. The same was very noticeable a few weeks ago for the distribution of relief pack-

ages during the flooding across the 10 administrative regions and for the COVID-19 cash grants. Just this week, the Ministry of Housing, along with officials from the Central Housing & Planning Authority (CHPA) handed out compensation packages to a number of farmers at Cummings Lodge. This is to allow for developmental works in that area on lands previously used by the farmers. What must not be missed is the fact that the farmers did not have to travel to the ministry’s compound in Georgetown, but the officials went to them to provide the said packages. This is the same for all the other interventions designed to provide re-

lief to affected residents throughout the country. This direct engagement is characteristic of the government which has, time and again, demonstrated its commitment to improve the welfare of citizens and get firsthand assessment from them. This caring disposition is reflective of the compassion and down-to-earth nature of the President and his Cabinet and serves to instill confidence in the populace that their concerns will be addressed frontally. This is a stark contrast to what obtained during the previous administration which, from all reports, took the citizenry for granted and became struck in offices. That did not go unnoticed as many

voiced their concerns over being neglected. There are numerous reports of the uncaring nature of the APNU+AFC Government and their penchant for extravagance at the expense of the populace. People in general want to know that the government is accessible and responds to their needs and concerns. They want to see the government working in their best interest and those taxpayers’ monies are spent in meaningful ways to improve lives and conditions. They want to know that in the face of adversity, the government can be depended upon. That is only natural and President Ali continues to lead from the front in meeting those expectations of the Guya-

nese people. Even before taking the office of the Presidency, he demonstrated prudent leadership in the various capacities he served. The images of him leading the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) massive mask distribution exercise just prior to August 2, 2020, are reminders of that consistency in reaching out to the people both as a party and government. With the first year of the PPP/C government just ended, even a casual review would show its caring nature and unwavering commitment to advance the lives of all Guyanese. That bodes well for the efforts to bring our people together and for the future of our country.

EQUAL Guyana condemns insensitive remarks by Annette Ferguson, Richard Sinclair

Dear Editor,

DURING the early morning hours of August 10, 2021, the National Assembly of Guyana debated the passage of the Summary Jurisdiction (Offences) (Amendment) Bill (No.6 of 2021). This bill was presented to the National Assembly by the Minister of Legal Affairs and Attorney General, Hon. Mohabir Anil Nandlall S.C. who, in his explanatory memorandum attached to the bill, iterated that the amendment merely gives effect to the judgement of

the Caribbean Court of Justice in the McEwan case of 2018 to delete paragraph xlvii, of section 153(1) (the “crossdressing” clause) of the act. Minister Nandlall further explained that this procedural formality is a signal of the “Government’s commitment to fulfilling the human rights of all Guyanese.” EQUAL Guyana, as a legally registered human rights organisation, commends the Government of Guyana for actioning this essential legislative amendment to bring Guyana clos-

er into compliance with its international human rights obligations including the UN’s ICCPR. These human rights are universal; that is, they are afforded to all Guyanese and are protected by the Constitution which is the supreme law of Guyana. Fortunately, progressive-thinking minds understand that the laws which govern Guyana protect all persons from discrimination, but whilst some archaic colonial laws still have not been adequately reviewed, Guyanese of all backgrounds are entitled to life live authentically and

free from fear of stigma, discrimination, and violence. These same principles apply to every cross-section of the Guyanese population regardless of race, religion, sex, gender (expression and identity), socio-economic background, or any other human characteristic. It is with much regret that EQUAL Guyana must explicitly express concern about many of the remarks made in the National Assembly by the Ms. Annette N. Ferguson and Mr. Richard E. Sinclair. These remarks, in the opinion of mental health

and human rights professionals at EQUAL Guyana, were inherently discriminatory, misinformed, intolerant, and collectively abhorrent to any forward thinking, learned Guyanese. The remarks made predominantly about LGBTQ persons included inferences about “sinful distortions”, “abominations”, “disgusting acts” and “defacements” based solely on unilateral religious perceptions, despite the religious diversity of Guyana which we celebrate. Undeniably, there is no place for the perpetuation of such ruthless discrimination in

a democratic, developing state, governed by overarching principles of inclusivity and unity. Such blatant derogatory statements have no place in our society and are outrightly condemned by EQUAL Guyana. EQUAL Guyana also wishes to make it clear that it, like many other high-standing human rights organisations in Guyana, will continue to fight for and protect the fundamental rights of systemically disenfranchised Guyanese including women, girls, people with disabilities, Continued on page 7

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 12, 2021

Ms. Ally attempting to pit two giants against each other

Dear Editor,

I WRITE in reference to one Sharmila Ally’s castigation of the PPP, its General-Secretary, Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo, and Attorney-General, Anil Nandlall in a section of the Guyana media. The writer recognises and praises Messrs Jagdeo and Nandlall for their substantive role in rehabilitating the PPP since 2015, catapulting it into office in 2020 – Jagdeo for political and Nandlall for legal acumen. Both are skilled in their fields and their talents and expertise merged. They did what was required to get the party back in government. No doubt, these two giants are responsible for the PPP being democratically restored into office; without them, the party would not have been in office today. Others also played significant roles, some publicly and others quietly behind the scenes, and their contributions are not undervalued or underrated. But while praising their

contributions, Ms. Ally attempts to pit the two giants against each other, alleging unsubstantiated skullduggery in the selection of the Presidential nominee more than two years ago. Nandlall ran for the nomination within the PPP central committee; the party selected Dr. Irfaan Ali. The issue was settled. The nominee was selected a whole year before the election. Dr. Irfaan won the Presidency, illustrating the voters’ confidence in the party’s choice. It does not serve the interest of the party or the government or the nation for Ms. Ally to try to pit one person against another. That is a strategy of political opponents – to create rift in the other side. One recalls that rift led to PPP losing its majority in 2011 and ousted from office in 2015. After the electoral victory, the party made collective decision and appointment to Parliament, Cabinet, and government boards (as well as corporations). The President, the PM, the VicePresident, the AG, and other

ministers have received very high approval ratings over the last year. Ms. Aly criticised the AG for not enforcing laws on the oil contract and on alleged corruption. The oil contract was negotiated and signed by Minister Rafael Trotman of the PNC/R coalition government. Raphael Trotman said he was instructed to sign the contract. Nandlall excoriated him in Parliament on August 9. PPP Government’s hands are tied vis-à-vis the oil contract. Trotman was negotiating against Exxon skilled negotiators. Apparently, he nor the Coalition government, sought expert advice on the contract. Exxon outwitted Trotman by inserting a “stability” clause into the contract, which precludes unilateral renegotiation. The country Chad had the same stability clause built into their contract. Both Chad and Guyana have been caught with pants down by the oil negotiators. Nandlall and PPP Government can’t be held accountable for the blunders of the preceding

government. In fact, Nandlall said in Parliament that it was the most lopsided contract ever signed by Guyana. The country’s international relations image of upholding the sanctity of contracts should not be impaired by political expediency. On the progress of local content legislation, Vice-President Jagdeo has been making a strong case for increased local content’s utilisation. A local content committee was set up by the President. It collected data and drafted recommendations. But given the complexity of this subject, the government decided to get additional guidance from consultants, since Guyana doesn’t have this capability at this time. My readings as an economist suggest that local content formulation is a very involved process. It will, therefore, take some time before legislation is brought to Parliament. But it is a fair question for the administration and the AG. I agree government should expedite legislation on local content and enforce it.

Lincoln Lewis is grossly misinformed

Dear Editor, THE GAWU’s attention was drawn to Mr Lincoln Lewis’ column of July 25, 2021 which appeared in the Village Voice newspaper. The columnist addressed several issues, however, we find it necessary to speak to Mr Lewis’ allegation of monies from the Consolidated Fund used to support the pension fund of sugar workers. We wish to advise the columnist that it appears he was misinformed

as there is no instance, to the best of our knowledge, where State funds were, using Mr Lewis’ words, ‘injected’ into the sugar workers’ pension funds. In a nutshell, the sugar industry has two pension funds. There is a contributory pension scheme for salaried staffers and an ex-gratia scheme for waged staffers. In the instance of the ex-gratia scheme, workers receive a pension based on their earnings and years of service whereas in the contributory

EQUAL Guyana condemns... From page 6

LGBTQ persons and other vulnerable groups. Notwithstanding, EQUAL Guyana has noted that the bill received support from many other members of parliament including the Minster of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Hon. Gail Teixeira; Minster of Legal Affairs, Hon. Mohabir Anil Nandlall; and Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan. Government MPs reiterated that Guyana remains a secular state, and the same protections and freedoms which are afforded to religious persons

are applicable to all. Their thorough presentations clarified that cross-dressing laws are not strictly circumscribed to transgender persons as was being peddled by the two members of parliament; rather, it is a more holistically impactful issue which affects various facets of fundamental human rights and Guyanese culture. These include entertainment, the arts, celebratory traditions, and the rights of all people including heterosexual, cisgender women and men; even going on to explain that lots of cultural garb may in fact have been in contravention of that out-

scheme, those workers pension is related to the sum of their contributions. Our union has, for several years, been seeking to have all workers become members of the contributory scheme recognising the obvious advantages. The corporation has thus far not agreed to our request. In both instances, the pension funds, according to the corporation’s financial statements, are underfunded. Certainly, had monies been injected, as is alleged, the deficit may not have exist-

dated law. EQUAL Guyana trusts that the Government of Guyana will continue to recognise the rights of Guyanese and make every effort to emancipate Guyana from archaic laws which have oppressed Guyanese of all backgrounds for generations. As Guyana shifts its focus to rapid development and economic diversification, the Guyanese culture of unity, peace, compassion, and democracy still resonates, and our motto remains “One People, One Nation, One Destiny”. Yours sincerely, The Trustees of EQUAL Guyana

ed. In fact, the Coalition has trumpeted the pension scheme deficit as a rationale to minimise the industry. The GAWU remains perplexed by Mr Lewis’ continued, misinformed attacks on the sugar industry, the sugar

Ms. Ally said that the AG has not been cracking down on alleged or perceived corruption. The writer should refer cases of corruption to the President or Vice-President or the police for action. I support punitive actions against corrupt officials. But evidence is needed for prosecution. I note that similar complaints were made against PPP pre-2015. When APNU was installed in office, over 40 forensic audits were done but no evidence of corruption was revealed. It is callous to make statements based on speculations when there is no evidence. I can’t vouch for the integrity of politicians, but the Vice-President and President said they have zero tolerance for improprieties. If there is evidence, please report same to the police. Fighting corruption is not within the AG’s portfolio. That responsibility is vested in the police (SOCU) and the Director of Public Prosecutions. Finally, I wish to point out to Ms Ally that in addition to those persons mentioned or

identified as contributing to the restoration of democracy, several others combated the rigging in their own way. A major party was infiltrated by intelligence gatherers who provided information about the plan to rig, selection of judges for court cases, and expected judgments, etc. I know of a few individuals who confidentially collected and shared information with this writer. Strategic measures were undertaken to successfully crush nefarious plots. The rigging was thwarted at each stage including at the GECOM level. Had key individuals not been involved in underground operations, the rigging would have been successful and PPP out of office. Several unsung heroes, whose names would never be revealed to protect their identity, contributed to the declaration of the PPP as the winner of the 2020 elections.

workers, and the benefits they won out of their struggles. It appears to us that the innuendos advanced are nothing more than an effort to stoke divisive flames among our workers and people. This is not a healthy development and such attempts coming from a seasoned trade unionist is more worrisome. The trade union movement is

built on solidarity and to this end our union reiterates again our solidarity with the bauxite workers in their ongoing struggles to be treated with respect and dignity as all workers similarly aim. Yours faithfully, Seepaul Narine General Secretary GAWU

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 12, 2021

Healthcare workers granted two weeks to comply with ‘COVID’ measures – public transport operators, conductors also covered by this concession

THE Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, has granted healthcare workers, public transport operators and conductors two more weeks to comply with the COVID-19 Emergency Measures (No.20), issued on July 29, 2021. This decision follows widespread representation from stakeholders within the aforementioned fields. “I have examined the request and wish to announce that healthcare workers, public transport operators and conductors will be given two weeks to comply with the Order,” Dr. Anthony said in a statement issued on Wednesday evening. He added: “I wish to reiterate that the Government of Guyana has secured

enough vaccines for the adult population. Guyanese have a choice of first and second dose AstraZeneca or SinoPharm and first dose Sputnik V. Additionally, the Pfizer vaccine for our children will soon be available. “I wish to reiterate that the vaccines are safe, effective and if you are fully vaccinated, it will reduce your chances of infection, hospitalisation and death. Please protect yourself, your family and your community. Please get vaccinated!” As part of the new COVID-19 measures, the government has decreed that unvaccinated persons will not be allowed to visit government ministries or agencies unless they make an appointment.

Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony The new measures have also made it mandatory for all operators and conductors of public transportation to be vaccinated, and

always have with them their proof of vaccination. Members of the private sector have since lauded the new measures, and implemented some restrictions of their own. As a result, unvaccinated persons no longer have unhindered access to certain hotels, bars, restaurants and events. Since the measures were implemented, Dr. Anthony announced that the national vaccination

efforts have seen a notable increase in persons turning up to be vaccinated. Even though Guyana’s vaccination campaign started off in a vibrant manner, Dr. Anthony said there have been a few political authors who have been peddling misinformation about the vaccines and their efficacy. To make matters worse, Opposition Leader, Joseph Harmon, who has already been fully vacci-

nated, hosted a press conference where he called for the administering of the Russian-made Sputnik V vaccine to be suspended, claiming that it could be fake. It is the same vaccine that he himself had been inoculated with. Nonetheless, Harmon’s utterances were soon put to rest, as the manufacturers of the vaccine responded with documentation which attested to the authenticity of the jabs. Although unfounded, the Opposition Leader’s criticisms have caused some amount of injury to the national vaccination efforts. Added to that, Harmon had also criticised the government for purchasing overpriced vaccines; however, President Dr. Irfaan Ali immediately responded, insisting that even though the cost of vaccines have increased due to its global demand, the PPP/C government will continue to spend whatever is necessary to protect its citizens from the virus which had already taken millions of lives.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 12, 2021

$7.5M in grants distributed to 15 Region Two businesses

THE Small Business Bureau (SBB), which falls under the Ministry of Tourism, Industry, and Commerce, on Wednesday, disbursed $7.5 million in grants to 15 small business owners in Region Two. Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond, during a simple ceremony, reaffirmed government’s commitment to aid in the growth of sustainable small businesses. She

able to deliver to the people and for the people. It’s not about sitting in our offices in Georgetown and deciding what you need without even seeing your faces, or knowing what you’re doing. We want to be able to implement and think of policies that affect your lives but we can’t do that if we don’t hear from you, if we don’t know what you look like, if we don’t know what affects your community,

$250,000 cash grant to alleviate the devastating effects of the pandemic on their business. “COVID-19 has been really devastating on all of our businesses and the way we have done things and as government we want also to provide the support. At the Small Business Bureau as well, we have the COVID relief cash grant so if you have a small business [or] you’ve been registered as a small busi-

Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond (fourth from left) and the small business owners who received the Small Business Bureau grant (Ministry of Tourism photo) noted that these businesses not only generate income for the entrepreneurs but also create opportunities for job creation. The minister said that since taking office in August 2020, government has been implementing systems to support small businesses. She highlighted that one of the first moves by government to support this vision was to increase the small business grant from $250,000 in 2020 to $500,000 in 2021. She explained that government had assessed the needs of small businesses and found that the grant should be increased to mitigate the expenses that occur at the start-up stages of a business. “We want you to be

and so that is the idea,” said Minister Walrond. Wi t h 1 5 b u s i n e s s owners in Region Two benefitting from the significant grant, the minister highlighted that the ministry’s aim was to ensure that those businesses that were not able to receive grants in 2020 had the opportunity to do so in 2021. According to the Small Business Bureau, only one small business in the entire region received a grant in 2020. Meanwhile, in keeping with government’s commitment to aid small business growth, she encouraged business owners to apply for the ministry’s COVID-19 business grant, which provides each eligible business person with a

ness…there is also a COVID grant to help you if you can prove or if you say that your business has been affected by the COVID pandemic,” said Minister Walrond. Other recent systems implemented by the ministry to provide ease to small business owners include the moratorium or authorisation to debtors to postpone payment on compliance for the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) and the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) to ensure that these businesses have the chance to recover from the financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. “We put a moratorium on compliances for NIS and GRA because we understand that it’s

difficult sometimes for business to be able to get that before you get

your cash grant. The idea is to be able to get relief quickly to you

so you can keep your businesses alive,” the minister added.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 12, 2021

200 Venezuelan migrants, refugees receive ‘stay permits’ – able to work, pursue an education

THE United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has disclosed that between August 3 to August 5, 2021, over 200 Venezuelan refugees and migrants were registered and documented by Guyana’s immigration officials in Region One, before being issued with a government registration certificate. This disclosure was made on Thursday by Head (ag) of

the UNHCR Office in Guyana, Suenanica de Rozario, during the recently concluded US Embassy Humanitarian Assistance Programme (HAP) medical outreach in the Barima-Waini region. The UNHCR used the event to partner with the immigration officials in the region to document and register all foreign nationals, who were in Port Kaituma and Mabaruma, to access services

during the outreach. UNHCR statistics revealed that as of December 2020, there were over 22,000 Venezuelan migrants and refugees in Guyana. Venezuelan migrants have been seeking to build a life in many countries including Guyana since the onset of the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela in the mid-2000s. Guyana has seen a consistent influx of citizens from

Head (ag) of the UNHCR Office in Guyana, Suenanica de Rozario. the Spanish-speaking nation and officials here have been working significantly to facilitate them. The government registration certificate issued to migrants and refugees incorporates a legal stay permit issued and renewed by the Government of Guyana. This permit allows those individuals the chance to not just legally stay in Guyana, but also to work, earn and educate themselves. De Rozario noted that while a large number of Venezuelan migrants have settled in Region One, they have been increasingly making their way into Regions Two, Four, Seven and Nine. “What UNHR Guyana has done is to work in collaboration with the immigration department of Guyana and we are here today with our immigration counterparts. We

are supporting them in the issuance and the extension of stay permits for Venezuelan refugees and migrants. Over the past three days, the immigration department has managed to document and issue stay permits for over 200 refugees and migrants here in Guyana,” she explained. She noted that the UNHCR has been committed to assisting the Government of Guyana with its documentation efforts to ensure that those migrants and refugees currently in the country have access to resources. Further, the UNHCR Guyana head noted that at the five-day medical outreach, the most sought-after services among the migrants and refugees were dental care and optometry. She noted that access to healthcare is a basic necessity that must be ex-

Police recover ... From page 5

lion-dollar robbery. As investigations into the matter continue, Blanhum noted on Tuesday that the police are in search of two other suspects believed to have been involved in the robbery. He explained that the plan was hatched by Lee, who is the company’s Chief of Security, while Jackson, a security officer on duty at the time it was executed, reportedly confessed that it should have gone down on Wednesday, August 4, but because the owner’s family was there, it was done the following day instead. At the time of the robbery, DaSilva, a 45-year-old goldsmith, and Carmicheal, a 20-year-old cashier, were at work at Wallison Enterprise when the bandits entered at 10:05 hours. It is alleged that they’d come with a white car, which they parked on the northern side of the building, and entered the compound through the main gate. They were reportedly granted access into the build-

ing by a security guard, on the pretext that they were there to sell gold. Once in the establishment’s waiting area, they reportedly impressed upon the cashier that the small package they were carrying contained the gold they’d come to sell, and after they would have gained her confidence, whipped out their firearms from their pants waist, and, at gunpoint, ushered her into an inner office where the goldsmith and another man were conducting some business. Holding both men at gunpoint, the bandits reportedly

tended to anyone in need and she used the opportunity to commend the government’s efforts to expend additional health resources to the regions that have an increased foreign national population. Meanwhile, the International Office for Migration (IOM) Chief of Mission, Robert Natiello, also lauded the government’s commitment to the affected Venezuelans. He noted that the IOM recognises the significant support the Government of Guyana has given to Venezuelan migrants during this period of humanitarian crisis. Natiello said that even with Guyana’s support, a multi-stakeholder approach is needed to ensure enough resources are provided to cater to both the residents of Region One and the Venezuelan migrants. “The IOM acknowledges that the growing number of migrants from Venezuela has really placed an increased burden and pressure on the resources this country has to address and provide basic services to the community, like housing, water, and other services, and being able to address these needs really requires a multi-stakeholder approach,” said Natiello. ordered the goldsmith to open the two metal safes in the office, before handcuffing them, and, confiscating their cell-phones, valued some $360,000. They made good their escape with $38 million in cash and 60 ounces of raw gold they’d managed to lay their hands on, valued $20 million. By the time the cashier raised the alarm, and the security guard on duty realised what had transpired, the bandits were long gone, and all that was left for them to do was summon the police. Police, on Sunday, made a major breakthrough in the investigation with the recovery of a total of $18M found buried at King’s residence.

The household items found at the driver’s Cummings Lodge, East Coast Demerara home

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 12, 2021

PAHO will begin procuring COVID-19 vaccines

– to expand access in Latin America and the Caribbean TAKING action to expand access to the COVID-19 vaccines, the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) will use its Revolving Fund to help countries in Latin America and the Caribbean procure enough vaccines to control transmission, PAHO Director, Carissa F. Etienne said. “The region is still short of the doses needed to turn the tide of the pandemic,” she told reporters at a media briefing. “We need a significant influx of vaccines and a more equitable process for distributing them. With this in mind, PAHO is offering our Member States a new opportunity to access COVID-19 vaccines.” PAHO’s Revolving Fund will go “beyond the 20 per cent COVAX offers,” Dr. Etienne explained, referring to COVAX’s commitment to procure vaccines for 20 per cent of the region’s population—the most at-risk groups. The Revolving Fund, which has procured other vaccines for the region at low prices for 42 years, is already receiving requests from countries for COVID-19 vaccines for the last three months of 2021 and for 2022, Dr. Etienne said. “So far, more than 20 countries have formally expressed interest and the number is growing by the day.” Up until now, the Revolving Fund has served as one of the COVAX purchasing mechanisms and worked directly with countries requesting support to deliver donations through bilateral agreements. It has deployed over 20 million COVID-19

past week. Cases and deaths continue to rise in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. In Central America, cases are decreasing in Panama and Costa Rica but increasing in Honduras, Belize, and El

PAHO Director, Carissa F. Etienne vaccine doses to Latin American and Caribbean countries procured through COVAX. “Our region needs to pursue all possible avenues to expedite access and ensure countries reach their vaccination goals,” Dr. Etienne said. “We still need more donations; and we still need COVAX to deliver on its original commitment. We also need to create new opportunities that meet the diverse needs of our Member States, and that increase the supply of vaccines to the people and communities at greatest risk.” The Revolving Fund initiative “will benefit every country in the region, but especially those that lack the resources and negotiating power to secure the doses necessary to protect their people,” she added. Dr. Etienne drew attention to the Revolving Fund’s

pivotal role in the history of strong immunisation in Latin America and the Caribbean, where countries have enjoyed high rates of vaccine coverage, “regardless of their income or infrastructure.” The Revolving Fund consolidates regional demand so that vaccines can be procured in bulk. It also procures syringes, cold-chain equipment, and other supplies. “For decades, the Revolving Fund has been a catalyst of equity and solidarity and has been responsible for protecting generations of children across Latin America and the Caribbean from vaccine-preventable diseases,” Dr. Etienne said. She addressed the pandemic’s continuing toll on the Americas, where more than 1.3 million COVID-19 cases and more than 19,000 deaths were reported over the

Former Brazilian fugitive dies in ‘hail of bullets’ on Regent Street – another person injured during ordeal

EUCLID Da Silva, who was described in 2010 as one of the most wanted men in Brazil, was, on Tuesday night, shot nine times with high powered rifles, while sitting in a black Tacoma pick-up parked on Regent Street, Georgetown. CCTV footage that captured the execution, showed two men exiting a white Toyota Allion with high powered rifles flanking the vehicle and firing at its occupants. An unidentified man, who was sitting in the passenger seat of the pick-up was also shot multiple times and is in a critical condition at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation. The passenger was shot to the face, right arm and chest. Da Silva, 50, a business-

Dead: Euclid Da Silva man of Lot 23 Hadfield Street, Werk-en-Rust, Georgetown, was arrested by the police in Georgetown on August 13, 2010, and handed over to the Brazilian authorities on August 17, 2010. He was arrested in Brazil

in 1998 on drug trafficking and money laundering charges, but he later escaped from custody after being sentenced to 29 years in prison. Reports also indicated that he was involved in human trafficking. DaSilva, after being shot on Tuesday, was pronounced dead by an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) who arrived at the scene after the ordeal. The body was then taken to the Memorial Garden, where a post mortem examination will be conducted. The other male was escorted to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, where he is listed as critical. Police said efforts are being made to capture the shooters, as investigation continues.

Salvador. In the Caribbean, cases are rising in Cuba, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Martinique, the Bahamas, and Dominica. “Over the past month, infections increased 30-fold in Martinique and there has been a significant spike in hospitalisations,” Dr. Etienne said.

In South America, the news is better, she said. Cases and deaths are declining in the Andean region and Brazil, and across the Southern Cone. This includes substantial decreases in cases in Colombia, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay. (PAHO)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 12, 2021

Regional scientists call for more investment in science, technology

THE 22nd Biennial Caribbean Academy of Sciences (CAS) Conference, being hosted virtually by the University of Guyana and CAS, was declared open on Monday with Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat, underlining the importance of achieving the sustainable development goals, more particularly, the aspect in relation to renewable energy, which he said will catapult the development and the Caribbean at large. The virtual conference is being hosted by UG under the theme: “Science, Technology, and Innovation for Sustainable Development in a Greener Caribbean” and will run from August 9th to 14th. The conference aims to address pertinent issues in relation to science and technology in the region and the world and will see high-level experts making presentations on research projects they have conducted. Among those presenting remarks at the opening ceremony were Minister Bharrat; Professor Paloma Mohamed-Martin, Vice-Chancellor, XI, University of Guyana; Professor Raymond Jagessar, President, CAS, Central; Elena Trim, President, CAS, Guyana Chapter; Dr. Anna Perreira, Vice-President, CAS, Guyana Chapter, and Dennis A. Pieters, Director of Mid-Atlantic Oil and Gas Inc. (Guyana). In his feature address, Minister Bharrat sounded a call for cleaner energy to be used as Guyana does its part to tackle Climate Change. He argued: “The use of more renewable energy is inextricably linked to us achieving our sustainable development goals. Specifically, goal number 13 speaks to reducing climate change and goal number 12 speaks to responsible consumption and production. “With the use of technology, alternative sources of energy that are environmentally friendly have been created, such as biomass, geothermal resources, and hydropower. The use of renewable energy not only saves the environment but also helps us as a nation to

achieve sustainable development. And, if every country and island in the Caribbean community uses more renewable energy, we will have a greener, cleaner and stronger Caribbean.”

leverage science, technology, and innovation to advance national development, increased global competitiveness, improve the lives of its citizenry and pave the way for excellence.”

MUCH MORE WORK TO Further, Minister Bharrat posited that Guyana has much more work to be done to achieve its environmental and energy goals but the government is committed to achieving a greener country. He urged: “We must acknowledge the challenges of achieving sustainable development in order to embrace the sacrifices we must make. Our world is dying and we must preserve the resources that we have before it is too late. Being a third-world country, Guyana and many other Caribbean countries are heavily reliant on our human and environmental resources; therefore, we must use them in a careful manner.”

BUSINESS APPROACH He argued that a business approach to science will allow for greater synergies for innovation that will have an impact far beyond the primary sciences. “We will need an enabling policy environment and a seriousness of purpose in order to achieve the proper infrastructure if we are to reflect a general Caribbean reality as it relates to our common development agenda underpinned by similar histories and regional collaboration enshrined in regional bodies such as CARICOM. “As a region and individual countries, we need to focus on how we increase our spending on research as fast as possible as the

Vice-Chancellor, XI, Professor Mohamed-Martin, in her opening remarks, urged that the men and women working in the field of science and technology in the Caribbean be recognised and celebrated. According to Professor Mohamed-Martin, investment in the field of science and technology is of paramount importance for the region at large. “We have to push for investment in science and

Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat

technology, and this was articulated in the University of Guyana 2040 Blueprint which sees the need for us to retool many of our offer-

for the introduction of science and technology streams from the primary to tertiary levels throughout the region. “In order for us to make

ings especially in the way in which we teach and treat with science and technology.” The VC further observed: “We must know what the problems are and in order to do so, we need to invest in research. And, most times, this is the first thing that gets cut from our budget.” Notwithstanding the limited investment in science and technology, Professor Mohamed-Martin advocated

science normal and natural for everyone, we must have more activities for young people and children.” Adviser to the Minister of Science, Energy, and Technology, Jamaica, Dr. Parris Lyew-Ayee Jr. in his address posited: “Jamaica has a science technology and innovation policy from 2019 to 2029, entitled; Catalysing National Development. In order to join the developed world, Jamaica needs to

percentage of our GDP. We need to invest in education, infrastructure, and support systems to build a sustainable ecosystem. Not one or the other, all of them,” said Dr. Lyew-Ayee. He suggested that going forward, the region needs to ensure that “a strong policy framework exists with a supportive posture, review existing legislation and update it, if necessary, and introduce new legislation based on new information.

We need the interlinkages with all government agencies with science interests... We need to have the proper investments in education, to make sure we have the infrastructure and ecosystem to prevent these billion scientists from leaving our region. We need partnerships, equity, social impact, cohesion, and communication which is something this conference is emphasizing,” Dr. Lyew-Ayee admonished. Director of Mid-Atlantic Oil and Gas Inc. (Guyana), Dennis A. Pieters, eloquently conducted a presentation on the Coastal Georgetown, Guyana touching on topics such as exploration, production, upstream, downstream, the specifics of the oil industry, refineries and petrochemical companies, amongst other matters. The opening ceremony was chaired by Professor Raymond Jagessar-- President, Caribbean Academy of Science (CAS) Central. Elena Trim, President, Caribbean Academy of Science (CAS) Guyana Chapter introduced the main speakers, while Dr. Anna Perreira, Vice-President, Caribbean Academy of Science (CAS) Guyana Chapter, did the vote of thanks and officially declared the conference open. The five-day conference is open to all academics, researchers, educators, industry personnel, graduate, and undergraduate students. Several high-profile speakers are expected to make presentations in the next few days. These include Percy C. Hintzen, Professor Emeritus, University of California, Berkeley; Guyana-born, Dr. Maya Trotz, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of South Florida; astronomer at the University of the West Indies, Trinidad, Dr. Shirin Haque; Guyana- born and Cuba-trained Veterinary Doctor and Zoo-technician, Dr. Devon Dublin as well as food and agriculture and nature conservation specialist, Dr. Patrick Chesney, among other regional and international experts.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 12, 2021

COVID-19 death toll climbs to 567

– after three persons die on Tuesday

THREE more COVID-19 deaths, announced by the Ministry of Health on Wednesday, have taken the death toll to 567. The latest fatalities are two females, aged 82 years and 83 years of Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), and a male, aged 74 of Region Ten (Upper Demerara-Berbice). According to the Ministry of Health, the three persons died on August 10 while receiving medical care at Ministry of Health facilities. Additionally, the Health Ministry has recorded 86 new cases of COVID-19, with 1,580 tests carried out on August 10, 2021. With the new cases, Guyana now has 797 active cases of COVID-19. And based on information from the Health Ministry, there are 14 persons

‘Customer’ accused PI into Cummings of wounding vendor Street murder begins further remanded

A 52-year-old Linden resident was, on Wednesday, further remanded to prison for wounding a vendor during an argument. Colin James made his second court appearance before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court. Last week, he was charged for unlawful wounding. He pleaded not guilty to the charge and was remanded to prison. During Wednesday’s hearing, the prosecutor told the court that the victim was released from the hospital and was said to be in a stable condition. It was also disclosed that the victim is a vendor, and, on the day in question, James went to make

Colin James a purchase at her stall. While there, there was an argument during which he allegedly assaulted and wounded the woman. Chief Magistrate McLennan further remanded James to prison until September 22.

THE preliminary inquiry (PI) into the murder of 24-year-old Paul Chase, who was allegedly stabbed to death by his older brother, commenced, on Wednesday, at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court. Quincy Chase, is before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan for the capital offence which alleged that, on June 25, 2021, at Cummings Street, Bourda, Georgetown, he murdered his brother. During Wednesday’s hearing, two witnesses testified. The case was adjourned until today. According to the prosecution, the brothers lived together and would make daily trips to their mother’s Cummings Street home for meals. On the date in question, their mother confronted Quincy about a burnt spot on a

DEAD: Paul Chase mattress. Quincy reportedly became annoyed and dealt his mother a cuff to her face which caused her to receive injuries to her left eye. Paul immediately confronted Quincy, who armed himself with a knife and inflicted a stab wound to the left side of Paul’s chest. Members of an emergency medical team later pronounced Paul dead. Quincy was arrested and later charged.

in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 86 in institutional isolation, 690 in home isolation, and seven in institutional quarantine. Of Guyana’s 23,156 confirmed cases since the detection of COVID-19 here, some 21,799 persons have recovered. All Guyanese are urged to observe the protocols of the COVID-19 emergency measures, which emphasise the need for correct and consistent use of a face mask when leaving home, the

importance of maintaining the six feet physical distance from others, and the need for good hand hygiene to help curb the spread of COVID-19. If anyone you know is displaying any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19, or needs any additional information, kindly contact the COVID-19 Hotlines 2311166, 226-7480 or 624-6674 immediately or visit the Ministry of Health at www. health.gov.gy.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 12, 2021

Authorities mull syncing ‘private cameras’ with police surveillance system By Jared Liddell

MINISTER of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn, said that the government was contemplating a system which will involve private businesses linking their cameras to the surveillance system of the Guyana Police Force (GPF). In doing so, Benn believes that robberies and other serious crimes will be prevented or reduced significantly. The idea to establish such a system came just six days after armed robbers made good their escape with over $38 million in local currency and $20 million worth of raw gold from Wallison Enterprise. According to the police, the 45-year-old goldsmith and a 20-year-old female cashier were on duty at the establishment, which is located at Lot 23, Gordon Street, Kitty, when they were ‘surprised’ by the men and held at gunpoint. It is alleged that the bandits came with a white car, which they parked north of the building, and entered the compound through the

main gate. They were reportedly granted access into the building by a security guard, after pretending that they were there to sell gold. Once in the establishment’s waiting area, they told the cashier that the small package they were carrying contained the gold they’d come to sell, and after they would have gained her confidence, they whipped out their firearms from their pants waist, and, at gunpoint, ushered her into an inner office where the goldsmith and another man were conducting some business. Considering this incident, Minister Benn said that the added security measure of having the cameras linked to the police force’s security system would provide the GPF with added footage that could be used to not only solve crime and bring perpetrators to justice, but also to detect crimes faster. “We are working to enhance security. You might have seen some gaps, some inadequacies with regard to the recent gold and money robbery, and we are looking for a partnership where we would have private busi-

Trial into 2018 murder of Linden footballer underway

THE High Court trial into the murder of young Linden footballer, Leonard Peters, also known as “Lenny,” who was fatally stabbed during an argument in 2018, commenced on Tuesday before a judge and jury. Michael Emmanuel called “Giddie”, of West Watooka, Linden, is currently on trial before Justice Sandil Kissoon at the Demerara High Court for the capital offence of murder. Emmanuel had denied that, on December 21, 2018, at West Watooka, he murdered Peters. Thus far, a number of police and civilian witnesses have testified before a 12-member jury. The case continues today. The accused is being represented by attorney-at-law Damian DaSilva, while the state is being represented by prosecutors Taneisha Saygon, Lisa Cave and Muntaz Ali. According to reports, there was a social event on the date in question at West Watooka, during which a misunderstanding developed between Peters and Emmanuel. It is alleged that Peters had accidentally spilled alcohol on Emmanuel, and that subsequently resulted in a physical confrontation. It is alleged that Emmanuel whipped out a knife and stabbed Peters to his chest. Peters was rushed to the Linden Hospital Complex where he reportedly died while receiving medical attention.

Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn nesses put up cameras which will be linked into the police force system so that we can review, we can track, we can follow and we could have a significant impact in relation to fighting crime in our country,” the Home Affairs Minister related. Since the robbery occurred last Thursday, the GPF has been making significant strides in unmasking the perpetrators. A serving member of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), and two ex-soldiers were placed before the court for their involvement in the

multimillion-dollar gold heist. Sergeant Keyon King, 32, of Vergenoegen, East Bank Essequibo, and two of Wallison’s security officers, Delroy Jackson, called “Bug”, 36, of Golden Grove, East Coast Demerara; and Peon Lee, called “Nino Brown”, 35, of Mocha, East Bank Demerara, were on Tuesday slapped with four counts of robbery. They all appeared before Principal Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and pleaded not guilty

to the charges. King was unrepresented, while his co-accused, reportedly ex-soldiers themselves, were represented by Attorneys-at-Law Dexter Todd, Dexter Smartt, and Jacy Archibald. All three denied that on August 5, while being armed with guns, and in the company of others, they robbed Wallison Enterprise of $38 million in local currency, and $20 million worth of raw gold, property of Francis Santos Lumes. King, who’d initially pleaded guilty to the charge, begged the court to allow him to change his plea, as, being unrepresented, he was confused as to what to say when the charges were formally read to him. Surprisingly, the ploy worked, as the Magistrate accepted his “not guilty” plea, though not necessarily his claim that he had no prior knowledge of the robbery. The trio was also slapped with three other

charges, for allegedly relieving, at gunpoint, Fernanda Carmichael of a cell-phone worth $350,000; Francis Santos Lumes of gold jewellery and cash amounting to $224,000; and William Batista DaSilva of a cell-phone valued $60,000. The three were all remanded to prison until August 24. As investigations into the matter continue, Crime Chief, Senior Superintendent Wendell Blanhum, noted, on Tuesday, that the police are in search of two other suspects believed to have been involved in the robbery. He explained that the plan was hatched by Lee, who’s the company’s Chief of Security, while Jackson, a security officer on duty at the time it was executed, reportedly confessed that it should have gone down on Wednesday, August 4, but because the owner’s family was there, it was done the following day instead.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 12, 2021

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Thursday August 12, 2021) CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83 Garnett Street, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) Jeff Dujon-38 dismissals (34 catches; 4 stumpings – 31 ODIs) (2) M S Dhoni-47 dismissals (33 catches; 14 stumpings- 39 ODIs ) Today’s Quiz: (1) Which WI player has contested most ODI matches against NZ to date? (2) Which NZ cricketer has played most ODI matches against the WI to date? Answers in tomorrow’s issue

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 12, 2021

Messi sets Champions League as goal at PSG unveiling (BBC) - Lionel Messi said he dreams of winning the Champions League once more after joining Paris St-Germain, adding: “I

na, the last of which came in 2015. PSG are still searching for their first title in the competition, having lost to Bay-

player. Messi left Barcelona whom he joined aged 13 - as they were unable to afford a new deal under La Liga’s

Lionel Messi poses with his jersey next to President Nasser Al Khelaifi and Leonardo after the press conference of Paris Saint-Germain at Parc des Princes yesterday in Paris, France. (Photo by Sebastien Muylaert/ Getty Images)

think we have the team to do it here.” The Argentina captain, 34, won four Champions League titles with Barcelo-

ern Munich in the 2020 final. “My goal and dream is to win the Champions League once more,” Messi said as he was unveiled as a PSG

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financial fair play rules. Considered one of the greatest players of all-time, he scored a record 672 goals in 778 games for the Catalan giants. He won the Ballon d’Or a record six times and lifted 35 trophies during his time at the Nou Camp, but said he is excited to “begin this new moment of my life” after a “difficult” departure from Barcelona. “It was a difficult change after so long a time,” he told reporters at the Parc des Princes. “But the moment I arrived here, I felt very happy and I really want to begin the training sessions. I want it to be quick. “My only will now is to begin the training sessions. I want to work with the staff and team-mates and begin this new moment of my life. “I have this will to play. I am really impatient. I still want to win, as I did the first moment of my career. “I feel this club is ready to fight for all the trophies. This is my goal, I want to keep growing and keep winning titles and that is why I came to this club.” ‘It would be nice to go back to Barcelona’ Adding Messi - who has signed a two-year contract with the option of a third - to an already talent-rich squad is a major step in PSG’s

quest to reach the European summit. After losing to Manchester City in last season’s semi-finals, the Parisians - who also lost their Ligue 1 crown to Lille last term have recruited Champions League winners in Sergio Ramos, Georginio Wijnaldum and Messi.

However, Messi is aware that in order to lift the trophy for a fifth time, he may have to face Barcelona along the way, and admits that playing at the Nou Camp in PSG’s colours would be “very strange”. “Barcelona is my home I have been there since I was a kid and I’ve lived so many

things there,” he added. “I don’t know if we are going to face each other - it would be very nice to go back to Barcelona. “It will be very strange to play at home there in Barcelona with another shirt but it can happen and we will see.”

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 12, 2021

Four more Guyanese included for West Indies U19 trials ALL-ROUNDERS Jonathan Rampersaud, Zachary Jodah, Alvin Mohabir and Marvan Prashad have been selected to join the 56 players who are currently part of Under-19 camp in Antigua, organised by Cricket West Indies (CWI). Those four join Matthew Nandu, Mavindra Dindyal, Isai Thorne, Rampertab Ramnauth as the Guyanese players seeking to make the West Indies Under-19 squad for the upcoming tour England, and potentially the 2022 ICC Under-19 World Cup which will be held in the Caribbean in the months of January-February. When CWI announced

the training the 56-member training contingent on August 2, only four Guyanese names were listed despite eight players being submitted, a source had related in another section of the press. Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) released a statement which indicated, “GCB peeved with Under-19 World Cup training squad named by CWI selectors”, and noted it as “shoddy treatment” to Guyanese cricketers. GCB president Bissoondyal Singh and CWI director, indicated in the said release he would have sought an audience with the CWI hierarchy on the matter. Appearing on the Mason

and Guest Radio Show in Barbados, on Tuesday evening, CWI vice-president Dr Kishore Shallow said: “We realise that this is about identifying talent, this is about the boys playing cricket and representing West Indies, and we know how enthusiastic these youngsters are. I’m pleased to say…Cricket West Indies and the GCB have since made arrangements to facilitate an additional four players who missed out on an opportunity (initially).” The now 60 players are split into four groups to play against each other in four matches. The second match was contested yesterday. Following the Rising

Stars U19 camp and the trial matches, the selectors will then cut the squad to 25, then a squad of eighteen (18) players will be selected for the West Indies Rising Stars U19 tour of England, which will feature six Youth One-Day Internationals at The County Ground, Beckenham and The Polo Farm, Canterbury from Saturday, September 4 to Friday, September 17. The seven not selected for England tour will continue to work with a programme which has been ongoing virtually over the past seven months with some regional youth players. FULL SQUADS (with home territories)

Briton John looking to build on podium finishes in the U.S.

INDEPENDENCE Three-Stage cycling champion Briton John will look to build on the podium finishes he made last weekend during his stint in the U.S. The ace Guyanese cyclist, who has been training and competing in the U.S. for the last two months, is eyeing the big upcoming races in New York and New Jersey. “I have my eyes set on some of the big upcoming races, I feel I can do well.” The ‘We Stand United’ cyclist is also contemplating spending the entire season in the U.S. On Saturday, John was able to eclipse fellow Guyanese cyclist Jamual John at Prospect Park in the BrookBriton John (right) finished third on Sunday in New lyn Marks Criterium Jersey. Race. elling to the U.S. has helped John said he was able The packed event had him significantly. to increase his speed in the dozens of quality riders, Meanwhile, on Sunday, criterium battle towards the but it was Briton John who he finished third in the Lu- end in New Jersey. surged to second place. carelli and Castaldi BranchSome 45 cyclists comAccording to John, his brook Spring Series. peted in that event. increased training since trav-

Barbados: Rivaldo Clarke, Hakeem Perryman, T a r i q O ’ N e a l e, J o h a n n Layne, Shaqkere Parris, Nimar Bolden, Giovonte Depeiza, Kwame Patton, Kamario Grant, Achilles Brown, Romario Brathwaite Guyana: Matthew Nandu, Mavindra Dindyal, Isai Thorne, Rampertab Ramnauth, Jonathon Rampersaud, Marvin Prashad, Zachary Jodah, Alvin Mohabir Jamaica: Brandon English, Steven Wedderburn, Jordan Johnson, Justin Beckford, Andel Gordon, Nicholas Lewin, Oneil Roberts, Javid Simpson, Tamari Redwood, Gavasta Edmond Leeward Islands: Jaden

Carmichael, Akadianto Willett, Anderson Amurdan, Carlon Bowen-Tuckett, Onaje Amory, Kelvin Pittman, Nathan Edward Trinidad and Tobago: Shiva Sankar, Matthew Gittens, Sion Hackett, Anderson Mahase, Isaiah Gomez, Vasant Singh, Aaron Bankay, Kyle Roopchand, Jeremiah Cruickshank, Nick Ramlal, Tariq Mohammed, Justin Jaggessar, Amrit Dass, Chaydon Raymond, Rajiv Ramnath, Kyle Kissoondath Windward Islands: Divonie Joseph, Udell Preville, Tyran Theodore, Ackeem Auguste, Teddy Bishop, McKenny Clarke, Tiron Charles, Keygan Arnold.

Grenadian Kirani James celebrates his bronze last week at the Tokyo Games.

James earns admiration of Bahamian Davis-Thompson (CMC) – Grenadian Kirani James’ successful battle against illness to claim bronze at the Tokyo Olympics last week has earned the admiration of Bahamian great Pauline Davis-Thompson. The 28-year-old James made history by becoming the first man to win medals in the 400 metres at three successive Olympics when he finished behind winner Bahamian Steven Gardiner and silver medallist Anthony Zambrano of Colombia. His success came amid his battle with Graves Disease, an autoimmune condition which results in an overactive thyroid. “I’m so proud to see he was able to overcome the illness that he had and get back on the track and win a medal for his coun-

try again. It just shows you the champion that he is, showing how relentless he is,” the legendary Davis-Thompson told CMC Sports. “To be able to get over something that devastating and to come back at the Olympic level, you don’t get (any) higher than this”. James won Olympic gold at the London 2012 Olympics before capturing silver in Rio five years ago. His feat of medals at three successive Olympics elevated him past the likes of Jamaica’s Herb McKenley and Americans Steve Lewis, Michael Johnson and Lashawn Merritt. Davis-Thompson, who won Olympic gold in the 200 metres and the 4x100 in 2000, also showered praise on James for his assistance

to newly minted Olympic 400 metres champion Gardiner after the final last week. “When my homeboy Steven was sitting on the ground because he was too tired to even pick up The Bahamian flag, Kirani went, picked up The Bahamian flag and put it around Steven Gardiner, go figure that,” Davis-Thompson said. “The man is a great champion but other than that, he’s a great human being.” Gardiner, 25, and James are the only athletes from the region to have won the 400 metres at both the Olympics and the World Championships. Gardiner won his World title in Doha two years ago while James captured gold in Daegu at the 2011 showpiece.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, August 12, 2021

Johnson rips through Elite CC to hand Galaxy ninewicket win in Caribbean Fest FORMER Essequibo cricketer Telston Johnson ripped through Elite Cricket Club’s batting order to propel his side, Galaxy Cricket Club, to a nine-wicket victory in the latest round of the Caribbean Fest 40 Overs Tournament at Baisley Ground in New York. The opening bowler helped to dismantle the top order before he returned to clean up the tail after the pre-dominant Guyanese side, Galaxy CC, won the toss and opted to field. Johnson’s line-and-length bowling resulted in the dismissal of three batsmen via the caught-and-bowled route and two via lbw as he finished with 5-31 from six overs.

With only two fours and a six in the entire innings and nine of the 11 batsmen failing to reach double figures, Elite CC laboured to 75 all out in 20 overs. Galaxy CC skipper Yudesh Bissnauth supported with 2-11 from three overs. Bissnauth then equalled Elite’s overall boundary count when he smashed two fours and a six in his 19 runs. After he fell, bowled by Michael Sultan, fellow opener Keeran Krishna (21 not out 2x4) and Hemendra Ramdihal (26 not out 4x4, 1x6) propelled the side to victory in 7.3 overs.

Telston Johnson picked up 5-31 from his six overs.

Brathwaite wants West Indies to believe in themselves despite daunting Pakistan challenge

AFTER a slew of whiteball cricket, West Indies will now commence their campaign in the second World Test championship with the two Tests against the highly favoured Pakistan in Jamaica. Captain Kraigg Brathwaite, said they are confident and called on the players, especially the batsmen to have self-belief. Pakistan have won their last two-Test series against West Indies (both in 2017), and they enter this series, with series wins over South Africa, the side who ham-

mered West Indies in two Tests in June, and Zimbabwe. Another barrage of pace and high-quality spin will be served up by the World’s number-five-ranked Test team to a West Indies batting unit who have a recurring issue. West Indies have not defeated Pakistan at Sabina Park since 1977, with the teams having split four Test matches down the middle. Pakistan’s victories came in 2005 and 2017. “It is Test cricket; it is a different series and differ-

ent conditions. Pakistan are always a good Test team. They have a lot of young fast-bowlers and we know what we have to do. The batting obviously let us down the last series and we had a really good camp and all the guys are in the right space,” the skipper stated on the eve of the first Test. The prolific Babar Azam, Azhar Ali, and Mohammad Rizwan are some key pillars in Pakistan’s batting and Brathwaite said they have plans to combat such threats. “They are world-class batsmen and obviously

West Indies Test captain Kraigg Brathwaite

Babar Azam will be a key wicket.

most teams have worldclass batsmen and we have world-class bowlers. We won’t focus on the opposition per say, we focus on our strengths and our disciplines,” he expressed. “It is not going to be easy; they have world class batsmen and we are going to have to work extra hard to do it and I really look forward to the challenge.” The skipper indicated that he is confident despite the absence of seasoned Shannon Gabriel. The young recruits Jayden Seales and Chemar Holder can fill the

void for what he calls a “world-class bowling attack”. The match today is scheduled to commence at 11:00hrs Eastern Caribbean time. West Indies squad for the first Test: Kraigg Brathwaite (captain), Jermaine Blackwood (vice-captain), Kieran Powell, Nkrumah Bonner, Roston Chase, Joshua Da Silva, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph, Kyle Mayers, Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales, Jomel Warrican. Out from 17-man squad:

Shamarh Brooks, Rahkeem Cornwall, Chemar Holder, Jahmar Hamilton Pakistan squad: Babar Azam (capt.), Mohammad Rizwan (vice-capt, wkp,), Abdullah Shafique, Abid Ali Azhar Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Imran Butt, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wkp,), Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shahnawaz Dahani, Yasir Shah, Zahid Mahmood.

Four more Guyanese included for West Indies U19 trials SEE STORY ON PAGE 22 Jonathan Rampersaud

Zachary Jodah Alvin Mohabir

Marvan Prashad

SEE STORY ON PAGE 23

West Indies lost 1-2 the last time Pakistan visited in 2017.

Brathwaite wants West Indies to believe in themselves despite daunting Pakistan challenge Printed and Published by Guyana National Newspapers Limi ted, Lama Avenue, Bel Air Park, Georgetown. Telephone 2 2 6- 3243-9 (General); Editorial: 2 2 7- 5204, 2 2 7- 5216. Fax:2 2 7- 5208

Thursday, August 12, 2021