FRIDAY
Happy New Year
19th February, 2021
' No.106277
US$2M concrete production facility for Linden SEE PAGE 03
–– to be operational in two months, create over 50 jobs
Concrete batching plant with workers on site
Father in custody for Two years pass, Leguan Murder accused who escaped through toilet window recaptured aiding escaped prisoners Stelling still incomplete PAGE
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Drunken parents accused of ill-treating 10 infant remanded PAGE
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 19, 2021
Father in custody for aiding escaped prisoner THE father of one of the four high-profile prisoners, who escaped recently from the Mazaruni Prison, after cutting locks and iron bars, is currently in police custody for aiding the fugitives at his Bartica home. The escapees have been identified as 25-year-old Imran Ramsaywack, who is facing a death sentence after being tried for murder. His last known address is Lot 07, Adelphi Village, East Canje, Berbice; Kenrick Lyte, 44, who is also facing a death sentence after being tried for murder. His last known address is Grant Good Intent, Lower Pomeroon River; Samuel Gouveia, 26, who
was imprisoned for murder. His last known address is Lot 13 Goedverwagting, East Coast Demerara (ECD); and Rayon Jones, 28, who was also imprisoned for murder. His last known address is Lot 121 Timehri, EBD. The men escaped from prison in the wee hours of Tuesday, February 16. As the members of the Joint Services continue their hunt for fugitives, the father of Jones, Ralph Jones, was interrogated and is currently in police custody. The man told the police his son contacted him after escaping from prison around 21:00 hours that day and informed him of his actions.
The items found by the police
“Ralph Jones further admitted that sometime after 01:00 hours the following day, all four of the escapees showed up at his house where he provided each of them with a change of clothing. He in turn collected the clothes that they were wearing and dumped them in an alleyway aback his house in Fourth Avenue Bartica” the police said in a release. On Thursday, police ranks went to the location disclosed where they found a white ‘salt’ bag that contained clothing, footwear, deodorant, topes, pillow and
pillow-cases, along with a bottle of Red Star rub, a toothbrush and a food bowl. The Guyana Chronicle had reported that the police have since issued wanted bulletins for the men, who will now face an ‘Escaping from Lawful Custody’ charge. According to Director of Prisons (ag), Nicklon Elliot, on Tuesday about 07:15 hours, during the unlocking of the Brick Prison (Solitary Division) supervised by the duty officer and four other ranks, it was observed that the padlock to the entrance gate was tampered with.
Further checks, he said, revealed that two bars of separate cells were cut. The matter was immediately reported to the Officer-in-Charge, Mazaruni Prison, Kofi David, Senior Superintendent of Prisons (ag), who immediately ordered a head count. Upon conclusion, the Prison Director said the aforementioned convicted prisoners, who were housed in the Brick Prison (solitary) were unaccounted for. Meanwhile, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) is appealing to members of the public, as well as to relatives and
friends of the wanted men, to give any relevant information as to the whereabouts of these escapees so that they can be captured and returned to the prison. The members of the Joint Services are continuing the search for the escapees and encourages all law-abiding citizens to report to the nearest police station or call 455-2238, 455-2222, 455-2241, 2264585, 225-2700, 225-3650 or 911 should they be seen. All information will be treated with strict confidence.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 19, 2021
US$2M concrete production facility for Linden –– to be operational in two months, create over 50 jobs
By Navendra Seoraj
IN recognising that construction material is anticipated to be in high demand as Guyana continues its economic ascension and infrastructural transformation, investor, Amar Chetram, is positioning himself to absorb the potential opportunities through the establishment of a US$2 million (approximately G$400M) concrete production facility in Linden. The company called Caribbean Concrete Guyana Limited is located at the Amelia’s Ward Industrial Site and has an estimated production capacity of 1,000 cubic yards of concrete mix per eight-hour shift. Being a subsidiary of the Guyanese-owned Caribbean Concrete Limited of Dominica, the new establishment is well-experienced and has the capability to provide products such as pre-mix concrete, pre-cast products, concrete products and accessories. Such products, according to Chateram, will be ideal for Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), where major infrastructural work is anticipated to be executed. The company is particularly keen on contributing to the Government’s “1,000 homes” project which is slated for the region. Access to adequate hous-
ing is viewed as a basic human right, and is considered to be an integral factor for the enjoyment of other economic, social and cultural rights. And, with Guyana’s economy poised to quadruple in the coming years, the Government will be moving to ensure that its people, especially from the low and middle-income brackets, have access to adequate housing. Housing units will eventually be constructed across all 10 administrative regions, and authorities are already working to identify and acquire lands for this purpose. But, specific to Region 10, in addition to the construction of 1,000 houses, President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, had announced that 50 houses will be constructed in Amelia’s Ward for young professionals by the end of October 2021. In anticipation of this and other projects, Chateram has started constructing his facility, which is on course for completion and operationalisation in two months. When done, the company will create jobs for over 50 persons, most of whom are expected to be hired from communities within the region. “Workers are on site and we have started office buildings and so on,” he said during an exclusive interview with the Guyana Chronicle, on Thursday. Work on this state-of-
Owner of Caribbean Concrete Guyana, Amar Chetram (left) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Office for Investment (Go-Invest), Dr. Peter Ramsaroop hold up a signed copy of the Memorandum of Understanding
the-art facility is expected to move faster, as the investor recently cleared the way for accessing concessions by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Office for Investment (Go-Invest), Dr. Peter Ramsaroop. CONFIDENCE “This investment reflects
the company’s confidence in the Government’s commitment to Guyana’s sustainable development,” Chateram said. This project is one in a slew of projects which are scheduled for this year. Close to US$1 billion (G$215B) will soon be injected into Guyana’s economy in the form of world-class hotels which will be constructed
Concrete batching plant with workers on site
across the country to cater for the anticipated increase in visitors, who are being attracted by the nation’s burgeoning oil and gas sector and its spill-off benefits. A business-friendly climate supplemented by the anticipated economic ascension is being credited for the attraction of major players in the hotel industry, such as Sheraton, The Element, Delta Marriott, Best Western Hotels and Resorts, the H-Tower Luxury Hotel, the Marriott Courtyard, the Hyatt Hotels Corporation, the Radisson Hotels, and the Hilton Hotels and Resorts, among others. This level of development is aligned with the Government’s vision, which was outlined recently by Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, during his presentation of the 2021 budget to the National Assembly. The budget is aimed at ensuring that there’s a diversified and resilient productive sector by facilitating largescale private investment in both traditional and new and emerging sectors, creating 50,000 jobs in the next five years, and promoting entrepreneurship at the medium and small-business levels. Budget 2021 will also initiate investments in catalytic and transformative infrastructure, including en-
ergy infrastructure to ensure adequate supply at a competitive cost, and transport infrastructure to improve international connectivity, and unleash domestic production and productivity. The year 2021, according to President Ali, will be the springboard from which Guyana will leap into recovery, rebuilding the economy, enhancing the people’s health and lifting up the vulnerable groups in society. “We must not remain a rich country of poor people,” the President affirmed, noting that the bounty of Guyana must be shared across the population. “Opportunities will be created to join in such work, and they will be made available to all. I recognise that there are communities within our society which, because of disadvantages of geographic location, will need more help than others to join our national advance,” President Ali reasoned. The country will have to identify those communities, assess their needs, identify solutions, and implement plans to change their circumstances. This change will not occur overnight, it will take time. But every journey begins with a first step, the President said.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 19, 2021
Ryan Ferreira Perseverance rover wanted by police lands on Mars
Ryan Ferreira called “Herbert”
POLICE, on Thursday, issued a wanted bulletin for the arrest of Ryan Ferreira, also known as “Herbert”, who is wanted in relation for fraud. Ferreira, 63, of Lot 16 Durban Street, Werk-EnRust, Georgetown, is wanted for questioning in relation to the forging of documents with intent to defraud the public and demanding property with a forged instrument.
Anyone with information that may lead to the arrest of Ryan Ferreira, also known as Herbert is asked to contact the police on telephone numbers 226-6978, 225-8196, 226-2870, 226-7065, 2271149, 226-7065, 225-6940, 911 or the nearest police station. All information will be treated with the strictest confidence.
Friday January 19, 2021 –– 10:00 HRS Saturday January 20, 2021 –– 00:30 HRS &10:30 HRS
There's a new robot on the surface of Mars. The American space agency has successfully landed its Perseverance rover in a deep crater near the planet's equator called Jezero. "The good news is the spacecraft, I think, is in great shape," said Matt Wallace, the mission's deputy project manager. Engineers at Nasa's mission control in California erupted with joy when the confirmation of touchdown came through. The six-wheeled vehicle will now spend at least the next two years drilling into the local rocks, looking for evidence of past life. Jezero is thought to have held a giant lake billions of years ago. And where there's been water, there's the possibility there might also have been life. The signal alerting controllers that Perseverance was down and safe arrived at 20:55 GMT. In the past they might have hugged and high-fived but strict coronavirus protocols meant they had all been separated by Perspex screens. A respectful fist bump was about all they could manage. Nonetheless, the excite-
ment was evident. And the applause continued when the first two images came in. They were taken by low-resolution engineering cameras. There was dust covering the still-attached translucent lens covers, but it was possible to see a flat surface both in front and behind the rover. Post-landing analysis indicated the vehicle had come down about 2km to the southeast of the delta feature in
Jezero that Perseverance plans to investigate. "We are in a nice flat spot. The vehicle is only tilted by about 1.2 degrees," said Allen Chen, who led the landing team. "So we did successfully find that parking lot and have a safe rover on the ground. And I couldn't be more proud of my team for doing that." Landing on Mars is never easy, and even though Nasa has become expert at it, every-
one on the Perseverance team had spoken with great caution going into Thursday. This is the second onetonne rover put on Mars by the US space agency. The first, Curiosity, was landed in a different crater in 2012. It trialled innovative descent technologies, including a rocket-powered cradle, that Perseverance has also now put to good effect. (BBC)
In this picture from an engineering camera, it's possible to see the shadow of the rover's robotic arm (BBC photo)
GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 19, 2021
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 19, 2021
Towards safer public gathering spaces OPEN, outdoor public gathering spaces across this country tend to revolve around the markets, and transportation hubs like ferry stellings and minibus parks, and in some villages, on street corners, with that unique Guyaneseness on a daily hive of colourful display, full of loud life and sunny laughter and a free abandonment to the moment, to self-expression of the most raw kind, with visitors to the country seeing in these places the full expression of Guyanese public culture. These public spaces showcase the pulse of the nation, the mood of the people, the way Guyanese feel about their country, and so these spaces become a kind of litmus test of how things are moving, and therefore the nation would benefit in a real way were it to make sure these spaces function with optimal value to the society. How alive these places are: the Stabroek, Bourda, New Amsterdam, Bartica, Mon Repos, Parika, Leguan and Anna Regina Markets. Most markets evolved around transportation hubs -- bus parks and ferry stellings, and so these public spaces tend to feed off of travellers and food shoppers who purchase their fresh, organic vegetables and fruits from the markets. Of course, the main downtown core: Brickdam and Regent and Robb and Camp and Water streets see the most foot traffic as economic activity flows through the City, but for a real Guyanese ‘gyaf’ in the public space, see the markets and transportation hubs, for that pure flavour of rambunctious tropical energy, listen to the real man and woman in the street share their
life wisdom and opinion and views with absolute conviction and emphatic exclamations and grassroots anecdotes. In these places, Guyana comes alive every day, starting in the wee hours of the morning with market vendors transporting their farm produce, and continuing through the day to end with workers heading home in the late afternoon and evening. These spaces evolved over time, and did not grow out of local government management and planning. Although bylaws exist governing the main markets in the city and towns and villages, much of the growth is ad hoc and left to its own organic development. But as the country advances and develops, and opens its arms to international visitors and as local Guyanese lift their expectations of what the nation should look like and function as, it becomes important that these spaces come under a national blueprint for how Guyanese public spaces should grow and develop. Some kind of professional local government planning and efficient municipal management structure needs to govern these spaces, maybe following a national policy vision that emanates from Central Government. Definitely, one of the most urgent need is for the Guyana Police Force to completely eradicate petty crimes around these spaces, and to terminate robberies and pickpockets, which became a sort of way of life that causes Guyanese to venture into the public arena with extreme caution and on guard, always wary of being robbed. Law enforcement may be stomped about how to solve this problem,
but a simple solution would be to embed these street criminals when they are caught in an intensive rehabilitation programme, with State welfare giving them a chance to re-enter society as productive citizens. Instead of imprisoning them in already over-crowded prisons, with them honing their criminality among other criminals, the courts may better serve society to order them rehabilitated and to serve society in community service. It is rather shameful that the main public space in the country, Stabroek Market, harbours so much petty criminal activity, and at one time the front entrance of the market became a known danger zone, with all manner of nefarious goings-on happening there, in obvious knowledge of law enforcement but with a seeming unwillingness to do the hard work to clean up the space, despite some effort. The street crime situation is a real problem, but it is not a huge problem for Guyana to solve, and completely clean up. The criminals are a small cadre and most of them are known to law enforcement. Cleaning up the crime situation on the streets would go a long way in making life in the public spaces of the country easier for Guyanese, not to mention foreign visitors and tourists and business investors checking out new opportunities in the country. These public spaces offer a golden opportunity for new business ventures. For example, the water taxi industry is relatively new, and spans all the main rivers, servicing Bartica, Leguan, Wakenaam,
Supenaam, Parika, New Amsterdam, Rosignol, D’Edward Village, Vreed-en-Hoop and Georgetown. At every one of these, makeshift, temporary wood platforms serve as walkways in and out of the water taxis unto land. These areas see so much traffic every day that it would be fruitful and of great benefit to the country, were local authorities to make these spaces available for savvy business investors to build waterfront access points, such as pubs, or on-the-go food outlets, or even other service centres. The public spaces in this country offer Guyanese a great opportunity to convert these areas into a showcase of what Guyana is all about, and this requires a deliberate, strenuous effort to clean up street crimes, to establish ordered planning around these spaces, including implementing an aesthetic- appealing environment with landscaping and a beautification project like the First Lady’s initiative, and to explore how modern, classy, attractive-looking businesses could mushroom around these spaces. The development and success of places like Splashmins on the Linden highway, Mainstay Lake in Essequibo, and the seawall aback of Kingston, are examples of what’s possible for these public spaces, these playgrounds for the Guyanese public soul to find its merriment and mirth and frenzy market spirit. Guyana’s open, public gathering spaces are rich with socio-cultural potential, and a national vision for how these areas grow and develop would serve the country well.
GAWU continues to pay close attention to situation in sugar Dear Editor, THE GAWU saw the letter written by former President Donald Ramotar titled “Paradigm shifts needed in sugar industry to regain viability” which appeared in the February 16, 2021 Stabroek News. Some of what was said by the former President has merit. Indeed, like Mr. Ramotar, we are firm of the conviction that the sugar industry can be revitalised and made successful. Like Mr. Ramotar too, we too share the view that sugar and sugar-related products should be among the industries that would exist alongside the oil industry to ensure a diversified and robust economy. Mr. Ramotar pointed out that the industry needs experienced and capable persons at the helm. We cannot express any disagreement. Indeed the industry has suffered a deficit of skills for some time. The situation became more acute over the last five years when innumerable personnel were lost and square pegs were placed in round holes. Certainly, the former
President must be aware of what took place, especially given his long-standing association with the sugar industry. We are aware former sugar men and women, whether near or far, have deep interest in the industry and have been willing to lend their skills. At the same time, the industry needs to listen to its workers who also have valued and valuable institutional knowledge. We need too to develop a new cadre of sugar leaders. We believe, we may require assistance from known successful sugar industry and states to assist the process. They may be aware of doing the tasks differently and more efficiently. At the same time, we do not believe that the seeming denigration of the management will assist in turning the industry around. It may well do the opposite and demoralise further a weakened management. The GAWU itself has not shied away from expressing critical views of the management. While we contend that our criticisms were principled and with merit, at the same time, we do not believe in seeking to pull down managers. The
lamentations of the former President has to be considered in tandem with the critical role he played as a Director of GuySuCo for several years and later as President. Undoubtedly, we believe, he must have had several opportunities to address the shortcomings he pointed to. The former President touted the idea of workers’ co-operatives to farm cane lands. This sounds on paper like an enticing idea. We believe that this is a concept that must be studied properly and thoroughly. We remind Mr. Ramotar that the industry has had cane farmers supplying canes to the factory prior to our Independence in 1966. Yet despite the lengthy period, cane farming potential has not been fully exploited. There may be good reason for this, and several factors may be at play. We do know now that the industry is having difficulty to attract and retain farmers and thus to transition workers, who lack the financial wherewithal when compared to farmers, could be a bit of a stretch. That is why we believe this notion of workers’ co-operatives must be carefully considered and not be rushed into no
matter how much it glitters. With cane farming largely outsourced, the former President asserted that management could have more time to concentrate on product diversification. The GAWU does not believe it is a case where the management is not knowledgeable of what could or should be done. Much of it has been known for some time now. Several studies have testified to this and Mr. Ramotar must be familiar with some of these during his time on the GuySuCo Board. Certainly, we do not believe the GuySuCo knows of every possibility but at the same time they are very much acquainted with several important possibilities. What is needed now is the mechanism to transform them from concept to reality. There are several avenues which may require deeper examination. Mr. Ramotar reminds of the possibility of liquid fertilisers and bagasse briquettes which he mentioned were experimented with a few years ago. In terms of the liquid fertilisers, we are aware TURN TO PAGE 7 that they did
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 19, 2021
The hallmark of Hope Estate is its diversification capabilities P L A N TAT I O N H o p e Estate is located on the East Coast of Demerara. The estate occupies a p p ro x i m a t e l y t h re e thousand acres, extending from the Atlantic on the north, to the Crown Dam on the South; and from Dochfour on the east to Noontenzuil on the West. The estate engages with approximately 200 tenant farmers whose main produce are cash crops, rice, and there is also some engagement in animal husbandry. Cash crop farming occupies the largest acreage of the estate. Hope Estate has established a landing depot where farmers display their produce for inspection, and conduct transactions with wholesalers and distributors. Transportation could be accessed through water and roadways. What is noticeable is the binding link between the farmers and the middlemen. The tenant farmers are mainly residents located in the estate proper, and in the environs of Plantation Hope. With the advent of the PPP/C administration, Hon. Zulfikar Mustapha, Minister of Agriculture, has initiated a multiplicity of protective and enabling initiatives to facilitate solutions to the farmers’ essential requirements in prioritised interventions. One of the most vital prerequisites of any agricultural activity is maintenance of D&I structures, as the exigencies of effective drainage and irrigation systems cannot be emphasised enough. The immediacy of his response to the Hope Estate farmers’ needs has resulted in attention to many areas, primarily the dispatch of an excavator to rehabilitate and clean all waterways so as to enhance efficacy and efficiency to farming activities. This has tremendously boosted the morale of the farmers and increased productivity. The work programme mandated by the board will eventuate in a totally transformed estate, which will not only be superlatively productive, but will alter the landscape of the area. Hope Coconut Industries Limited (HCIL) is leading the way in coconut production, through the Ministry of Agriculture, which is establishing coconut nurseries in seven regions countrywide. This initiative is the brainchild
of the minister, who recognises the potential of the industry to increase local and foreign revenue as coconut and every part of the tree can be utilised in manifold ways, as has been demonstrated in India and other far-eastern countries. Hope coconut Industries LTD is a subsidiary of the Ministry of Agriculture and it is located at Hope Estate. The hallmark of the estate is its diversification capabilities. The minister is advising, and providing the enabling synergies, for strengthening of the diversification programme. Relevant training will provide farmers with the requisite skills and the benefits to be garnered from best farming practices, including inter-cropping, as well as introducing new varieties of crops, which could add to their revenue. H C I L has the requisite agricultural equipment, which are always available to rent to farmers at a minimal price to cover maintenance costs. One of the many benefits is making farming less labour-intensive: i.e., land preparation, etc. The ministry has assigned full-time extension officers to render advisory and farming-related services to all farmers at Hope Estate. The conservancy provides bountiful fresh water to the estate, which facilitates all aspects of farming. Recently, bridges and culverts were rehabilitated to enable increased road transportation services and controlled water usage. HCIL is becoming a model to guide traditional farmers to advance in the field of technological farming. Already, shade houses and drip irrigation systems are being used by farmers to enhance production and increase quantity and quality of produce. A newly extended and fully rehabilitated office building was completed to house staff, facilitate board meetings and to engage farmers. An area of approximately 40 acres is provided for cattle-rearing. The management of the estate is encouraging aggressive farming that is consistent with estate policy and to eliminate violations of the tenancy agreement that is mutually binding to farmers and the estate. Yours sincerely, Rabindranauth Persaud
The ERC wakes up when it wants to Dear Editor,
A release from the Ethnic Relations Committee stated, “The ERC is again urging citizens to promote tolerance and understanding, especially towards those of different ethnicities, for a better country.” The Ethnic Relations Committee has commenced legal proceedings in the court against eight perpetrators accused of exciting hostility or ill will on the ground of race, under the Racial Hostility Act and for causing racial or ethnic violence under the Representation of the People Act. This is commendable of an organisation whose objective should be to prosecute defaulters who are callous and careless in the abuse of communication with the malicious intent of hurting any group of people, physically, verbally, sociologically or psychologically. The ERC’s claim of wanting to work vigorously to stop the spread of racial incitement among Guyanese, especially on social media, is again applaudable. This should be in keeping with the aims of the statutory body whose job is to promote peace and avoid violence for ethnic stability in society. Guyanese cannot help but to be wary of the ERC functionality whose activities seem to fit a reason for a season. The ERC wakes up when it wants to; the ERC
is a divided entity. The ERC is not a true representative of equality, justice or fraternity. It is incapable of calling a spade a spade. Its paper trail has established a journey of favouritism. The ERC’s silence on the last Election fiasco raises eyebrows and opens the door for questions, queries and a “pussyfooting” quagmire. Cooperation, coordination, consolation and consolidation are not the pillars of a solid foundation for the ERC. Issuing statements which do not concur with a unified voice is dangerous, irresponsible and reprehensible. Its ultimate meaningfulness has dissipated and its significance has subsided. Refusing to investigate, traverse and peruse the audacious, reckless, irresponsible and damaging behaviour and speeches by Opposition politicians last year during the turmoil in Berbice, confirms curry favoured biasness and challenges the reasonableness and fairness of this body. Like the statutory bodies comprising GECOM and GRHC, the government needs to revisit the usefulness, sincerity, devotion and commitment of the components of the ERC. It is time for action in action.
GAWU continues to ...
not have the intended effect and had the probability of fertilising more than the canes given their method of application. This is not to say we should throw the baby out with the bathwater but signals the need for further investigation to determine whether other solutions are available. Maybe fertiliser cost could be produced through local production when gas is piped to shore. Regarding the bagasse briquettes it was indeed a novel idea at the time and held out some promise. However, it required an availability of sufficient quantities of bagasse which had been limited by cane supply. We do not recall the compression of garbage as a possibility, but we believe it would require separation of organic from inorganic materials. Moreover, uses of other biomass such as saw dust
and paddy husks were experimented with at Skeldon and did not yield positive results. The former President made mention of the purchase of machinery. We agree with him that those suitable and economical machines should be purchased. At the same time, we do not believe the industry should purchase the lowest cost machine if it cannot fulfill the objectives of the industry. The union of course is most interested in these matters as we indeed want to see the maximisation of scare resources in the interest of the industry and more so the workers. We are aware of the government’s deep desire to turn around the fortunes of the sugar industry and its strong commitment to getting the task realised. Clearly, given
Respectfully, Jai Lall TURN FROM PAGE 6
the Administration’s high level of interest in the industry it certainly must be paying close attention to the unfolding situation. Undoubtedly, it will take appropriate actions if necessary. At the same time, our union continues to closely pay attention to the happenings in the industry. We have a vested interest and we have seen the hardships spawned by the reckless policies of the Coalition. It is with this in mind that we will continue to do our utmost in seeking to ensure that the industry remains on the right track. Yours faithfully, Seepaul Narine, General Secretary GAWU
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 19, 2021
SASOD hails meeting with Minister Anthony as ‘productive and positive’ THE Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD) Guyana on Wednesday met with Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony to discuss a gamut of issues experienced by the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LBGTQ+) population in Guyana. The issues discussed were findings of two recent reports by the organisation: ‘Qualitative Assessment of HIV Services for Key Populations in Guyana during the COVID-19 Pandemic (January 2021)’ and ‘Desires for Care and Access to Services among Transgender Persons in Guyana (March 2020)’. During an interview with the Guyana Chronicle on Thursday, Managing-Director of SASOD, Joel Simpson, who was present at the meeting described the meeting as “extremely productive and very positive,” as the minister reassured the organisation of his ministry’s commitment to tackling the issues raised. Also present at the meeting were Programme Manager of the National AIDS Programme Secretariat (NAPS), Dr. Tariq Jagnarine; SASOD Guyana’s Human Rights Coordinator, Kobe Smith and SASOD’s Guyana Community Representative on the Guyana Global Fund Country Coordinating Mechanism, Christopher France. The group had the opportunity to discuss directly with the minister and the programme manager of NAPS, the recommendations contained in the reports, as well as highlight their expectations in relation to public health that they had published in their “elections manifesto.” MENTAL HEALTH A key finding of the qualitative assessment of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) services during
Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony (second from left) receiving one of the reports from Managing-Director of SASOD, Joel Simpson (third from left). Also in the photo are Programme Manager of the National AIDS Programme Secretariat, Dr. Tariq Jagnarine (far left); SASOD Guyana Human Rights Coordinator Kobe Smith (second from right) and Community Representative on the Guyana Global Fund Country Coordinating Mechanism, Christopher France (far right).
the pandemic related to persons struggling with issues pertaining to mental health, as many of the participants in the study reported not being able to access mental health services during the pandemic. “One of our major recommendations was that mental health needed to be addressed. The minister agreed completely and he updated us that the ministry is currently revising a draft Mental Health Bill that the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) Government started to develop in 2010 and that they would be sharing the draft bill with us for our input and perspectives,” Simpson said. “He [the minister] also mentioned that there is going to be a new mental health strategy for 2021 to 2025 and he invited us to participate in those consultations and make input on the development of the strategy so the issues affecting our community can be addressed,” he added.
PREP & PEP Two of the requests contained in SASOD’s ‘elections manifesto’ pertained to making pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) available in the public healthcare system free of charge for persons who are at substantial risk of contracting HIV and allowing persons who have been exposed to HIV to access post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). “We got a commitment from the programme manager for the NAPS that PrEP would be made available in the public health sector as they are currently working on putting the protocols in place, training and sensitising stakeholders and putting facilities in place,” Simpson related. He explained that the minister was also briefed on the current practice that PEP can only be accessed in the public health system if someone experiences sexual violence and a police report is made; SASOD recommended
that this policy be changed. GENDER-AFFIRMING CARE A key finding in ‘Desires for Care and Access to Services among Transgender Persons in Guyana’ report discussed at the meeting was in relation to gender- affirming care. Gender-affirming healthcare refers to procedures, such as hormone therapy, that helps to align one's body with their gender identity. Simpson highlighted that there is a lack of such healthcare in Guyana, especially in the public health sector. He noted that this poses a significant problem as some persons choose to self-medicate, which can have detrimental effects. “The minister was very familiar with this challenge affecting “trans” persons in Guyana and he mandated Dr. Tariq Jagnarine to look into this issue specifically,” Simpson disclosed.
“He requested to identify two or three doctors who could be trained specially in “trans” medicine and they’re looking to possibly use the National Care and Treatment Centre as a site where persons can access gender-affirming care,” he added. Simpson explained that the minister had noted that these services are not available in Guyana or elsewhere in the English-Speaking Caribbean; and he would like Guyana to develop a site for “trans” medicine and gender-affirming care within the next two to three years. Another concern for LGBTQ+ individuals as the pandemic unfolds was whether health services, specifically HIV services, would be readily accessible as per the modus operandi prior to the pandemic. “Minister was clear that health services need to continue at the same level and quality that existed prior to the pandemic and he mandat-
ed Dr. Jagnarine to write all of the doctors that fell under their programme to remind them that access to and quality of medical services should not be reduced, restricted or curtailed in any way due to COVID-19,” Simpson said. Simpson expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the meeting. He was particularly elated at the interest the minister took to familiarise himself with the reports prior to the meeting and the minister’s commitment to involve the organisation in consultations. “I would describe the meeting as extremely productive and very positive because the minister ensured the NAPS programme manager was there and as soon as the minister signalled his agreement in a particular area, within our presence, he gave a directive to the programme manager on implementation and gave further directives to work with us to action the recommendations,” Simpson said. He noted that SASOD currently meets with Dr. Jagnarine on a weekly basis and he looks forward to continue working with him in the future to implement the recommendations they discussed. SASOD also presented the minister with a copy of an older report titled ‘TRAPPED; Cycles of Violence and Discrimination Against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Persons in Guyana,’ conducted by the Georgetown University Law Centre’s Human Rights Institute in 2018 for the minister to become familiar with that report as well.
Man gets nine months for gunpoint robbery DASON Jupiter of West Ruimveldt, Front Road was, on Thursday, found guilty of committing a gunpoint robbery and was sentenced to nine months in prison by Magistrate Delon Bess, when he made an appearance at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
The charge stated that, on Monday, June 29, 2020, at Alexander Village, Georgetown, being armed with a dangerous weapon, specifically a gun, Jupiter robbed Basil Wayloo Junior of $60,000, one iphone 7 valued at $120,000, and a 12 pennyweight Spanish link
gold chain valued at $120,000. Prosecutor Harris informed the court that, on the day in question, about 16:45 hours, Wayloo was walking, proceeding west on Third Street, Alexander Village. Jupiter and his accomplice, who were on separate bicycles, approached
Wayloo from opposite directions. They dismounted the bicycles and proceeded to point their weapons at different locations of Wayloo’s body. Jupiter pointed a gun to his neck while his accomplice pointed a knife to his waist. They then proceeded to relieve Wayloo
of his valuables before making good their escape. The matter was reported and an investigation was launched. Jupiter was contacted, told of the allegation, arrested and charged for the offence.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 19, 2021
GTT equips frontline workers with handsets THE Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) has provided an additional 15 frontline workers with brand new mobile handsets. This is part of the company’s 30th anniversary give back initiative and in keeping with the company’s continued efforts to support frontline workers during the Covid-19 pandemic. Receiving one of the handsets was Dr. Abel Caesar, who is attached to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). Dr. Caesar thanked GTT for its commitment to frontline workers in Guyana. “Since the pandemic started in Guyana we have been working tirelessly and GTT has recognised and supported our efforts. We are grateful to you [GTT] for your gifts,” Dr. Caesar said. Among the other doctors and nurses receiving the handsets were Christian Lawrie, Dianne Edwards, Shelisa Wills, Shianne Gangoo, Vanrick Baird, Anasha
Venture, Aneesa Venture, Dame Hercules, Mahadai Singh, Dr. Orlando Hendricks, Arlene Burnett, Dr. Nalini Williams, Dr. Rhyan Henry and Dr. Serena Rambarran. Product Marketing Manager at GTT, Ubrina Khan explained that GTT is expanding its initiative in assisting frontline workers in Guyana. “This is the latest in our ongoing way of saying thank you to our frontline workers for being there 24/7 throughout the pandemic,” Khan said. “Since the start of the pandemic in Guyana, we have opted to show our support for doctors and nurses on the frontline. In doing so, we promptly launched our Guyanese Heroes initiative that provides our medical professionals with free mobile service for as long as this pandemic lasts. We have pledged our support from the start and intend on continuing that support to the end,” she added.
Orlando Richards wanted in relation to murder of priest POLICE are currently on the hunt for 21-year-old Orlando Orin Ormando Richards, who is wanted in relation to the brutal murder committed on retired priest, George Chuck-ASang December last. The police, on Thursday, issued a wanted bulletin for Richards, whose last address is Gibraltar Road, Corentyne, Berbice. Anyone with information that may lead to the arrest of Richards, is asked to contact the police on telephone numbers: 226-6978, 225-8196, 226-2870, 226-7065, 2271149, 226-7065, 225-6940, 911 or the nearest police station. All information will be treated with the strictest confidence. On Wednesday, Mohanie Mohabir and Rawle McPherson were arraigned before the Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court for the murder of Chuck-A-Sang. The man and woman were not required to plead to the charge which alleged that, between December 16 and 21, 2020, at St. Sidwell’s Anglican Church, Hadfield & Vlissengen Road, they mur-
Orlando Orin Ormando Richards
dered Chuck-A-Sang. They were remanded to prison until February 25. According to the prosecution, both Mohabir and McPherson are known to Chuck-A-Sang as they regularly visited his home. On December 21, 2020, about 16:00hrs, Chuck – A – Sang was found in his home with several wounds. An investigation was launched and resulted in the arrest of the two accused. The accused were interviewed, during which they reportedly confessed to the crime. As such, the charge was laid against them.
Dr. Abel Caesar receiving one of the handsets from Product Marketing Manager at GTT, Ubrina Khan
In April, 2020 GTT announced that local health-
care workers will get free mobile service as part of
the telecommunications giant initiative of giving
back amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
‘Extreme actions’ could stave off foreign investors –– energy chamber says Adams’ call for ‘Exxon’ to cease operations is unwarranted EXTREME actions against stakeholders in the oil-andgas-sector could stave off foreign investors and even dampen investors’ confidence altogether, the Guyana Oil and Gas Energy Chamber (GOGEC) has said. Guyana is at an important juncture in its history, with investors pouring into the country and economic activities abuzz, despite the pervasive novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This increased interest in the local economy is stimulated by the country’s burgeoning oil-and-gas-sector and other productive industries. It is for this reason that President of GOGEC, Manniram Prashad, has advised against taking any “extreme action” which could stymie progress. The chamber’s advice followed a call by former Head of the Environmental Protection Agency, Dr. Vincent Adams, for ExxonMobil to cease operations until it resolves issues which are contributing to the increased flaring of gas. It was reported recently
President of GOGEC, Manniram Prashad
that the production levels at ExxonMobil’s operations offshore Guyana have been reduced in order to accommodate the repair of a gas compressor, which became defective due to a technical problem related to a seal. The result of this inoperable compressor has been increased gas flaring, an exercise which does not augur well for the environment. With this being the case, ExxonMobil has started working expeditiously to
rectify the problem. “I wish to assure you that teams of experts from ExxonMobil, SBM Offshore and MAN Turbo are working diligently to fix the compressor and return it to service as quickly as possible,” President of ExxonMobil, Alistair Routledge, said in a recent statement. Considering ExxonMobil’s clear efforts of remedying the situation, Prashad believes that Adams’ call is unwarranted and unnecessarily extreme in this circumstance. “While any excessive flaring is unacceptable, GOGEC is cognisant that with regards to the specific matter, the Government of Guyana and ExxonMobil and its partners are currently addressing the matter,” he said in a statement on Thursday. Prashad said it is imperative that the nation appreciates and understands that the global oil industry is heavily capital intensive, and, by its very nature, an extremely risky business. “Not only is the nature of the oil industry business one that is highly risky but this is
compounded by high regulatory costs in other countries whose industry is heavily regulated and of course – risks of oil spill which is also very costly to oil companies,” the GOGEC president said. Owing to the investments made by ExxonMobil despite those risks, the burgeoning oil- and-gas sector has caused Guyana’s Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) to reach US$1.7 billion, which is an increase of US$1.4 billion or 536 per cent from what Guyana’s normal average level of FDIs was before becoming an oil producing country. With ExxonMobil being such an important partner in Guyana’s long-term development, Prashad believes that it is unacceptable to tolerate any unnecessary calls for extreme consequences towards the company. “GOGEC, therefore, wishes to urge all stakeholders to seek to obtain win-win situations in these matters rather than a strong-arm approach. This may not be healthy for the country’s and ExxonMobil’s mutual interest,” Prashad said.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 19, 2021
110 more COVID-19 recoveries ANOTHER 110 persons have recovered from the COVID-19 virus, while another 25 new cases were recorded as of Thursday, according to the latest statistics provided on the Ministry of Health’s daily COVID-19 Dashboard. As total of 8,338 cases have been recorded in Guyana to date, of which 7,629 persons have recovered so far, and 189 died as a result of complications with the disease. Of the cases recorded, 4,323 were males and 4,015 were females. The latest COVID-19 death was recorded on Tuesday, when a 69-year-old
woman from Region Four succumbed while receiving treatment at a medical facility. Her death was the 12th thus far this month. The number of persons in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) has been reduced to seven, down by one from the previous day; 45 persons remain in institutional isolation while 468 persons are in home isolation. Another 14 persons are in institutional quarantine. An additional 1045 tests were conducted over the last 24-hour cycle. Some 56,902 persons have been tested to date. Region Four (Demer-
ara-Mahaica) continued to accounted for the highest number of cases, recording 20 of the 25 new COVID-19 cases which were logged. Of the other cases, three were from Region Three and Two were from Region One (Barima-Waini). To date, Region One recorded a total 1019 cases, ranking as the second most affected region in the country. Region Four leads the list, having recorded 3,726 cases to date. Those two regions are the only ones to have thus far surpassed 1,000 cases. Surpassing 500 cases are Region Seven, which has 758
cases, Region 10 which has 641 cases and Region Three which has 616 cases. Health Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony, noted that health authorities are expecting an improvement in the situation in Region Seven in the coming weeks “In Region Seven the numbers are coming down a bit, but there is still concern about Waramadong. There are a number of cases in that community. My anticipation is that in another couple of days we should start to see a decline there,” Dr. Anthony said on Thursday.
Drunken parents accused of ill-treating infant remanded
Hafeez Persaud
Shaline Singh
HAFEEZ Persaud and his wife Shaline Singh will know their fate on March 4, after a probation report is presented to the Springlands Magistrate’s Court. Magistrate Alex Moore made the order, after the couple, on Thursday, pleaded guilty to a charge of neglect / ill-treatment of a child. Inspector, Orin Joseph, prosecuting, said concerned citizens reported to the Probation and Social Services Department of the ill-treatment of a child. As a result, Probation officer, Junior Blair visited Grant 1803 Crabwood
Creek, Corentyne, where the defendants were consuming alcohol at their home. Investigations revealed that the male defendant became annoyed and threw his three-year-old daughter down several times from the hammock, while his wife, who was also drinking alcohol, looked on. The Probation Officer warned the defendants of their behaviour, before lodging a complaint at the police station. They were subsequently arrested and charged.
Female security guard found dead at nursery school SECURITY guard, Dooren Samarro, was seen motionless at the Savannah Park Nursery School, in New Amsterdam, hours after she had completed her tour of duty. The 65-year-old woman of Douglas Street, Sheet Anchor, East Canje, had commenced work at about 07:00hrs on Wednesday and was scheduled to depart at 15:00hrs, but due to financial constraints and experiencing nausea, she lingered around in the school’s compound. However, later in the afternoon, she made contact with her supervisors at the Integral Security Service, relating to them her dilemma. A taxi was sent to the location but when the driver (a former member of the Joint Services) arrived, he observed that the woman was in a slouching position in a chair and appeared lifeless. As a result, the security agency was informed after which a supervisor visited the scene.
According to Commander, Jairam Ramlakhan, Security Supervisor, Deonarine Kamra, reported that the now deceased was employed by Integrated Security Service for the past four years. On Wednesday, she reported for duty at the Savannah Park Nursery School but complained of feeling unwell. She was then placed in a chair where she lost consciousness. The supervisor reportedly tried to call the ambulance but was unsuccessful. About 19:20 hrs, he contacted the police who responded and found that the woman was unconscious. Sergeant 19936 Webster, along with crime scene detectives, escorted the motionless body of Samaroo to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital where she was seen and examined by Dr. Winfield, who confirmed her death. A post-mortem on the guard is expected to be conducted shortly as investigations continue.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 19, 2021
Man on bail for Valentine’s Murder trial Murder accused who escaped Day knifepoint robbery of Venezuelan through toilet window recaptured A MAN who allegedly robbed two men of their valuables at knifepoint on Valentine’s Day was on Wednesday placed on $50,000 bail by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan when he made an appearance at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court to plead to the relevant charge. Darren Baley, also known as “Darry,” of Sparendaam Housing Scheme, East Coast Demerara, denied that he, on Sunday, February 14, 2021, at America Street, Georgetown, being armed with an offensive weapon, specifically, a knife, robbed Renardo Thorne of one phone valued at $41,800, and $1,800. He also on the same day, at the said location, with a knife, robbed Steve Ramsubhaj of one Apple haversack valued at $4,000, one bible valued $4,000 and one Blu cellular phone valued at $19,000 and $1,000. According to the prosecution’s case, on the day in question, Thorne and Ramsubhaj were proceeding along America Street with the valuables mentioned in the charge in their posses-
sion. Baley, in the company of another male, approached Thorne and Ramsubhaj with a knife pointing in their direction. As the two men stopped at the sight of the knife, Baley’s accomplice proceeded to choke them. Baley then took the opportunity to relieve the men of their valuables. During the ordeal, both Thorne and Ramsubhaj managed to raise an alarm. The police, who were in the vicinity at the time, heard the cry and together with some public-spirited citizens, rushed to help them. Baley was arrested and his accomplice made good his escape. The police conducted a search on his person and $1,600 cash was found in his right side pants pocket. As a result, an allegation was put to him and he admitted orally to the police that he and his accomplice called “Black Boy” had robbed Thorne and Ramsubhaj. Further investigation was conducted and Baley was charged for the offence. The matter was adjourned until Wednesday, February 24, 2021.
begins today
THE trial into the murder of Venezuelan, Henry Mendonca, who was killed by his drinking buddy in 2016, is expected to commence today before Justice Gino Persaud at the Essequibo High Court. Toney Rampersaud is alleged to have murdered Mendonca on November 19, 2016, at Eteringbang Landing, Cuyuni River. A 12-member jury will be hearing evidence in the case. According to a police report, the two, who both reside in Venezuela, came to Guyana and were drinking at Eteringbang Landing, when they had a misunderstanding. It was during the argument that Rampersaud is said to have broken a bottle and stabbed Mendonca twice to his abdomen. He was taken to San Martin Hospital in Venezuela where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Trial into murder of Brazilian miner to commence soon
THE trial into the murder of Brazilian gold miner, Nandinho De Costa Souza, who was found with his throat slit in his Fish Creek, Cuyuni River camp in 2016, is expected to commence soon, before Justice Gino Persaud, at the Essequibo High Court. Phillip Williams and Fidel Williams on Tuesday
pleaded not guilty to the offence which alleged that, on February 9, 2016, at Fish Creek, they murdered Souza. A 12-member jury is expected to hear the case. The brothers are currently on remand. According to reports, Sousa, called “Vandam” of Boa Vista, Brazil, was found with his throat slit in his min-
ing camp. The body was found next to a sluice box, and a quantity of gold was missing. The victim, who reportedly owned two land dredges, was reportedly last seen washing down the sluice box with one of the men suspected of killing him.
Four-month-old dies mysteriously
POLICE are investigating the sudden death of a four-month-old of Siparuta, Corentyne River, East Berbice, Corentyne, on Wednesday. According to the father of the child, Andrew Joseph, 30, a logger, on Wednesday, at around 11:00 hours, the infant began experiencing shortness of breath. He explained that the child was put to sleep in a bed at their home and about 15 minutes after he checked on her and noticed that she was not breathing. Subsequently, with the
assistance of two officers and a village councillor, the child, accompanied by his parents was escorted to the Skeldon Hospital where she was pro-
nounced dead on arrival. The body is at the Skeldon Hospital Mortuary awaiting post-mortem.
TWENTY-SEVEN-YEAROLD Jankie Tapsie called “Samantha Khan” who had escaped from the Springlands Police Station ‘lockup’ in November 2020 was arrested in Suriname on Wednesday and handed to Guyanese authorities on Thursday. In November last, Tapsie and a male identified as Rishiram Singh, 33, a taxi driver were extradited from Suriname for the murder of Bibi Ramjit, 86, of La Grange, West Bank Demerara. The duo were escorted to the Springlands Police Station and were booked into custody, pending the arrival of a team to take them to the CID headquarters in Georgetown. However, Tapsie requested to use the washroom. She was escorted by a male constable. It was while she locked the door, the constable left and after some time
Jankie Tapsie
passed and she did not return, the constable returned and called out to her but received no answer. After managing to open the door that was locked form the inside, it was then discovered that the woman had
escaped through a window above the toilet. Tapsie is accused of being the mastermind behind the murder of the elderly woman, whose body was discovered gagged, with her hands and feet tied on her bed in the upper flat of her Lot 63 Old Road, La Grange, West Bank Demerara (WBD) house. Ramjit operated a grocery shop on the lower flat of her home, and, according to police, she was discovered on Sunday, October 25 at 17:00hrs by one of her customers. Meanwhile, following the escape, a Police Constable was placed under close arrest and a team from the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) launched an investigation into the escape of the prisoner. However, it is unclear what the outcome of that investigation was.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 19, 2021
UNEP provides blueprint to urgently solve planetary emergencies, secure humanity’s future
THE world can transform its relationship with nature and tackle the climate, biodiversity and pollution crises together to secure a sustainable future and prevent future pandemics, according to a new repo rt by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) that offers a comprehensive blueprint for addressing the triple planetary emergency. The report, Making Peace with Nature, lays out the gravity of these three environmental crises by drawing on global assessments, including those from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the In-
tergovernmental Science-Policy Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, as well as UNEP’s Global Environment Outlook report, the UNEP International Resource Panel, and new findings on the emergence of zoonotic diseases such as COVID-19. The authors assess the links between multiple environmental and development challenges, and explain how advances in science and bold policymaking can open a pathway towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 and a carbon neutral world by 2050, while bending the
curve on biodiversity loss and curbing pollution and waste. Taking that path means innovation and investment only in activities that protect both people and nature. Success will include restored ecosystems and healthier lives as well as a stable climate. “By bringing together the latest scientific evidence showing the impacts and threats of the climate emergency, the biodiversity crisis and the pollution that kills millions of people every year, [this report] makes clear that our war on nature has left the planet broken,” UN Secretary-General, António Guterres said in the report’s
Foreword. “But it also guides us to a safer place by providing a peace plan and a postwar rebuilding programme. “By transforming how we view nature, we can recognise its true value. By reflecting this value in policies, plans and economic systems, we can channel investments into activities that restore nature and are rewarded for it,” he added. “By recognising nature as an indispensable ally, we can unleash human ingenuity in the service of sustainability and secure our own health and well-being alongside that of the planet.” Amid a wave of investment to re-energise economies hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, the blueprint communicates the opportunity and urgency for ambitious and immediate action. It also lays out the roles that everyone – from governments and businesses to communities and individuals – can and must play. 2021 is especially crucial, with upcoming climate and biodiversity convention meetings -- UNFCCC COP 26 and CBD COP 15 – where governments must come up with synergistic and ambitious targets to safeguard the planet by almost halving greenhouse gas emissions in this decade, and by conserving and restoring biodiversity. TACKLING THREE PLANETARY THREATS TOGETHER Economic growth has brought uneven gains in prosperity to a fast-growing global population, leaving 1.3 billion people poor, while tripling the extraction of natural resources to damaging levels and creating a planetary emergency. Despite a temporary decline in emissions due to the pandemic, Earth is heading for at least 3°C of global warming this century; more than one million of the estimated eight million plant and animal species are
at substantially increased risk of extinction; and diseases caused by pollution are currently killing some nine million people prematurely every year. Environmental degradation is impeding progress towards ending poverty and hunger, reducing inequalities and promoting sustainable economic growth, work for all and peaceful and inclusive societies. The report shows how this trio of environmental emergencies interact and have common causes, and thus can only be effectively addressed together. Subsidies on fossil fuels, for instance, and prices that leave out environmental costs, are driving the wasteful production and consumption of energy and natural resources that are behind all three problems. CHANGING MINDSETS Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP, said the report highlighted the importance of changing mindsets and values, and finding political and technical solutions that measure up to the Earth’s environmental crises. “In showing how the health of people and nature are intertwined, the COVID-19 crisis has underlined the need for a stepchange in how we view and value nature. By reflecting that value in decision-making – whether we are talking about economic policy or personal choices – we can bring about a rapid and lasting shift toward sustainability for both people and the environment,” she said. “‘Green recovery’ plans for pandemic-hit economies are an unmissable opportunity to accelerate the transformation.” Released ahead of the fifth UN Environment Assembly, the report presents a strong case for why and how urgent action should be taken to protect and restore the planet and its climate in a
holistic way. It presents examples of what transformative change can look like, and how it can create prosperity, employment and greater equality. Far-reaching change involves recasting how we value and invest in nature, integrating that value into policies and decisions at all levels, overhauling subsidies and other elements of economic and financial systems, and fostering innovation in sustainable technologies and business models. Massive private investment in electric mobility and alternative fuels show how whole industries recognise the potential gains from shifting quickly. The authors point out that ending environmental decline in all its forms is essential to advancing many of the Sustainable Development Goals, in particular, poverty alleviation, food and water security and good health for all. An example is how intensifying agriculture and fishing in sustainable ways, allied with changes in diets and lower food waste, can help end global hunger and poverty and improve nutrition and health while sparing more land and ocean for nature. Reinforcing the call for action, the report stresses the need for stakeholders at all levels of society to be involved in decision-making, and identifies dozens of key actions that governments, businesses, communities and individuals can and should undertake in order to bring about a sustainable world.
GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 19, 2021
Iwokrama pursues immersive technology to cushion COVID-19 effects Discovery building (GRID), based at Heriot-Watt University, is a £19 million ground-breaking facility designed to advance global research, innovation and discovery. GRID’s ambition is to bring together world-leading talent and the brightest minds to tackle current industry challenges, pioneering innovations to drive future economies and build com-
Iwokrama International Centre
THE advent of the COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the importance of utilising technology as an alternative way of functioning, and, from all indications, stakeholders within the tourism sector are not falling behind. As a matter of fact, the Iwokrama International Centre is ambitiously pursuing a pioneer initiative which implements Virtual Reality (VR) technology to showcase the Iwokrama Forest and other tourism destinations in the North Rupununi. A statement from the centre confirmed that the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has already been approached for “funding to support the application of Virtual Reality (VR) technology to its tourism business and educational activities. This would allow everyone to experience the Iwokrama Forest virtually thus encouraging them to want to visit by showcasing what Iwokrama has to offer”. To achieve this, Iwokrama has partnered with the Lyell Centre and Heriot-Watt University in the United Kingdom to develop an immersive VR experience where one can explore some of Guyana’s natural beauty in the surrounds of Georgetown’s Botanical Gardens. “The VR experience is designed to be used on a VR headset; however, a short video can be viewed at (11) Discover Guyana Virtually,” the press statement explained. Dr Ryan Pereira, project lead from the Lyell Centre said that he is delighted to show what can be achieved by a team with a shared interest in discovery, learning and communication using new technologies. David Richardson, Chief Entrepreneurial Executive for Heriot-Watt asserted that
Virtual Reality Tourism is currently being explored in various parts of the world
“Sustainability and economic development are core focus areas for Heriot-Watt”. He said that the project is an excellent example of immersive technology combined with academic research being used to drive tourism and educational activity. According to Iwokrama’s Chief Executive Officer, Dane Gobin, the pilot project was a success and gives much promise to future endeavours and to further develop Iwokrama into a truly sustainable enterprise. Under the same IDB project, the centre also developed a VR roadmap for a much larger VR experience to showcase the Iwokrama Forest and other tourism destinations in the North Rupununi. HUGE HIT Dr Raquel Thomas, Director of Resource Management and Training at Iwokrama noted that tourism and education in Guyana and Iwokrama have taken such a huge hit in the past 11 months and it is hoped that such collaborative initiatives can be used as models that can be replicated for the benefit of the industry at large. The Iwokrama International Centre (IIC) was established in 1996 under a joint mandate from the Government of Guyana and the Commonwealth Secretariat to manage the Iwokrama
forest, a unique reserve of 371,000 hectares of rainforest “in a manner that will lead to lasting ecological, economic and social benefits to the people of Guyana and to the world in general”. The centre, guided by an international Board of Trustees, is unique, providing a dedicated well managed and researched forest environment. The forest is zoned into a Sustainable Utilisation Area (SUA) and a Wilderness Preserve (WP) in which to test the concept of a truly sustainable forest where conservation, environmental balance and economic use can be mutually reinforcing. The IIC collaborates with the Government of Guyana, the Commonwealth and other international partners and donors to develop new approaches and forest management models to enable countries with rainforests to market their ecosystem services whilst carefully managing their resources through innovative and creative conservation practices. In more recent years, the centre has received support from corporate partners such as Exxon Mobil (Guyana) Limited which has funded the development of its Science Programme and continues to provide an annual contribution to the implementation of the programme. Meanwhile, the Global Research Innovation and
panies of scale. The facility provides its users with the capability to connect with global industry partners and Heriot-Watt University’s other campuses worldwide. GRID features the latest technological innovations, including Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality and Gaming studios which can be adapted here in Guyana. Added to that, the Ly-
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ell Centre is a strategic partnership between Heriot-Watt University and the British Geological Survey, funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), the Scottish Funding Council and Heriot-Watt University. The partnership enables them to combine their expertise in land and marine geoscience.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 19, 2021
39,000 took filaria pills so far By Vishani Ragobeer
ABOUT 39,000 persons have taken their filaria pills as part of what could be the last round of the Mass Drug Administration (MDA) campaign to eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) in Guyana, according to Minister of Health Dr. Frank Anthony. This week, distribution of the filaria pills known as Diethylcarbamazine citrate (DEC), Albendazole (ALB) and Ivermectin (IVM) began in Regions Three and Four. Since the country achieved successful coverage in prior rounds of the MDA, this round of the MDA should be the last, as long as enough citizens take their pills over the next few weeks. “So far, the response has been really good. We were able, as of [Wednesday] afternoon, to reach at least about 39,000 persons and that’s a relatively good percentage in such a short time,” the Health Minister said on Thursday, during his daily COVID-19 update with the Department of Public Information (DPI). The distribution of pills in these two regions is expected to last about 14 days. After completing the distribution here, the pills will be distributed in Regions Six and 10, before the health personnel move onto the other regions. The entire distribution should be finished by April. Due to the restrictions of COVID-19, a key distri-
A staffer at the Guyana Chronicle taking her filaria pills as part of the Mass Drug Administration (MDA) campaign to eliminate lymphatic filariasis
bution strategy in this MDA will be the house-to-house distribution. “Our teams continue to work and we continue to urge the population to give them their cooperation because if we’re all successful in this particular programme, then in a few months the World Health Organisation (WHO) would be able to certify that we have eliminated filaria from Guyana,” Dr. Anthony explained. During the campaign’s launch last Friday, Dr. Anthony highlighted that “Guyana is one of the four countries that remain to eliminate filaria and more than 90 per cent of our population is at risk for this disease.” Aside from Regions Eight and Nine, all other regions in Guyana are endemic for filaria. This means that many Guyanese are susceptible to this infectious disease. According to the WHO,
Lymphatic Filariasis (LF), or filaria as it is commonly called, affects the body’s lymphatic system which functions to remove unwanted fluids from the body and transports ‘lymph’- a fluid which contains white blood cells that help to fight infections. It is caused by bancrofti worms and is transmitted by culex mosquitoes. Importantly, if someone is infected with filaria, they may develop chronic conditions resulting in swelling of the legs and scrotum. Locally, the swelling of tissues in the leg is called ‘big foot,’ while scrotal swelling is termed ‘goadie.’ There is no cure for filaria, which means that these chronic manifestations are irreversible. “We are providing the medication and we want people to take the medication because we want to prevent filaria,” Dr Anthony emphasised.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 19, 2021
Two years pass, Leguan Stelling still incomplete
The incomplete Leguan Stelling
THE contract to rehabilitate the Leguan Stelling was awarded in September 2018, and the project should have been completed two years ago; however, it would appear as though repairs are being executed at a slothful pace. During a visit to the island on Thursday, Public Works Minister, Juan Edghill, was treated to a mouthful of complaints from discontented residents who raised several concerns, including their dissatisfaction with the Project Engineer supervising the construction of the Stelling. A press release from the Public Works Ministry indi-
cated that the contractor had not been on the project site for almost an entire week. The release noted, too, that it was Edghill’s fourth meeting with residents of Leguan, since he assumed office six months ago. The minister’s latest visit to the island was prompted after representation was made by a delegation from the island to President, Dr. Irfaan Ali. In wrapping up the engagement, Edghill highlighted that a final decision will be made at his office today, concerning the revised work plan of the contractor, given the delays to the project. Chairman of the Board of Directors of Transport
Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill engaging residents of Leguan on Thursday
and Harbours Department, Rosalinda Rasul, assured the residents that she and the other directors will revisit the revised scope of work so as to get the work completed in the shortest possible of time. The former A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Government, in 2018, had awarded a contract valued $413 million to S. Maraj Contracting Services for the rehabilitation of the dilapidated Leguan Stelling, a section of which had suffered a collapse. However, due to a number of hiccups, the contractor recommenced work only in October 2019. During a visit to Leguan
in August 2020, Edghill said that the contractor had been paid $199 million of taxpayers’ money, and that works done at that time were only
valued at $50 million. The delayed project was also flagged in the 2019 Auditor General’s report, which had found that the
former Coalition Government paid the contractor in excess of $145 million for incomplete work
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says Chutney Soca Monarch made her feel more GUYANESE singing sensation Vanita Willie may not have won the ‘Queen of Chutney Soca Monarch’ title at last week’s competition in Trinidad, but just being able to step on stage in the presence of many seasoned male artistes made her feel proud and empowered. Vanita, who joined the music industry in 2013 with her song ‘Guyana Chutney’, does her music on the side as
Vanita felt empowered as she performed alongside other seasoned artistes in the music industry
she juggles the other major responsibilities of a wife and mother, and even works fulltime at the Caribbean Aviation Maintenance Services Limited in Ogle. When she first entered the industry, Vanita took part in the Guyana Chutney Monarch and copped the best newcomer award after which she started freelancing for a local music band. Speaking in the context of last week’s competition, she said: “I have always been a humble person accepting what comes my way, and I believe in myself. I gained more courage than I had before and I feel more women power. I feel I made a differ-
Vanita Willie received the first runner-up to the ‘CSM Queen’ title at last week’s competition
ence in women’s lives. To know that a woman can go on stage with all those guys made me feel powerful, in a good way.” Willie further said, “You cannot have everything that you want so I take it as a learning experience.” This was her first time participating in the Trinidad competition, along with fellow Guyanese musicians Vicadi Singh, Tony Cuttz, and Prince JP. She did however gain the first runner-up to the ‘CSM Queen’ title. It was the first time in the competition’s history that this title was given to the female contestant with the highest score. Willie, who is continuing
to work on her new song for the Guyana Chutney Monarch, offered that since there is a judging criterion for this competition, she feels that the results were fair. CSM prides itself in being the most important and largest Indo Caribbean event, presenting a unique and exciting celebration of the fine arts of Chutney Soca music, a gathering of music enthusiasts and industry professionals. Through the staging of this event, pathways have been created for the development of culture and opportunities for artistes to expose their talent internationally, for the likes of audiences all over Europe, USA and Canada.
“It remains one of the most colourful productions on the annual Carnival Calendar in Trinidad and Tobago and ranks itself amongst the four prestigious events, the International Soca Monarch, the Dimanche Gras and the Panorama Finals,” CSM has said. “Chutney Soca Monarch has become an integral part of the culture and an important tool in the promotion of our Trinidad and Tobago and it will continue to hold its place for many years to come,” it added. M e a n w h i l e , Vi c a di Singh came in fifth and Tony Cuttz tied with Adesh Samaroo of Trinidad in seventh place.
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Two worlds, one sound In his new hit song ‘Luv’, R&B artist Anthony Baynes better known as “Thoni”, has merged his soulful rhythm and blues sound with the upbeat sounds of dancehall to create a new wave. Sharing the details of his new project, Baynes said, “All the years I have been doing R&B music and stuff and this year I wanted to try something new, so with this last song I mixed R&B with a dancehall vibe so that it would capture the attention of Guyanese,” he said. He stated that he wanted to create a sound and song that would garner the attention of what listeners and music lovers are accustomed to, without stripping himself of his originality and unique sound that make him an R&B artiste. “Because we usually listen to more dancehall and soca music… I was trying to mix it together to bring about this new sound that I’m now experimenting with,” he said. He disclosed to the Buzz that he is working on several projects so listeners and his supporters can look forward to new music and even more surprising new sounds coming from him throughout the year 2021. Baynes grew up in the church where he was first introduced to music playing the drums. “I first got into music at the age of 12 growing up in church I use to play the drums and then going to school I played steel pan for six years participating in school com-
petitions. After I left school I just began writing and singing songs,” the young artiste told this week’s Buzz. The young man, who writes and produce all his music right from the comfort of his bedroom, released his first song in 2018. “I decided to actually record myself and put out my first song which is called ‘Make it rain’ on YouTube and then after releasing the song a lot of people started to gravitate towards it,” Baynes said adding: “When I first started doing music I couldn’t afford to go to a professional studio so what I did and what I still is watch a lot of YouTube videos and I learned how to record and produce right in the comfort of my home,” he said. However, while Baynes has garnered a lot of support and has been releasing music consistently there are still some challenges he faces as a new artiste, especially one who is moving away from the traditional soca and dancehall music that many Guyanese are accustomed to. “It has been a very challenging experience because you realise how hard it is to get people to support your music as a Guyanese artistes especially if the artiste is not doing soca or dancehall,” he said. “It’s hard to get radio plays, it’s hard to get views and with the music industry Guyanese artiste doesn’t really make any money.”
R&B artiste, Anthony Baynes also known as ‘Thoni’
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Producer Karan Johar with Alia
ALIA Bhatt and her real life boyfriend Ranbir Kapoor have wrapped up shooting for Brahmastra, a fantasy trilogy that was supposed to have been released last December but like many othe r
poor and
far on the film…and the excitement of what lies ahead is another journey altogether,” wrote Bhatt on her Instagram account a few days ago. Director Mukerji had said that when the team started this movie, the first big question to answer was: ‘How do we create t h e
Ranbir Kapoor
films, had to be postponed due to the Coronavirus Pandemic. The upcoming Indian Hindi-language action fantasy film was written and directed by Ayan Mukerji and produced by Karan Johar. It stars Ka-
Bhatt in the lead roles, along with Amitabh Bachchan, Nagarjuna Akkineni, Mouni Roy and Dimple Kapadia. “With the end of filming so near can’t help but look back on what a journey it has been so
moves for Shiva’s connection with Fire?’ “Fire being the centre of Shiva’s power in Brahm?stra... a power that comes from ancient Indians, from a deeply spiritual place, from within.” TURN TO PAGE 19
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Alia Bhatt
Speaking about it in an Instagram post, he further said: “I had no reference point for what I had written...No comic books or existing story on which this was based... but for Shiva’s movements, we needed something that worked amazingly as action entertainment, but also had something deeper, something that was created from a very original spiritual place. It was one of the great fortunes for the movie that I found.” According to an article published on Television Network India Today, Ranbir is playing a man with superpowers named Shiva, while Alia’s character is called Isha. “It had been earlier reported that Mouni will be playing the role of the main villain in the film. The character details of other actors have been kept under the wraps,” India Today said. “According to the Hindu mythology, Lord Brah-
ma’s weapon is called Brahmastra and the title of the film has been derived from it. Speaking about his film, Ayan Mukerji had earlier told a news portal, ‘It’s a modern-day film set in India as it exists today. But the reason it’s called Brahmastra is that the energies, wisdom, powers in the film come from ancient India. That’s all I would say. There are some costumes, maybe not the way you’d expect them to be,’” the article further stated. Fans of Ranbir and Alia, who like both their on-screen and off-screen chemistry, are in for a treat with Brahmastra, especially as the pair has been rumoured to be planning a wedding. Several Indian media outlets have reported Ranbir as saying that had it not been for the pandemic, he and Alia would’ve already been married.
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‘Strong case’ for Brathwaite to replace Holder: Murray
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – Former Test vice-captain Deryck Murray believes West Indies could benefit from Kraigg Brathwaite’s retention as captain for next month’s Test series against Sri Lanka, and regular skipper Jason Holder focussing on his role as an all-rounder in the setup. Brathwaite has drawn widespread praise for inspiring an inexperienced West Indies to a resounding 2-0 series win over Bangladesh – the first time in nearly a decade the Caribbean side have won two Tests on away soil. And Murray said once selectors retained the core of the squad from the Bangladesh tour for the upcoming series, there was a “strong case” for Brathwaite replacing Holder. “I do not discard Kraigg Brathwaite as captain automatically, so we need to look at what happens between now and the Sri Lanka series … what is the team we are going to put together,” Murray said. “And if it is that four or five (members) of this team that has just completed the game in Bangladesh are going to be in that team (for Sri Lanka), there’s a strong case for (retaining Brathwaite).” He continued: “There is a strong case for saying to Jason Holder ‘come back, don’t have the pressures of captaincy on you. You are going to be
the central all-rounder in this team, you’re going to bat at six; we need you to attack as a bowler, be a wicket-taking bowler, not a containing bowler as the fourth seamer in the team.’ “And therefore we need to have the best available team at that time who are coming in with the confidence of just having been successful.” Brathwaite was asked to lead a 15-man Test squad with four debutants after Holder, along with four other firstchoice players, declined selection for the tour due to COVID-19 concerns. The 29-year-old Holder, who has led West Indies in 37 Tests since 2015, said earlier this month he was also suffering from “mental fatigue” from having played several back-to-back series in bio-secure bubbles due to the ongoing pandemic. In his absence Brathwaite led the side superbly, overseeing a historic three-wicket win in the opening Test in Chattogram and a thrilling 17-run win in the Dhaka second Test. Murray argued that with Brathwaite having checked all the boxes in the recent tour, it was now difficult for selectors to discard him. “We now need to see how we can capture that team work, that team spirit that showed itself on the
field. How can we capture that behind the scenes and make the right choices,” the 77-year-old told Starcom Radio’s Mason and Guest. “Kraigg Brathwaite pulled that team together, as captain he put himself on to bowl at a crucial time in the (second innings of the last Test). “That was a person who was positive, who was doing things. Do we now say ‘thank you very much, I’ll put you to one side, sit in the corner, wait till we call you again?’ We need to think.” He continued: “The other captain (Holder) that we had said he was suffering from mental fatigue. Maybe just as Kraigg lost the vice-captaincy and came back when he was given the captaincy, it might be an opportunity to let someone else sit back, perform as a player to the best of his ability. “Holder probably would be indispensable in the team in the all-rounder’s spot, so we need to look very carefully and make sure that we do not belittle anybody’s performances in the last series we have just played because the so-called stars are coming back. “There is nobody that is now an automatic selection in the West Indies team.” West Indies host Sri Lanka in two Tests at Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium in Antigua between March 21 and April 2.
All set for DCB elections today By Rajiv Bisnauth FOLLOWING the ruling by the Full Court last Wednesday, Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) Elections will be held today at the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) pavilion beginning at 11:00hrs. The Full Court quashed an application that was made by Anand Sanasie, president of the West Demerara Cricket Association, to prevent the holding of a free and fair election of executive members for the Demerara Cricket Board. In light of the unanimous decision by the Full Court to disallow Sanasie’s application to further stymie the process, the election will now go ahead unhindered under the supervision of the court. An assigned official from the Court will call
the meeting to order after which a Returning Officer will be nominated and elected to conduct the elections. The decisions were part of the ruling made by Justice Navindra Singh. However, today’s elections will see three of the five associations affiliated to the DCB with voting rights. The five associations were mandated to submit their delegates by Wednesday afternoon to registry to the High Court. But only the Georgetown Cricket Association, East Coast Cricket Board and Upper Demerara Cricket Association were in full compliance, providing their list of delegates. Chronicle Sport was reliably informed late yesterday that the other two associations with voting rights – West Demerara Cricket Association (WDCA) and East Bank Cricket Association (EBCA) - have not provided their list of delegates, despite both Sanasie and president of the East Bank Cricket Association Anand Kalladeen were served the Court Order. Georgetown Cricket Association, East Coast Cricket Board, East Bank
Cricket Association and West Demerara Cricket Association have seven votes each, while Upper Demerara Cricket Association has three, making it a total of 31 votes at the DCB election. The prolong absence of a legitimate DCB had certainly stymied the development of cricket in the County. However, Justice Singh’s ruling on Monday will now pave the way for a legitimate board for the first time since 2009. His ruling ended over a decade of several Court matters which have affected the smooth operations at the board level. In January 2011, an act unprecedented in the history of sports took place with the staging of two elections by the DCB. The separate elections were held; one by businessman Bissoondyal Singh at the Lusignan Community Centre and the other by Raj Singh at the Wales Community Centre. Following those elections, the factions failed to recognise the eligibility of each other’s event and this was followed by a number of Court matters.
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Royals land Morris for $2.2M; RCB spend big on Maxwell and Jamieson
CHRIS Morris, the South Africa all-rounder, and New Zealand fast bowler Kyle Jamieson were the biggest winners at the 2021 IPL auction. Morris became IPL’s most expensive overseas player ever signed at an auction when he was picked up by Rajasthan Royals for INR 16.25 crore (US$2.2M approx), while Jamieson recorded the day’s second-highest figure, signed by Royal Challengers Bangalore for INR 15 crore (US$2M approx). Two more spending records were broken, dispelling doubts over a cautionary mood in the COVID-19 era. Karnataka’s off-spinning all-rounder K. Gowtham became the most expensive uncapped purchase in IPL history when Chennai Super Kings signed him for INR 9.25 crore (US$1.2M approx). And Punjab Kings’ INR 8 crore (US$1M approx) for Australian fast bowler Riley Meredith made him the costliest uncapped overseas player ever. The day’s two other millionaires were Glenn Maxwell - picked up by Royal Challengers for INR 14.25
crore (US$1.95M approx.) - and his compatriot Jhye Richardson, signed by Kings for INR 14 crore (US$1.9M approx.). Notable mentions included Cheteshwar Pujara returning to IPL after seven years - the last time Pujara played any form of T20 cricket was in March 2019, for Saurashtra in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy - going to the Super Kings for INR 50 lakh, and Arjun Tendulkar, the very last name out of the hat, going to Mumbai Indians for INR 20 lakh. On the flip side, some big names like Aaron Finch, Jason Roy and Sheldon Cottrell remained unpicked. After a slow start to the proceedings, Maxwell became the day’s first millionaire. Maxwell began at his base price of INR 2 crore and the bids quickly spiralled, with Royals, Super Kings, and Kolkata Knight Riders also fighting for his signature. Maxwell had spent seven seasons with Punjab Kings (Kings XI Punjab till last season), scoring 1 383 runs at a strike rate of 157.69, and helped the team reach the final
in 2014. Then Morris’ name came up and sparked a fierce bidding war - his eventual fee climbing more than 20 times
15.5 crore in 2020) and Ben Stokes (INR 14.5 crore in 2017) as the costliest buy at an IPL auction, but Royals believe it was money well
Chris Morris was signed by Rajasthan Royals for $2.2 million (Getty Images)
from the base price - involving four different teams, with Royals eventually beating out Royal Challengers, Mumbai Indians and Kings to sign him. He had played for Royals during the 2015 season and was the team’s joint-highest wicket-taker that year with 13 wickets. Morris overtook Yuvraj Singh (INR 16 crore in 2015), Pat Cummins (INR
spent. “We did due diligence, he’s an ex-Royal who can deal with a price tag like that,” Jake Lush McCrum, Royals CEO, said. “He is a quality bowler through all phases of the game, can win us games with the bat too. We did stretch, that was our last bid, luckily Kings XI held back. Delighted to have him back with the Royals! Royal Challengers also
BCB 2021 Junior cricket season …
Brian Ramphal, Ahmad Construction, Premium Asphalt Inter-Zone U-19s bowl off tomorrow THE Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) will bowl off its Under-19 tournament across the Ancient County tomorrow, Saturday February 20. The board plans to host over 30 tournaments during the year at different levels, starting on Wednesday with the first round of the Nand Persaud female 30-Over tournament. The three tournaments to bowl off tomorrow would be the Brian Ramphal West Berbice Under-19, Premium Asphalt New Amsterdam/Canje Under-19 and the Ahmad’s Construction Upper Corentyne Under-19. BCB president Hilbert Foster stated that the tournaments are all historic as it is the first time that the board would be hosting internal Zone Under-19 tournaments. The BCB has obtained sponsorship for the tournaments in four zones- West Berbice, New Amsterdam/Canje/East Bank Berbice, Lower Corentyne and Upper Corentyne. The Ricky Itwaru-sponsored Lower Corentyne U-19 tournament would be played in June at the request of the sponsor. Foster explained that at the end of the three internal zone tournaments, the BCB would start its county-wide Under-19 tournaments. The Brian Ramphal West
Berbice Under-19 tournament would be contested by four teams - Blairmont, Achievers, Paradise and D Edward while the Premium Asphalt New Amsterdam/Canje/East Bank Berbice leg would have Tucber Park, Edinburgh A, Edinburgh B, East Bank Blazers, RH Canje and Guymine. Four teams would participate in the Ahmad Construction Upper Corentyne tournament and they are the No 69 Youth Club, No 73 Young Warriors, No 73 Rama Krishna Foundation and Scottsburg CC. The West Berbice and New
Amsterdam tournaments would be played 50 overs per side and start at 09.30hrs while the Upper Corentyne tournament would be 40 overs per side, starting at 11:00hrs. The cut-off date of birth is September 1, 2002 and clubs are reminded that all players must have a birth certificate to verify their date of birth in the event of a protest. BCB has made it quite clear that all of its tournaments would be played under very strict COVID-19 guidelines and as such, no spectators would be allowed into venues, players must wear masks while they
are in the pavilions and practise social distancing at all times. Teams are also encouraged to walk along with hand sanitisers and their own personal drinking water. The BCB in 2021 would be hosting tournaments at the following levels – Under-23, Under-15, Under-17, Under-19, Under-21, Under-23, Female, Second Division, Intermediate, Internal Zone, Double Wicket, Grassroots and First Division. The Pro-active board has already secured sponsorship for 25 tournaments and is on the verge of securing the others. The fixtures for tomorrow are as follows: WEST BERBICE 1. Blairmont vs D Edwards @ Cotton Tree ground 2. Achievers vs Paradise @ Paradise
BCB PRO Simon Naidu receives sponsorship from Premium Asphalt for the New Amsterdam/Canje tournament
UPPER CORENTUNE 1..Scottsburg vs No. 73 Radha Krishna Foundation @ No. 72 Cut and Load ground 2. No. 73 Young Warriors vs No. 69 Youth Club New Amsterdam/Canje/ East Bank Berbice 1. East Bank Blazers vs Edinburgh @ Edinburgh 2. Kendall’s Union vs Tucber Park @ Tucber Park 3. RH Canje vs Edinburgh A @ RH Canje
came close to bagging Maxwell’s Australian team-mate Steven Smith, but were eventually beaten out by Delhi Capitals, who signed him for INR 2.2 crore. The Capitals also bolstered their squad with the addition of India quick Umesh Yadav, for INR 1 crore. Having missed out on Maxwell, Super Kings did eventually manage to get another all-rounder, fighting off bids from Kings to land England’s Moeen Ali for INR 7 crore. Kings also tried to secure Shakib Al Hasan for INR 2.6 crore, but Bangladesh’s premier all-rounder was eventually sold for INR 3.2 crore to his former team, Knight Riders, with whom he won the title in 2012 and 2014. The Kings signed England opener and the top-ranked T20I batsman Dawid Malan for his base price of INR 1.5 crore. They then splashed INR 14 crore on Richardson, winning a lengthy battle against Capitals and Royal Challeng-
ers for the Perth Scorchers fast bowler. Soon after, Kings and Capitals locked horns yet again, this time for Hobart Hurricanes seamer Meredith. Capitals went as high as INR 7.75 crore for Meredith’s signature, but Kings sealed the deal with their INR 8 crore bid. Ta m i l N a d u f i n i s h e r Shahrukh Khan, who recently won the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, also landed a giant payday thanks to Kings, who signed him for INR 5.25 crore, more than 51 times his base price of Rs 20 lakh. Mumbai, the most successful IPL team and twotime defending champions, spent most of their purse on boosting their already stellar bowling attack, signing Adam Milne (INR 3.20 crore), Nathan Coulter-Nile (INR 5 crore) and Piyush Chawla (INR 2.40 crore). But, with the day’s very last transaction, they landed arguably the biggest surname in Indian cricket.
2021 Youth Tapeball Competition on tomorrow THE 2021 Youth tapeball cricket competition, sponsored by PKF Barcellos, Narine and Co. is set for tomorrow, February 20, at the D’Urban Park tarmac from 09:00hrs. Youth teams from all over Guyana are set to converge on the venue with lots of talent to showcase. Since there was no competition last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, strict measures will be in place. The organisers noted that all players must wear face masks and sanitising stations will also be at the venue. They also noted that sponsorship has increased significantly. There will be trophies and medals for the top two (2) teams and other prizes will be up for grabs such as best catch, first player to hit 5 sixes in an over, highest score, best bowler and the most disciplined team. The 7-a-side knockout competition will see teams face four overs per innings. The Holy Family Bible Club, in association with James ‘Uprising’ Lewis, is the coordinating team for this event.
Inter-Ministry Republic Cup set for Sunday THE Georgetown Office Assistants promotion (GOA) team, headed by James ‘Uprising’ Lewis, will be hosting the biggest Inter-Ministry Government Agencies Republic Cup tapeball cricket competition on Sunday, February 21 at the D’Urban Park tarmac from 09:00hrs. The group received the green light from the COVID-19 Task Force and it will be a 7-a-side, 4-over knockout tournament. Apart from the trophies and medals for the winning and runner-up teams, other attractive prizes will be up for grabs. To date, all the ministries have shown interest in participating. Stern competition is expected as some teams already started training sessions at the National Park and the D’Urban Park. The competition is being coordinated by Lewis, the longest-standing Public Service Office Assistant in Guyana. The coordinator could be reached on 628-1656 for further details. Closing date for registration is today, Friday, February 19. Strict COVID-19 guidelines are in effect. All players must wear face masks and sanitising stations will be available at the venue. The event is sponsored by the Ministries of Government.
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Osaka to meet Brady in Australian Open final as Williams exits in tears By Ian Ransom MELBOURNE, Australia (Reuters) - Naomi Osaka ended Serena Williams’ bid for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title with an imperious 6-3, 6-4 win on Thursday, a victory that booked her spot in her second Australian Open final and left the American great in tears. In a rematch of their tumultuous 2018 U.S. Open decider, Osaka underlined her status as the new queen of women’s tennis and soaked up the cheers from the Rod Laver Arena crowd as fans returned to the Grand Slam after a fiveday lockdown. “It’s just always an honour to play her and I just didn’t want to go out really dud. I just wanted to try my best,” Osaka said after her 75-minute match on a steamy afternoon. “I was a little kid watching her play and just to be on the court playing against her is a dream.” Osaka, the 2019 champion, will meet Jennifer Brady, who ensured there would be at
least one American in the final after battling to a 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 win over Karolina Muchova in the other semi on Thursday. It will be a rematch of last year’s U.S. Open semi-final, where Osaka edged Brady in three sets on the way to her third Grand Slam triumph.
Japan’s Naomi Osaka (L) gives a hug to Serena Williams of the U.S. after their women’s singles semi-final match on day eleven of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne yesterday (Photo by William WEST/AFP)
Williams, however, exited in tears after an error-strewn match and with a question mark over her future.
Former SA captain Faf du Plessis retires from Test cricket
FORMER South Africa captain Faf du Plessis has retired from Test cricket and will focus on the Twenty20 format. The 36-year-old batsman scored 4 163 runs at an average of 40.02 in 69 Tests since making his debut in 2012.
Faf du Plessis is 10th on South Africa’s list of alltime leading run-scorers and centurions.
“The next two years are ICC T20 World Cup years,” he said in a statement. “Because of this, my focus is shifting to this format and I want to play as much of it as possible around the world so I can be the best player I can possibly be.” du Plessis scored 10 Test centuries, with the first - on debut - an unbeaten 110 in
The 39-year-old, who returned to the tour in 2018 after taking time away from the game to give birth to daughter Alexis Olympia, cut her postmatch news conference short when she broke down after being asked whether it was a bad day at the office.
almost eight hours to help South Africa secure a thrilling draw against Australia in Adelaide. He made 199 - his Testbest score - against Sri Lanka at Centurion in December, but managed only 55 runs in four innings in the 2-0 series defeat by Pakistan that ended this month. “My heart is clear and the time is right to walk into a new chapter,” said du Plessis, who took over as Test captain in 2016 and led South Africa in 36 Tests before standing down last year. “If someone had told me 15 years ago that I would play 69 Test matches for South Africa and captain the side, I wouldn’t have believed them. “I stand in a place of utmost gratitude for a Test career full of blessings bestowed on me.” The T20 World Cup in India starts in October and the 2022 edition a year later in Australia. “I strongly believe I have a lot to offer to the Proteas in this format,” said du Plessis, who has played 143 one-day internationals and 50 T20s for South Africa. “This does not mean that ODI cricket is no longer in the plans. I’m just making T20 cricket the priority in the short term.” (BBC Sport)
“I had so many opportunities ... it was just ... I made too many mistakes there and easy mistakes,” said the American. “Not like ... I
was on the run or anything. They were just easy, easy mistakes. “I don’t know. I’m done,” she added before getting up to leave the room. HAND ON HEART Williams’ record bid ended with another near-miss, having reached the finals of four Grand Slams since her last major crown at the Australian Open in 2017. She paused while exiting centre court as the crowd gave her a standing ovation. She put her hand on her heart, smiled and waved. Wi l l i a m s w a s a s k e d whether it was a final farewell to Melbourne Park, where she holds a record seven titles in the professional era. “I don’t know, if I ever say farewell I wouldn’t tell anyone, so ....” she responded. Williams and Osaka’s last Grand Slam clash was full of drama with the American losing her temper at the chair umpire on the way to defeat in the 2018 final at Flushing Meadows and fans jeering during the trophy ceremony. Yesterday’s semi-final
Only Fabian Allen sold as Windies players spark little interest at IPL auction
There was little interest in West Indies players at the 2021 IPL Auction held in Chennai earlier yesterday. About 18 West Indies players were in the pool of 292 players hoping to fill 61 slots across the eight IPL franchises but only one, Fabian Allen, was sold. The Jamaican all-rounder will join Chris Gayle and Nicholas Pooran at the renamed Punjab Kings for the new season for just over US$100,000. Meanwhile, the likes of Evin Lewis and Sheldon Cottrell, who had a base price of just under US$150,000 went unsold. Darren Bravo, Keemo Paul and Sherfane Rutherford, who each had a similar base price as Allen, also failed to spark any interest among the franchises. Players like Rovman Powell, Oshane Thomas, Chemar Holder, Fidel Edwards, Carlos Brathwaite and several others, also had a base price of around US$70,000 but their affordability did not seem to make them any more attractive to the cash-rich squads that already had retained several West Indies players like Gayle, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine and the elder of the Bravo brothers, Dwayne. (Sportsmax)
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was uneventful by comparison, though Osaka put on a tremendous show after dropping serve in the opening game. Williams took a 2-0 lead but the Japanese third seed won five straight games before closing out the set with a blazing forehand winner. Williams began yelling at herself between points, trying to fire herself up, but Osaka was all cold-blooded assassin as she broke the American in the first game of the second set. Osaka finally wavered with three double-faults to allow Williams to break back to 4-4 but Williams repaid the favour with a double-fault that produced three break points.
Osaka converted the first of them, swooping in to stroke an angled backhand winner. She then served out the match to love, with an overwhelmed Williams bowing out with a netted backhand. Williams had come to Melbourne Park seeking a 24th Grand Slam title but it was her 24th unforced error that ended her campaign. Brady kept the U.S. flag flying, though, as she steadied in the late match to book her first Grand Slam final. After needing five match points to break Muchova’s resistance, Brady gets to continue a wild Australian adventure that began with 14 days in hard quarantine in the lead-up.
Djokovic beats Aslan Karatsev to reach Melbourne final
TOP seed Novak Djokovic overcame stern resistance from Aslan Karatsev to reach the Australian Open final and end the Russian qualifier’s remarkable run. Despite the world number 114 causing moments of tension, Djokovic had enough quality to win 6-3, 6-4, 6-2. The 33-year-old Serb won the final four games to finally shrug off Karatsev. Djokovic, who is going for a record-extending ninth men’s title in Melbourne, will face Daniil Medvedev or Stefanos Tsitsipas in Sunday’s final. Russian fourth seed Medvedev meets Greek fifth seed Tsitsipas in the other semi-final today, with both men trying to reach their first Australian Open final. Neither player has won a major title yet and will face an opponent in Djokovic who is bidding for an 18th Grand Slam to close the gap on Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Djokovic has struggled with an abdominal injury during the tournament but showed no signs of the problem against Karatsev. “This is the best I have felt in the entire tournament. It felt great, I could swing through the ball and no pain,” he said. “It was my best match so far and came at the right time. I’m thrilled.” Nobody has mastered the Australian Open men’s singles like Djokovic, who says the event “feels like home” after dominating the tournament since winning his maiden title in 2008. Djokovic has lost only three matches at Melbourne Park over the past decade and losing to Karatsev would have been a seismic shock ranked among the sport’s great upsets. While Djokovic was playing in his 39th Grand Slam semi-final, Karatsev had never even played in one of tennis’ four major tournaments before this fortnight. (BBC Sport)
CRICKET QUIZ CORNER Friday, February 19, 2021 COMPLIMENTS OF XTRA ENERGY DRINK – STABROEK BAZAAR (Tel: 683-9500) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD – 83 Garnett street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158)
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ANSWERS TO YESTERDAY’S QUIZ:
Zimbabwe, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, New Zealand 14 players TODAY’S QUIZ: How many Bangladeshi players have now played Test cricket against the West Indies? Which BANG player scored most runs in the recent WI/BANG Test series?
ANSWERS ANSWER S IN TOMORROW’S ISSUE
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, February 19, 2021
‘Love and passion for cricket’ main factor behind Sanasie’s move for top CWI job … Elite team performance, women’s cricket, relationship with USA among areas outlined in manifesto By Clifton Ross AHEAD of Cricket West Indies (CWI) elections next month, Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) secretary Anand Sanasie has outlined a number of potential plans for the sport, following his announcement of running for the top position. Sanasie, a long-serving Director at CWI, officially announced that he will be challenging current president Ricky Skerritt. Chronicle Sport recently contacted the GCB executive, who gave an extensive and detailed description of his plans for West Indies Cricket development across all boards, with heavy emphasis being placed on women’s cricket and youth progression. “West Indies cricket is not just a sport but it is a pillar of social and psychological fortitude for our region. The passion and energy which our players exude on the field have captivated the world and cemented West Indies Cricket as a global brand and source of enjoyment and inspiration for cricket-loving people everywhere,” says
Sanasie. The Cricket Guyana Inc. (CGI) executive, who has been involved in local cricket for almost two decades, said that it was his love for the sport which further drove him to pursue this newer endeavour. “It was love and passion
GCB secretary and CWI president Ricky Skerritt’s challenger in next month’s election, Anand Sanasie
which drove me into becoming a servant of the game through cricket administration. I served for over two decades at the community club level, the district and county levels and then for over ten years at the national level in Guyana and as a
Director of the West Indies Cricket Board and Cricket West Indies”. He continued, “For the past ten years I have served CWI faithfully and steadfastly without much fanfare or pursuit of publicity or the limelight. I have made my contribution because it is the
Vice-resident of the Barbados Cricket Association Calvin Hope
success of the West Indies team and the strengthening of regional cricket that have been my unwavering focus”. Sanasie and his colleague Calvin Hope, vice-president of Barbados Cricket Association (BCA), recently did some consultation across the region
and outlined a detailed manifesto which they will be unveiling in the coming weeks. Hope will be challenging for the CWI vice-president post. Nominations for the CWI posts closed on Thursday, February 18 (yesterday); and the elections will be held on March 28. Among those areas highlighted in the manifesto: Elite Team Performance: First we recognise that the performance of the West Indies Team serves as a barometer for the state of West Indies cricket and as the only constant in the regional psyche. Therefore the West Indies Team Performance is one central pillar. Strengthening Regional Cricket Secondly, regional cricket is what supplies and fortifies the West Indies Team. The territorial boards manage the production line of elite players for the West Indies teams. We believe that regional cricket requires greater investment from the CWI level and will implement a
Former Olympic athlete Hashimoto chosen as head of Tokyo 2020 organisers By Sakura Murakami, Elaine Lies
TOKYO, Japan (Reuters) - Japanese athlete-turned-politician Seiko Hashimoto has been chosen as president of the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee, replacing a man who resigned after setting off a furore with sexist remarks. Hashimoto, who competed in seven Summer and Winter Olympics as a cyclist and a skater, now faces a raft of tough issues at the helm of one of the world’s biggest sporting events with less than half a year before its delayed start. She must ensure athletes and officials are kept safe from the coronavirus, while also facing strong public opposition to the Games being held amid the pandemic. Hashimoto announced her selection shortly after submitting her resignation as Olympics minister to Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who encouraged her to make
the Games successful. “As someone with an athletic background, I will carry out a safe Games for both athletes and citizens,” she told a news conference. She replaces Yoshiro Mori, an 83-year-old former prime minister, who resigned as Tokyo 2020 president last week after saying women talk
the case closed after his first apology and refusal to step down. “With her great Olympic experience ... and having led Japan’s delegation to the Olympic Games multiple times, she is the perfect choice for this position,” IOC president Thomas Bach said in a statement.
Japan’s Seiko Hashimoto has been appointed the next Tokyo 2020 president too much. Her appointment was welcomed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) which had not demanded Mori’s resignation and had initially considered
“Seiko Hashimoto can draw on her rich political experience as a minister and many other political functions. This will help to deliver safe and successful Olympic and Paralympic
Games.” Opinion polls have repeatedly shown that more than 80 percent of Japanese do not believe the Games should be held this year due to the pandemic - a concern Hashimoto pledged to address for both ordinary citizens and athletes. “I can imagine how tough it is for athletes with so many questions about whether they should even aim for the Olympics and Paralympics amid the pandemic,” she said. A 56-year-old lawmaker in Japan’s ruling party, Hashimoto served as the Olympics minister, doubling as minister for women’s empowerment, since 2019 until resigning yesterday. She was born days before Japan hosted the 1964 summer Games and her name comes from a Chinese character used for the Olympic flame. She lived up to it by taking part in four Winter Olympics as a speed skater and three Summer Olympics as a cyclist.
system of greater (i) sponsorship share and (ii) larger annual subvention to each territorial board. Revolutionising Grassroots Cricket Thirdly, regional cricket and ultimately the West Indies Team is only as strong as our grassroots cricket programmes. We believe that there needs to be renewed focus, a revitalisation and a revolution in grassroots and school cricket all across the Caribbean. Our manifesto will detail our plans for each of these central pillars. Women’s Cricket Development Our team will place renewed and heavier emphasis on the development of women’s cricket, focussing on girls’ cricket in the form of training, competition and tournaments, camps and succession planning. The West Indies Women’s Team must be consis-
tently among the best in the world and we will ensure there is a comprehensive strategic measurable programme in place to achieve this. Meanwhile, the challenger further believes that West Indies Cricket must also meaningfully and purposefully pursue expansion into the vast and lucrative North American market as a critical plank of augmenting and guaranteeing financial stability. This requires a planned strategic approach which our Team will pursue with the United States cricket authorities through partnership, collaboration and synergies. According to this part of their manifestó, the U.S. market is poised for transformative and explosive take-off and as the leading cricket governing body in this hemisphere CWI can both partner with and offer support and guidance to Cricket USA for our mutual benefit.
Jordan bowls Pride to first Super50 Cup win
NORTH SOUND – A destructive spell from Akeem Jordan spurred Barbados Pride to their first win of the West Indies Super50 Cup, when they crushed Windward Islands Volcanoes by 173 runs, yesterday.
Akeem Jordan grabbed five for 26 from his allotted 10 overs
Jordan grabbed five for 26 from his allotted 10 overs to make him a shoo-in for the Player-of-the-Match award and lead the Pride’s successful defence of a target of 287 in their fourth match of the tournament played at Vivian Richards Cricket Ground. Pride needed to win this match to stand any chance of reaching the semi-finals and a shot at playing for the title, and they delivered on all fronts.
J u s t i n G re a v e s h i t the top score of 76 and Shamarh Brooks made 61, paving the way for a Pride total of 286 for eight from their allocation of 50 overs, after they were put in to bat. Jordan followed up with a disciplined spell to be the pick of the Pride’s bowlers, fellow pacer Chemar Holder supported with two for 27 from 7.4 overs and left-arm spinner Joshua Bishop snared two for 33 from 10 overs to complete the demolition. Pride now have four points, moving up to fourth place in the standings ahead of home team Leeward Islands Hurricanes on a superior net run rate of +0.579. Pride must still, however, beat Jamaica Scorpions in their fifth and final preliminary match tomorrow at the CCG to reach the semis. Summarised scores: Barbados Pride 286 for eight off 50 overs (Justin Greaves 76, Shamarh Brooks 61, Jonathan Carter 49, Jason Holder 28, Shai Hope 16, Ashley Nurse 15; Kevin Stoute 2-41, Preston McSween 2-62). Windward Islands Volcanoes 113 off 34.4 overs (Andre Fletcher 34, Sunil Ambris 26, Ryan John 12; Akeem Jordan 102-26-5, Chemar Holder 2-27, Joshua Bishop 2-33). Pride won by 173 runs.
Kraigg Brathwaite has drawn widespread oraise for inspiring an West Indies to aresounding 2-0 series win
Former West Indies vice-captain Deryck Murray
‘Strong case’ for Brathwaite to replace Holder: Murray
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All set for DCB elections today
President of the East Bank Cricket Association Anand Kalladeen SEE PAGE 24
… EBCA, WDCA fail to submit list of delegates, hence cannot take part in the electoral process
Fung-A-Fat named Sporting Chance Ambassador
Guyanese Mary Fung-A-Fat has been named one of two Sporting Chance Ambassadors
GUYANESE Mary FungA-Fat has been named one of two Sporting Chance Ambassadors, as squash leads the charge to help increase awareness of mental health through the charity’s services and engagement with fellow athletes and organisations. Wo r l d n u m b e r 1 2 0 , Fung-A-Fat, as well as French player and world number 36 Lucas Serme are the two ambassadors for the PSA Foundation partners. Sporting Chance, the largest provider of mental health services works exclusively with professional and elite sports participants in the UK. According to the Guyanese, her role as a Sporting Chance Ambassador came out of love for the sport. “I’ve been on both sides of the glass – as a player and coach – and from that, I learnt a lot about the dynamics behind the scenes that
tend to bleed on court. This contributed to my decision of pursuing a Masters of Counselling Psychology for Mental Health. When the Sporting Chance Ambassador position arose, it felt like the perfect opportunity to marry my two passions; and I feel lucky to be part of this movement,” she said. She added, “I’ve seen the need for this support so I most look forward to seeing players have access to mental health counselling to be able to reach their full potential, and ultimately grow the sport.“ Meanwhile, president of Guyana Squash Association, David Fernandes, in an invited comment stated, “Mary has made us all proud and continues to make us proud. She will make a good ambassador.” The organisation works with 14 stakeholders across ten sports and was founded by former Arsenal
and England football captain Tony Adams, MBE, in the year 2000. The roles of Fung-A-Fat and her fellow ambassador include advising and informing Sporting Chance about relevant issues in order to help shape the charity’s services and engagement with the people it serves. This may also include being part of an athlete’s engagement advisory group. Raising awareness of the charity and its services which includes social media posts, media interviews and personal appearances as well as assisting Sporting Chance’s education department in delivering workshops and seminars to athletes and sporting organisations. Both Lucas and Mary will soon be undergoing training with Sporting Chance to help prepare them for their roles, a release said.
Osaka to meet Brady in Australian Open final as Williams exits in tears 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
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| FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2021