Issuu

FRIDAY 19th November, 2021

' No.106550

Seven per cent retroactive pay 03 hike for 20,000+ public servants PAGE

–– $400M payout for frontline health workers

Chairman of the Private Sector Commission, Paul Cheong: ‘I know the cost of living is going up with a lot of prices increased, so it’s good that persons can get an increase to push them during the holiday’

Executive Member of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG), Seepaul Narine: ‘It is a reasonable increase, and it would be much welcomed because of the fact that it has been announced going back to January, retroactive, and it’s not only the seven per cent’

Another massive Guyana open Police destroy 17 hydropower plant to use of 14 over $2B worth of on the cards 12 COVID-19 pill marijuana in Reg. 10 PAGE

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Days of walking miles for water soon over in Jawalla

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, November 19, 2021

Seven per cent retroactive pay hike for 20,000+public servants –– $400M payout for frontline health workers

TO further improve the living standards of Guyanese, the government has announced a seven per cent increase in wages and salaries for all categories of public servants. The increase, which is expected by the end of December, will be paid to public servants, including teachers, members of the Disciplined Services, constitutional officeholders, and government pensioners, Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh said in a special announcement on Thursday. In a subsequent interview with the Department of Public Information (DPI) on Thursday, Minister of Public Service Sonia Parag said this pay hike will benefit over 20,000 persons. “When you look at it holistically, government is investing heavily in the public sector, and it is because the

Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance Dr. Ashni Singh government has recognised that public servants are working very hard to keep the machine of government running,” Minister Parag said. In addition to the pay hike, $400 million has been set aside for a special 2021 payout to be made to frontline workers in the health

sector who, Dr. Singh said, continue to face extenuating circumstances in the daily discharge of their duties, as the country and the world continue to battle the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic. The details of the provision will be released soon, but the payout will be made by the end of December 2021. Dr. Singh said, too, that the government has also recognised that there are disparities in pay across positions in the public service, to the extent that persons with similar degrees have been paid differently, according to the agencies they work with, or the various salary scales by which their post is classified. In light of this, the senior minister said that the government will work on reducing the inconsistencies by making adjustments to salaries, in order to reduce the pay gap; this is expected to be reflected in Budget 2022 which is

Minister of Public Service Sonia Parag currently being prepared. Dr. Singh related that since the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government assumed office in August 2020, work commenced to improve the lives and circumstances of Guyanese. The minister with responsibility for finance said the focus has been on improving

economic and social conditions and quality of social services, as well as restoring the business climate, and restructuring the budget to re-orient public spending to programmes with the greatest possible impact. Recalling a few measures that the Dr. Irfaan Ali-led government has so far implemented, Dr. Singh cited the COVID-19 cash grant of $25,000 per household, which resulted in $7.5 billion distributed to families across all ten of the country’s administrative regions, and the $19,000 grant for children attending public as well as private schools. Additionally, pensioners and persons were given a one-off $25,000 cash grant, while $200 million was provided in electricity credits to households that met a certain criteria. When consolidated, billions of dollars have been channeled through the gov-

ernment to households, in order to improve the overall quality of living during the pandemic. Minister Parag said, too, that since assuming office, the government has been making significant investments in the country, despite having to contend with a pandemic. The minister said that while a large number of persons were laid off around the world, in Guyana, public servants continued to receive their salaries. “Government has tried its utmost best to maintain a level of humanity, in terms of having its public sector be stable,” Minister Parag said. She said that the government is delivering on its Manifesto promises, and that their investment in the public sector does not end with the salary increase, as it will continue to work to improve the lives of all Guyanese.

Days of walking miles for water soon over in Jawalla –– with $40M well being drilled by GWI

CENTRAL Jawalla, situated just off the Kamarang River in the Upper Mazaruni, Region Seven area, is in line to access potable water for the first time, as the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) progresses with the drilling of a well in the villages there. Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, who visited the work-site on Wednesday, said that the contract sum of $40 million caters for the initial phase of the project, which would see Central Jawalla being the beneficiary, while the remainder of the village would benefit in the next phase. “You would recognise that there is a challenge in the hinterland. Sometimes it’s not always possible to run pipe networks to every

single household, because of the geographic location where some persons live,” the minister said. In light of this, the Housing and Water Minister said that approximately 80 service connections will be installed, at places such as the school, Village Council and the Health Centre. Unlike Kamarang, where numerous attempts at drilling a well in the past would have failed due to uncertainty and rock formation, Minister Croal said this is a first for Jawalla. He is confident that this time around, it will be a success, since the requisite preparatory works were carried out. Prior to the mobilisation of the drilling rig, a resistivity logging exercise was conducted to find the best suited location for the well.

Managing Director of R. Kissoon Contracting Service, Rudranauth Roopdeo said that transporting the drilling rig to the community is the biggest challenge. He said that for communities such as Jawalla, the rig is disassembled and flown into the region, after which it traverses the river on a barge. Despite the challenges, he said the well and the distribution network would be completed by December. Community members will be employed for the laying of the distribution pipelines, which will be done simultaneously with the drilling of the well. The project also caters for the erection of a trestle for the storage tanks, and the installation of a photovoltaic system. Toshao of Jawalla,

Minister of Housing and Water Collin Croal watches on as workers drill the water well at Central Jawalla Verron Henry said the villagers are anxiously awaiting the completion of the project. She said

that as it is, people have to walk long distances to fetch water from the Kamarang River, which

has become polluted over the years due to the gold mining activities going on in the area.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, November 19, 2021

Rainy season promises ‘unusually high’ amounts of rain -says Chief Hydrometeorological Officer

WITH some Guyanese still recovering from the effects of unprecedented flooding in May and June, Chief Hydrometeorological Officer, Dr. Garvin Cummings, has warned that the upcoming rainy season, December-January, will not be favourable, as “unusually high” amounts of rain are projected. This was said during a National Climate Outlook

Forum and Flood Preparedness Session conducted by the Hydrometeorological Office and the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), on Wednesday. Dr. Cummings said the initiative is definitely a step in the right direction as Guyana prepares for another rainy season which promises unusually high amounts of rain. The aim of the forum

was to guide the weather service to present climate information to meet the needs of all stakeholders and to convey uncertainties associated with weather predictions for the impending rainy season. Additionally, the CDC’s session focused on key activities to strengthen flood risk management and reporting, operational gaps and significant next-steps. In addressing the meeting, the CDC’s Director General, Lieutenant Colonel Kester Craig, said that planning for the immediate and distant future of disaster risk management in Guyana is of paramount importance, especially because of the unprecedented flooding experienced recently. “We must adopt a proactive approach both from the hydromet perspective and

from the disaster response and preparedness perspective,” Lieutenant Colonel Craig said. The Director General also pleaded for other relevant agencies to utilise the information formulated in the session to better inform their stakeholders of the climate expectations. Dr. Cummings informed the participants that the specialist team worked and continues to work with climate resources to ensure that weather predictions are as accurate as possible, and that the information is disseminated in a timely manner. A local climatology meteorologist, Tonya Mohabir, in explaining the difference between weather and climate said: “Climate is what you

expect and weather is what you get.” she said that climate and weather services are crucial for decision making and briefly explained the provisions and uses for each service. Komalchand Dhiram, a specialist meteorologist, then executed a detailed climate outlook presentation which had data comparisons, visual aids and short and long-term predictions. Dhiram’s segment engaged those in attendance with data of the recent May June floods, specifically the precipitation predictions and actualities; temperature comparisons as opposed to previous seasons, and how rainfall was monitored for that period. The presentation also

highlighted the probability of rainfall for December 2021 to February 2022. It indicated that above normal rainfall is in the forecast, when compared to previous years, and, as such, most of Guyana will be “wetter” during that period. During the last rainy season, flooding across the country was so severe that President Dr. Irfaan Ali had to categorise it as a level two disaster. According to the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency’s (CDEMA) Regional Response Mechanism, a Level Two Event is one in which the national capacity to respond is not overwhelmed, but some external assistance is required.

Guyana now open to flights from Brazil for fully vaccinated travellers

TWO days after an announcement of the opening of the Takutu Bridge to travellers from Brazil, Minister of Health Dr. Frank Anthony has said that persons from that country can also fly to Guyana. Responding to questions on whether flights between Brazil and Guyana are permitted, Dr. Anthony said:

The Takutu Bridge linking Guyana and Brazil “Right now, we are following our protocol for international travel; so, that is, once people can produce a document to say that they are fully vaccinated, along with either a PCR or Antigen Test, they would be allowed to come to Guyana. So, we have opened all our ports of entry following these guidelines, and Brazil is no exception.” On Tuesday, during his daily COVID-19 update, Dr. Anthony said that the travellers using the bridge are required to produce a negative PCR test and proof of vaccination. “So, this opening from Monday to Friday would allow for people to come across, once they are able to produce their vaccination cards to show that they are fully vaccinated, and that

they have an Antigen or a PCR Test that is negative,” he related. The port of entry at the Takutu Bridge, in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) was closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the significant impact that the Delta variant of the virus had on Guyana’s Portuguese-speaking neighbour. The closure hampered trade and travel across the border, and stymied economic activity in the region as well. Some Brazilians who were affected by the closure had staged a protest in September, prompting the Government of Guyana to later hold discussions with its Brazilian counterpart to find an amicable solution to the issue. (DPI)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, November 19, 2021

Pilot recounts Jonestown escape (Loop Caribbean News) THE “Jonestown tragedy” has been defined by so many different “spins.’’ Most of these “spins’’ as well as factual narratives focused on the man known as the “charismatic preacher” Jim Jones, an American and many of the Americans who survived or escaped “Jonestown”, which was set in Port Kaituma in Region One. Jones and the murder of some 900 people, including children, would be the focus of yet another movie with actor Leonardo DeCaprio playing Jones. After all, this was an American tragedy on Guyana’s soil. Resisting the urge for a spin is retired pilot Captain Rodwell Astill Paul. Paul along with Captain Guy Spence arrived at the airstrip in Port Kaituma on November 18, 1978 to transport US Congressman Leo Ryan back to Georgetown. Ryan had visited Guyana, and the Peoples Temple in particular, to meet with Jones and many of the Americans who we would later learn wanted to defect and leave the Peoples Temple and Guyana altogether. Loop Caribbean met Captain Paul at his G e o rg e t o w n , G u y a n a home. There, he told us, he hardly ever talks about his “brush with death”. In fact, when Captain Paul got back to the city on the night of November 18, 1978, he never told his wife or sisters that he almost lost his life. Recounting a call with his wife, Captain Paul said she had asked where he was, “but you don’t fly so late”, Captain Paul told us, his wife stated to him. “I said I had something to do, I did not tell anybody,” he told us. Nobody knew that earlier that day he dodged bullets on an airstrip in a remote location in Guyana’s hinterland nor that he was in a plane that nearly landed on a busy street. In 2015, his son, Rotimi Paul wrote that his fa-

ther’s connection to Jonestown was a mystery to the family, “My trips with him into the interior provided the perfect opportunity to sit in the cockpit and hear stories about his aviation — the people, the place, the place, the perils and the humour that accounted for the many entries in his logbook,” the young Paul wrote on an online blog titled, ‘Alternative Considerations of Jonestown and Peoples Temple’. “Though we would have many many chats like this over the years, one topic he never mentioned was the one with his connection to the Jonestown story,” Paul wrote. Captain Paul’s trips to these hinterland locations were many at the time and there were routine things that he would do once the plane had landed. This time, he accompanied Chief Pilot Guy Spence to Kaituma Airstrip where Congressman Ryan and his assistant Jackie Speier were expected to meet the plane. Captain Paul said the first unusual thing he noticed was that a large group of persons were being transported towards the plane, a Twin Otter. “I could not understand why, there is a system where we have to know how many people were coming on the plane,” he said. Captain Paul said from the aircraft he saw a tractor with a trailer also approaching the airstrip. By that time, he was making his way to meet Speier outside the aircraft for the list of persons who were expected to board the flight. “The shooting started,” Captain Paul said. “These guys were shooting from the trailer.” Captain Paul was already outside the plane when he noticed members of a foreign television crew who were still filming and some other people who he said were getting close to the propeller of the plane. He had gone to stop them from walking close to the plane, “They were sort

Captain Rodwell Paul of walking backwards into the propeller, this is where I was caught with the gunfire.” Captain Paul said upon hearing the gunshots he started to run. He had seen a house close to the airstrip and thought he would make his way there. “But then I thought I was too exposed.” So he ran back to where the television crew was. “As I was going back I was

talking to them saying somebody is shooting as I looked at the side, the guy with the camera, he was not there, but they were shot and they have now fallen,” he recounted, “I now lay down there among them, I was able to go and lie down with the reporters, lie down among them and hoping for the best.” His refuge among the dead and injured would be

short-lived as he recalled hearing continuous gunshots. He said he thought the gunmen would have ignored those already laying on the ground but after hearing the gunshots, he made a sprint towards the house he saw by the airstrip. Captain Paul would then lay wait by some bushes but those provided little cover. A truck parked on the airstrip seemed a viable option and on his way to the truck, he saw a Guyana Defence Force plane and made his way in its direction. Interestingly, the truck was on the airstrip for a reason. Captain Paul explained that it was later learnt that gunmen were expected to use the truck to shoot down the plane with the Congressman and others once it left the airstrip, thereby creating a story that there was an accident and Jonestown would go on. By the time Captain Paul got towards the GDF plane, the soldiers were making their way towards a muddy ditch, where they all took cover. All of this happened within minutes and by the time the shooting had stopped, it was time to assess what had taken place. Captain Paul said he knew nothing was amiss in Jonestown nor what led to the shooting. He would make his way back to his plane where the chief pilot, Captain Spence, had secured himself on the floor of the plane.

LEAVING PORT KAITUMA Getting the Twin Otter started was another task. Captain Paul explained that the right engine of the plane “was not firing,” a bullet had passed through the fuel control unit, he explained. There were people on that plane and Captain Paul said he asked them to disembark. But one woman would not budge, he said. “I looked from the cockpit and said, ‘Madam, kindly exit the aircraft’. I came out the seat and touched her, no response - I looked at her she was just really sitting there, but she was obviously dead,” Captain Paul recounted. He would spend the next few minutes tending to the injured, he told us, praising his Boy Scouts training. He had used his T-shirt to stop bleeding and sent to purchase two bottles of rum, the alcohol would be used to treat the gunshot wounds. It was that rum that was used to treat the injured Congressman’s assistant and Monica Bagby who was shot in her back and had to be flown to the city with Captain Paul. Another plane sat on the airstrip. Its pilot was Tommy Fernandes. Captain Paul said that based on information he found out later, both planes were expected to fly defectors back to Georgetown. Captain Paul and Fernandes, the pilot in Turn to page 8

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, November 19, 2021

A Commitment To Transparency

PRESIDENT Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali has given full assurance to all Guyanese that when it comes to transparency and accountability, his administration will do all within its power to ensure not only that the Guyanese people are kept informed of all developments in relation to the management of the country’s resources, but even more importantly, that such resources are managed in a transparent and accountable manner. Indeed, it is in the best public interest for everyone to know how the resources of the country are being managed, and future plans for the growth and well-being of this resource-rich nation. This re-assurance became all the more necessary in light of several unfounded criticisms by some opposition elements to the effect that the PPP/C administration has not been pro-active enough in terms of auditing of expenditures prepared by ExxonMobil regard-

ing its oil-drilling operations in the country. Nothing could be further from the truth. If there is one defining difference between the PPP/C and the previous APNU+AFC regime, it is on the issue of transparency and accountability, especially as it relates to the oil and gas industry. It was the former APNU+AFC administration that kept secret from the Guyanese people, the US$18M signing bonus it got from ExxonMobil, which was made public only after a leaked document from the Finance Ministry was brought to the open. Exactly why the then Granger administration would want to keep the nation in dark on something as fundamental as a signing bonus is at best mind-boggling, but it does raise some serious questions regarding its own credibility and the extent to which it can enjoy the trust and confidence of the Guyanese people on fundamental national issues. For the opposition to now pre-

tend as though it is the custodian of transparency and accountability norms is not only disingenuous, but also smacks of dishonesty and hypocrisy and sounds shallow, having regard to its past experiences in its dealings with the Guyanese people. Unfortunately, there are some who ought to know better, but for reasons best known to themselves, they seem bent on parroting the APNU+AFC line without giving enough thought to the nuances and complexities involved in the conduct of audits of such magnitude. As indicated by both President Ali and Vice-President Jagdeo, the PPP/C administration is not only fully committed to having an audit done of Exxon’s expenditures, but there are plans to also strengthen local auditing capacity in order to have such audits done, using already reputable and established auditing firms and agencies in the country. Among these are the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Office of the Auditor General,

two of the statutory agencies responsible for the auditing of public accounts. This in essence is what local content is all about. It is about providing opportunities for locals to take opportunities of available openings in the oil and gas sector, which will allow for some of the money to circulate in the local economy. Granted that the audit of oil and gas is a relatively new and complex undertaking, there is no reason why local auditing companies and agencies cannot partner with overseas companies to ensure that the requisite auditing skills and competencies are available for thorough and comprehensive audits in the sector. Indeed, this approach to governance has always been one of the hallmarks of the PPP/C administration. It was under the PPP/C administration that several institutions were established to ensure that public accounts are properly accounted for, and the necessary

legislation put in place to ensure compliance. The strengthening of the Auditor-General’s Office and the establishment of the Integrity Commission are only a few of the several accountability measures put in place to ensure that the Guyanese people are given the best value for their money. Auditing is an important element of all business operations, something that is recognised both by the Guyana Government and ExxonMobil. To impute that the government is less than keen on ensuring that such audits are done in a timely and comprehensive manner, or that there is some ‘vested’ interest in not having an audit done is unfair to those responsible for the sector and fails to take into account the several aspects of work already done by the government and its agencies to ensure that everything is done above board and in the best national interest.

Misinformed call by civil society group for immediate ban on log exports

Dear Editor,

sequesters approximately 154M tCO2e annually. For comparison, THE call by the Civil Society the entire world emits about 50 bilGroup Article 13 for the immedi- lion tonnes a year. Guyana’s annual ate ban of log exports is emotional deforestation is among the lowest and non-fact based. in the world, averaging 0.056 per Similarly, the false assertion cent per annum. Contrary to the that His Excellency President Dr. misinformed article, deforestation Irfaan Ali was duplicitous at COP does not occur in the forest sector 26 whilst calling for a ban on log based on the guidelines that are exports is presumptuous and reck- strictly enforced. less at its very least. Firstly, COP26 Guyana practises sustainable was not about country positions but forestry management in a very rather, a global call for reduction robust and systematic manner. Our of emissions. Guyana’s forests, practices are recognised internationmanaged by the Guyana Forestry ally as one of the best. This has been Commission (GFC) under sustain- confirmed by numerous independable forest management standards, ent international audits. Guyana continue to perform an essential can practise selective logging at a service in climate balance through maximum allowable conservative carbon storage and sequestration. rate of 20m3 per hectare over a For the uninformed, Guyana’s 60-year cycle (the equivalent of apforests store 19.5 billion tonnes proximately three trees per acre or of carbon dioxide equivalent and six trees per hectare. However, even

though the annual allowable sustainable production from the allocated forest is 1.2Mm3; the current actual level of production is 400,000m3. Additionally, about 50 per cent of the state forest is unallocated. Guyana has had in place a logexport policy since 2006. The rates charged per m3 of logs exported have been continuously adjusted upwards and currently, the rates are among the highest compared with other tropical timber-producing countries. It is of great interest too that log bans have proven to be ineffective in many other countries; if not implemented in conjunction with other measures, it would quickly destroy the sector, as it can lead to a glut in the market and lowering of prices, thus forcing producers out of business. The Guyanese forestry sector provides employment to approxi-

mately 20,000 Guyanese, many of whom live in the hinterland regions. Our government does not make impromptu decisions when considering such important factors that impact these 20,000 forestrysector workers; multiple national consultations were done with all stakeholders, inclusive of the major producer and manufacturing groups before the log-export policy was developed. The statistics will also show that current levels of log exports are below 20 per cent of actual production. Thus, over 80 per cent of logs produced are available for local sales; for processing and use into the domestic economy; and for export as finished and value-added production. This 80 per cent is more than adequate, given the current processing capacity in-country. The government also has vari-

ous protection measures for the local processing and value-added industry: for example, the tariff on imported pine and plywood was increased a few years ago to the maximum level of 40 per cent and 45 per cent respectively from the previous levels of five per cent. This alone is a direct benefit and protection mechanism for the domestic manufactures and value-added, processing operators. Finally, the Guyana Forestry Commission welcomes criticism that is constructive and factbased; it, therefore, calls on Article 13 to seek clarification and present factual data rather than making statements that are erroneous and that have no linkage with what was reported by HE Dr. Irfaan Alli at COP26. Yours sincerely, Guyana Forestry Commission

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, November 19, 2021

Smoking in public must not be tolerated Dear Editor, AS Guyana gallops to becoming a global powerhouse in the production of oil and gas, the focus of our people has to be on strengthening our regulations and growing our capacity to police. Developing countries continue to face leakage of revenues from corruption and non-enforcement and shortages of skills, with consecutive governments lacking the will or have simply run out of time before the next elections cycle to start the ball rolling when it comes to modernising our systems. Take for example the tobacco legislation--the Tobac-

co Control Act, 2017-- passed in 2017. Enforced by government, it strictly stipulates how cigarettes should be packaged along with mandatory labelling warnings. It forbids advertising. The passage of the Act is a clear recognition of the dangers of tobacco and Guyana has joined a host of other countries to tackle a source of major health problems. The Act bans the advertisement of tobacco products and guides the conditions of sale of cigarettes and forbids purchases by and sales to by minors -- minors are under the age of 21. Perhaps the biggest changes we saw were chang-

es to how citizens could use tobacco in public spaces. Casinos, bars and enclosed buildings where the public gather are forbidden to allow smoking with stiff penalties for breaches. For ease of reference, Part V of the Act says that no person can smoke in any indoor workplace; any indoor public place, on board of a public transport, whether or not a member of public is on board. Persons are forbidden from smoking five metres from a window of ventilation of a public place or indoor workplace. The ban extends to any park, playground or amusement park, stadium,

arena, sport or any space that commercially sells food or drinks. The smoker, if caught, can face a $10,000 fine for first offence, and $20,000 for the second. The Act speaks also to managers or those responsible for public spaces, workplaces or vehicles -- they have to ensure that persons do not smoke. The public spaces, for ease of reference, include health care institutions and facilities; educational and child care facilities, retail establishments including stalls, stores, shops and malls; ho-

tels and other lodgings, restaurants, bars, pubs, cafes and other drinking and eating establishments. The regulators are also targeting gaming machines venues and casinos, clubs, cinemas, game arcades and pool halls. Editor, I took the liberty of reminding our people of these laws as the bad news is that our people and managers who should be regulating can be accused of turning a blind eye. I was recently with a family member at a hotel on the East Bank of Demerara; I have been going there since

it was opened. I am well aware of the passage of the new tobacco laws. This has not been the first time that I have seen persons smoking around the popular pool side. The area cannot be considered outside, as numerous dining tables dot the pool area. It would therefore be impossible to smoke without affecting a non-smoker. One guest was smoking and refused to desist. I brought it to the attention of management and initially, while the overseas guest was adamant that Turn to page 9

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, November 19, 2021

Pilot recounts Jonestown escape

From page 5 command along with Captain Spence would leave Port Kaituma for Georgetown in the aftermath of the shooting. Along with them was a flight hand, identified as Glasgow, and the injured Monica Bagby. Captain Paul recalled “sapping” Bagby’s back which was then “rising like bread” with the alcohol as he was crouched behind Captain Spence’s seat on the right of the plane. The shooting, while a scary experience, was not as half as scary as the almost landing of the plane on the main highway close to the Essequibo River. Captain Paul recalled the plane making its way over the Essequibo River, he would look down and noted Hogg Island, “I was born in Essequibo, so I know,” he declared, “I noticed the aircraft coming down, I said, ‘Tommy where you going?’ He said that is Timehri, I said that is not Timehri, what you telling

me.” The plane was due to land at Guyana’s then lone international airport, Timheri. “I said, ‘Captain Spence, we got a lil problem here’. He looked up and said, ‘Oh s**t Tommy, that is not Timehri’,” Captain Paul recounted as he said they would have all died if the plane got dangerously close to landing. Guyana and the world would learn about the massacre two days after. Cyanide-laced Kool-Aid was fed to Jones’ worshippers; those who refused were injected with cyanide or shot. Captain Paul said on his way to the city, as he made his way home and even the following day, he was unaware of this mass murder. By that Monday, as the news made its way around, it was only then that it hit Captain Paul that this was a major tragedy. Captain Paul along with Captain Marshal flew over Jonestown that Monday.

“We passed the place, I saw the stuff but the time we were supposed to be at Port Kaituma and Jonestown and I looked down and said we should be here, I am looking down and seeing all these colours,” he called, “I am seeing this is the place, these are the people, as you are looking you are seeing dresses, shorts, just a colour array of bodies.” “ONLY THOSE TWO THINGS JAR ME” Captain Paul said he has never allowed the Jonestown tragedy to define his life or his contribution to the aviation sector. “I don’t think about it at all, I have gone past Jonestown,” he said. But two incidents “jar” him, he told us, one was the near landing of the plane in Parika and the other… Captain Paul said he had gone to the airport to collect a package, a few days before the incident. While at the airport, he saw an elderly woman with two children between the ages of 12 and 16. The woman

was crying, he recounted. “She said she came to worship with Brother Jim but was not being allowed into the country.” Apparently, the woman could not complete the immigration forms and Captain Paul said he proceeded to assist them. “Now as I am saying this, I think my

problem with the whole of Jonestown, if I had left that woman at the airport and immigration had sent her back to California, she and the two children would have been alive, well I mean the children would have been alive now. Here, I was just being a good samaritan,” he said followed by a loud

A map showing Jonestown

sigh. Captain Paul said that he has given his son Rotimi his plane logs as well as any other material on Jonestown. He ponders telling more of his story and said he and his son have discussed doing a documentary on his experience.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, November 19, 2021

Revamped forest, land monitoring tool to reverse forest loss

PRODUCING sound data on forests and land-use has become easier with the launch of a new phase of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations’ (FAO) state-of-the-art forest and land monitoring platform, SEPAL. The second phase of SEPAL - System for Earth Observation Data Access, Processing and Analysis for Land Monitoring – can directly support FAO member countries in their efforts to generate transparent, accurate and consistent geospatial data, which is critical for reducing deforestation and degradation, and accelerating restoration. It will also help to ward off the worst impacts of climate change, protect against biodiversity loss, and safeguard the many benefits of forests to people and nature. “At COP26, over 140 countries, accounting for more than 90 per cent of the world’s forests, committed to work together to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030, under the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use,” said Mette Wilkie, Director, FAO Forestry Division. “Transparent and accurate information on the status and trends of countries’ forests and land use, will be fundamental to achieving this ambitious Declaration. Therefore, the launch of a new phase of the FAO’s state-ofthe-art forest and land monitoring platform, SEPAL, could not come at a better moment.” The $15 million second phase of the SEPAL project is a multi-donor project with an initial contribution from Norway’s International Climate and Forest Initiative (NICFI) of $10 million. “I am glad to announce the grant of 90 million Norwegian kroner to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. This project will support tropical forest countries in making the most of the constantly improving access to satellite data. This in turn can help them implement ambitious sustainable land use policies to protect forests,”

said Norway’s Minister of Climate and the Environment, Espen Barth Eide. The launch took place at a side-event at the Geo for Good Summit on Wednesday - an annual conference organized by Google and geared toward non-profits, scientists, government agencies and other change-makers who want to leverage geospatial technology for positive impact in the world. NEW FEATURES Conceived in 2015, SEPAL has evolved into a platform with an active and vibrant user community of over 7,000, many in government agencies of forest countries. SEPAL combines geospatial data infrastructures such as Google Earth Engine with powerful open-source data processing software including R, ORFEO, GDAL, and puts this all in a supercomputing environment immediately accessible to users anywhere in the world, even from their mobile phones. The platform enables easy use and processing of high-resolution satellite imagery for reporting and informed decision-making. The second phase will further advance the generation of high-integrity forest and landuse data enabling countries to attract public and private carbon finance for action on climate change mitigation through forests. “SEPAL is already helping FAO member countries generate accurate, open and transparent forest data to raise actions and ambitions for forests and climate. SEPAL Phase II will allow further development of the platform to be even easier to use, integrating newly available NICFI-Planet data, towards independent use for critical forest and land monitoring applications,” said Julian Fox, FAO’s Team Leader National Forest Monitoring. The new phase will also capitalize on the ever-expanding sources of remotely sensed data, including those from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), European Space Agency (ESA), and high-

spatial and temporal resolution images made available through the NICFI-Planet data programme. In particular, this phase will focus on supporting countries in their efforts to halt tropical deforestation and forest degradation. According to the recent FAO data, tropical rainforests continue to record the highest deforestation rates. Removing Barriers to Data Access In its second phase, FAO will apply innovative capacity development methods to reach all 64 countries included in the NICFI-Planet data programme to enable independent use of the platform for key forest and land monitoring needs. Furthermore, FAO will develop novel user-friendly applications in SEPAL modules for improving the integrity of forest data for standards such as ART/TREES enabling countries to attract much needed public and private finance for forest and climate actions. In addition, new modules will be developed for the monitoring of forest and ecosystem restoration, peatlands and mangroves, early warning systems and the monitoring of fire and fire risk. The new applications will also allow the integration of geospatial data for forests and agriculture; all of which are important to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 15 (Life on Land). Digital Innovation in Forestry SEPAL is part of FAO’s Open Foris initiative which provides open source digital public goods developed in collaboration with over 70 countries and partners, and which are widely used for forest and land monitoring applications. Open Foris technical solutions have enabled data generation and provision for over 70 percent of the 54 countries that have submitted a forest reference levels to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC), representing a forest area of 1.4 billion hectares and representing almost 80 per cent of global deforestation.

Smoking in public must...

From page 7

he has been smoking there without anyone stopping him before, the heated situation was eventually brought under control. It was shocking to learn that nobody has stopped him before; for about the two months he was there, from smoking near the pool area. It is clear that the management was either unaware or deliberately turned a blind eye.

Editor, we are facing serious times, not only from the pandemic and shipping crisis, but from the unprecedented level of migration and opening of businesses on our shores. We cannot send the wrong signals. We have to prove that as an oil-producing country we are serious about our people. Locals, foreigners and expatriates alike have all to ensure that the laws are respected.

Our regulators have their jobs cut out and there must be visible attempts to improve our quality of life. Places such as the hotel on the East Bank of Demerara can and should find places for smokers that are away from families. It is not being petty. It is about our laws and how serious we are. Yours sincerely, Cobeer Persaud

The SEPAL platform’s multi-window interface showing four different themes for a site from the Brazilian Amazon (FAO photo)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, November 19, 2021

Shuman removes Facebook post with false information

DEPUTY Speaker and leader of the Liberty and Justice Party, Lennox Shuman was on Thursday forced to remove a post containing false information on the salary increases announced by Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh. The post made on Shuman’s Facebook page alleged that the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) during the 2020 elections campaign promised to increase salaries for public servants by 50 per cent, but has delivered only seven per cent across-the- board. Immediately after

Leader of the Liberty and Justice Party Lennox Shuman Shuman’s post, several persons challenged the information he presented,

severely criticising him for spreading misinformation.

Shuman subsequently removed the false information on his Facebook page. Public Service Minister Sonia Parag dismissed the misinformation, which was repeated by leaders and supporters of the A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC), as propaganda. She pointed out that the PPP/C Government never promised a 50 per cent increase for public servants, but 50,000 house lots and 50,000 jobs to Guyanese. The APNU+AFC, during its 2015 campaign, had reportedly promised public servants a 50 per cent salary increase, but

failed to deliver. They were eventually booted from office for failing to deliver on this promise, among other reasons, but not after five months of hoping to regain power through fraudulent means. Local Government and Regional Development Minister Nigel Dharamlall slammed Shuman for the irresponsible post. “Knowing that his (Shuman) tenure as an MP [Member of Parliament] is coming to an end, he suddenly lays claim to some of the most spurious and disbelieving things. “For example, his imagination manufac-

tured a fable that this government promised a 50 per cent salary increase in 2021. That is not true. But, like a real grasshopper, he now jumps on the bandwagon of spreading fake news. And he walks around, puff-chested, making some of the most outrageous claims, including his leadership on indigenous issues,” Minister Dharamlall said. Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister with Responsibility for Public Affairs, Kwame McCoy has described the misinformation from the APNU+AFC and Shuman as wicked and mischievous.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, November 19, 2021

Oral arguments in ‘COVID’ measures challenge set for Jan. 20

COME January 20, 2022, Acting Chief Justice Roxane George, SC, will entertain oral arguments in the application filed by three of the country’s major trade unions challenging the government’s COVID-19 vaccination requirements. The application filed by the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU), Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) and their umbrella body, the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC), came up for Case Management Conference (CMC) on Thursday, at the Demerara High Court. In their applications, GPSU Vice-President Dawn Gardner, GTU General Secretary Coretta McDonald and GTUC General Secretary Lincoln Lewis are all claiming that former President David Granger had exceeded his authority when he issued the first COVID-19 emergency measures back in March

Darren Wade. Back in September, High Court Judge Fidela Corbin-Lincoln had refused to grant the injunctions prayed for by the Unions. The Unions had asked the court to grant them an Order preventing the State from implementing the vaccination requirements, and ordering the government to stand the cost of regular COVID-19 testing for all public servants. Acting Chief Justice In her ruling, the judge Roxane George was at pains to explain that 2020, and are, therefore, call- although the Court has jurisdiction to grant the injuncing for them to be quashed. During Thursday’s hear- tions at reference, it is in the ing, via Zoom, the Chief Jus- public’s best interest not to tice laid out timelines for the do so, since it would be preparties to file their submis- venting the government from sions, before adjourning the doing what it must to contain matter until January 20, 2022. the spread of the novel coroThe State is being repre- navirus (COVID-19) here. “The world has been sesented by Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs verely impacted by the efAnil Nandlall, S.C, and the fects of the COVID-19 panUnions by Attorneys-at-Law demic; governments throughDane Elliott-Hamilton and out the world have employed

various measures to contain and reduce the spread of the virus. These measures include mandatory lockdowns, quarantines, curfews, and mask-wearing. The introduction of vaccines is the most recent effort to address the COVID-19 pandemic. “The court is not deaf to the debate raging around the world, with respect to the ethicality and effectiveness of the vaccine; the legality of man-

datory vaccine requirements is a reasonable infringement of constitutional rights. These matters are still to be tested in court,” Justice Corbin-Lincoln had said in her ruling. The judge went on to say that while everything seems to suggest that vaccine hesitancy is a big issue here in Guyana, the government is doing everything it possibly can to keep the virus at bay, by implementing such

measures as asking persons show proof of vaccination or a negative PCR result before entering a public building. Among other things the judge said at the time was that while granting the interim injunctions would have been just a “temporary fix” of the situation, she prefers that such issues are fully ventilated when the substantive matter is heard.

A 21-year-old man was on Thursday committed to stand trial at the Berbice High Court for allegedly raping a 10-year-old school-

girl. Jason Matteson was committed by Magistrate Peter Hugh at the Blairmont Magistrate’s Court, where a

teson to face a judge and jury at the next practical sitting of the Berbice Assizes. Matteson will have to stand trial for the indictment,

which alleges that between November 1, 2019 and December 31, 2019, at Ithaica Village, West Berbice, he engaged in sexual penetration

with a child, who is under the age of 16. However, he will remain out on $50,000 bail.

GPSU’s Dawn Gardner, GTU’s Coretta McDonald, and GTUC’s Lincoln Lewis

West Berbice man to stand trial for raping girl, 10 paper committal was being conducted. On Thursday, Magistrate Hugh ruled that there was sufficient evidence for Mat-

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, November 19, 2021

Another massive hydropower – site to be identified by 2025 plant on the cards AS part of its landmark mission to have Guyana achieve the globally coveted use of 70 per cent renewable energy, the Dr. Irfaan Ali-led government will be pursuing the establishment of not one, but two massive hydropower plants. This was outlined in the expanded draft Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), which indicated that the second hydropower plant will be similar to that which is being constructed at the Amaila Falls, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni). According to the updated document: “It is anticipated that Guyana will build two hydropower plants over the next 20 years: Amaila Falls and another which is still to be identified.” The document further stated that of the 33 potential sites, many were assessed in the 70s and 80s, when environmental and social standards were lower. In light of this, those assessments will have to be updated in keeping with the environmental and other commitments of today. It is anticipated that once the assessments are finalised, the new site will be identified at least by 2025. Once up and running, the second hydropower plant is expected to provide some 370 megawatts of electric capacity by 2035 and a further 150 megawatts of capacity by 2040. In the meantime, Amaila Falls will be the focus of the hydropower programme.

The average lifespan of a hydropower system, according to the LCDS, is 100 years. Over this period, replacement of the mechanical and electrical parts would be required, but those account for less than 30 per cent of the initial cost. “Within the renewable energy resources available in Guyana, hydro will be important to provide firm capacity and short-term energy storage to compensate daily and week-

ready underway to implement three such plants: a 150-kilowatt initiative in Kato, the rehabilitation of Moco-Moco hydropower site, which would increase the capacity up to 0.7 megawatts, and a new 1.5-megawatt hydropower plant in Kumu. “The Moco-Moco and Kumu hydropower projects will provide energy to [the] Lethem grid. It is expected those two projects, in combi-

dropower on 33 hydropower plants, including storage capacity and run-of-river.

NO-OBJECTION Meanwhile, the government has granted its “no-objection” for the Office of the Prime Minister to engage the China Railway Group Limited to construct the Amaila Falls hydropower station (AFHP) based on a Build-Own-Operate-Trans-

uled maintenance. Currently, GPL sells electricity to the nation at about US$0.33 per kWh, and this is expected to be reduced by 25 per cent within the first year of the operations of the Amaila Falls project, and by 50 per cent within five years; and by the end of 20 years by as much as 80 per cent. The government, in its invitation for bids, had said that it expects the country’s power demands to

The new hydropower plant is expected to be quite similar to the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project ly fluctuations from solar and wind,” the document noted. It said too that in the longterm, hydropower will provide a cheaper solution than any other technology, due to its long lifespan. In addition to the two giant plants, Guyana will also be implementing a number of small hydropower projects. To this end, efforts are al-

nation with an ongoing solar PV project, will provide the Lethem grid with 100 per cent renewable energy in 2023,” LCDS 2030 predicts. The document noted too that through other small hydropower projects established to support regional grids and Hinterland villages, Guyana has a potential for 8.5 Gigawatt (GW) of hy-

fer (BOOT) model. Previous reports suggest that the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project (AFHP) is expected to cost just under US$1 billion, and once operational, will have the capacity to generate 165 megawatts of stable and reliable electricity for 11 solid months of the year, with the 12th month during the dry season earmarked for sched-

be met by 2026. The Amaila Falls Hydropower Project, the pinnacle of government’s heavily-touted energy mix, was first identified in 1976 by a Canadian company named “Monenco” during an extensive survey of hydroelectric power potential in Guyana. And since then, various studies have justified and strongly supported the construction of the AFHP. Recognising the suitability and attractiveness of the project, the pre-2015 People’s Progressive Party/Civic government had advanced preparation of AFHP by conducting extensive technical and financial studies of the project, including an environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA). The then PPP/C government had also mobilised international investor interest in the project, and a major private international investor, the Blackstone Group, had expressed serious interest in undertaking it. Additionally, the then government had earmarked US$80 million earned by Guyana under the Guyana-Norway partnership within the Low Carbon Development Strategy

(LCDS) to help finance equity in the project. However, these efforts to further the project were blocked and derailed by the then A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) opposition, which voted against the project in the National Assembly. When the coalition assumed office in 2015, it hired an independent consultant from Norway (Norconsult) to review the project. The report, published in December 2016, recommended the development of AFHP as the best option for Guyana to achieve affordable, low-carbon electricity. Despite this, the then David Granger-led government quashed the iconic project. Even after doing this, the coalition went on to make a global pledge to say that Guyana was well on its way to achieving the use of 100 per cent renewable energy. Owing to the decision of the coalition, Guyana was forced to return to the global stage and lower its renewable energy ambitions to 70 per cent by 2030, owing to the implementation of a comprehensive energy mix using solar, wind, hydropower and natural gas. As it is, Guyana has already secured US$75 million in funding to establish solar farms in eight grids with the intention of producing some 27.8 megawatts-peak (MWp) of solar power to the Demerara-Berbice Interconnected System (DBIS). The farms are expected to be up and running by 2023, paving the way for solar-generated power to replace 30 per cent of the electricity being supplied to areas along the Essequibo coast, Linden, Bartica, Lethem, Mabaruma, Mahdia, Leguan and Wakenaam. Further, as Guyana continues to balance its oil wealth with its global climate change commitments, the government is also pursuing the establishment of a US$900 million gasto-shore project, which will see natural gases offshore Guyana, being transported to an onshore plant, using state-of-the-art pipelines. After this process, the gas will then be treated and converted to power, after which it will be received by a power plant to supply the national grid.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, November 19, 2021

Guyana open to use of COVID-19 pill –– but needs private sector support, says Dr. Anthony

WITH the rest of the world abuzz with talk of a COVID-19 pill that could put a major dent in the spread of COVID19, Guyana is not ruling out the use of this pill. once it

becomes available. During his regular COVID-19 update on Wednesday, Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony said that Pfizer, the US-based multinational pharmaceuti-

cal and biotechnology company, has signed an agreement with the World Health Organisation (WHO)’s Patent Production Office, thereby allowing smaller nations to use the technol-

ogy to manufacture the pill. However, he said that Guyana does not currently have the capacity to manufacture pharmaceuticals through the public sector. “There are private compa-

nies,” he said, “that would have the manufacturing capabilities, so, if those companies work with WHO’s patent office and are able to bring that medicine to Guyana, it is something that

we would want to procure.” Dr. Anthony said this would require major investment, but if it cannot be done here, then the medication can be sourced from other counties producing it. “We are certain we would be able to get that medicine at affordable prices, once production has started,” Dr. Anthony said. He noted that health officials have already reviewed the efficacy of the medication, and once it is available and licensed, “that’s something we would want to look at; and it’s certainly a medication that we would want to add to the medications already being used to treat COVID-19.” But before the Pfizer pill becomes available, it must first find favour with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in that the company must first present the data to be reviewed, and once this is done and is accepted, then and only then will authorisation for emergency use be granted. Unfortunately, this process has not yet been completed. Although some preliminary indication of support has been made for the drug, Dr. Anthony cautiously noted that once Pfizer submits its data, Guyanese health officials will take a closer look at it.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, November 19, 2021

New $45M water system reduces Kamarang’s dependence on contaminated river

Minister Croal drinks water provided through the newly commissioned system AFTER more than 20 years, the community of Kamarang, Region 7 (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) can now move away from the dependency on potentially contaminated river water as the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) commissioned a new Water Supply System to serve the village of 700 residents, a statement from the GWI

said. Now that the Kamarang water system has been established, Region 7’s potable water access now moves closer to the 70 percent target. Housing and Water Minister, Collin Croal, explained that, after a visit to Jawalla, a team was mobilized to drill a new well there which would bring the Region’s water access to the desired target.

“Plans are in the pipeline for a new well in Warawatta in 2020. These villages can also expect a GWI subregional Manager to overlook the systems within the Region in the New Year”, Minister Croal was quoted as saying. The water authority said that prior to establishing the Kamarang water system, villag-

ers depended on water from the Kamarang River and the rain. Minister Croal, echoing that sentiment, said the river became an unreliable source of water for domestic purposes since it is constantly being contaminated due to mining activities, the GWI release noted. He said investments in new technologies allowed the GWI hinterland team

to accurately identify a suitable location for drilling to ensure a successful well. GWI’s Hinterland Services Manager, Ramchand Jailal, said GWI trained Community Service Officers to operate and maintain the system and provide weekly reports to the water authority. Toshao of Kamarang/Warwatta, Lemmel

Thomas said that, following the collapse of a previous well, the community has been without potable water access for more than two decades and thanked the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administration for its action. The well was drilled at a depth of 150 meters, according to the GWI release. The project includes the installation of more than 3000 meters of 50-millimeter pipelines for the distribution network and more than 2,400 meters of 19-millimeter lines for service connections which include 25 individual connections to public buildings and 35 standpipes. The system also included a pump, photovoltaic system, construction of elevated storage, and installation of four, 450-gallon storage tanks, the statement continued. 95 percent of the community will benefit from this intervention of the Guyana government, the release noted.

Police destroy over $2B worth of marijuana in Reg. 10

-two suspects flee by boat THE police on Wednesday discovered and destroyed some $2.2 billion worth of marijuana. The entire haul comprised of 500,000 plants

ranging in height from 1 to 8 feet, 2000 pounds of dried cannabis, 100 pounds of cannabis seeds, and four nurseries… According to a state-

ment from the Guyana Police Force (GPF), ranks of Regional Division Ten (Upper Demerara-Berbice) conducted an eradication exercise on forty acres of land at Maria Henrietta Village, Upper Berbice River.

Makeshift camp and cannabis being destroyed by the police on Wednesday

When the police arrived at the location, they reportedly saw two males attending to some cannabis plants. But on seeing the ranks, the police say, the men fled into the bushes and subsequently made good their escape “in

an engine-boat”. A thorough search of the location unearthed, among other things, a total of ten fields of marijuana at various stages of growth sitting on 40 acres of land, four nurseries, and six camps suspected to

be the living quarters of the farmhands. During the search, several what looked like empty 12-gauge shotgun cartridges were found in one of the camps, the police said in their statement.

Part of the major cannabis find in Region 10 on Wednesday (GPF photos)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, November 19, 2021

Guyanese scientist, AI inventor among th honourees at 28 CARAH Awards -Gala and after-party to be hosted virtually This year, two renowned Guyanese have topped the list of awardees for the Annual Caribbean American Heritage (CARAH) Awards Gala slated for this evening. T h e y a re , D r. Vi d i a Roopchand, the Guyanese research scientist who is best known for his work to help develop the Pfizer, coronavirus vaccine and Dr. Jason Mars, an Artificial Intelligence (AI) developer. Dr. Roopchand will receive Excellence in Science and Technology, while Dr. Mars will receive the Vanguard Award from the Institute of Caribbean Studies (ICS). The 28th edition of the prestigious honours recog-

nize the contributions and accomplishments of Caribbean diaspora leaders in various fields while celebrating Caribbean pride and the great promise of Caribbean immigrants to America and the world. The highly anticipated staging of the awards will once again be virtual, as the world continues to grapple with the novel coronavirus, a press release indicated. ICS’ Caribbean American Heritage Awards is the leading honours event by Caribbean Americans for people from the Caribbean diaspora, and this year the organisation has taken the unprecedented decision to offer the event as a ‘freeto-pay-what-you-can’ to

up to 500 people to join the VIP Reception with prizes and surprises at Live Entertainment which will be hosted on online platform, HopIN. “We are all so weary of the current state of af-

The much-anticipated award ceremony and gala will be hosted virtually on the HopIn platform

fairs with malingering of the COVID Pandemic as well as the realization that we can’t go back to what was. We just want our friends and supporters to be able to gather dressed Turn to page 19

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, November 19, 2021

Guyanese scientist, AI inventor among...

From to page 18 to impress in their Purple, Black or Gold and matching masks,” the institute noted. The CARAH Awards will also feature pre and after-party, featuring virtual entertainment by Image Band; Becky Bass, steelpan virtuoso; Marcus Johnson, saxophonist; and Washington’s hottest and most demanded disc-jockey, DJ Smalley. “During the Live VIP Reception, we will also be treated to demonstrations from Celebrity Chef Oji Jaja of Ashebre Cuisine, and Celebrity Mixologist Jackie Summers, the founder and Sorel Liqueur,” the organisation said in a press release. The Caribbean American Heritage Awards, which is held under the patronage of the Caribbean Diplomatic Corps, celebrates members of the Caribbean diaspora who have been exceptionally successful in their fields at the national or interna-

tional level. “ICS started this event more than 25 years ago in an effort to highlight to the American society at large the calibre of individuals that claimed Caribbean-American ancestry, and to provide a forum for honouring and recognizing their contributions to America and the world,” said Dr. Nelson, Founder and President of the Institute of Caribbean Studies. He added, “This remains important today when we consider that there is now a woman of Jamaican heritage serving as Vice-President of these United States of America.” Since its founding in 1994, CARAH has awarded more than 100 leaders such as Susan Taylor, former Editor-In-Chief of Essence magazine; Rita Marley, reggae matriarch and philanthropist; Dr. Velma Scantlebury, transplant surgeon; George Wi l l i e , C E O o f B e r t Smith and Company; and

Aubrey Stephenson, CEO of Federal Management System. The ‘Friends of the Caribbean’ aspect of the awards has honoured persons such as Congresswomen Barbara Lee and Maxine Waters, along with Congressman Elliot Engel. Noted broadcast television journalist Neki Mohan will serve as Anchor Host for the evening with quest appearance by comedian Owen ‘Blakka’ Ellis. The event’s live-streaming partners include RDePROS; Jamaicans.Com and CaribNation TV, which will co-executive produce the Gala for broadcast television. Donations from the guests as well as proceeds from a silent auction will be used to support LifeSEED partners in Haiti, Jamaica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The other persons expected o be awarded tonight include Domi-

nica-born Justina Nixon-Saintil, an engineer and corporate social responsibility maven, who will receive the Trailblazer Award; Trinidad-born, Dr. Cindy Duke, a medical doctor and public health influencer, who will receive the Forerunner Award; Black Violin, a classical boom duo of Wilner Baptiste of Hai-

ti and Kev Marcus of Dominica, will receive Excellence in the Arts; Jamaican Lloyd Carney, a corporate executive, entrepreneur and philanthropist is up for the Outstanding Entrepreneur Award; Basil Watson, an award-winning sculptor from Jamaica, will receive the Marcus Garvey Lifetime Achievement

Award; and Grammy winning songwriter Gordon Chambers, of Jamaican heritage, will receive the Luminary Award. To reserve your ticket or connect with the folks at the Caribbean American Heritage Awards, you can email to icsdcorg@gmail.com or visit www.caribbeanheritageawards.org.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, November 19, 2021

How an impromptu performance changed Tauseef Baksh’s life

One impromptu performance on a stage in New York helped

TAUSEEF Ahmed Baksh never quite understood the profound impact that his uncle’s music shop had on him as a young boy; at least not until he migrated to New York and delivered a captivating impromptu performance that launched his musical career. “I’ve always been singing at home; in the bathroom, until one day we had a Caribbean Day event at the park and I told my wife I wanted to go up and sing a couple of songs.

She knew the person who was promoting the event and reached out to him, so I went on stage and sang,” Tauseef recalled in an interview with Buzz this week. Being on stage, and receiving a hearty applause, Tauseef ’s boyhood dream suddenly came to life. He was no longer a Berbice lad with a passion for music; he was an adult who followed his heart and gathered the courage to get up on stage and do justice to several of his beloved Bollywood songs. He knew he was on the right track, having received kudos and compliments from the established entertainers who performed at the show. Armed with a newfound courage and craving for more,

the help of his daughters. With their company called Triple T Productions, Tauseef and his daughter Tasleema do their own editing and most of the other work needed to produce the videos. “Everything you see on those videos was done by myself and daughter. My Chutney music is a complete home production. The music was built by my daughter and the vocals were done right here at home in my studio; the videography was done by us too,” a smiling Tauseef shared. He said that the only thing that had to be done outside of his home was the ‘mixing and mastering’ of the songs, which were done in Trinidad and Tobago. In retrospect, Tauseef Tauseef Ahmed Baksh

Tauseef entered the ‘Rising Star Challenge’ competition that same year (2019). Being named one of the winners of the competition was the motivation Tauseef needed to do more. After a pandemic-induced hiatus, the young father entered another competition earlier this year called the Guyana’s Diaspora Music Monarch – a competition hosted by Guyanese in Canada. And, once again, Tauseef was named winner. Since then, he has spared no effort in pressing on in the music industry. Tauseef has since recorded three songs professionally, and prior to that, he did a soothing cover of one of the most soulful Bollywood songs yet, ‘Tujhse Naraz Nahi Zindagi’, which also featured his little daughter. In addition to a second cover titled ‘Tere Bin’, Tauseef also released his very first Chutney original song entitled ‘Love Me Too’; the groovy track was written by Tauseef himself, with the help of his 15-year-old daughter, Tasleema. Interestingly, all of his video productions so far have been done at home with

could see that his passion for music really stems from his childhood experiences at his uncle’s music shop in Belvedere, Corentyne (East Berbice-Corentyne) which has since been converted to an electronics store. “The reason I love singing so much is because of my uncle Akbar Khan. I was about seven years old when I would spend most of my time there and it was always about music and he was always singing. He also taught me how to train my voice so I fell in love with music at a very tender age,” the father of three reflected. Today, that love for music remains an important part of his life, and Tauseef is working to produce and share more content. “I love making music videos; it’s fun and something I love doing. I would like to urge everyone to subscribe to my Youtube Channel,” he said. Tauseef, now under the management of Ryan ‘DJ Fess’ Jeffrey, is now trying to build his personal Youtube channel to be able to showcase his talent on all social media platforms.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, November 19, 2021

Guyana Chronicle. Friday, November 19, 2021

FROM BACK PAGE

DCC gets substantial... The former Queen’s College student reflected on watching West Indies play Australia at the iconic Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC), Bourda, in 1965 and highlighted that prior to that, his imagery of cricket came through reading books. Dr Denbow reflected that DCC has a rich history of producing talented players and it was important to help the club maintain its facilities to continue that trend. DCC president, Roger Harper, charged the young members present at the small gathering to look at what the club means to someone who was not even a member. Harper urged them to take great

care of the historic institution and play a more significant role in its enhancement. The current Cricket West Indies (CWI) Chairman of Selectors indicated the money will be spent on upgrades, but most importantly on the continued development of the club’s youth programme, which over the years has produced numerous Guyana and West Indies players. Established in 1912, DCC has produced famous players, such as the Christiani brothers – Cyril and Robert, Clive Lloyd, Lance Gibbs and others. In 2011, it was voted the Club-of-the-Year by the Guyana Cricket Board.

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Guyana Chronicle. Friday, November 19, 2021

One year to go until 2022 World Cup - Is Qatar ready? Workers lay turf inside the Lusail Stadium, the venue for the 2022 Qatar World Cup final, yesterday (REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed)

By Peter Hall (REUTERS) - Sunday marks the point where it is one year to go until the opening match of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, with the tournament, played for the first time in a northern hemisphere winter, rapidly taking shape. The opening match will take place on November. 21 in the 60,000-capacity Al Bayt Stadium. Kickoff will no doubt come as some relief to organisers as the football takes centrestage, shifting the limelight away from the numerous off-pitch issues, such as labour rights for migrant workers, that have surrounded the event. Given Qatar is the smallest country in size (11,600 km2) to host a World Cup, and, as all the stadiums are situated in and around the capital Doha, supporters can attend multiple games on the same day.

Fans around the globe watching on TV can tune in to an unprecedented four back-toback matches in one day. There will be no repeat of the last-minute rush to finish stadiums and infrastructure, as was the case at the 2014 tournament in Brazil. According to the organising Supreme Committee, five of the eight stadiums purpose-built for the World Cup are complete Two more - the Ras Abu Aboud Stadium and Al Bayt will be inaugurated during the Arab Cup - a dress rehearsal event which starts on November 30 and finishes a year to the day before the World Cup final on December 18. The last arena to be finished is the Lusail Stadium - the venue for the final. "For all those who love football, this will be like a toy shop is for a child," FIFA president Gianni Infantino said this week. "There will be eight, state-

of-the-art stadiums – some of the most beautiful stadiums in the world within 50 kilometres (of each other), so it's going to be great. The World Cup is an occasion to get to know other cultures and other people." Getting around Doha, according to the organisers, is not going to be an issue either. "When it comes to our progress, we have completed 98 per cent of the infrastructure works," Fatma Al-Nuaimi, spokesperson for the supreme committee, told reporters. LABOUR SYSTEM Qatar's hosting of the World Cup has been controversial. As recently as April last year, organisers strongly denied allegations from the U.S. Department of Justice that bribes were paid to secure votes when the hosting rights were awarded in 2010. The feasibility of playing a tournament in the searing Middle

Eastern summer heat led to the event being shunted out of its traditional timeslot and played later in the year, while Qatar's labour system has been strongly criticised. The government of Qatar said on Tuesday its labour system is still a work in progress but denied accusations in a report by Amnesty International that thousands of migrant workers were being exploited. A 48-page report by Amnesty, Reality Check 2021, said that practices such as withholding salaries and charging workers to change jobs were still rife. Qatar's Government Communication Office rejected the allegations. Players from Germany, the Netherlands and Norway have since worn shirts before World Cup qualifiers voicing concern over human rights in Qatar and there could be further protests in the leadup to the tournament. Qatar hopes to attract 1.2 million visitors, roughly a third of its population, to the tournament. All fans attending matches must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and organisers told Reuters they expect to be able to offer up to 130 000 rooms which could leave thousands of fans scrambling for accommodation. Organisers have announced only partial details about how and where they plan to find those rooms, saying the total stock would be announced in due course, with desert ‘fan villages’ and floating hotels in the harbour among potential solutions. Fans from the majority of the traditional big hitters will be starting to plan their trips. Brazil and Argentina will be there, while the first European group qualification phase is over with holders France sailing through. Uruguay could be notable absentees given their poor form in qualification, while the last two European champions Italy and Portugal must negotiate a tricky 12-team European playoff system to compete in the finals.

New Zealand pull out of U19 World Cup over quarantine restrictions NEW Zealand will be a notable absentee at next year's Under-19 World Cup in West Indies after the team had to withdraw from the 16-team event due to mandatory quarantine restrictions for minors they would have faced upon return from the tournament. They have been replaced by Scotland in a competitive Group D, also featuring the hosts West Indies, Australia and Sri Lanka. The tournament will be played in the Caribbean for the first time in its 14-edition history and will begin with a clash between the hosts and Australia on January 14. The final is scheduled for February 5, 2022. Defending champions Bangladesh headline Group A alongside England, Canada and UAE. Four-time champions India are grouped alongside South Africa, Ireland and Uganda. while Afghanistan, Pakistan, PNG and Zimbabwe compose Group C. The tournament will be

played across 10 venues in four countries - Antigua and Barbuda, Guyana, St Kitts and Nevis and Trinidad and Tobago. Trinidad and Tobago will host the Plate competition between 25 and 31 January, with the Super League taking place in Antigua and Barbuda from 26 January. The semi-finals will be played on February 1 across two venues; the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground and Coolidge Cricket Ground on February 2. The Final on February 5 will also be held at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground. ICC U19 Men's Cricket World Cup Groupings: Group A- Bangladesh, England, Canada, United Arab Emirates Group B- India, Ireland, South Africa, Uganda Group C- Afghanistan, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Zimbabwe Group D - Australia, Scotland, Sri Lanka, West Indies (Cricbuzz)

Antetokounmpo stars as Bucks beat Lakers

Giannis Antetokounmpo was the MVP in the 2021 NBA finals

GIANNIS Antetokounmpo scored 47 points as reigning NBA champions Milwaukee Bucks claimed a 109102 win over Los Angeles Lakers. The Greece-born star scored 28 first-half points on his way to recording his best scoring figures this term. Khris Middleton also moved level with Ray Allen on top of the Bucks all-time three-pointers’ list as they won for the first time at home since October 19. LeBron James was again absent for the Lakers with an

abdominal strain. The four-time NBA champion is hoping to return to action when Lakers face Boston Celtics today. Talen Horton-Tucker replied with 25 points for the visitors, with Russell Westbrook also contributing 19 points but it was not enough to prevent Lakers from slipping to back-to-back defeats for the third time this season. Elsewhere, Devin Booker hit 24 points as Phoenix Suns beat Dallas Mavericks 105-98 to claim their 10th consecutive win. Charlotte Hornets stopped the Washington Wizards from continuing their five-game winning streak with a 97-87 victory. James Harden recorded 27 points as the Brooklyn Nets registered a 109-99 win over Cleveland Cavaliers to sit second in the Eastern Conference. Terrence Ross notched 19 points as the Orlando Magic secured their second win at Madison Square Garden this season, by beating New York Knicks 104-98. (BBC Sport)

Guyana Chronicle. Friday, November 19, 2021

English 'drinking culture' affected Asian and Black players: Tino Best

Argentina qualify for 2022 World Cup in Qatar

Brazil remain top of the South American qualifying table on 35 points, with Argentina six points back in second Yorkshire was the first overseas team Tino Best played for in 2010

(REUTERS) - The "drinking culture" in county teams was partly responsible for Asian and Black players not getting enough opportunities in English cricket, former West Indies international Tino Best has said. Former Yorkshire cricketer Azeem Rafiq's testimony to a British parliamentary committee on Tuesday has thrown a spotlight on racism in the sport in England, as well as its drinking culture. Rafiq, a Muslim, recalled how he was pinned down at his local cricket club when he was 15 and had red wine poured down his throat by an unnamed player who played for Yorkshire and Hampshire. The scandal has shaken English sport, cost Yorkshire sponsors and the right to host England internationals, seen the club's top brass quit, and embroiled some of the biggest names in English cricket. Best, who played with Rafiq at Yorkshire, told BBC Sport: "The culture around cricket is drinking. That is a big problem. People shouldn't be pressured to go into the club-

house and drink eight or nine pints to be a part of the team." "If you're not a part of the drinking culture, if you're not a part of the boys' club, you're not going to get opportunities after cricket," he said. "That is something that is hampering people of colour and Asian ethnicity." Best, 40, said he recalled how players with Asian heritage such as Rafiq, Adil Rashid and Ajmal Shahzad were treated at Yorkshire in 2010 and how they feared reprisals if they went public with their complaints. "Me being a person of colour as well, I would always be with them as well." He said they would complain every day about what they went through. "I would be like 'wow'," he said. "It was just astounding to hear what those guys were saying back in 2010. And there was no platform for them to really open up, because guys would have probably lost contracts, probably kicked out of the club. Guys were fearful of that."

ARGENTINA qualified for the 2022 World Cup finals in Qatar as a goalless draw at home against Brazil combined with results elsewhere to secure their spot. The Copa America champions join Brazil as the second South American team to qualify for the tournament. Their place was confirmed after Chile's 2-0 defeat at home by Ecuador later on Tuesday, together with Uruguay's 3-0 loss in Bolivia earlier on. Argentina are now unbeaten in 27 matches over the past two years. Paris St-Germain striker Lionel Messi, playing his first game since late October because of injury, drew a decent save from Liverpool keeper Alisson in the final moments in San Juan. Brazil came closest to scoring when Manchester United midfielder Fred hit the top of the bar in the second half. The two sides' World Cup qualifier in Sao Paulo in September was abandoned after just five minutes because Brazilian health officials objected to the participation of three Argentine players they believe broke quarantine rules. Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said qual-

ification capped a "magnificent" year for his side, who beat Brazil in Rio de Janeiro to win the Copa America in July. "Winning the Copa, qualifying for the World Cup unbeaten - it was a dream," he added. "Having qualified so far in advance, in a really difficult qualifying section, is something we should be proud of." Leaders Brazil and Argentina are the only two unbeaten teams in South American qualification. There are two automatic spots remaining, with third-placed Ecuador looking in a strong position to qualify, six points clear of Colombia and Peru, with four matches to play. The race for the final automatic spot is set to be tense, with six sides separated by just four points and only bottom-placed Venezuela realistically out of the running. Colombia drew 0-0 with Paraguay on Tuesday, while Peru beat Venezuela 2-1 to move into fifth place and the inter-confederation play-off spot. The next two rounds of fixtures take place in January and February next year. (BBC Sport)

Aussies include Khawaja in 15-man squad for first two England Tests AUSTRALIA have named a 15man squad for the first two Ashes Tests against England. Batter Usman Khawaja is recalled, having not played Test cricket since August 2019 when Australia retained the Ashes with a 2-2 draw in England. All-rounder Mitchell Marsh, who made a match-winning innings in the T20 World Cup final, has not been selected. The first Test is in Brisbane on December 8, before a day-night match in Adelaide on December 16. Khawaja, 34, will take on Travis Head for a spot in the middle order, with Marcus Harris set to open with David Warner. Khawaja played in the first three Tests of the 2019 Ashes before

Usman Khawaja averages 40.66 and has hit eight centuries in 44 Tests

he was dropped for the final two matches after defeat at Headingley. Australia have played only three Test series since then, all at home, beating Pakistan and New Zealand

before being stunned 2-1 by India in January, when they lost at the Gabba in Brisbane for the first time since 1988. Fast bowler Jhye Richardson

has also been selected alongside two players yet to make their Test debut - leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson and seamer Michael Neser. Wicketkeeper-batter Matthew Wade is not included, while opener Will Pucovski also misses out as expected as he recovers from concussion symptoms. George Bailey, national selection panel chair, said: "After an extended break between Test matches we are looking to build a strong, squad mentality across what is an incredibly exciting summer of cricket. "This group is well balanced to ensure we are prepared for the many challenges of an Ashes series. It has a mix of experienced, proven performers and emerging, develop-

ing talent. "We will take this 15-player squad into the opening Test in Brisbane and the pink-ball match in Adelaide, after which we can reassess for the remaining matches." The third Test is set to start on December 26 in Melbourne, with the fourth in Sydney on January 5 and the final match at Perth on January 14. Squad: Tim Paine (c, wkp.), Pat Cummins, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Jhye Richardson, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, Steve Smith, David Warner. (BBC Sport)

Guyana Chronicle. Friday, November 19, 2021

Baksh applauds host Four-member Badminton contingent governments for backing confirmed for Junior Pan Am Games ICC U-19 World Cup

Tournamnet Director Fawaaz Baksh

TOURNAMENT Director, Fawwaz Baksh, has thanked the governments of Antigua and Barbuda, Guyana, St Kitts & Nevis, and Trinidad & Tobago for strongly supporting Cricket West Indies (CWI) in hosting its fourth global tournament. Speaking in the aftermath of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) announcement of the host venues and match schedule for the ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2022, he noted it would not have been possible for the Caribbean to hold the event without important governmental guarantees. Citing tax waivers, upgrading cricket infrastructure, and collaborating with hotels to ensure accommodation for all 16 teams, match officials and support staff, Baksh revealed regional governments are investing substantial efforts and resources in the tournament which will leave a major cricketing legacy, while boosting host economies. “A number of community clubs and grounds will benefit from enhanced cricketing infrastructure after this event. Of course, there will also be a welcome financial impact in host territories, in terms of hotel bookings, transportation, catering, and the hiring of temporary staff,” he added. Baksh also lauded the visionary enthusiasm with which host venues readily embraced the Under-19 event, which will be held in the West Indies in January-February 2022. “When Cricket West Indies voiced its aspirations of hosting the Under-19 Cricket World Cup, regional governments were immediately

receptive to the idea, especially from a developmental perspective. This is an opportunity for our youth – and fans in general – to see young men engaged in positive, healthy competition; many of them en route to becoming future stars in international cricket. It’s a great way to inspire boys and also girls across the West Indies, showing what is possible with discipline and dedication.” The U-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup, the Tournament Director pointed out, will continue the West Indies’ stellar tradition of staging the sport’s premier events. “Since 2007, when the West Indies historically hosted the Men’s Cricket World Cup in nine countries, we have distinguished ourselves in rolling out the red carpet for world-class cricket events. We held the men’s and women’s T20 World Cups jointly in 2010 and, most recently, the women’s T20 World Cup in 2018,” he said. “We are proud of these achievements, and the cadre of home-grown professionals which we now have in sportevents management.” The ICC U-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2022 takes place in Antigua & Barbuda, Guyana, St. Kitts & Nevis, and Trinidad & Tobago, from January 14 to February 5, 2022, featuring 16 participating nations in 48 matches. Host team, West Indies, start their title quest on January 14 against Australia at Guyana National Stadium, while reigning champions, Bangladesh, begin their defence versus England on January 16 at Warner Park, St Kitts. (windiescricket)

GUYANA is set to be represented at the Junior Pan American Games in Santiago de Cali, Colombia, from November 26 to November 29, 2021. The 2021 Junior Pan American Games is an international multi-sport event for athletes aged 17 to 22 in the Americas. National Badminton players Priyanna Ramdhani, 19; Akili Haynes, 20; and Tyreese Jeffrey, 20, will be competing in the Games. National player Narayan Ramdhani, who is over the age limit, will be accompanying the players as their coach, in place of the late Gokarn Ramdhani. The three athletes will be competing in the Singles competition, with Priyanna and Akili competing in the Mixed Doubles segment. “Over the past two months, the players have been engaged in rigorous training to prepare for the

National player Narayan Ramdhani (far right) will accompany the three players and perform coaching duties on the trip

tournament,” the GBA said. “The Guyana Badminton Association (GBA)

wishes to express gratitude to the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) for af-

fording our players the opportunity to compete in the Games.”

Ebony Rainford-Brent reveals racist hate letter

Ebony Rainford-Brent was part of the England team who won the Women's World Cup and the World Twenty20 title in 2009.

FORMER England cricketer Ebony Rainford-Brent has revealed a racist hate letter she received telling her to "leave our country". Rainford-Brent, 37, was the first black woman to play for England and is the director of women's cricket at Surrey. She posted a picture of the abusive letter on social media on Wednesday along with her reaction. "Born in South London but apparently I was found naked in Africa as a primitive," she wrote.

"Had some letters in my time but this one up there!" The handwritten letter had a number of expletives and was posted on Twitter by Rainford-Brent a day after ex-Yorkshire player Azeem Rafiq's emotional testimony to a Digital, Culture, Media and Sport select committee. Rafiq, 30, detailed his experiences of racism at Yorkshire to the DCMS hearing and said that English cricket is "institutionally" racist. Rainford-Brent, who also works as a pundit and commentator, was part of the

England team which won the Women's World Cup and the World Twenty20 title in 2009. She played 29 times for England and retired from international cricket in 2012. Rainford-Brent became an MBE in the Queen's birthday honours list earlier this year for her services to the sport, charity and broadcasting. Former England bowler

and BBC Sport presenter Isa Guha called the letter "just horrendous", while Australia international Rachael Haynes said it was "disgusting". Haynes added: "Cricket is very lucky to have you. Ebony.. Hope you're going OK." Former England spinner Monty Panesar said: "This is utterly repulsive. We are with you Ebony." (BBC Sport)

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Friday November 19, 2021)

COMPLIMENTS OF CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD 83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) Ajantha Mendis-4/2/8/6 (SL vs ZIM, Hambantota, SL, 2012) (2) Akeal Hossien Today’s Quiz: (1) Who are the Men’s T20 World Cup champions 2021? (2) Who is the Man of the Tournament? Answers in tomorrow’s issue

Guyana Chronicle. Friday, November 19, 2021

Blackwood: Test squad not under pressure, will give fans something to cheer about what surface we get; we are ready to play good cricket,” he said. As for his own game, the right-handed batter said he was focused and ready for

West Indies vice-captain Jermaine Blackwood

GALLE, Sri Lanka (CMC) – West Indies Test team is ready to take on Sri Lanka in the next few days, with the aim of giving fans good cricket and a historic win at Galle, vice-captain Jermaine Blackwood has assured. The Caribbean men will begin the two-Test series on November 21 on the heels of the T20 squad being eliminated from the semi-final race in the World Cup in Abu Dhabi two weeks ago. Blackwood said the T20 team’s performance will not put any additional pressure on the Test squad when they play at the Galle International Stadium. “This group that is here now, I can say, whenever we play for West Indies we pride ourselves and we absolutely love to play for West Indies, and we have no added pressure at all. The guys are very relaxed, the guys are comfortable. We’re just eager to go out there on the 21st and play some good cricket so the fans can have something to cheer about in the Caribbean,” he said at a CWI press conference. Acknowledging that West Indies have never won a series in Sri Lanka,

Blackwood said the Kraigg Brathwaite-led team would be seeking to turn that around. “This is a very great squad. We have some very good players in the team and everyone knows that we haven’t won a series for a lot of years now and we’re going to take it upon ourselves to make sure we can change that and actually win some games here and actually turn that curve for West Indies cricket in terms of winning games in Sri Lanka,” he said. The deputy skipper said he anticipated that spin would play a big part of both the West Indies and Sri Lanka bowling attacks and the Caribbean men are prepared for that. Since reaching Sri Lanka, the West Indies have been training and “trying to adapt to the surface as quickly as possible”, he added. Despite not being able to play for the first few days because of rain, he said the squad was “in a very good place” and ready to play. “We came here to win and that is our goal ….The guys are hungry and you can see the hunger in all of the guys’ eyes. We are ready to play cricket. It doesn’t matter

the task ahead. “Batting-wise, I think I’m ready. I’m batting very good and I’m very focused right now; so it’s just time to go out and play cricket and

execute my plans. I’m fully focused for these two Test matches,” he said. The second Test will bowl off here on November 29.

The series is the second of six, three at home and three away, that West Indies will play in the 2021-2023 ICC World Test Championship.

Guyana Chronicle. Friday, November 19, 2021 Dr Frank Denbow (seated second left) with the executive members of the DCC and players

DCC gets substantial financial support from Dr. Frank Denbow FIFTY-FIVE years after his family moved to Church and Oronoque Streets, Georgetown, and he gravitated to the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC), renowned health professional, Dr Frank Denbow, returned to Queenstown and paid homage to where his early infatuation with the sport of cricket began. On Wednesday evening, Dr. Denbow, who was not a member of the club, handed a cheque to the sum of G$2M to aid in the club’s upkeep. TURN TO PAGE 23 In return, he was made an Honorary Life Member at the ‘Home of the Legends’.

Dr Frank Denbow (right) hands over the G$2M cheque to DCC president, Roger Harper

U17 Lady Jags in Round-of-16 at CONCACAF Championships By Rawle Toney

Guyana advanced directly to the knockout stage of the 2022 CONCACAF Women’s U17 Championship. (Photo compliments: CONCACAF)

THE U17 Lady Jags received a ‘bye’ to the CONCACAF U17 Championships Round-of-16, which will be held from April 23 to May 8, 2022, in the Dominican Republic. Guyana finished as the best-ranked second-placed team among the three groups at the Qualification tournament at the IMG Academy in Florida, with six points from three matches, to punch their ticket to next year’s tournament. The U17 Lady Jags had defeated Anguilla 1-0 in their first match, thanks to a single strike from Sue Edwards, but fell 0-6 to Honduras in their second encounter. However, in a strong display, Lady Jags, behind Anaya Willabus (21st, 38th), Sandra Johnson (30th, 82nd) and Jalade Trim (47th, 53rd), defeated the Turks and Caicos Islands 6-0. St Kitts & Nevis, Curaçao and Honduras will also join the Land of Many Waters in the elimination round of the 2022 CONCACAF Women’s U17 Championships. Guyana will now play the winner from Group E of the Champi-

onships which includes Mexico, Trinidad & Tobago, Panama and Nicaragua. Group F comprises Canada, Jamaica, Bermuda, and host nation Dominican Republic. Four-time winners, USA, will be in Group G along with Costa Rica, Puerto Rico and Grenada, while Haiti, Cuba, Guatemala and El Salvador will be in Group H. According to CONCACAF, with the global pandemic still affecting many countries within their region that were originally participating in the competition, it was necessary for them to amend the competition’s format. At the conclusion of the event, the champions, runners-up and third-place finishers will qualify for the 2022 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup in India in October of 2022. The United States are the current champions (fourth title overall) of the CWU17 following a 3-2 win over Mexico in the 2018 Final. Guyana had qualified for the CONCACAF Under-17 Women’s Championships for the first time in 2019, but the competition was cancelled due to the pandemic.

Ebony Rainford-Brent reveals racist hate letter 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, NOVEMBER 19, 2021