Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 22-02-2021

MONDAY 22nd February, 2021

' No.106280

Mrs. Mignon Bowen-Phillips is an academic with a dream of uniting Guyana PAGE

08

Suspect in ‘septic tank 04 murder’ caught in minibus PAGE

GPHC official ‘under fire’ as businessman gets COVID-19 vaccine PAGE

16

Reunited!

... Guyanese finally return from Suriname

… as ferry service resumes

Passengers disembarking the MB Sandaka at Port Moleson Creek (Ministry of Public Works photo)

SEE PAGE 03

2

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, February 22, 2021

Close to $30M spent annually at Albion Estate for pest control

WHILE the recovery of Guyana’s ailing sugar industry hinges on prudent management and the careful allocation of resources, a critical element in saving

‘sugar’ is also pest control, which draws about $30 million annually from the budget of the Albion Sugar Estate alone. Albion Estate, one of

three producing sugar estates, is currently the country’s largest producer of sugar, and this is expected to continue in the near term as the output from 3,900 hectares of land

is anticipated to be 261,000 tonnes of cane this crop. “Out of that, we expect to produce in excess of 21,750 tonnes of sugar, with a TCTS [tonnes cane to tonnes sugar] average of 12.5,” Manager of the Albion Estate, Threbhowan Shivprasad said during a comment following a tour of the estate last Wednesday. This crop will last for about 12 weeks, ending in May with the estate hopefully reaching its target of 21,750 tonnes of sugar, which is about 50 per cent of its total production. In advancing its

plan is comprehensive and encompasses manual and other cultural practices, sanitation work, and purchasing of chemicals. This investment is necessary because, if left unattended, some pests such as savannah rats and termites could decimate an entire cultivation. According to the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo)’s website, termites, hard-back beetles and leaf-eating caterpillars damage cane on occasions, but all are adequately controlled by cultural practices or indige-

Manager of the Albion Sugar Estate, Threbhowan Shivprasad

Punts loaded with cane at the Albion Sugar Estate (Adrian Narine photo)

plans for this crop, as is the case every year, the estate will be placing emphasis on pest control. Shivprasad said pest control at the estate usually costs between $20 million and $30 million every year, as the integrated pest-management

nous, natural enemies. The savannah rat (holochilus brasiliensis), on the other hand, damages sugarcane during the periods of migration and mating, especially where estates border the savannahs. Management of this pest is through hunting, habitat management and baiting with anticoagulants. “Your whole business could be disrupted with rats… termites as well could affect the quality of cane and kill the entire business… all of those things could affect us,” Shivprasad said. Weeds are also considered as another traditional ‘pest,’ which competes with the sugarcane for nutrients. In excess of 40 per cent of the yield could be lost to weeds if it is not managed. While the methods for managing weeds are quite clear, Shivprasad said the successful eradication of this pest depends heavily on the timeliness of control. “If you do not control it before the seeding stage, it would shed and it would form a seed bank… it is important to apply chemical

weed control on time,” the estate manager said. The estate, in moving forward, will be looking to ensure that pest control is secondary, since the ultimate focus of the industry at this time is on reaching to a point of viability. Access to financing has improved the prospects at the Albion Sugar Estate, where authorities are looking to ramp up operations and upgrade the facilities there, through an investment of more than $2 billion in capital works. Shivprasad said over $2 billion has been set aside for work which will stretch from the field to the factory. “The factory would take 40 per cent and agriculture, 60 per cent… this includes machinery and equipment, the infrastructure like bridges, revetment and so on, so it would take a large sum,” he related. The need for critical work at the estate was exposed during the second crop of 2020, when the estate had ‘a lot’ of downtime.

Reunited!

3

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, February 22, 2021

... Guyanese finally return from Suriname … as ferry service resumes By Rehana Ahamad AFTER being officially closed for almost a year, the Guyana-Suriname border has finally been reopened for legal travel between the two countries. The MB Sandaka, serving as a temporary replacement for the inoperable Canawaima ferry, sailed from Moleson Creek at 08:00hrs on Sunday to South Drain, Suriname with eight passengers. The vessel returned to Guyana later at 13:00hrs the same day, with eight Guyanese who were delighted to return home. Khemraj Balkumar, 36, said that he left Guyana for Suriname in November 2019 to work, and was due to return in May 2020. However, due to the COVID-19 restrictions, he was left stranded in Suriname, unable to work. Balkumar was financially supported by relatives overseas. He is finally home. “[It] was very hard but [I am] glad to be back home”, he beamed. Anita Tilko is a Surinamese who boarded the MB Sandaka as it prepared for its return trip to Guyana. Tilko was pleased that she could come to Guyana for a relative’s funeral, and be able to mourn with the rest of her family. Another Surinamese, Denzel Wilson was among the excited passengers to disembark at Port Moleson Creek; he is currently here on vacation, and quite eager to dig into the local cuisine. “I’m coming from a total lockdown in Suriname. I am glad that the border is open now so that we can come take a vacation”. He has assured that the protocols established in Guyana will be fully adhered to. Prior to the vessel setting sail, Public Works Minister, Juan Edghill, conducted a walkthrough of the system to ensure that all travel protocols, in relation to COVID-19, were in place. He concluded that Guyana is in full compliance with all the guidelines and procedures required for the

Khemraj Balkumar was stranded in Suriname, without a job, for almost a year; he is elated to be home

Surinamese, Anita Tilko, is pleased that she is able to be with her relatives as they mourn the loss of a loved one

A passenger having his PCR test results examined by a health worker

A passenger being sanitised before entering the Moleson Creek Terminal (Ministry of Public Works photos)

safe reopening of the border. Speaking to reporters at the Moleson Creek terminal, Edghill indicated that had the ferry service not resumed this week, Guyana would have had to organise and conduct a repatriation journey, since scores of Guyanese have been officially requesting legal passage to return home. Even though the border to Suriname was closed in March 2020 due to the pandemic, its reopening was delayed by several months as a result of a Cuban caravan that had assembled at South Drain, Suriname, waiting to travel to Guyana. It is believed that the Cubans had intended to use Guyana as a transshipment point to the United States of America. According to Edghill, the matter has been addressed in a manner that is “satisfactory”

enough to motivate a reopening of the border. However, as a precaution, only Guyanese and Surinamese would be allowed to utilise the ferry service which will be operating three times weekly – on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Diplomat residents in Guyana and in Suriname will be facilitated upon request through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of both countries. More importantly, every passenger who wishes to travel must produce a negative Polymerase Chain Reaction Test (PCR test) to confirm that they do not have the novel coronavirus. The test must be taken within 72 hours of travel. Edghill said that persons will be on site to ensure that the PCR tests presented are legitimate and valid. Should any issues be de-

tected with the results provided, health personnel will be on standby to conduct additional testing, and persons with faulty result will be placed in quarantine. The Public Works Minister also has indicated that the travel schedule for the ferry service is not one that is set in stone. “The Board of Directors of Canawaima, can and will make adjustments on the schedule, based on the travel demands of the people of Guyana and Suriname; [it] may very well end up having an everyday service as the traffic grows,” Edghill said. He noted that a slow start to the ferry resumption was expected, since many persons still need time to do their COVID-19 testing. For years, the Guyana-Suriname ferry service served as a critical

Surinamese, Denzel Wilson, has ‘escaped’ the lockdown in his country, and has sailed across the Corentyne for a vacation

and legal link between the two countries, mutually improving economic and cultural relations. Without the ferry service, scores of persons in Suriname and Guyana usually resort to the alternative “backtrack” routes. Only recently, three Guyanese were feared dead after their attempt to return home turned into a nightmare. The two men and one woman were reportedly dropped off in waist-high waters and left in the dark of the night to maneuver their way to Guyana’s shores, which was nowhere in sight. The bodies of the men have since been recovered. A taxi driver and two fishermen in Suriname have since been taken into police custody, and investigations are continuing. Referencing the tragedy,

Minister Edghill said that the administration is pained by the loss of lives due to the border closure. “We want to encourage all Guyanese and Surinamese to desist from travelling back track which is risky and has been fatal; utilise the service that is being offered here between Moleson Creek and South Drain,” Edghill insisted. He assured that all efforts are being made to ensure that the ferry’s operation is safe for the travellers, the employees of the ferry service, as well as the citizens of both countries. “Those receiving family, please observe protocols; don’t take anything for granted...our greatest resource is not our oil and gas, it is you, our people,” the minister posited.

4

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, February 22, 2021

$90M for small-business grants included in 2021 Budget –– Charity youths urged to tap into this opportunity

WITH approximately $90 million set aside in the 2021 Budget for youths to start small businesses, the young people of Charity were on Sunday urged to grasp this opportunity and to also access the wide range of skills training programmes that are currently available. Director of Youth (ag), Lesyln Boyce, who was on a two-day visit to Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), told the young people gathered that the Department of Youth has a plan for youths who were unable to complete their secondary education. This plan aims to enhance their academic knowledge through skills training. She said that training in various disciplines is available through the Board of Industrial Training (BIT). “We will give you a second chance to change your life; however, you need to grasp those opportunities through the ministry’s Youth Empowerment Unit,” Boyce said.

Boyce said the Department of Youth is currently focusing on skills training programmes through a platform for youths between ages 18-35. This will help them to become marketable, she explained. Director Boyce added that one of the key responsibilities of the department is to encourage youth development through vocational training and to improve access to opportunities to find sustainable options in life. Meanwhile, Assistant Director of Youth, Suresh Singh, also spoke of second-chance opportunities for early school leavers. He urged those seated before him to take advantage of the programmes and training that are currently available. Singh informed attendees that the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport will have approximately $90 million at its disposal for youth enhancement following the passage of the 2021 Budget. The money, he explained, will be disbursed in the form of grants of ap-

A youth raises a concern during a meeting with Director of Youth (ag), Leslyn Boyce and team

proximately $1 million for the opening of a business. “Youths need to therefore come up with creative ideas in areas of art, science, [and] technology...Do your market research so you can come up with a business based on research and findings and put together your proposal,” Singh said. He added that after the pas-

sage of the budget, over 4,500 on-line scholarships will also be made available to young people through Ministry of the Public Service. He advised the youths to keep checking the media for updates and to grasp the opportunities that are made available to them. Boyce and her team during the visit held meetings with

Director of Youth (ag), Leslyn Boyce addressing youths during a meeting at Charity, Region Two

youths in several communities across the region. During the interactions at Charity, Dartmouth, and Pomona, youths requested programmes in areas such as career guidance, catering, cosmetology, computer courses, agro-processing, and public speaking. The youths were very thankful for the opportunity

to interact with the officials and expressed hope that their concerns will be promptly addressed. Project Officer for Volunteerism Support Platform, Germaine Watson; Senior Social Worker Colleen Frazer and Region Two Culture and Youth Officer, Herald Alves, were also part of the team.

Suspect in ‘septic tank murder’ caught in minibus THE Guyana Police Force has captured 27-year-old Fazal Mohamed Ibrahim, known as ‘Scottie’, who was wanted in connection with the gruesome murder of 32-year-old Colin An-

Monday February 22, 2021 –– 01:30hrs & 12:30 hrs Tuesday February 23, 2021 –– 02:30hrs & 13:00 hrs

thony known as ‘Harry’. Anthony’s body was found stuffed inside a septic tank at his Lot 38 Belle West, Canal Number Two, West Bank Demerara house on Saturday. Reports indicat-

Dead: Colin Anthony

Fazal Mohamed Ibrahim after he was captured by police

ed that Ibrahim and the victim lived together in a small wooden house in the area. Ibrahim, was captured hours after a wanted bulletin was issued for him. At the time of the capture, he was a passenger in a minibus at Grove, East Bank Demerara. Relatives of Anthony told this newspaper on Saturday that he (Anthony) was last seen alive on February 16, 2021, when he celebrated his birthday. “His birthday was last Tuesday and no one saw him since then. The owner of the house and Harry lived in the building and the owner disappeared with the cycle which was owned by Harry,” a relative told this newspaper. The relative, who did not want to be named, alleged that the suspect was last seen cleaning the house and

burning bushes on Thursday last. When Anthony’s relatives did not hear from him, they started to enquire from residents. Residents, early on Saturday, complained of a stench in the area, and upon investigation, they found Anthony’s body in the septic tank. “One of his sisters did not hear from him for several days and no one in the village saw him and when persons tried calling his [telephone] number, they were alarmed when they were not getting through and upon inspection and investigation, his body was later discovered in the septic tank, after a foul odor began to spread in the yard where persons were checking,” the relative noted. After his body was removed, police and others noticed ‘chop wounds’ on the head.

5

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, February 22, 2021

AG rejects claims that gov’t not consulting with wider society

THE Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, S.C., has rejected claims by sections of society, recently aired in the press, that the government has not been consulting with the wider society. Nandlall debunked the allegations while addressing members of the press at his outreach on Saturday at Annandale, East Coast Demerara, where he meets with hundreds of citizens on a weekly basis to address their legal concerns. “When these things are in the public domain and you don’t respond to them and you don’t reject them and you don’t establish their falsehood, they are left on the public record and they become the truth,” Nandlall said. “So, I want to reject out of hand, this baseless allegation that the Irfaan Ali administration is not consulting. Every single day there is some form of consultation taking place in our government,” the Attorney-General said. The Guyana Humans Rights Association in a recent press release titled “the right to inclusive decision-making” contended that “the business community continues to be the default sector for political consultation. No other sector – whether trade union, professional, faithbased or voluntary – enjoy any such privileged access.” Further, the former Attorney-General, Basil Williams, S.C., wrote a letter to the press alleging that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government has failed to consult with relevant stakeholders before the passage of a suite of legislation in the National Assembly. In dismissing the contentions, Nandlall highlighted a

Presiden, Dr Irfaan Ali recently met with residents of Golden Grove, East Coast Demerara

number of consultations the government has engaged in since its assumption to office, especially under its ‘taking government to the people’ style of governance. These include Nandlall’s weekly outreach; an inter-agency consultation hosted by the Ministry of Housing and Water on the Mandela Avenue to Eccles road; a visit to Corentyne, Berbice to address concerns; President Ali leading a high-level team of ministers to consult with stakeholders in Region Three on the fourlane highway from the new Demerara Harbour Bridge to Parika and the President’s recent visit to communities on the East Coast of Demerara to form the “Corridor of Unity” initiative, among others. President Ali also led the

first stakeholder consultation on the draft Local Content Policy at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre on February 15, 2021, which saw stakeholders from every aspect of society in attendance. In terms of the National Assembly, Nandlall noted that in the space of six months, the government has referred two bills - the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) (Amendment) Bill and the Hire Purchase Bill, to a Select Committee. “Why do you think we are sending it to the Select Committee? So that the government will sit with the opposition and civil society and stakeholders and go through the bill clause by clause and hear from them. We did not have to do so,” Nandlall

explained. The Attorney-General referenced the Law Reform Commission Act 2016, enacted by the former A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) administration, which is responsible for the constitution of the Law Reform Commission. He said there was no consultations held for this. Initially, the Act had mandated that the President, after consulting with the Minister of Legal Affairs, shall appoint the Members of the Commission. In order for someone to be appointed a member of the Commission, the person must possess legal and judicial qualifications. Amendments to the Act were passed in the National Assembly on February 12,

2021, by the PPP/C government to allow for a diversity of qualifications on the commission. “Look at the Law Reform Bill, the APNU passed an entire Act, it did not have any component for consultation, the Minister and the President appointed the entire Commission,” Nandlall said. “We took that voluntary to the Parliament and we break that up to allow for the Minister to consult with the civil society, the Private Sector Commission, the Labour Movement, Rights

Commissions, religious organisations. And even on the floor, I amended it to include a suggestion coming from the small party, Mr. Shuman to allow for the Toshaos to be consulted,” he added. Nandlall maintained that the government is firm on its position that consultations with wider society are done on a regular basis. “I challenge anyone to point to any government at any point in time in Guyana that has been more consultative than the Irfaan Ali administration,” Nandlall asserted.

6

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, February 22, 2021

Tajeram Mohabir

Budget 2021 ON Friday, February 12th, 2021, Senior Minister within the Office of the President with the Responsibility of Finance presented the much-anticipated budget of 2021. With this release, many have expressed their gratitude to the government for being considered and able to benefit tremendously from the year’s budget, after five years of hardship. This budget, however, is a continuation of what was started by the government in 2020. This budget took into consideration all traditional and emerging sectors within Guyana: the senior citizens, youths, persons with disabilities and the indigenous peoples who have been left alone for quite some time. Though 2020 has ended on a better note despite a rough start, 2021 will be the best year for Guyana. This editorial will focus on the main highlights of the budget. This year’s budget is totalled at $383.1 billion, which is 16.3 per cent or $53.6 billion above that of 2020. The total expenditure is expected to rise by 14 per cent from $337 billion (2020) while the revenue is expected to increase by 22.5

per cent from $251 billion (2020). The overall deficit is estimated to decline by 13.5 per cent from 2020 to approximately $76 billion. The education sector budgeted $60.7 billion, which is 15.8 per cent of the total budget and 16.7 per cent increase from 2020 and 175.9 per cent from 2019. This is intended to improve the delivery and learning outcomes along with installing sinks, troughs, and water systems in schools. Scholarships will continue to be provided with 196 scholarships projected to be issued to the hinterland regions. The agriculture sector received $22.6 billion, which is 5.9 per cent of the total budget and a 22.8 per cent increase from 2020 and 61.4 per cent from 2019. This allocation will be used for the opening of new farm-to-market roads; clearing and preparation of new lands; expanding infrastructure in the intermediate savannahs; expanding drainage and irrigation networks to make new land available for small, medium, and mega farms; strengthening extension services to reduce existing trade barriers; research and development; and coordinating and

facilitating private sector participation in agriculture- based tourism. Two billion dollars is also included for GuySuCo. The forestry sector was allocated $250 million for phase two of the national forestry inventory programme in Regions 2, 7, 9 and 10. Agro-processing and packaging facilities and other agriculture infrastructure were budgeted at $832 million. The Guyana Livestock Development Authority is allocated $806 million. The government will also invest in a modular abattoir to meet the demands for processed pork and related products. A sum of $185 million was budgeted for the construction of the Hospitality Tourism Training Institute which will be able to facilitate 1800 students annually. This will aid job creation as the tourism sector is set to bloom with the many hotels, restaurants and bars lined up to be opened. Small business owners also had a share in the budget with a sum of $250 million budgeted to be used to establish a National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Council, which will reform the culture of en-

trepreneurship in Guyana and create an impetus for new entrepreneurs while supporting existing ones. The Amerindian Land titling process, which has long been overdue, will soon come to reality as $630 million was allocated to this project. For the interior areas that depend on the water ways as the mode of transport, $196.6 million was budgeted to provide boats, engines, and equipment to empower these communities and improve the livelihoods of its residents. A sum of $1.75 billion was also budgeted for hinterland roads to enhance connectivity. The housing sector was allocated 1.6 per cent of the total budget or $6 billion which is a 100 per cent increase from 2020. The health sector received $53.5 billion or a 14 per cent of the total budget, which is a 3.5 per cent increase from 2020 and 114 per cent increase from 2019. This will aid in getting medical equipment, supplies and infrastructure needed to improve the health care systems across the country. The infrastructure sector was allocated the majority of the budget

of $347.45 billion (90.7 per cent), which is an increase of 313.1 per cent from 2020 and 892.7 per cent from 2019. Of the $347.5 billion, $3.5 billion is allocated to energy expansion and diversification, $25.6 billion for roads and bridges construction, $310 million for river and maritime transport, $3.25 billion for air transport and $5.1 billion on sea and river defence. A sum of 4 billion was allocated to procure equipment and improve and expand the water supply network systems throughout the country. The Youth Innovation programme was allocated $90 million while the Youth Entrepreneurship and Apprenticeship programme was allocated $820 million to provide training and stipends for the betterment of the hinterland regions. The Culture, Youth and Sports Sector was allocated $2.7 billion. The Guyana Police Force is budgeted to receive $15.3 million and the Guyana Fire Service has been allocated a sum of $1.9 billion.

Police PR breached trafficking in persons law Dear Editor, ON February 16, 2021, a press statement from the Public Relations Department of the Guyana Police Force was released, which gave the names, ages and other identifying particulars of a suspected survivor/ victim of trafficking in persons (TIP) and a potential witness. This disclosure of information was in flagrant breach of the Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act That it was the Guyana Police Force which released this information to media houses, including all the mainstream press in Guyana, is of major concern. Those tasked with enforcing the law must not themselves be in breach of it, but in this case they were. Fortunately, the Guyana

Press Association (GPA) and mainstream media houses recognised that to publish the information would be a violation of journalistic ethics and did not do so. One on-line news service, The Daily News Guyana.com, carried the press release in full, but removed the offending information on being contacted by the GPA. The Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act requires that hearings for TIP offences be held in camera and that the identity of the victim must not be published. Any person who exposes the identity of the victim and the victim’s family commits a summary offence and is liable to a fine of $100,000. The draft standard operating protocols (SOPs) for the investigation, Interviewing of victims/survivors of and

witnesses to, and prosecution of TIP states that once a report or allegation is made of a suspected TIP situation, the Guyana Police Force TIP Unit -- the specialised agency set up to handle and advise on all TIP cases -- must be immediately notified. The draft SOPs also state that “Trafficking in persons cases shall not be recorded on police information databases; it is paramount at this stage of pre-response planning that information be guarded and localised within the GPF-TIP Unit to reduce the possibility of leaks.” We would remind the Guyana Police Force and all media outlets that best practices must always be followed for the protection of victims/ survivors of TIP to avoid their re-victimisation and stigmatisation and to ensure their safe-

ty and welfare above all else. Additionally, the Sexual Offences Act prohibits the identification of any survivor/ victims of a sexual offence and states it is an offence to print, publicise, broadcast or transmit by TV, radio, internet or social media any information that could identify the complainant or any other witness in a sexual offence case. Any person who reveals any information so as to enable the identification of the complainant or any witness can be fined $2 million. We call on the government, the DPP and the Commissioner of Police to swiftly move to discipline those responsible for this violation of human rights. We also call on the government to move swiftly to operationalise the draft SOP

for the investigation and prosecution of TIP. We wish to make it very clear that confidentiality of information shared during interviews of survivors of TIP must be rigorously maintained and that officers breaching confidentiality should be penalised and relocated. We will continue to be vigilant in the defence of all victims of gender-based violence, including TIP and all forms of sexual abuse and exploitation. Yours faithfully, Danuta Radzik, Linda Hustler, Josephine Whitehead, Colin Marks, Gaitrie Shivsankar and Shondelle Branch For Help & Shelter Wintress White, Joy Marcus, Halima Khan, Vanessa

Ross and Karen de Souza For Red Thread Ayo Dalgety-Dean and Melissa Chapman-Kendall For Blossom Inc. Omattie Madray For ChildLink Juanita Burrowes, Savannah Williams, Latoya Williams-Howard For N TIP Guyana Christian Vargas For Voices GY Roxan la Rose, Melissa Sharples, Shivaughn Burrowes For United Bricklayers I. Chandarpal For Women & Gender Equality Commission

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, February 22, 2021

AG assists 53 families who purchased lands over 20 years ago

Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall S.C., and a section of the residents gathered at the Enterprise Community CentrE Ground, East Coast Demerara

FIFTY-THREE families who purchased lands from the Sugar Welfare Fund over 20 years ago are yet to receive their Certificate of Title, simply because the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) could not source a Certificate of Compliance from the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) since it owes them millions of dollars. GuySuCo also owes millions of dollars in rates and taxes to the Enterprise, East Coast Demerara Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) and so they are unable

to receive a compliance from the authorities there as well. As a result, GuySuCo could not transfer the lands to the Sugar Welfare Fund and so, the families could not be granted a Certificate of Title. This was brought to the attention of President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, during a recent outreach to the East Coast Demerara corridor; as a result, the Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, was tasked with bringing relief to these families. During a meeting with the 53 families on Saturday

at the Enterprise Community CentrE Ground, the AG explained: “GuySuCo could not pass the lands to Sugar Welfare Fund because GuySuCo owes a lot of taxes to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and could not obtain a certificate of compliance, as well as GuySuCo could not have obtained a certificate of compliance from the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) in the area because of rates and taxes owed.” The AG then sought the intervention of the Commissioner-General of GRA,

21 new COVID-19 cases AN additional 21 persons, recorded from 1,292 tests, were infected with the virus COVID-19, locally, according to the Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 Dashboard for February 21. These new cases take the total number of cases recorded in Guyana since last March to 8,420. There have been no recent deaths, as such, the number of deaths remain at 189 persons. The new cases were recorded in Region Three (one case), Region Four (16 cases) and Region Seven (four cases). Eight of the new cases were recorded in men while 13 were recorded in women. Meanwhile, four more

persons who were infected before, have recovered. This takes Guyana’s total number of recoveries to 7,733. There are still 509 active cases of COVID-19, however. Ten of these patients are being monitored in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 11 in institutional quarantine, 38 in institutional isolation and 450 persons in home isolation. As per the gazetted COVID-19 Emergency Measures (No. 14), there is a nationwide curfew imposed from 22:30 hours to 04:00 hours daily. All Guyanese are urged to observe the protocols of the COVID-19 emergency

measures, which emphasise the need for correct and consistent use of a face mask when leaving your home, the importance of maintaining the six feet physical distance from others, and the need for good hand-hygiene to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. If you or anyone you know is displaying any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19, or need any additional information, kindly contact the COVID-19 Hotline: 2311166, 226-7480 or 6246674 immediately, or visit the Ministry of Health at www.health.gov.gy

Godfrey Statia, who has the authority to grant a “limited Certificate of Compliance” to GuySuCo for the purpose of passing the plot of land to the Sugar Welfare Fund. According to Nandlall, Statia has agreed to do so. As such, the AG is now working to have the NDC agree to the same compromise, which will in turn, allow for the Registrar of Deeds to pass the transport of the lands over to the Sugar Welfare Fund. The Attorney-General explained that over the years, the absence of a title acted as a major impediment to the residents who purchased the lands. “They cannot go to the bank for a mortgage, they cannot pass the property on

to their children, they cannot deal with the property because there is no title,” Nandlall lamented. “A title to a man who has a land is very important thing, so the families are very happy this ordeal has finally come to an end,” he added. It is expected that the families would receive their Certificates of Title within two to three months. During the meeting, Nandlall was accompanied by representatives from GuySuCo, the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission, the Sugar Welfare Fund and the Registrar of Deeds. Meanwhile, earlier in the day, the AG met with a number of persons at Annandale, ECD, during his weekly outreach, where he addressed

7

a plethora of issues relating to the National Insurance Scheme (NIS). At this meeting, he was accompanied by the NIS General Manager, Holly Greaves and other representatives from NIS. Residents raised concerns pertaining to missing NIS contributions; their NIS pension and other benefits offered by the scheme. Nandlall hailed the outreach as successful, as the team was able to address concerns of over 100 persons. “Hopefully, we can replicate this countrywide because anywhere you go in this country, you meet persons with complaints of NIS or of an NIS nature. So, it is a countrywide national problem and we are beginning to address it,” he said.

8

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, February 22, 2021

Mrs. Mignon Bowen-Phillips is an academic with a dream of uniting Guyana By Rehana Ahamad THE wife of Guyana’s Prime Minister is Mrs. Mignon Bowen-Phillips. she might not have been previously wellknown, but she is a woman of many talents, and certainly, high caliber. During a candid interview with local journalist, Leroy Smith, Mrs. Bowen-Phillips reflected on her life prior to being in the political spotlight. She ‘grew up’ in Northeast La Penitence, and lived a stable and comfortable life with her parents and siblings. Her father, George Leland Bowen, was a talented tailor and her mother, Esme Glendora Bowen, a nurturing housewife. Mrs. Bowen-Phillips attended the East La Penitence Primary School, followed by South Georgetown Secondary; she would later secure a job as a clerk within the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) where she worked for a few months before moving on to the Bank of Guyana. There, she would work many years as “Teller Three,” but her diligence and commitment would not go unnoticed and a young Bowen would be promoted to Assistant Principal of the Exchange Control Department, serving under the late governor, Patrick E. Mathews. In May 1988, Mrs. Bowen-Phillips would go on to work as a clerk within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat located at Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara. Armed with her intelligence, Mrs. Bowen-Phillips would be promoted several times during her 32 years of service to the Caribbean region. She recently retired as the Project Officer responsible for CARICOM’s documentation centre and registry. During her elevation within CARICOM, Mrs. Bowen-Phillips also worked in the resource mobilisation section of the secretariat, dealing with regional projects and how they are implemented with technical cooperation aid from various international donor partners. For 11 years, the Prime Minister’s wife served as a CARICOM Electoral Observer, covering elections hosted in various CARICOM member states. “I always had an interest in governance issues, based on my studies in public administration; good governance, rule of law, electoral processes and so on,” Mrs. Bowen-Phillips told Big Smith News Watch. Asked to give her thoughts on Guyana’s six-month-long elections debacle, the Prime Minister’s wife declined to go in depth. She did say though that, as a Guyanese, she was very proud that Guyana has one of the most robust electoral

Prime Minister, Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips, and his wife, Mrs. Mignon Bowen-Phillips

systems in the Caribbean. “I say that because when you look at the total package, in terms of what goes into the printing of the ballots, the training of electoral staff; how people ought to identify themselves going into the polling station and so on, I think our system is very robust and rigid.” She further added that “the CARICOM Electoral Observer Mission is very recognised across the region and well-respected.” In addition to being a respected professional, Mrs. Bowen-Phillips is also a dedicated volunteer and humanitarian. She was at the forefront of AVON’s breast cancer awareness campaigns that had become internationally recognised. Mrs. Bowen-Phillips would eventually be selected, along with 89 other global advocates, for a fellowship in the United States. After the AVON brand left Guyana, Mrs. Bowen-Phillips directed her services to the Periwinkle Club, providing critical support to cancer patients throughout the country. ARMY WIFE Reminiscing on her life as the wife of an army officer, Mrs. Bowen-Phillips said that she understood and respected her husband’s commitment to serving his country. Brigadier (ret'd) Mark Anthony Phillips first joined the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) in 1980 as cadet; he would later display exceptional skills that would allow him to rise through the ranks over a 36-year period, until he retired as Brigadier and Chiefof-Staff in October 2016. “He was a very busy and very committed officer; to me,

service to country was important to him,” Mrs. Bowen-Phillips related. Over the years, instead of sulking over the fact that her husband was often stationed far away, Mrs. Bowen-Phillips commandeered the opportunity to pursue self-development. “Whilst working, I was able to study,” Mrs. Bowen Phillips said. She poured much of her attention into obtaining her Bachelor Degree in Public Administration, her Master of Business Administration as well as several other academic endeavours. Mrs. Bowen-Phillips also dabbled in a number of culinary, dress-making and homemaking courses, some of which were being offered by the iconic Carnegie School of Home Economics. “He [the Prime Minister] would compensate [for being away] …and he would take over the cooking on weekends and holidays, so I was out of the kitchen on those days, and I was very grateful for that help. As her husband assumed the position of Chief-of-Staff in 2013, Mrs. Bowen-Phillips said that his portfolio had come as a great invasion of her and her family’s privacy. “I had to be careful of what I say; I had to be careful about making new friends; I had to be careful about dealing with some of the friends I had also, because it was important that I did not place myself in a position where I could have been misquoted on anything,” Mrs. Bowen-Phillips reflected. ENTRY INTO POLITICS When the Brigadier retired in 2016, he and his wife had commenced their tours to see

the world. They had already vacationed in several countries, and were planning their Panama and Dominica leg of their travels when the No-Confidence motion was passed against the former Coalition Government in 2019. “He was really concerned about what happened in the country after the No-Confidence motion; we both studied Public Administration, so we were both interested in things about good governance and the rule of law,” Mrs. Bowen-Phillips related. She said that the state of the country over the past year and a half disturbed the tranquility that had surrounded their lives, and soon enough, the Phillips were no longer in a vacation mood. Mrs. Bowen-Phillips said that she was at work when she received a call from her husband, who related that a family meeting was slated for later in the evening; he had something important to discuss with them, but would not immediately say what it was. “At dinner, he brokered the thought that he was thinking of getting involved in politics. We had the conversation and asked him if he was sure he wanted to do this; if he felt it was the right thing for him to do,” Mrs. Bowen-Phillips related. She said that her family was concerned about the political climate and all the unfortunate occurrences that come with national elections. “…the personal attacks that we probably would have had to encounter; but I must say, he did a good job at preparing us as a family to deal with the public scrutiny again…second time around, now much more

high-profile,” the Prime Minister’s wife noted. She said that while it took some time for the Phillips family to adjust to the public scrutiny and comments, her husband is a “very tough cookie…he is a soldier; well-trained, so he knew what he was getting into, and my duty was to support him.” Mrs. Bowen-Phillips said that being a regional public servant, she opted to stay away from the campaign trail, “but at home, he knew that we loved him dearly and he went out there knowing that we supported him 100 per cent.” A UNITED GUYANA Asked whether she plans to play a more public role in adding to her husband’s efforts, Mrs. Bowen-Phillips said that she has not finalised anything as yet, but whatever she does would seek to unite the people of Guyana and promote us as being a unique people. “We enjoy each other’s cultural events; we enjoy each other’s foods,” she said. The retired CARICOM staff expressed her dissatisfaction with the way many Guyanese treat each other. “I feel like I need to do something about that. We need to start thinking as Guyanese; there is no going back to Africa or no going back to India; we are born and bred here; this country belongs to all of us, and so I would want to work on something that would really and truly promote the uniqueness of being a Guyanese.” She reflected on her previous visit to India, where she was participating in an NGO training programme that had attracted persons from all parts

of the world who complained about the food, especially about the dishes being too spicy. “…and I had the pleasure of teaching them how to drink the dhal and how to eat the roti and use the curry,” a candid Bowen-Phillips related. Questioned about her relationship with former First Lady, Mrs. Sandra Granger, Bowen-Phillips indicated that the two had always shared pleasant, respectful relations. “We were colleagues; we are professional colleagues. We are a big, happy family at CARICOM; we treat each other with respect,” Bowen-Phillips posited. She added, “We always had very good working relations, and I don’t think that our husbands’ political paths would cause us not to be colleagues. There is always mutual respect.” Mrs. Bowen-Phillips related that she was able to congratulate and extend best wishes when Mrs. Granger had assumed her role as First Lady in 2015. “But since my husband became the Prime Minister of this country, we did not get an opportunity to say ‘hello’ to each other, but I am sure she would have wished me well,” Mrs. Bowen-Phillips assured. Reflecting on the life-changes that inevitably come with holding such a distinguished title, the Prime Minister’s wife said that she misses the mundane things. “One of the things I miss most is driving myself; I need to feel that pedal under my foot. I had to learn to surrender my freedom of being spontaneous and going about my business; we’re now in service to the country, so I guess it comes with high office,” she asserted. She added: “One of the things that they did allow me to do, was go back and say hello to the vendors that I normally would buy from at Bourda Market; they were so happy to see me, and to say how proud they are…its quite a good feeling to know that people at that level would want to embrace you and wish you well.” During the interview, the academic and humanitarian advised young girls to always strive to be themselves. “Try always to be your own beacon of light. We’re all different individuals; we are not all on the same path; stay in your lane, focus on yourself; develop yourself as an individual, and you never can tell, along the road of life’s journey, you would meet somebody that is compatible with your dreams and aspirations and you could become a perfect team.”

9

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, February 22, 2021

Renewed and expanded Women’s Institute will provide unconventional training THE Guyana Women’s Leadership Institute (GWLI) is set to be revived and expanded in 2021, according to Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud. The revival will result in the provision of wider, more modern training opportunities. “It is going be a training hub; there is going to be a marketing component to it, and women are going to be trained specifically in nonconventional types of skills,” Dr. Persaud said. She specified that training will be provided in areas such as Information and Communications Technology (ICT), video editing, graphic designing, interior design, business management, and fashion, which would also include a jewellery-making component. Catering, as well as adding value to food will also be taught, “Whether it is convenient foods or street food,” the minister added. Dr. Persaud pointed to the recent launch of her ministry’s mobile street food kiosks initiative, which will see standardised kiosks being constructed and established across the entire country. In addition to providing employment to mainly women, the kiosks are expected to be strategically positioned countrywide, in an effort to boost culinary tourism. Apart from being made of locally produced mate-

Human Services and Social Security Minister, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, addressing a gathering of Region Six residents (Adrian Narine photo)

rials, including Guyana’s high-standard timber, the kiosks will be operated in a strict hygienic manner, and will serve some of Guyana’s most delectable and unique street foods, such as our ‘scrumptious’ eggballs and thirst-quenching mauby drinks. Under the food kiosk initiative, potential vendors will be mandated to undergo a three-stage training programme, which will emphasise good hygiene, safe food handling, proper waste food disposal, as well as entrepreneurship. Nonetheless, as she spoke to reporters on the sidelines of a community outreach in Albion on Friday last, Dr. Persaud explained that the institute will serve

as a principal comprehensive component of the government’s Cottage Industry Initiative which seeks to provide critical support to Guyanese, both male and female, seeking to establish or expand their small businesses. The institute, according to Minister Persaud, was established as a component of the Human Services Ministry in the early 1990s when the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) first assumed office. “But it has lapsed for about five to six years,” she acknowledged. The institute is housed in a facility located at Cove and John, East Coast Demerara. In addition to skills training, the Guyana Women’s

Leadership Institute will also execute sensitisation sessions on various social issues including gender-based violence, women and gender equality, etc. The institute will also serve as a conduit to other supportive services offered by the Human Services Ministry; Dr. Persaud is hopeful that the institute will be up and running in the coming months. The GWLI, according to its original design, has a mandate to develop, promote, educate and support women and girls as potential leaders and decision-makers. A Board of Directors to govern the institute was recently installed, and will be headed by Patricia Bacchus. The other members include

Deputy Chairperson, Camille Deokie, Padmini Singh, Saudia Ferouz, Sarah Brown, Gina Arjoon, Roshan Khan Jnr., Marissa Scott, Louanna Abrams, Macaela Cameron and Asha Kissoon. Nonetheless, Friday’s outreach at Albion served as a one-stop shop for persons curious, or in need of services provided by the Human Services Ministry, with emphasis on youths and pensioners. The activity hosted at the Albion Community Centre Ground, provided free health services, including eye and dental check-ups, as well as HIV testing. Present were several of the Ministry’s ‘Young Influencers’ who were on sight to provide guidance to young people

on issues stemming from bullying and peer pressure to career guidance and self-development. “We thought it would be the best thing to reach out to communities in a format that we call community outreach – taking the ministry to the people. We have visited a number of communities including Regions 10, Two and Five,” Dr. Persaud noted. She explained that the idea behind the outreach is to provide a forum which “troubleshoots” all of the issues affecting people within each region, and see if these can be dealt with on the spot, or if other interventions can be mobilised to bring relief to affected citizens. “It’s quite an expansive team that I’ve brought up here today [Friday]– dealing with public assistance, pensions, difficult circumstances, application processes to get into our various training programmes – child care and protection, healthcare, etc.,” the minister noted. She said that the activities also serve as a base to assess the ministry’s performance within each region, and provide guidance on where gaps may exist and how these can be remedied. More outreaches are expected in other parts of the country, within the coming weeks.

Corentyne, Demerara blocks show ‘world-class’ prospects –– Frontera, CGX proceeding with plans for exploration AN independent prospective resource study has affirmed the world-class prospects of the Corentyne and Demerara blocks, offshore Guyana, operated by joint venture partners Frontera Energy Corporation and CGX Energy Inc. “As confirmed by the independent resource evaluation commission, the Guyana basin offers the joint venture access to a leading offshore oil opportunity. We expect a robust Guyana work programme with the advancement of our exploration wells, as we continue executing on our plan to realise this value for our shareholders. “The independent prospective resource study reaffirms our excitement about

the world-class prospectivity of the Corentyne and Demerara blocks offshore Guyana,” Chief Executive Officer of Frontera, Richard Herbert, said in a statement released recently by the company. The independent prospective resource study and report captured the Corentyne North Area, Corentyne Main Area and Demerara Block, offshore Guyana. CGX is the operator of the Corentyne Block under a joint operating agreement with Frontera Energy. CGX has a 66.6 per cent participating interest in the block, with Frontera holding the remaining 33.3 per cent interest in the block. Outside of the prospective projects, U.S oil giant, Exx-

onMobil is the only operator, so far, which has started production offshore Guyana. This company - operator of the Stabroek, Canje and Kaieteur blocks - has made 18 discoveries since May 2015 and began production in December 2019 from the Liza Phase one development project. Since 2015, ExxonMobil has increased its estimated recoverable resource base in Guyana to more than eight billion oil-equivalent barrels. With prospects at the Corentyne and Demerara blocks appearing to be favourable, Frontera and CGX will be looking to follow suit and move ahead with its operations. The companies an-

nounced recently the successful rescheduling of their work commitments with respect to its Petroleum Prospecting License (“PPL”) for the Demerara Block offshore Guyana. The companies have been advised that the existing February 12, 2021 deadline for drilling the next well will be extended to February 11, 2022 subject to documentation. “We thank the Government of Guyana for its continued support and partnership, which are essential to the long-term success of this strategic initiative for the benefit of all stakeholders,” Chairman of the Board of Directors of the joint venture, Gabriel De Alba, said in a

recent statement. She further added: “With the support of the Guyana Government in re-phasing our exploration plans, we are eagerly progressing with our work programs for Corentyne and Demerara.” The joint venture continues to advance its exploration programme in both the Corentyne and Demerara blocks with well locations being selected. In the Corentyne block, plans are proceeding on the Kawa-One exploration well. The well design is complete, procurement of long lead items is in advanced stages and key technical employees being recruited. The companies also plan to spud the Kawa-One exploration well during the second half of this year and expect to drill the well in a

water depth of approximately 1,100 feet targeting the Campanian-Santonian-aged stratigraphic trap, interpreted to be analogous to the discoveries immediately to the east on Block 58 in Suriname. Additional prospects and leads on the northern portion of Corentyne have been identified and are being matured by the joint venture. In the Demerara block, the companies continue to advance its preparatory work for the Makarapan-One exploration well (previously called Demerara-F), an Aptian stratigraphic prospect on the block. Additional prospects and leads on the block have been identified and are being matured.

10

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, February 22, 2021

Why children must be heard

CHILDREN should feel free enough to speak openly to their parents, within reason. They should go to their parents for advice and discuss anything of concern. In turn, parents should listen to their children. It is essential to establish this type of relationship with children

during their first five years. This is the time their brains develop faster than at any other time of their lives. Young children are open-minded and will not hesitate to go to parents for help and advice when needed. How they are received will determine if they con-

tinue to share their thoughts and questions with adults or adopt a coping strategy.

The Convention on the Rights of the Child states that children have a right to have their opinions heard. Too many children in our society grow up afraid of their

parents. They are scared that their parents may shout at them, call them derogatory names, belittle and insult them, and they are worried their parents might beat them or punish them in a cruel and heartless manner. When children are afraid of their parents, there is

bound to be a lack of communication. Children will learn very quickly that open conversation is off-limits, and they will also refrain from, or be afraid to, ask pertinent questions. By adopting this stance, children hope to avoid the wrath or displeasure of their parents. Not just because they do not want the adult getting angry and making a scene to embarrass them, but because it is disconcerting to a child's well-being to be shouted at, belittled, beaten, slapped, cuffed or made to feel worthless or inadequate. Whether they realise it or not,' disconcertment' is precisely the feelings adults want to evoke in children. They believe children will learn a valuable lesson or conform to their ideals through harsh and unreasonable treatment. Some adults testify to its authenticity because they were handled similarly as children, and they turned out alright. However, their idea of 'alright' may involve some repressed thoughts, ideas and emotions formed in childhood, of which they are unaware. Children should never be afraid of their parents, but they should be concerned about what their parents think and say to them when admonished for doing wrong. This chastisement should be tapered to the severity of the incident and meted out by parents with understanding and concern. The words, the tone and seriousness of the scolding should be enough to make an impact. Reprimand should not involve a parent physically harming or humiliating a child. If it does, a disconnect will form between adult and child, to which the adult may be oblivious. Children's brains are still growing, and adverse childhood experiences will significantly affect their adult mental health. When children are going through stress, they need to know they can talk to an adult who cares and listens. Likewise, if a child is bullied or a person makes sexual advances, the child should feel able to relay these facts to a parent or a reliable family member. When children cannot speak openly, sometimes they 'act up' hoping to receive some attention. Acting up could lead to more trouble and does not solve the problem. When they are older, they may be able to explain, 'Remember when I was ten, and I hid mum's favourite

brooch? She found it in the biscuit tin, and I swore it wasn't me who put it there. Well, I did that because I was angry with her. Daddy was leaving, and I blamed mum for letting him go'. When adults do not encourage children to express their thoughts or feelings through conversation or reasoning, children are left to form their own opinions; leading them to misinterpret situations. They could grow, harbouring negative beliefs or resentments that are unfounded but true in their minds. Talking through major events with children is always the best thing to do. Such as a pending separation or divorce, bereavement, relocating to a new area and home, or meeting a new step-parent. Even if children do not seem interested, they will have views and apprehensions to share when given the proper encouragement from adults. Some adults, especially men, have a way of bottling up their emotions; this could be a trait learnt in childhood that helped them cope back then; still, it is not a valuable trait to pass on to children. Accepting emotions and allowing them to show can lead to a healthy discussion between parents and children. Talking through why a child is upset, angry or sad will help the child understand how emotions rise and wane; Therefore, there is no need to let them control you, although you can learn to be in control of them. There is a lot of useful information that parents can teach children to enhance their lives and their future, therefore, it is wise to create communication channels during the early years and keep them open. If you are concerned about the welfare of a child, call the CPA hotline on 227 0979 or write to us at childcaregy@gmail.com A MESSAGE FROM THE CHILDCARE AND PROTECTION AGENCY, MINISTRY OF HUMAN SERVICES AND SOCIAL SECURITY

11

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, February 22, 2021

Mocha residents showcase local products at farmers’ market

RESIDENTS of Mocha-Arcadia, East Bank Demerara, showcased their many skills and talents at a Farmers’ Market Day on Sunday. Contrary to what the name suggests, the event was not restricted to farmers and was open to everyone, so that residents of the community may be able to exhibit their wide range of products to the public. The event, which was held at Second Bridge and Main Access Road, Mocha-Arcadia, was the second held in the community, the first being in December 2020. Persons at the event displayed a gamut of products ranging from agricultural produce, natural hair products and cosmetics, ornaments made from recycled materials and food products, all locally produced. One of the organisers, Professor Pat Francis of the University of Guyana Institute of Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, told this publication that the idea of the event was birthed after they recognised a need to stimulate the villages’ economies. “The main idea behind all of this is that each community within Guyana needs to grow more, produce more and our collective efforts will help to stimulate the whole country, creating jobs, and to stem the tide of all of the imports,” Professor Francis said. She highlighted that the farmers’ market is far-reaching in terms of allowing and providing residents within the community the opportunity to foster their creative side. “It’s not just the market, it’s about the people in the village for us to capture their creative energies and through the university, some of the things that we intend to do and which we are doing now, is to facilitate those businesses which have innovative components to bring it to fruition,” she explained. To further develop the initiative, Professor Francis noted that the university intends to take it to another level by establishing processing facilities within the community, so that primary-level produce can be transformed into manufactured goods. This would create a diversification of products and shy away from saturating the market with one type of product. The aim is to supply beyond the community and to export the products regionally. “We don’t want everybody planting and then there is no place for them to market their products [sic], so we’re going to move it from primary production into secondary

Shoppers at the Farmers’ Market Day on Sunday (Elvin Croker photos)

Vendor Myrlene Cave and her grand-daughter showcasing their products made from recyclable materials

Organisers of the event, Professor Pat Francis (left); Mocha’s Agricultural Extension Officer Mitzie Smith-Barker (centre) and Raeburn Jones, Chairman of the Mocha-Arcadia Multipurpose Agricultural Co-operative Society

Vendor Shevon Tappin and her creative plant pots made from bath towels and cement

and tertiary production,” she said, adding, “We are going to vertically integrate what is happening on the farm and what is happening in the homes, bringing things together so that we can hit the local market and at least the regional Caribbean Community (CARICOM) market.” Raeburn Jones, Chairman of the Mocha-Arcadia Multipurpose Agricultural Co-operative society, explained that the event allows residents to do some networking and marketing of their products. He pointed out that as a result of the last Farmers’ Market Day in December 2020, residents were able to create “linkages” which allowed them to sell their products to persons even in the absence of the market day. Jones said the co-operative society is heavily involved in development of the community. He made specific mention of the labels that are branded on the products, noting that this was made possible by the training facilitated by the co-operative society in collaboration with the Inter-Ameri-

can Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). Meanwhile, the Guyana Chronicle reached out to a few of the vendors at the market to gain some insight into their products and their perspectives in relation to the initiative. Myrlene Cave, who makes multipurpose ornaments from recyclable products such as plastic bottles, said that she was happy with the initiative since it gives her an opportunity to recycle and sell her craft at the same time. “Instead of throwing away stuff, we recycle because it’s less pollution to the community as a whole,” she noted. Kareema Liverpool, owner of K&S Healthy Choice, makes food products and condiments from locally sourced ingredients; she shared similar sentiments, noting that the event allows residents of Mocha to market their locally produced products. Bre Ramsay, who sells her locally produced “Bre’s Skincare Body Butter,” was

elated at the customer support; she described it as “amazing.” Shevon Tappin said that the market allows her to showcase her creative side

as she gets to sell her plant pots that are made from bath towels and cement. The event was organised by the co-operative society in collaboration with the Mocha-Arcadia Neighbour-

hood Democratic Council with sponsorship from the International Decade for People of African Descent – Guyana (IDPADA-G), the FAO, the IICA and the Ministry of Agriculture.

12

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, February 22, 2021

‘Leave before it’s too late’

–– family of woman forced to consume poison urges others to speak out By Nafeeza Yahya-Sakur ABUSE, in any form, is unacceptable and should not be tolerated by any section of society, especially since it could be mentally and physically detrimental to the victims who, because of emotional attachments, sometimes choose to endure it instead of reporting the act or leaving before it’s too late. The United Nations (UN) defines abuse as physical, sexual, emotional, economic or psychological actions or threats of actions that influence another person. This includes any behaviours that frighten, intimidate, terrorise, manipulate, hurt, humiliate, blame, injure, or wound someone. Domestic abuse especially, could happen to anyone of any race, age, sexual orientation, religion, or gender. It can occur within a range of relationships including couples who are married, living together or dating. In relationships, the intimacy and emotions often cloud the victim’s judgment and even make the indicators of abuse invisible although they could be serious warning signs of a catastrophe in the making. The family and friends of 27-year-old, Sattie ‘Vanie’

Dead: Sattie Jagmohan

Jagmohan, believe that had she heeded those very indicators in her marriage and “left before it was too late,” she probably would have been alive today. The young mother of lot 24 ‘A,’ Cotton Tree, Wes Coast Berbice, after more than eight years of marriage

to her husband, Ramesh Nandalall, became a casualty of abuse on February 17, 2021, when she succumbed at the New Amsterdam Hospital, two weeks after forcibly ingesting poison. It was reported that 28-year-old Nandalall had threatened Jagmohan with

a cutlass and forced her to drink a poisonous substance. The Guyana Chronicle understands, however, that this was merely the climax which followed brutal acts. According to information reaching this publication, Nandalall slammed his wife into a wall, then kicked and punched her several times before finally placing a cutlass to her neck and forcing her to ingest poison. All of this was reportedly done in the presence of their three children. The man has since been charged with attempted murder, however, this publication understands that the file will be resent for further legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP)’s chambers. But, the loss, like a fresh wound, still resonates with the family and friends of Jagmohan. Deepa Khublall, a former classmate and close friend of Jagmohan for 17 years, said the death of her friend is tragic and painful to digest. In her eyes, however, this tragic incident reinforces the need for victims of abuse to be ‘bold’ and ‘courageous,’ especially when deciding to report such acts or leave a relationship altogether. Khublall said this advice was shared with Jagmohan on many occasions, but the speculation remains that she could not leave the situation due to poverty and other underlying circumstances. “She tried a couple of times to leave but whenever she did he would sweet talk her and tell her he would change and not do it again, but when he drinks, is the same thing all over. But her main thing was that she felt because of poverty and recent medical diagnoses, she needed him to provide for her and their three children…

she was in constant fear if she goes away because he always threatens her that if she leaves, he would kill her,” Khublall said. It is for this reason that she reiterated the need for victims of abuse to seek help or try to get out of an abusive relationship. She also suggested that harsher penalties for abusers must be instituted. “It’s a cycle, it’s gonna keep happening, even though you go back it’s gonna happen again, it takes a lot of courage to leave and not

children and assist them in becoming educated, so that they could escape poverty and not be subjected to similar treatment. Khublall has since started a “go fund me” page in order to help raise funds for the three children. Jagmohan’s mother, Mala Devi Ramlochan, who was inconsolable, said that she was unaware that her daughter was being abused and was shocked when she learnt what happened, since she was told that Nandalall was a “Pugarie” (a Hindu priest that performs religious functions)

Abuser: Ramesh Nandalall

return but no woman should be treated like this. Domestic violence or abuse has been happening for hundreds of years now but it is wrong and we need to make this come to an end. We need justice for our friend and we need strict penalties for all form of abuse,” Khublall reasoned. Tears flowed from her eyes as she recalled that Jagmohan, on her dying bed, had asked her to take care of her

and, as such, did not expect that from him. She now has the responsibility of taking care of her three grandchildren with just a roof over her head and a survivor’s pension which she inherited after the death of her husband. Persons who are desirous of assisting the family can do so via the link http:// gf.me/u/zjvdhu or on telephone number 661-2775.

Speeding truck crashes into parked pick-up, kills man, 60 A SPEEDING truck crashed into a parked pick-up on the Dora Public Road, Soesdyke/Linden Highway on Saturday night, instantly killing a 60-year-old man and leaving another in a critical condition. Dead is Murvey Andrew Madhoo of Independence Boulevard, La Penitence, Georgetown, while Sherwin Rhodius is in a critical condition at the Linden Hospital Complex. TURN TO PAGE

14

Dead:Murvey Andrew Madhoo

13

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, February 22, 2021

Two more child advocacy centres for Region Six

The aim of the outreach was to ensure that the public has access to key services being offered by the State

By Telesha Ramnarine TWO one-stop child advocacy centres for the reporting of child sexual abuse and the ‘treatment’ of the victims will be opened, next Saturday, in Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne) by Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud. The ‘establishment’ of the centres is being done in conjunction with Child Link and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), through the Child Care and Protection Agency. One of the centres will be opened at Whim and the other at Springlands, the minister announced on Friday last during her visit to the region. Dr. Persaud took her latest community outreach pro-

gramme to Albion to address issues affecting residents, as the Administration continues to conduct robust public engagements aimed at creating linkages between the people and Central Government. It was at the opening of this meeting that Minister Persaud spoke about issues related to child abuse and domestic violence and how they will be tackled through the ministry’s 914 hotline, the Spotlight Initiative, an anti-violence campaign, and the Survivors Advocates Programme. She informed those present that the programmes outlined would be executed in partnership with non-governmental organisations and added that the ministry was also working with the religious community in order to provide counselling

Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud listens as a resident of Region Six expresses a concern

The outreach allowed for persons to benefit from a wide variety of services including HIV, blood pressure and sugar testing

to persons, as well as to identify vulnerable populations within communities to provide them with the necessary support.

Addressing residents at the Albion Community Centre Ground, Dr. Persaud said the aim of the outreaches was to ensure that the public

has access to key services being offered by the State. “From where I sit, I would like to ensure that our systems from the ministry function efficiently and effectively. So this gives us an opportunity to assess the performance of our officers across the country because from people you get feedback – Did you go to the office? Were you given a hard time? Did you have a run around? – so that we can fix those things because you’re only as good as the way you serve people,” Dr. Persaud said. She noted that some of the major challenges facing Region Six and several other areas across the country included the lack of sufficient human and other resources to deal with issues of child

abuse, domestic violence, pensions and public assistance. Friday’s exercise addressed issues including pension and public assistance, difficult circumstances cases, elderly and child welfare, and youth social issues. Persons also benefitted from eye and dental care, counselling and HIV, blood pressure and sugar testing. A new group of young influencers attached to the ministry also engaged young people on peer pressure, cyberbullying, and mental health issues.

Gov’t offering Master Degree scholarships to Thailand THE Ministry of the Public Service is offering a limited number of scholarships for eligible persons to study for a Master Degree in Thailand, in a number of science fields, under the Thailand International Postgraduate Programme for the 2021/2022 academic year. The initiative is being done in collaboration with the Royal Thai Government, and includes programmes under the field Environmental Technology and Management; Food Science and Tech-

nology; Food Innovation, Safety and Quality Management; Agricultural Science; Agri Science and Technology. “Thailand would have sent the number of fields and we chose some. There are some that we would have liked to choose, but didn’t, because those required a different type of qualification that we would have not be able to have applicants for,” Minister of the Public Service, Sonia Parag, explained in an interview with the Guyana Chronicle.

Minister of the Public Service, Sonia Parag

She highlighted that: “These particular fields we would have checked it out in the different sectors, and noted that they are very relevant fields, and based on an unofficial needs assessment we conducted, we were able to choose these particular fields.” In order to be eligible for the scholarship, applicants must be 40 years and under, should have obtained their Bachelor’s Degree within the past five years, and have attained a Grade Point Average of 3.0.

“It’s a great opportunity to apply, but even outside of these scholarships there is the beginning of the 20,000 on-line scholarships that is soon to commence and we will be looking not only at the public sector, but nationally. So, persons can still take the opportunity to upgrade themselves through that as well,” Parag commented. Some $1 billion has been allocated in the 2021 national budget for more than 4,500 on-line scholarships.

14

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, February 22, 2021

Aberdeen/Zorg-en-Vlygt NDC to get new building

–– Minister Dharamlall urges residents to bid for small contracts By Indrawattie Natram MINISTER of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall, has announced that the Aberdeen/Zorg-en-Vlygt Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) in Region Two will soon get a new building. He made this disclosure at a public meeting held at Queenstown Village on Wednesday last. Minister Dharamlall, during his address to those gathered, advised the Chairperson of the NDC to identify a plot of land for the building as his ministry will soon release money for construction. He informed that he had visited the community to listen to the concerns of residents with a view of finding amicable solutions. Among the issues recorded and addressed were the delayed payment of trench cleaners, road con-

struction and the awarding of contracts to small contractors. Residents informed the minister that they were not paid for the trenches cleaned in January. In response, the Regional Engineer, Kawan Suchit, explained that the contract was only awarded earlier in February. He said the trench cleaners took it upon themselves to clean the trenches before the contract was awarded. Minister Dharamlall, on hearing the explanation, told the concerned workers that there is a clear procedure which must to be followed. Later, he said that the Government of Guyana under the leadership of President Irfaan Ali is creating an environment so that small contractors can benefit. He pointed out that while 20 per cent of the contracts in the budget can go to small contractors, they have to ensure that their documents are in order.

Residents at the meeting held by Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall, at Queenstown, Region Two

“This government is trying to ensure that people get

money so if there is a project in your community you must

be able to bid for that project. Let the monies remain in your

Speeding truck crashes into... Police Headquarters in a statement noted that the speeding truck was being driven by a 34-year-old male of Yarrowkabra village; his blood alcohol level was found to be below the

community, and let there be a domino effect,” Minister Dharamlall said. He also called for the community enhancement workers to be dispatched to various villages within the NDC. He added that there are plans to hire more team leaders for the Community Enhancement Programme. Those workers have to ensure that the all the trenches and the drains in the communities assigned to them are cleaned. Meanwhile, Chairperson of the Aberdeen/Zorgen-Vlught NDC, Jayshree Persaud welcomed the idea of the construction of the building. She explained that the current building is dilapidated and it was the councillors who made a request to the ministry for a new building. She thanked the minister for his intervention.

FROM PAGE

12

prescribed legal limit. The accident occurred around 20:00hrs. Reports indicate that the parked pick-up, #GRR 4627, was on the western side of the road transferring goods

The scene of the accident on the Dora Public Road, Soesdyke/Linden Highway

to another pick-up when the driver of the truck, which was proceeding north, lost control and collided with the front, right side of the pickup. The pick-up then collided with Madhoo and Rhodius, both of whom were standing

between the two pick-ups. Madhoo was taken to the Georgetown Hospital where he was pronounced dead, while Rhodius remains critical. A police investigation is in progress.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, February 22, 2021

GWI fixing leak at Main and Church Streets

Works ongoing on Sunday to repair a leaking GWI transmission line at the corner of Church and Main Streets

THE Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI), on Sunday, carried out works at the corner of Main and Church Streets, to rectify a leak that had occurred earlier in the week. Workers were expected to conclude the works by late Sunday afternoon. GWI Production Manager Orlando Benjamin told the Guyana Chronicle that the situation would not affect residents. “It’s not a breakage. It’s just a leak so we didn’t have to cut off water to do this… this is not going to affect the residents; it’s just that the traffic would be affected for a while,” explained Benjamin. He told the Guyana Chronicle that preparation had to be made prior to the commencement of the works. “There’s a 12-inch cast iron main that we are currently working on and an eightinch bell head or joint that we are currently repairing. It started leaking sometime last week but we had to plan and prepare in order to execute the work. The 12 inch currently we are putting on a repair band, and the bell head we have to get lead to effect the repair,” he said. Sunday’s repairs is one in a series that is been effected on sections of the transmission main that runs along Church Street, which has ruptured in several places. The frequent damage is as result of the aged state of the transmission lines which were installed over 100 years ago. Meanwhile, GWI Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Shaik Baksh, visited the site of a leakage to get a firsthand look at the repairs. He was accompanied by Senior Engineer in the Special Projects Unit of the Ministry of Public Works, Colin Gittens. The ministry is working alongside GWI to carry out repair works to the roadway when the water company concludes its work. The aged transmission mains have also been hampering the utility company’s efforts to increase water pres-

sure, which is often necessary to flush out rust from the pipelines. This situation is sometimes the cause of the discoloured state of the tap water in Georgetown. The replacement of the aged mains is part of GWI’s five year Strategic Plan for 2021- 2025. Upgrades are expected to be catered for in the 2021 Budget as part of a $1.1 billion allocated to GWI. The upgrades are expected to benefit over 35,000 residents. “The CEO said the replacement of these mains is high on GWI’s agenda and three such projects have been catered for in the 2021 budget. This includes the replacement of transmission mains from Shelterbelt to Church Street, which will lead to Water Street, Shelterbelt through Cemetery road and Shelterbelt to Cummings Street. The company is also hoping to secure funding for the replacement of mains from Cummings Street to Water Street,” a statement issued by GWI on Sunday said. GWI has already commenced the replacement of the transmission mains, with works currently ongoing between Lamaha Street and Shelterbelt. These works are expected to be completed by the end of March 2021. Aside from the replacement of the Georgetown main transmission lines which is aimed at improving the water supply across the country, GWI is scheduled to spend some $200 million to expand the Sophia, Eccles, Covent Garden, Grove, Friendship and Vergenoegen water treatment plants. This is expected to benefit over 50,000 residents. Another $275 million has been set aside for the procurement and installation of 20,000 water meters for residential and business areas across the country, while another $100 million has been allotted for the procurement of electro-mechanical equipment for the rehabilitation of water production facilities.

15

16

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, February 22, 2021

GPHC official 'under fire' as businessman gets COVID-19 vaccine –– probe ongoing, vaccine protocols to be tightened

By Vishani Ragobeer A SENIOR staff member of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) has come under fire for flouting protocols after a city businessman boasted about receiving the first dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, which is currently only given to frontline health workers. On Sunday, the Guyana Chronicle was informed that an investigation was immediately launched into the incident, after the businessman’s social media post

was discovered. “We did confirm that a senior member of staff did make the arrangement for this person to get the vaccine without the staff [who had to administer it] knowing that he [the businessman] wasn’t a member of staff,” GPHC’s Communications Manager, Chelauna Providence told this newspaper. Previously, this newspaper was told that various heads of department were tasked with collecting the names of staff members who were interested in getting the vaccines meant to immunise

against COVID-19. That list is then submitted to the Deputy Head of Medical Services, Dr. Keshant Samaroo, who has oversight for the vaccination rollout at the hospital. When the health workers go to the vaccination site, they go through a registration and education process. They are given a vaccination card, which is particularly important, since this is a two-dose vaccine and the second dose will be administered at about eight to twelve weeks after the first dose was administered.

Vaccination is not mandatory, but first preference is being given to those frontline health workers who are at a greater risk of contracting the virus. But, it seems as though the system devised at the GPHC is what enabled the senior staff member to include the businessman in the list to receive the first dose of the vaccine. “Something like this is not what we envisioned would happen… We didn’t really envision that a senior member of staff would go against protocol in such an arrangement,” Providence

emphasised. TIGHTENING PROTOCOLS The Communications Manager also highlighted that this situation has allowed the hospital to tighten the vaccination administration process. The Guyana Chronicle understands that this could involve making the registration process more formalised for future vaccine distributions. “We are dealing with the system very sternly and there will be consequences for his actions and the staff member

involved,” Providence said, adding: “We don’t want staff to feel disgruntled, we are treating with it sternly.” Beyond that, it is unclear whether the businessman will still receive the second dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine that must be given. Though he was not supposed to receive these vaccine doses, he has already been given the first dose and as such, the vaccine could potentially go to waste if he doesn’t get the second ‘jab’.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, February 22, 2021

17

18

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, February 22, 2021

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, February 22, 2021

19

20

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, February 22, 2021

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Monday, February 22, 2021) COMPLIMENTS OF XTRA ENERGY DRINK – STABROEK BAZAAR (Tel: 683-9500) CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-- 83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158)

Answers to yesterday’s quiz:

(1) 113 (98 catches/15 stumpings) in 55 Tests (2) Shahriar Hossain (vs India, Dhaka, 2000)

Today’s Quiz:

(1) Who is the first player to make a century in his country’s inaugural Test match? (2) What is the highest score by a batsman in the fourth innings of a Test?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

AMERICAN RACING TIPS Mahoning Valley Race 1 Dial Again Race 2 Grandgran Race 3 I’ll Make It Coach Race 4 Glennwood Race 5 At First Blush Race 6 Who Dat Mo Race 7 Onlyattheshoe SOUTH AFRICA RACING TIPS Kenilworth 08:10 hrs Duplicity 08:45 hrs Dark Travel 09:20 hrs Adios Amigos 09:55 hrs Celtic Night 10:30 hrs Real Gone Kid 11:05 hrs Baltimore Jack ENGLISH RACING TIPS Carlisle 08:30 hrs I’m So Busy 09:00 hrs Theme Tune 09:35 hrs Scottish Accent 10:10 hrs Eternally Yours 10:40 hrs Éclair Mag 11:10 hrs Grimm Star 11:40 hrs Black Label 12:10 hrs Fame And Hope SOUTHWELL 09:15 hrs Holdbacktheriver 09:45 hrs Falco Blitz 10:20 hrs Sir Sholokhov 10:50 hrs Fortunes Melody 11:20 hrs Linelee King 11:50 hrs Can You Call 12:20 hrs Penny Poet WOLVERHAMPTON 12:40 hrs Tributo 13:10 hrs Diligent Lady 13:40 hrs Under Wraps 14:10 hrs Revolutionary Man 14:40 hrs Rome Imperial 15:10 hrs Host 15:40 hrs Hector’s Here IRISH RACING TIPS Fairyhouse 09:55 hrs Halifax 10:30 hrs Mt Leinster Gold 11:00 hrs Lunar Display 11:30 hrs Just Another Lady 12:00 hrs Folcano 12:30 hrs Full Time Score 13:00 hrs Where It All Began

21

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, February 22, 2021

Sir Clive honoured as new CG Venue, time confirmed for Insurance Super50 trophy unveiled GCB elections

Singh, Bacchus interested in GCB top post By Rajiv Bisnauth GUYANA’s Cricket Ombudsman, Attorney-at-Law Kamal Ramkarran has confirmed that elections of a legitimate Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) will be held at the Umana Yana, High Street, Kingston from noon on Friday. Ramkarran confirmed, in a notice, that County boards – Berbice, Demerara and Essequibo-- have until February 25 at 16:00hrs to submit their list of delegates to the Cricket Ombudsman at his Lot 2 Avenue of the Republic office. The announcement for the GCB’s election was made by Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr. The Minister’s move stems from consultations with Cricket West Indies pursuant to the requirements of the Guyana Cricket Administration Act and on the heels of the Demerara Cricket Board elections, which was held last Friday. The Cricket Administration Act was restored to its original condition last September. It clearly states that the first elections of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) by law should be called by the Minister of Sport in consultation with the West Indies Cricket Board (now Cricket West Indies). A section of the Act also addressed the issue of phantom voting for the election of persons for administrative positions and, at the same time, will give limited power to the Minister of Sport. The role of the minister under the legislation will be only to appoint the Ombudsman, and then his role ceases. The Act, as a previous article in Chronicle Sport had pointed out, also provides for better financial accountability with the cricket board being required to present timely audited financial reports to the National Assembly, as well as the National Sports Commission (NSC). Meanwhile, newly-elected Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) President, Bissoondyal Singh, has expressed his desire in running for the top post, but said a definitive decision will be made following consultations with stakeholders. “That [GCB Elections] is going to be a transparent and democratic process; elections are a democratic process and we will see how it goes”, Singh said. Further, Fizul Bacchus, who holds the post as the current GCB President, told Chronicle Sport yesterday that he will confirm in the coming days his position as regards running for the GCB top post once more. The GCB has been embroiled in controversy for nearly a decade now. Elections have not been held since 2012 and only last month the persons holding themselves as executive members of the body were deemed illegal by the Guyana government.

CRICKET West Indies (CWI)/CG Insurance unveiled the sparkling new CG Insurance Super50 Cup, Sir Clive Lloyd trophy, which will be presented to the winning team following the final on February 27, and Windies Legend Sir Clive Lloyd has hailed the event as a honorable moment. CG Insurance have commissioned the new elegant and contemporary glass trophy, which incorporates CG’s company colours, as part of their long-term investment into West Indies cricket as official insurance partner, which is focused on their title partnerships of all CG Insurance ODI Home Series and both Men’s and Women’s CG Insurance Super50 Cups. In a statement, CG Insurance said: “We wanted this year’s trophy to embody the spirit of the islands and the spirit of the series. CG Insurance has offices in many of our Caribbean nations and we felt this trophy was an opportunity to showcase the water that unites us and the movement and excitement of the sport. We are thrilled with the outcome and congratulate

The new CG Insurance Super50 Cup Sir Clive Lloyd trophy the team who gets to take this the West Indies teams wintrophy home.” ning back-to-back 50-over The CG Insurance Su- ICC World Cups in 1975 per50 trophy honours Sir and 1979. Clive Lloyd’s captaincy of Sir Clive said he was

proud to have the trophy named in his honour and said he hoped it would inspire the next generation of West Indies cricketers. He also said it is a celebration of 50-over cricket in the West Indies, dating back more than 45 years ago and a tribute to his teams which won the inaugural Cricket World Cup in 1975 and again four years later. “It’s a very nice trophy and I’m very pleased. I have been watching the tournament and I am enjoying every moment of it. It is good to see we continue to produce cricketers in the region. It’s an excellent competition with the teams playing hard and fair and you can see the talent on display as we look to continue to improve and develop West Indies cricket,” he said. “As a proud West Indian, I’m happy to have this honour. I also see it as not just for me, but for all the members of the World Cup teams that played alongside me and won in 1975 and 1979. This trophy has my name on it but all the others who played with me think they are part of it too,” he ended.

Devon Ramnauth Region Two Youth Cricket League:

Hubbard bowls Queenstown U19 to easy opening victory ESSEQUIBO U17 medium pacer Romal Hubbard dominated Reliance Hustlers Youths to hand Queenstown U19 an easy win in their opener of the Devon Ramnauth Region Two Youth Cricket League on Saturday afternoon at the Imam Bacchus ground. Some three games were expected to bowl off the much anticipated T20 competition, but rain postponed the other two. Queenstown won the toss and elected to bowl, which worked in their favour as Reliance buckled early. Howard, who swung the ball well, did the damage from the bottom end. The 16-year-old opening bowler was on a hat trick early after picking up two consecutive wickets in his

balls, while Mohammed finished with 16 from 12 balls. According to organiser and former national youth player Ramnauth, the two rained-out first round games will be replayed at the next best available date. He told Chronicle Sport that as an additional incentive, he decided to include finances for outstanding performance. Players who score 50 Medium pacer Romal Hubbard picked up six wickets plus runs or take five wickin the opening clash. ets will receive $5000 each, first over. double figured. His 12 while those who score 100 In total, it took only 3.1 runs came from 14 balls. plus will collect $10,000. overs for him to pick up 6-14. The side eventually sucHat-trick performances Support came from fel- cumbed for 44 in 12.1 overs. will also result in $5000 cash low medium pacer Jason In their turn in the mid- prizes. Holder, who finished with dle, Queenstown openers The competition, which 3-13 from four overs. Ameer Singh and Azim Mo- is expected to run for one Of the Reliance batsmen, hammed led their side to a month, is scheduled to cononly the experienced Ush- 10-wicket win in 5.4 overs. tinue next Saturday with ardeva Balgobin reached Singh struck 18 from 22 second round matches.

22

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, February 22, 2021

Guyana/Trinidad World Cup qualifier to be played in Dominican Republic By Rawle Toney THE Golden Jaguars’ March 25 Qatar World Cup Qualifying clash with Trinidad and Tobago, which was scheduled to be played in the Twin Island Republic, will now be played in the Dominican Republic. This decision comes after the Dr Keith Rowley-led Government’s Ministry of Health (MOH) chief medical officer (CMO), Dr Roshan Parasram, ruled that a pro-

posal by the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) fell short of local COVID-19 regulations. The Ministry of Health’s protocol and guidelines mandate 14 days quarantine for anyone entering the country and according to the TTFA, “this condition is not feasible given the FIFA international match window and the MOH has declined the TTFA’s request of an exemption to facilitate a hot-bubble which would

Republic 10\10 Softball Cricket Cup For Canje Ground on Republic Day ALL is set for the first WeCare\Grill Masters Republic 10\10 Softball Cricket Cup on Tomorrow at the Rose Hall Welfare Ground, Canje, Berbice. The one day competition will be played on a one game knock-out basis with cash prizes and trophies up for grabs. According to the organisers prizes will be awarded to the winners, runners up, man of series, best bowler and batsman, man of the final and most sixes scored by a player in the final.

Ms. Mohani Persaud and Ms. Means Gansaw of Homeline Furnishing displaying one of the prizes that will be up for grabs. The WeCare\Grill Masters Republic 10\10 Softball Cricket Cup is being supported by Trophy stall, Homeline Furnishing, Star Party Rentals, Lako’s Car and Bus Rental Services, Steve’s Auto Parts, SD&L Certified Accounting and Business Advisors, B. Ramoutar Furniture Est, Auto Motive Paints and Motor Spares, Home of Rewinding, Somai Products, Bob & Sons (Mazar) Supermarket and Real Estate, Narine Auto Mechanic Shop and Price Is Right Supermarket. The competition is set to bowl off at 9am and will be played under strict COVID Protocols.

allow members of both teams, including staff, to arrive within a suitable time period conducive to international football.” The TTFA said they have been working closely with CONCACAF, FIFA and the country’s government, to find a solution, but the MOH refused to flaunt their COVID-19 protocols to accommodate the Soca Warriors’ start of their journey to the Middle East. “However, we do understand the responsibilities of the MOH and appreciate the efforts that they are making to preserve the safety of the citizens of our country. While the decision is a bitter pill to swallow,

we believe that sport and the positive mental health aspects of sports must not be undervalued and applaud the Government of Trinidad and Tobago for allowing outdoor recreational sports to resume,” the TTFA said. Barbados will be playing their home game in the Dominican Republic after Barbados Football Association (BFA) similarly, could not have gotten approval from their government to play home matches in the ‘Land of the Flying Fish’. Suriname will also play their home games on the Spanish-speaking Island at the Pan American Stadium in San Cristobal.

Antigua and Barbuda and Montserrat are set to face-off in the US Virgin Islands, while St Vincent and the Grenadines will use Curaçao for their home games. Meanwhile, with Guyana set to host Barbados (March 30) and Puerto Rico (June 8), it will be interesting to see if the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) will get the necessary approval from the National COVID-19 task force. While they would’ve gotten the green-light to host their Year-End Bounce Back tournament in collaboration with the Kashif and Shanghai Organization, the GFF did not get any favours from

the National Task Force for the resumption of the Elite League. Under strict COVID-19 Guidelines, the GFF was able to receive the Task Force’s blessings for the return to training for the Golden Jaguars players. The Golden Jaguars were drawn in Group F of the Qualifier alongside Trinidad and Tobago, The Bahamas, Puerto Rico and St Kitts & Nevis. Guyana last faced Trinidad and Tobago during the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup, where, despite a beautiful goal scored by Neil Danns, the two sides ended the match with a 1-1 draw.

Mccarthy’s 6-fer, Smith’s 68* helps Jamaica pull off daring heist against Pride By Clifton Ross A mind-boggling 6-wicket spell from Andre Mccarthy stunned the Barbados Pride, as Jamaica Scorpions pulled off arguably the most nail-biting heist of the season thus far, notching up a come-from-behind 51 run win last night. One team lost their entire top order cheaply before the tail enders did the repairs and the other side, had a great start but lost most of their middle/lower-order batters for under 20 runs. It was a complete turn of events after Barbados during their chase led by Shai Hope (51), Justin Greaves (36) and Johnathan Carter (26) managed to take the Pride to 150-plus score at one point, with just 4 wickets back in the pavilions, Odean Smith smashed an unbeaten chasing 218. half-century batting at #9 After being well-ahead of their After Hope, Greaves and Carter target, the Pride lost their momentum after Mccarthy, a batsman firstly, seemed to be gliding towards the bamboozled almost the entire batting finish line, things went left, fast after order with his off-break, ending with Mccarthy made inroads seemingly stingy figures of 6-16 and keeping almost every few deliveries when he Barbados to 167-10 with overs in had the ball in hand. After the top failed, it was a dismal hand. The first two partnerships for the exhibition from the middle and the tail, Pride yielded 52 for the opening and 66 who succumbed to Mccarthy and Fabian for the second wicket, but they failed to Allen (2-41) who returned to bag two rally on losing almost half their entire uself wickets and more importantly giving the Scorpions some confidence batting order for under 20 odd runs.

and a W, as crunch time looms. Earlier, it was the 24 year-old Odean Smith who played the hero role, digging his team out of a deep hole with his resurgent 68 batting with Jaime Merchant who scored 37 off 34. Their pair shared a 10th wicket stand of 80 to help take the Scorpions to a decent total after stuttering. All-rounder Allen (23) was the next best scorer for Jamaica as Tridents leftarm spinner Joshua Bishop snatched up 5-35 while off-break spinner Ashley Nurse snapped up 2 wickets in a brilliant bowling effort. It was a nightmare first innings for the Scorpions, who lost 8 of their wickets for 87 runs before Smith and Merchant’s partnership helped pull things back tremendously. Merchant was more docile in his approach as he found the ropes 4 times and hit one six in the process. Smith however, was more belligerent in his approach despite Jamaica being under the pump. The right hander muscled 4 big sixes and struck 4 fours as he raced to his second List A half-century. The pair continued to bat their team out of trouble and when Merchant fell, the partnership soon ended as the Scorpions innings in the 4th over.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, February 22, 2021

23

Jaguars, Volcanoes square off in battle of 2nd/3rd place See story teams on page 23 Venue, time confirmed for GCB elections Singh, Bacchus interested in GCB top post See story on page 21

DCB President, Bissoondyal Singh

Mccarthy’s 6-fer, Smith’s 68* helps Jamaica pull off daring heist against Pride See story on page 22

The Guyana Jaguars celebrate

Guyana/Trinidad World Cup qualifier to be played See story in Dominican Republic on page 22

ECB President, Fizul Bacchus

Andre Mccarthy’s career 6 wickets helped Jamaica overcome certain defeat

FLASH BACK! Levi Garcia of Trinidad and Tobago controls the ball as Samuel Cox of Guyana attempts to slide tackle during the first half of the CONCACAF Gold Cup match at Children’s Mercy Park on June 26, 2019 in Kansas City, Kansas. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

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

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2021