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WEDNESDAY 26th May, 2021

See Inside No.106372

No COVID-19 cases recorded 16 among immunised persons PAGE

Economically-strong, PAGE

President, Dr. Irfaan Ali

powerful nation being built

–– President Ali says, urges Guyanese to ‘dream big’ as opportunities increase

PATRIOTISM AT ITS BEST! The Golden Arrowhead being hoisted and fireworks litter the sky, as Guyana marks its 55th year as an Independent nation, which, according to President Dr. Irfaan Ali, is on the cusp of economic transformation

Gov’t committed to BK’s contract for Good ‘Quiz Me Platform’ developing the city Hope Secondary launched for exam –– but will not be used as a 12 simulations 02 terminated 05 scapegoat, President says PAGE

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 26, 2021

Gov’t committed to developing City –– but will not be used as scapegoat, says President

By Richard Bhainie PRESIDENT, Dr. Irfaan Ali, on Tuesday, while reiterating his government’s commit-

ment to the development of the City, has also made it clear that Central Government will not allow itself to be used as a ‘scapegoat’ by

Major and City Council of Georgetown for mismanagement of the City. “Let me be very clear, this government cares tremendous-

ly about our City, but we will not allow ourselves to be used as a scapegoat in the City not fulfilling its responsibility and mandate or in the City converting everything into political opportunism or a political football,” the President said. President Ali made the remarks while responding to an allegation made by the Mayor of Georgetown, Ubraj Narine, in which he claimed that the President and government is starving the M&CC of resources. The President made reference to a number of discrepancies which highlighted the M&CC’s mismanagement of the City and breach of laws while listing a number of initiatives Central Government has undertaken for the benefit of the citizens of Georgetown. He quoted Section 177 of Chapter 28:01 of the Laws of Guyana, which states that the Council is required to prepare accounts yearly and submit same for audit, no later than four months after the end of the year. However, the Mayor and City Councillors of Georgetown have breached this provision and continue to do so. The President explained that in 2004, in the last audited financial statement, a disclaimer of opinion was issued by the Auditor General – a disclaimer is where the information submitted cannot stand up to scrutiny, and again in 2005, a disclaimer opinion was issued. From 2006 to 2011, no financial statements were submitted; during the period of 2012 to 2015 financial statements were submitted but the information required could not have allowed auditors to express an opinion; and no financial statements were submitted for the period 2016 to 2020. In 2021, a special audit

into M&CC revealed similar discrepancies. The President highlighted that following an investigation of the M&CC in 2019 – several discrepancies were revealed and reported to the Audit Office. Including but not limited to failure to remit workers National Insurance Scheme (NIS) contributions, failure to remit workers credit union contributions and failure to remit workers Guyana Revenue Authority Pay as You Earn (PAYE) deductions. In addition, failure to effect payment of retirement benefits (gratuity) to a number of workers, issues surrounding the number of contracts in keeping with financial regulations, transparency, and accountability, waiver of rates and taxes, rental of wharf facilities and the granting of leases, were also reported. “All of these were issues highlighted, where transparency, accountability and clear violations and breaches we found, yet, Central Government continues to transfer resources to the City,” the President said. MUST END “But how long must we, as a people, and as a government allow this blatant disregard for transparency and accountability, this blatant disregard for the rules and laws governing the financial accountability of the Mayor and City Council? There must come a time when things will come to a head these things have to be fixed. We cannot continue this level of mismanagement,” he added. On the other hand, the Head of State highlighted that while the City is not fulfilling its responsibility in the maintenance of the environment and of infrastructure in the City, the Central Government has embarked on a massive programme to clean the City and its thoroughfares, maintain drainage and invest to prevent flooding. Central Government has also been engaging with com-

President, Dr. Irfaan Ali munities, such as Sophia and Albouystown, to have small groups of community workers who will be able to take on minor works contracts to help with the cleaning of the City. A major project to tackle flooding in South Georgetown is also underway. “But this is the responsibility of the City Council, and the City Council continues to fail the people of the City and every time they fail the people of the City, they try to pass the buck on or pass the burden on,” the President said while acknowledging that the initiatives undertaken by Central Government to help to clean the City are “necessary investments” because the “City reflects who we are as a country”. He maintained that Central Government is desirous of “nothing short of an excellent relationship” with the M&CC; however, that relationship must not be tainted with the M&CC blaming the Central Government for the M&CC mismanagement of the City and one where Central Government must disregard the M&CC discrepancies and breach of laws, over the years. “So, I just want to make it very, very clear, that we want a partnership for the development of the City, but we cannot allow the City Council to continue to blatantly disregard what is out there in terms of its reporting responsibility and in terms of its fiduciary responsibility,” the President said. “Notwithstanding all of this, we are moving forward with a plan and programme to improve the welfare, well-being, living conditions, and standard of the people of the City and those who use the City and we are sparing no resources in achieving this,” he added.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 26, 2021

Economically-strong, powerful nation being built –– President Ali says, urges Guyanese to ‘dream big’ as opportunities increase

GUYANA, with its growing petroleum industry and other lucrative productive sectors, is on the cusp of economic transformation, with opportunities for growth and development of all Guyanese, President Dr. Irfaan Ali said as he addressed the nation on the eve of Guyana’s 55th Independence Anniversary. “We fought for independence to give our people the quality of life of which they had been deprived. If independence is to have any real meaning, it is to uplift our people from the ravages of limitations of the past, and to give them a better life with better opportunities under better circumstances,” the Head of State said in a passionate address on Tuesday evening. Every person in the local society, according to the President, now has real economic opportunities to grow and develop, and to contribute to the enlargement of national wealth. “We cannot be a nation that produces oil and gas, earning considerable sums from it without passing on the benefits to all sectors of our society,” President Ali reasoned, noting that the cost of electricity, for instance, must be reduced for both business and household consumption. The government is carefully considering mechanisms by which the cost of energy can be reduced across society, by utilising an appropriate percentage of the national earnings from oil and gas to do so. These mechanisms will be presented to the nation, through the appropriate bodies, for endorsement. At the

bottom line, domestic consumers must be given relief, and businesses should be rendered more competitive. “Our financial resources must be utilised to improve the quality of life for all our communities,” President Ali posited. In his view, Guyana must become a knowledge-based society, capable of competing with the best in the world, and, evidently, other sectors have been affected in the past by the high price of energy. “Our private sector partners have rightly pointed to the adverse effects of this high price to the cost of doing business, and to their capacity to market their goods abroad competitively, earning revenues in foreign exchange for the benefit of the country. Your government will respond to this situation,” the Head of State affirmed. To improve the conditions for advancement, the government has initiated plans to enhance the infrastructure throughout the country. The objective of those plans is to build connectivity to all parts of Guyana, by roads, bridges, telecommunications, air and river transportation. “Every part of our vast country should be accessible to all Guyanese, so that we can all enjoy the marvels of its attractions in waterfalls, lakes, forests, and its flora and fauna,” President Ali reasoned. In further outlining the government’s vision, he said: “We also need to build new communities further inland from our coastal belt to spread our population, reduce prices for land and housing, and ease traffic congestion. “In other words, we

In pursuit of independence, the foreparents of those who coexist today, acted together to end colonialism; to fashion an independent and original future, and to shape a new destiny. “No one race of our people achieved that victory; people of all races did it, collectively, as Guyanese born in this land and of this land, each the equal of the other, and each devoted to the common purpose of the making of Guyana a homeland in which all Guyanese could thrive and prosper. Now, it falls to us to keep faith with them, and all the great Guyanese of the past,” President Ali posited. President Dr. Irfaan Ali makes a passionate address on the eve of Guyana’s 55th Independence Anniversary (Delano Williams photo) must use the land space with which we have been blessed as Guyanese to create new and improved living conditions; new areas of growth and development, and new population centres.” NEW CITY That is why, part of the plan also includes the establishment of a new city. The government, the Head of State said, will incentivise the private sector and persons wishing to own their own homes to relocate to the new city, where the government will also provide major facilities. “This is an exciting time, with exciting prospects. I urge each of you to dream big; your government will support those dreams, and help make them reality. That

is a cause to which I am personally and deeply committed,” President Ali related. The government’s intention, as outlined by the President, is to strike a balance between an economically-strong Guyana and a powerful Guyanese nation. “We want not only an economically-strong Guyana, we also want a powerful Guyanese nation in which there is no distinction of race, no determination, by colour and no differentiation by creed,” the President reasoned. To this end, he said: “Let there be no doubt about it; just as we were divided and ruled in our colonial past, there are those who would divide us for their own purpose in the future. That must not happen; we must never allow that to happen.”

SPIRIT OF COMMON PURPOSE To do this, he believes that Guyana has to recall the spirit of common purpose that motivated the foreparents. And in recalling the spirit, with pride and respect, the President said: “We must commit to continue the journey they began, realising our hopes and aspirations for the future of our much-loved Guyana.” As one people, he said Guyana attained independence, and must now continue to work collectively to preserve the nation’s territorial integrity by advancing the validity of the 122-year-old award that fixed Guyana’s boundaries with Venezuela. “The Venezuelans must understand that we sought no quarrel with them, and we do not do so now. Our only wish is to live in harmony and cooperation with all our neighbours. We hold out not a fist of war, but a hand of

friendship, based on respect for our borders and theirs. But we will not be cowered, nor will we be bullied,” President Ali affirmed. Similar to the collective effort in protecting the nation’s territorial integrity, the nation must also work together in combatting the invisible enemy that is COVID-19. The President said that while the government has instituted measures to protect every person in Guyana, Guyanese need to do their part by adhering to the COVID-19 guidelines, and taking their vaccines. “We have already purchased thousands of vaccines, and we are sparing no expense in ensuring that we have enough vaccines to cover our full population, 18 years and above. Our objective is to ensure that we can inoculate everyone from this dreadful virus,” President Ali related. The length of this battle, he said, depends on how soon each Guyanese is able to get fully vaccinated. “What we are putting in place in medical care, we are also doing in education. Guyana and Guyanese must be assured of educational facilities that will allow everyone to attain the highest standard of achievement,” President Ali said. In further extending his message to Guyanese, the President said: “On this 55th anniversary of our independence, as economic prosperity surely lies before us, let us ensure that national cohesion strengthens us even more. “I urge that we pledge ourselves to each other, and to the cause of our collective economic and social development.”

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 26, 2021

GGMC prosecutor charged for taking bribe

GUYANA Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) prosecutor, Sherwin Crandon, who was accused of taking a $300,000 bribe to dismiss a case against a miner, was, on Tuesday, released on $150,000 bail by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan when he made an appearance at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

Crandon denied that he, on May 19, 2021, at a bar in Kitty, Georgetown, being a prosecutor employed with the GGMC, corruptly obtained $300,000 from Viveka Singh as an inducement for forbearing to prosecute and to cause the matter to be dismissed against her for illegal mining, an act in relation to his principal affairs. According to the prosecution, Singh, in 2019,

was charged for illegal mining by the GGMC. It is alleged that on the date mentioned in the charge, Singh received a call from Crandon pertaining to the dismissal of her case. She alleged that Crandon requested that she pay him a sum of $300,000 cash in exchange for having her case dismissed. The conversation led to an arranged meeting on the said day, at a bar around

16:00 hours. Singh informed the police about the discrete transaction which resulted in the organisation of a sting operation. Çrandon was arrested and a search was conducted on his person where the $300,000 cash was allegedly found. He was told of the allegation and placed into custody. The matter was adjourned until June 8, 2021.

Man accused of gunpoint robbery remanded JAMAL Hazel of Guyhoc Park Squatting Area, who is accused of robbing a woman of

$350,000 at gunpoint, appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, on Tuesday, and

Wednesday May 26, 2021 – 03:30hrs - 05:00hrs-

was remanded to prison by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan. Hazel denied that, on May 20, 2021, at First Street, Alexander Village, Georgetown, while armed with a dangerous weapon, specifically, a gun, and in the company of another, robbed Nirmala Ahmed of $350,000 cash. According to the prosecution, on the day in question, at about 16:30 hours, Nirmala Ahmed was at her work place, Abdool and Son wholesale store, located at Lot 5 First Street, Alexander Village, Georgetown, when Hazel and his accomplice entered the building. They held Ahmed and other staff at gunpoint. Ahmed was then relieved of the cash and the two men, after discharging several rounds in the air, made good their escape. The matter was reported and the accused was later arrested. Hazel was placed on an identification parade and was reportedly identified by three witnesses. As such, the charge was laid against him. In 2018, the accused was charged for a similar offence. Hazel will return to court on June 2, 2021.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 26, 2021

‘Quiz Me Platform’ launched for exam simulations

AN electronic platform created and launched by the Ministry of Education will now afford learners the opportunity to have somewhat of a precursor to examinations, as the system allows them to access a plethora of multiple-choice “exam quality” questions. The “Quiz Me Platform,” was launched officially on Tuesday in the Smart Room of the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD). The platform can be accessed on the ministry’s website at: www. education.gov.gy/quizme. Currently, the platform caters to Grade Six pupils and contains questions for the four core subject areas: Mathematics, Science, Social Studies and English. Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, while addressing persons at the launch of the platform, said the idea of creating such a system stemmed from one of the issues encountered during the distribution of answer sheets. The Quiz Me Platform is a direct response to that issue. In explaining how the system works, Minister Manickchand said a pupil completes a quiz on the website, their answers are marked within seconds of submission, then pupils are shown which questions they answered correctly and in cases where they provided the in-

correct answer, the platform indicates which option is the correct answer. The minister further explained that the idea behind the platform is not new but was conceptualised in 2014 when the ministry had launched its website. However, following the change of government the following year, nothing was done to have the platform established. She said that outside of providing as many resources as possible at the click of a button, the website was intended to provide a testing platform whereby learners can practice exam-type questions. She said that the failure of the ministry to not establish the platform is due

to the lack of political will that existed over the past five years. She said: “Nothing happened from 2015 to now. We haven’t changed staff. The same professionals and experts that are bringing you this here were in the ministry for those five years. The same professionals writing the questions existed. They were available to this ministry. What the ministry did not have was the political will to do any of these. That is the danger of having people at the helm who have no vision and no interest in service.” Minister Manickchand said that the platform, as it is now, has just under 50 quizzes, mostly for Grade Six pupils because that is a pri-

A view of the platform that can be accessed on the ministry’s website

ority class at this time due to their National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) scheduled to be written in August 2021. However, the Education Minister noted that the platform will be adjusted soon to include quizzes for pupils from Grades One to 12. She also said that as the platform is being developed, the intention is to allow pupils to even be tested on specific topics so that parents can know the strength of their child in specific areas. Minister Manickchand reminded persons that accessing the ministry’s website and its contents are ‘zero rated’ by the major internet providers in Guyana, GTT and Digicel. This means that Guyanese, regardless of location, can access the ministry’s website and (a) not use up data from their internet plan or (b) do not need an active data plan to access the website. However, if persons are using a cellular phone, they must have the requisite access point settings on their device. This was made possible through a partnership between the ministry and the aforementioned companies to ensure all of Guyana can access the necessary educational resources especially during this time when online learning is essential. Giving an overview of the platform on Tuesday, Head of Information Systems at the

Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand Ministry of Education, Phil Mingo, said that just over a few months ago Minister Manickchand challenged the team to utilise technology to better aid education delivery and pupils’ preparedness for examinations, especially considering the restrictions parents and pupils face because of the pandemic. He said that considering the various types of devices used by pupils, teachers and parents, the platform was designed to be very responsive. “This meant that it does not matter whether the end-user has a mobile phone, tablet, laptop or desktop – old or new, with the access to the Internet,

the QuizMe platform can still be used and responds appropriately to the type of devices used. This is also important for users who may have some level of visual impairment,” Mingo noted. Mingo added that though the platform offers multiple-choice questions now, other formats of questioning will be added soon. He said that the platform will help all learners from private and public schools respond to exam-type questions while they are in the comfort of their homes, anywhere in Guyana. (Ministry of Education)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 26, 2021

Tajeram Mohabir

Early setbacks but bright future ahead

TODAY, we observe and celebrate 55 years as an Independent nation. We can be proud that we have matured and come a long way, although we still have some political and social challenges that confront us. But as we observe and celebrate this historic occasion, we should reflect on one of the major lessons we should have learnt as an independent nation, and that is: Independence does not automatically bring peace, progress and prosperity. In fact, it brings new challenges and responsibilities, and success as a nation would come, depending upon how well we navigate the course of these challenges and responsibilities. In our case, while we have achieved much, we could have achieved much more, hadn’t it been for two most unfortunate periods in our political history: One prior to Independence, and one beginning just a few years after Independence. Our Independence struggle was a long and hard one, initiated by the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) led by the indomitable Dr. Cheddi Jagan. On his return from dental studies in the

USA in 1946, and inspired and motivated by India’s epic Independence struggle, Dr. Jagan immediately began getting involved in the national political, economic and social issues and challenges. This eventually led to the formation of the PPP in January 1950, which set out its main goals as achieving Universal Adult Suffrage, Independence and economic and social progress. The PPP was also joined by the charismatic L.F.S Burnham on his return from law studies in England, and together, and along with many other political leaders, they were able to galvanise a strong nationalist anti-colonial movement, and wage the struggle for Guyana’s Independence. A major victory was achieved in 1953 with the winning of Universal Adult Suffrage, and the subsequent massive win for the PPP at the first election held under this system. However, this victory was accompanied by a major setback, which perhaps was the major determinant of the political future of our country. After only 133 days in office, the British Government suspended the Constitution, and sent in troops to remove the

Government under the pretext of the Cold War Communism bogeyman. Unfortunately, during this same period, opportunism and lust for power raised its ugly head among some political leaders, and this led to a split in the PPP and the nationalist movement, and, worse yet, this split was along ethnic lines. Eventually, the PPP was split into two factions, one led by Dr. Jagan, and the other by Burnham. After desperate attempts by Dr. Jagan to reunite, the two factions failed, and the Burnham-led faction eventually became the People’s National Congress (PNC). Subsequent elections in 1957 and 1961 resulted in massive victories for the PPP, and this led to machinations by foreign powers, in collaboration with the local lackeys and power-hungry associates, to destabilise and remove the PPP Government. This saw a campaign of violence and terror against the PPP and its supporters being unleashed from 1962 to 1964. This period also saw the formation of another political party, the United Force (UF), which was hostile to the PPP.

At the 1964 election, the PPP won with 46.4 per cent of the votes, failing to gain an overall majority, but yet the PNC and UF were asked by the British to form the Government. On May 26, 1966, Independence was granted to Guyana, and the first Prime Minister became L.F.S Burnham. In the post-independence period, the first election was held in 1968, and this began the era of rigged elections, which lasted until 1992, which saw the return of free and fair elections and restoration of democracy after an epic struggle led by the PPP, and later joined by other political forces. These two unfortunate periods in our political history denied this country a chance to fully unleash our human and natural resources potential for socio-economic development and prosperity. But we are still young as a nation, and with a democratically-elected Government in place, and a series of discovery of oil here, the future ahead is bright. With visionary leadership, political cooperation, and patriotic fervour, we could still achieve that burning desire of building a country of peace, progress and prosperity.

Guyana is for all peoples - Happy 55th Guyana!

Dear Editor,

ON May 26, 1966, our national flag, the Golden Arrowhead, was hoisted for the first time, trumpeting the birth of our beautiful nation as a free country. On the occasion of our 55th Independence Anniversary, let us continue to hoist our flags and banners in the same spirit of patriotism, pride, solidarity, and love for our great nation, that we did 55 years ago on this historic day. Furthermore, on this momentous occasion, let us take a moment to recognise the immense sacrifices and struggles made by our former leaders, Dr. Cheddi Jagan, Mrs. Janet Jagan, and Mr. Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham. Their combined efforts should serve as an inspiration to all of us to continue to build bridges and

foster harmony in order to propel Guyana to greater heights. We must work together as “One People, One Nation, One Destiny” by setting aside our cultural, religious, political, and other differences in order to cultivate love, joy, and harmony. Further, let us strive to create an environment where our citizens feel at ease and secure in this great land of our birth: the land where the bones of our forefathers are laid, beginning with the Indigenous, Africans, Chinese, Indians, and Europeans. All of whom toiled for the success of our country. In Guyana, we are fortunate to have a melting pot of all cultures laid in the bowels of our soil, with their souls hovering around our nation, looking to us to continue their legacy so that their blood, sweat, and sufferings will not go in vain.

We are blessed to be a free people that own this great land with many resources. We have mighty rivers and waterfalls; canals that contain fish; soil that provides oil, diamonds, manganese, bauxite, and much more that has yet to be discovered. May we love, share, and live as one people in this land of the great, this land of God that we call Guyana: the land of plenty. Dear citizens, let us keep an eye out for those who are desirous of usurping our lands and use their power to enter the back door to create hate. We must be aware of this and know how to put them in their place. Additionally, I, the undersigned, take great pride in responding to the government’s call, spearheaded by the Honourable Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill, and the Ministry of Public Works,

to urge our citizens to be keen on keeping our communities clean, particularly as Guyana celebrates this momentous occasion. Further, we, the Guyana Islamic Forum for Education, Peace and Religious Solidarity, the Electric Mosque’s Presentation of the Teachings of Islam, in association with the Universal Peace Federation – Guyana seize this opportunity to extend Independence Day greetings to the nation of Guyana, His Excellency, Dr President Irfaan Ali and family, distinguished members of the government, the opposition, and especially to our fellow Guyanese brothers and sisters. Happy Independence Day! Sincerely, Hajji Dr. Roshan Khan Snr.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 26, 2021

Scenes from celebration of Guyana's 55th Independence Anniversary

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 26, 2021

First Lady’s Menstrual Hygiene Initiative gains momentum

MORE and more persons seem to be understanding the importance of the First Lady, Arya Ali’s Menstrual Hygiene Initiative, so much so, that she has started receiving donations by the container. According to a social media post issued by the Office of the First Lady of Guyana, a company called GH&PS has donated in excess of 3,000 boxes of Sleepy sanitary pads, while other companies such as Metro Office Supplies and Brothers Security Firm have added hundreds more. As a result of the donations, the First Lady said that Guyana is moving closer to eradicating period poverty. Amid the growing support to ensure all of Guyana’s girls have access to hygienic sanitary supplies while experiencing their menstrual cycle, Ali said that the work must be sustained. “That is why your contribution, however small, is needed. For my part, I will continue to mobilise resources, both from the government and private sector, to ensure that at a bare minimum, our girls are not forced to leave school because of period poverty,” she related.

Ali had announced the launch of her Menstrual Hygiene Initiative in January, during an exclusive interview with the Guyana Chronicle. In addition to mobilising donations in support of the cause, the First Lady also

hosted a fundraising event titled, ‘Chari-tea’, back in March. That elegant tea party, held at State House in Georgetown, was well received and sought to raise $6 million, which was used to

Contributions to the First Lady’s Menstrual Hygiene Initiative have increased tremendously, as seen here where members of corporate society donated a container load of sanitary pads to First Lady, Arya Ali (first from right)

purchase sanitary pads and other products for schoolaged girls in the hinterland. Due to the magnitude of the mission to eliminate period poverty, the efforts are being rolled out in phases, beginning with the provision of sanitary pads to the most vulnerable. “The gravity of this problem was highlighted in a casual conversation I had with a stranger who pointed out that girls were forced to skip school routinely, and in some instances drop out permanently, because they could not afford sanitary products,” Ali told donors at the tea party. She emphasised that this is unacceptable, and: “no girl should be placed in a situation in which she is forced to [be] absent from or quit school because of her inability to afford sanitary products.” She noted that period poverty deprives girls of the very education which they need to grasp economic and other opportunities, while highlighting that it can result in harmful psychological effects such as impaired cognitive skills and social isolation. To bring an end to this

undesirable plight, the First Lady believes that there must first be an end to the denial of period poverty, after which conversations around women’s health must be normalised, even in spaces occupied only by men. “We must also disabuse ourselves of the idea that menstruation is exclusively a female concern. It is not. It is a concern for all because when girls are deprived of education and economic opportunities as a result of period poverty, it is the entire society which is affected, not just women,” Ali had said. In an effort to get a greater sense of how period poverty affects the development of women and girls, the Ministry of Education, under the leadership of Priya Manickchand, had recently moved to execute a survey seeking to assess the impact of periods, specifically in relation to the education and academic advancement of girls. “We have never studied how many girls are absent [due to their periods]; how many times a year or how many times a month; or how many of them cannot afford pads,” Minister Manickchand told the Guyana Chronicle. In observance of Men-

strual Hygiene Day 2018 on May 28, the World Bank had published an article which pointed to the fact that globally, at least 500 million women and girls lack adequate facilities for menstrual hygiene management (MHM). “Inadequate WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) facilities, particularly in public places, such as in schools, workplaces or health centres, can pose a major obstacle to women and girls,” the article posited. It informed too that a growing body of evidence shows that girls’ inability to manage their menstrual hygiene in schools, results in school absenteeism, which in turn, has severe economic costs on their lives and on their country. “The challenge menstruating girls and women face is often less tangible than simply the availability of infrastructure, and is rooted in social norms and beliefs. In many cultures, menstruating women are considered impure and are systematically excluded from participating in everyday activities, such as education, See page 9

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 26, 2021

First Lady’s Menstrual ...

employment, and cultural and religious practices,” the World Bank said. The report also highlighted that the taboos and stigmas attached to menstruation often lead to an overall culture of silence around the topic, resulting in limited and in some cases, misinformation on menstruation and menstrual hygiene. In conclusion, the World Bank referenced the importance of ‘contextual’ research relating to menstrual hygiene, and its commitment to supporting such initiatives. Nonetheless, as the First Lady’s Menstrual Hygiene Initiative gains momentum, Guyana could possibly become the second country in the world to eliminate “period poverty”. Last year, Scotland became the first to provide free sanitary products to women and girls in the country.

First Lady, Arya Ali (second from right) receives a donation from Metro

First Lady, Mrs. Arya Ali (first from right) receiving a donation of sanitary pads from members of corporate Guyana For centuries, “period poverty” has forced women in all parts of the world to use a series of unhygien-

ic substitutes for tampons and pads, stemming from rags and old cloths, to even socks.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 26, 2021

Seven die of COVID-19 in three days –– 85 new cases recorded in 24 hours

THE Ministry of Health, on Tuesday, announced that seven more persons have lost their lives due to the deadly COVID-19. The deaths, which were recorded over the period May 22 to May 24, have taken the total count of COVID-19 related fatalities to 368 since the novel coronavirus was first detected in Guyana, March last year. According to the Ministry of Health, the persons, prior to their demise, were admitted to a local

health facility. Test samples were taken at the time of admission, and those were subsequently returned as positive. They all died while receiving care at one of the ministry’s medical facilities. Among those dead are a 17-year-old male from Region Four (Demerara – Mahaica) and two females, age 58 and age 63, from the same region. Additionally, other persons who lost their lives were one female, age 53, and one male, age 78, from Region Five (Mahaica

– Berbice) along with one male, age 76 from Region Seven (Cuyuni- Mazaruni) and one male, age 75, from Region Three (Essequibo Islands – West Demerara). Additionally, some 85 new cases of the virus were recorded over a 24-hour period, taking the number of confirmed cases recorded in Guyana to 126,320. The seven deaths which have been added to the total count of COVID-19 fatalities have now taken the number of deaths recorded for the month of May, 2021

to 69, making it the deadliest month of the pandemic in Guyana, as the number of deaths and new infections continue to climb. There are currently 19 persons in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 97 persons in institutional isolation, 1,783 in home isolation and six are in institutional quarantine. There have been some 14,053 cases of recovery and some 147,283 tests conducted to date. All Guyanese are urged to observe the protocols of the COVID-19 emergency measures, which emphasise the need for correct and consistent use of a face mask when leaving home, the importance of maintaining the six-foot physical distance from others, and the need for good hand hygiene to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. If anyone you know is displaying any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19, or needs any additional information, kindly contact the COVID-19 hotline on 231-1166, 2267480 or 624-6674 immediately or visit the Ministry of Health at www. health.gov.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 26, 2021

Farmer gets 20 years for raping teen

VICKRAM Persaud, a 41-year-old farmer, was, on Tuesday, sentenced to 20 years imprisonment for raping a 16-year-old girl back in 2009. The custodial sentencing was handed down by Justice Brassington Reynolds at the Demerara High Court. On May 3, a jury had convicted Persaud for the indictment which read that on June 7, 2009, in the county of Demerara, he engaged in sexual penetration with the teen without her consent. The convicted rapist, was represented by Attorney-at-Law Nirvan Singh,

while state counsels Sarah Martin and Nafeezah Baig appeared on behalf of the prosecution. Persaud in his statement to the probation officer which was presented to the court on Tuesday, stressed that the victim fabricated the story and was forced by her mother to do so. The victim’s impact statement was read in court by a social worker. The victim explained that Persaud betrayed the position of trust she had for him since she used to look up to him as a parental figure in her life. In her statement, the

victim expressed that the day her innocence was taken away was the worst day of her life. She said that she became depressed and had a hard time trusting people. Justice Reynolds noted the manner in which the offence was committed and the fact that the rapist maintained his innocence up until he was about to be sentenced, even after being found guilty. The judge in sentencing Persaud to 20 years, told him that he preyed on a young girl and shattered her innocence and bodily integrity. The rape convict

was also ordered to attend counselling for sexual offenders. According to the facts of the case, Persaud is known to the victim and her family and on the day in question, he and the young girl were in his boat on the Demerara River. It is alleged he stopped short en route to their destination along the creek, dragged the victim from the boat, took her deep into the bushes and raped

her. After committing the crime, Persaud took the child to his mother’s home where contact was made with her parents. The victim went home and complained to her mother, who reported the matter to the police. An investigation was launched and Persaud was found hiding in a clump of bushes at Timehri, East Bank Demerara.

CONVICTED RAPIST: Vickram Persaud

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 26, 2021

BK’s contract for Good Hope Secondary terminated –– authorities to initiate legal proceedings

THE Government of Guyana has, with immediate effect, terminated a contract signed with BK International Incorporated, for the construction of ‘Lot 2’ of the Good Hope Secondary School, on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD). The company’s Managing Director, Brian Tiwari was officially informed of the termination by way of a letter issued by the Ministry

of Legal Affairs, dated May 25, 2021. In the correspondence seen by this publication, Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, informed the contractor that the termination was being done in accordance with the general conditions of the contract, on the grounds of fundamental breach of the conditions stipulated in the contract, which includes,

but are not limited to, failure to maintain a security as required and inordinate delay. The company was contracted in October 2018, to provide construction works to the tune of US$4.082 million. The latest deadline for the project was given as May, 2021, but that has not been met. The Attorney-General, in his letter, asserted the government’s intention to pur-

sue legal action against the errant company, to enforce all the provisions of the said contract. Further, the government plans to claim compensation and liquidated damages for the breaches. The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education has also been instructed to take possession of the construction site. When construction started in October 2018, the

school had been earmarked for completion in January, 2020. However, now, over 15 months behind schedule, the school is still to be handed over to the Ministry of Education. The company had once again committed to completing the project this month, but this has not materialised. The Education Ministry is pushing for the completion of the school in time for the projected reopening of the physical classrooms in September this year. The construction of the school falls under the multi-million-dollar Guyana Secondary School Education Improvement Project (GSEIP), funded by the World Bank. The Good Hope Secondary School is just one of six that was conceptualised under the project which has since been revised to cater for four schools. The Westminster Secondary School at La Parfait Harmonie, on the West Bank of Demerara, is another school catered for under the GSEIP, and is scheduled to be the first one completed under the project. The other schools being constructed under the GSEIP project are the Yarrowkabra Secondary School, which has also been

hindered by construction woes, and the Prospect Secondary School, for which the ceremonial sod-turning exercise was recently done. The new secondary schools are part of the government’s overarching plan to achieve universal secondary education. Universal secondary education entails every Guyanese child of the required age having access to secondary education. The schools are each being built to accommodate approximately 1,000 students and will allow the Ministry of Education to eliminate all primary tops across the country. In Guyana, “primary top schools,” are considered primary schools with a secondary school department, which is used as an alternative for pupils who did not attain enough marks at the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) to be placed at a secondary school. Though a traditional secondary school runs from Grades Seven to 11, classes at “primary top” schools run from Grades Seven to Nine, and the students are usually transferred to a secondary school after writing the National Grade Nine Assessment (NGNA).

Army Chief of Staff, others receive second COVID-19 ‘jab’ CHIEF-OF-STAFF (ag) of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), Brigadier Godfrey Bess; Head of Defence Secretariat, Colonel Ronald Hercules and Director of National Intelligence and Security Agency, Colonel Omar Khan, on Tuesday, received their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccines. The officers are leading the military’s effort regardChief-of-Staff (ag), Brigadier Godfrey Bess receives his second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine

ing immunisation against COVID-19. As frontline workers who form part of the national security infrastructure, GDF troops have also been active enforcers of the COVID-19 guidelines. So, every effort is being made to ensure their protection. The Guyana Defence Force’s COVID-19 vaccination programme commenced on April 8, 2021.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 26, 2021

Xinhua Commentary: One-China principle only path for Taiwan to join WHA By Xinhua writer Wu Xia BEIJING (Xinhua) -- Once again and as expected, the plot to let Taiwan join the World Health Assembly (WHA) was rejected late Monday. It is the fifth consecutive year that such a politically-motivated attempt has been defeated. The scheme is purely political, and has nothing to do with humanitarian concerns. Those handful of countries that sponsored the plot knew their plan is highly unpopular, and would go nowhere. Yet they insisted on

farce-seeking participation in the WHA will not fool the world. And it is ridiculous to portray Taiwan as a missing link in the world’s anti-pandemic system. To help the anti-pandemic fight on the island, Beijing has shared information with Taiwan 260 times on epidemic development and approved multiple times the participation of health experts from Taiwan in WHO technical activities. What has to be made clear is that it is the Taiwan authorities themselves that have ruined the island’s opportunity to join the WHA.

File photo of Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of China’s State Council. /CFP pushing it. That demonstrates their stubborn intention to undermine the one-China principle, hijack the global health body and disrupt the world’s pressing discussions on bridging the widening global vaccination gap and ending the raging pandemic at an early date. The WHA’s decision testifies to a broad, unambiguous and strong consensus of the international community to support the one-China principle. Ahead of the WHA’s opening, more than 150 countries have expressed through diplomatic channels support for the one-China principle and objection to inviting Taiwan to the WHA. The one-China principle has long been an international norm and a consensus of the global community. Meanwhile, it is an open secret that Washington has long been using Taiwan as a political pawn to contain China. Taiwan is part of China. The Chinese island province’s participation in the activities of international organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO), must be handled in line with the one-China principle, as it concerns China’s core interests. Beijing will not compromise in this regard. Taiwan’s political

Before 2016, Taiwan was able to participate in the WHA under a special arrangement made through cross-Strait consultations on the basis of the 1992 Consensus that embodies the one-China principle upheld by both sides of the Taiwan Strait. However, since coming to power in 2016, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) on the island has refused to recognize the 1992 Consensus and has been pivoting away from the one-China principle in pursuit of its secessionist agenda. Those moves have damaged the political basis for Taiwan’s involvement in WHO activities. At present, while the pandemic continues to plague Taiwan, the DPP is still dreaming about creating “two Chinas” or “one China, one Taiwan,” instead of focusing on battling the deadly pathogen and saving lives. It should feel ashamed and guilty. Those separatist forces on the island should wake up from their “dream of independence,” and wake up fast. The key to reopening Taiwan’s door to the WHA is abiding by the one-China principle, and refusal to recognize the principle will only lead to a dead end.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 26, 2021

Huawei HarmonyOS launch shows breaking of US technology myth By Xie Jun and Ma Jingjing, Global Times CHINESE telecom giant, Huawei, is set to introduce its HarmonyOS for its mobile phones at the beginning of June, a move which not only shows the company’s

successful shift to a new business focus that can largely free it from US supply chains, but also shows China’s technological rise that starts to break the US monopoly of operating systems, experts said. HarmonyOS, or Hong-

meng in Chinese, the Huawei-developed operating system which is currently used in gadgets like wearable devices and smart screens, will be rolled out for its smart phones on June 2, Huawei confirmed with the Global Times on Tuesday.

The company posted a short video on its Weibo account showing the boot screen of its HarmonyOS mobile phone, with many netizens commenting that they are anticipating the arrival of self-developed operating systems.

Huawei HarmonyOS Photo Chinese telecom analysts spoke highly of Huawei’s HarmonyOS phones, as it could not only help Huawei break US technological blockade, but also shows China’s powerful entry into the software field that has long been dominated by US IT giants like Apple and Google. Zhang Yi, CEO of the iiMedia Research Institute, said that launch of the HarmonyOS by Huawei marks a “historic turning point” that China is increasingly [freeing] itself from the US restrictions on Chinese tech firms and the country’s general information industry. “It sends a signal that Chinese companies can fight their way out of the US technological blockade as long as they insist on independent innovation, and that the socalled US technology myth is not unbreakable like many

people thought,” Zhang told the Global Times. For the company itself, a shift to the software business is also a wise choice as the software sector, whose upgrading cycle, is much slower than hardware sets, can help Huawei win more time when its mobile phone business is facing difficulties arising from US chip supply restrictions, Zhang said. “I think it’s just a matter of time before China breaks through mobile chip technological bottlenecks, but the rise of the software business will help Huawei survive this period instead of being beaten down by sudden blows,” Zhang said. Huawei has been caught in the Trump administration’s strike against China’s technological rise, which resulted in global chips supplies to Huawei being blocked.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 26, 2021

No COVID-19 cases recorded among immunised persons

Minister of Health,

–– over 12 per population ful says Health GUYANA has not recorded any instances where vaccinated persons have contracted the novel coronavirus, according to Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony. “For all those persons that have been fully immunised, we haven’t had any report of anyone getting sick and there is no one who died from COVID... persons might (have) died from other things, but not COVID,” Dr. Anthony said during Tuesday’s edition of the COVID-19 update. He said that more than 100 vaccination sites have been set up all across the country, and some 12 per cent of Guyana’s adult population have already been fully immunised. This figure, he noted, accounts for exactly 58,380 Guyanese who have received both doses of one of the three COVID-19 vaccines available in Guyana, be it the Sinopharm, the Sputnik V, or the AstraZeneca. He informed the Department of Public Information that there are an additional 187,234 persons who have so far received the first dose of their vaccine, and are awaiting their second jab. These persons represent an estimated 38.4 per cent of the country’s adult population. In relation to specific regions, Dr. Anthony said that Region Six has been leading with an impressive 45 per cent of its adult population being fully vaccinated. On the other hand, only 11.3 per cent of persons in Linden, Region Ten, have been vaccinated. Also behind on vaccinations are Regions One, Seven and Eight; however, Minister Anthony said that community and religious leaders are being mobilised as part of an awareness outreach to promote the

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 26, 2021

Relative arrested for alleged rape of 11-year-old

POLICE in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) are investigating allegations that an adult raped his 11-year-old relative some-

Dr. Frank Anthony

r cent of adult lly vaccinated, h Minister vaccines and their efficacy. “There are still some pockets of hesitancy found throughout those regions. As fast as we identify communities that are hesitant, we try to find what is causing the hesitancy and apply the appropriate methodology,” Dr Anthony said. Meanwhile, although the people of Region Nine are battling with the effects of flooding, they are still capitalising on opportunities to become vaccinated against the deadly coronavirus. Dr. Anthony has informed that notwithstanding the flood waters, medical teams have been deployed to the region and are now on the ground performing “double duty,” as they respond not only to COVID-19, but also other health issues and illnesses caused by the flood. “With flooding, you have water sources that can become contaminated; we can see possibly, if people are not taking precautions, diarrhoeal diseases, so our health team in the different health posts and so are on the lookout for this but despite all these challenges, they are still rolling out vaccination,” Dr. Anthony said. All government officials, including President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, and Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, have been stressing the need for Guyanese to take their vaccines. It has been said time and again that if the world wants to return to some levels of normalcy, the vaccines are key and achieving herd immunity is the only way out of the pandemic. Herd immunity refers to the vaccination of large portions of the population. For Guyana to achieve this, at least 80 per cent of the adult population needs to be vaccinated.

time between August 2020 and May 2021. According to information from the police, the victim reported that the

perpetrator repeatedly assaulted her, but she was scolded by her mother for complaining. The child then confided

in another relative who reported the matter to the police. A medical was conducted and it revealed that the

child was assaulted. The suspect has since been apprehended and remains in custody, as investigations continue.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 26, 2021

GUYANA CHRONICLE, WEDNESDAY MAY 26, 2021

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 26, 2021

English Racing Tips Beverley 08:45 hrs All In Aladdin 09:20 hrs Tangled 09:50 hrs Midnite Bride 10:20 hrs Tommaso 10:50 hrs Rains In Castamere 11:20 hrs Bit Of A QUIRKE 11:50 hrs King Viktor 12:20 hrs Lucky Beggar Hamilton 09:10 hrs Atomic Force 09:40 hrs Illusionist 10:10 hrs Finally Mine 10:40 hrs Celtic Empress 11:10 hrs Millie The Minx 11:40 hrs Omany Amber 12:10 hrs Gunnerside Wolverhampton 12:50 hrs Good Earth 13:20 hrs Ella Jo 13:50 hrs Gift Horse 14:20 hrs Astrogem 14:50 hrs Royal Pleasure 15:20 hrs Cinzento 15:50 hrs Pope Gregory Irish Racing Tips Gowan Park 11:30 hrs Café Con Leche 12:00 hrs Faron 12:35 hrs La Petite Coco 13:10 hrs Ahandfulofsummers 13:40 hrs Talking Tough 14:10 hrs Crystal Pool 14:40 hrs Robert Guisicard 15:10 hrs Harvest Bow American Racing Tips Finger Lakes Race 1 Moonachie Race 2 Mikado Race 3 Artful Lad Race 4 Not Now Donald Race 5 Lookin Kinda Crazy Race 6 A Huge Checkpoint Race 7 My Girl Annie Race 8 Miss Gold Meddalist South Africa Racing Tips Durbanville 08:10 hrs Back To You 08:50 hrs Glitter In The Air 09:25 hrs Bel Punto 09:58 hrs Captain Flinders 10:35 hrs One Way Traffic 11:15 hrs All About Al

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 26, 2021

Former Bayern Munich coach Flick takes over Germany to 2024 FRANKFURT, Germany (Reuters) - Former Bayern Munich coach Hansi Flick signed a three-year contract yesterday to take over Germany after the European Championship ends this summer, the German Football Association (DFB) said. He will succeed current coach Joachim Loew, with whom he won the World Cup, as an assistant in 2014, and will have to complete an overhaul that was disrupted by a string of bad results and the coronavirus pandemic. "Everything happened surprisingly quickly for me and I am happy to be national team coach from the autumn," Flick, who was the frontrunner for the post, said in a statement. "My joy is great because I see the quality of the players, especially the young ones, in Germany. So we have every reason to approach the next tournaments, for example our home Euro 2024 with optimism." Germany will host the

European Championship in 2024. Flick led Bayern to six titles in the 2019/2020 season and also won this season's Bundesliga crown after initially taking over as an interim coach in late 2019, but decided to leave the champions after 18 successful months in charge. Loew, who had a contract until 2022, led Germany to the World Cup title in 2014 with Flick as his assistant, and also won the 2017 Confederations Cup. But his team crashed out in the first round in the 2018 World Cup and has been struggling to perform at the highest level despite an overhaul. A 6-0 thrashing by Spain in the Nations League in November was Germany's worst defeat in competitive football. The 56-year-old Flick has a long experience at the DFB, having been assistant coach from 2006-2014 and then taking over as sports director until 2017.

Former Bayern Munich coach Hansi Flick will succeed current coach Joachim Leow

"He was from the start at the very top of my wish list," Oliver Bierhoff, national team director, said. "I know the human and technical qualities of Hansi Flick and I appreciate them since our many successful years together in the national team."

IPL resumption tentatively set for September 18 in UAE THE 14th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will tentatively resume around September 18 in the UAE. BCCI is reportedly eyeing a threeweek window to finish the remaining 31 matches of the tournament. IPL was suspended indefinitely on May 4 due to positive COVID cases inside the bio-bubble and since then, the Indian board was actively looking for a window amidst the packed international schedule. A BCCI official, on the condition of anonymity, has stated that the final could be played on October 9 or 10 while as many as 10 double-headers could take place. Moreover, it is understood that the BCCI has also spoken to the stakeholders and it is indeed a win-win situation for them.

“The BCCI has spoken to all the stakeholders and the likely start could be between September 18 and 20. Since September 18 is a Saturday and 19 a Sunday, it is more likely that you would want a re-start it on a weekend date. Similarly, October 9 or 10 will be final as it’s a weekend,” the official said according to the Times of India. “We are finalising the itinerary and there will be 10 double-headers and seven evening matches along with four main games (2 qualifiers, 1 eliminator and 1 final), which complete the list of 31 matches,” the official added. The five-match Test series between India and England will end on September 14 in Manchester. IPL-bound players from both the teams will travel

from Manchester to Dubai in the same charter flight on September 15 for a bubble-to-bubble transfer. “The Indian team and the English players who will be available will fly in the same charter flight from Manchester to Dubai. Similarly, the West Indies players will also fly in after completing CPL engagements. There will be three-day quarantine for players arriving from UK and Caribbean,” the official further said. To add to the report, even a franchise official has confirmed that BCCI has communicated to the teams about the resumption dates. “We have been told by BCCI to be ready for the tournament. We have been given a September 15-20 window,” he said. (CricTracker)

Crawford takes National...(From back page) him just ahead of Walter Grant-Stuart, who is recorded as finishing 13 seconds after the top four in a time of 4:17:20. Deeraj Gharbarran placed sixth (4:20:35) and Adealie Hodge (4:29:03) seventh. Along with being relegated, Dowridge also pointed out that John has been fined $20 000 for the “sprinting infringement”. Both DeNobrega and Crawford had protested John’s riding on the finish line of the event. Sonaram noted in his report: “On reviewing the finish line and the footage

from the rear cameras it was evident that Mr Briton John started the sprint and deviated from his line on multiple occasions resulting in obstructing the other competitors during the sprint.” Yesterday evening several UCI Commissionaires and Secretary of the Caribbean Cycling Federation, Cyril Mangal, and a local contingent deliberated the alleged infraction. As local Commissionaire and Racing Secretary, the decision was left to Sonaram. “There was compassion expressed with reference to the disqualification, but they

insisted that the ultimate decision lies with me, the GCF Racing Secretary pointed out. “I stated unequivocally that he (Briton John) is a repeat offender and needed to be penalised stringently and they understood my case and ultimately consented that the final decision lies with me.” After deliberations, Sonaram agreed to reduce the punishment to relegation and a fine and not a disqualification. Twenty-two cyclists started the 100-mile race from Georgetown to the Soesdyke/Linden Highway and back, but only nine completed the task.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 26, 2021

Milwaukee Bucks crush Miami Heat to take 2-0 series lead THE Milwaukee Bucks produced an exhibition of three-point shooting to crush Miami Heat and take a 2-0 first-round

play-off lead over last year's NBA Finals runners-up. The Bucks scored 22 out of 53 three-point attempts

in the 132-98 win. Bryn Forbes netted five threes in the first half and Giannis Antetokounmpo finished with 31 points.

Meanwhile, Denver Nuggets bounced back to level their series 1-1 against Portland Trail Blazers. Nikola Jokic scored 38

points while Michael Porter Jr had 18 in the 128-109 victory. The Bucks dominated the first quarter of their match with their 10 three-pointers matching an NBA record for the most in a quarter, and their 26-point lead (46-20) matched the largest after the first quarter in post-season history. They maintained a healthy lead after that as they cruised to victory with six players finishing in double-digits. "After game one I didn't look at the stat sheet," Antetokounmpo said. "At the end of the day, a win is a win. All I care about is winning the game, putting my team-mates in a position to win a game.

"It feels good when guys are knocking down shots. We were seeing the ball go in, we were making stops, it felt good. We've got to stay locked in for game three." Meanwhile, Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James will not face punishment for breaching NBA health and safety protocols by attending a promotional event, with the league saying he posed no risk of spreading COVID-19. It was reported last week that James attended an outdoor photoshoot for his tequila brand with several celebrities before the Lakers' 103-100 win over the Golden State Warriors and was photographed without a mask at the event. (BBC Sport)

Wilson returned as We Stand United Cycle Club president

Franklin Wilson returned for a second term

THE We Stand United Cycle Club (WSUCC) last Friday held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) and re-elected most of the executives to serve the club for the next four years. Franklin Wilson was voted back in as presi-

dent for his second term, along with secretary, Maria Leung. Also returning were: First, Second and Third vice-presidents, Joseph Britton, Michael ‘Punga’ Bradford and Englebert Leung. Joining for their first stint as executive members were Danielle Swain as treasurer and Petrina Newton as assistant secretary/ treasurer. Retained as co-captains were Warren ‘Forty’ McKay and Raymond ‘Steely’ Newton. Lead coach of the club is Horace Burrowes. Wilson expressed thanks to all the members who attended the AGM and promised to work for the continued development of the club’s cyclists.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 26, 2021

IOC still ironing out medical needs for teams at Tokyo Games BERLIN, Germany (Reuters) - The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is still ironing out details of a policy by which national teams fly in additional medical staff for the Tokyo Olympics so as not to burden Japan which is struggling to cope with the coronavirus pandemic. The IOC’s coordination commission chief John Coates said last week additional medical personnel would be part of the foreign Olympic delegations to support the medical operations and the implementation of COVID-19 countermeasures at the Games. He did not say how many additional medical

professionals would be flown in for the Olympics or how many each team would need to bring. “The IOC is actively working with its Japanese partners in the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee and with the National Olympic Committees on the details of this policy (of flying in additional medical personnel),” the IOC told Reuters yesterday. It said the policy would “be a further measure to ensure safe and secure Olympic Games Tokyo 2020”. It did not say when it would be finalised or how many additional staff were needed. Olympic organisers have

said the Games, postponed from last year, will go ahead by adopting strict safety measures, including ensuring athletes do not mix with the Japanese public, but there is growing opposition to the Olympics which will start on July 23. Several opinion polls in Japan have shown the majority of the public opposed to holding the Olympics during a pandemic. A growing number of investors in Japanese stocks also now believe that cancelling the Games is better for the market, intensifying the pressure on Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga. Japan has recorded about 719 000 novel coro-

Mushfiqur helps Bangladesh clinch ODI series with blistering 125 DHAKA: Bangladesh defeated Sri Lanka by 103 runs under the D/L method in the second One-day International to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series to record their maiden ODI series win against the Island nation. The third and final ODI will be played at the same venue on May 28. Mushfiqur Rahim was in cracking form for the hosts, slamming a 127-ball 125 to get his team to 246 on a tricky wicket after Bangladesh won the toss and elected to bat. The Bangladesh bowlers then came back firing on all cylinders, reducing the visitors to 141 for 9 in a rain-curtailed 40-over second innings to win the D/N match by 103 runs. Mehidy Hasan Miraz and

Mushfiqur Rahim came up with another match-winning knock of 125 off 127 balls. (AFP/Getty Images)

Mustafizur Rahman took three wickets apiece, while Shakib Al Hasan added two more to his haul to go level with Mashrafe Mortaza’s 269 at the top of Bangladesh’s

ODI wicket-takers’ list. Australia and England are now the only two sides against whom Bangladesh have not won an ODI series.

navirus cases. The numbers are low compared with other countries but much of the country remains under emergency curbs due to a strained medical system and Japan’s vaccination drive has been slow, with only 5% of the population inoculated.

IOC’s coordination commission chief John Coates

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 26, 2021

Another three Seventh Degree black belts for Guyana …GKC creates history again JOHN Fernandes, Aubrey Bettencourt and Tejram Harichand were all promoted to the International Karate Daigaku (IDK) distinguished International Karate Rank, making them, according to protocol, accountable to the body led by Shuseki Shihan Frank Woon-A-Tai, M.S., 9th Dan. According to a release from the Guyana Karate College (GKC), it was the first time in the history of the

school that three Seventh Degree Black Belts have attained that distinction, thereby brining the overall total to four. The five-part final examination and results announcement took place on a unique moment in history: the combined Dan ranks – 3 x 7th dan = 21 dan total, took place on the 21st hour, of the 21st day, of the 21st year, of the 21st Century, at the Transport Sports Club GKC dojo,

Thomas Lands, Georgetown. The grading panel consisted of Shuseki Shihan in person and by Zoom: IKD Deputy Chief Master Maureen Woon-A-Tai 8th Dan, Keith DaCosta 8th Dan, Charles Woon-A-Tai 8th Dan and GKC First Deputy, Josef Woon-A-Tai, 8th Dan, who are all Guyanese and members of the distinguished IKD Senate, the second-highest authority of the IKD. Since his arrival in Guyana more than two months ago, Shuseki Shihan (World

This historical photograph shows 24-year-old Frank Woon-A-Tai, Second Dan, posing with Masters: Teruyuki Okazaki, Masatoshi Nakayama, and Yukichi Tabata at Legionnaires Hall, Georgetown. 1974.

From left: Aubrey Bettencourt, Dr Guy Low, Frank Woon-A-Tai, John Fernandes Tejram Harichand and (hidden) Chereram Mortley, 5th Dan

Chief Master) Frank WoonA-Tai has been training and preparing the Seventh Dan candidates for the historic day. The there have also earned the International title of Shihan (Master). The training began at the Archbishop of the West Indies lawn during the early 1970s. Fernandes, CEO of Astro Arts, earned his first Dan black belt from Master Teruyuki Okazaki, 10th Dan, June 18, 1975. Hotel owner and CEO Bettencourt earned his July 26, 1975, and Psychotherapist Harrichand, earned his March 20, 1976. All three now join the Masters Rank of Seventh Dan with Dr Guy Low, Medical Doctor and Assistant Professor at the University of Guyana. Doctor Low earned his

First Dan on November 11, 1974. These four Masters are all senior to any other current IKD Seventh Dan masters in Guyana except for Master Amir Khouri, Seventh Dan of the YMCA dojo. The GKC release pointed out that there is a five-step process to achieve Kodansha (High Dan Rank): - the candidate must be recommended by a member of the IKD Shihan-kai (Master’s Committee); the candidate must be invited to the rank by Shuseki Shihan; training and guidance begin for the new Seventh or Eighth Dan Candidate; Presentation of Dissertation and Final Physical Exam (may be in three parts) and Dissertation Defence. The new Certified Karate “Master” is now subject to the international rules and regu-

lations regarding the Code of Conduct for Shihan(s). After three warnings, failure to comply with these rules may subject one to be stripped of rank and dishonourably discharged. The GKC is exceptionally proud that its Masters and all students have direct lineage to the Founder of Karate, Master Gichin Funakoshi, and the Founder of World Traditional Karate, Master Masatoshi Nakayama, 10th Dan,who visited Guyana in 1974 and again in 1979. Shuseki Shihan Frank Woon-A-Tai studied karate for 40 years under Master Teruyuki Okazaki and other Japanese masters. His teachers also included legends-Masatoshi Nakayama, Hidetaka Nishiyama andYutaka Yaguch.

UEFA opens proceedings against Barcelona, Juventus and Real Madrid UEFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against

Barcelona, Juventus and Real Madrid over their in-

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Wednesday May 26, 2021)

COMPLIMENTS OF CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD 83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) Michael Holding-11/107 (Melbourne, 1981-82) (2) Merv Hughes-13/217 (Perth, 1988-89) Today’s Quiz: (1) Which AUST wicketkeeper has effected most dismissals against the WI to date? (2) Which WI wicketkeeper has effected most dismissals against AUST to date? Answers in tomorrow’s issue

volvement in the proposed European Super League (ESL). The clubs were part of the 12 'founding' members of the breakaway league, which later collapsed. The other nine clubs renounced the project but Barcelona, Juventus and Real Madrid have refused to do so. UEFA said proceedings had been opened against the three "for a potential violation of UEFA'S legal framework". In a statement released yesterday, UEFA said: "Fol-

lowing an investigation conducted by UEFA ethics and disciplinary inspectors in connection with the so-called 'Super League' project, disciplinary proceedings have been opened against Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus for a potential violation of UEFA'S legal framework. "Further information will be made available in due course. "The other nine clubs involved - Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United,

Tottenham Hotspur, AC Milan, Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid - have been punished by European football's governing body for their participation. They have agreed to make a combined 15M euro (£13.4M) goodwill contribution to benefit children's and grassroots football across Europe. They will also have 5% of UEFA competition revenues withheld for one season, starting in 2023-24, and this money will be redistributed, including in the UK.

Each has also committed to UEFA and its competitions, with the clubs facing fines of 100M euros (£86.9M) apiece if they seek to join an unauthorised competition in the future. They will be fined half that if they breach any other terms of the declaration. Real Madrid president Florentino Perez, who was appointed as chairman of the ESL, recently said that the 12 clubs that agreed to join the project have "binding contracts" and "cannot leave". (BBC Sport)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, May 26, 2021

Pooran to captain Guyana Amazon Warriors in CPL NICHOLAS Pooran has been named the new captain of Guyana Amazon Warriors ahead of the CPL 2021 season. The dashing 'keeper-batsman will take over the reins from Chris Green, who has been released by the franchise. Along with Pooran, Warriors have retained a total of 11 players from last year's squad including the likes of Shimron Hetmyer, Brandon King, Imran Tahir and Naveen Ul Haq. The big name missing is Mujeeb ur Rahman - the leading wicket-taker in 2020 with 16 wickets has been ignored. Meanwhile, Andre Russell, who had a bittersweet relationship with Tallawahs last year where he even indicated about leaving the team at the end of the tournament, will surprisingly stay with Jamaica along with fellow local stars - Carlos Brathwaite, Rovman Powell, Chadwick Walton, Fidel Edwards and promising youngster in Ryan Persaud, being the seventh player to be retained by the franchise. Former West Indies Twenty20 captain Brathwaite, 32, who has lost his place in the international side and has not featured in nearly two years, struggled in last year’s CPL with 60

runs from nine innings while taking ten wickets with his medium pace. However, Brathwaite flourished in the last Australian Big Bash, snaring 16 wickets from as many matches, and remains a potent player in the shortest format. The Barbadian will be joined by West Indies superstar Russell, one of the most sought-after players in franchise cricket. Jamaican Russell, recently recalled to the West Indies side following a protracted layoff, struck three half-centuries in the last CPL campaign to finish with an average of 44. Tallawahs have also kept faith with 39-year-old fast bowler Edwards, who was recalled by the West Indies earlier this year after nearly a decade out of international cricket. Edwards picked up nine wickets for Tallawahs last season at an average of 25 and just over 7-½ runs per over. However, there have been snubs for the Jamaican Test pair of Jermaine Blackwood and Nkrumah Bonner, with New Zealander Glenn Phillips, who was Tallawahs’ leading batsman last year with 316 runs, also not retained. Neither Afghan off-spin-

Nicolas Pooran of Guyana Amazon Warriors hits a six as Denesh Ramdin, the wicketkeeper of St Kitts & Nevis Patriots watch during the Hero Caribbean Premier League match at the Queen's Park Oval in Port-of-Spain in September 2020. He scored 100 runs (Photo by Randy Brooks - CPL T20/CPL T20 via Getty Images)

ner Mujeeb-ur-Rahman, who nabbed 16 wickets for Tallawahs last season nor Nepal leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane who snared 12 wickets, has been retained.

Rovman Powell and Chadwick Walton, both of whom endured disastrous campaigns last year, along with Guyana left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul

and ICC America's player Ryan Persaud, complete the list of retained players. Two-time champions Barbados Tridents have retained skipper Jason Holder despite enduring a tough 2020 campaign where they lost 7 games and failed to qualify for the semis. Apart from Holder, Shai Hope, Kyle Mayers, Raymon Reifer, Justin Greaves, Nyeem Young, Joshua Bishop, Johnson Charles and Hayden Walsh Jr are the others to have been given the contract extension. Defending champions Trinbago Knight Riders have parted ways with veteran Dwyane Bravo with the all-rounder being traded to St Kitts and Nevis Patriots. They've got back Denesh Ramdin in return and overall have managed to retain the majority of the team which won them the trophy last year. Kieron Pollard will remain captain while the leading run-scorer of the previous season, Lendl Simmons, who amassed 356 runs in 11 games last season, will continue to represent the Knight Riders, in addition to other big names like Colin Munro, Sunil Narine, Darren Bravo, Sikandar Raza and Khary Pierre. Players Retained by CPL Franchises:

St Lucia Zouks - Andre Fletcher, Kesrick Williams, Rahkeem Cornwall, Roston Chase, Obed Mccoy, Mark Deyal and Javelle Glenn. St Kitts & Nevis Patriots - Dwyane Bravo (from TKR), Evin Lewis, Fabian Allen, Sherfane Rutherford (from GAW), Sheldon Cotrell, Rayad Emrit, Jon Russ Jaggesar, Dominic Drakes, Joshua Da Silva. Barbados Tridents - Jason Holder, Johnson Charles, Shai Hope, Kyle Mayers, Hayden Walsh JR, Raymon Reifer, Justin Greaves, Nyeem Young, Joshua Bishop. Guyana Amazon Warriors - Nicholas Pooran, Shimron Hetmyer, Imran Tahir, Brendon King, Naveen Ul Haq, Romario Shephard, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Odean Smith, Anthony Bramble, Kevin Sinclair, Ashmead Nedd. Jamaica Tallawahs - Andre Russell, Carlos Brathwaite, Rovman Powell, Fidel Edwards, Veerasammy Permaul, Ryan Persaud. Trinbago Knight Riders - Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine, Darren Bravo, Colin Munro, Lendl Simmons, Sikandar Raza, Khary Pierre, Anderson Phillip, Denesh Ramdin (from St Kitts), Tion Webster, Akeal Hosein, Jayden Seales, Ali Khan. (Extracted from Trinidad Guardian)

Lamichhane joins TKR, Shoaib returns to Amazon Warriors GROS ISLET, St Lucia (CMC) – Reigning champions Trinbago Knight Riders have further strengthened their squad for this year’s Caribbean Premier League (CPL) with the capture of Nepal leg-spinning sensation, Sandeep Lamichhane. The 20-year-old joins overseas players, United States fast bowler Ali Khan and Zimbabwe all-rounder Sikandar Raza, in a TKR squad that will be led by West Indies white-ball captain Kieron Pollard. Lamichhane has taken world cricket by storm since making his international debut as a 17-year-old, and has so far taken 138 wickets from 101 Twenty20s at an average of 18 and economy

Leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane (right) has joined reigning champions TKR

rate of just under seven runs per over. Last year, he formed a formidable spin partnership with Afghan off-spinner Mujeeb-ur-Rahman for Jamaican Tallawahs, taking 12 wickets while Mujeeb claimed 16. He has also previously turned out for Barbados Tridents and St Kitts &Nevis Patriots. TKR are already heavy favourites to retain their title, having marched throughout the tournament unbeaten last year. Tridents have, meanwhile, nabbed Pakistan leftarm pacer Mohammad Amir for their campaign, their first overseas signing of the season. The 29-year-old, who

Pakistan batsman Shoaib Malik returns to the CPL after missing last year’s competition

has taken 220 wickets from 190 T20s, will be featuring in the Caribbean showpiece for the first time.

Tridents struggled last season following their title success in 2019, finishing fifth and missing out on the playoffs, after winning only three of their ten games. Veteran Pakistan batsman Shoaib Malik will make a return to the CPL after missing last year’s competition, picking up where he left off for Guyana Amazon Warriors. The 39-year-old has become a legend at the Georgetown-based franchise, averaging 63 in the 2019 season when Amazon Warriors played unbeaten in the preliminary phase before suffering a heart-breaking defeat in the final. This year’s tournament runs from August 28 to September 19 in St Kitts.

Government appoints six-member National Sports Commission

(From left) Kashif Muhammad (Chairman), Chetram Ramdihal, Cristy Campbell, Bissoondyal Singh, Dellon Davidson and Phillip Fernandes

… Director of Sport announcement looms By Rawle Toney THE Government of Guyana, according to the May 20 Official Gazette, has announced the appointment of a six-member National Sports Commission (NSC), paving the way for the installation of the country’s next Director of Sport. Medal of Service Award-winning sport events promoter and organiser Kashif Muhammad will chair the commission, which also includes Guyana Lawn Tennis Association president Cristy Campbell, Guyana Cricket Board president Bissoondyal Singh, Guyana Hockey Board president Philip Fernandes, Chartered Accountant Chetram Ramdihal and Dellon Davidson.

The Commission will now meet and decide, in consultation with Minister Charles Ramson Jr, on who will be the sport body’s new Director of Sport. According to sources, the commission will convene their first meeting within the next few days, followed by discussions with Minister Ramson where their choice of the Director of Sport will be presented. It is being rumoured that former Member of Parliament and Parliamentary Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, Steve Ninvalle, is the front-runner for the position. The announcement of the NSC commissioners comes nine months after Minister Ramson was sworn-in to head the ministry

responsible for sport. Minister Ramson was chastised over the delayed announcement, but had insisted that he’s being guided by the 1993 Sports Commission Act, and had also pointed out that since the March 2 Elections, the PPP/C has been vocal about being compliant with the laws of the land, and as such, he didn’t “intend to break the law” when it comes to the appointment of a Director of Sport. Neil Kumar was the first to be named as Director of Sport and he served in that capacity from 1993 until the PPP/C lost power in the 2015 Elections to the APNU+AFC Coalition. However, after Christopher Jones was installed in the position in 2015. Following the March 2, 2020 elections, and the announcement of the return of the PPP/C Government on August 2, 2020, many speculated as to who will be Guyana’s third Director of Sport in 27 years.

In 1993, Samuel Hinds, in his capacity as acting President of Guyana at the time, assented to the National Sports Commission Act which was passed in the sitting of the Sixth Parliament on December 3 that year. According to the National Sports Commission Act, Section 11 (1), “The Commission may, after consultation with the Minister, employ upon such terms and conditions as it thinks fit a Director of Sport, and such other officers and employees as the Commission deems necessary for the proper carrying out of its functions.” The Act outlines the Director of Sport as being the “Chief Executive Officer of the Commission, and subject to any general or specific directions of the Commission, will be responsible to the Commission for ensuring that the functions of the Commission are properly discharged and objectives achieved.”

Crawford takes National Cycling Championships title … Briton John relegated to fourth position, fined $20,000 ROMELLO Crawford was bumped up to first position of the Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF) National Championships after a protest at the finish line of the event on Sunday morning. Briton John, who had crossed the line first, was deemed to have done so illegally (deviated from his lane) and after a consultation and deliberations, he was relegated to fourth position. The GCF announced its decision after discussion with several International Cycling Federation (UCI) Commissionaires. President of GCF, Linden Dowridge, in a release noted that based on a report submitted by the Racing Secretary of the

GCF and UCI Commissionaire Malcolm Sonaram and discussions held with the Caribbean Cycling Federation as well as local and regional UCI Commissionaires, a decision was agreed upon. “I am in agreement of the official results as presented below and disciplinary measures which have been decided upon in accordance with the UCI Rules and Regulations.” The results place Berbician Crawford, who crossed the finish line a split second before Paul DeNobrega, as the official winner. According to the results, DeNobrega placed second and his Team Evolution teammate Christopher Griffith third. Briton’s fourth-place puts TURN TO PAGE 27 ►

Both Romello Crawford (right, on cycle) and Paul DeNobrega (middle) protested Briton John’s (left) riding in the sprint finish of the 100-miler. (Elvin Croker photo)

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2021