Issuu

SATURDAY 5th September, 2020

' No.106113

No procurement of drugs since 2017 SEE PAGE 04

–– gov’t making immediate purchase, working to normalise services, says Min. Anthony

$50M East Bank by-pass road project redesigned –– now from Ogle to Haags Bosch

SEE PAGE 11

An artist’s impression of the East Coast-East Bank linkage project

Lowenfield’s personal assistant granted station bail Utilisation of GuySuCo’s $30B bond under review

PAGE

Risk allowance being 03 considered for frontline workers PAGE

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 5, 2020

Kenya seeks closer relations with Guyana PRESIDENT, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, has received a congratulatory letter from Uhuru Kenyatta, President of the Kenya, who expressed a desire for closer relations between the two countries. In his letter, President Kenyatta said, “I look forward to collaborating with you to develop closer relations between our countries and revitalising our mutual relations at [the] bilateral and multilateral levels.” The President also acknowledged that President Ali is assuming office at a challenging time as the world grapples with the Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. “It is my belief that we

President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali

Kenya President, Uhuru Kenyatta

need to work together to find long-lasting solutions to contain the adverse effect on the global economy that we have witnessed in the last five months of the pandemic. In this regard, Kenya has committed to work with the Caribbean Region under the umbrella body of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to rebuild the global economy,” the President said. President Kenyatta further said that he was looking forward to engaging President Ali “in the near future to discuss issues beneficial to our people and the world”. (DPI)

Rupununi traditional handicraft industry to be revived –– President Ali assures Sand Creek residents PRESIDENT, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, said that his government is committed to reviving the traditional handicraft practices, such as hammock making in Region Nine, during a meeting with residents of Sand Creek Village, South Rupununi on Friday. The meeting was held at the Office of the President. During the meeting, Ken Farria and his wife, Ruth Xavier, noted that the women of Sand Creek and 14 other villages in the Deep South and South Central Rupununi pool their resources to make hammocks and create employment opportunities. The hammocks, they noted, can be sold for as much as $100,000 given the quality and composition. However, the couple said access to outside markets remain a challenge and they are, therefore, seeking government’s assistance in this regard. To this end, in keeping

with the promises made by the government in its 2020 manifesto, to promote the creation of markets; to increase funding to small businesses; to support job creation; and focus on the economic empowerment of women in all regions, President Ali said that the region can be assured of the government’s support. The head of state said funding will be provided and an online platform will be set up to assist in the marketing of the art and craft products and pure honey. “We will work on reviving the industry and also work on an online platform. You produce honey and there is a market for that as well. So we will work with you, but we will need the people in the villages to come together and work with us as well to get this off the ground,” the President said. The couple also commended President Ali for

President, Dr Irfaan Ali receives a gift from a resident of Sand Creek during a meeting on Friday (DPI photograph)

re-introducing the Community Support Officers’ (CSOs) programme, which they said will go a long way in pro-

viding employment and opportunities for the hinterland youth. The overall initiative is

aimed at developing young Amerindians, in the various villages and communities, through the creation of

job opportunities, capacity building and strengthening their individual interests and skills. (DPI)

Lowenfield’s personal assistant granted station bail THE personal assistant to Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield, was placed on $100,000 bail on Friday and is expected to report to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters as investigators continue their probe into allegations of fraud, following the March 02 General and Regional Elections.

Duarte Hetsberger, 39, was detained Tuesday and the 72-hour maximum detention period expired Friday. Hetsberger is a lieutenant in the Guyana Defence Force but was seconded to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) a few years ago. Police said he was arrested in relation to his alleged criminal conduct surrounding the elections.

In 2016 and 2018 Hetsberger served as the returning officer for Georgetown, in the Local Government Elections. His arrest was made in the aftermath of fraud charges that were filed against the District Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo, and two of his colleagues, Shefern February and Enrique Livan. Mingo was placed on

Duarte Hetsberger

$600,000 bail while February was released on $300,000 bail and Livan $150,000. Meanwhile, Lowenfield is on $450,000 bail, after he was placed before the court for alleged fraud and misconduct. He is expected to return to court on September 11. The charges in question were filed by Desmond Morian, and Daniel Kanhai, on June

30, 2020. The Guyana Police Force (GPF) has recently launched a ‘comprehensive’ investigation against the chief elections officer and the returning officer of Region Four, after it received formal reports of alleged criminal misconduct by GECOM operatives.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 5, 2020

Utilisation of GuySuCo’s $30B bond under review

–– President assures communities comprehensive plan will guide survival of sugar industry GOVERNMENT has commenced review of how the $30 billion syndicated bond, which was acquired by the Coalition Government to keep the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) afloat, was utilised, said President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali. He also assured that a comprehensive plan will be implemented to ensure the survival of the sugar industry. “The approach to the sugar industry is one in which we have to bring back three of the estates into operation; this would require capital investment, field investment and infrastructure investment. Even if the ultimate goal is to have a right business mix, whether it is a public-private partnership or private investment in these estates, the assets and

the industry itself must be of concern and be optimised to realise the full value and potential,” President Ali said. The head of state noted that the survival of the sugar industry depends heavily on government intervention at this time. He also reminded that the former administration failed to conduct a socio-economic study on the viability of the industry before closing the estates. “When we are talking about the sugar industry, we are not talking about the financial viability alone. We have to look at the economic and social impact of the industry on the communities. We have seen the tremendous impact on the communities in which these estates were closed,” the President said. In this regard, the head of

state said his administration has commenced review of how the $30 billion syndicated bond was utilised by the coalition government. “We must recall that a bond of $30 billion was raised specifically for the sugar sector. We are now in the process of assessing how these resources were spent but surely, from what we have seen so far, there was inefficient use of the resources in relation to the sugar industry itself,” he said. President Ali also said the assets of the Wales Estate were completely dismantled and taken away. Given this reality, his administration is discussing the creation of a development authority which would become a business incubation and support model. “The creation of a mod-

President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali

ular investment programme to support new industries, agro-industries, new areas of agriculture development and sustainable livelihoods will cater, also, for those workers

who lost their jobs,” President Ali assured. This, he said would be subject to a special investment incentive and regime that will stimulate investors’ interest and create a pull factor for capital. The head of state reminded that his government remains committed to the re-opening of the estates and assured that it will take the necessary steps, make the necessary interventions and earmark resources aimed at reviving the industry and putting the people back to work. “Surely this would require support from the treasury, but when one examines the wide-ranging impact of this support on community life, agriculture, drainage and irrigation, economic and social impact, it is clear that

the budgetary support from the treasury would have a deeper impact on overall health of your economy and the communities,” President Ali noted. The President used the opportunity, when he visited the communities across several villages in Region six (East Berbice-Corentyne area) on Tuesday, to reassure that the residents who rely on the production of sugar for jobs will soon find themselves back at work. He also assured the residents of Wales that despite the state of the Estate, they will also be afforded employment opportunities and will not be left out of future revitalisation plans. (DPI)

Risk allowance being considered for frontline workers

By Navindra Seoraj

HEALTH workers not just in Guyana but across the world, have been at the forefront of the fight against the dreaded novel coronavirus pandemic, risking their lives to save others. An assessment conducted by Amnesty International found that at least 7,000 health workers have died around the world after contracting COVID-19. At least 1,320 health workers are confirmed to have died in Mexico alone, the highest known figure for any country. Amnesty International also recorded high numbers of health worker deaths in the USA (1,077) and Brazil (634), where infection and death rates have been high throughout the pandemic, as well as alarming figures in South Africa (240) and India (573), where infection rates have soared in recent months. While Guyana has not lost any health worker to this dreaded disease, the severity remains evident and the risk is high; but following an appeal from frontline workers, government is considering a risk allowance for persons who are in the “direct frontline.”

Health Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony

With budget 2020 soon to be presented, Minister of Health Dr. Frank Anthony has said that a risk allowance is something under review. “It is something requested, and it is under review,” said the health minister, adding that government is also budgeting for necessary supplies to keep frontline workers safe. Dr. Anthony said one of government’s priorities has been the protection of health workers, including doctors, nurses and other ancillary workers, who have been dealing with cases of the disease. “We are ensuring that we are protecting health-

care workers by procuring PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)… we spent resources trying to procure and get those equipment into Guyana,” said the health minister. Government, in this area, has also received a “helping hand” from many “kind citizens” who, at a personal and corporate level, came forward and donated substantial funds to help procure masks and PPEs. Guyana has also received support from bilateral and multilateral partners. Guyana, on Monday, received medical equipment from the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA). Dr. Anthony had said the country received a number of PPE from CARPHA, which has been coordinating distributions across the Caribbean. The agency received several donations from various international organisations, and has been distributing same to various countries. In addition to CARPHA’s delivery, health authorities received 5,000 three-ply surgical masks from local company, Leading Technology. The minister of health said that the items were stored at the Materials Management Unit (MMU) and

can be accessed through the usual method of requisition. In addition to material support and protection, the Human Services and Social Security Ministry had announced that it will be expanding its childcare assistance programme to provide free child care to frontline workers, who are providing an essential service or key public services during the

COVID-19 pandemic. Human Services and Social Security Minister, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, during a virtual press conference on Monday, said assistance will be available to the frontline workers in both private and public sectors. In the first phase, the programme will be piloted to benefit healthcare workers, police officers, prison

officers, fire service officers, security officers and army officers, with children who are below the age of seven. Through the programme, the ministry will make direct payment for services to childcare facilities. Minister Persaud was emphatic that the “direct payment will only be made to licensed childcare facilities.”

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 5, 2020

First Lady ‘plugs’ a return of concerts, other cultural activities at the ‘Seawall Bandstand’ --during fruitful talks with sector stakeholders on tourism development in Georgetown

FIRST Lady, Mrs. Arya Ali on Thursday evening held a meeting with President of the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG), Mr. Mitra Ramkumar and a few other representatives of the local tourism sector, where she proposed a number of innovative ideas for the development of tourism in Georgetown. Among those in attendance were representatives of ‘Seawalls and Beyond’, a fledgling local non-governmental organisation leading the charge for the restoration of the Georgetown Seawall; Messrs. Dwayne Hackett, Darrell Carpenay, Carl Melville and Ron Smith, and Ms. Savita Balkaran. During the meeting, Mr. Ramkumar spoke of the struggle to keep the sector afloat in light of the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, since the country’s two major airports are still closed to heavy air traffic. He, however, said that THAG and other tourism bodies

During Thursday evening’s meeting between First Lady Arya Ali and representatives of THAG and ‘Seawalls and Beyond’

are making every effort, in spite of the constraints, to strengthen the sector’s capacity by developing little “tourist hubs” round the city. One area in particular that has been identified as a potential ‘mecca’ of sorts for tourists is the ever-popular ‘Georgetown Seawall’, which has been given much ‘press’ of late, after ‘Seawalls and Beyond’ embarked upon a major restoration project. The First Lady was brought up-to-speed by both THAG and

‘Seawalls and Beyond’ on some of the immediate challenges which need to be addressed if the project were to be a success, such as: Improvements in the areas of solid waste disposal, the policing of the area, as well as lighting arrangements; and the regularisation of vending, and the introduction of a reliable fresh-water source. Having been made aware of these challenges, the First Lady committed to engaging the rele-

vant authorities and agencies to have them addressed. “We will immediately commence and facilitate discussions with agencies like the Georgetown City Council, the Guyana Police Force and relevant Ministries to see how best we can develop workable solutions to these problems,” the First Lady said. She also disclosed that ‘Seawalls and Beyond’ will be assisting with the proposed ‘National Beautification Project’, which

First Lady Arya Ali engaging with the THAG President, Mr. Mitra Ramkumar

will see the conservation of some of the scenic qualities of Guyana’s roadways, urban spaces, and countryside, while simultaneously creating a more environmentally-friendly society. She said, too, that plans are currently underway at her office to identify spaces for eco-friendly parks in each of the country’s ten administrative regions, and to embark upon an ongoing national tree-planting exercise.

To complement these efforts, the First Lady also articulated her vision of improving local culture by providing support for the Creative and Performing Arts. “One of the things that I wish to facilitate,” she said, “is the reintroduction of the Performing Arts at the Seawall Bandstand. This will not only support the Creative Industry, but provide economic opportunities.”

No procurement of drugs since 2017 -- gov’t making immediate purchase, working to normalise services, says Min. Anthony By Navendra Seoraj

GUYANA, like many countries around the world, has been forced to expend re-

Saturday, September 5, 2020–– 08:00hrs & 09:30hrs

sources in the fight against the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) and, simultaneously, manage routine and other ailments, a task which

has been challenging for the country, mainly because medical drugs have not been purchased since 2017. There has been a chronic shortage of medicines since 2017, said Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony during a virtual press briefing on Friday. This, he said, has been a major constraint to the fight against COVID-19 and the management of other ailments. In recognising Guyana’s situation, the new government made arrangements to have an immediate purchase of medicines. “The procurement people are in the final stages of getting medicine to provide district hospitals and so forth,” said Dr. Anthony. Guyana recorded its first case of COVID-19 in March, 2020, and while a lot of attention has been placed on the fight against this scourge, Dr. Anthony said a lot of health facilities were not able to effectively deliver care in other areas. “Since March when we got our first case (COVID-19), there was panic and we found that many facilities where we would manage routine or regular medical issues, when people came they were not getting enough care, but we are looking to open back facilities and ensure care is provided,” said Dr. Anthony. He assured that the Ministry of Health will be working to ‘normalise’ services, especially programmes which have

Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony

performed well over the years. “Some of them (medical programmes) are in jeopardy because we do not have medicines available…so we need to fill that gap….we are working on it,” said Dr. Anthony. As for COVID-19, it was reported that the Government has been actively seeking support to fight COVID-19 and it reported, recently, that President Irfaan Ali, in an address to the nation, had announced that government was in the process of securing US$60M to fund various aspects of its response to the deadly pandemic. President Ali had said that those funds were being sourced from various international development partners, including the World Bank, the IDB and the Islamic Development Bank. There has also been rapid-response assistance from bilateral partners. According to the President, the government has consulted with stakeholders nationwide to address the COVID-19 epidemic in a holistic manner.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 5, 2020

Holness’ JLP sweeps away PNP 49-14

(JAMAICA GLEANER) In just a decade, Andrew Holness has achieved political glory in becoming the most powerful force in modern Jamaican politics, retiring some of his rival elders while humiliatingly condemning Jamaica’s oldest political party into an abyss with its top-tier leadership decimated. Last night, the Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP’s) leader admitted that he was expecting 42 seats – the threshold needed in the House of Representatives to make key constitutional changes without opposition support – in his bid to lead the party to its first consecutive contested election win in more than half a century. He’s got more than what he calculated as preliminary results from Thursday’s election show the JLP with 49 seats to the People’s National Party’s (PNP’s) 14. But, while he quickly acknowledged the coronavirus pandemic that shadowed the country’s 18th general election, Holness made it clear that the “overwhelming majority” was a signal to the party not to become arrogant. He framed this in the context of the pandemic and corruption, the stain of which he said no one could “hide” from, owing to the several allegations dogging his administration, which could prevent some from being in the new Cabinet that will soon start taking shape.

Andrew Holness addresses the media at a Jamaica Labour Party press conference on Thursday. The JLP beat the PNP 49-14 on election day.

“Tonight, the victor is the people of Jamaica,” said Holness at his party’s headquarters to a small audience, quite unlike the usual festivities that characterised past victory celebrations and speeches, a bow to the signs of the COVID-19 era. “I am obviously happy to have won, but I want to assure all of you that I do carry this burden with great consideration of the expectations of not just those who elected us but those who are looking on us for future decisions,” he said. The 48-year-old, who is Jamaica’s first prime minis-

ter born after Independence, having first taken the oath of office in October 2011, said he was well aware that the scrutiny will be great. “In our last Government, the narrative of corruption dogged us, and it is not something that we can hide away from, and I want to be clear because there are many persons who will now be assuming state authority who may not have the understanding as to how that authority should be used,” said Holness. “They will note clearly that this Government does not stand for corruption.”

He also slapped the PNP, arguing that the victory was a clear sign that Jamaicans preferred the more “realistic” policy options. But he did not lord the defeat over his rival, instead striking a charitable tone in speaking about Dr Peter Phillips, who now has the unenviable distinction of being the only PNP president to not become prime minister. “It was very sportsmanlike and very dignified and really reflects well on our politics,” he said of the concession call Phillips made to him. Last night’s victory was the largest margin for a political party since 1997, when then Prime Minister P.J. Patterson led the PNP to a 50-10 win. The last time the JLP won this big was in 1980. The JLP’s successful assault in the PNP bastions of Westmoreland, Kingston Central, St Catherine, and Manchester Southern kept Labourite lips busy at Belmont Road and at barricades along the street to keep away excited supporters where the occasional bells and vuvuzelas could be heard. Holness said many of those results were surprising.

But he said the real surprise, so far, did not involve a seat the party had claimed, at least for now – St Ann South Eastern. “I think the Lisa Hanna seat is a big surprise,” he told The Gleaner. The preliminary count showed Hanna, the PNP’s spokesperson, who campaigned that the constituency was ‘Sweetah wid Lisa’, polling 5,124, keeping Delroy Granston at bay by just 14 votes. The PNP went into the election defending 29 seats but, after the dust settled, was able to cling on to just 14. The other survivors were Dr Peter Phillips, who, maybe in prophecy, had signalled early Thursday that he would step down if the party lost; Dr Morais Guy (St Mary Central); Dr Angela Brown Burke (St Andrew South Western); Phillip Paulwell (Kingston Eastern and Port Royal); Anthony Hylton (St Andrew Western); Julian Robinson (St Andrew South Eastern); Fitz Jackson (St Catherine Southern); Natalie Neita (St Catherine North Central); Denise Daley (St Catherine Eastern); Mikael Phillips (Manchester North

Western); Mark Golding (St Andrew Southern); Hugo Graham (St Catherine North Western); and Lothian Cousins (Clarendon South Western). Shock results for the JLP included Manchester Central, where Peter Bunting was shipped out, as promised, by Rhoda Crawford; Dr Dayton Campbell from St Ann North Western, who’s a major feather in the JLP’s hat; and Dr Wykeham McNeill, the mild-mannered vice-president who was left stunned in Westmoreland Western. In providing the latest update, the Electoral Office of Jamaica confirmed that the overall turnout was approximately 37 per cent – the lowest in electoral history since the 1983 uncontested election. It was 48.37 per cent in the 2016 general election. At 10:40 p.m., the JLP had won 406,764 of the popular votes, while the PNP had won 305,157. A total of 1,161 votes went to independent candidates and third parties. The final counts will start tomorrow.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 5, 2020

(ag)

Restoring hope in the land PPP/C Governments are people-centric; and this has been evident in all of its actions in or out of government; as with the countrywide distribution of relief packages and masks during the raging coronavirus pandemic and the agonising elections charade the coalition parties put this nation through in the preceding five months before Dr. Irfaan Ali was sworn in as President. The current PPP/C Government, immediately after its accession to office on August 2, went into development mode, while simultaneously establishing working methodologies and programmes to address dire needs of communities countrywide, has demonstrated that it would not digress from the traditional direction every PPP/PPPC government takes; that is, ensuring that the social sectors are prioritised in its administrative dynamics. This is converse to the way the current PPP/C administration’s predecessors in government – the PNC-led coalition treated the citizens of the country. One of the many ways that the coalition administration failed the nation was its abandonment of victims affected by floods over the past five years, who, in every flood-affected community, faced a quan-

dary as to when and if the APNU+AFC government would have addressed their distressing situation because, when the issue of compensation for persons, especially hinterland dwellers who lost homes and all appurtenances within, particularly farmers who lost crops and livestock after the disastrous flooding was raised in Parliament on July 27, 2017 by then Opposition Parliamentarian, Colin Croal, the coalition Communities Minister, Ronald Bulkan, told the House that compensation is not usually provided by the State for such disasters faced by Guyanese. The dire straits of the communities in all 10 regions affected by flooding was treated as non-important by the coalition government, as weeks after such a severe catastrophe had decimated homes and livelihoods, Bulkan informed the House that the Regional Democratic Councils (RDCs) were still compiling assessment reports. Despite repeated queries by Croal on a timeline for the reports to be completed, Bulkan prevaricated, as has become the norm with recently-ousted coalition government ministers when challenged about their lack of timely intervention at crisis points affecting the citizens of the land.

Bulkan averred that a response to the crisis in Regions Eight and Nine was dependent on the outcome of a joint report between the Governments of Guyana and Brazil because Granger’s government contended that a rise in the river levels in Brazil contributed to the flooding in the hinterland areas, which begs the question of whether residents of Regions Eight and Nine are not Guyanese who are entitled to state assistance in a crisis, regardless the circumstances, instead of awaiting the outcome of a blame game with a neighbouring country. Bulkan’s response that “… compensation is not normally offered in situations like this” is erroneous. The correct response should have been “Compensation is not normally offered in situations like this under the coalition government,” because, in such situations under the previous PPP/C administration, prompt needs assessments were carried out and immediate assistance provided, with requisite compensation and other interventions to restore life to normalcy following on a long-term basis, based on qualifying factors. A January 20, 2009 news item in the Kaieteur News reported ‘As some

communities along the Coast continue to be under water, Head of State, President Bharrat Jagdeo, yesterday said, “We will continue to hold their hands through this process.” Addressing the flood situation and the relief efforts, the former President said that of the $100M that was set aside for assistance, some $16M had already been expended. The comprehensive plan for expenditure of the $100M included the provision of seeds, chemicals, fertiliser, veterinary supplies, livestock feed, seed paddy, duckling, broilers and fuel. He promised “I want those communities, some of which are still under water, to know that the assistance that they have received, that’s not the end of it…there is still quite a bit of assistance to be disbursed to these places.” The Drainage and Irrigation works being carried out countrywide, the care packages being distributed to vulnerable families, the many people-centric interventions being made, the needs assessments of sugar factories carried out by NICIL all bespeak loudly that the PPP/C government is back; and all would be well in the nation.

An open letter to Alistair Rutledge Dear Editor, Namaste (the divinity in me salutes the divinity in you) WELCOME to Guyana, a hospitable country where some are wise and others are otherwise. You have indicated that you wished to learn as much as possible about the country in which you arrived a few weeks ago so this is our contribution. Your recent press conference cleared up some issues but also led to other questions and more speculation. Before investing in Guyana, ExxonMobil (E) must have done a lot of research into oil and gas exploration, the political, social and economic systems here. However, it is doubtful if its researchers provided you with information of the cultural values that guide large

sections of the populace. Guyana is a land of a thousand rivers with people of many races and religions. Long before Columbus got lost and thought he found a “new world” there existed in Guyana nine tribes of First Nations peoples who lived in harmony with the environment and saw no need to exploit or conquer it. They are celebrating this month so a lot can be learnt about their attachment to nature during this period. The European explorers eventually came with the intent of “civilising” this part of the world as part of the “white man’s burden”. This meant exploiting its resources and then imposing on the descendants of slaves and indentured servants “Superior” social and economic systems particularly a religion that found state support ever since the Roman Emperor Constantine was converted.

One unique group, Indian workers, came as indentured servants commencing May 5, 1838 and have made this land their home. Fast forward to post independence in 1960s and they started to flee to foreign lands in a second migration across the Atlantic. They settled around the globe where they are involved in business, academia, government and all aspects of the societies in which they live. Earlier this year, tens of thousands of them woke up from their material slumber and with their government representatives, played an active role for five months until the winner of the March 2 elections was declared on August 2. Then they learnt about events that reminded them of the days of Colonialism. A foreign company, very much like the East India Company, with resources greater than some governments makes secret deals resulting in an unconscionable

exploitation of their natural wealth with significant risks to the environment. They were consoled temporarily when the new government stated that it is not comfortable with certain aspects of the oil deal and will be seeking technical support before issuing further permits. Many petitions, letters in the press and discussions in other media supported a review of the situation. Our central concern in this letter is restricted to environmental issues. HINDUISM A large section of the population is Hindus who trace their ancestry to India, one of the oldest enduring civilisations on earth. More significant is that a greater number live outside Guyana and are See page 7

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 5, 2020

17-member CH&PA board sent packing GOVERNMENT has dissolved the 17-member Board of Directors of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA). The revocations of appointments were done pursuant to the powers vested in the Minister of Housing, Colin Croal, in accordance with Section 4 (2) of Cap 36:20 and Sections 4 (5) of Cap 36:20 of the Housing Act. The dissolution of the board, which was appointed in 2017, took immediate effect, and was gazetted on August 29, 2020. Persons who were appointed to the 2017 board included Elsworth Williams who was chairman, Junior Garrett, Sheik Mahmood, Mohamed Dawood Khan, Cleveland December, Mark Ambrose, Carlton Beckles, Winifred Heywood, Rookmin Ramcharran, Sonia Gumbs-Luke, Dr. Mallika Mootoo, Glenyss James, Heather Martins, Thandi McAllister, Michael Huston, Naresh Man-

gar, Waneka Arrindell and Egbert Carter. Most persons, who appeared as directors on the board, had close ties to and were even known members of the A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change (AFC) coalition. A reliable source informed this publication that new members are yet to be appointed but it will be done soon. Only on Tuesday, the Ministry of Housing and Water said former Republic Bank Guyana Manager, Sherwyn Greaves, is the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA). Greaves will be replacing Lelon Saul, whose contract with the agency was terminated on August 25. According to a statement from the ministry, Greaves’ banking career spanned over 27 years, during the course of which he has held key managerial

An open letter ... From page 6

well educated, established, retired and with the help of technology, can use social media to reach those with common interests across the globe. They are about one sixth of the world population today. Their leaders are also paying special interest to the People of Indian origin and the countries in which they live. Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, expressed great pride when recently-elected Suriname President, Chandrikapersad Santoki, took his oath in Sanskrit, on the most ancient of texts, the Vedas. The Hindu American Foundation (HAF.ORG) an advocacy group wrote to Mike Pompeo pleading for personal sanctions against those who attempt to thwart the wishes of the voters in Guyana. The unintentional fallout of the recent attempt to rig the election results has put the country in the international spotlight. Guyana was discussed on the Rajiv Malhotra Infinity Foundation media when Vishnu Bisram urged the viewers in India to establish closer links with Hindus in places like Guyana. What is so special about this group and the environment? It is the unique Vedic value system they observed for thousands of years and which they brought to the countries where the Imperial masters sent them. Protection of and respect for the environment is not a recent concern for them. The natural forces that govern their daily lives are considered manifestations of the creator Brahman, a divine force that sustains all living creatures and organic things. Therefore, they must live in harmony with nature not separate from it. Plants, trees, rivers, mountains all are included in what they consider sacred. Even when a new foundation for a building is being dug, a priest performs BHOOMI POOJA in order to appease Mother Earth and seeking her forgiveness. We confess

that some Hindus, including those who were converted by unethical means, have adopted the Western lifestyle with an exploitative attitude towards nature and have contributed to the present threat to the earth. You see both conversion and pollution has long term deleterious effects on the planet. This however, is changing. With the help of the Internet, more are learning about the spiritual foundation of their culture, their connection with nature and the duty to serve others (Seva). Decisions and actions that increase poverty among the masses and destroys nature may unintentionally help unite over one billion of them plus other nature worshippers across the globe. SOCIAL MEDIA Even non-religious groups which do not look upon your actions with favour can reach environmental movements, activists and supporters all across the planet. You have recently speculated that it is best to have an out-of-court settlement regarding a small fine for violating environmental regulations because the government has limited resources. Be advised that there are Guyanese abroad who worked for free or for $1 a year post 1992 when the foreign debt was about 90 per cent of every dollar earned. Then President, Cheddi Jagan, had a special touch and ability in reaching out to the thousands in the Diaspora to get their support. Today there are many more willing to help without being wined and dined before they sign. On special occasions they still eat with their hands and in leaves, a practice appreciated by their taste buds and the environment. They also have weddings lasting several days but they pay for it themselves. They are retirees with comfortable pensions and live in

positions throughout the country. “The newly-appointed CEO brings with him a wealth of knowledge in the areas of effective leadership and communication, as he holds a Master in Business Administration from the Australia Institute of Business; a diploma in banking from the Associate Institute of Canadian Bankers, as well as a certificate in People and Team Management from the Canadian Securities Institute,” the ministry said. Greaves come at a time when several key housing and water services, which were put on hold due to the COVID-19 outbreak, are now back up and running. Among those services which were affected, due to the many restrictions that had to be implemented in a bid to stop the deadly novel coronavirus in its tracks were: land allocation; updates of names to applications; processing of agreement of sale and title;

stable economies. They are calling for the formation of a Diaspora Department so their skills can be used to help their country of birth. However, there are very good reasons why everyone may wish to avoid unpredictable and expensive litigation. Unlike trial in the media, the judicial system has rules regarding admissibility, relevance, weight of credible and trustworthy evidence. All the secret dealings with ministers and members of the executive branch may be exposed. It is wise to follow the practice of the head of the most powerful nation on earth that ignores all advice except “DO NOT TESTIFY UNDER OATH.” There are legal grounds on which contracts can be set aside but it is definitely an uphill battle to prove non-compliance with the applicable laws of USA or Guyana. Yes, we must respect the terms agreed to between the parties if they signed knowing all the relevant facts, and without undue haste or influence. Assuming the agreement is above board in the final analysis what has to be weighted and balanced are sanctity of human contracts verses the divinity of nature. Here again Exxon will have a weaker case. The Prime Minister states Exxon will be in Guyana for a long time and he must have reliable up-to-date information. Demonstrate that you are serious about a long-term equal partnership. Settle the dust and reduce the noise by making the government a more reasonable offer they cannot refuse. Two per cent is not enough and flaring, which releases over 200 toxins into the air since December 2019, cannot go on indefinitely. This cannot be considered a start-up issue, not for a company with so much experience and wealth. PITRI PAKSH Hindus all over the world show respect for their ancestors with special services call PITRI PAKSH from September 2 to 16. Their fore parents in Guyana served

interviews for new applications; and all outdoor activities. “I am pleased to announce that under strict COVID-19 safety measure guidelines, some of our services under CH&PA have resumed,” Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues said, adding: “These services include ranger’s patrol, residential house lot payment; surveying of lots with one person allowed on that visit; and visits for planning permission.” In an effort to ensure that all Guyanese have access to water, which is a much-needed commodity in the fight against COVID-19, all water-related services have been resumed. She also used the opportunity to reassure consumers that the ministry has no intention of going back on its promise to not carry out disconnections until further notice.

the plantation owners when the minimum wage was 25 cents per day. This remained unchanged for one hundred years. Yet they survived and flourished by living off the land by farming. If Exxon is perceived to be a continuation of a neocolonial movement to exploit Guyana’s resources, it will never be able to repair its image here or abroad. Please sit down with the government and review or whatever R word is acceptable to you. Negotiate if you do not want to litigate. The world is watching. It would be a memorable day if your next press conference is a joint one with the government announcing that both sides have reached an agreement on the most important issues as equal partners. The country can then move forward to a new era of prosperity and stability. If this can be achieved on or before Oct 2, we can all join the world in celebrating the birthday of the greatest mediator/negotiator/environmentalist in or outside of court. He was appropriately called the MAHATMA. Peace and best of luck. Raj. Singh Jai Nanprasad Kishore Prasad Mohan Sookdeo John Peters Adit Kumar Omesh Sharma Joyce Persaud Pt. B. Benimadhu Pt. Chandan Persaud Soma Shekar Ormelia Navprasad Fred Stella: Hindu American Foundation Hari Singh: Indian Horizon of Florida Indo Caribbean Chamber of Commerce Harold Ragnauth Bern Singh Rick Persaud Ravin Sankar Ramnarine Sahadeo

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 5, 2020

Guyana’s offshore operations unaffected by Exxon’s job cuts

EXXONMOBIL Corporation, on Tuesday, announced that it was assessing worldwide job cuts due to the coronavirus pandemic which has slashed fuel demand. The company recently announced voluntary layoffs in Australia, as a means of cost cutting. Reaching out to the company on Friday, the Guyana Chronicle was made aware that operations offshore Guyana remains unaffected. Corporate Media Relations Manager of Public and Government Affairs, Casey Norton, provided a statement from the company. It outlined: “We have study work underway on a country-by-country basis to assess possible additional efficiencies to right-size our

business and make it stronger for the future. It would be premature to draw conclusions for other countries based on what we announced for Australia. Guyana remains an integral part of our investment plans. Current operations at Liza are unaffected and the second phase of development remains on target for 2022.” According to Reuters, the company has slashed capital spending by 30 per cent this year and warned of deeper cuts in 2021. July marked the first back-to-back quarterly losses for ExxonMobil in at least 36 years. However, production offshore Guyana is progressing with ExxonMobil, tentatively, hoping to meet its full capacity of producing

120,000 barrels of oil per day by this month, as final commission to its gas compressor system is ongoing. President of ExxonMobil Guyana, Alistair Routledge, recently told the media that there were four drill ships in operation, two of which are drilling development wells for Liza Phase 1 and 2. Meanwhile, two rigs are also operating at exploration well Redtail in the Stabroek Block and the Tanager well in the Kaieteur Block. “It will be a little while before we have results to announce, but looking forward to that, and, hopefully, some more good news to add to the history that we’ve had,” Routledge said. There are now plans for a fifth rig to join the operations later in the year to give the company the capacity it needs to support its planned pace of development, even amid

the pandemic. Pipes are being laid on the sea bed to facilitate the Liza Phase 2 Development which will ultimately be connected to the new Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading vessel (FPSO), the Liza Unity, under construction by SBM Offshore. The Liza Unity FPSO will be the largest capacity FPSO the company has ever delivered and its first to be built under its Fast4Ward® programme. The vessel will be designed to have associated gas treatment capacity of 400 million cubic feet per day and water injection capacity of 250,000 barrels per day. “There are a lot of activities offshore, despite the coronavirus challenges,” Routledge said, adding: “We’ve been able to keep the project on course still targeting the 2022 start-up at this point in time.”

COVID-19 death toll reaches 46 –– health minister says most victims had pre-existing conditions

THE Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) has claimed the lives of two more Guyanese, taking the local death toll to 46. Health officials confirmed that the recent victims were an 82-year-old female of Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) and a 47-year-old woman from Region One (Barima-Waini). Both persons were admitted to a local health facility and were tested after showing signs of COVID-19. They, however, succumbed while receiving treatment on Friday. The Ministry of Health offered condolences to the families of those persons and said they will make every effort to provide all the necessary support during this difficult time. The ministry also confirmed that they were in contact with all relatives and persons, to facilitate contact tracing and rapid assistance to anyone who might have been exposed to the victims. Guyana has so far recorded 1,416 cases of COVID-19, but 844 of those persons have since recovered while 46 persons have lost their lives. Of the remaining cases, 55 persons are in institutional isolation and 459 are in home isolation while 14 persons are being treated in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU). According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by a newly-discovered coronavirus. Most people, who fall sick with COVID-19, will experience mild to moderate symptoms and recover without special treatment. The WHO had said that 81 per cent

of persons, who contract COVID-19, will have mild symptoms, while 14 per cent will have severe symptoms and five per cent will need intensive care. But the COVID-19 disease has proven to be a “real killer”, especially in cases involving persons who have co-morbidities. Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, said many of the persons, who died from COVID-19, had pre-existing conditions. “They had varying diseases and in most cases, those were the reasons why they were hospitalised… they had other conditions… we did not know they had COVID-19 until they were tested,” said Dr. Anthony during a virtual press briefing on Friday. While most of the victims were either elderly or had co-morbidities, there were cases where persons were fairly young and had no pre-existing condition, but succumbed to COVID-19. It is to this end that all Guyanese were reminded to observe the protocols of the COVID-19 emergency measures, which are in effect until September 30, 2020. This order emphasises the need to always use a face mask correctly and consistently when leaving home, practise physical distancing, and observe good hygiene to reduce the spread of COVID-19. If you do have symptoms of COVID-19 or any concerns about which you need information, please contact the COVID-19 Hotline numbers - 231-1166, 226-7480 or 624-6674 - or visit the Ministry of Health’s website at www.health.gov.gy.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 5, 2020

‘Bush medicine’ culture contributing to COVID-19 spread –– CEO of North Rupununi District Development Board OF the many reasons for the rapid spread of COVID-19 in Region Nine, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the North Rupununi District Development Board (NRDDB), Ivor Marslow, believes that a key factor is the cultural belief that ‘bush medicine’ will eliminate the virus. While there are numerous clinical trials ongoing worldwide, there has been no widespread vaccination for the virus and health experts say that this may not be possible until mid 2021. As such, treatment is aimed at alleviating the symptoms of the virus. However, persons with pre-existing comorbidities, are at greater risk of becoming severely affected. In Guyana, as authorities work to ensure that all are sensitised about the preventative measures, the terms ‘vaccine’ and ‘cure’ are often used interchangeably by locals looking forward to an end to the global health crisis. “A lot of people feel that they know a cure for the virus and even though you tell them, there’s no cure for this disease, they say ‘when I get it I’m going to drink X’ and I’ve noticed that some influential persons have begun to say so as well but none of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the those methods, or none of those things have North Rupununi District Development been tested or proven, so we can’t say it’s Board (NRDDB), Ivor Marslow a cure. I think there’s a danger in us saying It was announced in July that they would ‘that person was cured because they took X’,” be setting up strategic health points across the Marslow pointed out in an interview with the region represented with health officials and newspaper on Friday. law enforcement. Marslow said that, thus far, The use of ‘bush medicine’ in Guyana is the initiative has proven useful and the Region nothing strange and is even used widely in the has received additional support. Caribbean. The leaves, barks and plants used “In the last couple of weeks, we’ve have proven medicinal properties but have not had a lot more support. The police have been certified as able to shield persons from been patrolling, there are less people on the coronavirus. More so, COVID-19 patients the road, the shop owners are being very with a history of hypertension, obesity, chron- careful, people have put extra precaution ic lung disease, diabetes, or cardiovascular and a lot of the stores have put up barriers. disease have the worst prognosis and most They are closing on time so people have to often end up with deteriorating outcomes plan very well how they spend their day,” such as Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome he said. (ARDS) and pneumonia. When it comes to the conduct of business, As of September 3, 2020, Region Nine he acknowledged that the COVID-19 restric(Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) recorded tions have made it difficult for persons but 243 cases of the virus. To put this into per- noted that everyone must still learn to balance spective, on May 11, 2020 the region recorded the value of doing business against the value its first COVID-19 case; four months later, it their life and that of others. He said that many is the region with the second highest number have turned to farming and kitchen gardening of cases after the Region Four, which has to make a livelihood. 509 cases. However, leaders within community “Eventhough we’re in the midst of the groups and regional bodies must still manage pandemic, I don’t think people actually their own affairs while attending to challenges look at the numbers to see how many such as affordable access to sanitation supRegion Nine has… but it only takes one plies and illegal border crossing. person,” the CEO said. There are some pensioners living close to the Brazil border who are now financially SENSITISATION challenged by the shutdown because they Leaders like Marslow are working usually collect pension from Brazil. to sensitise residents in the region and “[One of the things we consider is] how to advise health officials on where they do we deal with that because they need that should dedicate greater focus based on the money to survive,” he said. challenges. The NRDDB CEO finds it difficult to The NRDDB, where he works, is part of prioritise the pandemic-related needs of the North Rupununi District local Task Force the region but recommended the donation which is also made up of health officials, the of more sanitisation supplies for those who Community Development Officer (CDO), cannot afford it. He also thanked the curDistrict Development Officer (DDO), rep- rent administration for its increase in staff resentatives of the NRDDB, toshaos and the sent to region which is assisting with the police. detection of the virus.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 5, 2020

Police, Coast Guard join forces in war on COVID-19 –– to prevent ‘imported cases’ from coming across our porous borders

WITH the number of COVID-19 cases in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) rising by leaps and bounds, and a significant percentage of that total reportedly being ‘imports’ from neighbouring countries, the Guyana Police Force has announced that it will be paying closer attention to the many borders in an effort to contain the spread of the deadly virus. Regional Commander of Division Six, Senior Superintendent Linden Isles said the Force is currently redoubling its efforts to control the movement of persons between Guyana and Suriname, so as to discourage illegal entry, and to ensure that persons entering the country from there have the necessary clearance.

“The borders are very porous, and they’re wide. We are trying our utmost to see how best we can protect them,” Commander Isles said, adding that just recently, he was in conversation with ranks of the Guyana Defence Force Coast Guard, and they have offered to lend some assistance with those border areas so as to ensure that persons are not using those spaces to enter the country. Isles had only recently stated that there are several issues that the GPF will be looking into and addressing in the hope of minimising the spread of the coronavirus, among them an incident that was brought to his attention, which reportedly occurred at a COVID-19 quarantine facility at Rose Hall on the Corentyne.

In light of the potential danger posed by these ‘imports’ coming into contact with other persons, the district’s Regional Chairman, Mr. David Armogan has called out agents in the very Guyana Police Force for their alleged involvement in this dastardly act, saying that the persons in question who were allowed to leave the Rose Hall facility and go to a supermarket happen to be Cubans who’d entered Guyana illegally within the last two weeks. Isles stated that while the investigation into the alleged collusion between policemen and patients at the facility is currently ongoing, one also needs to take into account that the way the facility is set up, patients can go and come as they please, unbeknownst

to the ranks posted there. “It has been brought to my attention that the police may be allowing persons from the facility to leave to go to the supermarket, and we have launched an investigation into the matter,” Commander Isles said, adding: “But while we investigate the allegations, we also understand that there isn’t any proper security system; for example, there’s just a fence to the front, so persons can leave the compound from other places.” But, he gave his word that he will be working to set up a system that would allow the ranks to carry out their duties on a rotatory basis, so as to ensure that at any one point, there are enough of them on site to ensure that persons do not leave the facility without

the necessary clearance. Isles further stated that the police will also work to ensure that the members of the public throughout the country are sensitised about the COVID-19 emergency measures. Noting that the GPF wants to ensure that ranks have the correct information to disseminate to the public, Commander Isles said: “We intend to hold classes for our ranks, at all levels, so that they are properly equipped with the relevant knowledge to deal with persons who are in breach of the restrictions.” He stated that each subdivision has systems in place to ensure that businesspersons and other individuals are not in breach of the COVID-19 guidelines, and place them before the court as stipulated

by the COVID-19 guidelines. Just recently, Law Enforcement Officers of District 4 brought charges against 17 persons who were in breach of the COVID-19 Guidelines. The 17 persons were arrested for breaching gazetted COVID-19 guidelines, after they were discovered imbibing at Khan’s Hideout Bar on Second Street, Montrose, on the East Coast Demerara. When the police arrived at the venue, no one was wearing a mask, and, as a result, all 17 persons were taken into custody and placed on bail. They are to attend court.

Three more find sentences ‘too harsh’ –– move to have them overturned THREE men, who are each currently serving 80 years in prison for the 2012 murder of gold miner Glen Xavier, have now moved to the Appeal Court to have their conviction and sentence overturned. In 2017, a 12-member jury unanimously delivered a guilty verdict on Fizal Moore, called “Hard-

Mouth”; Stephan Campbell, called “Burnham”; and Roy Yokum, called “Ray Ray” for murdering Xavier at Cornbread Minimart on D’Urban Street, Werk-enRust. Xavier, who is said to have been killed in the furtherance of a robbery on May 8, 2012, died of gunshot injuries. As a result of the guilty

verdict, Justice Navindra Singh imposed an 80-year sentence each on the trio at the Georgetown High Court. The trio is now contending that the conviction cannot stand, since the trial judge erred in Law while handling the matter at the level of the High Court. As such, the men are asking that it be set aside along with the

Roy Yokum called ‘Ray-Ray’

Stephan Campbell, called ‘Burnham’

sentence. On May 8, 2012, Glen Xavier and his friend, Orin John, were having a few ‘drinks’ at the popular D’Urban Street, Werk-en-Rust bar when two men arrived

Fizal Moore called ‘Hard-Mouth’

on ‘CG’ motorcycles and under gun-point demanded that they hand over whatever money and jewellery they had on them at the time. But despite the fact that both men complied with their assailants’ demands, they still

shot them and made good their escape. Xavier, 32, of Harlem, West Coast Demerara, died from shock and hemorrhage due to the gunshot he took in the abdomen, while John, 48, of St. Cuthbert’s Mission, though he was shot in the shoulder, survived after a spell in hospital.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 5, 2020

East Bank bypass road project Elderly man redesigned to fit US$50M loan crushed by tractor

GOVERNMENT has retailored the Ogle to Diamond bypass road project to conform with the loan available to execute the major works. Speaking with the Department of Public Information, Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar, said the new four-lane East Coast-East Bank Linkage Project will extend from Ogle to Haags Bosch, rather than to Diamond. This move will spare taxpayers approximately USD$158M. “What was driving up

that [project] cost was a number of connectors on the road,” Minister Indar cited. Identifying the previously proposed connection at Mocha as a difficult area to execute works, the minister noted the swamp terrain saw astronomical increases in the total project cost. “For you to do those swamps, the cost of the earth works pushed up the cost to $208M. Remember, the Indian Government only had $50M allocated to this project. So, we had to redesign the project to bring it to the original design,” Minister

Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar

Indar explained. The minister further confirmed that India has accepted the new design for the roadworks. As such, the government is moving ahead to implement the project that was stalled for five years under the former APNU+AFC coalition administration. At the completion of Phase one of the project (Diamond to Hague Bosch), Minister Indar said the administration will forge ahead with the extension of the bypass road further up the East Bank of Demerara to Timehri. (DPI)

‘Top Cat’ remanded until Sept. 23 DWAYNE Castello, called “Top Cat”, was on Thursday remanded to prison on two firearm-related charges, one of which had to do with discharging a loaded weapon at a police corporal. Castello, 27, of East Ruimveldt, appeared before Magistrate Leron Daly at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, where he pleaded not guilty to the charges. The first of the two charges allege that on August 27, 2020, at East Ruimveldt, Georgetown, he had in his possession a 9mm pistol and six rounds of matching ammunition when he is not even “licensed to carry”. It is also alleged that on the same day and location, he discharged said firearm at Kester Cosbert, a policeman, “with intent to maim, disfigure or cause actual bodily harm”. Castello, who has been remanded to prison until

September 23, 2020, is a prime suspect in the murder of 23-year-old Navindra

rested by policemen on patrol duty on Genip Lane, in the same East Ruimveldt

Dwayne Castello

DEAD: Navindra Samaroo

Samaroo, who was gunned down on Middle Road, La Penitence on July 23, 2020 while sitting in his motorcar. The police are currently awaiting legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecution in relation to Samaroo’s murder. On August 27, 2020, Castello was shot and ar-

neighbourhood in which he resides. Reports are that patrol ranks, acting on information they’d received on the day in question, proceeded to Genip Lane, East Ruimveldt where they saw Castello, who, upon seeing them, attempted to flee on a black

motorcycle. By this time, the police had already stopped and disembarked the vehicle, and Castello, realising he’d been cornered, pulled out a firearm from his pants crotch and discharged several rounds in the lawmen’s direction. One rank, who was quicker on the draw than his colleagues, returned fire, hitting the career criminal in his left foot below the knee. Thus incapacitated, Castello fell to the ground and was arrested. When searched by the police, it was discovered that he had in his possession a 9mm pistol with six live matching rounds in the magazine.

A SEVENTY-year-old man tragically lost his life after the tractor he was operating toppled and pinned him in the process. At approximately 14:30 hours on Thursday, Martin Cedric Herman, of Orealla, Upper Corentyne River, was operating a tractor that was hauling a trailer with logs in the Orealla backlands when the left side wheel on the tractor broke off from the axel. According to information reaching Guyana Chronicle, the weight of the logs and the sudden drop when the wheel broke off, caused the tractor to buckle and eventually topple, pinning Herman in the process. The five other loggers, who were on the trailer at the time of the incident, rushed to the rescue of their

Martin Cedric Herman

colleague but when they eventually managed to pull him from under the wreckage, he was in an unconscious state. He was rushed to the Orealla Health Centre where he was pronounced dead on arrival by the attending physician.

The tractor that toppled causing the death of Herman

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 5, 2020

Key focus on constitutional, law and electoral reforms -- says attorney-general in meeting with EU ambassador

CONSTITUTIONAL, law and electoral reforms will be key areas of focus of the Legal Affairs Ministry said Attorney-General (AG), Mohabir Anil Nandlall, during a meeting with European Union (EU) Ambassador, Fernando Ponz Canto, on Friday. During a recent meeting at the Attorney-General’s Chambers, Minister Nandlall thanked the ambassador for the role the EU played during the March 2, 2020 National and Regional Elections, in supporting the triumph of democracy. The ambassador congratulated Minister Nandlall on his appointment as attorney-general and expressed that, on a personal level, he was very impressed with his command of the law, especially, in the areas of electoral and constitutional matters. The legal affairs minister updated the EU ambassador on

Attorney-General, Mohabir Anil Nandlall, in discussion with EU ambassador, Fernando Ponz Canto, recently

the Government of Guyana’s short-term and long-term plans

for development of Guyana. In this regard, Minister

Nandlall informed the ambassador of the ministry’s

plans and the EU ambassador endeavoured to assist the attor-

ney-general in many areas, especially with respect to citizen security, which the ambassador pointed out was lacking. He also informed the ambassador that Guyana, being a budding oil and gas country, would require legislative help, since Guyana has little to no legislative framework in place to manage and regulate the sector. The ambassador presented the attorney-general with the European Union Election Observation Mission Guyana 2020 Final Report. The ambassador informed Minister Nandlall that the team would return to Guyana to discuss the report and to begin the implementation of the recommendations contained therein. The ambassador also informed the attorney-general of how happy he was to see the level of inclusivity of the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Administration.

Exciting, unique activities in store for --Min. Manickchand announces, as MoE grapples ‘Education Month’ with new ways of delivering quality education

IN light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Education (MoE) will be looking to implement a number of innovative activities that highlight new methods of teaching during this year’s “Education Month” activities. This year the month is aptly being celebrated under the theme, “Finding solutions to deliver quality education, and broadening opportunities in 2020”. “This year, Education Month comes at a time when the delivery of education is threatened because of the COVID-19 pandemic. But it allows us an opportunity to highlight the new methods of teaching, and that’s what we’re going to be doing, because there are opportunities for us to deliver in a more effective and modern manner than we were delivering before,” Minister of Education Priya Manickchand shared in an interview with the Guyana Chronicle on Friday.

Celebrated annually throughout the month of September, “Education Month” is customarily a time used to raise awareness about the importance of education, and the placement of education in society, with a number of activities that bring out the theme of the month. “We see us delivering education in a multi-faceted approach, Minister Manickchand said. “So the efforts of Education Month is to deliver education to all our people, using different methods; either print material or ICT. We’re also going to see a new and improved way of communicating in the ministry, and this is going to be a new normal, even post-COVID-19,” she said, adding: “This year, the focus will be about delivering education, using ICT. How do we do that effectively? How do we connect our teachers and our students? How can we deliver education, using various

Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand

means? It was not a shock to our system that we could not have absorbed and respond to [the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic].”

Though the ministry is expected to release the full Calendar of Activities in the coming week, it has already begun rolling out some of those that

will be part of the celebration. The Minister noted that one of the biggest things coming out this month will be a multi-partner ICT training initiative for teachers as well as the general public. On Friday, the Ministry announced a partnership with the Commonwealth of Learning to offer “Free Access to 4000 Online Courses”, which will see courses being offered by ‘Ivy League’ and other reputable universities. “This year, you will see some traditional- type activities that would just move over to the virtual platform, such as the Debating and Art Competitions. But then we have some new ones like children being able to ask questions about COVID19 and their concerns,” Minister Manickchand noted. With heightened focus on alternative avenues of education delivery, the minister noted that in addition to the upgrading of programming on the Learning Channel, there

will also be an updating of the Ministry’s various Online platforms, including its YouTube page. “We will roll out a full timetable on the Learning Channel, where we are going to have enough to engage children for every grade each day, for six days a week,” Minister Manickchand said. “We will also be boosting the website, which had begun in 2014, but hadn’t grown the way it should have grown; with friendly content,” she added. General Secretary for the Guyana Teachers’ Union, Coretta McDonald noted that the Union will also be using Education Month to highlight how the COVID-19 situation has propelled education delivery to a new level. “With this Education Month,” McDonald said, “there’s a special opportunity to focus and reflect on what was done before, and how we can go forward, at the level of teachers, management, and students.”

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 5, 2020

Coalition weak in gov’t, seems worse in opposition

–– Attorney-General, Anil Nandlall

THE lack of respect for the Constitution, coupled with mismanagement, dishonesty and intolerance for democracy, are some of the reasons the A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition will be a weak opposition. This is according to Attorney-General and Legal Affairs Minister, Anil Nandlall, during a recent interview on Stateowned National Communications Network (NCN) TV. “We welcome robust scrutiny, we welcome a formidable challenge, we welcome a competent Opposition; that is not present in this bunch,” Nandlall said. The attorney-general noted that, in government, the APNU+AFC failed to deliver campaign promises and failed

Attorney-General, Anil Nandlall ordinary Guyanese, including their own supporters. “The ordinary grassroots Guyanese saw how the chosen few at the top were given the contracts and enjoyed the gravy train and during their five years they waged war against the Constitution of the country, against

the judicial system; they lost a no-confidence motion and remained in office illegally,” Attorney-General Nandlall stated. He continued: “After that kind of performance in government, the people voted them out and the sensible few that supported them, after the elections, would have also distanced themselves from them, because of what they did and how they embarrassed themselves, on a universal and global platform, as they attempted to thwart the will of the people.” The legal affairs minister said the APNU+AFC cannot now mobilise support on performance, delivery of promises, democracy and constitutional good governance because of an abysmal failure, the only card left to play in the pack is that of ethnicity.

He said racial arguments have never won and will not win. Adding that the now Opposition Leader, Joseph Harmon, was the most powerful man in the APNU+AFC government, the attorney-general said, and pointed out that the party keeps preaching on the number of Afro-Guyanese who were allegedly killed, but never thought it serious enough to hold a commission of inquiry. “But when you were in government what did you do about it, now you are on the opposition you gone with the propaganda again, who is going to believe that,” Nandlall questioned. He also said the current state of affairs in relation to the National Treasury and governmental institutions was dire. “As soon as we got into

the government… we began to work, we discovered very quickly that the treasury was empty, that the productive sectors were dormant, that business and commerce were at their all-time low and that the morale of the people was beaten and broken.” According to Nandlall, in almost every area of governance, there is evidence of neglect and mismanagement. “So, in every ministry you found rot… basically nothing happened in five years. We knew from the Opposition, we were seeing this from the outside, we were hearing about it, but when we entered into the government itself and we were able to examine the structures and the apparatus within the government, then we were able to realise and ascertain the level of destruction which had taken place,” he asserted.

Nandlall further pointed out that the extra-budgetary funds left by the then PPP/C Government, which amounted to “billions of dollars”, had vanished. He explained that it was necessary for the government to move quickly into activating the constitutional processes by bringing the Parliament into motion so as to kick-start government after a fivemonth protracted delay. The first sitting of the 12th Parliament, at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) on Tuesday, saw the approval of a total of $11.2 billion for 16 constitutional agencies for the remainder of the 2020 fiscal year. A complete national ‘emergency’ budget will be presented in the National Assembly on Wednesday.

Fired REOs move to the High Court SIX Regional Executive Officers (REOs) whose services were recently terminated by the Ministry of Local Government have now moved to the High Court to challenge their dismissal. The move against the State was filed by Attorney-at-Law Darren Wade, on behalf of the applicants: Randolph Storm, Region One (Barima- Waini); Denis

Jaikarran, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam); Jennifer Ferreira-Dougall, Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara); Ovid Morrison, Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice); Kim Williams-Stephen, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne); and Orrin Gordon, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice). The A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), in a release issued on Fri-

Randolph Storm

Kim Williams-Stephen

Orrin Gordon

Carl Parker

Denis Jaikarran day has noted that a similar challenge is expected to be filed by Carl Parker of Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), when the COVID-19 restrictions permit him to travel to Georgetown. “The applications are seeking judgement for unfair dismissal on discriminatory and prejudicial grounds, violating the constitutional rights to freedom of political

Jennifer Ferreira-Dougall association guaranteed to every citizen,” the APNU said. On August 11, the former REOs were given their termination letters by Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, Mr. Emil McGarrell. Asked for a comment at the time, Minister of Local Government and Regional Development,

Ovid Morrison Mr. Nigel Dharamlall had told the Guyana Chronicle: “The ministry lost confidence in their ability to perform. Their deportment was inimical to the effective and efficient functioning of the regions they managed. Moreover, they practised heavy partisan politics; they were void of professionalism and impartiality.”

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 5, 2020

Amazon Warriors... CONTINUED FROM BACKPAGE

has decided to play the on-field coach/ anchor role, allowing the youngsters to bat around him while seeing tsam home. West Indies batsmen, openers Chandrapaul Hemraj and Brandon King remain the Warriors key at the top of the order, regardless of their batting position and both players have managed to get some runs under their belts ahead of what could be the most important battle. Another key momentum-booster is that the Warriors also control the bowling department, with the old general Imran Tahir, predictably going on to pass the-then leading wicket-taker; Tallawahs Mujeeb Ur Rahman. The 41-year-old enters crunch stages with 15 wickets, two more than Mujeeb. Pacer Naveen Ul Haq is a class act and should he continue his wizardry with the ball, he could likely add a significant number to his 10 wickets. Skipper Chris Green has shrugged

off the pressure of being a novice captain and has exhibited nerves of steel to not only grab 9 wickets to date; but also lead a fairly young side out of the slums - almost being booted out like the champs Barbados Tridents - to inches from a possible victory. His arsenal of seamers like Naveen, Keemo Paul (9 wickets) and the burly Romario Shepherd who now seems to be hitting his straps after bagging a 3-for recently; will need to continue supporting Tahir and Green when the time arrives. West Indies U-19 and Guyana Jaguars all-rounder Kevin Sinclair has been a revelation for the Warriors. Not only do his acrobatics add to the dynamics of his cricket, but his energy has lifted the overall vibe of the team after just a few games.

The off-spinner averages a measly 12.20 from his 4 games but has snapped up 5 wickets with figures of; 1-9, 2-13, 1-16 and 1-23, operating with much efficiency and effectivenessm bowling with the new ball and getting the early breakthroughs. Should he remain in the side, and he should, then Warriors will enter the latter stages of their title hunt with 3 inform seamers and 3 ace spinners - ideal weaponry needed to wrap up the season. New champions will be crowned, thanks to Warriors who ensured they got the message across to defending champs Tridents, by dumping them out of this year’s competition. Guyana will have a few days to regroup and formulate the necessary tactics while they await their semi-final opponents; when the other matches are completed.

Minister Ramson hails... CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23

as a socially-distanced activity, especially during the current COVID-19 pandemic. According to Hussain, Minister Ramson indicated that he was extremely pleased at the interest being created. “The number of new players participating in a socially-distanced programme is exciting and shows that we as Guyanese can adapt to finding ways to live with and in compliance with the COVID virus something that may be a part of our lives in the foreseeable future,” said

the minister. “Being responsible for both youth and sport, it is important that the ministry find ways to support the development of the game, and the rapid growth of golf through your efforts shows that many Guyanese are interested in the sport,” the minister added. Over the past few years, under the influence of GGA president Hussain, the sport has seen outreach programmes develop with University of Guyana, ATC, Queen’s College, Bishops’ and Rose’s High schools and

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 05, 2020)

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)TKR & Barboasos Tridents (2) Asif Ali

Today’s Quiz:

(1) Who won the Man of the Tournament award in Hero CPL 2017? (2) Who has taken most wickets for the Warriors in CPL cricket to date? How many?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

even at Giftland Mall, courtesy of Mr Roy Beepat. “Contributions to the Academy by seasoned players Colin Ming, Brian Hackett, Anwar Shaffie (along with several overseas players), the Shafura Hussain Foundation, NY (William and Aleena Knight), Maxim Mangra and many others, have allowed us to ensure that we can provide equipment and balls to kids either at a very low cost or in many cases, at no charge,” stated the GGA president. With worldwide interest being focussed on Guyana’s development of new PGA-standard courses in Mahaica, this is the time for the sport to take its place amongst traditional activities such as cricket and football, according to the GGA head. “Our current goal is to meet a target of 3 000 new players by the end of 2021; persons who may have never touched a golf club or ball in their lives,” said Hussain. The ultimate goal of the GGA and the NexGen Golf Academy is to find and mould talented players so that Guyana can compete in the future Olympic Games, said the head. Meanwhile, persons interested in learning golf can contact them at 645 0944 or Facebook NexGen Golf Academy. (Clifton Ross)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 5, 2020

Van Aert wins stage seven as Saurez agrees to Juventus Yates retains yellow jersey move

(BBC) - Wout van Aert won stage seven of the Tour de France in a sprint finish as Britain’s Adam Yates retained the leader’s yellow jersey. The Belgian, who also won stage five, got the better of his sprint rivals at the end of a blustery 168km ride from Millau to Lavaur. The Jumbo-Visma rider edged out Norway’s Edvald Boasson Hagen and Frenchman Bryan Coquard. Mitchelton-Scott’s Yates was ninth and stays at the head of the standings. An eventful stage had started with

position.”

‘It was always hectic’ One rider who always appears to be well placed is van Aert, whose primary assignment was to act as a chaperone to team-mates Primoz Roglic and Tom Dumoulin. The 25-year-old has already exhibited his climbing and sprinting credentials in this edition of the race and timed his final effort to perfection to pip Boasson Hagen on the line. “I’m really proud of it,” van Aert

ronne to Loudenvielle. Stage seven results: 1. Wout van Aert (Bel/Jumbo Visma) 3hrs 32mins 03secs 2. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor/ NTT Pro Cycling) Same time 3. Bryan Coquard (Fra/B&B Hotels-Vital Concept) 4. Christophe Laporte (Fra/Cofidis) 5. Jasper Stuyen (Bel/Trek-Segafredo) 6. Clement Venturini (Fra/AG2RLa Mondiale) 7. Hugo Hofstetter (Fra/Israel Start-

Luis Suarez won La Liga title in four of his first five seasons with Barcelona.

Wout van Aert is the first rider from Belgium to win more than one stage at a single Tour de France since Tom Boonen in 2007.

Bora-Hansgrohe setting a punishing early pace on the first categorised climb of the day up the Cote de Luzencon, to scatter the peloton. And while that succeeded in helping Slovakia’s Peter Sagan reclaim the green jersey from Ireland’s Sam Bennett, it also ensured a thrilling finale to the stage. With a number of the sprint favourites distanced, the battle at the top of the general classification developed over the last 40km when crosswinds caused splits in the leading group. Tadej Pogacar and Mikel Landa both lost over a minute though Yates survived a potentially dangerous moment on the outskirts of Castres to bridge across as Ineos Grenadiers upped the tempo at the front. “We were expecting an easy day today but Bora had other ideas,” Yates said. “We rode full gas from start to finish; it was a hard day for everybody. I wasn’t too anxious really, just a few moments where you had to be in position because of the wind. “It was not too crazy but enough to split the bunch, so you had to be in

said. “It was straight from the gun really hard. It was a very impressive stage from Bora-Hansgrohe, they were flat out from the first kilometre and made sure a lot of the sprinters were dropped. “It was always hectic because everyone feared the crosswinds. At the end we saw it was worth it to put a lot of energy into the positioning. I was with Primoz the whole day in the front so it was a good day for the team. “A lot of the GC favourites lost time and I could finish it off as well.” While Ineos’ Richard Carapaz dropped off the leading group with a puncture, his team-mate and defending champion Egan Bernal was also a beneficiary of the late drama, taking the white jersey for the best young rider from Pogacar. “In the finale, we saw the opportunity and we took advantage of it to split the bunch,” said Bernal. “The Tour de France is also won in stages like this one. You have to use all terrains. My team did a perfect job.” The race now moves on to the Pyrenees today with the 141km rollercoaster route from Cazeres-sur-Ga-

Up Nation) 8. Egan Bernal (Col/Ineos Grenadiers) 9. Adam Yates (GB/Mitchelton-Scott) 10. Alejandro Valverde (Spa/Movistar) General classification after stage seven 1. Adam Yates (GB/Mitchelton-Scott) 30hrs 36mins 00secs 2. Primoz Roglic (Slo/Jumbo-Visma) +3secs 3. Guillaume Martin (Fra/Cofidis) +9secs 4. Egan Bernal (Col/Ineos Grenadiers) +13secs 5. Tom Dumoulin (Ned/Jumbo-Visma) Same time 6. Nairo Quintana (Col/Arkea-Samsic) 7. Romain Bardet (Fra/AG2R-La Mondiale) 8. Miguel Angel Lopez (Col/Astana) 9. Thibaut Pinot (Fra/Groupama-FDJ) 10. Rigoberto Uran (Col/EF Pro Cycling)

(BBC) - Barcelona forward Luis Suarez has agreed to join Juventus, reports BBC Radio 5 Live’s Guillem Balague. Suarez will move to Serie A on a free transfer - or perhaps a nominal fee - if he can negotiate his release from the Spanish giants. The Uruguayan has a year to run on a contract he signed in 2016 but if he played 60% of games during 2020-21 it would be extended for another year. Suarez would be happy to be paid off with one season’s wages. Italian media reported yesterday that he would also need to pass a citizenship test to play in Italy - he has a Uruguayan passport and played in Spain thanks to his wife’s Italian passport, enough to be considered European in La Liga. The 33-year-old’s move has no bearing on the future of his friend Lionel Messi. Suarez and Messi along with their families - are close but Messi’s decision over whether to stay at the Nou Camp will not be affected by his teammate’s move.

Suarez’s switch to Turin will see him line up along Messi’s great rival Cristiano Ronaldo. Suarez joined Barcelona from Liverpool for £74M in 2014 and has scored 198 goals in 283 appearances. After moving from Anfield to Barcelona, he enjoyed huge levels of success, forming part of a devastating front three, alongside Messi and Brazil star Neymar. The trio led Barca to a League, Cup and Champions League treble in 201415 and the club also won three more league titles, another three Copa del Rey trophies, two Spanish Super Cups, the UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup during Suarez’s time there. But he and Messi have been unable to inspire Barca to another Champions League success, meaning it is five years since they won Europe’s premier club competition. They finished last season without a trophy after being beaten to the title by fierce rivals Real Madrid.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 5, 2020

England beat Australia in thrilling T20 opener

(BBC) - England pulled off a remarkable fightback to beat Australia by two runs in a thrilling first Twenty20 at the Ageas Bowl. Chasing 163, Australia were cruising to victory, needing just 39 from 38 balls with nine wickets remaining. But the wicket of Steve Smith, one of two wickets to fall in Adil Rashid’s final over, sparked a collapse of 4-9 in 14 deliveries. Ashton Agar was run-out off the final ball of the penultimate over, leaving the tourists needing 15 from the final six balls. Marcus Stoinis hit a six from the second delivery of Tom Curran’s over but still needed five from the final ball. Curran perfectly executed a yorker to see England take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. England had earlier been grateful for 66 from Dawid Malan and 44 from Jos Buttler in their underwhelming 162-7.

The second match at the same ground is tomorrow, live on BBC One from 13:50 BST.

England capitalise as Australia implode England’s bowling improved significantly from the beginning of the Australia innings but they were able to take victory, thanks to an implosion by the tourists. Opener David Warner and Aaron Finch plundered the bowling to begin with. putting on 98 as Mark Wood and Jofra Archer bowled too short - the batsmen repeatedly hitting fours square off the back foot. Even when Finch hit Archer to long-off to fall for 46, Smith looked comfortable. He pulled his first ball - a 94mph delivery from Wood - for four. What followed was remarkable. Smith top-edged a sweep off Rashid when on 18 and Maxwell hit the final ball of the leg-spinner’s spell to extra cover

Dawid Malan slog-sweeps for another boundary, England v Australia, 1st T20I, Ageas Bowl, yesterday. - an error which proved crucial. Warner departed for 56 two balls later - bowled off his pads by Archer - and in the following over Alex Carey was bowled by a fast delivery from Wood.

The wickets fell and runs dried up. There was not a boundary hit after a Smith six in the 14th over until Stoinis’ big hit over extra cover with five balls left.

Messi staying at Barcelona (BBC) - Barcelona’s alltime leading goalscorer Lionel Messi says he is staying because it is “impossible” for any team to pay his release clause and he does not want to face “the club I love” in court. The Argentine, 33, sent a fax to Barca last Tuesday saying he wanted to exercise a clause in his contract which he said allowed him to leave for free. But the club said his 700 million euro (£624M) release

clause would have to be met. “I thought and was sure that I was free to leave,” Messi told Goal. “I told the president and, well, the president always said that at the end of the season I could decide if I wanted to go, or if I wanted to stay, and in the end he did not keep his word. “Now I am going to continue in the club because the president told me that the only way to leave was to pay the 700-million clause, and

that this is impossible.” Messi, whose contract expires next summer, says the fact he did not tell Barca he wanted to leave before June 10 was crucial, and had he done so his release clause would not have had to be met. “Now they cling to the fact that I did not say it before June 10, when it turns out that on June 10 we were competing for La Liga in the middle of this awful coronavirus and this disease altered all the season,” he added.

“There was another way and it was to go to trial. I would never go to court against Barca because it is the club that I love, which gave me everything since I arrived. “It is the club of my life; I have made my life here.” Messi’s father Jorge had held talks in Barcelona this week and insisted his son could leave for free, only for La Liga to back Barca’s stance over the release clause.

Stoinis had attempted to play himself in, backing himself to hit the required runs from the final over. He cleared the ropes once but also missed two other deliveries trying to power the ball away. Curran held his nerve where the Australia all-rounder did not. This was Australia’s first competitive match for almost six months because of the coronavirus pandemic, one mitigating factor. Malan proves his worth again England’s total did not look enough at halfway, never mind when Warner and Finch were seemingly racing to victory. Buttler had given England a quick start, seven boundaries coming in his 29-ball knock, including two straight sixes off spinner Ashton Agar in a second over that went for 16 runs. England were 64-1 when Buttler hit leg-spinner Adam Zampa to deep mid-wicket and

afterwards had a collapse of their own. Eoin Morgan’s side lost 60-5 as canny Australia bowling, largely spin and slower balls, proved effective. It was left to Malan, retained in his position at number three, to muster a testing score for the hosts. As wickets fell around him he was calm. He batted with relative composure until launching an attack against Zampa in the 18th over. He hit two sixes - one over mid-wicket and one over long-off - in an over that cost 22 and boosted England’s failing innings. It was Malan’s eighth score of 50 or more in 14 T20 internationals. England still have players to come back - Jason Roy and Ben Stokes were missing from this game - but Malan, who made a match-winning knock in the second T20 against Pakistan, is fast making himself un-droppable.

Manchester City were among the clubs linked with Messi when he made clear he wanted to end his 20-year stay at the Nou Camp, nine days after an 8-2 defeat by Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals. That result meant Barca ended the season with no silverware, and they replaced manager Quique Setien with former Everton and Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman. Messi is yet to train with his team-mates since Koeman’s arrival and admits the club’s lack of recent success influenced his decision to ask to leave. “I looked further afield and I want to compete at

the highest level, win titles, compete in the Champions League,” he said. “When I communicated my wish to leave to my wife and children, it was a brutal drama. “The whole family began crying, my children did not want to leave Barcelona, nor did they want to change schools. “I love Barcelona and I’m not going to find a better place than here anywhere. Still, I have the right to decide. “I was going to look for new goals and new challenges. And tomorrow I could go back, because here in Barcelona I have everything.”

Forde ‘worried’ about local COVID-19 restrictions impact on 2022 World Cup qualifiers preparations By Rawle Toney WITH just one month to go before Guyana kick off their 2022 Qatar World Cup qualifiers against Trinidad and Tobago, president of the Guyana Football Federation (CFF), Wayne Forde is worried that current guidelines set by the National COVID-19 Task Force will be a bugbear for the country’s preparation plans. Forde, appearing on NCN’s Guyana Today show yesterday, said while football in some parts of the world has returned under strict protocols by FIFA and the respective health officials, locally it’s a contrasting story. “Absolutely nothing is taking place because nothing can take place until such time that we have the

approval and the guidance and protocols from the Ministry of Health and COVID-19 Task Force,” Forde said during an appearance on NCN’s Guyana Today TV show yesterday. Golden Jaguars were drawn in Group F in the CONCACAF zone of the 2022 Qatar World Cup Qualifier, alongside Trinidad and Tobago, St Kitts and Nevis, Puerto Rico and The Bahamas. According to CONCACAF’s schedule for their leg of the 2022 Qatar World Cup qualifiers, Golden Jaguars are set to travel to Trinidad and Tobago on October 8, where they will kick-off their campaign against the Soca Warriors. Following their game in the Twin Island Republic, Guyana will return home to play The Bahamas on Tuesday, October 13.

GFF president Wayne Forde On November 13, Guyana will travel to St Kitts & Nevis for their

third game then host Puerto Rico on November 17.

However, while most of the Jaguars’ overseas-based players have returned to action in their respective leagues, local football has been at a standstill since the pandemic in March, or, as ib the case of the GFF Elite League, since March of 2019. According to Forde, the situation puts his federation at a bothersome position, adding that they will have to engage the National COVID-19 Task Force on how they can proceed, while still observing all protocols. Forde noted that both the game’s global body, FIFA and CONCACAF are closely monitoring the situation for the participating countries, while revealing that GFF has been providing “constant update to them, so I’m sure in a matter of

days we’ll be formerly notified by the decisions of FIFA and CONCACAF that will help to mitigate what we anticipate will be a real problem, if we’re unable to prepare properly.” In a recent report in Chronicle Sport, Marcio Máximo, Golden Jaguars head coach related that he has been meeting virtually with members of GFF’s technical department, pointing out that along with coach Wilson Toledo and once Government gives the approval for sporting activities to resume, the local staff will immediately start the training. Guyana’s best performance at a FIFA World Cup qualifier tournament came in the run-up to the 2014 edition, where the Golden Jaguars had reached the penultimate round of the CONCACAF Zone.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 5, 2020

Afghan stars allowed to play out remainder of Hero CPL 2020 THE Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) extends its thanks to the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) and Cricket West Indies (CWI) for ensuring that the Afghan players, who are taking part in this year’s tournament, have been able to stay until the conclusion of the event. The six Afghan players taking part in the Hero CPL this season are Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Naveen-ul-Haq, Najibullah Zadran and Zahir Khan, all of whom were due to take part in the Shpageeza Cricket League, their domestic T20 competition. Following discussions between CWI president Ricky Sker-

ritt and ACB Chairman Farhan Yusefzai an agreement was reached to allow the players to stay on until CPL ends. Pete Russell, Hero CPL’s COO, said, “We understand the importance of the Shpageeza Cricket League to the ACB and the reasons why it had to be scheduled during the CPL after the NOCs were all issued. “We truly appreciate the Chairman of the ACB allowing these six Afghan players to stay at the Hero CPL until its conclusion. Afghan players have had a huge impact on our competition, both this season and in previous years, and we are very grateful to have them with us until the final on

Mohammad Nabi

September 10. “I would also like to put on record our thanks to CWI’s president and CEO for taking the time to resolve this situation, which has shone a light on the issues leagues such as CPL faces with the current NOC policy and system.” Russell ended.

Mujeeb Ur Rahman

Minister Ramson hails strides made by Golf Academy

Minister of Youth, Sport & Culture Charles Ramson, Jr.

MINISTER of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr, has hailed the NexGen Golf Academy, adding that he’s impressed with the newfound interest being generated by the institution. Located in Woolford Avenue, the Golf Academy has been making big steps with regard to the expansion of its endeavours.

Recently the academy forged a partnership with the Scouts Association of Guyana and Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) in efforts to integrate women, children as well as inner-city players and persons who normally have been unable to access the sport. Minister Ramson, who is no stranger to golf, being himself an avid player back in the days times

when he had fewer responsibilities, engaged in talks with the president of the Guyana Golf Association (GGA) Aleem Hussain, on Monday. Hussain told Chronicle Sport that the discussion was based on various aspects of the sport and the opportunities it could offer SEE PAGE 20

GGA president Aleem Hussain

Guyana Amazon Warriors are arguably the most dangerous team in the bubble apart from the unbeaten Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR), heading into the semi-finals.

Shimron Hetmyer has been their champ from the start, smacking a trifecta of half-centuries. He leads the runs chart for his team and the tournament with 267 runs; passing Jamaica Tallawahs opener Glenn Phillips at number 2 with 248 runs. Hetmyer has been their leader with the bat, while the volatile Nicholas Pooran (4th with 234 runs) blasted 68, followed by a whirlwind 100 not out off 45 balls and will continue to act as the team’s enforcer when the semi-finals begin. Ross Taylor has absorbed the pressure and instead of looking to be the team’s designated basher - a role which he has fulfilled to the best of his abilities over the years -

TURN TO PAGE 20

Amazon Warriors heading into semi-finals, after regaining ‘mojo’

… Hetmyer, Tahir lead runs/wickets charts

By Clifton Ross

NO team in Hero CPL history has managed to attract the loyalty and love of the fans like Guyana Amazon Warriors, and after a mixed start to the season, the former finalists are almost at the cusp of possibly winning this year’s championship, following an amazing turnaround of form. This year’s journey to breaking the jinx, which began back in 2013, came with a number of hurdles for the Warriors, who reminded the doubters of their team’s talent, especially during

the more crucial stages of the tournament. Similar to the NBA, where teams have their collection of players who can deliver in the ‘clutch-moments’ of the game, which usually start with a little less than 4 minutes or so remaining in regular time of a game, the Warriors have their own bunch of late-moment stars. After having a mixed start to the tournament, which was plagued by a few losses and near misses as well as some individual performances which should have gone a long way, the local franchise played their last three games like the champions they deserved to be 5 times over. Messi has won more Ballon d’Or awards - given to the best player in the world than anybody else, with six. PAGE

Messi staying at Barcelona

Forde ‘worried’ about

local COVID-19 restrictions

impact on 2022 World Cup qualifiers preparations PAGE

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PICTURE PERFECT! Neil Danns is swarmed by his Golden Jaguars teammates (Sam Cox, Sheldon Holder and Terence Vancooten) after scoring a beautiful goal to give Guyana a 1-0 lead over T&T at the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup. (Samuel Maughn photo) SATURDAY,SEPTEMBER 5, 2020