Guyana_Chronicle_Epaper_04_08_2021 by Guyana Chronicle

THURSDAY 8th April, 2021

' No.106324

Guyana’s COVID-19 death toll now at 250

Throw it out SEE PAGE 03

Vaccine equity should replace vaccine nationalism 10 PAGE

–– GECOM asks court to dismiss elections petition; ruling set for April 26

GPSU wants Trevor Benn removed as credit union chair 05 PAGE

Assuria building 02 $800M HQ in G/Town PAGE

Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh (centre) leads the sod-turning efforts for Assuria’s new $800M headquarters (Adrian Narine photo)

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Boy, 10,of Cullen missing

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 8, 2021

Assuria building $800M HQ in G/Town By Rehana Ahamad HAVING recognised the feasibility of doing business in Guyana, Assuria General and Life Insurance Companies is moving to expand its operations here. In addition to establishing an Essequibo, Region Two branch, the Surinamese entity is pursuing the construction of a GY$800 million Headquarters (HQ) on Church and Carmichael Streets in Georgetown. The project to build the modern five-storey office building is being undertaken by Nabi Construction Incorporated, with an estimated timeline of 14 months. Delivering brief remarks at the sod-turning ceremony hosted on Wednesday, Assuria’s Managing Director, Yogindra Arjune, recalled that the company came to

Senior Minister in the Office of the President, with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh

Guyana in 2012, prior to the emergence of the local Oil and Gas sector. “Our idea was to be part of the existing industry, while bringing new and innovative products,”

Assuria’s Managing Director, Yogindra Arjune

Arjune said. He noted that “This modern building is being constructed to highlight that we are here to stay and contribute to the development of Guyana.” TURN TO PAGE

A section of the gathering at the sod-turning ceremony

Throw it out

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 8, 2021

–– GECOM asks court to dismiss elections petition; ruling set for April 26

By Richard Bhainie THE Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) through its Attorney-at-law, Dominican Senior Counsel, Anthony Astaphan, on Wednesday, asked the High Court to dismiss the remaining Elections Petition, 88 of 2020, Claudette Thorne et anor v Keith Lowenfield et al. In this matter, petitioners Claudette Thorne and Heston Bostwick, in their submissions, contend that Section 22 of the Election Laws (Amendment) Act 2000 is unconstitutional and Order 60 of 2020, which authorised the elections recount process, is invalid, null, void and of no effect. They are also contending that the Returning Officers’ Electoral District Declarations could not have been set aside and the Guyana Elections Commission’s (GECOM) actions were unlawful and encroached upon the High Court Jurisdiction under Article 163 of the Constitution. Order 60 was created by virtue of Article 162(1) of the Constitution and Section 22 of the Election Laws Amendment Act 2000, in order to resolve irregularities, anomalies and discrepancies before declaring the results of the elections. In responding to questions posed by the Chief Justice (ag), Roxane George, S.C., Trinidadian counsel representing the petitioners, John Jeremie, S.C, noted that the petitioners accept that there were “difficulties” in the elections process, while noting that those “difficulties” could not be resolved by GECOM but by an Election Court. “The power to set aside elections, that power which was originally vested in the Parliament in England and in National Assembly in Guyana, that power was transferred to the court … it does not exist at common law, it could not properly be any part of the remit of GECOM to [arrogate] to itself the power to resolve disputes and the power to set aside declarations,” he said.

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, S.C.

In making his arguments, Astaphan cited the case of Esther Perreira v Chief Elections Officer et al (1998), in which the then Justice Singh held that mere breach of the law is not sufficient to invalidate the results of an election, and the petitioners must prove “total non-compliance”. “We are submitting that there is nothing pleaded in this case to suggest any sort of total non-compliance with the provisions … that’s not pleaded. Mere breach is not enough, it has to be a substantial non-compliance that introduces something, introduces a principle that is hostile to the fundamental constitutional principle,” he said. He told the court that to arrive at a breach, it must be established that the breach was of such an effect as to have an effect on the conduct of the recount. “There was no breach, Section 22 got its constitutional genesis and status from Section 162 of the Constitution; Order 60 was entirely consistent with Section 22 and Section 162,” he said. Astaphan elaborated that Order 60 was “transparent”, enacted in “good faith” and was intended to remove the difficulties that prevented a declaration of final results, which was pending for several months. “In the face of these difficulties, what was GECOM to do? What should GECOM

Attorney-at-law, Douglas Mendes, S.C.

have done with the intransigent of the Returning Officer and the Chief Elections Officer and the difficultly to get cooperation for resolution of the matter,” he asked the court. “GECOM was literally, by the Constitution and by statute, obliged to act, it was obliged to act otherwise chaos would have resulted as a result of the inability of GECOM because of the difficulties and intransigent it faced in declaring the final results as to who was properly elected in Guyana,” he said. DISMISS THE PETITION While maintaining that there was no breach, he argued that in the alternative, if the Chief Justice in her perusal of the arguments submitted to the court by the parties involved should find same, there were no consequence which affected the conduct or result of the recount and the petition should be dismissed. “Even if your ladyship may find a breach, then there were no consequences which affected the conduct or result of the count and therefore in any event your ladyship should dismiss the petition,” he told the court. Further, the Caribbean Attorney posited that the position of the petitioners that the results of the elections were affected by the recount is “wholly inadequate”. “There must be materi-

Counsel representing the petitioners, John Jeremie, S.C.

al particulars and facts that indicate precisely how that would have been done, merely to state that is a vague and general statement and they have not indicated how that is done,” he said. In closing, he noted that Section 22 is not inconsistent with the provisions of the Constitution because of the language of the acts of Parliament which must be read subject to the overriding powers of Section 162 of the Constitution which gives GECOM a discretion on how the law is to be applied in order to remove the difficulties. “There is tremendous commonsense in that legislation because it would be clearly not in the public interest for every time that difficulty arises that the Act must be amended by Parliament to give specific powers, it was a general delegation of authority,” he said. “They were given wide powers but these powers were subject in the event an amendment to negative resolution; if it’s not being amended then the petitioners were obliged to show that GECOM acted illegally in making Order 60 because there was no difficulty to remove, they cannot say that, they are simply incapable and unable to make that statement to the court,” he added. Attorney-at-law ,Trinidadian Senior Counsel, Douglas Mendes, representing, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo in his capacity

Anthony Astaphan, S.C, attorney-at-law representing The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM)

as representative of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) purported similar arguments, noting that there was no excessive delegation of power to GECOM by Section 22, and that Section 22 is constitutional. Further, representing the State, Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, S.C, shared similar sentiments emphasising that there is the absence of material facts and no foundation is laid in the petition to establish any grounds upon which the elections can be vitiated. “There was nothing that was out of character that was done and nothing is being alleged in any event, what is being alleged is a sterile contention that Section 22 is unconstitutional, not that Section 22 offends any constitutional provision,” Nandlall told the court. “So that ground of constitutionality is not being alleged, but that Section 22 by conferring what is interpreted as a law-making power upon GECOM violates the doctrine of separation of powers and that is flatly rejected by the authorities,” he added. ABSOLUTELY NO EVIDENCE Nandlall further highlighted that there is absolutely no evidence contained in the petition to suggest that the results produced by the recount process is different from that

of the original results derived from the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections. On January 18, the Chief Justice struck-out the elections petition, 99 of 2020, filed by Monica Thomas and Brennan Nurse, who argued that the elections were unlawfully conducted and/or that the results, were affected or might have been affected by unlawful acts or omissions. She had described the submissions from lawyers representing the petitioners in said matter as “unmeritorious”, and had ruled that the petition is invalid on the basis that the second named respondent, David Granger, was served the petition after the prescribed time for service had expired — a procedural impropriety. On February 24, Attorney-at-Law, Roysdale Forde, S.C. representing the petitioners, Monica Thomas and Brennan Nurse, moved to the Court of Appeal to have the Chief Justice’s decision set aside. That appeal is scheduled for Case Management on April 12. Subsequent to listening to the arguments purported by the various counsels representing the parties to the petition, Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George, S.C. disclosed that ruling on the matter is scheduled for April 26, 2020.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 8, 2021

Assuria building $800M HQ in.... The Managing Director indicated that in addition to its Head Office, Assuria-Guyana currently has eight branches, all of which provide employment for 67 persons, along with 18 fulltime agents. Arjune related too that Assuria is ISO (International Organisation for Standardisation) certified, as the company intends to “continue to provide internationally certified service to all our clients”. In his keynote address to the ceremony, Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh said that Assuria’s decision to construct its headquarters in Guyana is a clear demonstration of the confidence that it has in the Guyanese market and the Guyanese economy, as a whole. Specifically examining the insurance sector, Dr. Singh expressed concern that many Guyanese fail to value the importance of acquiring and maintaining insurance policies in their day-to-day lives. “There are a lot of people in Guyana

who believe perhaps that insurance is a thing you can afford to do without or you take the absolute minimum insurance that is required because you must have insurance,” the Finance Minister recognised. INDISPENSABLE COMPONENT He emphasised that contrary to what many may believe, insurance is an indispensable component in the risk management ‘toolkit’ of any household or company. Minister Singh used the forum to encourage players within the insurance sector to improve on their public awareness and education capacity, so as to get more and more persons to understand the importance and benefits that come with being insured. Further, Minister Singh lauded Assuria for taking the step and investing in its regional expansion, pointing to the entity’s success as a demonstration of the possibilities that exist once companies step outside of their domestic market spaces. “Just as Assuria spotted

Thursday April 8, 2021 02:00hrs & 13:30hrs

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an opportunity in Guyana, there is nothing to stop Guyanese companies looking beyond Guyana. There are good business opportunities outside of our domestic economic space outside of the confines of our domestic economy,” the Finance Minister noted. He pointed to the fact that the emergence of Guyana’s Oil and Gas sector has seen many local companies improving their operations, thereby positioning themselves to effectively compete with longstanding entities of international standards. “I look forward to the Guyanese companies of today, becoming the large regional companies and the large regional conglomerates of tomorrow,” Dr. Singh said. Even as he encouraged Guyanese companies to think beyond the borders, Dr. Singh reminded that Guyana remains conducive to outside investments. “We remain open for business, and we remain a welcoming environment,” the minister said. IMF AND THE RETURN OF OPTIMISM Only recently, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) calculated Guyana’s economic growth as being double of what it was in 2020. Measuring the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the IMF’s biannual World Economic Outlook estimates that Guyana’s economy is likely to

An artist’s expression of the $800M building, slated to be erected on Church and Carmichael Streets, Georgetown

jump from 8.1 per cent to 16.4 per cent. Questioned by reporters following the sod-turning ceremony, Dr. Singh said that he is not surprised by the IMF calculations, noting that the revised projections

reflect the remarkable optimism that has now returned to the Guyanese economy. The Finance Minister believes too that the revised figures have much to do with the policies outlined in the last two national budgets. “The 2020 and 2021 budgets have sent a very clear signal of where our Government is taking economic policy and what our intentions are,” Dr. Singh said. The minister noted too that even amid great uncertainties, the Irfaan-Ali Government was able to persevere and return the country to some level of normalcy. In addition to the emergence of the coro-

navirus pandemic, Guyana was faced with a dramatic and protracted General and Regional Elections. “That upward revision in Guyana’s growth outlook reflects the inevitable response of the IMF to the clear signal they would have gotten in relation to the Government’s economic policy and the clear signal of renewed optimism as it relates to the economic prospect of Guyana,” Dr. Singh told reporters. By 2022, the economy is expected to grow by a further 46.5 per cent, and by 2026, economic growth is expected to be about 3.0 per cent.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 8, 2021

Guyana’s COVID-19 GPSU wants Trevor Benn death toll now at 250 removed as credit union chair ––with passing of elderly Reg. 4 woman

A FIFTY-seven-yearold female from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) has become the latest person to succumb to a COVID-19-related illness, taking Guyana’s overall death toll to 250, the Ministry of Health has announced. The woman reportedly died while receiving care at a medical facility on Wednesday. Meanwhile, there are currently 1,004 active COVID-19 cases here, following the addition of 81 new cases as at April 07, 2021, according to the Health Ministry’s COVID-19 dashboard. This notwithstanding, 119 persons were reported to have recovered from the virus, bringing the total number of recoveries to 9,473. The 81 newly-confirmed cases, from a total of 600 tests, were recorded in Re-

gions Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) seven; Four, 40; Five (Mahaica-Berbice), one; Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), 20; and Seven (CuyuniMazaruni), 13. Of the lot, 50 are females. TURN TO PAGE

THE Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) has threatened to take legal action if Trevor Benn, Chairman of the Guyana Public Service Cooperative Credit Union (GPSCCU)’s Interim Management Committee (IMC), is not removed from the post before the GPSCCU’s April 11, 2021 Annual General Meeting (AGM). GPSU President Patrick Yarde said, on Wednesday, that the foregoing request was made by GPSU members to the Chief Development Cooperative Officer (CCDO) at the Ministry of Labour on Tuesday. Yarde told the Guyana Chronicle that several members of both the GPSU and the GPSCCU are calling for Benn’s removal as chairman at the much-anticipated AGM, in light of the criminal charges against him that are currently engaging the attention of the court. Benn, a former Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GL&SC), was hauled before the court on a misconduct in public office charge in connection with the alleged illegal leasing of State lands. The call for Benn’s removal comes mere days before the Credit Union’s AGM on April 11, 2021, which will see the election of members of the management committee. Yarde is of the opinion that Benn should not be allowed to oversee the election, as it would cast “a bad light” on the entire Credit Union. In their letter to the governing body, GPSU and GPSCCU members said: “The cooperative laws state that someone who is convicted by the court should not be on the Committee of

GPSU President, Patrick Yarde

Management of the Credit Union. However, based on the severity of the allegations involving Mr. Benn, it was the expectations of the members of the Credit Union that the CCDO would have been professional in the decision-making process and remove Mr. Benn as Chairman of the Interim Management committee.” The GPSCCU’s last elected management committee was removed from office on May 26, 2018, and replaced by the IMC by the Chief Cooperative Development Officer, Perlina Gifth. REPORTEDLY FOISTED The IMC was reportedly foisted on the credit union, owing to the alleged mismanagement by Yarde and others. Under the previous A Partnership for National

Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) administration, the Ministry of Social Protection had said that it was sorely disappointed with the conduct and behaviour of the credit union’s Committee of Management, to the extent that it even accused it of acting against the interest of its members and the principles of prudent management styles. In a statement issued back in July 2017, the ministry’s Department of Labour had reported that the GPSCCU’s over 14,000 members had not been paid dividends for a number of years, because of the organisation’s inability, and in some respects, blatant refusal to hold an AGM. An AGM is usually held upon the completion of the Audit of the Accounts of the Society, in conformity with the Provisions and Regulations as are contained in the

Cooperative Societies Act, Chapter 88:01, of the Laws of Guyana. Yarde, meanwhile, is of the opinion that the IMC has had plans for the April 21, 2021 management committee elections, as it has used the COVID-19 pandemic as a shield to implement systems that would guarantee its members a win at the upcoming event. Yarde stated that the IMC has introduced electronic voting, which, in his view, would disenfranchise many voters who may not have access to electronic devices, or even the Internet to exercise their right to vote. He further highlighted that where before the GPSCCU was in the habit of covering the cost of its members travelling to its Hadfield Street headquarters to cast their vote, it will not be done this time around.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 8, 2021

No substitute for agriculture GUYANA, over the years, was known to be agriculture based as its main economic crops were sugar and rice and, as such, was once referred to as the “bread-basket of the Caribbean”. With the recent discovery of oil, however, many may have felt that the government is focussing solely on the oil and gas industry and neglecting the agriculture and other traditional sectors. However, this is not the case. The agriculture sector has been the main vein of the economy for years, as many initiatives were put in place to advance the sector, such as having Agriculture Science being part of Secondary Schools curriculum and offering courses at the University of Guyana, along with having a niche school-- Guyana School of Agriculture. Many Guyanese have grown up with some knowledge of either nurturing a plant or an animal. Therefore, they had this wisdom within them. What was lacking over the years was the ability of the previous government to push agro-processing where raw agri products can become value-added products to improve its value. For Guyana to have a successful agro-processing venture, it needs to overcome the high energy cost. The PPP/C Government was in pursuit of this by initiating the Amaila Falls Hydro Project which was discontinued by the APNU/AFC Gov-

ernment. If this project were in operation, Guyana would have been far ahead in the process. However, to continue the process, the government is working to implement the Gas-to-Shore Project which will allow persons access to an affordable source of energy. The oil and gas sector is new to the economy. Therefore, much focus must be spent on this industry to have the benefits as soon as possible. Guyana is seeking to further develop itself to become one of the richest countries in the hemisphere. If it were to maintain its agricultural base alone, that objective would not be met. Nevertheless, the oil and gas industry will not be enough to conquer Guyana’s unemployment rate. The other industries are also needed, especially the agriculture sector as many semi-skilled to skilled persons are talented in this area. The Minister of Agriculture has pointed out his plans for the agriculture sector and indicated what was done since he was awarded his post. Since joining office, there was an increase in the number of extension officers for agencies such as NAREI, who were hired to serve in the interior areas of the country such as Orealla and Siparuta, as these areas did not have such assistance on a regular basis. This will result in farmers being able to be better supported in whatever help they

may need to have better production capacity. Three sugar estates were reopened with the intent to provide jobs for those who were left jobless since the closure. New markets are being sought for the industry and the corporation is also looking at new strategies to provide value added products and move away from bulk sugar and molasses being the sole products. The company also is receiving many attractions from international investors such as Dubai. Guyana has also had discussions with Trinidad and Tobago to have better trading relationships for their agriculture products, especially for poultry. With all the fruit and vegetable farmers in the country, Guyana has the potential for securing food security in the region and since export taxes have been dropped, exports will be increased by the end of the year. In 2021, six farm-to-market roads are expected to be built, with three being constructed in Berbice. This would open opportunities for over 30,000 acres of new land to be planted with rice. One of the six roads were set to begin construction at Onverwagt, West Coast Berbice at an estimated cost of $327 million. With the new roads, farmers will also be able to reach their farms without hinderance during the rainy seasons, thereby reducing their production cost and machinery maintenance cost drastically.

Guyana is also set to benefit from the UK with the exit of the EU and will continue to enjoy the duty-free, quota-free access for its sugar in the UK Market. The EU will also continue to have smooth relations with Guyana separately and trade will not be affected. Many local and foreign investors have shown interest in Guyana’s development. One such investor is a team from Dubai, who have intentions of investing in the agriculture sector, especially sugar and livestock. These are billion-dollar investments that would create thousands of jobs for the country. This would have spin-off effects on other industries, also that would result in lower unemployment rates, increased Gross Domestic Products (GDP), increased domestic incomes, lower rates of poverty along with increased economic activity. As the government seek to find more regional and international markets for its produce, the foreign income of the country will increase. Though emphasis is being placed also on the tourism industry, it should be noted that h-otels also need fruits and vegetables to prepare their menus and foreigners will also want to support the local markets to take back home. Therefore, every industry is linked, and Oil and Gas industry will not be the only sector supporting Guyana’s economy.

Applying commonsense to stay alive Dear Editor, TOUGH times call for tough measures. It is sad to see so many arrested from illegal gatherings, from partying, and from socialising. Phagwah and Easter are two of Guyana’s biggest celebrated holidays, and Guyanese are accustomed to much fun and frolic while congregating in large numbers with their neighbours, friends, relatives, families, co-workers and other associates. But the law is the law, and it is above anyone and everything; it must be respected, observed, adhered to, and applied at all times, and under all circumstances and by all, be it the maker, keeper, upholder, applier, observer or consumer. Failure to accept stipulated rules and regulations, the guilty ones must pay the severe penalty as recommended and approved. The deadly disease of COVID-19 is very much alive, and multiplying uncontrollably because some irresponsible, irrational, careless and unconcerned people refuse to adhere to the strict protocols, which are urgently needed to help prevent, control and cure the spreading of this pandemic. A

positive and committed effort is essentially required from all and sundry to help, because the virus has no preference for class, race, gender, religion, place or time. The gravity of this dangerous situation remains focused, and should not be lost, ignored, diminished or dismissed. Perhaps complacency has stepped in because of the duration, and impatience rules the roost. People feel imprisoned, and do want to break free and regain a sense of independence. But look carefully and consciously at the repercussions, especially the causative root for so many hospitalisation, and unfortunately, the loss of so many beloved ones. Each person should still be worried and concerned about the safety and security of themselves as well as of others. No one should be selfish, adopt a carefree attitude and think that he or she is safe or aloof, and is exempted or unqualified to attract this disease. Just look at how the numbers keep escalating daily, both in terms of death rate and contracting the virus. Fortunately, some vaccines are available, and Guyanese are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. It is a slow but sure campaign, but the

government needs the assistance, cooperation and discipline of all Guyanese in order to overcome this mutual difficulty. Guyana cannot afford to be blindfolded, led astray, be fooled, be nescient, be prejudiced, reckless or nonchalant. It is the devout duty of each accountable citizen to devote their time, energy, effort and service to ensure that this attack is eradicated as early as possible, and avoid posing a front and opposing the fight for survival to overcome this devious and common enemy. If each one of us washes our hands as often as possible, sanitise, wear our masks properly and at all times, eat lots of fruits, take supplements, social distance when in the presence of company, only venture out when unavoidably necessary, take the vaccines as soon as it is possibly available, keep our surroundings clean, free from debris and dust, exercise and keep a positive attitude, pessimism will replace optimism and hope will conquer despair. Caring, sharing, helping and giving selflessly and not selfishly, these are the pillars of high and honourable values; attributing to the goodliness and sincerity of mankind; and, the survival of moral dignity in society.

While charity begins at home and remains one of the doctrines contributing to one of Man’s earthly purpose, the current situation demands that its institution should be designed and implemented in accordance with the emerging health rules practised by all communities. Let’s be sensible, practical and compromising. Certainly, let us distribute money, goods and food, but let us prepare and package food for takeout purposes. The less we congregate, the more we can inculcate what is appropriate. Is it so difficult to avoid easy, obvious and preventable mistakes, blunders and errors? It is past the time to get real. Guyana is a place where people refuse to recognise the problem and procrastinate rather than anticipate and acknowledge the issue, thereby becoming proactive. Safety takes precedence over sentiment. Do not contribute towards the detrimental dangers. Avoid all unnecessary events and activities. Why not apply a bit of commonsense in order to stay alive. Respectfully, Jai Lall

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 8, 2021

Guyana Islamic Forum supports COVID-19 restrictions with regards to iftaar Dear Editor, GIVEN the second wave of the COVID-19 virus which saw the recent surge in COVID-19 cases in Guyana and around the world, we, the Guyana Islamic Forum for Education, Peace, and Religious Solidarity, the Electric Mosque’s Presentation of

Islamic Teachings, and the Universal Peace Federation – Guyana hereby support the government’s COVID-19 restrictions to prohibit individuals from actively participating in iftaar (meal to break the fast) and dinner at the mosque during the Islamic month of Ramadan. We believe that this deci-

sion is wise and timely, and ask that everyone cooperate with these lifesaving guidelines. We know some Muslims would be annoyed and emotional over this, but we must face reality and cooperate with the authorities. COVID-19 rules are intended to limit the dissemination of COVID-19, and

Please take the vaccine Dear Editor, THE Indian vaccine is relatively safe compared with three others administered in America, and Guyanese and West Indians are urged to take it; it helps to prevent death from COVID-19. The vaccine will not cause death, and will boost immunity against the virus, thereby preventing death. As per news reports, several countries suspended the Astra Zeneca vaccines, while others are continuing to administer it. European and South American countries at various times resumed vaccination, suspended, and resumed it again. The suspension is related to blood clots. Some countries have completely disallowed Astra Zeneca vaccines, based on age; not above 55 or 45. As it turns out, the AstraZeneca vaccine is not made in one factory, and the one that is facing queries is not the one from India that is being supplied to Guyana. AstraZeneca is made at ‘labs’ in several countries. The one being suspended is made largely in the UK, South Korea, and other countries in Europe. Brazil and Mexico were to make vaccines, but lack the raw materials. India is also facing difficulties for the raw materials to ramp up production of vaccines. The US, one of the major suppliers of vaccine raw materials, has suspended exports, although President Biden has promised Prime Minister Modi to free up export materials to India to produce vaccines for the world. The UK is continuing with the AstraZeneca vaccinations, with almost half the population receiving a ‘jab’. Prime Minister Boris Johnson was inoculated a couple weeks ago. The suspended AstraZeneca vaccines are not made in India; the ones being supplied to Guyana and CARICOM, Brazil, Nicaragua, Bangladesh, SAARC, Myanmar, the Dominican Republic, Morocco, and other African countries, etc. AstraZeneca is known as Covishield in India. The WHO supplies AstraZeneca (by the name of COVAX)

and another Indian vaccine (Covaxine) made by Bharat Biotech, to Third World countries, and has ordered two billion doses from India. Some 80M doses of the vaccines were administered in India, and another 40M elsewhere. So far, there have been 300 reported side effects, and 75 deaths in India of people who were vaccinated. But neither the side effects nor the deaths have been confirmed as vaccine-related; there were other complications. The victims had other underlining issues. The number of side effects or deaths in other countries using India-made AstraZeneca is not known. Going by the Indian data, it would suggest that the side effects, even if related to the vaccine, is less than a fraction of a fraction of one per cent, and the deaths a quarter of that number. That would suggest a success rate of over 99 per cent. In the US, Moderna and Pfizer have a 95 per cent efficacy experimental rate. The Russian Sputnik claims a 94 per cent efficacy rate, as reported in a reputable British journal. The Chinese Sinopharm claims an efficacy rate of just over 51 per cent, but data is not openly available. The Johnson and Johnson has an efficacy rate of 80 per cent. The infection and death rates of people who received the American, Chinese, and Russian vaccines are not known. As advised by medical experts and the WHO, AstraZeneca (Covishield or Covaxine, known as Covax) is highly recommended. The blood clot issues reported in Europe have not been confirmed to be vaccine-related; studies are ongoing. Doctors say that COVID-19 itself causes blood clots. At any rate, any vaccine (Covax or otherwise) is better than no vaccine. I had my full vaccines, and so far, I have been COVID-19 free, in spite of being exposed to COVID-19 victims. Please take the vaccine. Yours truly, Dr. Vishnu Bisram

must be strictly adhered to. As Muslims, we are taught to be disciplined. As a matter of fact, Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) also instituted life-changing restrictions during plagues and pandemics that were followed by his people in his time, and even to this date. While we support these government-imposed restrictions, we also believe that faith-based organisations should not be the only ones subjected- to more stringent COVID-19 requirements than other entities like bars and restaurants. The possibility of COVID-19 spreading in any crowded environment is possible, not just in religious institutions. As such, we urge the government to re-evaluate these restrictions, whereby persons are disallowed to gather in bars and restaurants to eat and mingle as they wish. Fasting during Ramadan

is important, because it allows us to understand hunger and the density of those who do not have enough food. And so, even though COVID-19 has altered the way we observe Ramadan, we wish to remind our fellow brothers and sisters of the Islamic faith, that despite the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic, our good work should continue to embody the values of Ramadan we hold dear. While we may have lost some of the traditional Ramadan components, such as breaking the fast together and socialising, we should not abandon our sense of community. Instead of food at the mosques, hampers may be distributed to needy families, friends, loved ones, neighbours, etc. We urge all to cooperate with these guidelines, so that we may keep ourselves, families, and friends healthy and well. We ask that our fellow

Muslim brothers and sisters use this opportunity to bond with their families by praying at home, and to use their free time for personal reflection and development. As the Quran says: “Remember Allah standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides, and think deeply about the creation of heavens and the earth, (saying): ‘Our Lord! You have not created (all) this without purpose, glory to You. Give us salvation from the torment of the Fire.” Quran 3:191 Subsequently, we urge all to practise frequent handwashing, wear your mask the correct way, cover your nose and mouth when you need to cough or sneeze and observe the rules for social distancing. Please be careful; do not take chances. Sincerely, Haji Dr. Roshan Khan

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 8, 2021

Spotlight placed on food security amid pandemic –– Caribbean ministers highlighted IICA’S role, discussed new challenges stemming from the pandemic

MINISTERS and secretaries of agriculture of 14 Caribbean countries related some of the dramatic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic in the region, listed new challenges in strengthening food production and emphasised the support that the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) had provided in the fight against food and nutritional insecurity in 2020 – a year that had crippled tourism, the engine of Caribbean economies. The high-level authorities were participating in IICA’s virtual 2020 Regional Accountability Seminar, which gave an overview of the hemispheric organisation’s actions to support the Caribbean productive sector. Announcements were also made about new initiatives and the agricultural authorities held a frank discussion about difficulties stemming from COVID-19, indicating that the technical assistance received had been invaluable. “Food systems faced immense challenges in 2020. During this period, IICA assisted us to improve productivity in agriculture and to boost climate change mitigation capacities,” said Zulfikar Mustapha, Guyana’s Minister of Agriculture. “For example, in our country, the institute provided support through a biofortified rice project, which is extremely important for Guyana’s food security”. Saboto Caesar, Minister of Agriculture of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, remarked that, “For me, it is truly gratifying to participate in an accountability seminar at this level and I congratulate Manuel Otero (the Director-General of IICA) for his excellent leadership during and before the pandemic. He is working diligently with his team to benefit agriculture in the region. We have been experiencing volcanic eruptions and will conduct a simulation exercise in the sector to prepare us to face the worst, save lives and protect the assets of farmers. We share the same vision with respect to providing opportunities to improve livelihoods in the region. I am anxious to see how we can build more synergies among countries, with the assistance of IICA.” “Moreover,” he said, “I hope that we do not adopt an individualistic approach, but instead discuss synergies that will allow us all to advance as a region. The lines of communication between the States and IICA should remain open.

The high-level authorities were participating in IICA’s virtual 2020 Regional Accountability Seminar, which gave an overview of the hemispheric organisation’s actions to support the Caribbean productive sector. Announcements were also made about new initiatives and the agricultural authorities held a frank discussion about difficulties stemming from COVID-19, indicating that the technical assistance received had been invaluable

The doors of IICA have always been open to support our regional efforts.” The IICA Director-General spoke of the commitments of the hemispheric organisation with respect to the countries of the Caribbean, vowing to continue supporting the advancement of the local rural sector. He mentioned aspects such as maintaining the infrastructure of the 14 offices, providing adequate human and financial resources to implement the strategies deployed in the Caribbean, including a special fund to support the region. “We are going to continue supporting proposals and securing external funding to address agricultural and rural development issues, serving as a bridge and facilitator for horizontal, South-South and Triangular cooperation, while capitalising on the complementarities among different regions,” commented Otero. He also stressed the importance of supporting the postCOVID-19 renewal and positioning of the agriculture and rural sectors of the Caribbean. In this same vein, he mentioned the importance of support to the region, within the framework of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), through an agricultural advisory mechanism, which will capitalise on IICA’s experience in serving as the Secretariat for ministerial forums in Central and South America. This will foster and support regional integration, as well as provide continuity for South-South cooperation programmes, such as

Apicaribe, which is driving the development of the bee-keeping industry. The pandemic has had a tangible effect on the economy of the Caribbean. As Fidel Grant, Minister of Agriculture of Dominica, summarised it, “We have seen a drop in our exports, loss of jobs and closure of hotels”. Countries in the region experienced a decline in their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by as much as 10 per cent in some cases, and agricultural production is considered to be essential to turning the tide. OPTIMISTIC Peter Phillips, who was representing Indar Weir, the Barbadian Minister of Agriculture, indicated that, “We are optimistic that this expected recovery will be ongoing. In Barbados, we hope to increase our production of fresh produce, because we depend on imports to satisfy 80 per cent of our supply needs. We will require IICA’s assistance for innovation, particularly in water management”. “We established farmer’s markets around the island to allow persons to access food. IICA was fundamental in helping us to develop work plans,” said Elvis Morain, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture of Grenada. According to the ministers, COVID-19 has highlighted challenges in the Caribbean that require urgent attention, such as addressing the effects of climate change. Although the contribution of these countries to greenhouse gas emis-

sions is miniscule, climate variability has an enormous impact on the region. “At this time, agriculture is the only sector where we can experience strong growth. It must be our path to the future of the country and region. The reality is that we could not continue to depend continuously on larger countries to feed us,” stressed Alexis Jeffers, the Minister of Agriculture of St. Kitts and Nevis. IICA’s swift response to work in coordination with the ministries of agriculture to develop actions to guarantee food security was highlighted as a key element in preventing the pandemic from creating even more devastating consequences for the region. Joseph Cox, Assistant Secretary-General of Trade and Economic Integration at CARICOM, mentioned that “IICA was quick off the mark to respond to calls from the region and developed an ecommerce platform to facilitate direct and continuous Government to Government communication about the level of production in the region”. The search for synergies was also emphasised by Haiti. In the words of Patrix Sévère, Adviser to Haiti’s Minister of Agriculture, “Haiti and the other countries would like to increase the extent of our interaction. Together, we will be able to survive this difficult period and to surmount the obstacles in order to create a more prosperous Caribbean region.” “IICA has assisted us in agricultural development.

They are providing assistance in terms of our gender agenda and we have a programme with rural farmers for which IICA has provided technical support,” reported Souraya Niles, representative of the Minister of Agriculture of St. Lucia, Ezechiel Joseph. Clarence Rambharat, Minister of Agriculture of Trinidad and Tobago, indicated that the COVID-19 crisis had increased costs for shipment and transportation of goods— among other items—but the country hopes to continue strengthening agro-industry, based on research and trade. “IICA has always supported us in the areas of health and safety. We are working to develop a biotechnology centre of excellence to be a model for the region,” said Rambharat. CORNERSTONES OF RECOVERY One of the strategies to tackle the crisis is based on the digitalisation of agricultural assistance. In collaboration with IICA and CARICOM, a low-cost technological solution was developed, which will allow Caribbean farmers to use their mobile phones to access training material that will enable them to be more efficient. During the ministerial exchange, there was also a presentation of the AgriExtApp, which is in its pilot phase in Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The app provides agricultural extension content for the cultivation of crops, such as cassava and sweet potato,

which, in addition to their high nutritional value, could provide an excellent alternative for exportation to other regions and value addition, with a view to the tourism industry. “The Bahamas congratulates IICA on the creation of the AgriExtApp and is honoured to be a part of the pilot programme”, said Delreese Moore Grant, representative of the country’s Minister of Agriculture, Michael Pintard. Gregory Bailey, Director of Agriculture in the Ministry of Agriculture of Antigua and Barbuda, commented that, “The AgriExtApp is marvelous, as it is an efficient means of improving communication in an era of social distancing.” On the other hand, Courtney Cole, Technical Director at Jamaica’s Ministry of Agriculture, stressed that, “The app can be used in times of disaster and will provide greater sustainability to our agriculture industry. He also lauded IICA for its focus on climate-smart agriculture and its promotion of mushroom production, targeting young people and women.” The discussion also addressed the situation in the sector, in light of the United Nations Food Systems Summit, with heads of state slated to take place at the end of September 2021. IICA, represented by its Director-General, who is a member of the Summit Champions Network (a support structure for the global meeting) is driving three key ideas for the dialogue: farmers first, science as the basis for public policy discussion, and agriculture as part of the solution and not of the problem. “We cannot tackle our challenges alone,” insisted Prahlad Sewdien, Minister of Agriculture of Suriname. “We must work together as CARICOM countries. I endorse IICA’s suggestion to develop a joint position at the summit and to ensure that our interests as developing countries will not get lost among the interests of the developed countries.” In closing, Otero remarked that, “We have designated the Caribbean as a priority region, given its vulnerability to climate change. We are introducing more and more actions, in keeping with our strategies and priorities for the region.” (IICA)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 8, 2021

Cuban fined for overstaying Boy, 10, of Cullen missing JORGE Luis Suarez Fundora, a Cuban, pleaded guilty to overstaying his time in Guyana when he made an appearance at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday. Fundora was ordered to pay a fine of $30,000 or spend three months in prison by Magistrate Leron Daly. The charge stated that Fundora, between January 26, 2021, and Tuesday, March 30, 2021, at Georgetown, failed to comply with condition of a permit granted to him to stay in Guyana from Saturday, December 26, 2020, to Monday, Jan-

uary 25, 2021. According to the prosecution, Fundora is a Cuban who holds a Cuban passport. On Saturday, December 26, 2020, Fundora entered Guyana legally through the Timehri International Airport. He was granted one month’s stay and during the period, he was staying at a hotel in David Street, Kitty, Georgetown. On Tuesday, March 30, 2021, at Lethem, the Cuban national was intercepted by CANU ranks and taken to the Lethem Police Station. While he was there, he was asked to produce

his passport and it was revealed that he overstayed his time in Guyana. Further investigations were conducted through the Border Management System at the immigration office, and it was discovered Fundora had overstayed his time and that he never applied nor was he granted an extension of stay in Guyana. As a result, he was forwarded to the Criminal Investigation Department, Headquarters, where he gave a written statement and was charged for the offence committed.

RELATIVES of 10-yearold Kevin James, of Cullen, Region Two, are calling for his safe return; James went missing on Easter Monday. According to the grandmother of the missing boy, Indranie Peters, her grandson disappeared Monday evening. She said she has not seen him since. Peters said that her grandson was last seen flying kite at the Abram Zuil beach. “He left to go fly kite and never returned. I want him return, since he left I haven’t eat; I haven’t seen him,” the grandmother said. The grandmother further related that James has a habit of running away from home but he would usually return

Missing: Kevin James

home. Since Monday last, he has not returned home. His cousins have made several checks at beaches and other places he visits. The grandmother said she hopes no family at Abram Zuil is keeping her grandson. “People around the neighbourhood saying that he living up the tree; I believe that someone is encouraging him and keep him; they need to let he come home. I really don’t know where he is,” the distressed grandmother said. A ‘missing person’ report was made to the Suddie Police station.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 8, 2021

Vaccine equity should replace vaccine nationalism

VACCINE nationalism has distorted the supply and deployment of vaccines in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, said Health Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony. The minster made the remarks while delivering an address to the World Forum for Ethics in Business on Wednesday, during a virtual conference held on World Health Day, under the theme “changing paradigms in a pandemic world”. Dr. Anthony is optimistic that fora such as World Forum for Ethics in Business would help initiate a shift from vaccine nationalism to vaccine equity.

In his address, he noted that while pandemics are nothing new to the world, the COVID-19 pandemic differed from that of previous pandemics consequent primarily to global connectivity, which resulted in spread of the virus from country to country in a short period. “The pandemic’s effects were further compounded by the misinformation, which constantly swirls around social media creating fear and distrust,” he stated. He elaborated that based on the stringency of the measures implemented to curb the spread of the virus and the effectiveness of how those measures were de-

ployed, despite the ‘global connectivity’, different countries have reacted and coped with the pandemic uniquely. “The crisis is far from over, as the emergence of new variants, relaxing some of the earlier public measures, and other factors have now created a third global wave and, in others a fourth wave of increasing cases and deaths,’ he said. “On the economic side, securing people’s livelihoods has become quite challenging; many businesses have gone under. Many persons have lost their jobs, and there isn’t any safety net to prevent the most vulnerable from slipping into further pover-

Health Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony

ty,” he added. LOT OF HOPE Dr. Anthony noted that to exit the pandemic and return to “normalcy” a lot of hope has been placed on vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics, with vaccines being the sole mechanism which can help to achieve

herd immunity and restore some level of normalcy. “Unfortunately, vaccine nationalism has distorted the supply and deployment of vaccines,” the Minister of Health related. In making his claim, he cited an article published in the New England Journal of Medicine, titled “from

vaccine nationalism to vaccine equity” which notes “Vaccine distribution remains nonexistent in many of the poorest countries, and experts anticipate that 80 per cent of the population in low resource setting will not receive a vaccine this year”. “The theme for this year’s World Health Day is building a fairer and healthier world. To do so, we urgently need to close the vaccine gap between rich and developing countries,” Dr. Anthony told the forum. He noted that failure to do so will result in highly likely outcome for the emergence of variants of the virus, reinfections, and new forms of discrimination between vaccinated and non-vaccinated. TURN TO PAGE

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 8, 2021

President Ali: Protect your families, communities from COVID-19 bar on Sandy Babb Street, Kitty, Georgetown, alongside an additional 31 persons at the Kairos on Charlotte Street, Georgetown. Additionally, ranks from the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) discovered a large number of patrons at the Hommee Hospi-

President, Dr. Irfaan Ali

PRESIDENT, Dr. Irfaan Ali, on Wednesday, released a special broadcast message seeking to remind Guyanese that the COVID-19 pandemic remains a serious national issue and a major global health concern. “I urge you to continue to follow the guidelines, I urge you to continue to stay safe; I urge you to continue to protect your families and your communities by adhering to the COVID-19 guidelines,” the President appealed. By way of a short video, Dr. Ali reminded the nation that “We are not ahead of the curve. We are still managing this deadly pandemic. We need all stakeholders, we need all Guyanese on board,” President Ali emphasised. He further explained that while the government has sought to strike the balance

between the economy and the health management of the COVID-19 pandemic, Guyanese need to be responsible. The Head of State’s plea comes on the heels of some 140 persons being reportedly arrested over the Easter weekend for breaching COVID-19 protocols. Reports are that those arrested were found in various bars and entertainment spots later than the 22:30hrs (10:30 PM) national curfew time that has been instituted to help curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. This newspaper was reliably informed that on Good Friday, some 23 persons were arrested for breaching the curfew at the Sleep-In Hotel, located on Church Street, Georgetown. On Saturday, 20 persons were reportedly arrested for the same offence at the Altitude FROM PAGE

Vaccine equity should ... He listed several measures described as concrete which may be taken to make a difference pertaining to vaccine equity, namely expedited approvals and Emergency Use Listings of vaccines by the World Health Organisation; COVAX needing to go beyond 20 per cent for 2021; and improving logistics of moving vaccines properly. He also recommended that richer countries that have secured surplus vaccines should share with poorer countries; therapeu-

tics that are provided emergency use authorisation and have passed the clinical trials should be shared with poorer countries to enhance treatment options and a global system to track variants. “I hope that organisations such as the World Forum for Ethics in Business would help shift the prevailing attitude from vaccine nationalism to vaccine equity, where all countries can race to herd immunity in the shortest possible time,” Dr. Anthony said.

tality Hotel and Bar on Sunday morning. These persons were gathered in breach of the COVID-19 regulations, and at the establishment after the curfew period. Resultantly, 26 persons were arrested and placed on cash bail pending their court appearance. Furthermore, during a ‘Covicurb’ exercise carried

out on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD) on Saturday night to Sunday morning, it was reported that 40 persons were arrested for similar breaches at the Boat House Bar at Supply, EBD. It is important to note that while the national curfew is from 22:30 hrs to 04:00hrs, the COVID-19 emergency

measures state that businesses should be closed by 21:30 hours. Even before the holiday weekend, President Ali had encouraged Guyanese to adhere to the guidelines, as the country is still experiencing a deadly pandemic.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 8, 2021

India to help Guyana boost agriculture sector

High Commissioner of India, Dr. K.J. Srinivasa, offers a token of appreciation to NAREI’s CEO Jagnarine Singh, during the visit

THE National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) has been invited to collaborate with the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) to enhance agriculture in Guyana. This was confirmed on Wednesday when High Commissioner of India, Dr. K.J. Srinivasa, visited NAREI and interacted with Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Jagnarine Singh, scientists and researchers there. The High Commissioner also encouraged NAREI to upgrade its human resource capacity by sending personnel/scientists to India on fully-funded scholarships for masters and PhD programmes in agriculture. The diplomat also took a tour of the institute, including its laboratory and plant nurseries. The CEO briefed the High Commissioner about the activities undertaken by NAREI and its network in all regions of Guyana. During their discussion, attention was placed on NAREI and ICAR’s collaboration in various crops such as rice, coconut, potato and other vegetables and fruits to improve the quality of farming and output. The High Commissioner and CEO also deliberated on collaboration between ICAR and NAREI in development of planting techniques and pest and disease management among others. The collaboration, he said, aimed to include techni-

cal support in the production of all the above crops and sourcing of planting materials, along with the requisite help. It was agreed that the collaboration between the institutions of both countries will go a long way in promoting greater efficiency in the crops and agricultural product industry, providing enhanced services in agricultural research, to ensure food security and the empowerment of farming communities. NAREI has been in regular contact with the High Commission in relation to collaboration with India in relevant areas as well as to avail training programmes in India under Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC). Many personnel at NAREI have done their master and doctoral degrees in India through scholarships of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR). NAREI had also been liaising with the High Commission in connection with the agricultural experts from India who were deputed to Guyana during the past years to guide and assist the Government of Guyana in various fields of agriculture. Currently, the High Commission is working on deputation of Indian experts to Guyana in the sugar, rice, fisheries and aquaculture sectors.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 8, 2021

Recruitment agencies must register to operate in Guyana

WITH the increasing number of recruitment agencies in Guyana, the Ministry of Labour (MoL) is intensifying its oversight of them, beginning with the creation of a register. During his address on Thursday at the MoL launch of Occupational, Safety and Health Month, Minister of Labour, Joseph Hamilton, put recruit Notwithstanding several recruitment agencies operating in Guyana for several years now, Hamilton said that, to the best of his knowledge none has registered with the CRMA. Hamilton believes this has resulted more from the agencies not being properly informed as opposed to willfully flouting the law. “I would want to believe its ignorance on the part of the agencies, so we have to take the initiative and seek to engage them and regularise their operations. I have to know what every recruitment agency is involved in, how many persons they plan to engage and we need to have that information,” the minister explained. In existence for some 76 years, the CRMA is a publicly managed recruitment agency which falls under the authority of the MoL. Recruitment or employment agencies have sprung up over the past few years with the discovery of oil in Guyana. Recruitment and employment agencies are a middle man between employers and employees. They work directly with the companies to

find and shortlist candidates to fill vacancies with the company. Hamilton said the ministry will be reaching out to oil companies such as ExxonMobil to assist with locating the recruitment and employment agencies so that ministry can work along with them to get them compliant with local laws. Labour in Guyana is regulated under the Laws of Guyana Chapter 98, including the Labour Act Chapter 98:01, Employment Exchanges Act Chapter 98:05, and Recruiting of Workers Act Chapter 98:06. “I have to be able to glean whether everything they do conforms to the labour laws of Guyana. All of that information we will have to get in the next couple of weeks so we can have a register of all of these agencies that are in Guyana operating,” he noted. Hamilton shared that the ministry has already had encounters with some recruitment agencies that did not properly understand provisions in the laws. He noted a case where overtime was not being correctly calculated. “We have engaged at least one agency and another company which had their own confusion about what the law is and what it is not,” Hamilton explained. Hamilton also highlighted that Guyana’s correct legislation is not sufficient to cover the needs of the country’s changing landscape and the ministry is currently embarking on a revision of labour laws. Improved supervision FROM PAGE

Guyana’s COVID-19...

The country has now recorded a total of 10,718 confirmed cases since the first COVID-19 case was reported in March 2020. There are currently 1,004 active cases, nine of which are being kept at the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the National Infectious Diseases Hospital at Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown. Currently, there are 70 persons in institutional isolation; 916 in home isolation, and nine in institutional quarantine. Many of the persons infected with the virus are said to be asymptomatic; that is, they are not exhibiting any of the symptoms associated with the virus. The updated

COVID-19 Emergency Measures are in force from April 1, 2021, until April 31, 2021, and may be extended or amended by notice of the Minister of Health, after an assessment of the prevailing public health conditions of the pandemic. As per the current measures, however, all persons are required to wear face masks when leaving their homes. Physical distancing and adequate sanitisation are also important. The current curfew time is 22:30h to 04:00h. Persons with symptoms of COVID-19 are asked to call the COVID-19 hotline numbers: 231-1166; 226-7480; or 180/181 for assistance.

of the recruitment agencies forms part of the Government’s overall enhanced oversight of areas involving labour across the country, beginning with the return of a Ministry of Labour, after it was made a department under the Coalition Government. Over the past few months, the ministry has been embarking on a capacity building and improved monitoring campaign.

Labour Minister, Joseph Hamilton

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 8, 2021

Relative Chief of Staff takes reportedly COVID-19 ‘jab’ raped teen

A TEENAGER has, reportedly, been raped several times by a close family member in Region One (Barima-Waini), police say. According to the ‘cops’, the suspect began “engaging in sexual activity with the minor during the month of December 2020 and thereafter continued”. The girl, who is under the age of 16, eventually confided to a female relative who reported the matter to the police on April 6. The Child Care and Protection Agency (CCPA) is now handling the matter as police launch a search for the suspect.

Brigadier Godfrey Bess receives his vaccination against COVID-19

GUYANA Defence Force (GDF), Chief-of-Staff, Brigadier Godfrey Bess, was recently vaccinated against COVID-19. Members of the GDF, because of their national role and responsibilities are frontline personnel and are expected to be vaccinated soon. According to the GDF, this is likely to ensure protection of the troops and their

families as well as the protection of citizens in various communities where members of the Force continue to serve. The Guyana Defence Force said it continues to serve in the interest of Guyana and encourages all Guyanese to continue taking steps to remain safe and to ultimately stop the spread of COVID-19.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 8, 2021

Relocation underway for Cummings Lodge squatters HOUSING and Water Minister, Collin Croal and Chief Executive Officer of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), Sherwyn Greaves, on Wednesday, visited squatters in Cummings Lodge, who are being relocated to pave the way for the development of the area into a housing scheme. In a statement issued by the ministry, it was noted that 11 squatters are currently occupying the Plot 1767 and 1768 of Cummings Lodge and are being relocated to another area within the vicinity. The squatters were served their final contravention notices on Saturday and will be provided with assistance to move, the statement said. The contravention notices served requires the informal settlers to be removed by Saturday, April 10. The illegal activity will severely hamper development of the area which has been earmarked for a new housing project. The project is expected to deliver 190 low income homes for families, the statement said. The ministry has been

engaging with the squatters since August 2020. “We have been working with persons squatting in this area since August last year and a number of unoccupied structures have been demolished since then. However, the 11 structures remaining are those that were found to have occupants. They were served notices to remove and we have had our Community Development Department working with them,” Minister Croal said. Thirteen contravention notices were said to have been served on 13 structures observed by the CH&PA on an initial visit on August 20, 2020. However, on a subsequent visit on August 27, 2020, some 22 structures were observed. A demolition exercise of the unoccupied structures was subsequently executed on October 13, 2020, leaving the current 11 occupied structures. A number of Call in Notices were served and six of the informal settlers have since approached CH&PA. The minister highlighted Government’s commitment to providing housing for all

Guyanese, as he outlined the ministry’s approach. Based on interaction with the squatters, eight have applications within the CH&PA system while another three are in the process of formally applying to facilitate the relocation process. On their visit to the squatters, Minister Croal and Greaves were accompanied by Permanent Secretary, Andre Ally, and officials from the ministry’s Community Development, Projects and Enforcement Departments. Also present was a high-level team from the Guyana Police Force including Senior Superintendent of Police Calvin Brutus; Deputy Commissioner (ag), Clifton Hicken and Regional Commander of “4A” Division, Simon Mc Bean. The minister noted that the enhanced security in the area was needed, given the magnitude of the development. Discussions with the officials have pointed to an outpost being placed towards the Aubrey Barker end of the project.

Contravention notices being served to the squatting structures in the Cummings Lodge area

Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal (fourth from right); CH&PA CEO, Sherwyn Greaves (right) and other officials during their visit to the squatters in the Cummings Lodge area

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 8, 2021

Task force established to transform region’s agri-food systems WITH Guyana once again taking the lead on agriculture in CARICOM, a Special Ministerial Task Force on Food Production and Food Security has been established to advance CARICOM’s agri-food systems agenda. The Food Production and Food Security Agenda was put forward by President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, during the 32nd CARICOM Heads of Government Meeting last February. CARICOM subsequently endorsed the agenda and agreed to the establishment of the task force to implement the strategy. On Wednesday, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha, who also serves as Chairman of the Special Ministerial Task Force, hosted the inaugural meeting with Ministers of Agriculture from the 10 participating CARICOM member states. During his address, Minister Mustapha said the objective of the task force is to guide the regional position towards the transformation of the agri-food system allowing for a significantly more resilient, wealth-generating, and food secure region. “Food system transformation is at the core of our aspirations and mandate. Therefore, our activities over the next years would be geared towards this goal. Specifically, the CARICOM Agri-Food System Strategy seeks to frontally address the complete removal of all technical barriers to trade, development of a CARICOM Cross Border AgriFood Investment Strategy to support production corridors, accelerating the pace of finalising and adopting of the CARICOM Investment Code, completion of the reform of the CET suspension and rule of origin regimes to afford protection to regional enterprises and to support the competitiveness of regional forms, implementation of E-Agriculture Strategy, development of measures to promote de-risking of the sector, improvement of transport and logistics and, investment in production, research and development,” Minister Mustapha said. Minister Mustapha added that “to achieve this, an Implementation Plan with 36 broad policy areas has been articulated and selected priority sectors such as poultry, corn/soya bean, rice, beef pork, mutton, coconut, niche vegetables, fruits, and fruit juices, ginger turmeric have been identified for us to advance commercialization agenda of the regional food system.” The Ministerial Task Force comprises Agriculture Ministers and other officials from Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Bahamas, Dominica, Jamaica, St. Vincent and the Grenadines,

Minister Zulfikar Mustapha during his presentation

Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. During the meeting, the Task Force also reviewed, amended, and accepted the Terms of Reference (ToR), which was developed by a team of technical officers from the CARICOM Secretariat. The ToR outlines the objectives, purpose, membership, and governance of the task force. During his presentation, Programme Manager, Agricultural and Agro-Industrial Development, CARICOM, Shaun Baugh discussed the implementation plan for the strategy. He said that the objective of the plan was commercialisation of the regional agri-food industry, with actual commencement of private sector production activities in priority sectors identified, within a three-year window. He also discussed several broad policy measures and reforms required to support the commercialisation of the region’s agri-food system. In the short-term and medium-term, trade barriers were identified as a major constraint that will be addressed. The need for the development of an e-agriculture strategy as well as investments in production, research and development were classified as long-term areas that need to be addressed. The Task Force will also work to engage the regional private sector, foreign investors, international and regional institutional partners, and the diplomatic community with a view towards formulating effective partnerships to take the work forward. At the end of the meeting, Minister Mustapha tasked the Heads of Government to discuss the ToR and implementation plan with their fellow Cabinet members ahead of the next Ministerial Task Force meeting which is scheduled to take place once monthly ahead of the next CARICOM Heads of Government Conference. Guyana has once again taken the lead role in agriculture in CARICOM after surrendering the position to St. Vincent and the Grenadines under the previous administration.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 8, 2021

37,000 COVID deaths in Americas last week –– 1.3 million new cases recorded; driving down infections starts by staying home, adhering to safety measures, says PAHO COVID infections continue to surge throughout the Americas, with more than 1.3 million new cases and 37,000 deaths reported in the region in the last week while cases rise in nearly every country in South America, so said Pan American Health Organization Director, Carissa F. Etienne. “In areas of Bolivia and Colombia, cases have doubled in the last week, and all four countries in the Southern Cone have been experiencing an acceleration in COVID-19 cases, with uninterrupted community transmission in recent weeks,” Dr. Etienne said during her weekly media briefing. Noting that more than half of all global deaths reported over the last week were found in the Americas, she said this is “a sober reminder of the human toll of this pandemic”. “Driving down infections starts by staying home and PAHO Director, doing everything we can to Carissa F. Etienne protect ourselves and others from getting sick,” Dr. Etienne continued. “And yet, we’re seeing that populations in the region slowly and steadily increased their mobility over time, even when public health and social measures were in place during this pandemic.” If the increases in travel trends within and between countries continue, “our health systems will be in deeper trouble,” she said. “Regardless of pandemic fatigue, we cannot ease public health and social interventions without good data and justification. Our actions must reflect our reality.” Dr. Etienne said the epidemiological situation across the region is uneven, with infections rising in some places and falling in others. “In North America, cases and hospitalisations are climbing in Canada, while infection rates are slowing down in the U.S. and Mexico,” she noted. She noted that over the last week, the US, Brazil, and Argentina were among the 10 countries in the world registering the highest number of new infections worldwide, and other countries weren’t far behind. “But nowhere are infections as worrisome as in South America, where cases are mounting in nearly every country,” Dr. Etienne said. World Health Day, which is celebrated on Wednesday, is “a day where we reflect on the importance of health and our promise to achieve health for all,” she added. “With its theme of ‘together for a fairer, healthier world,’ there is no better moment to talk about the need for urgent change.” “Over the last year, this virus has greatly deepened the inequities that have long divided this region,” Dr. Etienne said. “While many of us have been lucky enough to continue working during the pandemic from the comfort and safety of home, half of our workforce relies on the informal economy – staying at home would have meant foregoing their livelihoods.” Many others remain or are newly unemployed. For those who are unemployed, and for the 22 million people who fell into poverty this year in the Americas, “the financial strain of this pandemic has been devastating,” she said. “Effectively fighting COVID-19 is impossible without addressing some of these inequalities and supporting the most vulnerable as they struggle to protect themselves.” Noting that vaccinations continue in the Americas, she said that more than 210 million doses of COVID vaccines have been administered across 49 countries and territories in the Americas. PAHO’s Revolving Fund has delivered more than 2.6 million COVID vaccines from the COVAX mechanism to 26 countries, and more doses are making their way to the Caribbean. “But of course, vaccines are just one part of our COVID response – and we must continue to rely on public health measures to keep our populations and our countries safe,” Dr. Etienne said. “While we have all been affected by this pandemic, we have not been impacted equally,” Dr. Etienne said. “To fight COVID-19 effectively, we must address these inequalities and support the most vulnerable as they struggle to protect themselves.”

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 8, 2021

Lady Jags take complaint for equal pay, treatment to First Lady & Minister Ramson By Rawle Toney GUYANA’S senior women’s football team, the Lady Jags, are calling on the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) to treat them the same as the men’s side and yesterday they dispatched a letter to First Lady Arya Ali and Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr to intervene on their behalf. When Guyana kicked off their campaign to the 2022 FIFA Qatar World Cup, it was disclosed that the Golden Jaguars players received US$350 for ever start, while for substitute appearances players received US$250. Unused substitutes pocketed US$150 and players were given a per diem for their first four days in the Dominican Republic of US$50. According to GFF, for their win against The Bahamas, each player received US$100. And for their 4-0 win, each player on the team collected US$25 per goal. While the men’s team are given the aforementioned remuneration and pay, the Lady Jags would have never received anything, though being more successful than the Golden Jaguars on the International stage over the years. In their letter to Mrs Ali and Minister Ramson, the Lady Jags said they are “writing to express our frustrations around the unfair and inequitable distribution of resources and support provided the female participants in comparison to our male counterparts”. “We feel the impact of years of systemic bias. We have been relegated to sec-

ond-class citizens because of our gender even though our records and accomplishments are amongst the best across the Caribbean region,” the Lady Jags said in a signed letter by members of the team. The Ladies highlighted that they reached the quarter-final at U-20 CONCACAF in 2020, achieved the highest ranking in the world, male or female, in the FIFA world ranking of #75 in 2018, and had Guyana’s first outing at a CONCACAF Olympic Qualifier in 2016. In 2010, Guyana’s first outing at a major CONCACAF Tournament, male or female, was when the Lady Jags qualified and competed at the Women’s Gold Cup. “Despite these accomplishments, our Women’ Senior National Team have sat dormant for three years while the men’s team continue to play multiple games each year,” the women stated. They told First Lady and Minister Ramson that “unlike the men’s programme our coaches and staff are volunteers and our players receive no funding to offset

the costs of national team participation. Families and players must make financial contributions so that we can have an opportunity to play. “Imagine how disheartening it is to hear the men get paid for matches in addition to not having to buy their own practice kits or pay for their own practice fields. The financial support to the men’s programme at the exclusion of the women’s programme is wrong and must stop,” the Lady Jags said. They noted that “every member of our team has sacrificed to help drive the goal of elevating the role of women in the sport of football across Guyana. We are happy to serve as role models, but the burden should not be ours alone to bear ….many of the women who have signed this letter have been with the programme since 2009. We are united in our call for equal and fair treatment”. The Lady Jags players said they’re looking to develop equality within football which will foster and nurture the next generation of female leaders across Guyana and the Caribbean.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 8, 2021

The 44 Australians playing in India, England this winter

WITH the 2020-21 Australian season almost at an end, some of the country’s leading players have their sights set on more cricket abroad this winter. While plenty of players will take a break following a summer like no other, 16 Aussie men’s players are set to be back in action soon for the 2021 Indian Premier League (IPL). There will also be a total 20 Australians – nine men and 11 women – involved in the inaugural season of The Hundred in the UK in July and August, while 16 men will take part in English county cricket during the Australian off-season. And there could be more Aussies abroad later in the year for the rescheduled Pakistan Super League (PSL) in June and the 2021 Caribbean Premier League (CPL), which is expected to be played in September. The Aussie women’s team are not scheduled to play any international cricket until their home series against India in September, but some of the Australian men’s players may have to miss part of their overseas domestic deals if they’re picked for the proposed white-ball campaigns in the Caribbean and Bangladesh ahead of the T20 World Cup in October.

Royal Challengers – Dan Christian, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson, Daniel Sams, Adam Zampa, Simon Katich (head coach) Sunrisers Hyderabad – David Warner, Trevor Bayliss (head coach)

Marcus Stoinis will return to Delhi this season. (BCCI-Sportzpics)

2021 Indian Premier League The 14th season of the world’s biggest domestic tournament begins on April 9 and runs until May 30. A total of 60 matches will be played at six neutral venues across India – in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru and Ahmedabad – with the number of grounds in use reduced due to the pandemic.

Delhi Capitals – Steve Smith, Marcus Stoinis, Ricky Ponting (head coach) Kings XI Punjab - Moises Henriques, Riley Meredith, Jhye Richardson Kolkata Knight Riders – Pat Cummins, Ben Cutting Mumbai Indians – Chris Lynn, Nathan Coulter-Nile Rajasthan Royals – Andrew Tye

(Note: Josh Hazlewood (Chennai Super Kings), Mitch Marsh (Sunrisers Hyderabad), Josh Philippe (Royal Challengers Bangalore) all recently withdrew from the IPL deals for personal reasons)

Fakhar ton seals ODI series win as Pakistan beat South Africa ANOTHER century from Fakhar Zaman helped Pakistan to a series-clinching 28-run defeat of South Africa in the third one-day international. Fakhar, who made 193 in a losing effort in the second ODI, made 101 from 104 balls, with captain Babar Azam adding 94 from 82 deliveries.

Opener Fakhar Zaman made his second successive century.

Hasan Ali’s 32 not out off just 11 balls lifted the tourists to 320-7. South Africa were rarely in the chase in Centurion, bowled out in the final over for 292 and losing the series 1-2. The home side were without Quinton de Kock, David Miller, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi and Kagiso Rabada, who had all travelled to the Indian Premier League (IPL) , while Rassie van der Dussen was ruled out with a quadriceps injury. Their chase was hit by left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz, who took three wickets to see the Proteas slip from 127-2 to 140-5. Kyle Verreynne made 62 and Andile Phelukwayo 54 to keep alive slim hopes, but when they fell in the 44th and 45th overs respectively, Pakistan were able to seal a comfortable win. (BBC Sport)

2021 The Hundred After a long wait, and a 12-month delay due to the pandemic, England’s new 100ball competition will be officially launched on July 21 this year and run until August 21. Eight new franchises have been created and the men’s and women’s competitions will run side by side, with some of the best players in the world set to take part. Birmingham Phoenix – Ash Gardner, Ellyse Perry, Adam Zampa, Andrew McDonald (men’s head coach), Ben Sawyer (women’s head coach) London Spirit – Glenn Maxwell, Shane Warne (men’s head coach) Manchester Originals – Simon Katich (men’s head coach) Northern Superchargers – Nicola Carey, Aaron Finch, Alyssa Healy, Chris Lynn, Darren Lehmann (men’s head coach) Oval Invincibles – Rachael Haynes, Tom Moody (men’s head coach) Southern Brave – Marcus Stoinis, David Warner Trent Rockets – Nathan Coulter-Nile,

Sophie Molineux, D’Arcy Short, Annabel Sutherland, Elyse Villani Welsh Fire – Meg Lanning, Beth Mooney, Jhye Richardson, Georgia Wareham, Matthew Mott (women’s head coach) 2021 UK county cricket After a shortened competition last English summer that didn’t get underway until August due to the pandemic, the 2021 first-class season in the UK will begin on April 8 and conclude with the Bob Willis Trophy final in late September. The 18 counties have been split into three divisions for the County Championship, while there are two groups for the One-Day Cup, which will run from July 22 until August 19. The T20 Blast competition, which will be played at the same time as the new Hundred tournament, will run from June 9 to September 18. Derbyshire – Ben McDermott (one-day & T20), Billy Stanlake (all formats) Durham - Cameron Bancroft (first-class) Essex – Peter Siddle (first class & oneday) Glamorgan - Marnus Labuschagne (all formats), Michael Neser (first-class & oneday) Gloucestershire – Dan Worrall (all formats) Lancashire – Jackson Bird (first-class) Leicestershire – Marcus Harris (firstclass & one-day), Josh Inglis (T20) Middlesex – Peter Handscomb (first-class & one-day), Mitch Marsh (T20) Nottinghamshire – Dan Christian (T20) Surrey – Sean Abbott (first-class and T20) Sussex – Travis Head (all formats) Worcestershire – Ben Dwarshuis (T20)

New faces in NZ squad; Williamson a worry for England Tests (AFP) - New Zealand (NZ) named a squad of 20 players on Thursday for their upcoming tour of England including three uncapped players but with a question mark over the talismanic Kane Williamson and Trent Boult. The two are expected to again be involved in the Indian Premier League (IPL) play-offs - Williamson with Sunrisers Hyderabad and Boult with Mumbai Indians - in the last week of May with the first Test against England starting at Lord’s on June 2. But they will be back with the Black Caps squad by the time it is pared down to 15 for the World Test Championship final at Southampton on June 18. Williamson said it was a frustrating situation but if he missed the first Test he hoped to rejoin the Blacks Caps before the second Test. “As soon as your team is no longer in (the IPL), whenever that is, it will be a quick trip across and prepare for the Test match that as soon as possible you can be available for,” he told the Stuff website. The newcomers to the New Zealand squad are 21-year-old all-rounder Rachin Ravindra, swing bowler Jacob Duffy and in-form batsman Devon Conway. Conway has tasted international experience in recent months, averaging 75 from three one-day internationals and 59.12 in 14 Twenty20 matches and coach Gary Stead sees a big future for the South

Duffy took four for 33 in his one appearance for New Zealand, a Twenty20 match against Pakistan, while Ravindra who hit a century for New Zealand A against the West Indies, is a handy leftarm spinner and was in New Zealand’s Under-19 World Cup team in 2018. “Rachin’s been earmarked as a star of the future since his Under-19 days and we’ve been really encouraged by the advancement in his game this season, with both bat and ball,” Stead said. “He’s obviously an opening option. He also has the ability to bat in the middle order which, combined with his left-arm finger spin, makes him a great asset to our squad. “Jacob’s been a consistent performer on the domestic circuit and his ability to swing the ball made him a particularly compelling option with a Dukes ball in English conditions.” Colin de Grandhomme, who missed In-form batsman Devon Conway is one of three newcomers to the New the home summer with an ankle injury, veteran Ross Taylor and Doug Bracewell Zealand Test squad. all have to prove their fitness to finalise African-born batsman. their places in the side. “He’s got all the skills of being an New Zealand squad: Kane Williamamazing player,” the coach said. son (capt.), Tom Blundell, Trent Boult, “We’re really fortunate, at the mo- Doug Bracewell, Devon Conway, Colin ment, that we’ve had people in our squad de Grandhomme, Jacob Duffy, Matt like your Ross Taylors and your Kane Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham, Williamsons, then you see someone like Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Ajaz Devon Conway come along, and you think Patel, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santthis is another guy that could also be in ner, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Neil that class.” Wagner, BJ Watling, Will Young.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 8, 2021

RHT Namilco Thunderbolt Flour teams Simmons unfazed by batting continue to make positive difference struggles of some players THE Rose Hall Town (RHT) Namilco Thunderbolt First Division team, widely considered one of the top first division teams in Guyana, have dominated the game in Berbice over the last two years. The team in 2019 won all their first division tournaments in the Ancient County while the RHT Namilco Thunderbolt Flour Under-21 won the delayed 2019 Under-21 tournaments after defeating arch-rivals Albion by seven wickets in early March. The two teams, under the management of Organising Secretary Rabindranauth Kissoonlall and Asst Secretary/ CEO Simon Naidu, continue to make a positive difference as part of their personal development programme. One of the requirements of being a member of the RHTYSC is that all members shall be involved in social work and community development to make a positive difference in the lives of others. The two teams last Tuesday completed the 250th activity of the club for 2021 by handing over three special prizes for the hosting of a fund-raising raffle by the Rose Hall Canje Cricket team. The prizes were an electric blender, electric iron and

RHTYSC Asst Secretary/CEO Simon Naidu hands over donation to Dr Cecil Beharry, president of Rose Hall Canje Cricket Club. electric kettle. The RH Canje Community Centre Cricket Club (RHCCC), headed by Dr Cecil Beharry, participates in all tournaments organised by the vibrant Berbice Cricket Board (BCB). Dr Beharry, in accepting the donation, noted that the club sometimes finds it difficult financially for teams to play in all the tournaments due to the high cost of balls and transportation. The Club, he disclosed, plays at the Under-13, Under-15, Under-17, Under-19, Under-21, Second Division, Internal Zone and first division.

Additionally, the RHCCCC also has several active female cricketers who play in the New Amsterdam/Canje Zone team. Beharry expressed gratitude to the Namilco Thunderbolt teams for their assistance. He noted that his club receives a wide range of assistance from the BCB that includes scorebooks, catching cribs, cricket balls, coloured uniforms, cricket gear, educational materials, bicycles and trophies. Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster who is also the president of the BCB hailed the effort of the Namilco Thunderbolt Flour teams for assisting

Da Silva proud of solid start to Test cricket career Joshua DaSiva made his Test debut against New Zealand in December of last year. WINDIES middle-order batsman, Joshua Da Silva, believes there is plenty to be proud of when it comes to his performances so far for the regional team. Since making his debut

against New Zealand, in December of last year, the batsman has averaged 37.62 in five Test matches, with a high score of 92. The half-century was one of two scored by the player during that period.

Da Silva has scored 301 runs so far, his innings often providing much-needed stability at crucial times in the team’s batting line-up. Despite narrowly missing out on a triple-figure and

their peers and noted that the RHTYSC strongly believes in assisting other clubs. This he stated is to assist all youths in the county to fulfil their dream of becoming a professional cricketer. Foster also disclosed that the team in 2021 has donated over $1M worth of items to Berbice clubs including cricket balls, stumps, gear, scorebooks and trophies. The two teams will also be presenting bicycles to less fortunate youths in early May while they are also planning to distribute hundreds of food hampers for Mother’s and Father’s Day in May and June respectively. The teams also recently distributed $300 000 worth of kites across Guyana. Last year, the ten cricket teams of the RHTYSC distributed over 10 000 food hampers in 2020 as part of their joint COVID-19 response programme. Members of the RHT Namilco Thunderbolt Flour team includes Kevin Sinclair, Kevlon Anderson, Royston Crandon, Clinton Pestano, Shemaine Campbelle, Sheneta Grimmond, Shabika Gajnabi, Junior Sinclair, Eon Hooper, Jason Sinclair, Delbert Hicks, Khemraj Mahadeo, Keon Sinclair, Keith Simpson and Shawn Pereira. a few half-centuries, the player admitted he was pleased with his work to date. “I don’t think I could have been more proud of what I have done so far in Test cricket. I definitely would have wanted to convert some of those forties into fifties and that 90 into 100, but hopefully there are going to be a lot more opportunities to do that,” Da Silva told Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. Da Silva recently played a crucial part in the Test series draw with Sri Lanka, which saw batsmen with the upper hand for most of the series, partly due to a flat surface. “I don’t think we could fault any bowler or batsman according to the conditions. It was quite challenging for the bowlers. Overall, I thought we had a very positive series, a lot of good things came out of it.” (Sportsmax)

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – Phil Simmons has brushed aside concern over the form of some members of the West Indies batting group in the just concluded two-Test series against Sri Lanka. Though West Indies produced solid batting performances throughout the series, opener John Campbell struggled with a mere 68 runs from four innings while vice-captain Jermaine Blackwood garnered only 42 runs from his four appearances. But head coach Simmons said it was unrealistic to expect every batsman to

the year positively, unexpectedly sweeping Bangladesh in two Tests away before drawing both Tests against Sri Lanka in the Caribbean recently. And with new players like Kyle Mayers, Nkrumah Bonner, Joshua Da Silva and Rahkeem Cornwall all performing consistently, Simmons said the team spirit had been transformed positively. “I think the dressing room is exciting. There’s an energy around the dressing room,” Simmons explained. “I think winning the two Test matches in Bangladesh

Left-handed opener John Campbell struggled against Sri Lanka. (Photo: AFP) strike form in every series, stressing the more important element was the overall batting success of the unit. “In every series, you’re not going to get every batsman firing,” Simmons pointed out. “In one series you’ll get two or three and in the next series you may get a different two or three, so the important thing is that the team is batting as a team and that every Test match, somebody is standing up; every Test match somebody is looking to get a hundred or a big score. “We’ve been graced with that, in the last four matches where we had two or three 90s, we had a double hundred, we had two hundreds so the batting is coming to the fore now.” Campbell, though, has struggled in his 15-Test career, with a mere two half-centuries and an average of 23. Blackwood’s failure, however, was his first for some time, having averaged 38 in the previous seven Tests following the re-start of international cricket amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. West Indies have started

brings that kind of energy and there are a lot of young players who have just come into the team who bring that type of energy too, whether it’s in their batting, their keeping, or their bowling. “Whichever it is, they bring that energy and it’s a nice feeling in the dressing room in a nice way. Players are looking after one another and want each other to succeed. “So the energy in the dressing room is great but it can always get better. We keep working on improving it and making sure that it keeps getting better.” He also praised the efforts of Cornwall who starred with 14 wickets with his offspin in Bangladesh and then lashed two half-centuries against Sri Lanka. “He has given his all. I think the wickets in this series weren’t helpful but he still bowled extremely well and with the bat he is now contributing,” he noted. “We know he can catch in the slips so his all-round performance and what he is giving the team is a major contribution to where we’re at.”

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 8, 2021

Rio backs off plan to rename Maracana stadium for Pele (AFP) - The Rio de Janeiro state legislature backed down Tuesday from plans to rename Brazil’s iconic Maracana stadium for football legend Pele, after the proposal triggered controversy. In an unusual move, legislative speaker Andre Ceciliano, who sponsored the bill, asked interim Governor Claudio Castro to veto rather than sign it. After lawmakers voted on March 9 to change the stadium’s official name to ‘Edson Arantes do Nascimento - Rei Pele’ to honour the three-time world champion, critics questioned why they were spending their time on such matters in the middle of a raging health crisis in Brazil, hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. “My intention was to pay tribute to the king of football, the best player of all-time. But the Maracana will always be called the Maracana,” said Ceciliano of the left-wing Workers’ Party (PT).

There was also a squabble over the fate of the stadium’s current official name, “Jornalista Mario Filho,” for a beloved Brazilian journalist and sportswriter credited with helping give football the near-religious devotion it enjoys in the country today. The bill retained Filho’s name for the sports complex surrounding the stadium, which also includes gymnastics and athletics venues. But Filho’s family and admirers resented the change. The Maracana, which takes its unofficial name from the surrounding neighbourhood, has been the scene of historic matches including the 1950 and 2014 World Cup finals, as well as the venue for the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2016 Olympics. It is the home stadium for two local football clubs, Fluminense and reigning champions Flamengo.

Brazil’s legendary Maracana stadium will no longer be renamed for Pele, its most celebrated football player. But the giant 78 000-seat stadium’s history is also loaded with trauma for Brazilians. It opened in 1950 for the World Cup, hosting Brazil’s heartbreaking 1-2 defeat by Uruguay in the final - an event still sorrowfully remembered as the ‘Maracana-

GCA to suspend cricket from Saturday due to spike in COVID-19 cases –– Berbice cricket also called off

AFTER a special meeting held yesterday afternoon, the executive members of the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) decided to suspend its weekend cricket clashes from Saturday until further notice due to the rise of COVID-19 cases in the country. The custodian of cricket in the capital city had only re-started the national sport a few weeks ago after a year of no-play due to the pandemic. Since the re-start, GCA had continued three of their 2020 competitions, including the GISE Star Party Rental

and Trophy Stall First Division Two-Day cricket competition, the Noble House Seafoods Second Division Two Day cricket competition and the NBS Second Division 40-over competition. BATTLE FOR BASIL BUTCHER CRICKET TROPHY Meanwhile, to facilitate the New York Tri State U15 team’s visit to Guyana, the association has agreed to host a two-day U15 match at the Muslim Youth Organisation (MYO) ground between the GCA Executive U15 XI and the visiting side today and to-

morrow from 10:00h. The teams will be competing for the Basil Butcher trophy in the last match of the tour. The late, great, Guyanese and West Indies batsmanr died in December of 2019 at the age of 86. BERBICE CRICKET ALSO SUSPENDED The GCA’s suspension follows that of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) which suspended cricketing activities earlier this week. According to information from the board and its proactive president Hilbert Foster, the

BCB is playing its part in stemming the spread of the virus. On Tuesday, Mr Foster wrote via social media that COVID-19 is very real and that it is killing our fellow compatriots at an alarming rate. “The BCB has placedon hold our 2021 season as we review the situation as the health of our officials and players is our main concern. Clubs across Berbice are hereby advised to desist from arranging fun matches against each other and all practice sessions should also be placed on hold.”

co’, which roughly translates as ‘Maracana death blow’. Pele is credited with restoring Brazil’s football pride in the aftermath. Now 80, Pele rarely appears in public. He was not involved in the push to change the stadium’s name.

Aussies extend ODI winning streak to 23 AUSTRALIA extended their one-day international winning streak to 23 matches with a 71-run win over New Zealand to clinch the three-match series with a game to spare. Set 272 for victory, New Zealand were bowled out for 200, left-arm spinner Jess Jonassen taking 3-29. Amelia Kerr top-scored for the hosts with 47 in Tauranga but they lost 7-80 after Kerr fell to Jonassen. Australia had posted 271-7 from their 50 overs, built on Rachael Haynes’ 87. It is an 18th consecutive bilateral ODI series victory for Australia Women. They have not lost a one-day series since they were beaten by England in 2013, and they have not lost a series to New Zealand since 1999. Australia underperformed with the bat, despite 87 from Haynes, as off-spinner Leigh Kasperek took a career-best 6-46. However, the White Ferns were reduced to 7-2 after just nine balls, and struggled against Australia’s accurate bowling. The final match of the series takes place in Tauranga on Saturday (3:00 BST). (BBC Sport)

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Thursday April 08, 2021) COMPLIMENTS OF XTRA ENERGY DRINK – STABROEK BAZAAR (Tel: 683-9500) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158)

Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) Charles Bannerman (AUST vs ENG, Melbourne, 1876-77) (2) Alfred Shaw (ENG)

Today’s Quiz:

Cricket in the capital City had only re-started a few weeks ago.

(1) Who faced the first ball in ODI cricket? (2) Who delivered it?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

First Lady of Guyana - Mrs Arya Ali

Khadidra Debesette #6 of Trinidad & Tobago battles for the ball against Guyana’s Mariam El-Masri during the 2016 CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying at BBVA Compass Stadium on February 16, 2016 in Houston, Texas.

Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr

Lady Jags take complaint for equal pay, treatment to First Lady & Minister Ramson See story on page 24

Nurse appointed to MLS NEXT ‘Back-up plans’ in place if India Equity Action Committee

cannot host T20 World Cup

(AFP) - Cricket’s governing body has a plan B in case the coronavirus pandemic prevents India from staging the Twenty20 World Cup this year, but is still months from a final decision, its interim chief Geoff Allardice said yesterday. India is scheduled to hold the World Cup in October and November but a new surge in coronavirus cases has prompted health concerns. “We are certainly proceeding on the assumption that the event is going ahead as planned,” Allardice told reporters at the International Cricket Council (ICC) headquarters in Dubai. “Cricket is being played in a number of countries around the world and we are taking the lessons from all of those,” he added. Allardice, who took temporary charge of the ICC after disciplinary proceedings were started against Manu Sawhney, said the governing body had a World Cup backup ready if needed. “At this stage, we have

ICC interim chief Geoff Allardice not activated those plans because we are preparing to go ahead with the event in India as scheduled,” he said. But he added that there are still “a number of months to be able to see how the situation is and how cricket events are being run”.

The Indian Premier League (IPL), the world’s richest T20 club event, starts tomorrow with all eight teams in strict bio bubbles. But four players have tested positive in recent days. India is currently recording more than 100 000 new virus cases a day and the number of daily deaths has doubled in the past two weeks to more than 600 nationwide. Allardice said the ICC was also concerned about the impact that bio-bubble environments were having on players who are spending months at tournaments and on Test tours. He said cricket authorities hoped the growing use of vaccines around the world was “going to be an important step for us to head back toward some normality in the way cricket is run. “Moving forward, we would be trying to wind back (the bio bubbles) but continue to provide a safe environment.”

FORMER Golden Jaguars captain Christopher Nurse has been appointed to the newly created MLS NEXT Equity Action Committee, a new diversity, equity and inclusion initiative that advocates for social equality in the sport of football. Nurse, 36, is one of nine members on the committee, which will guide MLS NEXT to facilitate positive changes for a more aware, equitable, just and responsible soccer community. “Being on the equity action committee allows me to influence positive change and bring more awareness and light to this area. It is an area that is often neglected and not given the attention it requires to address and act upon these issues in both society and culture,” Nurse said in an invited comment. Football, Nurse said, in its purest form is extremely diverse and there’s a need to ensure everyone genuinely feels represented and supported. Nurse, who started his professional career with the Kingstonian FC in the Isthmian League Premier Division, said, “I was once that young boy who had dreams of playing professionally and I was able to attain that dream and compete not just as a professional but as the

Former Golden Jaguars captain Christopher Nurse captain of a national team at the highest level.”. He added, “There were many things that I had to endure on that journey that no human should ever have to tolerate and my hope is to ensure the path for the next generation can be more admirable than it was for myself and many others.” The former Guyana National team captain, who was born in London, England, to a Jamaican mother and Guyanese father, explained that his

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career began just playing in the local park amongst friends. “Racism was something we experienced daily growing up. In school, all through my soccer career, in the grocery store, just walking the street, driving your car you could be racially abused just for the colour of your skin ... If it’s in society, it is in sport. It was just something we had to live with. A story no-one really wanted to hear and a story you never really wanted to tell. You just got on with it,” Nurse reasoned. Nurse is now the head coach of the U-16 MLS NEXT team at Weston FC, one of the highest levels of youth football in the CONCACAF region and he believes that “it is our responsibility as role models, mentors, coaches, teachers and leaders to ensure these kids can feel safe, valued and protected from any unwarranted discrimination, harassment or racism.” Change starts with a conversation, Nurse noted, while pointing out that “if we are able to open our hearts and our minds there is so much more potential to be unleashed in the game of soccer and this can be achieved by empowering the next generation of athletes through equity, diversity and equality.”

See story on page 27 THURSDAY, APRIL 8, 2021