Issuu

SATURDAY 5th December, 2020

' No.106204

President, former Presidents to meet SEE PAGE 03

President, Dr. Irfaan Ali

–– to chart a way forward and build a better Guyana

Former President, David Granger

Former President, Donald Ramotar

Former President, Bharrat Jagdeo

Former President, Samuel Hinds

Australian investors eye 'green' energy

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Office for Investment, Dr. Peter Ramsaroop (centre), with officials of Fortescue following a meeting on Friday

SEE PAGE 02

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, December 5, 2020

Australian investors eye 'green' energy –– discuss harvesting renewable energy for green products

By Navendra Seoraj GUYANA’S nascent oil and gas sector has served as a magnet for this nation, attracting major investors from across a wide spectrum, but, a recent visit to the country by a group of investors from a world-renowned iron ore company, Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (FMG), has re-emphasised the country’s potential to harness and utilise renewable energy. The world, over the past decade, has seen an incremental shift to the use of renewable energy, which is defined as energy that is collected from renewable resources that are naturally replenished on a human timescale, including carbon neutral sources like sunlight, wind, rain, tides, waves, and geothermal heat. Guyana’s expansive water resources and tropical climate make the country a hub for production of renewable energy. It is for this reason that a

team from Australia’s FMG led by the company’s Deputy Chief Executive Officer (DCEO), Julie Shuttleworth, visited Guyana on Friday to discuss projects related to the nation’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS). In June 2009, the then Government of Guyana launched the LCDS, which aimed to transform Guyana’s economy on to a low-carbon, sustainable development trajectory while simultaneously combating climate change. The LCDS was geared at protecting and maintaining the forests in an effort to reduce global carbon emissions and, at the same time, attract payments from developed countries for the climate services that the forests provide to the world. A critical programme under the LCDS was the Amaila Falls Hydro Project, which has attracted the attention of the team from Australia. The Amaila Falls Hydro project was initially designed as a 165-megawatt facility. The Guyana Chronicle

had reported that the project is expected to cost just under US$1 billion and will be able to generate 165 megawatts of stable and reliable electricity for 11 solid months of the year, with the additional month during the dry season being used for scheduled maintenance.

This publication was told that the Australian company is looking to harvest renewable energy in order to facilitate new green industry products such as ammonia, hydrogen, fertilizers and metals for both local and foreign markets.

MULTIMILLIONDOLLAR INVESTMENT Should the company move ahead with plans to invest here, a project relative to its aim would run into millions of United States dollars. The company’s intentions were shared with Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat; Foreign Secretary at

the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Robert Persaud; and Chief Investment Officer of the Guyana Office for Investment (Go-Invest), Dr. Peter Ramsaroop. The international media had reported last month that FMG has committed TURN TO PAGE

An artist’s impression of the Amaila Falls Hydropower facility

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, December 5, 2020

President, former Presidents to meet

–– to chart way forward, build a better Guyana By Navendra Seoraj PRESIDENT Dr. Irfaan Ali has invited four of Guyana’s former Presidents to meet officially on December 15, 2020, to chart a way forward and build a better nation. In a meeting, which is anticipated to be historic, President Ali will engage former Presidents David Granger, Donald Ramotar, Bharrat Jagdeo and Samuel Hinds. “In my inauguration speech, I spoke about convening a meeting; an openfloor meeting where we could bring together all former Presidents,” said President Ali on the sidelines of the launch of the Canada-Guyana Chamber of Commerce at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre on Friday. The last time a President and former Presidents met in the same room was at the unveiling of a “Gallery of Presidents”, at the Public

Buildings in May last year. Speaking about his expectations of the anticipated meeting, President Ali said: “I think it is an opportunity for us to continue to share ideas; generate ideas. To talk about how we see Guyana’s development; share different perspectives and then to work out a model and framework on how we engage in the future, and how we can have continuous contribution.” Invitations for the upcoming meeting were dispatched by the Office of the President on Friday, said the President. President Ali, in his first address as Head of State of Guyana, had assured the nation that he will uphold the oath he’d taken, and will work in the best interest of the people of Guyana. “There is only one future, and that requires a united, strong Guyana. That future requires every Guyanese to

President Dr. Irfaan Ali

play a part in building our country, and ensuring we

leave a better Guyana for the next generation,” President

Ali said. “We are in this together; we are not separated by class, by ethnicity, religion or political persuasion. We are united in the true Guyanese spirit,” he added. The new administration, he said, will be focused on a development agenda that will reflect the priorities of every Guyanese. “We are building a country for every Guyanese. There is no need for fear; there is no need for distinction based on political persuasion, religious belief or ethnicity. This is a Government for all of Guyana,” President Ali assured his audience. Most recently, he committed to getting Guyana “back on track”, starting with the implementation of measures and projects included in the $329.5 billion 2020 Budget. This budget includes a $25,000 cash transfer to every household; a $15,000 cash grant and a $4,000 uniform voucher for schoolchildren; $800 million for the Amerindian Develop-

ment Fund; $5 billion for the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo); a two-week, taxfree bonus for members of the Joint Services; and $150 million for frontline workers, among many other benefits. President Ali had also said that the government, after re-prioritising and re-programming fiscal measures, has managed to add $20 billion in relief to the “pockets” of Guyanese at a time when the nation is faced with the effects of COVID-19, and the recently concluded protracted electoral process. The conduits of relief include revised tax measures and sweeping incentives. The broad objectives of those measures, which feature in Government’s Emergency Budget, are to stimulate economic activity; get persons back to work; increase Guyana’s productive capacity; reduce the cost of doing business; improve efficiency; and facilitate growth and development of businesses.

Australian investors eye ... FROM PAGE

over US$1 billion to its Fortescue Future Industries business, which is aiming to produce 235 Gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy generation to support green hydrogen, ammonia and metals production. The company is a global leader in the iron ore industry, recognised for its culture, innovation and industry-leading development of world class infrastructure and mining assets in the Pilbara, Western Australia. Through its intended investment, the company is aiming to de-carbonise the steelmaking industry in order to protect its iron ore revenue stream in a world rapidly moving to meet its climate commitments. Bloomberg Green had reported that the world financed $282 billion of renewable capacity in 2019. According to the report, onshore and offshore wind power led the way with

$138 billion followed by solar with $131 billion. A historical analysis, cited by Bloomberg Green, shows that renewable energy drew more than $2.6 trillion in investments from 2010 to 2019. It was said that building new wind or solar capacity now costs less than adding the equivalent in coal or gas plants in two-thirds of the world. Energy and electricity, particularly from a renewable source, are undoubtedly critical elements to the growth of an economy and the welfare of people, as they catalyse advancement on all fronts. The Government, after reviewing the nation’s energy mix, has crafted a strategy which would move Guyana towards energy efficiency, said Vice-President, Bharrat Jagdeo, during a recent press briefing. Guyana’s current energy

Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat; Foreign Secretary, Robert Persaud; and Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Office for Investment, Dr. Peter Ramsaroop, engaging investors from Fortescue

policy seeks to ensure that stable, reliable and affordable energy is provided to all persons in Guyana within an economically, environmentally and socially sustainable framework. The benefits which would accrue to the country from this project alone are immense, but Jagdeo said Guyana would save millions of dollars more, through the entire revised energy mix.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, December 5, 2020

Guyana tackles ‘hurdles’ in accessing CARICOM markets By Navendra Seoraj

FACILITATING trade and investments has been a hallmark of Guyana for years, but President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, believes that the same courtesy has not been extended to this nation, as there are several hurdles right in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) which have to be erased in order for there to be a balanced playing field. Guyana is on the cusp of economic transformation thanks to its newfound oil wealth and other resources which are being repositioned to promote economic growth. This potential transformation and increasing attention from foreign and local investors have placed Guyana in a

position to lead negotiations and develop competitive policies. “For the first time we are negotiating from in front and with great strength,” said President Ali during his address at the launch of the Canada-Guyana Chamber of Commerce at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, on Friday. This new position is critical for Guyana, as the President believes that the country has been treated unfairly for years although it has been facilitative to international, regional and even indigenous investors. “We were trying to get our produce into CARICOM for years… we are trying… we have facilitated investments from other partners without any hur-

Saturday, December 5, 09:00hrs - 10:30hrs

President, Dr. Irfaan Ali dles and our private sector never complained and said to scale back. “We have not been treated the same way, but it has to change. We are going to make investments and share opportunities, but we must get an even and balanced playing field,” said the President. It is for this reason that President Ali said that the country will form a joint team comprising government officials and private sector stakeholders to “break down” the ‘hurdles’ that exist in the CARICOM markets. Sections of the media had reported that Guyana has complained consis-

tently to CARICOM about non-tariff barriers, disguised as plant and animal health rules, to its honey, ice cream as well as pineapples and other fruits, vegetables, and ground provisions, in a number of member states. Vice-President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), Timothy Tucker, was reported as saying in 2019 that: “We’ve had situations where we are limited in what we can export to the Caribbean, even to Trinidad. They’ve put non-tariff barriers on honey; they just released the ones on pepper and pineapple. LOT OF BARRIERS “There are still a lot of barriers on honey, pineapple, pumpkins. Also, you had situations where, when Guyana was exporting coconut water and its products, they, themselves, shut that industry down.” The road to addressing those and other hurdles will start with a preparation of a list of all the impediments to trade in CARICOM mar-

FAO graph kets. This is expected to be prepared by the joint team. President Ali affirmed that the government will ensure that all barriers to trade and investments are removed and that the local private sector gets a level playing field to grow and develop outside of Guyana. It was reported that for years, Guyana’s ‘potential’ to become the breadbasket of the Caribbean has been under the spotlight and while the rhetoric has outweighed action on this front, the country will be looking to realise its potential in the coming years, with immediate focus on tapping at least 15 per cent of the US$5 billion regional food import bill. Most of the commodities, which form part of this huge bill, are sourced from the “developed world” while Guyana, a member state of CARICOM, has the potential to supply a sizeable amount of those commodities. It was reported that 10 commodities – food preparations, wheat, rice, chicken, non-alcoholic beverages, maize, soya bean, sugar and palm oil — account for more than 40 per cent

of CARICOM’s food import bill. Immediately, based on this list, Guyana has the potential to supply rice, sugar and poultry, among many other things. And, there have already been attempts by government to create a business-friendly environment by removing Value Added Tax (VAT) on the poultry industry and removing VAT and duties on machinery and equipment for mining, forestry, agriculture and manufacturing. The United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), in October 2013, had said the region’s high food import bill puts pressure on already-stressed Caribbean national budgets, through the need for increased foreign exchange to purchase imports and the fact that higher food prices also require increased social protection programmes. So, if Guyana is able to tap this bill, it would also mean that the country would be able to supply commodities at reduced costs because the overhead expenses such as shipping would not be exorbitant.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, December 5, 2020

Justice Singh throws out Moore’s defamation lawsuit against DPP HIGH Court Judge, Navindra Singh has granted an application filed by Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Shalimar Ali-Hack, to have the $50M defamation lawsuit against her by Senior Magistrate Alex Moore struck out. The ruling was delivered on December 2, via electronic mail. The application was filed by Senior Counsel Robin Stoby, Jamela Ali and Kim Kyte-Thomas. On August 18, 2020, Ali-Hack applied to the Court to strike out the $50M lawsuit on the ground that the pleadings

Senior Magistrate Alex Moore disclose no reasonable basis for instituting the claim, or alternatively, that the claim is an abuse of the process of the court, or that it is frivolous and/or vexatious, since the DPP

is protected in the execution of her office under the provisions of the laws of Guyana. The claim is based on the contents of a letter written by the Ali-Hack, in her capacity as the DPP, addressed to the Chancellor of the Judiciary of Guyana and copied to the Chief Justice of Guyana. The DPP contends in the application that the claim is an abuse of the process of the court, since it seeks to ignore or bypass the provisions of the Justice Protection Act, CAP 5:07 of the Laws of Guyana, which protection she is entitled to, which contention will be

addressed instantly. Justice Singh, in his ruling, stated that the claim shows that the letter is irrefutably ‘absolutely privileged’. In the circumstances, based on all of the foregoing, the application filed by the DPP was granted, together with costs in the sum of $200,000.00 to be paid on or before December 24, 2020. In July, Moore, through his lawyer, Arudranauth Gossai, filed a lawsuit against Ali-Hack for the sum of $50M as damages for defamation for a letter which she wrote on December 5, 2019, which he claimed is malicious and

Meredith confesses to fatally shooting Garraway AFTER spending the last four years on remand, Joshua Meredith on Friday threw himself at the mercy of the court and confessed to fatally shooting Gregory Garraway during a robbery in 2016.

Joshua Meredith

Meredith, formerly of Warlock, East Ruimveldt, Georgetown, was charged for the capital offence of murder. When his case was called before Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry on Friday, he opted to plead guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter, which alleged that at Wings and Things Bar, on Mandela Avenue, Georgetown, he unlawfully killed Garraway. According to the case facts, on the night of October 2, 2016, at about 01:45hrs, Garraway was at ‘Wings and Things’, and at the time wearing two gold chains around his neck, when Meredith sought to relieve him of them. During the scuffle that

ensued, Meredith reportedly pulled out a firearm and shot Garraway, who fell to the ground while he made good his escape with the jewellery. Garraway was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he would eventually die some nine days later.

DEAD: Gregory Garraway

false. The letter was sent by Ali-Hack to the acting Chancellor of Guyana, Yonette Cummings Edwards, who is also Chairman of the Judicial Service Commission, and the acting Chief Justice, Roxane George, with the reference “Conduct of Magistrate Alex Moore in the charge of the Police vs Marcus Bisram for the Offence of Murder, contrary to Common Law. The letter is allegedly claiming that Moore had a personal interest in the matter against Bisram, and requested that he be removed from presiding over the case.

Director of Public Prosecutions, Shalimar Ali-Hack The report constitutes, among other complaints, an allegation of conduct against Magistrate Moore’s professional responsibility or office as a Magistrate and not his personal capacity, and was capable of being investigated by the Chancellor for the purposes of invoking the disciplinary procedures set out in the Judicial Service Commission’s Rules.

According to the post mortem, he died of “septic shock as a result of gunshot injuries to the abdomen”. Meredith was later arrested after being pointed out during an identification parade by Garraway’s brother who had witnessed the robbery. During the court hearing on Thursday, Meredith’s attorney, Adrian Thompson, asked the court to temper justice with mercy.

In his plea of mitigation, Thompson asked the court to consider that Meredith did not have a good childhood, and was influenced by the neighbourhood in which he lived. Justice Sewnarine-Beharry has deferred sentencing until December 16, so as to allow for a probation report to be prepared for Meredith. The State is represented by Prosecutor Nafeeza Baig.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, December 5, 2020

Tajeram Mohabir

Transforming the sugar industry SUGAR plays a mighty role in the history of Guyana, in the making of the Guyanese soul. So it is necessary to weather the storms the industry faces in these trying times; to stick with reforming it, and to mediate a way forward that secures sugar's role in the socioeconomic well-being of Guyana. Sasenarine Singh took over the helm of this troubled industry in September, and his passion to turn the ship around shows up with encouraging energy. Under his stewardship, one can rest assured that the leadership of the Guyana Sugar Industry is in the right hands and heart. That is an important factor; the passion, commitment, and energy of the leader, and also his team on the Board and in Management. But beyond the merit and ability of the leadership, such is the challenge facing this main sector of the national agriculture setup, that a range of things must come into firm alignment. This would test the visionary ability of Guyanese to convert their beloved industry into again a vibrant force. First and foremost, sugar needs a strong dose of innovation, technology, and futuristic thinking. In other words, Singh and his team must approach the cane-fields, punts, trenches, and workers manning the fields, factories and floors from the standpoint of a futuristic outlook. The ruling People's Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) enjoys a strong relationship with sugar. The party stands with sugar workers, and in fact, the history of sugar and the PPP/C is so intertwined that the two are inseparable. When the Coalition Government

launched its war on the sugar industry, shutting down factories and tearing thousands of workers from their livelihood, much of it could have been a political attack against the PPP/C and its deep love for sugar workers. Thankfully, today, the PPP/C is redeeming the industry, and hundreds of sugar workers are coming back into full employment. Brian Rooney is a young man from East Canje, Berbice, who works hard, waking up at 04:00 hrs to trek off to work in the sugarcane fields. He depends on the industry to take care of his six children and wife, including to educate his high school children, and to maintain his house. During the days of the Coalition, he got laid off, and resorted to planting his yard, only to see floodwaters in the rainy season from the overflowing Berbice River inundate his garden. He turned to the muddy task of catching crabs and fishing to make ends meet. The five years of Coalition governance stressed him and his family out enormously. Today, he is again gainfully employed, doing what he loves best: Working in the sugarcane fields, and boasting of his Estate job. His family is living much easier these days, and he is relieved that the Coalition can no longer cause him anxiety about taking care of this family. Rooney's story mirrors that of many families, some working the sugar industry for generations. Countless families depended on the sugar industry over the years to see doctors, lawyers, and other professionals emerge from their ranks. The Guyanese story is intimately intertwined with sugar. But human society changes, and so as

technology impacts the world more and more, the Guyana sugar industry could expect massive disruptions. It is the nature of advancing and developing modernised systems and machinery. Things change. But the way the sugar corporation manages these disruptions is crucial to the smooth transition of the industry into a futuristic endeavour. The future of Guyana must include sugar; sugar's history is resplendent with the blood, sweat and tears of the Guyanese people. African slaves bent their backs and toiled in hot sun, slaving away for European plantation owners on sugar estates. Today, their descendants make up a brilliant, beautiful, abundant tapestry of the Guyanese nation. Indian indentured labourers came to these shores to work the sugar plantations after slavery was over, and they made enormous sacrifices to self-develop, educate themselves, and become a people of resourcefulness. Sugar, in fact, touches the lives of every Guyanese family, from the inception of the country's history to today. It is, therefore, heartening to see the PPP/C Government pour its heart and soul into making the industry vibrant and alive. Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha champions people of the land, and is dedicated to leading sugar back to its glory days. What could those glory days look like? With visionary thinking and a futuristic outlook, the sugar corporation could become the bedrock of a national innovation and research and development culture, of a new way of seeing what's possible, and making it happen. Sugar made the nation. And it is time for the nation to not only rescue sugar, but

to transform the sugar corporation into a vibrant hub of creativity that looks at myriad ways of contributing to the socioeconomic future of Guyana. Sugar could become the bedrock of a national chocolate industry, for example. Existing sugar factories could become innovation start-up hubs, where village folk meet to brainstorm start-up solutions, and have access to ‘WiFi’ and computers. This would transform villages across the nation. The fields are already under consideration for ethanol production; the ideas are endless of what's possible. The important thing is that Guyanese honour the role sugar has played in the history and development of this country, and are ready to tackle the challenges in the industry with zeal, passion, determination, and the willingness to make sure sugar remains an integral part of the Guyanese socioeconomic fabric. Sugar estates were cultural centres, sports grounds, trade and academic training schools. With visionary leadership and a futuristic outlook, the industry could become the mecca of what's possible in transforming from the old to the new world. Sugar could show Guyanese and the world that the old need not be abandoned and dismantled, but rather transformed into a hot new vibrant, alive, organic socioeconomic organism that Guyanese continue to embrace and love, and that maintains its amazing contribution to the welfare of citizens. The face of the future of sugar depends on the nation's ability to invent, create, and generate new social engines from old paradigms.

Ali dwarfs predecessor after 100 days

Dear Editor, NOVEMBER 9/10 was the 100th day since President Irfaan Ali and the PPP/C administration took office after his swearing in on August 2, some five months after the March 2 elections, during which time the APNU-led coalition made several attempts to rig the outcome of the election. The first 100 days is a significant

milepost to evaluate how the public views a government. And the North American Caribbean Teachers Association (NACTA), a polling and research organisation founded in America, started conducting an ongoing survey since early November in Guyana on the performance of and other issues related to the PPP administration. This poll, being conducted by well-known Guyanese

pollster and political analyst, Dr. Vishnu Bisram, interviewed hundreds of Guyanese. Dr. Bisram, a prolific writer, has been doing field surveys in Guyana and around the Caribbean region since the 1980s. The latest NACTA survey has interviewed respondents to represent the demographic composition of the population. The poll reveals that Guyanese of all

ethnicities are very satisfied with the performance of the Irfaan Ali-led administration during its first 100 days in office. Based on the preliminary findings of the survey, President Ali has done much better than his predecessor, David Granger, on the 100day mark. Just after he was sworn in on May 2015, then President David Granger enjoyed the goodwill of the population

with very high approval ratings in the 60s percentile. The population was willing to give the Coalition a chance. The President and his government quickly began losing points when their first act in office was to give themselves a fifty per cent increase in salary, with less than five per cent raise given to public servants and sugar workers who voted to put them in office. Rice farmers

were also misled into voting for the Coalition with a promised $9K a bag for paddy; they received just a tenth of that amount during the coalition’s term in office, and they began gravitating away from the Coalition. Goodwill was gradually frittered away with President Granger’s approval rating dropping in the 40s during the election campaign of 2020. TURN TO PAGE

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, December 5, 2020

News article misrepresented findings of Institute of the Americas study

Dear Editor,

THE story, “Oil company traps Ghana in long-term deal to take more gas than it needs: Int’l Watchdog warns Guyana to take heed” does a disservice to Guyanese by fundamentally misrepresenting the findings of a new study from the respected Institute of the Americas, and choosing to ignore the forest for the trees. Overall, the Institute of

the Americas study, Guyana’s Gas to Power Potential makes a thorough, well researched and resounding case for why gas-to-power would be among the most transformative steps Guyana could take this decade. It notes that gas will be absolutely critical to meeting the government’s ambitious target of cutting power costs in half and could decisively end Guyana’s historic problems with costly unreliable electricity. We have suffered for de-

cades from the highest energy costs in the Caribbean, and the power grid is one of the dirtiest in terms of emissions. We rely on unreliable, expensive and polluting heavy fuel oil imported from abroad. Finally, we have another option. Despite the headlines, the study points out that in Ghana, gas-to-power provided electricity for 1.6 million new households, decreased oil imports by 12 million barrels a year, and reduced carbon

emissions by 1.6 million metric tons. The study’s only caveat was that countries need to be careful with estimating power needs, or it can be a costly mistake. Ghana made the mistake of signing a deal to pay for any gas it didn’t use. That deal has cost that government millions, but it is a particularly unique circumstance. At the time, the country was facing a major power shortfall, due to dwindling hydroelectric reservoirs, and

the threat of Nigeria cutting off supplies, so it overestimated the amount of gas it needed, and bought too much for the future. Guyana faces neither problem, and there has been no hint that the country would have any reason to sign this kind of agreement, making it puzzling that news stories have chosen to focus on an important but ultimately peripheral caveat instead of the true findings of this study. Reading the stories

about this, you might think that this cautionary tale was the focus of the study. But the LoA joined a broad group of other international organisations that resoundingly support investing in Guyana’s future by building gas to power. It does readers a disservice to imply that a respected group found otherwise. Yours sincerely, Donald Singh

Dishonest public officials must not be given a free pass Dear Editor, IT has been very frustrating for the masses to read and hear almost daily about the corruption taking place in Guyana by the minute by public officials who are entrusted to provide value for the peoples’ money. Over the last decade, governments did very little or nothing to stem corrupt practices, or prosecute the alleged corrupt officials. The remedy instituted by past and present governments is to send the alleged offenders home on administrative leave in order to facilitate audits, but after the audits were completed, no one was charged even though skullduggery was discovered. The word “corruption” should not be used to describe the massive stealing of State assets by kleptomaniacs in public office. In fact, we believe that

the word “theft” should be used instead of corruption, which is a very mild word for the colossal theft that has taken place and continue to take place in almost every government department and State agency. The fact that police have constantly broken down the doors and arrested and handcuffed poor citizens involved in petty crimes but have done nothing to senior government officials who are in the habit of stealing millions of State funds is not only a travesty of justice, but also shows clearly that Guyana has a two-tier justice system: One for the poor and powerless, and another for the rich and powerful. This ‘kangaroo’ justice system favours the rich, and punishes the poor. This type of blatant discrimination and disrespect of the poor by the heavy-handed police should not be tolerated by the government and human rights

organisations in the country. Those in authority are fully aware that police officers have bullied and verbally and physically abused the poor in Guyana, and have done absolutely nothing. It is shameful, reprehensible and appalling for governments to allow police officers to brutalse the poor. The aforementioned two-tier justice system exists not only with the police, but also the judiciary, where judges and magistrates have and continued to place alleged criminals on remand for years on petty charges, and the rich who embezzle millions of public funds are allowed to walk free. Such astringent actions against the poor seem not to bother our politicians, leaders of the church, the so-called “men of the cloth” or civil and human rights organisations in the country. Such callous behaviour clearly shows that

the rich and powerful do not care about the welfare of the poor and the powerless, whose dignity is stripped from them daily. Those in authority who ignore the evil acts or wrongdoings perpetrated against the poor are accomplices of the wrongdoers. The despicable behaviour of he rich and powerful is a clear indication that “massa” day still exists in Guyana after more than five decades of independence. It is time for the masses to take matters into their own hands and use any legal means necessary to enforce their right to be treated fairly and equally, and be respected in society. It is time for the rich and powerful to understand that the theft of public funds is analogous to robbing the poor by taking bread out their mouths, and the mouths of their children. Most of us are aware that the United States, Canada and Europe

became developed by slave labour, and by trampling on the rights of the poor, but that was during an ancient and uncivilised period. However, the rich in Guyana should heed the advice that Guyana cannot replicate what happened over 400 years ago, and if it is to develop in the 21st Century, then it must treat all of its citizens, rich and poor alike, equal under the law. Guyana should not have one set of laws for the rich, and another set of laws for the poor. It must take very strong actions to end such wretched laws, and against theft by public officials who put their interests ahead of those of the people and the country. But is seems that governments past or present have not “belled the cat” against theft of public funds by party officials, even though their actions of wrongdoings are blatant.

Ali dwarfs predecessor after... In contrast with Granger, President Ali’s approval rating, says the NACTA poll, is ballooning after taking office. President Ali was elected with just over 51 per cent of the votes. The five-month ordeal to steal the election created a lot of sympathy and goodwill for Ali. Compared with Granger, Ali’s approval ratings just after he was sworn in on August 2 was also in the 60s percentile, and has remained steady or is

climbing. The large majority of Guyanese within the diaspora and Guyana approve of the change in government, especially after that brazen effort to rig the election. Ali’s approval rating is now soaring both in the diaspora and in Guyana. The people support what President Ali has been doing over his first 100 days as head of the government. He has been keeping the promises to the nation made in

the Manifesto. They say he has restored confidence in, and taken steps to rebuild the ailing economy with the re-opening of closed sugar estates, encouraging companies that shuttered during the Coalition to re-start operations, creating jobs, reducing taxes, going after electoral bandits and those who looted the Treasury and stole lands, aiding the poor with hampers and other handouts, tackling COVID-19 with more testing

and grants, restoring school vouchers, among other measures. The PPP/C government has reduced taxes that were raised by the Coalition, and has found money; cash grants to help people hurting from COVID and the loss of jobs during the Coalition regime. Respondents in the poll say the President and his PPP/C team is laying the groundwork to transform the economy with gigantic

FROM PAGE

Not only have governments remained silent, but they have completely ignored the corrupt practices of their party officials. The recent transfer of US$1 million into the bank account of a senior member of a party via illegal land sale is a case in point. And there are many other thefts of State assets and wrongdoings by senior party members that are too numerous to mention. It is time for this government to expose the theft of State assets by public officials, and put an end to such pilfering by politicians, party or non-party officials. The law should be applied across the board. Yours sincerely, Dr. Asquith Rose

accomplishments in infrastructure, agriculture, telecommunications, oil and gas, mining, housing, health care, education, forestry, and other areas. The respondents, complaining of poor ‘wifi’ and phone service, welcome efforts to privatise the telecom industry, and encourage competition for better delivery of signals. But they say President Ali also needs to tackle constitutional and electoral reforms, and take additional

steps for job creation, with so many Guyanese losing their jobs during the Coalition. They are pleased with the government’s commitment of encouraging local agricultural and industrial development in partnership with foreign investors, and support for local control of the emerging oil-and-gas industry. Yours sincerely, Patriotic Guyanese

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, December 5, 2020

‘Suspicious’ NDIA contracts put on hold –– Auditor General to launch investigation By Naomi Parris

TWO contracts that were enlisted under the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) have been suspended, pending an investigation by the Auditor General. Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, during a press conference, told reporters that the two contracts, one worth over $64 million and the another $34 million, for operating, servicing and monitoring of the authority’s hydraulic excavators have been placed on hold, after it was discovered by the ministry that the contracts would have been extended with no formal approval or variation. According to the minister, the first contract was awarded on July 01, 2020 for $64,716,350 and the hired contractors would have operated and supervised all NDIA’s machines as well as provided fuel for

the machines. He added that the contractors would have budgeted for digging approximately 44,000 rods of channels, and excavating 75,000 cubic yards of canals. The minister further disclosed that the contractor would have cleared 25,000 rods out of the 75,000 that was contracted to clear and dug 1001 cubic yards of canals. However, the minister stated that the said contract was extended without any assessment of work done. The first contract, according to the minister was extended without any formal request, which is a cause for concern. “After they would have extended that contract and increased the sum (to an additional $46.5M), they then sold it to the tender board. The tender board then will have to send it to Cabinet for no objection,” he said. In relation to the sec-

ond contract, he disclosed that the contract was awarded on July 06, 2020 for approximately $34, 114,275 million and was extended to an additional $35 million. REVAMPING OPERATIONS “This is cause for concern, I also sent this to the Auditor General for him to advise us… places like the NDIA and other entities, we are looking seriously to revamp the operation in these places because a lot of funds are going to these places and we have to have value for our money,” he said. This, he said, “Shows the means of how contracts used to be awarded under the guise of variation just to be manipulated and give to families and preferred contractors.” The minister disclosed that the budgeted quantities for the second contract were

28,000 rods of channel to be cleared and 30,000 cubic yards of canals to be excavated. To date, the contractor would have completed 19,880 rods and cleared 21,300 cubic yards of the canal; less than the amount that was budgeted for, but, again, the contract was extended to $35 million although the contractor would have completed less work. “When this was discovered, as minister, I put it on hold. We can’t do things like this. I have since sent it to the Auditor General to launch an investigation in this matter and I am waiting on him before I advise Cabinet on the way forward,” Minister Mustapha said adding: “This goes to show how these entities have been operating through the years.” The minister stated that, in these cases, the Government is often blamed, and as such, he is working to

Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, during the press briefing on Friday (Adrian Narine photo) ensure that every penny is accounted for, hence, the reason for sharing the details of the said contracts. However, at the time of the briefing, he stated that he cannot disclose the names of the contractors; nevertheless, he said members of the media will be updated on the matter as the

investigation proceeds. “I know that there are a lot of people looking at these entities having large sums of money, billions of dollars, tax payers’ money and as minister I want to ensure that we get value for these monies and I will take a closer look in the New Year,” he said.

Harbour bridge double lane now opening an hour earlier

Police and Harbour Bridge officials at the meeting MANAGEMENT of the Demerara Harbour Bridge and the Guyana Police Force (GPF) decided, on Friday, to push back the double lane traffic on the bridge by an hour, closing off transportation heading to West Demerara on Mondays to Fridays from 06:15h to 07:00h. Previously, the double lane was in effect from 07:00h to 08:00h. This decision taken to facilitate two lanes of east bound traffic on the bridge is in an effort to reduce congestion during the peak period. The GPF is also urging persons travelling from West Demerara to make use of

this arrangement in an effort to ease the buildup of traffic along the East and West Banks of Demerara. All other traffic arrangements in place remain the same The decision was made following a meeting with the General Manager of the Demerara Harbour Bridge, Rawlston Adams; Deputy Commissioner “Operations” (ag) Clifton Hicken; Traffic Chief, Superintendent, Ramesh Ashram; Police Commander Region three, Senior Superintendent, Errol Watts and other representatives. All changes will take effect from Monday, December 07, 2020

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, December 5, 2020

Woman battles for life after stabbing from husband A MOTHER of three is battling for her life after she was stabbed several times by her reputed husband who subsequently fled the scene. Rajmattie Punni called “Shadira”, of Lot 105 Letter Kenny, East Berbice, is nursing several stab wounds, including a punctured lung. Her condition has been listed as critical. At approximately 13:05 hrs on Wednesday, she was attacked by her reputed husband following an argument. An eyewitness, who asked not to be named, related that the reputed husband came home and

asked his wife if her family was teaching her what to do, and, despite her replying in the negative, he picked up a knife and began stabbing her in the upper body. The woman began screaming for help. When one of the neighbours came to assist, the suspect raised the weapon towards her and urged her to back off. A 13-year-old son of the couple who was on his way to a nearby shop heard the screams and quickly ran back to the house where he saw his father armed with a knife over his mother’s bloodied body. The lad rushed to his

Marks on Punni’s neck after her husband attempted to strangled her on Tuesday night

mother’s assistance and pushed the father off and

Rajmattie Punni

then urged his mother to “Get up and run”. With injuries and blood streaming from her wounds, the woman got up and ran but collapsed mo-

ments later in a neighbour’s yard. She was picked up and rushed to the Port Mourant Hospital but was subsequently transferred to the New Amsterdam Hospital where she remains a patient. Meanwhile, a relative of Punni said the distraught woman reached out to her the night before the incident and sent a video displaying several marks of violence on her neck, after the suspect beat and attempted to strangle her. The relative added that for years Punni has been abused by her husband and last year December she attempted to commit suicide.

“I always encourage reporting it and leaving him but she would be so fearful but she made up her mind recently so she has a court case on Monday and she was planning to show the video to the court and then leave,” the relative said. Meanwhile, the police are currently seeking the whereabouts of the suspect. On Friday, Commander of B Division, Jairam Ramlakhan, visited the relatives of the victim and assured them that the investigating officers were working persistently to capture the suspect.

Suspects in Bisram’s robbery released THE eight persons who were detained for questioning, into the robbery of Marcus Bisram and his relatives Sunday last, at his (Bisram’s) Number 71 Village, East Berbice, Corentyne, residence were released from custody as police continue their investigations. Among the eight detained was an ex-police officer who, reportedly, provided security services for Bisram in the past. According to the police, between 18:30hrs and 18:45 hrs on Sunday, four men, armed with guns and a cutlass, visited the home of Bisram and attacked him and his relatives. They allegedly carted off $5M in cash, cellphones and a quantity of jewellery. Police disclosed that the victims were having a fam-

ily get together when the suspects, all wearing masks, came into the yard and held them against their will. One of the suspects, who was armed with a cutlass, struck Marcus Bisram with it on the forehead and relieved him of two gold bands valued $2.8 million, one gold chain valued $1.4 million, $5M in cash, US$2000 and six debit cards. Ten relatives of Bisram were relieved of their cellphones, cash and valuables. During the ordeal, a 24-fouryear relative was beaten with a cutlass and a two-year-old was held at gunpoint as the bandits made their demands. Bisram recalled he was joined by 15 relatives in his yard, where they were conversing and having a casual family time; something they would do often, when the armed men ran into the yard

and pointed guns at Bisram and his relatives, demanding cash and other items. “They came in and said

Marcus Bisram

‘don’t move’, and they relieved everyone of their cellphones and then they direct all of us to go into the house

Buxtonians busted with marijuana on ‘Spliff Street’ THREE persons were arrested on “Spliff Street”, Church of God Road, Buxton, East Coast Demerara (ECD) after they were found with varying quantities of marijuana on Thursday. According to police, a cordon-and-search operation was conducted, and the marijuana was found on them. Ranks also discovered 107 Ziploc bags in some bushes on the southern side of “Spliff Street”, which contained a total of 262 grammes of cannabis. Those arrested are a 34-year-old resident of Middlewalk, Buxton; a 27-yearold warden of Section ‘B’, Buxton; and a 35-year-old

labourer, also of Buxton. The first suspect was found with 66 transparent Ziploc bags containing a quantity of cannabis, which amounted to 212 grammes, while the ‘warden’ was found with 11 transparent Ziploc bags containing a quantity of cannabis amounting to 9.3 grammes.

The labourer was also found with a transparent Ziploc bag containing a quantity of cannabis amounting to 112 grammes. The suspects were told of the offence they’d committed and taken to the Vigilance Police Station, where they were placed in custody pending charges.

where they took jewellery from everyone,” said Bisram. The bandits made good their escape on motorcy-

cles that were reportedly parked a short distance away from the crime scene. The police, when contacted,

arrived promptly at the scene of the robbery but the robbers had already made good their escape.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, December 5, 2020

42 companies competing to design, build DHB By Rehana Ahamad A TOTAL of 42 companies are now vying for the opportunity to design and build a new Demerara Harbour Bridge. On Friday, at the Ministry of Finance, in Georgetown, the bids were opened and counted in the presence of representatives of the bidders, as well as officials of the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB), and subject Ministers, Dr. Ashni, Minister of Finance, and Senior Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill. The process was also streamed live via the Ministry of Public Works’

The existing Demerara Harbour Bridge Facebook page. “I would like to thank all of the companies, their

principals and their technical people who participated in this process.

They have now given to the NPTAB and the Government of Guyana real

work,” Minister Edghill said. Following the opening exercise, Edghill assured those present that the rules of engagement would entail “transparency, accountability, and full disclosure to the people of Guyana” at all times. In November, the Government of Guyana, via the Ministry of Public Works, had invited “Expressions of Interest (EOI) and Prequalification of Qualified contractors for the Design-Build of the New Demerara Harbour Bridge and Available Financing Options for the Demerara Harbour Bridge.” While an estimated cost has not yet been announced, the bridge is likely to be a “four-lane, high-span fixed bridge in the vicinity of the current location, and terminate at Nandy Park on the East Bank of Demerara”. According to the EOI, the new design of the Demerara Harbour Bridge will not require opening or retraction to allow for maritime traffic, as is the situation with the existing structure. The new bridge is likely to carry a lifespan of at least 50 years. “The GoG (Government of Guyana) will consider options under various models, including Design-Build (D-B) and Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) or any other model,” the EOI read. The new ‘fly-over’ Demerara Harbour Bridge is intended to stretch across from La Grange on the West Bank Demerara to Nandy Park on the East Bank Demerara (EBD). Speaking at Friday’s opening of the bids, Dr. Ashni Singh joined Minister Edghill in expressing satisfaction with the level of participation that the EOI has garnered. “We witnessed probably an unprecedented

Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill level of interest in a major infrastructural project in Guyana… The Demerara River crossing is a large and important project; it is one that would make a dramatic contribution to the improvement of our country’s transport infrastructure,” Dr. Singh said. The Finance Minister added that the current bridge has outlived both its usefulness and relevance to the Guyana of today. “One merely has to observe the daily traffic congestion on the East Bank Demerara, both in the mornings and evenings, which has contributed to thousands and thousands of lost man-hours, as people endure the daily commute into and out of the City,” Dr. Singh said. While the existing bridge is unable to adequately accommodate the daily and growing traffic, it is not necessarily a structure that is substandard. A few years ago, under the leadership of Mr. Robeson Benn, the then Ministry of Public Works had denounced the “myth” that the bridge had an expiration date. It was explained at the time that the bridge is one that can be constantly maintained, in that almost all of its components are “repairable”. It is unclear whether the government will utilise the structure at another location in the country. Nonetheless, the government has set out an ambitious three-year timeline for the completion of the new Demerara Harbour Bridge.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, December 5, 2020

US company proposes multimillion-dollar waste to renewable energy project THE Hoskinson Group, a leading United States company involved in the conversion of waste to energy, has held discussions this week with the Guyana Government and private sector officials about developing a waste to energy project here. According to a release, the company whose technology is in use in several waste to energy operations in the United States, Canada and other countries, is in the process of conducting a feasibility study which is expected to be completed by the end of the year, following which a detailed proposal will be submitted to the Guyana Government for consideration. Hoskinson’s Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, Gustavo Solorzano, accompanied by its representative for Guyana, Wesley Kirton, this week held a series of fact-finding meetings with several Government agencies including Go-Invest, the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA), the Guyana Power and Light (GPL), the Ministry of Local Government, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Mayor & City Council of Georgetown. They also held meetings with Prime Minister Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips, Leader of the Opposition, Joseph Harmon, and US Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch. In addition, the team toured the Haags Bosch Landfill at Eccles and the operations of Puran Brothers Inc. on the West Bank of Demerara where discussions were held with

officials about the volume of waste collected and methods of collection and disposal of various categories of waste. Hoskinson is proposing to invest entirely in the project without any requirement of financial investment on the part of the government. The sustained viability of the proposed multi-million US dollar project is dependent on the successful negotiation of a power purchase agreement between the company and GPL as well as a guaranteed supply of a specific volume of waste on a daily basis to the conversion plant. “We are very encouraged by the initial response of all the stakeholders and now have a basis for moving forward with a detailed proposal for consideration by the Guyana Government,” said Solorzano. He adds that this project would be a transformational one in terms of the way Guyana handles its waste disposal resulting in significant environmental benefits and financial savings for the country. “Given Guyana’s projected development in the near and long-term, the volume of waste is expected to quadruple and this project will provide for tremendous benefits in relation to ensuring clean communities and the reduction in contamination of ground water and air that emanate from landfill operations quite often, resulting in illnesses among the population including cancer,” he pointed out.

Representatives of the Hoskinson Group meeting with Prime Minister Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, December 5, 2020

Iconic CJIA visitor’s gallery to be restored

An artist’s impression of the modernised Cheddi Jagan International Airport

By Rehana Ahamad IN Guyana, a trip to the airport is hardly ever a trivial affair. It requires a day off from work for family members and close friends of the traveller(s), the rental of adequate transportation, accompanied by good music and an extensive menu of food and drinks. Yes, it is usually a traveling farewell party that entails lots of hugs, laughter and some amount of tears. For those waiting on an incoming flight, the tears would sometimes flow just once, at the sight of their loved one or loved ones. They hug, they cry, and then proceed to the mobile party. However, when Guyanese are going for an outgoing flight, the tears are usually shed at three intervals – when the traveller(s) says farewell before they checkin, when they come back out for their second round of farewell hugs after they check in, and finally, when they are seen climbing those stairs and into the plane. Guyanese families and friends had become accustomed to sitting in the airport gallery for hours until they had seen their loved ones enter the plane. Many would even wait until the aircraft departed, before they left the airport. It was a tradition; a tradition that came to an end after works commenced to modernise the Cheddi Jagan International Airport at Timehri.

tract signed by the PPP/C government in 2011, a few years before it was voted out of office. During a recent interview with this publication, Edghill said that the revised work plan was still problematic, with over 200 issues still to be rectified. Among these issues, Edghill said, is the absence of the iconic viewing gallery from where Guyanese would watch their relatives and friends board the aircraft and take off into the skies.

Public Works Minister, Bishop Juan Edghill

RESTORATION An effort to “modernise” this important facility took with it a unique Guyanese tradition; a tradition that could likely be restored, according to the Senior Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill. The minister had explained that during the five years of his government being out of office (2015-2020), the APNU-AFC Coalition had made several modifications to the project. When Edghill’s People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) returned to office in August 2020, the contractor, China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), was asked to submit a revised work plan that is in accordance with the original con-

MODERN LOUNGE In addition to a restoration of the gallery with proper seating and washroom facilities, Edghill is also eying the establishment of a strategically placed lounge. “Not necessarily a first class lounge,” the minister confirmed. “An economy or a world traveller might be travelling and want a place to relax, where they could have access to Wi-Fi, be able to read the news, do their emails… a place with good washroom facilities and changing rooms and so on… the idea is to have a modern airport,” Edghill specified. The minister informed that he has already spoken to the airport’s Board of Directors relative to the government’s unwavering desires for the facility. “We must be able to deliver things such as rental of cars on arrival, longterm parking and so on,” Edghill maintained.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, December 5, 2020

Rock View Lodge, Waikin Ranch, Elite Kayaking & Nature Tours cleared for reopening THE Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) has announced that aside from Baganara Island Resort and Hurakabra River Resort, the Rock View Lodge, Waikin Ranch and Elite Kayaking & Nature Tours have also received conditional approval for reopening. According to a release, by this weekend, four additional businesses will be inspected and are anticipated, based on a desk review of their Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to receive approval early in the new week. The GTA said that as part of its ongoing efforts to train, inspect and provide the approval, it has now been listed as an essential service under the latest COVID-19 gazetted measures. “This move will ensure that the inspection team can easily access regions and locations that were previously inaccessible to ensure that businesses are up and running again in a safe way. Businesses that receive the conditional approval are reminded to maintain the protocols as outlined by the Guyana Tourism Authority and the National Gazetted measures. Failure to adhere to these measures will result in the revocation of the conditional approval tied to the COVID-19 measures,” the GTA said. Additionally, as a result of collaborative efforts and intervention between the GTA, THAG and the National COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF), there will now be a two-step process for tourism businesses to reopen. The 2-step process entails submission of the business’ written Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) to the GTA for a desk review and on-site inspection of businesses to verify the implementation of the SPs and approval by the GTA. Domestic and international travellers are recommended to use only approved tourism businesses to book and plan their tour activities.

The GTA said that anyone who chooses to go on tour with a business that has not been assessed and approved by the GTA is basically putting themselves and their tour group at risk. The GTA indicated that lodges have shared that there is strong interest by domestic travellers to venture out to experience nature, especially after being confined to their homes for several months. Recognising the level of interest for travel, GTA Director Carla James stated that “as tourism businesses receive the conditional approval for reopening, the GTA will roll out a marketing campaign to drive the demand and bookings so businesses that have been closed for more than eight months can start to generate revenue and re-employ staff who were affected by the pandemic and the lockdowns.” She further stated that, “Guyana is uniquely positioned to be one of the safest destinations in relation to social distancing. Our vast pristine open landscapes and small group numbers lend to a more intimate tourism experience which is ideal for travel in the new norm. Based on this and the resilience of the tourism businesses, the outlook for tourism recovery is a positive one.” The GTA is a semi-autonomous governmental organisation responsible for developing and promoting sustainable tourism in Guyana through collaboration with sister agencies and the tourism private sector in order to maximise local socio-economic and conservation outcomes and improve the travellers’ experience. The GTA is focused on Guyana becoming recognised locally and internationally as a premier destination for protecting its natural and cultural heritage, providing authentic experiences, and maximising local socio-economic benefits.

The Guyana Tourism Authority has cleared the Rock View Lodge for reopening (Rock View Lodge photograph)

Photo credit: Elite Kayaking & Nature Tours

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, December 5, 2020

Support for SMEs involved in imports, exports

–– through IDB Invest programme IDB Invest, a member of the IDB Group, has incorporated three subsidiaries of Republic Financial Holdings Limited (RFHL) in Barbados, Guyana and Suriname into its Trade Finance Facilitation Programme (TFFP) by opening lines of credit to be used for short-term international trade finance transactions. The intention is to offer support to local small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). According to a release, these three lines consist of an uncommitted US$20M TFFP line each to both Barbados and Guyana, as well as a US$15M line to Suriname. They will support the bank’s ability to finance its customers’ import and export activities in Barbados, Guyana, and Suriname. Given the current context of high volatility in international markets and mac-

roeconomic pressures from the COVID-19 health crisis, these lines will help, not only to alleviate the bank's funding tensions in the short term, but also to diversify its sources, and reducing dependence on deposits. It will also help the bank to increase its supply of foreign trade products to its SME clients, adjusting its supply to the current context of these demands. Regarding this transaction, James Scriven, CEO

of IDB Invest said, “At IDB Invest, we are pleased to close three transactions with Republic Financial Holdings Limited through our Trade Finance Facilitation Programme in Barbados, Guyana and Suriname. With this programme, Republic Financial Holdings Limited can diversify its network of partners offering trade finance products for imports and exports, including loans and guarantees, to its clients

in these countries. This is part of our strong commitment to reinforce financing and boost trade within the Caribbean Region." On the other hand, Nigel Baptiste, President and CEO of RFHL commented: “As one of the leading financial institutions across the Caribbean Region with an international footprint in Ghana, we have an obligation to these markets to provide financial and developmental support.

Our support remains grounded in the framework of sustainable development, and the belief that the changes we make today can and will positively impact the generations of tomorrow.” He added that regional SMEs can be the champions of our alliance with IDB Invest. “We believe that this alliance will break down the barriers that exist for SMEs and facilitate new relationships with international markets while maintaining established ones. We have an opportunity to create a robust hub for trade and investment into the region while increasing employment.” IDB Invest, a member of the IDB Group, is a multilateral development bank committed to promoting the economic development of its member countries in Latin America and the Caribbean through the private sector. IDB Invest finances sustainable companies and projects to achieve financial results and maximise economic, social and environmental development in the region. With a portfolio of $13.1 bil-

lion in asset management and 385 clients in 25 countries, IDB Invest provides innovative financial solutions and advisory services that meet the needs of its clients in a variety of industries. Republic Financial Holdings Limited (RFHL) is the registered owner of all of the banks in the Republic Group – Republic Bank Limited, Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited, Republic Bank (Barbados) Limited, Republic Bank (Grenada) Limited, Republic Bank (Suriname) N.V., Republic Bank (Ghana) Limited, Republic Bank (Cayman) Limited, Republic Securities Limited, Cayman National Corporation, and other subsidiaries. In keeping with international best practice, this holding company was formed with the aim of offering increased operational efficiencies and optimum management of the group; ultimately leading to greater value for our shareholders and clients while enabling greater strategic focus and diversification.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, December 5, 2020

‘We will not resist, but assist foreign investors’ –– President Ali tells stakeholders at launch of Canada-Guyana Chamber of Commerce AS interest in Guyana’s economy continues to grow, President, Dr. Irfaan Ali has assured that the Government will not resist foreign investors, but will instead create an inclusive and enabling environment for business, trade and investments. The Head of State made this pledge, while lauding the longstanding economic relations between Guyana and Canada, during his remarks at the launch of the Canada-Guyana Chamber of Commerce at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, on Friday. He said the establishment of the chamber represents an overwhelming vote of confidence in Guyana’s future, further solidifying the important partnership between the two countries. It signals the high expectations of Guyana’s economic prospects, at a time when the world over is also expressing confidence in Guyana’s economy. President Ali noted that

President, Dr. Irfaan Ali (second from left); Canadian High Commissioner, Lilian Chatterjee; and Chairman of the Canada-Guyana Chamber of Commerce, Anand Beharry, at the launch of the Canada-Guyana Chamber of Commerce (Adrian Narine photo)

Guyana and Canada have signed mutually beneficial agreements including the Convention for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to taxes on income and for the encouragement of inter-

national trade and investment. Guyana is also a beneficiary of the Caribbean-Canada Trade Agreement (CARIBCAN). “Guyana-Canada economic relations have undoubtedly been a success story…. Today, we are building and collaborat-

ing between Guyana and Canada. This collaboration must be to the mutual benefit of investors, but more importantly to the benefit of the country,” said President Ali. He said the future of Guyana’s economy is not reliant

on oil and gas but rather it is about agriculture; value added; industrial development; human resource advancement; health as a foreign currency earner; education as a foreign currency earner; and knowledge transfer and technology. “This is the economy we are talking about, an economy that will be shaped and driven by highly skilled human resource base. That has more potential than any single oil and gas economy and that is the economy we are targeting,” said the President, adding that the diaspora, particularly in Canada, has a key role to play in this effort. “Guyana- Canada we can ensure that we will work together to continue this and expand it…We are looking forward for that role to expand partnership with Guyanese businesses into other sectors, the creation of new businesses, health care and education,” said President Ali. To this end, he guaranteed that Guyana-Canada economic

relations will take place in an environment characterised by greater political freedom, including respect for democracy and the rule of law. These shared values, he added, are “absolutely essential for ensuring investor confidence and comfort.” The Canada-Guyana Chamber of Commerce was launched in an effort to strengthen trading and investment between the two countries and to provide support to Canadian and Guyanese business interests in the two countries. Outgoing Canadian High Commissioner, Lilian Chatterjee, assured that Canada will not flood Guyana with Canadians, but will field experts who will provide training and facilitate the growth of the local labour force, which, at this point, lacks the expertise to service the nascent oil and gas sector and other spill-off opportunities.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday, December 5, 2020

Rahim leads Guyana’s charge at FIDE Online World U10-18 Rapid Championships

… Eleven of 13 Guyanese players register wins

ANGEL Rahim led a strong young team of Guyanese chess players to a respectable performance in the three-day F I D E O n l i n e Wo r l d U10-18 Rapid Championships which concluded on Thursday evening. The 17-year-old won four of her seven games to finish at seventh overall in the Girls’ U-18 division. During the championships, she defeated some highly rated opponents across the globe, and finished ahead of several Women’s Fide Masters and Women’s Candidate Masters. Although Rahim proved the most outstanding, several juniors excelled. In fact 11 of the 13 players who represented Guyana registered victories. Arysh Raghunauth, Ethan Lee, Jaden Taylor and Anaya Lall finished with two wins each, while Kyle Couchman, Ronan Lee, Joshua Khan, Harmony Dodson, Anasie Fredericks and Sasha Shariff ended with a win apiece.

RAHIM’S DOMINANCE The unrated player lost her opening clash, but rebounded nicely against Jaen Vasquez (1410 rapid ratings) from Panama in Round Two. She went on

to win back-to-back games against Haitian player Davena Jonet (1458) and Women FIDE Master Angie Garcia (rated 1802) in the third and fourth rounds. Despite her ace performance, she could not get past Women International Master and eventual second-place finisher, Canadian Svitlana Demchenko (rated 2071) in Round Five. Rahim however beat Jamaican Women Candidate Master Adani Clarke (rated 1811) in Round Six, before she fell to Mexican Andrea Ruiz in Round Seven. Meanwhile, Raghunauth defeated Bermudan Dylan Flanagan in Round Four and Haitian Antony Salvane in Round Six. In Round Five Harmony Dodson had overcome Haitian Kathiana Nicolas in the U-12 Division, while Jaden Taylor had gotten the better of Panama player Kendry Finlay. In Round Six deaf player Lall claimed her second victory when she defeated Barbadian Kayla Culpepper. The U-10 player had gone past Bahamian Chika Pride in Round Two. Guyana had a lone win in Round Seven as Ethan Lee got the better of teammate Jaden Taylor in the oldest age division.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER Saturday, December 05, 2020 COMPLIMENTS OF XTRA ENERGY DRINK – STABROEK BAZAAR (Tel: 683-9500) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD – 83 Garnett street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) ANSWERS TO YESTERDAY’S QUIZ: (1) Seymour Nurse-258 (Christchurch, 1968-69) (2) Glen Turner-259 (Bourda, 1972) TODAY’S QUIZ: (1) Which WI has taken most Test wickets against NZ to date? (2) Which NZ has claimed most wickets in Tests against the WI to date?

ANSWERS IN TOMORROW’S ISSUE

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday, December 5, 2020

India take T20 series lead over Australia

(ESPNCRICINFO) - Concussion substitute Yuzvendra Chahal plucked three vital wickets and opened a fresh chapter in cricket’s long history of debating topics after being chosen - controversially - to replace Ravindra Jadeja, delivering India a comfortable victory in the opening T20I at Manuka Oval in Canberra. Jadeja’s exit from the contest - he suffered a hamstring injury first and was then hit on the helmet in the last over of India’s innings - allowed India to call upon a wrist-spinner in Chahal,

who had been harshly treated during the ODI series but found himself defending a serviceable total on the night and responding grandly. In contrast, the Australians gradually lost grip of a contest that had appeared more or less in their keeping when India were restricted to 114 for 6 with 19 balls of their innings remaining after Aaron Finch sent them in to bat. A target of 162 should still have been well within the grasp of Finch’s team, but their innings sank steadily into the mire thanks to Chahal, T Natarajan’s zip-

py left-armers, and Virat Kohli’s growing command of the battlefield.

STARC RETURNS IN FINER FETTLE Something was not quite right about Mitchell Starc in the first two ODIs and he was missing from the third with what was described as a minor side and/or rib complaint. This had been a surprise to many, given his recent displays with both white and red ball, but the physical ailment had at least gone some way to explaining why he had been lined up so effec-

tively by India’s batsmen at the SCG. At Manuka, Starc returned, and while not quite firing on all cylinders, he offered something far closer to his best in his opening two overs. At high pace, he found a hint of swing into KL Rahul during the opening over of the match, and found the lines and lengths that made him hard to dispatch to the boundary on a good pitch. In his second over, Starc struck, and Shikhar Dhawan was the victim. Seeing a delivery of full-ish length, Dhawan leaned forward to drive, but, to his horror, saw

the ball curl away late to flick off stump. Starc celebrated with a touch of the rueful grin - there was something of “so that’s where I left it” about his response. HENRIQUES DOES A WATSON Back in the day, when he was a strapping teenager, Moises Henriques was regarded as one of Australian cricket’s brightest young pace-bowling prospects by no less a judge than Damien Fleming. He was undoubtedly able to bowl faster at a younger age than many. In this, he shared something with Shane Watson, who suffered early in his career from the injuries and fluctuations of a body trying to cope with his efforts to bowl as fast as possible while still developing into maturity.

Even when Marcus Stoinis is fit, Henriques’ bowling has given the selectors something to think about. LIKE FOR DISLIKE When Jadeja was struck on the helmet by Starc in the final over of an innings he played a key role in pushing to competitive territory, having already been restricted by an apparent hamstring strain while batting, his case raised all sorts of questions. Not checked for concussion on the field, Jadeja was apparently assessed between innings and found to be suffering from a possible concussion. India’s squad lists include a doctor - Abjihit Salvi - but there had been no mandatory test on field for a hit on the helmet as now has become commonplace in Australia.

Yuzvendra Chahal made a big impact after coming on as a concussion substitute (Getty Images)

A t l e n g t h , Wa t s o n evolved into a highly intelligent swing and seam bowler at a little over medium pace, and right up to his retirement from T20s this year was a highly challenging opponent for any batsman in the shortest format. Australia had certainly felt his absence at key times since his retirement from internationals in 2015. Five years later, Henriques has returned to the Australian team and shown that he too has evolved with time into a clever middle-overs merchant. His spell of 3 for 22 ensured Rahul could not take control of the latter part of the innings after Mitchell Swepson had pouched the key wicket of Kohli, and also ensured that Hardik Pandya could not exert the kind of late-innings influence he had in the third ODI.

Once the decision for a concussion substitute was made, the questions evolved into those around the right replacement. In what was a very public debate between Langer and match referee - also his first batting partner in a Test match - David Boon, it was very clear the hosts were miffed by both the concussion situation and the fact that Chahal was chosen as Jadeja’s replacement. But just as Langer himself had recently demonstrated when he revealed the selection debate around whether to choose Mitchell Marsh or Marnus Labuschagne to sub for Steven Smith in the 2019 Ashes Test at Lord’s, “like for like” is a very subjective concept. It only became more so when Chahal dismissed Finch and Smith, to give India a chance of upsetting the Australian chase.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday, December 5, 2020

Stand-in Russell Standsweeps free practice (BBC) - Mercedes’ George Russell completed a clean sweep of yesterday’s two practice sessions at the Sakhir Grand Prix as he subbed for Lewis Hamilton. Russell beat Red Bull’s Max Verstappen by 0.128 seconds with the second Mercedes of Valtteri Bottas 11th. The Finn set the fastest lap of the session, just under 0.2secs quicker than Russell, but had the time deleted for exceeding track limits.

high fuel and that is going to be key tomorrow; still got a lot of work to do to be comfortable in the car and with the set-up.” At 6ft 1in, Russell is five inches (14cm) taller than Hamilton and revealed on Thursday it had been a “tight fit” getting him into the car. He has also been required to wear one size smaller driving boots. “I am pretty battered and bruised,” he said. “We have gone through what needs to

It was in that sector that Bottas made his error, sliding slightly wide through Turn Eight and having his time ruled out. Russell also set the pace in the first session, when Bottas damaged his car early on running over a kerb, also at Turn Eight. On race pace on the soft tyre, Russell appeared to be suffering greater tyre degradation but the two were closely matched on the hard tyre which will likely be

George Russell of Great Britain driving the (63) Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team Mercedes W11 on track during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Sakhir at Bah-

Racing Point’s Sergio Perez was third ahead of Renault’s Esteban Ocon. It was a highly accomplished performance from Russell, 22, in a car he had not driven before, after being drafted in, following Hamilton testing positive for coronavirus. Russell described Sakhir circuit - a shortened version of the traditional configuration used for last week’s Bahrain Grand Prix - as “tricky” and “not easy”. “It’s going to be very tight in qualifying and in the race it’s going to be carnage,” he added. “I’m learning so much every single lap. The lap times are little but deceiving and aren’t a true representation of pace. FP2 was not a great session for me, I struggled especially on the

change and it’s not the work of a moment, changing the seat here and there. We are working hard to improve that for tomorrow. “I am doing my best to be as prepared as possible but jumping in the car with two days’ notice is tricky. “Just because I am quickest today does not mean I am going to be there tomorrow. I am probably a good tenth and a half behind Valtteri in the low fuel and Verstappen was incredibly quick in the long runs.” Bottas appeared to have a little pace in hand over the Briton but was visibly more on edge, especially through the bumpy middle sector of the new, shorter layout of Bahrain’s F1 track that is being used for the first time this weekend.

favoured in the race. Bottas also had two slight off-track moments on his race runs, sliding wide in Turns Five and Six. “It was quite a tricky day,” said Bottas. “In the first session, in the first run, I broke the floor going over the kerbs in Turn Eight. “Practice two felt OK, I didn’t get any laps on the soft tyre, had one half-decent lap but it got deleted for track limits. The long runs were pretty consistent but Red Bull on the medium tyre looked pretty quick.” Red Bull’s Alexander Albon was fifth fastest, ahead of Alpha Tauri’s Daniil Kvyat, the second Racing Point of Lance Stroll, Renault’s Daniel Ricciardo, Alpha Tauri’s Pierre Gasly and McLaren’s Carlos Sainz.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday, December 5, 2020

Napoli rename club stadium after Maradona

Fans gathered at Napoli’s stadium to lay tributes to Diego Maradona after his death

(BBC) - Napoli have renamed their stadium after late club legend Diego Maradona. Former Argentina attacking midfielder and manager Maradona, who died aged 60 in November, led the Italian side to two Serie A titles, in 1987 and 1990. The Stadio San Paolo will now be known as the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, after the Napoli city council approved the

resolution. Napoli owner Aurelio de Laurentiis proposed renaming the stadium in an open letter after Maradona’s death. The mayor of Naples, Luigi de Magistris, also backed the idea. Maradona spent seven years at Napoli after joining from Barcelona in 1984, also winning the 1987 Coppa Italia and 1989 UEFA Cup with the Italian club. Fans gathered at the sta-

dium to pay tribute to him after his death on November 25 and Napoli honoured him before their Europa League match against HNK Rijeka, each player wearing a shirt with ‘Maradona 10’ on the back. “The resolution was signed by the entire city council,” said the council in a statement. It added that Maradona was “the greatest footballer of all-time” who “with his

immense talent and magic honoured the Napoli team shirt for seven years” and “receiving in exchange from the whole city an eternal and unconditional love”. Maradona made 188 appearances for Napoli, more than he made for any other club in his career, and scored 81 goals. He represented Argentina in four World Cups and was captain when they won the 1986 title in Mexico.

CWI cites England tours as ‘brave but necessary’ (CMC) - Cricket West Indies (CWI) said the move to proceed with the men’s and women’s tours of England last summer at the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic had been a “bold but necessary decision”, and was thrilled its international sides had been honoured with the 2020 Christopher Martin-Jenkins Spirit of Cricket Award. West Indies men undertook a ground-breaking three-Test series in July while the women travelled for five Twenty20 Internationals two months later. Both tours marked the resumption of international cricket following the global lockdown due to the coronavirus. “We are delighted that our men’s and women’s teams have won the prestigious Christopher Martin-Jenkins Spirit of Cricket Award,” said CWI chief executive Johnny Grave. West Indies toured England at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. “On behalf of everyone at CWI, I’d like to thank MCC and BBC for recognising the efforts that our teams made, in close collaboration with ECB, to ensure that international cricket returned safely to the global stage. “It was a bold but necessary decision made by the CWI Board, supported by those who travelled to the UK, in keeping with our Cricket First philosophy. “I must also thank the ECB, along with Hampshire, Lancashire and Derbyshire who hosted our teams this summer and ensured that they were kept safe during both tours.”

With the United Kingdom being ravaged by the pandemic, both tours were conducted in unique ‘bio-secure’ bubbles. Players were housed in hotels at the playing venues and were restricted from interaction with the general public. All matches were played without fans and warm-up matches were all inter-squad. MCC president and former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara hailed the “courage” of the Caribbean sides for undertaking the tours. “In a year when cricket has brought us much solace, it is entirely fitting that CWI and its men’s and women’s teams should be recognised for the courage of their decision to tour England, an act which truly embodies the Spirit of Cricket,” said Sangakkara. “The whole cricketing world appreciates the lengths that both they and the ECB went to so that cricket could be played at the height of the pandemic, and their contribution should be remembered warmly.” The award, created as a joint venture between the MCC and BBC in 2013, is in memory of former cricket commentator and MCC president Christopher Martin-Jenkins. West Indies men lost the three-Test series 2-1 after winning the opener at Southampton and then losing back-to-back matches in Manchester. The women, meanwhile, suffered a 5-0 whitewash in the series played at Derby.

Golden Jaguars journey to Qatar World Cup starts in Port of Spain ... to open CONCACAF Qualifier against ‘Soca Warriors’ By Rawle Toney

GUYANA’S journey to the ‘Middle East’ for Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup, will kick-off in Port of Spain when they travel to Trinidad and Tobago’s capital city to take on ‘Soca Warriors’ next Thursday, October 8, 2021. Golden Jaguars were drawn in Group F alongside Trinidad and Tobago, The Bahamas, Puerto Rico and St Kitts & Nevis. After their clash with the ‘Trinis’, the Golden Jaguars will return home to roar against The Bahamas on Tuesday, October 13. On Friday, November 13, Guyana will travel to St Kitts & Nevis for their third game

and then host Puerto Rico on Tuesday, November 17. Golden Jaguars’ best run in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers came during the run-up to the 2014 tournament in Brazil, where they had reached the penultimate round of the CONCACAF zone. It was during that run they had a memorable showing against Trinidad and Tobago on November 11, 2011 at Guyana National Stadium where Guyana had won 2-1, thanks to goals from Ricky Shakes and former English Premier League player Leon Cort. Guyana last faced Trinidad and Tobago during the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup, where, despite a beautiful goal

scored by Neil Danns, the two sides ended the match with a 1-1 draw. Guyana only played Puerto Rico twice at the senior level internationally, with the U.S. territory winning 2-0 in 1993, and Golden Jaguars, with a goal from defender King Solomon Austin, winning 1-0. The clash against St Kitts and Nevis will mark the third meeting for Guyana, but it will also be the first time the two countries are meeting during a World Cup qualification tournament. World governing body FIFA yesterday announced that certain international match windows will be extended to enable Confedera-

tions to schedule triple-match dates. According to FIFA, this is due to the challenges faced by global football due to COVID-19, in particular for those regions where several 2020 FIFA international match windows were suspended. In CONCACAF’S case, FIFA’s decision means the Confederation can schedule three matches in each of the September and October 2021 and January and March 2022 FIFA international match windows. This will enable CONCACAF to begin its eight-team Final Round of the CONCACAF Qualifiers in September 2021, following a First Round played in March and June

2021 and a Second Round in June 2021 (June 2021 includes two FIFA international match windows). The First Round will be played between the CONCACAF Member Associations ranked 6-35 based on the FIFA Men’s Ranking as of July 16, 2020. Each team will play every other team in their group once, playing a total of four matches; two home and two away. These games will be played in the FIFA match windows of March 2021 and the first FIFA match window of June 2021. At the end of the First Round, the six group winners will progress to the Second Round. The Final Round of the CONCACAF Qualifiers for

the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 will see the three winners from the Second Round join the CONCACAF Member Associations ranked 1-5, who had already gained enough FIFA ranking points to guarantee their place in the Final Round prior to the development of a new format. The eight teams will play each other home and away, with each team playing 14 matches. At the end of the Final Round, the top three finishing teams will qualify directly to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. The fourthplaced team will qualify for the FIFA Intercontinental Playoff, scheduled to be played in June 2022.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday, December 5, 2020

Second cycling time trial race set for tomorrow … Over 30 cyclists already registered

THE SECOND leg of the Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF) Time Trial Races will take place tomorrow in Linden from 09:00hrs. The event, which is the first in the Mining Town since cycling was given the green light by COVID-19 Task Force, is scheduled to start and finish at KD&J Supermarket in Amelia’s Ward, Mackenzie. According to information from Racing Secretary of the Guyana Cycling Federation, Malcolm Sonaram, “The stage is set and all systems are in place for the second leg of the Time Trial Series.” He said that cyclists are asked to assemble at the starting point from 08:00hrs to facilitate a timely start. The event will have several categories, including: Open, Veterans, Junior/ Juveniles and Females. The Open and Veterans will race over 13.5 miles, which will have them climb

Unlike regular competitions, the cyclists will be racing against the clock instead of against each other

GOA to host Maximising Media Seminar … A transformative approach for sportsmen, sportswomen

WITH some of Guyana’s most talented athletes gearing-up for a busy 2021, the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA), on Wednesday, December 9, will be hosting a webinar in effort to help them maximise the Sports Media. Kalam Juman-Yassin, president of GOA, said, “The aim of this virtual seminar of Maximising Media is to enlighten our sports athletes about the importance of the media which takes the form on many fronts.” Guyana’s four-time Olympian and Commonwealth Games 400m gold and silver medallist, Aliann Pompey, will take the lead among the facilitators, including multiple award-winning sports journalist Rawle Toney and Ishaka Jackman, Social Media Consultant and ICT Manager. Yassin is of the view that “as technology extends it is important to understand how it works and how to use it so as to develop each athlete’s branding.” The long-serving GOA

head is encouraging every athlete and coach to register in order to benefit from exposure to the media. Meanwhile, Pompey, who also serves as the Pan Am Athletes Commission president, believes that “the state we’re in provides unique opportunities for us to fine-tune certain things, including how to effectively use social and news media to help us reach our athletic goals”. “The content is timely and presenters are knowledgeable. With the Olympics and qualifying events on the calendar for next year and our athletes looking to attract sponsorship and agents, this seminar aims to teach participants how to raise their visibility and market and brand themselves,” Pompey said. Jackman, having worked with a number of professional sports teams, specifically in the area of social media management, said, “The opportunity is now at the fingertips of the athlete and association to influence their future. The vehicle is already avail-

Moblissa Hill, while the other division will race over 8.5 miles over Bamia Hill before returning to the finish line. Tw o S u n d a y s a g o , Marlon Williams claimed victory in the first time trial, which was held in Georgetown. The seasoned cyclist had won the 5.07mile race in 11:18:39, just ahead of Jamual John (11:26:04) and Briton John (11:38:70). With the length more than double and the topography different, expect the approach in the race to vary among cyclists. Up to yesterday afternoon over 30 cyclists, in all categories, had already registered online for the competition. For further information of the online registration process cyclists can contact Jeffrey Yearwood on 6882995. The last of the time trial races is expected to take place in Berbice later this month.

… Windies crumble under New Zealand assault

(ESPNCRICINFO) - It happened suddenly. Blue skies were giving way to grey clouds. New Zealand loved able, come get your keys.” that. They could sense the For Toney, a sports jour- opportunity. And for virtunalist for over 15 years ally the entire first session on and Sports News anchor, the third day, they couldn’t the timing is perfect, as help but take wickets. They he pointed to the fact that took five in the first hour, “being active in the realm smothering the opposition of social media; using it under so much pressure that as the avenue to build my they really couldn’t figure out brand, it is something as a where their next runs would journalist that our athletes come from. don’t truly understand”. West Indies began the day “ Wi t h t h e O l y m p i c at a promising 49 for 0. They Games about seven months went to lunch 114 for 5. People say that in Hamilaway, we know that athletes will be making a push ton, the pitch doesn’t matter to qualify for the biggest so much as the overheads. And sporting event globally, that’s because no matter how and allowing the public to green the surface is, it tends to know more about them is play fairly true. But the moment important; not just for their there is something in the air - a sake, but also for the GOA. little moisture, a little humidity “So I think I would - batsmen become endangered bring a unique understand- creatures - the overseas variety ing of the sports media especially. West Indies had shown a for the participants, taking my years of experience capacity to resist on day two. into consideration and the But they were being hunted fact that I’m well-travelled now. Tim Southee was relentand fully understand the less. His ability to set up batslandscape of the Sports men was on show in the first Media,” Toney added. over itself, when he fed John Registration is on- Campbell a steady diet of ingoing and persons are swingers, and then ambushed asked to visit GOA’s face- him with a wobble seam debook page for a copy of livery. It pitched on the same spot the registration form.

as those deliveries that kept buzzing around his inside edge. He thought he could pick it off; loft it down the ground. And as he went for the shot, he was appalled to find the ball moving the wrong way, taking the wrong part of the bat, and finding the wrong fielder as well. Kane Williamson has such safe hands. New Zealand gave away only 65 runs even though they bowled 25 overs in the session. They were able to do that because of two crucial aspects that define their bowling - the ability to hit the same spot on the pitch over and over again and the variety to always pose a threat. Southee was able to knock over another West Indian batsman before his first spell was done - a remarkable outswinger that Shamarh Brooks had no choice but to play only to be caught at first slip. He is the leader of this attack. He set the tone. And when he was done, even the new kid knew what to do. Kyle Jamieson is a truly exciting prospect. Especially in Test cricket. At 6’ 8”, his back of a length deliveries carry through like bouncers, often producing oohs and aahs. The experts call that pretty bowling. The kind that looks nice, but is mostly harmless. Darren Bravo might disagree with that con-

sidering he got hit on the glove by a vicious lifter. It began playing on his mind. He became preoccupied with all that extra bounce. He never saw the full one coming. Jamieson, even in his short career so far, has always been able to pitch the ball up to devastating effect. That alone is remarkable because so many tall bowlers - Morne Morkel, Ishant Sharma - have struggled to incorporate it into their game. Yet here is a rookie who not only does it at will, but he gets swing through the air too. Neither Bravo nor his off stump stood a chance. Trent Boult and Neil Wagner chipped in with a wicket apiece - one angling across Kraigg Brathwaite to take his edge, the other nipping it back to pin Roston Chase lbw. Right there is the reason why this bowling attack is so potent at home. Each member of it poses a different kind of questions and they all know how to be consistent with their lines and lengths. New Zealand’s morning could have been even sweeter. Ten overs before lunch Wagner trapped the West Indies captain and world No.1 all-rounder Jason Holder lbw for a duck only for replays to show that he had overstepped, by millimetres.

Tim Southee struck early for New Zealand (Getty Images)

SEE PAGE 27

Pace like fire!

… Windies crumble under New Zealand assault Rahim leads Guyana’s charge at FIDE Online World U10-18 Rapid Championships

SEE PAGE 23

Golden Jaguars

journey to Qatar World Cup starts in Port of Spain TURN TO PAGE 26

... to open CONCACAF Qualifier against ‘Soca Warriors’

Angel Rahim was outstanding against highly rated players

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

Printed and Published by Guyana National Newspapers Limi ted, Lama Avenue, Bel Air Park, Georgetown. Telephone 2 2 6- 3243-9 (General); Editorial: 2 2 7- 5204, 2 2 7- 5216. Fax:2 2 7- 5208

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2020