Issuu

TUESDAY 25th May, 2021

No. 106371

Over 1,600 jobs in the pipeline

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― as work starts on 25 private projects

GPL’s 46.5-megawatt power-generation plant set for mid-August completion 15 SEE PAGE

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Guyanese students top in eight subjects at CAPE, 11 at CSEC SEE PAGE

Three die in Soesdyke-Linden Highway accident Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips being briefed during an on-site inspection on Monday of the 46.5-megawatt power-generation plant being constructed by Wärtsilä, at the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) company, Garden of Eden Power Station (DPI photo)

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Mustapha: Agriculture sector 2 lucrative for local, foreign investors SEE PAGE

Early-morning blaze destroys Albouystown house

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, May 25 , 2021

Agriculture sector lucrative for local, foreign investors ―Agri. Minister tells Canadian High Commissioner

GUYANA’S agriculture sector has received a substantial amount of recognition within the past eight months, as individuals and companies from around the world continue to express an interest in investing in this very lucrative industry. On Monday, Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana, Mark Berman paid a courtesy call on Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha, and during the course of their conversation, he was told that there are many lucrative opportunities in Guyana’s agriculture sector for both local and international investors. By way of signalling the government’s intent to make agriculture less onerous and more technologically- driven, Minister Mustapha told his guest: “As a government, we’ve made a lot of investment thus far, and we are seeing more persons who would’ve called it a day prior to August 2020,

returning to the agriculture sector. We are experiencing increased levels of production and productivity across the sector, so I can safely say that the sector is experiencing a noticeable amount of growth. There are a lot of opportunities for both local and international investors. Guyana really depends on agriculture. Oil and gas and the other natural resources that we are blessed with will be gone after some time. As a government, one of our goals is to make agriculture less labour-intensive. Our human capital will remain a key element to agriculture development, but we have to ensure we do agriculture in a more diversified, advanced, and technologically-driven way. This is why we are working to construct more agro-processing facilities to make farmers’ produce more value-added, in addition to securing more markets in the process.” According to a release

from the Ministry of Agriculture on the subject at hand, Minister Mustapha also alluded to the fact that more lands are being made available to match the volume of interest the sector

make lands available; we have to make the necessary infrastructural adjustments, because we are building partnerships. This is why we are currently working to develop the second phase

be building a farm-to-market all-weather road from No. 58 Village, Corentyne to the Canje Creek area,” Minister Mustapha is quoted as saying.

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha and Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana, Mark Berman during the meeting on Monday (Ministry of Agriculture photo)

is receiving from investors who have their sights set on Guyana’s agriculture sector. “As investors begin to show interest, we have to

of the Mahaica Mahaicony Abary Agriculture Development Authority (MMAADA) Scheme. This is the largest agriculture scheme in the country and Region Five is the largest in terms of production. This is in cash crops, traditional crops like rice and sugar, and cattle. In this year’s budget, we’ve set aside $100 million to start works in that scheme. This will see hundreds, or even thousands of acres of land being opened up for agriculture purposes. We will also

TOP PRIORITY In response, Mr. Berman reportedly told his host that working with the Government of Guyana to promote the vast potential of country’s agriculture sector has always been a priority with the Canadian Government, and that they are working to develop a capacity-building strategy that Guyana will benefit from. “Guyana, compared to the rest of the Caribbean, is completely different; you have large areas of arable

land, and the capacity to produce for much of the Caribbean,” Mr. Berman said, adding: “We will work with you to promote the agriculture sector; that’s going to be a priority for us. Canada is one of the largest agri-food producers in the world, but we also very much respect the concept of partnership, so that would be the opportunity for Canadian companies to partner with Guyanese companies. We’ll also continue, through our Canada Fund for Local Initiative (CFLI) projects, to try and push forward as an initial step in the various areas, as well as our development programme. We’ll continue to build capacity. One of the areas we’re trying to develop is a training capacity-building strategy.” In discussing his role as Chairman of the Ministerial Taskforce for advancing the agriculture agenda in CARICOM, Minister Mustapha said that the main focus of the unit is to coordinate activities among CARICOM states. He also said that the task force is working on having certain barriers to trade among member states removed. “The main focus of the task force is to coordinate activities among CARICOM

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, May 25 , 2021

Over 1,600 jobs in the pipeline ―as work starts on 25 private projects

By Navendra Seoraj COUNTRIES the world over are still reeling from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and while Guyana has been no exception, it has not only shown resilience but has been able to create an environment that has attracted a number of big investors. Currently, 25 projects are onstream that will create over 1,600 jobs. Employment has been one of the indirect casualties of the pandemic, as it was reported widely not just in Guyana but also abroad, that many persons, particularly those in the tourism and hospitality sector, lost their jobs as a result of the entity to which they were attached recording significant decreases in profits, or not being able to operate at all because of the necessary restrictions in place to curb the spread of COVID-19. The importance of a job cannot be overemphasised, as it not only generates income to purchase basic necessities, but also imbues in one a sense of purpose, productivity and fulfillment. And even as Guyanese continue to explore ways of coping with the pandemic and innovating to make ends meet, ongoing private projects are extrinsic motivation and evidence of an economy that has bright prospects. A business-friendly climate, supplemented by the anticipated economic ascension, has served as a magnet for investors, both foreign and local. According to Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Office for Investment (Go-Invest), Dr. Peter Ramsaroop, within the period August 2020 to April 2021, approximately 25 projects were initiated, and these have the potential to create 1,678 jobs when completed. “The agency has, in spite of the COVID-19 restrictions, been able to facilitate significant investment from both local and foreign,” Dr. Ramsaroop told the Guyana Chronicle. Of the 25 projects which were initiated within the past eight months, 16 are local, six are Foreign Direct Investments (FDI), and three are joint ventures. In speaking further about those projects, he said: “These projects have all started. Local investments presented the largest portion of this investment, and I am elated to make

this point.” Based on a breakdown of the local investments, four were in the agriculture sector; six in the service sector; two in light manufacturing, and one each in Information and Communication Technology (ICT), tourism, forestry and energy.

CEO of Go-Invest, Dr. Peter Ramsaroop

SERVICE-ORIENTED Of the six FDI projects, three are service related; two are in manufacturing, and one in agriculture. The joint ventures account for two in manufacturing and one agriculture-related project. The employment opportunities created by those projects will be significant, especially since Guyana recorded a 12.8 per cent unemployment rate for the first quarter of 2020. According to information from the Bureau of Statistics (BoS), the youth unemployment rate experienced a slight increase, moving from 29.7 per cent in the last quarter of 2019

to 30.2 per cent in the first quarter of 2020. With the hope of tackling the unemployment rate, the Government has not only created an environment which is conducive to investments, but it has also invested heavily in education and training, as has been reported. “An educated and highly-skilled workforce is critical to our competitiveness as a destination for investment, but also critical is ensuring that the Guyanese people are able to get jobs,” Senior Minister with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh had said in a previous interview. Further, he related: “We want to create an environment where every single Guyanese who is of working age is equipped with skills that make them employable. Every Guyanese of employment age should have access to opportunities to acquire skills that will make them employable; and we are planning to do this at every level.” Among the programmes the Government has rolled out so far is the 20,000 Online scholarships initiative, which is being facilitated through the Guyana Online Scholarship Academy (GOAL). The objective of this and other initiatives is to ensure that every Guyanese of working age is equipped with the skills necessary for employment in the sector of their choice. Personal enhancement, whether through skills training or academia, will be crucial going forward, especially since Dr. Ramsaroop said that Go-Invest will continue advancing its mandate of facilitating investments by both foreign and local investors. While addressing participants at Guyana’s inaugural Diaspora Conference held virtually last Saturday, the CEO reiterated the words of Dr. Singh, who said that Guyana has moved from ‘potential’ to ‘opportunities.’ He said, too, that President Dr. Irfaan Ali has “renewed the dream” and created a national sense of pride with his vision for growth and development in every economic sector. President Ali has said already that progress is expected on all fronts in 2021, which has since been designated as the Year of Investments and Development. He said work will commence on the construction and rehabilitation of roads in hundreds of communities; new infrastructure will be created, and there will be major developments in every sector.

Early morning blaze destroys Albouystown house AN early morning fire on Monday completely destroyed a two-storey wooden building at James and King Edward Streets, Albouystown, and damaged two others in the area. According to Orson Grose, the brother of the homeowner, he had gotten up to use the bathroom around 01:00hrs when the smell of smoke caught his attention. Upon leaving his residence in the upper flat of the building and walking down the street to the side of the house, he discovered that a blaze had begun in a section of the lower storey, and was spreading throughout the area. “I came ‘round the corner to check to see what’s going on, and the place was already on fire from the inside,” he said. The distraught man related that he did not get a chance to salvage any valuables, due to the rate at which the heat and fire had spread, adding that all

he had left were the clothes he was clad in at the time. His brother was not available for comment. When the Guyana Chronicle visited the scene, the brothers’ aunt, who lives next door to them, explained that she was completely unaware as to what was going on until around 03:00hrs when she heard someone shouting her name from outside. “Three o’clock this morning, I hear somebody hollering

for ‘Sharon! Sharon! Fire!’ And when I peep out, I see that building in flames, and I run straight out,” she said. The woman had also grabbed a few necessities, and put them into a bag before she left, catering for a scenario in which her house would be destroyed by the fire. However, to her relief, her home did not suffer any damage from the fire, except for the outer wall facing the Groses’ residence being

Orson Grose, brother of the owner of the house

charred. Orson noted that while the Guyana Fire Service’s truck and crew had actually arrived at the scene within 15 minutes, there was nothing they could do to save his home. The crew, however,

managed to keep the blaze from engulfing the houses in the surrounding area. A grocery store in the lower flat of the building, which he said was a means of income, was destroyed in the blaze, and the total damages

are estimated at around $10 million. Fire Chief Kalamadeen Edoo has since stated that arson is the suspected cause of the early morning blaze, and investigations into the incident are underway.

What’s left of the James and King Edward Streets, Albouystown house after the fire on Monday

guyana CHRONICLE Tuesday, May 25, 2021

UN calls for immediate EU agrees new Belarus release of Mali President sanctions after plane arrest The UN mission in Mali has demanded an i m m e d i a t e re l e a s e o f President Bah Ndaw and Prime Minister Moctar Ouane, after reports that they were detained by soldiers. In a tweet (in French), the Minusma mission also called for “calm” in the impoverished West African nation. This comes after reports that interim President Ndaw and PM Ouane were driven by soldiers to the Kati military camp near the capital, Bamako. This raised fears of a second coup within a year in the country. Defence Minister Souleymane Doucouré has also reportedly been detained. Late on Monday, Ouane told AFP in a phone call that

President Bah Ndaw (centre) is reportedly being held by Malian soldiers near the capital Bamako (BBC photo)

soldiers “came to get him”. The news agency said the line then was cut. The African Union, the Economic Community of West African States, the EU and the US also condemned the arrests, saying Mali’s top politicians must be released without any preconditions. The reported detentions came just hours after a government reshuffle, which saw two senior army officers

who took part in last year’s coup replaced. Once again Mali is looking unstable just nine months after the military coup that saw President Ibrahim Boubakar Keïta removed from office, the BBC’s Africa editor Will Ross reports. He says that many Malians had welcomed Keita’s departure - but t h e r e ’s a n g e r a t t h e dominance of the military in the transitional government and the slow pace of promised reforms. A previous coup in 2012 led to militant Islamists exploiting the instability to seize territory in northern Mali. French troops helped re g a i n t e r r i t o r y, b u t attacks continue. (BBC)

The video of Roman Protasevich emerged late on Monday (BBC photo)

The EU has decided to ban Belarusian airlines from European skies after a flight was diverted to Minsk on Sunday and an dissident journalist arrested. At a meeting in Brussels, the leaders of the 27 member states also told EU airlines not to fly over Belarus, and promised further economic sanctions. Roman Protasevich, 26, was on a flight from Greece to Lithuania which was rerouted over a supposed bomb threat.

Western countries accused Belarus of “hijacking” the Ryanair plane. A video has now emerged of Protasevich that appears to have been recorded under duress since his detention at Minsk airport. In the clip, which was released late on Monday, the journalist said he was in good health and seemingly confessed to crimes he had been charged with by the Belarusian state. But activists, including the country’s main opposition leader, criticised the video and suggested Protasevich was under pressure to admit wrongdoing. US President Joe Biden described the actions of the Belarusian authorities as “outrageous”, saying they were “shameful assaults on both political dissent and the freedom of the press”. Protasevich’s father has told the BBC he fears his son may be tortured. Dmitri Protasevich said on Monday he was “really afraid” of how his son would be treated by the authorities in his home country. “We hope that he will cope. We are afraid to even think about it, but it’s possible he could be beaten and tortured. We are really afraid of that,” he said in a video call.

“We are really shocked and really upset,” he said. “This sort of thing shouldn’t be happening in the 21st Century at the heart of Europe. “We hope that the whole international community, including the European Union, will put unprecedented pressure on the authorities. We hope the pressure will work and the authorities will realise they’ve made a really big mistake.” Belarus sent a fighter jet to force Ryanair flight FR4978 - which had departed from the Greek capital, Athens, and was bound for Vilnius in Lithuania - to land, claiming there was a bomb threat. It touched down in the capital Minsk at 13:16 local time (10:16 GMT) on Sunday. Police then took Protasevich away when the plane’s 126 passengers disembarked. The activist, who witnesses said was “super scared”, was arrested along with his girlfriend Sofia Sapega. S a p e g a ’s m o t h e r told the BBC that the 23-year-old had been taken to a Minsk jail, adding that the last word she managed to write on her WhatsApp messaging account was ‘Mummy’. The accusations against her are unclear. (BBC)

1000 persons vaccinated 5

guyana CHRONICLE Tuesday, May 25, 2021

at COVID-19 drive-through exercise

THE Ministry of Health will be hosting another COVID-19 vaccination exercise at the Guyana National Stadium on Wednesday, in view of the positive public response to Saturday’s inaugural event. Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony said the exercise saw the highest number of vaccinations in one day since the start of the immunisation campaign. During the daily COVID-19 update on Monday, he said there was a constant flow of vehicular traffic from the moment the gates opened at 9am until it closed at 9pm. The exercise saw 931 persons receiving their first dose of a COVID vaccine, while 140 persons received their second dose. “I think that people like the idea of being able to drive up in the comfort of your own vehicle. The staff was very proactive in making sure that people felt comfortable; they got the information and they moved to the next station and they

got their vaccines and they waited for the 15 minutes. We also were able to accommodate those who wanted to walk in and that went well,” the minister said. Persons from the East Bank area, Georgetown and from Region Three capitalised on the opportunity to get inoculated. Minister Anthony said similar exercises are expected to be rolled out in other regions. “I know some of the other Regional Health Officers in other regions have been contemplating doing similar or variations of this initiative. I think Region Six, this week, is going to set up a drive by the Berbice River Bridge, so people can go there and get their vaccines…I think variations of it would certainly happen in different regions and Region Two is also contemplating doing something similar.” Meanwhile, he said more persons across the country have been turning out for their vaccines.

As of Sunday, 184,394 persons received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. This represents approximately 37.9 per cent of the country’s adult population. Some 54,681 persons have received their second doses and are fully immunised, reflecting 11.2 per cent of the adult population. Minister Anthony said while there has been some reluctance in certain areas, particularly Region Ten, vaccinations are increasing there. “We have seen an incremental increase and we are now at about 11.3 per cent of the adult population in the region. So, there’s a marginal increase. Hopefully, we’ll get more people coming out,” he said. The ministry is working to increase vaccination coverage in Region 10 through a robust education campaign. Minister Anthony reiterated the importance of taking the vaccine and encouraged persons to protect themselves from COVID. (DPI)

This woman registers for her COVID vaccine from the comfort of her car at the inaugural COVID-19 vaccination drive-through exercise at the Providence Stadium (DPI photo)

guyana CHRONICLE Tuesday, May 25, 2021

Fighting Non-communicable Diseases S E V E N T Y- O N E p e r cent of global deaths are the result of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). This disturbing statistic as made known by the World Health Organisation (WHO) suggests that people can live healthier and longer lives. According to its April 2021 Fact Sheet, NCDs kill 41 million people each year. The four diseases accounting for 80 per cent of the deaths are cardiovascular (heart), killing 17.9 million people annually; can cer (9.3 million ); re s p i r a t o r y ( s u c h a s pneumonia, tuberculosis and bronchitis) which is responsible for 4.1 million and diabetes 1.5 million. Though recent reports said that Guyanese are

living longer and this fact also requires improving or facilitating institutions to suit this demographic, the elderly also bring with them their own form of NCDS such as high or low blood pressure, arthritis, diabetes, Alzheimer’s and dementia, which will require unique treatment plans. Government may also find it useful dealing with NCDs both from a preventive and curative/management standpoint. Where some diseases are preventable, based on lifestyle choices such as eating healthy and exercising, public education and other forms of up-front incentives could serve as worthy investments in the people. Ours is a society where reservation or disinterest exists, seeing a doctor

unless very sick. It is not uncommon when one is feeling unwell to tie one’s head, put a leaf in the head tie, sap the forehead with Limacol or methylated spirits, drink a panadol, some bush tea or Epsom salt, thinking that the symptoms and cause will go away. Periodic visits to a doctor could lead to early detection, diagnosis, and management of what the illness might be. Persons are walking around with heart issues, abnormal cholesterol and blood pressure, overweight or obese, and cancer, which when unattended can carry dire consequences. Impressing on society the importance of these examinations as a means of knowing, and the fact that early detection can save

lives, can never be overemphasised. Alcohol abuse can lead to NCDs which is a major problem in our society. Alcoholism can lead to cirrhosis of the liver. Abuse of prescription medications and other substances such as heroin and cocaine are also considered NCDs. These are mental issues that require specific planning, treatment and diversion of resources. They also lead to other socio-economic spinoffs. Abuse takes place in the home, families are torn apart, children end up on the streets--and sometimes being abused themselves-or in foster care and teenage pregnancy. With the cultivating preference for imported foods, the majority of which are over-processed and of

cheap quality, it is important that recognition be given to the consequences their consumption could bring. Processed foods lose some of their nutritional value, are high in sodium (cause of hypertension) and sugar/ fructose (cause of diabetes). These foods also carry other additives that have proven to be unhealthy. NCDs do not only affect the individual, it also affects the family and communities as a whole. They also put pressure on the society to manage them, in that expenses are incurred by the state to provide care and the disease(s) could compromise the ability of persons to lead fully active and productive lives. It is being advised by WHO that NCDs

c a n b e c h ro n i c / l o n g duration and are the result of a combination of genetic, physiological, environmental and behavioural factors. Combating these however is doable. Going by the fact sheet “detection, screening and treatment … as well as palliative care, are key components of the response….” These could include health and lifestyle changes such as exercise, healthy diets and having frequent checks with your doctors as mentioned. Society could also be well served with the involvement of the public health department and other stakeholders in preventative medical care.

A boss and simultaneously a friend Dear Editor,

L O N G - S TA N D I N G Guyanese public official Mr. Vic Persaud CCH passed away on Thursday, 13th May, 2021. He has been referred to as an outstanding public servant whose dedication to his country and his work, won the respect and affection of all those who had the opportunity to work with him. The tributes of former colleagues have indeed shone a light on a man whose professionalism

and dedication are worthy of respect and admiration. The President of the Cooperative Republic o f G u y a n a , H E , D r. Mohammed Irfaan Ali, referred to “uncle Vic” as an “institution,” having served the country in many different capacities in his public service. During his career, Mr. Persaud has served all nine Executive Presidents. Dr. Irfaan Ali added that the qualities of Mr. Persaud, namely his wit, charm, grace, sophistication, excellence and efficiency were

considered to be hallmarks of his exemplary service to the nation. Mr. Joseph Harmon, the leader of the opposition, described Mr. Persaud as “one of Guyana’s most revered and outstanding public servants… who served his country for half a century… and not only a colleague, but a friend and mentor to many who came into contact with him.” Mr. Harmon also noted that Mr. Persaud’s integrity and unflinching attention to detail is what made him a great success in his career and that his

exemplary professionalism will be missed by all. The late Leon R o c k c l i f f e , remarked(2015) on the occasion Mr. Persaud received the prestigious distinction of the Cacique’s Crown of Honour (CCH), that Mr. Persaud has made himself invaluable to the public service. He referred to Mr. Persaud as the “white-haired eminence, the Prince of Protocol.” Vic, the man as I knew him, was colourblind. He looked beyond party loyalties, social status or ethnicity. He was a man of

equity, a real man of the people. He was relaxed in social settings and oh yes, Vic knew how to have a good time. He was my mentor, the one who initiated me into the world of diplomacy. I am enormously grateful for that. I considered him to be my boss and simultaneously my close friend. One of my fondest m e m o r i e s o f Vi c , i s during a visit of the Prime Minister of the Netherlands Antilles to Guyana. As a result of his keen interest in the Dutch

language, he surprised the prime minister when he welcomed her in perfect Dutch. Vic visited me on several occasions in The Hague when he was posted in Moscow. Guyana and the Caribbean have lost in Vic Persaud, a great son of the soil, a diplomatic colossus. My thoughts are with his wife, Carol, his children, siblings and his nephew Vinod at this time of their bereavement. Yours sincerely, Roy Lie Atjam

guyana CHRONICLE Tuesday, May 25, 2021

GECOM must act decisively on Lowenfield, et al Dear Editor,

I AM a son of this soil and a tax-paying Guyanese who keeps abreast with the political, economic and social developments in this country. And we are almost a year into the PPP’s term in office and there is one question, the answer to which I am dying to know. Why is the Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield; Deputy CEO Roxanne Myers and the embattled Region Four Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo still on the job or are still employed by GECOM? And why is it “okay” with the powers that be at GECOM to have this state of affairs

continue into oblivion? These officials cost us many sleepless nights and delayed our elections results and tried to derail our democracy. These individuals preyed on our innocence and the fact that we put our collective trust in GECOM to get the results right the first time and declare them. Is it a hard task to dismiss or fire them? Is it not wise to point out all the breaches which they committed and sever ties with them? Help me to understand how these individuals are able to hold our electoral system at ransom and keep us in political gridlock. Well, GECOM will have to find a way out of the hole that it is in so that

we can hold our Local Government Elections and General Elections too. I don’t think the PPP would go to another election with those persons at the helm, regardless of what GECOM or APNU+AFC says. I don’t think the people of this country would stand for it! I want to urge the commission and the secretariat to part ways with these individuals who caused the people to think “Guyana is not a real place or country” because of how it is handling these crimes. Do it for the good of our democracy. Do it for Guyana’s independence.

when the project is completed. The rule is that “… when vehicles are acquired under such duty-free terms, there are certain guidelines that apply in relation to a person/company keeping the imported item…” (that is) “When the project comes to an end, they are supposed to either… re-export it, or pay the taxes.” This is so ‘scampish’ as we say in colloquial terms. I hope that something will be done quickly about this situation, and that the perpetrators will be held accountable, and if necessary, the vehicle/s will be confiscated. The reason is that not only is such a practice both immoral and illegal, but we are

talking about “Hundreds of millions of dollars in taxes are unpaid … by these friends of the former ministers, and now Members of Parliament.” Generally, across the world, one may not use government purchasing authority or a government charge card for personal acquisitions. The general rule is that when leaving government service, one cannot remove government property or files and cannot even use government copiers to make copies of files. So, this ‘keepingthe-vehicle’ evil must be dealt with.

Yours sincerely, Attiya Baksh

Return the vehicle/s or be prosecuted Dear Editor,

I WAS really taken a b a c k w h e n Vi c e President (VP) Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, during his last press conference, informed the nation that “Some people connected to the [then] government (A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For ChangeAPNU+AFC)” have been most exploitative and illegal in their dealings. The VP pointed out that “… if they have a contract from the Ministry of Public Works for $2 million, they get a Landcruiser for duty-free for the project…” then certain conditions kick on

Yours truly, Baldeo Mathura

guyana CHRONICLE Tuesday, May 25, 2021

Guyanese students top in eight subjects at CAPE, 11 at CSEC

THE Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) has informed the Ministry of Education that several Guyanese students are on the regional merit list of top candidates by subject. This follows the recent announcement of the 2020 Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE)

and the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations by the regional examination body. According to a Ministry of Education release, based on the information provided, Guyanese candidates secured first-place rankings in eight subjects at the CAPE level, and 11 first-place

rankings at the CSEC level. The CAPE subjects are Information Technology Unit 1, Law Unit 1, Physics Unit 1, Tourism 1, Integrated Mathematics, Physics Unit 2, and Performing Arts Unit 2 (Cinematic arts). The CSEC subjects at which Guyanese students topped are Economics, Geography,

CAPE 2020 RANK

SUBJECT

1ST

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ISAAC MALLAMPATI UNIT 1

QUEEN’S COLLEGE

CARIBBEAN STUDIES

NEW AMSTERDAM SECONDARY SCHOOL

9TH 1

LAW UNIT 1

STUDENT

SARAH REID PRENITA RAMCHARITAR

SCHOOL

PRESIDENT’S COLLEGE

3RD

LAW UNIT 1

CHRISELLE PAUL

THE BISHOPS’ HIGH SCHOOL

4TH (SHARED WITH CANDIDATES FROM BARBADOS AND JAMAICA.)

LAW UNIT 1

NAOMI HARTE

THE BISHOPS’ HIGH SCHOOL

7TH

LITERATURES IN ENGLISH UNIT 1

ALICIALALL HIRALALL

QUEEN’S COLLEGE

1ST

PHYSICS UNIT 1

NAOMI JOHNSON

PRESIDENT’S COLLEGE

1ST

ANIMATION AND GAME DESIGN UNIT 1

DONLEE CASTELLO

QUEEN’S COLLEGE

Integrated Science, Mathematics, Physics, Principles of Accounts, Physical Education and Sport, Human and Social Biology, Portuguese, Food, Nutrition and Health Technical, and Family and Resource Management Technical. One Guyanese candidate achieved first-place ranking

for the Caribbean Certificate of Secondary Level Competence (CCSLC) in the Social Studies subject area, the ministry also pointed out. “Our students, including private candidates, also earned places in the 1st to 10th position ranking in various subjects. The Ministry of Education wishes to

congratulate all our students for their exceptional performance, and wish them all the very best in their future pursuits,” the release concluded. The following is a table of Guyanese candidates on the Regional Merit List of top candidates by subject for the 2020 CXC examinations:

2ND

ANIMATION AND GAME DESIGN UNIT 1

VIJAY SHARMA

QUEEN’S COLLEGE

8TH

ANIMATION AND GAME DESIGN UNIT 1

KRISTEEN CHASE

QUEEN’S COLLEGE

ANIMATION AND GAME 9TH (SHARED WITH A CANDIDATE FROM JAMAICA.) DESIGN UNIT 1

ADRIAN CONNELLY

QUEEN’S COLLEGE.

SPANISH UNIT 1 3RD (SHARED WITH CANDIDATES FROM JAMAICA AND TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO.)

JORREL DE SANTOS

QUEEN’S COLLEGE

3RD (SHARED WITH A CANDIDATE FROM TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO.)

ENTREPRENEURSHIP UNIT 1

RASHEDA JEFFREY

QUEEN’S COLLEGE

5TH

DIGITAL MEDIA

MOHAMED BAKSH

ST. STANISLAUS COLLEGE

DIGITAL MEDIA

CHITRA PERSAUD

ST. STANISLAUS COLLEGE

3 (SHARED WITH A CANDIDATE FROM TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO)

ENTREPRENEURSHIP UNIT 1

RASHEDA JEFFREY

QUEEN’S COLLEGE

1ST

TOURISM 1

MARIAH LAWRENCE

ST. STANISLAUS COLLEGE

TOURISM 1

USHANNA MOHAN

ST. STANISLAUS COLLEGE

1ST

TOURISM 1

DERRON VENTURE

ST. STANISLAUS COLLEGE

TOURISM 1 5 (SHARED WITH CANDIDATES FROM JAMAICA AND TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO.)

RAHEEM REDDOCK

ST. STANISLAUS COLLEGE

TH RD

2ND

GREEN ENGINEERING UNIT 1

JERON BOUCHER

QUEEN’S COLLEGE

3RD

GREEN ENGINEERING UNIT 1

BREON ALLICOCK

PRESIDENT’S COLLEGE

9TH

GREEN ENGINEERING UNIT 1

CHRISTINE HALLEY

QUEEN’S COLLEGE

5 (SHARED WITH A CANDIDATE FROM BARBADOS.)

LOGISTICS AND SUPPLY CHAIN OPERATIONS UNIT 1

SETISHA WILSON

ST. ROSE’S HIGH SCHOOL

LOGISTICS AND SUPPLY 8TH (SHARED WITH A CANDIDATE FROM JAMAICA.) CHAIN OPERATIONS UNIT 1

SAUDIA ISHMEAL

ST. ROSE’S HIGH SCHOOL

RAVON BAYLEY

ST. ROSE’S HIGH SCHOOL

1ST

INTEGRATED MATHEMATICS INTEGRATED MATHEMATICS

SHANIAH MOORE

ST. ROSE’S HIGH SCHOOL

INTEGRATED MATHEMATICS

KEYANA HODGE

THE BISHOPS’ HIGH SCHOOL

9TH

INTEGRATED MATHEMATICS

RANDY HAMILTON

3RD

FINANCIAL SERVICES STUDIES KAILIE RAMJOHN UNIT 1

9TH (SHARED WITH CANDIDATES FROM JAMAICA.)

MARIAN ACADEMY THE BISHOPS’ HIGH SCHOOL

ACCOUNTING UNIT 2 4TH (SHARED WITH CANDIDATES FROM TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, JAMAICA AND ST. KITTS AND NEVIS.)

NICOLAS ALLY

THE BISHOPS’ HIGH SCHOOL

6TH (SHARED WITH CANDIDATES FROM JAMICA, ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES AND TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO)

GEOGRAPHY UNIT 2

SHERLOCK LANGEVINE

ST. STANISLAUS COLLEGE

1ST

HISTORY UNIT 2

ELISHA DAVIDSON

THE BISHOPS’ HIGH SCHOOL

4 (SHARED WITH A CANDIDATE FROM TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO)

HISTORY UNIT 2

MIA BARKER

THE BISHOPS’ HIGH SCHOOL

2ND

LITERATURES IN ENGLISH UNIT 2

ZOE SILLS

THE BISHOPS’ HIGH SCHOOL

SYDNEY SOLOMON

THE BISHOPS’ HIGH SCHOOL

LITERATURES IN ENGLISH 9TH (SHARED WITH CANDIDATES FROM TRINIDAD UNIT 2 AND TOBAGO)

Continued on page 9

guyana CHRONICLE Tuesday, May 25, 2021

Guyanese students... From Page 8

1ST (SHARED WITH PHYSICS UNIT 2 CANDIDATES FROM TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO AND JAMAICA.)

ZHARAL HOLLINGSWORTH

THE BISHOPS’ HIGH SCHOOL

1ST

PHYSICS UNIT 2

LEMUEL WILLIAMS

THE BISHOPS’ HIGH SCHOOL

1ST

PHYSICS UNIT 2

ABDUR-RAHMAN SATTAUR

QUEEN’S COLLEGE

1ST

PERFORMING ARTS UNIT 2 (CINEMATIC ARTS)

DEBORAH DARLINGTON

BERBICE HIGH SCHOOL

PERFORMING ARTS UNIT 2 (CINEMATIC ARTS)

TOWYANA NEWTON

BERBICE HIGH SCHOOL

GREEN ENGINEERING UNIT 2

MORIAH HAMILTON

QUEEN’S COLLEGE

10TH

GREEN ENGINEERING UNIT 2

AREEB ALI

QUEEN’S COLLEGE

6TH

LOGISTICS AND SUPPLY CHAIN OPERATIONS UNIT 2

JAUREL HENDRICKS

THE BISHOPS’ HIGH SCHOOL

CCSLC 2020 RANK

SUBJECT

CANDIDATE

SCHOOL

1 (SHARED WITH CANDIDATES FROM ANGUILLA, ST. KITTS AND NEVIS, ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENANDINES, TURKS AND CAICOS, ST. MAARTEN AND ST. EUSTATIUS)

SOCIAL STUDIES CCSLC

TYRESE WILLIAMS

ADULT EDUCATION ASSOCIATION

10TH (SHARED WITH CANDIDATES FROM ANGUILLA, ST. KITTS AND NEVIS, ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENANDINES, TURKS AND CAICOS, ST. MAARTEN AND ST. EUSTATIUS)

SOCIAL STUDIES CCSLC

ALEX RICHMOND

ADULT EDUCATION ASSOCIATION

RANK

SUBJECT

CANDIDATE

SCHOOL

2ND (SHARED WITH CANDIDATES FROM JAMAICA.)

AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE DA GENERAL

LALLCHAN GAJADHAR

NEW AMSTERDAM SECONDARY SCHOOL

5TH (SHARED WITH CANDIDATES FROM JAMAICA.)

AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE DA GENERAL

DUVINA SEURATTAN

ANNA REGINA SECONDARY SCHOOL

5TH

AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE DA GENERAL

JULIA BACCHUS

MACKENZIE HIGH SCHOOL

5TH

AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE DA GENERAL

ANGELICA LOO

MACKENZIE HIGH SCHOOL

5TH

AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE DA GENERAL

SARAH GHANI

ST JOSEPH’S HIGH SCHOOL

5TH

AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE DA GENERAL

DAYWANTIE KAYDARNATH

ST JOSEPH’S HIGH SCHOOL

AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE DA GENERAL

HANNAH KETWAROO

ST ROSE’S HIGH SCHOOL

BIOLOGY GENERAL 5TH (SHARED WITH CANDIDATES FROM JAMAICA, ST. LUCIA AND TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO.)

ASHLEE JACK

QUEEN’S COLLEGE

ECONOMICS GENERAL 1ST (SHARED WITH CANDIDATES FROM JAMAICA AND TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO.)

RISHI CHANDWANI

MAE’S SECONDARY

ECONOMICS GENERAL 4TH (SHARED WITH CANDIDATES FROM JAMAICA AND TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO.)

SHIVSHANKAR CHAITRAM

SARASWATI VIDYA NIKETAN SCHOOL

4TH

ECONOMICS GENERAL

KRISTOFF ROBERT PERSAUD

MORGAN’S LEARNING CENTRE

ENGLISH A GENERAL

AMBER DILY’S DE GOEAS

ST ROSE’S HIGH SCHOOL

2 (SHARED WITH CANDIDATES FROM GRENADA AND TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO)

ENGLISH B GENERAL

SUDARSHANI

ST ROSE’S HIGH SCHOOL

1ST (SHARED WITH CANDIDATES FROM ANGUILLA AND TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO)

GEOGRAPHY GENERAL

KAYLA DECEMBER

ST STANISLAUS COLLEGE

1ST

GEOGRAPHY GENERAL

DEVESH DOODNAUTH

ST STANISLAUS COLLEGE

LILIANNA ADRIAN

ST STANISLAUS COLLEGE

MACASEY BARCLAY

ST STANISLAUS COLLEGE

SHARMA

GEOGRAPHY GENERAL 5 (SHARED WITH A CANDIDATES FROM JAMAICA) TH

5TH

GEOGRAPHY GENERAL

MESHECH JORDAN

ST STANISLAUS COLLEGE

1ST

INTEGRATED SCIENCE GENERAL

SHIVNARINE SINGH

ZEEBURG SECONDARY SCHOOL

2ND

INTEGRATED SCIENCE GENERAL

LALLCHAN GAJADHAR

NEW AMSTERDAM SECONDARY

INTEGRATED SCIENCE GENERAL

MARIYANA MOHINIE PACHAI ZEEBURG SECONDARY SCHOOL

2ND

INTEGRATED SCIENCE GENERAL

YASHENA BISSOONDYAL

INTEGRATED SCIENCE GENERAL

JAHEIM ODINGO KARL

INTEGRATED SCIENCE GENERAL

RACHEL BACCHUS

PRIVATE CANDIDATE

ANURADHA ASHANA REBAI

ANNA REGINA SECONDARY

INTEGRATED SCIENCE 10TH (SHARED WITH CANDIDATES FROM JAMAICA, GENERAL ST. KITTS AND NEVIS AND TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO.)

SCHOOL

ABRAM’S ZUIL SECONDARY SCHOOL ABRAM’S ZUIL SECONDARY SCHOOL

SCHOOL

10TH

INTEGRATED SCIENCE GENERAL

LACTHME JAIGOBIN

BERBICE HIGH SCHOOL

10TH

INTEGRATED SCIENCE GENERAL

ANISHA LALBEHARI

BERBICE HIGH SCHOOL

10TH

INTEGRATED SCIENCE GENERAL

JARED ERIN BOURNE

J.C. CHANDISINGH SECONDARY SCHOOL

Continued on page 10

CSEC 2020

10TH (SHARED WITH CANDIDATES FROM ANGUILLA, JAMAICA AND TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO.)

Guyanese students... From Page 9 10TH

3RD

6 (SHARED WITH A CANDIDATE FROM BELIZE.) TH

INTEGRATED SCIENCE GENERAL

REYAH ELIZABETH KHEMRAJ

INTEGRATED SCIENCE GENERAL

REBEKAH RAMTAHAL

10TH

INTEGRATED SCIENCE GENERAL

GRACE FALINE ANNISA CHARLES

10TH

INTEGRATED SCIENCE GENERAL

ANDREW LUKE CHINNATAMBI QUEEN’S COLLEGE

10TH

INTEGRATED SCIENCE GENERAL

RASHEINA C. JADA OGLE

QUEEN’S COLLEGE

10TH

INTEGRATED SCIENCE GENERAL

BHEDESH SANJAY PERSAUD

QUEEN’S COLLEGE

10TH

INTEGRATED SCIENCE GENERAL

KAREEMAH RASHEED

QUEEN’S COLLEGE

10TH

INTEGRATED SCIENCE GENERAL

KAVITA HARRINARINE

WEST DEMERARA GOVERNMENT

INTEGRATED SCIENCE GENERAL

TRENNY ROVIN EDWARDS

INTEGRATED SCIENCE GENERAL

ANNA EMILY GAFOOR

10TH

INTEGRATED SCIENCE GENERAL

KELLEY KOOMKARRAN

10TH

INTEGRATED SCIENCE GENERAL

TABITHA LETISHA ALVES

10TH

10TH 10TH

10TH

INTEGRATED SCIENCE GENERAL

J.C. CHANDISINGH SECONDARY

guyana CHRONICLE Tuesday, May 25, 2021

SCHOOL J.C. CHANDISINGH SECONDARY SCHOOL LEONORA SECONDARY SCHOOL

KESHAV MANGAL

PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND SPORT GENERAL

JEUEL EROY BOURNE

PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND 8 (SHARED WITH CANDIDATES FROM JAMAICA, SPORT GENERAL ST. LUCIA AND TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO)

KATHLEEN ADINA ADELA

CORENTYNE COMPREHENSIVE

HUMAN AND SOCIAL BIOLOGY GENERAL

MESHECH JORDAN

ST STANISLAUS COLLEGE

HUMAN AND SOCIAL 5TH (SHARED WITH A CANDIDATE FROM JAMAICA.) BIOLOGY GENERAL

CELINE MARIE FARINHA

QUEEN’S COLLEGE

7TH (SHARED WITH CANDIDATES FROM BELIZE AND BARBADOS)

HUMAN AND SOCIAL BIOLOGY GENERAL

BHEDESH SANJAY PERSAUD

QUEEN’S COLLEGE

7TH

HUMAN AND SOCIAL BIOLOGY GENERAL

ATISHTA SEENARINE

SARASWATI VIDYA NIKETAN

PORTUGUESE GENERAL

ANALISA PERREIRA

THE BISHOPS’ HIGH SCHOOL

2ND

PORTUGUESE GENERAL

BHEDESH PERSAUD

QUEEN’S COLLEGE

PORTUGUESE GENERAL

SANDEEP MANGAL

PRIVATE CANDIDATE

PORTUGUESE GENERAL

RHEMA RENNIE

ST IGNATIUS SECONDARY SCHOOL

ZEEBURG SECONDARY SCHOOL

PORTUGUESE GENERAL

LORELEI KANHAI

QUEEN’S COLLEGE

PORTUGUESE GENERAL

DIANNA PRINCE

ST IGNATIUS SECONDARY SCHOOL

ABRAM’S ZUIL SECONDARY

7TH

PORTUGUESE GENERAL

RICARDO RAM

THE BISHOPS’ HIGH SCHOOL

PORTUGUESE GENERAL

CELINE FARINHA

QUEEN’S COLLEGE

PORTUGUESE GENERAL

NATHAN BRASSE

ST STANISLAUS COLLEGE

PORTUGUESE GENERAL

ILYAAS HAMID

ST STANISLAUS COLLEGE

FOOD, NUTRITION AND HEALTH TECHNICAL

AJAY RAMGOLAM

ST ROSE’S HIGH SCHOOL

RACHEL BACCHUS

PRIVATE CANDIDATE

FAMILY AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT TECHNICAL

SWASTI SAYTOO

ANNA REGINA SECONDARY

FAMILY AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT TECHNICAL

DUVINA SEURATTAN

4 (SHARED WITH CANDIDATES FROM JAMAICA.)

FAMILY AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT TECHNICAL

TABITHA ALVES

4TH

FAMILY AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT TECHNICAL

LEANDRA SUKHNANDAN

ZEEBURG SECONDARY SCHOOL

ABRAM’S ZUIL SECONDARY

SARASWATI VIDYA NIKETAN

1 (SHARED WITH CANDIDATES FROM BARBADOS AND JAMAICA.) ST

AL MADINAH ISLAMIC ACADEMY

FOOD, NUTRITION AND 7TH (SHARED WITH CANDIDATES FROM JAMAICA, HEALTH TECHNICAL GRENADA AND ST. LUCIA.)

MATHEMATICS GENERAL 1ST (SHARED WITH CANDIDATES FROM JAMAICA, ST. LUCIA, AND TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO)

BHEDESH SANJAY PERSAUD

QUEEN’S COLLEGE

1ST

MATHEMATICS GENERAL 6TH (SHARED WITH CANDIDATES FROM ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA AND BARBADOS)

NIRVANA BABOOLALL

SCHOOL

ANNA REGINA SECONDARY SCHOOL FRASER’S EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE

5TH

1ST (SHARED WITH CANDIDATES FROM BARBADOS, CAYMAN ISLANDS, JAMAICA, ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES AND TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO)

SHIVNARINE CHAITRAM

SARASWATI VIDYA NIKETAN

OFFICE ADMINISTRATION GENERAL

ATISHTA SEENARINE

OFFICE ADMINISTRATION GENERAL

CHAITRA SINGH

PHYSICS GENERAL

ANURADHA RAMSAROOP

SARASWATI VIDYA NIKETAN SCHOOL SARASWATI VIDYA NIKETAN SCHOOL

SCHOOL

INSTITUTE

BRICKDAM SECONDARY SCHOOL

PRINCIPLES OF BUSINESS 10TH (SHARED WITH CANDIDATES FROM JAMAICA GENERAL AND TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO)

CHIDIMA ANELE NURSE

MORGAN’S LEARNING CENTRE

PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND SPORT GENERAL

JARED ERIN BOURNE

J.C. CHANDISINGH SECONDARY

PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND SPORT GENERAL

HEMWATTIE HARRYPERSAUD J.C. CHANDISINGH SECONDARY

SCHOOL

ANNA REGINA SECONDARY SCHOOL ABRAM’S ZUIL SECONDARY SCHOOL ABRAM’S ZUIL SECONDARY SCHOOL

FAMILY AND RESOURCE 8TH (SHARED WITH CANDIDATES FROM JAMAICA MANAGEMENT TECHNICAL AND TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO.)

EON FORTUNE

8TH

FAMILY AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT TECHNICAL

BRANDON JOSEPH

FAMILY AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT TECHNICAL

DIVINE ROSS

ABRAM’S ZUIL SECONDARY SCHOOL

8TH (SHARED WITH CANDIDATES FROM JAMAICA.)

INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY ELECTRICAL

REUBEN ALLI

WEST DEMERARA

8TH

INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY ELECTRICAL

KHUSHI DWARKA

INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY BUILDING

ANTHONY SUKRA

FRASER’S EDUCATIONAL

SHANIA SATTAUR

1ST

SCHOOL

PRINCIPLES OF ACCOUNTS 1ST (SHARED WITH A CANDIDATE FROM TRINIDAD GENERAL AND TOBAGO)

1ST

SCHOOL

ZEEBURG SECONDARY SCHOOL

AZEEZAH ALEEM

OFFICE ADMINISTRATION 5TH (SHARED WITH CANDIDATES FROM JAMAICA, GENERAL ST. KITTS AND NEVIS AND TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO)

HAWKER

SCHOOL

NADIYA SUKHDEO

SCHOOL

HUMAN AND SOCIAL BIOLOGY GENERAL

1ST

INTEGRATED SCIENCE GENERAL

MATHEMATICS GENERAL

J.C. CHANDISINGH SECONDARY

CHASE’S ACADEMIC FOUNDATION

GEVESHWAR RAJKISHORE

6TH

SCHOOL

AJAY KISSOON

INTEGRATED SCIENCE GENERAL

10TH

J.C. CHANDISINGH SECONDARY

SECONDARY SCHOOL

SCHOOL AZARRIAH JEFFREY

PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND SPORT GENERAL

3RD (SHARED WITH CANDIDATES FROM JAMAICA.)

6TH (SHARED WITH A INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY CANDIDATE FROM ST. LUCIA.) BUILDING

ABRAM’S ZUIL SECONDARY SCHOOL ABRAM’S ZUIL SECONDARY SCHOOL

SECONDARY SCHOOL WEST DEMERARA SECONDARY SCHOOL NEW AMSTERDAM SECONDARY SCHOOL BHOLANAUTH MANGROO

HOPE SECONDARY SCHOOL

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, May 25 , 2021

sector Jonathan Yearwood leaves ANUG Agriculture lucrative ...

EXECUTIVE Member of A New and United Guyana (ANUG), Jonathan Yearwood, has cut ties with the political party after issues, which he deems critical, were not addressed. In a formal resignation letter to the party, which was seen by this publication, Yearwood, who performed the functions of Finance Secretary of ANUG, said that he has resigned immediately from the party’s Executive Committee for two specific reasons. The first, as said by him, is the alleged reluctance by other members of the party to hold elections for a new Executive Committee. The remaining members of the Executive Committee of ANUG are Chairperson, Timothy Jonas; General Secretary, Ralph Ramkarran, S.C. and Assistant Secretary,

Kian Jabour. Outside of the alleged reluctance to hold fresh elections, Yearwood said the oth-

ANUG Executive, Jonathan Yearwood

er reason for his resignation is the party’s refusal to ask Akanni Blair to step away from the executive body until authorities complete ongoing investigations into a purported fuel racket at Guyana Oil Company Limited (GuyOil).

Blair, a Director of GuyOil, and Company Secretary, Shawn Persaud, were removed from the company on the order of President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, following alleged attempts by officials of GuyOil to improperly engage a fuel supplier and solicit his services. According to reports, the proprietor of Aaron Realty Inc. (ARI), a fuel dealer, had claimed that he is now left with a large quantity of fuel on hand after alleged commitments from senior GuyOil officials that the company would buy it. The dealer had claimed that he has evidence of the commitments by officials of the company to purchase his fuel. Four days after the issue was reported across various sections of the media, alleged recordings and screenshots of

conversations among the fuel dealer and officials of GuyOil surfaced. Blair and Persaud were identified specifically as the officials who, reportedly, not only contacted the proprietor of ARI, but also visited his house and requested his services. President Ali, when asked, during a recent press conference, about Cabinet’s position on this matter, said: “All those who had inappropriate contact [with the fuel dealer] must be removed.” The President later identified Blair and Persaud as the two officials whom he has ordered expelled from GuyOil.

FROM PAGE 2

states, and build capacity to produce a document on food security, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of each member state,” he said, adding: “Once this is finalised, that document will be submitted to the CARICOM Heads of Government for implementation. Different countries have different requirements when it comes to trade. Barbados may have different requirements from Trinidad. There are several barriers in the Caribbean, and more specifically CARICOM. In this task force, we are working to develop common requirements, and

remove some of those barriers. We are also looking to build capacity within CARICOM. For example, if there are Guyanese investors in Barbados, he or she must have the same opportunities as investors who were born in Barbados. We are really working to develop common markets and common investments.” Other areas of interest that were addressed during the discussion are the large-scale cultivation of corn and soya, cattle and the dairy industry, agri-tourism, rice, and sugar.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, May 25 , 2021

Three die in Soesdyke-Linden Highway accident A TRAGIC accident on the Kairuni Public Road, Soesdyke-Linden Highway on Sunday has claimed the lives of three persons, including an eight-yearold child after the driver of a speeding car lost control and crashed into them while they were sitting on a curb. Dead are Antonio Henry, 87; Meliena Emmanuels, 40; and eight-year-old, Akese Jerome, all of Kairuni Village, Soesdyke-Linden Highway. Those injured are Alina Persaud, eight, and 50-yearold, Rodwell Jerome. Persaud was then transferred to the Georgetown Public Hos-

pital where she was placed in the Intensive Care Unit, while Jerome is under observation at the Mackenzie Hospital. The car, a black Toyota 212 with registration PHH 6628 was driven by a fireman identified as Kevin Bizzeth, 39, of Rainbow City, Mackenzie, Linden. Reports indicate that motorcar PHH 6628 was proceeding south along the eastern side of the said road at a fast rate of speed when the driver lost control and collided with the left side curb of the road. The motorcar then slammed into the group of

persons who were sitting on the side of the road on the said curb. The injured were rushed to the hospital by public-spirited citizens. Police said Akese Jerome

was picked up in an unconscious state and placed in a passing vehicle and taken to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre, where she was seen

Dead: Akese Jerome

Dead: Antonio Henry

and examined by a doctor on duty and was pronounced dead on arrival. Antonio Henry and Melina Emmanuels were also picked up in an unconscious state and placed into a passing vehicle and taken to the Mackenzie Public Hospital where they were seen and examined by a doctor on duty who pronounced them dead on arrival. Alena Persaud and Rodwell Jerome were also picked up in an unconscious state and placed in a passing vehicle. They were taken to the Mackenzie Hospital as well, where they were both seen

and examined by a doctor on duty. Alena was then transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital where she was placed in an ICU, while Jerome is presently under observation at the Mackenzie Hospital. A notice of intended prosecution was served on the driver who is in custody. A breathalyzer test was also carried out on the driver but no alcohol was found in his system. However, residents in the area believe that the driver was intoxicated. He is currently in police custody pending charges.

‘Smokey’ found guilty of murder, sentencing set for June 9 ALMOST five years after the execution-style killing of Orin David, Jermaine Jefford, called “Smokey”, was on Monday found guilty of the crime. Jefford, 28, formerly of Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara, was convicted by a 12-member jury. Trial Judge Justice Sandil Kissoon at the Georgetown High Court, further remanded Jefford to prison pending a probation report and sentencing on June 9. Following the announcement of the verdict, Jefford, who appeared virtually from the Lusignan Prison, was left in a state of shock, and shook his head in disagreement. Attorneys-at-law Stanley Moore, S.C. represented Jefford, while the state was represented by prosecutor Lisa Cave. Jefford was on trial with former co-accused Howard Rambarose called “Spleen” for the August 1, 2016, murder of

CONVICTED: Jermaine Jefford, called “Smokey”

DEAD: Orin David

David, who was killed outside of his Laing Avenue, West Ruimveldt home. On May 21, 2021, Rambarose was acquitted after Justice Kissoon upheld a no-case submission made by his attorney George Thomas. According to reports on August 1, 2016, David, a taxi driver, was gunned down in front of his Laing Avenue, Georgetown home, in the presence of his reputed wife and other relatives. The 33-year-old was pronounced dead at the Georgetown Public Hospital, shortly after one of five men came out of a car and pumped several bullets into him. According to reports, minutes before his death, David was involved in an argument with a man over money. The man went away, but later returned with four other men in two vehicles and executed David.

Samuel Hinds is ‘the man for the job’ ― will make an excellent ambassador to the U.S., says Prime Minister Phillips

PRIME Minister, Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips has said that former Prime Minister and President of Guyana, Samuel Hinds, will make an excellent Ambassador to the United States of America. Hinds on Monday paid a courtesy visit to the Prime Minister at his office on Camp Street. Prime Minister Phillips congratulated Hinds on his appointment during their discussions. He later said that the former Prime Minister has a wealth of knowledge and experience which are major assets going into his new role. “Samuel Hinds is the man for the job… I know that coming from his years of experience and knowledge of governance in Guyana, he is well-positioned to guide Guyana’s interaction with the United States of America.” The sitting Prime Minister underscored the need to have someone with such experience in the position, since the United States is a major develop-

ment partner. “As you know, the United States of America is one of the main development partners for Guyana, especially at a time now where we have a new investment from Exxon in Guyana and other forms of investment coming to Guyana as a result of the country now becoming an oil and gas producing state.” Former Prime Minister Hinds in the coming weeks will be meeting with several ministers of the government

to get a better understanding of the administration’s agenda, so that he can efficiently function in his new role. “I’ll be meeting with other ministers over the next two weeks to establish contacts and to learn of what interests they might have in my job coming up,” he said. Hinds said that upon assuming office among his priorities will be to build a stronger relationship with the Guyanese diaspora in the USA. (DPI)

Former Prime Minister Samuel Hinds with current Prime Minister Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips

guyana CHRONICLE Tuesday, May 25, 2021

Government to provide extended assistance to flood-affected Region Nine farmers – Prime Minister

PRIME Minister Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips has said that the government will be providing extended assistance to farmers of Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo, Region Nine, who continue to lose their crops as a result of flooding during the May/ June rainy season. “We see ourselves working with the communities for an extended period… the Ministry of Agriculture will be putting together a package to help those communities get back on their feet as soon as the rainy season ends. The issue of relocation of farmlands and assisting through agricultural extension programmes to get the communities back into their normal agricultural activities will be addressed.” The Prime Minister noted that the government at this point is addressing immediate concerns, which is to bring relief to flood-affected residents by supporting them with food and sanitation supplies. He commended the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) and the regional administration for their swift response, while indicating that the government will continue to monitor the

situation closely. “We will continue to monitor through the CDC and continue to offer all our support to the affected communities. I’m satisfied with the work done so far and I’m happy that our agencies, both at the regional level and at the central government level, particularly the Civil Defence Commission, were able to quickly respond and offer the required and expected emergency support to the communities that were impacted by the flood,” the Prime Minister said. The Prime Minister, who led a delegation of senior government officials to the region on Saturday, flew over several communities to assess the damage himself. He also visited Gunns Strip and Sand Creek, where he distributed relief supplies and interacted with residents. The delegation included Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai; Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar; Member of Parliament and Adviser to the Minister of Health, Dr Bheri Ramsaran and Director-General of the Ministry of Agriculture, Madanlall Ramraj.

Prime Minister Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips takes a first-hand look at the flooded areas in Region Nine

In Lethem, the team was divided to cover as many areas as possible. Minister Indar visited several communities in and around Lethem, while Minister Sukhai reached as far as Potaro-Siparuni, Region Eight. Director-General of the CDC, Lieutenant-Colonel Kester Craig and Regional Chairman Bryan Allicock were already on location when the high-level team arrived. Allicock, who accompa-

nied the Prime Minister, said he was pleased with the government’s response to the disaster. “This is the time we have to reach out to our people and we are seeing that our ministers are out in the different distressed areas, so we are thankful for that and the intervention by the CDC; they are spearheading the response and we are pleased with what we see.” Lieutenant-Colonel Craig said in addition to 2,000 food hampers, the commission is also in possession of 1000 sanitation hampers for distribution. He added that the CDC has also set up two temporary shelters for males and females. The shelters are in addition to those already set up by the regional administration. (DPI)

guyana CHRONICLE Tuesday, May 25, 2021

Couple discovers car missing -- finds stolen vehicle in front of their home

A YOUNG couple of Friendship Village, East Berbice, Corentyne could not believe their eyes when they came out of their house at 05:30hrs on Monday morning and saw an empty space where their car is usually parked. Avinash and Shelly Ramlakhan got up, as they would normally do on weekdays to prepare for a day’s work, and not only discovered that their vehicle, a Black Toyota IST bearing registration number PRR 9094, was missing, but

that a strange white one was parked in front of their residence. According to the Ramlakhans, they’d returned home on Sunday night at around 21:00hrs and parked the car under the house, as they would normally do. However, this time around, they forgot to lock the car, and unwittingly forget the keys inside it too, but thought nothing of it, since they knew that the yard was well secured. A review of available

CCTV footage showed the Ramlakans’ car heading east at around 00:42hrs, and pulling up at 01:55hrs at the Number 71 gas station, which was closed at the time. The CCTV footage seen by this publication showed the male driver exiting the vehicle and looking around the gas station. The man was clad in a pair of short pants and a T-shirt, and had on a cap and face mask. Meanwhile, the white Toyota 212 Carina bearing registration # HB 8907 that was parked outside the Ramlakhans’

residence, was reported stolen between 21:00hrs and 06:00hrs on May 22 and 23, at Mount Sinai in New Amsterdam. Scattered on the front passenger seat of the said vehicle were found important documents, including a driver’s licence, belonging to the owner, one M. Sugrim. Another driver’s licence was also seen in the back seat of the car, as well as several lights that were in a bag that was taken from a trampoline in the Ramlakhans’ yard. The couple is seeking the public’s help in locating their

The area where the Toyota IST was parked at the Ramlakhans’ residence

vehicle that bears the name “Chocolate City” on the front windshield. It was recently sprayed, and is valued at

$1.8M. Anyone with any information is asked to contact the nearest police station, or 612-9819.

Ruling in police promotion challenge set for June 18 COME June 18, 2021, Chief Justice (ag), Roxane George is expected to deliver her ruling in the challenge brought by five senior police officers against the Police Service Commission (PSC) over the 2020 year-end police promotions. Initially, the Chief Justice had set May 24, 2021, as the date for her ruling in the case. However, due to the late submission by attorney Pratesh Satram, who is representing Senior Superintendent Calvin Brutus, the ruling was shifted to June 18. Satram failed to comply with the CJ’s order to file his submissions on or before April 29, 2021, which would

The CJ granted the respondents leave to reply on or before May 31. The matter comes up again on June 18 for ruling and/or clarification. In December 2020, Brutus, Superintendents Ravindra Stanley and Shivpersaud Manni Bacchus; Assistant Superintendent Shavon Jupiter; and Inspector Prem Narine moved to the court against the PSC. Police officers Dennis Stephen, Hugh Winter, Monica Washington, Edmond Cooper, Kurleigh Simon Stanton, and Phillip Azore were admitted as interested parties in the case by the Chief Justice. The CJ had granted a

Police Service Commission (PSC) Chairman, retired Assistant Commissioner of Police, Paul Slowe

have given the responding parties enough time to file their submissions in reply before the May 24 date for ruling. During the hearing held on Monday via Zoom at the Demerara High Court, the Chief Justice scolded Satram for his late submission in the case but accepted his apology.

temporary order stopping the PSC from making its annual promotion of senior police officers for 2020. On January 12, 2020, during a hearing in the case, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, S.C., had disclosed that based on preliminary discussions with Chairman of the PSC, retired Assistant

Attorney-General Anil Nandlall, S.C

Commissioner Paul Slowe, the parties were on a “path to resolution.” However, this proved futile since both sides failed to reach an amicable solution which resulted in the High Court going ahead with the hearing of the matter. Brutus in his legal documents claims that he was bypassed for a promotion due to an ongoing investigation. Brutus believes the action by the commission was irrational, unreasonable, arbitrary, and unlawful. The senior cop is asking the court to grant a declaration that the policy of the PSC not to promote or consider for promotion, officers with pending disciplinary matters before it, is unlawful. He is also asking for a declaration that he is entitled to be promoted to the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police. Further, he is seeking an Order of Certiorari quashing, nullifying and/or cancelling the decision of

the PSC to deny him the appointment to the office of Assistant Commissioner of Police. He is also praying for an Order of Certiorari quashing, nullifying and/or cancelling the decision of the PSC to promote Cooper, Philip and Kurleigh Simon, who are all Senior Superintendents of Police, to the office of Assistant Commissioner of Police. Lastly, he is asking the court to grant an Order of Mandamus compelling the commission to reconsider its decision not to promote him in accordance with law and his legitimate expectation. Five officers – Brutus, Wendell Blanhum, Ravindranauth Budhram, Errol Watts and Fazil Karimbaksh have been recommended for promotion by the Commissioner of Police. However, the PSC had decided to promote Blanhum, Budhram, Watts, Cooper, Azore and Simon to the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police. “It has been the prac-

Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George

Senior Superintendent of Police Calvin Brutus

tice of the commission not to promote police officers with pending disciplinary complaints, regardless of the nature or seriousness of such complaints. Trivial and unsubstantiated complaints have been accorded the same weight as grave or serious allegations of indiscipline in denying promotion to those against whom disciplinary complaints have been lodged with the commission,” Brutus’ court documents stated. Brutus was appointed to the rank of Senior Superintendent of Police in 2015. In October 2019, it was alleged by the Deputy Commissioner – Administration, that Brutus committed a breach of discipline. The commission appointed Assistant Commissioner, Royston Andires-Junor, to investigate that allegation. A breach-of-discipline notice was not served on Brutus until October 2020. The investigation has not progressed beyond the is-

suance of the breach-of-discipline notice. In keeping with its practice, the commission purportedly refused and/or failed to consider and/or denied Brutus for promotion to the office of Assistant Commissioner of Police, relying on the said allegation of indiscipline. “The allegation is frivolous. The applicant knows of no other reason why he was denied the promotion he was recommended for,” the document stated. According to the court documents, Cooper, Azore and Simon, who are being promoted outside of the recommendation of the Commissioner of Police, are under investigation for alleged disciplinary and/or criminal offences. The said officers were promoted to the rank of Senior Superintendent in the years 2016, 2017 and 2017 respectively, and were therefore junior to Brutus.

guyana CHRONICLE Tuesday, May 25, 2021

GPL’s 46.5-megawatt power generation plant to be ready by mid-August -- government will not sacrifice efficiency for expediency, says Prime Minister

PRIME Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, o n M o n d a y, c o n d u c t e d an on-site inspection of the 46.5-megawatt power generation plant being constructed by Wärtsilä, at the Guyana Power and

Light (GPL), Garden of Eden Power Station. It is expected that the plant will begin its testing phase in early June and will become fully operational a few months after. The Prime Minister

said that although there was extensive work done since his last visit in October 2020, the government understands that the project’s original projected date for completion would not be met. He pointed out that the main objective is to give

Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips (second left) inspecting the power station

Guyanese a quality product and indicated that efficiency will not be sacrificed for expediency. “We have to work with the contractor to ensure that what is delivered here to the people of Guyana is in keeping with the same high standard, quality and reputation that Wärtsilä has internationally… A lot of work has been done, but the work has been affected negatively by COVID-19 and the weather conditions.” As a result, the project, which was scheduled to be completed by the end of June, will now be finished in August. The Prime Minister had said that the project was a part of the government’s plan for reliable electricity and will greatly enhance the consistency of electric power in the Demerara – Berbice Interconnected System. Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar, who accompanied the Prime

The Guyana Power and Light (GPL) Garden of Eden Power Station

Minister, said that the new power generation facility is the biggest project in terms of single location generating capacity. “There are two parts of the project which will cause the extra delay, which are the transformers and the fuel tank; we have an alternative arrangement for fuel, because we have an existing facility

here, but the plant itself will be testing during June and July… we want to make sure that when the project comes fully on stream there will be no issues, because it’s the biggest project in terms of single location generating capacity,” said Minister Indar. Also present was Chief Executive Officer of GPL, Bharat Dindyal. (DPI)

and a driver of growth. As compared to 2019, agrifood exports from Latin America and the Caribbean grew by 2.7 per cent in 2020, while total exports fell by more than nine per cent. Additionally, a food offering was generated with the capacity to feed the one billion inhabitants of the Americas.” The Director-General of IICA stated that the countries of the Americas fully support the Food Systems Summit 2021 convened by the Secretary-General of the United Nations in search of more sustainable models, but advised that the voice of agriculture in the hemisphere would be heard at the global event. “The vision proposed by some sectors — and that we do not share — is one of a failed system in which we would practically have to start from zero. Rather, what we perceive from the Americas is that the hemisphere’s agrifood systems are undergoing a deep transition in search of environmental, social, and economic stability.” Otero maintained that over the last 30 years, the Region’s agrifood systems have been able to significantly increase the levels of agricultural productivity and today are a driver of economic growth, job creation, and income. “I stress the importance of trade — a topic that has not been sufficiently discussed in anticipation of the summit,” he added. Ana María Ibáñez referred

to the importance of increasing the Region’s resilience to unforeseen events. “We need to work on the anticipation, prevention and absorption, not only of future pandemics, but also of other high-impact scenarios such as climate change,” she warned. The IDB economist pointed out that climate change could intensify migration as the environment deteriorates and poverty increases, and urged for work to focus on “increasing the resilience of producers to guarantee a stable income through the adoption of technologies that increase productivity and access to markets”. In turn, Vélez believes the most dramatic effects of the pandemic in Latin America and the Caribbean will only be seen next year, due to the decline in the population’s income. “Until now, the impact of the pandemic on food production in the Region hasn’t existed or has even been positive. This was due to the circumstances and conditions, given that supplying food was a priority regardless of the restrictions on circulation.” “But we risk a drop in the demand for food and rising prices if the situation continues. In Colombia, we’ve seen a 12.5 per cent decrease in the demand for rice. The demand for food is slowing and we need to think about how to sustain consumption,” he concluded. (IICA)

Pandemic exposes importance of agri-food systems -- and lessons learned must be heeded

THE lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic must be heeded in order to increase the resilience of food-system actors, promote the expansion and flexibility of social protection policies, and improve access to infrastructure and markets, concluded a report of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) on global food policy from the perspective of Latin America and the Caribbean. The report was presented during a virtual event with the participation of Eugenio Díaz Bonilla, Head of the Latin America and Caribbean Programme at IFPRI, and Valeria Piñeiro, Senior Research Coordinator. Additional panelists included Víctor Villalobos, Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development of Mexico; Alejandro Vélez, Vice-President of the Colombian Agriculture Association; Ana María Ibáñez, Principal Adviser, Vice-presidency of Sectors and Knowledge of the Inter-American Development Bank; and Manuel Otero, Director-General of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA). The IFPRI is an international agricultural research centre based in Washington D.C. It specialises in food policy, promotes the adoption of agricultural technologies and rural welfare, and seeks sustainable

The lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic must be heeded in order to increase the resilience of foodsystem actors, a report from the International Food Policy Research Institute has found

solutions to hunger and poverty. “This is an annual report by IFPRI and this year, we focused on the effect of the pandemic and government responses. COVID-19 has hit Latin America and the Caribbean harder than the rest of the world, both in terms of health and the economy. One lesson learned is the importance of the relationship between health, food systems, and economic objectives,” stated Valeria Piñeiro. The researcher claimed that even before the pandemic, global food systems faced serious challenges to ensure access to healthy, nutritious foods for the population as a whole. WEAKNESSES AND IN-

EQUALITIES “Two things are true: the pandemic has exposed the weaknesses and inequalities of food systems even more, and some systems have been more resilient than others, due to their structure and governance.” Díaz Bonilla revealed that the Region has been in trouble for decades and that historically, it has been affected by the economic cycles of raw materials. “It’s logical that Latin America would be more affected by the pandemic than other parts of the world, given its high level of urbanisation, which produces more direct contact among the population, and informal labour, which forces many people to keep

working despite the restrictions.” Díaz Bonilla encouraged the countries to work together to transform the agri-food sector and warned that the results would have global implications, given the importance of the Region as a global supplier of food and environmental services. “Latin America is not a fictitious entity. We need to work together as a Region,” he said. F o r Vi l l a l o b o s , t h e COVID-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented impact and the scope of its repercussions have yet to be seen. “Thanks to the farmers and producers, food is guaranteed. They are the heroes of this pandemic,” expressed the Mexican Secretary of Agriculture. He maintained that the countries should work to produce healthier, more nutritious foods without expanding the boundaries of agriculture and by rationing natural resources, especially water and soil. “There is an urgent need to increase agricultural productivity by land unit,” he emphasised. For his part, Manuel Otero stressed that the setback to the different economies in Latin America and the Caribbean is equivalent to a lost decade and that all the indicators of poverty, unemployment, and food security have been impacted.

CUSHION AND DRIVER “Within this context of deep crisis and recession, agriculture has acted as a cushion

guyana CHRONICLE Tuesday, May 25, 2021

Strengthening health and agri-food systems must go hand in hand -- FAO Director-General joins G20 leaders in calls to scale up COVID-19 response

HEALTH and agri-food systems must be strengthened and improved to counter the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and to avoid a global food crisis, said Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), QU Dongyu. "Beyond jeopardising human health, the pandemic is also disrupting our agrifood systems that are the core to our health and life," the FAO Director-General told world leaders at the virtual Global Health Summit of the G20. "We need to take immediate action to avoid a global food crisis with longterm impacts." The summit was co-hosted by the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, and Italian Prime Minister, Mario Draghi, as Italy holds the current chair of the G20. In addition, the

leaders of the G20 countries, heads of international and regional organisations, private enterprise and global health bodies were invited to share lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. The summit endorsed the ‘Rome Declaration' calling for urgent action to scale up equitable vaccine distribution and access for the world's poorest and most vulnerable. "The pandemic will only be over once everyone is safe," stressed the FAO Director-General. "Sharing lessons learned, strengthening multilateral cooperation and developing joint actions, such as adopting the Rome Declaration, will pave the way to this common goal." Qu said that efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have been critically compromised by the pandemic, noting that about 150 million

Global Health Summit of the G20

people are currently projected to fall into extreme poverty and food insecurity. He highlighted FAO's action through its flagship Hand-in-Hand Initiative, which focusses on vulnerable countries (SIDS, LDCs and LLDCs), and drew attention to the organisation's COVID-19 Response and Recovery Programme, which FAO established to

address the pandemic's socio-economic impacts. Italy's Draghi said the pandemic showed no sign of abating and noted that only 0.3 per cent of the world's 1.5 billion vaccine doses had been administered in low-income countries. The Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, expressed concern about a "two-speed response" to the pandemic, noting the inequality of vaccine distribution and recent COVID-19 surges in India, South America and other regions.

"Vaccinating quickly and thoroughly around the world, together with continued public health measures, are the only way to end the pandemic and prevent more dangerous variants from gaining a foothold," Guterres said. The Director-General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, also noted the inequities of the current vaccine rollout and warned the summit that COVID-19 would not be the last pandemic. He said that bold leadership and commitments are needed to ensure a safer future for everyone on the planet. Underscoring the importance of collaboration, the FAO Director-General pointed to the newly created One Health High-Level Expert Panel, launched earlier in the week. "The Tripartite of FAO, WHO and OIE, together with UNEP, IAEA, World Bank Group and others, join the G20 and other members in the different initiatives to enhance the One Health approach. Global promotion

through the Global Action Plan on One Health and its High-Level Expert Panel are important steps," he said. The One Health Approach recognises the links between the health of people, animals, and the environment and highlights the need for specialists in multiple sectors to address any health threats and prevent disruption to agri-food systems. "Global health security and food security must be for all-- with no one left behind," the Director-General said. The Rome Declaration highlighted the importance of investing in early warning information, surveillance and trigger systems, in line with the One Health Approach, as well as in research and innovation. It also underlined the urgent need to scale up efforts, supporting synergies between the public and private sectors, to ensure timely, global and equitable access to safe and affordable COVID-19 vaccines and other tools. (FAO)

Bethany on lockdown following 17

guyana CHRONICLE Tuesday, May 25, 2021

rise in COVID-19 cases By Indrawattie Natram

BETHANY, an Amerindian community in Region Two, has gone into full lockdown for two weeks following a worrying increase in the number of COVID-19 cases, its toshao, Sonia Latchman said on Monday. Toshao Latchman, during an interview with members of the media, said the decision to impose the lockdown with immediate effect was made after consultations with members of the village council and the regional taskforce. She said that positive patients will not be allowed to leave the village before the 14-day lockdown period has ended. She said if the cases continue to rise, then she will have no choice but to consider extending the lockdown. The toshao, who was recently re-elected to serve on the Bethany Village Council, explained to the media that out of 47 residents tested on Saturday for the deadly virus,

Toshao Sonia Latchman

24 are positive. She said the village council subsequently decided that a lockdown was necessary as a measure to help reduce the number of positive

cases. She said too that she had spoken to the Regional Health Officer (RHO), Dr. Ranjeev Singh, who will be sending a team to test more persons in the village. “Bethany has 480 residents and only 47 persons were tested, and many persons are showing symptoms of the virus. As toshao, I want my village to be safe,” she emphasised. The toshao used the opportunity to call on residents to adhere to all the COVID-19 guidelines and to remain indoors if they are supposed to be in Isolation. When asked if villagers would have sufficient groceries in their homes to cater for the lockdown, Latchman said her village council had discussion on this issue and plans will be made to assist residents, particularly those who have tested positive. The toshao assured that the village council will continue to monitor the situation.

$111M set aside for internal roads in Matarkai

SOME $111 million has been budgeted to build internal concrete roads in the Matarkai sub-district, Barima-Waini (Region One) this year. Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall, made this disclosure during a meeting at the Port Kaituma Secondary School on Sunday. “We are extending from the waterfront to the Oronoque junction this year and then we will be spending an additional $20 million from the Oronoque junction to the Two-Mile community.” The minister said while other key areas in the sub-region need to be addressed, the PPP/C Government believes it is important to build roads to ensure safer travel for commuters. “This area has been transforming and it adds value to the lifestyle and livelihood of people within the community,” he added. Aside from that, Minister Dharamlall assured One-Mile residents

Local Government and Regional Development Minister, Nigel Dharamlall, addressing Region One residents

that the Port Kaituma/Matthews Ridge/Arakaka Neighbourhood Democratic Council would benefit from other investments. He said 25 street lights would be installed in One-Mile to enhance security. The minister also pledged to employ six more Community Enhancement Workers (CEWs) to assist in preserving and enhancing their community’s aesthetics. “I am employing more CEWs workers to help in the clean-up of

A section of the gathering in Region One

this community since I am dissatisfied with the current state of the community’s environment. We need to have pride for our environment and with the country’s upcoming Independence Day, I expect this community to look great,” he said. The new staff will boost the ongoing works being undertaken by four CEWS currently employed. It would also complement the clean-up efforts launched by the regional administration to encourage residents to enhance their surroundings. Several residents lauded the minister for the interventions. Meanwhile, $14 million in renovations would soon be conducted on the Sebai Primary School to accommodate its growing population. These works are expected to start soon and to be completed in time for the September reopening of schools. Of the 202 children enrolled, about 18 of them are preparing for the National Grade Six Assessment examination. Meanwhile, Regional Chairman, Brentnol Ashley, said the infrastructural works are testimony to the government’s commitment to provide a conducive learning environment for its future leaders. He also said the interventions are all in keeping with the administration’s plans to enhance the lives of the population. (DPI)

The boat landing at Bethany

guyana CHRONICLE Tuesday, May 25, 2021

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, May 25, 2021

Sir Jackie Stewart leads tributes to Max Mosley following his death at age 81 SIR Jackie Stewart praised Max Mosley’s contribution to motor sport after his death at the age of 81. Mosley served as the president of motor sports’ world governing body from 1993 to 2009, overseeing safety reforms in Formula One in the wake of Ayrton Senna’s death at the San Marino Grand Prix in 1994. He spent his latter years campaigning for tougher press regulation, after his own successful legal battle against the News of the World in 2008 after it claimed a sadomasochistic sex session was related to Nazism. Three-time F1 champion Stewart told the PA news agency: “He was a remarkable man in many ways and a really well-educated man. “He was controversial, there is no doubt, but he did things in motor sport that we should all be grateful for.” Stewart said his son Paul had been in recent contact with Mosley, who had been suffering with cancer. “He had been challenged by cancer for some considerable time, but he had been communicating. “My son, Paul, wrote

to him on Sunday because they had been in touch, so it seems to me that it happened quite quickly.” Stewart said Mosley and former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone had been like conjoined twins and the 90-year-old paid his own tribute to Mosley. “Max was like family to me,” Ecclestone said. “We were like brothers. I am pleased in a way because he suffered for too long.” Mosley, who was born in London on April 13, 1940, was the son of 1930s British fascist leader Sir Oswald Mosley. In 2008 he won a privacy case against the News of the World newspaper after it printed photographs and published video of his involvement in a sadomasochistic sex session. It was reported by the newspaper as a “sick Nazi orgy”, but Justice Eady found no evidence of Nazi themes in his judgement. He also said there was no public interest defence in the clandestine recording of the session. Mosley experienced a family tragedy in 2009 when his son Alexander died at the age of 39. The

Max Mosley served three terms as president of the FIA from 1993 to 2009

coroner ruled Alexander’s death was due to non-dependent drug abuse. Mosley senior studied at Oxford University, where he read physics, but later trained as a lawyer and became a barrister whose specialism was patent and trademark law. His love of motor racing began in his youth and he was involved in Formula 2 for Brabham and Lotus before retiring in 1969. He founded a car manufacturing company, March Engineering, and oversaw its legal and commercial affairs from 1969 to 1977.

He became the official legal advisor to the Formula One Constructors’ Association (FOCA) in the mid-70s, and helped draw up a peace agreement between it and FISA, F1’s governing body at the time. He became FISA president in 1991 and two years later took over unopposed at the FIA. He oversaw the safety reforms in the sport which followed the death of Ayrton Senna at the San Marino Grand Prix in 1994. Jean Todt replaced him as FIA president in 2009. The Williams Racing team were one of the first to pay tribute, tweeting from their official account: “We are saddened to learn of the passing of former FIA president, Max Mosley. “Our condolences go out to his family and friends at this difficult time.” Mosley’s life is to be the subject of a new documentary which will be released in July, titled ‘Mosley: It’s Complicated’. Todt noted in the film: “Max Mosley was a forerunner in making motor racing a laboratory for road safety and the environment.”(PA Sport)

Grizzlies make winning play-off start while LA Lakers lose THE Memphis Grizzlies shocked the Utah Jazz in their opening NBA Western Conference play-off game while reigning champions Los Angeles Lakers also lost. Dillon Brooks and Ja Morant combined for 57 points as the eighth-seeded Grizzlies shocked the top-seeded Jazz 112-109 in Salt Lake City. Devin Booker hit 34 points on his play-off debut as the Phoenix Suns beat the Lakers 99-90. It was the first post-season game since 2010 for the second-seeded Suns. They achieved the win despite the experienced Chris Paul being hampered by a shoulder injury, with Deandre Ayton adding 21 points and 16 rebounds, while Mikal Bridges and Cameron John-

son added 10 points apiece. A physical encounter saw the Suns' Cameron Payne ejected in the fourth quarter after a shoving match which saw players and backroom staff stream on to the court as tempers flared. The Lakers, meanwhile, struggled to hit their stride throughout, with LeBron James finishing with 18 points and Anthony Davis with 13. But the Grizzlies, who beat the Golden State Warriors in overtime in the playin tournament to reach the play-offs for the first time in four seasons, maintained their momentum against the Jazz. Brooks top-scored for his team on 31 points with Morant adding 26. "They had a couple of guys that couldn't guard me," said Brooks.

Guard Mike Conley finished with 22 points and 11 assists, and forward Bojan Bogdanovic scored 29 points for the Jazz, who were missing all-star Donovan Mitchell for the 17th straight game. In the Eastern Conference, the top-seeded Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Washington Wizards 125-118 in game one of their series, with Tobias Harris scoring 37 points. And Trae Young scored with 0.9 seconds left to give the visiting Atlanta Hawks a 107-105 success over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. "It's fun. In the Mecca, New York City, Times Square," said Young. "It is about letting the game come to me and reading the game as it goes." (BBC Sport).

Fifty and Fabulous: Mickelson defies age to... (From back page) elson, who also won the tournament in 2005, later acknowledged he had been a little unnerved by the experience, while fellow competitor Brooks Koepka said he was "dinged" by spectators in the crush. Security officials had to create a narrow path for Mickelson to navigate his way to the green, where he two-putted from 16 feet to seal the win. 'QUIET THINGS DOWN' Mickelson, who will get the chance to complete the career Grand Slam of all four modern majors at the U.S. Open next month, said his triumph had yet to sink in. "It's been an incredible day, and I've not let myself kind of think about the results until now, now that it's over," Mickelson said after finishing at six-under 282. "I've tried to stay more in the present and at the shot at hand and not jump ahead and race. I've tried to shut my mind to a lot of stuff going around. I wasn't watching TV. I wasn't getting on my phone. I was just trying to quiet things down." Mickelson led by five shots with six holes to play, though the advantage was cut to two after bogeys at the 13th and 14th and a birdie at the 16th by Oosthuizen, who was playing in the penultimate pairing.

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With victory in sight, an undeterred Mickelson showed great resolve and even flashed a thumbs-up to the crowd as he went on to reclaim a three-shot cushion with a birdie at the 16th before a bogey-par finish. Mickelson was under no illusions that at this point in his career, when most players are long since done and dusted at the top level, wins are incredibly difficult to come by. "It's very possible that this is the last tournament I ever win, if I'm being realistic," he said. "But it's also very possible that I may have had a little bit of a breakthrough in some of my focus and maybe I go on a little bit of a run." Mickelson's great rival Tiger Woods, who is home recovering from serious leg injuries suffered in a February car crash, was quick to congratulate him. "Truly inspirational to see @PhilMickelson do it again at 50 years of age. Congrats!!!!!!!," the 15-times major champion tweeted. Oosthuizen (73) and Koepka (74) finished in a share of second place while European Ryder Cup captain Padraig Harrington (69), Ireland's Shane Lowry (69), Englishman Paul Casey (71) and Harry Higgs (70) were a further two shots back in fourth place.

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Singh blasts half-century to lead MMZ CC to victory in Caribbean Fest FORMER National cricketer, Gajanand Singh, struck an unbeaten half-century to lead the Meten-Meer-Zorg NY Cricket Club to an eight-wicket win against Everest/ACS, when action in the Caribbean Fest 40over tournament continued on Sunday in the US. Everest won the toss and opted to bat first at Lido Beach, but only a few of their batsmen clicked. Opener Freddy Pestano struck 50 from 51 balls, while Deveshwari Prashad hit 46 from 34 balls and skipper Amarnauth Persaud 31 from 44 balls. Five batsmen, including most of the middle order, failed to score, which resulted in the team succumbing to 187 in 34.2 overs. The left-handed Singh was able to pick up a wicket in his second over, while MMZ’s skipper, Andy Mohamed, finished with 4-47 from his eight overs. In reply, the 33-year-old Singh opened the batting for his club and made light work of the target. He struck 87 runs from 92 balls to lead his side to victory. During his innings, he scored 10 boundaries. Navin Stewart, who batted well with Singh, added an unbeaten 41 (3X4s, 3X6s) to help MMZ overhaul the needed runs in 30.5 overs. Off-spinner Kheshram Seyhodan claimed the two wickets for Everest/ACS.

Gajanand Singh struck an unbeaten 87 runs

Richmond Hill Liberty’s four-wicket win In another fixture of the same competition, with a number of Guyanese-born cricketers, Richmond Hill Liberty registered a four-wicket win against Phoenix Cricket Club at the Baisley Ground. Phoenix CC won the toss and opted to bat first. A few of their middle-order batsmen had starts, but none got the big scores. Daniel Mangru scored 36 from 23 balls, while Tejpaul Bishundat added a watchful 31 (74 balls). Sharma Sukhdeo almost went a run-a-ball when he scored 24 from 25 balls.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Tuesday May 25, 2021)

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By the end of the 40 overs, Phoenix CC had scored 193-8. Former Berbice all-rounder, Terrence Madramootoo led Richmond Hill’s bowling attack with 3-46 from his eight overs, while Leon Mohabir and Raymond Ramrattan supported with two wickets each. Dino Choo-wee-nam, who has been explosive so far in the league, had an off-day with the bat during Richmond Hill's turn in the middle. The former DCC cricketer just scored 12 runs; even skipper Trevor Henry, a former national U-19 cricketer, found batting difficult, as he settled for seven runs. It was, however, an unbeaten half-century from lower-order batsman Altaaf Habibulla (57 from 38 balls 5X4s, with 3X6s) and support from Ramrattan (41 from 29 balls with 5X4s, 1X6), Naresh Rambharos (35 runs from 18 balls with 5X4s, 1X6) and Madramootoo (24 runs from 12 balls (1X4, 3X6s) that propelled the side to 196-6 from 22.2 overs. Rameez Mohamed finished with 3-47 for Phoenix CC.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, May 25, 2021

Sammy feels players are now more comfortable touring Pakistan FORMER West Indies Pakistan. The former West I were having a conversation allrounder Darren Sammy Indies captain also stated, and I think Javed asked what was one of several players how players feel confident is difference is between now who backed the resump- of coming to Pakistan due and five years ago. I think tion of cricket in Pakistan to good security measures the major difference coming when a lot of teams were in place. to Pakistan now, four years afraid to travel after a fa“I am not sure (West ago players would be calling tal bomb attack that took Indies will visit Pakistan me and go ’Darren, I am place in Lahore in the year next), I have not checked going over there (Pakistan), 2009. Since do you think then, Pakiwe should go?’ stan played When West all its matchIndies coming es in the UAE the captain before Pakihad to call me stan Super and go, ‘Man League (PSL) should I go was staged on this tour?’ successfully Now players in Pakistan are asking to bring hapwhere they piness among can play golf the crowd. and questions In 2018 like can we go and 2019, only to dinner in a few games Former West Indies allrounder Darren Sammy these or those were held in places. The Pakistan to see if it was in- the calendar. But I think we quote-unquote threat of sedeed safe for foreign players were about to a year before curity, that is slowly diminto come and play. Few of last year. I think now the ishing from people’s minds them turned their heads but teams are coming. I remem- and I think that is what we Sammy was among the very ber us taking a small step in want,” he concluded. few of the foreign players to the PSL two and getting to PSL six was slated to travel to Pakistan. the finals in Lahore. I think resume in Pakistan but Speaking with The Cur- that was a small step in the due to the second wave of rent on the same, Sammy right direction,” Sammy the COVID-19 pandemic, revealed how PSL has once said. it is now set to be played in again revived cricket in “Now Hashim Amla and Abu Dhabi. (CricTracker)

Gavaskar, Karthik only Indians in WTC final commentary panel FANS of Test cricket must already have marked their calendars as India and New Zealand will cross swords in the ICC World Test Championship final. The Ageas Bowl in Southampton will host the much-awaited clash, which gets underway on June 18. India have been brilliant in red-ball cricket lately and will be determined to emerge victorious. While Virat Kohli’s men would be raring to shine on the field, Sunil Gavaskar and Dinesh Karthik will serve with the microphone in hand. The two Indian cricket stars have been reportedly roped in as commentators for the crucial game. Notably, the International Cricket Council (ICC) is scrambling for commentators for the WTC final. Due to the stringent protocols and 10-day quarantine period

for overseas professionals, many Indian and New Zealand cricket experts have refused to commentate on the WTC final. As per a report in Cricbuzz, veteran wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik and batting legend Sunil Gavaskar are the only Indians ready to join the onground panel for the summit clash. They will be accompanied by New Zealand’s Simon Doull and two neutral commentators in England’s Mike Atherton and Nasser Hussain. While Gavaskar has given his voice in numerous games, Dinesh Karthik is still an active cricketer and is taking new steps in the commentary arena. The 35-year-old is also set to commentate in The Hundred which will take place in July and August in England. This also means Karthik

will not be a part of India’s white-ball team travelling Sri Lanka in July for three ODIs and as many T20Is. Notably, Karthik was part of the Test squad when India last visited England in 2018. However, the wicket-keeper was replaced by Rishabh Pant after a couple of games and since then hasn’t played red-ball cricket in national colours. Meanwhile, Team India, which is currently serving isolation in Mumbai, will fly to England on June 2 and will further undergo a 14-day quarantine period. Hence, they won’t get must time for preparation. On the other hand, New Zealand will meet hosts England in two Tests prior to the WTC final and will have momentum heading into the ultimate clash. (CricTracker)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, May 25, 2021

GCB president given Dolphin Award of Excellence by RHTY&SC GUYANA Cricket Board (GCB) president Bisssoondyal Singh recently became the 67th Guyanese to receive the prestigious Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club's (RHTY&SC) Dolphin Award of Excellence. Regarded as the club's highest award, RHTY&SC secretary Hilbert Foster handed over the award to Singh, in recognition of his leadership in restoring order to Guyana’s cricket, his role model status to youths and his outstanding support of

our club. The GCB president expressed his appreciation to the club for the honour. Foster after handing over the award, reassured the GCB boss of his continued support and stated that he would work along with him to take Guyana cricket to the highest possible level. Meanwhile, Foster, over the weekend, met with former West Indies batsman, Ramnaresh Sarwan, as part of securing sponsorship for trophies. The trophies will be used for upcoming

GCB president, Bissoondyal Singh, accepts his award from Hilbert Foster

cricket tournaments that would be organised by the BCB, and also for awards programmes. Sarwan noted that he was delighted to assist Foster and his administration as he was very impressed with the progress being made in the county. Foster further expressed thanks to the GCB selector for being the first sponsor to come on board when he was elected as the BCB president in February 2018, just one hour after the elections.

LONDON, (CMC) – Trusted West Indies seamer Kemar Roach has described his County Championship stint with Surrey as “amazing”, and says he is excited about a return at some point in the future. The 32-year-old snatched 22 wickets from four matches after joining the county last April, immediately following

Roach had a slow start to his County campaign with just three wickets in his first two games before bursting to life in his third outing against Hampshire with a ten-wicket match haul. His career-best eight for 40 in the second innings handed the hosts a massive innings and 289-run victory. He missed the fixture

GCB selector, Ramnaresh Sarwan and Hilbert Foster

U.S. Open tennis line judges to be replaced by technology this year (REUTERS) - Line judges will no longer feature at the U.S. Open tennis after the United States Tennis Association (USTA) said on Monday that it was implementing the use of electronic line calling on all courts at the year's final Grand Slam. Electronic line calling technology was also used at last year's U.S. Open, apart from at the Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong stadiums. The technology was also deployed at the Australian Open, a move largely welcomed by players. The USTA said in a statement that seven of the nine ATP and WTA tournaments on the U.S. swing would use the technology on all competition courts in 2021.

Roach hails ‘amazing’ campaign with Surrey

Novak Djokovic

"The USTA implemented electronic line-calling for the 2020 Western & Southern Open and U.S. Open on all courts except Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong Stadiums," the governing body added. "In total, HawkEye Live made upwards of 314,000 calls during the two tournaments."

Novak Djokovic was sensationally defaulted during his fourth round match at Arthur Ashe Stadium last year when he struck a line judge after hitting the ball in frustration following a point during his match against Spain's Pablo Carreno Busta.

Pacer Kemar Roach grabbed 22 wickets for Surrey

the Test series against Sri Lanka in the Caribbean. On Sunday, he lowered the curtain on his time with Surrey with a nine-wicket match haul in a drawn contest with Middlesex at the Oval. “It has been amazing. From Mr (Alec) Stewart, the coaching staff, the players – everyone made it extremely comfortable for me here and I can’t say enough to thank them,” said Barbadian Roach, who has taken 214 wickets from 63 Tests. “Hopefully I can come back again, maybe this season or next season but I’m definitely willing and able to come back and perform again for Surrey. “And let’s try to win some games and obviously try to win the championship.”

against Leicestershire with a back complaint, and then watched as rain allowed only 68 overs against Somerset in which only Surrey batted. However, he chose the ideal moment to showcase his skill last weekend, carrying Surrey to the brink of victory with an excellent exhibition of seam bowling, snaring a four-wicket haul on Saturday and then a five-wicket haul 24 hours later. Roach will now return to the Caribbean where he is expected to feature prominently in the two-Test series against South Africa. “It’s been great. I’m sorry I have to go but international duties call so it’s back to work again for West Indies,” Roach said.

Surrey started the final day on Sunday in the driver’s seat, and converted their overnight second innings 135 without loss to 259 for two declared, leaving Middlesex with a challenging 290 for victory. After reducing the visitors to 47 for two, things went flat for the seamers and Surrey quickly found themselves facing defeat in the final session, with Nick Gubbins (124) and captain Peter Handscomb (70) combining in a third wicket stand of 172. Well placed at 219 for two, Middlesex were then thwarted by Roach who removed both entrenched batsmen to claim four of the five wickets to fall, and derail the run chase. “Obviously it was a brave decision to declare before lunch and try to win a first class game,” Roach said. “I thought the plans were very simple – let’s go for ten wickets to win a game – but obviously the ball didn’t do as much as it did in the first innings and we found it pretty hard to get going. “But kudos to Middlesex – Gubbins and Handscomb played really well and put us under pressure but I think the guys held their nerve and we came out with a draw, and that’s a win for the situation we were in.” He added: “I was surprised [the ball didn’t swing]. It was overcast conditions and the ball was shined up very nicely but it just didn’t do anything. The pitch was kind of slow too, it was easy to bat on and we found it tough to get a few wickets.” Surrey are third in Group II on 79 points but just 26 points off leaders Gloucestershire.

The GTTA made a significant donation to the GUYSUCO Training Center at Port Mourant

GTTA donates equipment to GuySuCo Training Centre at Port Mourant THE Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA) recently made a key intervention into the development of the sport at the GuySuCo Training Centre at Port Mourant and the Berbice Region, with the provision of a quantity of table tennis equipment. The GuySuCo Apprentice Training Centre, which falls under the guidance of the Guyana Sugar Corporation and renowned sports administrator, Levi Nedd, was the recipient of a quantity of table tennis equipment

from the GTTA. The training centre, which serves as an incubator and produced many players who competed at the national level in the past, will now have an opportunity to restart its table tennis programmes. Part of the immediate plans, according to a GTTA release, which have already commenced, is having students engage in training orientation, multi-ball, and further engage in competition activity to identify the institution champions and establish a team which will

DaSilva wins Independence Chess tournament

challenge and compete against other schools and institutions, while following the Covid 19 guidelines. Nedd, who plays an important role in sports development in Berbice and collaborated with the GTTA for the support inputs, outlined that there was an abundance of talent residing at the institution and in the region and he was happy to partner with the GTTA in enabling a key developmental project. He further pledged his and the institution's support towards ensuring the equipment is

utilized maximally towards the development of student’s talent and the sport. The GTTA said they are truly happy to partner with the institution and make the investment in a key area and region that produced many outstanding players in the past. This, the GTTA said, forms an investment and is part of their developmental and rebuilding thrust in an area in Region Six, aimed at building a platform network of hubs for the sport as they continue to roll out more programmes.

Fifty and Fabulous: Mickelson defies age to win PGA Championship

…Puran finishes as top Junior

JUSTINO DaSilva emerged victorious in the Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) Independence Chess Tournament, which was held over the weekend at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence. The 32-year-old won five

performer with four wins. Second place went to Gilbert Williams, who also finished with five points, but had to settle as runnerup since his lone defeat was to DaSilva. Joshua Gopaul placed third in the senior division with four points. A c c o r d i n g t o Justino DaSilva emerged as DaSilva, he played the overall champion of the each game on merit. Independence Chess Tour“No one ever won a nament game by resigning, there were games 3.5 points. where I was comRaveon Adonis, Shelby pletely lost, some of Williams, and Rafael Shaw them with [check] mate all finished with three points in three or four. The opponent just did not each. According to GCF’s see it. My decision Fifteen-year-old Kishan Puran Director of Tournaments, not to resign resulted won the junior division Rashad Hussain, the next in wins.” He said that statisti- over-the-board battle with be of the six rounds in the short- cally, the win was the biggest a shorter version of the game. “Many players canened over-the-board event (it of his career, but he would was originally scheduled for have wanted to triumph celled their participation three days. against some of the bigger and requested the shorter formats of the game in His only defeat was to names in the game. 15-year-old Queen’s College In the Junior Division, blitz and rapid, so the next student, Kishan Puran, who Puran finished ahead of Jes- tournament will be of one finished as the top Junior sica Callender, who ended on of those formats, in June.”

Kiawah Island, South Carolina, USA; Phil Mickelson hoists the Wanamaker Trophy after he wins the PGA Championship golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY SportsReuters

By Andrew Both KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. (Reuters) -Phil Mickelson blocked out the distractions and kept his mind quiet in front of a raucous gallery to win the PGA Championship by two strokes on Sunday and become golf's oldest major winner at the age of 50. Mickelson battled through strong winds, shrugged off a few poor shots and kept calm amid suffocating pressure to record a oneover-par 73 at the Ocean Course, holding his nerve with Brooks Koepka and Louis Oosthuizen breathing down his neck. In collecting the sixth major of his career, and first since the 2013 British Open, Mickelson surpassed Julius Boros as the oldest

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major winner. Boros was 48 when he won the 1968 PGA Championship. "This is just an incredible feeling because I just believed that it was possible but yet everything was saying it wasn't," said Mickelson, who is now the only player to have claimed PGA Tour victories 30 years apart. "And I hope that others find that inspiration. It might take a little extra work, a little bit harder effort to maintain physically or maintain the skills but, gosh, is it worth it." When Mickelson's approach shot safely found the green at the final hole a wild scene ensued as fans raced to follow one of the game's all-time greats up the fairway and completely enveloped him in a frenzied swarm. M i c k - TURN TO PAGE 25 ► TUESDAY, MAY 25, 2021