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See Inside SUNDAY

JUNE 06,

2021

Investments in climate security a priority , 2021

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No.106383

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–– President Ali says, as Guyana grapples with increasing environmental challenges –– additional funds being sought for flood relief, response efforts

The photo on the left is an aerial view of a community in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) that has been devastated by flooding. In the other, President Dr. Irfaan Ali (left); CDC Director-General, Lt. Col. Kester Craig (centre) and Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha can be seen leading the charge during their visit to the various flood-hit communities to meet with the residents (Photos: Office of the President)

SAIPEM opens offshore Patients escape from Probe launched construction facility psychiatric hospital 10 into child suicide –– after fire erupts following 02 in the city fight among inmates at city school 17 PAGE

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 6, 2021

SAIPEM opens offshore construction facility in city

― President Ali reaffirms commitment to foreign investment (From left) Alistair Routledge, President of ExxonMobil Guyana; Giorgio Martelli, President and CEO of SAIPEM America; President Dr. Irfaan Ali; and Managing-Director of Saipem Guyana Inc., Thuranthiran Nadaraja, unveiling the SAIPEM Guyana Offshore Construction Facility plaque on Saturday (Delano Williams photo)

PRESIDENT Dr Irfaan Ali has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to foreign investors during the opening ceremony of the Società Anonima Italiana Perforazioni E Montaggi (SAIPEM) Guyana Offshore Construction Facility on Water Street, Georgetown, on Saturday, noting that this type of partnership is pivotal for the transformation of lives of all Guyanese as the country moves forward with innovation. SAIPEM is an Italian multinational oilfield services company that specialises in drilling and assembling and is one of the largest oilfield service companies in the world. The new SAIPEM offshore facility features a heavy load-bearing jetty, the largest heavy lift crane in Guyana and specialised welding and testing equipment. President Ali, in his feature address, noted that with the new facility Guyana is strategically positioned to provide neighbouring Suriname with welding and welding materials as it continues its own oil exploration, emphasising that this type of partnership will open the doors for job creation and further employment and training of Guyanese. President Ali noted that the government is thankful for investors and will continue to embrace investments. While he acknowledged that investment companies bring the level of expertise and technology that Guyana currently lacks, the Head-of-State highlighted that this will not always be the position of the country. He stated that since setting up operations in Guyana, SAIPEM has sought to ensure that it provides not just innovative technologies and policies, but that it provides training to allow Guyanese to become experts in the field. SAIPEM currently has a local employment level of 80 per cent.

He noted that Guyanese must take advantage of opportunities to work with investment companies, undergo training and utilise that training to play a major role in Guyana’s continued development. “When we talk about investment in local content, we’re not talking only about the creation of jobs; that is important and I congratulate SAIPEM, not only for the jobs they have created, but the level of training you have developed and your commitment to providing further training because fabrication is an important part of the future development of this industry,” President Ali noted. President Ali stressed that investors should find it essential to collaborate with the local private sector to build capacity and create opportunities for locals. Meanwhile, Managing-Director of Saipem Guyana Inc., Thuranthiran Nadarajah, stated that the facility would become a landmark for not just Guyana’s oil and gas industry, but its industrial and manufacturing industry as well. He further noted that the company has always committed to having an organic and sustainable development programme in Guyana. He said the company is proud of its over 80 per cent local staff complement and is committed to increasing that number in the future. According to the managing-director, the new facility will benefit Guyana as it will allow for further expansion of the job market, as well as training and overall development of the skills of Guyanese in the oil and gas sector; revenue generation, improved infrastructure, and additional tax revenue for the country. He related that SAIPEM has set the standards for local compliance and intends to TURN TO PAGE 8

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 6, 2021

Investments in climate security a priority –– President Ali says, as Guyana grapples with increasing environmental challenges

–– additional funds being sought for flood relief, response efforts By Navendra Seoraj CRITICAL investments in climate security are needed now to safeguard not only the livelihood of every Guyanese, but also their lives, considering the unprecedented impact of flooding in various communities across the country, President Dr. Irfaan Ali has said. It has been more than two weeks since the MayJune rains began wreaking havoc, devastating a number of communities across Guyana. And having visited several of the affected communities and observing that the impacts in some cases are insurmountable, at least for the residents alone, President Ali has committed to making the requisite investments to strengthen Guyana’s ability to contend with the impacts of climate change. According to National Geographic, climate change is a long-term shift in global or regional climate patterns. Of-

ten, climate change refers specifically to the rise in global temperatures from the mid-20th century to present. The renowned wildlife and environmental media agency reported that together with expanding ocean waters due to rising temperatures, the resulting rise in sea level has begun to damage coastlines as a result of increased flooding and erosion. Guyana, already being below sea level, is not exempted from the effects of this natural phenomenon, and this is evidenced by the unprecedented levels of rainfall and devastating impact of flooding in areas that were, in some cases, never prone to this natural disaster. In reflecting on what he observed during his visit to various flood-affected communities, President Ali said tens of thousands of farms were completely destroyed, livestock lost and persons displaced. “A father was in tears, telling me that his avocado

farm is completely gone… the trees will no longer be there after these floods… his 15-year-old son was standing behind him and he glances at him and says what is this boy going to do,” President Ali said, while reflecting on his visit to one of the riverine communities severely affected by flooding. The President made these remarks while delivering the feature address at the opening of SAIPEM Guyana Offshore Construction Facility on Water Street, Georgetown. The President advised persons not to underestimate the scale of this disaster, as some communities, especially in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), are spared the severe effects of flooding because of the Hope Canal. Some of the communities that are heavily affected by flooding are Black Bush Polder, in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne); Mahaicony Creek, in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice); and Kwakwani, in Region 10 (Upper

President Dr Irfaan Ali meet with residents during his visit to one of the flood-hit communities in Region Seven

President Dr Irfaan Ali during his visit to one of the Region Seven Demerara-Upper Berbice). forces the risk… we have President Ali, having tremendous risks… we seen first-hand how infra- are below sea level, and structure and livelihoods what is happening now is have been completely de- that the volume of water stroyed by the natural di- that has to be drained will saster, has reinforced the create another havoc to the government’s commitment communities when the rain to investing heavily in is falling.” the response to climate Considering the chalchange. lenges that are ahead, the Critical investments, he President said that it is said, have to be made now imperative that the private to secure Guyana against sector and civil society the devastating impacts of join the government in climate change. investing to ensure that the “We have to make lives and future of every those investments now… Guyanese are secured. we have to make those “How do we secure investments to secure the our future? It is not inlivelihoods of the people vestments tomorrow; it is of this country,” President about critical investments Ali said. now,” the Head-of-State In explaining why in- posited, noting that an advestments in building cli- aptation plan is needed to mate resilience and adapt- deal with climate change. ing to climate change are Further, he said: “We necessary, the President have to make those insaid: “[The flooding] rein- vestments now and the

flood-hit communities in resources will help us to make those investments to secure the livelihoods of the people of this country. The government and the people will come together and make the investments to ensure that the livelihoods and that the future is secured.” According to the World Economic Forum, as it relates to climate change, the integration of resilience into a project’s design, implementation, and monitoring can support the achievement of socio-economic goals, including strengthening human capital, improving trade and markets, and addressing multiple drivers of fragility and inequality. The forum said it will also help mitigate the impacts of climate stresses and shocks, including See page 9

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 6, 2021

Nigeria to prosecute anyone breaching Twitter ban (BBC) - Nigeria will prosecute anyone found to have breached the country’s ban on the social media firm Twitter, a government spokesperson has told the BBC. The government announced on Friday it was suspending Twitter’s operations in the country. Mobile phone networks blocked access after being ordered to do so, but some users are getting around the ban. The move comes after Twitter deleted a tweet by President Muhammadu Buhari for breaching the site’s rules. Some users saw his post, which referred to Nigeria’s civil war four decades ago, as a veiled threat towards a secessionist movement in the south-east of the country. His government said on Saturday the tweet’s removal was “disappointing”, but not the only reason for the “temporary” suspension.

“There has been a litany of problems with the social media platform in Nigeria, where misinformation and fake news spread through it have had real world violent consequences,” the government said. Twitter said the announcement of a ban on Friday by Information Minister Lai Mohammed was “deeply concerning”. The move also brought widespread condemnation from human rights groups and international powers, who say it will limit free speech in Nigeria. In a statement, Justice Minister Abubakar Malami said he had “directed for immediate prosecution of offenders of the Federal Government ban on Twitter operations in Nigeria”, telling the public prosecutor to “swing into action”. The message was targeted at both corporations and individuals, the minister’s spokesperson Umar Gwan-

Sunday June 06, 2021 – 13:30hrs - 15:00hrs

du told the BBC. The government of Nigeria alleges that Twitter was being used to undermine “Nigeria’s corporate existence”. The platform was allowing “the spread of religious, racist, xenophobic and false messages” that “could tear some countries apart”, a spokesperson said. The national broadcasting regulator, NBC, had been told to begin “licensing all internet streaming services and social media operations in Nigeria”, a government

statement said. Earlier, the professional body of Nigerian mobile phone operators - known as Alton - confirmed they had been told to stop people getting on to Twitter. The group said its members had complied with the government order due to “national interest provisions” in Nigerian telecoms law and licensing terms. But Alton also said that it backed the UN’s position that the right to communicate both offline and online

should be protected. On Saturday, BBC reporters in Lagos and Abuja said they were unable to connect to Twitter through two of the countries largest phone networks: MTN and Airtel. Internet monitoring site Netblocks reported that Twitter was restricted on all the leading networks. Access was still possible through some wi-fi providers, but this is not the most common way to connect to the internet in Nigeria.

Twitter took down a tweet by President Muhammadu Buhari earlier in the week, though no direct connection has been drawn

G7: Rich nations back deal to tax multinationals (BBC) - The G7 group of advanced economies has reached a “historic” deal to make multinational companies pay more tax. Finance ministers meeting in London agreed to battle tax avoidance by making companies pay more in the countries where they do business. They also agreed in principle to a global minimum corporate tax rate of 15% to avoid countries undercutting each other. Tech giants Amazon and Facebook are among those likely to be affected. The deal announced on Saturday, between the US, the UK, France, Germany, Canada, Italy and Japan, plus the EU, could see billions of dollars flow to governments to pay

off debts incurred during the Covid crisis. Negotiated over many years, it will put pressure on other countries to follow suit, including at a meeting of the G20 next month, which includes China, Russia and Brazil. US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told reporters that the “historic” agreement on a global minimum tax would “end the race to the bottom in corporate taxation and ensure fairness for the middle class and working people in the US around the world”. UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak, who hosted the summit, said the agreement would make the global tax system “fit for the global digital age”. His German counterpart,

The G7 attendees posed for photos at Lancaster House Olaf Scholz, said it was “very good news for tax justice and solidarity and bad news for tax havens”. “Companies will no longer be in a position to dodge their tax obligations by booking their profits in lowest-tax countries,” he said. Governments have long grappled with the challenge of taxing global companies operating across many countries. That challenge has grown with the boom in huge tech corporations like Amazon and Facebook. At the moment companies can set up local branches in countries that have relatively low corporate tax rates

and declare profits there. That means they only pay the local rate of tax, even if the profits mainly come from sales made elsewhere. This is legal and commonly done. The deal aims to stop this from happening in two ways. Firstly the G7 will aim to make companies pay more tax in the countries where they are selling their products or services, rather than wherever they end up declaring their profits. Secondly, they want a global minimum tax rate so as to avoid countries undercutting each other with low tax rates.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 6, 2021

T&T hoping to re-open borders within six-week period (CMC) – The Trinidad and Tobago government Saturday said it hopes to re-open the borders within the next four to six weeks as the country acquires more vaccines to curb the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that has so far killed 556 and infected 25,801 others in the country. Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, speaking at a news conference said that discussions will be held with officials of the state-owned Caribbean Airlines (CAL) regarding the resumption of scheduled flights from the country’s two main international airports. The airline has been virtually grounded since the borders were closed in March 2020. “Just as we were in midMarch (this year) to do something about the border closure, we had that discussion yesterday and I hope to get a better result this time,” Rowley said, noting that a team, including the ministers of health and national security and CAL representatives will meet next week. “In the coming days, probably on Tuesday, the team…. would meet with Caribbean Airlines because it is the government’s position that within the next four to six weeks we would do away with the border closure arrangement and exemption system because as we vaccinate and as vaccination has been accelerated in North

America in particular, the situation is different now. “The populations of North America and the Caribbean can now more easily mix and we are better able to manage people coming into the country and I look forward to the day when nobody will have to ask permission to come home,” Rowley said.

“I say no more on that today, except to indicate that we are close to the point of removing the exemption border closure arrangement and of course removing the tax payer from being responsible for funding Caribbean Airlines 100 per cent while they don’t fly. Hopefully that will change very soon,” Rowley said.

He said entry would be based on persons qualifying “to get in under certain circumstances which are your responsibility and not for the government to tell you nay or yeah and those details will come to you in the next few days. “By the end of next week you will get the clear details as to what the open airport will mean and Caribbean Airlines will begin scheduled flights and persons coming into the country should be of the same ilk as to those who are coming to us from outside …but there will be controls and there will be categorisation of your condition.

He told reporters that the lockdown, which includes a state of emergency and a curfew had been “working well” and in this regard for the month of June there will be adjustments to some of the measures that had been put in place given that the health authorities were reporting a “slight” decline in the number of COVID cases. Rowley said that the curfews on the weekend will now begin at 7.00 pm (local time), two hours earlier until 5.00 am. “For the month of June as we brighten our perspective with vaccine being available…. and things are getting a little

Jamaica Gleaner - Superintendent Sharon Beeput, the police commanding officer for Hanover, is vowing to make the lives of sex offenders in that parish miserable as the police continue their relentless search for a man who allegedly sexual molested a 13-year-old girl in Lucea in March. “We will not tolerate men who sexually assault, molest or abuse minors in the parish,” declared Beeput. “We are pulling out all the stops when it comes to sexually related cases in the division, and more so, sexual cases involving minors. These perpetrators need to know that the Hanover police will find them and bring them to justice.” The parish commander’s assurance comes after another disgruntled mother called on the police to hunt down and apprehend a man who went on the run after he and another man allegedly raped her 13-year-old daughter. The woman told The Gleaner that she has been following the update on the 15-year-old girl, who was allegedly molested by a male nursing assistant at the Noel Holmes Hospital, and knowing that her own daughter was also raped by two men during the month of March, she wants action to be taken in regards to her daughter. “My 13-year-old daughter was molested on March 9 by two men who even had sexual intercourse in her mouth,” said

the disgruntled mother.

bit better going in the right direction…I want to ask you to postpone the expected weekend mixing and the weekend automatic partying and the weekend automatic liming. “Let us do a bit more. We did behave very well I must say over the last two holidays and we expect that those two periods would contribute to the graph that we will see sometime soon. But come Friday evening we will not like this situation change much. Rowley added that the curfew would begin at 7.00 pm on Saturday and Sundays. “That is how it will be for the month of June. Weekends are to be contributed to our efforts and during the day time it is not a free up party because there is no curfew on the day time. The order is to stay away unless you are categorised to come out, and that means you come out to work hugely aware of the need to work during a pandemic. “It is our intention to vaccinate and operate. Going forward from next week you will be encouraged to vaccinate and operate and in order to do that the Ministry of Health will have specific programmes interfacing with the private sector,” he said, urging the private sector to get its members vaccinated. During the news conference, Rowley said that it is

Hanover top cop declares war on sex offenders WATCHING AND PREYING

“Because of COVID-19, you know, some of us parents have to leave our small children to go to work, and these bigger boys in the community keep on watching your yard, and as you the parents leave, they find ways to molest your children,” the woman said. “My biggest problem and fear is that, I am the mother of two girls, one is 18 and the other is 13 years old, and she has been molested by these two big boys,” added the mother. The distraught mother said the incident was reported to the Lucea police and following a doctor’s report and an investigation, one of the men was arrested. She said she wants the other man to be tracked down and arrested as well. “When I look at it in Jamaica, these big youths come and sex off your girl child, the police lock dem up, but after a while, the youth dem just walk free,” she said. “It’s not right, because we as mothers, and even the child, suffers from all of this, and it is devastating at times because when you sit down with your child and look back on it, and you and her try to reason on it, it bothers her a lot.” In speaking to the incident with the 13-year-old, Beeput said the police are working hard to apprehend the other man while confirming that one man is in custody.

the intention of the government to have a fully vaccination programme in place over the next 12 weeks, as the country acquires vaccines. He said he is hoping that

by September 1, “our target being when the schools open in mid-September we should be in a far better position and be more of a vaccinated population”.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 6, 2021

The likely new focus AT its recently held annual shareholders meeting, it was revealed that ExxonMobil now has a new Board, a development that is likely to lead the multinational company down a path of strategic change, focusing more heavily on an energy transition strategy. This is in light of increasing global concerns about the impact of climate change and climate-change policies, where the world is now moving to adopt renewable/alternative sources of cleaner energy; in other words, moving away from fossil fuels. This development is predicted to have serious implications for Guyana’s emerging sector, and the future development of its oil resources. In 1999/2000, ExxonMobil commenced exploration activities in Guyana, struck oil in commercial quantities in 2015, and commenced drilling/production activities five years after its Guyana find, in December 2019. But shortly thereafter, the global pandemic struck,

and this led to oil prices virtually collapsing to zero at the height of the outbreak. Thankfully, oil prices are now recovering, largely due to the fact that the global economy is grappling with the consequences of the pandemic while some countries remain in lock-down mode, semi-lockdown mode, and a few are reopening their economies in a safe and sustainable manner. It has been claimed by some that the worldwide refining industry has another few decades in which it can remain commercially viable, and this might well be the reason that Guyana is a key focus for ExxonMobil, in terms of strategic investment. This is also the reason why ExxonMobil needs to ramp up production capacity in Guyana rapidly. ExxonMobil’s current Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) with the Guyana Government may very well remain as it is, despite a number of inherent weaknesses. However, the government is seeking to maximise value for Guyanese,

in the current circumstances, through local content. This, undoubtedly, is a very good strategy on the part of the government, so as to secure more value for Guyanese. The Guyana Government has made it abundantly clear, though, that future PSAs will be very different, given that the country is now in a better position to bargain, knowing that there’s more than nine billion oil equivalent barrels of recoverable crude. This means that any new oil company that wishes to enter the Guyana market will be subject to relatively stronger fiscal terms, a higher signing bonus compared to the US$18 million that was brokered by the previous government. With the expected strategic change that ExxonMobil will be pursuing under its new board, there could be spending cuts on future investments. Should this happen, it could mean some scaling back on investments in Guyana by ExxonMobil. ExxonMobil’s projected investment

for Guyana over the 30-year lifespan of the project is about US$60 billion. Notwithstanding the foregoing, there is an upside to this development. To this end, what ExxonMobil is currently experiencing in terms of its new strategic direction, owing to climate change developments, other global oil companies are seemingly being subjected to the same level of pressure which will ultimately lead to a cut in future investment, thus, a cut in the global supply of crude. Now, should this happen, while the global economy is unlikely to transition to 100 per cent renewable sources of energy fast enough, there will still be a strong demand for crude. As such, when global supply is reduced and demand remains strong, oil prices may increase to record high levels in the near or medium-term again, above US$50 - US$60 per barrel. This will most certainly be in Guyana’s favour and the oil companies as well.

Diaspora responding to COVID needs Dear Editor, GUYANESE and Canadian-Americans are responding to the COVID spike in Guyana. The Guyanese diaspora is mobilising support and is seeking assistance from anyone who can donate whatever they can to help. Many are responding to help their kin. New York-based community leader Vishnu Mahadeo, with support from others in Queens, has responded to Guyana’s COVID emergency needs by shipping supplies of items to combat the virus. There has been a spike of COVID cases in Guyana – some 17K cases and 400 deaths. Mahadeo sent anti-COVID combatant items a few weeks ago that have already arrived in Guyana. Another container is due to arrive in Guyana on June 5. Among the items are some 25K face masks, sanitisers, condoms, books, bedsheets, diapers, bedliners, and PPE coats, among other items. Some of the masks will

be shared with the Guyana Cancer Society. Mr. Mahadeo has also been very active in New York combating COVID among the greater Richmond Hill area that has the highest incidence of COVID cases in America. He has been the most active participant in combating COVID among New Yorkers. He has organised and coordinated COVID testing in Richmond Hill as well as vaccinations for Guyanese and other Caribbean people; he has also distributed groceries to the public. Mahadeo has been successful in having a mobile COVID-testing van posted at Smokey Park and 124th Street and 95th Ave during the day. Testing and vaccination are free. Separately, a group of Guyanese-Canadians are responding to the COVID situation in Guyana. Frank Fernandes, Julian Randy, Cliff Rajkumar, and Ken Singh are among willing donors collaborating to address some of the shortages to combat COVID in Guyana to keep people safe. Cliff Rajkumar in Toronto appealed for help for “The kith and kin in our

country of birth and beloved homeland.” As Rajkumar noted, the spike in COVID cases in Guyana is very alarming and Guyanese can do well with the help. He says that Guyana can do well with every type of PPE, hand sanitisers, masks, and other preventative supplies to help arrest and control this wretched virus. The daily death count has risen sharply and is cause for concern among Guyanese in the diaspora, who respond with generosity whenever there is an emergency in their former homeland. Cliff feels that Guyanese must rise to the occasion as “our brother keepers to treat the least among us with kindness and consideration befitting their circumstances.” Ken Singh was involved in the 2005 flood-relief initiatives under Consul-General Danny Doobay’s leadership. Others who assisted in the 2005 effort included Ned Blair, Jay Bridgepaul and Cliff Rajkumar, among others. They aggressively organised fundraisers to send aid for the flood victims. Ken owns

a cargo-shipping company. Ken Singh from Atlas Cargo has made it a high priority to respond to the Guyana COVID crisis. He has personally taken the initiative to act selflessly on behalf of the Guyanese people and will make available a 40-foot container of varied first aid and sanitation items, including masks and gloves. Ken Singh will ship 30,000 canisters of skin antiseptic disinfectant, wet wipes and band aids, among other items, the first week in July. Cliff has cheered the generosity of Ken, Frank Julian, and others in this gesture of kindness. This is a very kind, magnanimous, and patriotic act. He said others are also invited to become involved in such a noble humanitarian cause for those who are caught in such a desperate and precarious exposure to COVID-19 in Guyana. Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 6, 2021

What qualification does one need to contribute/discuss/debate issues of national importance? Dear Editor,

I USUALLY ignore politicians who demonstrate absurdity when they speak or write. However, I am hard-pressed to respond to a politician or someone who appears to be a politician, Mr. Shawn Simmons – whose letter was carried in Kaieteur News on June 5, 2021. On June 3, 2021 and June 4, 2021, I wrote two letters to the editor in response to two distinguished professors (retired)– who appeared to be residing in the diaspora. These letters were carried widely in the press and they constitute what I regard as healthy and critical public debates on an issue of national importance. Mr. Simmons, instead of contributing in any meaningful and substantive manner to the debate or the subject matter, sought to question my credentials. Mr. Simmons appeared to have enquired as to who I am

and what qualifications I hold and from his description, he visited my LinkedIn profile as well. But if he so did, I am wondering why was he dishonest to state that he did not find which university (ies) I studied at, or maybe it was a case where he did not look thoroughly; or he was being deliberately mischievous – which would not be surprising given who he seems to be. Mr. Simmons is out of his depth, because one does not need a specific qualification to contribute, comment, discuss or critically analyse any issue of national importance. As a young Guyanese, tax-paying young professional, and in fact, any citizen of this country – is entitled to and has a right to comment, debate, criticise and/or critically discuss issues of national importance, publicly. Further, I am well aware of the profiles of the professors whose writings I have challenged and as I usually tell my

students, to be a critical thinker, one has to have a mind of one’s own and ought to be able to critically examine complex issues. Not because someone is regarded as distinguished and holds five degrees it means what they say is gospel. It doesn’t work like that. Regardless of how many degrees one holds or whatever you are regarded as, or whoever you are or think you are, what you say is not gospel. Guyanese professionals, and Guyanese in general are a people with minds of their own – that is, being able to do one’s own independent assessment of information, and facts presented to them and / or at their disposal. Finally, the fact that Mr. Simmons did not address my argument in any meaningful and substantive manner is not an unusual style by Guyanese politicians of a certain political entity. It is a sad affair when a country has an intelligibly weak political entity that is required to work

through the National Assembly to shape the development path of a country and the governance of a country, irrespective of which side they sit in the National Assembly. And, if one is associated with an intellectually weak and bankrupt political organization, and when they speak or write, that weakness is so reflected; such an undesirable and unfortunate situation speaks volumes and leaves much to be desired. In other words, it is not an unusual practice by some politicians in Guyana that when they do not have anything of substance to say or contribute on an issue, they resort to attacking the person. Look at the quality of the budget (2020 & 2021) debates in the National Assembly, for example. Yours faithfully, J.C Bhagwandin

The indecent trio in the secretariat must go! Dear Editor,

PLEASE permit me to observe for your readership the commencement of a long-awaited but necessary intervention, following Chief Justice Roxane George’s ruling that the SoPs from March 02, 2020 should be handed to the Guyana Police Force and the Director of Public Prosecutions. The move seems to have tipped the tolerance scale, informing unison of actions by some commissioners, while others continue to demonstrate tenacious and emboldened support for those condemned and charged, based on their publicly conducted fraudulent actions. Of note, however, we are faced with a conundrum that highlights a more deep-seated problem, one which justifies the need for immediate electoral reform. On one side, PPP commissioners appointed to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) have tabled motions representing the boldest moves yet for the removal of staffers who have publicly violated legal, guiding principles, and accepted norms administered by the organisation. On the other side, we are witnessing opposition commissioners attempting to water down the efforts to disinfect against those who have publicly contributed to heavy loss of confidence in the body. Specifically, commission members Sase Gunraj, Bibi Shadick, and Manoj Narayan tabled motions to have Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield; his deputy Roxanne Myers and Region Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo, respectively, to be dismissed from the GECOM. These

GECOM commissioners have acted in the interest of our country and in support of upholding genuine democracy. In these letter columns, I have long advocated for the immediate removal of all GECOM staff found guilty of fraud, while those disrespectful to our constitution and other supportive legislation must not be allowed to be in public office. In recently published articles and interviews, Commissioner Gunraj outlined 20 reasons, solid grounds why Lowenfield should be dismissed. Aside from these, it is extremely distasteful that the chairperson of the commission had to defend herself and the decisions of the commission by having legal representation in the High Court and in the Court of Appeal in matters against Mr. Lowenfield, while he acted as a servant under the employ of GECOM. It has been correctly argued by many that given the autonomy and functional responsibility of the commission for the hiring of staff in the institution, the matter should have been overwhelmingly dealt with since the new government was sworn in. Mr. Lowenfeild’s defiance of the chairperson’s instructions in orchestrating his clandestine intent of changing the true result in favour of the APNU+AFC during the process could not have demanded less than immediate sanctions by way of dismissals. These have certainly contributed to a heavy loss of confidence in the body under her watch. Supporting the above is the total disrespect and arrogance displayed by Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Mr. Lowenfield, when he breached his functions, duties, responsibilities, and obligations, as he

neglected to ensure adherence to, and compliance with the statutory process outlined in Section 84 of the Representation of the People Act. Mr. Mingo, whose functions fall under the direct supervision of the CEO, bluntly refused to add up the Statement of Polls and he was supported by Lowenfield, while the latter bluntly refused to give proper guidance to the secretariat. The concoction was crystal clear in the view of all parties. Editor, one must however acknowledge the clear fault lines in the system which place the heavy burden of procedure and decisions in the lap of the chairperson who must ensure she gets it right every time. This is necessary, given the position that was taken by the three APNU+AFC commissioners who complete the commission. Led by Vincent Alexander, these persons have certainly demonstrated a lack of intent towards constitutional objectivity and have openly supported the wrongdoings of Keith Lowenfield. It has created a situation in alignment with numerous conflicts of interest for persons appointed as GECOM commissioners, while actively leading other conflicting partisan interests. It is recalled that as a serving GECOM commissioner whose obligation is the conduct of transparent and legal elections with the acceptance of legal results, Vincent Alexander wrote to the five visiting CARICOM Prime Ministers in his capacity as head of the Year of the People of African Descent, requesting them to understand that Guyana’s problems go way beyond the election and that must be their focus. Further, Mr. Alexander has moved to

allegedly ethnicising the chief justice’s decision to release the SOPs to the DPP and police as an attack on Afro-Guyanese. He has been however conveniently silent on the fact that the makeup of GECOM’s administrative staff is over 90 per cent Afro-Guyanese, that the organisation should release these stats, validated by the IFMAS confirmation of the names receiving payments. It is factual that Mr. Alexander’s convenient advocacy has been largely divorced from the real issues which lend to the fact that his previous involvement in electoral reform constructs has largely failed due to stymied and less than objective approaches. The invalidation process upon which the CEO had embarked was found by the Caribbean Court of Justice to be unlawful and in conflict with the existing electoral laws. From the open and public evidence, it was clear that some members of the GECOM staff were in a rigging mood and made all efforts to derail the elections. Lowenfield openly acted in defiance of orders made by the court and yet, we are witnessing blunt, provocative support from the likes of Mr. Alexander and other APNU+AFC commissioners. Madam Chairperson, in the interest of justice, therefore, the necessary action to put an end to all riggers must be taken now. The strongest penalties must be imposed to serve as a deterrent to future rigging and subverting of the will of the Guyanese people. The indecent trio in the secretariat must go! Yours sincerely, Neil Kumar

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 6, 2021

AG clarifies statement of Parliamentary Secretaries sitting in the House ATTORNEY-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, S.C, has clarified reports in the press, circulating on social media, alluding that he insisted that Parliamentary Secretaries, Vikash Ramkissoon and Sarah Brown, should continue to sit in the National Assembly despite the recent ruling of the Chief Justice (ag), Roxane George, S.C. The Chief Justice, on April 20, 2021, had ruled that Brown and Ramkissoon, who were not extracted from the list of candidates to become members of the National Assembly but were appointed by virtue of Article 186 of the Constitution, are not lawful members of the National Assembly. The Attorney-General, on Saturday, took to his Facebook page to clarify that he did not say Brown and Ramkissoon must sit in the House, while explaining that if he was to say so, he would have been guilty of aiding and abetting the commission of contempt of court in re-

spect of the Chief Justice’s “clear and unambiguous” pronouncements. “I would never violate or contravene or encourage the violation or contravention of an order of a Court of competent jurisdiction. I have too much veneration for the majesty of the law to do so. I am very much conscious of the axiomatic principle that an Order of Court must, at all times, be obeyed irrespective of how flawed, misconceived or wrong I may perceive it to be,” he wrote. Nandlall has since appealed the matter, and filed for an order to stay the Chief Justice’s ruling. A stay, in judicial proceedings, is a court order halting or suspending the proceeding, temporarily or indefinitely. If granted, the stay would effectively allow Brown and Ramkissoon to continue to sit as members of the National Assembly until the matter is completely adjudicated upon. Nandlall, in his Facebook post, explained that what he had said to the reporter is that ‘Parliamentary Secre-

taries’, as the name suggests, should have a place to sit in Parliament. He is quoted in the news report as saying “nothing wrong with putting two chairs at the side and put

them to sit because where will they sit.” He illustrated that as press and Parliamentary staff are allotted a place in the precincts of National Assembly,

Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, S.C

similarly, there is nothing wrong with a place being physically allocated for the two Parliamentary Secretaries to be accommodated in the National Assembly. “I emphasised that, obviously, they will not be able [to] participate in the proceedings of the Assembly. I hope I have now clarified this issue for the public record,” he wrote. Opposition Chief Whip, Christopher Jones, had filed an application in the High Court challenging the legality of the appointment of Brown and Ramkissoon, contending that they cannot be appointed as non-elected Members of Parliament, since they were named on the PPP/C’s List of Candidates for the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections.

SAIPEM opens offshore ...

His submissions to the High Court relied heavily on the Appeal Court’s decision in Desmond Morian v Attorney-General et anor [2015], in which Nandlall, at the time a member of the Opposition, had successfully argued that then Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection, Keith Scott, and Minister of Citizenship, Winston Felix, were unlawful members of the National Assembly. The Chief Justice ruled in favour of Jones on the grounds that she was bound by the decision of the Court of Appeal in the Morian case, based on the legal doctrine of precedent, which mandates that lower courts are bound by those courts higher in the hierarchy, even when they do not agree with the higher courts.

FROM PAGE 2

SAIPEM Guyana Offshore Construction Facility (Delano Williams photo)

continue with its ambitious aim of maintaining this record, noting that this is being done to ensure sustainability of local resources and enhancing local knowledge, competency and skills. ExxonMobil Guyana President, Alistair Routledge, called the opening of the facility a “tremendous achievement,” noting that it will allow Guyana the opportunity to locally conduct the work that was previously outsourced to Trinidad and Tobago. “This is a landmark in transfer of work from Trinidad to Guyana, which I know is a little bit of healthy competition in the Region and

so bringing a little more to the work from Trinidad to Guyana is a big step,” said Routledge. According to the ExxonMobil boss, so far in the first quarter of 2021, the oil major has expended more than $8.5 billion on supplies and a large portion of this sum could potentially go to Guyana with the advent of this new facility. He further reminded the audience that ExxonMobil has committed $20 billion to the ‘Greater Guyana Initiative’ for development of the economy, which will see investments being made directly to the people of Guyana through education.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 6, 2021

Investments in climate... From page 3

drought and floods, cyclones, and degradation of natural over scarce resources. “For example, increasing the robustness of water-delivery systems to farms, coupled with a diversity of cropping strategies, can improve the ability of a farmer to withstand drought, potentially protecting his family from hunger. Likewise, organising inclusive and rapid responses to climate shocks, using early-warning systems, can improve the capacity of communities to mobilise and evacuate danger zones, for example in the case of floods,” the World Economic Forum advised. In Guyana, the government has so far deployed equipment countrywide to conduct emergency cleaning and clearing of drains and canals; installed a number of new water pumps and drainage tubes; dredged and excavated clogged waterways, and repaired breaches and damaged infrastructure. Additionally, authorities have also distributed thousands of relief hampers to residents in affected areas. But even with a lot being done so far, President Ali announced on Friday that the government will be seeking additional funds to bring relief to residents who are experiencing difficulties across the country. “To the farmers who are affected, we are already working. A few minutes ago, I was on the phone with the Vice President [Dr Bharrat Jagdeo] and the Minister of Finance [Dr Ashni Singh], and we are working now on finding additional resources to go to the parliament for a supplementary so that we can bring relief to you,” President Ali said during a recent visit to one of the flood-affected communities in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara). Canal Number One, West Bank Demerara, where the President disclosed this information, was one of several stops for the Head-of-State and a team of government officials, including the Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand and the Minister within the Ministry of Public Works,

President Dr Irfaan Ali meet with residents of Canal Number One, West Bank Demerara, on Friday on the intermediate inter- been caused by excessive expand housing, the chalDeodat Indar. The group first jour- ventions, Minister Indar rainfall and water coming lenge becomes greater. That neyed to Naamryck and said that the government down from the highlands. is why I said earlier we have Parika, East Bank Essequ- is fully aware of the damPresident Ali said: “First to look at innovative techibo, where the President age to farms and pointed of all, let me say to you we nology, sound engineering assessed the Boerserie Con- out that excavators will be are here because we under- solutions like the one we servancy that is almost filled mobilised and that pumps stand what is happening. have at Hope Canal. to its brim due to the heavy will be used to help ease This is a natural occurrence. “You need, sometimes, the flow. and consistent rainfall. “It is affecting lives all unimpeded discharge for Four excavators, accord- across the country. What situations like these. We He then made his way to Canal Number One before ing to the minister, will be is our immediate task is cannot deny climate change. travelling to Canal Number used to build a dam to block to bring relief, to help you Climate change would bring Two, where he again spoke conservancy water from now. From what I am see- more and more unplanned with flood-affected residents leading back into Naam- ing, you require immediate disasters, more and more and reassured them of his ryck. help for quite a few things. natural disasters like these “Food and making sure One, you would need to and in higher scales,” the government’s commitment to help alleviate their cur- that the place is good to have some support in food live are the main concerns supplies. Two, you will rent woes. The President explained right now. So, we will come need some support in medto the residents that the gov- throughout the region and ical supplies, and three, we ernment fully understands given people as much with are going to do some assessthe impact that the high respect to hampers and so… ment for some emergency floodwaters have had on but the intervention on the works on drains and so on.” their livelihoods, since the draining of the water, cleanThe President added that current flooding is not an ing of the trenches, putting climate change and urbanisolated situation, but one the excavators in place, so isation are causing major the entire country is facing that they can have a swift changes. drawdown of the water… together. “With climate change, “We are putting the one of the things that we He also indicated that the relief efforts, includ- tractors and the pumps at have to look at, especially ing provision of food and the various sluices, so that with our farming commucleaning supplies, would be when the koker locks you nity, is future patterns and still have the water being then look at how we reincontinuous. “Whilst we may not be thrown off,” the minister tegrate the drainage system able to give 100 per cent added. because the fact of the mathelp in what may be reter is -- and this is one of EXCESSIVE quired, you can be assured the challenges of developRAINFALL that the government will ment— housing is going to Residents, speaking grow here in Region Three,” be providing assistance in getting back your lives to the officials, expressed he said. together and livelihoods their gratitude for the President Ali said that together,” President Ali Head-of-State’s visit and the area where the Parfaite said that it has brought Harmonie housing scheme said. them “some relief.” is now located was once utiThe residents and farm- lised as a natural reservoir to IMMEDIATE ers related that they are some extent. INTERVENTIONS Providing an update aware that the flooding has “As you continue and

Head-of-State related. President Ali added that a team of ministers would return tomorrow to continue the assessment and bring immediate relief to the residents. Meanwhile, President Ali on Saturday committed to assisting the residents in Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni) who have been affected by flooding as a result of heavy rainfall. The Head-of-State, accompanied by Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha and Director-General of the Civil Defence Commission, Lt. Col. Kester Craig, visited several communities in the region to hear from residents and to assess flood-related damage. Among the areas visited were Olive Creek, Kamarang and Jawalla. Additionally, the President flew over several communities to gauge the extent of flooding. He met with the residents as well as the Deputy Toshao of Kamarang, which is a small mining community in the region. The residents’ concerns ranged from access to fuel to access to food. Addressing residents, President Ali noted that while a team will be working around the clock to bring immediate help, long-term issues will also be addressed.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 6, 2021

First Lady assists with flood relief

As flooding continues to adversely affect families across the country, the First Lady, Mrs Arya Ali and her team spent most of Friday sorting and packing clothes and other essential supplies for those in need. “I must thank Mr. Farook Juman, a New York based Guyanese for donating some of the supplies which were given to the Civil Defence Commission for distribution. During this difficult period, let us pool our collective effort to help our sisters and brothers in need,” the First Lady noted in a post on her Facebook page on Saturday.

Patients escape from psychiatric hospital –– after fire erupts following fight among inmates HAVING averted what could have been a devasting fire at the National Psychiatric Hospital, in Canje, East Berbice, firefighters and hospital

employees were unable to detain several patients who escaped from the facility amid the ruckus on Saturday evening. According to a report

A section of the National Psychiatric Hospital at Canje that was damaged by the fire

from the Guyana Police Force, the fire erupted around 19:15 hours following an altercation among three of the 31 male patients housed in the Chalet Four Male Admission Ward of the hospital. On hearing the ruckus, the matron, along with the supervisor and two male nurses, rushed to the ward, only to see smoke coming from inside it, and hear the patients shouting for help. The Guyana Fire Service (GFS) and the police were subsequently alerted to the situation by officials of the hospital. While firefighters were attempting to extinguish the fire, nine patients used the opportunity to escape from the facility by way of a door on the southern side of the building. According to the police, three of the escapees have been recaptured, while a fourth voluntarily walked into the hospital. They say the hunt is still on for the remaining five. All four escapees, the police say, have burns about their bodies, and are currently receiving medical attention. The 11 other patients who received burns about their bodies were rushed to the New Amsterdam Hospital, where they were admitted and are in a stable condition. Eight of the remaining patients who did not receive injuries during the ordeal were relocated to the Acute Centre, while three are housed in Chalet One.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 6, 2021

Politics & Society Forum Portuguese in Caribbean cricket

THE inclusion of Joshua da Silva in the West Indies cricket squad to play against the touring South Africans starting next week brings back pleasant memories when Portuguese players in cricket were not an isolated sight, but a common occurrence in a game dubbed as one of glorious uncertainties. This observation, however, is not intended to single out one ethnic group over the other, notably, showcasing one and ignoring the other. All ethnic groups have contributed to the glory and entertainment of Caribbean cricket. The presence of Portuguese cricketers, however, in the West Indies team has been lacking for some time. If my memory serves well, the last Portuguese player, apart from Da Silva, who represented the West Indies was Larry Gomes from Trinidad and Tobago in the mid-1980s. When Da Silva made his test debut against New Zealand in 2020, he became the first West Indian-born white to play for the West Indies cricket team since Geoff Greenidge of Barbados in 1973. Other white players have played for the West Indies but were not born in the Caribbean such as Brendan Nash, although Nash might be of a mixed race. In the days of yore, the Portuguese did not arrive in the Caribbean to play cricket. They were one of the indentured ethnic groups brought to the Caribbean from the island of Madeira to supplant the loss of slave labour following emancipation in the middle of the nineteenth century. Some 30,000 Portuguese were brought to British Guiana while lesser numbers went to other English-speaking Caribbean islands. When their contracts expired, they drifted to urban areas and engaged in commerce so much so that urban business became synonymous with Portuguese names such as John Fernandes Limited. Naturally then, as the Portuguese began to establish themselves and see the Caribbean as their home, they branched out and participated in sporting activities such as squash, tennis, and cricket. The presence of the

Portuguese in the Caribbean cricket dates to the nineteenth century but their involvement became more visible in the second half of the twentieth century. Having pale skin in a region that by the early twentieth century the majority population had been black and brown, the Portuguese participation in cricket has been quite noticeable. To illustrate, I remember the first-class match between Guyana and Trinidad at Skeldon Cricket Ground in Region Six in 1973. The teams were playing their final game to grab the then Shell Shield Trophy. Guyana had never won the trophy but in this final game, Guyana just needed the first innings points to win the trophy. Trinidad was up against a huge challenge of defeating Guyana in both innings to win the trophy. By tea break on the first day, Steve Camacho and Roy Fredericks took the game away from Trinidad, scoring a partnership of over 150 runs. On the third day, Captain Joey Carew was bowling underarm, indicating that he and his team had given up, wanting the Guyanese Captain, Rohan Kanhai, to declare. Guyana won the first innings, and the game drew, allowing Guyana to lift the Shell Shield Trophy for the first time. In that game, there were Joey Carew, Charlie Davis, Richard de Souza, as well as the Gomes’ brothers, Larry, and Sheldon from Trinidad. I think that the brothers played the 12th and 13th man positions. By then Brian Davis, the older brother of Charlie Davis, had retired. On the Guyana side, there was Steven Camacho, and a wellknown commentator named Joseph “Reds” Pereira in the commentary booth. Rupert Gomes was not picked for that game, although he played in other games in the tournament. This is perhaps the only match that so many Portuguese players participated in. After the mid-1980s, there was a noticeable decline of Portuguese in Caribbean cricket, although their involvement in other sports such as cycling, racing, and swimming continued. Why have there been only a few Portuguese players in Caribbean cricket? This

absence cannot be that they are uninterested in cricket since they have a history of playing cricket at the highest level which the younger generation of Portuguese could emulate? Mary Noel Menezes informs that although the

Portuguese were Europeans, they were not accepted by the white establishment and that further discrimination in the 1960s and 1970s pushed them from Guyana to look for greener pastures in North America.

Whatever might have been the reasons for the decline of Portuguese players in Caribbean cricket, we welcome one Portuguese cricketer in the current West Indies squad playing against the South Africans

Professor Lomarsh Roopnarine for it represents the rich mosaic of ethnicity and culture of the Caribbean (lomarsh.roopnarine@ jsums.edu).

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 6, 2021

The Science of COVID-19

Acute kidney injury: Protein or blood in Urine Contributed by Dr. Haimchand Barran MMSc Internal Medicine/Infectious Diseases Fellowship -- Nephrology Nephrology Department -- GPHC AS mentioned in previous articles, some patients with COVID-19 have displayed kidney damage through acute kidney injury (AKI), mild proteinuria (protein in the urine), hematuria (blood in the urine), or slight elevation in creatinine (blood marker testing for kidney function). Today, we will cover protein and blood in the urine in our continuing series.

PROTEIN IN URINE People with proteinuria have unusually high amounts of protein in their urine. The condition is often a sign of kidney disease. Your kidneys are filters that don’t usually let a lot of protein pass through. When the kidney is damaged, then proteins such as albumin may leak from your blood into your urine. You can also have proteinuria when your body makes too much protein. Kidney disease often has no early symptoms. Protein in your urine might be one of the first signs. Your doctor may spot proteinuria on a urine test during a routine physical. Over time, as it gets worse, you

might have symptoms including foamy or bubbly urine; swelling (edema) in your hands, feet, belly and face; urinating more often; shortness of breath; fatigue; loss of appetite; upset stomach and vomiting; and muscle cramps at night. Some common things can cause proteinuria include dehydration, inflammation, low blood pressure, fever, intense activity, high stress, kidney stones, taking aspirin every day, and very low temperatures. Conditions that damage your kidneys can also make you have too much protein in your urine. The two most common are diabetes and high blood pressure. Other serious conditions that can cause proteinuria include immune disorders such as lupus, kidney inflammation (glomerulonephritis), a blood cancer called multiple myeloma, preeclampsia (which affects pregnant women), a buildup of protein in your organs (amyloidosis), cardiovascular disease, intravascular hemolysis, a condition in which red blood cells are destroyed, kidney cancer, and heart failure. Things that might make you more likely to have protein in your urine include obesity, aged over 65, a family history of kidney disease, and being of African American/ Native American/Hispanic/or Pacific Islander descent. Some people get more protein into their urine while standing than while lying down. This condition is called orthostatic proteinuria. A urine test, called a urinalysis, can tell whether you have too much protein in your urine. BLOOD IN URINE Having blood in your urine can be a sign that something is wrong with your kidneys or another part of your urinary tract. The medical name for blood in your urine is hematuria. There are two types of hematuria: if you can see the blood in your urine, it is called gross hematuria; and if you cannot see the blood in your urine without looking at it under a microscope, it is called microscopic hematuria. Anyone can have hematuria, but you might be more likely to have it if you have a family history of kidney disease; have an enlarged prostate (in men); have a history of getting kidney stones; are taking certain

Dr. Haimchand Barran

medicines, such as pain relievers, blood thinners and antibiotics; participate in strenuous (difficult) exercise; or have, or recently had, an infection. There are many reasons that you might have blood in your urine. Having blood in your urine does not necessarily mean you have kidney disease. Some common causes are menstruation; strenuous (difficult) exercise; sexual activity; and having a virus, injury or infection, such as a urinary tract infection (UTI). Other more serious problems can also cause you to have blood in your urine. Some of these problems include kidney or bladder cancer; irritation or swelling in your kidneys, prostate (in men) or another part of your urinary tract; polycystic kidney disease; blood clots or diseases that cause problems with blood clotting; and sickle cell disease You may not notice any symptoms if you have microscopic hematuria. If you have gross hematuria, you may notice that your urine is pink, red or brown. This happens because the blood in your urine makes it a different color. If you have gross hematuria, you may also get blood clots in your urine, which can be painful. If you notice that your urine is a different colour than normal, or if you are having pain when you urinate, tell your healthcare provider. He or she can do some tests to figure out why you have blood in your urine or what is causing the pain and what treatment would be best for you. The treatment for having blood in your urine depends on what is causing the problem. For example, if you have blood in your urine because of an infection, your doctor might tell you to take an antibiotic medicine. If you have blood in your urine for another reason, you might need a different kind of treatment. To find out why you have blood in your urine, your doctor might ask you for a urine sample. The urine sample can be used to test for signs of an infection, kidney disease or other problems. Your doctor will use the results of the urine test to decide if you need more tests or if you can start a treatment. This article is submitted as part of the Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 public information and education programme. For questions, email ministersecretaryhealth@gmail.com.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 6, 2021

Understanding Energy

Scoping meetings kick off EIA process for Yellowtail

OVER the last few weeks, the Stabroek Block operator, ExxonMobil, has been holding public scoping meetings for its new Yellowtail project. Traditionally, companies are focussed on consulting with any groups that might be impacted by development, a few of which include coastal communities and indigenous groups, as well as environmental organisations. Operating companies set up discussions as part of the Environmental Protection Agency’s regulatory requirements and to ensure that environmental and social concerns for future projects are understood. In May 2021, a video presentation of the EPA’s Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) process and a Yellowtail Project overview premiered on local television and social media, followed by three in-person consultations in Regions 1, 6 and 4, and four virtual sessions in keeping with COVID-19 restrictions. Although the pandemic might have changed the format of these meetings, they are still a crucial early step in the EIA development process. Input

from scoping meetings shape the terms of reference for the EIA, identifying key matters to be considered. Scoping meetings are the first step towards project development. Ongoing engagements for Yellowtail will support EIA studies and plans to develop the project. Upon completion of the EIA, and with a satisfactory outcome, the government would need to provide environmental permit as well as approval of the field development plan. Following these government approvals, the company would then announce its final investment decision (FID), signalling that the project is officially underway. The Yellowtail project, ExxonMobil’s fourth planned development offshore, is forecasted to produce up to 250,000 barrels per day. When the floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) for the Yellowtail is in operation in 2025, total production capacity in Guyana could increase to more than 700,000 barrels per day. Although there is still much to be discussed before these projects come to fruition, including

ongoing consultations, these announcements are promising for Guyana’s future. Rebounding international oil prices, as high as US$71 per barrel recently, also have the potential to contribute to Guyana’s economic growth. According to a recent report by the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), Guyana’s economy will expand again in 2021, by over 8 per cent year-over-year, higher than most other regional countries even without additional production from ExxonMobil’s second project, which is expected in 2022. Higher oil prices and more oil means increased revenues benefitting all Guyanese. According to a report by Rystad Energy, if oil continues to win a high price, Guyana could expect total revenues of more than US$28 billion by the end of the decade. Guyana’s fifth oil lift in February sold for US$61 million, a nearly 25 per cent increase in revenues from the last oil lift in December 2020. The sixth oil lift in April 2021 earned another US$60 million, which would push Guyana’s earnings to

US$342.5 million since production began in December 2019 The Yellowtail FPSO will have a storage capacity of two million barrels of oil, significantly higher than that of the Liza Destiny FPSO. This increased capacity bodes well for Guyana as production ramps up, and the oil lifts are expected to increase in frequency. As production from new FPSOs comes online, Guyana will have more funds to support infrastructure projects, including the gas-to-power plant and the Demerara River Bridge project Continued exploration and development of new offshore wells will be necessary for Guyana to ensure continued economic growth. Experts estimate that Guyana’s offshore oil and gas basins could support up to ten FPSOs in the future. It will be important that operators continue to support robust consultation processes to ensure that all stakeholders have a seat at the table, and equally important that citizens take these opportunities to participate.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 6, 2021

Rotarians launch vegetable garden, fruit farm at Mahaica Home

THE Rotary Club of Garden City (Georgetown), in collaboration with Rotary District 7030, on Saturday, launched the “Green Drive” Shade House Vegetable Garden and Mini Fruit Farm at Cheshire Home, Unity Village, Mahaica, East Coast Demerara. The Cheshire Home, which was established in 1972, is a non-governmental organisation that serves as a residence for various persons with disabilities, and is managed by a committee of volunteers. According to a statement released by the Rotary Club, the shade house was established as part of efforts to reduce the “food bill” of the home, while encouraging healthy eating habits of the residents. The idea, the release stated, is for the residents of the Cheshire Home to experience and appreciate vegetables and fruits from the ‘seed to the table’, so that they can become “Ambassadors of Eating Healthy”. The club’s plan is to introduce and the support this type of self-sufficiency to the surrounding environs, which include a nearby domestic violence shelter and children centre. The project kicked off on February 7, 2021, where residents were involved in a shoe-planting exercise, aimed at exploring germination, and plant growth and evolution. Since then, Rotarians have made several trips to the Home

to clear the land, supervise the construction of the shade house and to plant the first set of leafy vegetables and fruit trees. A drip irrigation system was also installed to simplify things and ensure sustainability of the project. The club plans to have a phase two to this project, in order to expose kitchen staff to new techniques in cooking, as well as share healthy recipes utilising produce from the garden. Gardening tools and other garden maintenance items were also donated to the Home. The project was formally launched on June 5, 2021, to coincide with “World Environment Day 2021.” “We believe this is our small way of contributing to growing trees, ‘greening’ the community and encouraging healthy eating habits,” the statement read. The funds for this project were sourced through fund raising activities of the club, together with a District Grant. Donations of cash and kind were also received from several friends of the club and one corporate entity, Camex Restaurants Ltd. The Rotary Club expressed gratitude to persons who contributed, to all whose interest and support contributed towards the success of the project, and expressed optimism for continued support of fundraising activities in future.

The shade house vegetable garden at Cheshire Home

Members of the Georgetown Rotary Club commissioning the garden on Saturday

Members of the Rotary Club holding produce from the garden and fruit farm at the launch

The external raised beds, which serve as a mini fruit farm

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 6, 2021

Ecosystem preservation important now more than ever WITH a high number of anthropogenic activities, which contribute to the degradation of ecosystems currently ongoing globally, the preservation and restoration of ecosystems are imperative now, more than ever. These were the sentiments shared by panellists during a webinar on Friday last, in observance of World Environmental Day, celebrated on June 5, held under the theme ‘Restoration and Sustainable Management of Guyana’s Ecosystems” and under the campaign “Re-imagine. Recreate. Restore.’ The webinar focused on the efforts undertaken in Guyana, which are aimed at the recovery of ecosystems that have been degraded or destroyed, as well as conserving the ecosystems that are still intact. Addressing the panellists and audience of the webinar, the moderator, Major General (ret’d) Joseph Singh, highlighted that ecosystem loss is a deprivation of carbon sinks, such as forests, including mangroves, and noted that it is occurring at a time when it can be least afforded. “Global greenhouse gases have risen for three consecutive years, the emergence of COVID-19 has highlighted just how disastrous the consequences of ecosystems loss can be, the destructions of animal’s natural habitats create ideal conditions for pathogens such as coronaviruses to spread,” he said. He explained that longterm prosperity depends significantly on some form of ecosystem service, fresh water, clean air, carbon sink restoration, pollination and flood protection; and that the degradation of same, through irresponsible anthropogenic activities, creates significant risks for businesses, human health and security, and contributes to loss of biodiversity. “About 75 per cent of the world’s crops depend on animal pollinators such as bees, birds and bats and if their habitats are destroyed the consequences to human food and security will be unimaginable,” he said. He noted that in addition to degradation to anthropogenic activities, the phenomena of climate change resulting from global warning poses significant threats to the ecosystem; with impacts such as heavy rains, rising tides, human suffering, loss

of biodiversity and degraded ecosystems, as Guyana is currently experiencing, and opined that ecosystem collapse will result in economic collapse. “We are, as you know, pursuing a low carbon development strategy and promoting a diversified, robust and resilient economy and while we have identified ecosystems that are protected through the national protected areas system, and initiatives such as the Iwokrama Rainforest Reserve,” Singh enlightened the panellists. However, he acknowledged

that ecosystem restoration is needed where more ecosystems are damaged than preserved, and while there is interest to develop Guyana, it can be done in harmony with the environment. June 5 also marked the launch of the United Nations ‘Decade on Ecosystem Restoration’. As such, guest speaker at the webinar, United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator, Mikiko Tanaka, told the participants that the

Decade on Ecosystem Restoration is aimed at preventing, halting and reversing the degradation of the ecosystem. “The world faces a triple planetary emergency, biodiversity loss, climate disruption and escalating polluting and we are rapidly reaching the tipping point. COVID-19 global impacts have highlighted the scale of threats of pandemics that arise from the interconnectedness between nature, animals and

humans, preventive actions are urgent and imperative,” she said. She noted that with 87 per cent relatively intact forest cover, the good news is that Guyana can be forward looking in preserving its valuable ecosystem as it pursues development ambitions and agenda, while restoring areas where environmental degradation is advancing.

Major General (ret’d) Joseph Singh

UN Resident Coordinator, Mikiko Tanaka that there is tremendous pressure on these protected areas because of the biodiversity and subsurface minerals which they contain. The panellists at the webinar were Shyam Nokta, Managing Director, Environmental Management Consultants (EMC) Inc; Curtis Bernard, Executive Director, Conservations International Guyana (CIG); Dane Gobin, Chief Executive Officer, Iwokrama; Aiesha Williams, Guyana’s World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Country Manager and Captain John Flores, board member of Guyana Marine Conservation Society (GMCS). Nokta, presenting a perspective from the private sector, recognised that a vast majority of anthropogenic impacts to ecosystems locally, and worldwide, result from economic activities, however, he outlined examples of “good practices” undertaken by the private sector aimed at ecosystem preservation, through corporate social responsibility, direct support to conservation efforts and offset mechanisms aimed at mitigating environmental and biodiversity impacts. “For a long time, the de-

bate has been about the choices and trade-offs between development and conservation, and often the private sector has been labelled as the main culprit in environmental degradation, damage and loss of ecosystems, and while this may be so in some instances, I believe the private sector generally has come a far way in taking responsibility and taking steps in improving performance, after all businesses all depends on ecosystems,” Nokta said. He noted that on a global scale, capital markets are becoming more aware and responsive to sustainability issues, which is changing behaviour and driving innovation and a stronger commitment for better environmental practices on the part of the private sector. “There is increasing recognition that for us to address global issues such as climate change, biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation, the private sector has to be involved and this is being facilitated at the international level through multilateral environmental agreements and encouraged at the national level through proactive government policies,” Nokta noted. “Coupled with strong leadership from government and an overarching framework such as Guyana’s low cardon development strategy, as a country we can continue to evolve models which allow us to achieve our conversation objectives but at the same time do not place a cap on our development aspirations,” he added. Meanwhile, Williams explained that Guyana is a fortunate place where much emphasis can still be placed on mitigating threats on ecosystems, and with few restoration efforts. She explained

Restored mangrove ecosystem along Essequibo Coast, Region Two (Pomeroon – Supernaam)

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 6, 2021

$5.7M bridge commissioned at Cove and John

MORE than 200 members of the Cove and John, East Coast Demerara community will benefit from a new $5.7 million wooden bridge constructed by the Guyana Defence Force’s Engineer Battalion. Minister within the

Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, Anand Persaud, commissioned the bridge during a simple ceremony on Friday last. The minister said the government is grateful to the soldiers for the work,

which was executed at a cost lower than the budgeted $6 million. He also said there is still more work to be done, given the current flood situation where bridges and other infrastructure were destroyed. “Transformation does The newly constructed bridge

Minister within the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, Anand Persaud, along with members of the GDF engineering battalion who built the bridge

not only mean putting up high rises, building highways, but that little bridge, simple bridge you see there is also significant because that bridge will serve 200 households, farmers in Cove and John. “Remedial work and contractual work to be done in Guyana, I know that your engineering corps is capable of handling projects as such, and for you to continue serving the people of this country,” Minister Per-

saud said. Meanwhile, Brigadier Gary Beaton said the GDF is fostering lasting relationships with society. He said it is important that the soldiers practice at this level so that they could execute larger projects in adverse conditions. Meanwhile, resident, Roopnarine Jagbeer said he was grateful for the new bridge. “I think this is something good the government is doing here to build a brand-new bridge

for we, so the farmers, at least I is a rice farmer, cash crop also, and I think the bridge will be benefit not only for Cove and John, but at least anybody who can come,” he said. “The bridge was in a bad state for a long time, a long time, and the farmers them was really glad fuh it fix,” he added. The wooden structure can facilitate vehicles while there is a smaller bridge for pedestrians. (DPI)

Hicken engages Leopold Street residents DEPUTY Commissioner ‘Operations’ (ag) of the Guyana Police Force (GPF), Clifton Hicken, on Saturday, led a team of officers on an out-

reach to Leopold Street, Georgetown, where they engaged the residents and distributed several hampers and face masks to the families within the

locality. According to a press release from police headquarters, the visit forms part of the GPF’s strategy to re-engage communi-

Deputy Commissioner ‘Operations’ (ag), Clifton Hicken, delivering some food items to a resident of Leopold Street, Georgetown, on Saturday

Deputy Commissioner ‘Operations’ (ag), Clifton Hicken, engaging residents

ties in an effort to further strengthen the relationship between the Police Force and members of the communities. Mr. Hicken was accompanied by Deputy Commander of Regional Division 4A, Superintendent Guy Nurse, along with other senior and ju-

nior ranks within the division. Police reports indicated that the team was welcomed by members of the community, who came out in their numbers in support of the initiative. The press release noted that the initiative was reignited by Hicken, who has been supportive of

the community since he occupied the position of Commander of then ‘A’ Division. The food items were donated by KGM Security Service of 74 Izora Drive, Bel Air; Omo Security Services of Happy Acres and Tecnomill Guyana Inc. of Eccles.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 6, 2021

‘We are a small country, but we can do a lot’ –– says Dr. Yesu Persaud at tree-planting event to mark World Environment Day By Rehana Ahamad

WORLD Environment Day was observed on Saturday, June 5, 2021, under the theme, ‘Eco-Systems Restoration; Reimagine. Recreate. Restore’. To mark the important occasion, the Indian High Commission (IHC) in Guyana hosted a tree-planting exercise at the Promenade Gardens in Georgetown. The event, spearheaded by Indian High Commissioner to Guyana, Dr. K.J. Srinivasa, was attended by Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat; Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA), Mahender Sharma; and local business magnate, Dr. Yesu Persaud. According to High Commissioner Srinivasa, World Environment Day observances have kick-started the United Nations’ Decade of Eco-Systems Restoration, which seeks to aggressively

revive billions of hectares of forest lands. In emphasising India’s commitment to the environment, Dr. Srinivasa referenced his country’s role in helping Guyana set up solar panels to provide alternative power for 30,000 Guyanese households in several hinterland communities, to the tune of US$10 million. “With the climate crisis making some irreversible changes to our lives as we know it, World Environment Day is also the time to think about unique, workable solutions that can help in resolving issues, such as deforestation, plastic pollution, etcetera,” the Indian High Commissioner posited. He noted that as part of the International Solar Alliance, India will be working along with several other countries to promote solar power as a sustainable means of transitioning to a carbon-neutral future. “Solar

energy is able to generate power without giving off any dangerous emissions,” Dr. Srinivasa said. Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat began his presentation by reaffirming Guyana’s commitment to lowering its carbon emissions by aggressively pursuing alternative forms of energy. Speaking specifically to solar power, Bharrat told of the government’s intention to ensuring that every hinterland and riverine community is able to garner electricity from solar panels. Similar sentiments were shared by Dr. Mahender Sharma, who emphasised the need for Guyana to de-carbonise its energy sector. “We are looking at cleaner forms of energy; looking at renewable energy in the form of hydro, solar and wind, where appropriate,” Dr. Sharma said. He also used the forum

Probe launched into child suicide at city school THE Ministry of Human Services and Social Security is currently probing the circumstances surrounding the suicide of a 15-year-old girl, which occurred last week. According to a statement issued by the aforementioned ministry, the child was a student of a city school. Subject minister Dr. Vindhya Persaud, through the Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA), has moved to provide counselling for the child’s schoolmates. “The CPA has since conducted a full Zoom session with children of the school and has invited them to do one-on-one, in-person counselling sessions with the agency,” the press release said. In expressing condolences to the child’s family, Dr. Persaud pledged her ministry’s support to her loved ones. “I am very disturbed that a school-going child will take her life. We know that the parents are deeply affected by the loss of this child and we would like to extend our

deepest sympathies from the ministry and to offer our support,” Dr. Persaud said. She added, “From the moment we heard this, we reached out to the school and her classmates and we provided counselling for those who have been seriously affected. We will work with the parents and all those involved, because this is a very, very tough time for them.” During the meeting with the students, Director of Children Services and Head of the CPA, Ann Greene, encouraged the children that should they too come across difficult situations in life, using a permanent solution for a temporary problem is never the way to go. Immediately after the meeting, one student visited the CPA and benefitted from a one-on-one session. Greene promised the students that she will conduct a thorough investigation into the incident to determine what really led to the girl ending her life. “I gave them that promise and we’ve started the process to find out, because you see, she’s gone too soon and there

Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr Vindhya Persaud is need for the remaining students to get closure.” The intervention by the ministry seeks to assist the students to cope with the tragedy by providing necessary psychosocial support at this time. Assistance of psychosocial support to deal with the loss will also be given to the immediate family. The CPA has since visited the girl’s father who remains distraught and puzzled as to what could have caused his daughter to take such an action.

Business tycoon, Dr. Yesu Persaud doing his bit to save the environment on Saturday to mark World Environment Day 2021 (Delano Williams photo) to bring attention to his electric car which utilises solar power. The GEA underscored the importance of humans “to live in harmony with our environment.” Business tycoon, Dr. Yesu Persaud lauded the IHC for its World Environment Day observance, noting that for too long, Mankind has ignored the planet. “This planet was created to be kept in a certain order; we tend to ignore that,” Dr. Persaud said, adding, “People are destroying ‘green’ and ‘green’ helps us.”

The reputable businessman is hopeful that looking forward, the world will do more to build and nurture, as opposed to damage and destroy. “Mankind tends to destroy more than he builds, so let’s hope that that will be something of the past, and we will start looking at ourselves; all of us, and do our bit in terms of helping and creating an environment of tranquillity [and] greenness everywhere,” Dr. Persaud said. He indicated that even though global warming and

climate change was regarded as a joke before, the world is beginning to recognise its devastating effects. “We are a small country, but we could do a lot. To be up and going, Guyana could be transformed into a haven of peace, tranquillity and greenness,” Dr. Persaud asserted. Also present at the tree-planting exercise were Zane Ramotar and Bhedesh Persaud, local top performers at the recent Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) examinations.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 6, 2021

Global ‘chip’ shortage will affect businesses, individuals – says President of STARR Computer

By Rabindra Rooplall THE world is grappling with a global ‘chip’ shortage because the demand for semiconductors is surging far beyond capacity for supply and this has already impacted all forms of electronics, including home appliances, information technology products, automobiles and smart devices. This is according to President of STARR Computer, Mike Mohan, who said the companies that create these important chips include Intel Corp of the USA, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd and South Korea’s Samsung Electronics Co Ltd. Mohan said that the shortage in chips - the “brain” within every electronic device - has been steadily worsening since last year. However, he noted that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a near-term

supply shock, triggering an unprecedented global shortage, especially for certain industries like smartphones and personal computers. Intel announced a $20 billion plan in March to expand its advanced chip manufacturing capacity, building two factories in Arizona and opening its plants to outside customers. Mohan explained that the overall demand for semiconductors of all stripes, from basic microcontrollers and memory chips to the most sophis-

ticated high-performance processors, has grown over the past decade, as smartphone usage and computing power boomed. Added to that, mechanical machines like cars have become smarter, entailing the use of many more chips. Automotive electronics, which may include everything from displays to in-car systems, are set to account for an estimated 45% of a car’s manufacturing cost by 2030, according to a Deloitte report. The cost of the semiconductor-based compo-

nents used in those electronics is estimated to jump to US$600 by 2030 from US$475 in 2020. According to Mohan, the problem will be magnified, because the cost of chipmaking and keeping apace with technology advancements has increased exponentially this decade. Mohan underscored that the most complex and expensive pieces of silicon these days are logic chips from Qualcomm, Nvidia or Apple that give computers and smartphones their intelligence. “The severity of the global chip shortage has gone up a notch over the last few weeks and it’s now looking as though millions of people will be impacted. As technology has advanced, semiconductor chips have spread from computers and cars to toothbrushes and tumble dryers,” he added. But demand for chips, he said is continuing to outstrip supply and this

President of STARR Computer, Mike Mohan will also impact the supply of computers and electronics to the Caribbean and South American nations. “The average person on the street is bound to be impacted by the chip shortage in one form or another,” he noted. Noting that the vast majority of the world’s chips are made in China, while the U.S. is the second biggest producer, Mohan said this has impacted the supply of certain personal computers and other devices being sent to Guyana. “This will affect the overall price of these items,” he added. Meanwhile, in focus-

sing on another aspect of the impact of COVID-19, Mohan said the staff at STARR Computer have taken their vaccines and are abiding by all protocols. Further, in advocating person to take the vaccine, Mohan said that the company will be running a laptop raffle for all persons who are vaccinated; the winner will receive a desktop computer, a desk, chair and other accessories. This, he said will be running for a four-month period. “We also have one for all media operatives, the winner will receive a 10inch tablet,” he added.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 6, 2021

Region Two preparing for more rain – more drainage works needed to prevent flooding

OFFICIALS of the Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) administration say more drainage works need to be done in various communities in an effort to prevent severe flooding as the region prepares for more rain. The region has been hit by severe flooding since May 25; the Pomeroon River, St Monica, Karawab, Kabakaburi are severely affected. These communities were flooded with approximately four feet of water. On the coastland, villages

in the Charity community were flooded along with various sections of Anna Regina. This resulted in the regional officials conducting several outreaches and emergency arrangements were made to bring relief to flood-affected residents. Over 2,000 food hampers and a number of water tanks were distributed to residents in the Amerindian communities. However, several requests were made by residents and community lead-

ers for relief. Among the requests was for infrastructure works to be done in the Pomeroon River to raise the river bank. Residents also want seedlings, fertilizer and tools for the Pomeroon River. This will assist farmers to recover and replant after the devastating effects of the flooding. A request was also made for the design of a block drainage for the farmlands in the Pomeroon River, tubes and revetment works. A mini-excavator, particularly for the Pomeroon A mini-excavator at work at Darthmouth

Regional Executive Officer, Devanand Ramdatt, speaking with a resident of St Monica

River, is also needed. The residents suggested that a feasibility study be conducted for the dredging of the mouth of the Pomeroon River and the upgrading of several access dams, including the one at Charity and Lower Pomeroon. Additionally, residents believe that more extension services should be offered by the National Agriculture Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) and the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB). The Region Two administration has already spent $25.5 million for the purchase of an additional 500 food hampers, as well as fuel, for pumps to assist with the current rainy situation. These requests have been forwarded to the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 6, 2021

Ranks of Presidential Guard Unit receive training

THE conclusion of a fiveday joint programme between the Ministry of Public Service and the Guyana Police Force (GPF), on Friday, saw 17 police ranks from the GPF’s Presidential Guard Unit receiving certification in Customer Service Delivery. The customised programme lasted five days, and saw ranks covering various aspects of Customer Service Delivery, including Conflict Resolution, Professionalism and Ethics, Team Building, Personality and Image, and Stress Management. The graduation ceremony, which was held at the Police Officers’ Training Complex on Camp Road, Georgetown, was attended by Commander of Police Division 4 ‘A’, Assistant Commissioner Simon McBean; Force Training Officer, Superintendent Shivpersaud Bacchus; Head of the GPF’s Corporate Communications Unit, Mark Ramotar; and Manager of Development and Operations Unit of the Ministry of Public Service, Cornelly Walcott-Ramdeen, along with her team. Delivering closing remarks to the graduating ranks, Ramotar urged graduating ranks to use their training in order to foster and strengthen better relationships, not only with the public, but in the workplace. He noted that the Presidential Guard Unit is of great importance to the Guyana Police Force, as it is primarily responsible for the security of both the President and

Graduating ranks of the Presidential Guard Unit, along with (centre, from left) Manager of Development and Operations Unit of the Ministry of Public Service, Ms. Cornelly Walcott-Ramdeen; GPF Training Officer, Superintendent Shivpersaud Bacchus; Commander of Police Division 4 ‘A’, Assistant Commissioner Simon McBean, and Head of the GPF’s Corporate Communications Unit, Mr. Mark Ramotar Prime Minister. He described the unit as a generally vibrant and buoyant one, adding that it was unique, in the sense that there was a certain prestige and pride, not to mention a host of opportunities, given to those working as Presidential Guards. Alluding to the old prov-

erb that, “the mind is an excellent servant, but a terrible master”, Ramotar reminded ranks that their line of work constantly required them to have the right mind-set to perform their duties effectively. “You are all professionals, and you might be placed in situations where you have

to react and make quick decisions…you will have to perform your sensitive duties with precision, efficiency and a high sense of professionalism...this all comes back to having the right mind-set,” he stated. In concluding, he urged the graduating class, “take whatever training you would

have received here and replicate that in your line of work. There is no room for error… if you do err, make sure that you err in the direction of service and protection, courtesy and professionalism. I wish you well, congratulations!” Training Officer of the GPF, Superintendent

Shivpersaud Bacchus, reiterated to the ranks that customer care describes how people are treated when they interact with a brand, and charged them to be good ambassadors of the Guyana Police Force, and to use their newly-acquired knowledge in attaining such.

Oil association contributes $2M in supplies to flood-relief efforts AS Guyanese in various parts of the country continue to grapple with the effects of flooding caused by heavy rainfall, there has been a united effort between the government and civil society to mobilise relief. The latest organisation to join this effort is the Guyana Oil and Gas Energy Chamber (GOGEC), which donated $2 million worth of supplies to the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) for distribution to residents in flood-affected areas. According to a statement from GOGEC, the organisation, through its partners, Readymix Concrete and Palm Court, donated a large quantity of rice, face masks and other items.

It has been more than two weeks since the MayJune rains began to wreak havoc, devastating a number of communities across Guyana. And in addition to the outpouring of support from civil society, the government shifted its gear and rolled out a massive response effort. This has so far seen the deployment of equipment countrywide to conduct emergency cleaning and clearing of drains and canals; the installation of a number of new water pumps and drainage tubes; the dredging and excavation of clogged waterways, and continuous repairs to breaches and damaged infrastructure.

Ravindra Prashad (right) and other representatives of Readymix Concrete and Palm Court hand over the items to a representative of CDC

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 6, 2021

Floodwater starting to recede in parts of Regions Five, Six

APPROXIMATELY two weeks after persistent rainfall and overtopping rivers resulted in flooding in all 10 administrative regions of Guyana, some residents in Regions Five (Mahaica-Berbice) and Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) are beginning to experience relief. On Friday, Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha; Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall and Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat, conducted a follow-up flood assessment exercise in several areas in Regions Five and Six. Prior to that visit, Minister Mustapha visited most of the affected areas in both regions and put several measures in place to help drain the water. Francesca Alexander, a farmer from Ithaca, said she lost some chickens and crops as result of the flooding. “I was severely affected by the flooding because I lost more than 50 meat birds and the garden and everything. I know this flooding is happening all over the country so we have to try our best. “The government has made several meaningful interventions and we are beginning to get some relief. The waters are slowly

receding and they said they will assist with seeds and so. They also distributed hampers with foodstuff and things to clean out,” she said. Sandra Jordan, a resident of Rosignol sought Minister Mustapha’s assistance after reporting that several of her pigs had died. She said the animals were her only source of income and means of providing for her family. “My house and yard flood out a lot. The bridge is flooded and I have little children. It is becoming hard for us to move around now when the water come up. I’m trying to mine some pigs just for our daily bread but with the flood now, a whole set die out. “Now the yard ease out with the little water but I’m still in need because these pigs I would sell them and earn something to maintain myself,” Jordan said. Meanwhile, over in Region Six, Jason Ramdehal, a resident of Bangladesh, said the floodwaters started to recede after the machines cleared several drains in the areas. “This morning we were ready to take action but the machines came and did a good job. The water drop plenty from this morning to now. The pumps them working too so we getting results. “The minister did

Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha also donated wire to a cattle farmer from Ithaca to assist with securing his animals promise to send the machine and it came, so we glad. We just gotta hope the weather hold up for a couple of days so that the place could drain off,” Ramdehal said. During his engagement with residents, Minister Mustapha disclosed that floodwaters had begun to recede after the government put several measures in place over the last few weeks. “Here in Bangladesh, like other areas, the water has receded to some extent after a number of interven-

An NDIA machine carrying out works in Babu Jaan, Region 6

tions were made. We have been doing some amount of empoldering in various communities and pumping water out on a 24-hour basis. We’ve mobilised several machines and placed them at strategic points in these communities. “Hopefully, we can complete those exercises by [Saturday] and within another two days or so, residents should have more relief. We are hoping the weather holds. The water from the back lands has been putting a lot of stress on the drainage system in the housing areas. When these areas are drained and the sluices are closed, waters would rise again and the lands would once again become inundated. We had to close all the inlets that would usually bring water into the housing areas from the back lands,” Minister Mustapha said. He said the government’s main focus is to ensure that flood-affected persons are safe and have enough food to feed their families. He also said while preliminary assessments are being conducted to determine the number of crops and livestock that were destroyed as a result of the flooding, a more detailed assessment will be done once things return to some level of normalcy. Meanwhile, the Local Government Minister said

resources are currently geared towards providing emergency support for those who are severely affected. “The Regional systems have been activated and the resources are geared towards providing emergency support to severely affected households in the first phase. Government is also doing an assessment to determine what needs to be done in the future and how resources will be garnered towards the rebuilding of communities after this phase is over. “I’m very happy that across the regions, residents have given us their full support in terms of ensuring whatever relief measures are put in place, they promote it as well,” Minister Dharamlall said. Additionally, the Natural Resources Minister said the government has been working assiduously to get the situation under control but persistent rainfall and high tides are challenging these efforts. “This is a situation occurring in all 10 administrative regions and Cabinet Members have fanned out across the country to see what sort of immediate relief can be given to residents. I know the immediate relief needed by everyone who was affected is for the water to recede so that they can go back to

some amount of normalcy. “We’ve seen water in kitchens, homes, and yards and it is important for us to work as hard as possible to ensure residents get relief. You can understand the difficulty we are facing too with the continuous rainfall that we’ve been having throughout the entire country. All the measures that have been put in place by the Ministry of Agriculture through the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) have been bringing some amount of relief, but then we are still faced with the high tides and continuous rainfall,” Minister Bharrat said. So far, several pumps have been dispatched to assist with draining the lands in all of the affected areas. Additional excavators have also been mobilised to assist with clearing clogged drains and canals, as well as empoldering areas and sealing breaches in a number of dams. Some of the areas visited during the exercise were De Hoop, Ithaca, Rosignol, Blairmont, Belvedere, Babu Jaan, Bangladesh, and Port Mourant. Minister Mustapha will also be conducting flood assessments in other regions over the next few days. (Ministry of Agriculture press release)

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 6, 2021

Digicel pays CSEC fees for students of Sophia Night School

DIGICEL Guyana is paying the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination fees for some 30 students of the Sophia Night School. A press release from the telephone company noted that the goal of the CSEC programme is to provide young adults, who were unable to graduate from high school, with the opportunity to complete their CSEC examinations. In addition, three laptops were donated to be used by students without a device to attend virtual classes. The Sophia Community Development Association’s coordinator, Orin Nelson, and programme director,

Leroy Adolphus, accepted the donation at Digicel’s headquarters in Kingston. Simone Pierre, the Chief Commercial Officer of Digicel, speaking with some of the students, noted, “Education opens the door to numerous opportunities.” She urged them to study hard since these exams could be the stepping stone to attending the University of Guyana. One of students commented how grateful she was for the unexpected refund as she is a single mother and “getting this money back is such a surprise and will go a far way for my son. Thank you Digicel, for this you made us very happy.”

The Sophia Community Development Association (SOCDA) is a community-based Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) that provides programmes and activities aimed at promoting youth empowerment and education as vehicles or mechanisms for overcoming or reducing the prevalence of crime and violence in the Sophia community and its surrounding environs. Digicel is pleased to be part of this joint effort with SOCDA in making over thirty students’ wishes of completing their CSEC examinations a reality. Coordinator of the Sophia Community Development Association, Orin Nelson (centre), and programme director, Leroy Adolphus (left), accept the donation from Digicel’s Chief Commercial Officer, Simone Pierre

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 6, 2021

GECOM and the way forward

THIS week, there have been several developments that concern officials at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) that no doubt affect its ability to be impartial and transparent whenever it is expected to host several general and regional elections in the near future. Firstly, GECOM, since the last election, has been functioning in an irregular and very contentious atmosphere. GECOM still has not managed to catch itself after the fallout of the March 2, 2020 elections when Guyana was suspended for five months straight even though it was clear who had won the polls the first time and then the recount. Secondly, GECOM is finding it difficult to institute the reforms that are no doubt necessary to hold a free, fair and free from fear electoral polls. It has taken it months to fire and discipline staff at the Secretariat who were accused of interfering with GECOM’s machinery and way of conducting electoral matters in the pre-, during and after electoral phases. As a matter of fact, or truth, it has NOT fired the real culprits who are responsible for the election impasse. And despite letters surfaced in the media which purported to act on the directive of the majority of the Commission, there is no sign of a response or a change in the personnel. All we know is that this week, GECOM Commissioners will debate and ‘vote’ on a motion that has been put to it for the dismissal of the Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield; Deputy Elections Officer, Roxanne Myers, and the infamous Region Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo et al on various grounds. To be more precise, it was reported that “the Commissioners said that Lowenfield breached his functions, duties, responsibilities and obligations when he neglected to ensure due ad-

herence and compliance with the statutory process outlined in Section 84 of the Representation of the People Act (RoPA), Chapter 1:03 by Mingo, who was under his direct supervision. Mingo, according to the Commissioners, failed to follow the stipulated process of adding up the Statements of Poll (SoPs) for his District and Lowenfield aided in his noncompliance”. Thirdly, there are still a number of charges in courts that require the full attention of the Commission as far as working along with the authorities is concerned as they seek justice and to strengthen the electoral process. Public charges are pending against Lowenfield, Myers and Mingo apart from what GECOM is seeking to do to them now. Now that the way is cleared for prosecutions to be ready for trial, the DPP and the police must ensure that they work hard, based upon the evidence, to secure convictions and find those guilty without a shadow of doubt. And who could forget the failed APNU+AFC elections petition which has been appealed in the Courts. When will the reality hit home? They have not been successful - not because of efforts wanted or because their petition was misunderstood and ruled against prematurely- but it is wrong, false and laughable. Finally, this phase that GECOM is going through is too long and time-consuming but it is necessary for due diligence, fairness and justice. GECOM has more battles waiting on it to get its act together. It has to be reformed if it is going to hold free, independent and fair elections in the near future. When this hurdle has been passed, the Commission must pay attention to the laws governing how to appoint, discipline and terminate the services of intermediate and high-ranking officials. GECOM must also look at its timelines for holding an election and declaring a winner because

the public will not put up with such a test to Guyana’s to democracy or the democratic principle that govern elections again, as seen last year. GECOM must insist

that politicians’ campaign to further clarify laws, and power of prorogation and dissolution of Parliament particularly on the event of a no-confidence motion.

GECOM must be aware that it is working for the people and no one else. It is answerable to the public. Whatever is decided on the way forward, there will be

consequences for the status quo. It can’t be business as normal or usual. GECOM needs to rebuild or regain our confidence.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 6, 2021

Gaulin Supermarket donates 100 hampers to Pomeroon

FOLLOWING reports of extreme flooding within the Pomeroon, the business community on the Essequibo Coast continues to lend support to residents in need of basic food supplies. The Gaulin Supermarket has donated 100 food hampers to the Regional Democratic Council (RDC). Those hampers, upon receipt, were immediately shipped out to the homes of affected residents living along the banks in the Pomeroon. The Gaulin Supermarket is the largest supermarket in

Charity, on the Essequibo Coast, and operates under the Adamantium Holdings. During a brief hand over recently, Chairperson of Region Two, Vilma De Silva, expressed gratitude for the kind gesture. The Pomeroon is still severely affected, following days of heavy rainfall, complemented by extreme high tides. While the Coastland recorded minor flooding in most areas, the Pomeroon recorded water levels that reached as much as five feet in some areas. Since most persons

rely on farming within the Pomeroon, their entire livelihoods were washed away with the flood. Savitree Tulsiedass, who is the Chairperson of the Nile/Cozier Neighborhood Democratic Council, said that over three hundred farmers were affected within her constituency. Tulsiedass explained that persons even lost cattle, poultry and other livestock, due to the flood. She said that the hampers were indeed a timely gesture, as they will assist many residents, who are unable to cope financially during

Workers of Gaulin Supermarket packed the food supplies for distribution this time. The Regional Chairman shared similar sentiments, as she said, “this timely gesture, because as you know this is a flood season and the entire Pomeroon has been

flooded… each household will benefit from one hamper … So far, some farmers still have water on land, water has not yet receded over the past six days. A team will be going out to conduct

further assessment for possible outbreak of diseases.” Each hamper reportedly contained basic food items, some of which included rice, oil, flour and milk.

Bleach, medication distributed to residents of Pomeroon River –– no water-borne diseases detected

TO cushion the devastating effects of the flooding in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), the authorities distributed 480 galloons of bleach along with medication to residents in various communities of the Pomeroon River. Regional Health Officer, Dr. Ranjeev Singh, told the Sunday Chronicle that a health team is currently on a three-day visit to the flood-affected Pomeroon River. Dr. Singh said that he visited the Pomeroon River

on Wednesday last with a team of Environment Health Officers and they inspected 350 houses. He said meetings were held with residents at Karawab, St Monica, Siriki, Kabakaburi, Lilydale, and Abrams Creek. According to Dr. Singh, thus far, there are no reports of any water-borne disease. As such, he urged residents to continue to practise good hygiene. The Regional Health Officer said more chlorine will be sent to the flood-affected communities to further assist them.

“The health team will continue to be on the ground to monitor the situation. We will get more bleach from the ministry and that will be sent to the Pomeroon River areas so that they can continue to be safe; the area has a lot of stagnant water and that is not healthy,” Dr. Singh said. He also said that followup visits will be made by his team to ensure that the situation is properly monitored and the necessary recommendations are made to the Ministry of Health for further intervention.

Regional Health Officer, Dr. Ranjeev Singh, speaking with residents at Karawab during the distribution of bleach

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 6, 2021

Min. Bharrat stresses urgency of alternative energy –– recommits to balancing economy and environment By Rehana Ahamad

GUYANA’S current power generation systems have been contributing significantly towards carbon emissions into the environment, according to Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat, who has pledged the government’s commitment to providing Guyanese with sustainable energy. He made specific reference to the administration’s pursuit of a gasto-shore project, as well as the establishment of the Amaila Falls Hydro Project (AFHP). “We are bringing gas-to-shore, and having more reliable, cleaner, and cheaper electricity; that by itself, as a single project, stands to transform our country, and also provide incentives for us to venture into other cleaner and renewable energy sources,” Bharrat told those gathered at a tree-planting exercise organised by the Indian High Commission (IHC) in observance of World Environment Day on Saturday. During the activity hosted at the Promenade Gardens in downtown Georgetown, Minister Bharrat reminded his audience that talks have also commenced with Norway to allow for the Low-Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) to enter its second phase. “That is important to us; it is also important for us to find alternative economic activities, especially in the hinterland and riverine communities, where the people in those communities depend on their environment and the forest for a livelihood,” Bharrat emphasised. The minister acknowledged that the emergence of Guyana’s lucrative oiland-gas sector has raised many questions as to whether the country will pursue economic expansion over the protection

of the environment. To this, he said that “balance” will prevail. He made specific reference to the recent clearing of mangroves from a private property along the western side of the Demerara River, where a Guyana-born businessman is looking to establish a shore-base for his company. The minister acknowledged that as Guyana embarks on its journey towards massive transformation, “some amount of sacrifices will have to be made”. He said that even though some amount of damage is inevitable in

traction of our natural resources with the protection of our environment,” the Natural Resources Minister noted. He emphasised that systems will have to be put in place to ensure that whatever damage is incurred can be “off-set”. He said that for instance, the country will have to look towards increasing its mangrove plantations in other areas. “As an oil-producing nation, development will have to take place.” He noted that despite being a small country, Guyana contributes significantly to supplying the world with oxygen.

Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat joins Indian High Commissioner, Dr. K.J. Srinivasa in planting a tree at the Promenade Gardens, in observance of World Environment Day 2021 pursuing the development of certain sectors, the government’s intention is to ensure there is a critical balance between expanding the economy and maintaining the environment. “Somewhere along the line, as a government and as a ministry, we need to balance the ex-

“In Guyana, we boast one of the best and one of the most sustainable forest management systems, if not in this hemisphere, in the world; that is something that we are proud of, and we will maintain and try to grow from strength to strength,” the Natural Resources Minister said.

He noted that so far, Guyana has been doing well in terms of maintaining good environmental practices while pursuing profits. “I don’t think we have done bad over the years, as a country, in contributing to the safeguard of our environ-

ment,” Minister Bharrat said, adding: “As a small country, we have been contributing significantly to the oxygen that the world breathes, and we will continue to do so, because we are blessed with a country; 87 per cent of our land mass is covered by forest.”

He said that the sustainable projects being crafted by the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) government will result in the transformation of the country’s landscape, “and at the same time, reduce the carbon emissions significantly”.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 6, 2021

Recreate, re-imagine, restore! –– UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration kicks off

LEADERS in global politics, science, communities, religion and culture, have joined hands to officially kick off the UN Decade

on Ecosystem Restoration - a rallying call for the protection and revival of millions of hectares of ecosystems all around the world

for the benefit of people and nature. Led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the

Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), the Decade on Restoration -- which runs from 2021 to 2030 -- was

Children in Marovovonana, Madagascar (FAO photo) proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in a 2019 resolution. The launch took the form of a high-level virtual gala with the participation, alongside the heads of UNEP and FAO and UN Secretary-General António Guterres; of Imran Khan, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, which hosts World Environment Day on June 5 this year; Pope Francis; Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, President of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Chair of the African Union; German Chancellor, Angela Merkel; and Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley. Among other global figures who spoke were goodwill ambassadors, advocates, youth representatives, scientists and CEOs. “By restoring ecosystems, we can drive a transformation that will contribute to the achievement of all the Sustainable Development Goals. The task is monumental. We need to replant and protect our forests. We need to clean up our rivers and seas. And we need to green our cities,” the UN Secretary-General said in his message. “Accomplishing these things will not only safeguard the planet’s resources. It will create millions of new jobs by 2030, generate returns of over $7 trillion dollars every year and help eliminate poverty and hunger.” The FAO Director-General, QU Dongyu, noting that the increasing pressure on the world’s natural resources is affecting the well-being of 40 per cent of the global population, called for a change of mindset. “Business as usual is not an option!” he underscored. “We need to prevent, halt and reverse the degradation of ecosystems worldwide,

including our farmlands and forests; our rivers and oceans. More efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agri-food systems can help restore ecosystems and safeguard sustainable food production, leaving no one behind,” he added. Stressing that in order to save our marine and terrestrial ecosystems, UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen, said governments must ensure COVID-19 stimulus packages contribute to a sustainable and equitable recovery from the pandemic, while businesses and the financial sector must reform operations and financial flows so that they restore and not destroy - the natural world. She urged individuals to rethink their choices where possible and raise their voices for restoration and a sustainable future. “We must use this moment in history to launch a massive global movement to save our terrestrial and marine ecosystems even as we continue to decarbonise. Everyone has a “to-do” here. Governments must ensure COVID-19 stimulus packages contribute to a sustainable and equitable recovery from the pandemic. Businesses and the financial sector must reform operations and financial flows so that they restore the natural world. And as individuals and consumers, it is time rethink choices, demand deforestation-free products and vote for sustainability in the polling booths.” RESTORATION GENERATION “Restoring the nature we have damaged means, in the first place, restoring ourselves,” said Pope Francis in a video message See page 27

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 6, 2021

Recreate, re-imagine...

From page 26

relayed by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State. “We welcome this United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, let us be compassionate, creative and courageous. May we take our proper place as a “Restoration Generation.” The UN Decade aims to inspire and support governments, UN agencies, civil society, private sector companies, youth, women’s groups, Indigenous Peoples, farmers, local communities and individuals globally, to collaborate, develop and catalyse restoration initiatives across the world. The effort will involve a raft of activities. They range from redirecting fiscal incentives and financial flows to promote restoration to undertaking research on restoration in terrestrial and marine environments, building the technical capacity of restoration practitioners globally and monitoring global progress on restoration. The Decade aims to mobilise hundreds of millions of people to restore nature and foster a global restoration culture in which restoration initiatives are scaled up across the planet. “The world has no choice but to go on a nature positive pathway which will not only boost the economy, but also protect the environment,” said Imran Khan, Prime Minister of Pakistan, which, in 2019, embarked on an ambitious plan to plant 10 billion trees. Welcoming the launch of the UN Decade, Felix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, President of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Chair of the African Union, noted that the African continent had made multiple commitments through several regional declarations, pledges, calls to action and pilot activities, but there was a need to mobilise the necessary resources and expertise to lead large-

scale implementation. “The restoration of terrestrial, marine and freshwater ecosystems should be undertaken in such a way as to avoid creating land conflicts or conflicts of use,” he added. “It must therefore be part of visionary spatial planning processes that take into account inter-sectoral trade-offs, respecting land and resource tenure rights of local communities and other vulnerable social groups.” HAVE TO DO MORE In her message, German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, said: “We have to do more to protect and restore natural habitats - and we have to do it now, not some time in the future.” “We have to ensure now that forests, which we need not least to regulate our climate, are protected and replenished,” she added. The Chancellor also announced that Germany would be the first country to provide funding - 14 million Euro - to the Multi-Partner Trust Fund for the Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. The launch of the Decade on Ecosystem Restoration today leads into World Environment Day on June 5, the United Nations’ flagship day for promoting worldwide awareness and action for the environment. Held under the theme of ecosystem restoration, this year’s World Environment Day is hosted by Pakistan, which will mark the day and the start of the UN Decade with an event taking place in Islamabad and officiated by Prime Minister, Imran Khan, with the participation from a host of dignitaries from around the world including UNEP Executive Director, Inger Andersen, and senior officials from FAO, UN-Habitat and UNDP, as well as senior officials from countries including Germany and Saudi Arabia. The UN Decade on

Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030 is a rallying call for the protection and revival of ecosystems all around the world, for the benefit of people and nature. It aims to halt the degra-

dation of ecosystems and restore them to achieve global goals. The United Nations General Assembly has proclaimed the UN Decade and it is led by the United Nations Environment Pro-

gramme and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations. The UN Decade is building a strong, broadbased global movement to ramp up restoration and put the world on

track for a sustainable future. That will include building political momentum for restoration as well as thousands of initiatives on the ground. (FAO)

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 6, 2021

GWI undergoing forensic audit – following financial mismanagement

CHIEF Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI), Shaik Baksh, says a forensic audit is currently underway over the mismanagement of the entity’s finances by the previous administration. The CEO, during a press conference on Friday last, said the previous management recklessly expended funds over the last five years. He highlighted an overpayment of some $87.9 million to a contractor for the Vlissengen road pipe

project and SeaQuest for $1.8 billion over four years, along with the construction of a $40 million building in Region Five. An additional $19 million is still needed to complete that facility. Overpriced staff parties estimating over $80 million in 2018 and 2019 and overseas travelling are also under scrutiny. “The internal auditors found that there has been double charging in the batching, mixing in transportation; huge sums of

money are involved here. There were also fictitious charges inserted in transportation invoices which made us dismiss the employee left in charge of this. “There’s also questionable delivery of goods, double charging, fictitious charging and contract splitting, which is prohibited under the National Procurement Act and GWI standard rules,” he said. Baksh said there was no reason for the previous management to sole-source products through a ‘middle-

man.’ SeaQuest is used to improve water quality, by reducing its iron content. It is produced by Aqua Smart Incorporated, a United States-based company that facilitated several presentations for GWI. The CEO said, “monies were not spent to maintain the water treatment plants because the management of over five years relied on a highly questionable product called SeaQuest. “They neglected to maintain the plants at Linden and so we had to do

some works. Places like Grove, Eccles, Covent Gardens, we have been able to restore though more works need to be done.” He said the entity hopes to achieve 90 per cent treated water in the coastal belt while securing investments to improve the water service in Georgetown. Next year, the company will be securing funding for a waste water treatment plant. The GWI recently issued termination letters to 76 employees, effective

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GWI, Shaik Baksh June 30. The employees are part of the 157 persons slated to be laid off as part of the entity’s restructuring plans. (DPI)

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 6, 2021

Two more die from COVID-19; 158 new cases

TWO more COVID-19 deaths announced by the Ministry of Health on Saturday, have pushed the death toll for June to seven, and the overall toll since the discovery of the

viral disease in Guyana to 405. According to the ministry, the latest fatalities are 76-year-old female and a 41-year-old-male, both from Region Two

(Pomeroon-Supenaam), who succumbed on Thursday while receiving medical care at a Ministry of Health facility. The ministry has also recorded 158 new cases

of COVID-19, with 1,278 tests carried out for June 5. Of those, Region One (Barima-Waini) confirmed six; Region Two, two; Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), 18; Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), 65; Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), three; Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), 16; Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni), one; Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), four; Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), seven, and Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), 36. The newly infected persons are 77 males and 81 females.

Presently, 18 persons occupy the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU), while 106 are institutionally isolated, 1,738 are isolated at home, and four are institutionally quarantined. Of Guyana’s 17,617 confirmed cases since the discovery of COVID-19, 1,866 are currently active, while 188 of the 15,350 overall recoveries were recorded within the past 24 hours. All Guyanese are urged to observe the protocols of the COVID-19 emergency measures, which emphasise the need for correct and consistent use of a face mask when leaving home, the importance of

maintaining the six feet physical distance from others, and the need for good hand hygiene to help curb the spread of COVID-19. The Ministry of Health has also urged persons 18 years and older to take the COVID-19 vaccine, to immunise themselves against the deadly virus. If anyone you know is displaying any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19, or needs any additional information, kindly contact the COVID-19 Hotline 231-1166, 226-7480 or 624-6674 immediately or visit the Ministry of Health at www.health. gov.gy.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 6, 2021

Richarlison scores in Brazil’s World Cup qualifying win

EVERTON forward Richarlison scored as Brazil beat Ecuador 2-0 to stay top of the South American qualifying group for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Paris St-Germain’s Neymar got the second with a retaken penalty following a foul on Manchester City forward Gabriel Jesus. The result means Brazil have won all five of their World Cup qualifiers. They top the 10-team South America group with 15 points from five games, four ahead of second-placed Argentina. Ecuador are third with nine points after winning three of their previous four qualifiers, and Brazil struggled to break them down, despite being the better side for much of the match. Richarlison got the breakthrough 20 minutes into the second half when goalkeeper Alexander Dominguez could not stop his angled near-post shot. And with only minutes remaining, Neymar added a penalty after his first attempt was saved. He was allowed to retake the kick after the referee spotted players encroaching into the penalty area. The spot-kick had been awarded after referee Alexis Herrera initially gave a freekick against Jesus following contact between him and Angelo Preciado in the Ecuador area. But after a four-minute VAR review, the official changed his mind and awarded a penalty. Brazil’s next game is against Paraguay in Asuncion on June 8, while Ecuador will host Peru the same day. (BBC Sport)

English Racing Tips Goodwood 08:45 hrs Perotto 09:20 hrs Gold Souk 09:55 hrs Loch Lass 10:30 hrs Lydford 11:05 hrs Warning 11:40 hrs Free Wind 12:10 hrs Shalanez Perth 09:00 hrs Will Carver 09:35 hrs Rock On Rocco 10:10 hrs Evita Du Mesnil 10:45 hrs Beyond The Clouds 11:20 hrs Potterman 11:55 hrs Wakool 12:25 hrs Hemlock Irish Racing Tips Kilbeggan 08:20 hrs Three By Two 08:50 hrs Young Jack Yates 09:25 hrs Felicidad 10:00 hrs General Moriviere 10:35 hrs Chelseas Friend 11:10 hrs Low Sun 11:45 hrs Goodnightgodbless 12:15 hrs Minella Cocooner South Africa Racing Tips Turffontein 08:48 hrs Gaian Glory 09:23 hrs Rain In Holland 09:54 hrs Freed From Desire 10:25 hrs Running Brave 11:00 hrs Lady Of Steel

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 6, 2021

Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce becomes second-fastest woman of all-time … clocks 10.63 to set new 100m national record

KINGSTON, Jamaica – Jamaica’s multiple World and Olympic Champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce ran a stunning 10.63 seconds (1.3m/s) in the 100 metres, to set a new national record and become the second-fastest woman of all-time at yesterday’s third staging of the Jamaica Olympic Association/Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association Olympic Destiny Series at the national stadium in Kingston.

Fraser-Pryce who shared the national record with Elaine Thompson-Herah at 10.70 seconds and had a season-best 10.84 seconds, moved past Americans Marion Jones’ 10.65 seconds and Carmelita Jeter’s 10.64 seconds into second all-time behind world record-holder, the late Florence Griffith-Joyner’s 10.49 seconds. Fraser-Pryce was as stunned as anyone else who witnessed her blazing run saying afterwards, “honestly no, I wasn’t coming out

here to run that fast; thank God that I finish healthy.” She said she was able to relax and run as “there was no pressure, just wanted to get one more race in before the national trials.” She did hint that she can run faster, however, “If I am able to run 10.6 now and Trials is some time away, this year I just wanted to break the 10.7 barrier so now I can focus on making the team to the Olympics.” (Jamaica Observer)

ICC announces major changes to World Cup schedule

… Men’s World Cups in both formats are expanded and the Champions Trophy returns as ICC announces its schedule of major events for 2024-2031

Holder hoping to target ‘big hole’ in Proteas batting

GROS ISLET, St Lucia (CMC) – Ex-captain Jason Holder is hoping West Indies can exploit a South Africa in transition when the two teams meet in the two-Test rubber starting here next Thursday, and he believes runs will be key if the home side are to notch their first series win over the tourists in nearly three decades. The Proteas are currently going through a rebuilding phase, having lost the likes of veteran batsmen AB de Villiers, Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis all to retirement, along with pace spearhead Dale Steyn who has also quit the longest format. Holder said the loss of the experienced trio had resulted in a “big hole” in South Africa’s batting lineup, leaving the series to be determined by which team produced the superior batting effort. “I think it will be a hard-fought series,” said Holder, the top-ranked all-rounder in Tests. “I think South Africa is in a transitionary phase where their bowling attack is very, very solid but (the loss of) AB de Villiers, Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis have probably left a big hole in their experienced batting lineup. “They’ve got a few youngsters coming in trying to make their mark as well and likewise with us. I think this series will be won by the side that puts the runs on the board.” He continued: “I think

both bowling attacks are very, very solid. Our bowling attack in the Caribbean has proven to be one of the best bowling attacks. “South Africa’s bowling attack … also does a really outstanding job for them so it pretty much balances off itself in terms of the bowling lineups. “My take is that this series will be won by the team who makes the most runs.” West Indies have struggled against South Africa since the nation’s re-admission to international cricket, winning just two of their 27 Tests inside the last 22 years. The Caribbean side last faced South Africa in a Test series seven years ago, when they lost 2-0 in a three-match series after suffering heavy losses at Cape Town and Centurion. Holder endured a rough tour, claiming only three wickets from 51 overs in two Tests. And on their last tour of the Caribbean nearly 12 years ago, the visitors beat West Indies 2-0 in another three-Test rubber with defeats at Bridgetown and Port of Spain. With the two sides having not met in recent times and West Indies making an unbeaten start to the year, Holder said the upcoming series would be a critical one for West Indies. “This series is a very big one and a very important one for us,” the 29-year-old pointed out.

“I played against South Africa in my second and third Test matches. It was down in South Africa last time and we haven’t played them since then so I’m really looking forward to this series. “It’s obviously a big series for us. South Africa are a very, very good cricket side. We’re looking forward to it and I’m personally looking forward to it.” Holder was on Thursday named in a 17-man provisional squad for the series, with selectors expected to further trim the squad to 13 tomorrow. The Barbadian was rested for the camp which has been underway here for the last three weeks, and took no part in the four-day inter-squad match, which ended Thursday, after arriving in St Lucia last weekend and undergoing COVID-19 quarantine. One of West Indies’ most consistent performers with bat and ball in recent years, Holder said he was looking forward again to making a key contribution. “One of the things that I pride myself in doing is enjoying what I am doing, and making sure I contribute positively in every facet of the game,” said Holder. “Obviously I’m an all-rounder and I’m asked to make runs and take wickets; so for me, it’s whatever I can do to help the team win cricket games.”

England are the defending champions of the 50-over World Cup

THE men’s 50-over and 20over World Cups will be expanded to 14 teams and 20 teams respectively while the Champions Trophy will also return under changes announced by the International Cricket Council (ICC) last Tuesday. The ICC has confirmed the schedule and format of men’s global events between 2024 and 2031, which include biennial editions of the T20 World Cup and World Test Championship Final as well as a major 50-over tournament every two years. It will see a World Test Championship Final as well as a major 50-over event played every odd year – in 2025, 2027, 2029 and 2031 – while even years will feature a T20 World Cup. The ICC announced changes to major women’s events earlier this year, which will see a major women’s tournament held every year from 2022 to 2031. The ICC also gave its strongest indication yet that this year’s T20 World Cup will be moved from India to the United Arab Emirates, and also flagged the prospect of another nation co-hosting the tournament with the UAE. In a statement, the ICC said its board had “requested management focus its planning efforts for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 on the event being staged in the UAE with the possibility of including another venue in the Middle East”, and added a final decision on the host nation or nations will be made later this month. The most notable change for the global game announced last Tuesday is the expansion of the 50-over World Cup from 10 nations to 14 after the reduction to 10 teams for the 2019 and 2023 events was heavily criticised for limiting opportunities for developing nations. The T20 World Cup, which will remain a 16-team event for the 2021 and 2022 editions, has also been expanded to 20 nations going forward, giving developing

countries a greater opportunity to prove themselves on the biggest stage. The 50-over World Cups will also welcome back the Super Six stage of the tournament that was last used in 2003, while the T20 event will feature a new Super Eights stage. In the 54-match, 50-over events, the 14 teams will be split into two groups of seven with the top three in each group to progress to the Super Six stage before the semi-finals and final. The T20 World Cups will feature a total of 55 games, starting with four groups of five. The top two from each group will progress to the Super Eights before the semi-final and final. Under the old Super Six format, teams would play all those who were not in their initial group and wins in the group stage against teams who qualify for the Super Six stage carried over. The 50-over Champions Trophy, which was scrapped after Pakistan won the 2017 event, also returns as a shorter, eightteam event every four years, with two groups of four to be followed by semi-finals and finals. The host nations for the upcoming men’s events will be decided in September. Tuesday’s announcement

does not impact the upcoming T20 World Cups in 2021 and 2022 and 50-over event in 2023. ICC MAJOR EVENTS: 2024-2031 2024: Men’s T20 World Cup, Women’s T20 World Cup, Men’s Under-19 World Cup 2025: World Test Championship Final, Men’s Champions Trophy, Women’s ODI World Cup, Women’s Under-19 T20 World Cup 2026: Men’s T20 World Cup, Women’s T20 World Cup, Men’s Under-19 World Cup 2027: World Test Championship Final, Men’s ODI World Cup, Women’s T20 Champions Trophy, Women’s Under-19 T20 World Cup 2028: Men’s T20 World Cup, Women’s T20 World Cup, Men’s Under-19 World Cup 2029: World Test Championship Final, Men’s Champions Trophy, Women’s ODI World Cup, Women’s Under-19 T20 World Cup 2030: Men’s T20 World Cup, Women’s T20 World Cup, Men’s Under-19 World Cup 2031: World Test Championship Final, Men’s ODI World Cup, Women’s T20 Champions Trophy, Women’s Under-19 T20 World Cup. (Cricket.com .au)

SUNDAY, June 06, 2021 COMPLIMENTS OF XTRA ENERGY DRINK – STABROEK BAZAAR (Tel: 683-9500) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD – 83 Garnett street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) (1) (2) (1) (2)

ANSWERS TO YESTERDAY’S:

Rohan Kanhai-256 (Kolkatta, 1958-59) Sunil Gavaskar-236* (Chennai, 1983-84)

TODAY’S QUIZ:

Which WI player has captured most Test wickets against IND to date? Which IND bowler has claimed most Test wickets against the WI to date?

ANSWERS IN TOMORROW’S ISSUE

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 6, 2021

Abbas, Shah return to Pakistan Test squad

MOHAMMAD Abbas and Naseem Shah have returned to Pakistan’s Test squad for the two-match series against West Indies. Yasir Shah’s inclusion, however, remains subject to fitness, with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) saying that the leg-spinner is yet to recover from the knee injury that sidelined him for the series against Zimbabwe, while Tabish Khan and Salman Ali Agha have been dropped from the 21-man squad. Agha, though, is part of the ODI squad for England. Abbas was dropped for the last two Test series Pakistan played, at home against South Africa and in Zimbabwe, but has forced his way back into contention after impressing in the County Championship in England. Shah, meanwhile, was dealing with a back issue that kept him out for much of the last year. Azam Khan has been called up to the T20I squad for the first time. The wicketkeeper-batter has impressed on occasion for the Quetta Gladiators in the PSL, and was one of the more explosive batsmen in the National T20 Cup last year. There was also a return for Imad Wasim, who last donned international colours in Decem-

ber last year, in the T20I squad. The 32-year-old all-rounder missed Pakistan’s T20I series against South Africa at home and away, as well as the series against Zimbabwe, and hasn’t played any cricket since the PSL was postponed in early March. Pakistan are due to play three T20Is against England in July, followed by a further five in the West Indies.

a spot. Saud Shakeel, meanwhile, was also after missing out on the same series because of an injury. “We have remained consistent in our selection and kept the same core of cricketers who have been in the set-up for a while,” chief selector Mohammad Wasim said. “This is an extremely important and critical tour for Pakistan

towards the ICC World Test Championship. “As such, keeping in view the above and in consultation with captain Babar Azam and head coach Misbah-ul-Haq, we have tried our best to maintain the winning combinations but at the same time recalled four experienced players and rewarded uncapped Azam Khan for his domestic performance, while also giving him

Cup is likely to be held in the UAE and he enjoys an excellent record there. The players who have missed on selection will remain part of our strategy, and, as such, they will continue to work on their technical game at the National High Performance Centre under the watchful eyes of Mohammad Yousuf and Saqlain Mushtaq.” Pakistan will leave for Haris Sohail returns to the 50-over side after missing out in the series against South Africa

Mohammad Abbas was dropped for the last two Test series Pakistan played at home

Haris Sohail returned to the 50-over side after missing out in the series against South Africa. The left-handed batter was one of the star performers at the 2019 World Cup for Pakistan, but with the side only playing a handful of ODIs since, has struggled to nail

as we will be playing the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League ODIs against England as well as the T20Is against England and the West Indies as part of our preparations for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. The Jamaica Test will count

the required confidence for the future challenges. “Mohammad Abbas has regained his form, Naseem Shah and Haris Sohail have reclaimed the required fitness standards, while Imad Wasim has been recalled considering the T20 World

Manchester on June 25 to play three ODIs and as many T20Is in England before flying to Barbados where they will play the first of five T20Is against West Indies. Those will be followed by two Tests at Sabina Park in Jamaica.

PAKISTAN SQUADS: Tests: Babar Azam (capt.), Mohammad Rizwan (vice-capt, wkp.), Abdullah Shafique, Abid Ali Azhar Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Imran Butt, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wkp.), Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shahnawaz Dahani, Yasir Shah (subject to fitness), Zahid Mahmood. ODIs: Babar Azam (capt), Shadab Khan (vice-capt), Abdullah Shafique, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Haris Sohail, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wkp.), Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wkp.), Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Qadir. T20Is: Babar Azam (capt.), Shadab Khan (vice-capt.), Arshad Iqbal, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wkp.), Mohammad Wasim Jr, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wkp.), Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sharjeel Khan, Usman Qadir.

Reigning NBA champions Los Angeles Lakers lose in play-offs Mo Farah, 38, misses Tokyo qualification REIGNING NBA champions Los Angeles Lakers have suffered a shock first-round play-offs defeat by Phoenix Suns. Devin Booker scored 47 points for the Suns as they sealed a 4-2 series win. LeBron James scored 29 points for the Lakers, who are the first defending champions to lose at this stage since the San Antonio Spurs in 2015. The result also marks the first time James has lost in the first round of the play-offs. Suns will now face Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference semi-finals after they clinched a 4-2 series win over Portland Trail Blazers. Nikola Jokic scored 36 points for the Nuggets, whose 126-115 victory condemned Blazers to a fourth first-round defeat in five seasons. LAKERS BOW OUT Having won his previous 14 first-round play-off series, James found himself attempting to avoid elimination from the first round for only the second time. Lakers had knocked out Suns the last time Phoenix reached the play-offs in 2010 but they were on the back foot from the moment Anthony Davis hobbled off with a recurrence of a groin injury. Davis’ withdrawal after just over five minutes to the problem that saw him leave game four and kept him out of game five, allowed Suns to take control at the Staples Centre. And Booker came to the fore with 22 points in the opening period

as Suns went 36-14 ahead before going on to a comfortable 113-100 victory. “I’ve been working my whole life for this moment so it wasn’t time to shy away from it,” Booker said.“Plenty of hours of sacrificing a lot of

life to this game. So I wanted to put it on full display tonight. “We knew we weren’t going to get to where we wanted to go without going through them, and it happened to be in the first round.” (BBC Sport)

TWO-time defending champion Mo Farah’s hopes of representing Great Britain in the Olympic 10,000m seem to be over after he fell short of the qualifying mark in the European 10,000m Cup. The 38-year-old was eighth, behind fellow Briton Marc Scott, in a race that doubled as the Olympic trial.

pointing performance suggests that his plan to retire after a track comeback in Tokyo may be brought forward. Farah has spent the past three-and-half years attempting to replicate his track success on the road, but his marathon switch failed to stick. In his first track 10,000m since winning the 2017 world

Mo Farah was racing in a track 10,000m for the first time since the World Championships in 2017

The result also marks the first time LeBron James has lost in the first round of the play-offs

Farah’s time of 27 minutes 50.54 seconds in Birmingham was more than 22 seconds short of the required time. Farah has until 27 June to dip inside the 27:28 standard for Tokyo. Alternatively he could turn his attention to the 5,000m, an event he also won gold in at both London 2012 and Rio 2016, at the British Championships on 26 June. However, Farah’s disap-

title in the London Stadium, it was clear that the event has moved on and Farah has slipped back. Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei, who finished second at London 2017, has succeeded him as world champion and, in October, broke Kenenisa Bekele’s 15-year-old world record with a time more than 35 seconds quicker than Farah could manage at his best. Under the lights at Bir-

mingham University, Farah was well short of that. Scott’s predictions that Farah’s aura of invincibility had faded proved correct as finish 0.7 seconds clear of his domestic rival as the first Briton to claim his own ticket to Tokyo. Frenchman Morhad Amdouni was well clear of both, winning in 27:23.39. In the women’s elite race, Eilish McColgan overhauled Israel’s Selamawit Teferi in the final 50m to claim victory in 31:19.21 and confirm her Tokyo spot, but the real emotion erupted behind the leading pair. Jess Judd collapsed in tears as she came third in 31:20.84, a time good enough to take her to the Olympics for the first time. The 26-year-old stepped up to 10,000m for the first time last month after a career spent at middle and shorter distances. On that occasion, she fell less than a second short of the Olympic qualifying standard of 31:25. “I am buzzing, I am absolutely over the moon,” she told Athletics Weekly. “I never thought it would happen.” Ve r i t y O c k e n d e n a n d Amy-Eloise Markovc finished fourth and fifth - both outside the Olympic qualifying time. McColgan’s qualification means she will run in Tokyo, 30 years on from her mother Liz winning world 10,000m gold in the Japanese capital.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 6, 2021

Rory Burns’ battling ton gives England hope but Kiwis on top

THERE are 98 overs remaining in this first Test between England and New Zealand and though a draw remains the most likely outcome, a sparkling fourth day that saw Rory Burns and Tim Southee claim places on the Lord’s honours boards suggested further twists are still possible. Certainly none of the 6 500 spectators who came through the turnstiles could claim to have been short-changed despite nine unbowled overs disappearing into the ether, after Burns rescued England from a morning collapse with his third Test century and Tim Southee underlined his class with sublime figures of six for 43. As the players strolled off at stumps to hearty applause New Zealand sat at 62 for two from 30 overs, extending their first innings lead of 103 to 165. Ollie Robinson finally cracked the Devon Conway code, bowling the debutant double-centurion for 23 before trapping Kane Williamson lbw on one, but the tourists still faced the more relaxing evening back in the bubble. For England there was much to chew on after the 275 all out they mustered in glorious sunshine, with three ducks among the top seven and four overall, as Southee topped the six for 50 he claimed during a 10-wicket Test here in 2013. The hosts owed plenty to Burns, who over the course of nine hours – either side of Friday’s washout – scored 132 from 297 balls. Much like his maiden Test century against Australia in 2019, this was another gutsy performance. Two lives were

handed to him – BJ Watling missed a stumping on 77 and the slips bungled two bites at the cherry on 88 – while he was twice struck on the helmet. Yet his focus remained gimlet-eyed until a tired waft finally handed Southee his sixth wicket and terminated Burns’ 10th-wicket stand of 52 with Jimmy Anderson. The reduced Lord’s crowd were in raptures up to that point – never more so than when Burns recreated Ben Stokes’s slog-swept six into the Mound Stand during the 2019 World Cup final – after starting the day with a sense of creeping dread. Joe Root fenced Kyle Jamieson’s opening delivery to first slip and Southee struck three times in nine balls, as England’s overnight 111 for two became 140 for six by mid-morning. An average age of 25 years and 346 days makes this the youngest top seven England have fielded in 528 home Tests and the seasoned Southee preyed on their inexperience. Ollie Pope was trapped lbw for a streaky 22, Dan Lawrence flashed his second ball to slip and the debutant James Bracey also departed without scoring when bowled by a fine inswinger. While all three are likely jostling for one spot when Stokes and Jos Buttler return later in the summer, Robinson’s concern over his place is more immediate. But as was the case on day two, the 27-year-old blocked out the storm regarding those awful teenage tweets, delivering 42 precious runs to eliminate the follow-on. Jimmy Anderson stayed

with Burns as he completed his hundred. Burns was the more circumspect of the pair, adding just 13 runs to his overnight 59 as England limped to 164 for six at lunch. And when Southee removed Robinson with the second new ball for his fifth wicket, followed by the swift departures of Mark Wood and Stuart Broad, the Surrey captain was still nine runs short of three figures with only Anderson for company.

teammates meanwhile were busy paying homage to Southee, whose attacking lengths and judicious use of the short ball demonstrated why the understated 32-year-old has claimed 100 wickets at 21 in 20 Tests since the start of 2018. Tea was pushed back nearly half an hour to accommodate the final throes of England’s innings. When Root’s side emerged after the break their desperation for quick wickets was palpable and two

Rory Burns scored his third Test ton and first at Lord’s (Credit: ECB via GETTY IMAGES)

But Anderson held firm for his senior partner here, as Burns moved to 100 for the first time in 19 months with a thick edge down to third man that once again prompted his curious bowing celebration and a grateful ovation from his slightly sheepish colleagues on the home balcony. When Burns eventually fell, having enjoyed a licence to swing in the latter stages of the innings, the friendly rivalry enjoyed by the two sides was summed up by Neil Wagner running after him for a meaty handshake. His New Zealand

reviews were burned in quick succession. Root had naturally turned to Anderson and Broad for inspiration with the new ball but while both men had their moments during their opening bursts, it was not until Robinson’s introduction that the breakthrough finally came. We have learned plenty about Robinson during his debut, not all of it good. But there appears little doubt the Sussex right-armer has the hallmarks of an accomplished Test bowler, as shown when he became the first man to re-

move Conway with an inside edge that saw the ball cannon into the stumps. Robinson’s second – and sixth of the match – was more of a surprise it must be said, Root chancing his final review after Williamson was struck in front, playing around one that nipped back. It proved the right call, however, with no bat involved and three reds following from Hawk-Eye.

Tom Latham will resume in the morning unbeaten on 23, with the nightwatchman Wagner for company on two. England, though likely out of the reckoning as regards a victory, will pitch up looking for more from their batsmen when their time comes again. They could do worse than look to the example of Burns. (Yahoo Sports)

NEW ZEALAND 1st innings Tom Latham b Ollie Robinson 23 Devon Conway Run Out Ollie Pope 200 Kane Williamson b James Anderson 13 Ross Taylor lbw Ollie Robinson 14 Henry Nicholls c Ollie Robinson b Mark Wood 61 BJ Watling c Dominic Sibley b Mark Wood 1 Colin de Grandhomme lbw Ollie Robinson 0 Mitchell Santner c James Anderson b Mark Wood 0 Kyle Jamieson c Zak Crawley b Ollie Robinson 9 Tim Southee c James Bracey b James Anderson 8 Neil Wagner not out 25 EXTRAS: (b-7, lb-15, nb-2) 24 TOTAL: (all out, 122.4 overs) 378 Fall of wickets: 1-58, 2-86, 3-114, 4-288, 5-292, 6-293, 7-294, 8-317, 9-338, Bowling: James Anderson 28-7- 83-2, Stuart Broad 27-5-79- 0, Ollie Robinson 28-6-75-4 (nb-2), Mark Wood 27-8-81-3, Joe Root 12.4-1-38-0. ENGLAND 1st innings Rory Burns c (wkp.) Watling b Southee 132 Dominic Sibley lbw Kyle Jamieson 0 Zak Crawley c (wkp.)Watling b Tim Southee 2 Joe Root c Taylor b Jamieson 42 Ollie Pope lbw b Southee 22 Dan Lawrence c de Grandhomme b Southee 0 James Bracey b Southee 0 Ollie Robinson c Jamieson b Southee 42 Mark Wood c wkp. Watling b Jamieson 0 Stuart Broad b Wagner 10 James Anderson not out 8 EXTRAS: (b-4, lb-4, nb-8, w-1) 17 TOTAL: (five wkts, 101.1 overs) 275 Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-18, 3-11, , 4-140, 5-14, 6-140, 7-203 , , 8-207, 9-223. Bowling: Tim Southee 25.1-8-43-6, Kyle Jamieson 26-8-85-3 (nb-2) Colin de Grandhomme 15-5-24-0, Neil Wagner 24-3-81-1 (nb-3), Mitchell Santner 10-4-30-0 (nb-1).

Wilder should be determined and hungry to reclaim title

IN just over seven weeks from now, on July 24, Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder will meet for the third time. Their last encounter seems like an age ago, way back in February of last year, where Tyson Fury emerged victorious via a seventh-round stoppage in Las Vegas. So what can we expect in the third fight from Deontay? First off, Wilder reigned as heavyweight champ from January 2015 when he beat Bermaine Stiverne to February 2020, just over five years. So his mindset as the challenger will be different, and he should be as determined and as hungry as ever to reclaim his title back and avenge his loss and reputation. This time round Wilder

knows exactly what Fury will do and what Fury’s game plan will be. It will be the same as the second fight, where Fury was more aggressive and pushed Wilder on the back foot. So surely Wilder is preparing for this, knowing exactly what Fury is going to do. So Deontay has to be prepared come fight night.

Wilder weighed in at 231pounds, a career heaviest for the second fight, so he should come in a little bit lighter. Maybe around 215 to 220 pounds. Where he can be a bit more mobile on his feet, Wilder needs to establish his jab early and work over Fury’s body. Wilder needs not to let Fury lean all over him, and he needs to pivot

Deontay Wilder

and turn Fury every time Tyson leans on him. Wilder must work on combination punching, and we don’t see him just looking for the right hand. We’ve seen clips emerge from team Wilder showing significant improvements. Wilder seems to be moving his head a lot more, he’s bouncing on his toes, he’s feinting, he’s doubling up the left hook, and as always, the right hand is looking powerful. All good news for the Wilder fans. Mentally Wilder seems in a good place. He has had plenty of time off to recover physically, which could be a blessing for Wilder. He’s had time to digest his loss, and thus the third fight should be more competitive. So the fight being delayed benefits Wilder and he should be

injury-free and itching to go. Worryingly for Wilder fans, Wilder recently said in an interview his famous quote that his opponent has to be perfect for 12 rounds, and he only has to be perfect for two seconds. Fury showed he could hurt Wilder, so Fury doesn’t really have to be perfect for all 12 rounds because he can get Wilder out there early. And it still sounds like Wilder is in love with his power. It has to be said that it could be hard for Wilder to change his style at his age. And what’s to say he doesn’t throw everything out the window once he gets hit by Fury. Wilder seems angry and still believes Fury has cheated him, and Wilder is seeking revenge. Wilder needs to stick to his game plan and execute it instead

of letting his anger take over and just trying to knock Fury out. With the mountain of pressure on Wilder to perform after all the excuses he has made, If Wilder loses, it’s hard to see when he will get another crack at the heavyweight title. You’d expect Fury to face Anthony Joshua for undisputed rematch, so this potentially could be Wilders last shot at a title. Let’s wait and see if a new and improved Deontay Wilder turns up on July 24 because he will have to come with something different this time round to have a chance of victory. And with all the excuses from Wilder, the pressures are on him to perform this time. This fight will go on to define Wilder’s career. (Boxing News 24)

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 6, 2021

CONCACAF Men’s World Cup Qualifying

St Kitts and Nevis, Nevis, Suriname Suriname,, Nicaragua stay in control MIAMI, Florida – Several groups are heading for thrilling finales after Friday’s FIFA World Cup qualification matches in the CONCACAF region. St Kitts and Nevis (SKN) will control their own destiny in Tuesday’s final match in Group F against Trinidad and Tobago after a 3-0 victory over Guyana on Friday at Warner Park in Basseterre. Keithroy Freeman had a first-half double, converting a penalty in the ninth minute and getting his second in the 36th minute. SKN took a throw-in on the near side and a cross was sent in from the first touch. Freeman poked out his foot for a deflection into the net and the second of the game. Romaine Sawyers added the third for St Kitts and Nevis with a goal in the 67th minute. Omari Sterling-James had the ball at his feet in the box and rather than go for goal, he found an open Sawyers at the top of the box. The West Bromwich Albion

forward took a touch and then fired into the back of the net. Antigua and Barbuda topped Grenada 1-0, to stay in the hunt in Group A. A ball over the top found veteran forward Peter Byers, but the

Avery Trim was returned as president of the MSC In his address to the members Trim said: “I am indeed happy to be re-elected as president of this organisation and I want to assure you gentlemen and ladies that I am going to be president of the membership of this organisation and the community at large and further afield like our members in the diaspora.” He continued, “I know that my ears in the diaspora have been pushing to see development works at the MSC. With

goalkeeper Reice CharlesCook. Grenada pushed forward looking for the equaliser and had several chances in the dying moments of the second half, but couldn’t find the goal. Suriname stayed perfect

Nicaragua closed the night out in Group E by continuing its strong start to World Cup qualification with a 3-0 win over Belize (Photo courtesy of Fenifut)

Trim to head Mackenzie Sports Club for another term, Chapman returned as general secretary AVERY Trim has retained the top position as president of Mackenzie Sports Club (MSC) while Joseph Chapman also was returned as General Secretary when the MSC Annual General Meeting and Biennial Elections were held last Sunday afternoon at the MSC Lounge.

scoring chance appeared to have dissipated when Byers played back to a fellow member of the Benna Boys. One more pass found Rhys Browne, who measured his shot and tucked it into the far post of Grenada

this team around I know we can do a lot, brainstorm ideas and work together.” The MSC has been identified as one of three venues to be a multipurpose facility in Guyana by the Government of Guyana. Meanwhile, Trim defeated Norris King while Chapman fended off the challenge of Marlon Pearson to be re-elected. King was unopposed as he won the post of first vice-president but Rawle Toney had to overcome the challenge of Robert Langevine to be elected the second vice-president. Keith Semple staved off Ms Judy Gravesande and Ms Coretta Braithwaite to be elected to serve as the third vice-president. For the position of General Secretary, Joseph Chapman won against Marlon Pearson while the Assistant General Secretary position went to Ms Coretta Braithwaite-Walton who defeated Ms Judy Gravesande-Noel and Mr Floyd Martindale. The new treasurer is Mr Derron John who was elected unopposed as was the assistant treasurer John Trim who previously served as a committee member. Ms Judy Gravesande-Noel was voted to serve as the Public aRelations Officer (PRO) ahead of Jeffrey Trotman and Floyd Martindale. Four committee members were also elected. They are Audwin Rutherford, Robert Langevine, Compton London and Troy Roberts.

in qualification in Group B with a 6-0 win over Bermuda. First-half doubles from debutant Sheraldo Becker and Nigel Hasselbaink paced Dean Gorre’s side early, while the second half saw Hasselbaink complete his hat-trick for the second consecutive qualifier, in addition to defender Shaquille Pinas putting his name on the scoresheet. Guatemala also capitalised on a hot start, beating St Vincent and the Grenadines, 10-0 in Group C. Darwin Lom headed in the opener in the second minute, followed by Rudy Barrientos scoring on a breakaway in the 12th minute. Oscar Santis added the third four minutes later after being freed by a big switch in play. G o a l s f ro m M o i s e s Hernandez and Gerardo Gordillo then sent Los Chapines into the break with a 5-0 advantage. They matched the total in the second half, ending the night with 10 different scor-

ers. In Group D, Barbados seemed destined for victory at the Dominican Republic, holding a 1-0 advantage thanks to a 42nd-minute goal from Niall Reid-Stephen, but the home side secured a stalemate with a Manny Rodriguez goal three minutes into stoppage time. Rodriguez swung his right leg to connect with a bouncing ball and secure the point. The Dominican Republic next meets Panama. Nicaragua closed the night out in Group E by continuing their strong start to World Cup qualification with a 3-0 win over Belize. Richard Rodriguez found the back of the net with Bryan Bonilla starting the second half strong with a tally in the first minute after the re-start. Captain Juan Barrera capped the night with a goal of his own in the 51st minute with the Azul y Blanco preserving their perfect record ahead of the final day of qualifying. (Concacaf.com)

Uncertainty looms over Sri Lanka tour of England …Players refuse to sign contracts

A CLOUD of uncertainty is hovering over Sri Lanka’s tour of England after a long list of players, including many of the potential choices for the series, have denied signing the tour contracts offered by Sri Lanka Cricket. Sri Lankan cricketers have been without a central contract ever since last October when the annual contract term ended. Ever since then, the team has played under temporary tour contracts – duly signed before the start of every series.

– A to D – further divided into sub-categories (A1, A2, A3, so on till D3). The new scheme has drastically reduced the base salaries of the players, with an A1, A2 and A3 contract ensuring $ 100,000, $80,000 and $70,000 respectively. The subsequent slabs (B1 to D3) successively decrease by $5000 each, with the lowest slab of D1, D2, and D3 providing 35, 30, and 25 thousand dollars respectively. The sub-category for each

Sri Lanka players refuse to sign contracts

However, disputes surrounding SLC’s new annual contracts – starkly different from the old ones – which significantly cuts down the players’ salaries and offers incentives based on performance have led to a deadlock between the players and the cricket board. Notably, the Sri Lankan board had devised a new contract scheme of four categories

player is supposedly ascertained by a new formula, which gives 50% weightage to the performance of a player since 2019, 20% to the players’ fitness and the remaining 10% to leadership, professionalism and other qualities. The SLC plans to allocate each player into the abovementioned sub-categories based on subjective criteria, which has created severe unrest amongst players, who have de-

manded their respective scores based on the new formula. Earlier last month, a disappointed group of senior players threatened the board to retire early in response to the new system. “Despite the players’ requests from the Management Committee for information regarding the manner in which points were allocated in respect of the categorisation, none of the players have been provided with their individual assessment sheets setting out how points were awarded under the criteria of performance, fitness, leadership and professionalism,” a statement presented from attorney Nishan Sydney Premathiratne on behalf of 24 cricketers not in agreement to sign England’s tour contract, had said earlier. The Sri Lankan team is set to fly to England on Wednesday (June 9), and the number of players denying to sign the tour contract has grown to 38, with 14 players joining their 24 teammates. “Because of the problems with the transparency of the ratings system devised by SLC, the players will not sign the [tour contract],” the release signed by 38 top players said. The tour contract also refers to matters of the annual [main] contract for 2021, which is yet unsigned,” he said. “In the event, the annual contract is not settled and a dispute is pending, the validity of the tour contract

referring to an unsigned contract is also an issue.” The players’ demand from the board is to make the system transparent, reveal complete details of how it plans to assess the players, and draw new contracts based on only performance and fitness, excluding other subjective factors such as leadership, professionalism, adaptability etc. Following players have denied signing England’s tour contract: Kusal Perera, Dimuth Karunaratne, Angelo Mathews, Dananjaya de Silva, Dinesh Chandimal, Kusal Mendis, Niroshan Dickwella, Suranga Lakmal, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lasith Embuldeniya, Pathum Nissanka, Lahiru Thirimanne, Dushmantha Chameera, Kasun Rajitha, Lakshan Sandakan, Vishwa Fernando, Isuru Udana, Oshada Fernando, Ramesh Mendis, Lahiru Kumara, Danushka Gunathilaka, Ashen Bandara, Akila Dananjaya, Chamika Karunaratne, Asitha Fernando, Binura Fernando, Shiran Fernando, Avishka Fernando, Ishan Jayaratne, Charith Asalanka, Dananjaya Lakshan, Nuwan Pradeep, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Kamil Mishara, Praveen Jayawickrama, Roshen Silva, Minod Bhanuka. (CricTracker)

Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce SEE PAGE 36

becomes second-fastest woman of all-time … clocks 10.63 to set new 100m national record All-time fastest Women’s 100m

Florence Griffith-Joyn`er (US) Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (Jam) Carmelita Jeter (US) Marion Jones (US) Elaine Thompson-Herah (Jam) Sha’Carri Richardson (US) Fraser-Pryce’s win in Kingston comes off the back of a 10.84-second victory in the 100m at the Diamond League event in Doha last week

Holder hoping to target ‘big hole’ in Proteas batting SEE PAGE 36

West Indies all-rounder Jason Holder

SEE PAGE 37

SEE PAGE 35

Richarlison’s goal on 65 minutes helped Brazil maintain their 100% record in qualifying

Reigning NBA champions Los Angeles Lakers lose in play-offs

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, JUNE 6, 2021