Issuu

9th JANUARY, 2022

See Inside No.106599

Teachers, students did not contract ‘COVID’ at school

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- Education Minister says evidence points to contraction at the community level

Work on the roundabout at Mandela Avenue and Aubrey Barker Road, Georgetown, moving apace, smoothly (Delano Williams photos)

More than $2.2B being From drug Guyana sends samples to user to successful spent to reconstruct businessman test for Omicron variant - over 1,000 new cases of COVID-19 hinterland bridges - Wayne Rodrigues tells his story recorded within the past 24 hours SEE PAGE

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE

January 9, 2022

Guyana seeks firm/consultant to review ExxonMobil’s Yellowtail plan - deadline for expressions of interest is January 20

THE Government of Guyana through the Ministry of Natural Resources, is requesting proposals from consultants and firms to review and evaluate the Field Development Plan (FDP) for Yellowtail, ExxonMobil’s fourth oil-development project in the Stabroek Block offshore Guyana. In the request for proposals (RFP) issued on Thursday, the Natural Resources Ministry outlined that the

purpose of the project is to conduct an in-depth review of the Yellowtail FDP, which includes all supporting and reference documentation, along with the related environmental and social impact assessments (ESIA) submitted by the company. Further, the consultant will be required to prepare a report setting out the opinions formed in the evaluation of the FDP and ESIA, addressing, at minimum, compliance or non-compliance

with the requirements of the existing legislative and contractual framework. There should be emphasis on the Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Act 1986 and the Environmental Protection Act 1996, the Petroleum Agreement and international best practices and industry standards, including any deficiencies, unresolved issues and areas of additional assessments or technical analysis that the government should request

from ExxonMobil before making a determination on the FDP. The contractor would also have to document the field-development review process and outcomes, including references to international best practices and industry standards, in a manner and format to support future reference for similar review exercises and overall improvement of the FDP review process. Finally, as it relates to direct support to the Ministry of Natural Resources, the TURN TO PAGE 18

Welding on board the Liza Destiny floating production storage and offloading (FPSO)

SUNDAY CHRONICLE

January 9, 2022

Teachers, students did not contract ‘COVID’ at school - Education Minister says evidence points to contraction at the community level

EDUCATION Minister Priya Manickchand has said that the teachers and students who were tested positive for COVID-19 over the past week did not contract the virus at school. According to the minister, the teachers and students contracted the virus from the community spread before school was re-opened. They were tested positive last Monday. This, Minister Manickchand pointed out, means that the teachers and students had contracted the virus five to 14 days before, at which time they were not in school but at home on holiday. She noted that though the effect of school re-opening in light of COVID-19 the world over remains unclear, the horrid effects of prolonged absence from school has been repeatedly studied and documented, including by

the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF). All the reports in the world say that school needs to be the last place to close, and the first to re-open, the minister stressed while contending that from all accounts, COVID-19 will not go away soon. She said, too, that some parents are angry that the Ministry of Education has their children on rotation, as they prefer full-time school. “The ministry will continue to do what is asked of us by the majority, while allowing for space for parents who don’t agree with the majority to do what is best for their children,” Minister Manickchand said. She was also quick to point out that engaging ‘Online’ in Guyana means that more than half the school population will go without an education because of no or

poor Internet infrastructure. “It is the duty of each of us to try to stay safe, and keep those around us and for who we have responsibility safe. Mask up, wash and sanitise hands, avoid large gatherings that are not necessary, stay in well ventilated places, eat well, use vitamin support (particularly Zinc, and Vitamins ‘C’ and ‘D’). And, most of all, get vaccinated and get your booster shot when it is the right time,” she reminded education stakeholders in a Facebook post on Thursday. Schools were closed in March 2020, and even though teachers were away from school for the time, they were not necessarily away from their charges, as most lessons teachers continued their lessons. When school reopened for face-to-face learning for Fifth and Sixth Formers in November 2020, the Guyana

Teachers Union (GTU) and the APNU+AFC objected to the move by the Ministry of Education. However, the students came out, and the country topped the Caribbean at both the CSEC and CAPE examinations. When schools reopened for Grade Six in 2021, and the ministry announced examination dates, the GTU and the APNU+AFC raised their objection, again. In fact, the GTU suggested that the examinations be not sat in 2021, but children turned up and wrote their examinations. Teachers were teaching their children face-to-face long before the ministry made it official, Minister Manickchand said. When school reopened in September 2021 for Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Formers, and Grades Five and Six fully, with rotation for face-to-

Education Minister Priya Manickchand face learning for every other what parents, students and level, including nursery, the teachers demanded of the GTU again objected, Minis- government and the turnout ter Manickchand pointed out. at schools showed clearly “When schools were that this was what parents scheduled to be reopened in believed was best for their January 2022 for all levels, students. where the only addition to “In all of the openings the September 2021 position above, parents were given was that Grades 8-12 would a choice of either sending engage fully face-to-face. their children out or keepAgain GTU objected to this ing them home and engagopening before Omicron ing them. In all of the openappeared on the scene and ings the majority of kids before number started rising came out giving the clearest “All of the openings indication of what people above were a response to want,” the minister said.

More than $2.2B being spent to reconstruct hinterland bridges THE devastating May/June 2021 floods have served as a timely reminder that going forward, Guyana must demonstrate its resilience in several sectors including agriculture, health and infrastructure. Consequently, in addition to adopting innovative farming technologies and establishing SMART medical facilities, the Government of Guyana has also embarked on an important initiative to replace all timber bridges across the country with sturdy concrete structures. It would appear as though the project is being initiated in the hinterland, which, according to reports, has suffered the most structural damage as a result of the unprecedented floods. Late last week, an Invitation For Bids (IFBs) was issued by the Ministry of Public Works for the reconstruction of more than two dozen bridges stretching from Kurupukari to Lethem, Region Nine, at a combined cost of $2,245,100,000. The project is being undertaken in six lots, commencing from Bridge 14 located in the Iwokrama corridor and Bridge 34 in the Pirara bridge corridor; this

lot will have a combined cost of $378.7 million. Lot Two of the project, which accounts for six bridges along the Iwokrama corridor, is estimated at $515.5 million, while Lot Three, which also entails the reconstruction of six bridges in the same district, was pegged at $517 million. Works along the Iwokrama corridor will continue in Lot Four of the project, and progress to the Surama corridor at an estimated cost of $451 million. Lot Five of the project, according to the advertisement, will account for bridges along the corridors of Camudi Bush, Annai and Yakarinta. The final lap of the works will continue on bridges at Genip Landing and Massara Junction, which are expected to cost $61.3 million respectively, while the two bridges at Point Ranch were pegged at $112.2 million and $52.3 million respectively. The due date for submission of bids is February 1, 2022 at 09:00hrs. This means that these projects could begin within the coming weeks, thereby delivering on a commitment made by President Dr Irfaan Ali to ensure that Guyana is outfitted with climate-

The government has committed to replacing the country’s timber bridges and culverts with sturdy concrete structures that can withstand the effects of climate change (CDC photo) resilient infrastructure. Following last year ’s floods, the Ministry of Public Works conducted a preliminary assessment which showed that the country had suffered infrastructural damage totalling billions, particularly in the hinterland regions which saw water levels rising to as much as 16 feet in some areas. This resulted in a number of roads and bridges being washed away, forcing the ministry to execute a series of emergency repairs to the most critical structures. STURDY STRUCTURES Subject Minister Juan

Edghill had said that it is unlikely that the works which were done had to have been prioritised, but eventually, he noted that significant investments would have to be made to ensure that the fragile structures were replaced with ones that can withstand the occasional flood, especially as Guyana and the rest of the Caribbean continue to combat the damaging effects of climate change. “Those considerations existed before these floods, but this experience now has made those necessities more pronounced, because you are TURN TO PAGE 5

SUNDAY CHRONICLE

January 9, 2022

UK records more than 150,000 COVID deaths

More than 150,000 people in the UK have now died within 28 days of a positive COVID test since the pandemic began. A further 313 deaths were reported in the government’s daily figures on Saturday, taking the total to 150,057. The UK is the seventh country to pass 150,000 reported deaths, after the US, Brazil, India, Russia,

Mexico and Peru. The Prime Minister said every death “is a profound loss to the friends and communities affected and my thoughts and condolences are with them”. Boris Johnson added that coronavirus had taken a “terrible toll on our country” and “our way out of this pandemic is for everyone to get their booster or their first or second dose if

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they haven’t yet”. Some 146,390 new cases have been recorded in the UK, with the more transmissible Omicron variant driving a surge in infections. The number of deaths within 28 days of a positive test has also begun to rise, with the total of 1,271 in the past seven days up 38.3 per cent on the previous week. The impact of vaccinations means COVID hospital admissions and deaths are not rising as quickly as during previous waves. However, hospitals remain under pressure due to rising admissions and COVID-related staff absences. In Scotland the number of people in hospital with COVID has increased by

A memorial wall near St Thomas’ Hospital in London remembers those who have died with COVID (BBC/GETTY IMAGES) more than 50 per cent in February last year and on public inquiry provides the last week, according to the night of her funeral, she answers and that lessons are learned that her father was learned.” new figures. The Prime Minister has C a m i l l a C l a r i d g e , also dying with the virus. “We buried nan and we promised to launch an infrom Oxfordshire, lost her grandmother to COVID in came home from the funeral dependent public inquiry and then we were woken at into the government’s hanone o’clock in the morning dling of the pandemic in the from a phone call to say that spring of this year. it was time to think about Jo Goodman, co-foundsaying our goodbyes,” she er of the COVID-19 Besaid. reaved Families for Justice “It was horrendous. campaign, said the “country The ICU, you walk in and needs answers as to why there’s just beds of people we have suffered one of the lined up with machines highest global death tolls”. breathing for them…. I “This is ever more urdidn’t even recognise [my gent as deaths from the dad] because of all the Omicron variant continue tubes.” to surge, with little appar“It’s hard to even imag- ently being done to address ine 150,000 people, fami- this. The public inquiry lies who have gone through cannot begin its work soon what we’re going through,” enough,” she added. she added. Official figures count Prof Andrew Hayward, coronavirus deaths in difwho is a member of the ferent ways. government’s Scientific The Office for NationAdvisory Group for Emer- al Statistics records the gencies, said the death toll number of deaths where was “absolutely tragic”. COVID-19 is mentioned as “I think we could have a cause on the death certifidone better,” he told BBC cate, even if the person had Radio 4’s PM programme. not been tested for the vi“I think some of the deaths rus, with a total of 173,248 are even more tragic for deaths recorded up to 24 the fact that many of them December. were avoidable if we had In January 2021, the acted earlier in the first and UK was the first European second wave.” nation and fifth country Labour leader Sir Keir to pass 100,000 reported Starmer described the news COVID deaths. as “a dark milestone for our Six weeks later the UK country”. had seen another 25,000 “Our thoughts are with deaths. all those who have lost But the combined efsomeone, and we thank fect of vaccine rollout everyone supporting the and lockdown slowed the vaccination effort,” he growth of the death toll wrote on Twitter. throughout the rest of the “We must ensure the year. (BBC)

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE

January 9, 2022

More than $2.2B being spent to reconstruct...

FROM PAGE 3 now able to see how fragile these structures are, and how easily they can be destroyed.” Edghill posited. He admitted that the replacements and infrastructural transformation cannot be done overnight, and that it would require notable investments. “We have to make up our minds. It is going to cost a lot, but we got to start building them in concrete,” Edghill said previously. It must be noted that the infrastructural transformation is just one of the many initiatives that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government has planned to minimise the impact of climate change. In the area of health, works have already commenced on a massive US$4.175 million project to convert five regional hospitals into facilities that are climate-resilient. The project, funded by the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID), has already seen the materialisation of a SMART Diamond Diagnostic Centre and the Lethem Regional

Hospital. Meanwhile, works are progressing well on the Leonora Regional Hospital in Region Three, (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara); at the Mabaruma Hospital in Region One (Barima-Waini); and the Paramakatoi Health Centre in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni). The SMART hospitals are intended to boast the requisite infrastructure to guard against flooding, reduce reliance on the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) Corporation by resorting to renewable energy, as well as enabling the use of rainwater for its day-to-day functions. Further, even though the ‘SMART’ conversion project started with five local hospitals, the Guyana Chronicle was informed that a needs assessment has commenced on 89 other health facilities. CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE Additionally, as it relates to climate-smart agriculture, the local subject ministry has been pursuing the implementation of shade houses all across the country. With an ex-

isting quota of over 50 large-scale shade houses, the Guyana Chronicle understands that an additional 100 facilities were added in 2021, largely owing to works executed by the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), which has been engaging scores of local farmers on the benefits of shaded cultivation. In addition, more and more farmers are also employing use of elevated plant beds, since these are seldom affected by floods, which have now become common, due to the effects of climate change. Despite its long-term benefits, shade houses could be a little expensive to erect. Consequently, the PPP/C, in its 2020

Emergency Budget had allocated $15.8 million for the purchase of shadehouse materials that can be sold to farmers at minimal cost. The materials are being supplied to farmers as part of a “revolving fund,” which sees the government making no profits. Over the past year, the use of shade houses and other climate-smart technologies have been gaining momentum as more and more farmers are beginning to recognise the effects of the harsh temperatures on various crops. This shift in the agriculture industry has resulted in notable increase in earnings, particularly as they relates to nontraditional crops, the export of which earned the

country $2.6 billion in 2021. This represents an increase of $100 million in revenue when compared to the same period in 2020. President Dr Irfaan Ali has emphasised on multiple occasions that even though Guyana has every intention to capitalise on its petroleum wealth, it is

keen and committed on fulfilling its climatechange responsibilities, while propelling the country’s critical nonoil sectors such as education, health, agriculture, and social services. With 17 months thus far as Head of State, many of the promises are coming nicely on stream.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE

January 9, 2022

Oil and Gas: A Game Changer

THE discovery of oil in Guyana has already impacted significantly on the economic and social life of the Guyanese people. We are still in the early stages of oil production but the projections are extremely good. According to Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat, two new economically viable oil discoveries were made by Exxon Exploration and Production Guyana (EEPGL) and partners at Fangtooth-1 and Lau-Lau-1 wells offshore Guyana within the Stabroek Block. All of this may sound too good to be true, but the reality is that the country is set to double its current oil output as early as this current year and could possibly surpass a million barrels per day by the end of this decade with the discovery of additional wells. Such production levels would catapult this country to among the highest in the

world in terms of per capita output and possibly among the most prosperous in the Region. Along with revenues from oil, there will be other externalities which would enhance the competitiveness of the country. According to Minister Bharrat, the gas-to-shore project is advancing satisfactorily, which would have a transformative impact on the country’s economic landscape. The project, which is projected to be completed by 2023, would see the transportation of gas from petroleum operations on the Stabroek Block to supply roughly 200-250 megawatts of energy to the national grid. This could see an almost 50 per cent reduction in power-generation cost, which apart from making the country much more competitive in terms of production costs, will also reduce the cost of energy to consumers. The government has already identified the former

Wales Sugar Estate as the site for establishment of the power-generation station and the construction of a petro-chemical plant that will utilise gas by-products. One of the limiting factors in terms of our competitiveness and our ability to attract investments in the manufacturing sector has been the high cost of energy, which is among the highest in the Region. The generation of electricity from gas would change the production dynamics in the country and would likely see a significant rise in investment in the country. This would impact positively on job creation and a consequential improvement in the overall quality of life of the Guyanese people. The PPP/C administration’s development agenda includes geotechnical, geophysical and environmental studies which would result in huge industrial development that is linked not only to power generation and a

power plant, but also to a Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) plant. Despite the manifest benefits that oil and gas brings to the nation, there are some who would prefer to leave the oil in the ground rather than take advantage of what the revenues from oil can do to lift the quality of life of the Guyanese people. These ‘prophets of gloom and doom’ see only the ‘dark’ side of oil and fail to see the enormous benefits that can accrue to the society from the oil and gas resource available to the country. They continue to paint a one-sided picture of oil without making any acknowledgement of the fact that the financial and technological resources, including the element of investment risks were all fully borne by the oil companies operating in the country without a cent being contributed to those investments by the taxpayers of Guyana.

This is not to suggest that with greater due diligence and better oversight of the sector by the previous APNU+AFC administration, a better deal could not have been arrived at. That however is now water under the bridge. The new PPP/C administration is on record as saying that it is prepared to take all the necessary precautions to ensure that the Guyanese people get a fair share of its national patrimony in any future contracts. But to continue to peddle a narrative of a ‘bad’ deal will not help and certainly is not in our best national interest. Both President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali and VicePresident Dr Bharrat Jagdeo have given full assurances to the Guyanese people that our economy will not be driven only by oil, but that oil and gas will be an impetus to accelerate other aspects of the economy. It will provide for the country the advantage of fast-tracking

other developments in critical sectors such as agriculture, education and health, in addition to fortifying the country’s climate-change efforts within the overarching low-carbon development framework. And, as the President pointed out, even as oil and gas continue to hold out great promise, Guyana has a huge rainforest potential which has established for the country a carbon-sink identity, about which only a handful of countries can truly boast. In this regard, even as the country is diversifying its economic base with strong inputs from oil and gas, it will still be in a strong position to be a leader on the environment. These are all visionary thinking on the part of President Ali and his PPP/C administration, which will transform not only the economy, but the lives of Guyanese in positive ways.

Making our work environment COVID-free is a priority Dear Editors, THE attention of the Ministry of Finance has been drawn to a letter in the Kaieteur News, headlined, ‘Ministry of Finance putting staff health at risk’ by ‘A very concerned Guyanese’ in which the writer states that a ‘Ministry of Finance staff showed COVID-19 symptoms at work and was subsequently tested positive’ and that ‘The ministry quickly took action and arranged for all members of that department to be tested,’ but that ‘they were told to continue going to work rather than isolating themselves

until the test results become available.’ The letter added: ‘Now, others are showing symptoms and may have spread the virus to many other staff.’ The ministry wishes to make it pellucidly clear that it takes the issue of the COVID-19 pandemic very seriously, so much so that it has been one of the lead ministries, if not the lead ministry in ensuring that its staffers are safe and observe all protocols in relation to the virus and their work environment. It can be recalled that the Ministry of Finance (in kind collaboration with the Ministry of Health) hosted vaccination

drives consistently in its compound. During those vaccination drives, all staffers and their family members were provided with the opportunity to be vaccinated with hundreds being administered the first and second doses of vaccines since early 2021. In fact, the ministry conducted another vaccination drive on December 17, 2021, to allow for all staff and their family members to be administered the booster vaccine as well. In addition to these measures, the ministry is fully equipped with sanitisers and masks for staff who observe all protocols while on duty. Despite all this, the min-

istry is aware, however, that there is the possibility that staffers can still contract the virus as they interact with the public on a daily basis, during the period to and from work or even while at home. As a consequence, it has been a policy of the ministry that if any staff member displays symptoms and tests positive, entire specific departments are shut down, tests administered on all of the staff, and those staffers are immediately thereafter sent home to await their PCR test results. Many staffers have been able to work quite effectively (sometimes virtually) from home during peri-

ods when any such case has ever occurred. Moreover, the ministry has maintained the Ministry of Health’s policy of staffers and members of the public being required to display their vaccination cards prior to entering the ministry. The ministry is therefore unaware of any such incident where staffers of any of its departments were tested and asked to remain at work or continue to come to work until they receive results, as this would be absolutely callous (exposing an entire ministry and the public to the virus) and would never be a policy practised by this

ministry. The ministry is committed to ensuring as far as possible that its staff are healthy and safe and observe all COVID-19 protocols and will continue to provide them with the necessary tools to allow for them to remain so. It therefore considers this letter in Kaietaur News to be highly mischievous as it is totally opposite to what actually obtains at this ministry and will never occur. Yours sincerely, Candace Field Communications Director Ministry of Finance

SUNDAY CHRONICLE

January 9, 2022

GTU is behaving irresponsibly, has no regard for science

Dear Editor, IN September 2021, when school was scheduled to restart, the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) called a strike. This is after teachers would have been home from March 2020. The reason the GTU gave as a reason for calling out their teachers on strike is because the government had said that every person

entering a public building including teachers needed to be vaccinated. The GTU was resisting that and saying to teachers they had a choice and should not be forced and by doing that sending a strong message not to take the vaccine. The science then was clear and has become clearer since. Only vaccination will take us out of the

pandemic state. Schools reopened on Monday 3rd January 2022 after a three-week Christmas holiday. The GTU has again called on teachers to stay home on Monday 10, 2022. This time they say it is because of the rising numbers of COVID cases and teachers who were found to be infected last week. A few things Mr. Editor.

The GTU is operating like a senseless group who has no regard for science. Firstly, any teacher who tested positive on Monday 3rd, Tuesday 4th, Wednesday 5th, Thursday 6th last week after being out of school for three weeks, having been on Christmas vacation, did not get COVID from the school sector, because they were not in school.

Secondly, the way for teachers to avoid catching COVID or from getting sick from COVID is by being vaccinated; the very thing the GTU was fighting last year. The GTU must say what have they done as a group to encourage their teachers to become vaccinated. What have they done to encourage their

teachers to stay away from groups and large gatherings. What have they done to encourage their teachers to wear masks. And if the GTU is telling teachers not to teach in schools, are they also telling teachers not to hold their lessons? Yours sincerely, Alvin Hamilton

Diaspora supports Natural Resource Fund

Dear Editor,

THE overwhelming majority of Guyanese in the diaspora ( the U.S., the UK, Canada and the Caribbean) with whom I conversed support the recently legislated law on the Natural Resources Fund Act (NRFA). The diaspora is of the view that an important legislation such as the NRF should have enjoyed crossparty and (near) unanimous support. Regrettably, debating of the bill turned into a controversial fight in Parliament. The findings of the sample of Guyanese with whom I spoke suggest that the diaspora is more united in their approach to the bill and the law and what is best for the nation than politicians in Guyana. The sampled views overwhelmingly condemn the disruptive behaviour

of the opposition in Parliament during the debate and reading of the bill. Several opposition MPs degraded the sanctity of Parliament with their conduct. While not familiar with details of the bill, most in the diaspora are more supportive of it than the one passed by the preceding APNU-led Coalition Government, saying it is legally passed as opposed to the Coalition’s bill. Almost everyone feels it is a better bill than the Coalition’s, and they say it is a very good start that can be subjected to amendments to address flaws. They point out that the Coalition’s bill was passed after the government fell following its defeat in the noconfidence motion. In addition, the then opposition did not turn up to Parliament to participate in the debate on the Coalition bill, pointing out that the recall of Parliament to conduct busi-

ness was illegal. In contrast, the current bill (legislated and assented into law) was passed with opposition input. The ruling party included amendments in the bill suggested by the opposition. In fact, one respondent pointed out that the new NRF bill included several aspects of the Coalition’s. The diaspora notes that not everyone will agree on a bill. Also, not every political party or members of civil society or the opposition agrees on a better version of the law. As one person commented, not everyone in Parliament or in the country would agree on everything about the bill or the law. There would be differences. There were different approaches, obstacles and arguments in favour of or opposition to one clause or another, over what conditions need to exist, how close to the previous law, or

how perfect a bill the country should have. Some critics in the public and the opposition and some in the diaspora also wanted more time for discussions. But they did not put forth what they would like to discuss -- what would they like to see in the bill, what proposals they have to be included in the bill. Suggestions can be made for amendments. The diaspora feels that instead of the two sides sparring with one another and the opposition engaging in disruptive activities, the two sides should discuss disagreements and come to an understanding. The diaspora is of the view that since the Act has been already assented to, differences can be narrowed over time as efforts are made towards implementation and amendments legislated. Some say it is not a perfect law and that like all

laws it may be improved. One will have to work with it until it can be improved on. In any case, the law must be put into force as a first step in a process of tapping into the money that is kept in an American bank as the government borrows funds for programmes. The diaspora notes that for the first time in its history, the country is poised to reduce or even eliminate poverty and advance the quality of life for all Guyanese. They would like to see the funds used for upgrading of infrastructure towards modernisation. They express hope that this and future governments will provide good stewardship of the Natural Resource Fund. They also hope that the current and future governments will enforce the robust reporting system and punitive sanctions in the NRF Act.

Some in the diaspora say they would like the Public Accountability and Oversight Committee (PAOC), as part of its monitoring and evaluation function, to ensure that resources are properly expended and accounted for and spread across all sections and geographic regions of the country. The diaspora urges the political parties to put petty partisan interests aside and act in the interest of the nation, rather than in the interest of the party or selfinterest, which is so often the case with politicians in Guyana. Given that government in Guyana may change, the close and nationally beneficial cooperation of each party in implementation of the NRFA and accountability must be paramount. Yours sincerely, Vishnu Bisram

Strengthening RoPA is strengthening our democracy! Dear Editor, PLEASE permit me to respond to some rather callous, shallow, and hasty generalisations recently reported in the public media, at the hands of the Electoral Reform Group (ERG) whose representatives say that ‘splitting up Region 4 is unjustified, provocative.’ Nothing is further from the truth! The architect of this wicked piece must have missed the framework of abundant justifications or rather, selectively uses an opportunity to self-aggrandise his/her own hidden agenda. The ERG’s assertion that the splitting of Region #4 is unjustified, provocative, is pure rubbish! Allow me to enlighten our readers and the ERG that there is a long-established precedent normally utilised by GECOM in the conduct of General and Regional Elections. The secretariat under the control of the Chief Elections Officer (CEO) and responsibility of the commission, has consistently employed four (4) coordinators with designated functions related to the coordination of activities within the East Bank, East Coast,

North Georgetown, and South Georgetown to facilitate the smooth running of elections. Of note, the role of these officials is not specifically mentioned in the RoPA, and their consistent use over the years is premised on the general, tacit acceptance that a fair and unbiased CEO will use notified transparent measures to simplify and execute electoral processes. These coordinators are normally liaison officers to the Deputy Register Officers and the RO of Region #4. The GECOM Secretariat and the commissioners saw the intervention as fit, proper, and necessary for the smooth and effective running of the electoral process in Region #4. Further, it is public knowledge that GECOM usually utilised these Coordinator/ Liaison Officers to work alongside and facilitate clarifications from counting agents and the other appropriate officials of political parties, in simplifying the process. One must, therefore, address the related reasons before spewing out criticisms without basis. Importantly, Region #4 has the highest concentration of approximately 300,000 residents

and by extension, almost 50 per cent of the voters are on the Official List of Electors (OLE). Consideration of the continued expanding population in this region alone lends to the contemplation of the necessary adjustments of effective transparency and monitoring control. Given the public evidence supporting charges of electoral officials in control of elections machinery for electoral fraud, the need to make strengthening amendments to the RoPA is necessary, as the roles of these officials while essential, cannot be left to chance and discretion of corrupted officials. It is very important to include the amendments outside of a comprehensive electoral process that can take years, given the displayed level of unreasonableness by officials representing the PNC and some of their Coalition partners. It is factual that the previously appointed committee with responsibility for electoral reform made no significant progress for almost two decades. Further, it is essential to note that with the proposed amendments, the Region #4 Returning Officer (RO) will still retain regional respon-

sibility, but now have structured and legally supported officials with clearly binding responsibilities. Critically, these amendments will remove the convenience of abuse of process as is evidenced by the situation when Melanie Marshall and others refused to use a designed tally sheet for reporting East Bank votes under one RO and had no objections to another. Her reason in the former case was that the sheet was not supported by law! The ERG and other interested civil groups which have not contested elections or faced the level of deliberate frustrations that are at times rolled out by biased elections personnel on the GECOM structure, cannot appreciate this need for legal regularisation. They must, however, be fully cognisant of the fact that the strengthening of the RoPA will legitimise many of the subjectivities in the electoral approaches and process in Region#4. Consequently, it must also be recognised that the People’s Progressive Party and the other consulted civic groups also provided suggestions in support of changes to improve the effective running

of Region # 4 by reducing the current approach that is highly susceptible to abuse. Related also is the indiscretionate gerrymandering of electoral boundaries secretly that took place during the 2018 Local Government Elections. When made public, it had party officials scrambling at the last moment to achieve the signatory support for contesting candidates that were affected by the sinister switches. These were not publicised in the Official Gazette and were never formally discussed at GECOM’s Commission meetings. There are no minutes to show any discussion or approval at the commission level, in respect to changing the constituency boundaries across the country. As for the cost to which the ERG refers, readers and the general public must demand the reasons why the last seven years of GECOM expenditures were not audited. GECOM financial records must be audited and the findings made public, so that the ERG can be appraised of the findings. It must be also noted that while Region #4 as a consequence of the amendments will have the four identified areas

to legally improve monitoring control for electoral purposes, the regional seat allocation will remain the same. The total votes for the General Elections will still be used en bloc for calculation of the 40 top-up seats and the form of the usual calculation of seats will not vary. It is critical that the GECOM Secretariat and the staff, in particular, be appropriately tooled to enable the organisation to produce free and fair elections. The staffing selections and employment approach at GECOM must be imbued by purposeful criteria to select men and women with integrity. It is unacceptable for GECOM to shortlist persons, who were dismissed for various unacceptable behaviour, to be interviewed for employment again. Editor, as the nation anticipates the prudent introspection in realising the necessary transparent changes at GECOM, the provocative approach of the ECG and other unresearched partners must be seen in the context of their parsimonious framework and intent. Your sincerely, Neil Kumar

SUNDAY CHRONICLE

January 9, 2022

Deepwater oil basins like Guyana’s attracting growing attention

TWO years have passed since Guyana became an oil-producing nation in December 2019. Since then, there have been notable successes in the industry. The consecutive world-class record finds in the Stabroek Block totalling an estimated 10 billion oil-equivalent barrels increased with two new discoveries last week. Production is also set to increase quickly with the arrival of the Liza Unity FPSO, designed to produce approximately 220,000 barrels of oil

per day, and soon to be joined by the Prosperity FPSO. Guyana has also passed two significant and long-awaited pieces of legislation in the past month, namely the Natural Resources Fund Act 2021 and the Local Content Act 2021, which auger well for Guyana’s prospects in 2022. Oil and gas consultancy Wood Mackenzie’s recently published 2022 outlook found that deepwater oil exploration is likely to account for half of all new volumes added to the world’s oil and gas

reserves. This bodes well for Guyana, given that much of the exploration and drilling offshore has been focused on deepwater exploration in the Stabroek block. The outlook predicts the deepwater drilling will continue only where explorers expect highly productive reservoirs. Just last week ExxonMobil announced two new discoveries at Fangtooth-1 and Lau Lau-1 in the Stabroek block, contributing to an extremely strong success rate over the past five years. That success rate is

even more remarkable considering a string of more than 40 dry wells offshore before the first find at Liza 1. At the recent World Petroleum Congress, an executive from ExxonMobil, speaking on a panel, put Guyana’s good fortunes into context. “The

numbers are incredible. We’ve discovered over 10 billion oilequivalent barrels in six years. It’s an incredible basin with over 20 discoveries,” Senior Vice President of Exploration and New Ventures at ExxonMobil, Mike Cousins said. Coupled with the growing

demand for energy across the world, Guyana is well placed to continue to attract investments and interest in the oil and gas industry. Guyana has stayed the course and pursued its sovereign right to develop its oil TURN TO PAGE 9

No dialogue with Norton until Opposition leadership issue addressed

ALEXANDER Hamilton said if you do not stand for something, you will fall for anything. If he is right in the strange world of politics, a politician has to make up his mind about certain developments from the start and stick by them throughout. If the politician is seen wavering, compromising, and generally changing positions depending on certain political variables, then he is likely to fall face first. Ultimately, he would be seen as weak. That is not to say that the politician should not compromise if he has adopted the wrong position. After all, the signs which must be present for compromise to take shape are truth, integrity, good faith and a shifting political paradigm. Even Margaret Thatcher realised this when she said, disciplining yourself to do what you know is right and important although difficult, is the high road to pride, self-esteem, and personal satisfaction. It is for these reasons, President Dr. Irfaan Ali should not entertain the premature, half-baked, and purely political positions adopted and bandied around by the new leader of the People’s National Congress Reform, Aubrey Norton. Firstly, he should not compromise what he has set out as terms and conditions for the political negotiations with the Leader of the Opposition and the political opposition, the APNU+AFC Coalition.

Norton is not the Opposition Leader at this time, nor does he enjoy a seat on the leadership of the APNU+AFC Coalition. Joseph Harmon and David Granger hold those positions, and until he can muscle his way through the political fence, Norton must know his place and be content with his victory at Congress Place. He and his new GeneralSecretary, Geeta ChandanEdmond must focus on the work that PNC should be doing to try to reform itself, yet again, to appeal to more voters this time around. Secondly, Norton is playing a game of rhetoric. He wants to sound politically astute to the masses. Accepting reality is one thing, but not saying that the government is legitimate or in place correctly is another. In other words, Norton is still not accepting that the PPP/C won the 2020 elections fairly and squarely as the world does today! He is adopting the GrangerHarmon recipe that has effectively stalled all talks with the President. How could anyone take a political party leader seriously when he makes statements like these at such an early stage? Who is Norton apart from the leader of a political party? And what is his claim to fame? What is his track record in public office? Thirdly, Norton’s past will haunt his way into the future. His name is synonymous with the streets-style and violent political era in Guyana’s history. He is from

an era that has no respect for dialogue or political agreements. The truth is, Norton as a politician believes, from his earlier positions and writings, in the politics of physical aggressiveness and politics of opportunism as a means of solving the problems in society today. He somewhat thinks that by pursuing politics through the racial lens, he is going to make the steal or win the Presidency come 2025. Therefore, he sets out on this path without knowing that the time of violence and racism in politics is nearing its end. Finally, no one should give Norton any serious thought at this point. The opposition is still hemorrhaging and in search of a firm leader or role model figure that can stand up to face President Ali. President Ali must continue in the same political vein and be more focused than ever before on the delivery of goods and services to the people of Guyana. He should leave Norton out in the political wilderness battling Granger and Harmon for control of the opposition. Whatever tricks he is brewing, the President should not fall for it. No dialogue on shared governance! No talks on the PNC’s version of national unity or coalition politics until the PNC-APNU+AFC realises that the PPP is legitimate and governing because they lost fairly at the polls.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE

January 9, 2022

Sleep in peace Professor Brij Lal

FIJI, Australia and the Girmitiyas’ family have lost Professor Brij Vilash Lal, a scholar, politician, and innovator, on Christmas Day 2021, in his adopted home in Brisbane, Australia, after being banished from his land of birth, Fiji, by the military Bainimarama government for 12 years. Upon receiving this sad news via WhatsApp from Professor Farzana Gounder that the curtain came down on a remarkable individual characterised by brilliance and excellence, I asked her where she got the information of his passing. She assured me that the news was real. Like most who knew him, we were shocked and stunned, since I understand that he was active hours before his death, revealed by tributes flowing from across the globe. In every case, the echoing concern was, oh no, what happened! For most of his 69 years of life, Professor Lal was an inspirational and influential figure in Girmitiyas studies, publishing numerous articles and books, as well as an open critic of the military regime in Fiji. In

the former situation, he was an expert and international icon in indenture studies whose place in the academic community is secured and irreplaceable, while in the latter situation, Lal’s forced exile, based on the championing of democracy, was an injustice and a violation of human rights. Whatever the situation, a genius has fallen, and, I suppose, we will be poorer by his passing. We must, however, use his accolades, achievements, and aspirations to move on so much so that his legacy and his sterling contribution to humanity do not end up in vain. His lantern of leadership will continue. Brij, as he is fondly known by his wife Padma, family, and the wider community, was born in a farming village in Tabia, Vanua in Fiji. Brij’s ancestral family were indentured servants brought from India to the island during the period from 1879 to 1917. Despite the trappings of indentured servitude, Brij rose from his humble background to become a prominent professor across the pacific region, retiring at Australia National University. He received international rec-

ognition and awards, including one from UNESCO, for his prolific writing, development, and advancement of pacific studies as well as serving as the leader of the Opposition’s three-member Fiji Review Constitution leading to the 1997 Constitution. That is the life of a man who branched out of the indentured yards of Fiji to be a pioneer in the truest sense of the word, breaking new grounds wherever he went, whether in person or print. In this journey of accumulating academic wealth, I suspect, Brij enjoyed fewer financial benefits and lived a humble life so complemented by a magnificent and marvelous article he wrote four decades ago, tilted Kunti’s Cry, a woman who had to overcome the pangs of plantation abuse. Brij never gave up his roots and often spoke of his routes in life. If ever there was a person born to study Girmitiyas, it was Brij. I am convinced that one can take Brij out of Tabia but not Tabia out of Brij. Outside his family environment, nothing seemed to please Brij more than when he could speak about Fiji and the world of Gir-

Deepwater oil basins like Guyana...

FROM PAGE 8 and gas resources, allowing for millions of barrels of oil destined for markets worldwide to provide crucial energy needed for heating, transportation, and electricity generation. This comes at a time when areas of the world are experiencing acute and chronic energy shortages. At peak production, estimated at 1.2 million barrels per day by 2030, Guyana’s total annual oil revenues could approach $30 billion within 10 years, according to research by analysts at Rystad Energy. Guyana has more than US$600 million (or about GY$125 billion) in oil revenue for the nine million barrels exported to date and royalties. The passage of the Natural Resources Fund Act will ensure that the proceeds from Guyana’s oil are managed to ensure long-term benefits. Guyana has committed to managing its resources transparently and has signed on to the Santiago Principles which promote good governance, accountability, and sustainable investment practices, while fostering more open dialogue about the Natural Resources

Fund. Significant reforms in petroleum regulation are also underway. Last year, the government announced the formation of a legal committee to spearhead legislative changes for the oil and gas sector, including amendments to the Petroleum Act. The committee will work towards adopting and enforcing a competitive and transparent open bidding process for oil blocks that could be in place as early as the third quarter of 2022, a departure from an earlier awarding process that critics claimed lacked transparency. Additionally, work is underway to have a fully functional Petroleum Commission, a body tasked with oversight and administration of various aspects of Guyana’s industry now managed by multiple agencies and departments. This will enable efficiency and accountability and send a signal to the international markets that Guyana’s regulatory and policy framework can support sustained investment. As the oil and gas industry continues to drive new economic growth in the next few years, it’s important that the benefits

are flowing to Guyanese. The recently passed local content law should see Guyanese companies at all levels participating in the oil and gas value chain, capturing a large slice of the billions in expected spending and investments over the next decades. The government took extensive input from experts and analysts into account when finalizing the local content bill and targets now closely reflect what experts identified as feasible near-term goals. Additionally, the one year waiting period for implementation of the targets allows companies to structure their operations and plan with certainty. There is no doubt that, with training and capacity development, Guyanese can capitalise on all areas of the industry. It is crucial to the national interest that the sector provides employment and catalyses industrial, educational, and societal transformation essential to meet the needs of a 21st-century economy. Though there are still numerous challenges to be addressed, Guyana stands in an enviable position.

mitiyas. In the words of Brij, “of the conferences I attend and present papers, the ones on Girmitiyas are most satisfying” I concur. I will never forget the conversations I had with Brij at conferences that ventured out in myriad directions, and eventually honing into where we have come from and where we are going. He remained flattered by my one statement to him in Mauritius - “whenever we meet, we tend to get in the spirit of things”. Brij would turn this statement in appealing ways shown in some of his keynote addresses. In his last email to me, he said that he was in high spirits and hoped that I was too. Brij had a

wonderful sense of humour. He loved a good joke and would laugh heartily, exposing all his teeth. He was a small man with a big heart. Brij and Brinsley Samaroo are the natural brains behind Girmitiyas studies. If there is any consolation regarding Brij’s death, it is that we will all have to follow that step to the unavoidable destination, the final resting place. The time is the only difference. However, and while many will charter a somewhat similar course of life, I suspect, few would match this giant of a man, this scholar, this political activist, this teacher, and this principled individual. How

could we not emulate his achievements? In the final analysis, I think Brij might have heard these words from the Almighty, come home my son you have laboured hard and long in my kingdom, you are tired, nestle in my arms, feel the affection from blood to yours, close your eyes and rest now. Your family is safe. My condolences to Brij’s family, his wife, Dr. Padma, his two children, his siblings, and his grandchildren and his relatives (lomarsh.roopnarine@jsums.edu).

SUNDAY CHRONICLE

January 9, 2022

2021: Billions spent, thousands of dreams become reality A member of the disciplined forces receiving ‘his house lot’ from Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence (DPI file photo) THOUSANDS of work- able to exceed its target of ing-class Guyanese are now distributing 10,000 house proud homeowners as a lots by the end of 2021, in result of the PPP/C govern- keeping with a promised ment’s National Housing made by President Dr. MoProgramme which simulta- hamed Irfaan Ali to distribute neously advances necessary 50,000 house lots within infrastructural develop- five years. This was done ment. through the distribution of With billions of dollars house lots and the construcinvested into the sector over tion of homes for lower to the past year, the Ministry middle income families, as of Housing and Water was well as young professionals.

HUGE DEMAND – DREAM REALISED Because of the huge demand for housing, coupled with a backlog of applications, the government, when it got into office, initiated its signature ‘Dream Realised’ house lot distribution exercise held in Regions Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Nine and 10. The distribution exercises were led by subject Ministers Collin Croal and Susan Rodrigues, with support from the Chief Executive Officer of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), Sherwyn Greaves and other technical staff. The initiative has given significant impetus to the distribution process, and serves as a vehicle for fast-tracking the processing and distribution of house lots and land titles. It also provides a platform for persons to engage commercial banks on

One of the young professional homes in Providence, East Bank Demerara (DPI photo) financing options for home ownership. CONSTRUCTION OF HOMES In an effort to increase the opportunities for lowand moderate-income households to access the social and economic benefits of homeownership, the CH&PA in 2021, constructed over 550 houses for sale in several housing schemes. Over 350 two-storey elevated homes are being constructed in Cummings Lodge, Greater Georgetown, targeting moderate income households. Similar model homes are also being built in Linden, Region 10. For the low-income families, 50 low-income homes are under construction in Prospect on the East Bank of Demerara, while an area was identified to commence the construction of another 1,000 of these homes in Great Diamond. Contracts were signed for the construction of another 100 homes at Williamsburg, Region Six. Flat and two-storey young professional homes were also constructed in Providence, East Bank Demerara. A number of these homes were also built in Prospect, East Bank Demerara. Further, under the Adequate Housing and Urban Accessibility programme, 25 core homes are under construction in Lust-en-Rust, Onderneeming, La Parfaite Harmonie, Recht-Door-Zee

The moderate-income homes in Cummings Lodge (DPI photo)

and Westminster, targeting vulnerable persons. INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT With the construction of homes and distribution of house lots, come the responsibility to create new housing schemes, and expand and upgrade existing ones equipped with amenities such as roads, bridges and drainage. Last year, the ministry expended over $7.3 billion for infrastructural works in new housing schemes in Regions Three, Four, Five and Six. Another $2.7 billion was allocated to the ministry in December last year for infrastructural works in new areas, and $2 billion for works in existing schemes. The construction of the $2.3 billion Eccles to Mandela Highway is nearing completion and $13.3 billion in contracts were signed for the commencement of the extended highway from Eccles to Great Diamond. The $5 billion Mocha to Diamond interlink road was also completed and commissioned by President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali. Further, $51 million was invested in a multipurpose facility in Section ‘C’ Sophia, Greater Georgetown. The project is close to 60 per cent completed. LOWER MORTGAGE RATE The government also implemented several measures to allow prospective

beneficiaries to have easy access to loans to build or purchase their homes. These included: removal of VAT from construction materials including sand, stone, concrete blocks, and lumber; low-income threshold raised from $8M to $12M; New Building Society’s loan ceiling increased from $12M to $15M; and Mortgage Interest Relief threshold increased from $15M to $30M NEW LEGISLATION The ministry, through the Attorney-General’s Chambers, advanced work on the Amendment of Condominium (Regulation and Miscellaneous Provisions). This will pave the way for owners of condominiums and duplexes to access the certificate of titles for their land, insurance and loans. SQUATTING Last year, the ministry regularised over 750 informal settlers residing in Regions Four and Five, while 59 persons squatting on government reserves were relocated. The Guyana Strategy for Informal Settlements Upgrading and Prevention (GSISUP) was also launched to address and eliminate squatting countrywide. In keeping with its Manifesto, the PPP/C Government is committed to delivering 50,000 house lots, 10,000 annually to Guyanese within its first term in office. (DPI feature)

An aerial shot of the East Bank Demerara housing development project (DPI photo)

Guyana sends samples to test for Omicron variant

SUNDAY CHRONICLE

January 9, 2022

- over 1,000 new cases of COVID-19

recorded within the past 24 hours

By Jared Liddell WITH Guyana recording a rise in the daily number of COVID-19 cases, President Dr. Irfaan Ali has said that samples were sent overseas to test for the Omicron variant, which is reportedly more transmissible. Prior to this announcement by the President on Wednesday, Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, had expressed the belief that the steady increase in positive COVID-19 cases over the past few weeks is due to the Omicron variant. According to the minster, as at December 28, 2021, just 32 COVID-19 cases were recorded, but the number rose to 87 the following day, and 206 by December 31, 2021. Daily cases have since increased to over 700, according to Ministry of Health reports. The most recent report released by the ministry shows that there were over 1,000 new cases within the past 24 hours. “Pertaining to whether

done targets three specific areas of the virus and one of the ways is called a S-gene and if you see an S-gene drops, it is a proxy indicator that it might be omicron.

President Dr. Irfaan Ali we have Omicron or not, as Anthony said. I said based on the evidence According to a United that we have, we do believe States Food and Drug Adthat it’s Omicron and that’s ministration (FDA’s) analbecause of its contagiousness. ysis, certain mutations in The number of cases that we the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron are seeing in the shortened variant (B.1.1.529) lead to time, the types of symptoms significantly reduced sensithat people are having, the tivity in an N-gene or S-gene less hospitalisation that we genetic target that covers the are witnessing… so there are portion of the gene where the all these features that we have mutation occurs. observed using our collection “Now, another way of of data and because of that determining if you have it or we can predict that that is not, with Omicron, one of the what we have here,” Minister PCR tests that is normally

but in light of the epidemical evidence which we have seen with the S-gene drop off, we are sure we have the Omicron here,” Minister Anthony said. Further, he said that an-

Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony “To be sure, you’ll have to confirm with genetic sequencing which we are also pursing,

other indicator that the virus might be here are reports that several other Caribbean

countries have confirmed the presence of the virus within their territories. “When you look around the Caribbean, Omicron is in almost all of the Caribbean countries, showing similar trends in all of those countries as well. So, it is something that is circulating in this part of the world and we expect that it was going to be here and we strongly believe that it is here, based on the epidemical data,” Dr. Anthony reasoned. VACCINATION But even as the country continues to analyse data on the situation, authorities are working to ensure that persons are protected from the harmful effects of this disease. SEE PAGE 16

SUNDAY CHRONICLE

January 9, 2022

New building to house deeds and commercial registries in Essequibo, Berbice

Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, S.C. By Richard Bhainie agenda. Nandlall, during his ATTORNEY-General and weekly television programme Minister of Legal Affairs, -- Issues in the News -- stated Anil Nandlall, S.C., has that the new building will announced that the conaccommodate the operations struction of a new building of the registry in a spacious to house the Deeds and edifice to enable greater effiCommercial Registry in ciency at the office. the county of Essequibo is “This year also we will part of his ministry’s 2022 be building a new building

on the Essequibo Coast that will house the Deeds and Commercial Registry in a spacious physical edifice. Right now, the operations are housed at the bottom of the Essequibo High Court in very cramped conditions,” he said. The new building will be budgeted for in the 2022 budget, the Attorney-General said. In addition, the Ministry of Legal Affairs is also exploring a similar initiative for the Deeds and Commercial Registry in the county of Berbice. “Later in the year we are hoping that we can do the same for New Amsterdam as well where the Deeds and Commercial Registry authority is housed beneath the High Court of New Amsterdam,” Nandlall said. “Again, the conditions there are not acceptable, and it affects efficiency and the

staff being able to competently discharge the functions of their office and we are hoping that we can secure a property this year and begin to work on acquiring a new building to accommodate that facility in the county of Berbice,” he added. The Deeds Registry is an important aspect of the operations of the country’s legal system, particularly in relation to the property as a registry of deeds is where documents that establish property ownership are recorded in official books. A registry of deeds is often consulted when the history or background of a property needs to be researched, especially in connection with the purchase and sale of a property where both the seller and the buyer need to confirm that the property can be legally transferred from one party to the other.

“The Deeds Registry is a very important institution in our country whose significance, sometimes, is not fully appreciated. It was created in 1919, nearly one hundred years ago, and it performs various and varying functions,” Nandlall told the 34th Sitting of the Tenth Parliament in January 2013. He told the House that the registry is the repository of all transports; the institution that administers all conveyance in relation to transports; the institution that executes all mortgages passed in this country and it is the official repository of all mortgages. Further, he had explained that it is the institution where all powers of attorney are recorded and kept, where all patents and trademarks are filed, where all deed polls are filed, where all miscellaneous

deeds are filed, where are debentures are executed and filed, where all companies are incorporated and where all business registrations are done. The Purpose of the Deeds Registry is to efficiently and expeditiously administer the laws enacted by Parliament affecting land, whether by way of transport, leases, mortgages or any other alienation thereof, powers of attorney, contracts and other deeds. The Commercial Registry is mandated to provide accessible and responsive service and to ensure an adequate system for the administration of the laws enacted by Parliament relating to companies, business names, partnerships, bills of sale, trade unions, trademarks, patents and design, geographical indicator and copyright.

From drug user to successful businessman -Wayne Rodrigues tells his story

SUNDAY CHRONICLE

January 9, 2022

Though no longer a shoe maker, Rodrigues is an amazing husband and father of four. He is a businessman and owner of one of the most popular resorts in the mining town, Wayne’s World. “I’m not a shoe maker anymore. I got my business [and] I got a good family. It’s still a challenge

Wayne Rodrigues

By Naomi Parris FOLLOWING a violent encounter with a drug dealer, Wayne Rodrigues knew that it was time for him to build a new life away from the drugs and crime he knew. As a then 17-year-old, he had experienced things children his age should not. Now a family man and business owner, Rodrigues looks back at the life he left behind, checkered with drug abuse and violence. He is hopeful that his story connects with and motivates others. “I used to use drugs, cocaine, marijuana etc. I started to smoke marijuana at 10-years-old and by about 14-years-old I went into cocaine, or what people would [call] black joint,” he recalled during a recent interview with the Guyana Chronicle. Born and raised on the streets of Albouystown, Rodrigues’s childhood was not one that was pleasant. He did not have the picture-perfect family life most children longed for. While children his age had their parents to tuck them in at night, he recalls his single-parent mother being absent as she worked to make ends meet for herself and family. Due to the financial difficulties, Rodriques and his family constantly moved from one household to the next in community and this eventually saw him falling in with the wrong crowd. “I went through a lot of experiences as you know its Albouystown, fight and doing whatever,” he said. At the age of 17, Rodrigues recalled an ex-

tremely violent situation which caused him to turn his life around. The change, he said came about after an altercation with a “pusher man” or drug dealer. Ashamed of himself and actions, he decided that it was time for him to turn a new leaf. “The next day when I wake up, I went to La Penitence Market to see a friend. I got a passage to come to Linden and I come to Linden and I started to build my life,” said. While starting over was his best decision, he noted that it was definitely not a smooth road as it came with many challenges. In sharing his story with this publication and the world at large he hopes to encourage the young men and women of Guyana to challenge the unknown and to exceed beyond the expectations of stereotypical barriers. “What I would like to share is that even though you are whatever it is at the time…don’t limit yourself to think this is all life is all about.” After relocating, Rodrigues started to make an honest living by repairing shoes. He noted that temptations to return to his old life were the hardest to overcome, but he was determined to leave his past behind and look ahead to a brighter future. “When I come to Linden, I was a shoe maker. I used to repair shoes and [I] develop my life and stayed away from the calling for drugs and of being unjust to people,” he noted.

in my life to be a better person. Every day is a challenge but the idea is to be there in full strength and take responsibility of your life,” he told this publication. He reiterated that defying stereotypes and challenging the unknown is the first step to starting a new beginning.

“Try to challenge the unknown or challenge the thing you think you can’t do. For example, whilst growing up in Albousytown, I thought that was all…until I venture far away from Georgetown and come to Linden.” He urged young men and women, who may feel less of themselves or limit

their abilities to challenge themselves the way he did and take that leap of faith and start a new life. “In life, the hardest thing to do is do the thing you think you can’t do when it could be done. There is so much benefit and glory on the other side once you make the effort,” he said.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE

January 9, 2022

$30M in grants for culture and creative arts industry SCORES of local creatives will soon benefit from the disbursement of approximately $30 million in grants for various innovation projects that could be commercialised for the benefit of the culture and creative arts industry. An invitation for proposals was issued in December 2021 by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, which indicated that a single project could benefit from as much as $1 million each.

President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, during the end-of-year dinner hosted by the Georgetown Chambers of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), pointed to the importance of the culture industry, and the need for investments that would ensure sustainability and growth. Referencing Guyana’s spectacular performance during the Dubai 2020 Expo, President Ali said that the country’s rich and diverse cultural heritage accounts for a substantial component

of its tourism product, which remains a critical income earner. Prior to this, since his ascension to office in August 2020, the Head of State had promised policies and programmes that would develop the creative industries and equip creatives with the tools needed to commercialise their talents while making it sustainable. One such initiative is the establishment of a ‘Guyana Walk’ along the Lamaha

Railway Embankment. Dr. Ali had announced that the stretch of land running parallel with Lamaha Street, Georgetown would be paved and developed be into a vibrant and captivating space that showcases a plethora of arts and crafts. Works have already commenced and are moving rapidly apace on converting the plot which once sported railway lines for trains travelling in and out of what was then referred to as ‘Old George-

Guyana’s performance at the Dubai 2020 Expo has reaffirmed the importance of the Cultural and Creative Arts Industry and the need for continued investments (Office of the President photo) town’ in the then colonial Guyana. “Some of you who pass Lamaha Street would have seen we have started to clean up the Lamaha [Government] reserve… what we [are] going to do there [is] we are going to rehabilitate the old train wagons and that entire old shed, and entire station,” the Head of State shared previously. He continued: “… you will have the pavement blocks used. We will have trees planted there. We will have seating arrangements, so that families can go out there.” President Ali said that the area will be strategically used to showcase and promote ‘all things’ Guyana, especially the many fascinating things that are produced by the people of Guyana, ranging from arts and craft to cuisine and fashion. The Head of State indicated that the ‘Guyana Walk’ is slated to materialise before the first half of 2022, and that the initiative is merely a component of a more comprehensive effort to improve the country’s aesthetics, while promoting the culture and creativity that reside on these shores. The previous Culture and Creative Arts Industry’s grants saw 12 persons from

several disciplines ranging from arts and crafts to film, music and animation benefitting from what was then a $20M fund. Beneficiaries of the initiative were able to print books, fund the establishment of creative workshops and fund the production of their music, etcetera. One such beneficiary was veteran journalist, Michael Jordan, who utilised his grant to increase printing of his novel, Kamarang, a scintillating thriller. It should be noted that although a revamped attempt at developing the industry, grants to develop the culture and creative arts industry is nothing new. As a matter of fact, in 2007, under the Bharrat Jagdeo administration, a similar initiative was launched to finance projects under both the sports and arts industry. Referred to as the Sports and Arts Development Fund (SADF), the initiative saw scores of persons benefiting from financial support to fulfill their cultural ambitions. President Ali has said that the PPP/C Government is committed to ensuring that local creatives can sustain themselves, and that the industry could grow to become a major income earner.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE

January 9, 2022

SUNDAY CHRONICLE

January 9, 2022

Guyana sends samples to test for Omicron ...

FROM PAGE 11 According to the latest COVID-19 statistics, some 411,269 adults and 30,410 adolescents have received their first dose of one of the COVID-19 vaccines available in Guyana. Those numbers, when broken down, mean that 80.2 per cent of the country’s adult population and 41.7 per cent of its ad-

olescent population have received their first shot of a COVID-19 ‘jab’. In terms of second doses, statistics show that 57.6 per cent of the adult population is fully vaccinated, representing some 295,696 persons, while 21,740 adolescents or 29.8 per cent of that grouping has received the second shot.

“In terms of boosters, we’ve had 11,986 persons who got their booster doses and this is, again, just a small percentage of our population,” Dr. Anthony said. With the exception of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine, for persons to be considered fully vaccinated with the available vaccines, namely, AstraZeneca, Sino-

pharm, Sputnik V and Pfizer, they must get both doses. ISOLATE Minister Anthony said that a crucial component in the fight against COVID-19 is isolation, which will prevent the spread of the virus. He said that in many cases, persons who have tested positive but have mild symptoms, have made the unwise

decision of continuing to interact with others, thus spreading the virus. “If you test positive, you also need to isolate. There are people who are testing positive, and because they have mild symptoms, they are going back into the workplace and what they are doing is that they will infect a whole host of other people.

So, if you test positive, you need to isolate,” Minister Anthony said. He reminded that while the ministry recommends isolation, persons should only isolate if they have actually contracted the virus. He added that many persons have been found to have falsified their results in an effort to avoid work.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE

January 9, 2022

Child with brain tumour needs help to access treatment overseas

By Cassandra Khan DIAGNOSED with a rare brain tumour, sixyear-old Aden Persaud of Blairmont, Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), is now in need of help to go abroad to access specialised treatment which is not available here in Guyana. Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle on Thursday, the child’s mother, Alicia Persaud, said that Aden was diagnosed recently with craniopharyngioma, a rare type of tumour near the pituitary gland, after experiencing persistent headaches and vomiting. According to the National Cancer Institute, craniopharyngiomas are usually part solid, part fluid-filled cysts, which are usually benign and not cancerous, as they do not spread to other parts of the brain, nor to other parts of the body. “However, they may grow and press on nearby parts of the brain or other areas, including the pituitary gland, the optic chiasm, optic nerves, and fluid-filled spaces in the brain. Craniopharyngiomas may affect many functions of the brain, such as the hormonemaking process, growth, and vision,” the Institute says.

Prior to developing this condition, Alicia said her son was very active and jovial, and would often spend a lot of his free time playing cricket. Several failed attempts to get him the treatment he needs here in Guyana hasve left the parents with no other option but to seek financial assistance to send Aden overseas for medical care. The Saving Hands E m e rg e n c y A i d I n c . (SHEA) foundation has since stepped in to mobilise support for the child. According to SHEA, due to the severity and urgent nature of Aden’s condition, he needs immediate surgery, and extensive hormone replacement therapy. “Unfortunately, the advanced treatment and technology necessary to save this young child is not yet available in Guyana. Therefore, SHEA charity has accepted his case, and we are working with doctors in the United States to coordinate lifesaving treatment for Aden,” the organisation said in a post on its Facebook page. Persons who are interested in making a contribution towards the cause could contact the organisation at shea@sheacharity.org. The organisation is a

publicly-funded charity which is managed by volunteers. Further, 100 per cent of all donations are allocated to patient care. “This organisation’s mission is to provide medical aid and humanitarian services to people in impoverished

countries, mainly Guyana and the Caribbean. This organisation seeks pro-bono medical treatment whether locally or internationally for patients who cannot afford lifesaving medical treatment due to poverty,” SHEA says.

Six-year-old Aden Persaud

Some of the items distributed to the affected families

SUNDAY CHRONICLE

January 9, 2022

Dharmic Sabha reaches out to grieving Bonsika families THE Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha Essequibo Coast Praant has given timely support to two families of Bonsika who suffered recent tragedies. One of the families lost their home and belongings to fire and the other lost a mother and her child when their home collapsed, a state-

ment from the Sabha said as it extended condolences to the grieving relatives during this difficult time. The two families who recently suffered from a fire and a home collapsing were given assistance through the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha Essequibo Coast Praant. The Praant has collabo-

rated with the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security and the business community to support the families. On Saturday morning, a team visited the Bonsika area in the Essequibo River and handed over the donations to the families. The family of eight which is currently homeless and the surviving second family were given clothing, food and household items. The donation was presented by the Praant representative Indrawattie Natram, also known as “Reema”. Accompanying the team was Child Care Officer from the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, Bibi Romeena Zaman.

“Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha would like to sincerely thank Bahen Reema for spearheading this exercise of ‘Action thy duty Reward not thy concern’ and also express gratitude to a number of businesses and individuals for their support in this initiative,” the statement from the Sabha said. The contributors to the worthy cause are New Doctors Clinic, H and J supermarket, Jones Supermarket, I -Tech solution, Savita’s Boutique, Green Variety Store, Shawn mini mart, Arvinda Rooplall, Bharrat Paramand, Vina Devi Dass, Bid Birds and Sons, Elegant Beauty Salon, K and J Persaud Contracting Service and Dularie Persaud.

Guyana seeks firm/consultant...

FROM PAGE 2 consultant will have to be a part of engagements between the ministry and the producer, and support the government in drafting the Yellowtail Petroleum Production Licence. The RFP went on to say that the government will contract the bidder whose tender is determined to be substantially responsive to the bidding documents, and who offered the lowest evaluated bid price, providing that this bidder has been determined to be eligible and has met the minimum qualification score of 70 points in accordance with the criteria. Bidders’ proposals will be evaluated and ranked on their merits, in accordance with the evaluation criteria outlined in the supplementary information provided and, if selected, could eventually form the basis for negotiations and, ultimately, a contract between the firm and the procuring entity. It is anticipated that contract negotiations with the selected firm would commence around February 1, 2022 and the assignment would commence around February 7, 2022. Negotiations will be

held with the firm or consultant only if the technical proposal attains the required minimum score. Bidders must be prepared to furnish the detailed cost break-down and other clarifications to the proposals submitted by the bidder, as may be required to adjudge the reasonableness of price proposals. The deadline for submissions is January 20, 2022. Yellowtail will be situated 126 miles offshore Guyana, where ExxonMobil made its 13th discovery in the Stabroek Block. Its initial production phase is scheduled to commence in 2025, with optimum production capacity of 250,000 barrels per day, and will continue for 20 years. The floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel is designed to have a storage capacity of two million barrels of oil. The proposed project could provide some 1,300 jobs across its four phases. ExxonMobil has already received approval for three development projects in the Stabroek Block, where it has made discoveries totalling over 10 billion oil-equivalent barrels. (DPI)

SUNDAY CHRONICLE

January 9, 2022

Eastern Highway, Stone Avenue bridges ahead of scheduled completion THE bridges at Dennis Street and Eastern Highway and Dennis Street and Stone Avenue, Campbellville are set to be completed ahead of schedule. Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill on Friday inspected both bridges. C&L Construction Inc was contracted to execute the works on the Eastern Highway to the tune of $36.9 million. “Work began by the middle of December, replacing timber piles and timber structures with concrete in its entirety, concrete piles, concrete beams and concrete surface. Last night they poured the concrete for the decking, and, as you can see, they are putting some sand on the concrete to help with the curing process, so that we will be able to get this bridge open; we anticipate within two weeks,” the minister said. The bridge on Stone Avenue, Campbellville, Minister Edghill

said, will be completed within a week, and was contracted out to the tune of $34.6 million to DevCon Construction and Contracting Services. One of the reasons for the project being completed ahead of time was the use of modern techniques in casting. In this case, the contractor used pre-cast concrete, which eliminated the time for the casting of the bridge. Minister Edghill said he was delighted that the construction of both bridges, which had a two-month deadline, will be done ahead of time, as it will ease congestion. “When that bridge at the Eastern Highway collapsed, this one was in a very deplorable condition. All the traffic of people trying to head north to south had to end up going all the way to Sheriff Street. There was some concern and some inconvenience, but safety was a big issue, and that is why we had

Ongoing construction of the bridge on the Eastern Highway (DPI photos) to close off these bridges. I am happy to report that even though there was an inconvenience, you are getting it back brand-new for another 50 or 60 years,” Minister Edghill said. The Public Works Minister pointed out that government is seeking to have all rollover projects completed before the reading of the 2022 National Budget. “One of the reasons why I am on the road today is to ensure that everybody is at work, and all of our projects are moving apace. There is no slacking up; Guyana’s development is too important for people to be on Christmas and New Year’s vacation,” the minister firmly stated. (DPI)

Ongoing construction of the bridge on Stone Avenue

SUNDAY CHRONICLE

January 9, 2022

SUNDAY CHRONICLE January 9, 2022

FROM BACK PAGE

Brooks stars on debut...

bowled, they used the conditions pretty well. I don’t see anything different in the next couple games.” Shai Hope (29) looked to be anchoring the innings but was one of three wickets to fall for three runs in 13 deliveries, as off-spinner Andy McBrine (2-52) struck twice to peg the hosts back. Brooks then punched nine stylish fours and three equally polished sixes while Pollard blasted four fours and four sixes, as West Indies hauled themselves back into the contest. After needing 18 balls for his first eight runs, Brooks cruised to his maiden half-century off 61 balls at the end of the 36th over, and looked a sure bet for three figures. Dropped on 92 at the start of the 45th over, Brooks failed to capitalise on the reprieve and was lbw to seamer Mark Adair (3-38) off the fifth ball of the same over. “I feel very good about the innings. It is just unfortunate I didn’t go on to get the hundred but I was very happy with the partnership I had with the skipper, at a time when we were struggling up front,” Brooks said. “After being dropped on 92, I decided to (put my head back down) but I was beaten for pace by that

delivery that I got out to, (but) I guess that happens in the game.” Pollard had perished three overs earlier, holing out on the ropes at long-on off seamer Craig Young (3-56) and with both set batters gone, West Indies lost their last five wickets for just 31 runs. Left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein then kept the hosts on top when left-handed opener William Porterfield (0) missed a sweep and was lbw in the second over with a single run on the board. However, Balbirnie patched up the innings in a 164-run stand, first with Andy McBrine (34) and then with Tector who belted five fours and a six off 68 deliveries. McBrine retired hurt in the 17th over after being struck on the helmet and was replaced by Neil Rock after failing the concussion protocols. Despite the setback, Ireland remained steady through Balbirnie, who faced 94 balls and counted seven fours and a six, reaching his 13th ODI half-century off 74 balls in the 27th over. Once he nicked behind in the 37th over off Shepherd, the run chase was derailed, despite George Dockrell’s 30 off 25 balls and Adair’s nine-ball unbeaten 21.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE

January 9, 2022

SUNDAY CHRONICLE

January 9, 2022

SUNDAY CHRONICLE January 9, 2022

Khawaja's twin tons help Australia take command USMAN Khawaja became the third batsman to score tons in both innings in a Sydney Test in what was a remarkable return to the Test side. Having not found a place in the Test side since 2019, Khawaja backed up his 137 from the first innings, starring once again in Australia's bid to post a strong total. He eventually helped Australia set England 388 to win with a whole day's play remaining. In the 11 overs that England had to negotiate late on Day 4, the openers did well to go to stumps unscathed with 30 on the board with Zak Crawley unbeaten on 22 and Haseeb Hameed on 8. England need 358 to win on the final day. England had done well to keep a cap on Australia's scoring in the second session and scalped the big wickets of Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith. However, they couldn't break the association of Khawaja and Cameron Green who added 179 runs for the fifth wicket to put Australia in control. Green, who was under pressure for his spot, coming into the game, was tested in the initial phase of his innings, but he gradually settled in to find his feet. He took on England's bowlers

Usman Khawaja celebrated a century in each innings of his comeback Test to lift Australia from early trouble

to bring to the fore his shots and grew in confidence with every passing ball. He got to his second Test fifty off 96 balls, while keeping a set Khawaja able company as the pair rescued Australia from a spot of bother at 86-4. The visitors had kept a lid on proceedings before the tea break, but before that, runs flowed as Khawaja and Green upped the tempo scoring close to six an over for 20 overs. They eventually took Australia to 265 before Green and Alex Carey fell in successive balls with Leach finishing with four wickets and being on a hat-trick before Australia declared. Mark Wood was in the middle of an intense spell when he got

while Leach came on and got the ominous-looking Steve Smith immediately, undoing him with one that skidded on quicker than he expected. After ending Jonny Bairstow's valiant knock, it was only a matter of time before England were bowled out for 294 yesterday. Australia needed just over 9 overs to end England's resistance. Bairstow single-handedly was keeping England afloat and was running out of partners. Scott Boland, however, who returned to bowl after a side injury had sent him for scans, continued to pick up wickets and immediately ended Bairstow's resistance. The keeper-batter departed for a brilliant 113 despite being struck on the thumb. He did not take the field in Australia's second innings. Jos Buttler too didn't take the field because of a left index-finger injury with Pope assuming duties with the gloves. Australia made their intent clear from the outset, but couldn't particularly kick on by getting the boundaries in. England tested the Australian batters early on with good lines and lengths. Wood was rewarded for some tight bowling with

SCOREBOARD AUSTRALIA 1st innings 416-8 decl. ENGLAND 1st innings 294 Haseeb Hameed b Mitchell Starc Zak Crawley b Scott Boland Dawid Malan c Usman Khawaja b Cameron Green Joe Root c Steven Smith b Scott Boland Ben Stokes lbw Nathan Lyon Jonny Bairstow c Alex Carey b Scott Boland Jos Buttler c Usman Khawaja b Pat Cummins Mark Wood c Nathan Lyon b Pat Cummins Jack Leach c Pat Cummins b Nathan Lyon Stuart Broad c Alex Carey b Scott Boland James Anderson not out

AUSTRALIA 2nd innings 6 18 3 0 66 113 0 39 10 15 4

Extras: (b-9, lb-6, nb-2, w-3) 20 Total: (all out, 79.1 overs) 294 Fall of wickets: 1-22, 2-36 y, 3-36, 4-36, 5-164, 6-173, 7-245, 8-266, 9-289. Bowling: Pat Cummins 20-6-68-2 (w-2, nb-1), Mitchell Starc 16-2-56-1 (nb-1), Scott Boland 14.1-6-36-4, Cameron Green 9-4-0-24-1, (w1), Nathan Lyon 17-0-88-2.

Marcus Harris c (sub.) b Jack Leach 27 David Warner c (sub.) b Mark Wood 3 Marnus Labuschagne c (sub.) b Mark Wood 29 Steven Smith b Jack Leach 23 Usman Khawaja not out 101 Cameron Green c Joe Root b Jack Leach 74 Alex Carey c (sub) b Jack Leach 0 Extras: (lb-4, w-5) 8 Total: (six wkts decl. 68.5 overs) 265 Fall of wickets: 1-12, 2-52, 3-68, 4-86, 5-265, 6-265. Bowling: James Anderson 12-1-34-0, Stuart Broad 11-3–31-0, Mark Wood 15-0-65-2 (w-), Jack Leach 21.5-1- 84-4, Joe Root 7-0-350, Dawid Malan 2- 0-13- 0. ENGLAND 2nd innings Zak Crawley not out Haseeb Hameed not out

22 8

Extras: 0 Total: (no wkt, 11.0 overs) 30 Bowling : Mitchell Starc 4-0-10-0, Pat Cummins 4-0-15-0, Scott Boland 3-1-5-0.

Labuschagne in the first over after lunch. Labuschagne, learning from his dismissal in the first innings, to negate the angle created by Wood, shuffled wide across outside off. However, he was undone with a shortish delivery outside off which the batter thought he had enough width to cut. The extra bounce got him a faint edge that was taken by stand-in keeper Ollie Pope. Stuart Broad bowled tight lines,

David Warner's wicket, whose lack of footwork did him in as he edged to Pope. Harris, once again, got a start but couldn't kick on, falling for 27 on the brink of lunch after a slew of dot balls got him frustrated. A cloud of uncertainty now lingers over Harris's spot after Khawaja's stellar showing and the former's unflattering returns. (Cricbuzz)

SUNDAY CHRONICLE January 9, 2022

Chicago Bulls win nine in a row, Embiid shines for Philadelphia 76ers

CHICAGO Bulls won an impressive ninth game in a row as Zach LaVine scored 27 points in a 130-122 win against Washington Wizards. Numerous players from both sides made it into double figures, but Bulls' dominance from the three-point line helped the table-toppers to victory. With San Antonio Spurs depleted because of COVID-19, Joel Embiid shone in Philadelphia 76ers' 119-100 win. Embiid had 31 points 12 rebounds 7 assists for the hosts. It is the sixth game in a row Embiid has scored at least 30 points and it is Phil-

LaVine was Chicago Bulls' top scorer in the Washington win

adelphia's sixth consecutive

win, while San Antonio have

lost five of their last six.

Los Angeles Lakers extended their winning streak to four as LeBron James scored 32 points and made nine assists in a 134-118 win against Atlanta Hawks. Lakers have turned things around after a five-game losing streak following the loss of Anthony Davis to a knee injury. Fred VanVleet claimed the first triple-double of his career with 37 points 10 rebounds 10 assists in Toronto Raptors' 122-108 win against Utah Jazz. It brought to an end Utah's 10-game winning streak on the road, with Jazz missing eight players due to injury and COVID-19. Milwaukee Bucks had

little problem sweeping aside Brooklyn Nets in a 121-109 win thanks to the returning Giannis Antetokounmpo. Despite the absence of coach Jason Kidd because of COVID-19 protocols, Dallas Mavericks cruised to a 130106 away win against Houston Rockets. Minnesota Timberwolves beat Oklahoma City Thunder 135-105, while Nikola Jokic had 33 points 10 rebounds in Denver Nuggets' 121111 win against Sacramento Kings. In Portland, Cleveland Cavaliers inflicted yet another defeat on Trail Blazers, winning 114-10 Zach. (BBC Sport)

Singh to contest COVID-hit teams must play with ECB presidency 11 players, even if keeper absent Africa Cup of Nations football …

Businessman and former vice-president of the ECB, Dellip Singh

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah (left) will captain Egypt in their Group D campaign at the Africa Cup of Nations

COUNTRIES suffering COVID-19 outbreaks will have to play their Africa Cup of Nations football matches even if they have only 11 players available. New guidelines from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) state matches will still go ahead even if none of the 11 players is a goalkeeper. Any nation unable to fulfil a fixture will forfeit the game 2-0.

The guidance has been issued after several nations reported COVID-19 cases before the tournament starts today CAF said that in "exceptional cases" the tournament's organising committee "will take the appropriate decision". On Friday Egypt delayed their departure for the tournament, which is taking place in Cameroon, and were forced to cancel training after coronavirus cases were reported in

their camp. The Pharaohs, who have won the competition a record seven times, eventually flew to Cameroon yesterday. Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was among two players to test positive in the Gabon squad on Thursday. Guinea were forced to leave behind defender Mikael Dyrestam, midfielder Morlaye Sylla and striker Seydouba Soumah at their

training base in Rwanda. Cape Verde and debutants Gambia were hit by several positive tests last week, while Tunisia have also reported cases from their pre-tournament camp. The Nations Cup starts today and Egypt will face Nigeria in their first Group D match on Tuesday (16:00hrs GMT) - a game which will be televised by the BBC in the UK. (BBC Sport)

POPULAR businessman and former vice-president of the Essequibo Cricket Board (ECB), Dellip Singh, will be vying for the top post of the ECB.` According to reliable sources, Singh has indicated his interest and has received support from several of the area committees. Singh brings with him a wealth of experience in the field of commerce being the former president of the Essequibo Chamber of Commerce as well as a former Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Essequibo Technical

Institute. Meanwhile former national youth cricketer Norwayne Fredericks will also contest for the position while it is unclear whether acting president, Alvin Johnson, will seek re-election. The ECB election is scheduled for today, from 11:00hrs at the Imam Bacchus Library in Affiance. Two delegates each from the seven eligible area committees will be entitled to vote, while the proceedings will be supervised by Cricket Ombudsman, Malcolm Peters.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE January 9, 2022

How Bangladesh won the 2020 title and what it meant for the country

BANGLADESH became just the seventh team to be crowned ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup (CWC) champions by beating India to clinch the 2020 tournament in South Africa. Skippered brilliantly by Akbar Ali, the first-time finalists clinched their maiden title against the odds as they defeated the four-time winners by three wickets under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method to make history. Chasing 178 to win, the young Tigers were struggling at 102 for six before Akbar’s knock of 43 not out dragged them over the line in a rain-shortened finale in Potchefstroom. The triumph was a significant achievement for Bangladesh cricket as they won a global ICC tournament for the very first time at any level, coming 22 years after they made their debut in the prestigious ICC U19 Men's CWC a moment that was not lost on Akbar. “It's a dream come true,” said the wicketkeeper-batter. “We've had a very good experience, and this is just the beginning for us. Hopefully, this will be the starting stone for us.” Bangladesh’s previous best performance at the ICC U19 Men’s CWC was on home soil in 2016, finishing in

Bangladesh players celebrate their triumph

third place after losing their semi-final to eventual champions West Indies. But the 2020 edition was a different story after they progressed to the Super League knockout stages by topping their group, beating Zimbabwe and Scotland along the way. Shoriful Islam and 2022 skipper Rakibul Hasan then starred with the ball for Bangladesh as they knocked off South Africa and New Zealand to reach the showpiece final. And despite coming up against an inspired Yashasvi Jaiswal, who made 88 to take the Player-of-the-Tournament award, nothing could stop Ban-

gladesh from sealing the title. The ICC U19 Men’s CWC is known for being a major stepping stone in the development of all the participating teams, providing a platform for cricket’s future stars to shine on the world stage. That certainly proved to be the case for Bangladesh, who unearthed several supreme talents along the way who have since gone on to receive full international honours. Shoriful, in particular, became a left-arm pace sensation almost overnight. thanks to his role in Bangladesh’s title success, taking nine wickets over

the course of the tournament. His aggression and pace against South Africa, New Zealand and India proved pivotal, earning him a maiden call-up to the senior ODI side in January 2021 for the series against West Indies. He has since played in all three formats for his country, taking 22 wickets in 17 T20I matches and seven wickets in four ODIs to cement himself in the team for years to come. And Akbar recognised the importance of capitalising on his team’s silverware success soon after the tournament’s conclusion, thanking the Bangladesh Cricket Board for their support. “I believe age-group cricket is different; compared to international cricket, the latter is much more difficult and challenging,” said the captain just a few days after lifting the trophy. “The board is providing us with facilities to move on to the next level and our first target will be to minimise the gap between age-level cricket and international cricket and prepare ourselves properly for the next level. “After winning the World Cup we got two days rest in South Africa and our team management gave us some messages to prepare ourselves for the next level.

“We are determined not to be carried away after winning the Under-19 World Cup. We know our professional career has just started. We know that we need to improve ourselves as players. “We are not carried away with self-satisfaction after winning the Under-19 World Cup, rather we are taking this as an inspiration and will try our best and train hard to reach the next level.” Bangladesh have continued to grow as a cricketing force on the international stage since 2020 and will now look to achieve the rare feat of defending their ICC U19 Men’s CWC crown. Three players - Rakibul, Tanzim Sakib and Prantik Nabil - remain from that title-winning team, forming the nucleus of a strong squad for the 2022 edition in West Indies. Only Pakistan have managed to win the tournament back-to-back - in 2004 and 2006 - so a place in the ICC U19 Men’s CWC history books awaits Bangladesh if they can do the double. Even if they are unable to go all the way once again, it’s clear to see from the progress they have made as a cricketing nation in the last two years. the sizeable impact that 2020’s triumph has had. (ICC Media)

Mohamed’s Enterprise funding NSC supports Sarwan's appointment as CWI selector rehabilitation of Melanie ground

THE National Sports Commission (NSC) is throwing its support behind former Guyanese and West Indies captain, Ramnaresh Sarwan, who was appointed as a selector to the West Indies Men’s Senior and Youth Selection Panels. The panel will be led by the Most Hon. Dr Desmond Haynes and Robert Haynes respectively. Director of Sport, Steve Ninvalle, and Chairman of the National Sports Commission,

Steve Ninvalle

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Sunday January 9, 2022)

COMPLIMENTS OF CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD 83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) Chris Gayle-298 ODI matches (2) Kevin O’Brien-153 ODI matches Today’s Quiz: (1) What was the result of the first ODI of the current WI/IRE series? (2) Who was voted Man of the Match? Answers in tomorrow’s issue

Kashif Muhammad, apart from congratulating Sarwarn, highlighted the NSC's support for the former Windies batter, who previously served as a Commissioner with the NSC. According to Ninvalle, NSC is happy to see a servant of the 'gentleman's game' being elevated to such an important committee at Cricket West Indies (CWI). He added that the right-handed batter will have the full support of the NSC and by extension the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport. Sarwan's appointment was confirmed during a meeting of the CWI Board of Directors on Thursday, January 6. Muhammad reiterated that Sarwan's appointment reaffirms the respect and esteem that the region has for the beloved Guyanese. The former dapper player will be a member of the Men’s Senior and Youth Selection Panels until June 30, 2024, a period that includes four ICC Global Events, two T20 World Cups (2022 & 2024), the Cricket World Cup (2023) and the World Test Championship Final (2023).

MOHAMED’S Enterprise, through its Managing Director, Azruddin Mohamed, will be funding the rehabilitation of the playfield at Melanie Damishana, East Coast Demerara. In a statement, Team Mohamed’s revealed that initial caretaking works were started by Attorney-at-Law James Bond and his Cigars and Cognac Group after the ground was overgrown by grass. It meant the community of Melanie North was not able to utilise the facility and after numerous conversations with Bond about Community and Development and Empowerment, Mohamed opted to fund the project. “I have had numerous conversations with Bond about Community Development and Empowerment and I visited the particular ground and spoke to the young people in the area who have stated that they would love to participate in sporting activities right there in the playfield. “I proposed making it a multi-purpose

facility properly fenced and with an internal walking track so that everyone young or old can benefit from the use of the playfield,” Mohamed expressed. Facilities will be developed for football, beach volleyball, and a FIBA-specified basketball court. “Since Melanie has its own football and basketball teams this will greatly help them in preparation for national team representation,” Mohamed said. He added, “Economically, this will benefit the community as well, since fundraisers and sporting events can be kept at the ground and the people of Melanie, Enterprise, Non Pareil and Paradise could all benefit in one way or the other. This will also take some young people off the streets and away from negative influences.” “My advice to all the youths of these communities is to stay focused and work to improve your lives and the lives of your families. God bless you all.”

SUNDAY CHRONICLE January 9, 2022

Lady Jags striker Annalisa Vincent wins scholarship to Graceland University

GT Panthers forward Annalisa Vincent will make history as the first indigenous Guyanese female player to study at a US college. Vincent, who hails from Moruca in Region 1, will study for an undergraduate degree in accounting at Graceland University in Iowa, United States, while also representing the Graceland Yellowjackets female soccer team in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics’ Heart of America Athletic Conference. The four-year scholarship has been facilitated by the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) International Supporters Group and the GFF administration. A full international and most valuable player at the recently concluded GFF-Guyana National Women’s Football Association Women’s Super 16 Festival, Vincent will follow in the footsteps of Lady Jags goalkeeper Natalie Nedd, who was the first player to benefit from the GFF ISG-enabled programme. “I am grateful for the opportunity. It’s exciting for me as a lot of work has been put into this and it’s finally here,” Vincent said. She added, “For me, it’s a new journey. I would like to extend my gratitude and thanks to the ISG, the GFF and everyone who played a part in making this possible for me.” GFF ISG president Rebecca Vaughan said one of the primary goals of the ISG was to provide “higher education opportunities for women footballers in Guyana”.

Sport Minister hails appointment of Sarwan as a CWI selector Sport Minister Charles Ramson Jr

MINISTER of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr, has hailed the appointment of Ramnaresh Sarwan to Cricket West Indies (CWI) men’s senior and youth selection panels. In a statement on Friday, Minister Ramson Jr. stated, “On behalf of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport for the Government of the Republic of Guyana, I would like to extend congratulations to Ramnaresh ‘Ronnie’ Sarwan on his appointment as a Selector to the West Indies Men’s Senior and Youth Selection Panels. “This is another important achievement for Ronnie and the position bears the weight of expectation for cricket-loving West Indians

across the region. While executing the duties of his appointment, Ronnie will have my support and the support of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport. All the best, Ronnie.” On Friday, CWI announced the former West Indies captain will join the selection panel which is headed by former batting maestro Hon. Dr Desmond Haynes. Sarwan will be a member of the Men’s Senior and Youth Selection Panels until June 30, 2024 - a period that includes four ICC Global Events, two T20 World Cups (2022 & 2024), the Cricket World Cup (2023), and the World Test Championship Final (2023).

“The hard work by the ISG team has been recognised and validated by securing a four-year scholarship opportunity for Annalisa to attend Graceland University in Iowa,” Vaughan said. Vaughan related that “Annalisa, an outstanding member of the Guyana Senior Women’s National Team, will be furthering her education in Accounting while playing football for the college.” “The ISG has established relationships with colleges in the United States and is currently coordinating with deserving young women from Guyana, who are interested in furthering their education through sport,” she continued. “ Rising star Vincent scored her first international goal for the senior Lady Jags team in a friendly against Puerto Rico in 2021. GFF president Wayne Forde said he had been extremely impressed with her consistently outstanding form, professional mindset and commitment at both club and national level in recent years. “I am so proud of Annalisa’s performances on the field of play and I have no doubt she will excel in her studies at Graceland University. The GFF, under my administration, has always emphasised the importance of education and we hope to see the numbers grow in this programme. This is a historic moment for the GFF, women’s football and our hinterland communities in which Annalisa will become the first female indigenous player

Annalisa Vincent accepts her U.S. college scholarship letter from GFF president Wayne Forde

to attend college in the U.S. under a scholarship," Forde said. GFF Director of Women’s Programmes, Paul Beresford, said Vincent had “demonstrated an unwavering commitment to becoming a better footballer and a fierce determination to further her education”. Vincent would be a “pioneer for future indigenous student athletes to realise their full potential”, according to Graceland University Women’s Soccer Programme head coach Ozzie White. “Graceland University Women’s Soccer Programme is delighted and excited to continue the relationship with the GFF and announce the signing of Annalisa Vincent to the team,” White said. GNWFA president Andrea Johnson also congratulated Vincent on her achievements, noting, "This is truly an auspicious moment, not only for Annalisa but for her parents and community."

Question marks arise over scheduling of India-WI series

WILL the India-West Indies matches be played at one or two centres? The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) officials say planning for the six-match white-ball series is underway but Cricket West Indies (CWI) has said that it is open to the idea of playing the whole series at fewer centres. The six games are originally spread across six centres from February 6 to 20 with the first match, an ODI, at the Motera stadium followed by games in Jaipur, Kolkata, Cuttack, Visakhapatnam and Thiruvananthapuram. "A request for such a change has not reached to me as yet. But we accept such operational actions by local boards in the interest of what is best for implementing health protocols," CWI chief Ricky Skerritt told Cricbuzz recently. India has been witnessing a rise in the number of COVID cases across the country forcing the BCCI to postpone the domestic season. Contacted, the BCCI office-bearers say the planning is being done for the series. As per the information from the BCCI, the West Indies team is scheduled to arrive in Ahmedabad on February 1 and undergo a three-day isolation period till February 3. The teams are to have nets for two days,

CWI president Ricky Skerritt

on February 4 and 5, before the first game on February 6. As has been the game's operational narrative world over, with the exception in the Ashes Down Under, the boards seem to prefer to avoid extensive travel in the wake of the new COVID wave. In South Africa, India have not had much of travel with matches - three Tests and three ODIs - confined to the Johannesburg

and Cape Town areas. CWI are hosting all its international games - against Ireland and England - in two venues. Sabina Park in Jamaica is the venue for the three ODIs and one-off T20I against Ireland (from January 8 to 16) while Kensington Oval in Barbados will stage the five T20Is against England from January 22 to 30. (Cricbuzz)

SUNDAY CHRONICLE January 9, 2022

Brooks stars on debut as Windies beat Ireland in first ODI KINGSTON, Jamaica (CMC) – Shamarh Brooks stroked a silky-smooth half-century on his One-Day International debut but then squandered the hundred on offer, as West Indies knocked over Ireland by 24 runs in the opener of the three-match series here Saturday. The elegant right-hander carved out 93 off 89 deliveries, notching one of two half-centuries in the innings as captain Kieron Pollard celebrated his return from injury with a typically robust 69 off 66 balls, West Indies rallying to reach 269 all out in the penultimate over after being sent in.

They were tottering at 62 for four in the 19th over but Brooks and Pollard combined in a record fifth-wicket stand of 155 – the highest for the wicket at Sabina Park – to pull the innings around. In reply, Ireland got half-centuries from Andy Balbirnie (71) and Harry Tector (53) but lost their way at the back end of the run chase and were dismissed for 245 off the first delivery of the final over. Fast bowlers Romario Shepherd (3-50) and Alzarri Joseph (3-55) snatched three wickets apiece as Ireland saw

GCB wishes Haynes, Sarwan every success

Dr Desmond Haynes

Ramnaresh Sarwan

THE president, executive and members of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) hereby congratulate Dr Desmond Haynes and Mr Ramnaresh Sarwan on their respective appointments of chairman and selector to CWI senior selection panel. These prominent positions are befitting the two distinguished gentlemen, who have served West Indies cricket with distinction. The 65-year-old and new lead selector Dr Desmond Haynes played 116 Test matches, aggregated 7 487 runs at an average of 42.29 with a highest score of 184. In One-Day Internationals (ODI) Haynes totalled 8 648 runs at an average of 41.37 with a highest score of 152. Ramnaresh Sarwan, now 41, who has also been appointed as a selector to the CWI Junior Selection panel, has amassed

5 842 runs from 87 Test matches at an average of 40.01 and a highest score of 291. In ODIs, Sarwan has also surpassed the 5 000-run mark, scoring 5 804 at an average of 42.67 and a highest score of 120 not out. His First-Class record of 13 405 runs at an average of 38.52 is clearly exceptional and projects Sarwan as a suitable candidate for the role of selector. The GCB believes that both Sarwan and Haynes will rise to the occasion and select the best teams capable of competing at the international level, thereby returning West Indies Cricket to its renowned dominance of the 1980s and early 1990s. The GCB wishes Desmond Haynes and Ramnaresh Sarwan every success in the undertaking of this important service to West Indies Cricket.

Shamarh Brooks celebrates his half-century on ODI debut at Sabina Park (CWI Media)

their last eight wickets tumble for 80 runs. “I think the most important thing was getting the victory. We can look back at areas where we need to improve but when you look back at it, you can’t hide from the fact the toss will be a big factor in the entire series,” Pollard said afterwards. “The morning times here at Sabina Park there is a lot of moisture in the track and you can see from the way the Irish TURN TO PAGE 21

Pride yourself in being fit, urges Pollard KINGSTON, Jamaica (CMC) – West Indies white-ball skipper, Kieron Pollard, has pointed to fitness as a critical part of professionalism, and says players need to “pride themselves” in keeping pace with the demands of international cricket. Fitness standards have emerged as one of the major talking points in the selection of West Indies squads of recent, with key players being overlooked after failing to meet Cricket West Indies’ requirements. Left-hander Shimron Hetmyer, the Caribbean side’s leading batsman at last year’s Twenty20 World Cup, was ruled out of this month’s series against Ireland and England after failing to meet CWI’s fitness standards. “This is an individual thing. As an individual and a professional, you’re supposed to pride yourself on being fit, pride yourself on performance and pride yourself on doing what is necessary for the team and when these things tend to happen, I’m sure it doesn’t bode well with yourself,” Pollard said “It is something that I take very personal and that is my fitness, and me not being able to participate in a tour because of it or injury, that doesn’t go down too well with myself. “Hence the reason I got the opportunity to work on myself and hopefully I will be able to stay on the park as an individual because I pride myself on that.” For Hetmyer, it is the third time in the last two years he has been ruled out of selection due to lack of fitness, after missing the tour of Sri Lanka in 2020 and Sri Lanka’s tour of the Caribbean last year for the same reason. The 25-year-old opted out of last December’s tour of Pakistan for personal reasons, and the latest disappointment is yet another blow to a promising career. Head coach Phil Simmons last week described Hetmyer’s fitness troubles as “heart-wrenching”,

Fitness key to professionalism, says captain Kieron Pollard

noting the Guyanese was “letting down himself and his teammates”, and Pollard conceded the issue had been complicating selection. “It has been a topical sort of issue that has been plaguing us over the last couple years or so,” Pollard explained. “It is one where I see as an individual choice. The selection policy is there, the fitness policy is there. Guys know exactly what is needed for (them) as individuals to represent the Caribbean team and sometimes as individuals we tend to take things for granted. “Yes, sometimes it has sort of hindered the process of selecting the best available team at any given time and so have other different things like the pandemic. “But yes, fitness has been one of the topical issues that has affected us in trying to put our best team on the park more often than not. Sometimes it’s frustrating because sometimes you want to have guys fit and available to represent the regional team.” Pollard was ruled out of the Pakistan tour with injury but has recovered to lead West Indies on the upcoming assignments. “I’ve gotten five or six weeks or so of proper training – physiotherapy, rehab. (I) did some work behind the scenes and obviously looking forward to this series. So I’m fit and ready to go.”

Lady Jags striker Annalisa Vincent wins scholarship to Graceland University 27 PAGE

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SUNDAY, JANUARY 9, 2022