EU urges Two deaths; overhaul 99 new cases of GECOM recorded …regulate campaign financing, restructuring of state media PAGE PAGE 12 on Saturday 10 SUNDAY, 21st MARCH, 2021 Follow or contact at: [email protected] / facebook.com/villagevoicegy / www.villagevoicegy.com ‘Mother wants NEWSPAPER answers’ PAGE …questions whether vaccine killed her four-month son 03 ...tells emotional story of questionable actions of police and nurse Gov’t repositioning UG to offer more online courses ---Ali charges graduates to stay and help develop Guyana PAGE 02 ‘Pink slip’ holders to cash PAGE Residents of Hopetown Village, West Coast Berbice on Saturday held their first ever market day. The event was deemed a success. A farmer shows off a giant bunch of banana. in soon ––Dharamlall 10 The Village Voice Newspaper is designed by Magazine and Newspaper Layout Designs 2 NEWS SUNDAY MARCH 21, 2021 Gov’t repositioning UG to offer more online courses –– Ali charges graduates to stay and help develop Guyana resident Irfaan Al on Friday said his levels of growth and human development, government is committed to refash- but which will also require higher levels of ioning the University of Guyana education and learning.” to better respond to the needs of a He stressed that a key element of the Pmodern society. national development agenda is the growth The Head of State made the pronounce- ment, while virtually addressing the 2020 of a knowledge-based economy, which graduating class of the premier tertiary depends on highly skilled human capital educational institution. “My Government that prioritise life-long learning. “Today’s has made some commitments to boosting graduation is therefore, just the end of one tertiary education. My Government has leg of your journey of continuous learning, pledged to refashion the University of for if you do not continuously upgrade Guyana to better respond to the needs of and acquire fresh and relevant skills and a modern Guyana…We will honour those knowledge, you will be left behind in the obligations.” According to a press release by the new economy. The new economy involves Office of the President, he pointed to the -im a paradigm shift in the way things are done. portance of education in a developing coun- Knowledge is combined with capital and try, calling it a “vital life force” of national entrepreneurship in ways which are dif- development, while he also underscored the ferent from in the past. The new economy need for highly skilled individuals in the will be geared not simply at producing raw ‘new economy’. materials, but by applying technology to President Ali said that the Government transform commodities into wealth. To has committed to improving the technolog- ical advancement of the university, and in compete in the modern world will not be doing so, will ensure that there is greater about constraining labour costs but about access to higher education by making catalysing innovation.” more courses and programmes available The President said that although the online. He reiterated his Government’s convocation ceremony was celebrated vir- commitment to guaranteeing free university tually this year, due to the pandemic, it does education before the end of its term, along not diminish the significance of the event. with the provision of 20,000 scholarships “Today’s convocation is a testament to our to improve the educational capacity of people’s perseverance in the face of chal- Guyanese. This he said will be supported by the lenges. Throughout our history, our people creation of a Guyana Online Academy have demonstrated the tenacity and desire to of Learning which will fall in line with overcome seemingly insurmountable odds,” the Government’s intention of expanding President Ali said, while noting that this tertiary education access. “…We have al- courage and determination is exemplified ready established partnerships with various by one of the graduates – Rajni Persaud, a universities and applied sciences institu- physically-challenged student, who gradu- tions, some of these include: Indira Gandhi ated with a Diploma in Accountancy. Open University, the University of Applied Science in Germany, the Open University “I ask you today to believe in your abil- in the UK and the University of the West ities, to be seized by that conviction that no Indies Open Campus, to provide over 4,500 matter what life throws at you henceforth scholarships to Guyanese students com- that you will prevail. mencing in July, this year.” It has been a most challenging year for Guyanese have already started to tran- our country, and you students have faced a sition to online learning, according to great deal of setbacks. But you have made President Ali, since September last year, it to the finish line. To the University of over 53,000 Guyanese have registered with the Commonwealth of Learning and Cour- Guyana’s class of 2020, I applaud you sera, with almost 36,000 taking courses to President Ali flanked by the two valedictorians; 24-year-old Deepa Odit from the and extend my heartfelt congratulations Turkeyen Campus (left) who completed a Bachelor of Science Degree in Pharmacy on your long-awaited and well-deserved upgrade or re-skill themselves in various and attained a 3.9 GPA and 36-year-old Savitree Budram from the Tain Campus, fields. “The transition of the Cyril Potter who completed a Bachelor of Education – Administration and attained a GPA of 4.0. graduation.” College of Education and the University of Ali also presented the President’s Medal Guyana to online learning is taking place, needs you, all of you. You will be expected The Head of State said that the country to the two valedictorians; 24-year-old Dee- and we are committed to working with to become key players in our efforts to ad- will look to them to be at the forefront of pa Odit from the Turkeyen Campus, who these institutions in attaining their key stra- vance our national development. Education promoting innovation and propelling our completed a Bachelor of Science Degree tegic objectives as they continue to serve in Pharmacy and attained a 3.9 GPA and our populace.” has long been universally acknowledged as economy to higher levels of output and Meanwhile, President Ali charged the a cornerstone of development. The quality attainment. “It is vital that we utilise our 36-year-old Savitree Budram from the graduates to position themselves to take full of human capital has a strong association collective skills and knowledge to improve Tain Campus, who completed a Bachelor advantage of the unprecedented growth that with higher national output and increased our quality of life. Guyana is embarking not of Education – Administration and attained will be realised across the sectors. “Guyana efficiency.” only on a process which will yield higher a GPA of 4.0. SUNDAY MARCH 21, 2021 NEWS 3 Young mother wants to know whether vaccine killed her four-month son ...tells emotional story of questionable actions of police and nurse By Lisa Hamilton elsey Bowen, a family encouraged her to 23-year-old mother request a toxicology test for of three, is seeking her baby. She hoped it would the truth about how determine whether her baby Kher four-month-old baby died was adversely affected by the suddenly on March 3, 2021, vaccine. a day after receiving the rou- Bowen filled out the pa- tine vaccines administered to perwork but, in the process, babies after birth. was told that the police officer In an extended interview with the Village Voice News would have to be involved on Thursday, Bowen said the in the toxicology test as the matter has caused her great matter was a police matter and emotional distress as there faced resistance when it came seems to be some form of a to requesting the test. cover-up underway. This time, Bowen said she On March 2, 2021, four- caused a scene by threatening month-old Keyhon Tafahri to take her plight to the media Benjamin was alive and well and finally got the attention when Bowen took him to of the nurses and doctors and the Nabaclis Health Center’s Kelsey Bowen Kelsey Bowen, a 23-year-old mother of three and her late four-month baby was permitted at a date for the clinic for his four-month vac- test. Bowen postponed her cine dosage. According to his child’s funeral and returned mother, her child, who had to the hospital mortuary for fallen asleep while awaiting the test on March 10. the vaccine, was awakened The said policeman was to take it and cried as most expected to be there at 7am babies do in protest. but several calls to her phone In other words, this is proof that he was alive at the from different numbers went time. He was given two shots unanswered. Bowen, still and two drips in his mouth. determined, called the station Bowen then travelled home to and later visited but was told Vryheid's Lust with her child. that the police was transferred She was required to work that to another station. day so she left little Keyhon “I said now that y'all with his babysitter. find out she’s a scamp y'all The babysitter, a woman transfer she instead of doing averaged in her 60s/70s, has something about it?” Bowen been looking after Bowen’s recounted. Eventually, she children for some three years, was provided with a police nine months. Bowen said officer to participate in the that the babysitter is a trusted toxicology test. woman who, for all the years, However, again, Bowen has done no harm to her chil- was not allowed to witness the dren.