Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 16-05-2024

President Dr Irfaan Ali on Wednesday met with the Chinese Ambassador to Guyana, Her Excellency Guo Haiyan, and her team from the Chinese Embassy at the Office of the President. The meeting focused on the developmental works undertaken across the country by Chinese firms in both the private and public sectors. Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce Oneidge Walrond, Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud and Director of Presidential Affairs Marcia Sharma were also part of the meeting.

NAREI CEO highlights collaborative efforts to advance Guyana’s agricultural sector

By Cindy Parkinson

IN a dedicated effort to enhance the lives of farmers and the agricultural industry, the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) is working closely with the Ministry of Agriculture.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Jagnarine Singh, emphasised their commitment to supporting the government across all facets of agriculture in Guyana, during an exclusive interview with the Guyana Chronicle.

Mr. Singh highlighted NAREI’s integral role in providing farmers with essential guidance and training in their specific fields of cultivation, aiming to

improve production and understanding.

He noted the significant progress in agriculture under President Ali’s leadership since 2020, attributing this advancement to the President’s vision and Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha’s determination to ensure farmers benefit from various aspects of agriculture. NAREI supports these efforts by offering technical assistance to farmers.

NAREI’s services include soil testing, early problem diagnosis, free distribution of fertilisers and the supply of seeds and planting materials.

Mr. Singh detailed the institute’s extensive training programmes in good

agricultural practices, farm certification, and nursery certification, which are crucial for farmers to achieve international accreditation.

Expanding their capabilities, NAREI is currently upgrading its tissue culture and biochemistry support laboratory, expected to be completed this year. Additionally, the institute has recently upgraded its soil facility, which will soon be able to process thousands of soil samples annually for farmers.

Addressing the interest of younger generations in agriculture, Mr. Singh highlighted the government’s substantial investments in shade house agriculture, spending billions to demon-

strate the financial benefits of farming without intense labour. Over 300 shade houses have been constructed, with a focus on secondary schools to provide students with hands-on agricultural experience.

NAREI is also extending its agricultural initiatives to prisons.

Shade houses have been established at the Lusignan Prison, with NAREI staff serving on the prison board to foster closer relationships with inmates and highlight the benefits of agriculture. Similar projects have been implemented at the Mazaruni prison and the women’s prison in New Amsterdam, Region Six.

Collaboration with the Guyana School of Agriculture (GSA) is another key aspect of NAREI’s efforts.

Two shade houses at NAREI are designated for GSA students, allowing them to cultivate and grow produce

of their choice, further ensuring that students benefit from the myriad opportunities available in agriculture.

Mr. Singh praised the dedication of NAREI’s staff, who consistently go beyond their duties to ensure that people benefit from the opportunities provided by the government and NAREI. Their efforts are crucial in advancing Guyana’s agricultural sector and supporting the country’s farmers.

The CEO of the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute, (NAREI), Jagnarine Singh, with officials at NAREI.

Some students from Tagore Memorial Secondary School (Region 6) actively participate in the application of fertilisers to their garden at school.

NAREI staff members give training to people in Deep South Rupununi.

Gov’t will not negotiate under duress ––Manickchandsays

–– As GTU attempts to derail conciliation process with more demands

By Shamar Meusa

MINISTER of Education, Priya Manickchand, has said that the government of Guyana will not negotiate terms concerning the conciliation talks with the Guyana Teachers Union under duress.

This was disclosed by the Minister on Wednesday, during a press conference at the Ministry of Education where she provided an update on the conciliation process between the Education Ministry and the GTU which was being mediated by the Ministry of Labour.

The discussions between the parties began officially on Monday and continued the following day. At the end of the first meeting, they deliberated and agreed on three items with just two issues left to be ventilated on the second day.

On the list of things that were agreed upon was that there would be an end of the strike by teachers and full resumption of work by all teachers within 48 hours, that there would be no victimisation by either party and that there would be no break in service and the status quo ante shall prevail.

At that time, Manickchand indicated that both parties were asked to keep the contents of the ongoing meetings confidential to maintain trust among the parties and to show good faith in the process.

“The ministry was optimistic that there would be a signed resumption agreement and that conciliation would commence,” the education minister said.

Continuing to chron-

icle the chronological order of events, the minister said that the meeting continued on Tuesday and discussions commenced on the other two options that were left from the previous day, as she indicated the ministry was hopeful that an agreement would be signed.

SHOCKED AND APPALLED

Minister Manickchand went on to add, “After a day and a half of negotiations, suddenly the GTU then presented a two-page document dated 13th May 2024 which included a list of demands to be met before the resumption agreement could be signed. The ministry was shocked.”

Included in this list of demands was that the Ministry should make an interim 20 per cent across-theboard payment immediately before any conciliation regarding the timeframe can commence.

The union further demanded that the Minister of Labour recuse himself from the negotiation process among other things.

As a result, the meeting was adjourned with a next date set for Monday, May 20th.

Subsequently, it was noted that, on Wednesday, the ministry was appalled to see a release which detailed the contents discussed in the meeting though the Chief Labour Officer was clear on the importance of confidentiality and good faith in the negotiation process.

This, Manickchand said, made it clear that

there is no interest on the part of the GTU to engage in conciliation with a view to resolving the issues as catered for in the grievance procedure in the 1990 Memorandum of Agreement.

She added, “Nowhere in the world would it be considered normal for negotiations to happen under duress. The GTU’s insistence that an acrossthe-board 20 per cent be paid before any talks can happen is in fact duress.”

Against this backdrop, the minister highlighted that given the union’s many years as a trade union body, they must know that this would be an unusual, unacceptable and unreasonable move that would result in the breakdown of talks.

“It is clear then that teachers’ welfare is not the paramount consideration for the Guyana Teachers’ Union. Teachers are being used as pawns in a much larger, politically directed plot. This is destructive and sad,” the minister expressed.

She reiterated that given the fact that they know that this is not how industrial relations happen, the only conclusion could be that they intended to derail the process and did not intend to have any conciliation.

Meanwhile, as Manickchand stated, the move seemed to be one intended to be disruptive to the education sector. She was asked, during the conference, where she saw the upcoming meeting on Monday will be heading and she indicated that it was difficult to say.

She added, “What I can

say is the Government is not going to sit at a table with these kinds of unreasonable demands and accede to them. It will be very very bad precedent not only for the Guyana Government but for governments across the region if we were to allow this to happen.”

However, Manickchand indicated that there

is still space for the union to return to the table on Monday as agreed and come back to a reasonable place which would be in keeping with how industrial relations usually proceed.

“I hope that the sane members of that union body could take the union back and bring it to that place so that on Monday we end up with a resolution and a conciliation agreement where we go to the table and engage in the conciliation process; if that breaks down then there’s a place for that arbitration. But it hasn’t broken down; this is a derailment of that,” she said.

Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand (Delano Williams photo)

Almost a month later Justice Sandil Kissoon still to deliver written ruling in GTU strike matter

–– AG to procced with filing of appeal

By Clestine Juan

ALTHOUGH, nearly a month has passed since the controversial ruling favouring the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) by High Court Judge, Sandil Kissoon, whose written judgment is yet to be made available, the government is moving forward to file an appeal to overturn it.

This announcement was made byAttorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, S.C., while speaking on his Facebook programme ‘Issues in the News,’ on Tuesday.

In his ruling on April 19, Justice Kissoon held that the teachers’ strike was legitimate since collective bargaining between the Ministry of Education and the union had not been properly undertaken.

“We have not yet received that written ruling,

although the judge said from the bench, when he was delivering the judgment, that we will get it shortly after he read it from what I understand was a prepared text. And he said so, therefore, it ought not to take a long time to make it available.

“One month has gone by, and we are still to receive the judgement. I had planned to wait for the judgement to be delivered before I filed my appeal. But since we are now running out of time, I will have to proceed to file my appeal and make my application for a stay,” he said.

Nandlall stated that the state will file an appeal and reserve the right to include additional grounds for the appeal once the written judgement is released.

As the clock ticks, Nandlall pointed out that the government faces a critical deadline, forcing it to consider pre-emptive legal manoeuvres in the absence of the awaited document before the six-week deadline expires.

Nandlall had previously voiced serious worries about the legal validity of the ruling and expressed concerns about the potential

consequences it could have on future labour relations.

He vehemently labelled the decision as “bad in law,” stressing its profound impact on the nation’s educational landscape and broader labour dynamics.

Last week, the GTU resumed its call for industrial action. However, the Government of Guyana reaffirmed its commitment and said that it is ready to continue engagement with the union on the Multi-Year Agreement from 2024 onwards.

This was according to the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Education, Shannielle Hoosein-Outar, who, in correspondence to the President of the Union, Mark Lyte, said that the ministry was surprised at the proposed continuation of industrial action.

In March, the GTU and the Education Ministry met to continue the collective bargaining process, which was halted due to a strike in February.

During the meeting, the ministry supported the government’s stance that talks about salary increases should only begin in 2024 and beyond.

The Permanent Secretary explained that increases for the prior years would have financial implications and the 2024 budget does not

have the fiscal space to facilitate the retroactive payment of salaries for teachers during the period of 2019 to 2023.

As such, the Union representatives were asked to submit a proposal to the ministry that would capture their request for a multiyear agreement commencing 2024.

That meeting reached an impasse as GTU indicated that they were only interested in discussing salaries between the 2019 to 2023 period. The representatives of the Union further abandoned the process and walked out of the meeting.

The strike was eventually called off on March 4, 2024, as a result of court-ordered mediation conducted by two

Senior Counsel, Edward Luckhoo and Robin Stoby.

Despite the Ministry of Education meeting over half of the 41 proposals made by the GTU for improved working conditions within just three years, the teachers still went on strike.

Government officials had also challenged the union’s claims by highlighting that discussions were ongoing to satisfy the other requests. Since the requirements for conducting a strike were not satisfied, the government had declared that the strike action was illegal.

The GTU action against the government, in which the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) was added as an intervener, was centred

on whether teachers can legally refuse to work while still being paid, as a form of protest or negotiation.

In his decision, the judge stated that there was evidence to show that the government failed to engage the union in collective bargaining, unilaterally forced salary hikes on teachers, and snubbed or rebuffed the union’s “every attempt” to negotiate collectively, as envisaged by Article 147 (3) of the Guyana Constitution, which states that neither an employer nor a trade union shall be denied the right to enter into collective arguments.

The government was ordered to pay the GTU $500,000 in costs and GTUC, $750,000 in costs.

Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, S.C.

No annual examinations for primary, secondary schools

–– MoE directs

THE Ministry of Education (MoE) on Wednesday directed Regional Education Officers across all regions that no public primary or secondary school is to conduct annual examinations in this year’s August term.

This is according to a memorandum sent out by the Chief Education Officer, Saddam Hussain, which stated that given the number of weeks of instructions already lost along with the limited number of weeks remaining, some decisions were made in relation to the end of the annual examinations.

Some of the decisions made include that no primary or secondary public schools are to conduct annual examinations in the August term of 2024.

As such, all schools are expected to conduct a continuous assessment in the current August term.

The directive further indicated that the end-of-year

score for Grade Nine should not be the main criterion for streaming students into Grade 10 and, as such, consideration must be given to the student’s choice of stream.

Additionally, it was noted that the National Grade Five assessment will be administered as usual.

Earlier this week, Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand while speaking on the current issue of the teachers’ strike, said that these disruptions to the education system will result in learning losses for students.

She said, “Any teacher who stays away from a classroom will cause some disruption and it will have a negative impact on the system and on children and we are concerned about that.”

Trinidad & Tobago’s Protectionism

TRINIDAD and Tobago’s recent rejection of milk shipments from Guyana is not just a mere trade hiccup; it’s a glaring symptom of deeper issues plaguing CARICOM’s vision of regional integration.

Chairman of Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL), Komal Samaroo, rightfully lambasted Trinidad’s protectionist stance, highlighting the hypocrisy of advocating for free trade while erecting barriers to it.

The rejection, based on Trinidad’s stringent import regulations, raises serious doubts about the sincerity of CARICOM’s commitment to food-security goals.

It’s paradoxical to tout regional cooperation while hindering the movement of

essential goods within the community. Such actions undermine the very foundation upon which CARICOM was built.

Samaroo’s frustration is palpable, echoing the sentiments of many entrepreneurs who face similar hurdles in intra-regional trade.

The arbitrary denial of entry for goods that meet international standards and regulatory requirements is not justifiable. It’s a slap in the face to businesses striving to expand their markets and contributes to regional prosperity.

Moreover, the lack of reciprocity in trade relations exacerbates the imbalance. While Guyanese products face barriers in

Trinidad, similar goods flow freely in the opposite direction. This one-sidedness fosters resentment and undermines the spirit of collaboration that CARICOM aims to foster.

President, Dr Irfaan Ali being engaged on this matter underscores the gravity of the situation. As CARICOM Chair, he must champion the cause of fair trade and hold member states accountable for their actions.

Pursuing legal recourse, even to the Caribbean Court of Justice, is a necessary step to rectify these injustices and ensure equitable treatment for all members.

Trinidad’s outdated legislation regarding honey imports further illustrates the systemic nature of the problem. Despite repeated

calls for reform from COTED, Trinidad’s reluctance to align with CARICOM’s trade protocols persists, impeding the flow of goods and stifling economic growth.

It’s time for Trinidad and Tobago to reassess its approach to regional trade. Embracing a more inclusive and cooperative stance is not just beneficial; it’s imperative for the survival and prosperity of CARICOM. Protectionism only breeds animosity and undermines the collective goals of the community.

True regional integration requires a paradigm shift towards openness, fairness, and mutual respect. Anything less jeopardises the unity and progress of the Caribbean Community.

PPP elections were free, fair, clean and without dispute

Dear Editor,

THE letter section continues to be the principal platform for the opposition.

The latest iteration of this comes in the form of a mischievous little piece in the media (5/15/2024) that makes some ridiculous allegations about the PPP elections at

its 32nd Congress.. The complaint about a compromised election process is baseless. For the record, I was a delegate at the congress, and was present through the three days of the historic event.

The election was conducted in the most transparent manner possible. Numerous protocols were in place. I have no doubt that the PPP will provide details about the process

when asked. In the meantime, I can tell you that the letter in question is self-contradictory. It claims that a list went around, and several long-time and well-known PPP candidates’ names were missing.

The truth is, and I repeat, all those candidates were actually elected. As for the ranking of candidates as determined by the vote count, I can only say that the ballots added up. More-

over, it is not unusual in democratic elections for the ‘fortunes’ of repeat candidates to go up and down, even if by small margins. That is exactly what happened here.

Veteran Politician Oscar Clarke passes away

OSCAR Clarke, a veteran politician who served as General Secretary, City Councillor, Ambassador, Minister, and Diplomat for the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), has passed away.

According to reports, he appeared to be in good health and briefly went out on Wednesday before collapsing at home. He had previously complained of feeling unwell and was quickly taken to a private city hospi-

tal, where he unfortunately passed away.

Clarke, who served as an Executive member of the Party, held the position of General Secretary for a significant period of time.

For a span of twenty-one years, he held the position of Member of Parliament and was recognised with the prestigious Cacique Crown of Honour (CCH) in 2015 for his exceptional service to Guyana.

Oscar Clarke, CCH, who

held the position of General Secretary for the Party under three different Party Leaders, officially retired on Friday, June 30, 2017.

The appointment of Oscar Clarke as General Secretary of the PNCR took place on December 1, 1968. He began his service to the PNC in its youth division and, at the young age of 26, he was chosen as the Party’s representative in the National Assembly.

He became a Parliamen-

tary Secretary in 1965 and held the position of Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly from January 1, 1969 to December 31, 1969. Throughout a distinguished career lasting over fifty years, Oscar Clarke held various prominent positions serving his country. These roles included Minister of State, Minister of Regional Development, Minister of Home Affairs, and Guyana’s High Commissioner to Zambia and the

Front-Line States, as well as Ambassador to the Republic of Cuba.

Meanwhile, PNCR in a statement said they have lost a Stalwart, Mr. Oscar Clarke, CCH, former General Secretary, Senior Minister of Regional Development, Diplomat and loving party member.

The Party expressed its sympathy to his wife, children, family, members of the party and all Guyanese.

Sincerely

Dr Randy Persaud

Veteran politician and PNCR executive member, Oscar Clarke

Wasting money when poor people need it

I HAVE stressed, in two columns, that the projected $80 million the anti-oil lobby will use in the dozen or more writs it has filed against the oil industry could be used for the benefit of some poor folks who have medical problems, face basic income dilemmas and other pressing deficiencies that come with poverty.

The anti-lobby is one of the most financially endowed civil society groups the Caribbean has seen. If you take between 12 and 15 court cases with high priced lawyers, then do a ‘guesstimate’, the total bill will be somewhere in the vicinity of 80 to 90 million dollars. A businessman told me and Leonard Gildarie that a senior lawyer charged him two million dollars, just to file for an injunction against another business person.

I live in Guyana all my life and I can tell you with pyrotechnical accuracy that those lawyers who are involved in those dozen or more cases are not going to spend five or more consecutive years litigating in court, and they are doing so pro-bono. This has never happened in Guyana and I know this because I know based on my extensive knowledge of Guyana.

Vincent Alexander is one of the enduring prominent figures in Guyana. He is also influential in certain circles. Alexander lost a Court of Appeal (CoA) libel case he appealed against a High Court judgement for libel against the Chief Election Officer, Mr. Vishnu Persaud that Alexander lost. The CoA rejected the appeal to be filed out of time. What this mean was that the appeal was not filed within the specified time limit. I use this example for context and the meaning is there for you to read between the lines.

In my 55 years of social activism, I can tell you with graphic details it is not easy to get lawyers, much less highpriced lawyers, to do a court case for free even though the violations involved are heart-breaking. In those 15 court cases, either the anti-oil litigants are funding them out of their wealthy pockets and if their pockets are empty then, some source is footing the bill.

One of the groups that have brought many of the cases is Red Thread through the names of the sisters – Danuta and Vanda Radzik-Veira. Both sisters lost a second gas-to-shore trial last week as reported in this newspaper. I was angry last

Saturday evening when Ms. Radzik-Veira was one of the persons who delivered a message at the Mother’s Day vigil for the mothers who were victims of the holocaust or genocide in Gaza.

I did not want to disrupt such a solemn occasion hosted by people who are my close friends. But I was strongly tempted to shout down Ms. Radzik-Veira asking her to spend the money for those court cases on poor people. In another column, I will describe a brief public conversation between the First Lady who gave the featured address at the vigil and Ms. Radzik-Veira. It centred on the First Lady’s accomplishment of the renovated Kingston and Eve Leary Seawall

Every one of the cases so far has been lost in the lower court and each process climaxes in the apex court – Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ). Apart from the losses, the three tiers of the judicial system also awarded cost. The two Veira sisters had to pay cost last week so one has to add the constant cost to the payment for lawyers.

Last week, the anti-oil lobby lost yet another court case; this time the CCJ decided in favour of an appeal by the Attorney-General that originated in the High Court.

In the lower court, Justice Sandil Kissoon ruled that EXXON must provide unlimited insurance. Now follow the trail and you will see the anti-oil lobby has unlimited funds, some of which they should share with poor people.

One- Justice Kissoon ruled against Exxon and the Environmental Protection Agency in the writ brought by Mr. Frederick Collins of Guyana-Transparency Inc.

Two- the defendants, EXXON and the EPA - asked the Full Court to reduce the amount which it did from unlimited to $2 billion. Three- The Attorney-General asked the High Court to add the AG to the case since the state is an essential party to the oil contract.

Four- After being denied by the High Court, the AG moved to the CoA. The AG lost there. Five- The AG moved to the CCJ where he won last week. I have outlined here five stages of a case involving the anti-oil lobby in which an enormous amount of money had to be paid to the lawyers for Mr. Collins. In every case brought by the anti-oil lobby, it has employed a school of lawyers.

Where is the money coming from?

LCDS funds secure environmental sustainability for future generations in Indigenous villages

NEAL Millar, the programme coordinator of the South Rupununi Conservation Society (SRCS), expressed gratitude to President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali and Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo in an interview with the Guyana Chronicle. Millar commended their unwavering support in utilising the LCDS funds to bring positive changes to the lives of Guyana’s indigenous people.

Millar expressed his satisfaction in knowing that the next generation of Indigenous people in the South, Central, and North Rupununi won’t have to face the same hardships as their parents did before President Ali and Vice President Jagdeo assumed office.

Millar explained, “It is important to remember that the indigenous people have lived according to their traditional lifestyle and a certain way of life compared to the rest of the people on the coastlands. We also know that across the world there is globalisation and modernisation that is happening, and it has reached these communities.”

Regarding the importance of the LCDS funds and the enrichment of indigenous lives, Millar further explained that he is grateful to President Ali and Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo for their tireless efforts in making sure that these indigenous communities feel inclusive, stable, and in balance with respect to development and their way of life when compared

to the rest of the nation and the world.

“As Vice President Jagdeo would have said at one of his meetings, the communities could spend the money however they saw best, as long as the village puts a plan in place first. With that, I believe that the funds that were given and the freedom to spend them on their development have encouraged them to do more for their people and the community,” Millar added.

Millar expressed his satisfaction at witnessing the extensive and ongoing development across all the Rupununi communities. In his statement, he affirmed, “I can attest to having witnessed the benefits that people would have obtained from the LCDS funds.” Yes,

the Indigenous people were receiving presidential grants for about 1.5 million Guyana dollars, but there was only so much that they would have been able to do with that. Nevertheless, the significant amount of funds they receive from LCDS enables the communities to develop in a manner that can be advantageous to their population.

Additionally, Millar asserted that the LCDS has not solely contributed to infrastructural progress, but has also fostered stronger community cohesion, thereby improving the quality of life for its residents. “It is very interesting to see how the people have come together through a

democratic process, decided on the use of the money in their communities, and got the young people involved.”

Among the numerous aspects that garnered admiration, the natural environment of Karaudarnau village (located in the Deep South Rupununi) stood out. The notion originated from the primary school pupils as a component of their project.

Millar asserts that this initiative has brought about favourable outcomes for the residents of the community, while also serving as a notable attraction for both local and international tourists.

According to him, “This nature park would not have

been possible without the young people and the LCDS funds. Now that it has been established, it is one of the must-sees for tourists, which in the near future can bring in funds to contribute to the development of the community.”

Acknowledging that communities like Aishalton have historically been considered tourist destinations, the residents have been hindered from making investments.

This lack of funding has prevented the community from reaching its full developmental potential, as

Some of the learners who played an integral role in the development of the first-of-its kind nature park in Karaudarnau village (Deep South Rupununi).

Youth, teachers, and community members pose at the illustration of the Guyana Map at the Karaudarnau village nature park.

LCDS funds secure environmental sustainability for future ...

stated by the speaker.

“The community of Aishalton has always been seen as a tourist destination, but the people could have never afforded to highlight it the way that they would have wanted to. However, I am happy to say that the villagers have come together and invested in the development of their village with the money that was given to them.

I must also say that organisations such as the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) have visited Rupununi to build their capacity, which will create jobs for the residents so that they too can have a steady income,” Millar added.

LCDS BENEFITS FUTURE GENERATIONS

With reference to the village’s sustainability objectives and their implications for future generations, Millar related that the community-based initiatives established today have laid the groundwork for the

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future prospects of the youth.

He added, “Almost every community has a sustainability plan that they are working with to establish the plans for every community. Sticking to the plan and continuing the vision across village councils is especially important, especially with the shared, democratic approach towards getting their mission accom-

plished.

“The young people are the future; these decisions that are made will affect them, and I am happy that the visions are made with them in mind. With these developments, the future is brighter for our indigenous people.

(This is part of a weekly series on LCDS.) The author can be contacted at cparkinson0206@ gmail.com)

One of the signs mounted by youths at the Karaudarnau Nature Park to keep their environment green and clean.

‘The government must be heard’

–SaysAGNandlall

–– as CCJ overrules CoA, allows AG’s participation in oil spill liability case

AG to protect the public’s good, interest in law

By Clestine Juan

Agency (EPA) enforce the liability clause of the environmental permit issued to ExxonMobil.

THE Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) has overturned a previous ruling by Guyana’s Court of Appeal (CoA), ordering that the Attorney General be added as a party to the case involving the unlimited parent guarantee for ExxonMobil.

News,’ on Tuesday evening.

This is according to Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, S.C., while speaking on his Facebook programme ‘Issues in the

The case originated with Guyanese citizens Frederick Collins and Godfrey Whyte, who filed proceedings with the High Court demanding that the Environmental Protection

The duo requested that the court ensures that Exxon assumes full financial responsibility in the unlikely instance of an oil spill.

The court ruled, on May 3, 2023, in favour of the petitioners, mandating ExxonMobil to provide a signed parent guarantee for insurance coverage in potential oil spill scenarios.

Both the EPA and Exxon Guyana have appealed this decision, which is now under consideration by the Court of Appeal. The Attorney-General said the government has not had an opportunity to represent itself in these proceedings.

Minister Nandlall’s application to join as a party to the case back in December was denied on the grounds that the EPA can substantially represent the government.

However, the Attorney General moved to the CCJ to overturn the ruling, citing that the EPA is a statutory body that cannot speak on behalf of the government.

After hearing submissions, the CCJ, on Tuesday, May 14, revered and overruled the CoA’s decision and ordered the Attorney-General to be added to the substantive appeal.

According to Nandlall, this is not the first time a decision from the CoA against the government was reversed by the Caribbean Court of Justice.

“The Court of Appeal consistently rules in a particular way and the Caribbean Court of Justice consistently reverses [it]. Here it is that the government of Guyana is a party to a contract with Esso Petroleum, known as ExxonMobil. We are a party to that contract.

A High Court judge makes a particular ruling that can have the potential of bringing that contract to a halt. This is not an outsider; this is a party to the contract that a court has ruled can come to a halt,” he said.

The Attorney- General pointed out that in his ap-

plication to the CoA, he outlined the importance of this contract and the revenue generated from the said contract is used to push the developmental agenda of Guyana.

“We also explained, in great detail, that the Attorney General represents the public good and the public’s interest. This is one of the most important contracts ever executed in the history of this country to which the government is a party and for which the government is getting hundreds of millions of dollars annually,” Nandlall explained.

This year, government presented the historic $1.146 trillion budget to deliver accelerated improvement to the lives of Guyanese and development.

It is the third budget that will benefit from financing from the proceeds of Guyana’s new and emerging oil-and-gas sector, following the historic passage of the Natural Resources Fund (NRF) Act, which addressed the most “offensive deficiencies” of the predecessor Act.

By doing so, Nandlall pointed out this will finance projects for the benefit of the citizens of this country – which will cease it the challenge is allowed.

“The Attorney General protects the public’s interest in law.

All those arguments are put forward to the Court of Appeal. And the Court of Appeal says ‘No, you cannot be a party.’ In fact, the Court of Appeal was bold enough to say that the Environmental Protection Agency can represent the government of Guyana in the appeal,” he said.

However, Nandlall explained that ruling is woolly, since the EPA is not a part of the Government but an agency of the state.

“In fact, the government and that agency cannot be seen to be working together because that agency is the regulatory agency; it regulates both the government and the oil companies and operators in the oil and gas sector,” he said.

Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, S.C

As he criticised the CoA’s ruling, Nandlall asked, “By what principle of law or system of logic can the Environmental Protection Agency ever represent the interest of the government in a case?”

Nandlall warned that ramification of the CoA’s ruling has been detrimental to the development of Guyana since it would have opened that door for persons to file proceedings to stop major operations in Guyana, and the government would be unable to do anything.

He highlighted that the government respects the rights of every citizen to bring an action or to appear in a court, the same must be allowed to the government to bring transparency and accountability.

Against this backdrop, Nandlall also dismissed claims suggesting that he “secretly” filed the appeal to the CCJ.

“No appeal was secretly filed. The appeal was filed in accordance with the rules for filing appeal. The filing of that appeal cannot, in any form or fashion, be sensibly interpreted as siding or supporting ExxonMobil.

“The government has an interest in ensuring that the oil and gas industry continues to operate because the government is drawing revenue from that industry. The government is using that revenue to fuel and finance its developmental agenda.

Obviously, the government must be heard, and the government is not taking any sides,” he said.

GMSA urges CARICOM intervention over T&T trade barriers against Guyanese products

THE Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) has expressed significant concern over the recent denial of entry for two containers of packaged milk products exported by Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) into Trinidad and Tobago.

Additionally, two containers of bottled flavored water products have been restricted from sale pending an exhaustive examination. These actions have raised alarms within the GMSA, especially in light of the principles of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, which mandates the free movement of goods and services among CARICOM member states.

The GMSA emphasised that such trade barriers undermine the collective efforts of CARICOM Heads of Government to achieve regional food security and reduce the

regional food import bill by 25 per cent by 2025. These barriers are counterproductive to the goals of regional integration and equitable market access.

In response, the GMSA has joined DDL in calling for immediate intervention by the Government of Guyana and CARICOM leadership to address and resolve the issue with the Government of Trinidad and Tobago. The association stresses the importance of adhering to the regional integration framework, which promotes seamless

trade within the CARICOM community.

In a detailed statement, DDL revealed that a virtual meeting with Trinidad and Tobago’s Ministry of Trade on May 13 aimed to understand the reasons behind the rejection of their milk exports and the process for approval of their products, DDL was informed that Trinidad and Tobago’s Animal Disease and Importation Act 2020 imposes stringent and onerous requirements on animal and animal-based products, which are not reciprocated by Guyana.

The GMSA highlighted a 2014 Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) ruling in a trade dispute between Suriname’s Rudisa Beverages & Juices N.V. and the State of Guyana, which reinforced the principle that states must perform their treaty obligations in good faith. This ruling un-

derscores the importance of compliance with treaty obligations, a principle relevant to the current dispute.

(The Appendix to the CCJ Ruling in that case is attached here for ease of reference. The entire judge-

ment can be found at https:// ccj.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2014_CCJ_1_ OJ.pdf)

The GMSA is actively engaged with the Trinidad & Tobago Manufacturers’ Association (TTMA) and the Caribbean Manufacturers Association (CMA) to find solutions to the problem.

The association urges Trinidad and Tobago authorities to resolve the issue swiftly to avoid further interventions.

GCCI condemns T&T trade barriers against Guyanese exports

THE Georgetown Chamber of Commerce & Industry (GCCI) has expressed strong consternation over recent actions by Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) that have hindered Demerara Distillers Limited’s (DDL) export of milk and water. This latest obstruction adds to a long-standing series of trade issues that have plagued the relationship between the two nations, further highlighting T&T’s antagonistic stance towards Guyana.

The GCCI has previously highlighted multiple instances of unfair treatment towards Guyanese exports. These include the rejection of pineapple shipments because the crowns were not removed, the refusal of pepper containers due to stems being intact, and a ban on poultry meat from Guyana despite no existing trade in this commod-

ity. Other issues include the mandatory fumigation of agricultural products with methyl bromide (a banned substance under the Mon-

treal Protocol), the application of hypochlorous acid on eddoes, the rejection of honey for transshipment, and the denial of importation of already approved items. These non-tariff barriers (NTBs), particularly targeting the agricultural sector, undermine CARICOM’s goal of reducing the regional food import bill by 25% by 2025. The GCCI views these barriers

as attempts to thwart the efforts of H.E. Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, who has been leading CARICOM’s initiative to remove such obstacles. Despite repeated instructions from the Council of Trade and Economic Development (COTED) to eliminate these NTBs, T&T continues to flout the directives and the principles of the Treaty of Chaguaramas.

The GCCI has noted that many goods rejected by T&T have been accepted by other CARICOM nations, which adhere more closely to the spirit of the CARICOM Single Market & Economy (CSME). In light of these ongoing issues, the GCCI urges the Government of Guyana to consider strictly applying the Principle of Reciprocity in trade with T&T until these NTBs are removed and T&T demonstrates good faith in its trade practices.

GOGEC condemns T&T trade barriers against Guyanese products

THE Guyana Oil and Gas Energy Chamber (GOGEC) has expressed significant concern regarding recent media reports from Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL), one of Guyana’s largest conglomerates.

According to DDL’s Executive Chairman, two containers of packaged milk products were denied entry and returned to Guyana, while bottled water products have been restricted from sale due to an unusually exhaustive examination process.

GOGEC noted that it stands firmly with DDL, denouncing this situation as a clear violation of the spirit of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, a free trade agreement to which both Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) are signatories.

The Chamber highlighted that Guyanese exporters have faced such unfair treatment

from Trinidad and Tobago for decades. Despite commit-

ments to resolve these issues, they remain unresolved, with trade barriers seemingly being used as tools of trade protectionism.

Trinidad and Tobago is Guyana’s second-largest trading partner for imported commodities, accounting for over 20 per cent of Guyana’s total imports in 2023, amounting to US$1.4 billion.

In contrast, Guyanese exports to Trinidad and Tobago are under US$200 million, leading to a trade deficit of approximately US$1.2 billion. Moreover, exports from Trinidad and Tobago to Guyana represent 11 per cent of Trinidad’s total exports in 2023 and 53 per cent of its total non-energy exports. If Guyana were to reciprocate by suspending imports from Trinidad, Trinidad could lose more than 50 per cent of its non-energy export earnings. Additionally, hundreds of Trinidadian nationals and firms operate freely in Guyana, benefitting significantly without facing similar barriers.

In light of these dynamics, GOGEC calls on Trinidadian authorities to address this unacceptable breach of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas and ensure fair treatment for Guyanese exports.

All city pumps operable

–– Agri. Minister assures as May/June rains begin –– engineers monitoring pump stations on 24-hour basis

THE beginning of the MayJune rainy season has seen the mobilisation of engineers to monitor pump stations and other major irrigation infrastructure across Georgetown.

This is according to Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, who, on the sidelines of an event, told reporters that all city pumps are operable.

“[In] Georgetown, we have all the pumps operable; I have asked three engineers to monitor the situation… I have instructed that all the outfall channels be desilted. You know we had a long dry spell and, because there was not enough water in the system, these outfalls silted up; now we have started to clear out these outfalls and I am hoping that we can finish it early,” Mustapha said on Wednesday.

The collaboration between

the Agriculture Ministry and the Ministry of Public Works includes the clearing of irrigation channels that might be obstructed due to ongoing road works.

While engineers are monitoring the pump systems on a 24-hour basis, pump and sluice operators have been on high alert.

“Generally, we have been looking at our system; all the pumps are now in order. We have moved pumps when we had the dry weather to do irrigation; now those pumps are moving back to the drainage canals.” Mustapha added.

In a previous report, Mustapha had disclosed that, before the end of the year, several Cusec mobile pumps will be installed in villages across the country.

Cusec mobile pumps are used for drainage and irriga-

tion purposes to manage water levels in agricultural areas and prevent flooding.

“In Guyana [and] this part of the world, we are the most disaster-prone area…when you have drought, you have extreme drought like what we are encountering now and when you have rainfall, you have extreme rainfall where places are flooded out which we have suffered in 2021, so we have to be prepared for both.”

On Wednesday, Guyana’s Hydrometeorological Service reported partly cloudy to cloudy skies with occasional to frequent showers and thundershowers, over regions one to four and brief passing showers in other regions.

The estimation of rainfall between 15.0 mm and 30.0 mm was observed in regions

Gov’t to rehabilitate Silver

Hill’s main access road

MINISTER of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill, has assured swift intervention to address the deteriorating condition of Silver Hill’s main access road, along the Soesdyke-Linden Highway.

Minister Edghill made the announcement during an engagement with the residents and operators on Tuesday.

This follows concerns raised by the community’s chairperson regarding the impact of nearby loam pits and their operators.

A “loam pit operator” is someone responsible for managing or operating a loam pit. A loam pit is a location where loam, which is a fertile soil composed of a balanced mixture of sand, silt, and clay, is extracted.

Despite attempts to designate separate lanes for residents and truckers, the agree-

ment fell through as truckers persisted in using both lanes.

In response, Minister Edghill has mandated the operators of the loam pits to undertake immediate rehabilitation and maintenance of the vital access road.

“I have gotten the operators of the loam pit to agree to do some immediate and remedial work and maintenance on the road from the highway to the entrance of the scheme. This time around they will not just put on the loam but they will have to compact it so that we can get better access,” the minister stated.

He highlighted the increasing loam traffic and emphasised the need for a long-term solution, suggesting the separation of access to the loam pit from residents’ routes.

To this end, engineers from the ministry were swift-

ly dispatched on Tuesday to assess the area for potential alternate routes and to examine the scope of necessary works.

Moreover, Minister Edghill outlined additional measures to be implemented in response to concerns of noise pollution.

These include the imposition of a 15-mile-per-hour speed limit and the enforcement of locked tailgates on trucks.

Signs will be erected immediately, with law enforcement mobilised to ensure truckers are compliant.

Minister Edghill affirmed that failure by the loam pit operators to fulfil their commitments will result in actions, including suspension of operations by the Ministry of Natural Resources Geology and Mines Commission. (DPI)

one to four, and south regions six and nine.

According to Mustapha’s observations, the current rainfall is not expected to cause significant flooding.

“We are not having the kind of rainfall that can flood us and I am hoping that it can keep at this stage until we have all the system in place.”

Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill, has assured swift intervention to address the deteriorating condition of Silver Hill’s main access road

Celebrating Women’s Leadership: Fifth Annual IWLA awards set for May 18

THE fifth annual 25 Influential Women Leader Awards (IWLA) is poised to deliver an evening filled with inspiration and celebration on May 18, 2024.

Co-founded by Michelle A. Nicholas of The NICO Consulting INC and

Lyndell Danzie-Black of Cerulean INC, the IWLA was born from a vision to amplify the voices of women in Guyana and the wider Caribbean. Reflecting on their journey, Lyndell Danzie-Black explained, “Five years ago, we realised there was no

platform to celebrate the leadership journeys of women across sectors and industries in Guyana. The 25 Women Leaders Award was created to fill that gap, recognising women’s achievements regardless of their professional roles.”

The IWLA has become

a powerful platform for celebrating women’s diverse talents and contributions. Women aged 18 and older from any field can be nominated, highlighting that leadership is about authenticity and impact, not position or status. “If a woman is a janitor

and leads with dedication and excellence, she can be nominated,” Lyndell emphasised.

Michelle Nicholas highlighted the broader significance of the awards, noting, “The awards inspire others to aspire to similar heights. Recognising women from various backgrounds sends a strong message to future generations that they too can excel in their chosen fields. This fosters a culture of inclusivity and gender equity, challenging stereotypes and promoting leadership that knows no gender.”

This year’s ceremony will honour the achievements of 125 women, marking a significant milestone. Michelle shared that many of these women are amazed to be seen, heard, and valued for their natural contributions. “Being part of the 25 community gives them a sense of belonging and recognition,” she said.

The IWLA’s impact extends beyond the awards ceremony. The founders have also launched a women’s leadership programme to support women on their executive journeys. This 10-month programme focuses on developing executive presence, effective communication, and emotional intelligence among other skills. It is open not only to the awardees but also to all nominees.

The event promises to

be an inspiring experience with ample networking opportunities. Attendees can engage with nominees, partners, and speakers in an electrifying environment. Tickets are available online through Eventbrite, and interested individuals can also contact organisers via phone or WhatsApp for more information and payment options.

For those looking to purchase tickets in person, locations include Francis and Co at 77 Light Street Alberttown, Urban Shoe Company at the Giftland Mall, and Cerulean INC at 104 Flamboyant Avenue, Eccles East Bank Demerara. In Linden, tickets can be found at the World Access Top Up Shop at the McKenzie Market, and delivery options are available for the West Bank Demerara.

As the IWLA celebrates its fifth anniversary, the co-founders reflect on their journey, recognising it as a marathon, not a sprint. They continue to thrive on partnerships with the private sector, underscoring their commitment to corporate social responsibility and the empowerment of women leaders. Don’t miss the chance to be part of this empowering event. Secure your tickets soon and join in celebrating the remarkable achievements of women leaders across Guyana.

Founder of The NICO Consulting INC, Michelle A. Nicholas

Managing Director of Cerulean INC, Lyndell Danzie-Black

CHPA CEO leads mission to address cluster squatters in Linden

CHIEF Executive Officer (CEO) of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA), Sherwyn Greaves, Wednesday morning, led a Ministry team on a fact-finding mission at Phase Four, Fitz Hope, Linden.

The visit was prompted by complaints from contractors regarding halted infrastructure works due to a

He further explained that the Ministry will engage with the owners of these structures to resolve the issue swiftly.

The CHPA is exploring all options to facilitate the relocation of the squatters to enable the continuation of development works. “We want people to be able to move into their homes. We want them to sign their legal documents so they could have the

their homes,” he noted.

Mr. Greaves also took the opportunity to remind Lindeners that the Ministry is committed to working in their best interest. With the growing demand for housing, efforts are being intensified to make land available.

“Over the years we have been working in Region 10.

As you know, we have a massive project at Plantation

CEO of CH&PA, Sherwyn Greaves, with contractors dealing with issues regarding halted infrastructural works due to a cluster of squatters

cluster of squatters.

During the visit, Mr. Greaves highlighted that over four hundred families have been allocated residential lots in the area, with an additional one hundred and sixty families being regularised. However, eight illegal structures are obstructing a key road network, causing significant delays.

“We have people who are waiting to access their lands, and we have contractors who have works to be completed. We cannot have eight persons blocking development,” Mr. Greaves stated emphatically.

security of tenure, go to the banks, and start building their homes,” Mr. Greaves added.

“Today’s assessment aims to determine whether the contractors can work around the existing structures or if relocation is the only viable option.

“We first have to see if we can work around or if they have to move. We will deal with those persons who have those structures and see if we can relocate them and put them somewhere else because we can’t have the work being held up; we must proceed to put people into

York, and we are in talks with Lands and Survey for additional land as we have a target of 50,000 allocations to meet,” he stated.

The CEO reiterated the agency’s commitment to fulfilling its mandate, noting that while they are well on the way to meeting the target with 33,000 allocations made so far, the demand for housing continues to grow.

“There is an ever-growing demand for housing, and we will continue our efforts to make housing affordable for every citizen,” he concluded.

Chief Fire Officer represents Guyana at conference in Puerto Rico

CHIEF Fire Officer, Gregory Wickham, is currently representing Guyana at the 2024 Caribbean Association of Fire Chiefs’ Annual Conference and Trade Show, being held in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

This prestigious event brings together industry leaders and experts from across the Caribbean region to exchange insights,

discuss best practices, and explore the latest innovations in fire and emergency services.

Chief Wickham’s participation highlights the Guyana Fire Service’s commitment to staying at the forefront of the industry.

By engaging in this conference, the Fire Service aims to ensure the highest standards of service provision

for the country, benefitting from shared knowledge and advancements discussed at the event.

The annual Caribbean Association of Fire Chiefs’ Conference serves as a vital platform for fostering regional collaboration and enhancing the effectiveness of fire and emergency services throughout the Caribbean.

Chief Fire Officer, Gregory Wickham (at left), is representing Guyana at the 2024 Caribbean Association of Fire Chiefs’ Annual Conference & Trade Show

Premier League clubs to vote on scrapping VAR

PREMIER League clubs will vote on whether to scrap video assistant referees (VAR) from next season at their annual general meeting next month.

Wolves have formally submitted a resolution to the Premier League which will trigger a vote when the 20 member clubs meet in Harrogate on June 6.

The club said VAR was

introduced “in good faith” but has led to “numerous unintended negative consequences that are damaging the relationship between fans and football”.

VAR was introduced in 2019 to help support on-field officials with key match decisions, but there have been a number of controversial incidents involving the technology this season.

“The price we are paying for a small increase in accuracy is at odds with the spirit of our game,” read a Wolves’ statement.

The Premier League said it “acknowledged the concerns” about VAR, but “fully supports” technology and will continue to work with referees’ body PGMOL to make improvements.

Any rule changes need a two-thirds majority- 14 of the 20 clubs- to vote in favour.

Premier League clubs have already voted for semi-automated offside technology to be introduced for the 2024-25 season.

A number of Premier League managers have been critical of VAR and of refereeing standards this season, including Wolves’ boss, Gary O’Neil.

O’Neil was given a one-match touchline ban in April for his conduct near

the referee’s room after a game against West Ham, which saw Wolves have a late equaliser disallowed following a VAR check.

Wolves chairman, Jeff Shi, also questioned the role of VAR after the West Ham game and said the club

would be higher in the table “if it wasn’t for a number of incorrect or contentious decisions”.

One of the most high-profile VAR mistakes to date is Luis Diaz’s goal that was incorrectly disallowed for offside for Liv-

erpool at Tottenham in October.

The Premier League said the incident highlighted “systemic weaknesses in the VAR process” and that “key learnings and immediate actions” were taken. (BBC Sport).

Rabada leaves IPL early with soft tissue infection in lower limb

KAGISO Rabada has returned home from the IPL on Sunday evening with an infection in the soft tissue of a lower limb, but is expected to be available for the entire T20 World Cup.

Rabada played 11 matches for the Punjab Kings and took 11 wickets at an economy of 8.85 but will not feature in their last two matches. With PBKS ruled

out of the playoffs, Rabada was allowed to travel back to South Africa, where he consulted a specialist. A CSA statement said he was being “closely monitored by the medical team” in the lead-up to the World Cup.

Rabada’s inclusion is particularly important to South Africa because he is the only black African player named in the 15-man provisional squad, which has become a source of some controversy.

CSA currently has targets for the national team that require them to field, on average over the course of a season, six players of colour in every XI, of which at least two must be black African. South Africa will miss that

at the T20 World Cup, where they have six players of colour in the squad but only one black African.

So Rabada will have to play every game to ensure they do not fall too far behind the overall target. South Africa will have the opportunity to increase the average over the 2024-25 season.

Lungi Ngidi is the only other black African player who was in realistic contention for the squad and has been included as a travelling reserve. South Africa’s other fast bowlers are Anrich Nortje, who has returned after a nine-month break caused by a stress fracture, Gerald Coetzee, Ottniel Baartman and Marco Jansen.(Cricinfo)

VAR was introduced in the Premier League at the start of the 2019-20 season.

Curran sends Royals crashing to fourth straight loss

FORM can change quickly in T20s, and in a league such as the IPL the nonstop action can quickly turn the tide too. Rajasthan Royals (RR) became the second team to prove that in this IPL after Royal Challengers Bengaluru. But unlike RCB, who have won five matches straight, RR have now lost four in a row after winning as many on the bounce to hurt their chances of a top-two finish.

The latest loss came in Guwahati, where Sam Curran and the rest of the Punjab Kings (PBKS) bowlers combined to first restrict RR to 144. Curran, who picked up 2 for 24, led PBKS’ charge with the bat with an unbeaten 63 to complete the chase with seven balls and five wickets to spare. That, after PBKS had slipped to 48 for 4 in eight overs.

(Scores :Punjab Kings 145 for 5 (Curran 63*, Avesh 2-28, Chahal 2-31) beat Rajasthan Royals 144 for 9 (Parag 48, Ashwin 28, Curran 2-24, Chahar 2-26, Harshal 2-28) by five wickets.

Curran’s heroics spoiled local boy Riyan Parag’s day, who scored 48, exactly one-third of RR’s total.

Curran rings in the changes Sanju Samson had opted to bat in the first game at the Barsapara Stadium this IPL. And after four overs, the game wasn’t going either ways, with RR on 31 for 1. Curran had Yashasvi Jaiswal chopping on off the fourth ball of the day after the first one was driven through cover for four.

Samson hit three boundaries off his first eight balls, with a punch off Arshdeep Singh from the full face of the bat. At the other end, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, who came in for Jos Buttler, had started rather sedately.

Curran then introduced Nathan Ellis for the fifth over. Ellis bowled cutters on a slow pitch where the ball seemed to stop, and even banged some on a hard length to test the batters. And that is when RR slowed down. The next 3.2 overs went for only 11 runs, with both Samson and Kohler-Cadmore departing for 18.

Parag, Ashwin fight in middle overs PBKS bowled ten dot balls in three overs, starting with the sixth one. While Ellis and Harshal Patel used the variations to great effect, Rahul Chahar found turn. With two right-hand batters in Parag and R Ashwin at the crease, Curran gave the ninth over to left-arm spinner Harpreet

Brar. But Ashwin managed a streaky boundary to get ten off the over.

RR had only 68 on the board after 11 overs, when Ashwin counterattacked. He slogged Chahar over midwicket for six, before reverse sweeping and lofting him over the covers for four. But Arshdeep ended Ashwin’s party in the next over by having him caught at deep point after an entertaining 28 from 19 balls.

Parag, though, continued to fight, even as RR were 102 for 6 midway into the 15th over. By then, Curran had removed Dhruv Jurel for a duck, while Chahar had Rovman Powell caught and bowled for 4. The death overs (17-20) began with RR on 113, before Parag walloped and sliced Arshdeep for consecutive fours.

PBKS denied Parag the strike in the entire 19th over. Come the 20th, Harshal trapped Parag for 48 with his trademark dipping, slow full toss, as the Purple Cap switched heads again, with Harshal finishing the day on 22 wickets, two ahead of Jasprit Bumrah.

Curran, Jitesh spoil RR’s top-two chances

No. 6 Jitesh Sharma had joined Curran at the crease after RR slowed the chase down. Despite Rillee Rossouw counterattacking after the early loss of Prabhsimran Singh - it was an IPL record 28th time that Trent Boult had struck in the first over - RR had PBKS at 37 for 3 after five overs. When Yuzvendra Chahal had Jonny Bairstow caught at long-on for a scratchy 14 off 22, PBKS were reeling at 48 for 4.

But Jitesh and Curran didn’t allow RR to run away with the game just yet. Jitesh pulled his second ball for six, before Curran managed a lucky four off the bottom edge off Chahal. They kept ticking over singles while also finding the occasional boundary, with Curran swiping Chahal wide of long-on, swatting Ashwin to deep extra cover, and whipping Boult behind square, all in consecutive overs.

The required rate had risen up to 9.33 an over with six overs left, when both Jitesh and Curran pumped a six each off Ashwin. But Jitesh was caught off Chahal in the next over, before PBKS brought on Ashutosh Sharma as an Impact Sub, and the match was soon over.

Ashutosh ramped Avesh for four, before Curran and Ashutosh smashed three sixes in the space of five balls to level scores and soon seal victory. (ESPN Cricinfo).

... The PBKS stand-in captain starred with 2 for 24 before taking his team home with an unbeaten 63

Sam Curran stayed unbeaten on 63 to take his team home • (BCCI Photo).

ExxonMobil U-14 Schools’ Football

rescheduled due to high registration of teams

THE Petra Organisation has announced the postponement of the fifth ExxonMobil Under-14 Schools’ Football tournament due to an overwhelming response from participating teams.

Originally scheduled to kick off on May 18th, the tournament will now begin on May 25th at the Ministry of Education Ground on Carifesta Avenue.

This delay allows for the organisation of additional qualifying matches this weekend to accommodate the increased number of teams.

The tournament has expanded from 48 teams in 2023 to a record-breaking 56 this year. Teams from eight of Guyana’s 10 administrative

The format will see a round-robin group stage fol-

lowed by a knockout round for the top eight teams in each division. There will be no further eliminations after this point.

The winning schools will receive grants of $400,000 (first place), $200,000 (second place), $100,000 (third place), and $75,000 (fourth place).

Individual awards will also be presented, including Most Valuable Player (MVP) for both boys and girls, who will receive a year’s supply of school supplies from Petra.

The defending champions are the Bartica Secondary School boys and the Waramuri Secondary School girls.

Sheltez /Homesafe Independence tourney

Nathan DeNobrega continues winning streak

THE Sheltez /Homesafe Independence Tennis tournament, which will climax on May 26 (Guyana’s Independence Day) continued over the weekend with U-14 Champion Nathan DeNobrega continuing his winning streak.

The tournament is in its third week and the club has been able to complete all three levels of boys and girls U10s, U12s, U14, the Novice Medley U18 and open U18s.

“Despite the inclement weather, two venues are being used for matches on the weekends.

Our coordinators are challenged daily to schedule matches since some players are competing in more than one category.

The tournament so far has been great. Lots of exciting matches showcasing some of the country’s top and upcoming talented juniors,” informed Coach Shelly Daly-Ramdyhan.

The tournament saw its first major upset in the U18s category, Navendra Arjune defeated the country’s number one player Gerald Scotland in a thrilling match.

Arjune, who played a match earlier the same day, started

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER

(Thursday May 16, 2024)

CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83 Garnett Street, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158)

Answers to yesterday’s quiz:

(1) CSK & KKR

(2) CSK (won by 27 runs)

Today’s Quiz:

(1) Who won the Man of the Match Award in the IPL 2021 final?

(2) Who ‘copped’ the Man of the Tournament Award?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

his match against Scotland playing his normal game. Scotland raced to a lead 4/1 before Arjune fought back to tie the games 4/4, Scotland then won the other two games to secure the first set 6/4.

The second set started out with each player using tactics to dominate the match. At 3/3 Arjune, who was playing more consistently, took full advantage of Scotland’s lack of focus and raced away to win the second set 6/3.

The tie break was going in Scotland’s favour as he galloped to a 5/0 lead before Arjune fought his way back to tie the score 5/5 and close the match 4/6 6/3(10/6).

U14 Girls Yellow Ball Final Results

1st Kimora Erskine

2nd Niomi Erskine

3rd Melissa Goodman

4th Jessica Grannum

U14 Boys Final Results

1st Nathan DeNobrega

2nd Zephan Henry

- Jonathan Jordan

- Elwyn Levius

Results for the Boys U18

Bradford Fordyce def Ricky Romascindo 1/6 4/4 w/o. Navindra Arjune defeated Bradford Fordyce 6/4 6/4. Denzil Luther def Jose Rodrigues 6/0 6/1.Nathan DeNobrega def Denzil Luther 6/1 6/1.

Other results are: Girls U18s quarter finals...Christin Richmond def Shilelewe Makalla 5/7 6/1(10/7), Erin Tucker def Kayesha Harding 6/3 6/1.

Boys U14s continued their round Robin matches. Top player Nathan DeNobrega continued his winning streak by defeating Zephan Henry to win that category

U12 Girls Final Results

1st Israbella Grannum

2nd Samara Siland

3rd Nandica Arjune

4th Zenadia Lupuku

U12 Boys Final Results

1st Michael Fordyce

2nd Alexander Parkinson

3rd Jonathan Jordan

4th Rafeeq Prince

regions will compete in the Under-14 boys’ and girls’ divisions.

Players, along with officials and organisers, at the team briefing on Tuesday

Boys U-14 Champion Nathan DeNobrega (right) beat Zephan Henry

FIFA to explore impact of moving domestic matches abroad

FOOTBALL’s world governing body (FIFA) is set to establish a working group to look at the impact of playing competitive domestic matches overseas.

league fixtures overseas after cancelling Barcelona’s league match against Girona in 2019, which was due to be held in Miami.

Holder falls in love with sport again during Worcs stint

A legal settlement agreed between FIFA and match promoter, Relevant Sports, in the USA, has, in the words of Premier League chief executive, Richard Masters, “left the door ajar” for league games to be played in different countries.

While the Premier League say they have no plans to do so, despite being the instigators of the infamous ‘39th game’ idea during Richard Scudamore’s time at the helm, La Liga are already planning overseas games for the 2025-26 campaign.

La Liga have revived their plans to play

FIFA had previously been opposed to the idea, feeling it had the potential to take valuable finance away from domestic clubs.

But the matter was discussed at its Council meeting in Bangkok on Wednesday, when it was agreed to set up a working group to ‘gather further information and issue recommendations’ and to also look at the impact on host countries.

Before making any decision, FIFA wants to address issues such as the amount of notice over the scheduling of matches, the impact on the balance of sporting competition and the effect on the development of football in the host countries.

The Council said any proposal must take various factors into account, including “whether adequate provision has been made for fans of the teams playing a proposed out-of-territory match to attend the match in the host country”.

Relevant Sports had driven the idea of overseas matches being played in the United States, having launched the pre-season International Champions Cup. They also tried to host an Ecuador League game in the United States in 2019, but that was blocked by FIFA.

Last summer they promoted the sixteam Premier League summer series that featured Chelsea, Newcastle, Aston Villa, Brighton, Fulham and Brentford.(BBC Sport).

LONDON, (CMC) – West Indies all-rounder Jason Holder said his five-match spell with Worcestershire in the English County Championship has sparked his love for the sport again.

The 32-year-old Barbadian said he enjoyed his spell with the club and will consider returning to New Road for another stint in the future – but he was excited about returning to England with West Indies for their three-Test series after trying to help the Caribbean side win the ICC Men’s Twenty20 World Cup to be staged next month in the Caribbean and the United States.

“It has been unbelievable, a hell of an experience,” Holder said in an interview appearing on the club’s website. “I think the boys have been outstanding. I said to them they have given me a new love for cricket. It has been one of those stints where you get everything you want to achieve out of it.

“It is unfortunate we didn’t win a game, and I was really looking forward to singing the team song, but each and every game has shown glimpses that this team has something special about it.”

Holder scored 186 runs from six innings in the five matches he played including an undefeated 123 against Kent at Canterbury and snared nine wickets at a little more than 44 apiece during his stint with Worcestershire.

“The boys are a hell of a bunch,” he added. “I’ve enjoyed every single moment, and I’ll definitely be back. I’ve been amazed about how tight one group can be and everyone

ICC Men’s Twenty 20 World Cup

plays for the right reasons.

“Everyone plays for the team. It’s one big family, everyone is behind each other, no man is left alone, and it’s just one of those attitudes and environments you want to be in.”

He said: “You wake up and look forward every single morning to going in and being around these boys and that is something I haven’t had for a very long time.

“I thank Worcestershire for having me, and hopefully, I can be back and actually play a game at New Road.”

Worcestershire have drawn four of their five matches so far this season, and they are seventh in the 10-team Division 1 table on 58 points.

Technical experts meet to discuss safety and security

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, (CMC) – Organisers, as well as security and government officials attending a technical expert meeting gave the assurance that public safety and security were being taken seriously ahead of the ICC Men’s Twenty20 World Cup to be staged next month in the Caribbean and the United States.

The assurances came from K.J. Singh, head of operations for the World Cup, and Earl Harris, assistant director for corporate services of the CARICOM security agency, IMPACS, during the four-day meeting taking place in the Barbados capital of Bridgetown.

Singh said Cricket West Indies, the sport’s organising body in the Caribbean, which is the lead international host board, was committed

to strengthening the sport not only through safety and security, but also through anti-corruption and drug-free entertainment.

He said the organisers of the World Cup welcomed the collaborative efforts at the technical expert meeting, which is to provide support for security planning for the global showpiece, taking place from June 1 to 29.

“Strengthening the game and ensuring its integrity and safety is paramount, first and foremost, before we even put players, spectators, match officials and media on the field,” Singh said.

The meeting, which is being held under the theme, “Enhancing Security Coordination for Major Sporting Events in the Caribbean” is to facilitate the exchange of information and best practices among the

Caribbean territories hosting World Cup matches.

At the same time, Harris said a collective effort in ensuring the safety and security of participants and spectators at the World Cup was “crucial and of paramount concern in an increasingly interconnected world”.

“Cricket is much more than a sport for us in the Caribbean,” he said. “It is a way of life. Cricket transcends mere sport for us; it serves as a significant vehicle for regional unity, resilience, and empowerment.

“Cricket stands as a symbol of our shared identity and heritage, representing our collective spirit […] but everyone must remain vigilant against a range of potential threats to the safety and security of the event.

“This could disrupt the

event and pose risks to the safety of participants and spectators and damage the region’s reputation. Addressing these issues is not just important, it is essential to safeguarding the tournament’s integrity and preserving lives and livelihoods.”

The meeting is being hosted by the Secretariat of the Inter-American Committee against Terrorism of the Organisation of American States (OAS-CICTE), in collaboration with the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) and IMPACS (Implementation Agency for Crime and Security) with funding from the government of Canada.

In remarks to the opening of the meeting, High Commissioner for Canada in Barbados, Lilian Chatterjee, said

while major sporting events can create opportunities for economic growth, social cohesion, and inter-cultural understanding, they can also bring inherent risks.

The High Commissioner said sports contribute to nation-building and fostering identity on a national and regional level, which are defining elements of a country’s relationships, tourism industry and cultural diplomacy, but she cautioned large, high-visibility events such as the World Cup also meant higher security risks.

She added it was for this reason that the meeting was timely since the Caribbean required “coordinated security efforts to protect against all kinds of threats”.

“Ensuring security for all seven World Cup co-hosting OAS member states, we re-

quire effective cooperation and integrated policies among co-hosting countries,” she said.

The High Commissioner said the World Cup also presented an opportunity for host territories to review and revise their safety and security policies, and to benefit from cooperation networks at the national, regional, and international levels.

“We all want to ensure the safety and security of the organisers, players, and the fans,” she said.

“This is why Canada is here… to support the combined efforts of the OASCICTE, the UNICRI and CARICOM IMPACS to enhance regional preparedness and resilience practices for the protection of crowded spaces and vulnerable targets.”

Gianni Infantino was voted FIFA president in 2016.

West Indies all-rounder, Jason Holder

The drop-in pitches at the temporary stadium in New York for the T20 World Cup have now been installed.

‘No fears’ over New York T20 World Cup pitches

INTERNATIONAL Cricket Council (ICC) officials have “no fears” over the pitches being used at a temporary stadium in New York for the men’s T20 World Cup.

The finishing touches are being applied to the 34,000-seat stadium in Eisenhower Park in Nassau County, east of Manhattan, with the tournament just over a fortnight away.

Four drop-in pitches are now in place at the venue which is set to host eight World Cup

matches, including a highly-anticipated meeting between India and Pakistan.

Six other drop-in pitches have also been installed in nearby practice facilities.

The two other grounds in the United States being used to stage matches - in Texas and Florida - already have natural turf wickets in place.

Adelaide Oval pitch curator Damian Hough was tasked by the ICC with growing the pitches in Australia and transporting them to New York

via Florida.

The Australian acknowledged the “the proof will be in the pudding”, but currently has “no concerns” over the pitches as the tournament edges closer.

“Two and a half weeks out from the first game we’re very happy and have nothing to worry about,” said Hough.

“There’s no fears. Some of the best pitches in the world are drop-in pitches. We can build

Olympic qualification tournament in Lima Peru

Olympian Edghill lose opener, one more chance at Paris ticket today

OLYMPIAN Chelsea

Edghill has failed in her first attempt to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics after a loss on Tuesday in the International Table tennis federation Americas Olympic Qualification.

them anywhere.”

Chris Tetley, head of events at the ICC, said the playing field at the stadium was “not a token size” but a “fully-fledged international standard cricket ground” with dimensions of 75 yards east and west, and 67 yards north and south.

“We are around about as big as the Gabba, or The Oval or Wankhede Stadium in terms of playing area,” he added.(BBC Sport).

The Guyanese, who is the lone table tennis player in Guyana and the English speaking Caribbean to ever reach the Olympics is hoping to take one of the four available singles spots to the summer games.

round of 16.

Roxy won the first two sets 11-6 and 11-7 but Chelsea fought back to win the third 11-9.

She opened her campaign on Tuesday against Venezuelan Roxy Gonsalves in a five-set affair in the

However, the Venezuelan came back to win the next set 11-6 before closing it out in a tough fifth set 15-13 to win four sets to one.

Edghill is set to be back in action again today (Thursday) aiming to break through with her second effort at the Olympic qualification competition.

Seeding for Stage 2 will be based firstly on the results of Stage 1 and secondly on World Ranking.

FLASBACK: Chelsea Edghill at Tokyo Olympic Games.

The two losers in the finals of KO1 and KO2 will be seeds 1 and 2.

The competition is a precursor for candidates eligible for tripartite selection (Universality Spot) to the games. All players have two opportunities to qualify for Paris 2024.