Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 01-07-2023

- President says; acknowledges skillset, talent of those in public service but says there is room for improvement of attitude, work culture - new PSC Commissioners sworn in to promote efficiency, accountability; national call centre to be set up for persons to report concerns

- Canadian High Commissioner pledges country’s support to enhance economic, climate resilience

A higher degree, level of service necessary amidst growing economy

- President says; acknowledges skillset, talent of those in public service but says there is room for improvement of attitude, work culture

- new PSC Commissioners sworn in to promote efficiency, accountability; national call centre to be set up for persons to report concerns

By Clestine Juan

THE newly-appointed members of the Public Service Commission (PSC) were sworn in on Thursday, marking the beginning of a new era aimed at promoting efficiency and accountability within the country’s public sector.

The persons who were appointed by President Dr. Irfaan Ali are: Manniram Prashad, Maurice Rudranauth Gajadhar, Melcita Agatha Bovell, Chandrawati Leila Ramson, Mohandatt Goolsarran, and Janice Isabella Bowen.

In a subsequent meeting among the commisioners, Mr. Prashad was elected Chairman, and Ms. Bovell Deputy Chairman.

The President, during a simple swearing-in ceremony at the Office of the President, said that efficiency and accountability are crucial pillars for the successful functioning of any public sector, and the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C)-led government has recognised the importance of these factors in driving the country's development forward.

President Ali highlighted the need for a highly-competent, professional and efficient public service. He also shed light on the country’s transformative agenda, and the role of the PSC in achieving these objectives.

The President stressed the significance of transparency, accountability, and credibility within the public sector.

He reasoned: “In the direction our country's going in a massive trans-

formation, transparency, accountability, efficiency, reliance and credibility of our public sector is very, very important.”

Acknowledging the pivotal role of public servants, he underscored that their performance directly impacts the delivery of government policies and tangible benefits to citizens.

President Ali recognised the need for a cultural shift within the public service, one that embraces structural and monumental changes to achieve the desired outcomes.

He said: “There must be structural and monumental changes for us to achieve the type of output that we want to achieve.”

These changes include the development of a professional public service that possesses the right

skillset, exposure to training, and access to educational opportunities.

To this end, the government has been investing heavily in transforming the public service through initiatives like the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) Scholarship Programme, which provides training both locally and overseas.

Dr. Ali said that the aim is to equip public service employees with the necessary skills to thrive in an evolving economic landscape driven by technological advancements.

The President emphasised the importance of keeping abreast of the requirements of the modern world, stating: “Technological changes not only in the pursuit of your job, but in decision-making and control systems is something we cannot avoid.”

Efficiency and reliability within the public sector are not only vital for the government's agenda, but are also expected by the world and the Guyanese population.

“The people’s business must not be held hostage to slothful bureaucracy,” Dr. Ali said.

With Guyana's economy emerging as one of the fastest-growing in the world, President Ali said that the public service must adapt and become the catalyst for transformation.

FASTEST TRANSITIONAL PUBLIC SERVICE

“Our economy is now the fastest-growing economy in the world, so, our public service should be the fastest transitional public service. It cannot be the fastest-growing and the least efficient, or the

fastest-growing and the most unreliable. The population expects a higher degree, and a high level of service, and we have to deliver,” the Head of State said.

The president acknowledged that while Guyana has a talented public service, in terms of skills, education levels, and competence, there is room for

Standing from left are: Commissioners Melcita Bovell, Manniram Prashad; Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall, S.C.; Commissioner Leila Ramson; President Dr. Irfaan Ali; Commissioners Janice Bowen, Mohandatt Goolsarran, and Maurice Gajadhar; Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance Gail Teixeira (Adrian Narine photo)

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A higher degree, level of service...

improvement in terms of attitude and work culture.

He highlighted the need for a highly motivated and service-oriented public service, where public servants treat citizens with respect and courtesy, going above and beyond to address their concerns.

“Every member of the public visiting a public office must be assured of a courteous reception, and that efforts will be made to address and respond to that person's concerns,” President Ali said.

He explained that accountability is a crucial

aspect of promoting efficiency within the public sector, and also touched on the subject of implementing modern review mechanisms and evaluation processes to hold public servants accountable for their performance.

This focus on monitoring reflects the government's dedication to promoting accountability, transparency, and responsiveness within the public sector.

And, in recognition of the importance of citizens' experiences when interacting with public offices and

facilities.

President Ali said: “Every single health centre will have a minimum standard, and the administrators of those centres will be responsible for keeping those centres at that minimum standard.”

The President related that this commitment to establishing baseline standards indicates a desire to improve the quality of service across all public service delivery points, ensuring that citizens receive consistent and reliable services, regardless of their location.

NATIONAL CALL CENTRE

To further enhance the monitoring process, the government plans to introduce a national call centre where citizens can report

on their experiences and concerns regarding public service delivery.

President Ali said: “There'll be some numbers there that persons can call in the national call centre and report on the way they were treated, or report on how they felt about the service.”

He mentioned the shift from traditional performance evaluations to more comprehensive approaches such as 360-degree evaluation. Dr. Ali also stressed the importance of competition within the system to drive motivation, and ensure continuous improvement.

He highlighted the government's commitment to creating an environment where the Public Service Commission can function

independently and impartially.

Dr. Ali assured the Commission that there would be no political interference in the discharge of its mandate.

The Head of State said that the government recognises the critical role of an independent and accountable Public Service Commission in ensuring the public service is staffed by individuals with the necessary skills, knowledge, and experience to serve the people and propel the country's development.

The Public Service Commission, with a threeyear term of office, has the crucial responsibility of overseeing the Public Service in Guyana. Its powers include making appointments to public offices, and exercising disciplinary control over individuals in such positions.

President Ali said that Guyana cannot afford to have the least efficient public service while striving to be the fastest-growing economy.

Recognising the significance of result-oriented governance and policy-making, he urged the Commission to independently evaluate the performance of those responsible for implementing policies.

The absence of a functioning Public Service Commission since August 2021 has had significant implications for other constitutional bodies, such as the Judicial Service Commission and the Police Service Commission.

It’s important to note that the Chairman of the Public Service Commission also serves as a member of these commissions.

President Dr. Irfaan Ali (Adrian Narine photo)

Avenue exists for Guyana, Canada to address human resource deficits

- Canadian High Commissioner pledges country’s support to enhance economic, climate resilience

By Trina Williams

GUYANA has sought Canada’s assistance to address the human resource deficit that exists here as a result of its rapid economic growth over the past few years, President Dr. Irfaan Ali has said.

The president outlined his vision for future cooperation with the North American country during the annual Canada Day celebration at the Canadian High Commissioner’s residence on Thursday evening.

Addressing the issue of human resource shortages in both countries, Dr. Ali said: “Recently, I was reading some of the immediate objectives of Canada, and, like Guyana, Canada is also faced with human resource shortfall in different areas,” adding that these deficits occur mostly in the technical areas.

And, while remarking that the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) understands the struggle of losing its human resources to more attractive markets, President

Ali said: “It is very important for us as development partners in this region to examine the human resource constraint that we face.”

He then went on to say: “It is important, I think, because we celebrate today, that we take a joint approach in terms of the human resources; human resource deficit, and to see how we can work out a common agenda through which we can build a system that supports the requirements of both countries, and our region as a whole.”

“I want to position Guyana as an important destination for the provision of regional human resource assets to meet the skill deficit of countries around the region,” Dr. Ali said, emphasising that there are tremendous opportunities for Canada and Guyana, and even urged Canadian accredited institutions to mark their footprint in the growing nation.

In addition to the area of human resource, the Head of State said that much is being done to bring direct flights from Canada to Guyana,

although many of the major airlines are short on assets, and the production line is nowhere close to meeting the demand in the industry.

While providing an update on the advancements of Guyana, President Ali said that the Government of Guyana has already received two proposals for connecting flights between the two nations, and those are currently being assessed.

Though the flights might not be direct, he underscored that this signifies the expansion of Guyana and Canada’s relationship.

Describing the partnership as “incredible”, the Head of State reaffirmed that the relationship exceeds the social, economic, diplomatic, and political arenas.

According to him: “Our relationship is beyond social, economic, diplomatic, [and] political; our relationship has people that we will contact to make that people-to-people connection and people-to-people relationship.”

GOOD

AND BAD TIMES

Additionally, the Head

of State remarked that Guyana not only values its relationship with Canada, but will also support the nation through good times and bad.

According to President Ali: “Guyana continues to value its partnership with Canada, and looks forward to deepening relations.”

“Guyana looks forward to continued collaboration under the Guyana-Canada bilateral consultation to realise greater cooperation to the MOU to facilitate trade and investment, and the finalisation of the air trans -

port agreement,” he said, adding that the Government of Guyana welcomes the exploration of investment opportunities by Canadian companies, not only in the mining sector, but in areas such as the construction industry, pharmaceuticals, renewable energy and agriculture.

In addition to this, while remarking that Canada has always been a key trading partner to Guyana, the Head of State also disclosed that he welcomes the renewal of the Canada-Caribbean trade agreement, which allows for

a non-reciprocal preferential trade of Guyana’s products to Canada, and fosters the enhancement of investment opportunities and encourages economic cooperation.

High Commissioner of Canada to Guyana, Mark Berman echoed President Ali’s sentiments, saying: “Canada is working in partnership with Guyana to support efforts to foster economic and climate resilience by strengthening inclusive governance, education, health and gender equality.”

Ashton Chase hailed as a patriot, champion of the working class

ernment,” Ramkarran said, adding that Chase did this with great energy, skill and charisma, from 1957 to just before the

COVID-19 pandemic, when he stopped going to court every day. His daughter, Pauline Chase, said that the PPP

was her father’s life and his legacy. She noted that he loved the Party as he loved his children.

THE People’s Progressive Party (PPP) on Thursday night hosted a night of reflection at Freedom House for the late Senior Counsel Ashton Chase, a founding member of the Party, and a prominent figure in the country’s political, legal, and labour history who passed away on Monday evening.

General Secretary of the PPP, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, during his address at the function, said that Mr. Chase was a special person who was there at the very beginning,

even before the PPP was formed in 1950.

“He was part of the group that planned the formation of the PPP, and he has been associated with this Party since then,” Dr. Jagdeo related.

He said that throughout the fight for freedom, Chase had always been at the centre of the fight for the freedoms which Guyana currently enjoys today.

“Ashton played a central role in the fight for Independence, and then again in the fight for democracy, and thereafter

the fight to maintain freedom,” the General Secretary said.

Kamal Ramkarran of the Bar Association related that throughout Chase’s life, he spent most of it fighting for justice with ordinary working-class Guyanese, whether in politics or in law.

“He worked tirelessly to help them paddle their little cases through the justice system against the tide of big businesses and government interests, at a time when courts favored the colonial gov-

President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali; Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony; Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Ambassador Elisabeth Harper; and High Commissioner of Canada to Guyana Mark Berman (Delano Williams Photo)

President Dr. Irfaan Ali signing the Book of Condolences for the late Senior Counsel Ashton Chase

PPP General Secretary Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo addressing persons at a night of reflection at Freedom House for one of its founding members, the late Senior Counsel Ashton Chase (Adrian Narine Photos)

Creating a nation of polyglots

GUYANA is located on a continent where Spanish is widely spoken. In fact, Spanish is the official language of nine of the 13 countries located therein, including Venezuela, our neighbour to the west.

Venezuela’s collapsing economy has forced thousands of its citizens across the Guyana-Venezuela border and elsewhere. Many are employed in stores and food establishments, and as construction workers.

Additionally, hundreds of Guyanese, particularly those in the medical field, have studied in Cuba, another Spanish-speaking nation. Learning Spanish is a critical component of their programme.

Given Guyana’s close association with speakers of Spanish, it came as no

surprise when President Dr. Irfaan Ali announced that come September, Spanish will be a compulsory subject in schools. The target group will be from Grade Four or Five upwards. This means that a pupil will leave the primary education system with some knowledge of the language, and have the opportunity to become fluent in it by the time they will have completed their secondary education.

This marvelous idea adds to the government’s plans to expose learners to a wholesome education system which will mold them into well-rounded adults.

Many raised legitimate questions following President Ali’s announcement. Several questioned why only now, or why Spanish and not another foreign lan-

guage.

There are many parents who frown upon the idea of a foreign language being taught in primary school, particularly since learners are already struggling to master the English Language, which is a compulsory subject at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) level. One needs at least a Grade Three to be accepted into the world of work.

There have been suggestions that just like English, introduction should start at a young age, when the child starts to develop the ability to reason and think.

Some primary schools and ‘summer school programmes’ offer Foundation Spanish to those who had just completed the National Grade Six Assessment

(NGSA), and are preparing to begin their secondary education.

Students in most Sixth Form and Grade ‘A’ schools are taught Spanish, French or Portuguese, or all three.

President Ali’s actions since taking office show that he is determined to go all out to improve the lives of all Guyanese.

In response to a question following his announcement, he explained that while at the secondary level, the teaching capacity is adequate, the government is prepared to ask its bilateral partners for assistance.

The president first disclosed his plan at the commissioning ceremony for the Good Hope Secondary School in June. He had explained then that such a move was necessary, given

Guyana’s current trajectory, and its geographical location.

He insisted that this is a skillset every child should have.

In his new role as president, he has recognised the importance of knowing Spanish, particularly since he has regular engagements with world leaders, investors and other partners. His one regret now is that he ‘dropped’ Spanish while in secondary school.

No one can, or should, disagree with President Ali when he says that we would be doing the future young people of our country a grave injustice if we don’t point them towards learning a second language.

Guyana is undergoing massive transformation, and the discovery of oil has

resulted in a lot of international recognition.

Having bilingual, or multilingual citizens will give us as a nation the edge not only on the Continent of South America, but also in other parts of the world where there are many Spanish-speaking investors and partners who are eager to do business with Guyana.

If we want to give our children an academic advantage and prepare them for the competitive job market, or even heighten their cognitive ability, learning a second language is the way to go.

President Ali is onto something, and we should all embrace this plan, and all the others he has for the development of our young people and the future of this country.

An example of prejudice bent on blocking national development

Dear Editor,

ONE July 7, I viewed Dr David Hinds’ programme on YouTube, where he played a very fine speech by Mr. Ravi Dev to a group of Hindu businessmen and investors trying to sell Guyana to them as a destination for making safe and profitable investments.

Indian businessmen and expertise gravitate to UK,

USA, Canada and Europe, where they find greater returns and profit from their investment and demand for their skills.

In fact, Indian businessmen are the biggest investors in UK. The five million Indian diaspora stands out as the highest earners and among the most educated among American minorities.

They are one-third of Silicon Valley and supply CEO's

for many of the most important American companies such as Google and Microsoft. They are increasingly making their mark in the Federal Government structure.

Ravi Dev is trying to tell the Hindu business group that Guyana offers certain advantages which the more profitable developed world does not offer - In Guyana they would find an Indian ambiance, a business-friendly

government and investments where they could make as much money as in the developed world.

He used the analogy of how Indian businessmen in ancient days had brought their capital and culture to Thailand, Indonesia and Cambodia, etc… and such culture still exists.

Every day, government ministers are even more emphatically giving the same

call to American and western investors to come to Guyana, but Dr Hinds says nothing about the various ministers' call, but because of his unconscious village contempt and bias against Indo-Guyanese he picks at Ravi Dev. He does not bother that investment is denied in the nation once his prejudice is satiated.

One of Dr Hinds’ regular supporters asked him

in the comment column: Dr Hinds, why don't you approach African countries and businessmen and ask them to invest in Guyana and in particular Afro-Americans as Dev is doing? But racism and development never go together, so Hinds sticks to what he obviously knows best.

President Ali and PM Phillips have transformed Guyana

Dear Editor, PRESIDENT, Dr. Irfaan Ali and Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips must be commended by all for their exemplary and committed leadership for the rapid economic growth and development that is currently taking place in almost every village, town, and region of the country.

Not only have they invested heavily in modernising the infrastructure, renewed technology, transforming education, updating health care, expanding the agriculture sector and improving the lives of the people, especially the poor, but since taking office in 2020, they have travelled to every region of the country to promote their policies and to make sure that everyone is involved in the development process, regardless of race, ethnicity, or party affiliation.

With proper and efficient management of the oil revenue, and with a GDP hovering around 45 per cent, Guyana, under the leadership of President Dr. Ali and Prime Minister Brigadier Mark Phillips is destined to move from its underdeveloped status to a developing or developed country.

Simply put, Guyana will advance from its Third World (Global South) rank to a First World (Global North) country. This is largely due to its huge oil resources, its enormous minerals such as gold, and its immense agriculture production which according to President Dr. Ali, could make it the breadbasket of the Caribbean.

In the past, Guyana as a member of CARICOM and the United Nations was hardly recognised by most of the leaders from the developed countries of North America and Western Europe. For the longest period, these leaders were more familiar with Barbados and Jamaica for a Caribbean vacation on their pristine beaches and Trinidad and Tobago for its oil, carnival celebration and high-income economy.

Today, that has changed with the discovery of huge oil reserves in Guyana and its robust development under the leadership of President Ali and Prime Minister Mark Phillips. Regionally, Guyana is recognised as the leader of the Caribbean and internationally, it is considered among the top countries in the world.

The recent visit by the U.S. Secretary of State, Mr. Anthony Blinken and Canada’s

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Maninder Sidhu is solid proof of the country’s recognition and importance to the developed countries.

Since becoming President, His Excellency has, on several occasions, accentuated some serious high-level issues including poverty, inequality, food insecurity, energy security and climate change to bolster the United Nations global initiatives to protect the global environment and its eight billion inhabitants.

He stressed the interdependence of these issues and called for the formation of a new global coalition to address them. The president’s call came at a critical time, as the world faces increasing threats from the impacts of climate change, including extreme weather events, rising sea levels, the loss of biodiversity, food shortages, rising poverty and worsening energy security.

He also called for the diversification of the economy, fair trade policies and the transfer of technology from the developed to the underdeveloped countries as well as the establishment of relations at all levels, economic, political,

The President's press conference

Dear Editor, PRESIDENT, Dr. Irfaan Ali held a live broadcast press conference on Wednesday last (July 12, 2023), on NCN TV and online at 10:00 hours and rebroadcast at prime time that evening. I moderated the press conference.

Eleven media organisations and the Department of Public Information attended. There was no restriction against any media organisation attending but, because of previous practice where one media organisation would take up space with as many as three reporters and seek to dominate the press conference, the media were invited in advance to nominate the name of one reporter and camera to attend.

The President addressed the press conference and, at the same time, the nation,

with a comprehensive opening statement intended to provide a detailed report on the policies and performance of his government, including specifics and data on foreign affairs and individual ministries in the context of the international community in which Guyana must now function as a primary oil and gas producing nation.

The statement took some time to deliver, longer than he intended, and longer than is usual for a press conference, about which some media houses have complained.

Nevertheless, I ensured that every reporter present who wished to ask a question did so with a follow-up question and one reporter managed to slip in four questions.

Altogether, 25 questions were asked by the media and answered by the President, yet the media complained that they did not have suf-

social, and cultural.

Dr. Ali has stated that food and energy security have become pressing concerns in that as the world population grows, poverty and starvation increase. He intoned that today, more than 800 million people, mostly in Sub-Saharan Africa and in some parts in India are living on less than US$2.00 per day and some 2.5 million are living in extreme poverty.

He alerted the leaders of the world that during the past two years, global poverty has increased from 7.4 to 9.6 per cent, which is the worst the world has ever seen and 1 in 3 children will experience stunted growth because they are not getting enough food, or not getting the vitamins they need

in their food.

To support his claim, several health experts have asserted that stunted growth also affects cognitive ability, making it more difficult for children to learn and excel in school.

While President Dr. Ali has made it quite clear that the developed nations are responsible for most of the problems mentioned above, he, however, offered an olive branch.

He told the world leaders that his government has been leading a massive food security program in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) with heightened efforts to reduce the region’s US$5 billion food import bill by 25 per cent by 2025 and that Guyana is ready to lead in the areas of climate

change, and energy and food security to alleviate the rise in poverty.

In three years, both Dr. Ali and Brigadier Phillips have taken Guyana to new levels of regional and global recognition and admiration never seen before.

Today, they have transformed Guyana into a highly respectable country not only among its CARICOM and Latin American neighbours, but also in the international community. Our leaders are dedicated and devoted to increase the well-being of the people and make Guyana a prosperous country.

Sincerely,

Dr. Asquith Rose

ficient opportunity to ask questions.

Not surprisingly, the reporters were not interested in asking questions about the development and progress, or lack thereof of the country, which should have been their primary concern.

Instead, the majority of the questions were solely on the matter of former Minister Nigel Dharamlall’s resignation and the circumstances surrounding it and on the recent Mahdia fire. All were answered frankly, honestly and comprehensively. In my view, the media have nothing really to complain about.

The video and sound management of the press conference was not perfect and steps will be taken to get this right.

Yours sincerely, Kit Nascimento Consultant

‘Raphael, this is Nassau’

THIS column, which started a month ago, is another installment in my series on the political journey of the Mulatto/Creole class (MCC). I would like to think I have about two more pieces in the series before I conclude.

Today, I will look at the role the MCC played in the birth of the Alliance for Change (AFC). The analysis follows. One of the poorest moments in the history of Guyanese journalism continues to live on.

It marks one of the lowest points in the paucity of Guyanese journalism. In 2016, Raphael Trotman was campaigning in the 2016 Local Government Elections (LGE) in Bartica. He showered panegyrics on President Granger. The crowds roared with applause.

Trotman told the crowds that the APNU+AFC victory was due to the brilliant strategising of Granger. He explained to the audience that long before 2015, he and Granger had discussions about Guyana’s future while awaiting their flight at the Bahamas airport.

Trotman did not go into details but told the campaign meeting that after victory was secured in May 2015, Granger called him and said, “Raphael, this is Nassau.”

From 2016 when Trotman made that revelation to July 2023, no journalist has shown competence to ask Granger and/or Trotman what was the Nassau thing all about. I have tried since 2016 to put the pieces of this thing together.

I spoke to both top and second-tier leaders from the AFC and WPA. I have not asked Granger or anyone from the PNC. I never asked Trotman because he did not like the column I wrote on that particular LGE campaign meeting, so I felt he would not have opened up to me.

Here now is my logical deduction of what Trotman and Granger discussed. Granger is perhaps the most, devoted aficionado of Forbes Burnham, second only to Hamilton Green, and yes, more dedicated to Burnham’s legacy than Vincent Alexander. Granger published short history of the PNC, so he knew that Burnham had problems with the

PNC’s relation with the MCC in the 1950s.

Granger felt in the 21st century, if the PNC was ever to retake power, it had to have a dedicated, straightforward, trustworthy relationship with the MCC, and the PNC had to compromise with the MCC by having MCC personalities in hierarchy of the PNC.

Granger and Trotman felt President Desmond Hoyte as opposition leader and his successor, Robert Corbin had alienated the MCC. Trotman revolted against Hoyte’s leadership and left the PNC.

Granger set about trying to resuscitate the friendship between the PNC and MCC. In fact, a type of camaraderie developed between Granger and one of the long-standing personalities in the MCC, David DeCaires, founder of the Stabroek News (SN).

When Granger’s monthly magazine, “Guyana Review,” ran into financial trouble, DeCaires bought it over for millions to be published monthly in SN, which in turn almost bankrupted SN which had to seek a $200 million loan from Republic Bank.

Today, the Guyana Review is published twice yearly in SN. In 2010, the stage was set for the inclusion of the MCC into the PNC. David Granger became leader of the PNC.

Prior to that, the MCC had birthed its own party, the Alliance For Change (AFC) with some of the leading MCC personalities in Guyana. Its leader was Raphael Trotman. The stage was now set for a working relation between the MCC in the PNC and the MCC in the AFC.

But there was a problem within the AFC. Raphael Trotman argued with his MCC colleagues that the AFC need-

ed to be more broad-based and should seek the political influence of Khemraj Ramjattan. But the MCC rejected that.

It is not possible to quote some of the rejections of Trotman’s suggestion based on class ethnicity and colour, but some MCC elements argued that since Christopher Ram was part of the AFC’s foundation leadership (the AFC was formed in Ram’s office), the AFC did not need Ramjattan.

Trotman insisted on Ramjattan’s inclusion but agreed to the proposal that Ramjattan would not be the AFC’s presidential candidate in any future election. But Ramjattan had other ideas about where the AFC should go. Ramjattan re-

cruited a number of ex-ROAR activists after that party founded by Ravi Dev had withered away.

Ramjattan was no fool.

He knew that the MCC in Guyana lacked the financial firepower that the PPP had. So he brought in ROAR personalities that consisted of Indian expatriates with money.

From there on, the AFC became a boiling cauldron of Indians versus MCC people that almost destroyed the AFC when Ramjattan insisted that he should be presidential candidate in the 2011 election because Trotman had it in the 2006 elections. To be continued.

CARICOM Eminent Persons Group in Haiti

— to continue meetings with stakeholders to facilitate a Haitian-led solution to multiple national crises

THE CARICOM Eminent Persons Group (EPG) arrived in Haiti on Wednesday, as part of follow-up mission to the stakeholders meeting held in Jamaica last June.

The EPG comprising Former Prime Ministers Kenny Anthony of Saint Lucia, Perry Christie of The Bahamas and Bruce Golding of Jamaica, will continue their meetings with all relevant stakeholders to facilitate a Haitian-led solution to the multiple crises facing the country.

The Group was appointed by CARICOM Heads of Government last May to initiate and oversee the community’s provision of Good Offices support in designated priority areas, including

security, governance, the electoral process, and longterm development planning and advocacy. They will also liaise with key international partners and agencies. During their three-day mission, the EPG will meet with groups who attended the Haitian stakeholders meeting held in Kingston, Jamaica, last June as well as stakeholders who were not at that meeting.

In the interest of the people of Haiti, the EPG encouraged all stakeholders to continue their efforts to engage in meaningful dialogue, in order that consensus may be achieved, in a constructive, timely and peaceful manner on the path forward.

Serious crimes decline by 12 per cent

- GPF is retooling, rebranding to better serve the public, Hicken says

By Cindy Parkinson

ACTING Commissioner of Police, Clifton Hicken, on Thursday announced that there was an overall 12.6 per cent decline in serious crimes for 2023, despite an increase in the number of murders that were committed during this period.

At the time, he was delivering remarks at the Guyana Police Force’s (GPF) 184th Awards Ceremony held at the Police Officers’ Mess Annexe, Police Headquarters, Eve Leary.

According to Commissioner Hicken, all other types of major crimes have fallen except murder, which, according to him, has increased by 37 per cent when compared to the same period last year.

While he recognised the ranks for their accomplishments, he also reminded them that there is a lot to be done.

"Our days of sitting in offices are long gone; that is not contemporary policing. The public is who we were designed to serve. We were established to serve, and so

recognises and, in his opinion, believes that there is no "tougher" job than serving as a police officer.

He also reminded them that no one is compelled to choose the profession. However, if they do, they are supposed to live up to its professional standard.

"It is safe to say that the duties and professional caliber that police officers are required to have are different from any other profession, and that is why the Guyana Police Force is reforming as we are rebranding and retooling our police practices driven by our 2022-2023 strategic plan. The plan, which is governed by six pillars, is consistent with the manifesto promised under the broader national objective for a safer community."

Additionally, he said that smart policing is becoming more prevalent thanks to tools such as forensic analysis, CCTV body cameras, and other technologies that are essential to the lives of both police officers and civilians.

BRIDGING THE GAP

While speaking with the Guyana Chronicle, Com -

are upheld, but we also want the public to feel comfortable coming to us. It is a work in progress, but we are very optimistic that the gap between the GPF and the people will be bridged."

To help deal with the traffic situation, speed, and to bring some order on the roadways, Commissioner Hicken said: "We are working on an interagency approach plan where we are going to involve the Ministry of Education to work on the educational aspect, the Ministry of Infrastructure to play their part, and we are going to do the enforcement. We will be establishing some tall towers so that we can mitigate against speed. This setup will be done like it is in international countries."

Commissioner Hicken said to the ranks that he would like for the members of the GPF to strengthen their "commitment" to the oath that they took to serve and protect.

"As we remain resolute on the path of reform, I would also like to remind you that our duty is not just detecting and preventing

for a world that is more compassionate, secure, and just."

He said that as police officers, they are responsible for ensuring safety and security are maintained through a community-oriented approach.

During the awards ceremony, a total of $159.075 million in cash and other incentives were given to ranks for their exceptional performance in the various divisions and departments.

you will continue to build those bridges and not put up barriers. Focus on serving the public, and you are going to be stimming most of the challenges we are getting," he said.

Meanwhile, the acting police commissioner said that in order to bridge the gap and strengthen the relationship between the force and the public, the GPF has implemented a Strategic Plan that places a significant emphasis on co-operation with the public.

"All of us are conscious of our challenges as members of the GPF that we encounter daily to conduct our duties and to maintain law and order in our society," he said before adding that he

missioner Hicken said: "The Guyana Police Force will continue to offer and give services to the members of the public going forward. It is our job to always uphold ethical standards and professionalism. A chain of command has been formed to ensure that all practices are carried out. I am also asking the public to adhere to the Laws of Guyana and work with our policemen and women so that we can maintain those laws.

"We are living in very different times now, and it is my belief that we can all work in unity and help each other to resolve our issues. The Guyana Police Force has a job to carry out; they have to ensure that law and order

crimes; it is about creating a world with greater understanding for the rights of all people.

"The bravery and heroism that law enforcement officers display every day is incalculable. Henceforth, it is inevitable for us as an organisation to honour our police officers who have distinguished themselves and the Guyana Police Force by doing their duties to uphold our country’s safety and security with exceptional acts of bravery, professionalism, and admirable deeds," he added.

Commissioner Hicken commended the ranks for all that they have done and emphasised that as a nation, “we should continuously strive

Acting Commissioner of Police, Clifton Hicken presents Emanuel Archibald, Guyana’s first gold medalist in the 100m event at the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games, with a monetary award (Delano Williams photo)

Ranks during the awards ceremony which was held at Mess Hall, Eve Leary

GPHC to be transformed into a state-of-the-art stand-alone hospital

– President Ali announces

PLANS have been unveiled to redesign Guyana’s premier healthcare

institution, the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) into a new, state-of-the-

art stand-alone hospital.

President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali made the announcement during a media briefing at the Office of the President, on Shiv Chanderpaul Drive here in Georgetown on Wednesday, where he highlighted some major

pital at Vreed en Hoop, in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) will be reconstructed, while the National Psychiatric Hospital will be developed; the Suddie, Port Mourant, and Mahaicony Hospitals will also be upgraded.

dormitories.

“Beginning this year, new nursing schools in Region Six and Two will take in students; we have more than 1,200 students registered in our nursing programme,” the president disclosed.

Meanwhile, through

achievements in the health sector.

The project at reference, Dr. Ali noted, is likely to be the biggest healthcare venture ever in CARICOM.

In the meantime, the government has been investing heavily in acquiring technological devices for the city hospital, including new pathology equipment, digital X-rays, and CT scanners. Currently, 14 new digital X-rays are being installed in hospitals in all ten of the country’s administrative regions.

“These digital X-rays will abandon the old technology of processing films; doctors can read imaging anywhere in the world, and we’re linking our healthcare system with health providers around the world, so we have a wider pool of specialists to help us, as we develop this modern healthcare infrastructure,” President Ali disclosed.

Meanwhile, the West Demerara Regional Hos-

Additionally, the National Ophthalmology Centre and the Cheddi Jagan Dental School are slated for major upgrades.

“These are all facilities that are in the health master plan for major upgrade, rehabilitation, or reconstruction. We’re also working on the creation of specialised centres,” the President highlighted.

Only recently, the Ministry of Health commissioned a Diabetic Centre at Lusignan, on the East Coast of Demerara, which is offering holistic care to diabetic patients. The government is now working on expanding the programme to other parts of the country.

It is also working with the New York-based Mount Sinai Health System to develop a cardiac and cancer treatment centre here in Guyana.

To further advance the nursing profession in Guyana, two new nursing schools have been completed, replete with modern classrooms and

a US$97 million project, designs are being completed to commence the construction of new regional hospitals in Regions One (Barima-Waini), Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), and Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo).

All other existing health institutions outside of the Mabaruma, Port Kaituma, Mahdia, Paramakatoi, Annai, and Kwakwani hospitals are scheduled for major upgrades between the years 2024 and 2026.

Apart from upgrades, the government is installing oxygen in hinterland hospitals to allow for oxygen therapy in these areas, and to remove the dependency on oxygen cylinders.

To date, 19 health posts and centres in the hinterland are equipped with the telemedicine system, and are connected to specialists at Guyana’s main healthcare institution. (DPI)

PPP’s Georgetown councillors pushing for audit of City Hall - Ashby says

THE newly-elected People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) councillors are on a mission to ensure there is accountability at the People’s National Congress (PNC)/ A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) controlled City Hall.

The councillors’ plans were outlined by PPP coun-

lors,” adding that at the next statutory meeting, which is slated to be next month, the PPP councillors will be advocating for an audit in order to unearth the billions of dollars in taxes that are unaccounted for at City Hall.

Pointing out some discrepancies that were highlighted at the election of the councillors, Ashby said that it poses some conflict of inter-

with APNU councillors, but works and actions emanating from the organisation must be done in a transparent manner.

The PPP has gained 11 seats on the 30-seat council; this is an increase from the seven seats the party had at the last LGEs. And the party hopes to use its increased voice to deal with some of these known issues at the Council.

approached by two other entities that claimed ownership of the property. It remains unknown how that issue was

resolved.

The COI also unearthed cases where businesses were given tax waivers by the

then Town Clerk, but was later told to pay over millions to the Council.

cillor, Odayson Ashby, in an interview with the Guyana Chronicle on Tuesday.

Ashby also reaffirmed that he together with his colleagues, will be lobbying for an audit to reveal the years of financial mismanagement at City Hall under the PNC administration.

The PPP councillor said that other commitments were made during the campaign trail ahead of the June 2, 2023 Local Government Elections. The party had promised to push for proper solid waste management, youth empowerment, among other things.

Stressing that they will stay true to their manifesto promises, he said: “The only difference is whether APNU will choose to work with us or work against us,” adding: “We [PPP councillors] are very competent and committed to delivering to the residents of Georgetown.”

When asked what is first on their agenda, the newly-elected councillor remarked: “For 27 years, the [PNC] council has practically derailed the laws,” emphasising that an audit of City Hall not being done for a number of years is evidence of the poor management.

He then went on to say: “What we're looking to do is that we will look to put as much pressure as we could put on the APNU council -

est for a Mayor to be sitting on the finance committee.

Nearly a month after the Local Government Elections (LGEs), Alfred Mentore, a third-term councillor and former Deputy Mayor, was nominated and then elected as Mayor of Georgetown, although he lost within his constituency.

After Mentore's nomination to the City Council's finance committee, uproar arose in the Georgetown meeting room of the Kitty Market. The real issue began when the Council moved to appoint members for its seven-member financial committee and he was elected.

Ashby addressed the myriad intimidation tactics and misinformation being peddled by the opposition and its affiliates, such as the narrative that the PPP will not follow through with their promises to the residents.

He said that unlike the opposition, which has neglected the citizens, the PPP will continue to stay on the ground and ensure that citizens are having a comfortable life.

“But what the residents could look forward to is everything we promised,” the City Hall councillor remarked, adding: “We [PPP] will work hard to deliver.”

In addition to this, Ashby said that the PPP councillors are open to working along

Last month, Vice-President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, said that central government will be supporting its councillors who are lobbying for an audit.

“We will be pushing heavily… our 11 councillors in there to live stream the proceedings. I hope they will accept live streaming of proceedings, and secondly we want to find out about all the land deals done in the city. And anybody who has to have a waiver of the taxes it must be done through a transparent open process.

“Not the mayor and a group of councillors negotiating with businessmen. Where you owe $10 million in taxes, you also owe $10 million, but one person gets $5 million written off and another gets $3 million written off and another person gets $2 million written off. That is what they’re good at doing all of that…that has to change. That is important for us we’re watching it carefully,” Dr. Jagdeo said.

In 2018, during a Commission of Inquiry (COI) into City Hall it was uncovered that the Council had leased a land on Lombard Street referred to as the “Sussex Street Wharf,” despite not having ownership of the land.

After the businessman spent considerable money developing the area, and paying the lease, he was later

PPP City Hall Councillors

Local content legislation influences growth of small, medium businesses

- further amendments to promote use of more local services

By Naomi Parris

SMALL and medi -

um-scale businesses operating in the field of lo-

gistics and transportation have been benefiting significantly from the oil and gas sector, Senior Petroleum Coordinator at

the Ministry of Natural Resources, Bobby Gossai Jr. has said.

This has been credited to the country’s extensive

Local Content Act that was instituted in 2021 to ensure that Guyanese businesses benefitted directly from the country’s growing petroleum industry.

“We have seen the growth in the establishment of more infrastructure, support, and the service sector. We have seen major businesses that have been es-

eas, new opportunities that we have seen have grown over the years. And by the end of 2022, it would have reached the stage where these businesses/services can be provided in the country. And we will, of course, not only add new areas to the schedule but also amend the targets that we would have set originally back in

tablished, we have seen the establishment of the Local Content Secretariat and the approval of Local Content Certificates,” Gossai said during a recent virtual discussion held with Guyana’s Ghanaian counterparts.

He further said that Guyana is looking to further build its local content capacity to not just benefit the country’s oil and gas sector but also other industries.

Gossai related that the local content act has earned the country massive revenue with millions being accumulated from offshore investments, prime contractors, and sub-contractors working in the industry.

Meanwhile, Guyana is expected to update its local content legislation in the coming months. The update to the local content law will likely include new provisions that reflect the lessons learned since its enactment, the progress made in many areas and the remaining challenges.

“The law will be adjusted to include other ar-

2022,” Gossai said. With this new turning point for Guyana and the industry, it is anticipated that the country will see even more local companies providing logistics and manpower services for increasingly high-skilled industry segments.

On December 31, 2021, the Government of Guyana passed the Local Content Act 2021.

Subsequently, it published several related guidelines that were designed to maximise the participation of Guyanese companies wherever they have the skills and capacity to get involved, beginning with services such as office space rental, janitorial services, laundry and catering services, pest control services, insurance services, supply of food and accounting services and extending through long-term involvement in highly skilled subsectors like subsea installation, geophysical analysis and engineering.

Senior Petroleum Coordinator at the Ministry of Natural Resources, Bobby Gossai Jr.

Fire ravages Eldorado Trading, damage two other buildings

THE Guyana Fire Service (GFS), on Thursday afternoon, managed to extinguish a fire, which destroyed the building housing Eldorado Trading and damaged two others.

The Guyana Chronicle was told that the fire service was alerted to the fire at the Lot 63 Da Silva Street, Newtown, Kitty business just after 17:00 hours. The response was immediate and the firefighters were able to contain the blaze.

When this publication arrived at the scene, the top half of the wooden

and concrete structure was ablaze and the fire had already spread to the houses at Lots 71 and 76.

Two fire tenders were on the scene.

Owner of Eldorado Trading, Tamesh Jagmohan, told this publication that a neighbour brought the fire to his attention and contact was made with the GFS.

He could not say what could have caused the fire.

There were no reports of injuries.

Investigations into the origin of the fire are ongoing.

Linden Town Council opens bids for several developmental projects

THE Linden Mayor and Town Council has officially opened bids for the execution of several developmental projects.

According to the Invitation to Bids (IFB), which was issued by the organisation, eligible bidders are being sought to restore several entities.

Bids for the project are to be submitted by July 17, 2023, to the Town Clerk at the Mayor and Town Council.

The IFB stated that the following works are to be executed: The preparation & development of mar-

ket spaces within three communities, the upgrading of town hall roof, the upgrading of municipal market and the upgrading of the Christiansburg cemetery.

It was also stated that bid proposals are to be accompanied by a valid business registration and certificates of compliance issued by the commissioner of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and General Manager National Insurance Scheme (NIS).

These Japheth Savory photos capture firefighting efforts and the raging fire

Trafalgar/Union CDC seeks government’s intervention to resolve land, other issues

A GROUP of farmers who reside in the Trafalgar/Union area, and are members of

the Trafalgar/Union Community Development Council (CDC) are seeking the inter-

vention of the government to reclaim lands they said were illegally taken away from them.

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha and Minister of Public Service Sonia Parag met with the farmers to dis-

cuss some of the issues they are facing, with the most urgent of them being a land issue.

Prior to Thursday’s

denying members of the Trafalgar/Union CDC access to those lands.

“I have two members here. After the Local

meeting, the group met with Vice-President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo to discuss the matter.

According to the CDC’s representative, Lloyda Angus, the land which falls under the control of the Mahaica Mahaicony-Abary Agriculture Development Authority (MMA-ADA) was initially leased to the Trafalgar/Union CDC.

She said that under the previous APNU+AFC government, the then Neighborhood Development Council (NDC) chose not to recognise the established CDC, after which another CDC, the Trafalgar/Tempe CDC was formed.

This new CDC, Angus said, permitted the NDC to erect houses on the land under dispute, although the lease which was issued by the MMA listed the Trafalgar/Union CDC as the lessee. She also told the minister that members of the current NDC are

Government Elections, when they went to the lands, the NDC saying it is their time now and are bullying the people,” Angus said.

After listening to the issue, Minister Mustapha said that the matter was very disturbing, and that since the issue needs legal attention, the ministry would have to engage the Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall on it.

In addition to land issues, Minister Mustapha also committed to assisting the farmers with pursuing their agricultural activities. He said that a team from the Fisheries Department will visit the area to determine the feasibility of developing infrastructure for aquaculture.

Minister Mustapha also said he would visit the area to further discuss how the government could assist with developing agriculture there.

Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha and Minister of Public Service Sonia Parag reviewing documents submitted by the CDC in the presence of the MMA General Manager and other ministry officials

Members of the Trafalgar/Union CDC who attended the meeting

Bar Association mourns the passing of Senior Counsel Ashton Chase

The following is the full text of a statement from the Bar Council of the Bar Association of Guyana on the passing of Mr. Ashton Chase, OE, SC: THE Bar Council of the Bar Association of Guyana notes the passing of Ashton Chase, OE, SC, on July 10, 2023 with deep regret.

Mr. Chase, the Father of Labour and Industrial Relations Law in Guyana, was as a politician, a Barrister-at-Law, an Attorney-at-Law, as well as a prolific author.

As the first Minister of Labour, Industry and Commerce appointed in 1953 at the age of 28, after universal adult suffrage was granted by the colonial government, Mr. Chase was responsible for piloting legislation permitting the recognition of trade unions on the basis of a majority vote among employees.

The Bill was one of the reasons the colonial government decided to suspend the Constitution in 1953.

This groundbreaking legislation was put on hold until 1997, bringing the freedom to choose their own representation to workers across Guyana.

During his long and distinguished career as an Attorney-at-Law, Mr. Chase wrote extensively on industrial relations, labour and employment law, publishing several books in the field, such as The Law of Workmen’s Compensation (1963), A History of Trade Unionism in Guyana (1966), Industrial Law (1974), Trade Union Law in the Caribbean (1976), and Industrial Relations (1981).

Mr. Chase appeared in dozens of cases which are now reported in the West Indian Reports, six of which were also reported in the Law Reports of the Commonwealth, and many more which are reported in the Law Reports of British Guiana and the Guyana Law Reports.

Among the notable cases in which Mr. Chase appeared

during his career were Peter Persaud v. Pln. Versailles (1970), in which the law of unjust enrichment was accepted twenty-one years before its acceptance in En-

gland; Albert Shanks v. Continental Biscuit Company (1977), the landmark case on wrongful dismissal coming out of Guyanese courts; Guyana Sugar Corporation

v. Seeram Teemal (1983) on the inability of an employer to unilaterally vary the terms of a contract of employment; Sheik Mazahudin v. Guyana Sugar Corporation Ltd. (1984), another important case on the principles of wrongful dismissal; Ali v. Teaching Services Commission (1993) on the ineffectiveness of restrictions on the right to seek redress for breaches of constitutional rights; Attorney General v. Mohamed Alli (1989) where legislation was invalidated for unconstitutionality because the legitimate expectation of trade unions to be consulted before it was passed was not met; and Attorney General v. Caterpillar Americas (2000) on the application of the principle of eminent domain in Guyana.

Mr. Chase, who was born on 18 July 1926, read law at Gray’s Inn in England and was called to the Bar in 1957. He served as President of the Senate between 1961

and 1964.

Mr. Chase further served several stints as President of the Bar Association of Guyana with distinction in its most vibrant years in the 1980s and 1990s. The service of Mr. Chase extended beyond the shores of Guyana, to the wider Caribbean as Chairman of the Council of Legal Education (CLE), the governing body of the law schools in the Caribbean from 1992 to 1998.

Mr. Chase has the distinct honour of being the only Guyanese to so serve as Chairman of the CLE. In 1985, for his distinguished service in the law, he was, deservingly appointed Senior Counsel.

The Bar Council expresses its deepest condolences to his wife, Mrs. Deborah Chase, and to his children, Dr. Ronald Chase, Serita Chase, and former President of the Bar Association Pauline Chase.

Mr. Ashton Chase, OE, SC

Texila American University achieves second international accreditation

TEXILA American University (TAU) has announced its dual accreditation from the Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Education in Medicine and Other Health Professions (CAAM-HP), and the Accreditation Commission on Colleges of Medicine (ACCM) in a single year.

The CAAM-HP and ACCM are renowned accreditation bodies for their rigorous evaluation processes, ensuring that medical schools meet and exceed global standards in areas such as curriculum, faculty qualifications, facilities, and student outcomes.

The accreditation process involved a comprehensive assessment of TAU's medical programme, including curriculum design, faculty qualifications, research opportunities, clinical training facilities, and student achievements.

This remarkable achievement demonstrates TAU’s dedication to delivering unparalleled medical education, solidifying its position as a preeminent institution in the field.

Saju Bhaskar, President of Texila American University, expressed his thoughts

on the accreditation, saying: “Earning accreditation from ACCM required leadership and support from the executive team, medical faculty, and staff. Their combined efforts exemplify teamwork and commitment, which have been hallmarks of all our medical programmes throughout the years.”

Chithra Saju, the University’s Executive Vice President, added: “We are proud to achieve this goal, and look forward to working with our faculty, staff, and community partners to strengthen our

Furthermore, this accreditation serves as a catalyst for fostering collaborations, research partnerships, and exchange programmes with acclaimed medical institutions across the globe.

“As TAU continues its journey, we are committed to continuously improving our academic offerings, promoting research and innovation, and actively engaging the community to empower students to excel.

“Our faculty consists of seasoned professionals who are passionate about

academic programme for the benefit of the local community, region, and the world.”

Saju said that through the accreditation, not only has the university met specific standards of excellence, but it will also continue to deliver the highest quality of education to its students.

Dual accreditation offers a multitude of advantages to students and graduates of TAU, including enhanced recognition and opportunities.

Graduates also gain the confidence and competitive edge needed to pursue residency and fellowship programmes, both on a local and global scale.

imparting knowledge and guiding students on their transformative journey towards becoming competent and compassionate healthcare practitioners,” the university said.

It went on to say: “TAU offers a comprehensive Doctor of Medicine (MD) programme, aimed at cultivating the next generation of healthcare professionals. By cultivating a culture of compassion, TAU strives to empower its graduates to make substantial contributions to healthcare, thereby enhancing the well-being of individuals and communities worldwide.”

Texila American University Guyana

Guyana’s rice industry shows promising yields

WITH Guyana’s rice yield increasing rapidly, the industry is projected to grow by 79 per cent by the year 2025.

This was, on Wednesday, revealed by President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, during a press conference on Wednesday.

He said that the rice industry accounts for approximately 60 per cent of the country’s agricultural exports.

“We are working now on expanding our rice production. We had [a] record production of rice grains from 559,789 tonnes in 2021 to 625,092 tonnes so far, a 12 per cent increase,” the Head of State said.

Over the past four years the country has seen a five per cent increase in its yield.

“Rice yield has increased from 5.9 tonnes per hectare in 2019 to

6.2 metric tonnes per hectare in 2023; a five per cent growth. We are projecting rice production to grow by 79 per cent to one million metric tonnes in 2025,” Dr. Ali said.

While the government has been pushing for the diversification of the agriculture sector, rice remains the country’s leading agricultural exports, with statistics from 2020 to 2023 depicting production at 1.7 million metric tonnes, valued at US$743 million.

Back in November 2020, just months after assuming office, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha launched a new high-yielding variety of rice, called GRDB16.

The variety of rice was marketed to have the potential to produce up to 60 bags per acre,

which is equivalent to an average of nine tonnes per hectare.

At the launch, Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) Chief Scientist, Dr. Mahendra Persaud, said that with the new variety, Guyana’s rice production levels will increase tremendously.

He related that Guyana is part of a small group of rice producers, who could produce over six tonnes per hectare.

“I would like to see our productivity increasing constantly, hopefully achieving seven tonnes per hectare in the coming years. This candidate variety that we are launching today has demonstrated a good partnership between the researcher and the farmer, because without the farmers we couldn’t have achieved the type of results that we have

- sector expected to grow by 70 per cent by 2025

today,” Dr. Persaud said. He said that new varieties were needed in order to improve the production levels of the

2019 — at the farm level. This, Dr. Persaud said, illustrates that farmers and the research station have been work-

previous one. To date, GRDB has released nine varieties, each variety having higher yields than previously released

farmers. According to the scientist, there has been a 50 per cent increase in production — from four tonnes per hectare in 2005 to six tonnes per hectare in

ing adequately.

For the past 15 years, GRDB has been releasing new varieties of rice to farmers, each demonstrating improved characteristics over the

ones.

And, according to information provided by the Ministry of Agriculture, trials are ongoing for a new bio fortified variety of rice.

EU aims for renewed political partnership with Caribbean, Latin America — at third meeting between the bloc and CELAC

By Shamar Meusa

THE third meeting of the European Union (EU) and Community of Latin American and Caribbean states (CELAC), which is set to take place next Monday and Tuesday in Brussels, is set to focus on igniting a renewed political partnership between the two regions

This was according to the European Union’s Ambassador to Guyana, Rene Van Ness, during an interview with reporters, on Thursday.

This summit, Van Ness said, will be attended by Heads of Government of the European Union and Latin America and Caribbean Countries, including President, Dr. Irfaan Ali.

The meeting is expected to be significant, since the last meeting of this kind was held eight years ago, and it has been quite some time since both sides have spoken at that level.

Among the main objectives of this meeting, Van Ness related, is to foster a renewed political partnership between the two regions.

“Can we agree with each other that we will have, on a regular basis, a frank exchange to talk about these issues and that we have a real political partnership,” he said.

He went on to add that this is not the EU telling the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries what to do, but for the EU and LAC to come up with common solutions for the common problems

that they share.

“So, it’s a political partnership and that is really where you recognise that you are equal partners at the table and not one talking to the other but with each other,” Van Ness said.

The summit, he added, will be seen as the starting point of this effort, since there is a real intention to continue and strengthen the existing partnership and continue that dialogue.

There are also other objectives which include strengthening trade between the two regions.

He said: “There’s a few other deliverables that they hope to achieve; we talked about trade and some of the regression in globalisation, so strengthening [the] EU-LAC trade agen-

da is definitely one of the objectives.”

While trade and strengthening the partnership stand as part of key objectives of the upcoming summit, Van Ness said climate change and other issues are also expected to be discussed to reach positive solutions.

He went on to add that climate change is a challenge that affects all countries. The ambassador mentioned that a heatwave is sweeping the South of Europe, and Guyana anticipates El Nino in 2024.

Van Ness said that this is a problem that each state cannot just solve on its own, but has to be done together once there is a recognition that this is a common challenge.

EU Ambassador to Guyana, Rene Van Ness (Shamar Meusa photo)

Portrait of Eddy Grant among artwork on Trans Guyana Airways planes

TALENTED indigenous artist, Ransford Simon, has painted the portrait of the famous Guyanese singer and songwriter, Eddy Grant, on the tail of a Trans Guyana Airways plane.

Grant, a Plaisance-native, recently made this disclosure and shared some photographs of the finished work on his Facebook page.

“Trans Guyana Airways has commissioned my portrait on one of their planes. The talented artist from Guyana who made this happen is Ransford Simon. Thank you Trans Guyana Airways. Thank you Ransford for doing a great job,” he said.

Hector

The portrait is one of several paintings Simon did for Trans Guyana.

The local airline announced last month that it had teamed up with Simon to “add a touch of beauty and culture to their Beech-

craft 8R-EAR and Caravan 8R-GAE.”

It had explained that it was a great opportunity to showcase the “amazing” talent that exists in Guyana and to celebrate the country's rich culture and heritage.

The other paintings include an indigenous person holding a bow and arrow, a bird and a fish.

Eddy Grant who has amassed a sizeable following across the globe, released 15 studio albums, 13 compilation albums and 19 singles.

His album “Killer on the Rampage” peaked at Number 10 on the Billboard 200 chart in the United States of America and was certified as gold. His single “Electric Avenue”

received Platinum accreditations and “I don’t wanna dance” topped the charts in five countries including Belgium, Ireland and the United Kingdom. In 2000, his Ring Bang remix of “Electric Avenue” reached Number Five on the UK Singles Chart.

A superstar and ambassador in the performing arts, some of his other popular hits include, “Mash in Guyana”, “Gimme Hope Jo’Anna”, “Living on the Frontline”,

“Romancing the Stone” and “Walking on Sunshine”. Meanwhile, Simon, over the years, has been publically recognised for his creativity. Born in Region Nine, he developed a passion for drawing and painting at a young age.

A product of the E.R. Burrowes School of Art, Simon has produced some unique pieces that are breathtaking and reflect the work of a creative genius.

'Roots' Lewis makes acting debut in Marley biopic

HECTOR Donald Lewis can now officially add another title to his multihyphenate career — actor.

The dynamic Jamaican performer has made his acting debut during a teaser appearance in the official trailer released by Paramount Pictures for the highly anticipated biopic Bob Marley: One Love.

The film stars Kingsley Ben-Adir as the iconic singer and activist, while

Lashana Lynch plays his wife, Rita Marley. Lewis plays the role of Jamaican Musician Carlton "Carly" Barrett, the long-time drummer for Bob Marley and The Wailers.

Produced in partnership with the Marley family, the movie "celebrates the life and music of an icon who inspired generations through his message of love and unity".

Shocking his fans across his social media

In this photograph which was among several posted on Eddy Grant’s Facebook page, a smiling Ransford Simon stands proudly next to the finished portrait (Eddy Grant photo)

Ransford Simon

HECTOR Donald Lewis

Margot Robbie 'shocked' by fan fervour before 'Barbie' film release

"BARBIE" actress, Margot Robbie, said she was bewildered by the love fans are showing for the movie before its worldwide release in cinemas next week.

The lead star and producer of the hotly-anticipated film about the Mattel doll has been promoting it around the world dressed in outfits that pay homage to Barbie's closet.

"I knew how excited we felt about sharing this movie and I had hoped that other people would feel that excitement too but it's kind of come back at us with so much enthusiasm and excitement, I'm even shocked, very shocked," Robbie told Reuters at the film's world premiere in Los Angeles on Sunday.

The movie shows Barbie living her idyllic life in Barbie World alongside her

beau Ken, played by Ryan Gosling, until one day, she starts having dark thoughts and flat feet.

She discovers that whoever was playing with the doll in the real world was causing the changes, so Barbie and Ken decide to enter reality to fix the situation - only to learn more about themselves.

"Over the decades, Barbie's been ahead of her time but she's also been behind the times and she's been seen as ditsy, she's been seen as a tool to regress feminism,"

actress Issa Rae, who plays President Barbie, said.

"There's so many things that have been placed upon Barbie and I hope, after this, people use Barbie to examine themselves and their place in the world."

The film's trailer says

"Barbie" is for those who love her and those who hate her.

"This movie is like an amusement park. There's a different ride for everyone so I think everyone can have their own experience and that's the beauty of it," Gosling said.

"Barbie" features dolls of all sizes, ethnicities and professions. Director Greta Gerwig said she wanted each Barbie to stand out.

"We wanted ... each one of them to be a superstar, like when you get a perfect Barbie or Ken in a box and they're in their own perfect superstar show so ... we'd always light each person individually perfectly for every shot because everyone is in their own spotlight," she said. (Reuters)

Hector 'Roots' Lewis...

From page 20

platforms with the major announcement, Lewis — who is also a singer and songwriter and the son of iconic Jamaican singer Barbara Jones — said: "To be a part of this official biopic for the great Bob Marley is an honour and a joy… a dream come true… another big stepping stone that represents

the people of Jamaica."

He ended his post by thanking the community that "believed in di I" as he welcomed this new professional chapter.

Producers on the film include Robert Teitel, Brad Pitt, Jeremy Kleiner, Dede Gardner, Ziggy Marley, Rita Marley, and Cedella Marley. Executive producers include Richard Hewitt, Orly Marley and

Matt Solodky.

The movie is directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green, who made his directorial debut with King Richard. Zach Baylin, the screenplay writer for King Richard, wrote the script for the Marley film.

Bob Marley: One Love is set to ‘hit’ cinemas January 12, 2024. (Jamaica Observer)

Margot Robbie poses on the pink carpet for the world premiere of the film "Barbie" in Los Angeles, California, U.S. on July 9, 2023 REUTERS/Mike Blake

HBO's 'Succession,' 'Last of Us' lead nominees for TV's Emmy awards

HBO drama "Succession," the story of a cutthroat fight for control of a family's media empire, led the nominees for tele-

vision's Emmy awards on Wednesday with 27 nods for the show's final season.

Nominations for the highest honours in tele -

vision were announced as Hollywood was in the throes of labour tensions that may delay the Emmys ceremony beyond its nor-

mal September date. Film and TV writers walked off the job two months ago, and actors may strike as early as Wednesday evening.

When the Emmys do take place, two-time best drama winner "Succession" will vie for the trophy again alongside fellow HBO show "The Last of Us," a dystopian video-game adaptation that landed a second-best 24 Emmy nominations.

"Thank you to the Television Academy for sending us off in such style," said "Succession" supporting actor nominee, Alan Ruck. The show about the dysfunctional Roy family ended its four-season run in May.

Others competing for best drama included HBO's "Game of Thrones" prequel "House of the Dragon," vacation-gone-wrong story "The White Lotus and "Star Wars" series "Andor." Previous nominees "Better Call Saul," "Yellowjackets" and "The Crown" are also in the mix.

"Ted Lasso," another double Emmy winner for best series, will compete for best comedy against "Abbott Elementary," "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," "The Bear, "Barry," "Jury Duty," "Only Murders in the Building" and "Wednesday."

"Lasso" was the most-nominated comedy with 21 nods.

For limited series, the list includes Netflix's "Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story" and "Beef" as well as "Obi-

Wan Kenobi" on Disney+.

"The White Lotus" won the category last year but this year was moved to the drama race.

HBO, a unit of Warner Bros Discovery (WBD.O), outpaced all networks with 127 total nominations. Netflix landed 103 nods.

In acting categories, "Succession" patriarch Brian Cox will compete with two of his warring TV sons - Jeremy Strong and Kieran Culkin - for best drama actor. Sarah Snook, another Roy sibling, is considered the favourite to win best drama actress.

Previous Emmy winner, Jason Sudeikis, co-creator and star of "Ted Lasso," was nominated for best comedy actor for the third season of the fish-out-of-water story on Apple (AAPL.O) TV+.

First-time nominees Jeremy Allen White of "The Bear" and Jason Segel of "Shrinking" are also among those who will compete for best comedy actor.

In the comedy actress category, voters nominated "Mrs. Maisel" star, Rachel Brosnahan; "Abbott Elementary" creator and star, Quinta Brunson; "Dead to Me" actress Christina Applegate; Natasha Lyonne for her starring role in "Poker Face" and Jenna Ortega of "Wednesday."

"As a person who just wanted to make a TV show, this will never stop being amazing," Brunson said on Twitter.

The nominations featured some notable strides on diversity, said Clayton

Davis, senior awards editor at Variety. "Last of Us" star Pedro Pascal became the second Latino in history nominated for best drama actor. The first was Jimmy Smits, who was nominated five times in the 1990s for his role on "NYPD Blue."

Black women received the most nominations ever in a single category, Davis said, with Janelle James and Sheryl Lee Ralph of "Abbott Elementary," Ayo Edebiri of "The Bear" and Jessica Williams of "Shrinking" in the running for best supporting actress in a comedy.

Winners will be chosen by the roughly 20,000 members of the Television Academy.

Voters passed over the popular Western drama "Yellowstone" and spinoff "1923." They also left out Harrison Ford, who played acclaimed roles in "1923" and "Shrinking."

As of Wednesday, the Emmys ceremony was scheduled to take place on Sept. 18 and air live on the Fox (FOXA.O) broadcast network. Organizers will decide closer to that date on whether to reschedule, an academy spokesperson said.

"We hope the ongoing guild negotiations can come to an equitable and swift resolution," Frank Scherma, chairman and CEO of the Television Academy, said at the start of the nominations announcement. (Reuters)

The cast of "Succession" receives the award for Outstanding Performance by Ensemble in a Drama Series at the 28th Screen Actors Guild Awards, in Santa Monica, California, on February 27, 2022 (REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni/File Photo)

More than 1M attended live music events in London in one week

SOLD-OUT arena gigs and smaller venues brought more than £320 million to the capital in ticket sales and secondary spending, according to the Music Venues Trust.

They included the British Summer Time Festival in Hyde Park and Greenwich Summer Sounds to performances by Maroon 5, the Weeknd, Blur and The 1975.

"Music is the glue that binds London together," said Music Venue Trust's Beverley Whitrick.

The capital has seen a revival of gigs, concerts and festivals post pandemic, with names including Beyoncé, Lana Del Rey, Harry Styles, Bruce Springsteen, Blur,

The Weeknd, Ice Spice and Travis Scott performing this summer.

The Music Venues Trust and Mayor's Office estimated that more than 1 million people would have seen live music in the capital last week.

More than 80,000 people a night packed out Wembley Stadium to see Blur, Mötley Crüe and Def Leppard.

The Weeknd sold out the London Stadium with 50,000 people a night and The British Summer Time festival saw 60,000 people a day visit Hyde Park to hear Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel.

This month also marks the 20th anniversary of the Somerset House Summer Series, which featured sold-out

performances from Gabriels, Interpol and Alison Goldfrapp last weekend.

And Busted, Bebe Rexha and Blink 182 are set to perform over the next few weeks.

Sadiq Khan called London the "undisputed world leader in live music".

He added: "London has been abuzz with excitement over the last week, and given everything that happened during the pandemic, it's genuinely fantastic that over [a] million people were able to see brilliant live music last week."

He encouraged Londoners to support grassroot venues that help "London's talent to thrive". (BBC)

Australians set new world record with Tina Turner dance

THOUSANDS have come together to dance to the song ‘Nutbush City Limits’ in tribute to late singer, Tina Turner, at Australia's most remote music festival, the Big Red Bash.

5,838 participants danced for five minutes to set a new record for the largest Nutbush dance in the world, as adjudicated by the Australian Book of Records.

The ‘Nutbush’ has been dubbed Australia's unofficial national dance and is often performed in Australian schools, weddings and gatherings. (BBC)

Almost 6,000 people took to the dusty dance floor at the Birdsville Big Red Bash to break the world record for the number of people doing the Nutbush (Matt William photo)

Beyoncé's Renaissance world tour spent five nights at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (PA Media)

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER

(Friday July 14, 2023)

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

Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) Alick Athanaze

(2) Yashasvi Jaiswal & Ishan Kishan

Today’s Quiz:

(1) Which WI has played most Test matches against India to date?

(2) Which Indian has contested most Test matches against the WI to date?

Answers in

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Jabeur fights back to beat Sabalenka and reach Wimbledon final

ONS Jabeur produced a superb comeback to beat Aryna Sabalenka and set up a Wimbledon women's singles final against unseeded Czech Marketa Vondrousova.

Jabeur's hopes were slipping away at a set and 4-2 behind but she rode a wave of momentum and raucous support to win 6-7 (5-7) 6-4 6-3 and reach a second successive final at the Championships.

It means there will be a new Wimbledon and Grand Slam champion on Saturday.

Vondrousova ended Ukrainian Elina Svitolina's run by winning 6-3 6-3.

She is the first unseeded player to reach the Wimbledon women's singles final in the Open era.

Tunisia's Jabeur, the sixth seed, was beaten in last year's final by Elena Rybakina and was wildly supported by the Centre Court crowd throughout one of the best matches of the tournament so far.

"Thank you to the crowd that kept me in the match," Jabeur said in her on-court interview.

"Thank you very much for believing in me.

"I'm working a lot with my mental coach about this. I might be writing a book about it!"

Crowd favourite Jabeur turns it around

The charismatic Jabeur, bidding to become the first African and Arab woman to be a Slam singles champion, gained a large following at SW19 on her run to last year's final.

That support was much needed as she fought back from the brink against the world number two.

Jabeur, who beat Rybakina in the previous round, had made most of the running in the first set, repeatedly applying pressure in Sabalenka service games - staying silent and composed as her opponent's shrieks echoed around under the roof.

But from 4-2 in the firstset tie-break a flurry of untimely errors from the Tunisian allowed Australian Open champion Sabalenka to take the opener.

Jabeur was visibly deflated at the start of the second and at 2-2, a forehand error and a double fault gifted the Belarusian a break of serve, despite the crowd's best efforts to lift their player.

Little reward for Windies as Jaiswal and...

From page 32

after experiencing discomfort in his chest.

With the match slipping away, Jabeur came out on the wrong side of two gruelling points - the second of which left her flat on her back on the grass in disappointmentbut she still managed to break back to level.

From 4-4 she won the next two games, the set sealed with a stunning backhand return winner after which she cupped her ear to a roaring crowd.

With the momentum behind her, Jabeur broke for 4-2 in the decider, despite two huge forehands from Sabalenka almost allowing her to wriggle free.

Two games later, Sabalenka saved match points with big serving but on her own serve, having seen two more chances slip away, Jabeur served an ace of her own to seal the win.

"It was very difficult with her shots and her serves," Jabeur said.

"I'm very proud of myself because maybe the old me would have lost this match today and I would've been back home already.

Vondrousova ends Svitolina's stunning run

Recent history has provided a number of shock Grand Slam finalists in the women's singles, but Vondrousova's progress is probably the biggest Wimbledon surprise since Eugenie Bouchard reached the 2014 final.

Vondrousova, ranked 42nd in the world, admitted before the semi-final she "never thought" she could do well on grass.

Clay courts have long been considered the Czech's best surface and she reached the French Open final as a 19-year-old in 2019, losing on the red dirt to Australia's Ashleigh Barty.

Since that Roland Garros final she has not gone past the last 16 at a Grand Slam

and has had two wrist surgeries, the latest of which kept her out until last October.

"I didn't play for six months last year and you never know if you can be at that level again," Vondrousova said.

"I'm so grateful to be here, be healthy and be playing tennis again."

Vondrousova has grown in belief during the grasscourt major, cleaning out four seeded opponents before facing former world number three Svitolina.

That confidence was illustrated as she started strongly. Vondrousova targeted Svitolina's backhand and reaped the rewards with two breaks of serve in a run of three games against serve to lead 4-3.

Vondrousova's loopier forehand caused problems for Svitolina, who hits a flatter ball, and greater consistency from the baseline enabled her to break again in the ninth game to seal the set.

The run of Svitolina has been one of the storylines of the fortnight.

Not only is she coming back from giving birth to daughter Skai in October, the Ukrainian is also dealing with the emotional aspect of the war back home, which she says she has used as added motivation to win matches.

As usual, Svitolina showed her determination and will to win even when she fell 4-0 down in the second set and the match looked to be quickly running away from her.

But she clawed back one break - and then the otherproviding herself with hope of a remarkable comeback. However, Vondrousova managed to recover from her edginess to break again and held her nerve in a tense service game to secure victory.

Outside of the last 15 minutes before tea when they snared Sharma and Shubman Gill, things looked practically hopeless for the home team for most of the day, and there are signs that more of the same will come on the third day on Friday with batting maestro Virat Kohli not out on 36.

“I thought it was a tough day,” West Indies bowling coach Kenny Benjamin said. “I believe we started well. We didn’t let them get away. We kept the scoring rate down to under three an over, and I believe we bowled some deliveries that I believe we could have gotten a couple of wickets.

“Things didn’t really go our way, but I believe all in all, we stopped stuck with it, even though that we only picked up two wickets. They didn’t score a lot of runs. The run rate was quite good, and I was quite satisfied that though it was a hard day, but I believe the guys stuck to their guns.”

West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite used nine bowlers, after India continued from their overnight total of 80 without loss, and Jaiswal and Sharma filled their trough, putting on 229 for the first wicket, the highest opening stand for any Indian team playing outside of the Asian sub-continent.

Jaiswal swept his 215th ball, the first of the third over from hometown boy Alick Athanaze, to fine leg for a single to reach his hundred, and Sharma played a trademark cover drive to his 220th ball for his 10th four off the same bowler six overs later to reach only his second hundred in 27 Tests away from home.

Off the next ball, Shar-

ma gloved Athanaze, playing in his debut Test, and alert wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva caught the rebound after he ran around the batsman to give the part-time off-spinner his first Test wicket, a dismiss-

Earlier, West Indies endured a fruitless toil before lunch, and India were within reach of taking first innings lead on 146 without loss, replying to the West Indies first innings total of 150.

A. Rahane, R. Jadeja, +Ishan Kishan, R. Ashwin, S. Thakur, J. Unadkat, Mohammed Siraj to bat.

Fall of wickets: 1-229 (Sharma), 2-240 (Shubman Gill).

Bowling: Roach 16-3-38-0; Joseph 14-1-65-0 (w5); Cornwall 11-3-22-0; Warrican 34-3-82-1; Holder 14-5-28-0; Brathwaite 6-0-12-0; Athanaze 13-2-33-1; Reifer 3-0-9-0; Blackwood 2-0-4-0.

Position: India lead by 162 with all eight first innings wickets standing.

Umpires: Michael Gough (England), Richard Kettleborough (England).

TV umpire: Marais Erasmus (South Africa).

Match referee: Jeff Crowe (New Zealand). Reserve umpire: Nigel Duguid.

al that West Indies successfully reviewed to confirm.

The decision of Gill to drop down the order to No. 3 did not bear fruit at the first time of asking when he was caught at second slip – by Athanaze – three overs later off left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican, enabling the Caribbean side to sip tea in a slightly better frame of mind.

For the rest of the day, West Indies searched for another breakthrough and delayed taking the second new ball until the 101st over.

They wasted two reviews on Kohli, and when pacer Kemar Roach had an lbw appeal against Jaiswal turned down late in the day by umpire Richard Kettleborough that ball tracking technology suggested may have reaped them another success, they were none left to use, and the Indian pair added 72 unbroken before stumps.

West Indies bowled tighter than they did the previous evening, conceding their first boundary of the day in the 10th over of the session when Jaiswal pulled fast bowler Alzarri Joseph for his seventh four to reach 50 from 104 balls and give India their first century opening stand in 23 innings spanning in two years.

Cornwall created a few anxious moments for both batsmen, extracting sharp turn from the surface, but Sharma took a single off him to reach 50 from 106 balls shortly after the refreshments break.

The departure of Cornwall left a gaping hole in the Caribbean side’s attack that no one could adequately fill, and any pressure he created soon evaporated, and Jaiswal and Sharma took the opportunity to push the scoring along either side of lunch.

Tunisia's Ons Jabeur celebrates in women's singles semi-final against Aryna Sabalenka(AFP)

United States great Megan Rapinoe to retire at end of 2023 season

United States forward Megan Rapinoe has called time on her career.

Rapinoe, 38, helped the USA win the last two World Cups as well as a gold medal at the London Olympics in 2012.

Following the upcoming World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, Rapinoe will play out the 2023 National Women's Soccer League campaign at long-time club OL Reign before hanging up her boots.

"I've been able to have such an incredible career and this game has brought me all over the world and allowed me to meet so many amazing people," Rapinoe said on ussoccer.com.

"I feel incredibly grateful to have played as long as I have, to be as successful as we've been, and to have been a part of a generation

of players who undoubtedly left the game better than they found it.

"To be able to play one last World Cup and one last NWSL season and go out on my own terms is incredibly special.

"I want to thank my family for being by my side all these years. Thanks to all my team-mates and coaches all

the way back to my first days in Redding, on to college at the University of Portland and of course thanks to US Soccer, the Seattle Reign and especially (my partner) Sue (Bird), for everything.

"I will forever cherish the friendships and support over the years in this game and I am beyond excited for one last ride with the national

team and the Reign."

Rapinoe, who won the Best FIFA Women's Player award and the Ballon d'Or Feminin in 2019, is one of the most influential figures in the women's game, both on and off the pitch.

She is set for her 200th international cap against Wales in California on Sunday.

USA head coach Vlatko Andonovski said: "Megan Rapinoe is one of the most important players in women's soccer history and a personality like no other.

"She has produced so many memorable moments for her team and the fans on the field that will be remembered for a very long time, but her impact on people as a human being may be even more important."

IOC wants middle ground for Ukrainian,

Russian & Belarusian athletes

Allowing governments to decide which athletes can take part in competitions "would be the end of international sport as we know it", the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has warned.

The organisation says it "has found middle ground" for athletes from Ukraine, Russia and Belarus.

But the Russian and Ukrainian authorities have opposed its plans.

"It cannot be up to the governments to decide which athletes can take part," the IOC said.

The body updated its stance on Russian and Belarussian athletes in a document released on Thursday.

The IOC has been under pressure to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes from competing, even under a neutral flag, following the invasion of Ukraine.

In March it told sporting federations they should allow athletes from those countries to compete as neutrals.

With the 2024 Paris Olympics due to start in just over a year, the IOC is still fine tuning its stance on Russian and Belarussian athletes and said it has not made a

Jamaica win West Indies Men’s Rising Stars Under-19 50-over Tournament

…despite loss to Barbados, wins also for T&T, Windwards

OFF-spinner Saurav Worrell was the star of the show with a brilliant six-wicket haul as Barbados handed Jamaica their only defeat of the West Indies Men’s Rising Stars Under-19 50-over Tournament in St. Vincent & the Grenadines.

Worrell ripped through the Jamaican batting at Arnos Vale on Wednesday, finishing with figures of 6-28 off 20 overs, to restrict the Jamaicans to 106 all out to complete a 75-run win.

Captain Nathan Sealy also chipped in with 3-13 off 9.4 overs. Adrian Weir (33) and Brian Barnes (32) were the only Jamaican batsmen to score more than eight. Earlier, Joshua Dorne hit 64 and Zion Brathwaite hit 40 as Barbados posted 181 all out off 45 overs.

Michael Clarke took 4-34 to lead the Jamaicans with the ball and got good support from Deshawn James who took 3-32 off eight overs.

Jamaica, despite the defeat, finished the tournament top of the table with four wins out of five games.

The Windward Islands finished second after their third win in five games with a 56-run win over Guyana at the Park Hill Playing Field in Colonarie.

The Windwards posted a formidable 285-5 off their 50 overs batting first, the highest total in the tournament.

Divonie Joseph led the way with the first century of the Championship, an unbeaten 110 off 132 balls including nine fours and four sixes, while Tarrique Edward provided good support with 64.

Jonathan Rampersaud took 2-49 for Guyana.

final decision on their participation in next year's Games. However, it said the National Organising Committees of Russia and Belarus would play no part in the Games.

It stressed that allowing participation "works", highlighting several sports in which athletes from the warring nations had competed without problems - though some athletes have questioned this.

It also highlighted a ruling by the United Nations Human Rights Council, which advised that a blanket ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes would be discriminatory and a flagrant violation of human rights.

Wimbledon has also al-

lowed athletes from those two nations to compete over the past few weeks, although Victoria Azarenka, who holds a Belarusian passport, was booed off court by fans after losing to Ukraine's Elina Svitolina.

Ukraine's sports minister Vadym Guttsait has accused the IOC of "double standards" for suggesting Russian and Belarusian athletes could compete in Paris, while government minister Oleh Nemchinov announced in April that Ukrainian athletes should not be allowed to compete in qualifying events for the 2024 Paris Olympics if Russians are taking part.

The IOC criticised Ukraine for "depriving its

own athletes of their chance to qualify for the Olympic Games Paris 2024 and to make the Ukrainian people proud", and reiterated that point in its updated document.

"In such politicised sport, universal Olympic Games will no longer be possible," the IOC said.

It also criticised nations which supported the Ukrainian or Russian stances. The United Kingdom is among countries to have supported a ban on Russian athletes.

"The overwhelming majority of the world's athletes respect or support the IOC's approach," it added.(BBC Sport)

Rampersaud also showed good form with the bat, reaching 58* off 46 balls as Guyana reached 179-7 off 38.5 overs before rain ended proceedings with Guyana 56-runs short of where they needed to be.

Earlier, Mavendra Dindyal made 37 and Rampertab Ramnauth 33 as Edward ended with 4-40 from his 10 overs.

The day’s third match saw Trinidad & Tobago pull off a nail-biting three-wicket win over the Leeward Islands at Sion Hill.

The Leewards were bowled out for just 94 in 34.3 overs batting first. The bulk of the damage was done by Ronillster Perreira who took 4-21 from his 10 overs. Vasant Singh took 3-15 from eight overs in support. The Trinidadians then struggled to reach their target, eventually losing seven wickets on their way to 95 in 34.3 overs.

Kimani Nisbett and Michael Palmer took two wickets each for the Leewards.

All teams will now turn their attention to the threeday format starting tomorrow. (Sportmax).

United States legend Megan Rapinoe to retire at the end of the 2023 season

Ukrainian authorities have urged athletes to boycott events that involve Russian or Belarusian athletes

ICC announces equal prize money for men and women's World Cups

…The decision extends to Under-19 World Cups too; also, over-rate fines capped at 50% of match fee in WTC matches

GOING forward winning a World Cup in men's or women's cricket will come with the same prize money. In a massive leg-up for the women's game, the ICC announced equal prize money for both men's and women's events today, following its annual conference in Durban. The decision includes Under-19 World Cups too.

"This is a significant moment in the history of our sport, and I am delighted that men's and women's cricketers competing at ICC global events will now be rewarded equally," ICC chair Greg Barclay said. "Since 2017, we have increased prize money at women's events every year with a clear focus on reaching equal prize money and from here on in, winning the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup will carry the same prize money as winning the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup and the same for T20 World Cups and U-19s too."

Teams across men's and women's cricket will also receive the same amount for winning each game at corresponding World Cups, and

finishing runners-up, making the semi-finals and so on.

Australia, the winners of the Women's T20 World Cup earlier this year, had received US$ 1 million in prize money. England, who'd taken the equivalent men's title in November 2022, had won US$ 1.6 million in prize money.

Players won't lose 100% of match fee to slow over rates

The ICC also capped over-rate fines at 50% of players' match fees in the World Test Championship. Players will be fined 5% of

their fee for every over their team is short, up to 50%. The decision was taken by the ICC's Chief Executives' Committee (CEC).

"If a team is bowled out before the new ball is due at 80 overs, there will be no over-rate penalty applied even if there is a slow over rate. This replaces the current 60 over threshold," the ICC website said.

"The Men's Cricket Committee felt strongly that overrate penalties in the form of WTC points deductions should remain but recom -

Izagirre cruises to stage 12 win

Ion Izagirre soloed to victory on stage 12 of the Tour de France after launching a superb attack 31km from the finish in Belleville-en-Beaujolais.

The Spanish rider finished 58 seconds clear of Mathieu Burgaudeau and Matteo Jorgenson, who were second and third.

A chaotic and aggressive attacking stage saw a much-reduced peloton cross the line almost four minutes down.

Jonas Vingegaard maintained his 17-second advantage in the race for the overall leader's yellow jersey.

French rider Thibaut

Pinot moved into the top 10 of the general classification with a strong showing on the 168.8km route that took in five categorised climbs on the rolling hills between

Ben Cutting, Tristan Stubbs and Saim Ayub set for 2023 CPL season

the Loire and the Rhone. The stage always favoured the breakaway but it took nearly 90km before a 15-man group was able to establish a sizable advantage.

mended that players should not have 100% of their match fee at risk," Sourav Ganguly, who is chair of the Men's Cricket Committee and sits on the CEC, said. "We believe this provides a balance between maintaining overrates and ensuring we are not deterring players from playing Test cricket."

This rule will be retrospectively applied to the this WTC cycle, which started with an Ashes Test on June 16. (Cricinfo)

as Vingegaard retains lead

ing superbly to launch his stage-winning move.

"I was confident in my strength. I knew that if I earned enough lead, my adversaries wouldn't have me in sight and it would play in my favour," said the Cofidis rider, who has claimed four individual stage wins across cycling's three Grand Tours.

"I felt strong in the last kilometres. Many things went through my mind. It's all very emotional."

The 34-year-old Spaniard's triumph came 11 days after Victor Lafay claimed a first stage win in 15 years for the French team.

Dutch puncheur Mathieu van Der Poel attempted to make the first decisive move but was caught on the final climb of the Col de la Croix Rosier, with Izagirre then counter-

A short, brutal 137.8km stage awaits on Friday as the race enters the Jura Mountains for a summit finish on the fearsome Grand Colombier.

THREE teams have confirmed their fifth overseas player ahead of the 2023 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL).

Australian all-rounder Ben Cutting will be joining the Jamaica Tallawahs. Cutting has played at the CPL before with the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots in 2018. With experience in the best T20 leagues around the world he will bring power batting and skillful bowling to the Tallawahs line up.

Tristan Stubbs will be joining the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots. A powerful batter who has recently broken into the South African international team, Stubbs has experience of playing in T20 leagues in England, India and his native South Africa. This exciting talent will bring firepower to the Patriots team.

Saim Ayub will join the Guyana Amazon Warriors, an international batter for Pakistan in T20 International cricket. With a proven track record of success, he will be a real boost for the Amazon Warriors.

The Amazon Warriors have also announced that Rahmanullah Gurbaz will not be available for some of this year’s CPL due to international commitments. Gurbaz will be replaced by Pakistan international Mohammad Haris for that period. (Sportsmax).

Australia received US$ 1 million in prize money at the Women's T20 World Cup earlier this year (Getty Images)

Tour de France:

Ion Izagirre's only other stage win at the Tour came in 2016 in Morzine

Australia all-rounder Ben Cutting

National spots up for grabs at U-16 Boxing Championships

THE Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) will host the sixth Caribbean School Boys and Junior Boxing Championships from August 18-20.

The GBA begins a rigorous selection process to continue their dominance at the event by staging the monthly Under-16 Championships at the Andrew ‘Six Head’ Lewis Gym in Albouystown from Sunday.

Based on the results from the aforementioned tournament, boxers will be selected and subsequently encamped two

weeks before the prestigious regional championship, the only one of its kind in the Caribbean The competition, the brainchild of the incumbent GBA President, Steve Ninvalle, will be staged at the National Gymnasium, Mandela Avenue.

At the moment, the 2023 iteration has confirmed the participation of the largest contingent in the event’s burgeoning history, with confirmed representation emanating from the likes of Aruba, Barbados, Cayman Is -

lands, Grenada, Jamaica, St. Lucia, and The Bahamas. Guyana has emerged as the overall Champion County in each edition.

Similarly, to improve the quality of its training and preparatory apparatus, the GBA will conduct a Referees/Judges Training Seminar from August 14th-17th.

The yearly forum, which will be administered by Three Star Trainer James Beckles of Trinidad and Tobago, is being staged to sensitize and educate the respective participants on the

Surrey without spinner Sunil Narine for T20 Finals day because of MLC deal

Surrey will be without Sunil Narine for T20

Finals Day because of the West Indies spinner's commitments in Major League Cricket in the United States.

The 35-year-old took 20 wickets in 15 matches to help the south London club reach Saturday's event at Edgbaston.

He had been due to fly back to the UK after playing for the Los Angeles Knight Riders in the MLC opener.

"It's frustrating to lose a player of Sunil's quality at such late notice," said director of cricket Alec Stewart.

A statement on the club website said that Surrey had learned Narine would not be returning to join the club late on Wednesday.

He had initially been expected to play for LA Knight Riders against Texas Super Kings at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Texas on Thursday evening (01:30 BST on Friday) before flying back across the Atlantic to feature for

Surrey in Birmingham.

Stewart said the change of plans was "disappointing" as Surrey look to win the T20 Blast for the first time since their triumph in the inaugural competi-

he could be unavailable for Finals Day due to his pre-signed contract with the Knight Riders," Stewart added.

"However, all of the subsequent conversations with the various

new rule changes that have been implemented by the world governing

body, the International Boxing Association (IBA) to ensure uniformity and clarity.

“There is no obligation to or for success. In basic terminology, what was subsequently reaped is what was initially sowed. As such, the GBA has again demonstrated its visionary approach and aptitude for success by implementing programmes, policies, and initiatives that drive this empirical agenda and mandate”, Ninvalle stated.

“Unarguably, the Caribbean School Boys and

Junior Championships, a unique platform in the region, especially in the English-speaking strata, not only form but is the backbone of Guyana’s future in the discipline. It is our most important element in sustaining our dominance at the various levels in the region, and has effectively, evolved into the de facto World Championships of the region, something that the Guyanese public and sporting fraternity should be proud of.”

tion, then known as the T20 Cup, in 2003.

The Kia Oval outfit will face Somerset, who topped the South Group, in the second semi-final on Saturday (14:30 BST) after Essex take on Hampshire Hawks in the first lastfour tie.

"We were aware when we signed Sunil for the T20 Blast that

parties since he arrived for the group games and leading into this week were that we would have him back for Saturday.

"Sunil's absence now presents a great opportunity for another player to come into the team and make an impact at Edgbaston."(BBC Sport).

Wimbledon

2023: Elina Svitolina thanks Ukraine for ‘massive support’

By Jonathan JurejkoBBC Sport at Wimbledon

AN emotional Elina Svitolina thanked Ukrainians for providing "massive support" in her inspired Wimbledon run and admitted the ongoing war brought "a lot of responsibility and tension".

After losing to Marketa Vondrousova, she said Ukraine's attempts to repel Russia had given her extra motivation.

Tearing up after her loss, Svitolina said: "It's unbelievable. They have been there with me all the way.

"I hope Ukrainian people continue supporting me. It was really amazing."

Asked about the pressure she felt in the circumstances, the 28-year-old Ukrainian added: "For sure it's a big motivation, but it's a lot of responsibility, a lot of tension. I try to balance it as much as I can.

"Sometimes it gets maybe too much, but I don't want to take it as an excuse that I lost.

"I just hope that I'm going to get another chance."

Svitolina is one of Ukraine's most prominent athletes, using her position to raise funds and support for the nation's war effort

since Russia invaded in February 2022.

Heavy fighting continues with 26 drones shot down in the Kyiv region and near the sea port in Svitolina's home city of Odessa on Thursday night,

tennis and other sports as well, to have something different in their life, for them to set their dreams, to set their goals."

Svitolina said she was "really thankful" to the

according to Ukraine.

Despite a third night of attacks in a row on Kyiv, there was a big screen in the Ukrainian capital showing Svitolina's semi-final which attracted a crowd.

Asked if she felt the strength and weight of support from back home, Svitolina said: "For sure. For sure. Massive support. I got a lot of messages from different people.

"I'm really happy that it was live in Ukraine because it took some years to make this happen for Ukrainian people.

"I think it's really important for kids to watch

Wimbledon fans who supported her throughout a memorable run, also expressing gratitude to British people for "welcoming" Ukrainians who had fled here.

As well as coming against the backdrop of the conflict, Svitolina's run to a second Wimbledon semi-final came just nine months after she gave birth to her daughter Skai.

"I will be very happy [to see her]. It will be the best moment," added Svitolina, who is married to fellow tennis player Gael Monfils.(BBC Sport)

President of the Guyana Boxing Association, Steve Ninvalle

Sunil Narine (left) is Surrey’s leading wicket-taker in the T20 Blast this season, helping the side, led by Chris Jordan, reach the semi-finals

Ukranian Elina Svitolina

GCB Inter County 50-over U-17 tournament

Wilson leads Demerara to

By Sean Devers

IN sweltering heat at the Everest ground yesterday, defending champions Demerara were led by an entertaining 84 from Vickash Wilson to beat Berbice by five-wickets to earn their seventh consecutive GCB Inter County 50-over U-17 cricket tournament.

Wicket-keeper/batter

Wilson made 84 from 82 balls with 11 fours and three sixes while Nicolas Seepersaud hit 46 from 62 balls with five boundaries while tournament leading run-scorer Jonathan Van Lange hit three fours and

six in his 26 to take his run aggregate to 184 runs.

Sachin Balgobin chipped in with an unbeaten 22 while Ryan Latif made a carefully constructed 19 as Demerara, chasing the 214 all out in

7th

consecutive title

to convert their good starts into a big score.

Pacer Shane Prince, Alex Datterdeen and Nityanana Mathura took two wickets each for the home team.

the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with seven wickets.

47.4 overs, galloped to 217-5 with 4.1 overs to spare.

Berbice were earlier led by Rampertab Ramnauth with 66 from 93 balls with six fours and a six to follow up his 63 against

Mackenzie High beat Kwakwani Secondary to become Digicel U-18 Regional champions

the GCB’s Select X1, but although Kevin Kestin scored 38 and Romesh Bharrat made 37, none of the Berbicians were able

Wilson’s onslaught yesterday followed up scores of 50 against the GCB’s X1 and 34 against Essequibo to finish second to Van Lange in the run aggregate, with 168 runs and yesterday’s effort earned him the Man-ofthe-Match award.

Mathura, who ended yesterday’s contest with a cover boundary, was

In addition to exploits with the bat for Demerara, Wilson had six dismissals behind the stumps to take the award for most catches by a keeper.

The 16-year-old Van Lange, also a senior national table tennis player, scored the only century in the tournament (158) and took three wickets with his medium pace to take the awards for most runs, highest score and Most Valuable Player of the Tournament.

MVP’s Stephen Francis shuts door on possibility of Elaine Thompson-Herah’s return

IN an exclusive interview with Sportsmax.TV, MVP Track Club's iconic coach, Stephen Francis, has firmly closed the door on the possibility of five-time Olympic gold medalist Elaine Thompson-Herah returning to the club.

Thompson-Herah's career has faced a downward spiral since her departure in October 2021, and despite public opinion suggesting a reunion could revive her floundering fortunes, Francis emphatically stated that she would not be welcomed back. To be clear, despite her current struggles, Thompson-Herah has never publicly expressed any interest in returning to MVP.

Thompson-Herah's extraordinary accomplishments at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, where she secured the sprint double with record-breaking performances, solidified her status as one of the greatest sprinters in history. However, her decision to leave MVP Track Club shortly after her Olympic triumphs left many questioning her motives and the impact it would have on her career.

Explaining her departure back then, Thompson-Herah highlighted her desire for personal growth and the need to take charge of her own destiny. She expressed gratitude for the support she received in her earlier years but emphasized the importance of making choices that aligned with her best interests. "What I want for myself, to better myself, was not provided. So, I have to find ways to get it

done," she said, reflecting on her decision to move on.

Coach Stephen Francis, a renowned figure in the track and field world, responded to inquiries from Sportsmax.

TV about Thompson-Herah's potential return to MVP Track

know, I'm really grateful, we would have been fine. But right now I would take back any of my former athletes but not her, No," he emphasised.

The public had hoped that a reunion between Thompson-Herah and MVP Track

Club. His answer left no room for ambiguity. "No. The way she left and the comments that she made and the fact that she has yet to accredit any member of the MVP staff who paid her a lot of attention and went through a lot of sacrifice to get her healthy enough to run and to do what she did in 2021," Francis stated, clearly outlining his reasons for refusing her return.

Francis continued, expressing his disappointment that Thompson-Herah failed to acknowledge the efforts of the MVP staff, instead attributing her success solely to her husband and other factors. "She didn't say anything about that from MVP. No, that never sits well with us. Even if she had said, ‘Thanks, to MVP. You

Club would reignite the spark that had propelled her to Olympic glory. However, Francis's unwavering stance has shattered those hopes. With Thompson-Herah's career floundering in recent years, the absence of her former coach's guidance and support poses significant challenges for her future endeavors, especially in light of her recent signing with Puma.

Thompson-Herah now faces an uphill battle as she seeks to reclaim her position at the top of the sprinting world. Without the familiar structure of MVP Track Club and the guidance of Coach Francis, she will need to dig deep to find the motivation and resources necessary to revive her career.

(Sportsmax)

Demerara captured their 7th consecutive title at this level (Sean Devers photo)

Mackenzie High players celebrate after beating Kwakwani 4-0 in the Digicel Schools Under-18 Region 10 final

Coach Stephen Francis (left) and Elaine Thompson-Herah

Little reward for Windies as Jaiswal and Sharma hit centuries on second day

ROSEAU, Dominica, (CMC) – West Indies had little reward after enduring a long, hard grind, while the Indian opening pair of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rohit Sharma made merry and carved out monumental hundreds to put their side firmly in control of the first Test on Thursday in Dominica.

Jaiswal was undefeated at stumps on 143, becoming only the third Indian opener and their 17th batsman overall, to score a hundred on debut, and Sharma, his captain, hit his 10th Test hundred of 103, and the visitors ended the second day on 312 for two, a first innings lead so far of 162.

Hamstrung by a slow Windsor Park pitch that also made run scoring difficult, the Caribbean side suffered a major setback to their bowling plans when burly off-spinner Rahkeem Cornwall left the field before lunch and never returned

Continued on page 27

both

LeBron James to return for a 21st NBA season and sixth with the Los Angeles Lakers

LeBron James announced on The ESPYs on Wednesday that he will play another season for the Los Angeles Lakers.

James, 38, said he will return for his 21st NBA season and sixth with the Lakers after accepting the ESPY award for Best Record-Breaking Performance for surpassing

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on the NBA’s all-time scoring list last season.

“I don’t care how many more points I can score or what I can or can’t do on the floor,” James said. “The real question for me, can I play without cheating the game? The day I can’t play without giving everything on the

floor is the day I’ll be done. Lucky for you guys, that day is not today.”

At the end of last season following the Lakers’ loss to the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference finals, James said he wasn’t sure if he would be back.

That was in stark contrast to James’ previous senti -

ments, when he said on several occasions that he would like to play alongside his oldest son, Bronny, in the NBA.

The superstar James had another stellar season in 2022-23, averaging 28.9 points, 8.3 rebounds and 6.8 assists in 55 games. (Sportsmax)

Yashasvi Jaiswal (left) and Rohit Sharma (right)

struck hundreds for India

LeBron James to play another season for Los Angeles Lakers