Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 02-07-2023

President Dr. Irfaan Ali and Guyanese in Canada during a diaspora event (Photos: Akeem Greene/News Room)

A ‘renewed’ Independence Boulevard! (Delano Williams photo)

All barriers will be dismantled to achieve Guyana’s full potential

- President Ali tells Guyanese Diaspora in Canada

By Trina Williams

IN an impassioned speech to Guyanese living in Canada, President Dr. Irfaan Ali on Saturday pledged to confront any stumbling block that is preventing the country from achieving its full potential.

At a Guyana/Canada Diaspora event held at La Primavera Banquet Hall in Ontario, Canada, the Head of State, who is on a three-day visit there, reiterated his vision for ‘One Guyana’ as he talked up the country’s booming economy.

“Under the umbrella of ‘One Guyana’, we as a people, see, feel and experience prosperity together! It will, and must be achieved!

“There is no stumbling block; there is no barrier, there are no challenges that I am afraid to confront, remove or dismantle to ensure that we as a people unify ourselves under the umbrella of ‘One Guyana’ for the development of Guyana,” the Head of State said.

He added, “There is no other way in which we can realise the full potential of our country; there

is no other way in which we can achieve the true potential of our country, if we see ourselves different from each other, or if we see barriers, whether real or artificial, as an impediment to development and advancement of the people of our country.”

In highlighting what he described as the three main crises facing the world: Climate change, food insecurity and energy insecurity, President Ali believes that Guyana will be part of the solution.

“And I say to you that we in Guyana, we will be

part of a new global system, and we will establish our credentials, and we will be part of the solution and not the problem of the world,” he said, adding:

“Energy, climate and food; those are the three main crises occupying the minds of policymakers across the world. In the most humbling way, I say to you tonight, that there will be no conversation on these three crises without Guyana being mentioned as part of the solution.”

CREATING OUR OWN PATH

The President said that Guyana is already creating its own path, in that the country is striving to enhance its local industries, especially those in the agriculture sector.

With the introduction of Amaya Milk, which is making waves because of its authenticity, the Head of State said that this is just the beginning, as his government is working to establish a state-of-the-art milk industry.

He further noted that with the steady training of the country’s human resources, and producing high-value crops, along with investing in top-notch technology and drainage and irrigation systems, Guyana is on track to achieving its goal

of becoming food secure, and a major food producer.

Meanwhile, President Ali said that while he recognises the widespread migration of Guyanese healthcare professionals, his government is working vigorously on ensuring that not only does every Guyanese get a chance at becoming a nurse but also earn while learning.

With a goal of producing a result-oriented service industry and not one of human bias, the President also disclosed that Guyana will not be left behind in the modernised society.

In fact, he stated that very soon, coding will be introduced in every school, nationwide, since Guyana must start to embrace robotics. In emphasising that a country cannot develop without its human resources, the Head of State said the government is constantly striving to enhance the education sector, and soon Spanish will be a compulsory subject in schools, because being able to speak multiple languages is an advantage.

In the public works sector, the President boasted of the state-ofthe-art infrastructural

projects ongoing in Guyana, including the fourlane Wismar-Mackenzie Bridge.

Also, with the construction of a Tourism and Hospitality Training Institute, President Ali said that this will not only boost the tourism sector, but also provide employment opportunities for thousands of Guyanese.

Additionally, with an impeccable Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the President revealed that Guyana’s GDP per capita has increased by 67 per cent, and the nation is securing loans with fixed rates, and not variable ones.

He also said that while there are some globally extreme views on what is the solution to achieving net-zero emissions, the Government of Guyana has proposed a number of measures to accomplish this, such as reducing fossil fuel production, and introducing new technologies.

In the oil-and-gas sector, owing to technology, the new Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) units are 25 per cent less carbon-intensive, when compared to the previous vessels.

President Dr. Irfaan Ali addressing a large gathering at the event

A cultural performance during the Guyana/Canada diaspora event

France braced for fifth night of riots as family buries teenager

(Reuters) - Tens of thousands of police were deployed in cities across France on Saturday ready for a potential fifth night of rioting after the funeral of a teenager of North African descent, whose shooting by police sparked nationwide unrest.

President Emmanuel Macron postponed a state visit to Germany that was due to begin on Sunday to handle the worst crisis for his leadership since the "Yellow Vest" protests paralysed much of France in late 2018. Some 45,000 po-

lice would again be on the street into Saturday night, interior minister Gerald Darmanin said, with reinforcements going to Lyon and Marseille.

At 2345 (2145 GMT), while there was some tension in central Paris and sporadic clashes in the Mediterranean city of Marseille, the situation appeared calmer across the country.

Police deployed tear gas against rioters in Marseille's main high street around dusk on Saturday. Television images showed there was violence, some

pillaging and street battles between police and groups of youths going into the evening.

In Paris, police increased security at the city's landmark Champs Elysees avenue after a call on social media to gather there. The street, usually packed with tourists, was lined with security forces carrying out spot checks.

Shop facades were boarded up to prevent potential damage and pillaging. The interior ministry said 1,311 people had been arrested on Friday night, compared with 875 the previous night, although it described the violence as "lower in intensity". Police said about 120 people had been arrested nationwide on Saturday.

Finance minister Bruno Le Maire said more

than 700 shops supermarkets, restaurants and bank branches had been "ransacked, looted and sometimes even burnt to the ground since Tuesday".

Local authorities all

over the country announced bans on demonstrations and ordered public transport to stop running in the evening. Nahel, a 17-year-old of Algerian and Moroccan parents, was shot by a police officer during a traffic stop on Tuesday in the Paris suburb of Nanterre.

For the funeral, several hundred people lined up to enter Nanterre's grand mosque, which was guarded by volunteers in yellow

vests, while a few dozen bystanders watched from across the street. Some of the mourners, their arms crossed, said "God is Greatest" in Arabic, as they spanned the boulevard in prayer.

The shooting of the teenager, caught on video, has reignited longstanding complaints by poor and racially mixed urban communities of police violence and racism.

UN chief urges international aid in visit to gang-ravaged Haiti

(Reuters) - United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, visiting Haiti's capital on Saturday, said international aid has not met the impoverished country's growing humanitarian needs, and urged more support for the Haitian police to fight gangs.

The visit was meant to spotlight the crises facing the Caribbean country as it struggles to combat violent gangs that have largely overrun the capital Port-au-Prince, and Guterres made a plea for solidarity. The U.N. chief nine months ago proposed that one or more nations send a "rapid action force" to support Haiti's security services. No such force

has yet been deployed as no country has stepped up to take the lead.

"On the humanitarian front, the needs are increasing, but the international response is not," Guterres told a news conference after meeting with Prime Minister Ariel Henry.

The two discussed the importance of a security force to curb gang activity so Haiti can distribute humanitarian aid, expand the economy and develop stronger political processes, he added.

"We are in full agreement about the need for the international community, the (U.N.) Security Council and member countries to provide the

necessary forces for the international community to come and support the Haitian police," Guterres said. Elections also were a topic of discussion, he said. "We also discussed different steps that are

being taken ... for credible elections to be able to take place."

Henry, who took power in 2021 days after the assassination of President Jovenel Moise, has repeatedly postponed elections,

citing first an August 2021 earthquake that killed more than 2,000 people, and then gang violence. He has pledged to leave office by Feb. 7, 2024.

Guterres in April said the insecurity in Port-auPrince was comparable to that in countries in armed conflict, and that Haitians were facing one of the worst human rights crises in decades.

Last September, gangs worsened the humanitarian situation by blocking a fuel terminal for six weeks, halting most economic activity. The U.N. Security Council in October sanctioned Haiti's most powerful gangster, who was accused of leading the blockade to

protest government fuel subsidies cuts. The United States and Canada have also imposed sanctions on Haitian political figures and business people.

While there has been broad support for Guterres' proposal to create a rapid action force, with several countries expressing interest in contributing, none has volunteered to lead a deployment, diplomats say.

Countries have been wary of supporting the unelected administration under Henry, who has said fair elections cannot be held under the current insecurity.

High-Profile Visit

Guyana will be host to yet another high-profile visit. The United States Department of State has announced that Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, will visit Guyana on July 6, after travelling to Trinidad and Tobago on July 5 to participate in the CARICOM Heads of Government meeting.

The visit comes at a time when Guyana is repositioning itself strategically as a major player on the international stage, especially in the areas of energy and food security. Guyana now has the lead role in advancing the food security agenda of the entire region. It has now joined the ranks of oil-producing nations which is an added advantage on the global stage from an energy perspective.

The United States and Guyana shared strong bilateral relations. This relationship has deepened following failed attempt by the previous APNU+AFC regime to return itself to power in the March 2020 General and Regional elections through undemocratic means.

The United States played a key role in upholding the democratic process which was under threat by the then-Granger administration. It will be recalled that it was no less a person than former US Secret ary of State, Mike Pompeo, who called on Granger to respect the results of the democratic election and announced visa restrictions on individuals undermining democracy in the country.

Since then, the country

has seen several high-profile visits to Guyana from several top officials including visits by two Secretaries of State, Mike Pompeo and Anthony Blinken. This will be the second visit to the country by a US Secretary of State since the PPP/C took office on August 2020 and is indicative of the strong bonds of friendship and co-operation between the two nations. During his visit to the United States in September 2022, President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali met with several leading officials of the State Department, including Vice-President Kamala Harris.

This bond of friendship was emphasized by United States Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah Lynch, during a recent speech in which she spoke of the 'enduring part-

nership' between Guyana and the United States. According to the envoy, Guyana is clearly on a unique and amazing journey. The United States, she said, “has been and will continue to be on this journey with you. I could not be prouder of the endurin g partnership between our two nations which I know will continue long past my tenure in Guyana.”

The fact is that Guyana and the United States share much in common in terms of adherence of democratic values, open market and the rule of law. As noted by Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret'd) Mark Phillips, the United States has become the standard bearer for democracy and good governance within the region, in this hemisphere. This friendship, he

said, has resulted in a strong, reliable and strategic partnership which improved the socio-economic conditions in Guyana, impacting human resource development, capacity building, knowledge and skills transfer as well as fostering innovation and entrepreneurship.

As pointed out by President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, during a recent video message, Guyana is reaping substantial benefits from the several engagements with global leaders over the past three years. According to President Ali, 'For the month of July, I received more than 50 direct requests from Heads of Government around the world. We're going on our state visit to China. These are things we do to bring results for the country.'

These are no mean

achievements, which will further catapult this nation to greater heights. Indeed, since assuming office, he met with over 60 leaders across the globe, more than 50 executives from major multinational corporations, in addition to giving keynote addresses to more than 150 events.

Guyana is clearly enjoying the international spotlight and the visit by Secretary Blinken will no doubt be yet another shining moment in our expanding galaxy of friendly nations. President Ali and the PPP/C administration must be commended for raising the international profile of Guyana and for repositioning the country to take advantage of a new and changing global dispensation.

Inclusivity, diversity are key pillars in advancing the way forward

Dear Editor, THE People's Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C), as Guyana's elected government is aggressively pursuing the rapid transformation of our country. Central to the Party's successful strategic and carefully orchestrated rollout planning is the genuine approach to inclusivity and diversity as crucial pillars in advancing the way forward in our local and national democracy.

Implementing the strategic campaign Manifesto commitments have been

swift and purposeful at the national and international levels, driving many capital development projects and investment interests. The desirable parallel transformation in the Local Authority Areas (LAAs) to advance our citizens' welfare and capacity has also been a high-priority focus, albeit its dependence on the successful conduct of Local Government Elections (LGEs).

With the LGEs now completed, the preliminary results indicate a strengthened confidence in the visible PPP/C programme across

the length and breadth of our country, with the confirmation of tremendous support that ensured wins in 65 of the 80 LAAs. Significantly, in areas where the Party was not as victorious, they have made significant inroads, which augurs well for a less obstructive approach to the required swift development agenda. Notably, these successes serve as substantial incentives for the PPP/C teams leading the councils to work even harder to win the confidence of a more significant majority.

The PPP/C engaged citi-

zens using widespread consultations and carefully-selected teams of representative candidates to each occupy a seat on the council in each of the 80 LAAs. A careful look at the selection of the new councilors elected to serve on the Neighborhood Democratic Councils evidence and manifests President Irfaan Ali's motto of One Guyana.

Subject to a few limitations, the Party focused on applying the common factors of achieving the best balance of respected, experienced, youthfulness, gender-neutral, ethnic, and religious

representation in teams of Candidates in every LAA.

A perusal of the selection at the Eccles Ramsburg Council, where the PPP/C won eight of the nine constituency seats, and will occupy 14 of the Council's seats, lends affirmative testimony.

The proposed councilors of the PPP/C slate include five females and, generally, a cross-section and balance of varying ethnic persuasions. Among the group, several members boast widely accepted academic qualifications at the post graduate level and are otherwise

meaningfully engaged in driving positive community initiatives. They bring enthusiasm and a class of passionate representation targeted and partnering with the government to move things forward in the respective LAAs.

Most fall into the youthful to mature categorization, supplemented by a blend of successful business professionals with tested experience levels to guide the Councils' meaningful endeavors. Individuals and collectively, all were very

Columnist heading towards catastrophic implosion

Dear Editor, KAIETEUR News columnist GHK Lall has staked his career on criticising Vice-President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo. He has experimented with a few methods and styles against the Vice-President. These include, but are not limited to, name-calling, digressions, exploitation of irrelevant matter, half-truths, clumsy storytelling, and the saddest of them all, writing that takes the form of bad poetry. The “Brother Jagdeo thing” does not work either; it is a sign of weakness.

If you want evidence of GHK Lall’s elliptical writing, just read this paragraph from his column. Here he is – “Dr. Jagdeo’s position is that Exxon does not decide for him, does not tell him what to say, what to do, and when to say or do so. I am sorry, brother Jagdeo, but please tell that to the Marines (he can check with his American friends at Exxon on the meaning of that string of words), or to somebody now the proud owner of the new Demerara River Bridge years away from completion.” (KN (June 30, 2023). Can anyone say that they understand this gobbledygook?

On the empirical side of

things, GHK Lall is worse off. This is so because every substantive claim he has made to date can be proven to be demonstrably incorrect. The inaccuracies are not simply plentiful and predictable. Rather, they form a core part of GHK Lall’s epistemology. This means that the very way in which he produces ‘knowledge’ (or what he thinks is knowledge) is self-decomposing, because the basic facts of his arguments are highly suspect. The attacks on the diplomatic corps and especially against US Ambassador Sarah Ann Lynch illustrate the point well. Here is Lall – “Our resource curse explains the energies, bustles, objectives of Her Excellency, US Ambassador Sarah Ann Lynch (and like-minded European cronies)” (KN 6/28/2023).

In the above, the concept of resource curse is mangled to be politically weaponized. Having achieved that by twisting resource curse from an economic phenomenon to a political technology, he then proceeds to falsely claim that the interests of Exxon (and Hess) purely animate US diplomacy. This is a massive distortion because since 1992, the US has been working to make sure

the PNC, APNU and their partners AFC and WPA, do not steal elections or make Guyana into an economic basket case. Finally, for good measure, GHK Lall takes a low, undignified dig at European diplomats by naming them “cronies.”

The Trotman book and his subsequent public offerings have been seized upon by GHK Lall to reignite the most sordid, unforgivable, and dishonorable lie in modern Guyanese history. The lie is that Granger was removed from the presidency because he was against the PSA his own administration signed in 2016. Again, The FACT is that the Grander administration signed the PSA in 2016 and never did anything to undo their pathetic work. I suppose the US$ 18 million was good enough because it was a “gift”!

One really must wonder about Mr. Lall’s motivations. Both Granger and him are men of religion. And readers might remember that only recently MP Annette Ferguson was gushing that Burnham had been sent by God. Are we in some kind of eschatological survivalism here? Will GHK Lall soon tell us that Burnham was a brilliant man who frigged up Guyana because he did not

have oil revenues?

Let me help Mr. Lall with the truth here. Jagan was deposed, and Burnham was installed in 1964. Between 1964 and 1992 elections were rigged, the economy went bankruptcy, citizens were assassinated, and mass exodus began. In place of a nation, we had a morgue.

Now Mr. Lall needs to listen carefully here. The excesses of the Cold War gave way to a new ‘apetura.’ The Carter Center listened to the cry for help and prevailed upon the Bush administration to reverse course on Guyana. In October 1992, democracy was restored to Guyana. The PNC and not long after the WPA based on a perverted form of ethnic nationalism began a campaign of destabilization. So fiah; mo fiah, and other technologies of intimidation were put in place. Yet, democracy held on, even if barely.

In 2015, the ABCE countries declared the APNU-AFC winner of the presidential election and Granger was installed. The APNU-AFC was so corrupt and inept one of their own crossed the floor and a no-confidence motion was passed in December 2018.

Instead of a constitutionally mandated election in months, the APNU-AFC held on to power for fifteen months. During that time Mr. GHK Lall had a top job in the APNU-AFC administration. The election finally came in March 2020. The APNU-AFC lost but tried for five months to steal the vote. Vaseline and bedsheets were part of the technology employed in the rigging attempt. They were forced to abandon their grand election theft. An independent COI fingered the APNU-AFC and their cronies for election irregularities.

In the meantime, Exxon discovered oil and the David Granger administration signed a PSA in 2016. Granger did nothing to make any changes to an admittedly bad deal. The PPP/C has taken the position that there is more to be gained by developing more favorable contracts in future PSAs. President Irfaan Ali and Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo have been using every national and international technical resource available to ensure that we do not make the same mistakes at did Granger and his “group.”

Those are the facts. Mr.

Lall’s narratives are bound to catastrophically implode because these facts are the only ones that can and have been corroborated by every independent election official, and every independent observer of development in Guyana. Commonwealth Observer Group, OAS, Carter Center, CARICOM, the EU, and every reputable independent organization in Guyana. Add to that the voices of regional giants like Owen Arthur, Mia Mottley, and Ralph Gonsalves!

The nation again thanks Ambassador Lynch for her service. Prime Minister Phillips expressed the appreciation of a grateful nation only days ago, and soon President Ali, bother Jagdeo, and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will talk about how to deepen our ties. I feel confident that the top of the agenda will be how to preserve democracy in Guyana. I personally recommend better quality journalism, with added responsibility for some columns based on truth, wisdom, and dignity. As of today, we have a long way to go.

Sincerely,

Dr. Randolph Persaud

Inclusivity, diversity are key pillars in advancing the way...

active during the campaign and visible. More significantly, with party activists' support, the team advanced a serious commitment to attracting more women, girls, and youths through effective home-to-house connections with the masses.

Further, among the councilors are the young enthusiasts, sports personalities, supervisors, managers, and three genuine foot soldiers. Indeed, the selection process was heavily contested, and the selection competition was keen. However, with mature leadership and guidance from the PPP leadership, who thoroughly explained the approach, all the candidates fully endorsed the process. Eight of the councilors were

former councilors. With this blend of new and fresh blood among the first-timers, constituency residents could anticipate that the combination of mature and experienced men and women will give rise to a dynamic and vibrant Neighborhood Democratic Council working to advance their interests.

The PPP/C has embarked on a clear way forward to deepen recognition and inclusivity at all levels of the government. The way ahead will be heavily influenced by the resounding and massive victory of the PPP/C at the just concluded LGE polls.

As Guyanese are raring to go at the upcoming National and Regional Elections, the PPP/C well-oiled machinery

must render the best service and support through the NDC, municipal, and village councils, working harmoniously to continue closely connecting to the masses.

Significantly, the PPP/C leadership demands accountability and transparency at the LAAs. With the tremendous development at the na-

tional level and the hastened transformation within the communities, we will see growth across the country.

To this end, the council's work must be of the highest quality, responsive, initiative driven, and devoid of discrimination. All the quality persons who came to the PPP/C will continue working

together for tremendous success in our country.

We must reject the nay-sayers and continue nation-building under the inclusive 'One Guyana'

platform and democratic framework.

Sincrely, Neil Kumar

RECENTLY, news of overtures from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to Guyana to join the powerful oil cartel were widely reported in the business and international press. As one reporter in the Wall Street Journal put it, “the oil cartel is courting Guyana to become its newest member, in a bid to extend the bloc’s influence into a small South American country that has suddenly become the world’s fastest-growing oil producer, according to people familiar with the matter.”

Although OPEC issued a statement denying an official invitation was extended to Guyana, it is yet another sign that the world is taking notice of the burgeoning offshore developments.

The ExxonMobil-led Stabroek Consortium, which includes Hess Corp and China’s CNOOC, is today the

sole producer of oil in Guyana. But that is unlikely to be the case for long.

Last week, Canadian firms CGX and Frontera announced a new discovery at the Wei-1 well site, adding to an earlier discovery at the Kawa-1 well in the northern region of the Corentyne block, which the firms operate under a Joint Operating Agreement (JOA). The two companies believe there is “significant potential” in the block.

Bringing a major commercial find to production outside the Stabroek Block would be a significant milestone for Guyana’s offshore oil industry. Outside the Stabroek, no commercial discoveries have been developed and large areas are still considered riskier “frontier” zones. The Government is trying hard to attract investments to these areas as it looks to auction off the rights to explore and develop 14

blocks later this summer.

Over the next few months, the firms will analyse data from the drilling activities to assess the resource potential of the new find and the Corentyne Block. The block is near TotalEnergies’ Block 58 across the maritime border with Suriname and could benefit from the upcoming changes to the Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Act, which would allow cross-border unitization. This is an internationally recognised best practice for jointly developing an oil and gas field underlying more than one block.

In response to the latest find, the Ministry of Natural Resources stated, “we eagerly await the results of this analysis,” adding that “this recent discovery marks a significant milestone in offshore Guyana’s exploration endeavours, with a total of 45 findings since 2015, reaffirming the country’s

hydrocarbon potential outside of the highly productive Stabroek Block.”

Spending on Guyana’s offshore oil developments continues to steadily increase, with CGX and Frontera spending a reported US $190-195 million to drill the Wei-1 well.

ExxonMobil and its partners continue to invest heavily in the prolific Stabroek block as well. The company recently noted in its 2022 financial statements that it is “committed to invest an additional GY$4 trillion through 2027 to develop the Payara, Yellowtail, Gas-to-Energy and Uaru projects. Together, these projects will take production capacity over 1M bbls/day” an ExxonMobil representative said.

In 2022 alone, ExxonMobil Guyana invested about GY$570 billion, increasing its total investment in Guyana since 1999 to GY$2 trillion. Analysts have noted

that the company has put significantly more into Guyana than it has recovered so far, and it continues to reinvest nearly all profits into further development. In 2022 a record GY$240 billion was paid into the Guyana Natural Resource Fund from production in the Stabroek Block. This funding is supporting the rapid expansion of the national budget and stimulating further investment in the country.

Thanks to that investment, the Stabroek Block is producing some 380,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude in Guyana from the ExxonMobil operated Liza Phase 1 and Liza Phase 2 projects, with the Payara project expected to start production later this year and add an additional 220,000 barrels of oil per day to the output.

In their 2022 benchmarking report, Rystad Energy found that Guyana leads the world in offshore discoveries

since 2015, with 11.2 billion barrel of oil equivalents discovered to-date. Guyana has accounted for 32% of all offshore oil discoveries since 2015 and forecasts estimate that production could reach as high as 1.7 million barrels per day in 2035, based on the current discoveries and the pace of development. The competition for investment is heating up around the world. Global oil companies are pumping billions of dollars into offshore drilling, reversing a long decline in spending and Guyana has been a major beneficiary. With the upcoming changes to the Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Act, Guyana’s first offshore oil blocks auction and the relinquishment of unexplored acreage due later this year, Guyana is well poised to continue to attract record investments.

Guyana offshore heats up; OPEC takes notice Mental health and our youth

IT is an issue I keep returning to, and necessarily so, as mental health – long stigmatised and ‘swept under the rug’ – is now being given the attention it deserves.

International celebrities have helped break the silence by openly admitting to experiencing mental health challenges. Some, like Naomi Osaka and Simone Biles, ‘stepped back’ from their careers, taking time off to deal with anxiety and depression.

In fact, both of these young women caused something of a stir when they made their announcements.

Osaka refused to take part in scheduled press conferences and pulled out of the French Open tennis tournament two years ago. She was fined, threatened with expulsion and subsequently said that she planned to “take a break,” citing her struggles with mental health.

Biles, the most celebrated gymnast of all time, received both support and censure when she withdrew from the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 after faltering during a vault

she had previously executed perfectly. She later confessed to feelings of anxiety saying she felt she had “the weight of the world on (her) shoulders.”

CNN anchor, Scottie Andrew summed it up when he told the world, “Simone Biles’ withdrawal reminds us that she’s human.”

For indeed, just as with physical health, mental health is a human condition and problems can affect any of us, regardless of ethnicity, status, sex or age.

Both of these athletes were female and young – one Afro-American, the other Afro-Japanese – high earners at the pinnacle of their careers, yet facing mental health troubles. They both serve to remind us that the young, even those who have attained fame and wealth, are not immune from the pressures of living.

Recently, experts have been expressing concern over the increase in mental health illness among adolescents and young adults around the world and calling for urgent measures to be taken to ‘stem the tide.’

In an interview on the Sunrise show, Guyanese Psychotherapist, Shane Tull, said he felt that in this post-pandemic period challenges for the young seem normalcy and security to our young people - both at home and at school.

He has called for a multipronged approach, involving government, the private sector and the community as a whole in an open, national discussion on the whole issue of mental health.

“It’s okay not to be okay, it’s okay to ask for help,” Tull said, echoing the words of retired Olympic swimmer, Michael Phelps and others like Osaka and Biles, who have made public their mental health challenges in an effort to increase awareness, promote discussion and end the stigma which surrounds this topic.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC), has announced that, “The number of adolescents reporting poor mental health is increasing.”

The alarming data states

that up to 20 percent of adolescents globally experience mental disorders. Suicide is the third leading cause of death among 15 – 19 year olds worldwide and around 15 percent of adolescents in low and middle income countries have considered suicide.

As Tull observed, young people have been left feeling insecure and unsafe following the pandemic, which has disrupted lives, and according to the CDC, has cut off many young people from the “academic, social and physical” activities they previously enjoyed in their schools and colleges.

However, while COVID-19 has contributed to the rise in mental illness among the young, the US Turnbridge Group says that “mental health issues have been steadily increasing for years.”

The Group, which provides mental health treatment for adolescents and young people, contends that the prevalence of mental health disorders is not necessarily new. Adolescence is a time

when teenagers are going through significant biological and emotional changes, while trying to establish their independence yet feeling increased pressure to fit in with their peers.

But the experts all agree that it is necessary to start a conversation with young people about the issues troubling them, which Tull pointed out is particularly important in our society, where people are still ashamed to discuss mental health issues and reluctant to seek help.

The Psychotherapist has suggested training key individuals, such as teachers and social workers, in how to rec-

ognise mental disorders and mount interventions, as well as involving institutions like the church, where families regularly gather.

A collective approach is seen as essential, with parents playing a pivotal role.

In voicing her concern, UNICEF Executive Director, Henriette Fore, has declared, “Too many children and young people, rich and poor alike, in all four corners of the world, are experiencing mental health conditions…we need urgent and innovative strategies to prevent, detect and, if needed, treat them at an early age.”

My best Guyanese politicians

GRIGO, a digital television channel, exactly one year ago, asked a former black Assistant Secretary to the late Senator Edward Kennedy to pick five American presidents that top her list of doing positive things for Black Americans. Obama came last on her list.

I got the idea from her choices to look at some politicians that I believe were/are good in character, not racially driven in any philosophical sense, inclined to be nice to people and generally were and are substantially positive humans. My list is taken from my interactions with these people both of what I know of them and our personal exchanges on politics and life. Other researchers may not like my choices because they can argue they do not meet the objective criteria.

I understand this. I used subjective criteria also. I concede that there may be others who are excellent humans as those in my enumeration

but because of the lack of personal knowledge of them, I have no thoughts of them. Here are the politicians in Guyanese history I think, based on my experience and what I know of them, top my list.

Anil Nandlall - PPP. I really do like Anil for one fundamental reason which resides in my philosophical outlook. I believe he favours the downtrodden, the poor and powerless, the working people and will use his power to empower them. This was the original intention in the formation of the PPP more than 70 years ago.

On a personal level, he has been politically nice to me. I took UG to court after a father told me his daughter was unfairly overlooked for a place in the law programme. Anil took the case and did it pro bono. He defended me when Tacuma Ogunseye sued me. It was Anil that facilitated the land that I bought in Turkeyen after I told him I wanted to move out of Wort-

manville. He will make an excellent president.

Anil is deep down, a good soul. I know this unlike so many others who don’t know him. He has done a lot for me the past 35 years which is nobody’s business so I would not venture into an elaboration. Yes, I agree there are analytical dimensions here that are personally based. But objectively, I think he is superb man.

Irfaan Ali – PPP. Dr. Ali has an opportunity sitting right on top of his lap to carve out one of the best legacies a CARICOM leader can have. Dr. Ali means well for Guyana and has the quality and capacity to transform Guyana into an inclusive terrain for all Guyanese. I have never written about what is to be revealed in the next few lines. I have had a few long, private sessions with Dr. Ali. Because of my age, experience and training in philosophy, especially reading all the works of Sigmund Freud, I sense this is a soul-searching

human that wants to do good for Guyana

In my reflecting discourses with Dr. Ali, I discussed three things. The State must use its reach to share the wealth of a country. The ordinary folks must feel they have access to justice. The working masses must never be neglected. He has promised that and I have seen the results the past three years.

EMG Wilson- PPP. He was the former Minister of Communication under the Jagan premiership. A lovely soul, EMG liked me like a son and made sure that I was nurtured politically. This was a man who was incapable of being nasty to anyone. And he was incapable also of being unprincipled.

Cheddi Jagan- PPP. Deep down in his soul, Cheddi was a beautiful human. Whatever shortcomings Cheddi had, he was a fine human that held no contempt in his heart for people. He will remain an international icon forever.

Desmond Hoyte – PNC. Mr. Hoyte if given a chance after 1992 to rule Guyana would have brought about serious ethnic reconciliation. He was a decent man who didn’t have time on his side. He was prepared to stand up for what he believed in.

When I returned to Guyana in 1984 from serving the Maurice Bishop Government in Grenada, President Burnham blocked me and my wife from working in both public and private sectors.

Hoyte felt it was wrong to do that to my wife. He defied Burnham and employed her at GUYMIDA, a state agency which he, as Vice-President, had jurisdiction over. When he became president, he removed the ban Burnham put on me from teaching at UG. Brian Rodway – WPA. What an incredible human. He was definitely one of the best that politics in Guyana produced. He taught me to remain true to the poor and powerless.

Boyo Ramsaroop – PPP. I would have ended dead or in jail if it wasn’t for Boyo. He made something out of a half-starving Wortmanville boy who was going nowhere fast.

The Opposition is obstructing development for a moment of fame

THIS week, we saw the attempts by the opposition People's National Congress Reform-led A Partnership for National Unity (PNC-APNU) to hinder and eventually stop the progress and development of not only the community of Plaisance but the entire East Coast Corridor and by extension our country.

We saw the notices issued by the Ministry of Public Works to vendors to remove from the government reserves and virtually out of the way of the four-lane highway on the ‘Line-Top’ or embankment.

The PNC-APNU opposition saw an opportunity to insert itself in between the government and citizens by sowing the very dangerous seeds of discord, confusion, political worry and disinformation about the perceived inten-

tion of the government and the project. When they became aware that the Vice President, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo and other ministers were enroute to the community, the diehard PNC-APNU activists started riling up the residents with the normal banter about race and discrimination.

When they were not getting the type of response they expected, they then started to go from door to door with the aim, no doubt, to spread lies and deception about the government and project.

After all, Industry-Plaisance NDC is now split down the middle with the People's Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) benefitting from the popular vote. Also, Opposition Leader, Aubrey Norton, lives in the village and it would be an embarrassment if the VP was allowed to

have a good meeting with the residents and vendors of Plaisance without the ruckus, resistance, protest and misguided pageantry we have come to expect. So said and so done, but this did not hinder the VP from speaking and listening to the residents.

In fact, he upbraided the ministers for the timeline they gave the vendors to move (seven days), and criticised the manner in which it was done. The ministers apparently did not meet with the vendors or community and failed to have consultations on the ground as advised by President Mohamed Irfaan Ali in cases like these.

Firstly, the President, VP and the government are concerned with the vendors’ well-being and livelihoods. It is clear too that the ministers handled the matter poorly, and were reprimanded pub -

licly and have since done the right thing by meeting with the residents, and vendors and exploring the various limited locations to accommodate them for the sake of plying their trade.

Also, the utility companies and residents are now making alternative arrangements for the process of moving where they need to. Following Jagdeo’s intervention, there is now a clearer picture of what exactly is to be done for this project to move along. There is no more room for political mischief and whisper campaigns by the PNC-APNU and community activists.

Secondly, Plaisance is important but there are other villages with equal importance and stature that will benefit from the four-lane highway being installed along the embankment. Development cannot be stopped by the PNC-APNU and their activists alone and must be allowed to take place in the entire East Coast Demerara.

Stopping or attempting to stop development is a dangerous and disingenuous task that will only be undertaken by the opposition politicians. By their very worrisome and obstructive behaviour to development, they are putting the whole East Coast Demerara in jeopardy and trying to stop change from occurring. This is symptomatic of the opposition PR machinery and Norton’s tenure at the helm of opposition politics. They refuse to read, research and analyse the project. They don't know the facts but they twist narratives and truths about this and so many other projects.

Listening to the speech

of the former and embattled NDC chairman, one would see ignorance, political foolishness and a dependency syndrome on his political bosses for information. It was horrible to see him trying to play a big politician when he knows that in this day and age, information could be accessed easily and all the underhand dealings and ventures the NDC undertook before local government elections would be known. For one, questions still linger about the large acres of land that was siphoned off to PNC and APNU businesses and friends at Plaisance.

Nevertheless, from all indications, the residents and vendors of Plaisance will do what is in their best interest for development and progress to continue along the embankment and they are prepared to reap the benefits of this project.

Thirdly, the changing nature of politics and development is taking place right before the naked eyes. The opposition would take credit for Plaisance when things are about to go good and government policies are working for all the people regardless of their race or political affiliation.

When the people of Plaisance suffer, they suffer alone until the central government intervenes and the PNC-APNU is missing in action.

For a long time, Norton and others in the community were silent when the development shift of the APNU, during the Granger’s presidency, went to South Georgetown and other areas and neglected Plaisance and other strongholds along the East Coast Demerara.

They said nothing about the community and other things because they were scared of their political bosses during that time. They were little men, feeble and inferior politicians then, but morphed into paragons of virtue now, scouting about the village, and East Coast to score cheap political points.

Finally, the PNC-APNU is doing a major disservice to its supporters when they put on these shenanigans and seek to place the vendors and hardworking people of Plaisance at the centre of their political battle, instead of working through the local and central government to have their issues addressed. This confrontational approach and systemic slander will not hold off progress and development.

Changing the narrative of development when it suits the opposition’s agenda will not work when there is blatant thievery and skulduggery taking place with the people’s land and money in the former NDC system.

The people of Plaisance deserve this fourlane road as much as every village that will benefit from the project. It will ease the traffic congestion coming into Georgetown and will be pleasant on the eyes. Plaisance is not going to ever be the same, aesthetically speaking. The property values and prices will go up and people’s livelihoods would change for the better.

For the greater national good, development and progress to continue, support this project now!

Thinking beyond zones and horizons

BY current measure, Guyana can become the richest nation in South America, so some are understandably wondering whether this is a healthy new start, or the beginning of its end.

Bigger than all European nations that earlier colonised it, and larger than most US states, Guyana is also home to less than a million people, many living below the poverty line.

But the government is committed to using a low-carbon development strategy to prevent the so-called ‘Dutch Disease’ at bay, by redirecting energy revenues into massive infrastructural projects to benefit all; like the scores of new schools, 12 new hospitals, a $1.9 Billion gas-to-energy project, and two main highways, plus much-more, in less than three years.

Underscoring the inevitable cost-of-living rise that many Guyanese cannot yet cope with, fair observers also note that oil-and- gas investments are creating continuing employment.

They also debunk the insulting claims that Guyana lacks the brains to utilise its oil wealth properly, by pointing to the good management that, in their considered view, can result, in the next few years, in Guyana becoming the richest nation in South America.

Likewise, most unbiased observers conclude that Guyana has a very fruitful future, some noting that what it’s done in the past five years has been very fruitful, in terms of attracting investments from Exxon and other Oil Majors, at one of the fastest investment and development rates ever seen.

But even the critics will agree that distribution of

new wealth to poor people in developing countries (like Guyana and the Caribbean, Africa, India, Europe, USA, Canada and everywhere else) doesn’t happen overnight, but instead takes structural planning, and time.

However, while the naysayers and Doomsday Prophets continue to dabble in awful thoughts of shock and awe about Guyana’s supposed inability to learn from others’ mistakes, the nation’s finances have been in demonstrably good hands, and its future challenges are already yielding opportunities for new and bigger plans for short, medium and longterm national development.

Take the carbon credits scheme that virtually takes scheming out of caring for Guyana’s First Peoples, who’ve always been lastin-line for development but are now being told carbon-credit earnings will somehow not benefit them.

Or the gas-to-shore plan that will cut energy costs for every Guyanese, but which they are being told will not happen, by those who promised to put dollars directly into every household monthly before first securing the arrangements and agreements to ensure translation and transition from words to action.

The current administration has taken on the new current challenges without fear of the usual criticism from regular quarters, or being overly concerned about the meandering melodies of those hell-bent on always shifting goalposts when losing.

The current administration is approaching the first three years of its current term, evidently aware that today’s challenges are also global and regional, and therefore local solutions

always have external dimensions, given how the world turns today.

As the country forges on, positive and progressive thinkers are also silently wondering about two other great challenges Guyana will face, having to do with neighbourly ties and homely affairs.

First is future Guyana-Venezuela ties, which is going through yet another stage of mutual reiteration of century-old positions etched in stone on both sides, at the end of which both sides will agree to continue to ‘agree to disagree’, while also addressing the practical contemporary challenges and opportunities of shared neighbourly will and cooperation towards common prosperity, visà-vis holding-on (only) to history while northern neighbors dance across common southern borders.

It’s very clear that those in Caracas with eyes on Guyana are not today as much interested in owning Rupununi savannah grass as in who gets the gas that lies below the Essequibo Region. So, then, will Guyana’s overall Venezuela strategy forever be based on ‘Not a blade of grass!’?

Secondly, my troublesome-sounding earlier reference to ‘homely affairs’ has to do with Guyana’s extreme underpopulation, vis-à-vis its wealthy growth estimates, and the need to consider whether the plan is to make every Guyanese a millionaire (in US dollars) in short time, or to grow the population over a longer time to spread the growing wealth.

So, should Guyana invest in population-growth by guaranteeing future wedded couples and children a sound and healthy future like Gadaffi did with Libya’s oil wealth,

or should the country just continue expanding its healthy wealth to become an emirate-like jewel in the Caribbean’s development crown?

Take the future of mobility. With the very-welcome announcement of a return to railway transport, will it be a revival of the old system on new tracks, or a mixed approach that will include high-speed railways links from the Mabaruma (North West District) to other hinterland and coastal regions, as well as between Georgetown and Linden -- and from Guyana to Suriname, French Guiana, Brazil and Venezuela?

Silica City will show

how Guyana’s oil and gas will energise living in Soesdyke in the Age of the Internet of Things; and with a thriving aerospace industry next-door in French Guiana, who’s to say Guyana won’t ever seek to diversify and energize its non-oil base by investing in future space technology? Or safe space tourism?

Some young entrepreneurs are complaining of access to investment finance. So, after addressing housing needs for young professionals, will the government now have to setup a special fund for young property owners, or should it revisit the map and develop more Silica Cities

inland as part of a new land distribution system that will avoid Georgetown becoming another Hong Kong (with not an inch of space available for housing)?

These are the kinds of thoughts on the minds of those looking into Guyana’s future, not through peeping periscopes with limited scope and vision, but with wider eyes spanning beyond the basic borders and boundaries that have traditionally circumscribed thinking to the circumferences of limited peripheries that don’t expand beyond seas and skies, zones and horizons.

Guyana’s ‘carbon credits’ attract more interested buyers

THE world's growing interest in sustainable development and environmental preservation continues to augur well for Guyana, as the country's carbon credits-- earned because of its lush greenery-- are attracting more interested buyers.

“We have had several people reaching out to us

and we are exploring those opportunities,” Vice-President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo said during an interview on Wednesday.

The Architecture for REDD+ Transactions (ART), in December 2022, issued the world’s first TREES credits to Guyana.

This marked a milestone

as the first time a country was issued carbon credits specifically designed for the voluntary and compliance carbon markets for successfully preventing forest loss and degradation — a process known as jurisdictional REDD+.

Following completion of an independent validation

and verification process and approval by the ART Board of Directors, ART issued 33.47 million TREES credits to Guyana for the five-year period from 2016 to 2020. This paved the way for a historic agreement between Hess Corporation and the Government of Guyana, whereby the oil giants opted to purchase about one-third

avoided, or sequestered for every carbon credit.

Dr. Jagdeo highlighted that although the Opposition, while in government, promised 100 per cent renewable energy by 2025, they had done nothing to make this a reality.

He referenced the Amaila Hydropower Project which

ervation plan, he said: “Because we have had so many proposals, we have decided we would put out a request for proposal so we can have a common basis on which to analyse all the proposals, and the same thing is happening with mangroves.”

of all Guyana’s credits (issued and anticipated) up to 2030.

The agreement will generate a minimum of US$750 million for Guyana over the coming decade and represents a major milestone on the journey towards a vision first set out in 2007.

And, according to Dr. Jagdeo, although there have been complaints that the funds received for the carbon credits were inadequate, a look into the global voluntary market would show that Guyana received a good deal.

He explained that if the credits appreciate when traded in secondary markets, the arrangement could generate much more money than that.

A way to value the carbon trees store is by issuing forest carbon credits by independent verification organisations. Companies can purchase these tradable credits as a way of recognising that carbon stored in forests is one aspect of the solution to achieving a global climate, where one tonne of carbon dioxide has been decreased,

the Opposition had "killed," and their lack of contribution to the subject matter of Guyana’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC).

He said: “So, we have to resume the consultation and then submit a realistic NDC. So, that's one of the things that we will move forward on and hopefully, that will allow us to move closer to some of the markets that are currently available.”

Additionally, providing an update on the Amaila Falls project, Dr. Jagdeo said: “So, we've had several proposals directly from companies. And it is our determination that, again, when you have multiple unsolicited proposals, the best way to move forward is to have a request for proposal again, open process. So, most likely you would see us re-engage the public through an ad and to get these proposals. And then they could be all adjudicated side by side against each other to see which is the best deal.”

Further, addressing the myriad opportunities stemming from the forest pres -

The Vice-President highlighted that there were also proposals through the blue economy arrangement, and to plant the mangroves at no cost and no initial investment from the government, which will help protect the coastline.

Adding to this, he disclosed that the government will put out two requests for proposals, shortly.

Jagdeo remarked that that the government is working tediously to enhance the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) and specifically, the integrated water management aspect, so it is likely that more areas in the country will be placed under protection.

“We are doing an inventory of all the sources of water, water for navigational purposes, water for potable use, drinking water for agriculture, for a whole range of purposes, drainage and irrigation, etc. so that we can have an integrated management of all of our water resources, which is part of the LCDS and then we are strengthening the EPA [Environmental Protection Act],” Jagdeo said.

28 persons inducted into ‘Young Influencers’ programme

THE Ministry of Human Services and Social Security (MHSSS), through the Young Influencers Programme, on Saturday, inducted its third batch of 28 young influencers from the different regions of Guyana and awarded its previous batch of young influencers with certificates to conclude the programme.

The programme provides youths an opportunity to express themselves through a platform which gives them a voice to create, implement and promote volunteer activities that are in line with the ministry’s initiatives giving them the opportunity to work with, and give back to, their communities.

The programme also provides opportunities to connect with a network of policy, decision-makers and peers.

Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, speaking at the induction ceremony held at the Guyana Women’s Leadership Institute (GWLI), said that in conceptualising the programme, it was her aim to provide a platform where a space for voices, creativity, ideas, and innovation were all provided for.

“[The programme] gives them the opportunity to understand each other, respect each other and to learn about each other, not only about personalities, but what each other brought to the table

-- experience, expertise, values, principles, and culture from the various regions,” she noted.

Minister Persaud said that

have been very impactful. I was able to learn a lot. I was able to learn from the MHSSS. We would have touched on a number of top-

She said that she tried her best and did as much as she could to help out.

For the future cohorts, Gopal said: “Even though

Norton said that the experience was great as she got to interact with intelligent and creative young people, whom she really admires.

continue to work hard and to take part in activities that they are passionate about.

it gives them the opportunity to create a robust network as well.

Terrain Wright, member of the 2022 cohort of influencers and Jaguar Awardee, said that when she joined, she did not know exactly what she was getting into; however, her mind was set on being a voice for the voiceless and being able to volunteer and learn from the ministry.

“The programme would

ics from trafficking in persons to leadership to domestic violence,” she said.

Wright added: “If the MHSSS needs me, I will always be there, once a young influencer, always a young influencer.”

Another 2022 influencer, Rishti Gopal, awarded the Most Creative award, said that she was ecstatic about concluding the programme and being given that award.

some things are going to seem scary and you are going to want to back down, you can always go for help. Just try your best and it is okay if you need help.”

All the way from Region Two (Pomeroon Supenaam), Tatiana Norton, won the Most Vocal award. Noting that travelling was a big challenge for her, she said that her passion helped her along the way.

“It has been impactful, it has encouraged me to make my voice be heard. We had this event… the anti-bullying campaign, so that has given me the opportunity to bring awareness to people in schools. I was given the opportunity to go to schools and spread awareness about the antibullying campaign,” she explained.

For the upcoming influencers, she urged them to

A newly inducted young influencer, Xaria Holder, a 17-year-old of Georgetown, said that as an aspiring child psychologist, she looks forward to interacting with and helping children from all across the country.

Daniel McAlmont of Kitty, Georgetown, said that seeing youths use the young influencers programme platform to bring awareness to social issues, encouraged him to join the programme.

“I would like to bring my analytical skills, my skills in leadership and I would like to bring awareness to certain issues such as financial literacy, encouraging and informing the youths of today, to make an impact for the future generations,” he noted.

18-year-old Younica, Sanchara, of Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), also a newly inducted influencer, said that she has always had a passion for advocating for children’s rights and she takes any opportunity to make a difference and to speak her word.

“I am very happy and elated to have this opportunity to speak and impart knowledge and wisdom to others,” she said.

The previous batches of influencers were exposed to public-speaking training, and were educated about social and other issues plaguing the society, especially youths.

Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, and the newly inducted batch of young influencers

Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, the 2022 cohort of young influencers and others

‘Co-Op Market Day’ a major success

WITH food security being one of the main goals for the government, the Ministry of Labour on Saturday hosted a co-op-

within their possession, but it is not being utilised properly, the minister said:

“As Guyanese, and as a government, we cannot

not “back-breaking”, but is poised for a bright future with the use of revolutionary technology.

erative market day to not only showcase the array of top-notch local products, but also provide small-scale businesses with a platform to display their creativity.

Present at the market day was Labour Minister Joseph Hamilton, who told the Sunday Chronicle that the initiative indicates to the populace that they can play a pivotal role in

afford for that to continue, so this activity here is trying to stir and to promote.”

He added, “[It’s] to have people who are involved in a co-operative to think differently; to think outside of the box, to recognise that they could make a substantial contribution to national development, and support the government food security programme.”

Meanwhile, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana School of Agriculture (GSA) Gavin Ramnarine said the organisation wants to edify the public on their large variety of local products, which, according to him, is second to none.

“I think these initia -

“It always amazes me at the endless supply of food we have, and these things encourage Guyanese to buy local things. We don’t have to import anything; we literally live in a place where everything grows,” Ramnarine contended.

At the market day, the GSA provided an assortment of fresh vegetables, ranging from bora to pepper, along with freshly-plucked chickens, fresh milk, breadfruit flour, and even baby porridge.

CREATIVITY IN LOCAL INDUSTRIES

In an effort to bring that milky goodness that Guyanese would indulge in during the Christmas season, Dixie Jordan, owner and founder of Dixie’s Punch de Crème, displayed a variety of crème liqueurs at the market day.

“It’s about the spices we all grew up knowing and enjoying, with a nice, creamy base,” Jordan said, noting that within the assortment of crème liqueurs, there is a ‘capadulla’ flavour.

“It’s about promoting the produce that we have here in Guyana, and presenting it in a way where everyone can enjoy,” she said, adding that although there is the medicinal and wine form of capadulla, this might not suit everyone, and, therefore, she saw it fit to create a capadulla crème liqueur.

Moreover, Fay Greaves, owner and founder of the growing business called “Jofa Products”, remarked that she was thrilled to be a part of the market day initiative.

developed a formula that she and many Guyanese households grew to love.

Hoping to show that even while out of town, one can still locate fresh and vibrant vegetables, Komal Kumarlalbihari, Chairman of the Bath Development Co-operative Society told the Sunday Chronicle that while sales

are important, his main objective was to market his organisation. Conveying the fact that the Bath Co-operative Society supports the President’s goal of making Guyana food secure, Kumarlalbihari said: “Food is important, and we want to meet the demands of the people,” pointing out that at the top of the organisation’s agenda is to ensure that there is enough food for Guyanese and even to export.

Meanwhile, consumers were seen flocking the various booths in light of the great bargains to be had. In fact, Adeola Griffith, who hails from Prospect, on the East Bank of Demerara, shared that she was thrilled to support her fellow Guyanese.

“The Market Day really helps to promote local businesses [and] small farmers, [so] they can actually come out and market their products,” she said, adding that in the long-run, this will help to boost Guyana’s economy.

aiding President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali’s “25 by 2025” food security goal, while revolutionsing the agriculture and agro-processing sectors.

Noting that the co-operative societies have thousands of acres of land

According to the Labour Minister, efforts are underway to get more young people interested in the “co-op movement.”

He said the ministry is working vigorously to show young people that the agriculture sector is

tives [market day] are extremely useful,” Ramnarine said, explaining that although Guyanese are aware that the nation is capable of manufacturing local products, they are unaware of the quantity and the quality of them.

Ranging from sweet-pepper jelly, pepper stew, and a range of sauces, the Sophia resident said that while growing up, her grandmother used to make the sweet-pepper jelly, however, she was not fond of it, but as she got older and started to expand her culinary skills, she

Laboour Minister Joseph Hamilton and other officials at one of the Market Day booths

CEO of the Guyana School of Agriculture Gavin Ramnarine and his team

Fay Greaves, owner and founder of “Jofa Products” displaying her famous sweetpepper jelly and pepper stew

Komal Kumarlalbihari, Chairman of the Bath Development Cooperative Society

Adeola Griffith and her kids showing the huge bags of local produce they purchased (Delano Williams photos)

GPF commences anniversary with traditional drum-head church service

THE Guyana Police Force, drawing from the deep reservoir of religious inspiration, commenced the celebration of its 184th Anniversary with the traditional Drum Head Church Service held Saturday morning at the Police Officers’ Mess Annexe, Police Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown.

This significant occasion was the first in a month-long series of planned events honouring the Police Force’s establishment on July 1, 1839.

The occasion was done in two phases: The Piling of the Drums and the Church Service.

Opening prayers were done by Woman Superintendent Leslyn Smith (Christian), Superintendent Bharat Persaud (Hindu), and Sergeant #21330 George (Muslim). This multi-religious service offers a meaningful opportunity for Guyanese from all religious persuasions to come together and unite in keeping with the Commander-in-Chief and Guyana’s Head of

State’s much-lauded ‘One Guyana’ initiative.

Due to the tactical nature of the Drum Head Service, Deputy Commissioner ‘Administration’ (ag) Calvin Brutus, explained to the audience that the placing of the drums requires precision, poise, neatness, and coordination.

According to Brutus, the Piling of the Drums is an ancient military custom dedicated to receiving divine blessings and protection before going into combat.

He continued by saying that that practice developed because of circumstances on moving battlefields and the impossibility of entering places of worship.

The Piling of the Drums includes placing several musical drums in a vertical, pyramid-like position and laying the regimental banners on top.

“Historically, the regimental banners acted as a rallying point in the heat and smoke of battle so that soldiers could easily spot their units by

their colours. On the other hand, the sound of drums, especially its beat, guides soldiers to march into battle and regulates the loading and re-loading of their weapons during battle as well. Also, drummers were used to raise morale during fighting. Hence, these key symbols required blessings. The religious ceremony is kept then the regimental banners and drums are removed. Because the Guyana Police Force is a paramilitary organisation, the drum head activity was retained,” Mr Brutus noted.

This display includes seven drums: five whiteside drums, one tenor drum, and one base drum. Each rank is assigned to a particular drum, starting from the white-side drums, the bass drum, and the tenor drum. These ranks marched in quick time, holding the respective drums with the left hand close to their bodies and resting on their left side hip. The drum parade then piles the drums with precision and coordina -

tion. This drill demonstrates strength, unity, and coordination. It also created a spectacle.

During Saturday morning’s event, the drums were piled by Constable 25974 Ragnauth (side drum), Woman Lance Corporal 22199 Grimes (side drum), Constable 26143 Manoo (side drum), Constable 23148 Johnson (side drum), Constable 26100 Sardinha (base drum), Constable 23974 Downer (tenant drum), Constable 24926 Morris (side drum).

Being a paramilitary organisation, Mr Brutus explained that the GPF adopted this tradition among many others in existence. The regimental banners were substituted by the National Flag and the Police Flag, respectively.

The colour party consisted of Assistant Superintendent Singh (National colours) and Assistant Superintendent Cort (who bore the Police colours). Both Officers wore sashes that represented the Force. Escort to the colour

party was Sergeant # 21118 Gillis and 21115 Doliveria Inspector Morris. Woman Superintendent Halley-Smith arranged the colours (State colour and Police colour).

Force Chaplin, Reverend Patrick Doolichand, then delivered an engaging and thought-provoking sermon during the Church Service.

He encouraged the Leadership of the Force to work in partnership and continue building on the legacy and rich foundation of great men in the Force who came before them. He noted the GPF had come a long way and that serving the people was a sacred duty. Reverend Doolichand quoted great thinkers and philosophers such as Machiavelli and Aristotle as he gave real-world examples of why teamwork and partnership are necessary for success.

Pandit Seeram Madray, on the other hand, spoke heavily on the importance of staying close to God despite our current situation or status in life. “Even if you’re in

a position of power, don’t forget the lord,” Madray urged. He also thanked the Top Cop, Mr Clifton Hicken, for transforming the Guyana Police Force into a friendly and approachable organisation.

Echoing the sentiments expressed by Pandit Madray was Iman Warren Barlow, who also alluded to the positive direction in which the GPF was heading, and the many evident changes. “I think the changes are visible across the country,” he asserted.

Later in his sermon, he reminded the gathering that Allah placed us on the earth for a purpose noting that the same should be done in compliance with the Lord’s word. He then charged the GPF to use the same approach when serving the general public while remembering to practise selflessness.

To entertain the large gathering, the GPF Military Band, MS, and the GPF Steel Pan performed musical renditions delivered at intervals of the

Scenes from the GPF 184th Anniversary Traditional Drum Head Church Service which was held at the Police Officers’ Mess Annexe, Police Headquarters, Eve Leary on Saturday July 1, 2023

East Coast road expansion to benefit current, future generations

— residents commend road improvement project

THE government is working towards enhancing the country's infrastructural landscape through the East Coast Demerara (ECD) Road improvement project.

Residents living along the east coast corridor are expecting the development, as it is set to significantly improve their quality of life.

One such resident is Shavanie Mulchan, a vendor, who said the project will bring relief to her when completed.

“I feel good that they are extending the road because it will be a lot easier to cross

since there will be less traffic,” she said. For Cornel Fraser, the government has been aggressively honing in on infrastructural rehabilitation, as he observed consistent and frequent rehabilitative works being executed across the region.

“A lot of work is being carried out on roads, and that is going to help me because, all of the potholes and these things that are challenging as drivers, it’s going to save us from that, and it’s going to help us save money,” Fraser

noted. When asked his views on the ECD road project, Fraser relayed, “It’s going to benefit me because, first of all, we’re not going to have all of this congestion. Once the road is expanded, it is going to have a few more lanes which means that you’re going to move faster. You’re going to take less time to get to your destination. When you have traffic buildup, even that costs you money.”

Another resident, Nickolas Wool, said the project will significantly reduce traffic

buildup, and enable residents to arrive at their destinations earlier.

Wool stated, “We’ll have four lanes, and it will be good, and the drivers will be encouraged to take their time on the road. It’s going to ease up the traffic a lot, so everybody will reach to work early. As you see, some people get to work late because of the traffic. They have to get up early to beat the traffic, and it is hard sometimes. When this road opens, it will be easier.” Meanwhile, Julius Cupidore, who expressed that he

has been a driver for some 11 years, sees the project as a transformational endeavour that caters for the future generation.

“I truly believe that the expansion of the road is going to be better for Guyana because Guyanese people depend on transportation. It’s going to ensure that everybody’s goods are transported and delivered on time. I believe that the expansion of the road is going to be beneficial, not only for this generation but for generations to come,” he explained.

Works on the project are ongoing and consist of drainage construction, pipeline relocation, and preparations for road widening.

This phase of the project will see the expansion of the Railway Embankment Road into four lanes stretching from Sheriff Street to Orange Nassau, extending the main east coast roadway from Orange Nassau to Mahaica, and rehabilitating the existing East Coast Embankment Road from Belfield to Orange Nassau. (DPI)

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From page 16

Drum Head Service.

Amongst those renditions was the famous gospel song “My Tribute To God Be The Glory” while the Police Steel Band played “Krishna”.

In addition to that, the gathering was led by the Police Choir through a worship session that saw popular gospel songs like “Lift Jesus Higher”, “What Shall I Render to Jehovah”, “How Great Is Our God”, and “I Know Who Holds Tomorrow”.

Like any other

church service, scripture readings were taken from Ecclesiastes Chapter 4, verses 9-12, and Colossians Chapter 4, Verses 6-10. This was done by Rebecca Abai, and Rachel Persaud, from the School of Nations and Kingston Secondary School, respectively.

Reverend Doolichand concluded the Church Service with a doxology and benediction. To bring the curtains down, the National Anthem was recited, and the drums were un-piled.

Among those in at-

tendance were Prime Minister, Brigadier (R’td) Mark Phillips (currently performing the duties of President of Guyana; Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn; Acting Commissioner of Police, Clifton Hicken; Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force, Brigadier Omar Khan; Director of Prisons, Nicklon Elliot; Chief Fire Officer, Gregory Wickham; Head of CANU, James Singh among other officials.

Shavanie Mulchan

Ongoing works on the ECD road improvement project

Cornel Fraser

Nickolas Wool

Junior Cupidore

30 community roads to be rehabilitated in Sophia

RESIDENTS of Sophia, Georgetown will continue to feel the government’s presence, as some 30 roads are set to be rehabilitated in the community.

Minister of Public Works Bishop Juan Edghill made the disclosure following a walkabout in the area on Saturday. The minister began a rigorous exercise of road assessments in ‘B’ and ‘C’ Fields, Sophia, where he announced that works will soon begin on several roads there.

“What we are looking to do is to ensure that wherever we are making investments; wherever we are building roads that they are high-impact, and people will benefit from the intervention. We have to be able to answer to the real needs of people,” the minister explained.

A similar exercise will be conducted on the East Bank of Demerara. “We have to do this in every region to ensure that we continue to see what is done, and where the gaps are to ensure that we are getting the correct assessments, so that when we proceed with our allocations and expenditure for this year, we are getting the required results,” he added.

Further, the public works minister emphasised the importance of placing focus on community roads, as they directly impact the

lives of residents.

“We’ve been looking at the big highways and the major billion-dollar projects, but these community streets are really what matters to people, because when they come off the highway and they turn off to go into their villages, they want to be able to drive on the road, and get there safely, and in comfort,” Minister Edghill underscored.

Accompanied by Minister of Health Dr. Frank Anthony, Minister Edghill visited several communities along the East Coast and engaged with residents, assessing roads in need of repairs.

Several roads and bridges were identified for rehabilitative works, with priority being given to those leading to schools. As Local Government Elections came to a close, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government announced that it will be ramping up the implementation of rehabilitative and constructive works on community roads, as part of its people-centred agenda for development.

This agenda has seen Cabinet Ministers consistently engaging residents across the country, identifying issues, and making interventions, where possible, to improve the lives of Guyanese at the grassroots level. (DPI)

Minister of Public Works

Bishop Juan Edghill engaging Sophia residents on Saturday

Guyana to receive 300 more black belly sheep from Barbados

The Irfaan Ali-led administration continues to advance its aggressive efforts to tackle food insecurity, locally and regionally, while creating a strong agricultural sector that will transform the lives of all Guyanese.

Guyana has implemented a number of programmes to advance its food security agenda, among them the black belly sheep project, production of high-value crops, the ‘Cut Rose’ project, climate-smart agriculture practices, agro-processing facilities, marine cage fish-

ing, brackish water shrimp, corn and soya bean production, among others.

The government’s ambitions for improved food security, sustainable economic growth, and increased income from agriculture depend on the livestock industry, which is positioned for additional growth due to the strong and increasing demand for animal produced locally and internationally.

Importantly, Guyana will be receiving 300 more black belly sheep from Barbados. This was highlighted by Barbados’ Minister of Ag-

riculture and Food Security, Indar Weir, in an article in the Barbados Today papers on June 30.

“The last report I got… everything is going well. We did not lose any of the sheep that were shipped and that’s a good sign. I am now trying to get the remaining amount sent down to Guyana. We are preparing a shipment of 300 and then following that there will be another 300 and we will be finished,” Minister Weir stated.

Guyana received the first flock of 132 sheep from Barbados in August last

year, which consisted of 112 ewes and 20 rams. Barbados agreed to send 1,000 sheep to Guyana.

This forms part of a joint undertaking between the governments of the two countries to build a regional brand of sheep to decrease the importation of lamb and mutton products into the region. The intention is to replace the imported lamb from New Zealand and Australia on this side of the world.

President Ali, on March 27, launched the black belly sheep-project in Region

Five. The programme was launched with an estimated $600 million (US$3 million) investment from the administration.

The breed is primarily raised for meat and other high-demand by-products. Guyana possesses enough land, a suitable climate, and all other prerequisites for increasing the production of black belly sheep.

These initiatives will enhance sustainable production and help to lower the Caribbean’s food importation bill by 25 per cent by 2025.

President Ali re-emphasised the importance of boosting food production and fusing food security goals with those for eradicating poverty and inequality.

The head-of-state made the remarks during the Com-

munity of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) high-level Ministers of Agriculture meeting last Tuesday. Moreover, to improve food production in the region, the president also stressed the need for a technology support system, with a focus on empowering women in this field.

As part of its efforts to improve the livestock industry, Guyana has set the goal of guaranteeing that 35 per cent of livestock farms are owned by women.

Dr. Ali stated that to create an integrated, resilient, and sustainable agriculture and food security system, it is necessary to link and expand health, education, technology, and the inclusion of women and young people. (DPI)

Motorcyclist dies in Leonora accident

THE Police have launched a probe into the death of 26-year-old motorcyclist, Muneshwar Singh, who died on Friday, at about 18:02 hrs, on the Leonora Public Road, West Coast Demerara.

According to a Police press release, the accident involved a motorcycle (# CL 9563), owned and driven by 19-year-old Amir Ruplal of Anna Catherina, WCD, and another motorcycle (# CM 1052), owned and driven by Singh of Cornelia Ida, WCD.

Police said Ruplal was proceeding east, at a fast rate when he lost control while

trying to overtake a car. As a result, the motorcycle flipped and collided with Singh, who was heading in the opposite direction.

Both Singh and Ruplal sustained injuries; they were picked up and taken to the Leonora Cottage Hospital where Singh died while receiving medical attention. Ruplal was treated and later taken into police custody. He was subjected to a breathalyser test but no trace of alcohol was detected. Singh’s body is at the Sandy’s funeral parlour awaiting a post-mortem examination.

GECOM conducts monthly checks to ensure clean voters’ list - DCEO

DEPUTY Chief Elections Officer (DCEO), Aneal Giddings, has assured that the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) conducts regular checks of the national voters’ list to ensure that the names of deceased persons are not included on lists to be used at any election.

He made the disclosure during a press conference held at GECOM’S com-

Cops hunt alleged rapist in Bartica

Police have launched an investigation into an alleged rape involving a 20-year-old female in the Upper Cuyuni River region. The alleged victim has identified the suspect as a resident of Bartica.

In a harrowing account provided to the authorities, the victim described how the suspect forcibly removed her clothing without her consent.

Against her will, the suspect allegedly engaged in unprotected sexual in-

mand centre, Fort Street, Kingston on Friday.

“GECOM has been, and now as is required by the amendments made to the National Registration Act Chapter 19:08, we are statutorily required to receive a list from the Gen-

eral Registrar’s Office, as it pertains to those persons who would have been registered as deceased,” he explained.

He noted that the national register is received on a monthly basis, and GECOM does its due dil-

igence to ensure deceased persons are flagged accordingly.

“That is the legal way. That is the only way that persons are removed from the national register of registrants,” Giddings said.

He further explained that GECOM has several mechanisms in place to ensure that voter fraud is not perpetrated, including having voters’ registration information and photographs at the polling stations. (DPI)

The incident, Police said occurred on June 30, 2023.

According to the Guyana Police Force, the victim, who is acquainted with the suspect, accepted his invitation to visit the Sixth Avenue Beach in Bartica.

The two individuals engaged in social drinking, but their plans took a horrifying turn as heavy rain began to pour at approximately 18:00 hrs. Seeking shelter from the downpour, the victim and the suspect sought refuge inside the suspect’s car.

tercourse with her for approximately four minutes. Following the incident, the suspect dropped the victim off at her residence.

Distressed and shaken by the ordeal, the victim confided in a friend about the traumatic experience. Concerned for her well-being, the friend advised her to report the incident to the Police.

Law enforcement officials have since been actively searching for the suspect to aid in their ongoing investigation.

Deputy Chief Elections Officer, Aneal Giddings

Contractor warned against delay on Linden to Mabura Road Project

MINISTER of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill, on Friday afternoon, met with all the key players involved in the Linden to Mabura Road Project and warned that unnecessary delays will not be tolerated, and those in charge will be held accountable.

These included the Ministry’s Engineering staff; Consultant, Mott MacDonald; Management Consultant, Politecna; and Contracting Brazilian firm Construtora Queiroz Galvao S.A.

The meeting was called for a general update on the project thus far, with Minister Edghill reinforcing the urgency of the project, and the need for it to stay on track and completed within its contractual timeframe.

In December 2020, the Government of Guyana, Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), and the Government of the United Kingdom partnered to fund the US$190 million project. The CDB put up US$112

million, while a grant of £50 million (US$66 million) from the Government of the United Kingdom via the CDBadministered United Kingdom Caribbean Infrastructure Fund, along with US$12 million provided by the Government covered the cost of the project.

Also, in 2022, following a thorough evaluation process by the CDB and Consultant Mott MacDonald and other specialists, Construtora Queiroz Galvao S.A, (Bid No 5) was determined as the most responsive bid, meeting full compliance with all safety, environmental, social, and health requirements, in upgrading the 121 kilometres of road from Linden to Mabura Hill.

This project forms part of a wider development of the Georgetown to Lethem corridor.

Permanent Secretary, Vladim Persaud, and Procurement Manager, Andy Mahadeo, were also present at the meeting. (DPI)

Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill (centre), with officials in discussion about the Linden to Mabura Road Project

Epic Savannah Drive: Promoting tourism in the Hilly Sand, Clay Region

THE Annual Epic Savannah Drive will commence today (July 2) and is expected to be one of the most exciting events planned to promote sport and adventure tourism in the Hilly Sand and Clay natural region of Guyana.

The event’s coordinator and Owner of ‘Savannah Drive Guyana,’ Shane D’Andrade, said the activity started as a hobby.

“The Savannah Drive is a hobby, I do it because I love it, it’s not about money or anything. I decided to turn my hobby into a business.”

This is the sixth year that the activity will be held.

Before takeoff from Savannah Drive Headquarters in Yarrowkabra on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway, participants will have the opportunity to test their skills in an obstacle course featuring a balance bride, a hill climb, and a mud pit.

The first stop on the drive will be at Swan Village, to Sandville,

Kuru Kururu, and then to Laluni for Lunch.

After lunch, the competitions will begin and persons can win prizes.

Participants will have the opportunity to participate in activities such as archery, mud race, off-road driving, grass track races, and trail races among others.

The drive will also feature a mobile bar; however, persons can

also walk with their own refreshments.

Also, a fully equipped off-road ambulance, with trained medical personnel, sponsored by New Vision Labs Inc. will be present throughout the activity.

The Savannah Drive Headquarters also caters to overnighters who wish to camp out or stay in one of the available cabins; they can also enjoy access to a swimming pool.

“I have a place on the highway and I love building stuff, everything you see here … I literally do it on a daily basis to keep it going,” D’Andrade told DPI.

The obstacle course at Savannah Drive

Shane D’Andrade and a former participant prepare for archery at Swan Village

Mitchell Starc's searing best gives Australia the edge

Mitchell Starc is probably not the best bowler in the world, but he might be the bowler who bowls the best balls. And on Saturday afternoon, a couple of minutes after five o'clock, Ollie Pope faced one of Starc's best.

It was the ball that left-arm fast bowlers dream about: fast, full, angling across, swinging back in, bursting through the gap between bat and pad. On a day where England's bowlers hardly bowled a ball that would have hit the stumps between them, Starc ripped Pope's middle stump out of the ground.

Starc stuck his right arm out with his first finger raised and let out a scream so loud that every muscle in his neck was visible, popping out from under his skin. He wore an expression of genuine anger, giving Cameron Green a high-ten hard enough to sting his hands. It was close to perfection.

And the context made it even better. Starc's first ball of the over, his third, was angled across Pope, holding its line up the slope to beat his outside edge. It created enough doubt that, facing the next ball, Pope planted his front foot slightly tentatively and played down an offstump line.

He missed the ball by inches, his head falling over to the off side. After it flicked his pad and crashed into his stump, Pope kept falling. He peered around his right hip to see the stump lying on the floor, with a camera cable attached to it. England were 13 for 2, needing another 358 to win.

Starc has never been - and will never be - a bowler who exerts control, and Australia have never quite trusted him in England for

that reason. Four years ago, he played only one of the five Ashes Tests, with Peter Siddle and James Pattinson among those preferred; in Birmingham last week, Scott Boland got the nod ahead of him. At Lord's, Starc started the second innings by spraying one so far outside Zak Crawley's off stump that it was called a wide; three balls later, with Ben Duckett on strike, he so short and wide outside his off stump that the man who prides himself on never leaving the ball had no other choice.

Starc's economy rate across his Test career is 3.33 and in this match, he has gone at 4.74 an over. None of his 27 overs has been a maiden and at times, England have been able to get after him. But his attributes are irresistible: height, bounce, pace, swing, all from a left-arm angle.

That cocktail lends itself to chances. At the end of Starc's first over, he found some extra bounce from a length to take Duckett's outside edge, Green unable to cling on as he flung himself to his left in the gully; his next ball, the first of his second over, was near identical but this time to the right-handed Crawley, and resulted in a leg-side strangle.

Two balls later, he pinned Duckett with another beauty, a ball which angled in, swung away and thumped him on the knee roll of his back pad. Given out on field by Chris Gaffaney, Duckett survived on review but only just, ball-tracking predicting it would have missed the top of off stump by a hair's breadth.

Starc was baffled when his catch at deep fine leg off Duckett was given not out by the third umpire in the final stages of the fourth

day, captured by TV cameras asking: "What the hell?" The same question must have gone through Pope's mind two hours previously - and last week, when Pat Cummins uprooted his off stump with a wicked yorker.

This was Starc at his best, coming up with a spell where nobody - not him, not his team-mates, and certainly not England's batters - seemed to know whether he was about to spray one down the leg side or rattle the stumps. Pace - or, as Starc calls it, "airspeed" - creates doubt; doubt causes chaos and that contributes to a batter's demise.

Few players convey the sense that this - white clothes, red ball, five days - really is the pinnacle in the way Starc does. The two other truly elite left-arm seamers, Trent Boult and Shaheen Shah Afridi, have not played a Test between them in the past 11 months. In this format, he is the best in the world at what he does.

Starc does not play in the IPL, or the Big Bash, or in any franchise leagues. He plays for Australia and can't get enough of it. "The money's nice," he said before this tour, "but I'd love to play 100 Test matches." Not many cricketers have the financial security to turn down the T20 money, but it is clear just how much this means to Starc.

This tour is legacy-defining for Starc. He had already ticked the white-ball World Cups off but since arriving in the UK, he has become a World Test Champion; now, he is bowling magic balls that will likely contribute to Australia taking a 2-0 lead in an away Ashes series. It doesn't get much better.

(CricinfO)

Tyson Fury's next fight a 'game-changer' for heavyweight boxing - Warren

PROMOTER Frank Warren says Tyson Fury's upcoming fight announcement could be a "game-changer" for heavyweight boxing.

WBC champion Fury has teased a big announcement for several weeks after an undisputed fight with Oleksandr Usyk fell through in March.

The Briton has been linked with several fighters including MMA's Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones.

Warren told 5 Live Boxing: "I'm hoping in the next week or so we'll be in a position to announce something."

He added the announcement could be "a game-changer for the sport".

Fury, 34, has faced criticism for failing to agree terms for a fight with WBA (Super), WBO and IBF champion Usyk earlier this year, with the bout appearing to fall apart over a disputed rematch clause.

Usyk is now set to defend his titles against his WBA mandatory challenger Daniel Dubois. Warren, who promotes Dubois, says that fight is pencilled in to happen in Poland on 26 August.

With Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua also in protracted talks over fights including with each other, heavyweight boxing has stagnated with all the biggest names stalling on making the biggest bouts

Heavyweight Joe Joyce was involved in one of the most thrilling heavyweight contests in April against China's Zhilei Zhang and has already announced the rematch for 23 September in London.

"Are we fighting, are you not fighting? Is there undisputed or not? Just get the fights please," Joyce said of his fellow heavyweights.

"The fans are missing out. I am the only one who seems to be fighting these days."

Huge offers from Saudi Arabia have turned the heads of many fighters including Usyk and Joshua, and Warren says money is the main reason the big fights have not happened.

"The main reason is the market is good in some ways and not good in other ways," Warren said.

"There are these offers being made from the Middle East, Saudi.

"That's made people sit back and wait rather than engaging in big fights right now, with what would be a realistic price rather than the premium they'd pay to bring them over there.

"That's the real truth. And contrary to what everyone says, Tyson and us have been trying to make those fights in the UK." (BBC Sport)

WEST Indies, two-time former champions, are going to be absent from an ODI World Cup for the first time when the tournament takes place in India later this year.

The issues for West Indies start from the foundation of the game back home, captain Shai Hope said after the defeat to Scotland ended their qualification hopes in Harare on Saturday, adding that "we can't come here and expect to be an elite team without that backing and preparation".

"It starts from the foundation. Preparation needs to be better. That's from back home," Hope told Ian Bishop on the official broadcast. "So, yeah, it starts from there. We can't just expect to wake up one morning and be a great team. There's a lot of things that we need to focus on. And yeah, we need to control (what) we can control. Right now, we are here playing cricket, and we need to make sure we give our all to the West Indian fans."

West Indies came into the Super Six stage of the qualifying event in Zimbabwe without any points from the group stage, having lost to Zimbabwe and Netherlands, the two teams to move up from the same group. That meant they had to win every Super Six game to stand a chance, but fell short at the first hurdle, putting up a lacklustre show against Scotland to lose by seven wickets.

"To be honest, it's not one thing [I can] put my finger on. We definitely need to look at all the areas," Hope said when asked if he knew where West Indies fell short. "Certainly, I felt we let ourselves down here in the entire tournament. But yeah, we need to look at the way we start our innings [and] definitely the fielding."

The fielding has been one of the biggest concerns for the team, and the pedestrian performance against Zimbabwe earlier in the tournament - where catches went down frequently and there were misfields galore - even invited harsh words from Daren Sammy, the coach, and Hope.

"I probably have to say [it's] the mindset - fielding is really and truly an attitude, in my opinion, and I think we need to give a bigger effort, especially with the attitude," Hope said. "Catches will be dropped, misfields will happen, it's part of the game, but the effort needs to remain. I don't think we gave that 100% effort every single time. We did it in patches, but we certainly need to improve in that."

Against Scotland, West Indies lost the toss and were asked to bat. They were 30 for 4 inside seven overs, as the Scotland quicks - led by Brandon McMullen - struck at will, almost, and then reached 81 for 6, their top-six batters gone, in the 21st over. There was a fightback after that, but not one of note.

"We knew the conditions were definitely in the bowlers' favour; the toss is really crucial here - we see every single captain [that] wins the toss elects to field first," Hope said. "So, we need to find ways to negate that early-morning movement. [But] again, we can't really look at the past, we need to look at ways to move forward and get better.

"We know there's two more games left. We need to find a way to bounce back, finish the tournament positively at least.

"We need to make sure we transfer the talent [back home] into consistent performances and that's the only way we can rise in the rankings." (Cricinfo)

Tyson Fury last fought in December when he beat Derek Chisora

Shai Hope: 'We can't just wake up one morning and be a great team'

"I don't think we gave that 100% effort every single time," admits West Indies' captain

Delivery to Pope proves that, in this format, Starc is the best in the world at what he does

Drafted and overseas players announced for Massy WCPL

…Shreyanka Patil becomes the first Indian to play at the WCPL

THE squads for the Massy Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) have been announced with all local and overseas players for the 2023 tournament now confirmed. The Massy WCPL gets underway in Barbados on 31 August with the final taking place in Trinidad on 10 September.

The star-studded squads feature the best players from across the Caribbean, includ-

ing Deandra Dottin, Hayley Matthews and Stafanie Taylor. There will also be overseas players from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Ireland and India with some of the best international cricketers appearing in an expanded Massy WCPL.

New Zealanders Sophie Devine, Suzie Bates and Fran Jonas will be playing at the 2023 Massy WCPL. They will be joined by Australians Laura Harris and

Amanda-Jade Wellington. South Africans Dane van Niekerk, Mignon de Preez and Shabnim Ismail will also be at the 2023 event.

Shreyanka Patil becomes the first Indian to play at the WCPL with Ireland players Orla Prendergast and Gaby Lewis rounding out the overseas players list.

Barbados Royals: Hayley Matthews, Afy Fletcher, Aaliyah Alleyne, Chinelle Henry, Rashada Williams,

Jannillea Glasgow, Chedean Nation, Vanessa Watts, Qiana Joseph, Trishan Holder, Jahzara Claxton, Marizanne Kapp, Laura Harris, Gaby Lewis, Amanda-Jade Wellington

Guyana Amazon Warriors: Stafanie Taylor, Karishma Ramharack, Natasha McLean, Shermaine Campbelle, Shakiba Gajnabi, Shakera Selman, Sheneta Grimmond, Kaysia Schultz, Suzie Bates, Shabnim Ismail,

Shreyanka Patil, Cherry-Ann Fraser, Ashmini Munisar, Djenaba Joseph, Sophie Devine

Trinbago Knight Riders: Deandra Dottin, Shamilla Connell, Anisa Mohammed, Kycia Knight, Kyshona Knight, Britney Cooper, Zaida James, LeeAnn Kirby, Carena Noel, Samara Ramnath, Shunelle Sawh, Orla Prendergast, Mignon du Preez, Dane van Niekerk, Fran Jonas.

Britain’s Adam Yates beats twin Simon to win stage one Tour de France:

BRITAIN's Adam Yates beat twin brother Simon to win stage one of the Tour de France in Bilbao, Spain and take the leader's yellow jersey.

UAE Team Emirates' Adam, 30, pulled away from Jayco AlUla rider Simon in the final stages of the uphill finish to win his first ever Tour stage.

Two-time winner Tadej Pogacar claimed third in a mini-group sprint.

"My brother came across to me. I didn't know if I should work with him. I asked and they said 'go for it'," said Adam.

Adam, who was unsure at first whether he was supposed to carry on attacking as Pogacar is his team-mate, added on ITV 4: "It's just amazing - I am super happy.

"I knew Simon was going good, I speak to him every day,

we are really close and yeah just sharing this experience with him is really nice.

"I just wish he would have pulled a bit easier because he almost dropped me at one moment."

Simon said cramps on the

final climb had affected his speed at the finish.

"There was a bit of cat and mouse over the top, and Adam rolled to the front," he said.

"He gave Pogacar the nod, sort of 'can I go? What's the situation?' and it was 'yeah,

sure', so he's gone and I've gone across to him.

"At first when he saw me coming across I think he was put in a difficult situation.

"He asked on the radio, 'Should I wait or roll through?' At first he wasn't pulling but I kind of knew that anyway, I knew it was going to be tricky yet at the same time I had to take the opportunity.

"Normally on a finish like that I wouldn't beat Pogacar or Vingegaard in a real fast sprint so to get away with Adam was maybe a chance.

"We're pretty close normally but I had some cramps in the final. It was a humid day so unfortunately he got the better of me but I'm sure there are more chances coming."

Earlier, Spanish rider Enric Mas and Ecuadorian Richard Carapaz both crashed on the

descent of Cote de Vivero.

Mas was forced to pull out of the race with what appeared to be a shoulder injury, becoming the first of the 176 riders to abandon this year's Tour, while Carapaz, who was bleeding from both knees, finished over 15 minutes behind the winner.

After a cagey start across demanding terrain, the race was blown wide open on the way up Pike Bidea, the final categorised climb of a bumpy 182km route that began and ended in Bilbao.

Two-time winner Pogacar and the defending champion, Denmark's Jonas Vingegaard, burst clear along with French rider Victor Lafay to reach the summit first but they were passed by both Yates brothers on the descent.

The pair opened up a

20-second lead over a chasing group and were left to fight it out for the stage win themselves.

It was Adam who had the most power in the final 500m, and he gave a final look back over his shoulder before celebrating with his arms aloft as he crossed the line.

There have been questions over Pogacar's fitness after he broke his wrist while racing in April, but he won the sprint for third place, enough to earn him four bonus seconds and give him an early advantage over Vingegaard, who is considered his main rival.

The race stays in the Basque Country for today’s second stage, a 208km route from Vitoria-Gasteiz to San Sebastian which features five more categorised climbs. (BBC Sport).

England hopeful Moeen will be ‘ready to go’ for Headingley Test

ENGLAND are hopeful that Moeen Ali's spinning finger has healed sufficiently for him to play a full part in the third Ashes Test at Headingley, which starts on Thursday.

Moeen split the skin on the top knuckle of his spinning finger during the first Test at Edgbaston, his first red-ball appearance in 21 months after Jack Leach's lower-back stress fracture prompted England to send him an SOS call. He returned figures of 3 for 204 in 47 overs.

His omission for the second Test at Lord's owed in part to a green pitch at a venue that

rarely suits spinner, but Ben Stokes admitted: "It would have been a completely different conversation if Mo hadn't had his finger issue that he did last week."

Along with Rehan Ahmed, who was added to the squad for the second Test as cover, Moeen bowled on a practice strip on the edge of the square on each of the first three days of the Test, watched closely by England's spin-bowling coach Jeetan Patel. "It's the best I've ever seen him bowl," Patel said.

"Fingers crossed that in the

next couple of days, he gets to rest it and he gets to Headingley and he's ready to go," Patel said. "It was pretty disgusting at the end of the Test… we've tried to look after it as much as we can. It's looking in really good shape; it's healed really, really well."

Moeen's injury owed to the prouder seam on the red Dukes ball than the white Kookaburra used in limited-overs cricket, as well as the sharp spike in his workload. "Mo hasn't bowled 30 overs [in a day] in a while and that was always going to be part of the risk of bringing him

in," Patel said.

"But we knew that and he knew that - and he still said yes, and we still asked him. Is there a way to look after your fingers? Just bowl. It's probably the only way to do it: bowl regularly. He bowls four overs a game so he's probably not used to it and he hasn't bowled with a Dukes for two years."------------

Another England bowler, Olly Stone, lasted only three balls on his comeback from injury on Friday night before walking off the field. "Hopefully he is OK and will

Shaheen Shah Afridi, his Nottinghamshire team-mate, said.(Cricinfo)

..Spin-bowling coach Jeetan Patel says Moeen’s finger has “healed really, really well”

Adam Yates had never won a Tour de France stage

before

Shreyanka Patil will become the first Indian to play in the WCPL

Moeen Ali had split the skin on the top knuckle of his spinning finger during the first Ashes Test • (Getty Images)

Dhaniram (104 not out), Gobin star on opening day in Over-50 category

SEVERAL outstanding performances were recorded in the Over-50 category when the 18th edition of the New York Softball Cricket League (NSCL) Independence Cup commenced at Seaview Park, Canarsie, Brooklyn on Friday.

With defending champions Regal Legends racking up two wins in emphatic fashion and Toronto Blizzards looking likely to qualify from the same group for Saturday’s semi-finals, the other group is interestingly poised with the possibility of three teams ending on two wins each.

Two former National players, one senior and the other Under-19, made hay while the sun shone with outstanding knocks – Sunil Dhaniram blasting a boundary-studded unbeaten 104 and Troy Gobin narrowly missing a ton, ending on an unbeaten 97 in the second game after spanking 81 in the first.

Laurie “Tony” Singh, considered a mystery bowler in the softball arena, ended the day with nine wickets after picking up five scalps in the opening game and four in the next as his team Regal Legends won from Toronto Blizzards and NYSCL 2 respectively.

The Regal Legends versus Toronto Blizzards clash promised much but the Canadians were befuddled by

the wiles of Singh and were reduced to 129 for seven in their allotted 20 overs with Singh bagging five for 36.

Regal Legends were cruising at 57 without loss after four overs with Uniss Yusuf unbeaten on 39 (three fours, three sixes) when the game ended abruptly. The Guyanese unit objected to Ramo Malone’s attire, wearing of a white pants, which was distinct from his other teammates. They reasoned that it was a distraction to the batters since the ball was also white.

After a delay, and with Toronto Blizzards unwilling to continue, the game was awarded to Regal Legends,

Regal Legends then made light work of NYSCL 2, bowling out their opponents for a paltry 103 in 19,3 overs with Singh again being the main destroyer with four 26 while Troy Kippins ended with two for eight.

Regal Legends rushed

to victory in 10.1 overs, losing two wickets in the process, with Yusuf again among the runs with 59 (seven fours, four sixes).

After failing to get going in the first game, Dhaniram unleashed a savage attack on the Trophy Stall bowlers, blasting seven fours and eight sixes in 104 and along with Shiv

Seeram, who was unbeaten on 63 ((four fours and four sixes), ensured Toronto Blizzards registered a 10-wicket victory, ending on 186 without loss in pursuit of 184 for nine. Fazil Rasool had earlier claimed four for 18 for the winners. The victory also kept their semi-final hopes alive.

Trophy Stall had earlier won their first game against NYSL 2, defeating their opponents by five wickets, reaching 192 for five in 19.4 overs in reply to NYSCL 189 for nine in 20 overs. F. Yakub led the way for the winners with an attractive 77 (seven fours and five sixes).

After a fine 81 in the first game versus Orlando, which was in vain, Gobin continued his rich vein of form with an unbeaten 97 against Williamsburg as his team Seaview Masters bounced back to win the second game by 19 runs, His second knock contained eight fours and four sixes

while Ian “Russian” Baldeo supported with 42. NYSCL 1 also won their two matches with victories over Seaview Masters and Orlando and a big clash was anticipated when they faced off with Seaview Masters on Saturday morning as the semi-finals race in that group was interestingly poised. (Frederick Halley).

Australia extend Ashes series lead over England with first T20 victory at Edgbaston

ENGLAND's Ashes hopes are hanging by a thread after Australia won the first T20 by four wickets and took a 6-0 points lead in the multi-format series.

Australia were cruising at 130-2 in pursuit of 154 but lost three wickets for 10 runs as England fought back at the death.

But opener Beth Mooney finished unbeaten on 61 as Australia edged home with just one ball to spare.

In front of an enthusiastic crowd of 19,527, England stuttered to 118-7 but were boosted by Amy Jones' unbeaten 40 from 21 balls to post 153.

Opener Sophia Dunkley made 56 but spinner Jess Jonassen's three wickets put the brakes on England's middle order.

Debutant Danielle Gibson and Sophie Ecclestone fell in consecutive balls but Jones struck four fours and two sixes in her knock to give England

hope.

Lauren Bell struck early to remove opposing skipper Alyssa Healy for five, before Tahlia McGrath's aggressive 40 and Ash Gardner's 31 allowed Mooney to expertly anchor Australia's knock.

Sarah Glenn then took two wickets in two balls, including power-hitter Grace Harris for a first-ball duck, before Bell bowled star all-rounder Ellyse Perry for seven to leave Australia requiring 14 from the final nine balls.

Annabel Sutherland was dismissed by Ecclestone with just one run remaining, sparking hopes of a late twist in England's favour, before Georgia Wareham scrambled the single from the penultimate ball to silence Edgbaston and dent the hosts' Ashes hopes even further.

England need nine points to regain the Ashes, so must win all five remaining white-ball

games - or win four if one is tied or rained off.

The T20 leg of the series continues at The Oval on Wednesday, 5 July.

England squander must-win opportunity

It was a game England could not really afford to lose after

Australia's Test match victory at Trent Bridge gave them a 4-0 series lead.

During that encounter, England came close and fought hard against the world champions throughout, but were just outclassed in small - but defining - moments of the game.

Again, Australia were occasionally rattled in the field and even dropped a catchsomething that is unheard of for a team of such high class and standards.

But England's stutter with the bat cost them as Jones' burst came a little too late, with Alice Capsey, Danni Wyatt and Nat Sciver-Brunt contributing just 17 runs between them.

During that encounter, England came close and fought hard against the world champions throughout, but were just outclassed in small - but defining - moments of the game.

Again, Australia were occasionally rattled in the field and even dropped a catchsomething that is unheard of for a team of such high class It was a game England could not really afford to lose after Australia's Test match victory at Trent Bridge and standards.

But England's stutter with

the bat cost them as Jones' burst came a little too late, with Alice Capsey, Danni Wyatt and Nat Sciver-Brunt contributing just 17 runs between them.

England then missed an opportunity to dismiss Gardner on 20 as she skied the ball high in the air but neither bowler Bell or Capsey at mid-off could make the ground to get a hand to it - and those 11 runs could have been the difference when it came down to the final over.

Australia do not often let their discipline slip but with just five runs required from the final over, Sutherland smashed the first ball for four to bring the scores level before departing two balls later.

It is another case of a missed opportunity for Knight's side, but it is a sign of Australia's relentless quality that they have a 6-0 lead, despite being far from their best.

(BBC Sport)

Australia stuttered towards the end of their chase as England fought back by taking three late wickets

…NYSCL Independence Cup underway

Laurie Singh

Troy Gobin

Sunil Dhaniram

Aussie pacers slice through England top order to undermine chase of 371

…Short-ball plans trigger Australia’s collapse but visitors closing in on 2-0

MITCHELL Starc and Pat Cummins put Australia within touching distance of a 2-0 Ashes lead as they cut through England's top order during the final session of a day that had earlier been marked by the home side's unprecedented short-ball plan, which reaped rewards but ultimately looked to have no bearing on the outcome

(Scores: England 325 and 114 for 4 (Duckett 50*, Stokes 29*) need another 257 runs to beat Australia 416 and 279 (Khawaja 77, Broad 4-65)

For periods of the fourth day the game almost came to a standstill as Australia ducked and swayed away from bouncer after bouncer, but overall, they lost 8 for 92 which, given England's recent history of chases, including one of 378 against India last summer, offered them a glimmer with a target of 371 in four sessions.

However, those hopes were blown away by the brilliance of Starc and Cummins which left them 45 for 4 and the absence of Nathan Lyon, who had astonishingly appeared to bat at No. 11, likely not proving a factor. It appeared they were five down

shortly before the close when Starc superbly caught Ben Duckett's attempted upper cut at fine leg, but the third umpire ruled the catch wasn't clean as the ball scraped along the outfield, much to Australia's amazement and frustration.

The first wicket of England's innings was not among the memorable ones as Zak Crawley tickled Starc down the leg side. But Starc was finding movement with the new ball and produced a wonderful delivery which came back sharply into Ollie Pope and clattered middle stump.

Cummins, who is no stranger to creating viral Ashes moments, then produced what may go down as the over of the series as he roughed up Joe Root with a delivery which struck his forearm before having him fending to slip. He then produced a ball to take Harry Brook's off stump which matched the one Root received at Old Trafford in 2019.

Australia were two wickets away from England's bowlers and there was a chance the game could hurtle to a conclusion but Duckett, with his second half-century of the match, and Ben Stokes - who had earlier put his knee on the line with a

12-over bouncer-laden spellforged a stand of 69 to ensure that there would be room for a few further mentions of Headingley, even though the task of 257 more runs remained huge with a long tail.

After briefly trying to find the outside edge when play began, England soon resorted to short-pitched bowling and basically did not shift from it until Australia were all out. The two sessions on the fourth day record the highest number of short deliveries in ESPNcricinfo's ballby-ball database going back to 2015. TV graphics showed that 98% of the deliveries England bowled in the second session pitched eight metres or shorter.

It was a slow burn of a tactic and created much debate, particularly after England's previous proclamations of entertainment, but wickets did start to fall. It began when Usman Khawaja's fine innings, which took him to 300 runs for the series, ended with a top edge to long leg.

In what then became a frenetic period, Travis Head was dropped at backward point before he had scored by James Anderson - his second miss of

the game - then next ball Steven Smith top-edged to deep square leg. Head soon fended a catch to short leg which was superbly caught by Root as Australia lost 3 for 10 to spark some life into England.

Cameron Green and Alex Carey played carefully until lunch then the afternoon session was when the game hit a virtual stalemate, although Australia held a strong advantage the whole time. By and large the pair did not have huge trouble avoiding the short deliveries, although Green was struck on the badge of the helmet by Stokes and a few moments later pulled Robinson to deep square leg after a 13-over post-lunch period which brought 17 runs. Stokes was into one of those marathon spells which have dotted through his Test career - the most famous being at Headingley in 2019 before his batting heroics. Whether, this time, with the state of his knee it was a sensible approach remains to seen and he was clearly grimacing at the crease when he later batted.

But he certainly played a role for England as wickets fell at the other end. Carey was another to bunt a catch to short

leg - Robinson then ending with a spell of 9-6-7-2 - and Cummins fended to gully after being given a life when Stokes had overstepped.

Stokes finally earned a wicket when Josh Hazlewood turned the ball to short leg but the innings was not yet done with its bizarreness. Lyon, unable to use a runner under ICC playing conditions, limped down the steps of the pavilion and hobbled to the middle with his badly

damaged calf which will surely rule him out of the rest of the series. Barely able to stand and unable to walk he helped Starc add 15 runs and managed one pulled boundary himself. Australia may have felt they needed every run available, but the new-ball bursts from their opening pair have meant it will take another extraordinary turn of events for this match to come down to such fine margins. (Cricinfo).

Scotland crush West Indies’ World Cup hopes

…Five years ago in the World Cup Qualifier, Scotland were heartbroken and West Indies jubilant. This time the roles are reversed

FIVE years ago in Harare, West Indies were the beneficiaries of a controversial umpiring decision and a timely rain interruption that secured their place in the 2019 ODI World Cup, at Scotland's expense. There was no such luck for the two-time champions in 2023, as West Indies crashed out of the running to qualify for the World Cup in India by suffering a seven-wicket loss to Scotland in Harare.

Thus the 13th edition of the ODI World Cup will be the first without the West Indies, who won the first two tournaments in 1975 and 1979, and also made the final in 1983.

(Scores: Scotland 185 for 3

(Cross 74*, McMullen 69) beat West Indies 181 (Holder 45, McMullen 3-32, Watt 2-25) by seven wickets)

Scotland, meanwhile, are strong contenders for one of two World Cup spots up for grabs at the Qualifiers; they have four points, while Super Six leaders Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe have six each. Allrounder Brandon McMullen was the star with both ball and bat, taking three wickets and scoring a half-century in Scotland's maiden ODI win against West Indies.

West Indies came into this match knowing that a loss would knock them out because of the Qualifier format, which had them carrying forward zero points from

the group stage to the Super Six.

To pile on the pressure, Scotland captain Richie Berrington asked them to bat in tough conditions, and their top three fell to McMullen within the first six overs. Johnson Charles wafted one to cover point, Shamarh Brooks was out slashing a wide ball to slip and Brandon King was double-bluffed by the cover fielder being pushed back, and ended up spooning a full and straight ball back to the bowler.

Chris Sole went bouncer and then length to send Kyle Mayers' off stump cartwheeling. Shai Hope's attempt to temper aggression with caution was ended by Safyaan Sharif, who turned back the clock to their face-off in the 2018 Qualifier by opening up and nicking off Hope. McMullen bowled nine overs on the trot and ended with match-winning figures of 3 for 32.

With the score on 60 for 5, Jason Holder and Nicholas Pooran focussed on stabilising a rocky start, batting together for 50 balls and scoring only 21 runs.

But Mark Watt tempted Pooran with a flighted ball that was slogswept, out of nowhere, into the hands of Christopher McBride at the cow-corner boundary.

Romario Shepherd joined Holder to put on 77 runs for the seventh wicket, but when Shepherd tried to raise the tempo in the 37th over, he was caught by a flying Sharif at point. Three balls later, Chris Greaves trapped Holder lbw and West Indies were eventually all out for 181 in the 44th over.

Scotland lost McBride in the first over of the chase but that wicket united McMullen with Matthew Cross and the pair carefully negotiated the new-ball threat. In the 12th over, Akeal Hosein lured McMullen into a slog sweep but Mayers dropped the chance at deep midwicket.

McMullen flat-batting a hard-length ball from Alzarri Joseph for a six down the ground in the 17th over indicated that he was in control of the chase. Both batters predominantly worked the ball around, rotated strike and racked up fifties during their 125run stand. When McMullen found long-on off Joseph, Scotland did not panic as Cross was there to continue guiding the chase, first with George Munsey and then with Berrington, to complete victory in the 44th over.

For West Indies, this defeat continued their decline in

white-ball cricket. The two-time T20 World Cup champions had crashed out in the group stage of that tournament last year. It led to a major white-ball shake-up with Pooran stepping down as captain and Daren Sammy being appointed as the white-ball coach. Sammy

joined forces with Hope for this World Cup Qualifier, but the campaign has been disappointing, with defeats to Zimbabwe, Netherlands and now Scotland ending West Indies' chances of qualifying for the 2023 ODI World Cup in India this October.

SCOREBOARD

Mitchell Starc roars after dismissing Ollie Pope (Getty Images)

Johnson Charles was the first of Brandon McMullen’s three wickets • (ICC via Getty Images)

Second-half strikes sink Martinique against Panama – Group C

MIAMI, Florida, (CMC)

– Second-half goals from José Fajardo and Michael Amir Murillo propelled Panama to a 2-1 win over Caribbean Football Union third-ranked Martinique in Group C of the CONCACAF Gold Cup on Friday in the United States.

The Martiniquans held the Panamanians scoreless for the first half before Fajardo and Murillo struck twice in the span of 12 minutes to give the Central American side the edge in a tight contest at the Red Bull Arena in the city of Harrison in the state of New Jersey.

Karl Fabien got a consolation goal for Martinique in the fifth minute of sec -

ond-half stoppage time, but the damage had already been done earlier, and the CFU side were left to ponder their defending and decision to

push for goals after the halftime break.Panama moved to the top of Group C with six points from two matches and clinched a place in the quar-

terfinals for the first time in four years after El Salvador, on one point, and Costa Rica, on one point, played to a goalless draw in a later match in the nightcap match of the double header.

Martinique are still in the hunt for a place in the final eight with three points from their two matches and will advance with a win against the Costa Ricans in their final match on Tuesday at the Red Bull Arena.

The Panamanians still have one match remaining against El Salvador on Tuesday at Shell Energy Stadium in city of Houston in the state of Texas and will be looking to complete the sweep in the group to further boost their

morale.

Martinique goalkeeper Théo de Percin finished the first 45 minutes with three quality saves and kept Les Matinino in the game heading into the break, but Panama broke through in the 57th minute when Eric Davis delivered a cross from the left flank, and an unmarked Fajardo headed the ball in from the edge of the six yard box.

Chasing the equaliser, Martinique made a few attack-minded changes, but Los Canaleros pounced on the opportunity, doubling their lead in the 69th minute when Alberto Quintero chipped the ball over the CFU side’s defence, and Murillo knocked a right-footed

shot over the head of De Percin.

Fabien made the final score-line more palatable with his goal in stoppage time, but the Martiniquans know they will have their work cut out in their final match.

The Arena was packed for the all-Central American battle later, and the goalies of the two teams grabbed the headlines in the stalemate.

Mario Gonzalez between the El Salvador uprights made three saves, and Kevin Chamorro stopped two shots for the Costa Ricans, and the two teams failed to reward the crowd with goals.

GMR&SC South Dakota Grand Prix Round Two Powered by ENet

GMR&SC is excited to announce the much-anticipated Round Two of the South Dakota Grand Prix, powered by ENet, Guyana's fastest internet service provider and #1 TV service provider.

On Sunday, July 9th, at the South Dakota Circuit, this exciting event will kick off at 10 am, promising a day of highspeed action, fierce competitions, and unforgettable moments.

ENet, renowned for its cutting-edge fiber optic, 4G, 5G, VoLTE, and superior TV service, has

partnered with GMR&S. As the event's title sponsor, ENet aims to showcase its commitment to providing top-notch connectivity and entertainment solutions to the Guyanese community.

"We are thrilled to have ENet as our title sponsor for Round Two of the South Dakota Grand Prix," said Mahendra Boodhoo, GMR&SC President. "Their dedication to delivering reliable and high-speed internet and TV services aligns perfectly with the needs of our motor-

sports fans. Together, we are ready to provide an exceptional race experience, complete with thrilling battles and championship rivalries."

The GMR&SC South Dakota Grand Prix Round Two will feature an impressive lineup of championship battles, showcasing the skill and determination of the competitors. Spectators can look forward to exciting duels between top contenders in various categories:

- Kevin Jeffrey vs. Mark

Vieira in the AJM GP4 championship battle.

- Rameez Mohamed vs. Anand Ramchand in the BM Soat Starlet Cup

- Vishok Persaud vs. Stefan Jeffrey SIC GP3 championship chase.

- Shan Seejatan vs. Chet Singh in the Prem's Eletricial GP2

- Azaad Hassan vs. Ryan Rahaman in the SVC/ PSC Sports Tuner class Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club

Thomas Lands Georgetown – Tel: 592-225-7492 / 592- 231-5457

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com

- Vickey Persaud vs. Naresh Alves for the SIC Street Tuner

- Matthew Vieira vs. Stephen Vieira in the thrilling bikes competition

- Mohamed Ali vs Tarick

Baijnauth Rookie Cup

These rivalries promise intense on-track action as the drivers and riders push their limits to secure victory and claim their respective championships.

Tickets for the GMR&SC South Dakota Grand Prix

Former national takes centre stage in RA's League

IN his heyday he tormented and terrorised defenders, while beating goalkeepers at will. Not only in his homeland did Anthony 'Awo' Abrams displayed his goal-scoring prowess, as he also reaped dividends in Trinidad and Tobago and Suriname where he scored a record 21 goals in 11 games playing for Leo Victor in 2012.

At age 43, 'Awo', in 65 minutes of action for

Beacon FC, netted the first treble of the season for the Georgetown FA's Senior Men's League in its 3rd game. The hattrick spearheaded an 8-1 demolition of Order and Discipline at the GFC ground last Friday night. Beacon will be in action again tonight at the GFC ground when they clash with Pele FC in the final game of the triple-header slated for 6:00 pm. The opening

game is set for 2:00 pm when Black Pearl confront Vengy FC and, at 4:00 pm, Riddim Squad do battle with East Veldt FC.

The former senior National forward ended his playing days at both International and National in 2017, but recently got back onto the pitch competively where he led Beacon Masters to Championship glory last weekend. His 10 goals in

7 games earned him the Top Goal-scorer trophy and he also captured the MVP trophy.

The other game played last Friday resulted in a 1-1 tie between Camptown FC and homeside, GFC.

Meanwhile, the 2nd week of Regional Association football Leagues will also see more play at the Rosignol Community Centre ground today where the Berbice FA's

7-team competition continues.

At 5:00 pm, Monedderlust FC go in search of win number 2 when they tackle Ithaca FC who are making their first outing of the season. In the feature match at 7:00 pm, NA United FC will look to bounce back from their opening loss as they come up against Rosignol United FC, making their first appearance.

Round Two. Adults can secure entry for $2000, while kids can enjoy the action for $1000. For an elevated experience, the Clubhouse tickets are priced at $5000, offering seating amenities and unparalleled views of the races.

This electrifying event brings together motorsports enthusiasts, championship battles, and the high-speed racing world. Get your tickets now and be part of the thrill at the South Dakota Circuit on July 9th

Panama forward José Fajardo (17) celebrates scoring against Martinique in the Concacaf Gold Cup on Friday in the United States. (Concacaf photo)

Former National forward, Anthony 'Awo'Abrams with his MVP and Top Goal-scorer trophies won in the just concluded Masters football over 40s

West Indies fail to qualify for 2023 ODI World Cup

…The 13th edition of the tournament will be the first without the two-time champions

ners-up in 1983; the 13th edition of the competition will be the first without the team from the Caribbean.

West Indies had to play the World Cup Qualifiers because they finished ninth in the ODI Super League, and only the top eight teams gain direct entry to the ten-team tournament.

West Indies have failed to qualify for the 2023 ODI World Cup after losing to Scotland in the Super Six stage of the ongoing World

Cup Qualifiers in Zimbabwe. Only the two finalists of that tournament make it to the World Cup in India later this year, and West

SEE PAGE 27

Indies now can't reach the final.

They were champions of the first two World Cups in 1975 and 1979, and run-

They were grouped with Zimbabwe, Netherlands, USA and Nepal in Group A of the Qualifiers, and the format of the tournament was such that the top three teams from each of the two groups made it to the Super Six stage. However, the teams that progressed would carry forward points earned from their results against the other teams that also qualified from their group.

West Indies began the Qualifiers with victories against USA and Nepal but then lost to Zimbabwe and Netherlands. So, while they qualified for the Super Six, it meant they took zero points into that round, while Zimbabwe carried forward four points and Netherlands two. From Group B, Sri Lanka qualified for the Super Six with four points, Scotland with two, and Oman with none. Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka then won their first Super Six matches, taking their tally to six points each. It left West Indies needing to win all three of their games-against Scotland, Sri Lanka and Oman--to have a chance of catching up to Zimbabwe or Sri Lanka. But with the

defeat to Scotland, the maximum West Indies can get to is four points - not enough for the top-two finish needed for a World Cup ticket to India. This setback is a continuation of West Indies' decline in the limited-overs format. They only just made it to the 2019 ODI World Cup in England, via the World Cup Qualifiers, where they sneaked into the final at the expense of, coincidentally, Scotland in a rain-hit game. They then did not qualify for the Super 12 stage of the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia, after winning just one (against Zimbabwe) and losing two (to Scotland and Ireland) of their group matches.

Mitchell Starc's searing best gives Australia the edge

Delivery to Pope proves that, in this format, Starc is the best in the world at what he does

Dejected West Indies players leave the field in Zimbabwe

Shai Hope: 'We can't just wake up one morning and be a great team'

"I don't think we gave that 100% effort every single time," admits West Indies' captain

Ollie Pope has his middle stump removed by Mitchell Starc at Lord’s yesterday • AFP/Getty Images

Skipper Shai

Hope:"I felt we let ourselves down here in the entire tournament," (ICC via Getty Images)