Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 03-04-2023

PNC/R’s ‘racist philosophy’ will lead to its demise – Jagdeo

GENERAL Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C), Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, says the continuous discrimination of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R) against its Indo-Guyanese members will eventually lead to the party’s downfall.

Dr. Jagdeo made this comment during his speech at Babu Jaan, Port Mourant, East Berbice-Corentyne last week where he paid tribute to the founding leaders of the PPP/C.

The General Secretary said that Aubrey Norton has been the Leader of the Opposition for over a year and already the party has changed two Indo-Guyanese general secretaries and a treasurer.

He also criticised Executive Member of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA), David Hinds, who disparaged a number of PNC/R Indo-Guyanese members for speaking out

against racist and incendiary remarks made by the WPA.

Hinds had said that the PNC/R Indo-Guyanese members were only there to attract Indo-Guyanese voters.

Hinds referred to Indo-Guyanese PNC/R member Geeta Chandan-Edmond as a “slaver catcher” for having condemned remarks made by WPA member, Tacuma Ogunseye, who made racially charged remarks against East

Indians at a public meeting in Buxton, East Coast Demerara.

Hinds had also directed comments at PNC/R Parliamentarians Ganesh Mahipaul, and Natasha Singh-Lewis; Regional Chairman Daniel Seeram, and Mayor Ubraj Narine who had issued a joint statement condemning the remarks of another WPA Member, Rhonda Layne.

“That’s their only purpose in the party. Not to promote a multi-ethnic and to respect people of every race and every faith as this party does… They (PNC/R) saw them as outsiders. That philosophy, the racism of the PNC will lead to their demise, and now they are rapidly dying as an organisation. At the next elections, not just the local government one, we will prove that definitively in the one in 2025,” Jagdeo told hundreds of PPP supporters at Babu Jaan.

Jagdeo reasoned that such a philosophy is not in line with the values of a modern, democratic society and that the PNC/R needs to embrace

a more inclusive and progressive approach if it hopes to remain relevant in the political landscape.

The General Secretary noted that this is an important message, as it highlights the need for political parties to evolve with the times and adapt to the changing needs and values of their constituents.

President Dr. Irfaan Ali, at the same event, had pledged

to eliminate all “weapons of racism” that are directed at the government and its citizens, amidst a wave of racial discrimination being fuelled by opposition elements.

The Head of State called on the nation to stand strong against “forces” which are “hell-bent” on weaponising racial discrimination in Guyana.

Dr. Ali stressed that it is important for political leaders to prioritise the well-being of the country and its people, rather than engaging in divisive rhetoric that only serves to further polarise the nation.

“They only weaponise this one great asset that we have; the one great asset is our diversity as a people. It is not a negative; our diversity is a great asset to us, but there are those who cannot help themselves but weaponise this asset.

“…I say that no weapon formed in the clothing of racism will succeed, once this People’s Progressive Party is alive. And we don’t intend to die; we will stay alive. We

will disband, destroy and completely wipe out the weapon of racism that continues to be used against the people of this country. And those who handle the weapon must understand that their days are numbered, and their days are coming to an end, because that weapon is being destroyed, globally. And that weapon will be buried here in Guyana,” President Ali said.

General Secretary of the PPP/C, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo

PNC/R Leader, Aubrey Norton

WPA Executive, Dr. David Hinds

3,000 nurses to be trained in three years

–– Health Minister announces –– Jobs guaranteed after training

By Cassandra Khan

RECOGNISING that Guyana’s health sector is rapidly advancing with the construction of new hospitals and the procurement of state-of-the-art equipment, the Ministry of Health (MOH) is set to roll out, within a month’s time, a registered nursing programme, aimed at training 3,000 persons in three years.

This was announced by Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony, on Saturday at the opening ceremony of the Lusignan Diabetes Comprehensive Centre on the East Coast of Demerara.

“In about a month’s time, we are going to open up to the general public and qualified persons…We are opening up a call for persons who are interested in doing the registered nursing programme. We want to start a programme with 1,000 persons this year,” the health minister said.

The current registered nursing programme could

only accommodate a limited number of people but now it would be expanded to take in 1,000 people on an annual basis.

“We [want to] take in 1,000 people this year, next year we [want to] take another thousand and the year after another…so, over a threeyear period, we are hoping to

attract 3,000 persons to come in and do nursing with us,” Dr Anthony related.

He noted that the enrollment process will be faciliated online and assured persons that after the successful completion of the programme, they are guaranteed a job with the ministry.

Persons interested in the programme are required to have a minimum of five Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) subjects, including Mathematics and English.

The Government of Guyana has been actively working to improve and modernise Guyana’s healthcare system allocating $84.9 billion in the 2023 budget to ensure there is rapid infrastructural development, as well as better access to primary healthcare.

A total of seven regional hospitals are in the process of being constructed, which, according to Minister Anthony, will consist of an Accident and Emergency department that would operate on a 24hour basis, new laboratory facilities, imaging facilities

with a CT scanner as well as three operating theatres and 75-bed inpatient facilities.

The China National Pharmaceutical Group Corporation, a Chinese state-owned enterprise commonly referred to as Sinopharm, was selected to construct six of the new regional hospitals in Guyana.

They will be built at Anna Regina, Region Two; De Kinderen (Tuschen was originally planned), Region Three; Diamond and Enmore, Region Four; Bath, Region Five; and Skeldon, Region

Six. Additionally, the health minister in January 2023, said that hinterland health facilities are expected to undergo major upgrades this year.

“Lethem for example would have a major upgrade [and] Mabaruma, Moruca. You would see us upgrading the hospital at Kamarang, Kato…Mahdia, we would also be improving that hospital,” he said.

Some $1 billion has been earmarked in Budget 2023 to advance this initiative.

In addition, the Karasabai, Annai, and Sand Creek health centres will be upgraded into district hospitals providing radiology and laboratory services to residents. Another $237 million has been set aside to upgrade those facilities. Telemedicine centres will also be constructed in Regions One, Seven, Eight, and Nine to provide real-time, remote diagnosis and treatment in remote Amerindian communities by using technology.

actors –– Freddie Kissoon says

POLITICAL and human rights activist, Freddie Kissoon, has criticised the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) for its “selective patriotism,” particularly for remaining silent during the alleged rigging of the 2020 General and Regional Elections.

During a telephone interview with the Guyana Chronicle on Sunday, Kissoon commented on the lack of transparency during the 2020 elections and upbraided long-term head of GHRA, Mike McCormack, for remaining silent on issues, particularly when the rights of citizens were being infringed upon.

The GHRA had accused the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) government of “singling out” the organisation for its “activism.”

However, the government has defended its “right of response” and said it remains open to constructive criticism.

“Since March 2020, what

we’ve had in this country is selective patriotism, in which people feel that they should speak out about it, because they are patriotic. But they should speak on issues that are also very detrimental to Guyana’s future. It’s selective patriotism, and I think, the standard test is the silence of the five-month election,” Kissoon said.

He added that the March 2020 elections had seriously exposed the “political and cultural agenda” of organisations such as GHRA, which hide under the title of civil society groups.

“What we have in Guyana are civil societies that are not civil at all. Intrinsically, and inherently, a civil society organisation is not politically biased. They’re supposed to look at society in general and make pronouncements on society’s behaviour, whether it’s in government, business, academia, etc…

“But what we have in Guyana is civil society that only

opens their mouth and picks up the pen when it relates to something that they feel the government has done that is not straightforward,” the columnist said.

He added that it is easy to get “fed-up” with the hypocri-

sy of the GHRA, which went dead silent for five months when the danger of the removal of Guyanese’s right to vote and the right to safety were threatened.

“How could anyone have any respect for people without

any such credibility? You can’t be so selective in the protection of your country,” Kissoon said.

Attorney General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, SC, had also called out the GHRA for being “mum” on the issue and the lack of transparency during the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC)’s tenure in office.

“Where is the report that Mike McCormack and the GHRA issued a public statement condemning them? We are not going to sit idly by and take these attacks from people who have selective outrage. These are people with selective outrage…,” Nandlall said.

Nandlall stressed that the GRHA went silent for the entirety of the five years until the PPP/C came back into government.

“Today we are in government, and what I don’t understand is the flagrant double standards,” he added.

The Attorney-General also

called out the GHRA for skirting around the racist and incendiary remarks made by Working People’s Alliance (WPA) Executive Member, Tacuma Ogunseye, who is currently in custody pending charges.

“Tacuma Ogunseye went to Buxton line top and made one of the most racially provocative, seditious, and riotous speeches calling for ethnic violence…These statements have led to civil war in countries. Statements of this type have led to genocide.

“This organisation that proposed to represent human rights, of which the right to life is perhaps the most important one, stays silent up to date and has not issued a statement about that,” Nandlall said.

He questioned why the GHRA is selective in its criticism, rather than condemning a man who is inciting racial war in Guyana, which can lead to violence and genocide against an entire race.

A total of 3,000 nurses will be trained in three years as persons are guaranteed a job at the health ministry upon successful completion of the training programme

Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony

‘Selective patriotism’ demonstrates flagrant double standards of ‘civil society’

Political and human rights activist, Freddie Kissoon

President of the GHRA, Mike McCormack

Cafe bomb in St Petersburg kills Russian military blogger

(BBC) - An explosion in a St Petersburg cafe has killed prominent Russian military blogger Vladlen Tatarsky, Russia’s Interior Ministry has confirmed.

At least 25 people were injured in the bomb blast at Street Food Bar No 1. Videos posted on social media show an explosion and injured people on the street. It is not clear who was responsible for the blast.

Vladlen Tatarsky (real name Maxim Fomin) was a vocal supporter of Russia’s

war in Ukraine. He was a guest speaker at an event hosted by the cafe when the bomb went off.

There are conflicting reports in Russian media about the explosive device. According to Interior Ministry sources quoted by Russian state media, Tatarsky was presented with a statue in a box as a gift, which had a bomb hidden inside.

Video circulating on Telegram after the blast showed him being handed a statue and making jokes

about it, however the BBC has been unable to verify whether it was the explosive.

Unlike many other Russian military bloggers and state media journalists in Ukraine, Tatarsky took up arms in combat operations, BBC Russia analyst Olga Robinson reports.

He had reported from the Ukraine front line and gained particular notoriety last year after posting a video filmed inside the Kremlin in which he said: “We will defeat everyone, we will kill everyone, we will rob everyone as necessary. Just as we like it.”

The occasion for that was a Kremlin ceremony hosted by President Vladimir Putin,

who proclaimed Russia’s annexation of four partly-occupied regions of Ukraine. That land grab was internationally condemned.

The cafe targeted on Sunday was previously owned by Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of Russia’s notorious Wagner mercenary group, the St Petersburg news site Fontanka reports.

St Petersburg is President Putin’s home city, and where he first rose to prominence. Tatarsky has more than 500,000 followers on Telegram, where he and other military bloggers have criticised aspects of the Russian campaign in Ukraine.

Cyber Front Z, a group

calling itself “Russia’s information troops” on Telegram, said it had hired out the cafe for the evening.

“There was a terrorist attack. We took certain security measures but unfortunately they were not enough,” its post on Telegram said.

“Condolences to everyone who knew the excellent war correspondent and our friend Vladlen Tatarsky.”

Last August a car bomb attack near Moscow killed Darya Dugina, a journalist and prominent supporter of the Russian military.

She was the daughter of ultra-nationalist philosopher Alexander Dugin, a close ally of Mr Putin.

Trump ‘gearing up for battle’ at New York court hearing

(BBC) - Former US president Donald Trump is “gearing up for a battle” ahead of his scheduled court hearing on Tuesday, his lawyer has said. Mr Trump is expected to fly to New York City from his Mar-a-Lago home on Monday to face charges related to hush money payments made to a porn star.

He then plans to return to Florida following his court hearing, where he will address his supporters. Mr Trump has continued to deny any wrongdoing.

His lawyer, Joe Tacopina, promised that any charges against the former president will be fought vigorously.

“He’s someone who’s going to be ready for this fight,” Mr Tacopina told ABC’s This Week programme on Sunday.

“We’re ready for this fight. And I look forward to moving this thing along as quickly as possible to exonerate him.”

Media reports have said that Mr Trump will be facing more than 30 charges related to

business fraud over a $130,000 (£105,000) pay-out to Stormy Daniels in 2016 that was made in an attempt to buy her silence over an alleged affair.

Sources familiar with the case have told US media that the former president is being charged with falsifying business records in the first degree - a felony under US law.

Details of the charges, including what they are and how many, remain under seal.

Mr Tacopina has said that he himself has not yet seen the charges. Mr Trump has been reportedly meeting with his advisors and legal team to plan his defence ahead of his flight to New York on Monday.

Law enforcement officials have told BBC’s US partner, CBS News, that the former president will be escorted by members of the US Secret Service on his way to New York.

He is expected to hand himself over to authorities on Tuesday, with a hearing due to take place at 14:15 (19:15 BST) in Manhattan. Judge

Juan Merchan will preside over Mr Trump’s criminal arraignment.

The Manhattan courthouse will be closed in the afternoon for the hearing, his lawyer said. The former president will not be handcuffed, but Mr Tacopina added that other details of the arraignment are still a mystery.

“This is unprecedented… I just don’t know what to expect to see,” he said.

“What I hope is that we get in and out of there as quickly as possible, that it’s... a typical arraignment where we stand before the judge, we say ‘not guilty,’ we set schedules to file motions and whatnot... and we move forward and get out there,” he said.

Law enforcement officials - including the FBI , New York City court officers and Secret Service - have been preparing for Tuesday. The New York Police Department has also reportedly intensified security measures in anticipation of any protests around the city.

A rally for Mr Trump with Republican House Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene has been scheduled for noon on Tuesday in New York, calling for supporters to join in “peaceful protest” against the indictment.

Later on Tuesday, Mr Trump is scheduled to return to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida after his hearing, where he has said he will make an address at 20:15 EST.

Around a dozen of his supporters had gathered outside Mr Trump’s Florida home over the weekend, waving “Trump 2024” flags and banners at passing motorists, many of whom honked their horns in support - but also disagreement.

They were outnumbered at the site by journalists, photographers and camera crews waiting for Mr Trump’s departure to New York.

He is the first US president - sitting or former - to be charged with a criminal felony.

Vladlen Tatarsky posted reports on the Telegram messaging service

Venezuela arrests nine CVG officials over corruption probe

(Reuters) - Venezuelan authorities have taken nine officials from state-owned metals conglomerate Corporacion Venezolana de Guayana (CVG) - including from steel-maker subsidiary Sidor - into custody during corruption investigations, attorney general Tarek Saab said on Sunday.

Prosecutors began investigating irregularities at

CVG and Sidor on Friday, adding to investigations into alleged corruption at state oil company PDVSA and a government agency overseeing cryptocurrency transactions, both led by Tareck El Aissami who subsequently resigned as oil minister.

Nestor Astudillo and Pedro Maldonado, the presidents of Sidor and CVG respectively, are under arrest, as well as four company vice

presidents and three managers, Saab said on Twitter.

The government of Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro on March 31 appointed an oversight board in CVG, according to the country’s official gazette, which was read on state television.

Some 42 people have been arrested as part of investigations into corruption, Saab tweeted on Saturday

Last week 21 people - including officials, busi-

nessmen and a member of the National Assembly - were charged relating to losses incurred by PDVSA

when tankers left the country with cargoes that had not been paid in full, the authorities said.

Taiwan strengthens ties with Guatemala following Honduras rupture

(Reuters) - Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen completed a three-day trip to Guatemala on Sunday where she offered more cooperation with Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei’s government, one of Taiwan’s few allies in the world.

Tsai’s tour, which will take her to Belize on Sunday afternoon, comes a week after Honduras severed diplomatic relations with Taipei in favor of Beijing.

China and Taiwan have tussled for influence in Latin America since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949, with Beijing considering Taiwan part of Chinese territory, a position Taipei strongly rejects.

China refuses to allow other countries to maintain diplomatic relations with both at the same time. While visiting Guatemala, Tsai signed a $4 million agreement to modernize rural areas and promised to promote and increase cooperation between the two countries.

“From now on, Taiwan and Guatemala will continue to show solidarity to each

other, deepening cooperation in all possible areas based on firm objectives, solidarity and

mutual benefit,” Tsai said during a tour of a hospital built with Taiwanese help.

Before arriving in Guatemala - one of the 13 countries that Taiwan has diplomatic

relations with - Tsai made a controversial stopover in New York, angering China,

which has repeatedly warned U.S. officials not to meet Tsai.

Chinese influence in Latin America has increased in recent years, with Nicaragua, El Salvador, Panama and Costa Rica abandoning Taipei in favor of Beijing.

Guatemala’s president thanked Tsai for visiting the Central American country.

“This visit in which we strengthened our ties of friendship will stay in our hearts,” Giammattei said.

Guatemala’s stance of maintaining relations with Taiwan is a way of currying favor with the U.S. at a time when relations with Washington have been strained, former Guatemalan Foreign Minister Edgar Gutierrez told Reuters on Sunday.

Guatemala’s government is trying to rebuild bridges with certain U.S institutions by “offering Guatemala as a migrant deposit, moving its embassy to Jerusalem, supporting Ukraine ... extraditing more than 100 drug traffickers in 2022 and remaining an ally of Taiwan,” Gutierrez said.

Venezuela’s Attorney General Tarek Saab addresses the media on an expanding anti-corruption probe night, without giving more details.

Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen poses with children and her Guatemalan counterpart Alejandro Giammattei, during her visit at Chimaltenango hospital in Chimaltenango

Reliable and Renewable

THE Government of Guyana is committed to a low-carbon development trajectory which will see, in a phased manner, a reduced demand for fossil-based fuel to power the developmental needs of the country.

According to Prime Minister Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips, who has portfolio responsibility for the energy sector, this will be done in a phased manner, starting from this year with an energy combination comprising natural gas, hydro and solar power.

The second phase will see the replacement of heavy fuel oil, the expansion of wind farms and the commissioning of Guyana’s second hydro-plant. The third phase will see the continued expansion of these projects, using new energy technologies.

Guyana is already ahead in terms of the generation of solar energy, especially in the hinterland communities where a

significant number of homes are powered by solar energy. Gone are the days when entire villages were literally covered by darkness as soon as the natural light from the sun begins to fade.

The introduction of solar panels, thanks to the intervention of the PPP/C administration, have had a transformational impact on the lives of people from these far-flung and hinterland communities.

The fact is that solar energy is much more popular today than is sometimes given credit for. Almost every other home in Guyana now has a solar panel which is used to supplement energy from the national grid, especially during periods of blackouts when the solar panels come in handy.

Apart from the installation cost which varies according to the size and number of panels, the cost of energy is literally free, which makes it particu-

larly attractive. This is indeed forward looking and the PPP/C administration is putting great emphasis on this form of renewable energy which along with wind and hydro-electric energy will lessen, and over time, phase out dependence on fossil-based fuel.

Guyana is ideally positioned to derive maximum energy from the sun, given its strategic equatorial location which allows it to enjoy a daily average of 12 hours of sunlight all year round.

The Prime Minister said that Guyana will be pursuing the establishment of a low-carbon transportation infrastructure to reduce the demand for imported fossil fuels for vehicular transport. To accomplish this, the government intends to foster the development of an electric vehicle industry to substitute fossil fuels with electricity, while enhancing the ability of the electric grid to integrate high levels of intermittent renewable energy.

Guyana, despite its emerging oiland-gas economy, already has net zero emissions due largely to its large forest cover and consequently low-carbon sink, but as pointed out by President, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, the country remains fully committed to playing its part in the global climate change mitigation efforts. Generating energy that produces no greenhouse emissions from fossil fuels and reduces air pollution is certainly the way to go.

Guyana is fully on course to create a new energy dispensation which will be based on an energy mix using low-carbon energy resources such as solar, hydro, wind, biomass and natural gas.

These, when taken together, will result in the generation of more than 500 megawatts of newly installed energy over the next five years, of which the gas-to-shore energy project will play a major role.

No attention should be given to political parties not willing to toil in the trenches

Dear Editor,

I TAKE note of ANUG’s and TNM’s position to not contest the local government elections.

This I interpret as a decision of self-serving party leaders and is a blatant neglect of the constituents who voted for them at the General and Regional Elections.

This signals that the ivory-tower leaders of ANUG and TNM are aloof and out of touch with the realities facing their constituents.

It baffles the mind why ANUG and TNM

would enter a national contest where they have the remotest of chances to win the presidency or a seat in parliament and not enter the contest for the Local Government Elections where they stand a greater chance of winning constituent seats to represent people in their communities or villages.

Why would these parties not want to participate and represent their supporters in their communities’ upkeep and development? Is local government elections not attention grabbing enough? Could it be that they are more concerned with being celebrities rather than

being servants in their villages and streets?

A lot can be deemed of the characters of leadership of those who seek national celebrity status, but who are not willing to make the sacrifices of being a community organizer or leader.

The local government elections are an ideal breeding ground to produce quality politicians and leaders of the future who seek to make the lives of people better. Local government is where politicians solve problems and deal with matters that are closer to the people.

A party not willing to walk the streets and toil in the trenches for local government

elections should never be given a listening ear when they attempt to get attention on the national stage. If you are not interested in helping me to fix my issues at a street or village level, you certainly have no right to get my vote to solve my problems at a national level.

A political party incapable of organizing for a local government election is not deserving of any attention or votes of the people at General or Regional Elections.

Yours Sincerely, Alvin Hamilton

False and misleading information from Glenn Lall

Dear Editor,

KAIETEUR News’ publisher Mr Glenn

Lall circulated one of his recent short videos on a popular social media platform in which he made an outrageously false and misleading assertion that Guyana is paying ExxonMobil some US$4 billion in interest annually.

It is public knowledge that the audited financial statements of Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), CNOOC, and Hess are publicly available and accessible to all of the media houses.

The consolidated financial statements of EEPGL, CNOOC and Hess for FY 2020 and FY 2021 revealed that the lease and financing cost in 2020 amounted to US$40 million and US$35 million, respectively?thus, bringing the cumulative total to US$75 million. Guyana’s earnings in both profit oil and royalty for those two years amounted to US$609 million. As such, the debt-financing cost for these two years represented 12% of Guyana’s share of profit oil and royalties and four percent of the total comprehensive income?cumulatively as of FY 2021.

In FY 2021, the lease interest cost represented 1.21% of the gross revenue (from the sale of crude)

and finance cost represented 0.15% of gross revenue.

Accordingly, the esteemed publisher has effectively?whether deliberately, mischievously, misleadingly or by error -- overstated the interest expense of ExxonMobil Guyana by more than one hundred (100) times.

The oil companies’ capital structure comprised both debt financing and equity financing with a modest level of debt financing. ExxonMobil’s weighted average cost of capital (WACC) is 10.25%. More so, it should be noted that the financing cost is a deductible expense on the profit-and-loss statement for any type of business operations?hence, it is cost recoverable in the

oil-and-gas business. The simple explanation is that it is the cost incurred to raise the capital requirements of the business to fund its operations as well as exploration and development activities.

Editor, in closing, I wish to urge the news entity’s publisher/editor to examine the financial statements of FY 2020 and 2021, to confirm the interest expense and make the necessary correction.

Yours sincerely,

Joel Bhagwandin Financial, Economic & Public Policy Analyst

Questions for Hamilton Green

Dear Editor,

I’VE NOTICED Hamilton Green has risen yet again from his slumber to reject Dr Jagan as “Father of the Nation.” Green, who now posits himself as

an Elder, should offer his wisdom and analysis on the following questions:

1) Why was Forbes Burnham on the CIA payroll?

2) What are the true circumstances surrounding the death of Vincent Teekah?

3) What was the true cause of Shirley Field-Ridley’s death? And why was no autopsy done?

I know the learned former Prime Minister has never shied away from pontificating on an array of issues.

Hence, I seek the good Elder’s knowledge on the aforementioned questions.

Yours faithfully, Suresh Kissoon.

Editor Navendra Seoraj

Genuine community leadership is now evident

Dear Editor,

THE ongoing preparation for the upcoming Local Government Elections (LGEs) 2023 has stimulated the interest of a larger group of respected and influential residents within communities across the country.

This obviously augers well for the advancement of the transformational agenda being promoted by the PPP/C Government.

It is extremely heartening to see that genuine leaders in all the communities around the country are now stepping up and demonstrating a willingness to be part of the local democracy.

Indeed, the mechanism for persons to be elected to the various Community Councils is premised on sufficient individual or collective popularity within

the specific Local Authority Areas to influence the confidence of residents. This is given the role of Councillors when elected to plan, advance and deliver initiatives that will ensure community development and top-level complementary services.

As nomination day draws closer, the PPP/C is busy scrutinising the names of the volunteers who are demonstrating their willingness to be part of the PPP/C list of candidates. Party activists are conducting thorough on-the-ground outreaches to nominate the best possible persons in the community to be candidates in these upcoming LGEs. This bottom-up approach encourages inclusive, objective partnerships that will strengthen our local democracy.

It is recognised that many PPP activists have willingly made way in support of

achieving the bigger picture of a broader representative list of candidates and this is very commendable.

This exercised maturity encourages a balance platform of inclusivity from which the generality of community issues and concerns will be addressed. The focal targeted blend in this regard includes respected strong prominent businesspersons, veterans, civil/servants, and religious leaders, along with youths and gender representations.

The foregoing approach is complementary even in the areas of strong PPP/C support where the likeliness of defeat is hardly a consideration. Rather, even with the Party’s strength within some communities, genuine efforts are being made to take the country on a path to a more all-encompassing path by encouraging mean-

ingful participation of all citizens.

In so doing, the party’s leadership has also implored its members to understand the embracing of the thematic approach of governance by the people for the people.

These LGEs will certainly give rise to more qualitative representations at the municipalities, village, and Neighborhood Democratic Councils. Instructive in this respect is the fact that Guyana’s diversity must be fully recognized holistically, bridging culture and forging a stronger unity among our people. The PPP/C has fearlessly attacked the achievement of this ideal with passion and vigor, with the exceptional work of our President Irfaan Ali and his hardworking team of ministers, leading the applaudable ‘One Guyana’ initative that is making

significant grounds in transforming Guyana’s political landscape.

Undoubtedly, the non-racial all-community improvement approach is serving to inspire the confidence of many in participating meaningfully in strengthening our local democracy. Further, the notable struggle that the PPP General Secretary Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo mounted during the PNC’s wicked efforts to ‘steal’ the 2020 Elections must continue. The overwhelming broad-based support the party received from the Civic component of society must be continuously embraced.

This is appropriate and necessary since wider participation at the LGEs will also open the local-level management structures to more meaningful inclusion and participation in the local democracy.

For too long we have asserted candidates for Local Government participation based on strict political allegiance, which is in itself a limitation in certain instances. The time is most opportune for Guyana to recognise and put the best persons in the relevant positions to strengthen our democracy.

This opening up will put an end to petty corruption and bring greater accountability to the NDCs. Young professionals must feel free to put their names and time alongside the community leaders in a process that must lead to inclusive governance at the local level, and eventually lead to greater inclusiveness at the national level.

All eyes are on the list of candidates for Nomination Day on 12th April.

Regards, Neil Kumar

The WPA has lost its way

Dear Editor,

DURING my youthful days in high school, I read Gandhi’s autobiography, ‘My Experiment with Truth,’ a book I bought with the pocket money my late grandfather gave me and it inspired me to follow closely the life of great leaders.

Thereafter, I would attend all meetings in Albion and close-by villages whenever the later Dr Cheddi Jagan was the featured speaker and during my last days in high school, I became interested in the work of the late Dr Walter Rodney.

The Mirror, Thunder and the Dayclean were part of the masses dietary supplements. This trend continued long after I graduated from high school and after the demise of these two great sons of Guyana. But notably today I have discerned two diametrically opposite trends.

Whilst the party founded by Dr Jagan, the PPP, continued to grow and progress based on Jaganite principles, fighting for freedom and democracy and producing world-class leaders such as Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, Dr Irfaan Ali and many others, both male and female, the WPA founded by Dr Rodney has gradually descended into an abyss of decadence.

It has strayed from the Rodneyite fundamentals and has become a party spewing and fostering racial division and disharmony while co-operating with and endorsing all the wrongdoings of the PNC, including the attempted rigging of the 2020 General Elec-

tions. This is against all the founding principles of the WPA and what it had stood for.

In 1974 when the WPA was founded, its core principle was racial unity and its anti-racist rhetoric resonated far and wide, captivating the masses and at the same time became an urgent threat to the PNC.

Dr Rodney posed a menacing threat to Burnham so much so that he had to be eliminated. The murder of Dr Rodney and who was the architect of his cruel assassination is public knowledge and the CoI into his death finally put to rest who the perpetrators were. But now the very people are in bed with the same people.

In fact, the WPA has sold its soul to the same PNC which committed so many atrocities against the Guyanese people, including them, and continued to do so. Is this justified when the PNC has not changed a bit?

The WPA has witnessed first hand the openly corrupt ways of the previous Coalition Government from 2015 to 2020, its rapid descent to create another Burnham-like dictatorship and its shameless and barefaced attempts to rig the 2020 elections. Yet, instead of condemnation, its executive members, more so the Elder Tacuma Ogunseye, sought to fan the flame of racial strife and disharmony, seemingly oblivious to the humongous gains made by the PPP/C government to create a ONE GUYANA.

ment

confirm

this. The PNC, the AFC and the WPA’s mantra of ‘marginalization and corruption’ speaks volumes of their inability to make any tangible contribution to the development of Guyana.

What is the justification for Ogunseye’s call to arms against supposedly Indo-Guyanese? In his own words he said that, ‘I will support resistance be it unarmed or armed, once it is a response by the poor and powerless of any racial group/ community against state-sponsored killings and political oppression, irrespective of the government in power.’

This statement attests to the fact that Mr Ogunseye has transported himself back in time when the PNC was in power. I think his mental state of mind should be called into question. Where is the ‘state-sponsored killings’ and the ‘political oppression’ under the PPP? It would seem that this brother wants to make himself the ‘sacrificial lamb’ to fulfil the devious agenda of the PNC who wants to get into government at all and any cost. He is playing the tune which Mr Aubrey Norton could waltz to.

The WPA should go back in time when it was mostly Indo-Guyanese who were subjected to state-sponsored killings and political oppression. This was very much predominant in the Burnham era and continued even when the PPP came into government. It was the Indians who were targeted for murder, violence, sexual assaults and rape, and banditry in broad daylight under the guise of ‘peaceful

protests.’

I did not hear WPA Executive Mr Ogunseye speak against these atrocities against Indians whenever the PPP is in power. Did he not pontificate that he would support his call for armed or unarmed resistance in response to any racial group being subjected to such treatment? Yet every time the PNC staged a ‘peaceful protest’ it is the Indians who are targeted and Ogunseye and his WPA comrades remained mum.

It is unfortunate that the WPA has journeyed so far to make itself a mockery of the ideals of Dr Rodney. Instead of condemning the statement by Ogunseye who invoked members of the armed forces to ‘turn those guns in the right direction,’ the WPA endorsed it.

The WPA is now doing the real killing and performing the final rites of Dr Walter Rodney. But these traitors to the cause of Dr Rodney have now brought destruction only to themselves; it is they who are performing their own final rites. The AFC already performed theirs.

Third parties and so called ‘Third Forces’ such as the UF, the WPA and the AFC have done nothing for the Guyanese people except forming alliances with the PNC to bring destruction, racial division and mayhem to this great country.

Yours sincerely, Haseef Yusuf

One look at the socio-economic develop-

taking place across Guyana will

PART 2: Comrade

Janet

The other President Jagan

Cheddi and Janet Jagan – Real and Reimagined! Chronicles of a Chronic Guyana Chronicler

By Earl Bousquet

JANET and Cheddi Jagan worked together like clockwork.

When the couple arrived in Guyana in 1944, a year after marrying in the US, World War II was still on, but after it ended in 1945, their political activity helped give birth to a string of events that started the struggle for decolonisation and independence.

In 1946, the Jagans joined Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham and Ashton Chase to form the Political Affairs Committee (PAC) that gave birth to the People’s Progressive Party

(PPP) four years later, on January 1, 1950.

All their lives they played leading roles in the PPP’s leadership, him as General Secretary and she a member of the Central Committee and Political Bureau and serving in ministerial positions in all PPP governments.

But just like her husband, Janet was as humble as could be in their common respective circumstances.

Like Cheddi, Janet was also elected handsomely at every national election they contested, both serving over five decades in Parliament while crisscrossing Guyana’s three counties

By Earl Bousquet

and 10 regions to organise people to struggle for better, be they dockworkers in Georgetown, sugar workers at Enmore, Amerindians in the North West District or the Rupununi Savannah or islanders in Essequibo.

The two comrades lived more like a pair of political partners than the traditional married couple, both preferring to be jailed alongside supporters than opt for status privileges and satisfied to live in humility at their Bel Air, Georgetown home.

And they took the same humility to State House after 1992, when she insisted, as First Lady (and even as Prime Minister) to continue driving her age-old blue Honda Civic -- by herself.

Janet spent most of her latter years as Editor-in-Chief of the Mirror and Thunder, the party’s newspaper and theoretical organ, respectively; she was President of the Union of Guyanese Journalists (UGJ) and the Women’s Progressive Organisation (WPO), while also writing children’s story books.

And she simply loved providing practical answers to questions in a popular women’s column in The Mirror called ‘Dear Portia’, featuring complaints of spousal abuse and other family and home problems faced or understood by many (if not most) women nation-wide.

Janet and Cheddi also had their peculiar characteristics, like recycling used envelopes; and even as President, Dr. Jagan was also his own tailor.

As if tailored in Chicago for the additional pressures she would face during her first 10 years in Guyana as a dental nurse and Cheddi’s white American wife, Janet let racial slurs slide off her back like water off a lotus leaf.

And after successive US administrations subjected her to post-war anti-communist persecution and prosecution, she renounced her US citizenship.

Before and after being elected in December 1997, Janet was politically pilloried by some hostile local media houses and partisan politicians for throwing an opposition-inspired legal document over her shoulder after being served during an orchestrated public event.

But she’d be eventually forced by age and attendant health pressures to give-up the presidency prematurely and return to her lifelong mode of dedicating her every minute to everything she could do to be her usual self, even though aging gracefully.

Imbedded racism and potent overdoses of ethnic nationalism colluded over decades to paint her as someone else, but everyone who met Janet left with positive impressions of a well-read and widely-experienced lady ready and willing to discuss any aspect of life, history, politics, culture, literature –or basically anything about anywhere.

While Cheddi more-often had to publicly address the difficult issues of race and politics at home and abroad and explain the party’s position, Janet would write Mirror editorials and analyses in Thunder, as well as children’s stories and books that sought to teach new thinking about unity and co-operation to overcome common obstacles, like her book entitled ‘The Alligator Ferry’ that transported usually-hostile species that it could also eat, safely across the Berbice River.

Janet also served at all levels of government – central and local – and was a loving ‘Auntie’ or ‘Granny’ to all her friends and comrades’ children, but always simply ‘Comrade Janet’ to everyone else.

Historical gender biases and resulting traditional inequalities in appreciation of the equality of the sexes helped contribute, in their case, to the usual imbalance between popularity of husbands and wives running the same enterprise.

But not so with Janet and Cheddi, who were equally

well-known as trade unionist Ashton Chase, among the longest-lasting original founding members of the PAC and PPP in the 21st Century.

Janet’s full contribution to Guyana can easily equal that of her husband and lifelong comrade in-arms and at-arms, even though he became Premier and President long before she succeeded him in the state’s hierarchy as Prime Minister and President.

Guyana’s best-known First Lady presided over the Last Post for her husband in 1997, sprinkling his ashes over the Berbice, Demerara and Essequibo Rivers at the end of a week-long mourning period after his bodily return from the Walter Reid Army Memorial hospital in the US, where he died after unsuccessful heart surgery on March 7.

I followed the official nationwide vigils as much as possible, but all-along avoiding allowing my eyes to set on my departed friend, brother and comrade in his coffin before cremation, lest my eternal memory of him be lying in a box.

I didn’t see Janet set out on that unavoidable trip to nowhere that anyone has ever returned from, but, like Cheddi, I bade her less of a goodbye than a farewell, “until we meet again…”

Unt-il then, like us all, I’ll remain in life’s transit lounge until that unwelcome ticket arrives, yet ever-happy that when that final boarding call comes, like Cheddi, Janet and all comrades who’ve preceded me, I won’t be the one presenting the boarding pass.

Meanwhile, Cheddi and Janet remain precious memories stored in my mental hard drive that simply won’t wither -- never ever.

Jagdeo provides proof of Burnham on CIA’s payroll

THE late President Linden Forbes Burnham and leader of the People’s National Congress (PNC), received US$5,000 per month for two years from the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to support the party’s campaign.

The proof was provided by General Sec-

“Prime Minister Forbes Burnham of Guyana, who has previously received covert assistance from CIA, requested that the Agency provide $10,000 a month for two years to support his efforts to build his party, the People’s National Congress (PNC), into an effective, permanently organized political party. Ambassador Delmar Carlson [text not declassified] recommend approval of this request in the amount of $5,000 per month for two years, with the understanding that Burnham be aware that the subsidy would be reviewed at the end of the first year and could be terminated if the PNC had not made satisfactory progress. Burnham has been told that we are seeking policy approval for the $5,000 monthly subsidy. Assistant Secretary Charles Meyer concurs in this proposal.”

According to declassified documents, the administration of US President, Richard M. Nixon continued in the Johnson administration of covert opposition to Cheddi Jagan, the Marxist leader of British Guiana’s People’s Progressive Party (PPP).

necessary.

retary of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, on Thursday last. He quoted from the memorandum for the Treasury Committee, Washington, dated May 28, 1969.

He was at the time responding to a challenge by PNC member and former Mayor of Georgetown, Hamilton Green who wanted Jagdeo to provide proof of Burnham’s involvement with the CIA.

Jagdeo read the document which stated,

The U.S. Government had attempted, through covert means, to prevent Jagan from coming to power since 1962 by providing covert assistance to the PNC from 1964 to 1968. After Burnham’s election in 1968, U.S. covert assistance continued.

In June 1969, the 303 Committee approved a proposal that Burnham and the PNC be provided with US$5,000 per month in covert funding for another two years. Funding was set to begin in July 1969. After one year, the programme would be evaluated to determine if its existence was

The document revealed that the covert support funded a small group of paid PNC organisers, essential sections of the PNC’s central office, and dissemination of party information.

Ultimately, the U.S. Government hoped the PNC would use the covert support to become a well-organised political party, which could effectively compete in future national elections.

In June 1970, the 40 Committee (the successor to the 303 Committee) decided to extend covert assistance to Burnham’s political party at the same US$5,000 per month level for another year. Previous covert support had helped the PNC.

However, the 40 Committee concluded that despite U.S. funding, Burnham and the PNC had not made any significant inroads into the East Indian community, the vast majority of which supported the PPP.

The Committee believed that continued secret funding for the PNC was necessary to accomplish this goal.

In June 1971, the 40 Committee concluded that the covert assistance had helped Burnham develop the PNC into an effective political entity. As scheduled, covert assistance was terminated.

In late 1972, the 40 Committee re-visited the idea of giving covert assistance to Burnham but decided against it.

Judiciary invites bids for construction of Friendship Magistrate’s Court

WITH the aim of providing easier access to justice for residents on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD), the Supreme Court of Judicature has issued invitations for bids for the construction of a Magistrate’s Court at Friendship.

The announcement of the intended construction of the court and living quarters for magistrates was published in the daily newspapers on Sunday.

The new buildings will be equipped with recording technology for the taking of evidence, a lock-up, magistrate’s chambers, lawyers’ rooms, and other amenities.

Interested bidders can peruse the bid documents at the court’s Avenue of the Republic, Georgetown office before purchasing the complete set of the bidding documents for G$10,000.

Bids must be delivered to the National Procurement and Tender Administra -

tion Board (NPTAB) before April 18 at its office located at the Ministry of Finance, Main and Urquhart Street, Georgetown.

The judiciary received some $4 billion in the 2023 budget to construct and

maintain magistrate’s courts at Timehri, Friendship, Cove and John, Mahaicony, Anna Regina, and Parfaite Harmonie.

Guyana has over 50 magistrate’s courts, including the Bail Court, Drug

Treatment and Rehabilitation Court, Juvenile Court, and the Sexual Offences Court.

Recently, the Judiciary launched 12 Juvenile Drug Treatment Courts (DTC) in magisterial districts around

the country as part of its efforts to reduce crime and substance use by adolescents through the use of therapeutic interventions and judicial supervision.

Also, four Electronic Notice Boards were installed at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court to facilitate easier access to information for court users. Soon, the court will be rolling out a case management system pilot project.

In April 2022, during the commissioning of the $37.8 million Kwakwani Magistrate’s Court, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, S.C., reaffirmed the government’s commitment to partnering with the judiciary to ensure access to justice throughout Guyana.

According to Nandlall, access to justice is the foundation of a democratic nation and the hallmark of modern civilization. He

reminded those gathered of the Constitution, which speaks of the state not denying anyone equality and equal protection and benefit of the law.

“The judiciary is one of the fundamental pillars upon which a modern democratic society stands. Our government recognises the significant role the judiciary must play, and must continue to play as we strive to develop this country,” he said.

He explained that, currently, several courts are either under construction or being renovated, which will aid in the delivery of justice across the country.

“When in government we speak about the economic, commercial, and infrastructural transformation that is taking place in our country across every landscape, that same thing is happening in the judiciary as well,” the AG said.

PPP General Secretary, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo

Late President, Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham

The new Kwakwani Magistrate’s Court

Edghill commends small contractors for aiding Guyana’s massive development

By Cindy Parkinson

MINISTER of Public Works, Juan Edghill, has commended the roles of small contractors, whom he said are helping the government to accelerate a number of projects across the country.

During an interview with this newspaper, the minister said this allows for the building of capacity and training and serves as a “great” employment provider.

“I have been on a number of roads in different communities, especially the ones that are built with concrete, and it is wonderful to see how much it means to the people knowing that most of the contractors are from the same community,” Minister Edghill highlighted.

He explained that the government wants more citizens to be actively involved in the development of their communities.

“This initiative is a game changer in several different ways, and it will be a continuous process because it will only stop when we bring development to every corner and

every quarter of Guyana. We have the community contract for road works in Region Eight, and we have given that to the villages; we have contracts in Buxton and Linden, among others. The intent is to transform and modernise Guyana, and that will happen in every back street and every cross street of every village,” the Public Works Minister noted.

He noted that while there is focus on massive projects across the country, employment is being created within communities.

“So, while we as a government, are taking care of the big things, such as the highways, the bridges, and the massive undertakings of sea defences, we are also seeking to bring improvement

and relief to the people of the communities across Guyana by creating employment for the people of those same communities through the development of community infrastructure.”

Minister Edghill also related that the government intends to fulfill the requests of the people from the Prime Minister’s recent outreach to Victoria Village, East Bank Essequibo.

There, residents wanted to be part of the development of the roads and bridges, and “we intend to honour them,” Edghill emphasised.

Patricia Moore, a small contractor from Tucville in Georgetown, said she received three contracts from the Public Works Ministry under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic government.

“The Government of Guyana gave me a contract to clear up the drains at D’Urban between Cemetery Road and Louisa Row Georgetown,” Patricia told the Guyana Chronicle.

According to Patricia, she was tasked with desilting, weeding and

trimming the trees.

“I take pride in what I do, and I always make sure that I double check to make sure that my workers do a tidy job…I am proud to say that I am a woman, and I was given my contract under President Ali’s administration.”

She added, “I love my job, and I am thankful that I can walk down the street and know the people that I employed play a role in making it look clean and tidy. When I execute my job, I ensure that it is done in the best way, I am also thankful that we are able to earn through these small contracts; it means a lot to us,” Patricia said. Meanwhile, another small contractor from Buxton, East Coast Demerara, told this newspaper that he was given a contract to repair a bridge in his community.

“I am a born Buxtonian who was raised in my village and still live here to date. After Minister Edghill engaged us in

a meeting and a workshop that he held in the village, we asked him to look into the roads and the bridges in the community, which he did.

“I was given a contract to repair Lot 5 of the Pan Dam Bridge, and I employed people from Buxton as a form of giving back to the community, as the Minister said. I am happy to say that the guys who were employed indicated to me personally how elated they were for this opportunity. They were happy to earn money and provide for their families. Going forward, they are willing to work on projects that we are hoping to be awarded,” Keon (only name given) told the Guyana Chronicle.

He said the project was a tremendous help to him.

“As for me personally, this project benefitted me tremendously because I got to understand how the bidding for contracts was done, and I was grateful for that. I was trying to

complete my home before being given this contract, but it was a challenge; however, after the contract, it put money in my pocket, and I was able to finish my home.”

He expressed his thanks to the government.

“I am thankful for President [Irfaan] Ali for visiting the Buxton community and leading by example with all the outreaches that he has been having across Guyana. We are also thankful to his government, which is working for the people of Guyana. We would also like to say a special thank you to Minister Edghill for doing the exceptional job that he is doing for not only the community of Buxton but for all the other communities throughout Guyana.”

The small contractor recommended that grants should be given be given to other small business owners who only need a “financial start up” to get their business going.

Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill during a recent inspection of ongoing works in Georgetown

Patricia Moore

No flaring beyond prescribed limit on Guyana’s FPSOs – Min. Bharrat

MINISTER of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat, has given assurance that there is no flaring of natural gas beyond the prescribed limit on any of Guyana’s Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels.

Minister Bharrat was at the time responding to a question on whether flaring would reduce the amount of gas available for Guyana, during the televised programme, ‘The Guyana Dialogue.’

Flaring, a common practice in the oil and gas industry, is the controlled burning of excess natural gas to prevent it from building up and potentially causing an explosion.

When natural gas is produced alongside crude oil, it needs to be separated and processed before it can be transported and sold as a valuable energy resource.

However, if there is no infrastructure available to

process or transport the natural gas, or if it is not economical to do so, the gas may be flared instead.

“To date, we are still working with Exxon to quantify our final deposit, but I can say safely that we have records to show there are about 16 trillion cubic feet of gas that have already been discovered, and this is in the Stabroek Block where Exxon is the operator.

“We have a few pure gas fields that have been discovered, but what has happened, and what is necessary to optimise oil production, is the re-injection of gas into the wells, to pressurise it to ensure that we optimise production. But in terms of flaring, there is no flaring beyond the prescribed limit on any of our FPSOS presently,” Minister Bharrat stated.

He recalled that in 2021, there was an issue with the discharge silencer of the flash-gas compres-

sor on one of Guyana’s FPSOs, the Liza Destiny. However, that issue was rectified and the vessel has been functioning well for the last year and a half.

He noted too that when the problem with the flash-gas compressor arose, the government instituted a US $50 fee per tonne of gas flared, which

Exxon had been paying. The decision was guided by the Polluter Pays Principle (PPP), which is prescribed by the Environmental Protection Act of 1996.

“So, the issue has been fixed, and we don’t have that issue of flaring offshore anymore,” Minister Bharrat added. (DPI)

Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat

Hundreds participate in occupational health and safety walk

OCCUPATIONAL Health and Safety Month 2023

got off to a great start on Sunday when the Ministry of Labour hosted a walk under the theme, ‘A safe and healthy working environment is a fundamental principle and right to work’.

The walk commenced at the Ministry of Labour’s Brickdam office and concluded at the Square of the Revolution, where Minister of Labour, Joseph Hamilton, expressed his thanks to the hundreds who participated.

Minister Hamilton said that the ministry will continue to educate both employees and employers on

safe workplace practices to reduce the number of workplace incidents and fatalities.

At the launch of Occupational Safety and Health Month last Friday, Minister Hamilton said that the ministry had requested that workplaces in Georgetown and Regions One to 10 execute programmes as part of this year’s observance.

He said that the response has been positive so far and noted that workplaces had identified several initiatives which include fire prevention and first aid, hanging banners, safety and health competitions, and hazard hunts.

Meanwhile, the ministry will host a host a number of activities throughout

the month. Aside from the launch and the walk (others will be held across the country), there will be radio interviews and engagements with employees and employers in the mining sector, agriculture sector and other sectors.

Additionally, outreaches that aim to focus on the safety of miners and construction workers while at work and their safe return to their friends and families at the end of the work day are also planned.

Over 800 persons participated in this year’s Occupational Safety and

Health Walk, some of whom are working in the public and private sector. They were joined by their

relatives, Chairman of the National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health (NA -

COSH), Earl Morris, and British High Commissioner to Guyana, Jane Miller, and other officials.

Norway contributes $23.7 million to boost FAO’s capacity

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has welcomed a $23.7 million contribution from the Government of Norway to scale up its response to the most severe humanitarian crises and emergencies. The contribution represents the largest single unearmarked funding of its kind to date.

The funds will be channelled through FAO’s Special Fund for Emergency and Rehabilitation Activities (SFERA), which is a funding mechanism with streamlined procedures to receive flexible contributions from donors and allocate them where and when they are most needed.

With this funding, FAO aims to reach around 600 000 food insecure people with farming inputs, livestock supplies, fishing inputs and cash assistance where needed. The contribution will focus on countries and people most in need under Humanitarian Response Plans, while having a strategic reserve to respond quickly to sudden onset emergencies.

“We would like to thank the Government of Norway for this generous and timely contribution which will enable us to provide rapid and at scale assistance to those in greatest need,” said Rein Paulsen, Director of the FAO Office of Emergencies and Resilience.

“Norway’s partnership with FAO has always focused on empowering rural families affected by hunger to protect and restore their own food production. It is

of utmost importance to prioritize smallholder agriculture as a strategic frontline humanitarian response.”

Through the SFERA 2022 contribution, Norway was also among the first countries to assist the earthquake-affected families in Türkiye and the Syrian Arab Republic. Assistance is

$960, in addition to nutritious legumes and vegetables to consume and sell.

In Haiti, it costs $5 to vaccinate a cow against fatal disease, protecting a key productive asset worth $1 000 that provides a family with up to one gallon of milk per day.

also being delivered in Burkina Faso, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Honduras, Mali, Mozambique and the Niger.

Agriculture is the most empowering and cost-effective way to prevent and address hunger in humanitarian contexts.

For example, in Somalia, with a $200 cropping package, a farmer can produce enough sorghum to cover household cereal needs for a year, worth

In Pakistan, with a $45 kitchen gardening kit, a family can produce 10 types of nutritious vegetables ready for consumption in 6 to 8 weeks, worth around $300 per season on the local market.

Under the 2023 humanitarian appeals, FAO requires $1.9 billion to assist 48 million people to restore local production and gain access to a steady supply of nutritious food, facilitate their recovery and lay the foundations for resilience to future shocks. (FAO)

Minister of Labour, Joseph Hamilton and participants at the safety walk (DPI photo)

From front left: Minister of Labour, Joseph Hamilton; British High Commissioner to Guyana, Jane Miller, and participants during the walk (DPI photos)

Minister of Labour, Joseph Hamilton

The FAO is helping pastoralists affected by the drought in Ethiopia to safeguard livelihoods and enhance their food security conditions

Construction works progressing at Lusignan Prison

MINISTER of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn, and a team led by Director of Prisons (ag) Nicklon Elliot, on Friday, inspected ongoing construction works at the Lusignan Prison on the East Coast of Demerara.

According to a post made on the Ministry of Home Affairs’ Facebook post on Saturday, the major ongoing expansion project has completely eliminated the issue of overcrowding at Lusignan, which stood at 42 per cent.

Furthermore, some 500 inmates are to be accommodated in three structures which are currently under construction.

The contractors, as well as the Ministry of Home Affairs’ Projects Department, have committed to collaborating and achieving the required set standards for the prison.

The facility upgrades will accommodate a female prison, which will see the relocation of female inmates from the New Amsterdam Prison.

Meanwhile, the living quarters which is being built for senior and junior staff will accommodate 100 males and

50 female prison officers. The infirmary annex, the overhead water storage tanks and water treatment plants are nearing practical completion, the ministry said.

The prison’s vocational school which will focus on the upskilling of inmates while reducing relapse is at 95 per cent practical completion. This structure will complement Minister Benn’s ‘Fresh Start’ initiative which was created

to help reintegrate inmates with the community and their families.

The Holding Bay area is expected to be transformed into trade shops, where prisoners will be exposed to auto mechanics, joinery, tailoring welding and carpentry programmes.

During his visit, Minister Benn toured the prison farm where approximately 2,000 heads of corn are being grown and beds are being prepared

for the planting of eggplant (boulanger).

Over 600 inmates of the Lusignan Prison were previously accommodated at the Prison’s Holding Bay area and were recently moved to three new buildings that were constructed in the prison compound.

Other prisons are expected to benefit from expansion works which will help to eliminate overcrowding.

Major construction works are ongoing at the Lusignan Prison to help eliminate overcrowding and facilitate the expansion of the skills programme

The Lusignan Prison farm

Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn (left), with Director of Prisons (ag), Nicklon Elliot, at Lusignan Prison (Ministry of Home Affairs photos)

Victory Valley youths benefit from empowerment workshop

YOUTHS of Victory Valley, Linden, Region 10 were, on Sunday, exposed to a youth empowerment workshop, conducted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation in collaboration with the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security and other partners.

The initiative is part of the government’s efforts to improve the livelihood of residents, especially the youths. Minister Hugh Todd reiterated the government’s commitment to fostering development.

“We want to make sure that we are not here just to talk but to interact and to work with you here in the community,” Minister Todd said.

He noted that last year following the resurfacing of the hard court, “We made a promise at that time, once completed we are not going to just move away, we are going to keep coming and we are going to keep engaging with the residents and the youths in the community because we want to have a longlasting partnership.”

Minister Todd also spoke of the President’s One Guyana initiative which aims to foster unity and inclusivity, where every citizen will be given equal opportunities and benefit from the country’s advancement.

“You here in Victory Valley, you are part of the One Guyana initiative because it covers the length and breadth of this country,” he reiterated.

The minister noted that emphasis is also being placed on the youths because they will be the future leaders.

“Because you have to be able to provide continuity for us, we would not be here perpetually or forever, I use to be a kid just like you, listening to people like myself, now I’m here doing the same thing, so there’s continuity in how we grow and develop as a nation and we have to invest in you, we have to, it’s important for us to invest in your education, invest in your healthcare and invest in community development.

“We want to be continuous, we want to be friends, we want to be partners, we want to be here with you, to listen to you and to

watch you grow and develop,” the minister said.

The Annual Easter Basketball tournament will be held on Sunday, April 2, and Minister Todd said the decision was made to include an empowerment workshop this year, to the benefit

of the youths.

“You can be anything you want to be once you work hard and you’re disciplined and you put your mind to it, you can do it, it doesn’t matter where you are coming from, it doesn’t matter your circumstances at this

time, you can make it. We’ve all had our trials, we’ve all had our challenges and if we can make it, you can make it,” Minister Todd encouraged.

Chief Investment Officer of Guyana Invest, Dr. Peter Ramsaroop, and several others also made presentations at the workshop. (DPI)

Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, Hugh Todd, with youths of Region 10 (DPI photos)

Some of the youths at the workshop (DPI photo)

Children’s Convalescent Home to be rehabilitated

IN collaboration with the Red Cross of Guyana, the Rotary Club of Georgetown and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, on Saturday, launched the restoration of the Children’s Convalescent Home at D’Urban Backlands, Georgetown.

President of the Georgetown Rotary Club, Sheldon Hazelwood, said that the cost for the entire restoration is estimated to be about $25 million, with the Government of Guyana already donating $2.5 million towards the project.

Hazelwood said muchneeded work has to be done at the facility, which will greatly benefit the community as well as the children and staff of the home.

The contract to restore the building was signed on Saturday and work will begin “promptly” on Monday.

General Secretary of the Guyana Red Cross Society, Dorothy Fraser, said the pandemic prevented the Red Cross from fixing the plethora of issues at the home. And so, last year, the Red Cross and the

Rotary Club of Georgetown decided that this was going to be one of their main projects this year.

“The children here are very special to us, and they come from all sorts of backgrounds. One of our children many years ago was sent to Canada; we raised the funds in order to have her sent to Canada for surgery. She has done training with us at the Red Cross, and she is presently working at the Georgetown Public Hospital. One little boy was adopted and is doing training in the UK

right now, and another young lad is working in an operating theater in one of the hospitals in Ontario, Canada.

“So, there is so much that these children have to offer to our community at large, and

it is absolutely wonderful that Rotary is continuing to work with us in what is good for other people,” Fraser said.

She praised the staff who care for the children and emphasised the need for a better

building for all of them.

Meanwhile, Leslie Sobers from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said the church has always been involved in humanitarian projects.

The Rotary Club of Georgetown, the Red Cross and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will restore the Children’s Convalescent Home at D’Urban Backlands, Georgetown

Officials sign the contract to restore the children’s home

ANUG’s Mark France to contest LGE as independent candidate

CHAIRMAN of A New United Guyana (ANUG), Dr. Mark France, will be contesting the June 12 Local Government Election (LGE) as an independent candidate, vying for a seat at the New Amsterdam Town Council.

Dr. France told this newspaper on Sunday that he intends to address unemployment and drug abuse among youths in the community. With a game plan to embark on a number of educational outreaches, Dr. France hopes to edify his constituents about opportunities they can exploit.

“Guyana is moving ahead and Berbice especially where we are having the new sports facility being built, there will

be avenues for persons to get employment so I will be looking to educate them on those opportunities,” he said.

He further hopes to advance the technical and vocational trainings that are being offered in the community in an effort to encourage more youths to apply for jobs within the oil and gas industry.

“There is scope for a lot of technical capabilities, that is where I want to focus my energy, so that they can have skills to be employed in the oil and gas sector. It’s more about educating the youths and that is where I feel we are lacking.”

Meanwhile, he intends to address the issue of drug abuse from a medical standpoint.

“One of the other issues

GTA aims to license 100 tourism businesses by year end

AS Guyana’s tourism industry continues to expand, the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) has set an ambitious target to license 100 operators and businesses by the end of 2023.

In an invited comment to the Guyana Chronicle on Sunday, GTA’ s Director, Kamrul Baksh said that for the month of March, the authority has already licensed 30 businesses and urged others to come onboard.

“It is incredibly important to be a licensed operator, because it tells the travellers that all aspects of safety, quality and sustainability are important and are implemented at the business.”

Based on the GTA Act of 2002, the authority reserves the right to exercise its ability to impose fines for non-compliance to the tourism regulations.

Meanwhile, the tourism body in outlining its achievements for month of March, disclosed in a press release that it has trained more than 87 operators across the country.

The GTA has also executed inspection exercises in Regions Three, Four and 10 during which 35 tourism establishments, including interior lodges and resorts, were inspected.

Trainings, according to the GTA, were held in first aid and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) testing, mixology, delivering quality services and Health, Safety, Security &

that we have is the high drug abuse, especially in the young male population. I will be targetting that as a medical professional.”

Although Dr. France is contesting the elections as an independent candidate, he disclosed that the executive members of ANUG, along with the members of their joinder party, The New Movement (TNM), has agreed on a collective approach in representing their respective constituencies.

“We have had discussions with other persons in the two groupings to look at the constituencies to see how best they can form small groups that can do bidding for contracts in their areas and the

region as whole. For example, the grass cutting and other services that are put out there for tender, they can look and get those so that the monies are circulated back into the communities.”

Dr France was recently elected as the Chairman of the ANUG party; he was among new office bearers of the Executive Committee elected for the year 2022-2023 when the party held its Third Annual National Conference of Members last November.

The small party was founded in January 2019 and contested the 2020 general elections with Ralph Ramkarran as its presidential candidate.

Following the 2020 polls,

the party through an alliance with TNM and the Liberty and Justice Party shared a single seat in the National Assembly. Meanwhile, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has approved a total of 62 symbols from parties, groups and individuals, who have shown interest contesting in the polls.

June 12, 2023, is the date set for the conduct of LGEs. The date was chosen based on the work plan that was submitted by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to the Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall.

Meanwhile Nominations Day has been set for April 17.

Environment (HSSE).

Some 23 persons from Paruima Village, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) benefitted from the training that was led by Melisa Alstrom, an experienced first responder and trainer attached to the Guyana Training College for International Skills (GTCIS).

Practical and theoretical methods were employed to ensure that the community is sufficiently trained to handle emergency situations whenever they arise.

The GTA also facilitated a Delivering Quality Service training with 14 participants at the Aruwai Resort White H2O.

This exercise is aimed at improving the level of customer service provided within the region. Participants were guided through areas such as the importance of customer service, as well as proper etiquette and hospitality techniques, to ensure that all guests receive the highest quality of customer service that is consistent with both local and international standards.

An additional session was held in Region Two, which saw 26 persons being trained in the same areas by Chetnauth Persaud, the GTA’s Training and Product Development Officer. Meanwhile, critical areas of mixology, such as the different types of bartending, selecting ingredients, garnishing drinks, measuring and pouring techniques, as well, as how to properly present a drink, were covered.

Meanwhile, the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG), with support from the GTA and representatives from the consulting firm Target Euro, recently launched the Discover Essequibo Circuit Development Project with stakeholders from the Essequibo Coast and Bartica areas.

The first phase of this project focused extensively on product development, which sought to assess the region’s current product and service offerings while exploring opportunities for new products and visitor flows, the GTA said.

Meanwhile, 62 Community Service Officers (CSOs) from the 10 administrative regions across the country attended a one-week introduction to tourism training, an initiative by the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs’ Youth.

-says will lobby for better opportunities for NA youths

ANUG’s Chairman, Dr Mark France

Well-known tourism operator, Melanie McTurk leading a group of media workers on a tour along the Rupununi River last November (Delano Williams photo)

One Guyana Futsal ‘Play-In’ tournament on tonight at National Gymnasium

THE One Guyana Futsal championship will kickoff tonight at the National Gymnasium from 6:00 pm, with a 12-team PlayIn tournament, where the top six teams will move into the event’s Main Draw that runs from April 9 – May 20.

Organisers, the Kashif and Shanghai Organisation, stated that patrons are not required to pay an admission fee to access the venue.

Foot Steppers and Thomas Land are the first two sides set to compete tonight, playing for a chance

to join Group A, alongside Sparta Boss, Future Stars, and NA United.

The winner, between Jetty Ballers and New Market St., joins Group B, with Gold is Money, Beterverwagting (BV), and Melanie.

Match Three tonight sees Paradise Invaders facing Ramsay Clan for a place in Group C, with Tiger Bay, Mackenzie All-Stars and Pouderoyen Brothers.

Kingston and Gold Shot are vying for a spot in Group G, where they will face Leopold Street, Show-

stoppers, and North East.

Sophia faces Festival City from 9:00 pm, contending for a spot in Group H, with Bent Street, Albouystown, and Avocado Ballers.

Closing off the night is a clash between Vryheid’s Lust and Timehri Ballers, for a spot in Group F, with Stabroek Ballers, Wismar All-Stars, and Bagotstown.

Back Circle, Ven-Guy, Alexander Village, and Kitty are in Group D, while Group E brings together Road Warriors, Kitty Spanish, California Square, and Ballers Empire.

The One Guyana Futsal tournament will carry a first-place prize of $1M, compliments of Mo -

DCB Inter-Association 50-0ver U-19 final

hamed’s Enterprise.

The lucrative tournament will see the second-place team with

$500,000, while $200,000 and $100,000 will go to the teams finishing third and fourth, respectively.

Yearwood’s ton, 5-fors from Hohenkirk, Phillips give GT title

By Sean Devers

ON a sunlit day at the historic GCC ground Bourda, Georgetown once again showed that they are the best prepared team when easily demolished East Coast by 209 runs in the Demerara Cricket Board’s U-19 Inter-Association 500ver U-19 final yesterday.

The in-form Shamar Yearwood scored a magnificent 117 from 102 balls and in 118 minutes with 10 fours and a six and Marvindra Dindyal whose 62 lasted 76 balls, 109 minutes and included four fours and two sixes. The pair added 99 for the fourth wicket to lift the home team to 255-8.

Harricharran, who looked very impressive, captured

5-39 while Haripersaud took 2-35 for East Coast were bundled out in 12 overs for 46.

Only Romel Datterdeen (11) reached double figures as fast bowlers Nehemiah Hohenkirk took 5-22 and Revaldo Phillips 5-24 to run through the batting line-up like sharp knife cutting butter in hot sun.

With vocal support from a fair- sized gathering of mostly parents of the players and members of the touring USA Tri-State team, East Coast invited GT, with a few senior Inter-County batters in the line-up, to bat in good conditions.

The decision seemed to be paying off as GT lost

Jadon Campbell (4), Rayan Latiff (14) and National U-19

Captain Alvin Mohabir (6) as Sasenarine Harricharran, Ajay Gainda and Hemraj Haripersaud dented the top order for low scores.

But the left-handed Yearwood and elegant right-handed Dindyal joined forces and after a period of rebuilding, they began to score freely on the good track with Dindyal being the Surgeon and Yearwood the butcher.

But with the score on 154 in the 36th over, the usually elegant Dindyal attempted to ‘slug’ Haripersaud and was caught Haripersaud also accounted for Zachary Jodha (9) after he had shared in a 58-run partnership with the pugnacious Yearwood at 212-5 Haripersaud then dis -

missed Yearwood, Phillips (7) and Riyad Latiff (7) to limit the score to under 300.

Yearwood was named Man-of-the-Match and East Coast received the second-place trophy and silver medals, while the city side got the winner’s trophy and gold medals.

Dindyal, Alvin Mohabir and Yearwood were presented with prizes for scoring centuries in the tournament while Harricharran, Hohenkirk and Phillips were awarded for five wickets in the tournament, all of which came in yesterday’s final.

Dindyal (most runs in the preliminaries) and Zahied Mahomed (most wickets in the preliminaries) also collected prizes for the achievements.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER

(Monday April 3, 2023)

COMPLIMENTS OF CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD- 83 GARNETT STREET, CAMPBELLVILLE, GEORGETOWN (TEL: 225-6158)

Answers to yesterday’s quiz:

(1) Sohail Tanvir-22 wickets (RR)

(2) Sohail Tanvir-6/14 (RR vs CSK)

Today’s Quiz:

(1) Which WI wicketkeeper effected most dismissals in IPL 2008?

(2) What was the highest partnership recorded in IPL 2008?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

Guyana U15 team departs for CWI Rising Stars’ tournament

THE Guyana National Under-15 team, led by Dave Mohabir, departed Guyana from the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, at Timehri, on Sunday, April 2, 2023.

The team will participate in the Cricket West Indies (CWI) Rising Stars Regional Under-15 Super-50 Championship, which is scheduled to be conducted from Sunday, April 2, 2023, to Thursday, April 13, 2023, in Antigua and Barbuda.

The management staff for the National Under-15 squad is Manager Elroy Stephney and Coach Latchman Yadram. Pri-

or to the team’s departure, the team went through preparation activities that followed the GCB Under-15 Inter-County Tournament 2023. The preparation exercises included two practice matches, which were played on Sunday, March 26, 2023, and Tuesday, March 28, 2023. These preparation exercises undertaken by the players of the Guyana Under-15 team are expected to ensure the physical, technical, and mental readiness of the players to conquer the varying game challenges that are anticipated to be present during this Regional Tournament.

The Guyana Under-15 team will play their first-round match against Trinidad and Tobago at the Coolidge Cricket Ground on Tuesday, April 4, 2023, and their second match against Jamaica at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on Thursday, April 6, 2023.

The Guyana Under-15 team will return to the Coolidge Cricket Ground on Saturday, April 8, 2023 to compete against the Windward Islands Under-15 Team. On Monday, April 10, 2023, Guyana will oppose the Leeward Islands at the Liberta

fifth-round

The 14-man team is as

follows: Dave Mohabir (Captain), Romario Ramdeholl (Vice-Captain), Razam Koobir, Arun Gainda, Navin Boodwah,

Archery Guyana collaborates with Commissioner of Police, Mr Clifton Hicken

RECENTLY, on Friday 17th March, 2023, newly elected President Mrs Vidushi Persaud-McKinnon of Archery Guyana and her delegation of Directors paid a courtesy call on the Commissioner of Police (ag), Mr Clifton Hicken at Police Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown.

During this visit, Director and Head Coach Mr Nicholas Hing and Treasurer and Director Mr Robert Singh highlighted

BRITON John (28 points) made Guyana proud with another solo display of grit and determination by riding another phenomenal leg to end third, overall, when the second edition of the Jamaican Cycling Classic Montego Bay Race ended yesterday, in the

Land of Wood and Water.

The ‘We Stand United Cycle Club duo of John and Horace Burrowes excelled, despite not having the luxury of multiple team members as did the other clubs.

Burrowes, who suffered a crash on Stage One, and encoun-

tered some other challenges on Stage Two, threw all of that behind him to claim the 2nd place on yesterday’s third and final stage. He said that the event was good, but tough, given the fact that it was his first real competitive race in months.

He complimented the robust

the tremendous advances Archery Guyana, the governing body of Archery in Guyana and the sole entity affiliated to World Archery, the international governing body for the Olympic sport of archery, has made in Guyana to date.

During this visit the board discussed with Commissioner Hicken their development plans and proposed sports programmes. They agreed to pursue these with the

Police Sports Programme and Gymkana in August.

The Commissioner of Police (ag) Mr Hicken expressed his commitment to continue working with Archery Guyana as they focus particularly on safety, which is paramount to all.

President of the Foundation Mrs Vidushi Persaud-McKinnon opined that she looks forward to continued collaboration and partnership with the Guyana Police Force.

Briton John’s debut ends with third-place finish Int’l Jamaica Cycling Classic 2023…

--Burrowes takes 3rd in Master’s final leg

riding by Briton John, noting that he has places to go, along with the many other young and talented cyclists in Guyana, but they must be the opportunities.

champion, Andy Sacrano, placed 6th and 7th, with 19 and 16 points, respectively.

American Racing Tips Will Rogers Downs

Race 1 Picaflor

Race 2 Message Discipline

Race 3 Dastadly Dan

Race 4 Monet’s Devil

Race 5 Nostalgia

The overall winner in the Elite category was Hasani Hennis (50 points), of Team AVR, who had virtually placed it in the bag by winning the first two stages in the points- race format. Hennis’ clubmate, Akel Campbell (48 points), was the overall 2nd-place finisher.

Team AVR took the 4th and 5th places, Jerome Forrest 21, and Andrew Ramsey 19. Team 706’s Chad Conley, and last year’s overall

Closing out the top-ten, overall, were Jyme Bridges (9 points), of Team AVR, Kevin Price (6 points), of Cornwall, and Nathaniel Forbes (5 points), of Team AVR.

Team Guyana also placed third in the Team Classification, with a total of 46 points.

Team AVR won with 124 points, followed by Fire Wheels with 53. Cayman Hat ended with 35, Ride Your Bike 30, 706 P 28, and Cornwall CC 6.

Another Guyanese, Lyn Murray, who rides for Ride Your Bike Cycle Club of the USA,

finished behind Burrowes in yesterday’s Master’s third leg, which was won by a cyclist from the Cayman Islands. Briton John, in brief comments, thanked Burrowes for affording him the opportunity to participate in the race, stating that it was a very good experience for him, as he is looking forward to more such opportunities to keep the Golden Arrowhead flying high. He also expressed gratitude to the following for their assistance in making his trip possible: Alabama Trading, Bentley’s Bike Shop, Beacon Café , and Professional Key Shop.

Guyana Under-15 Team Departs Guyana for Antigua to engage in the CWI Rising Stars Regional Under-15 Tournament 2023 Sports Club. Guyana will play their

match against Barbados at the Liberta Sports Club.

Shane Prince,

Trilok Nanan, Emannuel Lewis, Jonathan Mentore, Arif Khan, Sohil Mohamed, Adrian Hetmyer, Zandon Rose, and Dhaneshpersaud.

From left, Archery Guyana’s Secretary-General, Mr. Nicholas Hing; Archery Guyana’s President, Mrs Vidushi Persaud-McKinnon; Commissioner of Police (ag) Mr Clifton Hicken and Archery Guyana’s Treasurer Mr Robert Singh)

Exxonmobil/New Era Entertainment U-18 secondary school football tournament launched

OIL giant , ExxonMobil , in collaboration with New Era Entertainment , on Saturday launched an Under-18 Secondary Schools’ Linden Championship football tournament at the Watooka Guest House.

The tournament will run for five days , and will be held at the Wisburg Secondary School Ground

The tournament will take a round-robin format, and will see the participating schools divided into two groups The 1st, 2nd,

3 rd , and 4th place winners will pocket $400,000, $ 200,000 , $ 100,000 and $50,000, respectively.

The participating schools are: Wismar Christianburg

Secondary; Harmony Secondary; New SilverCity Secondary; Linden Foundation

Secondary; Linden Technical Institute; Wisburg Secondary ; Mackenzie High ; and Kwakwani Secondary

The eight participating schools are mandated to submit four ( 4 ) proposals, each, comprising

the needs of their school before the tournament commences . Each proposal has to be equivalent to the cash prizes Upon completion of the tournament, the cash prizes will assist the winning schools with their needs

No school will receive cash in hands

The tournament is supported by the Guyana Football Federation, The Upper Demerara Football Association, and the Department of Education- Reg #10

MILO schools Football tournament Dolphin, Anns Grove record big wins

Present at the launching were Deputy Mayor and President of the UDFA Wainewright Bethune; Bryan Joseph, Technical Director of the GFF; Ryan Hoppie, Community Relations Advisor of ExxonMobil ; Dawn Mc Cammon Barker, Education Officer -Reg #10; and Directors of New Era Entertainment Aubrey Major Jr., Kenrick Noel, and Shareef Major Playing dates set for the tournament are: April 14, 15, 16, 22 and 29.

THE MILO Schools football tournament concluded round three of the 2023 edition of the tournament today with big wins for Dolphin and Anns Grove

Secondary

Under the sunny conditions at both the Ministry of Education and NIS grounds, the teams were in full competitive action

See full results below:

Patentia Secondary 1 vs President’s College 0

Patentia Secondary

Kobe Clarke 59

Annandale Secondary 3 vs Charity Secondary 4

Annandale Secondary

Osafo Browne 8

Swade Edwards 44, 69

Charity Secondary

Raphael Samson 10, 21

Dandra Sobers 60

Mike Edwards 68

Berbice Educational Institute 1 vs Cummings Lodge

Secondary 2

Goal Scorers

Cummings Lodge Secondary

Rovin Henry 50

Antwan Samuels 60

Berbice Educational Institute

T’Jon Reid 62

Westminster Secondary 1 vs Central High School

Goal Scorers

Westminster Secondary

Bygeval Secondary 3 vs Dora Secondary 4

Dora Secondary

Nkosi Morris 2, 29, 43, 51

Bygeval Secondary

Goal Scorers

Dequan Peirie 53, 55

Carl Nunes 60

Dolphin Secondary 9 vs New Amsterdam Secondary 0

Dolphin Secondary

Gerry Burnette 12, 38

Jude Charles 18, 60, 60

Directors of New Era Entertainment, Aubrey Major Jr, Shareef Major and Kenrick Noel collect sponsorship cheque from Mr. Ryan Hoppie, Community Relations Advisor - ExxonMobil

USA Tri-State Guyana tour…

Visitors win 2nd match with win over DCC

By Sean Devers

A CLASSY 41 with seven boundaries from 56 balls from Pranner Chattipalayam spurred the visiting USA Tri U-19 team to their second consecutive win when they beat DCC on Saturday at the DCC Ground, in Queenstown, by six wickets

DCC, without their leading U-19 Batter Shamar Yearwood, reached 154-9, when their 50 overs expired on the

small ground , with Jaydon Dowlin, the son of West Indies Test batter , scoring a carefully constructed 65 from 108 balls , with seven fours and a six

But only Number 10 batter , Lerone Allicock , with 22, and Jaden Campbell (18) offered any resistance to the American bowlers

Aditya Gupta had 3-33 , and Tanmay Joshi, who supported with 2-7 for the USA unit , made 157-4 in 32.1 overs

Siddarth Kappa, who, like Chattipalayam, scored a century in the first game against Everest , made an unbeaten 29 from 45 balls, with four boundaries , while Aditya Gupta scored 22 Bowling for DCC, Ricardo Percival, the son of former West Indies U-19 Captain Andrew Percival, picked up 3-34

The tourists play their next game today at Everest , before facing a GCA X1 under lights at DCC on Thursday.

Pranner Chettipalayam followed up his ton against Everest with 41 against DCC

Jamal Williams 46

Nicholas Tappin 49

Callwell Peters 63

Jequan Cole 69

St Cuthbert Secondary 4 vs Charlestown Secondary 3

St Cuthbert Secondary

Dussel Jacobs 23

Eyon Simon 38, 49, 56

OG 45

Charlestown Secondary

Mickel Andrews 10

Andrew Carto 32

West Ruimveldt Secondary 2 vs Ann’s Grove

Secondary 5

Ann’s Grove Secondary

Shaquan David 14

Naron Jerrick 33, 59

Marcus Cold 44

Travis Williams 60

West Ruimveldt Secondary

Trevor Bentt 8

Elijah Sattuar 57

President interacts with Karate students at

Camp

HIS Excellency, President, Dr Irfaan Ali, this evening interacted with over 60 young Guyanese who are part of a Karate Camp hosted by the International Karate Organisation-Guyana and the Muslim Youth Organization

(MYO).

The participants included 30 youths from the President’s Youth Award Republic of Guyana (PYARG).

The students are being trained in basic self-defence skills

by a team of instructors led by the Chairman of IKO Guyana, Shihan Jeffery Wong.

Director of Youth in the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport Suresh Singh was also present.

H.E. Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali ( fourth from right) stands with Senior Instructor of the IKO Guyana Jeffrey Wong (fifth from right) and students.

MILO schools football tournament continued round three at the Ministry of Education ground