Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 04-07-2023

President, Dr. Irfaan Ali

THE following is a letter from President, Dr. Irfaan Ali to US President Joseph Biden on the occasion of the United States’ 247th Independence Anniversary:

“I AM pleased to extend on behalf of the Government and people of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana and on

Guyana recommits to deepening ties with the US

–– President Ali reaffirms country’s position in letter to US President

my own behalf, warm greetings and congratulations to you, the Government and people of the United States of America on the occasion of the Two Hundred and Forty-Seventh Independence Anniversary of your country

As we continue to engage at the bilateral, regional and multilateral levels on

national and international issues of mutual interest and concern, my government remains committed to deepening cooperation with the United States of America as our most strategic and valued partner. The high-level interactions between our two states more recently form an integral part of this process as we build on and advance

a bilateral agenda that would redound to the benefit of our countries.

Please accept, Mr . President, the assurances of my highest consideration and esteem and my best wishes for your personal well-being and the continued success and prosperity of the United States of America.”

Unfinished tasks must be completed

AS the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) celebrates its 50th anniversary, the incoming Chairman of CARICOM and Prime Minister of Dominica , Roosevelt Skerrit has said that unfinished tasks must be completed to forge better integration for another 50 years and more.

Skerrit made these remarks during the opening ceremony of the 45 th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community held in Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday evening

The Prime Minister in-

dicated that in the past 50 years, CARICOM has seen many achievements and as such, all member states should be proud of the history of being the longestsurviving economic integration movement in the developing world

He related that even as this landmark is celebrated, all must be mindful that the symbols and the events of celebration do not serve as a distraction from the work that still needed to make the Caribbean Community viable, prosperous, secure and beneficial to all of its people

“ As we set ourselves new targets to ensure that

we thrive in this everchanging global environment, there are unfinished tasks we must complete,” Skerrit said

Among those tasks set to be completed are the issues of free movement, non - tariff trade barriers and reliable and affordable transportation ; those are all fundamental to a truly integrated community

The Chairman said that CARICOM has the opportunity, on this historic occasion , to resolve key issues as they are expected to deliberate over the next few days on several key matters

“We have the opportunity on this historic occasion and as we deliberate over the next few days to take some decisions that can be truly transformative for our people and which will shape the future of our community for the next 50 years,” Skerrit remarked

Against this backdrop, he questioned what is preventing the community from reviving the single domestic space that once allowed citizens to traverse freely across the region

Skerrit said that an Advanced Passenger Information System has already been tried and tested in the past and could be revived

He added that it is time to make intraregional travel

a joy rather than a hassle, as he indicated that some 16 years ago considerable commitment and political will was used to allow persons to move freely through the 10 member states

He said: “Similar political will must be brought to bear on the issues of expansion of the categories for free movement of skilled nationals to benefit the growth and expansion of the regional economy and the spirit of our community and what better time than the celebration of our 50th anniversary to say to all of us in the Caribbean how we can move freely within the CARICOM space.”

Further to this, he called on his colleague Heads of Government to pursue creative and affordable partnerships to deliver on the crucial element of integration in the interest of the Caribbean Community, noting that the movement of people and goods is the backbone of a successful integration movement

Skerrit went on to add that this is a challenge that requires significant investments which may not see an immediate return , but requires confidence that the provision of such a service will boost commercial opportunities and encourage intraregional travel.

US President Joseph Biden

CARICOM Chair and Prime Minister of Dominica, Roosevelt Skerrit (CARICOM photo)

President, Dr. Irfaan Ali is in Trinidad and Tobago for the CARICOM Heads of Government meeting (Office of the President photo)

Major enhancement programmes for Laing Avenue, Yarrow Dam residents

home-improvement subsidy programme to be rolled out in communities

committees to be established for greater engagement between residents and the government

SEVERAL infrastructural and social welfare development programmes are on the cards for the residents of Laing Avenue and Yarrow Dam, including a $ 50 million home improvement subsidy that will be distributed to assist residents in “ fixing up” their homes.

This was according to Vice-President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, on Monday, when he held community meetings and conducted a walkabout along two streets in Georgetown, meeting with residents and listening to their respective concerns

The Vice-President said that the visit was part of a promise made during the recent campaign for the Local Government Elections (LGE).

“Prior to the elections, I promised a group of people who came to see me a Freedom House that I will

bour , Joseph Hamilton , and Head of the Guyana Online Learning Academy (GOAL) Scholarship programme, Dr Jacob Opadeyi A number of the Georgetown Councillors

from the People’s Progressive Party / Civic ( PPP / C ) were also present including Patricia Chase-Green, Alfonso De Armas and Steven Jacobs

Minister Hamilton and Dr Opadeyi were there to begin organising committees in the communities to offer training and scholarships under their respective initiatives The Ministry of Labour does training under the Board of Industrial Training (BIT).

The Vice-President reminded that there are several areas where Guyana is currently desperately in need of human resources, and he encouraged any resident not involved in a training programme or who wants to develop their skills to get involved

“

I said I ’ m going to bring in Minister Hamilton, who is responsible for training young people , in skills training We need a lot of people trained for the oil and gas sector and many other industries, those jobs can be very high paying

“ But we need to get people to organise themselves and I was promised

by a group that you can bring the young people together, young men, young woman , all of those who want to be trained, and then we can work on a training programme “ We can get skills like carpentry, welding is a badly needed skill, also electricians and that sort of training Because we ’ ve the building boom now taking place in the country we need a lot of those areas. I said I’ll also bring Professor over there who is here with me He runs the GOAL scholarship programme for us,” Dr Jagdeo said During the engagement, residents were also given the chance to speak with the Vice - President about their individual issues A lot of persons raised concerns about issues related to the Guyana Water Inc. (GWI) and Guyana Power and Light (GPL).

Residents also requested that more programmes focus on assisting senior citizens and single mothers At the meeting held at Yarrow Dam , residents spoke about the need for drainage, land titles and business grants.

return here after the elections I promised them that I wanted to start a home improvement programme

“We’ve have set aside $50 million for the home improvement programme So, we’re here to fulfil that promise,” Dr Jagdeo said at the first meeting that was held at the corner of Laing Avenue and Cemetery Road

He said that the meet-

ings were just the beginning of the government’ s plan to do its part to ensure development in those communities

“ We ’ d have ongoing engagements, this is not a one - off engagement We have to work continuously until we have development in these areas So, we will talk a bit about how we will pursue that [ housing subsidy ] programme and

the mechanism through which we will do it,” Dr Jagdeo said

During his remarks, Dr Jagdeo addressed residents about the need to set up committees within the communities to manage negotiations between the government and the residents

He was accompanied on the visits by Minister of Public Affairs, Kwame McCoy ; Minister of La -

Vice-President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo (left) speaking with a crowd gathered at Yarrow Dam

A section of the crowd that gathered to listen to Vice-President, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo speak (Delano Williams photos)

Vice-President, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo meeting with a senior citizen at Laing Avenue

Afro-Guyanese not being left behind in Guyana’s massive transformation

- analyst concludes after review of

A REVIEW of the International Decade for People of African Descent (IDPADA-G) needs assessment has revealed the untrue nature of its claims that Afro-Guyanese are subject to discrimination related to government’s policies, programmes, and even the distribution of resources.

Financial analyst, Joel Bhagwandin, who conducted the study of IDPADA-G (2015-2024), the Guyana situation/IDPADA-G’s strategic plan, concluded that opportunities for Afro-Guyanese have soared since 2020.

He determined: “[IDPADA-G] Guyana has failed to

empirically demonstrate that discrimination exists in these respects.”

Bhagwandin also elaborated on the numerous sectors in which government’s policies and initiatives as well as allocation of resources are done in an equitable manner.

Referencing the “Because We Care” initiative, which was reintroduced by the governing People's Progressive Party (PPP) administration, the document highlighted that the financial aid has increased from $15,000 per child in 2021 to $25,000 in 2022, and to $40,000 in 2023.

IDPADA-G needs assessment

The cash grant is an annual direct cash transfer intended to improve attendance and reduce dropouts for school-aged children enrolled in both public and private schools from nursery

from [the] $40,000 cash grant ($35,000 “Because we care cash grant” and $5,000 uniform grant), for which $8.6 billion was allocated in the 2023 budget,” the critical review underscored.

Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), which is overseen by the Ministry of Housing and Water.

to secondary levels.

Notably, 192,000 children received the cash grant in 2021, and 196,000 in 2022.

“In 2023, over 214,000 children in public and private schools will benefit

ACCELERATED HOUSING DRIVE

Data analysis has shown too that since 2020, Guyanese from all walks of life have greatly benefited from the massive housing drives carried out by the Central

Since the Housing Ministry was “underproductive” prior to 2020, the PPP government had inherited 70,060 pending applications across Guyana's 10 administrative regions in August 2020.

According to Bhagwandin’s analysis: “The process by which the Central Housing and Planning Authority allocates house lots and housing units does not allow for there to be any marginalisation in relation to who is allocated a house lots or house[s] in a particular housing area,” emphasising: “Persons who have acquired a house lot or house can use their title of ownership and a guarantee letter from the CH&PA to obtain a low-interest loan from a commercial bank at low interest rates.”

Importantly, among several key achievements of the CH&PA, over 21,000 house lots were allocated from 2020-2022, primarily to low and middle-income households along with the construction of over 1,200 housing units for low- and moderate-income households and young professionals.

Additionally, by 2022, over 800 squatter families were regularised, and the CH&PA constructed core homes and provided Home Improvement Subsidies for over 300 vulnerable families between 2021 and 2022.

“Provision of vouchers was launched in 2022 to provide the steel and cement required for the construction of foundations to over 667 house owners who were allocated house lots from the

CH&PA, mainly in coastal regions where the majority of Afro-Guyanese live,” Bhagwandin highlighted.

He further outlined a table which included the total number of allocations done during the period of August 2, 2020, to December 31, 2022. The data showed that based on geographic location, 45 per cent of the house lots distributed were to Afro-Guyanese, 48 per cent to Indo-Guyanese and the remaining seven per cent to persons of mixed races.

For 2020 and 2021, 54 per cent of the offers/lots were accepted by Afro-Guyanese while, 38 per cent were taken-up by Indo-Guyanese.

“In 2022, the percentage of lands allocated to Afro-Guyanese slightly decreased as compared to the total given to Indo-Guyanese. This is a result of the location of housing schemes that were established in 2022 and the applicants’ choice to accept offers for those housing areas,” the document highlighted.

Bhagwandin, based on his analysis, concluded that Guyana is irrefutably ahead of many countries insofar as the objectives of the United Nations International Decade for the People of African Descent is concerned.

Allocations disaggregated by ethnicity

Better quality fish will results in greater prices

- National Fisherfolk Organisation chairman urges Guyanese fisherfolk to employ healthier practices

- calls for more training, discussions among fisherfolk on ocean health

GUYANESE are said to consume approximately 35 kilograms (approximately 77 lbs) of seafood per person annually, a figure that the country’s Agriculture Ministry has confirmed to be twice the world’s average.

Those growing numbers have prompted local fishing organisations to employ healthier and sustainable practices.

At a recent event, Chairman of Guyana’s National Fisherfolk Organisation, Parmeshwar Jainarine, charged hundreds of fishers and vendors alike to be more aware of their environment.

“The world is still

ter… they have to wear clean, protective clothing. They have to avoid coughing sneezing and smoking while handling fish and whilst icing fish,” Jainarine said. Stressing the importance of preserving seafood, Jainarine acknowledged that many fisher-

“It is unacceptable at this time to see persons still selling fish in dirty and unsanitary stalls in the market, and seeing people selling fish on the road without ice on it,” Jainarine said.

While acknowledging some shortcomings, he highlighted that some efforts are being made to improve the country’s aquatic seafood standards.

that fishers must first change the way they interact with their environs.

“Improving ocean health is our business as fisherfolks too, we are all are living from the ocean and living from the sea, and we have to play our part in our own little way and how we can ensure that the oceans remain healthy.

“The ocean generates most of the oxygen that we breathe and the ocean controls the climate: how hot it is, how cool it is, all that comes from the ocean, so we have to stop using the ocean as our garbage ground,” he added.

NEW TECHNOLOGIES

Wildlife Fund (WWF) to provide technical guidance to support a sustainable fisheries sector.

Some of these projects include addressing the sustainability of resources through the FISH4ACP Project, the distribution of safety equipment, and the generation of a Fisheries Department Information System and the Caribbean Regional Fisher -

ies Mechanism (CRFM) National Plan of Action for Illegal, Unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

The Government of Guyana has thus far expended $300 million to improve the social conditions at landing sites, construct washroom facilities, sheds, storerooms, ramps, install solar lights, and rehabilitate wharves.

reeling from the impact of the pandemic, and if it’s one lesson to be learned from it is that it is essential and crucial to have in place effective guidelines and policies to improve the port environment and how we handle and care for food and food products,” Jainarine said.

He related that fishers have an important duty to ensure that wholesome seafood reaches consumers at the local and international markets.

“It starts from the sea. Fishers have to maintain high standards of hygiene, for example, they have to wash their hands with soap and clean wa-

folks here do not use adequate cooling techniques to combat the effects of climate change.

“Adequate ice has to be used in your product; fish spoilage starts from when the fish dies and rising temperatures speed up the process… it’s very important to cool down the fish as quickly as possible and the best way to do that is by putting ice,”

Jainarine said.

He believes that the process of improving aquatic food standards is not solely the responsibility of fishers alone. Vendors, processors, and management of the landing sites also have their part to play.

“The fisheries department with the Ministry of Health, along with other organisations have been conducting workshops at landing sites throughout the country; topics such as proper sanitary practices; use of ice; cleaning of boats are [addressed], but more needs to be done, all the landing sites are not covered.”

He added: “A better quality of seafood equals a healthier population, a better quality equals better price.”

OCEAN HEALTH

Stressing the importance of ocean and inland waters, and protecting sensitive species and habitats, Jainarine said

To advance the country’s seafood industry, officials have been engaging several local and international experts from China and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

Most recently, cage culture was introduced and the ongoing pilot trails at Lake Mainstay and Lake Capoey on the Essequibo Coast of the country have been successful.

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha had previously reported that the country received 50 fishing cages from the Chinese embassy.

Additionally, Guyana has partnered with organisations such as the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the World

A popular favourite among the Guyanese populace is the ‘Banga Mary’

Guyanese fishers

Chairman of Guyana’s National Fisherfolk Organisation, Parmeshwar Jainarine

A Pool of Vital Skills

AS Guyana embarks on its journey to become an oil-producing nation, it is crucial to recognise and tap into the immense talent pool available within its diaspora.

The Guyanese diaspora, scattered across the globe, represents a vast repository of knowledge, skills, and expertise that can play a pivotal role in the country's progress and development.

By actively engaging and involving the diaspora, Guyana can leverage their unique insights, experiences, and capabilities to drive innovation, foster economic growth, and shape a sustainable future for the nation.

One of the foremost advantages of tapping into the skills of the diaspora lies in the diversity it brings.

Guyanese individuals residing abroad have experienced different cultures, education systems, and work environments, enabling them to possess a diverse range of skills and perspectives. This diversity is an invaluable asset in a rapidly evolving global landscape, where innovation thrives on fresh ideas and cross-pollination of knowledge.

By leveraging the diaspora's expertise, Guyana can infuse its nascent oil industry with best practices, advanced technologies, and cutting-edge methodologies from around the world, avoiding pitfalls and maximising its potential.

Moreover, the diaspora can play a pivotal role in developing the local workforce. Many Guyanese living

abroad have gained expertise in specialised fields related to the oil industry, including engineering, geology, environmental sciences, logistics, and project management.

By facilitating knowledge transfer programmes, mentorship initiatives, and partnerships between diaspora professionals and local institutions, Guyana can bridge the skills gap and ensure that its citizens have access to the expertise required for sustainable development in the oil sector.

This collaboration will empower Guyanese professionals to seize the opportunities created by the emerging industry, enabling them to contribute meaningfully and shape their nation's future.

Beyond technical skills,

the diaspora brings valuable networks and connections. Many Guyanese living abroad have established successful careers, built robust professional networks, and forged relationships with influential figures in various industries.

These connections can open doors to foreign investment, facilitate technology transfer, and attract international expertise to Guyana.

By establishing platforms for diaspora engagement, such as networking events, conferences, and business forums, Guyana can leverage these connections to foster partnerships and collaborations that drive economic growth and create a favorable business environment.

Furthermore, involving the diaspora in Guyana's oil

sector can stimulate entrepreneurship and innovation. Many members of the diaspora have gained valuable insights into the oil industry's dynamics and identified untapped opportunities during their time abroad.

By providing support mechanisms, such as business incubators, venture capital funds, and mentorship programmes, Guyana can also encourage diaspora entrepreneurs to invest in the country, establish startups, and develop innovative solutions to address challenges specific to the oil sector.

This infusion of entrepreneurial spirit can lead to job creation, economic diversification, and the nurturing of a vibrant ecosystem that extends beyond oil and benefits the broader Guyanese

economy.

To fully harness the skills of the diaspora, a comprehensive strategy is required, and this being developed by the government. The strategy focuses on strengthening connections, creating conducive environments for collaboration, and establishing platforms for knowledge exchange.

There are also ongoing efforts, as outlined by the government, to simplify bureaucratic processes, and offer incentives for diaspora professionals to contribute to Guyana's development.

Simply put, as Guyana embraces its newfound status as an oil-producing nation, tapping into the skills, knowledge, and networks of its diaspora is paramount.

President Ali handled the Mahdia tragedy superbly

Dear Editor, NOW that the Local Government Elections are over and the fact that the PPP/C government has gained a substantial number of votes in almost every district, town, and region, show that the government has made significant progress in getting the cross over votes.

As revealed in the results, the PPP/C has won five out of the 10 towns — Anna Regina, Lethem, Mabaruma, Rose Hall and Corriverton — and tied with the opposition APNU in its strongholds in Bartica and Mahdia. This is a clear indication of President Dr. Ali’s administration’s proactive policies to develop the country, rebuild the infrastructure, improve healthcare and education, and raise the living standards of the people by making sure that everyone benefits from the country’s resources and oil wealth. In his outreaches to the villag-

es, towns, and regions in the country the Head of State has graciously said several times that he wants to live in a country where all are treated fairly and equally and can become involved in the development process and that no one must be excluded or discriminated against based on race, ethnicity or party or religious affiliation.

The LGEs came on the heels of the catastrophic fire at the Mahdia Secondary School dorm for females that took the lives of 20 children, leaving seven critically injured and several others hospitalised and traumatised.

As reported in the media, the fire was allegedly set by a disgruntled student. It was the worst tragedy that has ever happened in Guyana in its pre-and post-independence period. And although nothing could have prepared President Dr. Ali for such tragic event, he handled the

situation superbly. He was very considerate, and compassionate as he comforted the grieving parents and relatives of the victims.

Upon hearing the sad news, President Dr. Ali immediately travelled to Mahdia, where he joined the ministerial team headed by Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips and met with the parents and families of the children who lost their lives to convey his sincerest sympathy and condolences to them.

The President appeared saddened and pained at the loss of so many young lives in the blaze. He consoled the families and assured them that his government would provide the necessary support to help the grieving families cope with the loss of their loved ones. His Excellency declared three days of mourning as a sign of respect for the young vic -

tims and asked the nation to pray for their heartbroken families. While at Mahdia, several leaders from various countries around the world including our CARICOM neighbors have called President Dr. Ali and offered to assist in any way they can.

President Ali has led with integrity, courage, and compassion and the appreciation shown to him by the relatives of the young victims and the people of Mahdia during their grieving period confirmed the love and respect they have for him and his administration. In dealing with situation, President Ali had no scrip to guide him as to how to handle the tragedy because none of its kind has ever happened in the history of the country. But if anyone had any doubts about his compassion and sorrow for the grieving families, and his aptitude to lead the nation into mourning and prayers,

then those doubts should be laid to rest.

Even with natural disasters such as floods or man-made catastrophes such as the fire at the Mahdia Secondary School dorm, Guyana has undoubtedly had an amazing three years with President Ali at the helm.

Today, the country has one of the fastest-growing economies in the world and is considered one of the major oil producers with a GDP of approximately 45 per cent.

With the highest GDP in the world, Guyana is on an upward economic path never seen or experienced by previous governments or generations. However, many developmental experts believe that one of the greatest hindrances to the development of the country will be a shortage of both skilled and unskilled labour, which is currently the case in Guyana.

Prior to 2020, it was

always easy for heads of state from countries such as the U.S., Canada, and other western developed countries to recognise the leaders from prominent Caribbean countries such as Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados. This is not the case today.

In the last three years, Guyana has been recognised throughout the world and is considered one of the most influential countries in the international system because of some epic announcements by His Excellency on climate change, food security, renewable energy, and fair-trade practices, among others.

All Guyanese should be proud of President Dr. Ali for his dedication and determination to make Guyana a prosperous country.

Sincerely,

Dr. Asquith Rose

How could the sale of carbon credits be fraudulent?

Dear Editor, IN a recent letter, Janet Bulkan argued that the sale of carbon credits by the Government of Guyana is fraudulent. To support her argument, she cited sections 13, 14, 34 and 44 of the Amerindian Act cap. 29:01 2006. According to her, these sections require a properly convened village meeting and a vote of at least two-thirds of villagers in favour of such disposal.

The author also stated that the Architecture for REDD+ Transactions (ART) Secretariat’s TREES and Aster Global Environmental Solutions as the auditor, were informed that their failure to apply the Amerindian Act led to these criminal acts.

Notably, Aster Global was contracted as the auditor of Guyana’s carbon credits scheme to ensure compliance with the Architecture for REDD+ Transactions (ART) Secretariat’s TREES (The REDD+ Environmental Excellence) Standard.

However, the author, who is an environmentalist/ activist, failed to demonstrate how the Amerindian Act was breached. Merely citing the relevant sections, according to her, does not suffice.

Section 13 of the Amerindian Act speaks to the “Functions of Village Councils”. These include:

a) Representing the Village;

b) Providing advice and strategic direction to the Village;

c) Providing for the planning and development of the Village;

d) Holding for the benefit and use of the village all rights, titles, and interests in or over the village lands;

e) Managing and regulating the use and occupation of village lands;

f) Promoting the

sustainable use, protection and conservation of village lands and the resources on those lands;

g) Encouraging the preservation and growth of Amerindian culture;

h) Ensuring that places and artefacts located within village lands, and which hold sacred or cultural values to the village are protected and cared for;

i) Protect and preserve the village’s intellectual property and traditional knowledge;

j) Nominating councillors or other members of the village to accompany the Toshao to attend meetings on behalf of the village;

k) Ensuring that proper accounts and financial records are properly kept and providing to the Minister and auditor a copy of the accounts;

l) Levying taxes on residents;

Section 13 (2) A Village Council may assign tasks but may not delegate its functions to any other person.

Section 13 (3) in carrying out its functions, a Village Council shall at all times:

a) Act in the best interests of the village; and

b) Provide for the good governance of the village.

Section 14 of the Act speaks to the “Powers of the Village Council to make rules.” Some of the main clauses of this section include:

i) The management, use, preservation, protection and conservation of village lands and resources or any part thereof;

ii) The protection and sustainable management of wildlife, including restrictions on hunting, fishing, trapping, poisoning, setting fires and other interference with wildlife;

iii) The development and regulation of agricul-

ture;

iv) The construction and maintenance of roads, bridges, ditches, fences and other local works;

v) The granting of permission for business or trade on village lands; and

vi) A rule of the Village Council shall not be inconsistent with any other law and shall be void to the extent of such inconsistency

Section 34 of the Act speaks to “Village General Meeting.” Section 44 of the Act speaks to the “Inalienability of Village Lands.”

Section 44 (1) states “A Village Council shall not dispose or attempt to dispose of any interest, right or title in village lands except as provided in this Act. Section 44 (2) states “Any attempt to dispose of any right, title, or interest in village lands, except as provided in this Act, is void.”

I rather suspect that the Environmentalist/Activist relied moreso on section 44 of the Act in respect of the disposal of any right, title, or interest in village lands. In fact, this is the genesis of her argument, where she contends that “any Amerindian Village Council can agree to dispose of natural resources of the titled Amerindian Village Lands only through compliance with sections 13, 14, 34 and 44 of the Amerindian Act”.

Contrary to this view, my contention is that the sale of carbon credits does not translate to the “disposal of any natural resource.” Examples of disposal of natural resources would be mining concessions where the right to conduct such activities are transferred to an entity, forestry concessions, and any other commercial and/or industrial activities that would require for the rights to the village land be transferred to another party for such purposes.

Hence, in these circumstances, the Act must be applied. On the other hand,

the sale of carbon credits is very different. In the marketplace, it must be understood that the sale of carbon credits is to offset carbon emissions. So, in this particular transaction, Hess, which is an oil-producing company and whose activities result in carbon emissions, is merely paying for carbon credits to offset its carbon emissions.

Essentially, carbon is trapped on farmlands, in forests, soils and trees. This is a natural phenomenon that is already happening whether or not a country generates any earnings for same. So, for a country to monetize the process by which carbon emissions

are trapped in its forests, farmlands, and trees, how could this be regarded as fraudulent?

As such, in my professional view―the sale of carbon credits to offset carbon emissions does not, in any way, form, or fashion, breach the Amerindian Act.

Because it does not translate into a transfer of ownership or rights of the natural resource to another party. It is simply the consequence of a natural process that is being monetised, and―therefore, the rights and ownership of the natural resources by the Village Councils remain in their control.

Additionally, as far as I

am aware, the Amerindian Villages were consulted by the government, and a portion of the funds from the sale is disbursed to the villages to finance their development needs. Referenced letter to which this author has offered a response:

*https://www. kaieteurnewsonline.com/2023/07/03/ govt-had-no-authority-to-sell-forest-based-carbon-credits-from-titled-village-lands-without-explicit-amerindian-agreement-environmental-activist/.

Yours sincerely, Joel

Bhagwandin

Australia, cricket and philosophy’s dilemma

I KNOW of no great philosopher, past or present, who has pronounced definitively on what is morally right and morally wrong. I think Immanuel Kant came close to being a philosophy genius, but even Kant grappled with the puzzle but did not solve it.

Even if philosophy finally conquers the question, do we humans accept what is morally right and morally wrong?

Can there ever be a civilised part of the world we live in that has people who em -

brace an absolute definition of wrongs versus rights in the moral sphere. Are we not inherently flawed when it comes to deciding what is morally questionable?

In a world of nationalities, different races, opposing ideologies, can we separate our favouritism, bias and subjectivity and conclude that our fellow national, fellow political friend, fellow ethnic buddy was wrong to do what he/she did?

Could that happen in real life? What criteria do we use to condemn the moral lapses of others and deny the

moral indiscretions of those we have personal reasons to protect? The essential point is - what is wrong and what is right?

Which act of a human should we hold against him/her and demand redemption? Is there consensus in civilized global society of what kind of human conduct is outrageous?

Let’s pursue the debate. Henry Kissenger is 100 years old and has earned dozens of millions on the lecture circuit in the US and Europe from rich corporations.

None of his paymaster was or is concerned

that this gentleman committed serious human rights acts around the world in which millions lost their lives. Mr. Kissinger was involved in a coup plot that toppled the elected government of Chile ushering one of the worst fascist regimes in the world since the end of World War 2.

Here in Guyana, a place that is hardly known on the world stage, there is a goldmine in the philosophical debate about moral values.

If I was to do a text book on the subject, all my case studies would be taken from Guyana. Consider this example. Guyana’s High Commissioner resigned after the use of scatological remarks to a lady. His resignation was called for by several sections here.

Twice in its editorial, the Stabroek News referred to the former High Commissioner as a disgraced person. But that very newspaper ran a full page interview with a trade unionist in which he spoke about the need for good governance in Guyana.

But this man’s action towards another lady was more egregious than the former diplomat. He actually assaulted a woman half his size and is before

the courts for that action. So, we ask the question again – could there be a consensus on the distinction between moral rights and moral wrongs?

Let’s go to Australia where the dilemma has been placed on the world stage. In the life of any journalist or columnist, there are parts of the world they like and parts they will never care for. For me, Australia would be on bottom of my list. There are strong perceptions that racism against nonWhite people is prevalent in Australia.

There are also shared views that Australians are some of the world’s rudest and most ill-mannered nationality. Most of all, Australia as a country, has been dubbed by many as one of the most unprincipled nations in the arena of sports, particularly cricket.

In my columnist career, I have done two items in which I described the nature of that nationality. Please see my articles of Monday, April 2, 2018, “If Switzerland and Australia were Black countries,” and, Tuesday, February 20, 2018, “Australian horror: Thank God it wasn’t a Black family.”

A few days ago, Australia won a match

in test cricket against England in what could be considered one of the most disgraceful methods used to win a game in international cricket in the history of the game.

Cricket when it originally started, was labelled the gentleman’s game. That image was preserved for more than a century until Australia destroyed it.

The crowds at the Lords cricket ground were so angry that the Australians were booed while returning to their dressing room and were almost assaulted.

But you have to see the television coverage in Australia. While the English spectators were fuming, Australian television anchors and correspondents were hurling huge insults at the English spectators.

Now mind you, these were reporters who by the sacred principles of journalism cannot editorialise when reporting the news. The members of Lords were described as old men who should be pushed into the sea.

A nation stood by its wrong-doers because the wrong-doers were from that country. If the sportsmen were from the Third World and had done that, do you know how the world would have reacted?

Small Island Developing States, others call for action to accelerate agri-food systems

- transform and collectively build resilience

MINISTERS, Vice-Ministers and other high-level representatives from dozens of countries most vulnerable to global crises and shocks have issued a call for action to boost the transformation of agri-food systems to make them more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable.

Ahead of the 43rd session of its Biennial Ministerial Conference (July 1-7), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) today hosted a high-level ministerial event called Transforming agri-food systems to increase resilience and achieve the 2030 Agenda - Harnessing the potential of Small Island Developing States, Least Developed Countries and Landlocked Developing Countries.

The meeting proposed the establishment of a ministerial network for Small Island Developing States, Least Developed Countries

and Landlocked Developing Countries (SIDS, LDCs and LLDCs) with technical support from the FAO. This would share experiences, knowledge and collectively build resilience to climate change and disasters, resilience to food insecurity, the Blue Transformation roadmap and secure investments and access to finance in order to scale up transformation of agri-food systems – especially in the face of impacts of the climate crisis.

In his closing remarks, the FAO Director-General, QU Dongyu, told participants that the ownership of the network was theirs, adding that with countries working in partnership together and with the FAO, more and better progress could be achieved towards the common goal of transforming agri-food systems and increasing resilience.

SIDS, LDCs and LLDCs are priority countries for the FAO. Soon after Qu

took over as Director-General, FAO became the first specialized agency in the UN system to have an office exclusively focused on addressing these countries’ needs and interlinked challenges.

Participants in the event included ministers, vice-ministers and high-level representatives from dozens of SIDS/LDCs/LLDCs:

The Bahamas, Barbados, Benin, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cook Islands, Cuba, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, The Dominican Republic, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Grenada, Guinea, Haiti, Jamaica, Kiribati, Kyrgyzstan, Madagascar, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Maldives, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Niger, Palau, Paraguay, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Sudan, Togo, Tonga, Uzbekistan and Yemen.

The UN High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked

‘Massive’ education programme to be launched shortly to promote healthier lifestyles

IN an effort to reduce the many risk factors for chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Guyana, the Ministry of Health will be rolling out a massive education programme aimed at promoting wellness and making healthier lifestyle choices, shortly.

The term NCDs refers to a group of conditions that are not mainly caused by an acute infection, resulting in long-term health consequences and often create a need for long-term treatment and care. These conditions include cancers, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and chronic lung illnesses and are some of the leading causes of death globally.

Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, explained that this education programme will see persons being educated on the importance of diet, exercise and management of stress in order to prevent these diseases.

“(Talk to them) about getting adequate sleep, talk

to them about connectivity with family and friends and so of all this is important in terms of wellness,” he disclosed during the online programme The Guyana Dialogue recently.

Importantly, the younger population will be targetted as the ministry seeks to foster healthy lifestyles.

Additionally, persons who have been diagnosed with chronic non-communicable diseases will also benefit from an ‘innovation programme’ that will be launched by the ministry’s Chronic Non-communicable Diseases Department in September.

Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, Rabab Fatima; and the UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, LI Junhua, delivered video messages.

CALL FOR ACTION

The FAO Director-General made it clear that the FAO is ready to further strengthen its support to SIDS, LDCs and LLDCs.

To address the climate crisis, for example, Qu stressed the need to “prioritize cli-

mate-resilient agricultural practices,” which includes using resilient crop varieties; increasing productivity while reducing greenhouse gas emissions; implementing sustainable and adapted soil, water and land-management systems; and developing science-based tools for evidence-based decision-making.

“Key geospatial data from the Hand-in-Hand Initiative can provide the support needed,” Qu said, adding that “data provid -

ed by FAO has supported countries in the formulation of policies for efficient land use, and access to financing for farmers and local producers.”

The Director-General also emphasized the main points included in the “Call for Action” for agri-food systems transformation in SIDS, LDCs and LLDCs: Information & Data: to guide decision-making based on scientific evidence, share experiences

“We’ll be launching a very creative programme to help people with chronic non-communicable diseases,” he highlighted.

These initiatives form part of a holistic programme undertaken by the ministry to address the high number of cases of NCDs in Guyana by implementing preventative measures and a high level of care for those who have already been diagnosed with these diseases.

It also intends to ease pressure on the public healthcare system in Guyana. (DPI)

FAO Director-General QU Dongyu addressing the opening session of the high-level ministerial event

Public Service Ministry offers scholarships for Master’s, Bachelor’s Degrees at UG

SHOLARSHIPS

are now available, through the Ministry of Public Service, for persons wanting to pursue a Master’s and Bachelor’s Degrees at the University of Guyana (UG) for the 2023/2024 academic year.

Interested students can earn a Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology, Procurement Management, Strategic Development Studies

and Supply Chain Management through this mechanism.

Prospective applicants must obtain admission to UG for the required programme and they must have obtained their Bachelor’s Degree with a minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.8. They must be 35 years or under and be in good health to complete the programme successfully. A valid Guyanese

passport is also required to be considered for the scholarship.

Additionally, spots are available to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Statistics, Economics, Public Management, Social Work, Nursing, Engineering, Architecture, Medicine and Geology among others.

Applicants must obtain admission to UG for the required pro -

gramme and must have a GPA of 2.8 or above. They are also required to be 35 years or under and in good health to complete the programme.

Applications must be submitted on or before Sunday, August 20, 2023. Limited scholarships are available for persons to pursue studies at the Carnegie School of Home Eco-

nomics for the same academic year.

Spots are available for the Diploma in Catering and Hospitality as well as a Certificate in Commercial Food Preparation. Applicants must gain admission to the school before they can be considered for the programme.

The closing date for submissions of applications is July 31, 2023.

Register and apply online by visiting the Ministry of Public Service’s website at http://mps. gov.gy

In 2023, some 1,221 Guyanese will receive scholarships from the Ministry of Public Service. This is in keeping with the government’s commitment to enhancing human capital through educational opportunities.

Public Procurement Commission to hold public open day in Essequibo

THE Public Procurement Commission (PPC) on July 5, 2023, will be hosting a Public Open Day from 09:00 hours to 14:00 hours at the Regional Democratic Council Compound, Anna Regina, Essequibo Coast, Region 2.

The PPC is mandated by S. 212AA (1) (b) of the Constitution of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, Cap. 1:01 to “promote awareness of the rules, procedures and special requirements of the procurement process among suppliers, contractors and public bodies.”

The PPC encourages all suppliers, contractors and procuring entities to take advantage of the op-

portunity to engage with its staff, including the Chief Executive Officer, Head of Legal/Compliance and Procurement Specialists to discuss and learn more about topics such as: The public Procurement Commission- who we are and what we do, the Public Procurement process, tendering tips, and how to lodge a complaint.

The objective is to enrich participants with information to improve the public procurement system within their organisations. Entities seeking more information may contact the PPC on telephone numbers (592) 226-3729, (592) 231-7306, and (592) 226-2364 or via email at operations@ ppc.org.gy.

Balance security with humanity

Minister Benn urges prison officers

MINISTER of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn, on Monday, reminded prison officers of the important role they play in maintaining law and order.

In delivering the charge to the officers at the Director of Prisons’ quarterly muster and general inspection of officers, Minister Benn called on them to balance security and control with humanity and justice in the execution of their duties.

“We must remind ourselves of the mission of the Guyana Prison Service, which is to ensure that the prisoners you keep remain in custody and that there are no break-outs and things of that nature.

Maintaining order, control, discipline and a safe

environment for yourself and prisoners is important because, when you do that, you are maintaining a safer environment for the entire country, and when you do that, there are benefits … it has very far reaching effects,” the minister said.

Acknowledging the number of resources available, Benn urged officers to play a meaningful role in helping to reform prisoners and prepare them for return to their communities as positive contributors to the development of society.

Director of Prisons, Nicklon Elliot urged the officers to adopt methods to execute their duties with more expertise, accountability, and change.

Elliot stressed that there is a need to review

the current Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) practised in prisons, which contributed towards some recent failures.

Under the theme: “Promoting Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Prisoners,” Elliot said that the Prison Service has a duty to give inmates the skills necessary to make it easier for them to reintegrate into society.

He further said that an aim of the prison is to assist the inmates to realise their errors and improve themselves as people.

Acting Deputy Director of Prisons and Head of the Staff Training Department, Kevin Pilgrim, emphasised the necessity for careful selection and thorough training, which are key for the crucial pub-

lic service as prison staff. Some 309 Prison Officers completed 65 courses during the first half of 2023. The ranks were trained by internal and external facilitators, and among the completed courses were: Prison Man-

agement, Human Rights and Supervisory Management.

Pilgrim said: “Based on the current budgetary allocations for training, same has been utilised to ensure that staff are exposed to not only insti-

tutional training but at the technical level so that they can offer more support and guidance to prisoners.” Additionally, 250 ranks have been identified for further training for the second half of the year.

Food security concerns, climate finance agenda

and the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).

The following is the full statement from the CARICOM Secretariat:

CARIBBEAN Community (CARICOM) Heads of Government meet in Trinidad and Tobago, July 3-5, 2023, for

their 45th Regular Meeting and to launch a year of celebrations to mark the 50th Anniversary of the founding of the regional grouping.

The packed agenda for the meeting tackles

several pressing issues for the Community, including food security concerns, climate change and the climate finance agenda; the ongoing difficulties in Haiti; security issues, external relations matters

The Heads of Government will engage several international guests, including the President of Rwanda, H.E. Paul Kagame; the UN Secretary-General, H.E. Antonio Guterres; President-Designate of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 28), H.E. Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jabe; the Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea H.E. Han Duck-Soo; US Secre-

tary-of-State, Mr Anthony Blinken, and Minority Leader in the US House of Representatives, Congressman Hakeem Jeffries.

On Tuesday, July 4, the 50th Anniversary of the signing of the Treaty which created CARICOM, the Heads of Government and delegates will return to Chaguaramas, the venue of the historic signing, for a commemorative ceremony which will feature a flag raising event; planting of a Time Capsule and addresses by

the CARICOM Chairman and host Prime Minister.

During the day’s business session, representatives of foreign governments and heads of international organisations will be invited to pay special tributes to CARICOM in honour of the milestone. Regional cultural artistes will also pay tribute in song, dance, steelpan music and other artforms during a CARICOM 50th Anniversary Concert.

Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn, on Monday, reminded prison officers of the important role they play in maintaining law and order

- among priority areas to be discussed as CARICOM Heads of Government meeting gets underway in Trinidad

CARICOM’s 50th Anniversary: A do-or-die moment for Reparations?

CARICOM’s 50th Anniversary coincides with a decade of development of decisions that have led to its most-important international diplomatic and political achievement to date: Its decision to pursue Reparations from the United Kingdom (UK) and the European Union (EU) for Reparations for Slavery and Native Genocide.

HISTORIC

That historic decision led to agreements for: Establishment of the CARICOM Reparations Commission (CRC); adoption of a CARICOM 10-Point Plan for Reparatory Justice; appointment of a CARICOM Prime Ministerial Subcommittee (PMSC) on Reparations and creation of National Reparations Committees (NRCs) in all 14 member-states.

The adoption of the Reparations agenda by the July 2013 CARICOM Summit in Trinidad & Tobago was, in great part, due to the leadership of Prime Minister of Saint Vincent & The Grenadines, Dr Ralph Gonsalves.

The only leader from back then still standing, Dr Gonsalves has always remained a primary champion of the CARICOM’s Reparations cause, preliminary discussions on which he also hosted in Saint Vincent & The Grenadines.

ROOTS TO FRUITS

A decade later, CARICOM leaders are returning to the roots of the birth of its historic decision, after also having agreed, in August 2020 to adopt Sir Arthur Lewis’ template as a blueprint for regional developmental use of economic reparations.

As the leaders gather again in Port of Spain today, they will naturally reflect on the fruitful achievements of the first decade of the regional Reparations quest, a primary one of which is the extent to which it’s gone beyond the boundaries of traditional diplomacy – and beyond regional borders, even horizons.

For example, the national Reparations Movement in the USA has been largely inspired and greatly assisted by the CRC and its Founding Chair, UWI Vice- Chancellor, Sir Hilary Beckles.

CARICOM’s 10-point Reparations Plan has been largely adopted by the National African American Reparations Commission (NAARC), while the CARICOM approach to reparations from Europe was considered by US states such as California, in arriving at their own, in relation to Afro-Americans and Americans of African descent.

The CARICOM reparations drive has, in the past decade, also given new life to the HR-40 Bill in the US Congress, assisted by the Black Lives Matter

(BLM) movement that followed George Floyd’s killing in 2020.

As a consequence, Reparations is also likely to be as important an issue in the 2024 US presidential elections as in 2020, when all Democratic Party contenders had to address the issue publicly.

Reparations has also made its way into the Royal Household at Buckingham Palace in London, while Kings and Prime Ministers in Europe are offering apologetic statements for their families’ roles and heirs of slave-owning families are committing to apologize and atone.

The late Queen and current King of The Commonwealth -- as well as the future king -have all publicly offered royal expressions of regret for slavery, the first time by any monarch or successor.

The Prime Minister of The Netherlands in December 2022 apologized for his country’s lasting role in slavery; and last week the Dutch King publicly apologized for his family’s involvement -- and (like his UK counterpart) also indicated support for researching his family’s direct involvement in and huge benefits from Trans-Atlantic Slavery.

The CARICOM summit is taking place in the 75th Year of the arrival in England of the ‘Empire Windrush’ and with a growth of advocacy for Reparations in the UK, where elections are also due next year, a decade ahead of the Bicentenary of Abolition (2034).

The T&T Summit is also taking place one year before the end of the United Nations Decade for People of African Descent (2015 to 2024), with stronger CARICOM representation and growing calls for Caribbean leaders to support calls for a Second Decade.

The Trinidad parley is also taking place a year since thenPrince Charles delivered his mother’s expressions of royal sorrow and regret over slavery at the Commonwealth Summit in Kigali, Rwanda.

And Commonwealth Secretary General Dame Patricia Scotland, who’s also attending the CARICOM summit, has publicly called for engagement with King Charles on how he plans to engage with Commonwealth leaders on issues such as Reparations that affect most (if not all) member-states.

Also on the list are the findings of the most recent international study on how much reparations Europe and the USA owe the Caribbean and The Americas.

In the past year, the CRC has engaged in an outreach to traditional Kings and Queens

of Africa and some members have been awarded honorary royal titles.

NRCs have engaged with advocate national groupings in Australia, where the Aboriginal First People now only comprise 3% of the population and are still not officially recognized as existing.

Inspired by ex-BBC presenter Laura Trevelyan’s US $100,000 fund for reparations for Grenadian students, representatives of families that benefitted from slavery in the UK launched the Heirs of Slavery to build new cross-Atlantic bridges for atonement, repair and reparations.

In the past year too, the State of the Black World Conference in Maryland also drew large Caribbean and African participation around reparations, with many recommendations of import to the Caribbean and other regions and nations of people of African descent.

The scrambling by royal families – in the past year -- to sound and appear just by acknowledging their roles in the worst Crime Against Humanity known to Humankind has been loud, but CARICOM’s response has been loudly silent.

CARICOM’s reparations quest has also influenced actions in recent times as far apart as the UK and Australia, Canada and New Zealand and influenced growth of reparations consciousness and action in Latin American states, from Argentina to Venezuela, today including Colombia’s Vice-President and Brazil’s President.

After 75 years, the sons and daughters of the Windrush Generation are ‘Black British,’ but are feeling neither British, nor Caribbean.

And there’s an artificial disconnect between African Afro-Caribbean, Afro-American, Afro-British and individual nationalities in The African Diaspora.

SWIMMING AGAINST THE TIDE

But never mind having caused the ripple that grew into the global Reparations tidal wave, CARICOM is marking CRC’s 10th Anniversary swimming against the tsunami it created.

And nothing is more telling than the fact that the Prime Ministerial Sub-Committee on Reparations (PMSCR), established a decade ago under the chairmanship of Barbados, has only met twice: once under previous chairman, ex-Prime Minister Freundel Stuart and once under current chairlady, PM Mia Mottley.

The PMSCR comprises Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados,

Guyana, Haiti and Saint Vincent & The Grenadines, and efforts to hold a third meeting in the past year have all reportedly failed, naturally hindering ultimate Heads decisions on key issues critical to advancing the pace of regional action and response, in many directions.

Heads definitely need to upgrade CARICOM’s response to and role in the expanding global growth of the Reparations cause and movement, which now straddles all continents and has drawn more support from First People everywhere, with growing support for inclusion of heirs of Indentureship and more victims of native Genocide in the region’s demands for Reparations from Europe.

The CRC’s workload has far-outgrown the dedicated administrative structure at the CARICOM Secretariat, where Reparations continue to be a division in a large and growing multi-discipline department, serving increasingly active and more-demanding and less-funded National Reparations Committees (NRCs) in 12 member-states, in cooperation with the University of the West Indies (The UWI) and the Centre for Reparations Research (CRR).

COMMON GROUND

The issues that set the US on fire in 2020 and setting France ablaze three years later have their common roots in similar grounds: Police racism that affects Caribbean minorities in the US as much as African descendants in Europe.

And just like the protests have crossed France’s borders into Luxemburg and Belgium, so have they affected French Caribbean colonies in Martinique, Guadeloupe and French Guiana.

Caribbean citizens are facing the same racial backlashes on both sides of the Atlantic, to where they originally migrated in search of Milk and Honey in lands of lily-white fields of opportunity and have ended up living under the immigration department radars to keep sending cash home.

And post-Windrush ‘Black Britons’ seeking solace in the Caribbean lands of their parents’ birth are disillusioned by unwelcome greetings ‘Esuch asnglish Boy.’

CONNECTING THE DOTS

These ‘Ts’ need to be crossed and dots connected, starting with the Caribbean region that widens into The Americas through the Caribbean Sea and represented in the larger multilingual, multibloc Association of Caribbean

States (ACS) and Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), each with many same members.

PM Gonsalves, by historical coincidence also being current CELAC President, provides a ready basis for discussion, at the current summit, of another important Reparations alliance, this time between CARICOM, CELAC and ACS, to all of which members of the OECS (Organization of Eastern Caribbean States) also belong.

The next year and decade will be even more important for the continuity of CARICOM’s Reparations quest, which has also gained more support in the UK and European Parliaments, as well as those of the African Union (AU) and India, while US Vice-President Kamala Harris and President Biden continue to embrace and hug the Caribbean leaders ever so much closer, ahead of November 2024.

There’s also a dire need for CARICOM to engage more regional bodies in the exercise of making its legal and financial cases for economic and social reparations.

The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) should be invited to establish a mechanism to assist every member-state to make a legal case for reparations, including CARICOM member-states such as Saint Lucia, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Suriname and Trinidad & Tobago that were colonized during slavery by other than Britain, including France, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal and Spain – that have been thus far sheltered from the growing reparations claims by former Caribbean colonies that contributed to the building of European Empires.

Likewise, the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) also needs to be brought in on the matter of application of Founding President Sir Arthur Lewis’ prescription for assuring reparations benefit all Caribbean people and not only some.

Same with the need for CARICOM to respond to the implications for Suriname of the Netherlands apologies and the wider regional implications of British expressions of royal sorrow, against the background of similar statements by the Belgian king regarding The Congo and Germany’s unilateral decision to pay reparations crumbs to Namibia.

CARICOM needs to give Reparations the added importance it needs at UN fora, where member-states should work the

numbers and mechanisms to ensure Reparations is a permanent agenda item on the annual UN General Assembly’s agenda.

With Guyana also on the UN Security Council, it can also show Permanent members the permanence of insecurity wherever minority rights are continuously violated.

PRESCRIPTIONS

Against that background, CARICOM’s PMSC on Reparations cannot continue to seem to remain in perpetual too-busy mode for any longer.

It’s therefore important for the leaders to decide today, or this year, what the new challenges, opportunities and priorities are, including whether, after no responses from the EU to their requests for discussions on Reparations, the region’s leaders shouldn’t take the issue to the next logical levels: European and International Criminal Courts.

The situation is such as to require as much as a special CARICOM Summit on Reparations, before the next summit, to allow for a serious, full and fruitful discussion between the leaders and the PMSC, with the CRC and the NRCs, The UWI and CRR – and the large and growing number of regional and national advocacy and Civil Society groups now with Associate Membership of the CRC.

Indeed, the new associate members bring to CARICOM’s table, through the CRC, the voices and causes of remaining largely dependent European and American Antilles, Overseas Territories, dependencies and other categories of scattered island and mainland-based colonies across the wider Caribbean region. Africa and India support a Global Reparations Summit, which has been proposed in Europe and India, Africa and the Americas, but leaders naturally feel it is CARICOM’s role to continue its leadership role by summoning one.

However, such a proposal would have to be brought to CARICOM heads at any summit by the PMSC on Reparations, which simply isn’t meeting.

It, therefore, all starts with this 50th Anniversary Summit, that’s akin to a do-ordie moment for CARICOM’s Reparations quest, depending on what’s said and done and what prescriptions are recommended for taking its original historical quest for Reparations for Slavery and Native Genocide to the next logical global level, a full decade later.

Engaging Guyanese in the diaspora

PRESIDENT, Dr Irfaan Ali recently engaged Guyanese in Canada to discuss Guyana’s development and the numerous investment opportunities available

their homeland. (Office of the President photos)

Bids open for enhancement of several educational facilities

A number of learners from several schools across the nation will soon benefit from myriad expansion and construction works, which are aimed at enhancing their learning experience.

According to an Invitation to Bids (IFB) recently published by the Guyana Chronicle, the Ministry of Education (MoE) has officially opened bids for reputable contractors to execute several works in Regions One, Four, Nine, and 10.

Bids for these projects are to be submitted by July 18, 2023, at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) office.

Bidders must submit one hard copy and two electronic copies of

the tenders, sealed in separate envelopes and labelled accordingly.

Moreover, it was also said that interested bidders may uplift the bidding documents from the Ministry, from 09:00 hrs to 15:00 hrs, Monday through Friday.

On the Ministry’s agenda are the extension of the Sebai Primary School and the construction of a science laboratory at the Santa Rosa Secondary School, both located in Region One.

Additionally, in order to facilitate comfort and provide better living standards, the MoE also opened bids for the construction of teachers’ living quarters at both the Baitoon Primary School and

the Bashaizon Primary School, both stationed in Region Nine.

There are also two construction projects slated for Region 10. Those include the construction of a hangar at the Linden Technical Institute, and the construction and furnishing of the home economics and industrial arts building at St. Cuthbert’s.

Lastly, contractors are also being sought for the establishment of an information technology laboratory at the St. Paul's Primary School in Region Four.

The Education Ministry was allocated $94.4 billion to enhance and improve the quality of education being delivered across Guyana.

Small Island Developing...

FROM PAGE 9

and build networks.

Innovation: to accelerate the development and upscaling of technologies, especially digital technologies such as mobile applications and data analytics, and ensure they are accessible to all.

Investment & Access to Finance: to boost increased, targeted, bold, smart, flexible and up-front and secure funding – including public,

private and blended finance. Building resilience mitigates negative impacts and reduces the need for costly emergency assistance.

Inclusivity: 80 per cent of our food is produced by family farmers and small-holder producers, with women playing a major role in food production and supply chains, yet they are often excluded from resources, credit, and decision-making processes.

Among the FAO initiatives that would help to implement these objectives are: the Hand in Hand Initiative; The One-Country One-Priority Product Initiative; The Green Cities Initiative and the Innovative Climate Financing, including support to access the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and Global Environment Facility (GEF), the Call for Action notes. (FAO)

GTA launches new product development grant

THE Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA), which falls under the purview of the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce has launched its new Guyana Tourism Product Development Grant Programme

(GTPDGP).

Through the grant, up to $1 million can be accessed. The government initiative is aimed at strengthening and expanding local tourism.

With this grant, persons can develop their tourism products and improve the services they offer.

At the recent prize-giving ceremony for the ‘Snap n Share’ competition, Minister, Oneidge Walrond dis-

closed that, “Just out of this [grant], we can get ideas; tour guides and investors can get ideas of an experience. So, we are going to be giving grants for the development of experience.”

The minister noted that before the grant is awarded, products will be graded on how well of an experience persons will have.

GTA is also calling for proposals for new tourism products,

as the initiation of the grant also aims to bring about innovation in the sector.

To be eligible for the grant, applicants must be licensed by GTA and registered within the last two years.

Application forms and guidelines can be accessed on GTA’s Facebook page.

The deadline for applications is August 10, 2023.

GTA’s quality service training benefits Bethany residents

A TOTAL of 25 persons from Bethany Village, Region Two, recently benefitted from a comprehensive training session by the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA), which focused on delivering exceptional service standards.

Led by GTA’s Training

taught the importance of customer service, proper etiquette, and hospitality techniques and are now able to provide the highest quality of service that mirrors local and international standards

Meanwhile, as the country modernises its way of promoting tourism,

Business Bureau (SBB) in each region.

The agency is also helping to cushion some of the small businesses by providing grants in different amounts.

Recently, Vice President, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, announced that some 4,000 to 5,000 small busi-

and Tourism Development Officer, Chetnauth Persaud, the initiative proved highly beneficial, as participants acquired valuable skills to enhance their contributions to the tourism sector.

Individuals were

GTA has been going above and beyond to facilitate several training sessions and also helping various regions to implement new tourism products.

Additionally, training sessions are also being conducted by the Small

ness owners will benefit from government’s cash grants this year.

Further, in the 2023 budget, the government allocated $584.2 million to the SBB and the Small Business Development Fund.

Residents of Bethany during the training session

Affordable prices for meat, eggs recorded at leading markets

GOVERNMENT has placed utmost importance on the agriculture sector, aimed at enhancing Guyana’s capacity for food production and mitigating food insecurity.

The government continues to be committed to improving output and productivity through increased acreage and technological use, diversification into new crops and varieties, promotion of high-value and value-added products, including agro-processing, and facilitating easier access to markets for farmers and consumers.

Accordingly, commodity prices for root crops, vegetables, fruits, meats, and other goods continue to be reasonable in the main marketplaces nationwide.

In relation to prices for meat and eggs at various markets last week, the average market price for beef stood at $633.33 per pound. A pound of beef is being sold for $680 at Stabroek, $650 at Bourda, $700 at Mon Repos, and $600 at Rosignol Markets.

Meanwhile, the average price for local chicken per pound is

$476. Consumers can purchase a pound of local chicken for $500 at Stabroek, $460 at Bourda, $480 at Mon Repos, $360 at Bath Settlement, and $340 at Rosignol Markets.

To lessen its reliance on importing hatching eggs, the government plans to create a bio-secured small ruminant breeding plant and invest in a broiler breeder facility.

A local egg is being sold for $45 at Stabroek, Bath Settlement, and Bourda. Also, if you are purchasing from the Mon Repos or Skeldon Markerts, the egg is being sold for $47.

Consumers can buy pork for $580 per pound at Mon Repos and Stabroek Markets,

and $350 at Bourda, and $700 at Rosignol Markets. The average pork price is $582 per pound.

A pound of mutton is being sold for $1,350 and $1,500 at Stabroek, and Mon Repos Markets respectively.

Meanwhile, the President, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali – led Government continues to hold nationwide discussions with Guyanese to provide immediate relief to the populace.

Through a variety of ground-breaking measures that the government has initiated, Guyana is making enormous gains toward encouraging sustainable development within the nation.

Chicken and other meats at the market

ENGLISH RACING TIPS

HAMILTON

09:15 hrs Midnight Lir

09:47 hrs Hale End

10:17 hrs Eilean Dubh

10:47 hrs Roaring Legend

11:17 hrs Prospect

11:52 hrs James Watt STRATFORD

12:40 hrs Trick Of The Tail

13:10 hrs Rock On Harry

13:40 hrs Forever A Dove

14:10 hrs Admiral's Sunset

15:10 hrs Opening Bid

15:40 hrs Fort Randall

FFOS LAS

13:30 hrs Hurt You Never

14:00 hrs Labalaba

14:30 hrs Dora's Tamar

15:00 hrs Kehlani

15:30 hrs Intricacy

16:00 hrs Tin Fandango

IRISH RACING TIPS

ROSCOMMON

11:45 hrs Profit Refused

12:20 hrs Gypsy Woman

12:50 hrs Swiss Army Ifficer

13:20 hrs Kratos

13:50 hrs Blazing Sunset

14:20 hrs Kodiac Prince

14:50 hrs Espionage

15:20 hrs Impero

AMERICAN RACING TIPS

BELMONT Race 1 Runaway Rumour Race 2 I'm Just Race 3 Sy Dog Race 4 Frat Pack Race 5 Mistical Curlin Race 6 Lucky Curlin Race 7 Federalist Papers

SOUTH AFRICA RACING TIPS

TURFFONTEIN

08;25 hrs Aunt Pittypat

09:00 hrs Sound Of Mercy

09:35 hrs Quiet Rebellion

10:05 hrs Electric Gold

10:40 hrs Nazare

Wimbledon 2023 Novak Djokovic overcomes rain delay to beat Pedro Cachin

By Michael Emons

NOVAK Djokovic dried the court with his towel and urged the crowd to "blow" in a farcical rain delay as his Wimbledon title defence began with a win.

Djokovic beat Argentina's Pedro Cachin 6-3 6-3 7-6 (7-4) on Centre Court.

But after the first set there was no play for 80 minutes, despite the closed roof, with Djokovic dabbing the grass before ground staff used leaf blowers.

"Every time I come out I normally have racquets, not towels - it was fun to do something different," Djokovic said.

"It was a little bit [of] a strange feeling but hopefully you guys liked it.

"It was definitely frustrating for all the crowd waiting for us to come out on court. We both wanted to play but the conditions were not great and still slippery.

"Once the roof was open it was a different story and after five or 10 minutes we were able to play."

Djokovic, aiming to secure his eighth Wimbledon title and match Roger Federer's record for a male player, will now play Australia's Jordan Thompson, ranked 70th in the world, following his five-set win over American Brandon Nakashima, 55th in the world

Amusing scenes as

Djokovic tries to dry the court

Djokovic, who has not lost on Centre Court since being beaten by Andy Murray in the 2013 final, was a break up in the first set, but complained the surface was getting slippery with drops of rain falling.

He wrapped up the set just before a shower at 14:20 BST, with the roof then fully closed 15 minutes later.

But in that time enough

Belgium’s Jasper Philipsen sprints to victory on stage three

BELGIUM’s Jasper Philipsen sprinted to victory on stage three of the Tour de France as Britain's Adam Yates retained the leader's yellow jersey. Philipsen, 25, edged out Germany's Phil Bauhaus with Australia's Caleb Ewan in third in the first bunch-sprint finish

on the other side of the French border.

Philipsen was led out expertly by his Alpecin-Deceuninck team-mate Mathieu van der Poel to finish half a wheel ahead of Bauhaus and Ewan, but there was some controversy about the way his compatriot

water had got on to the court before the covers came on to cause a lengthy delay.

With the covers off and the roof still closed, the players inspected the surface at 14:55, but were not happy with it and the crowd were told by the umpire that "the court is taking longer than expected to dry".

There followed some amusing scenes when Djokovic appeared with a towel, urged the 15,000-strong crowd to "blow" at the same time to dry the court, with him then wiping the grass himself.

After that, three members of ground staff, each armed with a leaf blower, also tried to dry the surface, while the fans began to get restless with a half-hearted slow hand clap and then a Mexican wave.

With the leaf blowers and the towel not doing enough, the roof was reopened at 15:40 in an attempt to dry the

grass naturally with the rain having stopped

It did the job and play resumed just before 15:50 with Djokovic able to take control with two breaks in the second set against his opponent, who battled hard but was outclassed.

If he keeps winning, Djokovic will not have to play a top-30 ranked opponent until the fourth round at the earliest.

Returning Rublev safely through

Russia's seventh seed Andrey Rublev is a potential opponent for Djokovic in the quarter-finals and he began his campaign with a 6-3 7-5 6-4 success over Australia's Max Purcell.

Rublev, unable to play at Wimbledon in 2022 because of the ban handed out to Russian and Belarusian players after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, was only in trouble in the second set at 5-2 down before he won five games

in a row in a 6-3 7-5 6-4 victory.

Norwegian fourth seed Casper Ruud, who lost to Djokovic in the recent French Open final, was tested by Laurent Lokoli of France before eventually going through in four sets on Court One.

Elsewhere, there were successes for 14th seed Lorenzo Musetti and 17th seed Hubert Hurkacz against Juan Pablo Varillas of Peru and Albert Ramos-Vinolas of Spain respectively.

But there was a firstround exit for Canadian 11th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime, who lost in four sets to American Michael Mmoh.

The first three sets all went to tie-breaks before Mmoh, ranked 119th in the world and whose only previous singles appearance at Wimbledon was a firstround loss in 2018, closed out a 7-6 6-7 7-6 6-4 victory.

(BBC Sport)

of this year's Tour.

Britain's Mark Cavendish was in sixth as the race crossed from Spain to the finish at Bayonne in France.

Yates now leads team-mate Tadej Pogacar and his brother Simon by six seconds.

It was an exciting end to a 187.4km stage that began in Amorebieta-Etxano and ended

Wout van Aert was squeezed out of the race.

Van Aert, who finished second in Sunday's second stage, attempted to pass Philipsen on the inside of the final bend but ran out of room because of the barriers and was forced to slow up.

The race commissaires reviewed video footage of the

incident before confirming Philipsen's victory.

"It was a bit of a doubt, but they make it really exciting in the end," Philipsen said after being told the result would stand.

"It was tense but it's the Tour de France and there are no presents. We can be really happy with the team performance. It was a great leadout with Jonas [Rickaert] and then Mathieu did a fantastic job, and I'm really happy to keep it to the finish line.

"I tried to take the shortest route to the finish and I'm really happy to be first over the line."

Cavendish had closely followed Philipsen's wheel as the sprinters jostled for position before the final kilometre but was not able to launch his own decisive attack.

The 'Manx Missile' was still smiling at the finish line, however, and during stage four on Tuesday he will have another chance to break the record of 34 Tour stage wins he currently shares with Eddy Merckx.

Another bunch sprint is expected at the end of a flat route that sees the race travel 181.8km from Dax to Nogaro.

(BBC Sport)

Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon ruled out of Ashes with calf injury

AUSTRALIA off-spinner Nathan Lyon will miss the rest of the Ashes series against England with the calf injury he sustained in the second Test at Lord's.

Lyon, who has 496 Test wickets, suffered the issue on day two of the encounter.

The 35-year-old's absence was confirmed as Australia left him out of their squad for the remaining three Tests because of a "significant calf tear".

Batter Matthew Renshaw has also been omitted from the Australia squad.

Australia lead the series 2-0 having won by 43 runs at Lord's and by two wickets in the first Test at Edgbaston.

Spinner Todd Murphy, who took 14 wickets on a tour of India earlier this year, could replace Lyon for the third Test, which starts at Headingley on Thursday.

"As you saw [on Sunday], at certain times, we had to do it differently without Nathan Lyon down the other end, which we've been so used to," said Australia coach Andrew McDonald.

"At times it looked a little bit chaotic so we do like to have that spin option."

Murphy, 22, had only played seven first-class match-

es before his Test debut against India in February.

"His stock ball is good enough in international cricket," said Lyon. "We have seen that in India in arguably the hardest place to bowl spin.

"It will be a different challenge with the England batters.

"If they do come at him, it provides Todd with a decent challenge. But a chance to leave his footmarks here in England. It is a big Ashes series, he is excited by the opportunity."

This isn't career-defining - Lyon

Lyon took eight wickets in Australia's victory in the first Test at Edgbaston.

He dismissed opener Zak Crawley at Lord's to take his 496th Test wicket when he was playing his 100th consecutive

Test. He then sustained his injury on day two of the second Test when he pulled up as he ran to field a ball.

Lyon hobbled out to bat for his side on day four and scored four runs as he added 15 with Mitchell Starc.

"I've been extremely lucky with injuries. I've been around since August 2011 and we've had 126 Test matches and I've played 122 of them," said Lyon, who is unsure if he will stay in England for the rest of the Ashes series or return home for rehabilitation.

"This is just a little speed bump in the road. This isn't career-defining. I am hungrier than ever to get back out there."(BBC Sport).

Spinners Murphy Todd ( left) and Nathan Lyon

The players were off court for nearly 80 minutes with Novak Djokovic helping to dry the court

Jasper Philipsen has now won three stages of the Tour de France in his career

Matthews hails Henry’s impact after half-centuries Younge survives marathon match; advances to quarterfinals

GROS ISLET, St Lucia, (CMC) – Chinelle Henry has come in for praise from captain Hayley Matthews following her second straight fifty which sealed West Indies Women’s 2-0 series win over Ireland Women here Saturday.

A 27-year-old right-hander, Henry followed up her unbeaten 53 in the opening One-Day International last week with another 53 not out in the series finale, helping to steer the hosts to an all-important six-wicket victory at the Darren Sammy Cricket Ground.

“We all knew the potential that she has and what we were expecting from her for a while now so I think the break has been really good for her, just getting away from cricket,” Matthews said.

“And it seems like now she’s back and within the setup, she’s really coming into her

own. We all knew she had the potential to do it so great to see her getting out there and scoring some runs, and I know she will be pretty pleased with the performance as well.”

The fifties for Henry were her first-ever in international cricket, having made her debut a decade ago but playing only 29 One-Day Internationals and 41 Twenty20 Internationals during that time.

Matthews also hailed the presence of 18-year-old stroke-maker Zaida James with whom she opened the batting during the series.

James, who made her ODI debut in the series, failed to get among the runs but Matthews said the series would have been an excellent “stepping stone” for the Under-19 World Cup star.

“It was really good to go out there and open the batting with her, obviously great to see her spending some time at the crease,” Matthews said.

“I knew she probably would’ve wanted to get some more runs under her belt but I think this is a really good stepping stone in her career obviously debuting this series. And with some important series coming up, I think this was a great place to start.

“It’s just good to see her getting out there, especially in

front of her home crowd here in St Lucia and just getting some experience under her belt.”

West Indies Women won the opener by 58 runs last Monday before rain ruined the second game on Thursday, allowing only 52 balls.

The right-handed Matthews, who gathered her fourth ODI hundred in the opening game, said the series result had been crucial for the Caribbean side.

“I’m just happy we were able to get out there and get over the line,” said the 24-year-old.

“We knew it was a really important series for us, trying to pick up some points for the Championship table but [knowing it was] also a series that we were hoping to come out and dominate.

“There are a lot of positives to take from the series and a lot of things to smile about.”

Vikramjit, Barresi help Netherlands thump Oman

..The match was halted by bad light with four overs left in the Oman innings as the Netherlands won on the DLS method

THE Netherlands kept their World Cup hopes alive with a 74-run win over Oman, in a rain-shortened game in Harare, though the margin of victory wasn't quite enough to see them leapfrog Zimbabwe nor Scotland on net run rate.

That was the case primarily down to Ayaan Khan who played a chance-laden hand to register a maiden ODI ton on his way to an unbeaten 105 off 92 deliveries. Alongside him, it was only Shoaib Khan that played an innings of any note for Oman, as the pair combined for a 112-run fifth wicket stand - though at no point did they look like they could seriously threaten the mammoth Dutch total.

(Scores:Netherlands 362 for 7 (Bikramjit 110, Barresi 97, Bilal 3-75) beat Oman 246 for 6 (Ayaan 105*, Shoaib 46, Dutt 3-31) by 74 runs on the DLS method)

Ayaan was at the crease when bad light brought play to an early close with Oman on 246 for 6, 44 overs into the chase. Having elected to bat and scored 362 for 7 in a 48-over game, the Dutch had needed to restrict Oman to 242 to ensure their NRR went above that of Scotland. This would have been crucial in the event of threeway tie for second place.

That can only transpire if Scotland beat Zimbabwe tomorrow, and the Netherlands then beat Scotland themselves. As things stand, even if Scotland secure a win tomorrow, the Dutch need to the beat Scotland by a big enough margin to leapfrog them on NRR. Any result but a Scotland win tomorrow sees the Dutch eliminated.

That they couldn't secure the necessary margin of victory today might be a minor source of disappointment, as their batters

had put them in prime position to do so. Vikramjit Singh notched a maiden ODI century, Wesley Barresi nearly got one of his own, and then cameos from Bas de Leede and Saqib Zulfiqar spearheaded a late onslaught that saw 127 runs scored off the final 10 overs.

Their bowlers then gave them a dream start reducing Oman to 4 for 102, only for Ayaan and Shoaib to come together for their defiant stand, one which would have been particularly disappointing seeing that Ayaan had been dropped three times - on 12, 20 and 33 - over the course of his innings. While all three were of varying difficulty, the fact that none were taken would have stung.

That wasn't to take away from Ayaan's knock though, which encompassed 11 fours and two sixes - one a sumptuous lofted straight drive, and the other a powerful pick-up over long-on. His control percentage of 77% however highlights another area in where the Dutch might have felt a touch unfortunate, with several mishits falling safe.

He struggled most against the excellent Aryan Dutt, whose changes in pace and subtle variations had several Oman batters in difficulty. The right-arm off spinner would end with figures of 3 for 31 in 10 overs, accounting for the scalps of the only other batters to get in aside from Aayan - Kashyap Prajapati, Mohammed Nadeem and Shoaib.

Though where Oman really lost the game was in the field, conceding 36 extras in total, inclusive of 23 wides. In a game shortened by two overs a side, Oman gave away nearly four extra overs.

Wesley Barresi hits one out of the ground • (Getty Images)

This came alongside a poor ground fielding effort in which the several easy singles and twos were given away - all of which would add up.

Credit however must be given to the Dutch, who have set the benchmark across the entire tournament in terms of their running between the wickets. Against Sri Lanka, a much better fielding unit, this aggression was sometimes to their detriment, but against Oman every inch that could be gained was.

It was the foundation of an innings that never really slowed down, starting with a 117-run

opening stand off 132 deliveries and culminating in that devastating death overs assault. In between there was the Singh-Barresi stand for 80 off 72, and then when Singh fell shortly after reaching his century, Barresi would up the ante in successive stands of 30, 55 and 57 with Scott Edwards, de Leede and Zulfiqar respectively. No bowler had a strike rate of less than a 100 against him, though he took a particular liking to the spin of Aaqib Ilyas - standin skipper for the injured Zeeshan Maqsood - and Ayaan, taking the former for two sixes over cow corner and the latter for a flat smote over long-off. His 97 came off just 65 deliveries, inclusive of 10 fours and three sixes.

No.4 seed Aubrey Younge overcame a set deficit to defeat veteran player Sandeep Chand 1/6 - 6/3 - 6/4 in the Men’s 35 Singles Round of 16 on Sunday. Clocking in at 3 hours and 17 minutes, this was the longest match of the GTA One Guyana Open 2023 to date.Chand quickly built a 6/1 advantage with this aggressive performance, winning the first set. However, Younge, a semifinalist at the GBTI Open 2022, strategically pulled his way back into contention by staying in the longer rallies to force the errors off of Chand’s racquet. Younge assumed command and took the second set at 6/3.

The game was rescheduled for the following day due to anticipated events. Younge and Chand both showed no indications of exhaustion or nervousness and saved their best play for the decisive set, hitting numerous forehand winners.

Chand managed to save two match points, but fell short when it mattered most, allowing Younge to seal the victory.

Other Results

Men’s Open Singles Round of 64: Martin Campbell defeated Delon Fraser 6/3 - 6/3.

Men’s Open Singles

Round of 64: Elwyn Levius defeated Philbert Clarke 7/5 - 6/4.

Men’s Open Singles Round of 64: Leyland Leacock defeated José Rodrigues 6/0 - 6/1.

Men’s Open Singles Round of 32: No. 2 seed Gavin Lewis defeated Denzel Luthers 6/0 - 6/2.

Men’s Open Singles Round of 32: No. 6 seed Harvey Stoll defeated Timothy Immanuel 6/0 - 6/1.

Men’s Open Singles Round of 32: Navindra Arjune defeated Christian Younge 6/4 - 6/2.

Ladies’ Open Singles Round of 16: Devanie Arjoon defeated Erin Tucker 6/2 - 1/6 - 6/4 in 2 hours and 3 minutes (second longest match of the tournament to date).

Men’s 35 Singles: Phillip Squires defeated Surrendra Khayyam 6/0 - 6/0.

Regal Legends stave off Blizzards challenge to retain...

The Dutch played the game state well too, promoting both de Leede and Zulfiqar above Teja Nidamanuru when quick runs were the order of the day. The pair would score a combined 72 between them off just 36 deliveries. While that was enough to keep them in with chance of qualification, now they need to hope Scotland do their part tomorrow.(Cricinfo) FROM

ship of 68 with Deonarine who smashed five fours and seven sixes in his innings, Eric Thomas, ensured Regal Legends passed the 200-run mark with a breezy unbeaten 29 which included one four and three sixes as they reached 217 for six which proved a winning total in the end. Malone finished with two for 28 while Fazil Rasoool ended with two

for 45.

Deonarine was adjudged man-of-the-match for his 82 and figures of two for 34. Dhaniram took away prizes for scoring the most runs in the category, the Most Valuable Player (MVP) and for scoring a century (104 not out versus Trophy Stall) while Rasool was awarded trophies for the most wickets and the best bowling figures in a game.

The winners carted off the

winning trophy and $3 000 (US) while the runners-up received a trophy. All 15 players and officials of both teams collected medals,

In Saturday’s semi-final clashes, played at Seaview Park, Canarsie in Brooklyn, Regal Legends defeated Orlando while Toronto Blizzards won from BYSCL 1 in a close encounter.

A proud and delighted Regal Legends skipper, Ma-

hendra “Anil” Hardyal told Chronicle Sports, following the victory, that he and his charges achieved what they had set out to do, that is to win five matches from the onset of the tournament on Friday. Asked what was responsible for their successes over the years, a modest Hardyal summed it up very succinctly, pointing out that “winning has become a habit.”

West Indies Women’s Chinelle Henry

Sandeep Chand (right) and Aubrey Younge

Devanie Arjune (right) and Erin Tucker in action during the ladies’ singles (Shaniece Bamfield photo)

One Guyana Breeders Cup…

Everesting holds off Jessica’s Pride for Banks DIH trophy

With horse racing action heating up through this period of the year, Everesting put its name right up there with the favourites following victory in the Bush Lot United One Guyana Breeder’s Cup.

Held at the Bush Lot United Turf Club, the one day affair saw an early battle emerge between eventual winner Everesting of the Master Z Racing Stables and Jessica’s Pride of the Night Eyes racing stable.

And while they jostled for the Banks DIH Trophy down the home stretch, Everesting jockey by Milla, had just the little bit more left in the tank to ensure that it snagged the $2,000,000 first price.

M. Semple, Jessica’s Pride jockey did not leave

empty handed as their second place finish guaran-

teed $1,000,000 dollar second prize, sponsored by Shi-oil. Converter, jockeyed by

Blakes finished ahead of looking to Heaven jockeyed by Collin Ross.

In the co-feature race, a five-furlong contest for Guyana and Suriname Bred Horses, Bank Note ridden by Ross crossed the line first for the Jumbo Jet Auto Sales trophy and the $1,000,000 first prize.

Cash Return (Y. Kissonchand), Black Time (N. Patrick) and Black Cat (Milla) finished second, third and fourth.

In the day’s opening event, the K Class and Lower six furlong event sponsored by Gonsalves Racing Stable, El Dorado Queen, (Ross) took the first place trophy ahead of Donald Trump (Richmond) and Ebony Prince (Anderson).

Race two, which spon-

sored by KP Jagdeo Construction and Racing Stable was for non-earners of $100,000 in Guyana in 2023.

Wow Wow (Blakes) finished ahead of Jet Lee (Ross), Secret Jet (Wills) and Top Rankin (Y. Kissoonchand).

War Time (Ross) won race three of the day which was for 3 year old Guyana and Suriname Bred horses and sponsored by HEFA farms.

Lord’s Gift (K.Paul) finished second ahead of Shake The Bank (M. Semple) and Lashana Pharaoh (Blakes) completed the top four finishers. The race event was organised by the Jumbo Jet Thoroughbred Committee.

Reggae Boyz are only CFU side in the Quarter-final after crushing St Kitts & Nevis

MIAMI, Florida, (CMC)

– Jamaica, sparked by three second-half goals, crushed St Kitts & Nevis 5-0 and were the only one of the four fellow Caribbean Football Union (CFU) teams that won their match in the Concacaf Gold Cup on Sunday in the United States.

Di Shon Bernard, Daniel Johnson, and Cory Burke followed up an own goal and a strike from Jonathan Rusell with second-half items at Levi Stadium and enabled the CFU No. 2 Jamaicans to shut the door on the CFU No. 12 Kittitians.

The result meant that the Reggae Boyz completed an unbeaten run in Group A, and punched their ticket to be the only team in the quarterfinals of the tournament, where they will meet the winner of Group D next Sunday at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio.

The Sugar Boyz will return home without a point, but they can still hold their heads high after an inspiring run in the preliminary phase, where they upset Curaçao and French Guiana in penal-

ty kicks shoot-outs to reach the Group Stage of the tournament .

The outcome was also not so kind for CFU No. 3 Trinidad & Tobago in the

who failed to advance to the quarterfinals.

IN SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA: St Kitts & Nevis captain and goalkeeper Julani Archibald deflected

time after Bailey played the ball into his path with a slick back-heel.

The momentum stayed with the Reggae Boyz, and they extended their lead on a tidy finish from Bernard after a pass from Shamar Nicholson in the 49th minute.

achieve the feat in successive matches.

Phillip had no answer when Ferreira moved the ball from his left foot to his right foot, and he ripped off a shot to finish a pass from left back De Juan Jones.

Reggae Boyz completed an unbeaten run in Group A

other Group A match at Bank of America Stadium, where striker Jesus Ferreira notched another hat-trick, and the United States brushed aside the Soca Warriors 6-0 to secure first and a spot in the quarterfinals.

At the same venue, CFU No. 1 Haiti failed to hold onto an early lead, and Honduras rallied back to beat them 2-1 in the final match in Group B for both teams,

the ball into the nets for an own goal on the half-hour mark to give Jamaica a head start, after a deep cross from Aston Villa winger Leon Bailey reached Dynamo Kyiv winger Kaheem Parris, who tried to play the ball back across the goal.

The floodgates opened for the Jamaicans from there, and Russell scored a rasping right-footed shot two minutes into first-half extra

The Sugar Boyz got a couple of good looks at goal through Romaine Sawyers, but his finishing let him down, and Johnson pushed Jamaica further ahead after an initial block from substitute goalkeeper Jamal Jeffers, and Cory Burke followed up with a tidy finish two minutes later.

IN CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA: T&T goalkeeper Marvin Phillip was under siege from early, and the Soca Warriors bowed out of the tournament with only one win from their three matches for three points.

Ferreira scored in the 14th and 38th minutes before adding a penalty kick in the third minute of first-half stoppage time to become the first player to score hattricks in two different Gold Cup matches in the same tournament and American to

The second goal came after Phillip made an initial stop, but a second chance from Ferreira was headed towards the goal before hitting the leg of T&T defender Sheldon Bateau and continued into the net.

Phillip was again beaten when Ferreira converted a penalty after Djordje Mihailovic drew a foul in the box to take his tally to six goals in the Gold Cup and broke the American record of five by Chris Wondolowski a decade ago.

In the second half, T&T fell further behind when Cade Cowell ran onto a wayward pass from a T&T player and scored in the 65th minute in a one-on-one with Phillip, and North Carolina-born Gianluca Busio tallied in the 79th minute when he scored his first goal for the Americans following a build-up orchestrated by

The fifth defeat for T&T against the United States in the Gold Cup was formalised when substitute Brandon Vazquez ran onto a pass into the box from Cowell and scored in the fourth minute of second-half stoppage time.

Later at the same venue, Haiti grabbed the lead in the 20th minute when Frantzdy Pierrot scored from close range after Duckens Nazon fired in a shot from near the corner of the area and Honduras goalkeeper Edrick Menjivar saved it, but he failed to control the rebound.

The Haitians failed to keep up their intensity, and Honduras equalised in the 43rd minute when Jerry Bengtson nodded a header to the back post after a cross from defender Maylor Nunez.

After the break, Honduras doubled the lead in the 59th minute when midfielder Jorge Alvarez scooped a pass over Haiti’s back line that José Pinto was able to bring it down with his first touch and finish.

DeAndre Yedlin and Julian Gressel.

Everesting (5) pips Jessica's Pride to the Banks DIH Trophy (Hotspotgy.com photo)

Regal Legends stave off Blizzards challenge to retain crown

By Frederick Halley

DEFENDING champions Regal Legends continued their winnings ways when the New York Softball Cricket League (NSCL) 18th Independence Cup climaxed at Baisley Park, 150 Rockaway Boulevard, Queens, New York on Sunday.

The Guyanese Over-50 outfit however had to withstood a spirited challenge from their Canadian opponents, Toronto Blizzards, before emerging winners by nine runs in the high-scoring encounter. It was also a repeat of the 2022 South

Florida Softball Cricket League final, played in Fort Lauderdale, when Regal Legends also came out winners.

Set a formidable 218 for victory, after Regal Legends reached 217 for six in their allotted 20 overs, after being inserted to take first strike, Toronto Blizzards were left high and dry on 208 for four when their overs expire.

Toronto Blizzards’ chase was engineered by a brilliant even hundred from former Guyana National player and opener Vejai Seonarine but an equally fine knock of 82 from Regal

Legends’ Ramesh Deonarine put paid to their hopes of stopping the Guyanese who played unbeaten in the three-day tournament which was staged in conjunction with One Guyana 57th Independence Anniversary.

The right-handed Seonarine, who also represents the West Indies Over-50 side as an all-rounder, shared an opening stand of 99 for the first wicket with Sunil Dhaniram (26) and a further 40 with Ramo Malone (36 not out) for the third wicket but once he departed at 162 for three in the 17th over, his team’s hopes of victory fad -

ed despite some lusty hitting towards the end from Malone and Jaimini Singh who was undefeated on 17 at the end.

While the partnership between Seonarine, who’s knock was laced with six fours and eight sixes and Dhaniram flourished, it was evident that the latter wasn’t as fluent in his stroke play, his 26 containing three fours before he was outfoxed by Laurie Singh for the second time in the tournament.

Desmond Chumney, who batted at number three, soon departed without scoring as Regal Legends fought back gallantly.

Seonarine, in trying to up the tempo after reaching a richly deserved century, went caught off the bowling of Throy Kippins while Mohan Harihar (one) was sent packing by Deonarine.

Malone’s quick-fire 36, which included two fours and three sixes and Singh added an unbeaten 33 for the fifth wicket but their efforts were in vain as Regal Legends celebrated another championship triumph.

Earlier, Regal Legends suffered an immediate setback when opener Uniss Yusuf went caught by wicket-keeper Seonarine off the first delivery of

the innings, bowled by Malone. Aided by a few dropped catches, they recovered admirably through a second wicket partnership of 79 between Deonarine and Mohendra Arjune (19) with the former dominating the stand. The usually reliable Rudolph Baker failed to get going, being comprehensively bowled by Dhaniram for three, paving the way for John Sumair’s pulsating fireworks. The strongly built right-hander clobbered two fours and seven sixes in his 58 while sharing an important fourth wicket partner-

TURN TO PAGE 22

Brathwaite says Test side gearing up after long lay-off

ST JOHN’S, Antigua, (CMC) – Incumbent West Indies Test captain Kraigg Brathwaite said his side was eager to return to action after a four-month lay-off.

Brathwaite and company will start the new ICC World Test Championship cycle with two Tests against India, starting on July 12 in Dominica, and July 20 in Trinidad.

He and many of the other Test team hopefuls are currently attending a training camp at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua to prepare for the series, which also fea-

tures the 100th Test between the two sides.

“It’s important to start well,” Brathwaite said in an interview with CWI Media. “We are playing against India, so you know the guys are really looking forward to it.

‘Dominica will host the first Test match, and we call for the supporters in Dominica to come out and support us – but the guys are really looking forward to the first two Test matches of this cycle.”

He added: “That’s great you know in terms of the 100th Test match against

Indies, and it’s in Trinidad, and you know they love their cricket there, so I think it’s important, and we gotta try to make the region proud.

“The guys have put some good effort in the last three days, and they still have a few days left and you know we gotta keep pushing hard.”

Brathwaite said the training camp was going well, and it was critical for the players to make use of the time to plan how they will execute during the series.

“I think as a team, and as batsmen and bowlers, we

already have those thoughts in mind about what to expect, and this is why preparation is very important,” he said.

“It’s all about how you prepare, knowing what we’re going to get in terms of conditions, we generally know how the surfaces will play, and we already know India’s team, so it’s important from now to mentally prepare, and understand the plans we want both as a bowling unit and as batters, so you know it will all come down to execution.”

West Indies Test Captain Kraigg Brathwaite

The victorious Regal Legends players celebrate as skipper Mahendra “Anil” Hardyal collects the winning trophy

Man-of-the-match in the final Ramesh Deonarine is rewarded for his sterling contribution

Fazil Rasool Of Toronto Blizzards receives his trophy for being the top bowler in the Over-50 category