Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 05-10-2022

refinery

soon

Turning her own adversity into strength for others

— Bartica-based teacher tells her story on World Teachers’ Day

By Cindy Parkinson

TEACHERS are one of the most important pillars of society and pos sess a variety of skills that immensely enhances the transfer of knowl edge.

At the core of each de

veloped skill of the teacher is a reflection of what hap pens during the teaching and learning process.

Ms Takeisa Caesar, who was born and raised in Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), tragi cally lost her mother when she was still an infant. Her

father was not actively part of her life.

Ms Caesar and her sis ter would be raised by their grandmother. By the time she was 11, Takei sa would also lose her grandmother. Grieving, she questioned the unfor tunate events that felt like

they followed her life.

Takeisa and her sister were then taken in by their late grandmother’s sister but they were “moved around” more times than they liked. The sibling duo later went on to rent their own place.

(See story on Page 3)

Effective policies result in higher retention of students

ASSISTANT

for Western Hemisphere Affairs at the U.S. State Department, Ambassador Brian A. Nichols, on Tues

‘Higher standards reached’

— Go-Invest ISO certification signals commitment to transparency, accountability, says President Ali

By Tamica Garnett

THE Guyana Office for Investment (Go-Invest), on Tuesday, received it’s ISO 9001 certification, during a presentation ceremony at the Office of the President (OP).

The certificate was hand ed over by the Chief Ex ecutive Officer of Global Compliance Service Guyana Inc (GCSGI), Candelle Bost wick, to Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Go-Invest, Dr. Peter Ramsaroop, in the presence of President, Dr. Irfaan Ali.

The President noted that the certification of the public sector agency is part of gov ernment’s goal to re-orient the delivery of government services.

“It demonstrates that we are committed to delivering world-class services, in a world-class environment of world-class standards, worldclass guidelines, subjecting ourselves to world-class au dits. It requires the organi sation and everything we do at the organisation to operate at all times at a high level,” President Ali said.

In addition to represent ing a high standard in the level of service being offered by the agency, Dr. Ali said that the certification also represents a level of trans parency and accountability to which the government holds itself and its agencies.

“For the agency to subject itself to the audits to get the certification tells you about the dynamism, openness, transparency, and our desire to build systems that follow structure, and structure that follows standards, and stan dards that follow guidelines.

All of these are important pa rameters in the whole conver sation about transparency,” he added.

The President congratu lated Dr. Ramsaroop, his staff and others who supported the process, for seeing it through.

The ISO 9001 is an in ternational standard that specifies requirements for a quality management system (QMS). Organisations use the standard to demonstrate the ability to consistently provide products and services that meet customer and regulatory requirements.

To get ISO 9001 certi fied, organisations have to build and implement a quality management system in accor dance with the principles of the latest ISO 9001 standard.

An audit is then performed by a certified body or registrar to assess the performance of the organisation’s QMS against the latest ISO 9001 standard.

Go-Invest had its audit done last month by GCSGI, the local chapter of Global Compliance Service, an In ternational ISO Certification Body and Registrar headed in Geneva Switzerland.

Speaking with the Guy

ana Chronicle, Bostwick shared that it was in August that Go-Invest applied for the ISO 9001 certification, and given how compliant the agency already was, it took a few weeks to conduct the audit needed for the certifi cation.

Go-Invest is the Guya nese agency that provides investment facilitation, and export promotion services to both local and foreign inves

tors. The organisation serves as a primary contact for in vestors, liaising with gov ernment agencies throughout the investment process. It also provides investors with a comprehensive summary of steps necessary to com mence business operations in Guyana.

Dr. Ramsaroop told the members of the media that it was the encouragement of the government, led by President

Ali, that was the driving force behind Go-Invest striving for higher quality management standards.

“From the time Dr. Ali took leadership of the coun try, he challenged all govern ment agencies to meet a high er level of standard to ensure that we have accountability, transparency, measurable results,” Dr. Ramsaroop said.

He further noted: “So, Go-Invest decided to em

bark on the standards to meet that expectation and in doing so we followed the ISO guidelines over the last year and ensured that our documentation, quality management, our customer service, our intervention with investors, local and foreign are equal and by doing that we continue to meet the standard and we asked the audit agency to help.”

Turning her own adversity into strength for others

—Bartica-based teacher tells her story on World Teachers’ Day

By Cindy Parkinson

TEACHERS are one of the most important pillars of society and possess a vari ety of skills that immense ly enhances the transfer of knowledge.

At the core of each de veloped skill of the teacher is a reflection of what hap pens during the teaching and learning process.

Ms Takeisa Caesar, who was born and raised in Bar tica, Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni), tragically lost her mother when she was still an infant. Her father was not actively part of her life.

Ms Caesar and her sister would be raised by their grandmother. By the time

she was 11, Takeisa would also lose her grandmother. Grieving, she questioned the unfortunate events that felt like they followed her life.

Takeisa and her sister were then taken in by their late grandmother’s sister but they were “moved around” more times than they liked. The sibling duo later went on to rent their own place.

Having faced a number of challenges throughout her life, Miss Caesar was determined to make a differ ence in the lives of people, especially children.

Later in her life she de veloped a passion for writ ing, which later blossomed into a greater love for teach ing.

Presently reading for

her Associate’s Degree in Education (ADE) at the teachers’ training college, Takeisa is attached to the Bartica Special Needs and or Disability School along with Teacher-in-Charge Nazeema Khan, volunteer teacher Theresa Braithwaite, and support staff.

Turning attention to the school, Takeisa said the school has an enrolment of 29 learners from ages three to 18. “We also accept chil dren and adults who may be considered too young or too old, but we accommodate them,” Ms Caesar said.

She pleaded with parents across Guyana who have differently-abled children, especially the parents and residents of Bartica, not

to be in denial about their children but instead raise awareness.

She also asked that the Government of Guyana and the private sector continue to support their school and similar schools across Guy ana. “Having a disability does not mean that you can not function in society,” said Ms Caesar.

Caesar made a charge to children and learners: “Life is what you make of it and do not let your circumstance determine the outcome of your life”.

World Teachers’ Day is observed on the October 5, 2022 under the theme “Changing Course, Trans forming Education”.

Chief Executive Officer of Global Compliance Service Guyana Inc. (GCSGI), Candelle Bostwick (second from left) and Go-Invest CEO, Dr. Peter Ramsaroop, display an enlarged copy of the ISO 9001 certificate in the presence of President, Dr. Irfaan Ali (third from right), Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond (second from right) and Minister with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh (right) (Adrian Narine photo)

Guyana furthers appeal for US gov’t to lift catfish ban

By Naomi Parris

THE majority of the pro tocols that were required to remove the current ban on catfish to the United States of America (USA) are complet ed and have been submitted to the relevant government bodies, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha said.

During an exclusive inter view with the Guyana Chronicle on Tuesday, Minister Mustapha said the Ministry, through its fisheries department, has up dated and gazetted the Fishery Product Regulations of 2003 along with several other re quired protocols.

“We have completed the updating of the manual, we have gazetted it and that man ual is law. We completed and submitted the self-reporting tool to the US food safety extension services through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“[And] we gazetted the fishery product regulations; those regulations, we had to update them to keep them in modern time and we did that,” he said.

Additionally, testing, in spections and vesting of the fishing sites in the country’s wa ters were done in collaboration with United States government authorities.

“We also did the testing that they want… we identified the lab that will have to test this water. What we have done also is inspection at the point of vesting, where these fishes

Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha

are being caught in the ocean,” Mustapha added.

He noted that the depart ment of fisheries has scheduled a meeting with its US counter part for a review and further discussion on the necessary protocols needed to remove the ban.

Early Warning

Exporters of catfish were required by the US Food and Safety Inspection Services (FSIS) to provide documenta tion to verify that their inspec tion system was in keeping with US standards. This protocol came into effect in 2016.

Exporters here were given a transitional period to update their regulations and provide the relevant documentation.

Failure to do this within the timeline, however, saw the United States imposing a ban on catfish imports from Guyana in September 2017.

“The United States admin istration would have already warned the previous govern ment two years prior to the ban that they have to put their house in order or they will ban this product. They did not heed that authority’s warning, and, as a result of that we are now faced with the ban,” Mustapha said.

Since assuming office as the agriculture minister in 2020, Mustapha, along with a team of technical officers from the fish eries department, has worked to remove the ban.

“When I became minister of agriculture, the President in structed that I go and deal with this matter promptly and we started meetings immediately with the United States embas sy,” he explained.

Exporters of catfish have been severely affected over the past few years as a result of the ban.

Shrimp production increases monthly

By Naomi Parris

WITH the expansion of 1,833 acres of ponds in Region Six (East Berbi ce-Corentyne), Guyana’s shrimp production has been increasing rapidly, says Ag riculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha.

“We have seen a number of ponds that have already been completed. To date, we have completed 1,833 acres of ponds; that gave us 89 farms [and] 180 ponds.

“To date, we are seeing production increasing every month,” Mustapha said, on Tuesday, in an interview with the Guyana Chronicle.

In 2021, Minister Musta pha met with various stake holders at the Albion Sports Complex, where he stressed that the government was “looking to improve shrimp farming in Berbice”.

He announced then that his ministry will be spending $58 million on shrimp ponds in Region Six to boost pro duction.

On Tuesday, he reiterated that the government had been working ‘assiduously’ to ramp up production.

“We are working very hard to complete this project. We are about 80 per cent into completion and I am hoping at the end of it all we can have 12,000 kilogrammes monthly, and we can get the projected outcome of 1.2 million kilo grammes annually,” the Agri culture Minister said.

He added, “This is show

ing very good sign for us and I think that with the civil works that we are doing in enhancing the ponds and putting other mechanisms in place, we will see more and more produc tion.”

Earlier this year, some $153 million was earned af ter the production of some 127,400 kilogrammes of shrimp between January and March, 2022.

The total showed 81,740 kilogrammes more when compared to the 45,660 kilo grammes of shrimp produced during the same period in 2021, at an estimated value of $40 million.

Prawns

Meanwhile, Minister Mustapha disclosed that the government will soon begin production of prawns in the West Coast and East Bank of Berbice.

“While we are doing the brackish water shrimp, we are also looking to start prawn production very shortly. We will start in the West Coast

Berbice and East Bank Berbi ce [areas where] two projects will start.”

According to the Min ister, the project which was launched by President, Dr Irfaan Ali at the ‘Agri’ Invest ment Forum and Expo back in May will target women, youths and former sugar es tate workers who were left unemployed after the closure of the sugar estates in 2017 by the then-A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) government.

Additionally, with the col laboration of the Hubu Aqua Farm, Minister Mustapha is optimistic that prawn produc tion will see good results, thus boosting Guyana’s aquacul ture prospects.

“We will have our own larvae that will be produced by the farm; so we won’t have to import it now; we will produce it and within this kind of production we will increase our aquacul ture income tremendously.”

Brackish Water Shrimp

President Ali says EoI for modular oil refinery will be launched soon

GIVEN the significant interest being continuously shown, the government will soon launch an Ex pression of Interest (EoI) for the establishment of a 30,000 barrel per day oil refinery, President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, said on Tuesday.

President Ali made the announcement at the Office of the President during remarks at a ceremony for the handing over of the ISO 9001 certificate to the Guy ana Office for Investment (Go-Invest).

He noted that there are several areas that the gov ernment will be targetting to open up opportunities in the country, including the consideration of a refinery.

“We are looking at the launch of an Expression of Interest for a 30,000 barrel [per day] refinery. This Expression of Interest will be launched soon,” Dr. Ali announced.

An oil refinery is an industrial processing plant where crude oil is trans formed and refined into useable products such as gasoline, diesel fuel, ker osene, and other fuel oils and products.

Talks about a local refinery comes at a time when the government is

preparing to auction off the remaining oil blocks offshore Guyana.

Billions of barrels of oil equivalent (boe) were discovered offshore in the Stabroek Block, which is owned by Exxon Mobil and its partners Hess and CNOOC. However, given the absence of a refinery, all of the crude pumped offshore will have to be exported.

As it is now, Exxon and partners have four sanc tioned projects offshore Guyana. Of those, Liza Phase One is producing approximately 140,000 barrels per day, using the Liza Destiny floating pro duction storage and off loading (FPSO) vessel,

while the Liza Phase Two, which started production in February, is steadily ramp ing up production to reach its 220,000 barrels per day capacity, using the Liza Unity FPSO vessel.

Given the increasing number of discoveries, there has been growing support for Guyana to have its own refinery. The pri vate sector has been lobby ing for a modular refinery for some time now. A mod ular refinery is a simplified refinery, which is less cap ital intensive when com pared with the traditional full-scale refineries.

Meanwhile, Chief Ex ecutive Officer (CEO) of Go-Invest, Dr. Peter Ram saroop, said that the refin

ery will most likely be a modular refinery.

While nothing decisive has been said, the Berbice area is still being consid ered as a possible location, as the facility will have to be located close to a river.

Dr. Ramsaroop also noted that the country has been seeing much interest from investors with regards to the setting up of an oil refinery.

“We’ve been having lots of proposals come in about the setting up of an oil refinery and I think the government has decided to look at it from a holistic perspective. So, let’s see how those proposals come in and ensure that we con

tinue to look at the envi ronment. New technology in the refineries today have minimal emissions. So, all of that will be looked at in the Expression of Interest process that the President announced,” Dr. Ramsa roop said.

With the sharp increase in global oil prices over the past few years, which was escalated by the war be tween Russia and Ukraine, the conversation around a refinery in Guyana has become all the more per tinent.

It is expected that the

refinery will focus mainly on producing refined oil for local consumption.

Dr. Ramsaroop related that Guyana’s consider ation for a refinery is part of the country’s plans to become more energy se cure in light of the world’s heavy dependence on oil and gas as fuels.

“If you just study what has happened in the world today, what is happening in Ukraine with the war with Russia, and how fuel prices have gone up, it is very im portant for Guyana to look at how it can sustain itself long term. I think a refinery is just one more step of us looking at our needs in the near future, similar to the gas coming to shore,” Dr. Ramsaroop explained.

“If you look at the fuel aspect and combine that with all the integrated en ergy solutions with hydro and wind, then I think Guyana is poised that our future has arrived and we are ready to ensure that we sustain our nation long term,” he added.

President, Dr. Irfaan Ali Chief Executive Officer of Go-Invest, Dr. Peter Ramsaroop

A Historic Moment

OCTOBER 5, 1992 marks 30 years since the resto ration of democracy to Guyana after some 28 years of PNC authoritar ian rule. It will be recalled that the PNC/UF coalition government came to pow er in 1964 in what former British Prime Minister, Harold Wilson described as a ‘fiddled constitutional arrangement’, one unprec edented in the history of Commonwealth politics.

The history behind the removal of the PPP from power and the installation of the PNC-UF coalition in the 1964 elections is some what complicated but it had to do essentially with a plot by western vested inter ests, in collaboration with local reactionary forces to prevent the PPP adminis tration from taking Guyana into political independence out of a mistaken percep tion, as documented by the then Presidential Advisor to President Kennedy in his book ‘A thousand Days in

the White House’ “that an independent Guyana un der Forbes Burnham would cause us fewer problems than an independent Guyana under Cheddi Jagan.”

The stage was then set for the manipulation of the electoral process and a change from the constituen cy system to one of propor tional representation which allowed for contesting par ties to combine their votes to form the government should they garner enough votes to gain a majority.

All of that, in the context of our new and evolving political culture, may appear normal since in some ways it could be seen as consis tent with the Westminster system of majoritarian rule. But that was far from be ing the case as the PNC, a mere three years later, un ceremoniously kicked out its junior partner from the coalition government and commenced a process of electoral fraud with the aim of institutionalising PNC

minority rule. The PNC managed to perpetuate its life in government for near ly three decades through a combination of force and fraud.

One consequence of that rupture of the democratic fabric of the society was that it set in motion a process of underdevelopment and eco nomic retrogression which culminated in the ‘pauperi sation’ of the working peo ple and a disgraceful state of affairs in which Guyana was regarded internationally as a ‘pariah’ state. Guyana, by the end of the 1980s, was ranked among the poorest country in the western hemi sphere.

The restoration of demo cratic rule in the early 1990s did not come about without a long and protracted strug gle led by the PPP and sup ported by democratic forces both within and outside of Guyana. Elections which were due in 1990 were post poned by two years to allow for electoral reforms, chief

among which was the count ing of votes at the place of poll. Desmond Hoyte, then President, fiercely resisted this move describing it as a ‘logistical nightmare’. It took, as it were, much arm-twisting on the part of President Carter before Hoyte finally but reluctantly agreed to count the votes at the place of poll, which among other electoral re forms allowed for the hold ing of the first democratic elections in close to three decades.

To say that the country has made significant strides since the restoration of de mocracy in 1992 would be an understatement. Guy ana is today an important player on the regional and international stage and the Guyana economy is today ranked among the fastest growing in the world thanks to our newly found oil and gas riches. The stigma of Guyana as a pariah state has now gone and we are now firmly on the road to

economic prosperity and social progress.

This is not to suggest that our democracy should be taken for granted. In fact, our democracy still remains fragile as was manifested in the March 2, 2020 Gener al and Regional Elections when attempts were made by the APNU+AFC coali tion in collaboration with rogue elements of the Guy ana Elections Commission (GECOM) to subvert the will of the Guyanese elec torate.

Our democracy must be consolidated and strength ened at any cost. There can be no development and human progress without democracy. Society is di minished by the absence of democracy and democrat ic institutions and norms.

As noted by President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, “we believe strongly that demo cratic values are values that should never be sacrificed, are values that are part of human dignity and human

rights; and our commitment to Guyana is to ensure that never again should the peo ple of this country have to experience such moments when the democracy of the country was tested. So, I want to say to all of you that be assured that Guyana and this government’s com mitment to democracy is unwavering.”

These are indeed pro foundly reassuring words by President Ali whose vision of a democratic, prosperous and harmo nious society along the lines of his ‘One Guyana’ vision continues to inspire Guyanese from all walks of life and across the polit ical, religious and ethnic spectrum. Indeed, Pres ident Ali and his PPP/C administration must be commended for putting country before party as the search for greater in clusivity and participatory democracy continues.

Phantom ‘International Watchdog Groups’ advising Article

Dear Editor,

I WISH to share some layman’s views on the on going debate and discus sions relating to the oil and gas sector, which I sometimes believe lacks objectivity, is designed to suit personal interests, and as a means of settling ven detta rather than provide facts to educate Guyanese.

We must admit that ordi nary Guyanese are confused about developments occur ring within the oil and gas sector, mostly because of

deliberate misinformation, and failure by media outlets to retract mistruths when the facts are provided. Added to this, includes organisations such as Article 13, which is self-proclaimed as the stan dard for transparency and accountability, and head ed by a man who himself was accused of fraud at a telephone company. In an effort to save face, this man resigned to avoid being fired in 2012.

Fast forward to today, this very same man is now declaring himself as the

epitome of transparency and accountability, with the knowledge and wisdom to lead Guyana on a path free from corruption and wrongdoings. Mind you, this very organisation, Ar ticle 13, a self-proclaimed anti-corruption advocate, is selective on the com panies, organisations, and individuals that they intend to target and shakedown. However, they continue to base their nuances on hear say, and not on technical experiences or facts from those qualified to do so.

While Article 13 claimed to interact with “international watchdog groups”, it would be interesting to know the name of these “international watchdog groups”. Yet this was the lead headline in Kai eteur News, “International watchdog groups believe Exxon calling the shots on Guyana’s oil”. Are we now quoting phantom interna tional watchdog groups?

Or is Article 13 now the mouthpiece for “Interna tional Watchdog Groups” we don’t know of?

It is not surprising that in

everything the government does, a long list of disgrun tled souls rush to the fore with cardboard armors, dis regarding how unintelligent they sound just to oppose what the government is do ing. The list includes Article 13, GHRA, David Patterson, Vincent Adams, and Win ston Jordan, just to credit a few who were unseated by the current government, and their dissatisfaction is under stood as they once enjoyed the ‘good life’ which was only for a selected few.

Editor, how much lon

ger will we tolerate the usual unfounded cries without evidence of cor ruption, cronyism, civil rights, accountability, and transparency by the very people guilty of these rath er than use the valuable space in our media for constructive criticisms and educate all our people for the bountiful future ahead for generations to come.

Understanding more about autism can better enable us to provide needed support

Dear Editor,

CHILDLINK Guyana under its ‘One Life Too’ initiative has been contrib uting toward raising aware ness about children living with mild autism. Autism is a relatively unknown and under-discussed topic in Guyana. This has contrib

uted to the maintenance of many harmful beliefs surrounding those living with the disorder. Amongst some of the most popular myths that surround autism are beliefs such as; children are possessed, their parents are being punished, or that autism is contagious. These beliefs stem from a lack of

awareness of what autism is and what it can look like.

Autism spectrum is a de velopmental disorder of vary ing degrees that can result in challenges related to social skills, severely impacting their communication and behaviour. It also manifests through repetitive behaviours that the child can often use

Krishna Nand Prasad faced the wrath of the PNC dictatorship and stood tall

Dear Editor,

I HAVE seen a very short letter by Krishna Nand Prasad (KNP), in the Stabroek News of September 27, 2022.

In it he was urging people, I suppose mainly young people, to study poetry and literature in addition to the other important subjects, example math’s etc.

First of all I am glad to have heard from KNP and hope he is doing well. He is obviously keeping abreast of things.

KNP is indeed a fabulous poet. He wrote a lot of good

poems in the 1970s and 1980s when we were fighting to put Guyana back on the democratic path.

At that time only the ‘Mir ror’ published his poems. Mrs. Jagan had a high regard for his talent. I dare say that he is one of the persons who lifted our spirits and gave courage to freedom fighters. He produced some of the best poems in that period. A good theme for his poems of those times could be “Poems for Freedom and Democracy” “Poems against Dictatorship.”

I write this to recognise

a man who made a sterling contribution as a genuine freedom fighter. He did it at a time when just writing poems was dangerous and could have caused him physical harm. He was courageous. He never sought recognition or thanks in doing what he thought was his duty.

KNP faced the wrath of the period here and stood tall.

Yours sincerely, Donald Ramotar Former President

as calming behaviours. Chil dren can be very sensitive to different sounds and textures, and if overstimulated, can often have an episode that can see them losing control of themselves for long periods. Understanding more about autism and how it manifests can better enable us to pro vide the type of support that is needed for those who are on the spectrum.

Throughout 2022, Child LinK has continued its work

of collaborating with educa tors in the private and public sectors, completing training sessions focused on strate gies for dealing with learn ers with autism, identifying disabilities in children, and supporting parents through the diagnostic process for children with autism. This training was conducted by a Jamaican expert working with children living with au tism and their families. It was collaboratively done between

the Special Education Needs Unit - Ministry of Education and ChildLinK Guyana.

Six parents of children with mild autism were also incorporated into these train ing sessions, to better equip them with the knowledge and skills needed to support other parents of children with mild autism. These training ses sions were facilitated by SEN Officers from Regions Three, Four, Six and Seven. Com

Continued on page 8

A1 Nightclub must cancel disrespectful event, apologise to the Hindu community

Dear Editor,

ATTENTION is drawn to a public announcement of a Diwali night fete by A1 Night club purportedly co-sponsored by Banks DIH which has pub licly dissociated itself from the event, stating its name was used without permission. Mr Ramesh Dookhoo of Banks DIH says the company would in no way be connected with such an activity. The compa ny director also added that it is respectful of all faiths and religious organisations. He also notes that the compa ny’s shareholders are of all religious denominations and respect peoples’ faiths and religious practices.

This concert is sacrilegious and hurts the sentiments of Hin dus and other decent-minded people and should be canceled. Banks DIH states that it does not

engage in or support activities sensitive to or disrespectful of religions or other activities. We applaud Banks DIH position on the fete. Organisations and businesses should not use reli gious events to promote certain events.

Diwali, popularly known as the Festival of Light, in one of the most sacred occasions on the Hindu Calendar. Many non-Hindus also partake in the celebration and its religious observance.

Diwali symbolises the spiritual victory of light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance. Per formatively, Hindus welcome the Divine Mother Goddess Lakshmi, the consort of Lord Vishnu and the bestower of wealth and prosperity into their homes on Divali night to pay obeisance to Her through puja. Lord Ganesha, the remover of

obstacles is also worshipped on Divali night. During this period, Hindus fast and avoid liquor and flesh and fetes. It is a very auspicious occasion not different from any observed by Muslims and Christians. Would they stage a fete on Eid or Good Friday? Why would the organisers of this fete want to desecrate the Hindu festi val and disrespect those who observe it? Non-Hindu friends historically tend to join Hindus during this festival, taking in the beautifully illuminated lights and traditional lamps as well as feast on sumptuous vegetarian dishes, including an assortment of delicious sweets. Fetes were historically avoided by non-Hin dus out of respect for the large Hindu community. These facts are well-known to all Guyanese.

As such we, the under signed, hold that it is not only sacrilegious but an insult to all

Hindus and others who observe Diwali that the A1 Nightclub and Recreation Centre in Soes dyke EBD would blatantly ad vertise a “Divali Night Lime” and announcing a “Banks Happy Hour” without consulting the company.

In our multi-religious so ciety, such activities can only be interpreted as a form of disrespect and violence against Hindus. How could the organ isers be so insensitive to Hindus

and display such contempt and disrespect for the Hindu com munity? Nothing short of an apology is warranted.

We demand that this disre spectful activity be called off at once and that the Nightclub issue an apology to the Hindu Community of Guyana. Mr Ra mesh Dookhoo of Banks DIH says his company has distanced itself from the event.

We also urge other organ isations and individuals to de sist from using the name of this sacred festival for reasons other than its intended Dharmic purposes.

Yours truly, Dr Vishnu Bisram, Dr Baytoram Ramharack, Pan dita Dr Indrani Rampersad, Dr Somdat Mahabir, Dr Ra mesh Gampat, Dr Dhanpaul Narine, Anita Ramharack, Dr Kumar Mahabir, Hano man Doolarchand, Ravi Dev, Nalini Mahabir, Nanda Sa hadeo, Swami Aksharananda, Veda Nath Mohabir, Balram Rambrich, Parbatie Bisram, Ashook Ramsaran, Jai Lall, Ram Sahadeo, and many more.

Understanding more...

munity awareness tours on autism were also completed in the Diamond/Grove area where One Life Too brochures were distributed in addition to the “Ten ways to educate with love,” brochures. School visits at the Sophia Primary School were also conducted to encourage enhanced awareness of how academic progress can be impacted for children who are on the autism spectrum.

Ensuring that more teachers and par ents have access to information on autism, and strategies for managing it, can go a long way in reducing the harm and stigma

page 7

that children on the spectrum can often face. It is important for wider society to also take an interest in learning more about autism, as this lack of awareness continues to contribute towards negative perceptions and behaviours towards those living with the condition, which further impacts their life experiences.

Akola Thompson Communication Consultant, Child LinK

To report or seek counselling, please call 914/227-0979/227-2023/233-3500

Teachers Day

TODAY, October 5, is World Teachers Day, which, in 2022, is differ ent to all celebrated since the United Nations and UNESCO first dedicated it in 1994.

This year’s theme is ‘The Transformation of Education Begins with Teachers’ – and (once again) it’s an effort to embrace one that teachers everywhere can relate to.

But the theme is only a reminder of the obvious, which no teacher can for get, far less ignore, as this is their vocation – to teach and educate.

While observing today in different ways, Carib bean teachers everywhere should take some timeoff to reflect on the fact that some are being called upon to, or are actually supporting, depriving stu dents of their inalienable and protected rights to continuing education –just because they wear ‘dreadlocks’ hairstyles -even with parents’ bless ings...

Antigua & Barbuda and Saint Lucia were in the news last month af ter church-run schools refused to allow students entry, on the first day of classes, because of their hair.

But this cannot look or sound normal in the eyes of the rest of the Caribbean and the world today, when parents have to hire lawyers and hur ry to courts to get their children to enter the very same schools attended last school year.

I insist that outdated rules will always be bro ken – and any private or religious school rule that bans any child from an education, simply because of how they look, is not just outdated but simply unjust and has no place in today’s society.

This situation alone is still challenging enough to ignite intelligent conver sations and debates across the region – especially, but not only, among teachers -- about such ideas that would fundamentally af fect students; and to urge them to ask the education planners to treat it as a matter that has to do with the rights of students to an education, instead of the rights of principals of non-public schools to de cide what happens under their roofs.

Teachers do lead the way in transforming ed

New Thinking, Teaching and Training with Old Books, Bags and Backpacks…

ucation, but students and parents have as much stake in ensuring devel opment of appropriate cur ricula and approaches that change with and adapt to changing times, unlike the old and continuing system that ties our children’s education to textbooks by traditional colonial inter national publishers.

In many cases region ally, principals can uni laterally change to new textbooks for old subjects, making it more difficult for students whose parents can’t afford new books to inherit, purchase or swap old ones.

I was as taken aback as most who saw it when, on the second day of school, a distraught Saint Lucian parent complained of hav ing to go to the Ministry of Education for answers because she’d purchased the correct textbook -- as stated on the booklist sup plied -- only to be told on the first day of school that she’d bought ‘the wrong book…’

The complaining moth er wanted to know who would refund her -- and I was wondering how many other parents of students in that same class, other classes, or other schools, could have had the same problem – and if the same wasn’t also happening elsewhere in the region…

This was the first year since COVID-19 in 2020 that students and teachers returned to class ‘In Per son’ and without masks, no more Online Classes or parents complaining about effects on their jobs and students complaining about missing teachers and friends, mothers ac companying their children to the school, by tradition, to get to know their child’s teacher, among other rea sons.

The first school day to day is still very much like it’s always been: students attending with new uni forms, shoes, books, bags and back-packs, anxious to make new friends, hop ing for a ‘good teacher’ and looking forward to another year in class – and in many cases too, looking forward to one year less of having to study the same ‘boring’ subjects and doing the same things over-and-over-again, ev ery school day…

Today’s teachers and principals everywhere have a challenge of lead ing the way in transform

ing the education system -- by working with Edu cation Ministries to make schooling more attractive and education more desir able than having to under take as routine.

Guyana has the GOAL and the Cyril Potter Col lege of Education is now online many cases, but in too many cases across the region, while the advent of Science and Technology and Information Tech nology (IT) revolutions have made learning easier, that’s only for those who can and are ready to en gage with the new devices and the changing apps.

Teachers and parents tend to differ, by genera tion mainly, in their inter pretation of and relation to the changes involv ing introduction of IT to schooling; and students are able to keep-up with all the changes better than teachers and parents, but the evolution into their thinking, teaching and learning is not equally measured.

And that’s why I have a problem with the return of the age-old ‘hair’ issue, which is, again, exclusive to private and religious schools that make and enforce their own schools, outside of the public ed ucation system, refusing to accept students with Rastafari hairstyles – as if they threaten students’ and teachers’ health.

The return of the hair issue in Antigua & Barbu da and Saint Lucia – main ly affecting children of African descent -- exposes the continued existence of outdated laws in the edu cation system alongside curricula that haven’t gone far, 60 years into indepen dence, to root Caribbean teachers and students in true Caribbean history.

At a time when History is an endangered subject in the Caribbean school system from tertiary to university levels, it’s nec essary for teachers to take a forward step and con tinue leading the way in the transformation of ed ucation by not leaving the resolution of this hair issue to the schools and education officials only, but to discuss locally and exchange regionally, pref erably through the Carib bean Union of Teachers.

Just a thought for consideration on Inter national Teachers Day – and beyond.

World Bank: Local economy to grow 57.8 per cent this year

AT a time when economies in Latin America and the Caribbean are returning to some level of normalcy after the COVID-19 pandemic, Guyana’s economy, driven by its growing oil and gas sector and growth in other produc tive sectors, is reaching new heights, with growth project ed to reach 57.8 per cent by the end of this year.

According to the World Bank, in its latest report: “New Approaches to Closing The Fiscal Gap,” the country will marginally surpass its projected 56 per cent growth rate for this year and continue along its posi tive trajectory over the next two years, with anticipated growth of 25.2 per cent in 2023 and 21.2 per cent in 2024.

The nation’s regional coun terparts are also expected to per

form well in the near future and recover from the debilitating effects of the COVID-19 and, to some extent, the ongoing war in Ukraine.

“Latin America and the Caribbean economies have recovered to their pre-pan demic levels and the region has regained some sense of normalcy, but economies need to be reignited in order to avoid a new low-growth cycle,” the World Bank said.

The international financial institution said that social and infrastructure investments could be important drivers of growth and shared prosperity.

The report estimates re gional Gross Domestic Product (GDP) will grow by 3.0 per cent in 2022, a higher than previous ly expected rate due to rising commodities prices.

“However, strong global uncertainty as a result of the war in Ukraine, higher interest rates in developed countries and the persistent inflationary pressures will impact economies in the re gion,” the World Bank reported.

Low growth rates of 1.6 per cent and 2.3 per cent are expected in 2023 and 2024, respectively, similar to the lack luster levels of the decade of 2010 and insufficient to achieve significant progress in reducing poverty. Inflation, while for most countries is at OECD levels, will require continued efforts to reduce to previous target levels.

“Most economies have re turned to pre-pandemic levels, but that is not enough. Countries in the region have the opportu nity to rebuild better after the crisis and achieve more just

and inclusive societies,” said Carlos Felipe Jaramillo, World Bank Vice President for Latin America and the Caribbean.

He went on to say: “In ad dition to undertaking the re forms and investments critical to lifting growth, governments need to address the structural costs- the lost years of educa tion, missed vaccines, and the delayed impacts of food inse curity that the recovery of GDP obscures.”

The region is well placed to rethink its development path. Employment levels have almost fully recovered to pre-pandemic levels, schools have reopened and, with exceptions in the Caribbean, the high rate of vac cination against COVID-19 al lowed for a return to normalcy.

Regarding Guyana, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), in a recent report, said

increasing oil production could help transform the economy, address development needs, and build substantial buffers to absorb shocks.

Oil production is expected to increase significantly with the coming on stream of two large oilfields during 2023–2026. And, as it is now, Guy ana’s commercially recoverable petroleum reserves are the third largest in Latin America and the Caribbean, and one of the highest levels of oil reserves per capita in the world.

The IMF said: “This could help Guyana build up substan tial fiscal and external buffers to absorb shocks while addressing infrastructure gaps and human development needs. However, increased dependence on oil revenues will expose the econ omy to volatility in global oil prices.

“A slowing global econo my and the repercussions from the war in Ukraine could also adversely affect non-oil ex ports. On the other hand, higher global oil prices and additional gas and oil discoveries could significantly improve Guyana’s long-term economic prospects.”

Considering the potential challenges related to volatility in global oil prices and effec tive management of natural resources, the IMF highlight ed the need for continued pru dent policies and structural reforms, assisted by technical assistance, to avoid the buildup of macroeconomic vul nerabilities, ensure inclusive growth and intergenerational equity, as well as address structural weaknesses and climate challenges.

NIS making moves to improve service delivery

SENIOR Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for finance, Dr Ashni Singh, on Tuesday, said that the government expects to see improvements in the services offered by the Na tional Insurance Scheme (NIS).

The Senior Minister made these remarks during NIS General Assembly in celebration of its 53rd an niversary.

While delivering the feature remarks at the Gen eral Assembly, Senior Min ister Singh mentioned sev eral public outreaches that he had done in collaboration with NIS in order to clear the backlog of problem cas es that the Scheme has had over the years.

As such, he mentioned that these outreaches, which have been on pause for quite some time, will con tinue in the near future in order to troubleshoot and handle the backlog of cases that may still exist.

“I am, once again, task ing the NIS, its Board, its management and its staff to make the rapid transfor mation that is necessary to eliminate the need for these outreaches,” he said.

To this end, he added that the quality of services that have been provided at these outreaches can easily be provided at the local offices across the country.

Dr Singh said that it is further important to have continuous training efforts in order to build capacity within the Scheme.

Further, he urged the Scheme to continue the

rollout of technological solutions and ways in which they can reduce the accumu lation of backlog cases.

Meanwhile, the minister said that while a number of persons come forward to query about contributions and more, he noted that every contributor should receive a statement every year in order to handle any discrepancies seen.

“Every contributor should get a statement once a year and be encouraged to regularise and fix any gaps that they observe so they can go immediately to their employer,” Dr Singh said.

Meanwhile, also speak ing at the General Assembly was the Chairman of the Board at NIS, Ramesh Per saud who congratulated the hardworking teams at the various offices across the country. He said the Scheme is in service to over 60,000 pensioners a month.

Persaud further praised the staff of the Scheme for ensuring that the set targets are met monthly even as he

added that the Scheme also provides social security support to the tune of over $2 Billion every month.

“We are 53 [years since establishment] and we have to survive for 153… the work that you do today will benefit somebody 50 years from now. So, you have to be very diligent and meticu lous in what you’re doing,” Persaud said.

Additionally, Persaud said that the main focus of the Board for the last year has been the involvement in the strategic analysis of the Scheme and the completion of the strategic plan.

This strategic plan, he added, will aid in the trans formation of the National Insurance Scheme, and fur ther noted that this plan was done with the support of the Inter-American Develop ment Bank (IDB).

This plan is set to im prove the public percep tion of the NIS, increase technological efficiency and deal with the back log of issues brought up among other things.

Minister within the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh. (Elvin Carl Croker photo)

Chairman of the NIS board, Ramesh Persaud (Elvin Carl Croker photo)

Effective policies result in higher retention of students

By Navendra Seoraj

MORE primary school pu pils are being retained by the secondary education system as a result of effective policies being implemented by the Peo ple’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government, Educa

One of the many projects that had a significant impact on the education system is the education cash grant initiative.

The “Because We Care” project which started in 2014 under the then PPP/C Govern ment, saw parents receiving cash grants of $10,000 per child in the

to offer CAPE in regions which never enjoyed this privilege before such as Regions Two and Three.”

In the immediate term, to ac commodate additional learners, the government had to explore the options of opening more pri mary tops, establishing annexes

Accepting the unavoidable challenges and gaps in the sys tem, Minister Manickchand said: “By next year, at this time, we will be in a far better position to fulfil our promise of universal secondary education. I’m eager ly looking forward to that time in our country’s life. Join us as we

journey there!”

Schools across Guyana re opened fully for face-to-face learning on April 25, 2022, for the first time since COVID-19 was detected locally in March 2020.

To deal with the delivery of education and promote recov

ery from the significant time lost owing to the pandemic as the systems return to normal, the ministry implemented sev eral systems that catered to the needs of the students which in cluded education packages and even consolidated curricula.

tion Minister Priya Manick chand said in a recent post on her official Facebook page.

This outcome, though posi tive, presents a challenge to the physical capacity of educational facilities across Guyana, espe cially because of the former A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change’s (AP NU+AFC)’s shortcomings in the construction and expansion of schools during its time in office.

“Space at Secondary schools have become a real issue. This is a good thing as it speaks to policies that result in retention of more students. [But] the fact that the Good Hope Secondary, Yarrowkabra Secondary and St Rose’s High, were never finished for five long years, that no other secondary schools were built and that St George’s High, North Ruimveldt and North West Sec ondary were burnt to the ground have not been helpful,” Minister Manickchand said.

To address the inherited challenges and further advance the education sector, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government, in just over two years, invested billions of Guy ana dollars into various projects and programmes.

For this year alone, over $32.2 billion has already been spent on initiatives to advance development in the sector. The government in its 2022 budget, allocated some $74.4 billion to further enhance the education system.

public school system.

However, when the AP NU+AFC assumed office in 2015, the party discontinued the grant. When the PPP/C returned to government in 2020, they up held their promise to restore the grant and increased it.

As it is now, the grant stands at $30,000 and is available to learners in both the public and private school systems.

“… the Because We Care cash grant has resulted in far more children turning out to school and taking the primary exit NGSA thereby needing places at a secondary school. This year 2,000 more children sat that exam than last year. And 2,000 more children need seats in secondary school than last year. A happy consequence,” Minister Manickchand said.

Addressing some of the di rect steps being taken to curb the situation, the minister said: “We are in the process of rebuilding those schools burnt, extending existing schools such as East Ruimveldt and St Winifred’s and building at least two brand new secondary schools in George town, two in Region Three, one in Region Seven and one at Karasabai.

“Additionally, Queen’s Col lege and The Bishop’s High are being extended currently and St. Stanislaus and St. Joseph’s are slated for expansion next year, making it possible to take in the most children ever in the history of our country at the National “top” Schools. We have begun

of secondary schools and engag ing in rotations/double sessions.

“The government rejected, out of hand, the establishment of any new primary top - which is a primary school accommodat ing secondary students. Where there was space, the PTA [Par ent-Teacher Association] at each school, in organised consultation meetings, was given an option of rotation or tents with air condi tioning units installed,” Minister Manickchand said.

Commenting on the govern ment’s decision to erect air-con ditioned tents at two schools, the Opposition said that there was no reason why buildings could not have been rented and utilised.

Minister Manickchand, though not responding directly to those remarks, said: “Where you see tents, that was the choice of said PTA. Where there was no space for the erection of tents, we had no choice but to do ro tations. In some cases, we have rented buildings.”

In a more recent post on Facebook page, she went on to say: “Parents at two… yes two- not some. Not several. Not many. Two …. schools chose air-conditioned tents instead of rotation and shift systems. And APNU+AFC fully well knows that. But they plan to lie to you. Here’s the thing: people lie to others who they believe are stupid and will believe the lies. Have you ever given them reason to think you will believe their lies? Stay woke friends.”

— Education Minister says, laments coalition administration’s shortcomings in construction, expansion of schools during its tenure — commits to addressing inherited challenges, delivering universal secondary education by next year

More primary school pupils are being retained by the secondary education system as a result of effective policies being implemented by the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Government (Ministry of Education photo)

Sports View

By Neil Kumar

THE 2022 Hero Carib bean Premier League tournament was indeed a success. However, it is the Cricket Carnival flavour in this edition that makes it a great success.

The Jamaica Tallawahs defeated the Barbados Roy als to win the prestigious Caribbean Premier League 2022 title.

The Jamaica Tallawahs benefitted from good lead ership with Rovman Powell really putting his everything into the game. Tallawahs’ Brandon King, Shamarh Brooks, Chris Green and

Fabian Allen excelled for their team. While the Bar bados Royals dominated the preliminary rounds of the tournament, it was the Tallawahs determination and high team spirit that motivated them to victory.

As for the Guyana Am azon Warriors, the man agement and the leadership did not provide or certainly did not receive the quality performance from the team. The batting was miserably poor. The two opening bats men failed. Chandrapaul Hemraj and Paul Sterling did not give the team the anticipated start. Neither, of them deserved their place in

the team.

The skipper, Shimron Hetmyer, is a world class batsman. However, he failed to score a single half century in the tournament. Hetmyer must play as a captain and bat higher in the order. He never looked certain as to his role in the team. Batting as a finisher must come with scoring runs in the last few overs in the game. Players such as Colin Ingram and Heinrich Klaasen were poor players to buy. Shai Hope is a good enough wicket-keeper bats man and with him in the team an extra solid batsman was necessary.

The all-rounders are very good to have in the team. However, these hard-hitting middle-order batsmen need to be careful ly managed. Odean Smith could be a magnificent, hard-hitting batsman. How ever, he should be at the crease with a solid bats man who could cajole and guide him. As for Romario Shepherd, he is a power ful player in the making. Shepherd is a hard-hitting batsman, a quick bowler, who could be a genuine match winner. Keemo Paul is a utility player. His bowl

ing must improve and be more consistent. As for his batting, he could be another match-winner. Guyana Am azon Warriors must be more convincing in their batting. They are capable of scoring runs quickly; however, the team batting must be more consistent.

The Warriors bowling must be supported by better fielding. The big drop catch by wicket-keeper Rahman ullah Gurbaz was the turn of the Warriors winning flow. Shamarh Brooks was dropped at five and he went on to make an undefeated century. The fielding leaves much to be desired. The strength of the all-rounders is their ability to hit the ball hard and powerful. These quick bowlers must be able to bowl an immaculate line and length. The Warriors team is young and players such as the skipper, Shep herd, Paul, Smith and Gu dakesh Motie are all players who can come good in the future.

The massive crowd sup port was indeed motivat ing and expectations were sky high that the Warriors should have defeated the Tallawahs in their semi-fi nal match. That dropped catch was the end of the Warriors’ hope.

Cricket, glorious Cricket, will continue to unite our people as we build a ‘one Guyana’.

Judge to sum up evidence in murder trial

COME Friday, Justice Sandil Kissoon is expected to sum up the evidence in the trial of Timothy McKenzie, who is accused of killing a man during a dispute near the Sta broek Market in 2018.

McKenzie, 25, a minibus operator of Kitty, George town, had denied murdering 22-year-old Richard Noel.

He is being represented by attorneys-at-law Edrianna Stephen and Ronald Daniels, while prosecutor Muntaz Ali is on record for the state.

On Tuesday, the prosecu tion and defence gave their closing statements, following which, the judge adjourned the case until October 7, for his summation.

Following the summing up, the judge will hand over the case to the 12-member jury, who will then retire to consider the verdict.

According to police re ports, Noel and Timothy knew each other. They had a misunderstanding after Timothy reportedly assaulted Noel’s sister.

On the day in question, about 13:30 hours, the two

men had a heated confron tation while in the vicinity of Cornhill Street, Stabroek. Timothy, armed with a knife, approached Noel and report edly dealt him a single stab to the left side of his chest.

The victim collapsed to the ground and was taken to the Georgetown Pub lic Hospital Corporation (GPHC) in an unconscious state. Noel died while un dergoing treatment for the wound.

Murder accused: Timothy McKenzie

Sports Analyst, Neil Kumar

US reaffirms support for ‘peaceful resolution’ to Guyana/Venezuela border controversy

ASSISTANT Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs at the U.S. State Depart ment, Ambassador Brian A. Nichols, on Tuesday, reaffirmed the United States’ support for a peaceful resolution to the Guy ana/Venezuela border controversy.

Guyana’s Foreign Affairs and Interna tional Co-operation Ministry in a recent statement in observance of the October 3, 1899 Arbitral Award said: “On October 3, 1899, the Arbitral Tribunal comprising some of the most eminent judges of their time, presided over by the venerable Russian jurist Frédéric Frommhold de Mar tens, and appointed by Britain, Venezuela and the United States -Ven ezuela’s patron, deliv ered an Award which defined the land bound ary between Venezuela

and the then British Guiana.

“The Tribunal was created by the Treaty of Washington of 1897 under which the parties, both Britain and Vene zuela, agreed to accept the Tribunal’s Award as ‘a full, perfect and final settlement’ of the boundary issue.

“123 years later, Guyana still accepts and celebrates the Award as such. Vene zuela had applauded the Award.

“In the words of the law firm handling Ven ezuela’s case, written in the American Journal of International Law as late as 1949: “The Award secured to Ven ezuela the mouth of the Orinoco and control of the Orinoco basin, these being the most import ant questions at issue.”

“On 7th May, 1905, an official boundary map was drawn up by Commissioners of

Britain and Venezuela delineating the bound ary as awarded by the Tribunal.

“For almost sixty years, Venezuela rec ognised, respected and even protected that boundary.

“In 1962, however, as Guyana’s indepen dence drew closer and the neighbour would no longer be Britain but a fledgling State, Venezu ela abandoned the path of propriety and with it

the rule of law and cast eyes on Guiana’s Esse quibo territory.

“As Guyana cele brates this anniversa ry date of the Arbitral

Award of Paris of 3rd October 1899, we cel ebrate the rule of in ternational law and the sanctity of treaties. We celebrate that our quest for justice has led us to the hallowed halls of the International Court of Justice.

“Guyana brought the matter to the Court in an application submit ted on March 29, 2018. The Court confirmed its jurisdiction over Guy ana’s claims, rejecting Venezuela’s objections, in a judgment issued on December 18, 2020.

“This assures that it will be the Court which decides, with final and

binding effect on the parties – Guyana and Venezuela – whether the 1899 Arbitral Award establishing the inter national boundary be tween the two States was lawfully issued and remains legally valid and permanently bind ing as a matter of inter national law.

“Guyana is opti mistic that the Court will decide the case in its favour, and that the validity of the Arbitral Award and the bound ary will be upheld. In the meantime, it is dedicating all of its efforts to the achieve ment of this outcome.”

Ambassador Brian Nichols

Mohamed’s security guard sues Dion Bascom for $50M

MARK Richmond, the se curity guard of popular businessman, Azruddin Mohamed has filed a $50 million lawsuit against po liceman, Dion Bascom, who had made a number of claims in relation to the police’s investigation into the murder of Ricardo Fa gundes, known as “Paper Shorts.”

In the statement of claim seen by the Guyana Chron icle, Richmond is seek ing damages in excess of $25,000,000 for defama tion that was committed by Bascom and broadcasted on Facebook.

These statements, the document noted, were false, untrue, dangerous, disingen uous, unsubstantiated, un founded and baseless, among other things.

It added that the claims tarnished and lowered the reputation of Richmond and caused him embarrassment, public humiliation and emo

Dion Bascom

tional distress.

Additional punitive and aggravated damages amount ing to another $25,000,000 is being sought for further defamation committed on several days in August. These were also broadcasted on Facebook.

In those posts, the state ments made about the claim ant were untrue, irrational, unfair, unsubstantiated and baseless thereby tarnishing and lowering his reputation, it added.

Further, Richmond is seeking an injunction to re

strain Bascom from uttering, repeating, posting, sharing or broadcasting any statement similar to those made in the social media broadcasts.

In the document, Rich mond is asking that the dam ages be paid at an interest rate of six per cent per annum from the filing date to the date of the judgement and thereafter at a rate of four per cent per annum until fully paid.

Mohamed has also ap proached the court. He re cently filed a $200 million lawsuit against Bascom.

Bascom is currently be fore the court for three cyber crime charges and is current ly out on $300,000 bail. He allegedly accused two senior officers of covering up the murder of Fagundes.

Bascom, after being ar rested by the police in early August, took to social media and alleged that he was mis treated while serving as a member of the force. In the

live video which was later de leted, Bascom named several persons including Mohamed regarding the police’s investi gation into the murder.

Subsequently, the Guyana Police Force presented evi dence to show that Bascom, who is a police sergeant, had

made false claims as it relates to the murder of Fagundes.

At that time, Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum had said that Bascom was not being honest and was manufactur ing false information out of malice against members of the police force.

Mohamed’s Enterprise, in a statement, refuted the allegations made by the po liceman. The company also distanced itself from the allegations and added that it was never a subject of any investigation related to the crime that was referred to.

Demerara Criminal Assizes opens

— over 300 criminal cases listed for trial

THE October session of the Demerara Crim inal Assizes opened on Tuesday, October 4, 2022, with 307 cases listed for trial.

At present, three judges are on rotation at the Demerara Assizes. Justices Simone Mor ris-Ramlall and Brass ington Reynolds will be dealing with crimi nal cases, while Justice Sandil Kissoon will be presiding over matters in the Sexual Offences Court.

The Criminal Assizes opened with a parade hosted by the Guyana Police Force (GPF) in which Justice Reynolds inspected the ranks in the company of his fel

low judges.

The parade was held in front of the George town High Court, amid much pomp and ceremo ny. It was also witnessed by Chief Justice (ag)

Roxane George.

Of the 307 cases list ed, 135 are for sexual offences, including rape, carnal knowledge and buggery.

Muslim scholar Ne

zaam Ali, who is cur rently serving a 45-year sentence for raping a nine-year-old boy, will go on trial for sexual ly abusing eight other boys.

The crimes were al legedly committed be tween 2011 and 2012 and include sexual activ

ity with a child under 16 years and sexual activity with a child by abusing a position of trust.

Another well-known case is that of former Bishops’ High School teacher, Coen Jackson, who is set to be retried for three counts of rape.

In February 2022, he was freed from a rape charge by a 12-member jury. The matter was heard before Justice Priya Sewnarine-Be harry. He is currently out on bail for the other charges.

Additionally, for the capital offence of mur der, hotel proprietor, Erwin Bacchus is ex pected to stand trial for the August 2018 killing of his neighbour, Jason De Florimonte.

Sharnandand Na rine, called ‘Anand’ and

co-accused Darel Pron ton, called ‘Yankee’ are also expected to face trial for the murder of Narine’s ex-wife Babita Sarjou.

Sarjou had left her home to go to the Di wali motorcade on the eve of November 4, 2010, reportedly with Narine, who had called her. She was never seen or heard from again. The woman’s skeletal remains were discovered in Naraine’s backyard on May 22, 2016.

After the first case of the coronavi rus was detected in March 2020, the Su preme Court of Judi cature suspended jury trials and in-person hearings. Jury trials resumed in October 2021, with access to remote hearings.

Justice Brassington Reynolds inspecting the Guard of Honour during the opening of the October Assizes (Guyana Police Force photo)

American Racing Tips

Delware Park

Race 1 Valiant Gabe

Race 2 Beauty And Brains

Race 3 Chalk Hill

Race 4 Quantico Creek Race 5 Nick The Card sharp

Race 6 Liam’s Light Race 7 Rock The Stars Race 8 Always Drinking

Irish Racing Tips

Navan

08:15 hrs Spice Rack

08:50 hrs Mile End

09:25 hrs Born Invinci

ble 10:00 hrs Half Nutz

10:35 hrs Young Ireland 11:10 hrs Maristella

11:45 hrs Eilaat

12:20 hrs Rockview Roman

South Africa Racing Tips

Durbanville 08:50 hrs Release Me 09:25 hrs Pas De Nom 10:00 hrs Le Morne 10:35 hrs Stiptelik 11:05 hrs Body Electric

English Racing Tips Nottingham

08:30 hrs Nine Elms 09:05 hrs Morboka

09:40 hrs Night Sparkle 10:15 hrs Sealine

10:50 hrs Opera Ghost 11:20 hrs Yarrahumia

11;55 hrs Mount Koseiuszko

12:30 hrs Ascending

Sedgefield

08:40 hrs Summer Moon 09:15 hrs Calliope 09:50 hrs Minella Voucher

10:25 hrs Tico Times

11:00 hrs Lady Stanwix

11:30 hrs Sonning 12:05 hrs Gladitorial

Kempton

11:40 hrs Sea Gifted 12:15 hrs Kaarnah

12:50 hrs Syndicated

13:25 hrs Supreme King

14:00 hrs Lir Speciale

14:30 hrs Regional 15:00 hrs Almaan 15:30 hrs Manettino

Sensational Napoli smash six goals at Ajjax

NAPOLIi came from be hind to demolish Ajax in the Champions League and continue their sensational start to the season.

Mohammed Kudus gave

the Dutch side an early lead but Giacomo Raspadori head ed in an equaliser, Giovanni di Lorenzo put Napoli ahead and Piotr Zielinski made it 3-1 just before the break.

Raspadori curled in his second and then set up Kh vicha Kvaratskhelia to score.

Ajax's Dusan Tadic was sent off before Giovanni Sim eone netted a sixth.

Napoli, who had a squad rebuild in the summer as youngsters replaced several veterans, are unbeaten in all competitions this season.

Luciano Spalletti's side

Windies remaining focused despite...

The 25-year-old Hetmy er, an attack-minded player, was expected to be one of the planks of West Indies’ batting in the upcoming Oc tober 16 to November 13 World Cup.

He had only just returned to international cricket last July following a ninth-month break due to personal and fitness issues.

Pooran said he expect ed Hetmyer’s replacement Brooks to stack up nicely, es pecially since his recent form in the recently concluded Caribbean Premier League.

“He’s definitely an ex perienced cricketer. He has been in our white-ball setup for the last year. He has been doing fantastic,” Pooran ex plained.

“He had a really good CPL as well coming off that century. Obviously he’s re placing Hetmyer and he has a vital role to play for us as well.”

West Indies take on Aus tralia in the first game of a two-match series at Metricon stadium, which bowls off Wednesday at 7:10 pm (4:10 am Eastern Caribbean time).

The series will serve as enhanced preparation for West Indies’ World Cup campaign which will see them navigating a potentially tricky qualifier in order to reach the main draw of the tournament.

Pooran said his side were under no illusions about what was required as they chased qualification for the first round.

“Our main focus is the World Cup qualifiers first but in saying that we have an opportunity to play against Australia,” the left-hander

Umpire Joel Wilson to...

Rodney Tucker the umpires in the middle. Paul Reiffel will act as the TV umpire with Erasmus, occupying the role of the fourth umpire.

Erasmus, Tucker and Al eem Dar are all set to appear in their seventh ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, with Lang ton Rusere umpiring in his second World Cup of the year having stood in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022, including acting as reserve umpire for the final.

Rusere will be the tele vision umpire in place when Australia and New Zealand kick off the Super 12 round on October 22 in Sydney.

The match is a replay of the 2021 final and Rusere

will be joined by Adrian Holdstock and Dharmasena (on-field) and Richard Illing worth (fourth umpire).

Officials have been named for the entirety of the First Round and Super 12s, with the selections for the semi-finals and final of the tournament to be named in due course, Adrian Griffith, ICC Senior Manager – Um pires and Referees, said:

"We are delighted to an nounce the match officials who will be officiating at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. This group is the very best from around the world and whilst it is a very challenging job with the eyes of the crick eting community focused on

Liverpool cruise past...

free-kick beyond McGregor. Liverpool never looked back and Rangers never mounted a serious threat.

Liverpool's only disap pointment was that they did not make the most of the host of chances they created, with the hard-working Nunez hit ting the target with most of his efforts and showing good movement, only to put his finishes too close to McGre gor on too many occasions.

For all their domination, Liverpool relied on a brilliant free-kick and a penalty to secure the win.

It was the ideal game for them to gain some rhythm and momentum, with Klopp selecting an all-out attacking line-up with a front four of Salah, Nunez, Diaz and Di ogo Jota.

They will surely face a tougher test at a hostile Ibrox in the return game but this

(From back page)

every decision, we know they will do an outstanding job and wish them the very best of luck.”

MATCH OFFICIALS Match Referees: Andy Pycroft, Chris Broad, Da vid Boon, Ranjan Madu galle

Umpires: Adrian Hold stock, Aleem Dar, Ahsan Raza, Christopher Brown, Christopher Gaffaney, Joel Wilson, Kumara Dhar masena, Langton Rusere, Marais Erasmus, Michael Gough, Nitin Menon, Paul Reiffel, Paul Wilson, Rich ard Illingworth, Richard Kettleborough, Rodney Tucker. (CWI)

(From page 30)

simply could not have been more comfortable, making it a satisfactory night for Klopp, who wanted to see Liverpool edging somewhere back towards their best.

The win also leaves Liv erpool well placed to reach the knockout stage, sit ting second with six points from three games and a three-point lead over thirdplaced Ajax, who lost 6-1 at home to Napoli.

top Serie A and Champions League Group A, where they have scored 13 goals in three wins and sit three points above Liverpool - who beat Rangers 2-0.

(From back page)

said.

“We need to be smart as well. Our number one priori ty is obviously getting ready for [those] qualifiers. In say ing that, in these games here we want to win but we need

to be smart as well because we need our players fresh and ready for when those qualifiers start.”

SQUAD – Nicholas Pooran (captain), Rovman Powell, Shamarh Brooks,

This was Ajax's big gest European defeat, their heaviest defeat in any com petition since 1964 and their joint largest home loss. (BBC Sport)

Yannic Cariah, Johnson Charles, Sheldon Cottrell, Jason Holder, Akeal Ho sein, Alzarri Joseph, Bran don King, Evin Lewis, Kyle Mayers, Obed Mccoy, Ray mon Reifer, Odean Smith.

Fans say tear gas, locked gates led to Indonesian football stampede

(REUTERS) :It was the closing stages of the match, a football derby in Indone sia’s East Java province, and 29-year-old spectator Ahmad Nizar Habibi said he had a gut feeling things were about to turn ugly.

“I wanted to leave, but suddenly I heard explo sions,” he said, describing rounds of tear gas fired as Saturday’s night-time match ended and fans invaded the field, angered by the home team’s loss.

“We couldn’t see. Fans were screaming and we couldn’t breathe,” said Habi bi.

The chaos that erupted in the soccer-mad Southeast Asian country left 125 dead

and more than 400 injured, plunging a sleepy town on the main island of Java into shock and mourning.

The local health depart ment put the death toll at 131. The victims were most ly fans of the local Arema FC team in Malang.

Comments from specta tors, police and experts who spoke to Reuters, as well as video footage, indicate that the disaster was caused by a confluence of factors – a crowd beyond the capacity of the stadium, angry fans, the firing of tear gas by po lice and, tragically, the fact that some exits were locked.

Erwin Tobing, head of the disciplinary committee of Indonesia’s soccer feder

ation (PSSI), said yesterday Arema’s security officer and the head of its organising committee would be banned from the sport for life.

The club was fined 250 million rupiah ($16,398).

The use of tear gas, a crowd-control measure pro hibited by world soccer gov erning body FIFA, has come under scrutiny and police have said the decision to do so was one of the issues being investigated.

Yusuf Kurniawan, a re spected commentator on football in Indonesia, said that while tear gas was fired to disperse fans who had invaded the pitch, it floated up to the stands.

The chaos that erupted in the football-mad country left 125 dead and over 400 injured, plunging a sleepy town on the main island of Java into shock and mourning

“People panicked and they were suffocated as they struggled to find the exits,” he said.

Some spectators said at least three exits at Kanjuru han Stadium were locked on Saturday night, leading to a crush and stampede. Most of the deaths were near the sta dium’s Gate 13, one of those locked, some people said.

Albertus Wahyurudhan to, a commissioner with the national police commission watchdog, said yesterday that some exits were locked but it was unclear who had locked them and why. He said there were no orders for tear gas to be used.

A director from PT Liga Indonesia, the domestic soc cer league, declined to com ment as an investigation was ongoing. An Arema FC spokesperson was not immediately available for comment.

Spokespeople for the national and East Java police declined to answer questions on the security measures but on Monday, 10 officers were suspended pending an investigation.

“We heard the doors were closed, or some doors, and that many people couldn’t get out so I decided to wait. I couldn’t breathe and my eyes hurt,” said Hau ra, a 20-year-old university student who said she fainted

in the stands. Like many In donesians, Haura uses only one name.

Medics said people caught in the crush mostly died from suffocation and head injuries, while officials have confirmed that 33 mi nors were among the dead.

“We were wrong,” Habi bi said of the angry Arema fans who streamed onto the pitch and threw rocks, and later set police cars alight outside the stadium. “But what the police did was also wrong.”

Some spectators said that police fired tear gas directly into the stands, while foot age shows officers kicking and beating fans with batons.

‘COLLECTIVE MISTAKES’

With the country seek ing answers, the spotlight is on the police, but experts say the true picture is more complicated.

In trying to pre-empt risks, the police had banned fans of the rival Persebaya Surabaya side from at tending and asked for the “high-risk” match to be held during the day, when polic ing is easier, according to Akmal Marhali, coordinator of private football watchdog organisation, Save our Soc cer (SOS).

Surabaya is about 100

km (60 miles) north of Malang and matches be tween the two East Java sides have often been tense.

Akmal said the match went ahead at night with organisers printing 42 000 tickets for a stadium de signed to hold only 38 000. No tickets were however sold to Persebaya fans, po lice said.

“We cannot only blame the police. These are collec tive mistakes,” Akmal said.

In the match, Arema went two goals down to Persebaya in the first half but managed to draw level before the break. The home side conceded early in the second half, and their 3-2 defeat to the bitter rivals on their home turf was the first in 23 years.

Home fans swarmed onto the pitch as the game ended, while the players rushed to the changing rooms, accord ing to video footage.

Awang, a 52-year-old Arema fan, said he left be fore the final whistle. He said he took shelter in a nearby shop as the chaos unfolded, and returned to the stadium later.

“What I saw was ter rifying. There were dead bodies in the prayer room, 17 bodies as I remember,” he said, “Many of my fellow supporters were crying hys terically.”

Football hooliganism and violence is not new in Indonesia. SOS data shows that 86 people have died in soccer-related violence in Indonesia since 1995 – but the severity of the latest tragedy has shocked the nation.

Kurniawan, the commen tator, said that in the past violence at soccer matches had failed to bring about changes, but this time it had to be different.

“Our mentality needs to change because man aging football is like man aging a country. This is a mirror, a portrait of our nation,” he said.

Report finds 'systemic' abuse in US top Flight National Women's Soccer League

ABUSE and misconduct "had become systemic" in the United States' top-flight National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), an inde pendent investigation has found.

Governing body US Soccer said it would move immediately to implement reforms.

An investigation was launched last year following allegations made against North Carolina Courage's English head coach Paul Ri ley, who was sacked.

Riley, who has coached women's teams since 2006, has denied the accusations.

After the alleged offences against Riley came to light, a round of NWSL games were suspended before play ers halted matches in their own displays of unity, while league commissioner Lisa Baird resigned.

US Soccer appointed Sally Yates and King & Spalding LLP to conduct the independent inquiry, who spoke to more than 200 NWSL players.

"Our investigation has revealed a league in which abuse and misconduct - ver bal and emotional abuse and sexual misconduct - had become systemic, spanning multiple teams, coaches, and victims," the Yates report said.

"Abuse in the NWSL is

English head coach Paul Riley

rooted in a deeper culture in women's soccer that nor malises verbally abusive coaching and blurs bound aries between coaches and players.

"The players who have come forward to tell their stories have demonstrat ed great courage. It's now time that the institutions that failed them in the past listen to the players and enact the meaningful reform players deserve."

As well as examining claims against Riley, the report looks into allegations against two other coaches, Rory Dames and Northern Irishman Christy Holly.

Dames resigned from the Chicago Red Stars last November and the report alleges verbal abuse and improper sexual relation ships with players, which he

denies.

It says Holly left a coach ing role in 2016 follow ing similar claims and was sacked by Racing Louisville last year for sexual miscon duct after groping a player. Holly has admitted to a rela tionship with the player but denies there was any sexual conduct while at the club, the report continues.

US Soccer president Cindy Parlow Cone called the investigation's findings "heartbreaking and deeply troubling."

The NWSL said it would immediately review the find ings.

"We greatly appreciate our players, staff and stake holders' cooperation with both investigations, espe cially during the ongoing season," the league said in a statement

"We recognise the anxiety and mental strain that these pending investigations have caused and the trauma that many - including players and staff – are having to relive.

"We continue to admire their courage in coming for ward to share their stories and influence all the changes necessary to keep moving our league forward."

The NWSL added that a joint investigation be tween the league and its players' association is ongo ing. (BBC Sport)

All-rounder Moeen Ali rules out Test return

ALL-ROUNDER Moeen

Ali has ruled out a Test comeback for England's tour of Pakistan in De cember, saying he is "done" with Test cricket.

"Test cricket is hard work. I'm 35 and some thing's got to give. I want to enjoy my cricket and it wouldn't be fair to reverse my decision and then strug

seven this summer while playing an attacking style of cricket.

Earlier this summer Moeen said he would "love" to play under the pair and was on standby as a concussion or COVID-19 replacement during the South Africa series in Au gust and September.

However, Moeen said: "Watching the boys, I got the feeling this is how I've always wanted to play the game but the more I thought about it and dis cussed it with those close to me, I knew deep down why I was done.

"It's time to close the door on that side of my career. To play 64 Tests for England has been a privi lege and a dream fulfilled."

Moeen's decision leaves England short of spin-bowling options alongside their number one pick Jack Leach.

Moeen, 35, retired from Tests last year but in the summer opened the door to a return under new coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes.

However, he told the Daily Mail he could not commit to the tour and the period in secure hotels it requires.

"Baz phoned me, we spoke at length and I said, "Sorry, I'm done," Moeen said.

"I've had an honest chat with Baz and I can't see myself being stuck in ho tels for another month and playing to the best of my ability.

gle to give it my all."

Off-spinner Moeen, who captained England during their Twenty20 tour of Pakistan which ended on Sunday, has taken 195 wickets in 64 Tests for England and scored 2 914 runs.

Spin is likely to play a big part in Pakistan where England will play Tests from December 1.

When Moeen retired from Tests, Chris Silver wood and Joe Root were England's coach and cap tain respectively, but Mc Cullum and Stokes have overseen a sharp upturn in fortunes with six wins from

Lancashire leg-spinner Matt Parkinson made his Test debut as a concussion substitute against New Zea land in June but was left out of the squads to play India and South Africa later in the summer.

Nottinghamshire left-armer Liam Patter son-White played for En gland Lions against the Proteas in August while Hampshire's Liam Dawson is another option.

Aggressive Surrey bat ter Will Jacks, who made his T20 international de but in Pakistan and bowls part-time off-spin, has also been mooted as a candi date. (BBC Sport)

Bairstow wins Cricket Writers' Club Bob Willis Trophy

JONNY Bairstow has won the Bob Willis Trophy after being voted as England's Player-of-the-Year by the Cricket Writers' Club.

The batter made six Test centuries in 2022, including four in a home summer which saw England win six of their seven matches.

Nat Sciver took the Women's Cricket Award, while Kent's Jordan Cox was named Young Cricketer-ofthe-Year.

Hampshire's Keith Barker won the County Champi onship Player-of-the-Year prize.

The Bob Willis Trophy

was previously contested by the 18 first-class counties when the domestic game was disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic.

It has now been adopted by the Cricket Writers' Club to honour England's player of the year, male or female.

Bairstow, 33, is currently

sidelined with a broken leg suffered in an accident play ing golf and will not return to action until the new year.

"This is one of those summers that we'll always remember," said Bairstow.

"I remember the 2005 Ashes summer very, very fondly, and I'm hopeful that we as a

group of people have inspired the next generation - or even people who haven't played the game of cricket who have flipped on and we've enter tained them."

Sciver, 30, scored a cen tury in a losing effort as En gland were beaten by Austra lia in the World Cup final in

April and followed up with another ton in the drawn Test against South Africa in June.

She opted to miss En gland's series against India in September to focus on her mental health.

"It has been a massive year," said Sciver. "This award means a lot to me."

England won their recent T20 series in Pakistan 4-3 under Moeen's leadership

Thunder pick Rossouw slams T20 ton against India

…South Africa earn a consolation win in the third T20 in India

RILEE Rossouw scored his maiden hundred as South Africa beat India by 49 runs in the third and final T20 international.

Rossouw, drafted by the Sydney Thunder for this summer's KFC BBL, scored 100 not out off 48 balls as the Proteas piled up 227-3 before India folded for 178 in response yesterday.

The hosts, though, still took the three-match series 2-1 at Indore.

Quinton de Kock scored 68 off 43 balls after Temba Bavuma fell, cheaply once again, for just three.

de Kock and Rossouw put on 90 off 48 balls for the second wicket.

Rossouw used the short boundaries to good effect, hitting seven fours and eight sixes.

After de Kock was runout, Rossouw added 87 with Tristan Stubbs (23) off 43 deliveries and David Miller smacked an unbeaten 19 off five balls, including three six es, as South Africa finished with their highest T20 score in India.

"Tonight was my night," Rossouw said. "We believe in our abilities. I am glad with myself and de Kock scoring the runs."

India's chase didn't take

off at all. Rohit Sharma was out bowled for nought while Rishabh Pant, as makeshift opener, scored 27 off 14 balls.

Dinesh Karthik provided a spark with 46 off 21 balls, including four fours and four sixes, but India were reduced to 86-5 in eight overs as Dwaine Pretorius ended up taking 3-26.

India had won the first match in Thiruvananthapur am by eight wickets and the second game in Guwahati by 16 runs to earn their first T20 series win against South Af rica at home, which followed a 2-1 series win against Aus tralia.

"We played against two

quality sides and we over came tough challenges," Ro hit said.

"Our bowling is a con cern and we need to find a replacement for Jasprit Bumrah.

"It is a work in progress and we need to keep finding answers for the World Cup."

South Africa will stay on for a three-match ODI series, starting tomorrow in Lucknow.

India's primary squad will fly out to Australia today for the T20 World Cup, with a practice match scheduled against Australia in Brisbane, while a sec ond-string side will feature in the ODI series.

Teenage Wyllie puts WA on top with maiden ton

TEENAGER Teague Wy

llie has struck his maiden first-class century to put Western Australia (WA) in the box seat in their Marsh Sheffield Shield clash with NSW at the WACA Ground.

WA were bowled out for 258 in the final act of day two, giving them a lead of 78 after NSW were rolled for 180 on day one.

On a tricky pitch where only one other batter has reached 50 thus far, Wyllie was a class above, cracking 15 boundaries on the way to 104 off 204 balls.

It comes just six months after the right-hander be came the youngest Shield champion when he helped WA break a 23-year title drought in just his second match in April.

And it appears Western Australia may have found another diamond in the rough with the form of debutant Sam Fanning.

The 21-year-old scored 32 runs off 161 balls at a painstaking strike rate of 19.88 to help quell the NSW attack on a bowl er-friendly wicket.

Tail-ender Matt Kelly then posted an unbeaten 47 off 86 balls to ram home WA's advantage.

NSW's own debutant

Ben Dwarshuis (4-48 off 20 overs) was the pick of the bowlers, with his early onslaught leaving WA in trouble at 39-3.

The hosts were still in strife at 100-6 before Wy llie, Joel Paris (25) and Kelly buckled down.

WA started the day at 18-2 and Hilton Cartwright (16 off 56 balls) was the first to fall yesterday after he was adjudged lbw to Jack Edwards (2-44).

But WA received a cou ple of lucky breaks just before lunch.

Wyllie survived a confi

dent leg-before shout from paceman Liam Hatcher and next over Fanning was lucky to be given not out after being struck on the pads by Australian Test spinner Nathan Lyon (1-42 off 17 overs).

Fanning's strike rate of 19.55 at the lunch break didn't make for pretty read ing but his grit on a tough batting surface proved cru cial in steadying the ship..

Wyllie's determination also proved vital, espe cially once Fanning de parted. (AAP & CRICK ET.COM)

Liverpool cruise past Rangers in Champions League

LIVERPOOL cruised to a confidence-building victory in the Champions League as Rangers were comfort ably dismissed at Anfield.

Jurgen Klopp's side have struggled for form this sea son but a disappointing Scot tish team represented the perfect opposition to return to winning ways as Liverpool moved closer to a place in the knockout phase.

Rangers fans travelled to Merseyside in their thou sands and backed their side noisily throughout an em barrassingly one-sided en counter which Liverpool should have won far more

emphatically.

Trent Alexander-Arnold put Liverpool ahead after only seven minutes when he clipped a perfect 25-yard free-kick into the top corner and only veteran keeper Al lan McGregor kept the Rang ers in range with a succession of saves, frustrating Darwin Nunez in particular.

Liverpool finally got the second goal they deserved eight minutes after the break when Mohamed Salah scored from the penalty spot after Leon King fouled Luis Diaz.

Rangers, who have not won a point from three games in Group A, had a

late chance when Kostas Tsimikas cleared off the line from Rabbi Matondo but they were outclassed by a Liverpool side who did not need to hit top gear to win.

Liverpool get an easy ride

The build-up to this Champions League confron tation contained the usual 'Battle Of Britain' narrative as Rangers travelled south of the border to Anfield to test their credentials against one of the Premier League elite.

In reality, this was over as a contest once Alexan der-Arnold demonstrated perfect technique to curl his

Rilee Rossouw's even 100no from 48 balls punished India's bowlers

Western Australia teenager Teague Wyllie cracked a debut ton against NSW at the WACA Ground (AAP Image)

Alexander-Arnold (left) had scored only one Champions League goal before the game against Rangers - it came during a 7-0 thrashing of Maribor

Tributes paid after death of Derek Redmond's father

JIM Redmond, who fa mously helped his injured son Derek cross the finish line in Barcelona in 1992 in an iconic Olympic moment, has died aged 81.

Redmond ran from his seat in the crowd to assist his son, who had torn his ham string at the top of the home straight.

The pair then finished the 400m semi-final together.

The British Olympic As sociation (BOA) said his was an Olympic moment that will "never be forgotten".

The footage has been viewed millions of times on social media and the Interna tional Olympic Committee said on Twitter.

"Our thoughts are with Derek Redmond and his fam ily following the death of his father, Jim.

"Together, they brought us one of the most inspira tional moments in Olympic history."

In an interview with BBC Sport in 2012, Derek Redmond said that when he suffered the injury, he just wanted to finish the race and became aware of his father running over to him.

"He tried to talk me out of it at first," he recalled.

"He was telling me that I had nothing to prove and that I didn't need to do this, but I told him I was going to finish. Then he said that we would do it together.

"So we did, and I limped over the line in tears." (BBC Sport)

Strikers Morias, Willock hit winning trail

LONDON, (CMC) – Ja maican striker Junior Morias set Dagenham & Redbridge on the path to a 3-2 win at high-fly ing Chesterfield with an early goal in England’s fifth-tier National League on Tuesday night.

Dagenham took the lead in the fourth minute when 27-year-old Kings ton-born Morias rifled the ball home from closerange of his fifth goal of the campaign.

The Daggers found an other in the 17th minute af ter Morias crossed to Mc Callum, who fired home to double the lead. McCallum then added a second as the visitors raced into a 3-0 interval lead.

Chesterfield fought back after the break, but the visitors held on for the win which saw them move up into 12th while the Spireites remain third, three points behind league leaders Notts County.

In the second-ti er Championship, Chris Willock who has Montser rat eligibility, grabbed the winner at Bramhall Lane as Queens Park Rangers reinforced their promotion push with a 1-0 win over leaders Sheffield United,

who suffered their first home defeat of the season. The 24-year-old striker played a smart one-two with on-loan Manchester United player Ethan Laird and squeezed his shot from a tight angle between goal keeper Wes Foderingham and his near post to make it five wins from seven for resurgent Rangers, who are now up to fourth.

Willock’s goal was his sixth in nine appearances this season, putting him one behind the Champi

onship’s leading scorer Oscar Estupinan, a Co lombian, who plays for Hull City.

Willock’s brother Matty plays for Montser rat while another broth er, Joe, is a midfielder with Premier League club Newcastle United.

Chief selector keeping close eye on series finale

NORTH SOUND, Anti gua, Oct 4, CMC – Chief selector Ann Browne-John says she anticipates an exciting climax to West Indies Women’s ongoing five-match Twenty20 In ternational series against New Zealand Women.

The hosts currently trail 2-1 and will seek to level the series in the fourth T20 International at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground here Wednesday.

West Indies Women took a 1-0 lead in the series with a narrow one-run win in the opener but then slumped to a six-wicket defeat in the sec ond game and a five-wicket loss in the third, to fall be hind.

“The final two match es will prove to be very critical to the series as it is poised 2-1 at the moment,” Browne-John.

“It has been an enthrall ing series with some match es being decided in the final few balls.

“Some of the young players have started to show great development during the series and it is with an ticipation that we look for

ward to their contributions in the final matches.”

The home side have been hit by injury for the final two games with vice-captain and leading seamer Shakera Selman ruled out through injury.

She has been replaced as vice-captain by seasoned leg-spinner Afy Fletcher who has taken three wickets in the series.

“Afy is one of the senior players who also is the cap tain of her regional team as well as being an outstanding international leg-spinner.

She will bring the necessary support to the captain at this time,” Browne said.

Today’s contest gets underway at 10 am while Thursday’s final game bowls off at 1:30 pm.

SQUAD – Hayley Matthews (captain), Afy Fletcher (vice captain), Aaliyah Alleyne, Shamilia Connell, Cherry-Ann Fra ser, Shabika Gajnabi, She nata Grimmond, Chinelle Henry, Kyshona Knight, Natasha McLean, Chedean Nation, Karishma Ram harack, Rashada Williams.

FLASHBACK: Derek Redmond (left) of Great Britain is helped by his father August 3, 1992, in Barcelona, Spain, after suffering a torn hamstring during a second-round heat of the men's 400-metre run at the 1992 Summer Olympics. (P Pavani/AFP/Getty Images)

Jamaican striker Junior Morias

Seasoned leg-spinner Afy Fletcher

Windies remaining focused despite Hetmyer controversy

GOLD COAST, Australia, (CMC) –Captain Nicholas Pooran said Tuesday West Indies had pushed the controversial omission of Shimron Hetmyer to a side, in order to focus on the two-match Twenty20 International series against World champi ons Australia and their preparation for the T20 World Cup later this month.

The left-handed Hetmyer was picked in the original 15-man squad but missed a re scheduled flight out of his homeland Guyana for New York on Monday and was replaced by strokemaker Shamarh Brooks.

Hetmyer had already asked Cricket West Indies to change his departure date from last Saturday until Monday due to “family

COURTS Pee Wee footballers ready

reasons.”

“To be honest, that’s not my focus at the moment,” Pooran told a media conference here when asked about the shock develop ment.

Captain and wicketkeeper Nicholas Pooran going through his paces in the nets ahead of Wednesday’s opening T20 Interna

tional. (Photo courtesy CWI Media)

“A decision has been made; there are con sequences for your actions. At the moment, I just want to focus on why we’re here and how we’re going to achieve our goals.

“We planned with him but unfortunately he’s not here and we have to plan differently now.”

Umpire Joel Wilson to stand in T20 World Cup

THE International Cricket Council has announced the 20 match officials for the first round and Super 12s stages of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia. Joel Wil son, an experienced umpire, is the lone West Indian official named to stand in the tournament.

The 55-year-old has been an inter national umpire for over a decade since doing his first OneDay International between West Indies and India in June 2011. So far, he has stood in 31 Tests; 84 ODIs and 39 T20Is.

SEVERAL schools were in attendance at yesterday's briefing of teams by the Petra Organisation as kick-off time for the 9th edition nears. After a hiatus of two years, due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, the COURTS Guyana Inc.-sponsored Under-11 Tournament is set to com mence this Saturday.

Yesterday's detailing of the rules and regulations for the upcoming 24-team tournament was preceded by brief remarks from Troy Mendonca of the Petra Organi

sation and Krystal Van Sluytman, Brands Manager of COURTS who implored the teams' representatives to have clean fun while sharing camaraderie over the 7-week period. Each competing team was also handed two balls.

Matches will be played at the grounds of the Ministry of Education on Carifes ta Avenue every Saturday beginning at 10:00hrs. For the opening day action there will be a march past of the teams at 09:30hrs.

His first match in the upcoming T20 World Cup will be the qualifier between Sri Lanka and Namibia in Geelong. He will also stand in the highly anticipated clash between Australia and England at the MCG on Oc tober 29.

In total, 16 umpires will officiate across the tournament with Richard Kettleborough, Nitin Menon, Kumara Dharmasena and Marais Erasmus having been the umpires in charge of the 2021 final which saw this year's hosts claim their first ICC Men’s T20 World Cup title.

It is an experienced group of umpires, with the same 16 selected as last year’s tour nament which was held in the United Arab Emirates and Oman.

Chief Referee of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, Ranjan Madugalle, is part of a quartet of former international cricketers who make up the match referees for the eighth edition of the T20 World Cup. Sri Lankan Madugalle is joined by Andy Pycroft of Zimbabwe, England’s Chris Broad and Australian David Boon.

Pycroft will take charge of the tournament opener in Geelong on October 16 when Sri Lanka take on Namibia in the first round with Joel Wilson and

Captain and wicketkeeper Nicholas Pooran going through his paces in the nets ahead of Wednesday’s opening T20 International (Photo courtesy CWI Media)

Some of the Under-11 Pee Wee footballers who will be participating in this year's competition pose with officials. In front row from left: COURTS Brands Manager Krystal Van Sluytman, Co-Diredtor of Petra Organisation Troy Mendonca and Nareeza Latif (Adrian Narine photo)

Umpire Joel Wilson is the lone West Indian named