Guyana Chronicle E-paper 07-07-2023

Solidifying regional, international ties

PRESIDENT Dr. Irfaan Ali attended, and participated in, the 47th Regular Meeting of the CARICOM Heads of Government from July 3 to July 5 in Trinidad and Tobago. The President, in addition to strengthening regional ties, also seized the opportunity to engage other world leaders as part of efforts to boost diplomatic and economic relations. (Office of the President photos)

Blinken praises Guyana for leadership in food security

- acknowledges country’s role in addressing regional energy, commitment to environmental protection amidst ‘oil boom’

By Clestine Juan

UNITED States Secretary of State Antony

Blinken has commended Guyana for its leadership in food security and its commitment to a low-carbon development agenda, even as the country prepares to become a major oil-producing nation.

“Guyana will soon be the highest producing country per capita in the world, but it is also a leader in forest conservation, demonstrating that it is possible to prioritise climate mitigation [and] environmental protection while responsibly using oil and gas resources,” the high-level US official said during a joint press conference with President, Dr. Irfaan Ali at State House, on Thursday.

Blinken visited Guyana for bilateral engagement with President, Dr. Irfaan Ali and his Cabinet after meeting with Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders in Trinidad and Tobago.

He said that Guyana is currently positioning itself as a leader in climate-change initiatives by leveraging its natural resources and adopting sustainable practices.

Guyana boasts vast rainforests and rich biodiversity, making it a key player in mitigating the effects of climate change.

Blinken drew attention to Guyana's commitment to preserving its forests and combating deforestation, which contributes to carbon emissions.

By taking proactive measures to protect its natural resources, Guyana aims to demonstrate its dedication to environmental stewardship.

The US Secretary of State singled out the agreement between the government and Hess

Corporation, which purchased high-quality carbon credits for a minimum of US$750 million between 2022 and 2032, directly from the government.

The agreement, which was signed last year, will support Guyana’s efforts to protect the country’s vast forests and provide capital to improve the lives of citizens through government investments as part of LCDS 2030.

Against this backdrop, Blinken said that the US appreciates the increasingly significant role that Guyana is playing in addressing regional energy issues and energy security.

“Our own Export-Import Bank is working closely with the Guyanese Government on a major gas-to-energy project that’s going to cut emissions by 50 per cent.

“American companies can bring unparalleled expertise, high labour, environmental standards and transparency to help power Guyana’s dynamic growth to advance regional energy security, to deliver tangible benefits to all people,” he said.

Blinken also commended Guyana for being on the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and one of the newest members of the non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

FOOD SECURITY

Among the other many milestones and achievements Guyana has under its belt is its leadership in the area of food security.

Regarding food security, Blinken underscored the importance of this for both countries, particularly in light of the ongoing climate crisis, the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,

and conflicts such as the Russian aggression against Ukraine.

He applauded Guyana's leadership within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in initiatives aimed at expanding small farmers' access to technology, reducing trade barriers, and improving transportation.

The US government had pledged US$5.5 million in funding to assist small Caribbean farmers as part of its commitment to food security efforts.

Guyana has been working assiduously to address food security challenges. With its fertile lands and abundant natural resources, Guyana possesses the potential to become a regional food powerhouse.

The government intends to leverage its agricultural sector to enhance food production and strengthen food security both domestically and in neighbouring countries.

The US is supporting Guyana and other Caribbean countries in food security and climate change under the US-Caribbean Partnership to address the Climate Cri-

sis 2030 (PAC 2030).

This vision encompasses sustainable farming practices, technological advancements, and international partnerships to maximise agricultural output and combat hunger.

Blinken said: “Very practical impact on helping to build resilience, helping communities adapt. Doing everything from helping small farmers learn new techniques, including with low water usage for irrigation, bringing financing technical expertise to the adaptation of clean technologies, and making sure that countries are prepared to have a disaster response.”

Blinken said that this is where the “bulk” of the efforts are at the moment and is playing out in a variety of ways, especially on the livelihoods and the resilience of communities.

“The one thing I want to emphasise when it comes to food security more broadly is [that] we've been deeply engaged in making sure that we were doing our part in the emergency response that has been

fort,”

he said. COMMON INTERESTS

President Ali related: “We share common interests in three very important areas, that is, food security, energy security, and climate security. As you know, Guyana has contributed significantly in all three of these areas. The vision of Guyana is to position our country to be a leader, a global leader on energy security, food security, and climate security. We are seeking to expand our partnership with the US in all of these areas.”

necessary to the crises that the world has been going through over the last couple of years.”

He disclosed that the US has provided about over US$13 billion around the world for emergency support on food.

“The United States is by far the largest donor to the World Food Programme. We provide over 50 per cent of its budget right now. But what I hear again and again, from my colleagues in the region, and around the world, is that as important as this emergency assistance is and will continue to provide…what matters, even more, is helping countries develop their own sustainable productive capacity, so that they can effectively feed themselves and feed others,” the US official said.

Blinken emphasised the US' dedication to building local capacity in the region, enabling countries to develop their sustainable and productive capabilities.

“As the breadbasket of the Caribbean, Guyana will continue to be a crucial part of this ef-

The President also explained that while Guyana continues to build its energy sector and expand its petroleum production, the country has redoubled its efforts and commitment to reaching the targets set for decarbonisation and renewable energy.

He said that Guyana has shared its credentials with the US on its forest and is seeking a partnership with the North American country to promote and ensure Guyana’s forests become an important part of the climate change agenda.

Highlighting key areas where the United States has been of support, the President said, “The United States has played a tremendous role in the training of our security forces in the last two years. We had the greatest partnership in terms of the training of our security forces and partnership in combating many different forms of crime, and we will gain tremendous success in the last few years in these areas.”

President Ali also reaffirmed Guyana’s commitment to expanding its partnership with the US.

President, Dr. Irfaan Ali and United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken shake hands after a joint press conference at State House on Thursday (Delano Williams photo)

‘Don’t be misled’

Vice-President Jagdeo advises Amerindian communities to be conscious of efforts to stymie their development

VICE-PRESIDENT

Bharrat Jagdeo has said that 160 Amerindian villages have submitted their village sustainability plans to the government, which will allow them to access the funds earned from the sale of Guyana’s carbon credits.

During a recent interview, Jagdeo addressed claims by Guyanese environmentalist Janette Bulkan that the sale of carbon credits was conducted without explicit consent

says 160 villages submitted development plans to access carbon-credit funds

from the Amerindian villages, and is, therefore, fraudulent.

“Janette Bulkan is part of the group of people who live abroad and think that they have all the answers for Guyana, and are the conscience of Guyanese… the people who live off of advocating for indigenous people and clean environment, they make their money from that, but they never come on the ground and work, walk in these communities and be concerned

about the lives of the people there,” the Vice-President said.

He clarified that a significant portion of the proceeds from the sale of carbon credits will go towards Amerindian communities and that this comes following consent from the village councils.

Jagdeo said: “All of the villages want this to be done, they have agreed that the resources should be shared among all the villages. The people in the villages have voted on the village development plan, and 160 of these villages agreed to how they want to spend their share of the carbon-credit money, and they have submitted that

plan to the ministry, and they have already started drawing down their money to implement the plan.”

For these village development plans to be forwarded to the government for approval, Amerindian leaders are required to consult with residents in their respective communities to arrive at a consensus.

The Vice-President added that the sale of these carbon credits provides multiple additional avenues for indigenous communities to prosper, especially in relation to job creation, access to adequate healthcare, and youth development.

Further, Jagdeo recalled the failed attempts of the Amerindian People’s Association (APA) to halt the disbursement of carbon-credit funds through the invocation of the grievance mechanism under the Architecture for REDD+ Transactions (ART), an action that was opposed by National Toshao’s Council Chairman, Derrick John.

“They found that they had no support from the indigenous communities to stop this. So, now they have resurrected another group in the upper Mazaruni now, to make the same call, since the APA failed. And now, Janette Bulkan and the

others are weighing in,” Jagdeo pointed out. He said it is crucial that Guyanese avoid being misled by those attempting to stymie development in indigenous communities, emphasising that the government is committed to consistent consultations with these communities regarding issues that affect them directly.

Last year, Guyana signed an agreement with Hess Corporation that sees the nation receiving a minimum of US$750 million for 30 per cent of the country’s carbon credits. This year, the country has earned US$150 million. (DPI)

Gov’t committed to continuing infrastructural upgrades, clean-up exercises – Minister Indar

By Cindy Parkinson

IN line with the government’s pledge to maintain infrastructure and ensure that all community drains, roadways, and streets are clean, Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar, recently interacted with members of the various Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs), residents, business owners and other stakeholders during a visit to the East Bank of Demerara.

In an interview with the Guyana Chronicle, Minister Indar related that his visit was a fruitful one.

He noted that the aim was to bring everyone “on board and up to speed” with the plans and to ensure that the NDC members are included.

“The road is a part of

were removed from the highway were done in the presence of the owners.

The ones that were moved without consent are those that were “just lying there for years without any knowledge of who they belong to.”

The minister further explained that while cleanup exercises were done

clearing off the parapets, removing encumbrances, and cleaning the drains, amongst other things, but there were also a lot of infrastructural works that were done as well, such as the paving of the roads.”

Apart from the East Bank of Demerara, Minister Indar said that he accompanied Vice-President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo on Tuesday to meet and listen to the concerns of residents on the East Coast of Demerara.

He stated that there was a follow-up meeting on Wednesday that was attended by the Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, S.C; the Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, and himself.

ident Jagdeo to interact with the residents from the communities, and he asked me to accompany him so that we can deal with some of their issues with the infrastructure and the gene ral enhancement of the community. I can say that we have already executed some of the commitments that the VP has made, and we will be working on the others.”

Finally, Minister In-

dar also met with some cash crop and livestock farmers at Enmore, ECD.

He listened to their concerns about a number of issues including land development for the Enmore Industrial Zone.

He also paid a visit and inspected the ongoing construction of the $40 million Yarrow Dam roadway, where he said residents will soon enjoy first-time access to a rigid

pavement concrete road that stretches 306 metres.

He also inspected the roadworks that are at various stages of completion at C-Field, Sophia, where the government has invested approximately $101 million for nine concrete road projects. These will fix deplorable thoroughfares and improve commute for residents.

everyone’s NDC, so the members have to play a role in it, and they did. They played a good role in helping to clean up their communities, and I would hope that they will maintain that,” Minister Indar said.

“After meeting and talking with the residents, which includes business owners, I am happy to say that 99 per cent of them were extremely happy. We were all in agreement that the sand and other materials that were obstructing the flow of traffic would have to be moved, and they were able to say where they would like some of the things from the roadways to go.

“Whether it was a trailer that had to be moved or something of that sort, they were very cooperative. I will also like to point out that the approach was a soft one with the residents, and they responded in the same manner,” he told this publication.

Minister Indar added that all the obstacles that

throughout the highway, infrastructural works were also done.

“It wasn’t just a cleanup exercise. Yes, we were

According to him, the follow-up meeting was held to execute the commitments that the Vice-President had made to the ECD residents.

Additionally, the minister said: “It was an impromptu trip by Vice-Pres-

Clean-up exercise on the East Bank of Demerara

Minister Indar and Vice-President Jagdeo discuss the cleaning of trenches and the drainage in Enterprise, East Coast Demerara

Minister Deodat meeting with workers and residents of Yarrow Dam, Ruimveldt, Georgetown

Top-class cardiac care

OUR heart is one of the most important organs as it is responsible for pumping blood filled with oxygen and nutrients around the body, including to cells and tissues.

Globally, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death with an estimated 17.9 million people dying because of CVDs in 2019, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). And of these deaths, 85 per cent was due to heart attack and stroke.

These statistics are frightening and would force anyone to reevaluate how they take care of their heart.

Unfortunately, three quarters of these deaths take place in low and middle income countries like Guyana. In almost half of the global deaths, poor health choices,

such as bad eating habits and lack of exercise, have been blamed.

Guyana has not been spared. Given our small population, our statistics are scary.

In April 2023, the Global Heart Journal published research undertaken by the Guyana Programme to Advance Cardiac Care (GPACC), citing that this country has one of the highest rates of cardiovascular mortality in South America with 291.9 deaths for every 100,000 people, which is 54 per cent higher than the global average.

The present government is on a mission to bring Guyana up-to-date with the times and into the modern era.

The healthcare system is one of the priority areas and so far, hospitals have been

upgraded, modern pieces of equipment procured, and widespread training of health professionals locally and abroad has begun.

Given the country’s issues with treating heart-related issues, it was refreshing when it was announced earlier this week that an Adult Cardiac Surgery Department was opened at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

Unfortunately, at least four patients are identified weekly at that hospital for open-heart surgeries. The opening of this department is not only commendable but timely as the backlog of patients awaiting the heart surgery can now be reduced.

This department paves the way for subsided cost for the poor, who otherwise, will be forced to pay hundreds of

thousands, or even millions of dollars, to access the lifesaving surgeries at a local private hospital or abroad.

The opening of this department is evidence of the government’s commitment to not only improve cardiovascular care among adults, but to reduce costs for patients and their relatives. Also, it will augment the GPHC’s current clinical and interventional arms of the cardiovascular services that are being offered there.

Coronary artery bypass surgeries and heart valve replacements and repairs are complex open-heart procedures. Luckily, Guyana has Dr. Pradeep Ramkoomar, who is heading the new department.

The heart surgeon recently returned home after completing a three-year

fellowship training in Cardiothoracic Surgery at the Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Madras Medical Mission, Chennai, India.

Patients will now be looked after by this expert, who is now the only adult open-heart surgeon in Guyana.

Given Guyana’s statistics, more doctors like him are needed and citizens can be assured that more health care professionals will be exposed to similar training, not only in this field but others that are adversely affected by inadequate expertise.

It is impressive to note that Dr. Ramkoomar’s training in India included beating heart surgery and conventional on-pump bypass with exposure to robotics and minimally invasive cardiac surgery.

While the establishment of this department gives some comfort, Guyana still has a long way to go if it wants to reverse those frightening statistics.

Cardiac care begins with the individual. We all have a responsibility to ensure that we address behavioural risk factors such as unhealthy diet, obesity, physical inactivity and the harmful use of alcohol and tobacco in order to keep our hearts healthy. Utilising every available green space to exercise and eating fresh fruits and vegetables must also be a priority. Guyana is well on its way to creating a modern, top-class health care system. The Adult Cardiac Surgery Department has moved up one step closer to that goal.

Another major boost in transforming the Agriculture sector in Guyana

Dear Editor,

As the Government is aggressively putting efforts in ensuring that our farmers stay on top in tackling food insecurity, the Ministry of Agriculture is creating a stronger agriculture sector by making major investments and having many collaborative efforts with regional and international partners and agencies in transforming the lives of all Guyanese.

Over the past week, we heard of two more major inputs that are being given to the livestock industry and the cash crop sector that will tremendously boost the development of our country.

Since the launching of the Black Belly Sheep Project in Region Five by President Ali, where an estimated $600 million (US$3 million)

investment was made by the administration, the project has been a major success and benefitted farmers tremendously.

It saw cattle farmers becoming more interested in making major investments in this sector to ensure that it remains vibrant and economical. Farmers invested heavily in their infrastructures and many started their grass fields to be self-reliant in ensuring the animals are being best kept and fed.

Since the launching of this project, the Ministry of Agriculture through its sub-agency Guyana Livestock and Development Authority (GLDA) has been on the ground providing technical and many other supports that farmers needed within this industry.

Since the start of this project to date, we have not

heard of any major problems or hiccups within same.

On July 1, 2023 the Guyana Chronicle carried an article where it said that Barbados Minister of Agriculture and Food Security has announced that Guyana will be receiving another 300 more Black Belly sheep.

Once again, this is yet another effort and way of boosting the livestock sector. More farmers will be benefitting and more investments will be done in further boosting this sector.

Also, on July 1, 2023 in another article carried by the Guyana Chronicle under the caption “Approximately 6,000 farmers to benefit from US$3M worth of ‘agri’ inputs” it was stated that it will be made possible through the provision of specialised extension services, critical machinery, and

planting materials that were procured through funding from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), under the Agriculture Ministry’s Agriculture Sector Development Unit’s (ASDU) Sustainable Agriculture Development Programme (SADP).

Again, this is a major investment into the agri sector for farmers because not only would they have technical support but also support equipment and planting materials.

Through an investment of this nature, the Ministry of Agriculture is once again putting our farmers on top of the agenda when it comes to food security for our nation and further afield by standing at the side of our local farmers towards major development.

Farmers from across

Regions 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 10, will have the opportunity in gaining from this boost in things such as land tilers, water pumps, drip systems, shade house materials, threshing machines, plucking machines, gestation crates, breeding animals (Cattle, swine, small ruminants, black giants), planting materials, among other things to improve their operations and enhance productivity.

According to the article, farmers will be benefitting from technical support in areas such as best practices for both plant and animal husbandry, as well as technological integration in agriculture.

This will allow and further encourage farmers to get more into investing in farmlands and cattle rearing. It will help farmers in

ensuring that they continue on the path towards better development of the agri sector in ensuring that we have food on our tables.

This President Irfaan Ali-led administration, the Ministry of Agriculture, and the strong leadership of the Hon. Zulfikar Mustapha MP continues aggressively to advance the efforts in tackling food insecurity while transforming the lives of all our people.

Since the PPP/C took office in 2020 we have all seen major improvements, developments, and investments in Guyana’s agricultural sector, whereby all farmers are benefitting no matter of race, religion, or political affiliation.

Regards

Abel Seetaram

Dialectics of class formations in Guyana after 1988

WITH the assassination of Walter Rodney in 1980 and the collapse of the economy, the Mulatto/Creole middle class (MCC), like untold numbers of Guyanese, took flight out of the country.

Those MCC citizens who stayed had virtually given up on the any pursuit of big political operations, as they did from the beginning of the 20th century to the formation of the WPA in 1976.

But the dialectics of classes and their composition after the creation of the 1987 Economic Recovery Programme (ERP) by the new President of Guyana, Desmond Hoyte, impacted profoundly on Guyana’s sociology. Political the-

orists can argue that Hoyte’s presidency reshaped the sociology of Guyana.

The ERP has attracted the attention of scholars in economics (see works by Tyron Ferguson, Ramesh Gampat, John Gafar among others) but to date, academics doing work in political theory have not applied a class analysis to the ERP.

This column is a modest contribution in this respect but its efficacy will be hindered by space; after all this is a mere newspaper column, and I restrict myself to 790 words.

The ERP had breath-taking dialectical interplay in the class structure of Guyana. I would argue that no other

period in Guyanese history has produced such upheavals in the class composition of society than the ERP.

Six seismic shifts in the class outlay of this country came about through the implementation of the ERP. First, it resuscitated the traditional Indian petty-bourgeoisie that became moribund under Burnham’s totalitarianism.

Secondly, it resuscitated the MCC who had now found space to rekindle its class ambitions. Thirdly, the ERP birthed the nouveau riche class that was non-existent in Guyanese history. These consisted mostly of Indians (in Guyana and the diaspora.)

These were people

who used the opening up of the economy to engage in unorthodox capitalism which brought in prodigious income. The nouveau riche class was pronounced in car importation, car parts importation, cambio operations, small hotel business, among others.

Fourthly, the ERP minimised the African working class through the IMF’s demand for a massive reduction in the entire public sector.

There was extensive curtailment of the civil service and an unstoppable process of de-nationalisation greatly reduced the number of public sector workers. Fifthly, the colossal reduction of the public sphere led to an expanding army of unemployed which gave rise to an active lumpen-proletariat.

Guyana, like all countries in the world had its traditional lumpen-proletariat, but after 1988, this stratum of Guyanese society became quite visible through its activities in the drug trade. This resulted in President Hoyte passing an anti-narcotic act that became one of the most draconian Bills in the history of the coun-

try. Finally, the return to private agriculture on a large scale, especially in rice, also led to the rebirth of a viable peasantry.

Guyana’s class structure after 1990 bore no resemblance to pre-1990 days going way back in the late 19th century. Hoyte’s ERP had reshaped the composition of classes in Guyana. Since this article here is a continuation of my series on the evolution of the MCC, the rest of this analysis will be devoted to the rebirth of the MCC after the ERP.

The first indication that the MCC was back into politics and would reclaim class hegemony was the birth of the Stabroek News (SN). The paper was founded by two members of the MCC who were considered in the 1950s to be the crème de la crème of the MCC. Monies came in from MCC business people to form the party.

In a disclosure never made public before, MCC businessman, Stanley Ming revealed in an interview with David Hinds last year that he was one of the persons who contributed finan -

cially to the startup of the newspaper.

All the intellectual members of the MCC contributed their talent to the success of the SN. For a good description of this class resurgence, see the book, “The birth of the Stabroek News” by historian, Anna Benjamin.

Interesting to note, she quotes from one of the founders as saying that the purpose of establishing SN was to offer support to the business community.

This book is a valuable research tool in the study of the role of the MCC in Guyana for it is filled with photographs of the crème de la crème of the MCC in their efforts to make SN a success, thus preserving the class position of the MCC.

In preserving their class position and in their renewed political pursuits, President Hoyte felt threatened by this new activism and lashed out at the MCC at a rally in Linden, using a racial epithet of Portuguese conspiracy to describe the MCC. Next- the MCC invents the AFC.

APNU’s selective participation in policy-making discussions shows party’s ‘shallowness’

HIGHLIGHTING the selective participation of the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) in national policy-making discussions, Vice-President Bharrat Jagdeo said that the opposition will continue its heckling in order to cover up its “shallowness.”

Jagdeo, during a live interview on Thursday, said: “I think their [APNU] track record is so bad and we’re correcting so many things they did, that they are even embarrassed to speak about it, and when they do speak, it exposes how shallow the content of their speech is.”

He added that although the opposition members are among the first to criticise, they never put forth recommendations.

The Vice-President referenced the absence of APNU in the National Assembly during deliberations on and the passage of the National Resources Fund (NRF) Act.

He said the sovereign wealth fund was improperly managed under the previous NRF Act, which was promulgated after the passage of the "no confidence" motion against the APNU+AFC Coalition.

While in opposition, Jagdeo remarked that the PPP had expressed concerns about several elements of the NRF Act, particularly the need for arms-length management of the resources, and to strengthen transparency of the receipt of funds.

“We have vastly enhanced the accountability provisions by law now,” he said, expounding on the fact that the Act provides strengthened transparency and withdrawals of funds to be thoroughly scrutinised.

Vice-President Jagdeo related: “So they [APNU] choose antics and gimmicks to sidetrack the truth or obfuscate the truth in a lot of these matters because they don’t have

any other position.”

He highlighted another instance where the opposition was silent on another matter of national interest, which was the discussions on the Data Protection Bill 2023.

Despite being one of the most important issues for the country because it is anticipated to bring Guyana in line with international best practices on data protection and privacy, and regulate the implementation of the electronic identification card (e-ID) system in Guyana, the bill received no input from the main opposition.

Turning to APNU’s position on the Petroleum Activities Bill, Jagdeo said the opposition’s commentary lacked substance.

He not only said that APNU displayed its inability to use its technical skills, but despite all of the party’s proposed views, it has never once put forth a suggestion to the government.

Further, several of the opposition’s concerns with the Bill were addressed by the Vice-President.

He expounded on the role of the Petroleum Bill and stressed that it serves as a modern and thorough means of replacing the outdated Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Act (1986), and what the Opposition commented on has been addressed elsewhere.

Jagdeo said the PPP, while in opposition, was always adamant about assisting the government with measures that were in the people's best interests.

- constant silence regarding nation’s interests speaks volumes, VP Jagdeo says

Alfred Mentore elected Georgetown Mayor

THIRD-term Councillor and former Deputy Mayor Alfred Mentore was on Thursday nominated, and subsequently elected as Mayor of Georgetown, almost one month after the Local Government Elections (LGEs).

Mentore, who lost the elections in his constituency, was elected at the meeting room of the Kitty Market in Georgetown, where controversy struck

following his election and nomination to the City Council’s finance committee.

Following the swearing in of the 30 new members of Georgetown, the council members immediately went into the business of nominating its Mayor and Deputy Mayor. The first name called for nomination to the post of Mayor was Mentore, nominated by A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) member Gregory Fraser.

Former mayor and People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) member Patricia Chase-Green then rose to nominate fellow Party member Odayson Ashby for the post.

However, when the two nominated names were put to a vote, Mentore garnered some 19 votes, while Ashby received 11, thus making Mentore the new Georgetown Mayor-elect.

Regarding the post of Deputy Mayor, a newcomer to Local Government and APNU member, Denise Miller was also elected to the post on majority votes.

While these nominations came off with their usual heckling, the real controversy struck when the Council made its moves to elect members for its seven-member finance committee.

The drama ensued as members of both parties argued for minutes across the room as to who stood first to provide their list

of names for nomination to the committee.

However, Mayor-elect Mentore first recognised his deputy, who read a list of six names, which included his, to be appointed to the finance committee. Subsequently, PPP/C Councillor Dion Young read a list of four names for the council to put to a vote.

Mentore, who was chairing the meeting at the time, had recommended that the council vote for the lists suggested. This move was quickly challenged by Chase-Green, who said that there were 10 names suggested in total, and as such votes should be taken by individual names and not as a bloc.

“You have six and four; ten people nominated for the finance committee. Of the ten persons, we have to elect seven, so could we do the right thing and do it individually for seven; it has always been done that way,” she said.

When Mentore’s name was called for the votes to be cast, several members of the council shouted, “Conflict of interest!” and questioned why the mayor should be part of the finance committee.

However, while this was questioned, APNU members on the council used their majority and appointed Mentore to the finance committee.

Members elected to that committee were then named: Lelon Saul, Alfred Mentore, Troy Garraway, Clayton Hinds, Yvonne Ferguson, Tahirih Adams, and the PPP/C’s Jainarine Singh, who, in a surprise twist, received the most votes to be a member on the committee.

Meanwhile, the Mayor-elect and Deputy Mayor-elect are expected to be sworn in soon, and the 30-member council is expected to have their first statutory meeting in early August.

The Mayor-elect and Deputy mayor-elect pose for a photo with the new council members and Former Mayor Ubraj Narine (Adrian Narine photo)

- controversy erupts after he’s selected to sit on council’s finance committee

New Anna Regina Mayor promises to work with everyone to transform township

DEVIN Mohan was elected Mayor of Anna Regina on Thursday, and has made a commitment to work with everyone, including the Opposition, to transform the town.

The 28-year-old Lima resident, along with Lorna Fitzallen of 86 Reliance Housing Scheme, who was re-elected as deputy mayor, and members of the new council took the oath of office during a ceremony, which was officiated by Town Clerk Diane Critchlowe.

Mohan is the town’s fifth mayor, and he has replaced Rajendra Prabhulall.

He is the holder of a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Management, and a Post-Graduate in Human Resource Management. He is currently a lecturer at the Essequibo Technical Institute (ETI). Mohan was a member of the Progressive Youth Organisation (PYO), and is actively involved in community development.

In his remarks, he said he was honoured to be elected mayor, and promised that he would transform every village that falls within the township, and will ensure that the promise he made in the lead up to the Local Government Elections (LGEs) are fulfilled.

“I am happy for this position; I am prepared to work with everyone in the best interest of my Party. I want to thank all those who elected me, and have confidence in me,” Mohan said.

He added that he will be working with the Opposition and his fellow councillors to make the town more visible.

Rosaline Thompson, Bibi Nazmoon Husman Ally, and Herman Amit Persaud were re-elected

as councillors. The other members of the Council are Prince Holder, Dhanwantie Persaud, Rajiv Avinash Chatelall, Roopan Ramotar, Parasram Singh, George Washington, Viablall Goberdhan, Chaitram Harrupersaud, and Lokenauth Rooplall.

The People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has dominated the Council, as the A Partnerhsip for National Unity (APNU) only won one seat.

Meanwhile, Andy Ramnarine was elected Chairman of the Good Hope Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC). Devon Tang is his deputy.

For the Annandale Riverstown NDC, Hansoutie Ramkellaway will serve as chairperson, and Kevin Lowe as the deputy.

Jayshree Persaud was re-elected as Chairperson of the AberdeenZorg-en-Wight NDC, while Kumar Ramdeo will serve as the deputy.

For the Evergreen Paradise NDC, the chairman is Lionel R Boodram, and Jaune Dale Persaud is the deputy. Chandrawattie Coomal and Deleep Singh will serve as the chairperson and the deputy, respectively, of the Charity Ursara NDC.

Mayor Devin Mohan and the councillors of the Anna Regina Town Council

Devin Mohan, the new Mayor of Anna Regina

Approximately 1,000 Region One children benefit from Early Childhood Development programme

CLOSE to 1,000 children, inclusive of over 300 migrant children in various communities in the Mabaruma Sub-District are beneficiaries of quality early childhood development programmes and family support services in Region One (Barima-Waini).

This was highlighted by UNICEF Guyana at a recent high-level visit to the region with the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Canada, Maninder Sidhu; High Commissioner of Canada to Guyana, Mark Berman; Director-General for Central America and the Caribbean Sylvie Bédard; Political Counsellor Caroline Mireault; counsellor, and regional heads, among others.

UNICEF related that in

2021, the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development, Canada, provided a grant of three million Canadian Dollars to provide a safe and secure environment in Guyana’s hinterland and selected coastal areas, to ensure that children under four years old and their parents have access to quality childhood development programmes.

The Early Childhood Development (ECD) programme is one component of the three-million-dollar project that was introduced to several communities in the Mabaruma Sub-District. The communities include Hosororo, Mabaruma Central, White Water, Khans Hill, Yarakita, and Kamwatta, all areas with an increased number of migrant families.

During the visit to the ECD space at Khans Hill Health Post by the team from Canada, UNICEF and Regional Officers, Community Health Worker (CHW) Theresa Singh conducted a brief tour of the facility, and expressed the benefits of the programme in the community.

“I have learned a lot through this programme. It is a very good thing within this community. Children are bolder and have an increased interest in learning and wanting to go to school,” Singh said.

She added: “We have also seen increased communication with parent and child; both children and parent work to help each other in the space, especially when they come to the clinic. It also helped me personally with my daughter and my nieces; we were taught that as we develop, we should take our learnings to other communities and engage them so others can benefit.”

The CHW said that Khans Hill Health Post was frequented by many migrant families in the area. Though many have moved to other communities, the remaining migrants continued to utilise the space with many children now at the nursery level. With concerns to the language gap, she said that majority of the migrants understand English in the area.

Parents at the event also lauded the programme, noting that it has contributed to

their children learning colours, shapes and numbers to name a few.

Also boasting of the benefits of the programme was Regional Health Officer, Dr. Steven Cheefoon, who said that the region worked rigorously with UNICEF Guyana to implement ECD posts at some border points of entry within the region to integrate better children into the schools.

“Our matriculation rate from 2021 to now has seen quite an improvement from 12 per cent to 17 per cent. Thanks to this programme we are able to see more children in schools who are more in a state of readiness to start school, including two autistic children. Because of this partnership with the Canadian government and UNICEF, we have been able to accelerate development within this region,” he said.

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Canada, Maninder Sidhu, while at the Health Post in Khans Hill said: “Canada is proud to support the project, in partnership with UNICEF, to improve access to health and education for boys and girls in hinterland communities in Guyana.”

UNICEF Guyana also took the opportunity to express its sincere appreciation to the Department of Foreign Affairs Trade and Development, Canada.

“We are grateful for your generous contribution to children and parents of migrant and host communities in the hinterland and select coastal regions and we look forward to future collaboration with the Canadian government,” said Adolescent Development Officer at UNICEF, Jewel Crosse.

To date, 13 health workers have been trained and 804 community stakeholders in region one have benefitted from ECD parenting sessions facilitated by UNICEF Guyana, and have integrated the ECD strategies into their daily routines.

The programme emphasises nurturing care and early stimulation and aims to ensure children, particularly the most vulnerable, have the best start in life.

A photo of the Early Childhood Development corner at Khans Hill Health post in Region One

The High-level Canadian delegation with regional heads, UNICEF representatives, community health workers and parents at the Khans Hill’s Health Post where one of the Early Childhood Development corners is located

Charity Market gutted by fire

MILLIONS of dollars went up in flames on Thursday evening when fire erupted at the Charity Market in Region Two.

Up to press time last evening, the origin of the fire, which

cers received a mild electrical shock during firefighting activities. He was taken to the hospital and treated. Additionally, another rank was also injured at the scene and required medical atten -

flames, and all our hard earn money,” one of the vendors, Naveed Williams said.

Residents who were nearby related they saw the smoke and quickly informed the police and the Anna

was still burning, was unknown.

Shortly after the fire started, the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) issued a press statement.

It was explained that two fire tenders were battling to bring the blaze, which started at approximately 19:20 hours, under control.

“At this time, we also have to report that one of our offi -

tion,” the fire service disclosed.

Meanwhile, vendors were in tears as they watched the fire destroy their livelihood. Some desperately tried to save what they could but were unable to do so since the fire ripped through the market within minutes.

“We really don’t know what went on but it’s sad to see everything went up in

Regina Fire Station. The response was prompt but little could be done.

Residents came out in their numbers to assist with the fetching of water from the nearby Pomeroon River. However, this effort was no match for the raging fire.

They, along with the firefighters and affected vendors, could only look on helplessly.

The Charity Market on fire

Guyana, US strengthen economic,

economic, diplomatic ties

President Dr. Irfaan Ali hosted US Secretary of State, Antony J. Blinken at State House. During the visit, Dr. Ali and Mr. Blinken held bilateral talks, after which they engaged the local and US media. (Office of the President photos)

USAID enhances skills of gov’t officers to support youths

FROM June and July 2023, USAID’s Youth Resilience, Inclusion, and Empowerment (Y-RIE) programme will be training more than 80 government officers who work with youths to strengthen their ability to support and empower young people to navigate pathways to becoming resilient and successful adults.

Those being trained include child protection officers, family counsellors, probation, and social service officers from the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, and school welfare officers and guidance counsellors from the Ministry of Education.

Participants are being trained through a curriculum tailored for Guyana focusing on a Positive Youth Development (PYD) approach to identifying and nurturing youth assets, and providing trauma-informed care-- both being approaches which are designed to improve the delivery of services to youth.

Training will be provided for officers in Regions Three, Four, Five, Six, and 10, who will benefit from six days of classroom sessions, and at least 20 hours of an on-the-job supervised practicum over a sixmonth period.

Commenting on her training experience, one teacher indicated that the sessions “…equipped her with knowledge, skills, and newfound

confidence, transforming her perspectives on working with youth.”

She further said, “I hope to utilize the strategies and approaches I’ve learned from the training to establish trust and make an indelible impact in the lives of youth.”

At the launch of the Y-RIE programme in Guyana on May 30, 2023, Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, expressed her ministry’s commitment to working together [with donors and local groups] to improve the capacity of existing agencies to recognize trauma, prevent youth involvement in crime, and build strong families and communities.

This Y-RIE training responds specifically to the government’s commitment to the Y-RIE programme.

The five-year Y-RIE programme is being implemented in Guyana, Grenada, and Saint Lucia. Through Y-RIE, USAID is working with government and non-government agencies to strengthen social services that serve vulnerable youth and their families and improve coordination between those agencies and justice institutions.

The Y-RIE will also focus on improving learning outcomes for youth at risk, supporting their transition into the workforce, and strengthening the resilience of families and communities.

Participants of the Y-RIE Programme’s recently concluded Training of Trainers (ToT) workshop for government officers to introduce a holistic approach to support youths

Oil wealth is accelerating Guyana’s development

- financial analyst says

By Trina Williams

DESPITE the myriad of fallacies uttered by the Opposition’s economist Elson Low, Financial Analyst Joel Bhagwandin managed to keep his slate clean as he presented strong empirical evidence as to why he believes Guyana is on the right path to development.

During a heated yet informative Oxford-style debate on Wednesday, at the University of Guyana’s George Walcott Lecture Theatre, Low, who was putting forth arguments as to why he believes that Guyana is not on the right path to development given its new-found oil resources, went head to head with Bhagwandin.

Highlighting that development does not occur overnight, Bhagwandin said that Guyana’s development must be done in a sustainable manner. He said that given the implementations made by the policymakers of today, Guyana is out of harm’s way and forging ahead on an aggressive path to advancement.

Pointing out the baseless argument made by Low that there has been no long-term planning for Guyana’s future, the financial analyst not only debunked this point but also underscored that the nation’s developmental path started three decades ago.

As a result of this, he said that Guyanese are able to see a former bankrupt country making strides not only in the regional arena, but also in the international one.

Accenting Guyana’s stagnated economy during the 90s, which consisted of a negative growth rate, the devaluation of the Guyana dollar and the high interest rates, Bhagwandin stated: “Our country has undergone several eras of structural transformation and there was a time in our country where our debt was nine times the size of the economy.”

Addressing the several areas that pose a challenge to the nation’s current development, he said that the first issue is the human resources and the labour constraints. As he highlighted his reasoning, he stressed the seriousness of this matter and noted that a country’s most important resources are its people. With less than five per

cent of the working population possessing a tertiary-level education and the labour-participation rate being 49 per cent, which has been the lowest since 1991, the financial analyst said these figures outline the huge skill deficit Guyana has to fill.

“Our most important resource is not oil, it’s the people… we have a huge human resources problem in terms of skills,” he remarked, adding that Guyana does not have a shortage of jobs, but instead there is a lack of participation.

Touching on the series of infrastructural works such as road networks being built, which are long overdue, Bhagwandin commented that Guyana does not lack longterm planning but instead, one must take into account the current developmental challenges hindering the progression.

“So we have not been short of long-term planning but we have to appreciate our development challenges and constraints which prevented us from achieving most of these development agendas…” he added.

Bhagwandin further stated that the newly-found oil wealth is not a vehicle that is going to stifle Guyana’s economic growth, but instead it is simply there to accelerate the country’s development.

He also emphasised that many, including Low, fail to recognise that before oil and gas, Guyana did achieve many accomplishments when compared to its former state of bankruptcy.

With Guyana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and its per capita income soaring, along with the resurrection of the net international reserves, which occurred during the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) administration in 2014, the financial analyst remarked that these are some of Guyana’s successes prior to the newly-found oil wealth.

“The investments of today and all the infrastructure is for the future,” he said.

Moreover, he debunked his opponent’s argument that the funding of the gasto-shore project is unconstitutional and challenged him to indicate which provision within the country’s supreme law states that, which Low

failed to do.

Bhagwandin further expounded on how the Local Content Act (2021) along with the gas-to-shore project are some of the current government’s most outstanding implementations.

Opposition economist Elson Low (left) and Financial Analyst Joel Bhagwandin (right), during the debate (Japheth Yohan Savory photo)

Seven vying for Miss Emancipation 2023 crown

ON August 5, 2023, Miss Emancipation 2023 will be crowed. The seven delegates who are vying for the tile were revealed a little over a

month ago.

Members of the public have until noon on August 4, to vote for their favourite delegate. The pageant will

be held at the National Cultural Centre and tickets cost $4000.

The sensational seven are:

DELEGATE # 1

NAME: Tryanna Anderson

OCCUPATION: Educator

EDUCATION: Associate Degree in Biology

DELEGATE # 2

NAME: Na Shava Thompson

OCCUPATION: Administrative Assistant at Food for the Poor Guyana Inc.

EDUCATION: Diploma in General Psychology

Diploma in Forensic Psychology

Pursuing a Bachelor’s in Psychology (Photos taken from the Miss Emancipation Facebook page)

DELEGATE #3

NAME: Alisa McKenzie

OCCUPATION: Survey Technician

EDUCATION: Technical diploma in Land Surveying. Currently pursuing an associate degree in Mining Engineering

DELEGATE # 4

NAME: O’Neilka Bacchus

OCCUPATION: Geographic Information System (GIS) Analyst at Forestry

EDUCATION: Currently pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Studies at the University of Guyana

DELEGATE # 5

NAME: Jayda Overton

OCCUPATION: Student

EDUCATION: Cape Unit 1. Currently pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics

DELEGATE # 6

NAME: Deneita Fredericks

OCCUPATION: Journalist

EDUCATION: Currently pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication

DELEGATE #7

NAME: Aaliyah McKoy

OCCUPATION: Document Controller and Quality Auditor

EDUCATION: Currently pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management

Rock/folk musician Gavin Mendonca performs in Sweden

FOLK/ROCK musician and musical pioneer, Gavin Mendonca, is once again blazing a trail across the world, taking Guyanese folk music and culture to new places - this time at Ethno Sweden.

Last Tuesday, Gavin performed Guyanese folk songs in Sweden for the first time at a concert in the centre of Rattvik, a small town where Ethno is being hosted.

Gavin is the first and only Guyanese to have ever participated in, and shared, Guyanese folk music at an Ethno event and this year, he was able to connect and share with other amazing young musicians from countries such as Sweden, Estonia, Palestine, Greece, Hungary, Chile, France, England, Kurdistan and Australia.

Last year, he would have attended Ethno USA as a participant - teaching 'Small Days' to his peers from 12 other countries. This year, he is at Ethno Sweden as a volunteer and part of the leadership team as the official Sound Engineer/Technical Assistant as he seeks to broaden his skills set.

“The Ethno Music Camp is JM International’s programme for folk, world and traditional music. Founded in 1990 in Sweden, it is aimed at young musicians (up to the age of 30) with a mission to revive and keep alive global cultural heritage,” Gavin told Buzz this week.

Present in over 40 countries and on all six continents, Ethno engages young people through a series of annual international music camps as well as workshops, concerts and tours, working together with schools, conservatories and other groups of youth to promote peace, tolerance and understanding.

At the core of the Ethno

is its democratic, peer-to-peer learning approach whereby young people teach each other the music from their countries and other aspects of their culture.

Gavin was even able to meet with the Founder of Ethno World Magnus Bäckström and according to him, he was able to obtain brilliant advice and encouragement to one day start Ethno Guyana and Ethno Caribbean. This would remind him that once humans come together and work together, they can overcome any adversity.

As such, he hopes to, one

PanJam set for July 23 at Georgetown Club

THE highly anticipated, annual steel pan event hosted by PanJazz Concerts turns five this year and promises an unforgettable celebration of the vibrant culture and captivating artistry, under the theme, ‘PanJam:The Garden of Steel’.

This fifth edition will immerse attendees in an outdoor, creative ambiance with a touch of nature at the Black Magenta, Georgetown Club, on July 23, a press release said.

According to the press release, event organiser and creator of PanJazz Concerts, Reon Miller, said

the primary objective of these concerts is to promote the rich cultural heritage of steel pan and foster a deeper appreciation for the unique art form.

This initiative started in 2018 while Miller was a student, and, over the years, it would have adapted different themes, hosted

day, incorporate Ethno Guyana into the Rupununi Music and Arts Festival.

The goal of Ethno is to inspire musicians through these interactions to deepen their musical interests and to build a global network that supports their careers.

Each Ethno music camp combines workshops, jam sessions, rehearsals and performances that enable participants to develop both personal and professional skills. Through Ethno, musicians gain a greater understanding of each other’s cultures. At Ethno, music is a powerful

tool that fosters inclusion, understanding and acceptance.

Gavin continues his amazing work to preserve Guyanese folk music with his band mate Marlon 'Chucky' Adams of Buxton Fusion Drumming School. The two are set to release Folk It Up Vol. 3 which was recorded live in the Iwokrama Rainforest.

The album promotes rainforest conservation and the protection of the jaguar. It will be released at the Guyana Folk Festival in New York under the Kross Kolor Records label.

Gavin is the first and only Guyanese to ever participate in and share Guyanese folk music at an Ethno event

At the core of the Ethno is its democratic, peer-to-peer learning approach

Gavin Mendonca (right) with the Founder of Ethno World Magnus Bäckström

Members of the Guyana Police Force Steel Orchestra performing at PanJam 2022 Continued on page 22

PanJam set for July 23 at Georgetown...

From page 21

at different venues, which contributed to it becoming the premier steel pan event in Guyana, showcasing extraordinary talent and creativity of musicians while successfully preserving and expanding the legacy of the iconic instrument.

He said that in addition

to the emphasis on creativity, they have added an awards component to honour veterans in the industry.

“One of the highlights of this year's event will be the presentation of the esteemed Lifetime Achievement Awards. Five individuals who have made significant and lasting contributions

to the steel pan industry, will be honoured for their unparalleled dedication and exceptional achievements. These awards serve as a testament to their tireless efforts in advancing the artistry, innovation, and recognition of the steel pan locally, regionally and internationally,” he was quoted as saying.

The five awardees are: Colgrain Whyte, Oliver Pross, Micheal Smith Snr, Terrence Benjamin and Cary Gillis. The Garden of Steel is said to offer an engaging and inclusive experience for attendees of all ages and backgrounds, as it will feature a diverse range of cultural performances, ensuring there is something for everyone. From captivating steel pan ensembles and solo performances to

energetic band clashes, the stage will come alive with a fusion of talent, passion, and creativity. The diverse cultural items will resonate with the audience and foster an atmosphere of inclusivity, encouraging everyone to celebrate and embrace the shared experience.

Patrons can also expect the clash of the bands, between Ansa McAl Parkside Steel Orchestra and Guyana Police Force Steel Orches-

tra, battling “tune for tune” entertaining the audience with familiar Caribbean sounds, the release said. Tickets are available at GTT’s branch at Giftland Mall, Fon Roje, Sach Soaps and Roje’s Exclusive. Early purchase is recommended, as this event has gained tremendous popularity over the years and is expected to attract a large and diverse audience.

Guyanese vocalist Nekeita and Saxophonist Roy Stewart in action at last year’s event

FORMULA One has its pitstops and pitlane and this weekend's British Grand Prix will also have Brad Pitt getting in on the action.

Life in the Pitt-lane: F1 prepares for movie action

The 59-year-old Hollywood actor's as-yet untitled Formula One movie starts filming at Silverstone against the race backdrop, with the production having its own garage and pitwall stand as a fictional 11th team.

The driver boards above the garages, photographed in place this week, feature the unfamiliar names of Sonny Hayes and Joshua Pearce, also known as Pitt and British actor Damson Idris.

Pitt stars as a racing driver who steps out of retirement to compete alongside an up-andcoming rookie against the titans of the sport, according to details already divulged.

Modified F2 cars will be filming on track and pitlane, without getting in the way of the regular F1 schedule of practice, qualifying and race.

The Apple TV film is being directed by Joseph Kosinski, the director of "Top Gun: Maverick", with producer Jerry Bruckheimer. Mercedes' seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton is a co-producer.

McLaren team boss Zak Brown told reporters he expected the movie to have the same box office appeal as 'Top Gun: Maverick'.

"It’s a lot of the same producers, it will be a massive production and I think it will get a lot of current fans excited," said the American.

"I think a lot of people that don’t follow the sport will see it and think it’s unbelievable.

"The technology they are going to use will make it a racing movie unlike what we’ve seen in the past as far as its realism and for sure it will be another great shot in the arm worldwide for Formula One and for motor racing as a whole."

Formula One has enjoyed a surge in popularity in the United States, thanks to the Netflix docu-series 'Drive to Survive', now filming season six, bringing in new and younger viewers and three U.S. races.

The sport is looking beyond 'Drive to Survive', however, to build on those audiences.

Dean Locke, Formula One's director of broadcast and media, assured reporters this week that the sporting action would not be compromised.

"Of course you’re probably going to see shots and they’ve got a garage in Silverstone and things like that but that’s not the story (for Formula One). The story is the race," he said.

Alpine principal Otmar Szafnauer, whose team recently acquired 'Deadpool' actor Ryan Reynolds as an investor, told Reuters team staff had been told "just to go about our business as we normally would.

"Don’t follow the cameras around or look at them. They will try to stay out of our way as much as possible but they will have a garage in the pitlane," he said.

"I think they are running on track as well. So I look forward to seeing how that’s all done. It’s a serious production and I’ve seen some footage of their F1 car running and it looks amazing." (Reuters)

'Rogers: The Musical,' first Marvel musical at Disneyland opens

American superhero Captain America, and includes the musical number, “Save the City,” from “Hawkeye” along with five new songs with music by Grammy-winning composer, Christopher Lennertz.

Marvel introduced the first live performance of “Save the City” during the Disney Convention, D23, last year, which helped launch the new production.

FOR the first time ever, Marvel fans will be able to watch heroic super soldier Steve Rogers sing and dance on stage in Disneyland Resort's one-act musical theater production “Rogers: The Musical.”

As part of Walt Disney's (DIS.N) 100th anniversary celebration, Disneyland opened the 30-minute musical last Friday at the Hyperion Theatre in Disney California Adventure Park. It runs until August 31.

“Rogers: The Musical” was introduced as a fictional Broadway musical in the first episode of the Disney+ mini-

series “Hawkeye,” a show about the superhero Clint Barton, an archer who uses high-tech weaponry.

“From the moment we saw that first episode of the 'Hawkeye' series, we started to imagine ‘What if? What if we could turn 'Rogers: The Musical' into a real show?’"

Dan Fields, executive creative director for Disney Live Entertainment, told Reuters.

"And clearly the fans online were wondering the same thing – practically demanding it!”

The musical follows the life of Steve Rogers, otherwise known as the patriotic

“When Kevin Feige and the studio brought 'Save the City' to D23 Expo, that sparked the conversations that led to the show guests will enjoy this summer at Disney California Adventure Park,” Fields said.

In addition to Steve Rogers, audiences can expect to see characters Peggy Carter, Nick Fury and some of the Avengers members as they go from Steve’s origin story into the future.

“Rogers: The Musical” will perform multiple times per day, Tuesday through Saturday most weeks.

Disney is also offering themed food and beverage options and merchandise around the musical. (Reuters)

Actor Brad Pitt poses during a photocall for the film ''Babylon" at the Grand Rex in Paris, France, on January 14, 2023 (REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo)

A general view of the entrance to Disney California Adventure theme park in Anaheim, California (REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni/ File Photo)

Caribbean leaders urge region...

From page 32

requires a desire to fight, to believe, to win. To saunter through to defeat is unacceptable. Playing for West Indies must be a treasured privilege available only to the best that are prepared to show character in defence of our legacy and our pride.”

Skerrit told reporters that

the regional leaders met with the West Indies Cricket President Kishore Shallow “and we have agreed with the President of the West Indies Cricket to meet sometime next week, where we shall need to discuss how we can work together.”

Skerrit also announced that the leaders had taken a decision to name Prime

Minister Rowley as the new chairman of the Prime Ministerial subcommittee and the discussions with West Indies Cricket were to determine “how we can work together to better position our cricket in the Caribbean, in the West Indies so that we can come back to the to the glorious days …”

“I still believe that we

have to rally around the West Indies,” Skerrit said, adding “the reality is we do not want to lose and we do not like to lose and when we lose we get vex …”

Dominica will host the first Test of the Indian tour of the Caribbean later this month and Skerrit urged everyone to back the regional team.

Martinique, Guadeloupe knocked out...

From page 32 erased any doubt over the result. Martinique kept fighting, however, Brighton Labeau pulling one back from the penalty spot in the 75th and Burner getting his second moments later when substitute Enrick Reuperne’s long range volley

RACING TIPS

English Racing Tips Doncaster

09:20 hrs Ravenglass

09:55 hrs Riversway

10:30 hrs Sweet William

11:05 hrs Nomadic Empire

11:40 hrs Grand Providence

12:15 hrs Alseeyerthere

Sandown

08:55 hrs Dream Composer

09:30 hrs Hala Emaraaty

10:05 hrs Yibir

10:40 hrs Arabian Crown

11:15 hrs Saga

11:50 hrs Miss Cynthia

12:25 hrs Marsh Benham

Haydock

13:05 hrs Owners Dream

13:40 hrs Swift Hawk

14:15 hrs Expensive Queen

was parried by goalkeeper Kevin Chamorro, and he lashed in fierce drive from the middle of the box.

With the game having descended into an opener affair, Diego Campos added Costa Rica’s final goal in the 90th while Jonathan Mexique netted in injury time for Martinique.

14:50 hrs Metabolt

15:25 hrs Poet Master

16:00 hrs Danzart

American Racing Tips

Belmont

Race 1 El Grande O

Race 2 Permed

Race 3 Fancy Joke

Race 4 Olympic Dreams

Race 5 Twirling Vine

Race 6 Paros

Race 7 Truly Quality

There was heartbreak for Guadeloupe especially after they took the lead in the 27th minute through Andreaw Gravillon and regained it in the 63rd through Ange Plumain, after Rubio Méndez had equalised for Guatemala, six minutes before half-time.

It was Méndez who struck

Canadian Racing Tips

Woodbine

Race 1 Spanish Prince

Race 2 Opeechee

Race 3 Halaga

Race 4 Swath

Race 5 Unified Front

Race 6 C C’s Kingdom

Race 7 Langstaff Road

South Africa Racing Tips

Fairview

08:25 hrs Paris Lass

09:05 hrs Medlers Tart

the crucial blow, finishing off a flowing move in the 70th to level the scores at 2-2 and six minutes later, Carlos Mejía drove an 18-yard volley through the grasps of the diving Davy Rouyard to complete his side’s comeback.

09:45 hrs Caitlyns Boy

10:20 hrs Unyielding

Irish Racing Tips

Bellewstown

11:10 hrs Zero Fighter

11:45 hrs State’s Evidence

12:20 hrs Imposing Supreme

12:55 hrs Mythical Phoenix

13:30 hrs Teddy Boy

14:05 hrs Esquiline

14:40 hrs Final Orders

15:15 hrs Tara Power

Tour de France:

Pogacar beats Vingegaard to win stage six after thrilling finale

And when Jumbo-Visma raised the tempo for the Dane to attack on the Tourmalet, scattering what was left of the main peloton, it appeared as though Vingegaard was attempting to utilise identical tactics.

But having resisted his rival's attack near the top of that 17.1km ascent, Pogacar patiently sat on his wheel before launching an unanswerable move of his own 2.8km from the line.

As he accelerated clear, he

opened up a gap of seven and then 10 seconds, gradually increasing it until by the finish line he had cut his arrears in half to leave the race delicately poised.

Today sees the Tour travel 169.9km from Mont-

de-Marsan to Bordeaux, with a sprint finish expected and an opportunity for Mark Cavendish to potentially set the outright record for stage wins he currently shares with Belgian legend Eddy Merckx on 34.

TADEJ Pogacar produced a stunning attack on the final climb to Cauterets-Cambasque as he soloed clear of defending champion, Jonas Vingegaard, to win stage six of the Tour de France.

It was a superb response from Pogacar, who lost over a minute to Vingegaard in Thursday's first day in the Pyrenees.

The two-time winner is now second overall, 25 seconds behind Vingegaard in the general classification.

Vingegaard took the leader's yellow jersey from Australia's Jai Hindley.

Hindley fell to third in the overall GC standings having been dropped on the penultimate climb up the iconic Col du Tourmalet, and eventually finishing sixth.

The Bora-hansgrohe rider was two minutes and 39 seconds down on Pogacar in a group containing Britain's Simon Yates and Spanish rider Carlos Rodriguez.

Yates and brother Adam, plus fellow Englishman Tom Pidcock, all sit in the top 10 of the general classification after a gruelling day which saw the race travel 144.9km from Tarbes to the summit finish at Cauterets-Cambasque.

'It's going to be a big battle until the last stage'

It was a stage that saw Pogacar deliver a sensational response to set up a potentially epic duel between himself and Vingegaard over the 15 remaining stages of cycling's greatest race.

"I would not say it's revenge but it feels sweet to win and to take some time back," Pogacar said.

"I feel a little bit relieved, I feel much better now.

"The display Jonas [Vingegaard] showed yesterday was incredible and I was thinking when they started to pull on the Tourmalet, I thought, 'if it's going to happen like yesterday we can pack our bags and go home'.

"Luckily I had good legs today and I could follow on the Tourmalet. I felt quite comfortable and when I felt it was the right moment in the end I attacked and it was a big relief.

"I would say now it's almost the perfect gap and it's going to be a big battle until the last stage I think."

On Wednesday the Slovenian had appeared to be suffering from the effects of his long injury lay-off as he lost significant time to Vingegaard and dropped to sixth overall.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER

(Friday July 07, 2023)

CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD

-83 Garnett Street, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158)

Answers to yesterday’s quiz:

(1) Delhi, 1948-49

(2) John Goddard & Lala Amarnath

Today’s Quiz:

(1) Which WI batsman has scored most Test runs against IND to date?

(2) Which IND batsman has recorded most Test runs versus the WI to date?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

Victory on stage six has boosted Tadej Pogacar's chances of a third Tour de France title

Wawrinka sets up Djokovic clash as Rublev, Zverev and Berrettini win

Djokovic by toppling 29th seed Tomas Martin Etcheverry.

Wawrinka, a three-time

Grand Slam champion, gained a 6-3 4-6 6-4 6-2 victory, but the 38-year-old does not expect to defeat

Djokovic.

"Hopefully I can make it competitive, but if you look at recent results, I don't have

a chance," said Wawrinka.

Elsewhere, Andrey Rublev, Alexander Zverev and Matteo Berrettini also won.

Wawrinka, from Switzerland and 88th in the world rankings, has won each of the Grand Slams apart than Wimbledon. He took the opening set against Argentine Etcheverry in just over 30 minutes on a packed court three.

Etcheverry fought back to level, but Wawrinka won the next two sets to set up a Centre Court meeting on Friday with 36-year-old Djokovic, a player he beat in the finals of the 2015 French Open and the 2016 US Open.

"I'm happy to have won and I think it was a great match - I'm playing better each match," said Wawrinka.

"It will be an honour to play Novak here. I was missing that in my career to play him in the Grand Slam in Wimbledon - it's going to be a difficult challenge."

Zverev and Berrettini finally get to play first-round matches

Rublev, the seventh seed, had to fight back from a set down to beat fellow Russian Aslan Karatsev 6-7 (4-7) 6-3 6-4 7-5 in another second-round match.

There were rain delays on each of the opening three days, meaning 17 firstround matches across the men's and women's singles still had to be completed on Thursday.

Germany's Alexander Zverev was one of those players to have not seen any action in the opening three days and he gained a hard-fought 6-4 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-5) win over Dutch qualifier Gijs Brouwer on Court One.

Zverev, the former

world number two but now the 19th seed, missed last year's tournament following a serious knee injury he sustained during the 2022 French Open semi-finals.

"I'm just happy to be back at Wimbledon," Zverev said. "I missed it last year with a bad injury so just to be on this court I'm happy to be here with 10,000 people.

"Wimbledon is the most historic tennis tournament in the world and maybe the most historic sporting event in the world.

"Being involved is something special and I have definitely missed it."

Berrettini lost to Djokovic in the Wimbledon final two years ago and was another on first-round duty on Thursday, recording a 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 7-6 (9-7) 6-3 win over fellow Italian Lorenzo Sonego.

In round two, unseeded Berrettini will play 15th seed Alex de Minaur after the Australian beat Belgian qualifier Kimmer Coppejans 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 6-3 7-6 (7-2).

There were also firstround wins for Chile's Nicolas Jarry and Spain's Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, the 25th and 31st seeds respectively.

In round two, Italy's Lorenzo Musetti, Kazakhstan's Alexander Bublik and Canada's Denis Shapovalov, seeded 14th, 23rd and 26th respectively, all gained straight-set victories.

Shapovalov will next play British wildcard Liam Broady after the Briton stunned fourth seed Casper Ruud in Thursday's opening match on Centre Court. (BBC Sport

VETERAN Stan Wawrinka set up a third-round Wimbledon match against reigning champion Novak

Stan Wawrinka has dropped to 88th in the world rankings

Bas de Leede's five-for and 92-ball 123 take

Netherlands to the ODI World Cup

…Scotland scored 277 and needed to prevent Netherlands from crossing it in 44 overs; de Leede ensured it didn't happen

Bas de Leede put in an all-round performance for the ages as Netherlands stunned Scotland to book their ticket to the 2023 men's ODI World Cup in India. First, de Leede's maiden five-wicket haul helped Netherlands restrict Scotland to 277 for 9.

Netherlands needed to chase that down inside 44 overs to trump Scotland on net run-rate. Around the halfway mark, they looked all but out of the contest, before de Leede smashed 123 off 92 balls, his first ODI century, to power them over the line in 42.5 overs, with four wickets to spare.

(Scores: Netherlands 278 for 6 (de Leede 123, Vikramjit 40, Zulfiqar 33*, Leask 2-42, Watt) beat Scotland

277 for 9 (McMullen 106, Berrington 64, Mackintosh 38*, de Leede 5-52, Klein 2-59) by four wickets

This will be Netherlands' fifth appearance in the men's ODI World Cup. They last featured in the 2011 edition. De Leede, meanwhile, became only the fourth player to score a hundred and take five wickets in a men's ODI, reducing Brandon McMullen's equally outstanding hundred for Scotland to a

footnote.

In the morning, Scott Edwards opted to bowl citing help for seamers in the first hour, and Logan van Beek duly sent Matthew Cross' off stump cartwheeling in the opening over of the match.

Christopher McBride and McMullen ensured Scotland didn't lose another wicket in the first ten overs. While McBride struggled with timing, McMullen looked at ease.

He used his feet well, often coming down the track to try to disrupt the Netherlands seamers' lengths.

McBride chipped in with two successive fours off leftarm spinner Clayton Floyd in the tenth over but fell to de Leede in the next when

he pulled straight to short midwicket. De Leede picked up his second wicket when George Munsey gloved a pull that was caught down the leg side.

That left Scotland 64 for 3 in the 15th over, but McMullen was looking more and more comfortable by now.

Through a perfect alchemy of timing and power, he put up an exhibition of eye-catching strokes. In the 11th over, he timed offspinner Aryan Dutt over long-off for his first six. A few overs later, he went down the pitch to a short ball from de Leede and smashed it over mid-on.

To bring up his fifty - off 63 balls - he lofted Ryan Klein over wide long-off for

another six, and then chipped Floyd over extra cover for back-to-back fours.

McMullen reached his hundred off 106 balls, with a punched four through extra-cover off van Beek. He and Richie Berrington added 137 off 135 balls for the fourth wicket. Having reached 200 in the 38th over, Scotland were eyeing a total in excess of 300. But the late strikes from Klein and de Leede reined them in. Klein first had McMullen caught behind and then left Michael Leask's stumps in disarray to make it 207 for 5.

Berrington held one end up and brought up his half-century but couldn't provide the impetus. He was on 64 when de Leede uprooted

his middle stump.

Shortly afterwards, de Leede sent back Chris Greaves and Mark Watt off consecutive deliveries to complete his five-for. All that meant Scotland could score only 74 in the last 12 overs.

Max O'Dowd and Vikramjit Singh gave Netherlands a steady start of 65 in 12.4 overs before Michael Leask trapped both lbw in successive overs. The loss of Wesley Barresi and Teja Nidamanuru in a short interval further dented Netherlands' chances, leaving them needing 170 in 20 overs to qualify.

De Leede was on 19 off 30 at that stage. He and Edwards revived the chase by hitting four fours in four balls, across the 25th and

26th overs. The pair added 55 in 44 balls before Edwards failed to connect with a sweep against Mark Watt and was lbw.

Even at this point, Scotland were the favourites; Netherlands needed 115 in 13.1 overs with half their side back in the pavilion. And when the next three overs produced just 12 runs, it became 102 required from ten overs.

With Netherlands' backs against the wall, de Leede went on an all-out attack. He started by hitting Watt for a six before picking up two fours off Safyaan Sharif a couple of overs later. Saqib Zulfiqar too found the occasional boundary to keep Netherlands abreast with the required rate. With 45 needed in four overs, it was even-stevens. That's when de Leede went into overdrive, hitting four sixes in a space of ten balls that also included a maximum from Zulfiqar. One of those hits took de Leede to his hundred, off just 85 balls. By the team he was run out, Netherlands needed just two from 11 balls. They got them in singles.(Cricinfo)

Bangladesh ODI captain Tamim Iqbal retires from international cricket with immediate effect

TAMIM Iqbal announced his retirement from international cricket at a news conference broadcast live on national television Bangladesh's oneday international captain, Tamim Iqbal, has retired from international cricket; just three months before the Cricket World Cup.

The 34-year-old batter said he is quitting all forms of the international game with immediate effect.

Tamim broke into tears

as he made the announcement during a news conference, broadcast live on national television.

"There was no sudden reason behind this, I was thinking about it for quite some time," he said.

"I was talking about it with my family members for a few days. I thought this was the right time for me to decide."

Tamim's announcement comes a day after he played in the first ODI of a threematch series against Af -

ghanistan, scoring 13 off 21 balls as Afghanistan claimed a 17-run win.

The opening batter came under heavy criticism, led by Bangladesh

Cricket Board president Nazmul Hassan, for deciding to play despite admitting he was not 100% fit.

Tamim is the only Bangladeshi to have scored centuries in all three formats of the game and had already retired from Twenty20 internationals in 2022.

He made his international debut in February 2007 and has played in 241 ODIs, scoring 8,313 runs with 14 centuries - both the highest by a Bangladeshi batter.

Tamim also scored 5,134 runs from 70 Tests with 10 hundreds and had spells in England with Nottinghamshire and Essex.

Former Bangladesh captain Habibul Bashar said he is "one of the greatest batsmen Bangladesh ever produced".

Ashfaque Nipun, one of Bangladesh's top film-makers, added: "You will always be remembered for your fearless batting days."(BBC Sport).

Brandon McMullen scored his second ODI century (ICC/Getty Images)

Bas de Leede became only the fourth player to score a century and pick up a five-wicket haul in a Men's ODI • ICC/Getty Images

Tamim Iqbal announced his retirement from international cricket at a news conference broadcast live on national television

Hope in awe of ‘completely new Brandon King’

HARARE, Zimbabwe, (CMC) – Shai Hope says he hopes Brandon King’s form can impact the rest of the batting group, as West Indies look to claw their way out of the indifference which has marked their ICC World Cup Qualifying campaign.

Opener King, on Wednesday, stroked exactly 100 – his second OneDay International hundred in as many months – as West Indies returned to their winning ways with a seven-wicket victory over minnows Oman.

The 28-year-old King has been one of the Caribbean side’s leading batsmen in the tournament, averaging 41 from six innings.

“[He’s] an amazing player, someone I feel should be scoring runs every single innings. He’s just so easy on the eye,” Captain Hope told reporters.

“And again, I am very happy to see him scoring runs. He’s one of those players I actually look up to as a batter because of the way how he plays, the way he goes about his training.

“People think because

I’ve played more games that I can’t look up to someone, but I’m just happy to see Brandon scoring runs and I hope that it can translate into the rest of the squad, and the batting group continue to churn out those runs.”

King made his ODI debut four years ago and has played 30 matches during that time, averaging 34 and notching up two hundreds and six half-centuries.

The Jamaican stroked three of those fifties last year but still struggled somewhat, averaging 23 overall for the calendar year.

He has come into his own this year, however, averaging nearly 53 from 10 ODIs, and Hope believes this form was a

reflection of the player having matured.

“A lot of it has to do with your mindset and the ability to play the situation,” said Hope, one of the leading batsmen in ODI cricket.

“For me, it is just understanding what is necessary and what the team requires in that situation, and it’s nice to see that Brandon is playing the situation a lot better now.

“When he started his career, he was in and out of form but I can see a completely new Brandon King, so hopefully the guys can learn from him, learn from all the experienced batters and we can continue to score big totals as a team.”

West Indies missed out

on a 50-over World Cup for the first time in their history after suffering a shock defeat to Scotland last weekend.

The result came on the heels of equally disappointing losses to Zimbabwe and the Netherlands – the latter chasing down 374 before eclipsing the Caribbean side in a dramatic super-over.

And with the failed qualifying campaign leaving West Indies needing to regroup, Hope said one of the critical requirements now was for players to carry out self-introspection.

“The first thing we need to focus on is ourselves. We have to look deep within, understand what is required and then control what we can control,” Hope stressed.

“We can’t control the outside noise, things back home but we have to focus on the little things – the little one-percenters that we talk about in meetings –and really be determined to achieve those one-percenters as we go along because it doesn’t make the sense doing the same things over and over –that’s insanity.”

Rising Stars Under-19 Men’s Championship – 2nd round

...Wins forWindwards, Leewards Jamaica

KINGSTOWN, St Vincent,(CMC )– Results of matches played in the second round of the Rising Stars Under-19 men’s championship here Thursday: Scores:

At Sion Hill: Windwards won by four wickets

BARBADOS 137 off

Anthony Joshua v Dillian Whyte: Heavyweight rematch to take place on 12 August in London

HEAYWEIGHT Anthony Joshua will face fellow Briton Dillian Whyte at London's O2 Arena on 12 August in a rematch of their 2015 bout.

Joshua, 33, knocked out Whyte in the seventh round of their heated British title fight eight years ago, which also took place at the O2, avenging a loss to his rival in the amateurs.

Olympic gold medallist Joshua went on to become a two-time world champion.

Whyte, 36, lost his only world title challenge to Tyson Fury in 2022.

"I've been clear that my plan is to be active this year," said Joshua. "August 12 is the date - I'll be ready to fight. I look forward to dealing with business."

Whyte beat Joshua by decision as an amateur in 2009, forming the basis of their bitter rivalry.

Joshua gained revenge when the pair met again as professionals in December 2015. 'AJ' was rocked in the second round but recovered to force a stoppage in the seventh.

39.4 overs (Gadson Bowens 49, Joshua Dorne 25; Kirt Murray 5-28)

WINDWARD ISLANDS 138 for six off

44.1 overs (Stephan Pascal

43, Tarrique Edward 22; Nathan Sealy 2-21, Saurav Worrell 2-36)

At Cumberland: Leewards won by eight wick-

ets

GUYANA 108 off 35.2 overs (Thaddeus Lovell 37; Onaje Amory 3-31)

LEEWARD ISLANDS 109 for two off 31.4 overs (Malique Walsh 52 not out, Michael Greaves 27, Jewel Andrew 21 not out)

At Arnos Vale: Jamaica won by six wickets

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO 158 off 47.2 overs (Abdur-Rahmaan Juman 28, Nick Ramlal 22; Michael Clarke 3-30, Reon Edwards 3-36)

JAMAICA 159 for four off 33 overs (Jordan Johnson 57 not out, Adrian Weir 36)

"I'm looking forward to returning to the London O2 on August 12 and going to war," said Whyte. "It's 1-1, so this is the decider."

Joshua-Whyte rivalry reignited Joshua beat American Jermaine Franklin on points in April, his first win in more than two years, having lost consecutive bouts to WBA (Super), IBF and WBO world champion Oleksandr Usyk.

The Londoner - who has won 25 fights and lost threeturned professional after winning gold at London 2012.

He won a world title in his 16th fight, but suffered his first professional loss in a shock stoppage defeat by Andy Ruiz Jr at Madison Square Garden in June 2019, before reclaiming his unified titles on points in the rematch six months later.

Joshua is expected to face former world champion Deontay Wilder in December in Saudi Arabia, with a deal reportedly close to being agreed.

It is understood he wanted a second fight under the tutelage of trainer Derrick James before taking on hard-hitting American Wilder.

After weeks of negotiations, and Joshua and promoter Eddie Hearn accepting Whyte's request to remove a rematch clause, the fight has been agreed.

"I can't quite believe this fight is happening and there was absolutely no stopping either man," Hearn said.

"The rivalry runs deep and there is something about these two where they will never back down from each other.

"It is an absolute mustwin for both. Get ready for fireworks."

Whyte has not fought since also beating Franklin, also on points, in November 2022. The 'Bodysnatcher' has won 29 fights and lost three since turning professional in 2011.

West Indies captain Shai Hope speaks to reporters Wednesday following the win over Oman

Anthony Joshua earned a seventh-round win over Dillian Whyte in December 2015

Third Ashes Test

Mitchell Marsh, Mark Wood stand out on rollercoaster day at Headingley

Mark Wood and Mitchell Marsh were the standout performers on a rollercoaster day-one at Headingley, as England and Australia jostled for the ascendency on a juicy Headingley pitch.

Wood, back in the side after concerns about his fitness, bowled with sustained pace and hostility to claim his first five-wicket haul in a home Test, and helped England clean up the Australia innings with alacrity after an unheralded scene-stealing performance from Marsh had threatened to take the game away.

Marsh was a surprise selection in the Australia XI, after Cameron Green picked up a minor hamstring strain, and playing his first Test since the final match of the 2019 Ashes.

He had only made four first-class appearances in the intervening period, but produced a bullocking, 102-ball hundred - his third in Tests and third against England - to help steer Australia away from the rocks at 85 for 4 just before lunch.

(Scores:England 68 for 3 (Root 19*, Bairstow 1*) trail Australia 263 (Marsh 118, Wood 5-34) by 195 runs

Marsh dominated his stand of 155 with Travis Head, outscoring his partner by almost four to one, but England hit back to take the last six Australia wickets for 23 runs in the space of 8.4 overs. The game continued to rattle along thereafter, too, as England lost their top three

before the close.

England came into this match 2-0 behind in the series and nursing their grievances after narrow defeats at Edgbaston and Lord's. Only a win in Leeds will suffice if they are to keep their attempts to win the Ashes alive - and only Don Bradman's 1936-37 Australians have successfully come back from such a position against their oldest rivals.

Ben Stokes won his third toss of the series and duly put Australia in, with the expectation of helpful conditions at Headingley - scene of Stokes' heroics four years ago and a ground known for its partisan stance. It took just five balls for

the Western Terrace to let out its first roar of the day, as Stuart Broad found David Warner's outside edge to extend his record against the Australia opener to 16 dismissals in Tests.

There were immediate signs of pace and carry for the seamers, in contrast to the surfaces for the opening two Tests, and England's reshaped attack were soon making further inroads. Wood had not played a Test since December or bowled in competitive match since mid-April at the IPL but hit his straps from the outset, pushing the speed gun up to 96.5mph/155kph and leaving Marnus Labuschagne groping for the ball during three consecutive maidens.

When Labuschagne managed to get off strike, that left Usman Khawaja in the firing line. Five balls that were short or short of a good length were followed by a fuller, 95mph/152kph delivery that beat Khawaja's flat-footed drive and left leg stump flat on the ground. His opening spell of 4-3-2-1 was proof plenty that Wood was ready to blast off.

Labuschagne had grafted for more than hour but eventually fell for a ponderous 21 when Chris Woakes - this was his first Test appearance since March 2022 - had him edging to slip, and England went in to lunch in buoyant mood when Steven Smith, in his 100th Test, fell to

Guinness Nat Senior Squash C/Ships

a catch at the wicket off Broad despite reviewing Kumar Dharmasena's on-field decision.

It could have been better for the hosts, and dropped catches were a major blight on England's day. Jonny Bairstow missed a tough chance off Smith on 4 and then put down a far simpler chance down the leg side when Head had made 9. The worst aberration was to come at the start of the afternoon session, however, when Woakes found Marsh's outside edge only for Joe Root to grass a straightforward take at first slip.

Marsh was on 12, having smashed Woakes for six earlier in the over, and he fully capitalised on his good fortune in one of the more extraordinary Ashes hundreds of recent memory. Strong on the drive through the covers and down the ground, he showcased his power with a bludgeoned six off Wood that flew into the Western Terrace, racking up his first Test fifty since March 2018 - from just 59 balls - to push England back.

Their mood got worse when Ollie Robinson walked off the field mid-over after suffering from a back spasm, and Marsh continued to do much as he pleased. Broad was thumped down the ground, barely able to get his fingertips to a fast chance, and Moeen Ali's offspin came in for similarly disdainful treatment, as a straight six took Marsh to 99 before a tap into the off side - a tight single had Stokes collected cleanly -

C’bean Squash Queen Ashley Khalil starts

By Sean Devers

Caribbean Squash Champion Ashley Khalil eased though her opening match at the Guinness National Senior Squash Championships at the Georgetown Club on Wednesday evening.

Watched by a small but vocal gathering which included Guyana’s only Masters World Champion Nicolette Fernandes who was expected to go into action last evening, there were several high intensity matches contested.

The matches between Jerazeno Bell and Louis Da Silva and between Steven Xavier and Deje Dias were among the high intensity and

riveting battles.

Bell romped to a one to nothing lead after taking the first game. Da Silva fought back as both players executed an array of quality shot to level the scores at 10-10.

But after a 20-shot rally, a ‘let’ was called, Bell eventually triumphed 12-10 before winning another competitive game 14-12 to take the game 3-0.

The match involving Dias and Xavier was a high energy affair which left both players dripping in sweat and total exhausted at completion of four games which was won 3-1 by Xavier.

The pulsating battle that had all the shots in Squash including an expertly exe -

cuted ‘Nick’ from Dias in the second stanza to level the match 1-1.

Such was the commitment from both players that Xavier dived full length on the wood floor to retrieve the ball and win the point.

But when the epic battle

was done and dusted, it was Xavier who emerged victories 11-7, 9-11, 11-5, 11-8.

In the other results:

In the Women’s draw

Mary-a-Fat beat Avery Arjoon 11-4, 11-2, 11-3, Ashley de Groot 11-1, 11-1, 11-1, Akeila Wilshire beat Victoria

brought up the second-fastest hundred by an Australian in England.

But as the day threatened to run away from them, England grabbed on to Marsh's coattails at the vital moment, Woakes finding an inside edge that ballooned to slip on the brink of tea. And although Root put down another chance to reprieve Alex Carey after the interval, he held Head's outside edge from the very next ball and Wood then tore through the tail in the space of 14 deliveries: Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins pinned by pace, Carey hit on the head and then holing out, Todd Murphy dragging into his stumps. There was still more than an hour and a half left in the evening session, and Australia made use of the conditions themselves as Cummins struck twice in his opening spell. Ben Duckett was well held by the leaping Carey - who clinched an outstanding catch by pressing the ball to his lips in the tips of his gloves - and Harry Brook's first outing at No. 3 was short-lived as he edged to second slip.

Marsh then capped his day in the Yorkshire sun by removing Zak Crawley in his second over, via another fiddle to the cordon, before the local pairing of Root and Bairstow throttled down to see out a high-octane day, with the promise of more to come. (Cricinfo).

with win

Arjoon 11-6, 11-1, 11-7 and Ashley Khalil beat Kirsten Gomes 11-4, 11-4,11-4 as she failed to reach five in any of the games despite leading 3-nill in the last game.

In the Women’s Veterans

Lydia Fraser defeated Tian Edwards 11-7, 11-4, 11-2

In the Men’s Veterans

Over 50s:

Brian Young beat Narendra Singh 11-7, 11-7, 11-7 while Joseph Mekdeci beat Rob Edwards 11-6, 11-6, 7-11, 11-2

Men’s National Draw:

Louis Da Silva beat Reagan Rodrigues 11-2, 11-2, 11-3, Shomari Wiltshire beat Jason Van Dijk 11-2, 11-4, 11-6, Samuel Ince-Carvalhal beat Ragan Pollard 11-7, 11-

5, 11-3.

Alex Arjoon beat Peter de Groot 11-6. 11-1, 11-7, Michael Alphonso beat Mohryan Baksh 11-6, 11-4, 11-4, Nicholas Verwey beat Ben Mekdeci 4-11, 11-5, 7-11, 119, 11-8, Demetrius De Abreu beat Andrew Peroune 11-3, 8-11, 11-4,11-6, Josh Verwey beat Jeremy Ten Pow 11-2, 11-3, 11-5, Miguel Wong beat Nandishraj Singh 11-5,117,11-4, Avenash Oditt beat Justin Ten Pow 11-6, 11-6, 11-7, Jason Ray Khalil beat Jonathan Antczak 11-1,11-0, 11-1 and Lee Fung-a Fat beat Reagan Rodrigues 8-11, 116,11-7, 11-6

The action was scheduled to continue last night.

Mitchell Marsh scored a bullocking century • (Getty Images)

Ashley Khalil (left) beat Kirsten Gomes on Wednesday night at the GT Club (Sean Devers photo)

Photo saved: Ashley

President Ali invites former World Champion Lennox Lewis to develop Guyana’s boxing portfolio

PRESIDENT, Dr. Irfaan Ali has invited former three-time World Champion and the last man to be undisputed heavyweight champion, Lennox Lewis, to visit with a mission to inspire the next generation of champions from the Caribbean.

President Ali recently announced the visit while speaking at a diaspora engagement in Canada and said these initiatives are part of strategic efforts by the government to “drive global traffic” to Guyana.

“…the engagement is to get him [Lennox Lewis] to come to Guyana and develop our boxing industry and to make Guyana an import -

Caribbean leaders urge region to rally around West Indies

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, (CMC ). Caribbean cricket fans have been urged to “rally around the West Indies” despite the Caribbean side being dumped out of the International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup in India later this year.

The two-time world champions failed to qualify for the event after missing out on one of the two spots available in the qualifying tournament now taking place in Zimbabwe.

West Indies lost to the host nation and Netherlands in the group stage, before going down to Scotland in their opening game of the Super Six stage, to suffer elimination.

They play Sri Lanka in a game of academic interest

today.

Speaking at the end of the annual Caribbean Community (CARICOM) summit here on Wednesday night, Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit noted the Facebook page of Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley after the West Indies lost to Nether-

lands, despite scoring 374 runs.

Rowley described the game as the “worst cricket match ever played by a West Indies team,” adding, “this amateurish demoralising embarrassment has to stop.

“Playing for West Indies

Continued on page 26

ant international venue for boxing, not just cricket”, the President disclosed.

“We have to position Guyana as an international brand,” the President added.

While the dates are yet to be confirmed, Dr. Ali confidently said that Guyana has the “best natural environment” to attract international stars. Still, it is now about finding investors to amplify development.

Now 57, Lewis was born in Great Britain to Jamaican parents and moved to Canada with his mother during his early childhood. He retired atop the summit in 2004 with a record of 41-2-1 (32 KO wins, 2 KO losses).

“I am excited to come

to Guyana to see the programme. Lennox Lewis Boxing League of Champions is always ready to help boxers worldwide. I am ready to help boxers, especially from the Caribbean, because I said when last was there a Caribbean Olympic champion? I can’t remember.

“So, I want to develop boxing in the Caribbean and hopefully inspire the next champion”, Lewis conveyed during an exclusive interview with News Room Sport in Canada.

Lewis indicated it has to do with the desire to become and to become a champion; the root is sacrifice, hard work, and consistent training.

Martinique, Guadeloupe knocked out after losses

HARRISON, New Jersey, (CMC) – French Caribbean sides Martinique and Guadeloupe suffered defeats in must-win encounters here Tuesday night, to miss out on the next round of the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Playing at Red Bull Arena on the United States east coast, Martinique were thrashed 6-4 by Costa Rica while Guadeloupe went down 3-2 to Guatemala at the same venue.

The results meant Martinique finished third in Group C behind Costa Rica and leaders Panama who drew 2-2 with El Salvador in Houston.

Guadeloupe, meanwhile, who entered the contest un-

beaten, also finished third in Group D behind group winners Guatemala and second placed Canada, who won for the first time with a 4-2 thrashing of Cuba also in Houston.

Aware of the stakes involved, Martinique left themselves with too much to do when they fell behind to Kendall Waston’s 10th minute strike, the 35-year-old bundling a loose ball in the box over the line.

Patrick Burner levelled in the 18th with the first of his brace in a sign of hope for Martinique but Costa Rica quickly imposed themselves on the game.

Francisco Calvo put Costa Rica in front again four minutes before the break and three goals in 14 minutes following the resumption from Juan Pablo Vargas (55th), Joel Campbell (59th) and Anthony Contreras (68th)

Continued on page 26

The former world champion Lennox Lewis is coming to Guyana

Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit

Patrick Burner hit a brace for Martinique in a losing cause