Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 08-09-2023

- President Ali tells Hindu community during observance of Sri Krishna Janmashtami with Crane residents

Spread religious teachings of love, joy, hope

Bank of America representatives explore local opportunities

President, Dr Irfaan Ali, on Thursday, met with representatives from the Bank of America at his Office on Shiv Chanderpaul Drive. The visiting delegation included the Managing Director, Global Energy Corporate Banking, Donald Ward Rickertsen; Managing Director, Head of Global Export Agency Finance, Patrick William Gang and Director, Regional Corporate Banking, Diego Armando Torres-Luna. The Bank of America representatives are in Guyana on an exploratory mission and have also met with the private sector. US Embassy’s Deputy Chief of Mission, Adrienne Galanek and its Commercial and Economic Officer, Thomas Seeger were also a part of the visiting delegation. President Ali was joined by Senior Minister within the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh and the Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat. (Office of the President photos)

157 Guyanese benefit from Chevening scholarships over the years

- four persons set to depart on their journey through British-funded initiative

More funds withdrawn from NRF to advance development initiatives

APNU+AFC-controlled Gold Board had approved nine dealers’ licences without following due procedures

- audit findings reveal

Dr. Jagdeo: Unemployment rate likely lower than figures in IDB report

157 Guyanese benefit from Chevening scholarships over the years

— four persons set to depart on their journey through British-funded initiative

FOUR Guyanese have been granted Chevening awards and will now receive fully funded scholarships for a one-year master’s degree at a university of their choice in the United Kingdom (UK).

The scholarships were announced by the British High Commissioner to Guyana Jane Miller on Thursday, at a reception to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Chevening Scholarship Programme..

Miller related that the scholarship programme is a highly prestigious initiative which seeks to find future leaders.

So far in Guyana, 157 scholarships have been awarded while 55,000 have been awarded globally.

“We are just about to launch the next round of applications and those applications open on September 12 and I think it closes on November 7. For Guyana, we cover both Guyana and Suriname,” she said.

The four awardees of the Chevening scholarships are Keisha Edwards, Amrita Narine, Joshua Benn and Deanna Walcott.

In an interview, Edwards, who will pursue her Master Degree in Fashion Business Management, said that she felt really good to be selected for the prestigious scholarship.

“For many years in Guyana, the creative industry has been developing slowly. It has been in its infancy and a lot of people thought that a prestigious scholarship like this was out of our

a great fit for the programme,” he said.

Benn said that he wants to be a leader within Guyana, and he believes that this will be a great stepping stone for him.

“Given the direction that Guyana is going in with the oil and gas and renewable energy, I thought what a better way to kick-start this than doing an LLM in oil, gas and renewable energy,” he related.

range and I didn’t even know that Chevening was an opportunity for me and when I applied [and] I got selected, it was an incredible journey,” she said.

Another awardee, Amrita Narine will pursue her Master Degree in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence for the creative industry.

She related that when she learnt about the scholarship she was just 20 years old. Narine is now 22 years old and said that she is excited to explore the UK and to bring her skillset back to Guyana.

Joshua Benn is pursuing his Master of Laws in Oil, Gas, and Renewable Energy Law. Benn said that his peers inspired him to apply and to take advantage of the opportunity.

“They have seen how I have been progressing in life and they have seen my academic accomplishments, and they thought that I would be

Benn said that his intention is to make a difference in the community, and use his background while merging it with all that is going on in Guyana with oil, gas and renewable energy and trying to do something great for the country.

Another awardee, Deanna Walcott, said that she decided to apply because she had told her grandmother who unfortunately died last year, that she was ready to pursue her Master Degree in occupational safety and health.

“So I did it for her. My friends have been encouraging me to apply for a few years now. In my job, I am an environmental and safety officer. I am very passionate about safety in Guyana so I decided that this is the area I am passionate about, that this is the area I am specialising in and so why not pursue a master’s,” she said.

Walcott related that she will return to Guyana to use what she would have learnt to better the country.

Deanna Walcott, Joshua Benn, Keisha Edwards and Amrita Narine

Spread religious teachings of love, joy, hope

— President Ali tells Hindu community during observance of Sri Krishna Janmashtami with Crane residents

PRESIDENT, Dr Irfaan Ali, on Thursday evening, joined residents of Crane, West Coast Demerara in observance of Sri Krishna Janmashtami.

During a brief address at the event attended by hundreds of Hindu Guyanese, the Head of State urged patrons to share and practice the religious teachings in line with the festivity.

“It’s a profound celebration that radiates joy, love and hope. Just look around us, the colourful way we are dressed. The way we are sitting together and sharing a meal. The love we have between each other, the cordiality in which we greet each other. The way in which we worship together all of which are aspects of the joyfulness,

the love and the hope that comes with this festival,” the President said.

Janmashtami is a popular festival celebrated by Hindus all across the world. Also known as Gokulashtami, this day is celebrated to commemorate the birth of Lord Krishna.

“We must seek enlightenment in our lives so that we

will know what is right, we will know what the truth is, we will know where justice lies. We will know who has the best interest of our children; we will know who has the best interest of our country at heart… that is what the religious text in this occasion allows us to understand,” President Ali said.

People have various ritu-

Motorcyclist dies in Camp Street and North Road accident

A MOTORCYCLIST who is yet to be identified died on Thursday morning following an accident at the intersection of Camp Street and North Road.

According to a police press release, around 01:10hrs, motor car PNN

7200 driven by Abayomi Hart, a 39-year-old of Herstelling, East Bank

Demerara (EBD), and motorcycle #CJ 4079,

collided at the intersection.

The investigation revealed that the motorcyclist was proceeding west along North Road at a fast rate of speed and on the approach at the intersection of North Road and Camp Street, where a traffic light was flashing red in his direction, the motorcyclist failed to stop and collided with the left front por-

tion of the car which was proceeding south along the eastern drive lane of Camp Street.

As a result of the collision, the motorcyclist was flung some distance, ending up near a concrete fence on the western pavement where he sustained injuries to his head and body.

The motorcyclist was picked up by a police patrol in an unconscious

condition and transported to the Georgetown Public Hospital's Emergency Unit, where he succumbed to his injuries while receiving medical attention.

The body is at the Georgetown Public Hospital mortuary waiting to be identified. The driver of the car is in police custody assisting with the investigation.

als to celebrate Janmashtami according to their beliefs. Some of the rituals include celebrations at temples, where Hindus visit their respective place of worship to offer their prayers and seek blessings from Shri Lord Krishna. Fasting is also observed.

Other observances include a ritual of cleansing

termed abhisheka; the murtis are also washed in a selection of auspicious milk.

Also, at midnight, priests open the drapes to unveil Krishna’s freshly clothed deity on an artistically adorned and decorated shrine. People decorate flutes, clean homes, and temples as a part of Janmashtami decoration.

The motorcycle after the accident

APNU+AFC-controlled Gold Board had approved nine dealers’ licences without following due procedures - audit findings reveal

THE questionable operations of the Guyana Gold Board under the former A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) government were brought into the spotlight by financial analyst, Joel Bhagwandin, following a review of recent audit findings.

Damning revelations unveiled the practices of Gold Board during the period 2017-2019, under the chairmanship of GHK Lall.

Bhagwandin, in a letter to the editor, brought to light evidence revealing the blatant mismanagement under Lall’s tenure.

It was unearthed that during 2018, the Guyana Gold Board approved nine dealers’ licence to con -

duct gold trading activities without following the essential and correct procedures.

Auditors detected that there were no documented standard operating procedures offering guidance for approval and issuing of dealers’ licences.

Additionally, there was no documented evidence of interviews being conducted by the Board of

Directors prior to issuance of licences in 2018.

“Moreover, in 2019, no objection was sought from the Minister of Natural Resources as required, except in one of the nine dealers’ files, evidence of no objection was on file,” Bhagwandin said.

He further related that board was plagued with financial irregularities and mismanagement of the organisation's financial resources during that period.

Unemployment rate likely lower than figures in IDB report -

GENERAL Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, has said that he believes the unemployment rates that were released by the International Development Bank (IDB) are “very conservative” but he feels it may have plummeted even further.

The IDB reported a decline in unemployment rates in Guyana falling from 15.6 per cent in 2021 to 12.4 in 2022 but expressing skepticism, Jagdeo said the report may not have covered the period when the previous administration was in power and unemployment had skyrocketed due to their poor policy and negligence in office.

“I don’t think the IDB realise what happened in the five years in the starting point because lots and lots of people lost their jobs,” Dr. Jagdeo stated as he addressed reporters at his weekly press conference at Freedom House on Thursday.

“I used to have a daily flow of people of every race coming into the leader of the opposition office be -

cause we had an open office talking about the loss of jobs and sloth in the economy no money was circulating. Things were tough for people and being shaken down by government ministers a whole lot of stuff,” he noted.

COVID-19 also contributed to a lot of job loss, and as the PPP/C government took office in 2020 the country was reopened.

“So, the turnaround is often hidden before the reporting period, because if you can’t capture the starting point. You can’t see a dramatic turnaround. They now see a twelve per cent unemployment rate coming down from 15, but for us, it was significantly more,” he noted.

Many were able to return to work because of the way in which the government managed the Covid-19 pandemic.

Dr. Jagdeo explained that he met with about persons during that time who worked in the hotel industry and were out of jobs.

“They are at home sitting down the country is shut down totally, we got to get them back to work, so we managed to get them back to work,” he said.

In addition, there were lots of people from the mining sector, the sugar belt and other areas that restarted working because taxes were changed.

“So, we tackled structural unemployment as well as the COVID-related unemployment, then the new sectors that we started opening up, the new local content laws for the oil and gas industry, the housing boom, we returned to housing, we started building homes…You have about 20 thousand people easily who are working on

Dr. Jagdeo highlights

constructing homes now, that are now working because under APNU that was not being done.

There are tens of thousands of people now who are working today than were working in that time,” Dr Jagdeo stated.

The IDB Report highlighted: “The unemployment rate declined from 15.6 per cent in 2021 Q1 to 14.5 per cent in 2021 Q3, driven mostly by declines in the unemployment rate of men, which dropped to 12 per cent in 2021 Q3 compared to 18.4 per cent for women.

The International Labor Organisation (ILO) estimates further declines in the unemployment rate in 2022, falling to 12.4 per cent, (11 per cent for men and 14.4 per cent for women).”

Giving another perspective on the report, Minister of Labour, Joseph Hamilton said that these reports reflect the hard work that the government is putting into implementing policies that enhance livelihoods.

He said that the country’s labour sector has seen tremendous upgrades to revolutionise the way unemployment is tackled, and this approach is yielding results.

“What this speaks to is the policies of this PPP/C government working. So, from the report and its findings, people should recognise that we could not be where we are commended by the IDB and other organisations, if, from 2020, the policies that our government has enacted and the measures we have put in place for the citizens. What is important is the fact that they spoke to unemployment decreasing. We have spoken to this multiple times,” he said.

Hinterland teachers launch novel education project — to help their indigenous charges stay on course

THREE trained hinterland teachers with years of specialised experience under their collective belt have come together to launch a novel education programme, in the hope of improving the academic performance of learners in their charge.

The group is headed by Father Joel Thompson, who serves as Assistant Parish Priest of 14 communities in the Deep-South Rupununi, and holds an MSc in Environment and Development from the London School of Economics and Political Science among other qualifications.

Other members of the team are Ms. Medino Felician Abraham, who teaches in Aishalton, an indigenous community in south Rupununi, and Ms. Maureen Aguilar, who is the headteacher of Maruranau Nursery, a pilot school for the introduction of the Quality Bilingual Education Programme (QBEP) here in Guyana.

Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle about the merits of the project, Father Thompson, who is one of its architects, said:

“It was officially launched on September 1, 2018… in a partnership with the Ministry of Education, the communities of the south Rupununi, and the Jesuits in Guyana. The current education programme builds on earlier efforts by the Wapichan People to revitalise their language, and to promote literacy in the South Rupununi.

“The objective of having such a programme in place is to improve the academic performance of students in the hinterland, while affirming their culture and language. We have noticed over the past five years that children have become more confident in speak-

ing in both Wapichan and English in school. We have also noticed an increased interest in reading, since our story books are bilingual, and use elements from daily life in the Rupununi.

“Another impact is that parents seem to be taking a greater interest in their children’s education, and feel that they are able to share their wisdom with them.”

Among the main beneficiaries of the programme, Father Thompson said, have been nursery school children in Maruranau, Sawariwau, and Karaudaranau.

“Teachers have also appreciated learning about the intercultural inqui -

ry-based approach,” he said, adding: “An intercultural approach encourages students to embrace and share their cultural heritage, while appreciating, learning about, and respecting the cultures of others. Inquiry-based learning places the child, not the teacher, at the centre of the learning process.”

He further explained that the programme will enter the primary level this September at Grade One, and he is hoping that it will enter Grade Two come September 2024, and that, in time, it will have been implemented in the later grades.

Father Thompson is of the opinion that it

is better to light a candle, rather than curse the darkness, and that rather than talk about the shortcomings in the education system that learners in the hinterland are subject to, let us offer some helpful insights from a small community in the south Rupununi.

“The Wapichan People have made efforts to revitalise their language and promote literacy, which lends itself to the development of the current education programmes in south Ru -

pununi,” Father Thompson said, adding:

“Between the period 2009-2011, grassroots levels identified the needs of the community, and the desire for a quality and culturally relevant education emerged as a priority, due to the sustained academic underperformance of children (particularly in Grade Six), and the slow loss of Indigenous languages and cultures in some communities.” (Dillon Goring)

A Country That Works

IT is a known fact that unemployment can cause irreparable harm to society, the family structure and an individual’s psyche. This is perhaps the primary reason why many countries pump significant resources into reducing high rates of unemployment and attempt to attack this critical issue at its core.

Eroded purchasing power, a reduced gross domestic product (GDP) and an increase in crime, poverty and frustration, represent a very small fraction of the damage that is done.

Guyana is not exempted from such woes and over the last three years, it has experienced a steady decline in unemployment rates.

This has been recognised

by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), which has projected in its report titled, ‘Regional Overview: Global and regional economies at a crossroads,’ that the 14.5 per cent rate recorded in 2021 could fall to 12.4 per cent for 2022. Given the government’s actions and the strong desire and determination to succeed, the rate for 2023 is anticipated to be even lower.

These statistics are not only encouraging but significant, as they represent government’s successful implementation of policies and programmes and their handson approach to ensuring lives are enhanced and the economy is flourishing.

Since taking office, President, Dr. Irfaan Ali has been

leading his government on an aggressive campaign to ensure that the unemployed becomes employed. The discovery of oil has paved the way for the creation of jobs for locals in that sector and many other sectors have opportunities for citizens to earn incomes.

The ongoing aggressive drive includes initiatives such as the part-time jobs programme, Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) scholarships, Ministry of Human Services and Social Security’s Women’s Innovation and Investment Network (WIIN) training programmes and a wide range of skill training through the Ministry of Labour’s Board of Industrial Training (BIT). To ensure the

success of the various initiatives, the government has set aside billions of dollars.

Some of this training is relevant to the oil and gas sector and so, instead of importing labour, persons have taken up the various opportunities to learn skills that are relevant to that industry and have thus made themselves marketable.

The housing sector has also opened many job opportunities. Persons who have construction skills have been able to secure jobs in this sector and so have those who have benefitted from the various skills-training programmes.

The various initiatives have also created entrepreneurs. Persons have opened their own businesses and are

generating incomes.

Additionally, the Labour Ministry is doing its part by finding jobs for persons through its National Job Bank which was launched in March 2022. Over 300 persons secured employment that year and thousands more have registered for possible placement.

While recognising the government’s efforts, the IDB credited the booming oil and gas sector as one of the main drivers of economic development, as well as for the decline in unemployment.

The government’s focus also remain strong on reducing the employment gap between men and women.

Based on official figures more than half of the people benefitting from public sector

scholarships (57 per cent) are women and 69 per cent of the people accessing public sector training are also women. As efforts are being made to find solutions to Guyana’s unemployment issues, these must be embraced as the goal must be to further reduce the country’s unemployment rate.

The high-quality training, introduction of new jobs in various sectors, and the development of favourable economic and social conditions cannot go unnoticed. Combined, these factors will create favourable conditions for development and sustainability of the business sector to prevent an increase in the country’s unemployment rate, going forward.

Restorative justice for Indian immigrants, descendants

Dear Editor, THE unthinkable expropriation of the Indian Immigration Fund (INIMF) by the government in 1971 has incurred the resentment of Indo-Guyanese leaders, who described that callous act against Indian immigrants and their descendants as unconscionable and insensitive.

The Indian Immigration Fund was established by Labour Ordinance, Chapter 104 in 1864. The purpose of the INIMF was to facilitate the recruitment of Indian immigrants to work on sugar plantations and to provide for their repatriation at the end of indenture.

Notwithstanding the clear objectives of the INIMF as well as the fact that the Special Immigration Fund Committee (SIFC) set up by the government in 1965, had unanimously agreed that the fund be dedicated to the Indian community for educational and cultural projects, the government rejected the SIFC’s recommendation

and unilaterally diverted the funds towards the building of the National Cultural Centre in preparation for CARIFESTA 1972.

At the outset, it is vital that a few conceptual issues be clarified. While 238,909 Indian immigrants landed in Guyana between 1838 and 1917, fewer than 1/3 (N=75,898 or 31.8%) of them returned to India. Most immigrants (68.2%) chose to make Guyana their home.

Contrary to the view expressed by critics, Professor Lomarsh Roopnarine states that only 3.2% of Indian immigrants received land in lieu of return passages. And Indo-Guyanese have not been opposed to CARIFESTA nor the building of a National Cultural Centre (NCC), but they insisted that funds for the NCC must come from general revenues and not from the INMIF.

While Indo-Guyanese have been demanding restorative justice to atone for a grievous historical wrong perpetrated against their

fore-parents and their descendants, not many Guyanese are aware of this struggle.

A major reason is that most Guyanese (at least eight in every 10) who reside in Guyana, are not aware of the seizure of the dedicated INIMF because they were not yet born. Given this reality, it has become crucial therefore that the INMIF story be narrated within the appropriate historical context in the public domain.

The 1970s was a dark period (characterised by political and social upheavals) in Guyana’s history. The PNC government decided to seize property (with or without compensation). The Indian Immigration Fund was one example of the casualty.

In the process of expropriation, they altered the country’s legal and constitutional architecture. At the political level, it declared Guyana a Cooperative Republic in 1970 abolished appeals to the Privy Council in 1971 and replaced it with the Guyana Court of Appeal.

With the full control of the executive and the judiciary, they needed to control the legislative body, Parliament, and this they secured by rigging the 1973 elections and allocating onto themselves a super majority of seats (69% or 34 of 53).

These measures allowed them absolute dominance and control over every aspect of people’s lives. They proceeded to militarise the society, expanded the Guyana Defence Force and the Guyana Police Force and established National Service in 1974 and the People’s Militia in 1976.

The PNC’s economic philosophy was captured in its Socialist Manifesto (Sophia Declaration) of 1974 that set out, among other things, the doctrine of party paramountcy and policies to transform the economy into cooperative socialism. The PNC’s dominance and control of society was complete and absolute (1968-1992).

Having received a sharp increase in real GDP growth from 1.2% in 1973 to 7.7%

in 1974 and 8.48% in 1975, due to the windfall from the sugar levy (G$355 million) in 1974 and 1975, the PNC’s grip on the economy began to falter. GDP growth plummetted from 1.54% in 1976 to –1.84% in 1979 because of bad policies.

Seeking to arrest the decline, the PNC launched several investment projects (1978-1980) for which they sought funding of US$474 million (88.5% from external and 11.5% from local sources).

However, those projects that included the MMA project, bauxite, Tapacuma, Black Bush Polder Irrigation, Upper Demerara Forestry, and Guysuco, failed to stop the haemorrhage in GDP growth. Notes Dr Ramesh Gampat: “Burnham’s Little Red Book (Sophia Declaration) triggered the economic tsunami that plunged the economy into the Great Downswing from 1977 to 1990.”

Thus, the prevailing environment during the 1970s and

even beyond was hostile in a context where confrontation overpowered rapprochement. But the authorities’ failure to render restorative justice and to suppress the INIMIF story would not obliterate the truth. Indo-Guyanese leaders rightly seek the correction of a grave historical wrong perpetrated against immigrants and their descendants, that is, the seizure of the unused G$825,000 (equivalent to US$3,141,072 today) of the Indian Immigration Fund. While Mr. Burnham seized the Indian Immigration Fund, he graciously received US$5,000 per month from the CIA during 1969 to 1971. He had asked for US$10,000 but that amount was rejected.

The current administration must address this burning issue; bring it to closure; and thus end this unhappy chapter of Indian immigration and indentureship.

Yours sincerely,

Dr Tara Singh

Juxtaposition: Stabroek News and Mr. Ramkarran

IN my last Wednesday piece, I wrote: “I will devote an entire column to rebutting the editorial of the Stabroek News (SN) of Sunday, September 3 in which the meaning of democracy was corrupted: Here is that analysis now.”

I quote from the newspaper: “What stands in the way of this approach is a fundamental difference between what the US and, it might be added, many citizens here interpret as the meaning of democracy, and the government’s far more limited definition of that concept.”

I am not going to expend column space on a definition of democracy but suffice it to say once you pass through a university programme studying political theory and philosophy, you would know that American democracy is as flawed in the practice of democracy as obtained in all democratic countries on Planet Earth.

In fact, it is doubtful that

any serious debate between modern philosophers would result in the conclusion that the United States is the democratic blueprint for other countries to adopt. The way judges are selected in India is far less ideological and more democratic than in the US.

In no other democratic country in the world, does the electoral system has, as the US has, an institution named the Electoral College which is fundamental antithetical to the process of one person-one vote. For the moment, I will leave out a discussion on the nature of journalism in the US which hardly can be classified as meeting the sacred values inherent in journalism.

Let’s return to very brief discussion as to what democracy is as alluded to in my last Wednesday offering. The quote above from SN did not tell us what the American definition of democracy is and did not tell us in what ways Guyanese citizens’ interpretation differs from that

of the ruling party in government.

The words I quoted above from SN refer to the government’s “far more limited definition of that concept.” Here is the problem and this is where as I stated in my Wednesday piece that counter-narratives come in. My take on that editorial is simply a newspaper ranting about a government it does not like and resorts to the vulgarization of political concepts.

In what ways is the government of Guyana practising limited democracy in the comparative context of other democracies? For us to judge the thinness of democracy in Guyana don’t we have to do a comparative analysis?

My point is that if we do that comparative project then Guyana’s democracy rates very highly and its president comes out as a man in touch with the population.

We are told that in the winner-take-all system in

Guyana, parliament becomes a farce because of the majority one party holds over the others. In the UK parliament, the ruling party has a majority of 80. Is the UK not a democracy? In Guyana, the head of government campaigned in an election and won the election. In the UK, the head of government was not elected in a direct general poll.

In Guyana, the Vice-President, Mr. Jagdeo, just lost a court case at the appellate level. In Guyana, two leading newspapers crusade against the government and receive hundreds of millions of dollars between them annually that keep them afloat. How limited is Guyana’s democracy when compared to others? My contention is that when that comparison is done,

Guyana compares favourably with any other free nations on Planet Earth.

The title of this column refers to a juxtaposition in the views of SN and eminent politician, former Speaker of the House and attorney, Mr. Ralph Ramkarran.

I quote SN first then Mr. Ramkarran. Here is SN on civil society: “Government does not believes that it needs to listen to anyone else including civil society.” Let us now cite another perspective on civil society and the words are not coming from Frederick Kissoon who is a critic of both civil society and the Stabroek News.

Here is Mr. Ramkarran in the same Sunday edition of SN: “It was, therefore, no surprise to me that at this time there were only

a few muffled voices protesting the attempt to rig the elections of 2020 and that the vociferous civil society that does not spare the PPP or its governments, fell largely silent. Civil society must not now complain when some articulate what they believe to be its tarnished record.”

In that Sunday editorial, SN refers to an action of the President Ali as “untended comedy.” Can it be said that Guyana is witnessing unintended comedy in that the same civil society that Ramkarran so poignantly described are the very people SN wants the government to consult. Unintended comedy in Guyana becomes comedy non-stop.

Guyana is on a promising trajectory towards a more prosperous, equitable future for all

Dear Editor,

THE, recent report published by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) sheds light on the impressive progress that Guyana has made in reducing unemployment rates since 2021.

This positive trend is undoubtedly a testament to the diligent efforts of the People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government to upskill and train the workforce, and protect Guyanese businesses through the oil and gas sector, while stimulating economic growth in traditional sectors.

Admittedly, the booming oil and gas sector has played a pivotal role in driving economic development in Guyana. The report highlights this sector as one of the primary drivers behind the decline in unemployment rates.

With the arrival of the third floating, production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) vessel, Guyana's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is projected to grow significantly, further fuelling job creation and economic prosperity for all Guyanese.

It's also worth noting that the government's commitment to addressing unemployment through a multifaceted approach and initiatives such as the part-time jobs programme, have been instrumental in helping individuals to generate income and contribute to the overall reduction in unemployment.

Moreover, the government has set a clear target of creating 50,000 jobs by 2025, demonstrating its dedication to this cause.

In addition to these efforts, the government's focus on skills develop -

ment is a crucial aspect of reducing unemployment. Programmes such as the Board of Industrial Training (BIT) and the provision of over 20,000 scholarships for Guyanese have effectively enhanced the skillsets of the population, making them more employable and contributing to lower unemployment rates.

Furthermore, Guyana's commitment to diversifying its resources and investing in non-oil and sustainable sectors, such as agriculture, has resulted in substantial economic growth. The growth rates of key sectors such as agriculture, services, and construction are indicative of the positive impact these investments are having on employment opportunities.

The government's dedication to gender equality in employment is another commendable aspect of

its strategy. Efforts to bridge the employment gap between men and women through initiatives such as public sector scholarships, training programmes, and increased participation of women in various sectors of the economy are vital steps toward achieving a more equitable workforce.

Guyana's remarkable progress in reducing unemployment rates is a testament to the PPP/C government's dedication to economic growth and workforce development. With a thriving oil and gas sector, diversified resources and comprehensive initiatives in place, Guyana is on a promising trajectory toward a more prosperous and equitable future for all citizens.

Yours truly,

Alvin Hamilton

$600M in road works completed along Soesdyke-Linden highway

FOLLOWING President, Dr. Irfaan Ali’s commitment to the infrastructural development of the -Soesdyke-Linden Highway communities, $600 million in road works were completed out of the $1.3 billion invested by the government.

This was according to a Facebook post made by Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar, who said that the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) government’s community-centred approach to development continues to bear fruit, as numerous

roads are under development at Kuru Kururu, Swan, and Yarrowkabra.

“Many of the residents of these communities are benefiting from first-time access to sturdy concrete roads after decades of sandy roadways that are often worsened by heavy trucks and rains,” he said.

Some 18 contracts totalling over $1.3 billion were signed in June for roadworks in the Lamaha/Yarrowkabra and Hauraruni/Yarrowkabra

Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) on the Soesdyke-Linden highway.

The contract-signing was spearheaded by Minister Indar and Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister with Responsibility for Public Affairs, Kwame McCoy. These contracts are aligned with President Ali’s commitment to facilitate infrastructural interventions during an outreach to the communities earlier this year. They also follow an engagement in January led by the ministers, which saw a commitment to construct a number of concrete roads within the communities at reference.

Some $600 million in road works have been completed, of the $1.3 billion invested by the PPP/C government towards infrastructural development of the Soesdyke-Linden highway

EL Niño preparedness exercise held in Region Nine

THE Civil Defence Commission (CDC) recently conducted an El Niño Preparedness and Drought Awareness workshop in Lethem, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo).

According to a press release, the CDC partnered with the Regional Democratic Council (RDC), Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) and Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA), to engage members of the town with the purpose of urging residents to prepare, and manage the current El Niño conditions.

The Hydrometeorological Service confirmed that Guyana is in the prolonged dry season and as a result, all regions should take necessary precautions and acti-

vate essential mechanisms to endure the potential hazards that can emanate from such a forecast, the CDC explained.

Similar workshops have been executed in Regions three, five and six. The workshops will soon move to Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni).

Meanwhile, First Aid and Disaster Response Equipment were distributed to two communities in the region to culminate Emergency Response Training conducted by the Civil Defence Commission (CDC).

Over a period of months, the CDC in conjunction with Caribbean Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), USAID and Caribbean Climate Resilience Initiative (CCRI), worked with Katoonarib and Sawariwau to

ensure that they were ready to respond and manage hazards indigenous to their environment.

Specifically, earthquakes, drought, floods, and wildfires were examined and participants received extensive

training on relevant risk management capabilities.

The villages would have experienced hazards in the

past and have lauded the initiative which places them in a better position to be resilient.

Market prices for vegetables, meat, fruits stable

PRICES for non-traditional agricultural commodities remain stable at major markets across the country.

Price checks were carried out by the New Guyana Marketing Cooperation (NGMC) at Vreed-en-Hoop, Diamond, Stabroek, Bourda, Mon Repos, and Skeldon municipal markets.

beef varied from $460-$700 per pound, while mutton and pork varied from $600$1200. Meanwhile, a single egg was being sold for $50$60.

Fruits, on the other hand, were priced more reasonably with bananas being sold at an average price of $222 per pound. The prices for other fruits such as lime,

vestments in 2023 that will improve overall productivity in the sector.

In September 2022, President, Dr. Irfaan Ali announced that Guyana and the rest of the Caribbean will benefit from a US$28 million investment from the United States (US) Government that will support increased food production and

According to GMC, the minimum market price for a bundle of bora was recorded at $1,000, while other fresh vegetables such as cabbage, calaloo and carrots had an average sale price of between $120 and $600.

Prices for staple produce such as cassava, eddoes, plantains, potatoes, and yams remain unchanged or have been reduced significantly at the markets.

The corporation also confirmed that chicken, beef and mutton were readily available countrywide.

Prices for chicken and

oranges, tangerines, among other things varied from $90-$200.

In a recent report, the New Guyana Marketing Corporation stated that consumers can look forward to seeing commodities being sold at more stable prices, as farmers are expected to experience more favourable weather conditions in the coming months, which is expected to inspire increased production.

In addition to that, the report noted that food production in Guyana will continue to attract further in -

agricultural development in the Region.

Food security continues to be a paramount policy initiative for the Government of Guyana, which holds lead responsibility for agriculture, agricultural diversification, and food security in CARICOM, and is spearheading the regional body’s quest to reduce its food-import bill; this is an action that requires each state achieving a reduction in food imports of 25 per cent by 2025.

Stakeholders during the El Niño Preparedness and Drought Awareness workshop in Lethem (CDC photos)

as ‘Agri’ Ministry receives inputs from FAO

More support for small-scale farmers —

AGRICULTURE Minis

ter, Zulfikar Mustapha, on Thursday, on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture, received a number of inputs from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) that will be used to empower smallscale farmers across the country.

The items were handed over by FAO’s Country Representative in Guyana, Dr. Gillian Smith at the National Agriculture Research and Extension Institute’s (NAREI) office in Mon Repos, ECD.

During the simple handing-over ceremony, Minister Mustapha said although, in recent times, the budgetary allocation to the sector has increased, governments still require partnerships with international organisations to assist with developing the sector. He further stated that the items will be donated to small-scale farmers across the country to assist with

modernising their agricultural activities.

“This is where organisations like the FAO and

the World Food Programme are able to play a critical role by partnering with us to bring much-needed help

to these small-scale farmers. Although this may seem like a small gesture, these items are very important and critical because we are working with small-scale farmers by giving them the resources to modernise their plots.

“Post-harvest handling of commodities is also very important. Long ago farmers would use packaging like recycled salt bags to transport their produce. This is somewhat unhygienic and can result in damage to the

crop further resulting in loss of income,” he said.

Minister Mustapha said that the government has been steadfast in its efforts to develop and modernise the sector by making additional funding available through budgetary allocation. He also said that hinterland communities are now receiving inputs to develop their production as the government aims to elevate the rural village economies.

“We’ve seen close to a 150 per cent increase in budgetary allocation to the agriculture sector over the last three years. This shows the government’s commitment to developing and modernising the sector. Only last week we had the Toshao conference where some 242 villages were represented.

“These indigenous and rural villages need items like these to expand and modernise their agricultural activities. When we give them these items it also helps to develop their village economies. We are also building agro-processing facilities in these communities in an effort to bring them to a level with the farmers on the coast, giving them the same facilities so that they can increase their livelihoods,” he added.

FAO Country Representative in Guyana, Dr. Gillian

Smith, while offering brief remarks, said that the FAO was pleased to partner with the Ministry of Agriculture to support the work that is being done to develop the sector and the livelihoods of farmers, particularly smallscale farmers.

“We’re very pleased, as always, to collaborate with the Ministry of Agriculture. Some two years ago, we had the opportunity of an SDG Project that funding was within the UN and it included the World Food Programme and FAO and we immediately came to the ministry to ask how these resources can support the work that is being done in Guyana to support agriculture.

“Thankfully, with a conversation with NAREI and our other partners, we came up with the idea that these are inputs that can support particularly small farmers who need a little bit of extra support considering the changes in global food prices and global crises that affect everyone,” Dr. Smith noted.

A total of 500 plastic crates for post-harvest transport of fruits and vegetables along with 300 electric knapsack sprayers, 20 tillers, and spare parts were handed over to the ministry and will be distributed to farmers across the country.

More funds withdrawn from NRF to advance development initiatives

SENIOR Finance Minister

Dr. Ashni Singh has announced that the government made its third and fourth drawdowns this year from the Natural Resource Fund (NRF) in accordance with the Natural Resource Fund Act, 2021.

The minister indicated that pursuant to Section 16 of the NRF Act, 2021, in August and September US$100 million each, representing a further US$200 million, equivalent to G$41.6 billion has been transferred from the Natural Resource Fund to the Consolidated Fund to finance national development priorities.

It would be recalled that in February and May of this year, the government made withdrawals totalling US$400 million equivalent to G$83.2 billion. This brings

the accumulated withdrawals from the NRF for the year 2023 to US$600 million, equivalent to G$124.8 billion.

In keeping with the NRF Act 2021, as part of the Budget 2023 process, parliamentary approval was granted for a total of US$1.002 billion to be transferred during fiscal year 2023.

“The PPP/C government will continue to work aggressively through sound and transformative investments of oil resources from the NRF, utilising these resources in a clear and transparent manner to the benefit of present and future generations,” the Finance Ministry said.

Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha receives the inputs from FAO's Country Representative, Dr. Gillian Smith in the presence of officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and the WFP

Significant decrease in unemployment rate due to effective policies

IN light of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)’s recent report commending the decrease in Guyana’s unemployment rate, Minister of Labour Joseph Hamilton has said that these reports reflect the hard work that the government is putting into implementing policies that enhance livelihoods.

He said that the country’s labour sector has seen tremendous upgrades to revolutionise the way unemployment is tackled, and this approach is yielding results.

In its report, Global and Regional Economies at a Crossroads, the IDB stated that Guyana’s unemployment rates have been on a steady decline since 2021.

He added that the report serves to silence the naysayers who attempt to paint a negative picture of Guyana’s labour sector.

“What this speaks to

is the policies of this PPP/C government working. So, from the report and its findings, people should recognise that we could not be where we are commended by the IDB and other organisations, if, from 2020, the policies that our government has enacted and the measures we have put in place for the citizens. What is important is the fact that they spoke to unemployment decreasing. We have spoken to this multiple times,” he said.

The minister pointed out that vacancies abound in many sectors, and yet many persons lament that they are unable to find jobs, and this anomaly has fuelled the arguments of many naysayers.

“It is not that jobs are scarce. It is because many persons might be looking for their ‘dream’ job or a job in a specific discipline that they studied. I often say that it is important to find a job until you find your

dream job. It is important that you are employed.”

He added that the part-time jobs initiative works in tandem with the Board of Industrial Training (BIT) to prepare persons for fulltime employment.

“Our hope is that while people have a part-time job and they are able to earn some money, they are making use of the training opportunities presented to them so that in the shortest possible time, they are able to become a full-time employee, where they can earn substantially more than they earn with the part-time,”

BIT training has been instrumental in tackling unemployment rates, empowering Guyanese with the skills to secure jobs within a range of sectors, and serving as an engine to promote entrepreneurship.

Upon assuming office in 2020, it was discovered that BIT trained an average of 1,300-1,500 persons per year. Over

10,000 persons have been trained through BIT in the three years since.

“Skill areas that companies were finding it difficult to recruit staff in before, they are able to do that now. In other instances, they don’t have to go out of the region, they are able to find people with the requisite skills in their region to work,” the labour minister relayed.

The Central Recruitment and Manpower Agency (CRMA) has also seen an elevation since 2020. The imple-

mentation of technology in its processes has brought ease in matching job seekers with relevant entities that have a need for their skill sets.

“People don’t have to walk into the ministry and fill out a form. They sit in their homes and they can click on our job bank website, and put in their credentials. There are hundreds of employers that are registered on the job bank, so they can match skills with vacancies that they have in their company,” the minister explained.

The recognition by an independent and credible entity such as the IDB speaks to the objectively beneficial impact that the government’s policies have been having on Guyana’s economy.

Minister Hamilton said Guyanese across the country can look forward to enhanced livelihoods under the stewardship of the PPP/C government, as it continues to accomplish and exceed the promises outlined in the manifesto.

Cricket Carnival fun begins today

THIS year’s Cricket Carnival will kick off today with a welcome vibes event at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport.

This will be followed by two weeks of non-stop fun.

Aside from the cricket matches which include the finals on September 24, there will be a wide range of entertainment activities for the entire family.

Among the most anticipated events is the One Guyana Mega Concert which will be held at the National Stadium, Providence on September 9. It will feature over 30 Guyanese artistes including Natural Black, Samuel Medas, Timeka Marshall, Vicadi Singh, Tony Cutz, Nekita, Big Red, Matic Queen, Calvin Burnett, Vanita Willie, Vanilla and First Born.

The Regional Food Festival will be held from September 15 to 17, while a steel pan event will be held on September 20.

On September 23, there will be horse racing after which those who are in the mood for some soca and authentic Caribbean vibes, can head down to the National Stadium for a Super Concert. Machel Montano, Sean Paul, Shenseea and Kes The Band are expected to give Guyanese and visitors an unforgettable experience.

A road parade on September 25 will bring the curtains down on this year’s festivities which are being hosted by the Government of Guyana and the local private sector.

Theatre arts build children’s selfconfidence, expose them to media, among other things - veteran entertainer

SIMONE Dowding, local actress and entertainer for several decades now, is urging parents and guardians to get their children’s involved in theatre arts, not only because of the drama aspect of it, but due to the myriad benefits it affords them.

Dowding was speaking in the context of her recently held ‘Emerge’ children’s show which was the culmination of her annual signature workshop that she conducts

under her Purple Arts Productions company.

‘Emerge 10’ dubbed “a performance for children by children” was held at Theatre Guild in Kingston on the weekend before school reopened.

The children who attended the drama workshop during their July/August holiday from school, were the ones who wrote and performed the plays, thanks to the training they received in the six disciplines of drama:

acting, directing, playwright, costume management, stage management and property management.

“It turned out very well. We had a decent crowd and the parents were excited and very appreciative of my efforts,” Dowding related to Buzz this week.

Her latest show featured performances from her 2012 and 2013 classes and University of Guyana past students gave their accounts of their involvement with the pro -

duction.

This year, 15 students participated in the workshop, along with about nine past students.

Dowding, who has already started entertaining thoughts for her workshop and show next year, said she believes there should be more support for children in the performing arts.

“Allow your children to get involved and attend these shows; it builds their self-confidence, exposes

them to the media, both print and electronic, gives them a reason to stay in school and study, among other benefits,” Dowding pointed out.

Meanwhile, the workshop, which usually caters for children between the ages of nine and 16, also exposes them to the art of listening, stage breathing and stage geography. The children would typically write and direct their own plays for the show at the end of the workshop.

“I am really proud of Pur-

ple Arts Productions because it really contributes to helping to mold the foundation of the children who have turned out very well in various professions,” Dowding had expressed. Explaining how the workshop all got started, Dowding recalled that she wanted to do something in theatre after being trained for many years. She eventually formed her company with the introduction of the children’s workshop.

Anime-inspired restaurant opened at MovieTowne

By Faith Greene

LIFE for anime lovers is expected to become more exciting as a Japanese restaurant was recently opened on the second floor of the MovieTowne Mall at Turkeyen.

The owner of YuGo Japanese Fusion Restaurant is a US-based Guyanese businessman and he told Buzz that it is an anime-inspired eatery which has ramen noodles as its main attraction.

He said that the huge community of anime fans is what inspired him to open the restaurant.

“There's a huge community of people, young people in Guyana between the ages of around 14 to I'd say 40 that are heavily influenced and interested in anime and anime culture.”

The businessman further stated that today there are people in Guyana who

are pushing the anime culture forward, like, for example, the creators of the annual MARS Convention that was last held in August this year.

Apart from that anime convention, not much is done to highlight this aspect of the Japanese cul-

ture, which seems to be taking Guyana by storm.

The good turnout at the anime convention is evidence that hundreds of Guyanese love animated films and the characters.

The décor at YuGo is second to none. The moment you step through the

doors of the restaurant, you will feel as though you have teleported into the world of anime.

Although small, the restaurant can seat up to 30 persons at once, creating that safe space where anime lovers can enjoy authentic Japanese meals,

prepared fresh every day.

“We want to cater to an exclusive set of people, and deliver on a curated menu at the highest level,” he said.

YuGo not only provides great ambience, but prospective customers will be happy to know that its prices are unmatched, especially for a restaurant of its kind.

According to its owner, when their prices are compared to that of another restaurant, YuGo has a much lower price range.

Moreover, at the restaurant, customers can customise their own ramen bowls, just like persons in other parts of the world are able to do. Customers are allowed to choose the heat intensity of their noodles, as well as what goes into their bowls.

In addition to ramen, a number of other Japanese meals and desserts are

being offered such as rice/ wok, Kakuteru, Zensai, rolls and of course, noodles.

Japanese inspired drinks are also included at their drinks bar. A ramen bar is included in the entire set up.

Entertainment wise, music will be played throughout the restaurant, and anime movies will be shown.

Before its official opening, persons had already made enough reservations to full the restaurant for the entire weekend.

Those interested in making a reservation may do so through the restaurant’s Instagram page (yugonoodles) or call 592716-9912

The opening days are Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 15:00 hours to 22:00 hours.

Some of the children who participated in this year’s show The workshop helps to expose children to the art of listening, stage breathing and stage geography

Simone Dowding

Come experience a restaurant with a difference (Japheth Savory photo)

Gavin Mendonca heads to Brooklyn to record ‘one-of-a-kind’ 7 vinyl singles

IN his quest to preserve Guyanese folk music, Gavin Mendonca will be heading to Brooklyn to again record a handful of one-of-a-kind 7” vinyl singles with Leesta Vall Sound Recordings as part of their Direct-To-Vinyl Live Sessions project.

“You choose the song, and I will perform it live as the record's cut in real time - making you the only owner of that particular performance. This is literally as personalised as it gets,” the local folk/rock musician explained recently.

This is just another way, he pointed out, of ensuring that Guyanese folk music gets preserved.

“And how cool is it that it will be recording on vinyl in the year 2023. You'll get the record by December, making it the perfect Christmas

present.”

The songs to choose from include Itanami, Timba Bruk Meh Back, Norah Dahlin, Mahnin Neighba and Sly Mongoose, and limited presales are available now.

“Support this project and I'll be extremely grateful for your contribution to the overall efforts of preserving Guyanese folk songs and our culture and heritage through music,” he told Buzz.

Meanwhile, Gavin, along with Marlon 'Chucky' Adams are grateful for being recognised by the Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc. at their annual award ceremony.

“We each received the GCA Award for our ‘outstanding contributions to Guyanese culture and heritage,’ as well as the Derry Etkins Memorial Prize for

‘service and commitment to music education in Guyana.’ We also each received proclamations in our honour from Senator Kevin S. Parker,” Gavin shared.

Folk It Up Vol. 3 - Live in the Iwokrama Rainforest – was released last Sunday at the GCA's annual family fun day.

With Guyana’s folk songs gradually becoming a thing of the past, Gavin had said he harbours the fear that soon enough, Guyanese could possibly lose interest altogether. It is for this reason that he and ‘Chucky’ decided to team up to reverse the perceived disinterest, and to provide opportunities for more folk songs to be played; they are hopeful that this would nurture an appreciation and respect for what they mean.

In the meantime, Gavin has been traveling the world to perform, even serenading the people of China and

Dubai, among several other countries.

Being able to perform Guyanese folk songs is

something he considers to be one of his greatest accomplishments yet.

Gavin during his travels around the world has serenaded the people of China, Dubai, and several other countries

Gavin and 'Chucky' are grateful for being recognised by the Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc.

Guyanese rock/folk musician Gavin Mendonca

Rolling Stones launch new album 'Hackney Diamonds'

THE Rolling Stones has announced "Hackney Diamonds", their first album of original music for 18 years and first since the death of drummer Charlie Watts, who played on two of the tracks.

Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood - the surviving core of the 61-yearold band - appeared on stage at the Hackney Empire on Wednesday to discuss the recording, before the premiere of the video for their single "Angry", which features actress Sydney Sweeney.

Frontman Jagger, 80, said the band was "pretty fired up" to record new music. "Every day was kind of like banging through two or three songs, so you keep the excitement," he told Reuters after the launch, which was streamed live.

The album had a contemporary sound, with a mixture of rock, ballads, dance and a "country-ish kind of thing", he said.

Richards, whose song-writing partnership with Jagger is one of the most enduring and successful in rock, said Watts's 2021 death had spurred the band to record new music.

"I think because of Charlie passing, we felt that we are still going and that we should still retain an identity and still say 'Hey, it's only rock and roll. But you know here we are'," the 79-yearold said.

Former Stones bass player Bill Wyman, new drummer Steve Jordan, ex-Beatle Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder were all involved in the album, the band told broadcasters.

Wood said McCartney, who played bass on one track, was "blown away" to record with the band, which rivalled the Beatles in its impact on rock music in the 1960s.

"You know, he was loving it," he said.

Award-winning producer Andrew Watt helmed the 12-track album, which was recorded in locations including London, Los Angeles and Nassau.

The recording, whose title refers to broken glass after a robbery, will be released on Oct. 20.

The three Stones - all dressed in black - arrived in a London taxi decorated with the band's tongue and lips logo. Jagger paid the fare in cash.

"I don't want to be big-headed, but we wouldn't have put this album out if we hadn’t really liked it," he told U.S. talk show host Jimmy Fallon on stage.

Fans have been awaiting the announcement since a cryptic advertisement appeared in a local newspaper last month, with references to some of the Stones' biggest tracks and the name of the new album. (Reuters)

Rolling Stones band members Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood attend a launch event for their new album "Hackney Diamonds", at Hackney Empire in London, Britain on September 6, 2023 (REUTERS/Toby Melville)

Track legend Asafa Powell enshrined in Memorial Van Damme Hall of Fame

ON Thursday, the prestigious Allianz Memorial Van Damme welcomed three track and field legends into its esteemed Hall of Fame. Among the honorees was the Jamaican sprinting sensation Asafa Powell, whose remarkable career includes being a former 100m world record holder and achieving the remarkable feat of running under 10 seconds an astounding 97 times.

The Allianz Memorial Van Damme, a renowned athletics meeting with a storied history dating back to 1977, has decided to establish a Hall of Fame to pay tribute to athletes who have left an indelible mark on the event. This year, the ceremony welcomed not only Asafa Powell but also track and field icons Marie-José Pérec and Sergey Bubka.

Powell, who has long been associated with the Memorial Van Damme, participated in the event nine times between 2003 and 2017. Over the years, he earned his place as a crowd favorite, competing in the 100m at the King Baudouin Stadium

and clinching victory on five occasions.

Wilfried Meert, the former meeting director of the Allianz Memorial Van Damme from 1977 to 2016, recalled Powell's memorable moments, saying, "Powell then won in 9.87, a Jamaican record. That was of course later wiped off the tables by one Usain Bolt. In 2008, Powell almost beat Bolt at the Memorial. Powell was known for his rocket launch while Bolt with his long frame never took off like a spear. Only in the last 20m did Bolt recover: 9.77 versus 9.83."

Powell's legacy extends

beyond his wins at meetings. Despite his occasional struggles at major championships, he was a key contributor to the Jamaican relay team, clinching gold at the Olympic Games and World Cup.

In his reaction to the induction, Powell expressed his gratitude, saying, "Honored to be inducted into the hall of fame of the @memorialvandamme along with some legends of the sport. I ran six of my 97 sub-10’s here in Brussels at arguably the best meet in the world. The memories of this place will stay with me forever! I can’t thank Wilfried Meert enough for your support and encour-

Johnson leads WI U-19s fightback

agement through the years. You’ve built an amazing event with creativity and integrity that is second to none. To now be affiliated with the legacy of the meet is truly one of my greatest honors."

Marie-José Pérec and Sergey Bubka, two other track and field legends, were also honored during the ceremony, further cementing the Allianz Memorial Van Damme's commitment to celebrating the history and achievements of the sport.

Born in Guadeloupe in 1968, Pérec won gold in the 400m at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992. Four years later in Atlanta, she defended her title and won Olympic gold in the 200m, a phenomenal double. In addition to three Olympic titles, Pérec also has two world and a European 400m titles.

Bubka broke the pole vault world record 35 times, 17 times outdoor, 18 times indoor. He recorded his best jump 30 years ago 6.15m at a meeting in Donetsk. He jumped 6m or higher 47 times in his career. (Sportsmax)

Pooran hundred inspires TKR rebound

PORT OF

SPAIN, Trini

dad, (CMC) – Left-hander

Nicholas Pooran lashed a second Caribbean Premier League hundred as Trinbago Knight Riders rebounded from Tuesday’s defeat to Guyana Amazon Warriors with an emphatic 42-run win over Barbados Royals.

Pooran’s magical unbeaten 102 from just 53 balls laid the foundation for the home side’s 208 for six off 20 overs, and Royals were never really in the contest despite opener Kyle Mayers’s 70 from 45 deliveries, limping to 166 for seven in reply.

Left-arm spinners Waqar Salamkheil (2-18) and Akeal Hosein (2-21) proved the trump cards for TKR with stingy spells which strangled Royals.

With the win, TKR joined Amazon Warriors at the top of the table on nine points – having played two games more – while inconsistent Royals continued in fourth spot on seven points.

Sent in at Queen’s Park Oval here Wednesday, TKR

lost Mark Deyal for six in the third over with 20 on the board but bounced back through the dazzling Pooran who unveiled an innings laced with five fours and ten sixes.

He put on 56 for the second wicket with Martin Guptill (37), and when the New Zealander and captain Kieron Pollard (2) perished in the space of three balls in the 10th over, added a further 28 for the fourth with Irishman Lorcan Tucker (8).

However, it was Pooran’s 82-run, fifth wicket partnership with Andre Russell, who made a 22-ball 39 with two fours and four sixes, which took the game away from Royals.

Pooran reached his fifty off 36 balls in the 15th over with a boundary to point off seamer Nyeem Young, before racing to triple figures off only another 15 deliveries.

Starting the final over from medium pacer Mayers on 86, Pooran cleared the

ropes with the first two deliveries before depositing the fourth ball to the square leg fence, to raise his landmark.

Needing the type of effort that saw them chase down 221 in Bridgetown last weekend, Royals started badly when they lost key opener Rahkeem Cornwall for only four in the third over with the score on 13.

It was then left to Mayers, who crunched seven fours and five sixes, to lead the Royals effort, the left-hander adding 41 for the second wicket with Laurie Evans (20) and 36 for the third with captain Rovman Powell (9).

But the scoring was sluggish and by the time Mayers holed out to long on off fast bowler Ali Khan in the 15th over, Royals were struggling on 109 for four and facing a burdensome required run rate of over 18.

Roelof van der Merwe (20) and Jason Holder (19) struck a few lusty blows for the sake of pride but the game was long gone.

DAMBULLA, Sri Lanka, (CMC )– In-form Jordan Johnson struck a crucial half-century to rescue West Indies Under-19s on the rain-affected penultimate day of the opening Youth ‘Test’ against Sri Lanka Under-19s here Thursday.

With his side reeling on 50 for three after resuming their first innings on 27 for one, Johnson crafted a typically positive unbeaten 54, to steer the visitors to 119 without further loss at the close at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium.

Only 24.5 overs were possible due to rain.

The left-hander, already with a hundred in the second Youth One-Day International last week, faced 67 deliveries and struck five fours and a six, in another breezy knock.

More significantly, he inspired a 69-run, unbroken fourth wicket stand with fellow Jamaican Steve Wedderburn who struck an unbeaten 28 from 54 deliveries, with two fours and a six.

West Indies U-19s had earlier made a troubled start, Joshua Dorne (6) failing to add to his overnight score and opener Stephen Pascal adding six to his overnight five, before departing.

Both were removed by left-arm spinner Vishwa Lahiru who was Sri Lanka U-19s’ best bowler with two for 22.

West Indies Under-19s trail by 313 runs heading into Friday’s final day.

Sri Lanka Under-19s piled up 432 for eight declared courtesy of Dinura Kalupahana’s 150 not out, and half-centuries from Pulindu Perera (71) and Malsha Tharupathi (65).

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER

(Friday September 08, 2023)

COMPLIMENTS OF CUMMINGS

ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD - 83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158)

Answers to yesterday’s quiz:

(1) Chris Lynn-454 runs (GAW)

(2) Dwayne Bravo-21 wickets (TKR)

Today’s Quiz:

(1) Who made most runs in CPL 2017?

(2) Who bagged most wickets?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

Powell and Perec with their flowers following their induction into the Memorial Van Damme Hall of Fame on Thursday

Jordan Johnson plays behind square during his unbeaten fifty on day three of the opening Youth ‘Test’. (Photo courtesy of CWI Media)

Left-hander Nicholas Pooran goes airborne as he hits through the off side during his unbeaten 102 on Wednesday night.

(Photo courtesy CPLT20/Getty Images)

Ben Stokes: England Test captain has ‘very good plan’ for knee injury

By Stephan Shemilt

BEN Stokes says there is a "very good plan in place" to attempt to fix the long-term problem with his left knee.

The England Test captain has ended his one-day retirement to play in the World Cup in India in October and November.

Stokes, 32, will use the time between the World Cup and the Tests in India in January to address the knee issue, which is preventing him from bowling.

"I know what's going to happen, I just don't think now is right time to say what I'm doing," he told BBC Sport.

Stokes retired from one-day internationals last summer, but is now due to make his return in the opener to a four-match series against New Zealand in Cardiff on Friday.

Before the end of the Ashes, Stokes addressed questions about his po -

tential participation in the World Cup by saying he would take a break from cricket to have "serious conversations" about how to rectify the knee problem.

However, it has since emerged that discussions over his return for the World Cup began long before it was announced in August.

And, speaking on Thursday, Stokes revealed his comments during the Ashes were made simply to "stop everyone asking me" about the World Cup.

"The best way was just to say something and they had something to write about. It worked," said Stokes.

England's defence of the World Cup they won in 2019 begins against New Zealand in Ahmedabad on 5 October.

The final is in the same city on 19 November, meaning England will have at least two months before the first of five

Tests in India on 25 January.

"There's actually quite a long time off after the World Cup," added Stokes, who did not bowl in any of the last three Ashes Tests.

"I've been having some good conversations with some specialists. There is a plan in place.

"When we do what we need to do to give myself a chance of getting back to being a genuine all-rounder there will be a time when I can say what I'm doing.

"It's nice knowing after the World Cup we've got something, a really good plan we can do and we can stick to. I want to be playing next summer as a genuine all-rounder. This winter is all about playing this World Cup, then getting this knee sorted."

Stokes, who was player of the match in the 2019 final, has been picked for the 2023 tournament as a specialist batter only.

After Stokes' return had been confirmed, white-ball captain Jos Buttler admitted the two had been in discussion for "a while".

"The nice thing was there wasn't any pressure put on me to make a decision quickly," said Stokes.

"Having a chance to play in another World Cup is great, but going there as world champions and trying to retain it is something that was quite appealing to me

"I had to tell Jos that if you want to make that

decision and pick me you have to make that decision on the basis of me not bowling a ball out there.

"I was very clear with where I'm at with my body and what I felt I can offer the team. It was nice to know from Jos that he didn't think to long that, even if I am just there as a batter, he'd pick me."

Stokes' return has meant there is no place in England's original squad for the New Zealand series for Harry Brook. When that party was named in August, selector Luke

Wright said it would be the same 15 players that would travel to the World Cup.

However, Buttler and captain Matthew Mott have hinted England could make changes up to the deadline on 28 September, and Brook has since been called up for the New Zealand series as cover for the injured Jonny Bairstow and Dawid Malan, whose wife is due to give birth.

"If there is a competition for places and there is pressure on individuals to perform to get their spot, that's a sign you're in a very, very good team," said Stokes.

"You don't want selections to be easy, because then you know your strength in depth isn't as strong as other teams.

"It's a healthy place to be in as a team when everyone has a little bit of pressure to perform before the final World Cup squad gets announced." (BBC Sport)

Monthly School Boys and Girls Boxing Championships resumes September 9

THE Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) will continue its focus on its youth development programme with the resumption of the monthly Pepsi/Mike Parris School Boys and Girls Junior Championships at the Andrew ‘Six Head’ Lewis Gym, Albouystown, on Saturday from 13:00hrs

According to the GBA, the recommencement of this monthly apparatus comes in the wake of the recently staged Winfield Braithwaite Caribbean Schoolboys/Juniors Championship, which was hosted from August 18th – 20th at the National Gymnasium, Mandela Avenue. It featured the overseas

participation of Barbados, Grenada, St. Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago.

The weigh-in and medical examinations of the respective pugilists for the

competition, supervised by GBA Technical Director, Terrence Poole, will occur at 10:00hrs at the Gym.

The event is open to all the gyms affiliated with the

local governing body.

Several fighters who competed in the prestigious Caribbean Championship will enter the ‘squared circle.’

Technical Director Poole said, “This is the normal U-16 tournament that is held monthly, and while we are not sure how many gyms will be competing, it is open to everyone, and participation will be confirmed at the registration.

“As of now, all the gyms have been invited to compete. This is very important for the youth as we continue to work on our nursery programme.

“That is our focus be -

cause the more competitions that are staged will lead to more experience.

“This develops the fighters for the future because we will need them to transition and take over from the seniors in the not-so-distant future, so we have to continue this process.”

Meanwhile, Steve Ninvalle, President of the GBA, said, “This is simply the resumption of our regular programming, which is the emphasis on the continued evolution of our nursery programme.

“This initiative is the proverbial bread and butter or staple of the association’s long-term development

framework. It provides empirical evidence of its success by creating and maintaining an assembly line of talents that have continued to dominate the English-speaking Caribbean region.

“This was displayed at the Winfield Braithwaite Caribbean Schoolboys and Juniors Championship, where Guyana won the most medals and emerged again as the overall champion.

“The GBA will continue to institute this programme and expand on its scope by introducing other participating gyms, which will add another dimension to the apparatus.”

The Guyana Boxing Association continues to invest in their youth

Ben Stokes (right) trained with the England one-day team in Cardiff on Thursday

GBC’s Republic Bank Nat 50-over KO U-23 club tourney

DCC beat Albion to advance to today’s final against N/E’bo

By Sean Devers

DCC beat Berbice Champions, Albion, by six wickets yesterday at Bourda to advance to today’s final of the GCB Republic Bank National U-23 knock-out 50 overs club tournament against Essequibo zone winners, North Essequibo, at Bourda from 9:30 am.

DCC dismissed Albion for 128 in 44.4 overs before galloping to 130-4 in 31.5 in a tournament marred by substandard scores.

On a flat track which offered some assistance to the spinners and a parched outfield, DCC won the toss and opted to field.

The game commenced 32 minutes late because of the late arrival of the Berbice team due to malfunctioning brakes on the team bus when they stopped for breakfast at LBI resulting in them waiting for another bus which came from the City.

Under an almost cloudless Sky in sweltering heat, Jeetendra Outar's off stump was sent cartwheeling by pacer Kareem Whitney for 1 at 5-1.

Tameshwar Mangal (8) and the left-handed national U-17 batter Ari-Afrizal Kadier, who favoured the cut, took the score to 20.

However, Mangal meekly tapped a fast, short ball from

off-spinner Nkosi Beaton to slip for a soft dismissal.

The technically correct Kadier and the right-handed Damion Cecil joined forces.

They both increased the tempo after a careful start and shared in a 41-run stand against a spin attack which bowled a bit too fast and flat.

Kadier, who made 20 from 78 balls with two fours, edged a flipper from back-of-the-hand left-arm spinner, Daniel Mootoo to the keeper, as Albion slipped to 61-3.

Mootoo struck again when Afraz Dudhoo (4) was caught at cover at 74-4 and after Damion Cecil was sent packing by Bea-

ton after facing 58 balls in his 38 with three boundaries. Naeem Khan struck a couple of massive sixes in his 16 from just six balls before he was LBW to Mootoo at 117-7.

Khan and Devin Lallbeharry (6) added 23 for the seventh wicket before they both departed in the space of a run as none of the other batters from the ancient county passed 12.

Beaton capitalized on the inability of the Albion batters to use their feet and pick the gaps, to take 4-20 while Mootoo, the tournament’s leading wicket-taker, bagged 3-20 to take his wicket tally to 16.

When DCC’s run chase

commenced, the tournament’s most senior batter, Sachin Singh, continued his ordinary form in this tournament when the lefthander executed a big shot off the second ball he faced and was bowled by Leon Cecil for ‘duck’ as the home team were off to an inauspicious start.

Brandon Jaikarran hit a wonderfully constructed unbeaten innings; making 52 from 89 balls with two fours and three sixes with the left-handed wicket-keeper showing good defence while dispatching the bad balls for boundaries.

Jaden Campbell hit three fours in 45-ball 20 before he was bowled by Tameshwar Mangru

at 34-2 before all-rounder Inderjeet Nanan and Jaikarran carried the 87 with a solid 53-run stand before Nanan, who reached the ropes thrice in 23, was caught and bowled by Cecil.

Jaikarran played some lovely cover drives and soon reached his 50 but with score on 98, National U-19 left-hander Shamar Yearwood’s poor form continued when he was bowled by spinner Kumar Deopersaud for 10 to leave DCC on 98-4.

However, Guyana U-17 Skipper Jonathan Van Lange (10 not out) and Jaikarran saw the Queenstown side to victory.

ExxonMobil pumps $4M into Primary School Tapeball Tournament

FL Sport will coordinate the inaugural Future Warriors Tapeball Tournament, a Primary School event that the title sponsor, ExxonMobil, has seen as an investment into youth and their future.

The two-day tournament was officially launched on Thursday at the National Library, Georgetown.

In a pilot initiative, 12 primary schools from Georgetown will compete in the inaugural tournament set for September 9 and 10. The ultimate prize at this point is that the winning team will be ‘adopted’ by the Guyana Amazon Warriors during the home leg.

Amazon Warriors will arrive in Guyana on Monday, September 11, and play their first home match on September 13 and the last group match four days later.

Throughout this period, the winning team will have numer-

ous interactions with the squad. According to Ryan Hoppie, ExxonMobil Guyana Community Relations Advisor, there would be novelty matches between the students and players.

Hoppie related there is more considerable emphasis on ExxonMobil given the benefit of

investing in youth and creating a greater interest in the sport.

These comments were amplified by Shaun Massiah, Competition Chairman for the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA).

Massiash welcomed the move as clubs seek to boost their

youth programme, and with an impending U-13 tournament, he believed this would form a key scouting ground.

Meanwhile, Co-Director

for FL Sport, Romario Samaroo explained that the format will be eight overs per side, and a team can field 11 players from their squad of 13. It will be contested

on a straight knock-out basis, and boys and girls can form one squad.

On Saturday, all matches will be at the Everest Cricket Club, Camp Road and Carifesta Avenue, while the top three teams progress to the finals at the Guyana Defence Force Ground, Base Camp Ayanganna, on Sunday.

Both match days commence at 09:00h, and the organisers will provide bats, balls, and transportation free of cost to all of the participating schools, along with various meals and refreshments throughout the playing days.

Some confirmed schools are Graham’s Hall Primary, St. Margret’s Primary, West Field Prep, Stella Maris Primary, St. Angelas Primary, St. Ambrose, St. Pius Primary, St. Gabriel’s, Winder Gardens, and F.E Pollard Primary.

Brandan Jaikarran made 57 not out yesterday at Bourda Daniel Mootoo (left) who has the most wickets in the tournament took 3-20 and Nkosi Beaton who had 4-20

The right-handed Damion Cecil bats during his top score for Albion at Bourda yesterday

— winning school to be 'adopted' by Guyana Amazon Warriors

Students, teachers, along with organisers and sponsors at the launch of the inaugural Future Warriors Tapeball Tournament for Primary Schools

Some of the prizes up for grabs

FESUPO South American Women’s Classic Powerlifting Championships

Sanmogan lands 4 gold & silver on debut; Abrigo also solid as gold

TWENTY-one-year-old

Sarah Sanmogan, competing in the 69kg Junior category, made a memorable debut, battling against all the challenges thrown at the athletes to power her

18:43hrs here, the deadlift never got started until after 12:58hrs with Abrigo taking the final lift of the day at 02:45hrs, a powerful display of grit and determination as she lifted 202.5kg (446lb).

as she, despite being on the verge of ‘bombing out’ as she failed to get her first and second attempts in the bench press, finally made good on her last attempt, of 80.0kg which was good enough to land the gold medal.

Sanmogan, who also entered the South American Women's Classic Bench Press Championships, took the gold medal from Pulceio

press, Abrigo was well behind her rivals, Iolanda Costa of Brazil who was the number one ranked athlete going into the competition, and the home girl, Mia Hurtado who was ranked second.

With an accumulated figure of 237.5kg as a result of her best squat of 162.5 and bench press of 75.0kg, Abrigo was trailing Costa who was, up to then, in the gold

Press Championships, 76kg

Open bronze medal.

Despite taking the deadlift bronze with 155.0 kg, Costa walked away with the overall silver medal with her Total of 437.5kg.

It was a massive performance by the young ladies, GAPLF President Franklin Wilson informed, noting that being on the ground with the team and seeing all the members supporting and looking out for the females was pleasing in the circumstances.

Wilson commented: “This is nothing short of a vintage performance and display of real grit and deter-

being the President.

“I’d also like to mention the efforts of Coach Kerma Singh and all the members of Team Guyana including 79-year-old Naranjan Singh who spent every minute with us, lending support.”

Wilson reiterated that it was nothing less than a wonderful display of true team spirit in challenging conditions. It was another late night of lifting yesterday, Thursday with Kheon Evans battling in the Men's Classic Powerlifting Championships, 83kg Open Class.

He took on lifters from Bolivia, Uruguay, Columbia, Chile, Brazil, Surina-

way to four golds and one silver when the 10th edition of the Annual FESUPO Regional Powerlifting Championships commenced on Wednesday in Lima, Peru.

It was unprecedented territory for the two Guyanese females on day one of the competition as well as for the host nation -- Peru, along with Brazil, Suriname, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Uruguay, and Columbia.

The Fesupo Executive Committee was surely out of its depths as it failed to have the requisite systems in place to deal with the number of athletes, well over one hundred. The Guyanese were slated to enter the platform at around 15:00hrs, Peru time -- one hour behind Guyana.

However, they never got into action until after

It was a historic and memorable display from the Guyanese duo and by extension, the other female athletes affected by the lack of proper systems in place.

Nonetheless, the show continued and the performances were heartwarming in the very cold conditions here in Peru.

Sanmogan came into the competition as the highest-ranked junior in her class and showed why as she racked up a best squat of 155.0kg which was good enough for the silver medal behind, gold medallist, Daniela Pulceio of Chile (165.5) and bronze medallist, Luana Delgado of Uruguay, with 152.5kg.

Somehow, the coldness of the arena added energy to Sanmogan’s performances

and Delgado, in that order.

The deadlift also proved to be golden for Sanmogan whose 175.0kg was 5kg better than Pulecio and Delgado, who managed 142.5kg.

The young Guyanese Total of 410.0kg sealed the gold, Pulecio being edged out by 2kg with Delgado having to settle for the bronze with 357.5.

Abrigo, contesting the 76kg Open category had the distinction of closing off an unforgettable day with an unforgettable performance to seal the deadlift and overall gold medals. After the first two lifts, squat and bench

medal position with 282.5kg (squat 170.0kg/bench press 112.5kg) and Hurtado, in silver up to that point with 242.5kg (squat 157.5kg/ bench press 85.0kg).

Conscious of her ability to blow away the opposition in the third and final lift, that’s exactly what Abrigo accomplished. Her massive pull of 202.5kg (446lb) was more than enough to relegate her competition to the silver and bronze medals. Hurtado managed 180.0kg which was only good enough for the bronze medal. Abrigo also won the South American Women's Classic Bench

mination as well as discipline by these athletes. One had to be on the ground to understand what has been achieved by these athletes. We were at the venue before 08:00hrs and they never got going until close to 19:00hrs. They ended up going until almost 3:00 AM here in Peru, this has never happened before in all my years covering this sport as a journalist and now

me, and the host nation. Meanwhile, today – Friday -- three lifters will be in action as Guyana hunts more medals. Leroy Trotman will contest the 93kg Open Class as will Wazim Mohamed who will also compete in the Men’s Masters 1. Bjorn Williams will chase after glory in the Men’s 105kg Open cate -

gory

GAPLF President Franklin Wilson with the golden duo of Sarah Sanmogan (right) and Keisha Abrigo at Fesupo, 2023 in Lima, Peru

Keisha Abrigo powers up 202.5kg (446lbs) in the wee hours of Thursday morning in Lima, Peru

Sarah Sanmogan was good for a 155kg (341lb) best squat on debut for Guyana