Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 10-05-2023

New infrastructural projects have transformed the country’s landscape, especially along the coastland, where new road linkages are not only complementing the development of new housing schemes, but also opening new lands and making travel easier for commuters (Office of the President photos)

New infrastructure transforming Guyana’s landscape

NEW infrastructural projects have transformed the country ’ s landscape , especially along the coastland , where new road linkages are not only complementing the development of new housing schemes , but also opening new lands and making travel easier for commuters.

President , Dr . Irfaan

Ali commented on the benefits of the new infrastructural developments during a site visit to various projects in Georgetown and across the coastland

While on the site of the ongoing construction of some 200 young professional homes at La Bonne Intention , East Coast Demerara, Dr Ali said that while some 200 homes are currently under construction, another area further down is being developed for some 500 additional homes

He added : “ What is important to note here is this massive additional housing development will not be connected to the old infrastructure system.”

The roads in and out of the area will connect to the newer infrastructure that is currently being put in place at Ogle and also in Georgetown

Dr Ali said this will connect the community to the city without those intending to reside in the area having to use the older roads

“So, all these new development at the back here are front lands in a sense that they will all be connected to the new highway system,” he remarked

Further, Dr Ali said the homes being constructed in the area for this young professional scheme are similar to those that were built along the East Bank of

–– President Ali says backlands now becoming front lands with critical investments

He said : “ But when you come out and people see the level of investment, infrastructure and effort that is going behind transforming the country and building out , then they get a realisation as to what is happening.”

In 2022 alone , the PPP/C Government built and maintained more than 180 bridges , and some 1,651 kilometres of roads along the coast and across the hinterland

The President said this is part of the infrastructural overhaul which started when the government assumed office in August 2020

At the end of 2022, a total of 351 bridges have been built in communities across Guyana, and from 2020 to the end of 2022, the government has built and maintained more than 3,670 kilometres of roads in communities across the country “ This gives you an idea of the magnitude of work that we have done at a national level, at the community level, at the regional level, notwithstanding severe challenges with shortages of construction material, shortage of labour , and imported inflation,” President Ali had said

The 2023 budget saw massive increases in funds for key infrastructural upgrades , such as roads and bridges, housing , and power generation

Comparatively , in 2019 , total investment on roads and bridges through the budget amounted to $11.8 billion, while in 2023, some $131.5 billion was allocated to this area In the area of housing development, less than $1 billion was spent in 2019, but in the 2023 budget, that area received $53.1 billion.

-Demerara

President, Dr Irfaan Ali conducted site visits to various projects in Georgetown and across the coastland

New infrastructural projects have transformed the country’s landscape, especially along the coastland, where new road linkages are not only complementing the development of new housing schemes, but also opening new lands and making travel easier for commuters (Office of the President photos)

The 2023 budget saw massive increases in funds for key infrastructural upgrades, such as roads and bridges, housing, and power generation

Trump sexually abused writer E. Jean Carroll, must pay her $5 million — jury says

(Reuters) - DONALD Trump must pay $5 million in damages for sexually abusing magazine writer E. Jean Carroll in the 1990s and then defaming her by branding her a liar, a jury decided on Tuesday.

"Today, the world finally knows the truth," Carroll said in a statement. "This victory is not just for me but for every woman who has suffered because she was not believed."

The former U.S. President, campaigning to retake the White House in 2024, will appeal, his lawyer Joseph Tacopina told

reporters outside the Manhattan federal courthouse.

Carroll, 79, testified during the civil trial that Trump, 76, raped her in a Bergdorf Goodman department store dressing room in Manhattan in either 1995 or 1996, then harmed her reputation by writing in an October 2022 post on his Truth Social platform that her claims were a "complete con job," "a hoax" and "a lie."

Trump was absent throughout the trial which began on April 25. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump called

the verdict a "disgrace" and said, "I have absolutely no idea who this woman is."

Because it was a civil case,

Trump faces no criminal consequences and, as such, there was never a threat of prison.

The jury, required to reach a

unanimous verdict, deliberated for just under three hours. Its six men and three women awarded Carroll $5 million in compensatory and punitive damages, but Trump will not have to pay so long as the case is on appeal.

In April, Trump gave election regulators only the rough estimates of his wealth that are required in financial disclosures, listing over a dozen properties as worth "over $50 million" each.

'CORE PRO-TRUMP VOTERS ARE NOT GOING TO CHANGE'

President from 2017 to 2021, Trump is the front-runner in opinion polls for the Republican presidential nomination and has shown an uncanny ability to weather controversies that might sink other politicians.

It seems unlikely in America's polarised political climate that the civil verdict will have an impact on Trump's core supporters, who view his legal woes as part of a concerted effort by opponents to undermine him.

"The folks that are anti-Trump are going to remain that way, the core pro-Trump voters are not going to change, and the ambivalent ones I just don’t think are going to be moved by this type of thing," said Charlie Gerow, a Republican strategist in Pennsylvania.

Any negative impact is like-

ly to be small and limited to suburban women and moderate Republicans, Gerow said.

Trump has cited the Carroll trial in campaign fundraising emails as evidence of what he portrays as a Democratic plot.

He has said Carroll, a former Elle magazine columnist and a registered Democrat, made up the allegations to try to increase sales of her 2019 memoir and to hurt him politically.

His poll numbers improved after he was charged last month with falsifying business records over a hush money payment to a porn star before his victory in the 2016 presidential election.

The first U.S. president past or present to be criminally charged, Trump has pleaded not guilty and said the charges are politically motivated.

Lis Smith, a Democratic strategist, said it remained to be seen whether the verdict in Carroll's case would make Trump "unpalatable" to Republican voters beyond his base, prompting them to coalesce around another candidate.

The trial featured testimony from former People magazine reporter Natasha Stoynoff, who told jurors that Trump cornered her at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida in 2005 and forcibly kissed her for a "few minutes." Another woman, Jessica Leeds, testified that Trump kissed her, groped her and put his hand up her skirt on a flight in 1979.

Jurors also heard excerpts from a 2005 "Access Hollywood" video in which Trump says women let him "grab 'em by the pussy."

Continued on page 5

E. Jean Carroll departs from the Manhattan Federal Court following the verdict in the civil rape accusation case against former U.S. President Donald Trump, in New York City, US, May 9, 2023 (REUTERS/Andrew Kelly)

Trump sexually abused writer...

From page 4

"Historically, that's true, with stars ... if you look over the last million years," Trump said in an October 2022 video deposition played in court. He has repeatedly denied allegations of sexual misconduct.

TRUMP MISTAKES CARROLL FOR EXWIFE

Carroll testified that she bumped into Trump at Bergdorf's and agreed to help him pick out a gift for another woman. The two looked at lingerie before he coaxed her into a dressing room, slammed her head into a wall, pulled down her tights and penetrated her, she testified. Carroll said she could not remember the precise date or year the alleged rape occurred.

Jurors were tasked with deciding whether Trump raped, sexually abused or forcibly touched Carroll, and were separately asked if Trump defamed Carroll. The jurors found Trump sexually abused her but not that he raped her.

Before the jurors began deliberating, Judge Lewis Kaplan defined rape for them as non-consensual "sexual intercourse" through "forcible compulsion." He described sexual abuse as non-consensual "sexual contact" through forcible compulsion.

Jurors awarded Carroll $2 million in compensatory damages and $20,000 in punitive damages for her battery claim, and $2.7 mil-

European Commission VP to visit Guyana in June

lion in compensatory and $280,000 in punitive damages for her defamation claim.

Trump's legal team attacked the plausibility of Carroll's account including why she had never reported the matter to police or screamed during the alleged incident.

Two of Carroll's friends said that she told them about the alleged rape at the time but swore them to secrecy because she feared that Trump would use his fame and wealth to retaliate if she came forward.

Carroll told jurors she decided to break her silence in 2017 after rape allegations against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein prompted scores of women to come forward with accounts of sexual violence by powerful men. She went public with her account while Trump was president.

She said Trump's public denials wrecked her career and instigated a campaign of vicious online harassment by his supporters.

While Trump did not testify at the trial, a video clip from the October 2022 deposition showed him mistaking Carroll for one of his former wives in a blackand-white photo among several people at an event.

"It's Marla," Trump said in the deposition, referring to his second wife Marla Maples. Previously Trump had said he could not have raped Carroll because she was "not my type." (Reuters)

FIRST Vice-President of the European Commission (EC), Frans Timmermans, is scheduled to visit Guyana next month, making him the highest-level European Union (EU) official to ever visit Guyana.

Timmermans’ visit is expected to span two days; a large part of his visit is expected to surround discussions on climate change, and sustainable development.

A Dutch politician and diplomat, Timmermans has been serving as the EC First Vice-President since 2014. Since 2019, he has been the Executive Vice-president of the European Commission for the European Green Deal and European Commissioner for Climate Action.

Timmermans’ pending visit was revealed on Tuesday by EU Ambassador to Guyana, Rene van Nes, as he delivered remarks at a “Europe Day” event that was held at the Georgetown Club.

“The world is starting to notice what Guyana is doing, especially when it comes to protecting its forests and the Executive Vice-President is responsible for the EU Green Deal and working on making sure that the EU becomes the first continent that is climate

neutral by 2050. We are working with partners to do it. So he's really here to help Guyana in doing that,” van Nes related.

Approved in 2020, the European Green Deal is a set of

policy initiatives by the European Commission geared at making the EU climate neutral in 2050. The plan is to review each existing law on its climate merit, and also introduce new

legislation towards this.

Meanwhile, Guyana has gained massive attention as a growing leader in climate change and environmental preservation after becoming the first country to finish the Architecture for REDD+ Transactions (ART) process for producing high-integrity, Paris Agreement-aligned carbon credits.

In December 2020, Guyana was issued 33.47 million REDD+ Environmental Excellence Standard, (TREES) credits for 2016 to 2020.

The country made a landmark agreement with Hess Corporation selling 30 per cent of the carbon credits in a multiyear agreement for at least US$750 million

According to van Nes, the delegation of the EU in Guyana is currently working out the details of the agenda for Timmermans’ visit.

“Today I was talking with the government about his programme. He is very keen to meet with the media, and we will organise during his visit an engagement with the media, so that he can speak on his agenda, climate change and the role that Guyana plays in that,” van Nes said.

First Vice-President of the European Commission (EC), Frans Timmermans

A Model of Multiculturalism

GUYANESE recently observed Arrival Day. In his message to mark the occasion, President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali extended greetings to all Guyanese and lauded the contributions of our ancestors from all ethnic groups.

As said by the Head of State in his message on Arrival Day, “On this day, declared a public holiday, we pay homage to our African, Asian, European and West Indian ancestors who together with our indigenous peoples laid the foundation of our country's ethnic diversity, each contributing, in no small measure, to our

country's attainment of freedom and its development.”

In short, all of our ancestors play a significant role in the economic, social and cultural development of Guyana. They all added value to our ethno-cultural mosaic, which is uniquely and distinctively Guyanese.

In this regard, there is not much to be gained by seeking to project the importance or contribution of one group over the other.

Such ethnocentric views are, at best, puerile and certainly dysfunctional in terms of the realisation of the One Guyana vision to which President Ali and the PPP/C administration

are fully committed. President Ali could not have been more correct when he observed in his Arrival Day message that it is through the process of multiculturalism that we are successful as a society to benefit from the rich cultural heritage of our respective peoples.

Guyana's multiculturalism brings together the cultural traditions of Asia, Africa, Europe and the West Indies and in the process help to forge that sense of oneness. These distinct and varied strands are being weaved into a singular, strong and unified national fabric, where differenc -

es are acknowledged, recognised and respected.

This is exactly what the One Guyana vision is all about. It builds on, and draws sustenance from our diversity and multiculturalism.

It is, therefore, a natural progression of the shared sentiments and values of our ancestors who, even though they came from different lands and from different boats, had collectively strived to create a single nation-state, of which we are all proud — a free, unified and prosperous Guyana.

This is not in any way meant to downplay the

monumental contributions of our Indo-Guyanese ancestors who arrived 185 years ago and who, today, constitute the largest segment of the Guyanese population.

The arrival of Indian immigrants in large numbers over the period of Indentureship, had over time changed the demographics of the then colony, as well as the economic and social infrastructure of the then emerging colonial edifice.

Now we are all, as it were, in the same boat collectively facing the challenges of our development. Guyana, today, is a vastly different place from what

our foreparents came and met.

Looking down from the heavens, they would no doubt be proud of the progress made by their descendants and off-spring, and the direction in which the nation is heading, where all Guyanese regardless of race, political or religious orientation have an equal opportunity to contribute to the growth and prosperity of the country to the full limit of their potential.

This is exactly how our foreparents would have liked to see it. Indeed, Guyana has now become a model of multiculturalism and unity in diversity.

Does economic development result in less crimes?

Dear Editor, THERE is a popular theory that expanding economic development would lead to a decrease in criminality through making available several opportunities for jobs, housing, medical care/ access, social and occupational mobility, and other forms of empowerment.

However, as attractive as this theory might appear, it has not worked for some countries, like the USA, that have experienced increasing crime with expanding economic development. I sought to explore, therefore, if this theory could apply to Guyana. An analysis covering the period 2014 to 2022 shows that expanding economic development has not led to an increase in criminality.

As Guyana advances in its development thrust, the incidence of serious crimes reported to the police has been declining after 2014, while the GDP has been expanding rapidly from 2019 partly because of oil production and revenues.

The chart shows the relationship between economic development as measured by GDP and crime. An index for crime and GDP was created using 2014 as the base to allow for comparison.

I utilised the Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r) to determine if there is any relationship between expanding economic development and an increase or decrease in criminality.

The existing data show a negative but weak correlation (r -0.452, not significant P<.05). As GDP increased, crime moved negatively in the opposite direction, that is,

it declined from 2015 to 2022.

Property crimes (burglary, larceny, robbery), for example, had declined by 28.9 per cent from 2019 to 2022, while crimes of passion (murder, wounding, rape) showed a slight increase of 1.5 per cent for the same period.

One might also want to contend that GDP growth is not necessarily a good indicator of economic development.

Well, to augment the GDP, the UNDP’s Human Development Index (HDI) has been referenced. Guyana scored 0.65 in 2017 (medium development) but three years later (2020), its HDI score

increased by 10.9 per cent to 0.721 thus making the country a “high human development” category.

Guyana shares the same HDI category as Jamaica and Suriname, but falls below Trinidad and Tobago with a HDI score of 0.81 (very high). In 2021, there was a slight drop in Guyana’s HDI index. A perfect HDI score is 1.0.

With massive spending on education, health, housing, water, infrastructure, and job creation the HDI index is expected to rise above the 2020 level in 2023. These data indicate that economic development and human de-

velopment exist in a symbiotic relationship, and that GDP could indeed be utilised as a genuine indicator of economic development. (The HDI is compiled by UNDP and is based on three indicators: (I) long and healthy life, (2) access to knowledge, and (3) decent standard of living.

While there is a weak negative relationship between GDP and crime in Guyana, this should not obscure the reality that certain types of crime, like rape, stir the conscience of people, and when its incidence rose by 83 per cent between 2019 and 2021, that could not offer any solace to citizens.

A sigh of relief occurred when it was reported that the incidence of rape declined by 23.7 per cent in 2022. But the 2022 figure was still high (N=255). The incidence of wife murders also rattles the nation and does not paint a good picture of social control methods deployed by the authorities.

Murders are integral to the domestic violence situation. Often role conflicts and

infidelity are the main precipitatory factors of domestic violence.

While economic development has not led to an increase in criminality so far, it is difficult to predict if this condition will persist into the future and for how long.

Keeping crime under control would depend on several factors: (1) economic: implementation of policies for reduction in poverty and unemployment, empowerment programs; (2) psychological: reduction of hopelessness and reduction of relative deprivation; (3) social: the effectiveness of rehabilitation/reform programmes: (4) law enforcement: the quality of policing and law enforcement; and

(5) societal response: the level of tolerance for crime and the effectiveness of the partnership between policing and community groups. Public safety must always be a top priority.

Sincerely

Dr Tara Singh

The relationship between economic growth and crime

Mon Repos residents welcome new roads, signs in Block 8

— commend gov’t for keeping promises

By Cindy Parkinson

IN keeping with government’s plans to advance development in communities throughout Guyana, the Ministry of Public Works has been working assiduously on significant infrastructural projects.

Mon Repos on the East Coast of Demerara is one of the communities that is benefitting from these works.

The Guyana Chronicle recently spoke with several residents who all expressed their gratitude to President Dr Irfaan Ali and his government for delivering on their promises to rehabilitate the "deplorable" roads and streets in the community. These works are ongoing.

Sham Persaud, a resident of “Front Street" in Block 8, disclosed that the roads were always a "pain" to use.

He told this publication that sometimes there wasn’t anywhere to drive or walk, especially when the rain fell.

"I would leave early in the morning to go to work, but when the rain falls, I have to stay home to help the children get to school, because they can’t walk on the road,”

he said, before adding that the holes were so big that a car could fit inside.

“Right now, we are very thankful for the government because they came and fixed the roads. We can go and come as we please, whether we are walking or driving. We don’t have to worry about the weather or where we will walk anymore. We are happy that there is a sign in front of our block too; it makes the place look really good," he added.

Singh (only name given), an elderly resident, also related the frustrations he endured because of the state of the roads.

He said: "I used to live overseas, and now I am back in Guyana. I love and enjoy

Continued on page 8

Before and after photographs of streets in Block 8

Mon Repos residents ...

From page 7

my country, that is why I am back here, but I couldn’t even enjoy a good walk. My grandchildren couldn’t get to school without getting dirt on their shoes, and my son used to wash his car almost every day, especially when it was rainy season.

I am happy that I can take my afternoon walks and my morning strolls without getting mud on my feet or walking in holes. Thanks to the government and what they are doing, not only in Mon Repos, but I see they are all over Guyana helping the people in all the villages, and that is good."

The resident who is in his late 70s said that throughout his life, he has never seen a president or a government that is in every community and meeting with the people.

"I lived in New York, but I travelled to a lot of countries, and I can tell you I have never seen anything like what we are experiencing here in Guyana right now. It is the right thing to do for the people and the

country. The government is supposed to work for all the people of a country, and I am proud to know that we have a government that is doing that for the nation," he said.

Finally, the Guyana Chronicle spoke with Seon Robinson, a taxi driver, who said: "As a taxi driver, it used to be very difficult for me to get into most of these streets to do pickups and drop offs. I mean, it went from bad to worse, and most of the streets we couldn’t go into, especially when it rained.

Even though I don’t live in this area, I work here,

32 ICT hubs operationalised in hinterland communities so far for 2023

and most of my customers are from this area. I am also very happy for the people in the community, and I am very happy for us, the taxi drivers. With better roads, we wouldn’t have to spend so much on our vehicles in the mechanic shops, and that is wonderful.

“I am hoping that this government continues to do wonderful work all across the country, and we are thankful for them."

Seon also used the opportunity to thank the government for including the young people in the country’s developmental process.

RESIDENTS of various hinterland communities could now easily access the internet as 32 Information and Communications Technology (ICT) hubs have been operationalised thus far for the year 2023.

The units contain both desktop and laptop computers, along with free Wi-Fi connection. This was confirmed by the Industry and Innovation Unit of the Office of the Prime Minister, on Tuesday.

The free hubs will benefit students, teachers, and other persons.

Specifically, it will be convenient for persons who are pursuing studies through the Guyana Online Academy

of Learning (GOAL).

Additionally, persons can now undergo further online training provided by the government and other stakeholders.

The hubs will also help other villagers to become technologically “savvy,” by allowing them to surf the internet freely, gaining additional knowledge, and even help them to become aware of employment opportunities.

This will significantly transform hinterland communities, bringing them up to speed with technology.

Some residents of these 32 communities will also benefit from the hub managers’ training.

The training is scheduled

to commence in June and will last for two weeks.

During this year’s budget presentation, Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d), Mark Phillips, had said that 100 ICT hubs will be operationalised this year to benefit a number of hinterland communities.

“This is a benefit that the people should have had before 2020. This is a benefit we’re committed to ensuring that the people will start enjoying in this year 2023,” he said.

Establishment of the ICT hubs is a collaborative initiative between the Industry and Innovation Unit and the National Data Management Authority. (DPI)

Taxi driver Seon Robinson

The newly built and operationalised ICT Hub at Agatash, Region Seven

Low-carbon investments will transform national, village-level mechanisms

By Cindy Parkinson

PRESIDENT Dr. Irfaan

Ali-led's administration has prioritised advanc-

are already under implementation.

According to the government, it will support low carbon initiatives

shows the low-carbon development areas that were financed under the first LCDS:

ing programmes aimed at economic development, social upliftment, and food security for hinterland communities.

The Government of Guyana has outlined two avenues for forest carbon financing for Amerindian Villages; 15 per cent of all its earnings from forest climate services go directly to the Amerindian Villages, and the remaining 85 per cent of earnings, part of that will go towards investments in hinterland development, including in the areas of education, healthcare, infrastructure, land titling, digital connectivity, and other areas.

These are part of the vision of the expanded Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030.

Amerindian villages will benefit from more than the 15 per cent direct allocation; these villages will directly benefit from every facet of the LCDS 2030, particularly the projects involving renewable energy and climate change adaptation and mitigation. Several of these projects

at the community level, income generation activities, and programmes aimed at boosting food security at the village level.

The framework known as REDD+ was developed by the Conference of the Parties (COP) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to direct activities in the forest sector that reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, as well as the sustainable management of forests and the conservation and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries. A recognised certification/accreditation platform for carbon credits is the Architecture for REDD+ Transactions Environmental Excellence Benchmark (ARTTREES), which Guyana has been utilising for its programme.

Under the first phase of the LCDS, Norway has paid Guyana a total of GUY $46.2 billion, or about US$220 million, in results-based payments since 2009.

The diagram below

These monies have been used in part to build the nation's low-carbon infrastructure, finance renewable energy, guard against flooding, create green jobs, and advance the land titling programme for all remaining title requests. Approximately 13 villages have received absolute grants through the Amerindian Land Titling (ALT) programme, with Region Nine's Yupukari being the most recent recipient. The village received a 145 square-mile land extension in June 2022, making it three times larger than its previous size. The designation of 21 villages took place, and 19 received Certificates of Title, the last stage in the titling procedure.

LCDS 2030 continues the work started in each of these areas and expands low-carbon development across all communities in Guyana.

(This is part of a weekly series on LCDS.) The author can be contacted at cparkinson0206@gmail. com.)

Millets: Forgotten then found

community seed banks in India help diversify crops to revive biodiversity, improve nutrition

ONCE again , it hasn ’ t rained enough in the monsoon season in Bihar , an

eastern state of India The wells have gone dry, and 27-year-old Pudi Soren

has to travel to the riverside to grow crops, such as chickpeas and rice, that provide neces-

sary calories and sustenance in the winter months

One crop that she can

plant near her home in this season is finger millets Finger millet doesn’t require a lot of water to grow It needs very little fertilizer, and it is full of protein

“We have forgotten about some crops ,” says Pudi “When we were children, we saw crops such as finger millets too, but people stopped their cultivation for many years.”

Over the past two decades, communities in central and eastern Indian states had largely abandoned the cultivation of oilseeds, pulses and small grains such as millets due to trends and other pressures This led to a loss of the seeds and knowledge of how to grow them But the decline in their cultivation has contributed to serious malnutrition and loss of genetic diversity in the area

Pudi recently started growing these crops again from seeds she initially received from a Benefit-sharing Fund project in India, administered by the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and implemented by the non-profit organisation, Public Advocacy Initiatives for Rights and Values in India

“My husband and I have a small piece of land, but we did not grow much previously, because we lacked the necessary resources ,” describes Pudi “Three years ago, the project gave us seeds and encouraged us to do farming Now I am proud to be a farmer.”

The Benefit - sharing Fund is a component of the FAO International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, which works to support farmers in developing countries to safeguard and use plant genetic diversity for food security and to cope with climate change The project in India works to increase resilience in farming practices, enhance nutrition and support livelihoods by reintroducing and improving farmers ’ access to oilseeds , pulses and small grains

Pudi values the many advantages that millets bring her . “ We can grow finger millet in the rice fallow season and summer , and they do not need fertilizers; some cow dung is sufficient It is a good source of protein in our meals, and my children like the biscuits that I make with the flour.”

COMMUNITY SEED BANKS

Farmers in Pudi ’ s area each used to harvest a single type of crop during monsoon season With the launch of five community seed banks, the project contributed to diversifying locally grown crops “We get seeds from millets, amaranth, lentils, mustard and pigeon peas from our nearby community seed bank We return the seeds after har-

vesting Many more people have become interested in different types of crops after seeing us The areas where people grow pulses, oilseeds and millets is expanding in our village,” explains Pudi

The community seed bank is key to ensuring farmers ’ timely access to seeds without having to travel far . It also serves as a training centre and a meeting place for farmers to work together with scientists from nearby agricultural universities Farmers learn how to grow the crops sustainably and how to save the seeds for future seasons They also participate in trials to select seeds that best cater to their needs and preferences

Retrieving seeds from seed banks and growing these forgotten crops also saves them money . “ In the past , we bought oil , wheat and pulses from the market and spent 500 to 600 rupees every month Our expenses have been halved since we started cultivating these crops I use the money for the education of my children,” explains Pudi

“There are problems that we face as smallholder farmers Rainfall is reducing And when there is little rainfall, like this year, irrigation becomes expensive Thankfully, finger millets can be grown with less water,” Pudi states, describing how the changing climate has affected her farming

“

What I grow sustains my family, but in the future, I want to sell my surplus on the market I hope that projects like the one I am participating in with the Benefit - sharing Fund will continue to support farmers in my village and farmers around the world.”

To date , the project has returned the in situ cultivation and conservation of 94 varieties of 42 crops

The project aims to reach a total of 1 250 farmers, mostly women, from rural communities in central and eastern Indian states 250 farmers will receive seeds from the five seed banks that have been established through this project, while a further 1 000 farmers will benefit from technical capacity building through workshops , Farmer Field Schools, knowledge exchange, information materials and visits

Pudi continues to promote the saving, sharing and caring for seeds , like millets , that may have been forgotten but are of global importance

In September 2022 , she addressed the International Treaty Governing Body , where 150 countries and more than 400 participants were present, to share her experience and stress the significance of reviving the use of forgotten seeds and having access to crops that grow well locally

This type of support that the Benefit - sharing Fund supplies is the linchpin to resilient and bountiful livelihoods. (FAO)

Scout Association, US NGO ink MoU to pave way for STEM robotics camp

THE Scout Association of Guyana ( SAG ), on Tuesday afternoon , signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with US-based non-profit organisation , ‘ Where We ’ re From ’, for the holding of a STEM ro-

Commissioner , Yonnick David, later explained that the MoU was for the administration of the 2023 STEM robotics camp and will benefit youths across Guyana

botics camp in August.

The agreement was inked during a simple ceremony at the association’s Woolford Avenue head office

Chief Commissioner of the Scout Association, Andrew Ramcharitar, underscored the importance of the signing to the youths of Guyana

He said : “ We ’ re trying our utmost to get the youth members from the country involved in constructive activities One of the things people have seen here is we don’t want the members to be out on the corners, throwing dice

We want a constructive programme so that we’re going to be able to mold them into better citizens of the country, and more so in their communities.”

He noted that SAG has units all around the country and constantly works to develop constructive programme for its members

Youth members , according to him , begin scouting at age seven

“We have three different sections [or] units if you want to call it so We have (from) seven to 10, 11 to 15, and 15 to 19,” Ramcharitar disclosed

SAG ’ s Deputy Chief

Meanwhile, the NGO’s director, Jessica Abrams, said that the two organisations will collaborate to host the three-week camp from August 14 to September 1.

She informed that the camp will take the format of half day sessions

Additionally, Abrams and two other educators will be coming to Guyana to facilitate and teach the STEM robotics curriculum

Attention will also be given to youth development. “Specifically, young women’s leadership, and young men’s leadership We ’ re catering for students as young as six to 16,” Abrams explained “ We ’ ve created our own curriculum, infusing engineering , mathematics [and] technology. So hopefully, the collaboration will set up a framework for future collaborations, instead of this being a one - time STEM camp to being a consistent programming of stepping up what Guyana already has,” she added

The focus on STEM has been accelerating over the years Presently, there are STEM clubs spread across the country

The Scout Association of Guyana has been in existence since the early 20th

century It was first introduced to Guyana by Sergeant Major George Manley, who saw the need for a youth organisation that could teach boys valuable life skills , and instill in them a sense of civic duty and responsibility

Today , scouting is stronger than ever in Guyana . The association is committed to promoting values such as community service , leadership, self-reliance, and remains dedicated to helping youths to develop the skills they need to become responsible and well-rounded adults.

(Faith Greene)

From left: Deputy Chief Commissioner Yonnick David, Chief Commissioner Andrew Ramcharitar and Director of ‘Where We’re From’, Jessica Abrams, at the MoU signing (Adrian Narine photo)

Block-making initiative helps alleviate labour shortage —

PRESIDENT, Dr. Irfaan Ali, on Tuesday, applauded Leopold Street residents who are participating in the government’s block-making initiative, and urged them

President Ali says

to get others on board with the project.

The Head of State made these remarks during an impromptu visit to the facility, where some 10 young men recently

began the block-making exercise.

While he interacted with the young men who were present, he told them that they have to build the company and work togeth-

er as they are a critical part of the changing of their environment and communities as a whole.

He added: “Your story got to be an inspiration for other young people. We want young Guyana to emerge better and stronger so your stories got to be an inspiration.”

President Ali further said that the opportunity that they have is to not only do something for themselves and their families, but also their communities, and to demonstrate that they have the ability to be positive developers of Guyana.

Those already in -

volved, he said, should encourage those who are ready to be actively involved in the workforce to get on board, since there is enough work for everyone to do given that there is a labour shortage.

“Part of what you’re doing is to give back to the communities. I want you guys who have made the effort to come forward to help the others, go and talk to them, reason with them to come on board because more people on board [means] more families are better, more lives are improved,” President Ali remarked.

Further to this, the

President committed to ensure that those persons who are a part of the programme are provided with the necessary tools that are needed to complete the job.

This project is being conducted through the Community-based Employment Stimulation project under the Ministry of Housing and Water.

The blocks produced as part of this project will be used in the ministry’s housing programme and even allow residents the opportunity to construct their own housing units.

President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, on Tuesday, applauded Leopold Street residents who are participating in the government’s block-making initiative

The government’s block-making initiative is taking shape (Photos courtesy of Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar)

More field support imminent in agricultural sector

–– as ministry launches first session of new extension system programme

THE Ministry of Agriculture, on Tuesday, held the first session for its new extension system programme at the Zara Computer Training Centre under the theme : Delivering Extension Services in the New Dispensation.

It was developed in an effort to deliver improved extension services to farmers across the country

Approximately 250 agriculture extension officers from the 10 administrative regions will , over the next

security in Guyana , while playing a leading role in the regional food security efforts

“As a government, one of our main objectives is to improve and increase outputs in the agriculture sector Therefore, we need our extension officers to be more aggressive, responsive, reorganised, and result - orientated ,” he noted

Minister Mustapha further noted that given Guyana’s potential to become a lead exporter of both fresh and processed agricultur -

“ For continued growth in the agriculture sector, we need a robust and coordinated extension and advisory services system that is accessible to all farmers and rural families This system should be equipped with the latest technologies and knowledge to ensure that farmers are aware of the best practices and methods to enhance their productivity and profitability

“There should be a focus on educating farmers and rural families on the importance of adopting sustain -

ment’s plan to revamp and restructure the extension arm of the ministry Officers from the Guyana Livestock Development Authority , Guyana Rice Development Board , Na -

tional Agriculture Research and Extension Institute , New Guyana Marketing Corporation , the Fisheries Department, and other agencies under the ministry’s umbrella will, during

the course of the day and in the coming weeks, be given extensive training in keeping with the government’s goal of delivering better services to farmers across the country.

Agriculture Ministry commences ‘new dispensation’ training for extension officers

few weeks , be exposed to various techniques aimed at revamping the way services are delivered to farmers This is as the government works to facilitate an increase in the production of both traditional and non-traditional commodities

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha said extension officers serve as the primary link between policymakers and farmers , therefore extension services should be delivered in a way so that the government’s policies and vision for the sector can be achieved

He stated that following his engagements with farmers across the country and extension staff , it became evident that the ministry ’ s extension arm needed revamping as part of the regional food security agenda.

“The policies of the Ministry of Agriculture , which are guided by the government will help us to ensure this sector is developed into a robust sector As critical players in this sector , we are obligated to ensure we achieve and maintain food

al products , investments are being made to improve transportation, logistics, food standards , and traceability within the agriculture sector

“Being cognisant of accelerating agriculture production and boosting intra-regional trade, the Government of Guyana is creating an enabling environment that will strengthen the agri-food system As such, there has been an increase in both public and private investment in the agriculture sector In light of the policy direction, it is necessary that the agricultural extension system be restructured to accommodate the expansion of agriculture production,” he added

To ensure sustainable growth in the sector , the minister said certain systems need to be implemented While underscoring the importance of integrating technology and updated agricultural techniques into daily agricultural operations, Minister Mustapha said that having regional leaders with the ability to drive innovation and productivity in the sector was critical

able agricultural practices and the most cost-effective techniques Most importantly , however , we need to create regional leaders in agriculture who will drive innovation , efficiency , and productivity in the sector,” Mustapha said

Over the last few months, the ministry has developed a Regional Plan for Agriculture Transformation in each Region, which will guide the efforts to support the development of the sector

Further , boundaries for the 31 extension districts within the 10 regions have since been established as well as a standardised reporting format for all regions to improve data management and analysis capabilities

The new system which is expected to take effect as early as June, will see extension officers being multi - functional and equipped with the skillset to address issues relating to every aspect of the sector.

Earlier this year, Minister Mustapha met with the regional agriculture coordinators to discuss the govern-

Empowering women, changing lives and building businesses

Omrayan Pillow Enterprise’s products

GUYANA ’ s job market continues to evolve , and more women are considering entrepreneurship as a viable career path.

Cognisant of this , the government continues to deliver on its mandate to empower them through the implementation of programmes specifically designed to provide opportunities for growth and development

Recently, 1,400 women across the 10 administrative regions, successfully completed certification courses facilitated by the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security’s Women’s Innovation and Investment Network (WIIN) programme

Of these women , 650 have gained employment while another 350 have started their own businesses

Three established business owners shared their journey with the Department of Public Information (DPI).

Mother of two and a former insurance agent, Omiana Kellman ’ s desire to start Omrayan Pillow Enterprise stemmed from her discovering a missing niche market

“ I started this business because one day I was looking for a pillow, and there were no shops or supermarkets at that time, and in order for me to get one, I had to go all the way to Georgetown, and you know with the traffic and everything, it was very hectic So, the idea came,” she recounted

Omiana expressed that as a first-time business owner, she experienced difficulties with managing her time and finances

“At first it was a challenge Everything was a challenge, one of my biggest challenges was time management, because owning a business, you have to complete the task at a certain time so that your orders can be completed So, I had to work a lot on that.”

With help from the WIIN programme, she applied prudent business principles and learnt to overcome these challenges

“During the WIIN pro-

gramme they taught me how to manage my time properly by creating a plan and then working on a step from that to accomplish making your product, to get it on time to customers,” she recalled

Omiana was awarded cash grants from the Small Business Bureau (SBB) and the WIIN programme to offset the cost of inventory.

“When I started off my business first, I got funding from the small business bureau , through the ministry and they gave me my first start I purchased a machine and raw materials And with the WIIN program , I was given another opportunity to get financial assistance and I also purchased some raw materials.”

She reflected on how much she has accomplished and encouraged budding entrepreneurs to take the opportunities being offered by government to help start or improve their businesses

“I would like to encourage anyone that wants to improve their business and even want to start their business to join the WIIN programme, it is very good and it has helped me And now I am able to provide, not just for myself , but for my family and also encourage my girls to be independent and to own their own business.”

The programme aims to empower women and promote gender equality in employment

Stay-at-home mom, Lisa Francis’ motivation to start her business came from a desire to do more for her family She took advantage of the unlimited resources available online and decided to fill a gap in the market

“I decided to look at videos and decided you know what? I want to start making bags, and I see it as going far I see myself as going far in the bag business

I know that in Guyana we don’t have like a major bag company that does production , so I decided that you know what, I can

–– WIIN programme fortifies efforts to enhance lives of women

Empowering women, changing lives

From page 14

...

start this and get some kind of brand, a Guyanese brand,” she related.

While Lisa is confident that her business will grow exponentially in the coming years, she admitted there were hurdles she first had to cross

“I had a domestic machine and those machines are basically just to sew fabric materials, which would be clothes, and I had a very hard time using those on the faux leather to make the bags.”

The initiative provided her with the necessary tools to establish her business, including how to create a business plan, how to register her business, and how to secure cash grants and start-up loans

The comprehensive programme also provides training to women in both the manufacturing and service industries

Similarly, Marcia Trotz recognised a need in the local market for spas and is working towards closing the gap

“I went to Trinidad and I explored and realised that spas are outnumbering salons in Trinidad So, I was like, wow, spa would be very good in Guyana,” she recounted

After her return to Guyana in 2018 , Trotz experienced a few challenges when transitioning from Modfin’s Salon to Modfin’s Salon and Spa

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, she started losing clients Nevertheless, sheer perseverance and determination helped her overcome this stumbling block

“I said, you know what, I have to catch the clients that home, home-based, so I started doing home services like a home service.”, she recollected

Marcia expressed gratitude for being part of the WIIN programme and added that the support she received played an integral part in the successful reestablishment of her business

“I was very pleased to be a part of the WINN programme, helping young women especially, and that was good, the course was very good,” she said

“They teach women what to do in your business, how to prepare a business plan, how to actually start growing back Like I said, after the pandemic, I actually needed that,” Marcia recollected

These women are just a few examples of the many success stories emerging from the WIIN programme

The impact of the programme extends beyond the success of their established businesses

They have become role models to their children, and women in their respective communities and continue to break barriers for women across the nation

The Women Innovation and Investment Network was launched by the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security under the theme “Tomorrow’s Entrepreneurs, Empowered Today.”

Since the programme’s 2021 introduction, it has seen a large increase in participation, recording over 10,000 applications in the past year

For more information on how to access these courses, visit the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security’s Facebook page, or call 229-2751 or 229-2842. (DPI)

‘Sir Mars’ murder suspect arrested

POLICE have arrested the male suspect in the murder of Kirwyn Mars, a well-known entertainer and educator who was killed at Perseverance , East Bank Demerara, on Sunday

The suspect , who lives at John Fernandes Limited ( JFL ) Squatting Area , was arrested at his workplace in Georgetown, on Tuesday

He was arrested by police after they reviewed CCTV footage from the Perseverance community The suspect , however , reportedly confessed , but purportedly maintained that Mars’ death was accidental

The Guyana Chronicle was made to understand that the suspect told investigators that he had known Mars for a

while now

It is alleged that on the night in question, Mars contacted the suspect on his cellphone and invited him out for “drinks.”

Mars , the suspect said , picked him up (the suspect) in his grey Mitsubishi RVR vehicle, registration number PZZ-6438 and they visited a popular drinking spot along

Dead: Kirwyn Mars

Cemetery Road

After consuming almost two cases of beer, the men then decided to leave the location.

See page 16

Sectional road repairs to begin soon in East Ruimveldt

RESIDENTS of East Ruimveldt will soon benefit from road enhancement, as Minister of Public Works , Bishop Juan Edghill, has committed to facilitating sectional repairs in a number of areas in the community.

The minister, on Tuesday, conducted a walkabout in the area, visiting California Square, Market Street, and Texas Circle, inspecting the state of the roads there

The minister said poor drainage has contributed significantly to the under-

mining of the roads, adding that persons have reached out concerning this

“We’re going to be able to do some sectional repairs to make commute in these areas better, while we deal with the flooded roads,” he related

The ministry’s Special Projects Unit will visit the area shortly to assess and commence the process

Repairs on the road arteries linking the community to Mandela Avenue and West Front Road were also discussed , as the current state of these roads poses a difficulty for commuters

“We’re going to do like what we would have done in other areas We are going to put in a concrete strip so they don’t have to be in the mud Not everybody owns their own car, some people still use public transportation When they get off their buses or are going to their buses, they must be able to get there tidily, so we are

going to be bringing them out of the mud,” he said

He made an appeal to the motorcyclists who regularly traverse these areas at breakneck speed to extend consideration for the residents

“Once you fix a strip, it looks like the bikers believe that this becomes their racing circuit, so we have to be able to appeal to them to get better co - operation for the children and for the elderly.”

On Monday, Minister of Agriculture , Zulfikar Mustapha , also paid a visit to the area, where he announced that critical drainage works will be executed within two weeks’ time. (DPI)

‘Sir Mars’ murder suspect

From page 15

The pair allegedly travelled to Diamond via the Mandela/Eccles highway, but during the journey, they had a misunderstanding which turned physical

The suspect claimed that during the brawl, he grabbed a bottle and struck Mars on the head, but Mars armed himself with a knife from the car and attacked him

It is alleged too that he told investigators that he managed to snatch the knife away from Mars and stabbed him several times in self-defence

After receiving the injuries, the suspect said that Mars stopped the car and exited the driver’s seat and walked to the back of the vehicle

Further, it is alleged that the suspect said that while attempting to recover his fallen phone during the struggle, he inadvertently touched the gearstick, putting the car in reverse, and accidentally slammed into Mars, crushing him

The suspect told police that he became scared and fled the scene on foot before taking a taxi home His bloodstained clothes were retrieved at his home on Tuesday

Police in their report, said that Mars attempted to escape from the vehicle, but the suspect reversed the car, hitting the victim and pinning him against a fence on the eastern side of the street, which runs north to south. The suspect then exited the vehicle and fled on foot in a southern direction

The incident caused shock and sadness in Guyana, as Mars was a respected figure and well-known entertainer and educator.

Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill conducted a walkabout in East Ruimveldt, on Tuesday

IRI urges greater cross-party collaboration

THE International Republican Institute (IRI) recently hosted a two - day forum aimed at fostering greater cross - party collaboration and strengthening legislative practices in Guyana.

According to a release from IRI, the event brought together retired Congressional Representatives from the United States, former Deputy Chief of Staff and District Director Karen Glaser , and Guyanese Members of Parliament (MPs) from both the government and opposition parties

The forum, held on May 2 and 3, 2023, at the Guyana Marriott Hotel , Kingston , Georgetown, was attended by participants who engaged in discussions to explore possible solutions and exchange ideas on making Guyana ’ s democracy more inclusive and resilient

U S Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch, in her opening remarks said: “It is truly my sincere hope that everyone participating will come together to exchange ideas and possible solutions , not only with the former congressmen and professional chief of staff, but also with the government as a representative parliamentary institution that speaks for all Guyanese citizens.”

Ambassador Lynch encouraged MPs to actively engage in discussions because their contributions “give life to the democratic values that we all collectively cherish.”

She also expressed the US’ commitment to support Guyana ’ s democracy to be -

come stronger, more inclusive, and more resilient

Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira delivered opening remarks on the second day

The government and opposition MPs acknowledged the high level of professionalism practised by the parliamentary staff in delivering support, and expressed optimism about finding ways to foster greater cross-party collaboration

Resident Programme Director, Carin Mirowitzz, said:

“ IRI looks forward to continuing to support the work of leaders building Guyana’s democratic resilience.”

The IRI’s legislative forum was among several activities being delivered with support from the National Endowment for Democracy (NED to strengthen engagement among Guyanese leaders and citizens, especially marginalized groups such as youth, women, indigenous peoples , and persons with disabilities

From left are former U S Member of Congress Hon David Price, Deputy Chief of Staff (retired) Karen Glaser and former U.S. Member of Congress Hon. Erik Paulsen sharing their legislative experiences with Guyanese Members of Parliament

U S Ambassador to Guyana Sarah Ann-Lynch delivering opening remarks at IRI’s legislative forum

Norton refused to co-operate with SLED forensic investigation

–– Audit report reveals

LEADER of the Opposition and People ’ s National Congress Reform (PNC/R), Aubrey Norton, had refused to co-operate with a forensic investigation into Sunflower Development Group project under the Sustainable Livelihood & Entrepreneurial Development (SLED) initiative

According to the audit report , the project is located at Congress Place , Sophia — the PNC / R ’ s headquarters The audit team along with two persons from the Regional Executive Officer’s (REO) office visited on November 29, 2022

The two employees engaged an individual at the offices located in the PNC / R ’ s compound and notified them about the purpose of the visit The team was given the green light to inspect the facility and conduct the investigation as per the norm

After inspecting the facility, the team was then attempting to approach an individual who is aligned with the project to partake in an interview that is conducted with the beneficiaries from the various projects

“Upon entering the building, Mr Aubrey Norton and a few other individuals approached the team and stopped them They then inquired about the reason for the team’s presence and the purpose

“Personnel from the team of auditors then identify themselves and Mr Norton stated that they were never informed of this prior and no written request was ever sent to them Mr Norton further stated that if there is no letter from the minister then they will not partake in any form of conversation or interaction with the team,” the report said

The team of auditors were then asked to vacate the premises at a moment’s notice to which the team adhered to

However, based on the investigation conducted, it was found that the Sunflower Development Group is not registered with the Department of Co-operatives

Additionally, regarding a generator that was allocated for this project, the encasement was removed and it was left open From the physical observation of the said generator, the audit team said that it looked inoperable

The Opposition has been called out for grabbing millions of dollars’ worth of grants under the SLED programme that was intended to benefit single parents and other vulnerable citizens

A total of $760 million was disbursed under the SLED programme from 2015 to 2020, in increments of $115 million, $40 million, $100 million, $150 million, $250 million and $105 million, respectively

However, when questioned about this development during a press conference last week, Norton said that he saw nothing was wrong with the MPs accessing funding

“Our position is simple Any citizen has the right to access the financial system that loans under the SLED programme Once they did not violate any rules that said as Members of Parliament or something they couldn’t, I see no problem Once everything was done within the confines of the law, then I see no problem whatsoever,” Norton said

The capital programme was first catered for under the then Ministry of Communities but was later transferred to the then Ministry of Social Protection In 2020, it was transferred to the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development

In that same year, after the PPP/C assumed office in August, the Ministry of Labour began assessing the disbursed funds and how the projects from previous years have impacted community development

From the physical assessments conducted by the ministry of the 2019 projects in Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice), several alleged instances of “fraud and criminality” are said to have been detected

Several of the business ventures were done under co-op societies. However, it was discovered that several of the co-ops were not registered with the co-ops division of the Labour Ministry.

Leader of the Opposition, Aubrey Norton

Mahaicony vendor who allegedly killed wife remanded

A 50 - year - old Mahaicony vendor who, allegedly murdered his wife , Kim Halley , was , on Tuesday , remanded to prison Kim Halley’s lifeless body was found at the Alpha Hotel, Public Road Ogle , East Coast Demerara (ECD).

Junior Halley appeared before Magistrate Alisha George at the Sparendaam Magistrate Court for the capital offence

He was not required to plead to the charge that, on May 4, 2023, at Public Road Ogle, ECD, he murdered his 46-year-old wife

The vendor was remanded to prison until June 22, 2023

According to information from the police, the woman and her husband arrived at the hotel and checked into room 235 around 13:45

hours on May 4

Around 14:30 hours, the hotel staff reportedly heard screams from the room, and about 15 minutes later, the suspect exited the room and left the hotel

Staff then discovered the

door was slightly open and found the woman lying motionless on the bed

A report was made to the police, and the EMT was summoned Halley was pronounced dead at the scene

Halley ’ s body was examined, and 13 stab wounds were seen on her face, hands, and body

“

A further examination was made, and a wound measuring 10 inches in width and five inches in depth was seen on her neck The white bed sheet was soaked in blood

A knife handle without a blade was seen next to the body on the bed The blade was subsequently found in the deceased woman’s hair, covered in blood,” the police said

Junior later turned himself over to the Criminal Investigation Department

(CID) headquarters

The couple were married for several years. However, there are claims that the victim was subject to abuse before her demise and moved out of the businessman’s residence about two months ago

DEAD: Kim Halley

REMANDED: Junior Halley

Holiday spending mirrors China’s economic vitality, boosts global growth confidence

(Xinhua) China’s tourism and consumption have been firing on all cylinders during the just-ended May Day holiday, showing the country ’ s extraordinary economic resilience.

From the latest tourist hotspot Zibo, a low-profile industrial city in east China ’ s Shandong Province now famous for its iconic barbecues, to a camel-riding traffic jam at a desert spot in the northwestern Chinese city of Dunhuang , resorts across the country were swamped with millions of Chinese tourists during the five-day holiday

China ’ s tourism and consumer activities “rose

sharply on the first day of the five - day Labour Day holiday” as residents “ rushed to travel and spend” after the country optimized its COVID - 19 response measures , Bloomberg reported

VIGOROUS MOMENTUM

Eye-catching data related to the holiday has reflected the strong vitality and resilience of the world’s second-largest economy.

The Chinese people made 274 million domestic trips during the five - day break that began on April 29, soaring 70.83 per cent

from the same holiday a year earlier, and 19.09 per cent more than the holiday in 2019 before the COVID-19 outbreak , the Ministry of Culture and Tourism said

Tourism revenue reached about US$21.44 billion, surging 128.9 per cent from last year, according to the ministry

The booming tourism has effectively driven growth in transportation and catering, as well as accommodation and retail trade

From April 27 to May 4, 133 million railway passenger trips were made nationwide , 27.94 million more than during the May Day holiday travel rush in

2019, data from China State Railway Group Co ., Ltd showed

The number of daily passenger trips served by China’s railways reached 19.66 million on April 29, a new record high for single-day passenger traffic.

Sales of key retail and catering enterprises increased 18.9 per cent from the May Day holiday in 2022, according to the Ministry of Commerce

CBS News reported that “ China ’ s tourism industry has not missed the chance to cash in ,” which serves as a boost for the country’s economic recovery

Since the beginning of

this year, China’s consumption has shown an upward momentum

China ’ s retail sales of consumer goods rose 5.8 per cent year on year to 11.49 trillion yuan (1.67 trillion dollars) in the first quarter, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

“ Consumption growth has picked up significantly in the first quarter as COVID - triggered restrictions on consumption gradually waned and pro - consumption policies paid off,” said NBS spokesperson Fu Linghui

He added that consumption is playing an increasingly prominent role in driving economic development, contributing to 66.6 per cent of China’s growth in the first quarter, which is a remarkable improvement from last year

“Consumption has led China’s economic growth so far this year ,” U S news website Axios reported , adding that “ record-breaking travel and consumption during the May Day holiday could offer a needed economic boost.”

BOOSTS GLOBAL CONFIDENCE

The astonishing performance of the Chinese economy during the May Day holiday has boosted confidence in international tourism and supercharged the global economy.

During the holiday, the outbound travel market picked up . Some popular overseas destinations like Thailand and Singapore saw an influx of Chinese tourists

Chinese visitors came to Singapore in flocks , which increased the business of some vendors by 20 to 30 per cent and made it hard to buy a ticket at several tourist spots, said the city-state’s Chinese-language newspaper Lianhe Zaobao

Data from Alibaba ’ s travel branch Fliggy showed that orders for outbound trips during the May Day holiday increased by 200 per cent compared to this year’s Spring Festival

Another leading travel platform Trip . com Group also reported that during the five-day holiday, outbound travel orders increased nearly 700 per cent from the same period of last year , with the number of outbound air tickets and hotel orders surging by nearly 900 per cent and 450 per cent, respectively

China ’ s economic vigour has grabbed the headlines, and many institutions are upbeat about the country’s growth prospects and its positive contribution to the global recovery

“A rebound in China is essential to support global economic growth this year, as the United States and Europe lose steam amid rising interest rates, stubborn inflation and anxiety over pockets of instability in the banking system ,” The Wall Street Journal reported

Growth in Asia and the Pacific is projected to increase this year to 4.6 per cent, up from 3.8 per cent in 2022 , the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on Wednesday “

The biggest driver of Asia’s upward growth revision this year is China, while other emerging economies in the region are on track to enjoy solid growth , though in some cases at slightly lower rates than seen last year,” the IMF said in a press briefing on its latest regional economic outlook

World Bank Group President David Malpass announced earlier in April that the lender has raised its global growth forecast for 2023 to two per cent from 1.7 per cent due to China’s recovery

China pursues high-quality population development to support modernisation

(Xinhua, May 9) China has sent a clear signal to adapt to the new normal in its demographics in an effort to boost modernization by improving the overall quality of its population.

According to a meeting of the Central Commission for Financial and Economic Affairs held last week, China is currently experiencing a trend of birthrate decline, population aging , and differentiation in regional population growth

The latest official data showed that China’s pop-

ulation reached 1.41175 billion at the end of 2022, a drop of 850,000 from that at the end of 2021

“ A slight decline in population size and an increasingly aging society are inevitable during the economic and social development,” said He Dan, Head of the China Population and Development Research Centre.

But China’s supply of workforce remains rich, given its population of more than 1.4 billion Besides , the country ’ s working-age population is close to 900 million, and

15 million more join the workforce every year.

At the same time, China’s talent dividend, as a result of more education input,s is growing More than 240 million people in China have received higher education The number of research and development personnel in China ranks top in the world.

To advance Chinese modernization, last week’s meeting said China should speed up the development of modern human resources with good quality , sufficient

quantity, optimised structure, and reasonable distribution

Over the past years , education has proved to be an important channel in improving the quality of China ’ s population and has created a growing talent dividend

According to the meeting, China will take the building of educational power as a strategic project, and comprehensively improve the scientific and cultural literacy, health , intellectual and moral levels of the Chinese people

Responding to popu-

lation aging, Lu Ming, a professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, said the country can tap into the experience and wisdom of senior citizens

Among Chinese seniors aged 60 years and over , around half are between 60 and 69 , according to Lu A lot of them have advantages in knowledge , experience, and skills, and their health is still good , Lu added They can continue to make contributions to society on a voluntary basis

While highlighting the

work to develop human resources , Hu Zuquan , a researcher with the State Information Centre, stressed the need to safeguard population security Last week’s meeting underscored more efforts to maintain an appropriate birthrate and population size . China will develop inclusive childcare services , reduce the burden on families of child - bearing , child-rearing, and education, and promote the building of a child-bearing-friendly society, according to the meeting.

(Global Times, May 09) Brazil’s Suzano SA, the world’s biggest producer of hardwood pulp, may accept yuan for exports of its products to China, a further sign that the yuan’s internationalisation has gained momentum, while the US dollar is losing its dominance in commodity markets, experts said.

China’s currency is growing in importance and smaller customers there are requiring deals linked to yuan, Suzano CEO Walter Schalka said in an interview at Bloomberg’s New York headquarters, the media outlet reported on Tuesday

China is the largest commodity buyer and takes 43 per cent of Suzano’s pulp While the dollar remains dominant, the use of the yuan in contracts for everything from oil to nickel is gathering speed, the CEO was quoted in the report as saying

Analysts said that the company’s move is the implementation of the results of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s visit to China, during which he called for BRICS countries to settle trade in their own currencies

On April 12 , China ’ s largest commercial bank, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China,

Yuan’s globalisation accelerates as world’s biggest hardwood pulp producer

–– more traders expected to settle deals in Chinese currency

Yuan’s globalisation accelerates as world’s biggest hardwood ...

From page 21

processed the first cross-border yuan settlement in Brazil at its local branch there, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Benefitting from the steady development of China’s economy, open financial market and the continuous construction of the yuan cross-border payment system, the currency’s internationalisation has accelerated, experts noted

“More countries, economic organisations and large enterprises around the world are increasingly inclined to settle their trade with China in the yuan, due to its stable value, compared with the ups and downs of the US Fed’s monetary policy,” Wang Peng, a research fellow at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Tuesday

In recent years, the trend of de-dollarisation in the international monetary system has increased significantly, mainly due to the US’ abuse of its dollar hegemony and continuous weaponisation of the currency and payment system

In addition, in order to solve domestic economic contradictions, the fluctuations of US monetary policy have brought serious negative spillover effects, causing a series of problems for many countries such as financial market turmoil, worsening debt crises and serious inflation

“The decline of the dollar’s hegemony has led to a rise in demand for non-dollar currencies such as the yuan, objectively creating opportunities for the internationalization of the Chinese currency,” the expert said

Pakistan-based newspaper, The News International, recently cited an unidentified source as saying that Pakistan might pay for a test cargo of 750,000 barrels of crude it plans to import from Russia in yuan The cargo will probably reach Pakistan by June.

In February, Iraq’s central bank said that it would trade with China in the yuan

In April, Argentina announced that it would start paying for Chinese imports in yuan rather than in US dollars

Wang said that in the future, the yuan will play a bigger role in global payment and settlement, foreign exchange reserves as well as third-party pricing Currency Composition of Official Foreign Exchange Reserves data released by the IMF showed that as of the fourth quarter of 2022, the yuan accounted for about 2.7 per cent of global foreign exchange reserves, ranking fifth among major reserve currencies

In May 2022, the IMF lifted the weighting of the yuan in the Special Drawing Rights basket from 10.92 per cent to 12.28 per cent, reflecting recognition of the increased free access to the Chinese currency

“The continuous progress of yuan internationalisation will be conducive to enhancing China’s status and voice in international finance and trade, and further allow the world to enjoy the benefits of the country’s vigorous economic development,” Wang said

Miles for Moms set for Saturday

IN an effort to demonstrate their commitment to building a healthier Guyana, STRIDE592 is set to launch with a 5K walk/run dubbed "MilesForMoms", slated for Saturday, May 13, 2023, the day before Mother's Day.

As its name suggests, this inaugural 5K race was created to celebrate women, especially those who mothered and nurtured the society we exist in, and promote a culture of healthy living to foster longer lives.

Following a route that starts from the National Park with a pre-race soca warm-up, the walk/race will move along the Seawall Road and back down the historic Carifesta Avenue, ending at the National Park with a post-race festival featuring local businesses, food, drinks, kids' games, entertainment, and health activations.

Organiser of the activity and Founder of STRIDE592, Onika Jervis said that MilesForMoms is just the beginning of a lifetime commitment to executing professional walks/runs/timed-events of this nature. In fact, she explained that STRIDE592 was founded to sponsor year-round fun walking and running events to enhance the exposure of the community to the health, social and economic benefits of moving.

"STRIDE592 is com -

mitted to building a healthier Guyana, one person, one family and one community at a time. That means while we are walking, running and moving, we will be investing our time and assets to bring awareness to issues and provide resources to sustainable programmes and organisations that are improving the quality of life for people who need it the most," Jervis said.

For the event next month, she said they have partnered with Healthcare International to elevate the conversation about health benefits of walking, running and moving.”

This inaugural 5K aims to attract seasoned runners, walkers, youth teams, fitness gurus, and newcomers alike. Companies and organisations, we invite you to join us to showcase that moving can bring diverse groups of people together in a healthy and fun way.

Registration fees for the 5K walk/run start at $5,000 GYD, and $1,000 GYD for the children’s 1 mile run/ walk. The first 100 registrants will receive a free commemorative t-shirt. Upon completion of the walk/run, event participants will receive a finisher medal and be treated to a post-event gathering in the National Park with curated food and beverage experiences, music and entertainment. This event will feature a kid’s zone and a health zone with blood

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER

COMPLIMENTS OF CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD

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

Answers to yesterday’s quiz:

(1) Chris Gayle - 357 sixes

(2) A B DeVillers - 19 sixes (2016)

Today’s Quiz:

(1) How many games were scheduled for IPL 2014?

(2) Which two teams contested the first IPL game in 2014?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

pressure screenings and a fresh vegetable station.

The event will support NGO partners with its resources: Friends Who Care (Guyana) and The Guyana Foundation to bring aware-

ness to the missions of the organisations: Supporting and helping women, single mothers, children and families to be safe, to grow and to thrive.

Family and friends not

participating are invited to join the fun by cheering for their favourite moms and friends along the route or joining at the post-race celebration party at the National Park.

MilesForMoms is proudly supported by MMG, The Renaissance Group, Living Turkoise, Health Care International.

ExxonMobil Boys and Girls U- 14 Tournament Briefing Title sponsors double sponsorship deal for 2023

To accommodate the significant expansion of the 2023 edition of the ExxonMobil boys and Girls U-14 schools football tournament, the title sponsors have more than doubled their initial investment.

During a press briefing for the fourth edition of the tournament at the National Library yesterday, Community Relations Adviser at ExxonMobil, Ryan Hoppie admitted that the company has upped its initial 6M sponsorship of the tournament to 13.9 million.

According to Hoppie, “It’s important for us at ExxonMobil to invest in our focus area of youth empowerment through sport.”

Co-Director of the Petra Organisation Troy Mendonca stated that they are overwhelmed by this support locally, adding that the tournament is shaping up to be one of the largest in its fouryear history.

New sponsors Guyana Shorebase Inc (GYSBI)

through their Public Relations Manager Gomatie Gangadin echoed the sentiments of Hoppie, adding that the company also sees the value

in investing in youth development through sport.

Kurt Braithwaite, Administrator of Allied Arts Division contended, “Oftentimes

people don’t see the power of sport, with sport we see unity, we see young people developing friendships, lifelong friendships.”

Mumbai make light work of mammoth 200 scoreline

(ESPNCRICINFO) - If ever you needed an example of a team walking home in a 200 chase without any stress, this was it. And in doing so, Mumbai Indians fired their IPL 2023 campaign into orbit as they made a stunning climb from No. 8 to No. 3 after razing Royal Challengers Bangalore in another six-fest at the Wankhede.

At the forefront of their march were Suryakumar Yadav and Nehal Wadhera, who put together 140 off just 64 balls in a sensational spell of on-demand boundary hitting that had seasoned bowlers such as Josh Hazlewood, Wanindu Hasaranga and Harshal Patel searching for answers.

From 101 needed off 60, Suryakumar's pyrotechnics that brought him his IPL best -- a 35ball 83 -- brought the equation down to 8 off 26 when he walked off to a standing ovation. It was his fourth fifty-plus score in his last six outings, marking a sensational turnaround in fortunes after a cold first half.

Suryakumar's partner for much of that innings, Wadhera,

made the most of his promotion up the order in Tilak Varma's absence due to a niggle. The ferocity of their partnership had a deflating effect on RCB, who now join a cluttered mid-table that has four teams on 10 points with a possibility of a fifth joining there on Wednesday night.

Behrendorff's powerplay act

Long before there was an inkling of what was to come, Jason Behrendorff set the stage alight at Wankhede by stinging his former team with the wickets of Virat Kohli and Anuj Rawat. Kohli was out giving him the charge off his fourth ball, nicking a heave that was overturned through DRS, while Rawat's top edge to an attempted scoop landed in Cameron Green's lap as he ran back from slip.

Prior to the double-strike, Behrendorff could've also had du Plessis first ball if Wadhera hadn't dropped him at midwicket. Du Plessis, though, made them pay along with Glenn Maxwell as the pair quickly offset RCB's early losses to fire them from 16 for 2 to 56 for 2 after six overs.

The Maxwell-Faf show

RCB's soft middle order has been a cause for concern all season, but Maxwell and du Plessis weren't going to die wondering. In fact, du Plessis took two fours off Chawla and continued the attack against Green. On the other side of the powerplay, Maxwell welcomed Chris Jordan -- Jofra Archer's replacement in the XI -- by pumping him for two sixes in his very first over to raise the half-century of the partnership off just 25 balls. As it turned out, it was just the start of the mayhem that was to follow.

Du Plessis was all muscle, backing away to swing cleanly if he wasn't lofting through the line on instinct. Maxwell was a mix of the inventive and the ridiculous, switch-hitting, slog-sweeping, scooping and reverse-ramping his way, treating the bowling with such disdain that you wondered if Mumbai were in for a target in the vicinity of 230. The pair had put on 120 off just 60 balls when Maxwell dragged one across the line to deep midwicket for a 33-ball 68.

Tuesday’s event also doubled as the presentation of equipment to the participating schools which total 48; 32 boys’ teams and 16 girls’ teams.

The full list of schools competing are: West Ruimveldt Secondary, East Ruimveldt Secondary, North Ruimveldt Secondary, Institute of Academic Success, Charlestown Secondary, Dolphin Secondary, New Central High, St Cuthberts Secondary, Friendship Secondary, Vergenogen, Lenora Secondary, Freeburg Secondary, Brickdam Secondary, Bishop’s High School, Chase Academy, New Campbellsville, Forth Wellington, Carmel Secondary, Tutorial High School, St Winefrides, Marian Academy, Vreed-en-Hoop Secondary, Manchester Secondary, Waramuri Top, Patentia Secondary, President’s College, Cummings Lodge, Annandale Secondary, Bush Lot Secondary, Hope Secondary, Anns Grove Secondary, Dora Secondary, Bartica

Secondary, Mckenzie High School, Christiansburg Wismar, New Amsterdam High, West Demerara Secondary, Canje Secondary, Woodley Park and Charity Secondary.

The tournament is a collaboration between the Guyana Football Federation, the Ministry of Education and the Petra Organisation as a part of the Ministry of Educations’ initiative to produce more well-rounded students.

The opening games will be held at the NIS Grounds on Carifesta Avenue while the tournament with utilize four fields including the aforementioned.

The winning schools will receive both trophies and cash prizes with first place winners receiving 300,000, second place receiving 150,000, third place receiving 75,000 and fourth place receiving 40,000. Awards will also be given to the most disciplined team, the MVP and the highest scorer.

Woodpecker Junior National Squash Tourney…

Intense action on opening night

By Sean Devers

ON a wet and windy evening at the Georgetown Club on the opening day of Woodpecker Junior Nationals on Monday, 11 matches were contested.

On Court two, in the Boys U-17 category, Louis Da Silva defeated Josh Verwey 3-0.

Coached by World over-35 Masters singles champion, Nicolette Fernandes, Verwey tried his best to put up a spirted fight but Da Silva was too good on the day as he took the first game 11-5.

Verwey offered some resistance in the second stanza and was engaged in good rallies to score a point but Da Silva eventually close off the game 11-5 before winning the third game 11-5.

Watched by a fair-sized gathering of mainly the parents of the young players and several seniors, and with rain pounding on the roof of the Georgetown Club, Ethan Bulkan beat Zion Hickerson in the boys U-11s, 11-8, 11-4 while in the Boys U-15s, Richard Rodrigues defeated Avian Wade 11-2, 11-5, 11-7.

Playing in the Boys U-13, the talented Bulkan got the better of his older opponent, Jacob McDonald 11-0, 11-1, 11-1.

Blake Edwards beat Justin Goberdhan 11-9, 11- 6, 11-5 in the Boys U-15 while in boys U-17, Demetri Lowe defeated Chad De Abreu 10-12,12-10, 11-9, 5-11 in one of the most competitive encounters of the night.

In the Girls U-15, Malia Maikoo beat Tiana Gomes 11-8, 11-5, 11-2, while Brenno Da Silva beat Nikolas Sawh 11-2, 11-5, 11-4 in the Boys U-15.

In the Girls U-17, Safirah Summer was too hot for Maikoo in her 11-3, 11-2, 11-5 victory.

The action was scheduled to continue last evening from 5:00pm with the more older Junior players on show.

(L-R sitting) Kurt Braithwaite, Administrator of Allied Arts Division; Community Relations Adviser at ExxonMobil, Ryan Hoppie; GYSBI Public Relations Manager, Gomatie Gangadin and PETRA’S Troy Mendonca. In the background are participants of the 2023 edition of the ExxonMobil Boys and Girls U-14 Tournament. (Adrian Narine Photo)

Seon Bristol Boxing Promotions

Marques signs contract to fight on ‘return of the scorpion’ Pro-Am Card

By Sean Devers

YESTERDAY at the 704 sports Bar at Lamaha and Albert streets, Guyanese pugilist Dexter ‘the Kid’ Marques signed his contract to fight Columbian Luis Carillo on the Seon Bristol Promotions ‘Return of the Scorpion’ Boxing Card from 19:30 hours on Sunday May 21 at the National Gymnasium on Mandela Avenue.

The 37-year-old Marques has fought a handful of fights over the last five years with his last outing being at the Providence Stadium in April last year.

Marques lamented that the inactivity since the pandemic has been difficult but informed that is always in the ring at the Gym and is fit and ready for his opponent.

“I am confident but don’t like talk much before a fight. I do my talking in ring” disclosed Marques, the last Boxer on the Card to sign his contract.

Present at the signing were GBBC Secretary Vikash Panday, Andrew Thorne also with the promotor Seon Bristol and his partner Charles Greaves.

It was also announced that the cost for admission is $2,000 for stands, $4,000 for Ringside and $6,000 for

VIPS while the gates will be opened from 19:00 hours.

Bristol thanked the 704 Bar for hosting the contract singing, the media, his partner and all those involved in making this Card a success, adding that this Card is his first promotion in over a year and explained that this was the reason for its name ‘return of the scorpion.’

He confirmed that a Jamaican and Trinidadian will match gloves with the Jackman siblings in the female bouts of the Amateur section of the Pro-Am Card.

The Card is a collaborative venture between Bristol Protections, the GBB and the GBA, will feature five Professional and a similar number of Amateur bouts including the female matchups.

It was also disclosed that USA based Guyanese, Elton Dharry is expected to arrive in Guyana on May 19.

The 10-bout Pro-Am card should provide an action-packed night of fistic fury for fans who are being encouraged to come in their numbers to witness the International Card which features Dharry and Marques as the headliners.

Dharry will battle Ramos Ronald of Columbia over eight rounds in a Bantamweight class while Marques will square off an eight round Super Bantamweight affair.

In the other Professional bouts; Guyana’s Anthony Augustine will fight Barbadian Emmanuel Anderson who will be making his debut in the Heavyweight division over four rounds.

In the Super Heavyweight division, Guyanese Terrence Adams will match skills with Bajan Ricardo Blackman who will also making his Pro debut.

In the Super Flyweight Division are Natalie Delgado and Darianis Garcia over six rounds.

The Amateurs will feature Joel Williamson matching gloves with an opponent from either TT or Guadeloupe, Tiquan Sampson battling St Lucian, Arthur Henry, while Shakquian James will face another St. Lucian; Emanuel Pompey will clash with a fighter from Suriname and Jamal Eastman takes on Bajan, Joel Bishops.

The May 21 Card should provide Dharry a great chance to get a warm-up fight ahead of his WBC Silver encounter in July.

Dharry will fight for WBC Silver which is one level down from a World Title and it is understood that fight is slated tentatively for July 15, 2023 at the Everest Cricket Club on Camp Road.

Dharry last fought in Guyana on April 23, April 2022 at the National Stadium at Providence when he Promoted his own fight and beat Orlando Penal for the vacant WBC International Super Fly title.

Archery introduced to SVN School

THE students and teachers of the Saraswati Vidya Niketan were, on Monday, May 8, 2023 treated to an exciting introduction to the sport of archery, by Archery Guyana.

National head coach, Nicholas Hing and Chair of the Tech Committee, Saeed Karim, visited the school to give demonstrations and have the excited students (and teachers) try out the sport themselves.

Initial discussions had been held between the principal, Swami Aksharananda and Mr Hing on

WIFBSC 2023 Championships – Antigua & Barbuda…

introducing archery to the school in its ongoing National Development Programme, in which Swamiji wholeheartedly agreed to have the sport introduced to the school. At the gathering, the students were informed of the school forming the next school club for developing archers from the grassroot to be able to eventually compete locally, regionally or internationally, with the ultimate goal of representing Guyana on the Olympic stage.

Chief of Defence Staff Col. Telbert Benjamin fires first shot

THE 2023 edition of the West Indies Fullbore Shooting Championships, which brings together the best rifle shooters in the Caribbean and further afield, fired off at the Crabbs Rifle and Pistol Range, yesterday in Antigua and Barbuda.

President of the Antigua and Barbuda Rifle Association, Thomas Greenaway, on behalf of the West Indies Fullbore Shooting Council (WIFBSC) in welcoming teams from Guyana, Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and Canada, reminded that the sport, whilst being very competitive, is contested in a family atmosphere.

“At the end of the day we all celebrate the victory of the winning team. As host, we hope that

all would enjoy the shoot and we have a fantastic time over the coming days in the individuals and team shoot.”

Chief of Defence Staff of the Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force, Colonel Telbert Benjamin also welcomed the shooters, especially to the Crabbs Training Rifle and Pistol Range.

“I know that many of you have been here before, so, welcome back. Make the best of this week, I know our boys from Antigua have been preparing vigorously, I get the chatter about all the scores. I understand that my friends from the South, the Golden Arrowhead have been preparing as well, and of course my people from Barbados have been doing a lot of work.

I look forward to the competition, I look forward to hearing the good news, I look forward to seeing the competitiveness of all of us and I look forward to the camaraderie, that is the norm within these competitions. All the best to all of you and may the better team emerge as victors here.”

President of the WIFBSC, Major Nelson of Jamaica, in brief remarks, congratulated the Antigua and Barbuda Rifle Association for pulling off this year’s competition whilst also extending a warm welcome to the Canadian Team that has always been a good friend of the WIFBSC over the years.

Special thanks were also extended to Dan Chisolm, who,,

President Nelson, informed has been single handedly responsible for the advent and implementation of electronic scoring in the Caribbean.

“Without Dan, the whole question of electronic targets probably would not have gotten off the ground as it has. I want to thank fellow shooters for being here and we all hope to have a very good week.”

Competition got cracking after Colonel Benjamin fired the opening shot from the 600 yards range to the applause of all gathered.

The Individual Championships got going with shooters engaging at the 300 yards range with 2 sighting shots and 7 rounds to count. They then

matched shots at the 500 yards range, 2 sighting shots and 15 rounds to count with the day coming to an end at the 600 yards range where they each had 2 sighting shots and 10 rounds to count.

The Guyana National Rifle Association (GuyanaNRA)

Fullbore Captain, Dylan Fields, along with defending WIFBSC Individual Champion, Lennox Braithwaite, Ransford Goodluck, Leo Ramalho (Vice Captain), Peter Persaud, Sherwin Felicen, Roberto Tiwari, Ryan Sampson, along with the USA-based duo of Sigmund Douglas and John Fraser are all contesting the Individual Championships.

The other team members are Mahendra Persaud and Team

Manager, Franklin Wilson.

On Wednesday, 300 yards shoot will be 2 sighting shots and 15 rounds to count; 500 yards, 2 sighting shots and 10 rounds to count and 600 yards, 2 sighting shots and 7 rounds to count. Thursday will be the final day of the Individuals.

The GuyanaNRA has extended sincere gratitude to The Government of Guyana, Ministry of Culture Youth and Sport, National Sports Commission, Guyana Olympic Association, Industrial Safety Supplies Inc., Secure Innovations and Concepts Inc., Queensway Security Service Inc., DHL, Citizens Bank, Sterling Products, and Star Party Rentals.

Archery Guyana head coach, Nicholas Hing demonstrating the basic shooting form to the onlooking crowd of students and teachers

Dexter Marques signs his contract in the presence of (from left) Vikash Panday, Andrew Thorne, Seon Bristol and Charles Greaves (Sean Devers photo)

Intense action on opening night

Woodpecker Junior National Squash Tourney… WIFBSC 2023 Championships

– Antigua & Barbuda…

Chief of Defence Staff Col. Telbert Benjamin fires first shot

Louis Da Silva (left) and Josh Verwey 3-0 at the Georgetown Club on Monday evening

(Sean Devers photo)

Story on page 38

Story on page 39

Team Guyana at the opening ceremony, from left: Ryan Sampson, John Fraser, Sherwin Felicen, Ransford Goodluck, Peter Persaud, Mahendra Persaud, Sigmund Douglas, Roberto Tiwari, Leo Romalho, Dylan Fields, Lennox Braithwaite, and Franklin Wilson