10th July, 2022
Free Inside
‘We are ready, we are serious’ No.106779
–– President Ali tells Saudi Arabian investors
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–– announces establishment of Saudi Arabia desk at the Ministry of Finance, plans for local embassy 03
President, Dr Irfaan Ali, on Saturday, told a delegation of more than 60 representatives from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia that Guyana is ready not only to have conversations, but to also make investment decisions (Office of the President photo)
$2.5B Madewini 02 Over 300 exhibitors 209 Guyana Fire waterfront villas, on board for 12 Service officers 13 hotel on the cards Building Expo 2022 elevated to new ranks PAGE
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SUNDAY CHRONICLE July 10, 2022
$2.5B Madewini waterfront villas, hotel on the cards
An artist’s impression of the $2.5B Madewini Waterfront Villas THE tourism sector will soon get a major boost as Ashmins Fun Park and Resort Incorporated moves to invest $2.5B to develop a new attraction called the Madewini Waterfront Villas. This major development is set to feature approximately 300 private opulent residenc-
es, a beach- front hotel and an array of modern vital amenities in an eco-friendly environment and will be secured by armed lake and land patrols. According to a release from the company, the multimillion-dollar development is a prime indication of investor
confidence in Guyana. The release noted that the idea for the villas was conceptualised by owner of Madewini Waterfront Villas, Lennox John, who wants to create a waterfront luxury community destination in Guyana. “Designed with this at its core, Madewini Waterfront Villas ensures a harmonious blend of the natural environment that respects the true ecological properties of the project area. The development will create 300 jobs and will largely comprise local content,” the company said. The villas are located some 10 minutes away from Cheddi Jagan International Airport. Some key features of this new development include a new waterfront esplanade that will seamlessly connect to, and expand the existing Madewini Villas Resort Community; an outdoor performance space, with public seating and a scenic creek link to the Demerara River along with five artificial lakes. Customers will also have access to a hotel, a public shopping centre and malls along exterior streets designed to draw visitors into active ground-floor and exterior spaces and several recreational spaces.
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SUNDAY CHRONICLE July 10, 2022
‘We are ready, we are serious’ - President Ali tells Saudi investors - announces establishment of Saudi Arabia desk at the Ministry of Finance, ahead of plans for local embassy
By Jared Liddell GUYANA continues to make its mark as one of the fastest-growing and most attractive economies in the world, with the latest indication of this being a visit to the country by a 65-member delegation from Saudi Arabia on Saturday. The visiting delegation, which comprised govern-
embassy… But, in the meantime, consider it done… As of today, there will be a Saudi Arabia desk in the Ministry of Finance. We’ll put counterpart officials just like we had desks for the CDB, for the Japanese grant; we are establishing that today,” President Ali said. The Head of State related that the move to establish a point of contact between the two countries is an im-
Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Minister of Investors Outreach Badr Al Badr ment and private sector officials, met with President Dr. Irfaan Ali and a team of Cabinet Ministers and other Guyanese officials at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre. In his address to the team from Saudi Arabia, President Ali said: “We are ready; we are serious… I have been working around the globe for exactly this. Today, I invite you to partner with us on this journey of prosperity for all the people of this country, and, of course, prosperity that would also bring benefit for the people of Saudi Arabia.” One of the immediate outcomes of the engagement was the establishment of a Saudi Arabia desk at the Ministry of Finance. “… not only a special desk; we want for you to create a special presence with the establishment of your
portant aspect of enhancing diplomatic and investment relations with the massive oil and gas- producing nation of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is ranked the 15th largest economy in the world, and recorded a nine per cent growth rate in 2021, in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic. President Ali noted that this is the opportune moment for investment in Guyana, advising the delegation that their investments will not be exclusively beneficial to Guyana, but will be a mutually beneficial agreement that would result in massive benefits to the people of both countries. The Head of State charged officials in Guyana and those in Saudi Arabia to engage their private sectors, and facilitate meetings on barriers to trade and investment. Once this is done,
there will be suggestions and agreements on how those barriers could be removed in order to improve cooperation between the two nations. Some of the main areas of interest that are being explored by Saudi Arabia are energy; transport infrastructure; housing and urban development; agriculture; tourism and hospitality; social services, including health and education, and environmental services. One particular project that was singled out as an area for partnership by President Ali is the government’s proposed Silica City project. The government, he said, within the next five years, will be moving to develop over 3,000 house lots in an area along the upper East Bank of Demerara. It is envisaged that the area at reference, once developed, will be home to over 50,000 persons within the next 20 years. The government has already allocated some 3,800 acres of State lands within the Soesdyke and Timehri areas to establish this new urban district.
President Dr. Irfaan Ali Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Minister of Investors Outreach, Badr Al Badr, said that his government is committed, and eager to pick the low-hanging fruits of investments that are available in Guyana. Badr expressed the willingness of several Saudi
companies to work with and trade expertise in the areas of tourism, energy, healthcare, construction, and manufacturing. He noted that this visit represents the first of many. “We feel this visit is the start of a historical moment between Saudi Arabia and Guyana, and this delega-
tion has an excellent opportunity for you to see firsthand what we have to offer you and your companies. We believe in the opportunities of Guyana, and we very much want to develop the investment dialogue we have recently begun with you,” Badr said.
Guyana continues to make its mark as one of the fastest-growing and most attractive economies in the world, with the latest indication of this being a visit to the country by a 65-member delegation from Saudi Arabia, on Saturday (Carl Croker photos)
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SUNDAY CHRONICLE July 10, 2022
Finance Minister ‘talks up’ opportunities in Guyana’s non-oil sectors to visiting Saudi investors
THE government has laid out an array of areas for investment in Guyana’s non-oil sectors to the delegation of high-level public and private sector officials from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Infrastructure, healthcare, tourism, agriculture, housing, renewable energy and education were some of the areas highlighted by Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance Dr. Ashni Singh at the opening of the Guyana-Saudi Arabia Investment Engagement at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre on Saturday. Minister Singh told his guests that since taking of-
fice, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administration led by President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali has sought to advance the relationship between our two countries; a relationship that began on February 22, 2012. He said that engagements like the Investment forum provide important opportunities for Guyana to deepen and strengthen its relationship with Saudi Arabia. The delegates, who are being led by Deputy Minister for Investors Outreach Badr Al Badr were informed that Guyana is projected to be the fastest-growing economy in the world, largely due to its oil-and-gas sector. And while Guyana may
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produce about 350,000 barrels of oil per day, and has a reserve that is the third largest in Latin America and the Caribbean, and the 17th largest in the world, Dr. Singh told his guests that it’s focus is not solely on oil and gas, but also on developing a strong diverse economic base by investing in its non-oil sectors. “Our government, even in our earliest days of oil production, we have placed the highest level of importance on a strong non-oil economy. Our policies are focused on developing the traditional pillars of our economy, and catalysing a rapidly growing, and highly competitive non-oil economy,” he said,
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adding: “This is evident with Guyana’s non-oil growth projected at 7.7 per cent this year, building on the 4.6 per cent growth recorded last year, and over the medium-term, non-oil growth is expected to outperform regional and global averages.” Led by President Ali, Dr. Singh noted that government has laid out a masterplan for the development of the country. In the area of energy, the delegates were enlightened about the government’s ambitious plans for an energy mix that will not only reduce the cost of electricity by 50 per cent, but also energy emissions, as Guyana plays its role in protecting the en-
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vironment. Investments in the area of infrastructure include the construction of a high-span bridge across the Demerara River, a bridge across the Corentyne River linking neighbouring Suriname and Guyana, and the commencement of the first phase of the road linking Guyana and Brazil. Opportunities, Dr. Singh said, are also available in the housing sector, as government intends to develop Silica City, a smart city, along with delivering 10,000 house lots to Guyanese per year. There is also tremendous potential in the area of tourism as Guyana has untapped potential with its eco-tourism
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product. The visiting delegation was given a glimpse of what Guyana has to offer by way of the mighty Kaieteur Falls, and were encouraged to visit and see its potential. Government’s investment in agriculture is unprecedented as the aim is to become the bread basket of the Caribbean. The minister also said it falls in line with the vision of CARICOM to reduce its food import bill by 25 per cent by 2025. He pointed out that while Guyana is ramping up its traditional agricultural sectors, investments are being made in areas such as aquaculture, and corn and soya production. (DPI)
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SUNDAY CHRONICLE July 10, 2022
Jamaica: Monkeypox patient who fled hospital back in isolation
(Jamaica Observer) THE monkeypox patient who fled the May Pen Hospital in Clarendon via a bathroom window Saturday afternoon is back in isolation at the health facility, Observer Online has confirmed. He was reportedly picked up at his home by a team made up of the police and hospital staff. Media reports indicate that the hospital’s chief executive officer, Eugena ClarkeJames has confirmed the development. A search was launched for the patient earlier Saturday after he was discovered missing. The Ministry of Health and Wellness in a statement, said it received reports that sometime after 12:00 pm the patient, who presented to the public health system on July 5, having arrived in Jamaica some five days earlier from the United Kingdom – left through a bathroom window of the facility and had a car waiting. Symptoms of monkeypox, a viral disease, include fever, intense headache, swelling of the lymph nodes, back pain, muscle ache, lack of energy, and/or rash. Person-to-person spread occurs through: direct contact with monkeypox skin lesions or scabs; contact with clothing or linens (such as bedding or towels) used by an infected
person; and coughing or sneezing. The virus enters the body through broken skin (even if not visible), the respiratory tract, or the mucous membranes (eyes, nose, or mouth). The incubation period is between five and 21 days. Members of the public who experience fever, intense headache, muscle aches and/or rash on the skin, must immediately isolate and call ahead to their health centre or doctor before visiting. All members of the pub-
lic should wear a mask, frequently wash hands and practice physical distancing, as part of infection prevention and control efforts, the health ministry said.
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SUNDAY CHRONICLE July 10, 2022
2023: The Year of the Youth
COMMONWEALTH Heads, this year, declared 2023 the “Year of the Youth,” as a demonstration of their commitment to tackling the endemic challenges facing children and young people. Following the devastating global pandemic and the tsunami of health, education, economic, employment and safety challenges it created, leaders at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) made a landmark declaration aimed at youth development. After their historic meeting, which was delayed by COVID-19, the 22page communique included commitments that would benefit young people, such as the landmark Kigali Declaration on Child Care and Protection Reform. Among 10 key commitments in the bold, stand-alone declaration, Heads pledged to make health systems strong enough to withstand the
shocks of future pandemics - particularly with a specific focus on protecting children; boost child protection and safeguard resources and tackle the primary issues that lead to children needing to be put into care and protection; collaborate with development agencies to boost aid and development assistance for children and young people, and support data collection so that interventions are targeted, and evidence-based. Additionally, officials agreed to implement education reforms agreed upon at the 21st Commonwealth Conference of Education Ministers, which focused on resilience and sustainability, learning technologies, leadership, transitions within and outside the education system, addressing disparities, and financing education. The provision of high-quality, inclusive education is a crucial component of their commitment to ensuring that
children can make up for the academic ground they lost due to the pandemic. Collectively, heads declared 2023 to be the “Year of the Youth,” reaffirming their commitment to ensure that the Commonwealth’s focus is firmly placed on the empowerment of young people, who make up more than 60 per cent of the 2.6 billion people in the Commonwealth. These results are the result of a strong, youth-led movement that sought to overcome the Commonwealth’s development challenges and culminated in a statement and action plan at the Commonwealth Youth Forum. Additionally, young people had the chance to speak face-to-face with Heads about their ideas. Layne Robinson, Head of social policy at the Commonwealth stated: “Next year is not just the ‘Year of the Youth’, it is also the 50th anniversary of the Commonwealth Youth Programme, and
I know we can achieve what is set out in this communique - particularly when I look back at what we have achieved since we started our youth programme. “Those include the many youth-led projects we have supported through the Youth Awards; the development of the YDI to enable governments and organisations to create smart, evidence-based policies and interventions for youth; our leadership on youth work education and training; our support to youth ministers on policy development and implementation; and the networks we have built, which have helped to advance causes such as climate action just to name a few of many initiatives.” The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2022 took place on 20-25 June 2022, in Kigali, Rwanda. Commonwealth leaders travelled to Rwanda to reaffirm their common values and form policies to improve the lives of all their citizens.
Fill vacancies, finalise schedule of activities to facilitate LGEs this year
Dear Editor,
THE Guyana Election Commission (GECOM) must hold Local Government Elections (LGE) this year! The lack of related definitive communications regarding such decisions allows for uncertainty and speculations concerning what might be, and also creates a general perception that administrators of GECOM are treading softly to avoid the proverbial hot coals. This conflicts with the legal basis and core constitutional mandate of the GECOM regarding conducting free and fair elections. It highlights the need for the chairwoman and commissioners to be assertive in driving the scheduled steps of a plan, towards a targeted delivery premised on the existent legal framework. One is well aware of the procedural abuse by Opposition Commissioners, who approach meetings of the commission with delay tactics. An apt example is the recent re-submitted petition regarding GECOM conducting an investigative review of occurrences related to the March 2, 2020, General and Regional Elections; although the core context matter was already responded to at the level of the High Court as well as by the chairwoman of the commission. Yet, the frequent deterring approach of irrelevant motions is frequently and conveniently used to digress from the focal issues of the commission. Given that the commission is legally
empowered to set its own rules, the time has come for the Chairwoman to deny these abuses. As it stands, the commission is in an excellent position to move forward after a highly successful period of the continuous registration cycle. Our citizens anticipate that GECOM will advance the necessary follow-up steps to produce an updated list of registered persons for further validation by way of a short claims and objection period. The final legal cleansing of the list by GECOM with the involvement of relevant political stakeholders is necessary to produce a voters list that will facilitate the holding LGE. Guyanese are extremely interested in the holding of the overdue LGE due to the important role they play in the regularisation of service to citizens and the development at the municipal, village community, and local authority levels. In various instances, the Neighborhood Democratic Councils and the municipalities are not functioning properly due to attrition where elected members died, migrated, or others have become lethargic and less efficient. As a consequence, there are too many vacancies contributing to the justification for these elections to be held without further delay as GECOM must also ensure the proper background interrogation of applicants to these key positions. From the outlook, GECOM is doing well concerning many issues at the Secretariat level under the guidance of the new proactive Chief
Executive Officer, Mr. Vishnu Persaud. However, regarding several vacancies in the Secretariat, the filling of these seem to have lost its traction of urgency after the initial advertisement and subsequent indication that consideration was being given to some applicants. Notably, there have been public responses to GECOM’s notification of sidelined persons and it is hoped that the commission members will not further subdue the necessity of filling these vacancies by advancing other frivolous matters on the agenda. Editor, Guyanese are well aware that another tactical delaying maneuver being pushed by Opposition Commissioners concerns the completion of electoral reforms. We must, however, recognise that the important LGE cannot be pushed out of the window suffering the progressive advancement of thousands of citizens and Local Government Areas because the PNC/APNU+AFC representatives feel it is convenient to suppress. Phased corrections are quite acceptable along the way since, after all, it was the same mechanism that the APNU+AFC used without complaints for the 2016 and 2018 LGEs under their control while holding the government; it must be done in phases. The nation is looking at the creation of an elections machinery that is stronger, transparent, accountable, and will produce free and fair elections. Editor, it would be remiss not to observe the
similarities of the Opposition’s Monica Thomas and Brennan Nurse election petition challenging the results of Guyana 2020 elections, which is before the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ). Only recently the Court of Appeal of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court dismissed a similar case that was brought against it, challenging the results of the last general elections in Dominica. In Guyana, we have been struggling with the performance of the Judiciary on too many matters rejected at the CCJ level; these have contributed to significantly heightened tensions that must also be looked at. However, we will have to live with the final decision and put a system in place to stop all rigging of elections. In Guyana, it is clear that the GECOM staff before, during, and after the elections were involved in highly questionable performances which caused some of them to be before court for fraud. However, the Commission of Inquiry appointed by the President must be thorough in its investigation of what took place at the March 2020 elections that caused the PNC/ APNU+AFC to put their knees on our people’s necks for five months. While all investigations, reviews, and inquiries are taking place, GECOM must hold LGE. Yours truly, Neil Kumar
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SUNDAY CHRONICLE July 10, 2022
There is always a reason to smile; seek and you shall find
Dear Editor,
AN enraged country is humiliated with the hapless “hang-over” of the Mon Repos looting, beating and burning calamity, but Guyana’s image remained intact owing to the admirable efforts of President Dr. Irfaan Ali, who represented the nation at the 43rd CARICOM Heads of Government meeting in Suriname. There, he was commended for his leadership and having Guyana’s plan lauded as “a great example.” The people of Buxton chose the company of the PPP/C Government and snubbed the solitariness of the APNU+AFC coalition. A mid-week session saw time out for sixth graders to write their 2022 NGSA and the Prime Minister of Belize, John Briceno, visiting Guyana to open a “tremendous door” for Guyana’s produce. Further, 58 years was marked since the Son Chapman incident occurred. The Bangladesh Cricket Team visited Guyana and Guyana was blessed with torrential rain and floods on the first day of the game. The hurt from a scar lingers on, but an undaunted Guyanese spirit brings cheers to smile as the week ended to celebrate EidUl-Adha. Do take a moment to ponder and wonder on the past week’s findings: 1) “This Government has embarked on a development path that is transformative. Important to that transformation are issues of public accountability, transparency and ensuring that the institutional mechanisms and systems that allow public expenditure to occur are not only strong but they are continuously renewed.” Those are words only a PPP/C government would dare to state! 2) Learn to say “no,” because we care. “Textbooks loaned to students would have to be returned or replaced before parents can access the cash grant,” Minister of Education said. Spare the rod and spoil the child. 3) President Ali has not only described Norton’s action as regrettable and disappointing, but he also called it a “demonstration of immaturity.” When will he, Norton, stop being prankish? 4) A small town Mexican Mayor married his alligator bride in a colourful ceremony to seal the nuptial knot with a kiss. Did he divorce his wife, or, is this a case of bigamy? 5) “I also call for the legal and customary rights of fishers to their traditional fishing grounds,” said Janet. Well, dis time na lang time, dis na de before time! Dem fish get smart and moved to other grounds! 6) “What Mr. Norton fails to realise is that the country needs a strong and credible opposition leader to provide the necessary checks and balances and to be guardians of the nation’s finances, particularly during this time,” Cole wrote. “If this is Mr. Norton’s position, how does he expect to be taken seriously?” There is always a joker in a pack. 7) “I was gone. I felt like I died that night. A piece of me did die that night,” stated the victim. Words every judge will remember when sentencing any rapist! 8) “Evidence of our enduring relationship lies in both public and private sectors. The numbers speak for themselves,” US Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch declared. 9) “They (the opposition) give the PPP/C so much credit that pretty soon their constituents are going to be convinced that the PPP’s invincible and what’s the point going up against them?” wrote Tom. Giving up before it started! 10) “I consider it unnecessary to be repetitive.” The Honorable Attorney General, Mr. Anil Nandlall, made quick work of David and dismissed him with just one delivery, sending him back to the pavilion in the game of Amateur VS Professional.
11) “We will not tolerate any kind of threat on the institution that represents the popular vote,” former Brazilian President Lula de Silva remarked. The US Government had to deal with APNU+AFC condignly in the last general elections. 12) “We at the level of the government, respect the law. The healing must start today,” Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, said. Global Peace Ambassador, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is coming. 13) “Our intention is that, we will work with you to enable you to grow, to empower you, to make you move from stage one to the other upwards and to move so progressively over the next few years,” Minister McCoy told residents of Sophia who benefitted from the government’s $250K business grant initiative. Sophia’s now a PPP/C constituent! 14) “The contracts (oil) were the first manifestation of corruption or incompetence. It is either corruption or incompetence and we have said so over and over,” President of Transparent Institute of Guyana (TIGI), Fred Collins stated. “From Texas With Love,” starring Secret Agent 000. 15) “I ain waan hear who is coolie man, who is black man, I waan know who wrang and who write,” yelled the keeper of the peace. And the US Government made its decision to implement sanctions on those who were wrong during election 2020. 16) “We needed money,” Khemraj confessed. He was right, a small change of US$18M for the party. 17) “The people’s right to peacefully protest should be respected and protected but riots and acts of vandalism such as the storming of the House of Representative’s Headquarters late yesterday in Tobruk are totally unacceptable,” the UN special adviser on Libya, Stephanie Williams, posted on Twitter. Copycat in Tobruk or Guyana sneezes and others are catching the disease? 18) “I think in Trinidad and Tobago, the time has come for us to declare violence as a public and health emergency and we need to find solutions to treating violence in our population,” Prime Minister Keith Rowley urged. Guyana has a jump start……reshaping the Guyana Police Force. 19) “But we require leadership and a willingness to go for co-operation, to go for a creative approach, to go for innovation in our approach for new strategies,” the new CARICOM Chairman, Mr. Santokhi pointed out. No wonder, President Ali was chosen to head the CARICOM Quasi Cabinet on Agriculture Diversification and Food Security. 20) US Vice-Chair Justice Dept., Liz Cheney, stressed: “I have greater concern about what it will mean if people weren’t held accountable for what’s happened here.” While she was eying charging Donald Trump, she must have “bat an eyelid” on Guyana’s recent vandalising and the insinuators. 21) Guyanese Shiv Chanderpaul is currently head coach of the CPL side, Jamaica Tallawahs, batting consultant for the WI U19 Men’s team and the U19 CWC 2022 and now, head coach for the USA Women’s Snr, and U19 Cricket Team. Too technical or without facts or foundation to argue, speculate or assume as an objection for conflict of interest? 22) What a “jan jat!” “We needed money.” An Albatross around Trotty’s neck for life. AFC kissing good-bye to APNU! PNC waving good-bye to victory in election 2025! 23) “They know the order. I expect them to rise to the occasion and be men and women of integrity,” the new PSC Chairman, Patrick Finlay, said. Someone in the crowd murmured, “Who? PNC or AFC?” “Neither,” came the answer. 24) WPA views with much concern, the constant efforts by the government to criminalise protests. The WPA also joined hands with the suspected criminals of their founder
Leader! Who is the WPA again? Who cannot handle the inconvenience of truth again? 25) The dawn of a new era blossoms to unfold a “One Guyana,” embracing the theme of living, building, saving and giving to unite and develop this land of many waters and people. 26) “Que Sara Sara,” took on a new meaning when a GDF rank was accused of strangling a hairdresser. He contorted, “What will be, will be!” 27) “Soon, we are going to work to see whether we can find a variety of wheat that we can plant in Guyana so that we can fulfill even our local requirement,” President Ali noted in March this year. His foresight has materialised. Some, 5,000 acres of land in Region Nine has been earmarked for wheat production by month-end. 28) “I want people to understand and I
will work with people. I will come to every community. I will come to every door,” President Ali reported. Indeed, President Ali is a person for all people and places. 29) The Caribbean saw its first case of Monkeypox in Jamaica. The beginning of an endemic? 30) “The 25 noise meters will aid the Force in noise management and noise nuisance complaints,” said the “Top Cop.” Good enough for 25 miles surveillance? There is always a reason to smile. Seek and you shall find. West Indies scored a victory at Providence! Schools are closed! Sorry, the holiday fell on a Saturday, not on Friday or Sunday! Guyanese are eyeing the CCJ. Yours respectfully, Jai Lall
Jungle justice
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JUNGLE justice has been on a rise in this country, which has taken frightening dimensions in the name of community protest, culminating in situations suggestive of enforcement agencies being unable to cope with such mob action and mayhem as well as revealing something politically afoot. No one in his or her right mind should welcome such unfortunate situations in communities where industrious people strive daily to eke out a living in trying
circumstances, only to find out, in unpleasant ways, that any modicum of security cannot protect them from the misguided marauders. This shameful, swift and explicit condemnation in clear terms must be expressed towards vandalism and hooliganism, and the culprits should be brought to book. A collective and clarion call of condemnation must be consistent in all sections of Guyana if we are to make progress towards any form of shared anything.
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The recent protest, guided by the “No justice, No peace” slogan by residents of the East Coast of Demerara for the killing of Quindon Bacchus allegedly by police, rightly or wrongly so, which ended up in jungle justice against the Mon Repos Market vendors, is one of many protests and violence directed at one particular ethnic group, mainly Indians, going back to the 1960s, 1990s, 2000s and at Cotton Tree in 2020. The assault, robbing, and destruction of Indian properties have been intergenerational and circular, revealing deep rhizome roots. We must negate such ongoing behaviour and foster an agency grounded in civility and respect for law and order. We support this form and fashion of protest, hands down. While we wait for this justified call to be practised in future protests, any sign that violence will not surface again is tantamount to travelling through Guyana and not recognising coconut trees. Equally troubling is that the practitioners and backers of jungle justice believe in their minds that nothing wrong had happened, justified by their determination to have justice by any means possible and egged on by the Opposition, their loyal and support epicenter. One political activist of the Opposition, not known for darling views, hedges that the anti-government protesters would grow in strength from protest to protest, fatalising rather than fertilising, the whole notion of citizenship and promoting ungovernability. This is a rather impure way of viewing your fellow citizens when faced with challenges. Are Indians really welcome in Guyana?
Furthermore, one wonders if the Opposition had a deeper hand in the anti-government violence at Mon Repos. This wonder, among others, has become increasingly believable since the Opposition has been peddling preposterous propaganda that the PPP was installed into office supported by loose social media operatives, not recognised as a legitimate media entity, shouting that the killing of Bacchus was extrajudicial murder. Let the legal system take its course since such a position may not be locus standi in court and does not bode well for nation-building towards a One Guyana in an ethnically divided country. What the protest suggests, in a larger sense, is dedicated support for the Opposition which is looking not to understand what the State is, but how the State should function, preferably in line that the Opposition is still in power. This is warp and misguided thinking, proving that the Opposition is still trapped in a false sense of power and domination, a perverted practice that led to its removal from office through an electoral process. Amid the Mon Repos mayhem, however, one should not ignore the vendors who are saddled with the burden of making ends meet, and who understandably do not have the patience to analyse the assault and trauma on them, at least strategically. They are quick to make their minds up that the time has come to protect themselves by any means possible, and even seek the path of reprisal, given the ethnic dynamics and sentiments associated with the vandalism and terror.
Moreover, the violence and mayhem along the East Coast Demerara corridor have led to the disturbance of an amicable traditional culture and the re-continuation of binary antagonisms, cultural and political, mirroring we versus them diction. We certainly do not want or prefer either micro-cultural or political situations. The path of protest must follow in the vein of democracy, no less, no more, standing for and reflecting responsible individualism. Blind loyalty to any cause is a dangerous thing. Then there is the law enforcement agency, the police, and soldiers, to which much has already been discussed of its professionalism, missing in action in the first stages of the mayhem, and laid-back approach allowing the unlawful protest to go on for hours and miles. What is overwhelming is that in an environment where strange things have happened in the past one would expect that the law enforcement agency would have sensed something strange was about to happen since no permit was given to anti-government protesters. Was the law enforcement agency playing up to a familiar script of the past? The main concern, of course, is how future situations of jungle justice can be forestalled. Some charges have been laid, which may serve as a deterrence that law and order take precedence over terror and violence. One suggestion is more local forces must be set up in local communities with the help and guidance from the larger law enforcement agencies, known as more initiative-taking community policing (lomarsh.roopnarine@jsums.edu).
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Reading between the lines of 'coalition' politics
LAST month, the Alliance For Change party held its national conference to decide on the way forward and other political issues. At the end of the conference, the party stated clearly that its members decided to stay within the APNU+AFC Coalition instead of leaving the pact immediately and regaining its political independence. It was then reported in sections of the media that re-elected party leader, Khemraj Ramjattan, said the AFC might not be renewing its partnership with the APNU when it expires on December 31 this year. The AFC also decided it would start a process of rebranding its political image and seeking a new pact closer
to elections. Then the APNU eagerly congratulated the junior party, the AFC for staying in the coalition. It pulled a public relations stunt by saying that the decision to stay would add impetus to the joint efforts to win the next election. Analysing the situation, one cannot escape the most logical conclusion that the AFC and APNU leadership are trying to rescue the sinking coalition political force to fool the Guyanese public into believing that all is well, fine, and dandy in the coalition so that the public would be tempted to make the same mistake that they did in 2015. Firstly, this move by the AFC is nothing more than a political strategy aimed at masking the truth and hiding
the evidence from being exposed to the public. The AFC is also not fooling anyone because the story of its troubles, in the coalition both at the levels of government and politically, is written on the walls. Additionally, the troubling signs of a dent in the coalition were seen in the recent leadership challenge between Ramjattan who wanted the AFC to stay within the APNU+AFC coalition and David Patterson who was not too keen on staying within the coalition without change. Ramjattan, it is widely believed, sees the AFC as collateral damage in his quest to becoming the PM candidate of the coalition. It would seem, in this case, that building back the AFC’s
image is not paramount. So, the cracks in the coalition will continue to show as long as the AFC party or Ramjattan seemingly treats the coalition as a stepping stone and not as a powerful political tool to create political dominance in elections. Secondly, the AFC wants to distance itself from some of the decisions made by the PNC/APNU faction of the coalition that does not sit well with the leadership and right-thinking Guyanese. Its leadership is likely having difficulty understanding the tactics employed by the head of the APNU+AFC coalition, Aubrey Norton, who seems to like the street demonstrations, which often lead to violence once it is not peaceful. The PNC/APNU is believed to be the agitators and the beneficiaries of these violent and mass protests. More than likely, the PNC/APNU faction is made up of political opportunists
whose main aim is to implant themselves in the protesting crowds and preach the politics of race, hate, and discrimination. Some think that Norton’s resort to galvanising agitated pockets of supporters to picket and protest against the PPP Government on every issue under the sun without exhausting the utilisation of dialogue and compromise, is not helpful to coalition politics. These AFC strongmen, who are its donors and financiers, have cautioned against staying with the Norton brand of politics. So, it is not strange that the AFC would choose to go its way at the end of its pact in this coalition. This situation proves that the coalition with APNU was one of convenience and not of actual substance. This development screams true, especially when one realises that the Cummingsburg Accord and
its related parts still lie in secrecy and obscurity. Thirdly, Norton has created an A-team of yes-men within the coalition and abandoned the AFC politicians. Except for the presence of the ever imprudent Sherod Duncan within Norton’s inner circle, the others are considered to be outcasts; there is no unity, political co-operation, or oneness. Finally, the AFC’s supposed plan to exit the coalition is tactical. It is done because the party is hemorrhaging after it betrayed what it is supposed to represent. It is a strategy to trap and divide the vote before the elections. Sadly, coalition politics requires putting the country before oneself. It requires competence and dialogue with a compromise. It’s a social contract with the people to practise good governance and unity. The APNU+AFC coalition is not interested in any of the above.
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SUNDAY CHRONICLE July 10, 2022
Understanding Energy
Guyana Shines at Suriname Energy, Oil and Gas Summit
LAST week, the second annual staging of the Suriname Energy, Oil and Gas Summit brought together regional energy powerhouses Suriname, Trinidad and now Guyana, together with hundreds of participants and key speakers to discuss the state of Suriname’s energy economy. Guyana’s success as a new energy producer was a major theme of the event with industry watchers offering comparisons between Guyana’s rapid growth in the sector and where Suriname is today. Suriname has had a small amount of onshore oil production since 1982 and its national oil company (NOC), Staatsolie, is the official government entity responsible for much of the development of its oil resources. Unlike Suriname, Guyana has only recently begun discussions and deliberations about forming a NOC. However, in the short period that Guyana has been an energy producing state, it has managed to implement policies and legislation that Suriname is only now considering, and we are already reaping the benefits of legislation such as the local content law and the sovereign wealth fund. In December 2021, the Local Content Act and Natural Resources Fund Act were signed into law, just two years after first oil in 2019. The accelerated pace of development and legislation is a credit to the deliberative process undertaken by the government to seek input from the industry, from experts and countries like Ghana, which have all shared lessons that shaped Guyana’s legislative framework. The Local Content Act has already allowed local companies to secure significant benefits from oil and gas, including procurement and capacity building opportunities for locals. Suriname is only now discussing implementing its own policy and Guyana’s early lessons will serve as a helpful tool in shaping their policy. Guyana has much to celebrate. Guyana’s oil reserves have now far surpassed Su-
riname’s. By the end of this year, Guyana should also be producing roughly 20 times what Suriname produces annually. Already, Guyanese companies owned and operated by local businessmen are providing higher value services to the oil and gas sector. This is due, in no small part, to planning around the needs of the oil sector and what competencies are needed to provide capacity and manpower within the local workforce. Trinidad and Tobago’s Permanent Local Content Committee member Jemma Langley made a key point on a local content panel in this regard. “These energy companies operate by competencies. So, you need to start mapping the competencies of the citizens. Based on that information, you then can plan for the long-term,” Langley said. Guyana saw a rapid expansion of training opportunities and certification programmes for local companies early on through the industry-funded Centre for Local Business Development (CLBD), an initiative that has received praise regionally and locally. The CLBD was operational in Guyana before first oil, helping companies align their operations with the services that would be needed in Guyana’s oil and gas sector. One prominent company that has benefitted from the CLBD’s expertise, Guyana Shore Base Inc., is already expanding operations and seeking local vendors that satisfy the 40 sectors outlined in the local content law. Additionally, ExxonMobil recently signed a contract with the Vreed-en-Hoop Shore Base Inc. to serve current and future developments. Local companies are providing logistics and manpower services, amongst other skillsets and Suriname stands to benefit from Guyana’s growing expertise in this regard. While Suriname has been producing oil onshore for years, recent offshore discoveries have ballooned its oil reserves while simultaneously creating a complex issue of developing a labour
market with the skills to meet the need. Crafting a local content policy to ensure maximum participation from Surinamese without holding development back will be critical for its long-term success. Unlike Guyana, many analysts feel that Suriname’s Savings and Stability fund, in its current form, lacks the necessary safeguards to avoid the worst outcomes of the resource curse. Regional energy expert, Arthur Deakin, pointed this out in a 2021
opinion, calling on Suriname to “pass a new law creating a fund specifically for its oil resources that is professionally managed by an independent body with no political connections.” Without a fully operational sovereign wealth fund, governments have tended to become overly dependent on inflows from natural resources without the planning and transparency in place to prevent graft, hyperinflation, and corruption. Guyana’s Natural Resource Fund is
quickly approaching US$1 billion in deposits and will be a significant source of longterm revenue for generations. Guyana’s success as a new producer was frequently mentioned at this conference and discussions among the three countries was positive. This summit and Guyana’s continued work with ExxonMobil and its partners is an example of how collaboration can encourage rapid development without compromising safety and respect for the environment.
Guyana has already avoided some of the pitfalls of other countries and has made strides to put Guyanese first through consistent investment in infrastructure development and other sectors that will support the local economy. Guyana’s path has been rocky at times, but it is a sign of success that a country that had no known oil resources just a few years ago is now a success story its neighbours are looking to emulate.
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SUNDAY CHRONICLE July 10, 2022
Over 300 exhibitors on board for Building Expo 2022
WITH the International Building Expo 2022 approaching, preparations are moving swiftly. The Expo which will be held July 22-24, 2022, will feature over 300 local, regional and international companies. This is according to Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, who confirmed that preparations were going well. He related that there will be about 25 international companies from Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Saint Lucia, Suriname, United States of America (USA), Canada and Ghana. The Building Expo will create an avenue for companies to showcase innovative products and
techniques in the construction and housing sectors. According to a recent Facebook post, Minister within the Ministry of Housing, Susan Rodrigues, on Friday, led a walkthrough of the venue at the National Stadium. She was accompanied on the visit by Permanent Secretary, Andre Ally; Director of Operations at the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), Denise King-Tudor; Director of Finance, Reaze Abrahim; Director of Projects, Omar Narine and a number of stakeholders. During a meeting held in June to update sponsors and members of the public on the progress of the
event, Minister Croal said that several model homes would be displayed as a way of showcasing the variety of housing options available to the people of Guyana and even those abroad. Additionally, the ministry’s flagship “Dream Realised” House Lot Allocation and Title Distribution exercise will be a daily feature at the event. Minister Rodrigues said, at the meeting, that the expo will serve as a blueprint to Guyana’s architectural future as it will see the introduction of 3D building technology in the country. Homes built with recycled material and other model homes that are environmentally sustainable
Work ongoing on one of the many houses that will be on display at Building Expo (Adrian Narine photo) will also be showcased at the expo. Construction of some of the model homes have started on-site.
According to Minister Croal, some sponsors for the expo are Guyana Bank for Trade and
Industry, E-Networks, Torginol, Gafsons, Unicomer Guyana (Courts) and more.
SUNDAY CHRONICLE July 10, 2022
209 Guyana Fire Service officers elevated to new ranks
THE Guyana Fire Service (GFS) on Friday conducted a simple yet monumental ceremony at the Central Fire Station to effect the promotion of 209 ranks. The ceremony saw the promotion of 39 subordinate officers, 60 section leaders and 110 leading firefighters. According to a press release from the GFS, Chief Fire Officer (CFO ag) Gregory Wickham congratulated the ranks and expressed how proud and happy he was about the promotions.
He charged the newly promoted ranks to be strong, great leaders and to improve themselves to suit their new ranks. The CFO highlighted that they should aim to lead under two main pillars: education and discipline. He said the recent collaboration with the Guyana Technical Institute will allow for the academic advancement of ranks Wickham further noted that discipline goes hand in hand with education and told the ranks to ensure that
discipline is maintained at all levels. In closing, Chief Wickham quoted Gandhi and told the ranks to be the change they want to see in the world. He encouraged them to be upstanding individuals and to give of their best in order to bridge the gap between senior command and the ranks under their command, all with the goal of enhancing the image and quality of the Guyana Fire Service.
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Chief Fire Officer (ag) Gregory Wickham and other senior officers with the newly promoted ranks (GFS photo)
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SUNDAY CHRONICLE July 10, 2022
GPF, AmCham to collaborate on youth-development programmes
ACTING Commissioner of Police, Clifton Hicken and some members of his leadership team met recently with representatives of the American Chamber of Commerce of Guyana (AmCham Guyana) Rajendra Singh and Matthew Phang to build partnership and encourage Police/Private Sector collaboration, especially in the area of youth development. Addressing the meeting, Hicken expressed optimism that the partnership was going aid the vision of GPF and
create an atmosphere where other members, associations, and corporate units are going to come on board and get to understand both the vision and value of what the GPF is strategically trying to accomplish in the long term. “In this phase of our lives, being mature already, it may be difficult to change the way we think but we are preparing the next generation that will grow up to understand that the Police are an integral and important part of the community,” Mr. Hicken asserted.
(Senior officers from left) Mrs. Nicola Kendall, Ms. Cristal Robinson, Mr. Ravindradat Budhram, Mr. Calvin Brutus and Top Cop, Clifton Hicken, in the presence of Mr. Sheryar Hussain, Mr. Rajendra Singh, Mr. Matthew Phang and Ms. Lashaun Williams at the recent meeting held in the Commissioner’s Conference Room at Force Headquarters, Eve Leary (GPF photo) This partnership will help in the overall effort and commitment to mould and shape the future of our youths. The Top Cop, a passionate advocate and champion of youth development, especially in vulnerable communities across Guyana, alluded to the plans and programmes that the Guyana Police Force has for youths – who are our future leaders. Mr. Hicken also encouraged the two AmCham representatives to sell the vision of the Police Force, especially as it relates to community development and the creation of training and other opportunities for youths. The Top Cop alluded to the fact that, within the last year and a half, approximately 375 youths were sent to prison in Guyana. “So if every year we put 375 youths in the prisons, then who will lead in the future?” the Top Cop questioned. He highlighted this to draw a nexus between what currently obtains and what the GPF was trying to achieve in terms of youth development and giving them a chance to have a better life and stay away from drugs and crime. “This is not idle rhetoric and politics…this is caring for people genuinely out of concern for the stability of this country and understanding that we are on the cusp of real growth and major development. I say this passionately because I really believe we need to harness those vulnerable youths and school dropouts and channel them properly and this is exactly what we are doing as an organization,” Hicken stated. Deputy Commissioner ‘Administration’ (ag) Calvin Brutus, also emphasised the importance of youth development and went on to provide the AmCham representatives with a ‘needs assessment list’ as well as an outline of the programmes that the Guyana Police Force intend to roll out as it relates to youth development, sports and youth empowerment. Some of the focus areas that the Guyana Police Force would be targetting, in terms of youth development, are
life skills, computer repairs, computer training, youth camps, a Cadet scheme, the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) programme, and the resuscitation of Scout and Youth groups in every community. According to Brutus, educational and capacity-building programmes will also be offered in a targetted way to vulnerable youths and young adults in a bid to mitigate crime and provide a better life for the next generation. After Brutus’s presentation, AMCHAM members engaged in discussions with the Acting Commissioner and his team on the possible areas in which they can lend support and ways that both entities can engage in a partnership. Also present at the meeting was Ms. Lashaun Williams, a representative of the North Ruimveldt Multilateral Secondary School who is keen to partner with the GPF in Training, specifically in the area of Home Economics and teaching vulnerable youths how to cook with the aim that they might be able to not just learn a life-skill but also earn an income. Mr. Sheryar Hussain of the New York Police Department (NYPD) and a member of the Guyanese American Law Enforcement Association (GALEA), was also present at the meeting and has pledged assistance to the Force in the areas of Body Cameras and Traffic Wands. Before the meeting, he had presented 20 sports uniforms (cricket) to the Guyana Police Force. Among those present at the meeting from the GPF was Deputy Commissioner of Operations (ag) Ravindradat Budhram, Head of the Community Relations Department, Cristal Robinson, Head of the Corporate Communications Department Mark Ramotar, and Head of the Strategic Planning Unit, Nicola Kendall. Amcham Guyana is a voluntary, non-profit organisation committed to promoting and enhancing commercial relations between the United States and Guyana.
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SUNDAY CHRONICLE July 10, 2022
Individual responsibility paramount –– Minister in solid waste management Dharamlall says By Cassandra Khan
MINISTER of Local Government and Regional Development Nigel Dharamlall on Thursday said that solid waste management remains one of Guyana’s biggest challenges, but maintained that this could be addressed, once individuals take responsibility when disposing of their refuse. Although the government has been doing its part in trying to promote a greener and cleaner Guyana, the minister said more needs to be done at an individual and community level. “I think one of the biggest issues or challenges of our country is to make sure that people continue to manage their garbage in a very efficient way,” Minister Dharamlall said during a Facebook programme, the Guyana Dialogue. He said that solid waste management is a mandate of the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, but local government authorities are also integrally involved in proper garbage collection and disposal. “In many cases, the government, centrally, through the ministry, we will pay for the collection and disposal of garbage in some cases. And in other cases, we actually invest in the construction of solid waste and landfill sites across the country,” Minister Dharamlall said. He went on to say that: “… we spend a few 100,000 US dollars equivalent per month to manage the landfill site at Eccles; it facilitates garbage from Region Four, and to a large extent Region Three.” Minister Dharamlall said that there are upgraded dump sites in other regions. He related that, as it is now, there are a number
of expressions of interest from private individuals to get recycling machines in the various regions. The ministry, Minister Dharamlall said, has been providing information to the private individuals but they are responsible, at the business level, for making investment decisions. He related that it is part of the government’s programme to focus on building the esteem of communities, where they are engaged in proper waste disposal, whether it is recycling, reducing or reusing. “There’s a concept, the three R’s concept is being implemented in some areas, but, it is still a challenge. It is something that even the President has been involved in to make sure that we have national cleanups,” Minister Dharamlall said. He added: “In January of this year, His Excellency led a clean-up exercise, and just two weekends ago, the Prime Minister led a cleanup exercise inclusive of all 10 regions in Guyana and we’ve seen the difference from January to two weeks ago.” Considering all the effort being placed on maintaining a clean environment, Minister Dharamlall reminded Guyanese that littering is an offence and that some persons have already been prosecuted in the last few months. “I believe that we have to continue to work and educate people on the challenges, we also have to make sure that we create an enabling environment where people can dispose of their garbage in a very sensible way,” Minister Dharamlall said. He related that as Guyana’s economy grows, there is going to be a greater waste generation, but the new infrastructure and a more modern environ-
ment, in his view, would encourage residents to be more responsible when disposing their waste. “It is going to take some time… in six months, we’ve seen a massive transformation and I hope that by the end of this year, you’re going to see even greater mobility on this issue. But again, it is it is an issue of a community culture and I think that if policy alone cannot resolve this, what has to happen is that people have to take ownership of pride of their communities,” he said.
Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Nigel Dharamlall
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SUNDAY CHRONICLE July 10, 2022
Make healthy choices daily –– Crime Chief tells ranks in ‘Fitness Walk and Run’
IN observance of the Guyana Police Force’s 183rd Anniversary, the Criminal Investigations Department Headquarters (CID HQ) held a “Fitness Walk and Run” from the University of Guyana Access Road, East Coast of Demerara, to the CID HQ, Eve Leary, Kingston, Georgetown. This activity was held under the theme ‘Showcasing Teamwork and Partnership through Fitness.’ Ranks stationed within the various departments at Police Headquarters joined with CID ranks and other partners and braved the downpour to turn out in their numbers. The contingent of Police Ranks included Deputy
Commissioner, Law Enforcement, Wendell Blanhum, together with other Senior and Junior Ranks. After the ‘Fitness Walk and Run,’ Blanhum congratulated all the ranks, partners, and participants for turning out in their numbers to support the activity. The Crime Chief also indicated to the large gathering that there was a need to balance one’s work-life with activities that promote and foster a healthy lifestyle. He also encouraged them to stay active and fit by walking, running, or making healthy choices daily. The Crime Chief also noted that everyone was able to complete the journey through the rain due
to teamwork which is a testimony to the theme of this year’s Fitness Walk and Run in practice. After that, those who participated in the Fitness Run, through some friendly competition, were awarded trophies and monetary prizes as follows: For the male category, 1st place went to Police Constable 24558 Kevin Browne, 2nd place went to Mr. Vaugh Felix, and 3rd Place went to Police Constable 25269 Wilton Bobb. For the female category, 1st place went to Woman Corporal Doris. Finally, special awards for today’s activities went to Inspector Bissoon and Constable Joshua, who received monetary prizes.
Deputy Commissioner, Law Enforcement, Wendell Blanhum, leads the way in the “Fitness Walk and Run” from the University of Guyana Access Road, East Coast of Demerara, to the CID HQ, Eve Leary, Kingston, Georgetown (GPF Photo)
SUNDAY CHRONICLE July 10, 2022
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GDF Reserve Officers promoted to ensigns
THE Officer Cadets currently undergoing training on the Reserve Officer Course 17 have been promoted to the rank of Ensign. Forty professionals from various disciplines including teaching, engineering, and medicine enlisted on the course which is designed to produce an Officer capable of leading and administering a platoon in augmenting the regular Force. According to the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), the Reserve Officer will also be required to fulfill civil defence and other roles of the Reserve, while upholding the Values and Standard of the Force. The Ensigns were decorated with the new badges
of rank by Brigadier Godfrey Bess, on Thursday, at the Colonel Ulric Pilgrim Officer Cadet School Lecture Hall, Base Camp Stephenson, Timehri, after the scheduled Ensigncy Parade had to be curtailed due to inclement weather. In a short address to the Ensigns, Brigadier Bess commended the professionals on their choice to enlist as well as their determination to stay the course. “Thank you for joining this noble profession and we look forward to your commissioning as Reserve Officers. I trust that you are eager about your future role in contributing to the continued development of the Guyana Defence Force,” he said.
Car torched at Eccles; suspected owner uncooperative in investigation –– Guyana Fire Service says
IN a twist of events on Friday evening, the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) responded promptly to reports of a car on fire in Eccles, but was subsequently told by the purported owner of the vehicle that their intervention was not required. According to a report from the GFS, the incident occurred around 20:17 hours at Lot 162 Hibiscus Avenue, AA Eccles, East Bank Demerara. “Water Tender #113 from the Eccles Fire Station immediately responded to the location. Upon arrival
The vehicle being destroyed by fire on Friday evening (Guyana Fire Service photo) firefighters observed a vehicle on fire and quickly sprang into action to extinguish the blaze. “One line working from WT#113 tank supply was used to extinguish the fire but the vehicle and its contents were destroyed. It is suspected that the fire may have been the result of a malicious act,” the GFS said. The presumed owner/driver of the vehicle, when questioned by the GFS, was uncooperative and refused to provide firefighters with any information regarding the car or the fire. The person reportedly said that neither a report of the incident was filed nor was the fire station contacted. Owing to the refusal by the suspected owner, the matter was referred to the police for further investigation. “The Guyana Fire Service is mandated to respond to all fire reports and is therefore appealing to citizens to co-operate with our ranks in providing the required information,” the GFS said. All fires must be reported to the GFS, which is the sole agency with the responsibility for preventing and extinguishing fires within the country.
(Centre seated) Chief of Staff, Brigadier Godfrey Bess, flanked by senior officers and reserve officers promoted to the rank of ensign
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SUNDAY CHRONICLE July 10, 2022
Eid-ul-Adha: Leaders reinforce importance of obedience, sacrifice, piety By Rabindra Rooplall
THE importance of obedience, sacrifice and piety was reinforced by leaders in the Muslim community amidst the observance of Eid-ul-Adha across the country, on Saturday. According to the President of the Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG), Al-Haj Shahabudeen Ahmad, Eid-ul-Adha commemorates one of the most celebrated families in history. “Our father, Ibrahim (peace be upon him) or Abraham. He is known as the common patriarch of what is referred to as the Abrahamic religions, Judaism, Christianity, and
Islam. The day of Eid-ulAdha, is the commemoration of the struggles of our father Ibrahim (peace be upon him), and his family. “This struggle, at its core, revolves around his absolute and pure devotion to Allah (swt), GOD Almighty. Him and his family’s willingness to sacrifice everything they possessed, especially, that which he loved the most, his son Ishmael, for his Lord,” the CIOG President noted. Meanwhile, the Imam of Meten-Meer-Zorg (East) Masjid, Halim Khan, told this publication that Qurbani is a sacrifice made in remembrance of Allah, and it takes place after the Eid prayer on
Eid-ul-Adha and not before. The celebration of Eid, Khan said, lasts three days, and any sacrifice made before Eid prayer counts as Sadaqah – not Qurbani. In such cases, he said another sacrifice must be made to count as Qurbani. “By giving Qurbani, we follow in the footsteps of Prophet Ibrahim and remember his devotion to Allah. Muslims across the globe also fast and perform Hajj during these blessed days. Giving Qurbani is obligatory for every Muslim who is financially able to do so. “There are also Qurbani rules which dictate which animals can be sacrificed, the quality of the
One of the many scenes of Eid-ul-Adha at the Turkeyen Masjid on Saturday (Elvin Croker photo) life it has led, its health status and guidelines on how the sacrifice must be carried out,” the Imam explained. Khan also added that the meat of a sacrificed animal should be divided into three parts: One part for the person who sup-
plied the animal; one part to be shared out among family, friends or neighbours, and one part to be given to those in need. Imam Goolzar Namdar of the Meten-Meer-Zorg (West) Masjid said annually, during the Islamic month of Dhul Hijjah, Muslims worldwide offer sacrifice in the form of a goat, sheep, or cow to reflect Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail. He said Ismail was spared because Ibrahim proved he would sacrifice his son as an act of piety, despite the grief it would have caused him. The continued practice of sacrifice acts as a reminder of Ibrahim’s obedience to God. Kitty Masjid member Don Rahim said Mus-
lims celebrate the Feast of Sacrifice worldwide as a major holiday with special prayers held at different masjids countrywide. He said some of the popular dishes during this occasion include kebab, stews, curry, and Biryani, among others. A sweet dessert-like Vermicelli usually rounds off the meal. Many persons collecting their share of Qurbani meat expressed gratitude and appreciation for the charity. “I love the appreciation shown by the Muslim community and how they go about caring for those that are fortunate and others who are less fortunate,” one man said after collecting his beef at the Kitty Masjid.
Fire Service Corner Today’s Fire Safety Tip is:
Do not leave cooking unattended. It only takes a minute for a fire to get out of hand. Don’t leave things cooking on the stove top unattended and check regularly on the things cooking in the oven. A message from the Guyana Fire Service.
SUNDAY CHRONICLE July 10, 2022
Guyana to assist Belize with Amerindian development GUYANA will be lending assistance to its CARICOM sister, Belize, in best practices for Amerindian development. A ministerial meeting was held on Friday, with representatives from both countries to commence the process. Leading the exercise was Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai; Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, and Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall. Representing Belize was the nation’s Minister of Labour, Local Government and Rural Development, Oscar Requena and his team. Minister Sukhai informed the delegation of the programmes and policies implemented by the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Government to assist Amerindians. Those include support by way of legislation protecting their rights, presidential grants, job opportunities and upskilling, scholarships for youths and empowerment through its Amerindian land titling project. The Belize delegation was also told of the annual National Toshaos’ Conference which gives Amerindian leaders a platform to address the President and ministers of government on development issues. Additionally, Minister Sukhai outlined the government’s robust initiative to push sustainable, environmentally friendly development under the country’s low-carbon development initiative. Other priority areas include healthcare, climate-friendly agriculture, access to potable water, electricity and other infrastructural development to promote interconnectivity
and economic activities in the hinterland. Minister Sukhai said that it was an honour for the government to be recognised for the work it had been doing to improve the lives of Guyana’s first people. “Our sister Caribbean country Belize which also has a population of about 12 to 13 per cent of indigenous people, is visiting us to learn about our experiences and our successes and the lessons that were learnt so as to not reinvent the wheel… they have also appointed a Minister of Indigenous Affairs and they are in the process of ensuring that they don’t have to reinvent the wheel and Guyana’s experience is offering them that opportunity,” the minister said. Belize’s Minister Requena noted that the two countries share many things in common. He said this is the first time in the country’s history that its indigenous people are being made a priority, noting that Guyana can serve as a body of knowledge for Belize. He said: “I sat here and I marvelled at the many things minister that you shared, that you as a government do for the indigenous people of Guyana, and certainly when I listened to both other ministers share their experiences and the kind of resources that you allocate, it is wonderful and my question was how do you do it? How can you find those resources because I am certain that my colleagues would want to replicate this kind of experience in our country?” The team from Belize will be spending a week in Guyana visiting Amerindian communities and developing knowledge on Amerindian development. (DPI)
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Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai (centre); Belize’s Minister of Labour, Local Government and Rural Development, Oscar Requena (fourth from left); Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal (third from right); Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall (third from left) and other stakeholders (DPI photo)
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SUNDAY CHRONICLE July 10, 2022
FAO Food Price Index: Dip in international prices of cereals, vegetable oils, sugar
THE barometer for world food commodity prices declined slightly in June for the third consecutive month, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) reported on Friday. The FAO Food Price Index averaged 154.2 points in June 2022, down 2.3 per cent from May. The Index, which tracks monthly changes in the international prices of a basket of commonly-traded food commodities, remained, however, 23.1 per cent higher than in June 2021. The drop in June reflected declines in the international
prices of vegetable oils, cereals and sugar, while dairy and meat prices increased. The FAO Cereal Price Index averaged 166.3 points in June, down 4.1 per cent from May, but still 27.6 per cent above its June 2021 value. International wheat prices fell by 5.7 per cent in June but remained 48.5 per cent above their values a year ago. The decline in June was driven by seasonal availability from new harvests in the northern hemisphere, improved crop conditions in some major producing countries, and higher production prospects in the Russian Fed-
eration. International coarse grain prices also fell by 4.1 per cent but were still up 18.4 per cent from their year-earlier values. World maize prices fell by 3.5 per cent month-on-month due to increased seasonal availabilities in Argentina and Brazil and improved crop conditions in the United States of America. The FAO Vegetable Oil Price Index averaged 211.8 points in June, down 7.6 per cent month-on-month. World palm oil prices declined on seasonally rising output of major producing countries and prospects of increasing sup-
plies from Indonesia. Meanwhile, world sunflower and soy oil prices declined due to subdued global import demand in the wake of rising costs. The FAO Sugar Price Index averaged 117.3 points in June, down 2.6 per cent from May, marking the second consecutive monthly decline and reaching its lowest level since February, influenced by good global availability prospects. Slowing global economic growth also weighed on international sugar demand and prices. “Although the FAO Food Price Index dropped in June for the third consecutive
month, it remained close to the all-time high of March this year. The factors that drove global prices high in the first place are still at play, especially a strong global demand, adverse weather in some major countries, high production and transportation costs, and supply chain disruptions due to COVID-19, compounded by the uncertainties stem-
The forecast for world cereal utilization in 2022/23 has also been lifted, up 9.2 million tonnes to 2 797 million tonnes, but is still 1.7 million tonnes (0.1 per cent) below the 2021/22 level, mostly reflecting expectations of lower feed use. At 854 million tonnes, FAO’s forecast of world cereal stocks at the close of
International wheat prices fell by 5.7 per cent in June ming from the ongoing war in Ukraine,” said Máximo Torero Cullen, FAO Chief Economist. Meanwhile, the FAO Meat Price Index averaged 124.7 points in June, up 1.7 per cent from May, setting a new record high and exceeding by 12.7 per cent its June 2021 value. World prices across all meat types increased, with those of poultry meat rising sharply, reaching an all-time high, underpinned by the continued tight global supply conditions impacted by the war in Ukraine and the Avian Influenza outbreaks in the Northern Hemisphere. The FAO Dairy Price Index averaged 149.8 points in June, up 4.1 per cent from May and 24.9 per cent above its June 2021 value. In June, international prices of all dairy products increased. Cheese prices rose the most, mainly underpinned by a surge in import demand for spot supplies amid market concerns over supply availabilities later in the year. World milk powder prices increased on strong import demand and persistent global supply tightness. FAO RAISES ITS FORECAST FOR GLOBAL CEREAL PRODUCTION FAO’s forecast for global cereal production in 2022 was raised by 7 million tonnes in July from the previous month and is now pegged at 2 792 million tonnes, according to the new Cereal Supply and Demand Brief, also released today. This is still 0.6 per cent short of the world output in 2021. The month-on-month increase predominantly rests on a 6.4-million-tonne upward revision made to the coarse grain production forecast, with the world output seen reaching 1,501 million tonnes in 2022, only 0.5 per cent below the 2021 outturn.
seasons in 2023 is up 7.6 million tonnes from the previous month but still points to a year-on-year contraction of 0.6 per cent (5.0 million tonnes). At this level, the global cereal stock-to-use ratio would fall from 30.7 per cent in 2021/22 to 29.8 per cent in 2022/23. FAO’s latest forecast for world trade in cereals in 2022/23 stands at 468 million tonnes, up 4.8 million tonnes from last month but representing the lowest level in three seasons and a decrease of 11.4 million tonnes (2.4 per cent) from the 2021/22 volume. Accounting for the bulk of the decline, trade in coarse grains is forecast to contract by 4.1 per cent (9.5 million tonnes) in 2022/23 (July/ June) from the 2021/22 estimated level, largely driven by war-related losses of maize and barley exports from Ukraine. CROP PROSPECTS AND FOOD SITUATION REPORT FAO assesses that 46 countries, including 33 in Africa, 10 in Asia, two in Latin America and the Caribbean and one in Europe are in need of external assistance for food, according to the latest Crop Prospects and Food Situation Report, released today by FAO’s Global Information and Early Warning System (GIEWS). This list now includes Ukraine, where the war has resulted in significant numbers of displaced persons, and Sri Lanka, which is experiencing a multidimensional crisis that has led to high prices and severe shortages of essential products. The FAO’s forecast for aggregate cereal production of the group of Low-Income Food-Deficit Countries (LIFDCs) in 2022 is pegged at 187.8 million tonnes, a marginal increase compared to the five-year average and the previous year, the report said.
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Renowned Global Peace Ambassador to highlight local ‘I Stand for Peace’ event on July 15
Guyana’s Ambassador to the US, Samuel Hinds shares a moment with Global Peace Ambassador and Humanitarian Leader, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in Washington DC GLOBAL Peace Ambassador and Humanitarian Leader, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, is set to arrive in Guyana on July 15 for an I Stand for Peace public event at the National Cultural Center as part of his global peace campaign across major cities in Europe, North America, South America, and Africa. Launched at the United Nations (UN) Headquarters in Geneva in April 2022, the I Stand for Peace campaign is a call for the silent, positive, and rational voices in society to stand and be heard. The campaign is premised on intentions being the driving force behind purposeful actions and that a resolve to stand for peace, will itself empower those overwhelmed by the rising global aggression to channel their energies into peaceful outcomes. “People come together when there is crisis; when they feel threatened; or when they are wise; when they understand we are all interdependent. Can people not come together for some-
thing positive? Something that is creative? Something that can create harmony in society? Yes. They can. Provided that they are strong mentally and are not swayed by the `so-called news`,” asserts Gurudev in an address to a Seminar on Unity & Collaboration in a Post-Pandemic World at the UN recently. Gurudev, who heads the Art of Living Foundation and the International Association of Human Values with a presence in more than 156 countries, said conflict arises when trust and communication breakdown but can be prevented if people are mentally strong and their minds are serene and calm. He notes that rumours often inflame conflicts and social media has become a source of both information and misinformation. Gurudev and his one million plus volunteers have been working tirelessly in the last 40 years to bring stress and trauma relief to communities and individuals ravaged by disaster, conflict, trauma, anxiety, and depression. They have been teach-
ing a powerful breathing technique called Sudarshan Kriya that allows individuals to experience immediate release from stress and anxiety and bring calm and peace to the mind. This allows one to go deeper into a meditative space that brings healing to the mind and the body. The peace envoy believes that peace begins within, at the level of the individual, and then ripples into families, communities and into the world. He does not believe that anyone is inherently bad and shares that even in the most violent criminal lies a beautiful being waiting to be uncovered. All that is required is for persons to learn how to handle their negative emotions and manage their minds. The World Health Organization recently declared a mental health crisis, and Gurudev noted that depression and suicide is on the rise on one hand (every 40 seconds one person commits suicide in the world) and aggression on the other. “All this indicates to us is that we need to educate people how to handle their
a definite pattern in your breath. By changing the breathing pattern and doing some exercise with the breath you can change the way you feel. Acting schools teach breathing techniques to bring out the emotions in actors. However, our schools do not attend to mental health and hygiene,” Gurudev shared. A mind that is clear and strong can carry a weak body, but a weak mind cannot carry a strong body. “So mental strength is needed and that can come when people who are like-minded, who support positivity and who have the right intention, with a big vision, can come together and say I stand up for peace. Standing up for peace is necessary,” Gurudev said. He noted that while deep within we all want and support peace, we need to bring that desire to the fore of our minds and to take steps to advocate for it. A referendum for peace in Columbia was rejected as those supporting peace did not turn up at the polls and the 20 per cent opposing was able to defeat the process.
proactive. The post-pandemic requires action from all who have care and concern for the planet and who are really worried about the welfare of whole of humanity,” the peace envoy implored. He also called for independence in thinking, dubbing it “sacred.” “We must be independent thinkers and we also need independence within ourselves from our negative emotions. Many times, we are under the clutches of these negative emotions, and we suffer, and we do not know how to get out of it. We reel in those emotions. If one person is mentally or behaviorally not ok in the family, that entire family is unhappy. “Few families like these and the whole community has a negative energy. We need to do something to make people understand the value of their thoughts, their intentions, their feelings and how they need to harness themselves into more socially acceptable and personally beneficial roles that nature has provided us in abundance. We only need to
vision, when we recognize that life is sacred and that we are here for a short period of time. When we want to leave a better world for the future generation. A World that is economically sound, environmentally safe. Water pollution, soil pollution, air pollution, noise pollution, and electronic pollution - these are things that we really need to take care of. And it cannot happen just by some laws that the government makes. “It must be a people’s movement. Similarly, I feel that peace is something that can bring people out of despondency and helplessness. When they stand up and say `I stand up for peace’ it empowers them and brings out their inner strength. Collectively, then, we will be able to influence our atmosphere positively and in such a positive atmosphere only good things can happen,” the peacemaker said. The idea is noble, it is building into a tsunami effect with more than a million names attached to the pledge of peace at https:// istandforpeace.artofliving. org/. Gurudev is hopeful
Famous song writer, Lawrence Phillips interacts with Gurudev minds and their emotions. See, neither at school nor at home has anyone taught us how to handle our emotions. You feel bad and go on for days and weeks or months with those bad feelings. This is where our foundation volunteers are helpful,” Gurudev said referring to Sudarshan Kriya technique. “Your breath has a secret. Every emotion has
“The negative voices, though very small, are very strong. You can hear them very loud everywhere. What is needed today in the post-pandemic era is for the sane voices to become strong and loud. There is no dearth of sanity in the world. “There are wise people everywhere but somehow, they sit back and are not
wake up and see that the irresponsible behavior of one person can affect so many around us,” Gurudev said. For us to reach for a more peaceful world, Gurudev said multiple approaches are needed, whether it is to foster peace among nations, or, within or among communities. “All this can be handled when we have a broader
that at least one per cent of the world population will take the pledge and has been meeting with congressional leaders, community leaders and influencers across the world to make this happen. “When one per cent of the population meditates, it elevates the collective consciousness. Similarly, if enough people say, I stand TURN TO PAGE 23
SUNDAY CHRONICLE July 10, 2022
Renowned Global Peace Ambassador...
FROM PAGE 22 for peace, then we project that energy, that vision and it will happen!” Gurudev said. Gurudev arrives in Guyana on July 15 for the I Stand for Peace public event at the National Cultural Center at 18:30hrs. WHO IS GURUDEV? Gurudev is a global humanitarian, spiritual leader and peace envoy who has worked tirelessly in the last 40 years to bring peace and well-being into the lives of more than 450 million persons around the world. Standing for Gandhian values of non-violence, and often called the Master of Love, Gurudev has worked with governments and civil society leaders to progress peace in conflict-stricken areas of Sri Lanka, Iraq, Venezuela, and Colombia, among other countries. He has also been actively involved in efforts to promote peace and sustainable development in several countries including India, Sri Lanka, Iraq, Lebanon, Ivory Coast, South Africa, Ethiopia, Pakistan, Egypt, and Haiti. Recently, he proposed the settlement adopted by the Supreme Court in Indian to settle the age-old Ayodhya dispute. Gurudev, who began his teaching journey with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi of the Transcendental Meditation movement before he began the Art of Living, teaches breath-based meditation techniques to calm the mind and to lead to improved health outcomes. More than 450 million individuals worldwide have experienced found peace, and experienced calm and inner resilience in the face of adversity through his programs. There are more than 100 scientific research papers published on the efficacy of his Sudarshan Kriya Technique on improving mental health outcomes including studies by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Harvard University School of Medicine, Yale University and Stanford University. A recent randomised
control trial at Yale University found that Sudarshan Kriya Yoga is more effective than the mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and Emotional Intelligence programme in countering depression, stress, mental health, mindfulness, positive affect, and social connectedness among college students. And American bestseller writer and breath researcher, James Nestor, in his book “Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art” describes Sudarshan Kriya as the “most powerful” breathing technique
Volunteers have proactively embraced environmental sustainability, planting more than 36 million trees around the world and they have rejuvenated thousands of water bodies in India. HIS PROGRAMMES Apart from the introductory SKY Breath Meditation Program (called the Happiness Program in Guyana), and the 702 schools established in India which currently educates 70,000 children, Gurudev ‘s SKY Schools program is approved in the US by the Collaborative for Academic, Social,
offers a SKY Campus programmes to combat the fast paced, high-stress university environment where students report more depression and suicidal ideation than ever before in history. SKY Campus is a comprehensive well-being and resilience training designed to help students, faculty, and staff achieve their fullest potential. More than 127,000 students on 101 university campuses have participated in these programs and can experience clarity of mind, resilience, purpose and belonging. VETERANS
evidence-based program. More than 50,000 inmates across 17 states have benefitted from this program to manage stress and trauma and begin the process of true rehabilitation. The programme tackles individual stress and transforming the mindset, attitude, and behavior of offenders. Independent research shows the prison smart program has been successful in dramatically reducing offender recidivism rates, effectively breaking cycles of violence. INNER CITY PROGRAMMES
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lished schools to revive the ancient Vedic practices that is sought out by Vedic scholars. He also facilitates commercial diplomacy, promote cultural and artistic exchange, accelerates awareness of the Sustainable Development Goals, facilitates disaster responses in India, and promotes gender equality in India and globally. Gurudev seeks to build bridges between beliefs and religions to universalize wisdom and foster greater compassion, love and mutual understanding for a stress and violence
Suriname’s President, Chandrikapersad Santokhi and First Lady, Mellisa Santokhi, with Gurudev following an OAS meeting in Los Angeles he has ever experienced. Sudarshan Kriya has been recently adopted by several hospitals in the United States in their wellness programmes to combat burnout among healthcare workers. Each year, more than 400 physicians commit suicide in the United States and the US Surgeon General anticipates a shortage of 139,000 physicians in another 10 years because of burnout. Gurudev has inspired a wave of service activities across the world among 30 000+ instructors and over one million volunteers who also work tirelessly to bring trauma relief in areas ravaged by stress, tension, and natural disasters.
and Emotional Learning (CASEL) as a social emotional learning program. SKY Schools has breathed life into the US education system by giving students and educators the tools to optimize the educational experience. More than 120,000 students at 225 schools across the U.S. have learned how to manage stress and make more responsible choices through these programmes. Independent research by Claremont Graduate University also shows that the SKY Schools program reduces anxiety, depression, and bullying, and increases attentional focus and responsible decision making. The foundation also
PROGRAMMES Gurudev has also designed a free program for the armed forces and their families in the US. The Welcome Home Troops offers restoration and tools to reduce chronic stress and PTSD. More than 3,700 veterans across 30 U.S. cities have benefited from these programs, including through 18 Veterans Affairs hospitals and Veteran centers. PRISON PROGRAMMES His Prison Smart Programme, which has rehabilitated more than 800,000 prisoners globally, is accredited by the American Correctional Association and is accepted by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons as an
Urban violence is a major issue in the US and Gurudev’s Cities 4 Peace initiative actively promotes peace and social cohesion. The programme empowers community stakeholders including social justice activists, former gang members, and law enforcement officers with evidence-based breathing and meditation techniques. Upon graduation from this programme, leaders become “Ambassadors of Peace,” and conduct peace workshops in their own communities. VEDIC PROGRAMMES Gurudev, known as the master of love, fosters global awareness of Vedic spirituality. He has estab-
free society. In 2016, he brought together 3.75 million people in New Delhi for the World Culture Festival that celebrates unity in diversity, something no politician on earth has been able to do. The World Culture Festival will be held in Washington DC in 2023 as a platform to heal the fabric of society torn apart by polarization by uniting cultures and celebrating our uniqueness. The theme of the World Culture Festival is Vasudaiva Kutumbakam, the World is one Family. For Tickets to the I Stand for Peace event at the National Cultural Center, please email info.guyana@artofliving.org.
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SUNDAY CHRONICLE July 10, 2022
25 years on: Waugh’s twin tons that turned 1997 Ashes series … A lookback at one of Steve Waugh’s finest-ever performances with two centuries at Old Trafford to put Australia on the path for a series win
TEST batters can ask for no better legacy than being remembered as a player for a crisis; the one who stood up and rescued the team when the contest was hanging in the balance. Ladies and gentlemen, meet Stephen Rodger Waugh. Very much in his pomp throughout the mid-1990s, Waugh regularly rivalled Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara for the ‘world’s best batter’ tag in that era and was the man every Aussie wanted beside them in the trenches. At Old Trafford, Manchester, in July 1997, he showed exactly why. Australia’s Ashes campaign had been floundering badly. Defeat in the opening Test followed by a washedout second match meant the tourists were staring down the barrel of what was at that stage the unthinkable: an Ashes series loss. Since 1989 (tellingly also a breakthrough series for Waugh), Ashes cricket had been one-way traffic. Mark Taylor, Mark Waugh, Shane Warne, Michael Slater and Glenn McGrath had all jumped on board a Baggy Green machine, against which a cavalcade of forgettable England teams stood very little chance. So with a one-nil scoreline going into the third Test, and Australia 3-42 after Mark Taylor bravely, or foolishly – that was yet to be determined – opted to bat on a pitch that was doing plenty, England had genuine cause for optimism. Waugh, though, always relished his role of England tormentor, and fortune was with him from the outset when he survived a huge lbw shout from Andrew Caddick. Thereafter, inexplicably, came a barrage of shortpitched bowling. The questionable tactic was designed to unsettle and ultimately re-
move Waugh. Yet the reality was far different. As was his way, Waugh dug in for the long haul, savouring the aggressive intent and capitalising on whatever loose balls came his way. Then England captain Mike Atherton revealed later that his side believed Waugh
compiled what he would go on to describe as his finest Test innings “The sense of satisfaction was intense,” he later wrote in his autobiography, Out of My Comfort Zone, “because I’d beaten the pregame blues, crafted on a difficult wicket an innings of quality that altered the course
West Indies, Bangladesh clash in first ODI at Providence today
WITH their tails up following wins in the Test and T20 series, hosts West Indies will have their sights set on a complete whitewash of the tour, come today, when the first ODI bowls off at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence. Oodles of confidence was gained by Nicholas Pooran and his men, who wrapped up the T20 series 2-nil, with relative ease following a ramapnt batting exhibition by a few of their players. With the shift to the 50-overs format, Bangladesh could fancy a turnaround
and look to draw first blood against the home team today. The Tigers have a solid record at Providence, with two wins from three games at the venue. Meanwhile, Windies’ last series win against the visitors was back in 2014 with three losses under their belts following that lone victory. South Africa and Afghanistan both suffered defeats earlier in the year, at the hands of the Bangladeshis. While the Windies managed to win just one of four of their ODI series, with the lowly-ranked Netherlands being their victims. The return of star pac-
er, Mustafizur Rahman and opener Tamim Iqbal will most certainly boost the Tigers’ weaponry. While the batting form of Afif Hossain, Mahmudullah and Litton Das in the T20s, will be extremely crucial for the remainder of the series. West Indies welcome the return of opener and arguably their best ODI batter, Shai Hope. Fellow opener Kyle Mayers, all-rounder Rovman Powell and Pooran all hit blistering form in the T20s, all smacking fifties and could easily settle in and do more damage given the increase of overs. Match bowls off at 09:30hrs. (Clifton Ross)
‘Baz-ball’ buzzword is silly, says McCullum
Steve Waugh followed up his 108 in the first innings with 116 in the second (Getty) only performed once engaged in a war of words with his opposition “We felt he revelled in a hostile atmosphere and sledging merely fuelled his adrenalin,” Atherton later wrote in his autobiography, Opening Up. “He arrived at the crease and soon realised this. ‘Okay, you’re not talking to me, are you? Well I’ll talk to myself then’. “And he did, for 240 minutes in the first innings, and 382 minutes in the second.” Waugh’s partners came and went – Matthew Elliott, Michael Bevan, Ian Healy and Shane Warne all fell during Waugh’s day one vigil – until he found an unlikely ally in seamer Paul Reiffel, who was 26 not out at stumps. By that point, Waugh was unbeaten on 102, having
of the match, and executed it in front of my family.” As Atherton alluded to, Waugh wasn’t done there. Australia led by 112 when he came to the crease a second time, at which point he took it upon himself to remove the hosts from the contest entirely Another century, another match-winning knock, and another chapter to the Waugh legend; it was the first time in more than 50 years that twin centuries had been scored in an Ashes Test. Shane Warne’s nine wickets for the match sealed the deal for the Australians, who levelled the series at one-all. The shift in momentum was dramatic; Taylor’s men won the next two Tests, and the little urn was theirs for a record fifthstraight time. (Cricket. com .au)
BRENDON McCullum says the new buzzword ‘Baz-ball’, the term being bandied around in honour of England’s new Test head coach, is “silly”. McCullum and captain Ben Stokes took charge of a misfiring Test side and have transformed England’s fortunes, with a bolder approach steering them to three wins against New Zealand and one over India. On each occasion, England have overhauled 275-plus targets in the fourth innings with relative ease, while they chased down a record 378 with seven wickets to spare against India earlier this week. It has sparked a wave of support for what has been labelled ‘Baz-ball’, but the man himself says he’s not a fan of the term. While positivity has been a central theme in the embryonic stages of the era of McCullum nicknamed Baz - the former New Zealand skipper
insisted there were deeper levels of pragmatism involved. “That’s why I don’t really like that silly term that people are throwing out there,” McCullum said on SEN Radio. Because there’s actually quite a bit of thought that goes into how the guys manufacture their performances and when they put pressure on bowlers and which bowlers they put pressure on. “There’s also times when they’ve absorbed pressure beautifully as well.” Former Australia captain Steve Smith this week questioned whether England’s dynamism is sustainable and was overheard shouting ‘Baz-ball’ in net session ahead of a Test against Sri Lanka. While McCullum has been overjoyed at how the early part of his reign has unfolded, he knows stiff Tests await, with South Africa touring later this summer while Australia will be in England to con-
test the Ashes series in 12 months’ time. “I certainly wouldn’t say that we’ve changed the face (of Test cricket),” McCullum added. “All we try and do is play a brand of cricket which gives the guys the greatest amount of satisfaction and gives them the best opportunity. We’ve also got an obligation to entertain. “It’s been a tremendous month (but) we know that there are big challenges to come, one of which will be the Aussie boys, but we’ve just got to keep doing what we’re doing. “Australia is a different kind of challenge because of the history of the Ashes and the rivalry which exists there. “I’m sure that our guys will try and still maintain a really positive approach. I think the real key is not just the crash and burn if we look at the approach of how the guys have done it.” (PA Sport)
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Mendis lead Sri Lanka’s strong reply to Aussies 364
DIMUTH Karunaratne and Kusal Mendis’s 152run stand for the second wicket helped Sri Lanka fight back on Day 2 of the second Test after bundling out Australia for 364 earlier yesterday, at the Galle International Stadium. The duo applied themselves well even as the ball was turning and there was bounce on offer - even and well paced - and the Australians didn’t do much wrong with their channel of operation. While it took Sri Lanka 14.3 overs to hit their first boundary, both Mendis and Karunaratne were quick to pick the odd loose delivery to cash in and score boundaries. Barring the occasional show of aggression, both the batters adopted the approach that brought ample success to Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith earlier in the game, ensuring that the scoreboard kept moving
Kusal Mendis and Dimuth Karunaratne shared a superb century stand (AFP) without much threat to their there were no further dents wickets. as Sri Lanka went to stumps Karunaratne eventually on 184 for 2. fell, on 86, late in the day Australia could’ve found when he was tricked by a themselves in a better posiquicker one from Mitchell tion had Alex Carey not atSwepson and was hit on the tempted an audacious reverse pads while trying to play sweep off Prabath Jayasurithe leggie off the backfoot. ya. Having resumed the day Mendis, however, ensured on 298 for 5, the visitors
were in little difficulty for the first half an hour. However, the efforts to disturb the lengths of the debutant left-arm spinner weren’t working out the way the Australians would have wanted. Jayasuriya expertly used his variations in pace and release to trouble the visitors. Unlike the other spinners, he didn’t err as often in length either. Carey’s shot went to the fielder at deep backward point and triggered Australia’s collapse. Jayasuriya snared the scalps of Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon in quick succession to finish with six wickets. Starc was caught at slips while Lyon was trapped leg-before. Kasun Rajitha added another wicket to his tally when he had Pat Cummins struck on the pads with an incoming delivery. Steve Smith, who looked unfazed throughout his stay, farmed the strike with No.
SCOREBOARD
AUSTRALIA 1st innings o/n 298-5 Usman Khawaja b Ramesh Mendis 37 David Warner b Kasun Rajitha 5 Marnus Labuschagne stp. Niroshan Dickwella b Prabath Jayasuriya 104 Steven Smith not out 145 Travis Head b Prabath Jayasuriya 12 Cameron Green lbw Prabath Jayasuriya 4 Alex Carey c Ramesh Mendis b Prabath Jayasuriya 28 Mitchell Starc c Kusal Mendis b Prabath Jayasuriya 1 Pat Cummins lbw Kasun Rajitha 5 Nathan Lyon lbw Prabath Jayasuriya 5 Mitchell Swepson lbw Maheesh Theekshana 3 Extras: (b-5, lb-6, nb-3, w-1) 15 Total: (all out, 110 overs) 364 Fall of wickets: 1-15, 2-70, 3-204, 4-238, 5-252, 6-329, 7-333, 8-338, 9-345. Bowling: Kasun Rajitha 25-4-70-2 (w-1, nb-3), Ramesh Mendis 33-1-117-1, Maheesh Theekshana 16-2-48-1, Prabath Jayasuriya 36-3-118-6. SRI LANKA 1st innings Pathum Nissanka c Cameron Green b Mitchell Starc 6 Dimuth Karunaratne lbw Mitchell Swepson 86 Kusal Mendis not out 84 Angelo Mathews not out 6 Extras: (b-1, w-1) 2 Total: (two wkts, 63.0 overs) 184 Fall of wickets: 1-12, 2-164. Bowling: Mitchell Starc 12-2-28-1, Pat Cummins 13-4-34-0, Nathan Lyon 21-1-69-0, Cameron Green 3-0-8- 0 (w-1), Mitchell Swepson 112-31-1, Travis Head 3-0-13-0. Karunaratne.
11 Swepson to keep the Sri Lankans at bay for nearly half an hour before the tailender was eventually trapped leg-before by Maheesh Theekshana, who bagged his maiden Test wicket. Brief Scores: Austra-
lia 364 (Steve Smith 145*, Manus Labuschagne 104; Prabath Jayasuriya 6-118, Kasun Rajitha 2-70) lead Sri Lanka 184-2 (Dimuth Karunaratne 86, Kusal Mendis 84*) by 180 runs. (Cricbuzz)
At the moment, Virat Kohli isn’t playing like the Kohli we know Kapil Dev (ICC via Getty) performing. “Kohli has a lot of ability and talent. You hope such a player comes back. It’s not as if you completely leave him out. If he isn’t performing now, it’s fine (to leave him out). Youngsters are playing well. If you can keep Ashwin out, you can keep anyone out.”
M e a n w h i l e , Wa s i m Jaffer, the former India opener, felt the pressure to perform could yet bring out Kohli’s best, but he hoped the return of senior players shouldn’t come at the cost of India’s new batting approach of going big from the outset. “Hooda’s performance will put pressure on Virat Kohli when he comes back,” he said. “You’ve got a guy who has done so well, performed consistently in the IPL and the T20Is as well. The pressure might bring out the best of Virat Kohli. “The big guys who are missing, KL Rahul (after recovering from injury) and Virat, are going to come back. But India will be happy that they have got the guys to back them up. However, the approach needs to be similar. This is the brand of cricket they need to play if they want to dominate this format. This is something we would like to see from the main guys as well.
If Kohli isn’t performing, you can’t keep youngsters out - Kapil Dev
UTILISE those players who are in form. Don’t go by reputation alone and prepare to make tough calls even if it happens to be someone of the stature of Virat Kohli. This is essentially Kapil Dev’s message to India’s selectors as they build towards this year’s T20 World Cup in Australia. “Play in-form players
when you have loads of options,” Kapil told ABP News. “You can’t just go by reputation, you have to look for current form. You can be an established player but that doesn’t mean that you will be given chances even if you fail five games in a row.” Kapil was asked specifically if Kohli can fit into India’s current plans given his own lean run and how
CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Sunday July 10, 2022) COMPLIMENTS OF CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD- 83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) Johannesburg, 2007 (2) St. Vincent, 2009 Today’s Quiz: (1) How many times Darren Sammy has captained the WI in T20 Int’l games? (2) How many times he led the team to victory? Answers in tomorrow’s issue2022
well Suryakumar Yadav and Deepak Hooda have performed in his absence. Kohli is coming off an underwhelming IPL where he managed just two half-centuries for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). In all T20s in 2022, he has so far struck at 115 in the middle overs; Suryakumar, Hooda, Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant have all scored at a faster clip in this period. “Yes, there will be a headache, but he will have to perform better,” Kapil said. “If world No. 2 Test bowler Ashwin can be dropped from Test side then your No. 1 batter can also be dropped. “I hope Kohli scores runs. And if there’s a (selection) challenge after that, it’s a big one. At the moment, Virat Kohli isn’t playing like the Kohli we know, the one that has made him a legend
through his performances. “If he isn’t performing, you can’t continue to keep these boys (youngsters) out. I hope there’s a healthy fight for selection. The youngsters should look to outperform Kohli. But Kohli needs to think, ‘yes at one point I was a big player, but I need to play like that No. 1 player again’. That’s a problem for the team, it’s not a bad problem.” RELATED
Kapil also wasn’t in favour of big players being left out time and again in the name of “rest.” He felt there should be merit in picking and dropping someone. “You can call it rest; you can call it dropped. Every person will have his views,” he said. “If you (selectors) haven’t picked him, you can say we’ve rested the big players because they aren’t
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SUNDAY CHRONICLE July 10, 2022
RHTYSC, Pepsi renew long-standing relationship with Under-19 sponsorship THE highly successful relationship between the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTYSC) and Demerara Distillers Ltd (DDL) last Friday was renewed at a simple ceremony at the company’s head office at Diamond, East Bank Demerara. The renewal was done under the name of international soft drink brand, Pepsi. RHTYSC Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster stated that the relationship between the club and Pepsi started in 2004 when the popular brand replaced the Guyana and Telegraph Company Ltd as the official sponsor of the Under-19 and intermediate cricket teams. The Under-19 team have dominated that level in the
Tour de France…
county, while the intermediate won all three countywide tournaments organised by the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) during that period. The long-standing club official, who is also the president of the active BCB, stated that the relationship between the two organisations had produced several Berbice Under-19 championships while numerous players have emerged to play for Berbice, Guyana and the West Indies. Junior Sinclair, who was recently drafted into Guyana Amazon Warriors team, is a product of both teams. Assad Fudadin, Royston Crandon, Askhay Homraj, Dominic Rikhi, Kelvon Anderson, Kevin Sinclair, Shemaine Campbelle, Erva Giddings, Sheneta Grimmond, Shakabi
Gajnabi, Jonathan Rampersaud, Mahendra Gopilall, Jermey Sandia, Matthew Pottaya, Keith Simpson are all products of the two teams. Additionally, the two teams have hosted over 2 000 community programmes under the name of the sponsorship. The club has mandated the teams to successfully host at least 50 programmes annually under the Pepsi sponsorship. The programmes are held under a wide range of sub-headings including educational, coaching, charity, medical, anti- drugs, community development, youth development, awards, social development and anti-suicide. Foster committed the teams to upholding the high
standard of the highest order on and off the cricket field. The club assistant secretary, Jonathan Rampersaud, a national junior player would lead the Under-19 team while West Indies Under-19 Kevlon Anderson, who is now a member of the CWI Emerging Players programme and is scheduled to lead the Intermediate team. They would have Jermey Sandia and Surendra Kissoonlall respectively as vice-captains. Under-19 captain Jonathan Rampersaud expressed thanks to the management and staff of DDL for their continued confidence in them and pledged to continue representing the Pepsi brand with pride, passion and discipline. He also disclosed that
Wout van Aert wins stage eight as Pogacar extends overall lead
Wout van Aert retains the green points jersey with a 115-point lead over Fabio Jakobsen BELGIUM’S Wout van Pidock led the Ineos Cattaneo and Frederik Aert sprinted to his sec- Grenadiers contingent over Frison but was forced to go ond stage victory of this the finish line in 10th, with solo in the final 10km beyear’s Tour de France as Thomas just behind in 11th fore being caught around Slovenia’s Tadej Pogacar and Yates in 18th place, 3.5km from the line as the extended his overall lead with all three retaining chasing group began to acon stage eight. their positions in the top celerate towards the finish Jumbo-Visma’s van 10 of the general classifi- in Lausanne. Aert hung on up a category cation. Matthews, who was three climb to the finish to For long stages of the denied victory by Pogacar edge out Australia’s Mi- 186.3km route from Dole on stage six, opened up chael Matthews. in France to Lausanne in his sprint to the line too Pogacar finished third Switzerland another Brit- early and saw the Sloto extend his yellow jersey on, Fred Wright, battled venian again come on to lead to 39 seconds. gamely to record his first his wheel before van Aert British trio Tom Pid- Grand Tour stage win. impressively surged past cock, Geraint Thomas and The Bahrain-Victorious both, to record his eighth Adam Yates all finished in rider formed a three-man individual Tour victory. the leading group of riders. breakaway with Mattia “I’m of course super
happy with today’s win,” said the Belgian. “I want to thank my team for chasing down the breakaway and then you have to finish it off. It was a pretty tough climb at the end. It was really steep - I had to fight to stay within wheel of Pogacar and his team-mates. “I knew it was a bit flatter for the sprint, so I was waiting for that moment.” Earlier yesterday, a collection of the main GC riders including Pogacar, Thomas, David Gaudu and Romain Bardet were among those held up by a crash. However, none ended up losing time as a result - unlike French favourite Thibaut Pinot, who was knocked off his bike by a collision with a soigneur from Trek-Segafredo just moments after his first crash with around 50km remaining. Today sees the race travel back into France o n a 1 9 2 . 9 k m ro u t e from Aigle to Chatel Les Portes du Soleil. (BBC Sport)
RHTYSC Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster receives sponsorship from DDL Marketing Executive Larry Wills over the next twelve months, the teams would undertake a total of 60 programmes. These would include the upcoming summer camp for youths and the popular Christmas Village in December. DDL Marketing executive Larry Wills stated that his company was delight-
ed to renew its sponsorship with the teams as they were very impressed with their performances over the years and the positive results achieved. The RHT Pepsi team would shortly start preparations for the upcoming BCB inter-club tournament.
Keemo Paul out of ODI series with COVID-19
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC) – All-rounder Keemo Paul is out of the threematch one-day series against Bangladesh after testing positive for COVID-19. He was pulled from last Thursday’s final Twenty20 International after complain-
named as a reserve. Paul featured in the second T20 International at Windsor Park last Sunday, sending down a single over which cost nine runs as West Indies beat Bangladesh by 35 runs. A former West Indies Under-19, Paul had only just
West Indies all-rounder Keemo Paul ing of flu-like symptoms and remained at the team hotel to be tested. The 24-year-old Paul has been replaced in the 13-man squad by fellow Guyanese fast-bowling all-rounder Romario Shepherd who had been
returned to the West Indies set up after recovering from injury, turning out in the third and final One-Day International against Pakistan in Multan last month. He has played three Tests, 20 ODIs and 21 T20Is.
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India thrash England by 49 runs at Edgbaston to clinch T20 series
ENGLAND were thrashed by 49 runs in the second Twenty20 at Edgbaston as India clinched the threematch series with a game to spare. Chasing 171 to level the series, England put in another disappointing batting performance and were bowled out for 121 in 17 overs. Jason Roy was caught at slip off the first ball of England’s pursuit and captain Jos Buttler followed in the third over, caught behind on review for four - Bhuvneshwar Kumar the bowler on both occasions. Bhuvneshwar claimed 3-15 and Jasprit Bumrah and Yuzvendra Chahal took two wickets apiece in another exciting India performance. Moeen Ali top-scored for England with 35, while David Willey’s 33 not out prevented an even heavier defeat in Buttler’s second match as captain. England’s bowlers had earlier fought back well to restrict India to 170-8. Seamer Richard Gleeson,
making his England debut at the age of 34, took 3-15, including the big scalps of India captain Rohit Sharma for 31, superstar Virat Kohli for one and the dangerous Rishabh Pant for 26. Chris Jordan took 4-27 but Ravindra Jadeja’s 46 not out from 29 balls proved crucial in lifting India to a challenging total, albeit one that still looked gettable. India now hold an unassailable 2-0 lead before the series finale today at Trent Bridge. A three-match one-day international series follows next week.
PROBLEMS FOR ENGLAND England have set the benchmark in white-ball cricket for the past five years under Eoin Morgan but, with Morgan now retired, they have been comprehensively outplayed for the second game in succession. As in the 50-run loss in Southampton, the batting, usually England’s strength in this
format, cost them after the bowlers put in a decent display. Roy again had no answer to Bhuvneshwar’s imperious
Ravindra Jadeja marked his T20I return with an unbeaten 46 off 29 balls (Getty Images) control of the new ball and, after a review showed Buttler had got a toe-end on an attempted cut, the hosts never looked like recovering. There was a chaotic runout for Chris Jordan and the way last-man Matt Parkinson had his stumps splattered by a Harshal Patel yorker almost
Brilliant Duffy wins thriller despite penalty
H A M B U R G , G e r m a n y, (CMC) – Bermudian Olympic champion Dame Flora Duffy, who will also defend her title at next month’s Commonwealth Games, was back to her brilliant best as she overcame a 10-second penalty to storm to a thrilling victory in the World Triathlon Championship Series (WTCS) race here on Saturday. It was the 13th WTCS victory in the storied career of the 34-year-old, who is seeking a record-breaking fourth world title despite suffering two bouts of COVID-19 earlier this year. Asked afterwards if it was one of her most satisfying, Duffy, a winner here in 2017, said: “Yeah, for sure. I gave everything out there and am super pumped to take a win after this year. “It started off so weird with two times COVID, flying to races and my equipment not making it. I’m pumped to get myself back in the series and excited for the rest of the year.” Duffy picked up the penalty – the first of her career, she said afterwards – for leaving her swim goggles outside of the transition box, having exited the 750-metre first leg in seventh place. Perhaps flustered by her error, she then delivered a poor second transition after the 21-kilometre bike to emerge last of the leading group of 15 heading into the two-lap, five-kilometre run. But she quickly threaded
her way through the field to lead and served her penalty halfway through the run on the advice of her husband and coach Dan Hugo, emerging in second place six seconds adrift of Britain’s Beth Potter.
Leeds, England, Duffy withdrew from Montreal two weeks ago in favour of competing in the Ironman 70.3 Mont-Tremblant, Canada, in what was her last chance to seal a qualification spot at the World Championships
Bermuda’s Olympic champion Flora Duffy She gradually wore down Potter, however, to win the sprintcourse race in 58:37 minutes to show without question she is one of the sport’s all-time greats. Potter was second in 58:43 with Germany’s Lisa Tertsch third in 58:53. The win saw Duffy move up three places to second in the overall WTCS standings behind Britain’s Georgia Taylor-Brown, an absentee in Hamburg. Georgia-Brown has 3,850 points with Duffy on 3,482 and Potter third on 3,139. Having finished her previous WTCS race in seventh place in
emphasised the gulf between the sides. England are missing regulars for various reasons but
in St George, Utah, in October. However, her hopes of qualifying were thwarted before the race had even begun because her bike, which should have been loaded onto a direct flight from Denver, Colorado to Montreal, failed to arrive. Next up for Duffy, who has admitted she was below her best in Leeds having not fully recovered from COVID, will be the Commonwealth Games starting later this month in the English city of Birmingham. She is the defending champion, having won gold in Australia in 2018.
Buttler and Matthew Mott their new white-ball coach who was appointed in May - have work to do if they are going to compete at the T20 World Cup in October. India, who were able to recall Kohli, Pant, Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja after they sat out the first match, look the
more likely winners right now.
GLEESON’S STUNNING DEBUT The batting took the shine off a feel-good story. Gleeson was England’s oldest debutant for 15 years and did not play professional cricket until the age of 27, previously working as a community coach and playing minor county cricket. On his first England appearance, less than year after considering retirement because of back injuries, he removed three of the biggest names in the game. After India raced to 49-0 in the fifth over, the Lancashire quick had Rohit caught off a top-edge with his fifth ball. His next over was a stunning double-wicket maiden. Kohli sliced a high catch to backward point off the first ball and Pant was caught behind off a thin edge next up, but Hardik Pandya kept the hat-trick ball out. Gleeson bowled 16 dot
balls in his four overs - his figures the second best by an England debutant in T20s. He relentlessly bowled a good length with impressive speed, reaching 90mph. “If you said when I was 27 and starting out in pro cricket that I’d be playing at 34 for England I never would have imagined it,” Gleeson told BBC Sport. “It goes to show if you keep persevering, if you’ve got something, keep believing in yourself, you never know what can happen.” Jordan followed his impressive showing on Thursday with another strong performance. He also took two in two - Suryakumar Yadav holing out to deep mid-wicket for 15 and Hardik cutting straight to backward point on 12. Even in a losing cause, Jordan looks to have reaffirmed his position as a crucial member of this attack. Gleeson will surely have earned more opportunities. (BBC Sport)
CWI Women’s Rising Stars T20 tourney
Windwards win big as Glasgow puts on a show; Jamaica edge Guyana by 18 runs
PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad – The Windward Islands handed the Leeward Islands a 122-run defeat at the Diego Martin Sporting Complex as the CWI Women’s U19 Rising Stars T20 tournament continued on Friday. Batting first, Windwards posted the highest total for the event so far of 176-8 in their 20 overs. The runs came from the bats of left-hander Jannellia Glasgow with 38 off 30 balls with six fours, and Namiah Marcellin who scored a brisk 37 off 26 balls with seven boundaries. The total was boosted by a whopping 53 extras. Right-arm medium fast Jahzara Claxton with 3-0-29-3 and right-arm medium pacer Kimberly Anthony with 4-0-15-2 were the best Leewards bowlers. Glasgow then returned with the new ball to be the
star bowler. She returned impressive figures of 4-23-3, while Abini St Jean finished with 3-0-7-3 and Zaida James 2.5-0-11-2 as the Windwards were bowled out for 35 in 13.5 overs. Claxton was the lone batter to reach double figures. She scored 11 off 39 balls, which included two fours. Jamaica edge Guyana by 18 runs (DLS Method) Jamaica earned their first win with an 18-run result over Guyana at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy. Batting first, Lena Scott added her name to the tournament’s run-scorers after she smashed an unbeaten 43 (56) which included six boundaries. Kate Wilmott also got into the action with a run-aball 29 not out, as Jamaica posted 115-4 from their 20 overs. With the rain playing spoilsport on their innings, Guyana reached 87-4 from their rain-re-
duced 18 overs, thereby losing on the Duckworth/ Lewis/Stern method. Right-handed opening batter Naomi Barkoye continued her good form, smashing three boundaries on her way to a 27 off 44 balls, while Sarah Amin remained not out on 12. Bowling for the Jamaicans, Kimarie Campbell finished with the excellent figures of 3-0-7-2. RAIN WASHES OUT USA vs BARBADOS The USA had Barbados on the backfoot before the rain forced an abandonment of the match. Winning the toss and electing to bat first, the Bajans were pegged back 16-3 in 3.5 overs. Seam bowler Jivana Aras grabbed all three wickets to fall, by the time the rains came. She had figures of 1.5-0-6-3. The tournament continued yesterday. (CWI)
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Junior CASA serves off today
THE Junior Caribbean Area Squash Championships (CASA) will start today at Georgetown Club and the National Racquet Centre. Athletes have come from Barbados, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Jamaica, St Vincent & The Grenadines, and Trinidad & Tobago. In round one of the Boys U-11, number-one seeded Ben Phang will play Dylan Innis of Trinidad and Tobago at the Racquet Centre on Court Two from 11:00hrs, simultaneously as Mason Smith and Varad Maharaj face each other. For the Girls U-11, Guyanese Zoe McDonald and Dwileen Coates compete from 11:30hrs at the Racquet Centre. Three Boys U-13 roundof-16 matches will be played from 09:00hrs at Georgetown Club. Guyana’s Jeremey TenPow faces Trinidadian D’Juran Ross; Barbadian Ben Shepherd play BVI’s Levie Jack and Daniel Sealy of Barbados battle Cole Brown of Jamaica.
Shomari Wiltshire is a clear favourite for Boys Under-19 title Brenno DaSilva drew a bye and will face Jayden George of St Vincent in the quarter-finals from 15:00hrs. For Girls U-13, Trinidadian Jose Thong opposes Guyanese Jane Singh, and Guyana’s Kaylee Lowe plays Bermudan Kymie McKenna from 11:00hrs.
Kirsten Gomes could cop the Under-19 title
The two matches at 11:30hrs will feature three Guyanese. The first will pit Avery Arjoon against Barbadian Lenna Hamati then Tiana Gomes will do battle with Emily Fung-A-Fat. The semi-finals are scheduled for Monday from 15:30hrs. Guyanese Noah Rahaman
Cayman Islands registers for Caribbean Schoolboys and Junior boxing tourney
CAYMAN Islands became the first country to officially register for next month’s Winfield Braithwaite Caribbean Schoolboys and Junior boxing tournament after putting forward a team of one boxer and two officials. Sixteen-year-old light middleweight Alec Lopez will represent the Islands. Yolande Lopez is the manager of the team while Trinidadian national Floyd Trumpet is the coach. President of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) Steve Ninvalle yesterday applauded the early action of the Cayman Islands team while adding that in the fifth edition of the annual tournament it is expected that the largest number of countries will be participating. “We have given July 19 as our cut-off date for registration. I have been assured by Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, The Bahamas, St Lucia, Barbados, Jamaica and Gre-
GBA president Steve Ninvalle nada that they will be sending teams. It is heartening news since we are all coming out of COVID-19 and need such competition,” Ninvalle said. The GBA has heightened chances of retaining the Champion Country title after flying in respected and qual-
ified Cuban coach Francisco Roldan. The Cuban will take over training of Guyana’s nursery leading up to the tournament. According to Ninvalle, GBA has been staging two Under-16 tournaments per month since January in order to be fully prepared for the overseas invasion. “The last of these competitions is scheduled for July 17 at the National Gymnasium. This will be followed by the selection of a national squad which Mr Roldan will be in charge of,” the GBA boss added. Encampment is scheduled for two weeks before the tournament which is scheduled for August 19-21, at Cliff Anderson Sports Hall. Formerly known as the Caribbean Schoolboys and Juniors, the tournament is the brainchild of Ninvalle and was first held in 2016. Guyana hosted the event ever since and won Champion Country on all occasions.
swings into action for the Boys U-15 when he faces Jaydon Williams of St Vincent from 16:00hrs, half-an-hour after the clash between Chad DeAbreu and Barbadian Benjamin King. Joshua Verwey will await the outcome of Justin TenPow and Eli Carpol meet from 09:30hrs, for this first match
at 15:30hrs. Title favourite Shiloh Asregado clashes with Trinidadian from 15:30hrs at the Racquet Centre. Rylee Rodrigues starts her campaign against Mya Francois from 10:30hrs, and if successful, would play her quarter-final match against Jamaican Mehar Trehan from 17:30hrs. Safirah Summer meets Mariella Young of Barbados from 10:30hrs and Malia Mikoo starts against BVI’s Doireann Lynch while Paige Mendonca has Rose Paulos in her way for a quarter-final clash with Ciara George. In the U-17, Kassia Walcott drew a bye for a quarter-final clash at 17:30hrs at the Racquet Centre while Nicholas Verwey drew a bye to the quarter-finals from 16:30hrs. Nathan Rahaman will face Bradley Holmes of Jamaica from 16:00hrs, and Mohryan Baksh will battle Luke Wilson of Barbados. Louis DaSilva comes against Xavier Marshall. Mi-
chael Aphonso has a bye. In the Under-19, clear title favourite Shomari Wiltshire has a bye and will start his quest in the quarter-final from 17:30hrs while Zachary Persaud faces Rhys Greenland of Jamaica Samuel Ince-Carvalhal, who many feel could face Wiltshire in an all-Guyanese final, starts against Jamaica’s Dylan at 10:00hrs. Abosaide Cadogan opens her title quest at 18:30hrs against Trinidadian Charlotte Sutcliffe while Kirsten Gomes competes at the same time against Ariana Lowther. Matches will be livestreamed on the Guyana Squash Association’s Facebook page, compliments of E-Networks. Since 2017, when Guyana were dethroned by Barbados at home, they have not added a title to their 12 consecutive overall championship trophies, but there is hope brewing that the 13th title could be copped this year.
Queen’s College, Kwakwani to battle in ExxonMobil NSBF girls’ final
Queen’s College defeated Marian Academy in the first semi-final QUEEN’S College and Kwakwani will battle in the Girls’ Developmental final of the ExxonMobil National Schools Basketball Festival (NSBF). In the semi-finals yesterday at Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, Queen’s College defeated Marian Academy in a low-scoring bout. In the game, which ended 12-9, Alisande Jaiserisingh scored six points and made five steals and Cianna Barkoye added four points and five rebounds. Angel Rajaram had four points and five steals for
Marian Academy. In the second semi-final, Kwakwani Secondary, who are favourites for the title, got past GT Academy by a whopping 30-15. Shania Sears and Natalya Clarke led the winners with solid all-round games. Sears scored 13 points to go with seven rebounds, while Clarke added 12 points, nine rebounds and five steals. Shanill James and Kassidy Woolford led GT Academy with six and five points respectively. The NSBF first com-
menced in June of 2006 involving 18 schools in a single-elimination tournament. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the tournament had grown to almost 50 schools participating first for ranking in six separate Regional (ZONE) Tournaments, in order to qualify for the National Championship. T h i s y e a r, s o m e 48 teams represented 30 schools in a battle for the national titles in three divisions; Under-16 (boys), Under-18 (boys), and 13-18 girls developmental.
Rybakina fights back to win Wimbledon final
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ELENA Rybakina became the first player from Kazakhstan to win a Grand Slam title by beating Tunisian third seed Ons Jabeur in a gripping Wimbledon final. Rybakina, 23, fought back to win 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 and become the youngest Wimbledon singles champion since 2011. After a shaky first set, she improved and pressured Jabeur into errors. Rybakina was born in Moscow and her victory comes in a year where Wimbledon banned Russians from playing. The All England Club did not allow Russian and Belarusian players to compete at this year’s tournament in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Rybakina, who changed allegiance in 2018 after receiving greater financial support from Kazakhstan, was presented with the Venus Rosewater Dish by the Duchess of Cambridge, who has publicly supported Ukraine’s fight. The 17th seed clinched victory with her first match point when
Jabeur pulled a backhand wide. Initially there was little emotion from the new champion, who simply raised her right arm in the air as part of a muted celebration. After sharing a warm embrace with Jabeur at the net, Rybakina received a respectful round of applause before then running up a gangway of the stairs to hug her team. “Words can’t say how happy I am,” she said. World number 23 Rybakina has won two WTA titles and reached a highest ranking of 12th in January. On only her second maindraw appearance at Wimbledon, Rybakina had quietly moved through the rounds this fortnight, using her height and power to great effect. Eventually that also proved to be the case in a match against a player of contrasting style and personality. Going into the final, Rybakina had dropped only one set when she fought back to beat Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic in the quarter-finals.
Elena Rybakina (KAZ) holds the Venus Rosewater Dish after winning her women’s singles final against Ons Jabeur (TUN) on Centre court at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. (Mandatory Credit: Peter van den Berg-USA TODAY Sports) But Jabeur, full of slice and variety, settled the quicker to break Rybakina’s serve twice and race away with the opening set. Rybakina showed no nerves in a powerful semi-final display against 2019 champion Simona Halep, but handling those in all pomp and prestige of a first Grand Slam final was a different proposition. Eventually she settled down and the contest suddenly took a change of direction at the start of the second set. A loose service game from Jabeur was seized upon by Rybakina, who had begun to rediscover the level that got her to this stage. Rybakina backed up the break for a 2-0 lead and, while she had to continue working hard for her holds, moved a double
JFF condemns killing of Under-15 player Jedine Carr
Jamaica Under-15 football player Jedine Carr THE Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) is saddened after receiving news that Jedine Carr’s life was taken by the bullet of a gunman on Friday while she
SUNDAY CHRONICLE July 10, 2022
travelled to football training. Jedine was a member of the Jamaica Under-15 team that travelled to China to participate in the Chinese Football Development Exchange Programme in 2018. She was called to the Under-17 National Training squad, played Under-15 football for St Thomas and was a member of the Yallahs High team which participated in the aborted ISSA School Girls Competition in 2020. Her most recent games were played with the Proven Girls Academy in the ISSA Construction 2022 Reinas Cup. “I call upon Jamaicans to stand up to this bulging monster called crime and fight against what now seems to be a passive acceptance of it,” said Michael Ricketts, president of the JFF. “We are losing so many young and industrious people to gun violence. Jedine did everything right and was making big strides to brighten her future when her life was snuffed out. Profound condolences go to her family, friends, teammates and the St Thomas Football Association. Please stay strong in these challenging times,” Ricketts added. (Sportsmax)
break ahead at 4-1 as the errors crept into Jabeur’s shots. After sealing the second set, Rybakina broke again at the start of the decider and Jabeur looked increasingly despondent. But the tension mounted again in a sixth game that almost swung momentum back to world number two Jabeur. After a 0-40 lead, Jabeur thought she had landed the second of three break points with a clipped forehand but the line-calling technology said it was out. Rybakina fought back to hold and then broke in the seventh game to leave her serving for the championship. Jabeur led 15-30 but sprayed a forehand wide to bring up championship point, which Rybakina took to become the
youngest champion since Petra Kvitova in 2011 and the first woman since Amelie Mauresmo in 2006 to come back from a set down to win the final. Jabeur was unable to clinch double celebration. Tunisian trailblazer Jabeur was aiming to create more history by becoming the first Arab player to win a Grand Slam title. A popular and entertaining player, she had more support among the 15 000 crowd on Centre Court and the mood dampened as the match moved away from her. Jabeur’s story is one of an inspirational late bloomer who lacked patience in her younger days before finding the right mentality to complement her talent. That has enabled her to win
WTA tournaments, rise up the rankings and regularly break down barriers. Known as the ‘Minister of Happiness’ in her country, Jabeur is a popular figure in Tunisia, the Arab world and Africa. Jabeur’s first appearance in a Grand Slam final came on the same day as Eid ul-Adha - an important public holiday for Muslims. While it did not turn out to be a double celebration, Jabeur will still receive a public reception when she returns home. “I love this tournament so much and I feel really sad, but it’s tennis - there is only one winner,” Jabeur said. “I’m trying to inspire many generations from my country. I hope they are listening.” (BBC Sport)
West Indies, Bangladesh clash in first ODI at Providence today
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Ground staff preparing the pitch and outfield ahead of today’s first ODI at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence (Adrian Narine photos)
Junior CASA serves off today Printed and Published by Guyana National Newspapers Limi ted, Lama Avenue, Bel Air Park, Georgetown. Telephone 2 2 6- 3243-9 (General); Editorial: 2 2 7- 5204, 2 2 7- 5216. Fax:2 2 7- 5208
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| SUNDAY, JULY 10, 2022