Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 10-07-2023

–– President Ali reaffirms

Region 10 undergoing massive transformation

WITH plans and ongoing projects to improve housing, infrastructure and promote tourism, Region 10 (Upper Demerara- Berbice) is well on the road to massive transformation.

President, Dr Irfaan Ali, Friday last, outlined a number of investments that are currently being made in the region’s central town, Linden, and other environs

“Linden today is undergoing what Guyana is undergoing, rapid and massive transformation, make no mistake region 10 or Linden will not be left behind,” the Head of State said

He related that investments are being made to see the diversification of the region’s economy and to create opportunities for its people

One such investment is the Linden to Mabura Hill road which is currently under construction Already over 300 Lindeners have been

employed by the Ministry of Public Works as ongoing works are progressing

It is anticipated that some 300 more will gain employment as the ministry aims to speed up work on the significant project

“We will have a full high-

way that will integrate the transport logistics of Guyana, Northern Brazil, and the rest of the region, so today, as I speak to you, I’m very excited about the future prospects for Linden and Region 10,” Dr Ali said

Meanwhile , to offer di-

rect support to residents , the government will be processing 2,500 new titles for Lindeners; this will also see the regularisation of squatting settlements in the town

“Before the end of 2025, we must process 2,500 new titles for Linden , so 2,500

families will be empowered with titles …of these titles we’ll be working with squatting settlements, getting them regularised, putting in infrastructure Outside of this, we are going to proceed with our planned programme to commence the project of building

1,000 homes for the people of Region 10,” the Head of State said

These investments , he related , are a part of the planned programme outside of the government ’ s manifesto promises made in the lead-up to the 2020 elections

Guyana, Dr Ali affirmed, is being transformed into a new economy that will see knowledge-based industries, tourism and hospitality, aquaculture , environmental and educational services , and medical tourism, and Linden will not be left out.

The government, he said, is pushing to find a major investor to build a first-world first-class tourism facility in Linden that will be linked to the hinterland regions “ We want to advance the development of Linden and Region 10; we want to accelerate the development of Region 10 and Linden,” President Ali said.

The ‘I LOVE LINDEN’ sign (INFO 10 photo)

Guyana experiencing profound transformation, change and hope

remains one of the closest regional partners of the US at this critical juncture, Secretary Blinken says

shared priorities in comprehensive partnership

By Clestine Juan

GUYANA and the United States of America have solidified their status as close partners, with United States Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken affirming the strength of the nations’ relationship

During a joint press conference with President, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali , last Thursday , at State House, Secretary Blinken expressed his appreciation for Guyana ’ s significant role as one of the United States’ closest partners in the Caribbean region

The high-level US official said that the partnership is rooted in shared values and principles, such as the rule of law and democracy

Secretary Blinken added that both countries are committed to upholding these fundamental principles and working together to ensure that every nation abides by them

“...the work that we’re doing together with one of our closest partners in the Caribbean, at a moment of such profound transformation, such profound change, such profound hope…,” he said

Referencing the economic ties between the United States and Guyana, Secretary Blinken acknowledged the United States as Guyana ’ s largest trading partner

In 2022, the accumulated trade between the two countries exceeded US$3.9 billion The United States is the top destination for Guyanese exports, with a value of US$2.7 billion, and the leading source of Guyana’s imports, amounting to US$1.2 billion

President Ali echoed Secretary Blinken ’ s sentiments , highlighting the broad and deep partnership between the two countries

“We share common interests in three very important areas, that is, food security , energy security , and climate security As you know, Guyana has contributed significantly in all

three of these areas

“The vision of Guyana is to position our country to be a leader, a global leader on energy security, food security, and climate security

We are seeking to expand our partnership with the US in all of these areas.” the Head of State said

President Ali expressed his commitment to expand the partnership with the United States in these critical areas while simultaneously developing Guyana’s energy sector and promoting renewable energy initiatives to achieve decarbonisation targets

One of the key areas of collaboration is energy security Guyana’s emergence as a major player in the oil and gas industry has attracted considerable interest from the United States The development of offshore oil reserves presents an opportunity for energy diversification and the enhancement of regional energy security

COMBATING CLIMATE CHANGE

Of particular importance is Guyana’s commitment to forest conservation and its role in combating climate change

President Ali shared with Secretary Blinken

Guyana’s efforts to promote the importance of forests and sought further partnership with the United States to advance the forest agenda within the framework of climate change

He highlighted a historic deal in which Guyana will earn a minimum of $750 million from the sale of internationally certified carbon credits to the Hess Corporation over the next decade , with at least 15 per cent of the funds being reinvested in indigenous communities

“ The agreement that Guyana reached with a private corporation is of great significance and demonstrates in a very powerful way how Guyana is all at once using responsibly the funding resources that it now has at hand, while also making investments in the climate future, and making investments in the transition to renewables,”

Dr Ali said

Secretary Blinken commended Guyana for its leadership in forest conservation and its demonstration that responsible use of fossil fuel resources can coexist with climate mitigation and environmental protection

He acknowledged that

86 per cent of Guyana’s territory is covered by forests, making it a vital national carbon sink

The United States , through its Export-Import Bank, is actively collaborating with the Guyanese government on a major Gas - to - Energy project , aimed at cutting emissions by 50 per cent and harnessing American expertise to facilitate Guyana’s dynamic growth and enhance regional energy security

The leaders also underscored the importance of food security, particularly in the Caribbean region , which has experienced significant challenges due to the global climate crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, and ongoing conflicts

Both countries reaffirmed their commitment to addressing these issues, and have been working together through initiatives like the US-Caribbean High-Level Action Committee on Food Security

Guyana , in its role as co - chair , has been at the forefront of efforts to expand small farmers’ access to technology, reduce trade barriers, and improve transportation infrastructure to enhance food security in the region

Additionally, the joint

forces and partnership in combating many different forms of crime, and we will gain tremendous success in the last few years in these areas,” he said

Dr Ali reiterated Guyana’s commitment to continue and expand this partnership, fostering stronger relationships , trust , and networks The expanded relationship with SOUTHCOM has yielded positive outcomes in regional security, further solidifying Guyana ’ s position as an important security partner

The comprehensive partnership between the United States and Guyana is not limited to specific areas of co - operation but extends to various aspects of bilateral relations

press engagement highlighted the strong co-operation between Guyana and the United States in the area of security

Secretary Blinken acknowledged Guyana ’ s hosting of the upcoming Tradewinds exercise , an annual event conducted by the United States Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) to strengthen the Caribbean ’ s ability to combat transnational criminal organisations, address security threats, and respond to natural disasters.

The United States has invested over $830 million in the Caribbean-based security initiative since its inception in 2010, focusing on strengthening law enforcement, reducing illicit trafficking, and preventing youth crime

President Ali commended the United States for its support in training Guyana’s security forces, leading to significant success in combating various forms of crime in recent years

TREMENDOUS ROLE

“The United States has played a tremendous role in the training of our security forces in the last few years We had the greatest partnership in terms of the training of our security

Both countries are committed to creating an enabling environment for private sector engagement and investment

President Ali highlighted the significant increase in foreign direct investments ( FDI ) in Guyana over the past three years, particularly from the United States He mentioned that in 2022 alone, the FDI from the US reached a historic high of US $ 4.2 billion , reflecting a positive shift in the country’s investment landscape

“This is the highest in history And if you look at the investment from different countries, this is the highest investment over the last few years,” the President said

President Ali attributed this surge in investment to the strong bilateral relationship between Guyana and the US, as well as the policy environment and trust - building initiatives undertaken by both nations

He expressed his satisfaction with the growing interest and participation of the US private sector in Guyana ’ s opportunities , adding that this newfound enthusiasm from American investors has contributed to the rise in overall investment from the US.

President , Dr Irfaan Ali (Office of the President photos)

United States Secretary of State, Antony J Blinken

At least 300 migrants missing at sea near Spanish Canary Islands, aid group says

AT least 300 people who were travelling on three migrant boats from Senegal to Spain’s Canary Islands have disappeared, migrant aid group Walking Borders said on Sunday

Two boats, one carrying about 65 people and the other with between 50 and 60 on board , have been missing for 15 days since they left Senegal to try to reach Spain , Helena Maleno of Walking Borders told Reuters

A third boat left Senegal on June 27 with about 200 people aboard

The families of those on board have not heard from them since they left, Maleno said

All three boats left Kafountine in the south of Senegal , which is about 1,700 kilometres (1,057 miles) from Tenerife, one of the Canary Islands

“ The families are very worried . [ They are ] about 300 people from the same area of Senegal They have left because of the instability in Senegal,” Maleno said

The Canary Islands off the coast of West Africa have become the main destination for migrants trying to reach Spain , with a much smaller number also seeking to cross the Mediterranean Sea to the Spanish mainland Summer is the busiest period for all attempted crossings

The Atlantic migration route, one of the deadliest in the world, is typically used by migrants from sub-Saharan Africa. At least 559 people - including 22 children - died in 2022 in attempts to reach the Canary Islands , according to data from the U N.’s International Organisation for Migration. (Reuters)

Dozens of wooden boats used by migrants to reach the Canary Islands are seen at the Port of Arinaga, in the island of Gran Canaria, Spain, June 7, 2022 (Picture taken June 7, 2022 REUTERS/Borja Suarez/ File Photo)

Colombia, Brazil presidents pledge co-operation to protect Amazon

THE presidents of Brazil and Colombia discussed regional coordination to fight deforestation and protect the world’s largest and most biodiverse rainforest at a meeting in Colombia’s Amazonian city of Leticia on Saturday.

“My government is committed to eliminating illegal deforestation by 2030,” said Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who called for better regional and global coordination

He added : “ This is a

commitment that the Amazon countries can assume together at the upcoming Belem summit.”

The meeting between Lula and Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro followed talks in Leticia earlier this week between environmental ministers from Amazonian countries , including Colombia’s Susana Muhamad , Peru ’ s Albina Ruiz Rios, and Josue Lorca from Venezuela, among others

Both Petro and Lula, who each took office less

than a year ago , have called on rich nations to cough up funds to help South American countries preserve the Amazon, considered key to fighting global climate change

Meetings in Leticia come before a summit of Amazon nations hosted by Brazil in the city of Belem, at the mouth of the Amazon River, in August

The coming summit is an attempt to move the Amazon Cooperation Treaty

Organization nations to act together to preserve the forest and promote sustainable development in a region threatened by illegal loggers and gold miners , animal smugglers and drug traffickers

The organization was started in 1978 by Bolivia , Brazil , Colombia , Ecuador , Guyana , Peru , Suriname, and Venezuela French Guiana, an overseas territory of France, is invited to meetings. (Reuters)

Amazon deforestation down by a third in 2023, says Brazilian government

DEFORESTATION in Brazil

’ s Amazon fell by 33.6 per cent in the first six months of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s term compared with the same period in 2022, the government says

It suggests the rainforest shrank by 2,649 sq km this January - June , down from 3,988 sq km in those six months last year under President Bolsonaro

The released government satellite data has not been independently verified . Lula has pledged to end deforestation, or forest clearance, by 2030

But he faces a huge challenge to achieve this target, as the area of rainforest still reported to be lost under his rule is more than three times the size of New York City

The past few years have seen an alarming rise in

deforestation The Amazon rainforest is a crucial buffer in the global fight against climate change

The new satellite data was presented by Brazil’s National Institute of Space Research (Inpe) on Thursday “ We have reached a steady downward trend in deforestation of the Amazon,” Environment Minister Marina Silva told reporters

Inpe singled out June as the month that saw a record 41 per cent drop in forest clearance compared with the same period last year

Lula , who took office in January , has vowed to reverse policies of his farright predecessor Jair Bolsonaro, who promoted mining in indigenous lands in the Amazon

Earlier this year , Lula decreed six new indigenous

reserves , banning mining and restricting commercial farming there

Indigenous leaders welcomed the move - but stressed that more areas needed protection.

And while deforestation was reported to have fallen, fires were up in the statistics

In June alone, satellite monitoring detected 3,075 fires in the Amazon - the highest number since 2007

Many of the blazes - releasing vast amounts of carbon emissions - have been linked to the clearing of previously deforested areas.

Lula , who previously served as Brazil’s president in 2003-2010, has also been pushing for the world ’ s richest nations to pay for various initiatives aimed at saving the rainforest

In April , research by

Global Forest Watch monitoring network showed that an area of tropical forest the size of Switzerland was lost last year around the world as tree clearance surged

It said that some 11 football pitches of forest were lost every minute in 2022, with Brazil dominating the destruction

It suggested that a political pledge to end deforestation made by world leaders at the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow in 2021 was well off track

The Amazon is the largest rainforest in the world, and 60 per cent of it is in Brazil

Due to the large number of trees growing there, it is often called “the lungs of the planet” on account of how the trees absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen. (BBC)

Colombian President Gustavo Petro and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva attend the event “Road to the Amazon Summit” in Leticia, Colombia July 8, 2023 (Colombian Presidency/Handout via REUTER)

A Unique Opportunity

GUYANA has emerged as a global focal point in recent years

The discovery of vast offshore oil reserves has transformed the country’s economic landscape and garnered significant attention from businesses and governments worldwide

While oil undoubtedly promises tremendous potential for Guyana, it is essential to recognise that this newfound attention presents a unique opportunity for the nation to showcase its other bounties

President, Dr Irfaan Ali, during a joint press conference with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, had alluded to the country’s use of the increased attention to showcase its ability to be a global leader in food security and combating the effects of climate change

As Guyana stands at the precipice of change, it has the chance to leverage its resources, cultural heritage, and environmental treasures to build a sustainable and prosperous future

Guyana ’ s oil discovery has ignited a spark of economic growth that has the potential to transform the nation’s fortunes The estimated reserves of over 10 billion barrels

of oil have put Guyana on the global energy map, attracting substantial investment and creating numerous business opportunities

Major multinational corporations are vying to participate in offshore drilling, infrastructural development, and other sectors related to oil production This influx of business and capital not only promises to drive job creation, but also serves as a catalyst for the diversification and modernization of Guyana’s economy

While oil represents a significant opportunity, Guyana is eager to demonstrate that its treasures extend far beyond black gold

The nation ’ s rich cultural heritage , breathtaking landscapes, and diverse ecosystems are all prime assets waiting to be discovered

Guyana’s unique blend of Indigenous, Afro-Guyanese, Indo-Guyanese, and other cultural influences offers an immersive experience for those seeking to explore the country’s vibrant traditions, arts, and cuisine

Moreover, Guyana boasts awe-inspiring natural wonders, including the pristine rainforests of the Amazon Basin, the mighty Kaieteur Falls, and the Rupununi savannahs

These ecological wonders serve as an

open invitation for eco-tourism, an industry that can flourish in harmony with Guyana’s commitment to environmental preservation

By investing in sustainable tourism and promoting responsible practices, Guyana can attract a new wave of visitors who will not only marvel at its beauty, but also contribute to the well-being of local communities And already there are steps towards achieving this goal

With increased attention from businesses and governments, Guyana has an unprecedented opportunity to develop its infrastructure Improved roads, airports, ports, and telecommunications networks will not only facilitate the efficient extraction and export of oil, but will also enhance connectivity within the country

A robust infrastructural framework will allow Guyana to unlock the potential of its agricultural sector, supporting the export of products such as rice, sugar, and timber Furthermore , reliable infrastructure will promote foreign direct investment and bolster other sectors such as manufacturing and services, ultimately generating employment opportunities for Guyanese citizens

The government has spared no effort to

ensure that infrastructural advancement is always on the front burner

However, as Guyana embraces its newfound prominence, it must balance economic growth with sustainable development and environmental stewardship

The nation’s commitment to maintaining its pristine rainforests, often referred to as the “lungs of the Earth,” is vital not only for Guyana but for the global fight against climate change By actively engaging in sustainable practices, investing in renewable energy, and implementing strong environmental regulations, Guyana can position itself as a leader in the green economy This process is being guided by the country’s Low Carbon Development Strategy, 2030

Additionally, as already acknowledged by the government, as oil revenue flows into the country, it is crucial for Guyana to invest in education, healthcare, and social welfare programmes to ensure inclusive growth and uplift its citizens

By prioritising human development alongside economic prosperity, Guyana can build a resilient and equitable society for generations to come, even as it continues to be a magnet in the Caribbean

Can Janette Bulkan, Prof. Andre Brandli raise at least one per cent of the proceeds from sale of carbon credits for the Amerindian communities?

Dear Editor,

WHAT authority do Janette Bulkan and Andre Brandli have on the subject of the sale of carbon credits? Both individuals are affiliated with the infamous Oil and Gas Governance Network ( OGGN ), a foreign non-governmental organisation established by a small group of anti-government activists

The position of Bulkan supported by Brandli that the sale of carbon credit is fraudulent is preposterous It is worthy of note that both individuals reside abroad: Janette Bulkan resides in Canada and Andre Brandli who is half Guyanese, resides in Germany

I doubt either of them ever dwelled among or lived among our Indigenous People in the hinterland regions

I am proud to say that unlike those two individuals, I did I have lived and dwelled among our Indigenous Peoples for three and a half years back in 2013–2017 I was working with one of the largest commercial banks at the time that had established a branch in Region One, Port Kaituma.

During my tenure there, I worked with almost all of the village councils of that region to establish their bank accounts with the bank in close collaboration with the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs , through which funds were disbursed from government subventions, inter alia, the Amerindian Development Fund

So, I am very familiar with the development activities, the needs of those villages, and at a firsthand level, how the Village Councils operate

Having established this important background, let me now respond to their letters dated July 5, 2023, that was published in the Stabroek News The following is restated from the Office of the President website: “Facts on Consultations and Land Tenure, Guyana ART Trees Programme”, published January 24, 2023

“The NTC is the national body that represents all Indigenous Villages in Guyana, as set out in the legislation that governs Indigenous Peoples matters in Guyana: The Amerindian Act 2006 Part IV, Sections 3843 of the Act outline the Role and Functions of the National Toshaos’ Council Toshaos and Village Councils (the wider body elected to manage the affairs of the village which is headed by the village Toshao) are elected at the village level in keeping with Part III of the Amerindian Act Toshaos then represent their villages at meetings of the NTC

Among the functions of the NTC as detailed in Part IV of the Amerindian Act, is to: “Coordinate and integrate the activities of the villages on a national basis” as stated in Section 41 (h), and “to prepare strategies and plans for the protection, conservation and sustainable management of village lands and natural resources” as stated in Section 41 (e).

By virtue of the provisions of Part IV of

the Act including Section 41 (h), collectively these legislatively enshrine the powers of the NTC, to lead on, guide and endorse the LCDS and approach to carbon financing in Guyana At the annual NTC Conference in July 2022, all elected Toshaos present (over 170 leaders in attendance) engaged with the LCDS team who joined discussions on the strategy and plans for the next phase These discussions included reviewing the output of the consultations and the process for, and progress on, issuing and marketing carbon credits

A resolution was passed, with no objection, endorsing the LCDS 2030 inclusive of all its elements while both the government and the Chair of the NTC emphasised the need for Toshaos to stay involved as implementation of the LCDS moves ahead, village plans are prepared or updated, and new opportunities arise.”

The carbon credit transaction Guyana entered into with Hess Corporation is worth a minimum of US$750 million which is a multiyear agreement Pursuant to the LCDS revenue sharing mechanism, 15 per cent of that sum or US$112.5 million will be allocated directly to the Amerindian Communities through their respective Village Councils for the period 2016-2030

The budget allocation for the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs in 2022 was G$3.158 billion, inclusive of subventions towards the Amerindian Development Fund and other

investments within the Amerindian Communities The funds from the carbon credit sale by 2030 represents eight times the budget of the entire ministry

Prof Brandli argued that “these forests cannot be logged for wood, cleared for agricultural purposes, or cut down to gain land for settlements, roads, or other type of infrastructure Hence, the Government of Guyana is selling a valuable asset, here the ability of trees on indigenous lands to absorb CO2 and offset carbon emissions elsewhere.”

The learned professor is correct as he is essentially referring to the opportunity cost of utilising these lands for alternative activities that may generate far more benefit to the Amerindian communities and its people, than the proceeds earned from carbon credit sale

But the question remains, would logging, for example, which is typically carried out by other entities with the resources to do so, directly benefit the Amerindian communities greater than the earnings derived from the sale of carbon credit?

Editor, can Janette Bulkan and Prof Andre Brandli raise at least one per cent of the total sum of the proceeds from the carbon credit sales from any alternative sources for the Amerindian Communities?

I rest my case

Yours sincerely, Joel Bhagwandin

Editor Navendra Seoraj

Infamy: Final part

THIS is the final installment of my four - part series into the infamies created by some lost souls (in every sense of the word). In part two, I said I would look at the Mahdia inferno and the private media ’ s reluctance to publish the view of Professor Randolph Persaud This column is about those two themes

Where in the world could you find a 15-year-old girl, lit a fire in a dormitory that killed 20 humans, and a group of citizens, no matter how tiny their number, would advocate that the 15-year-old not be tried for murder but arson, she must get counseling and be allowed easy access to the families?

That is so ugly and sickening a display of infamy that in every country, without exception, grieving families and relatives would have gathered outside the homes and workplaces of these misfits and stage a picketing exercise

I am saying with pellucid forcefulness, no other country would have remained silent if the family members and relatives had seen a letter in the press with such sentiments. The people who penned that sadistic insensitivity would likely have been visited with acts of violence

Let us describe what happened at Mahdia A student had her phone taken away because she was texting with an elderly gentleman In a fit of rage, she made an inflammable item, set the dormitory afire and 20 in-house residents were burnt alive.

Up comes a group of persons that the entire Guyanese population in and out of the land, knows as the usual suspects, (TUS) describes the 15-yearold as a child, argues she must not be charged with murder and be given counselling

The obvious question is, if the State had done what TUS wanted, then what would have happened to the minds of those grieving parents?

They would have seen an alleged mass murderer, happily chatting with her parents and siblings every week in the jail, while they are overcome with psychological torture To think we have such sick minds in this country brings up the thought that maybe those who made those advocacies ought to be in a lunatic asylum

I ask you in all sincerity if what I have just described is not, unadulterated infamy It is worse than infamy Here is another example where the descent into sadistic psychology is worse than infamy A government minister

is accused of rape TUS wanted him to be charged with rape arguing that even though there was no virtual complainant and evidence, the minister should still face a trial

But the same unbalanced minds that wanted the minister charged do not want an alleged mass murderer to be charged with 20 counts of homicide but arson instead These are manifestations of infamy that are allowed in the press and in society and to which there is hardly any condemnation Let’s skip over to presidential adviser, Professor Randolph Persaud

Dr Persaud informed me that since May his letters to Stabroek News are completely shut out This is a scholar who is on leave from one of America’s leading universities , the American University

Do not forget also he holds the prestigious portfolio of constitutional adviser to the President of the Republic So I wrote two columns about Dr Persaud’s grievance Please see, “ Is there a lone ranger at Stabroek News,” Wednesday, June 28, 2023, and “Reactions to the Stabroek News controversy tell a sad tale,” Thursday, June 29, 2023

This infamy has seen no reaction from people you would expect to voice an opinion What we are talking about here is the descent into the worst kind of dangerous, nasty, political partisanship from the private media we have not seen since the 1960s When Timothy Jonas was the guest on the Gildarie-Freddie Kissoon Show, I put up on the screen two items for him to see

One was Barack Obama complaining in an interview on CBS about the damaging role of the media in the US, and the other was a poll taken by three prestigious organisations in which respondents felt that the media is endangering democracy in the US I now echo the views of those respondents and Mr Obama

I believe the privately owned newspapers of Kaieteur News and Stabroek News are on an agenda that is destroying the image of the private, independent media I go so far as to say, Guyana no longer has a private, independent media

The infamy the Stabroek News generated with its mistreatment of Dr. Persaud has not been met with voices of concern . Why ? Because they are afraid what happened to Dr Persaud will happen to them too

Mental health directions

MY recent talk with Shirvington Hannays, a Canada-based Guyanese addiction counsellor, was both exciting and enlightening, giving me renewed hope for the future of mental health treatment in this country.

As someone who has faced mental health challenges of his own and overcome them, Hannays is acutely aware of the

stigma attached to mental illness and the need to “reach people,” and gain an understanding of how they view mental health

He is confident that such a conversation would provide professionals with the information they need to devise an appropriate plan to treat those suffering with the broad gamut of mental health issues currently affecting so

many

The strategy adopted by the majority of mental health practitioners of attempting to use established methods to treat our particular circumstances, he feels is “destined to fail,” which has largely been the case so far

Hannays cited a Canadian - funded programme teaching ‘traditional healers’ in Uganda to act as a

bridge between mentally ill patients and psychiatrists, which has been both

the Salvation Army and various agencies , doing his internship at a homeless shelter, while without a home himself, and credits the organisation with helping him get back on his feet

A former computer programmer, he has used his extensive knowledge in that field to establish the SMAHOO Change Clinic spa experience, where he can consult with clients virtually

effective and successful.

He explained that this innovative approach stemmed from the knowledge that a significant part of the population – 80 per cent – would seek out these healers or witch doctors when confronted with problems The same can be said of Guyana, where many visit ‘ obeah ’ men or women when faced with stressful situations that render them unable to cope

In Uganda , a country that writer , Chethan Sathya , says is “ teeming with depression and post - traumatic disorder ( PTSD )”, mental health experts used the Canadian grant to train 500 traditional healers and village elders

Instead of using traditional treatments , which could prove harmful, these healers are now able to recognise mental illness and refer patients to mental health professionals

According to Dr Herbert Muyunda, “a growing number of witch doctors are learning to act as a bridge between mentally ill patients and psychiatrists .” Muyunda is

a social anthropologist at Makere Universty in Kampala , Uganda and project leader for the Grand Challenges Canada initiative , which funded the programme with a million-dollar grant Writer, Sathya said that 20 per cent of the Ugandan population of 30 million people “ suffer from mental illnesses such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder .” So help was desperately needed

This intervention has proved successful in Uganda and Shirvington Hannays feels that a similar initiative could be effective in Guyana, where at one time the suicide rate was the highest (per capita) in the world

His own bid to make a difference and provide informed mental health care , has led him to set up an online clinic in the wake of the COVID - 19 pandemic , collaborating with others in the field when necessary

Hannays, who is also a clinical supervisor, working with those now entering the field, has had experience “from the ground up.” He has worked with

He understands the importance of being able to access proper care and the reluctance of many to do so , having had his own battles with depression and initially putting up strong resistance to the assistance he needed,

Plans are afoot for a Change Clinic to be set up in Guyana so that locals will be able to get online addiction counselling and mental health treatment in a safe and secure manner

This initiative will allow Hannays to pursue his passion for helping people and in particular his fellow Guyanese , not only personally, but by referring them to other experts if the need arises

Perhaps collaboration can be had too with Grand Challenges Canada, which spearheaded the Uganda programme and which has announced hopes to use the lessons learned there throughout the developing world

However , just as in Uganda , it all begins with concerned parties and citizens engaging in meaningful dialogue on the whole issue of mental health.

UN-brokered grain and fertilizer deals ‘indispensable’ to global food security

THE food and fertilizer export deals brokered by the UN last year with Ukraine and Russia have played an “indispensable role” in supporting global food security and must continue, the UN Secretary-General said on Friday.

In a statement issued by his Deputy Spokesperson, António Guterres reiterated “the importance of full and continued implementation” of the agreements signed last July in Istanbul -- known as the Black Sea Initiative – allowing Ukrainian grain and foodstuffs safe passage to world markets – and the Memorandum of Understanding with Moscow over fertilizer exports

Russia is still weighing if it will continue to be a part of the deal, agreed with Ukraine and administered along with the UN and Türkiye, past a deadline of 17 July. Last May, Russia had agreed to a 60day extension, and the UN has been leading negotiations to ensure its continuation

A Joint Coordination Centre in Istanbul with representatives from all parties administers the deal, but in recent weeks, shipping movements have declined along with vessel inspections.

SMOOTH PASSAGE

The UN chief’s statement said it was vital to ensure that food and fertilizers from Ukraine and Russia can keep on heading to countries in need, “smoothly, efficiently and at scale

“These agreements are an all-too-rare demonstration of what the world can do when it puts its mind to the great challenges of our time,” he said

“Together, the agreements are contributing to sustained reductions in global food prices, which are now more than 23 per cent below the record highs reached in March last year.”

HARVEST SEASON APPROACHING

Earlier on Friday, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s chief economist, Maximo Torero, said the initiative to allow grain to leave Ukrainian ports had allowed the delivery of 32 million tonnes, much of it to meet the needs of developing nations, as well as food aid for the World Food Programme (WFP).

The renewal would happen on “ a critical date because it’s when the harvest starts”, he said. “We hope it will be renewed, and if not, then we will observe a spike in terms of the prices of cereal commodities.”

‘ LIFELINE ’ FOR FOOD SECURITY

In a note to correspondents last week, the UN said the agreements were “a lifeline for global food security” at a time when 258 million people face hunger in 58 countries

“The Secretary-General and his team remain fully committed to building on the progress already made and are in constant contact with a wide range of stakeholders in this regard,” the Deputy Spokesperson, Farhan Haq, said in his Friday statement

“The Secretary-General calls on all concerned to prioritize global food security,” he said. (UN News)

Joint inspection teams at work under the Black Sea Grain Initiative (UNODC/ Duncan Moore)

E-bikes registration process implemented for safety not revenue generation –– VP Jagdeo says

VICE - PRESIDENT , Dr Bharrat Jagdeo , has singled out the need to prioritise safety, while avoiding unnecessary red tape and financial burdens regarding the registration of electric bikes (E-bikes) in Guyana.

In a recent interview on social media, Dr Jagdeo acknowledged that the country is divided into two groups regarding electric bike regulations

He said that some persons believe there should be

no rules governing the use of the bike, while others expressed valid concerns about the potential bureaucratic hurdles and costs associated with registration

Dr Jagdeo emphasised, however, that everyone share a common concern, which is the urgent need to improve safety on the roads

“A lot of people are getting killed on the roads due to the lack of safety measures,” Vice-President Jagdeo said, while highlighting the urgency to address this

matter

One of the key aspects of the discussion revolved around the distinction between motorised electric bikes and traditional pedal bikes

The Vice-President clarified: “These bikes are not ordinary bikes; they are like motorbikes without pedals When they are on public roads, they are silent because they are electric bikes So, we must ensure the safety of both the riders and others on the road.”

Reaffirming the government ’ s stance , Dr Jagdeo said that the registration process was not intended as a revenue-generating measure

“We are not interested in collecting taxes We don ’ t want money for registration from these people Let me make that clear. [It] is not a revenue earning measure I think the idea was to register to bring some control,” he said

Acknowledging concerns raised by some citizens, the Vice - President reassured them that the registration process would be simplified and streamlined

“ We have to make this process simple We have to put in place some rules that would ensure safety, but without it becoming burdensome to people So, they need to give us some time to work this through on the ground,” he said, addressing potential worries about red tapes.

Vice - President Jagdeo also recognised the involvement of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) in the registration process

He assured the public that GRA would exercise flexibility and understanding during the initial phase of implementation

“ The Commissioner

General has said they can be a bit flexible on this matter whilst we are working this issue through But we have to be balanced here ,” Dr Jagdeo said

The Vice-President added that the government ’ s intention is to enhance safety rather than impose punitive measures “ We will make this a smooth process because the idea is not a punitive one to punish people We want them to use these bikes, but in a safe way We are going to address it,” he said

The GRA has commenced registration of E - bikes countrywide in compliance with the recent Amendments to the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act, which was successfully passed in the National Assembly on May 10

The Act defines an electric cycle as any motorcycle that has an electric motor and is fitted with an effective stopping system controlled by the use of brakes, gears, or motor control

In practical terms , this means that electric cycles would be subject to the same rules and regulations as motorcycles when it comes to registration and use

This includes requirements for safety standards, and other aspects of motor vehicle operation

Based on data from the Guyana Police Force , 11 persons were killed, and 14 others suffered significant injuries due to the use of electric cycles from 2021 to 2023

All the riders did not have any vehicular licence and took advantage of the fact that at the time the GRA was not regulating electric cycles.

Vice-President, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo

‘Time to pursue stronger relationship with the public’

Top Cop tells officers

THE Guyana Police Force ( GPF ) will work towards building a better relationship with the public , following all established Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), to ensure that there is no conflict between police and members of the public.

Commissioner of Police ( ag ) Clifton Hicken , while addressing more than 1,900 participants of the traditional Route March to mark the Force’s 184th An-

niversary, noted that things are about to change in the force

The Guyana Police Force’s Strategic Plan now places a strong focus on partnership with the public.

“ From today henceforth , we will maintain ethical standards and professionalism as we serve or provide service to members of the public We have established SOPs We have established a line of command In fact, the Guyana Police Force is a tall struc-

The Guyana Police Force (GPF) will work towards building a better relationship with the public, following all established Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), to ensure that there is no conflict between the police and members of the public ture and so it is bureaucratic in nature at all levels you have supervision,” he told the gathering Hicken also thanked the parents of the serving officers for entrusting their children to the care of the Force

The top cop noted that once the GPF is supported by the parents and the public, it would be second to none in the Caribbean

“The level of training will be enhanced The level of professionalism will be enhanced And so, it is expected that, from today, henceforth , there will be

strict compliance with the SOPs and there will be no conflict with members of the public If you breach SOPs only then you can have conflict with members of the public and we are going to mitigate against that,” he added The recently concluded Local Government Elections, he pointed out was

incident-free and this shows that the force is building its capacity

“ We are going to focus on the community and building relationships So, we are not going to spend much time in our offices, but we are going to be in the communities in which we were established to serve.”

The GPF was established on July 1 , 1839 , and its branches include the Criminal Investigation Department , the Public Relations Unit , the Mounted Branch, the Central Immigration and Passport Office, the Police Band, Traffic, Special Branch and the Canine Unit, among others

Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn, takes the salute

Botanical Gardens to be upgraded to attract more tourists

THE Protected Areas Commission and the Guyana Tourism Authority have engaged local tour operators on ways that the Botanical Gardens can be improved to attract more visitors to the space.

With an interest in improving coastal tourism, the

stakeholders took a walk through the area on Friday to assess, and deliberate on how they can make the space more visitor friendly Commissioner of the Protected Areas Commission , Jason Fraser, spoke with the Department of Public Information about the importance

of the gardens and the need for more tourists

“ The botanical gardens sit on 86 acres in the middle of Georgetown It’s a very unique space, over 100 different species of birds, other wildlife and it just provides a serene environment for citizens to relax and to come

and enjoy,” Fraser noted He said birding , for example , is an eight - billion - dollar industry and growing , stating that the body is working on showcasing what happens at the back of the frequently visited area Director of the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA), Kamrul Baksh , also noted that the area has much tourism potential

“ There is immense potential for the development of additional excursions here in the gardens So, we have

brought together some of the licensed tour operators who are very interested in seeing how to expand their own catalogue of tours and experiences I think the location is very essential and I think it could be more optimally utilised for the integration of the whole tourism circuit here in Georgetown ,” he underscored

Meanwhile, the General Manager of Wilderness Explorers, Carla Vantull, noted that she is optimistic about the prospects of developing

the area and using it more

“These discussions that we are having now It ’ s just how can we further enhance it. There is a gap for excursions and experiences that are close to the coast Botanical Gardens just seems like a no brainer … to just see how we can maximise the beautiful space that is here, looking at some paddle boats for example , so those things can certainly add to what we can do,” Vantull said (DPI)

The Protected Areas Commission and the Guyana Tourism Authority have engaged local tour operators on ways that the Botanical Gardens can be improved to attract more visitors to the space (Delano Williams photos)

Importance of peace in society emphasised as Police Force honours ‘fallen heroes’

THE Guyana Police Force (GPF) conducted a wreath-laying ceremony Sunday morning to honour 67 fallen heroes who died under violent circumstances in the line of duty from 1913 to 2023.

The 184 th commemoration exercise to acknowledge the significant sacrifices of the late officers was held at the Monument for Fallen Heroes, at the Police Officers’ Mess Compound, Eve Leary

Delivering feature remarks, Minister of Home Affairs , Robeson Benn , underscored that the officers who were killed on duty, clearly demonstrate the risk they take to protect the nation

“In looking at those who have died, we can identify members of every religion in this country, who have fallen in the line of duty while preserving peace in our country We can identify those who we would have gone to school with and played with us as children, and worked with us in the services to preserve peace

“Peace in our country is of course, so necessary, and particularly at this propitious moment in our country ’ s development , where we need and we must have to make use of the opportunity, which the development , economic , political and social would derive from preserving peace in Guyana Without peace, there would be no

progress , no prosperity , and no future,” he said

Further, Minister Benn called on the GPF to continue to work to ensure Guyana remains peaceful and noted that the developments ongoing for the disciplined services will not be realised, unless officers showcase the level of professional training they have acquired

Commissioner of Police (ag), Clifton Hicken, highlighted the tremendous sacrifices made when one joins the force

He stressed that despite the many dangers, police officers are necessary for the successful functioning of a society, as they risk their lives for the protection of the country

“

As a nation , we are forever indebted to those who would have braved the way and pursued courage, and that of their families In my book , these police officers are the definition of heroes, as a hero is classified as someone that has given his or her life for something better or bigger than oneself We must never forget the price that was paid to protect our safety,” he said

Chairman of the Fallen Heroes Foundation , Bishop Dr Raphael Massiah , believes that the hard work and sacrifice of the fallen officers must be recognised and rewarded to acknowledge the significance of their sacrifice.

Scenes from the commencement of the GPF’s Fallen Heroes Wreath-Laying Ceremony at the Monument for Fallen Heroes, Police Officers’ Mess Compound, Eve Leary (Guyana Police Force photos)

Over $1B in carbon-credit funds already disbursed to Indigenous villages

THE government has already disbursed $1.3 billion in carbon-credit funds , from the $ 4.7 billion received from Hess Corporation , for the sale of 30 per cent of Guyana ’ s forest , in keeping with its promise to advance development and prosperity in Indigenous villages.

Minister of Amerindian Affairs , Pauline Sukhai made the disclosure on Friday during Region One ’ s Regional Toshaos/CDC Chairpersons Conference 2023 hosted by the Regional Democratic Council (RDC).

Speaking specifically about the Barima-Waini area , she revealed that already, 37 villages have drawn down on the monies that were deposited into their bank accounts

“There’s no problem with finances when I visit villages, I expect to see a hub of activities, new and spanking infrastructure being worked on, engaging communities and villages

“ I would like to see women projects on the

rise, I would like to see projects relating to young people, youth and sports development , I would like to see that you are paying attention to the elderly,” the minister said

Of the 242 Amerindian villages in Guyana, 165 have submitted their Village Sustainability Plans ( VSPs ), allowing them to access the monies that are available in their bank accounts.

Meanwhile, with more financial inflows being made available to indigenous villages, the minister is urging leaders to execute their projects in a timely manner, so that residents can benefit

These include the Presidential Grant Programme , $ 10 million COVID - 19 investment fund, $3 billion supplementary fund for Amerindian development that was earmarked at the last National Toshaos ’ Conference ( NTC ) and the Amerindian Development Fund (ADF).

They were told to ensure that they submit their estimates to the ministry to receive monies avail-

able under the $3 billion supplementary fund

Amerindian leaders were also encouraged to practise accountability and work in the best interest of the people

“Please start sending your financial reports to the minister, it is mandated by law, the Amerindian Act,” she emphasised

They were also reminded that under the leadership of His Excellency , Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, every Guyanese including Amerindians will benefit from the massive transformation being undertaken by the government

Also present at the conference was Regional Chairman, Brentnol Ashley, Regional Executive Officer (REO), Tikaram Bisesar , representative from the National Toshaos Council (NTC), government agencies and ministries among others

The one-day conference was organised by the RDC , to provide Amerindian leaders with an opportunity to raise their concerns at the regional level. (DPI)

Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai addresses the gathering at Region One’s Regional Toshaos/CDC Chairpersons Conference 2023 hosted by the Regional Democratic Council (RDC), on Friday

The government has already disbursed $1.3 billion in carbon-credit funds, from the $4.7 billion received from Hess Corporation, in keeping with its promise to advance development and prosperity in Indigenous villages

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER

(Monday July 10, 2023)

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

Answers to yesterday’s quiz:

(1) Rohan Kanhai-256 (Kolkatta, 1958-59)

(2) Sunil Gavaskar-236* (Chennai, 1983-84)

Today’s Quiz:

(1) What are the best innings bowling figures by a West Indian in a Test against IND to date?

(2) What are the best innings bowling figures by an Indian in a Test against the WI to date?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

……………………………………………………

American Racing Tips

Finger Lakes

Race 1 Ny Imagination

Race 2 Lookin Grand

Race 3 Lohengrin Two

Race 4 Uncle Taco

Race 5 Fast Fran

Race 6 Danseur D’Oro

South Africa Racing Tips Greyville

England clinch three-wicket win in third test

(ESPNCRICINFO) - The Ashes are still alive. England's batters clinched a three-wicket win in a white-knuckled run chase at Headingley, led by Harry Brook's 75 on his home ground before Chris Woakes and Mark Wood took them across the line.

Australia, who would have sealed a first away Ashes win since 2001 with victory, struck regularly on the fourth day to leave England in serious trouble at 171 for 6. Mitchell Starc was the spearhead, taking two wickets either side of lunch - including the middle-order engine room of Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow.

Brook and Woakes added 59 for the seventh wicket, England's highest partnership of the match, before Starc's fifth wicket - Brook top-edging to covergave Australia another sniff. But Wood, whose five-wicket haul in the first innings set the game up for England, joined Woakes and

iced the run chase.

Wood hooked Pat Cummins over fine leg for six, then cleared his front leg to blast Starc through cover and take the requirement down to single figures. With four to win, he

Verstappen leads home Norris, Hamilton

(Formula1) Red Bull’s Max Verstappen overcame an early attack from McLaren rival Lando Norris to triumph in an action-packed British Grand Prix, marking his first-ever victory at this event and extending his current winning run to six races.

Norris jumped Verstappen for the lead at the start, with team mate Oscar Piastri almost following him through, meaning it was a Red Bull in a McLaren sandwich over the first few laps – but the reigning double world champion soon fought back.

By Lap 5, and with DRS at his disposal, Verstappen reclaimed P1 from Norris and never looked troubled, pulling away from the home favourite as the race developed and then managing a late Safety Car period – caused by Kevin Magnussen’s smoking Haas – that saw the leaders go for different tyre strategies.

While the majority of the front-runners chose soft tyres under the Safety Car, Norris went for hards, meaning he had to pull off some impressive defending to remain P2 over fellow Briton Lewis Hamilton, who jumped Piastri when the race was neutralised.

Piastri had held third for the majority of the 52-lap encounter, only to pit just before the aforementioned Safety Car, but fourth – a couple of seconds up on the other Mercedes of George Russell – still represented the best result of the Australian rookie’s burgeoning

survived a top-edged swipe off Starc, Alex Carey unable to cling on after scrambling back towards the boundary rope and

diving at full stretch onto his front.

Then, with scores tied, Woakes opened the face and scythed Starc through point for four, holding his arms aloft in celebration before embracing Wood. The pair's all-round exploits over the last four days have kept England alive in the series: they are two-one down heading into the fourth Test at Old Trafford on July 19.

There is a nine-day break before the start of that Test, one for which both teams will be grateful after another exhausting, exhilarating day which saw both teams let control of the game slip from their grasp. Australia were behind for much of the game but it took until Brook's partnership with Woakes for England to assert their dominance on the chase.

Even then, there was a twistbut it came late enough for them to scrape home.

England needed a further 224 runs to win at the start of the fourth day but lost a wicket in the fifth over of the morning: Ben Duckett was smashed on the shin by Starc, falling over to the off side. His review could not save him, with ball-tracking projecting that the ball would have crashed into his leg stump.

Unexpectedly, it was Moeen Ali who walked out at No. 3, after Brook had deputised for the injured Ollie Pope in that role in the first innings. The experiment did not last long - Starc ripped out Moeen's leg stump with a 90mph/144kph rocket - but gave the illusion of extending England's batting line-up and crucially, allowed Brook to return to No. 5.

Joe Root traded boundaries with Zak Crawley either side of drinks but never settled, and a change of ball in the 19th over brought a wicket in the 20th. Crawley crunched Mitchell Marsh through the off side with a trademark cover drive, but Marsh's next ball was a fraction shorter and drew the outside edge.

Brook played positively from the outset, spanking Scott Boland through cover-point for consecutive boundaries, but his stand with Root was a brief one. Cummins dug one in short, angling down the leg side, which Root attempted to pull but gloved through to Alex Carey. It was not Cummins' best ball but extended his remarkable dominance in his head-to-head battle with Root.

F1 career.

Sergio Perez delivered another solid recovery drive to sixth after the Red Bull driver’s latest qualifying woes, making a series of late moves to finish ahead of Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso, Williams’ Alex Albon and the Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz.

Williams almost had two cars in the points on home soil, with Logan Sargeant a personal best 11th, followed by the Alfa Romeo of Valtteri Bottas, who started at the back after being excluded from qualifying, and Nico Hulkenberg, who dropped to the rear early on when he picked up front wing damage on his Haas.

Lance Stroll wound up 14th after being penalised for causing a collision with Pierre Gasly, who was forced to retire thereafter, joining team mate Esteban Ocon, who pitted early on amid apparent technical trouble – and Magnussen on the sidelines.

Zhou Guanyu was 15th in the other Alfa Romeo, having made three pit stops (one more than anyone else), with AlphaTauri pair Yuki Tsunoda and Nyck de Vries the final drivers to cross the line after Gasly’s aforementioned dramas.

After the chequered flag, there was no hiding Verstappen’s excitement as he not only moved 99 points clear of Perez in the drivers’ standings, but also gave Red Bull a record-equalling 11th successive F1 win.

Chris Woakes and Mark Wood start the celebrations after the winning hit•Jul 09, 2023•PA Photos/Getty Images

Kadir’s unbeaten 72 powers B’ce to consecutive win

BERBICE followed up their destruction of Essequibo by 10 wickets on Saturday with a 184-run win over the GCB’s Select X1 at the Port Mourant ground in Corentyne, Berbice, yesterday to remain unbeaten, heading to the city for the remaining rounds.

The home team, batting with shortened boundaries due to overnight and morning rain, reached 264-3 when 29 overs

expired.

Ari Afrizal Kadir blasted an unbeaten 72 decorated by four sixes and eight fours and got support from opener Rampersaud Ramnauth who reached the boundary six times and cleared it on three occasions in his 63 and Kevin Kestin made 54 with five fours and three sixes.

Ramnauth and Kestin added 101 in 13.2 overs for the first wicket before Kestin fell to

Dave Mahabir for Kadir to join Ramnauth.

But with the score on 142 Ramnauth was bowled by Parmeshwar Ram before Kadir and Sanjay Algoo carried the score to 232 when Algoo was bowled by Mahabir with 4. 3 overs remaining in the innings. His 45 included four sixes and three fours.

Mahabir had 2-51 from his allotted six overs for the GCB’s

X1 who were bowled out for 80 as only Shiloh Adams (23), Rashaad Gaffur (16) and Avishkar Persaud (15) reached double figures on the small ground.

Algoo had 3-6 while Raj Tika and Matthew Pottaya, who had a four-wicket haul on Saturday, took two wickets each yesterday.

The next game is set for Everest today. (Sean Devers)

British Boxer Lennox Lewis will visit Guyana

THE Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) has labelled the impending visit of former undisputed heavyweight world champion Lennox Lewis as a historic event.

According to the GBA, the announcement is momentous with the body applauding President Irfaan Ali for his visionary leadership in recognizing the celebrated importance of the discipline.

Born to Jamaican parents in Great Britain, Lewis, 57, at the request of President Ali during the latter's visit to Canada, the adopted childhood home of the former undisputed heavyweight champion, will visit local shores in a move that is expected to inspire the current cadre of pugilists, and the next-wave combatants.

Dates are yet to be confirmed for Lewis, who re -

tired at the pinnacle of the discipline with a remarkable professional record of 41-2-1 (32 knockouts).

GBA President Steve Ninvalle said, “This is an invitation for evolution, an

invite for advancement. His Excellency Dr. Irfaan Ali has once again demonstrated the foresight, and vision in his quest to not only develop individual sports, in this instance the discipline of box-

Guinness National Senior Squash Championships

ing, but the entirety of the nation’s sporting landscape and culture. The GBA commends this initiative, which advances and advocates the government’s position on sports via the construction of the sector and ecosystem via the established approach of inspiration.”

According to Ninvalle, “Local boxing is on the ascendency, that is evidentiary, and the visit of former heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis, arguably the greatest boxer of his generation, will certainly and further ignite the flames of evolution. This visit can act as the catalyst for further evolution and inspiration of the combatants. Moreover, it can serve as the stimulant and facilitator for the evolution of Caribbean boxing, of which Guyana is at the forefront in the English-speaking

fragment.”

He further said, “The visit of Lewis, as ascribed as President Ali, is part of the government’s strategic exertions, and initiatives to create a brand for Guyana that also encompasses sport and entertainment. Lewis’s visit is also an acknowledgment by His Excellency of the importance of boxing as an avenue for the development of Guyana’s international profile, as it remains the only local discipline to have achieved an Olympic medal, a feat which is also apparent and recognized in the English-speaking Caribbean by its solitary status also in this regard.”

Guyana is the only English-speaking full member of CARICOM to have achieved a medal at the prestigious games in the sport. Cuba in particular, is second

all-time on the medals table at the Summer Olympiad with a record of 37 gold, 19 silver, and 17 bronze medals.

“Surely his visit can only be viewed in a positive light and will add further flavour to the discipline, especially at the nursery level, which is the backbone for the sustained future of the sport in Guyana, and which has undertaken a metamorphosis and overall emphasis in its overarching development under this current GBA administration. The GBA commends the Government of Guyana for this historic and impending veracity, which also highlights not only the societal value and appeal of the discipline but its overall importance in the sporting history of our nation”, Ninvalle added.

Nicolette; Arjoon take register wins

By Sean Devers

AFTER five days and a record 115 matches, the Guinness National Senior Squash Championships climaxed last Saturday evening as Alex Arjoon and the ageless Nicolette Fernandes were crowned 2023 National Squash Champions in the Men’s and Women’s categories, respectively.

The tournament took place at the Georgetown Club.

Watched by a colourful and raucous capacity crowd, the atmosphere on the final evening of the tournament was absolutely fantastic.

On the court, despite the

large number of games which seemed to affect the players physically, the quality of Squash was riveting.

The curtain came down with the completion of the Men’s final in which a tired-looking Shomari Wiltshire was dethroned by southpaw Arjoon in a hard-fought final 12-10, 11-4, 11-8.

In a match punctuated by long rallies and calculated drop shots, the defending champion controlled the first half of game one before Arjoon put his foot on the gas and won 12-10.

The left-handed Arjoon played a flurry of backhand shots from the right side of the court, forcing Shomari to count-

er with forehand plays.

Arjoon, despite making a few mistakes, triumphed 11-4 while in the third game, although Shomari offered fight; he seemed affected by his energy-sapping contest with Samuel Ince Carvalhal on Friday night.

As the game progressed Shomari seemed to tire and eventually lost the game 11-8 and the match 3-0.

In the Women’s final, Nicolette continued to prove that age is just a number and at age 40, seemed fitter than her younger opponents.

Added to her professional attitude to the sport, vast experience and superior speed, the talented Ashely Khalil who did

not play her best Squash on the night, was no match for Nicolette, a six-time Caribbean and Guyana’s only World Masters Champion.

Nicolette would eventually secure a clinical 11-4, 11-4, 11-4 win against Ashley, the defending Caribbean women’s singles Champion.

Dennis Dias took the Men’s Veterans over-50 title by beating Brian Edwards 13-11, 10-12, 114, 13-15, 11-5 in a completive match between the old stagers, while Lydia Fraser beat Michelle Low in the final of the Women’s Veterans competition.

During his speech at the presentation, Lee Baptist told the large gathering that this spon-

sorship will target a different type of market for his company’s product.

This is the second year that Guinness is on board as sponsor and Baptist added that when he was entering the venue he saw the Guinness flags and suggested that for next year’s tournament TV screens could be set up, since he noticed that the place was packed and some fans could not see the games.

Also speaking was Head of Mobile Networks at E-Net, Robert Hiscock, who played a bit of Squash, informed spectators that E-Net was pleased to partner with the GSA to stream this event live. Other results:

Men’s draw: Deje Dias beat Jonathan Antczak, Mohryan Baksh beat Louis da Silva, Reagan Rodrigues beat Justin Ten Pow, Miguel Wong beat Richard Rodrigues, Demetrius De Abreu, Jeremy Ten Pow beat Nandishraj Singh, Peter De Groot beat Jason Van Dijk, Nicolas Verwey beat Steven Xavier, Jason Ray Khalil beat Samuel Ince Carvalhal.

Women’s draw: Safirah Summer beat Malia Maikoo, Larrissa Wiltshire beat Kirsten Gomes, Victoria Arjoon beat Avery Arjoon, Mary Fung-a-Fat beat Taylor Fernandes.

Ari Afrizal Kadir

Steve Ninvalle

Squires upsets No.7 seed Murray; sets quarterfinal showdown with Downes

THE GTA One Guyana

Open 2023 Tournament is a pillar of the emerging National Sports Academy; an initiative which is funded by the National Sports Commission (NSC), the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, and by extension the Government of Guyana.

Phillip Squires booked a spot in the Men’s Open Singles Quarterfinals with a 6/2 – 6/2 upset win over No. 7 seed Ronald Murray.

“Murray and I have come

a long way. I know his game and my plan was to be more consistent than him,” Squires said.

Squires, a former Men’s Champion, last competed eight years ago.

“I think the [GTA One Guyana Open] is a very good initiative. I had planned not to come back to tennis, but with a tournament of this magnitude, I know I can still make an impact to tennis in Guyana and compete with some of the best junior and senior players.”

Squires is looking forward to more tournaments of this calibre.

Next up for Squires is Anthony Downes, an old rival and former Men’s Champion.

In the second longest match of the tournament, Martin Campbell prevailed over the experienced Steve David-Longe 1/6 – 6/2 – 7/6 (2) in the Men’s 35 Singles.

Campbell, who reached the Men’s 35 Singles Quarterfinals for the first time, has spent the most time on court

than any other player – clocking in at nine hours and three minutes.

“The GTA One Guyana Open is very much welcomed,” Campbell said. “I think it needs to be the first of many because tennis is a really amazing sport, and it needs to be nurtured more in Guyana.”

Other Results

Men’s Open Singles

Round of 16: No.2 seed Gavin Lewis defeated Navindra Arjune 6/1 – 7/5.

Men’s Open Singles

Round of 16: No. 4 seed Gerald Scotland defeated Surrendra Khayyam 6/0 – 6/1.

Men’s Open Singles

Round of 16: Sandeep Chand defeated No. 6 seed Harvey Stoll 6/0 – 6/0.

Men’s Open Singles

Round of 16: Anthony Downes defeated Aubrey Younge 6/1 – 6/0.

Men’s Open Singles

Round of 16: Leyland Leacock defeated Andre Erskine 6/2 – 6/1.

Men’s Open Singles

Round of 32: Martin Campbell defeated Jamal Goodluck 6/3 – 6/1.

Men’s 35 Singles Round of 16: Harry Panday received a W/O from Rondae Hawker.

Men’s 35 Singles Quarterfinals: Andre Erskine (2) defeated Harry Panday 6/1 – 6/0.

Men’s 45 Singles Round Robin: Sunil Bianchini defeated Steve David-Longe 6/1 – 6/3.

Bishop believes plenty of talent left in West Indies

CMC – Former West Indies fast bowler Ian Bishop said he still believes there is plenty talent in the Caribbean, but it will require a lot of hard work to develop it to make West Indies relevant again on the international stage.

Bishop was speaking against the backdrop of the miserable run of the Caribbean side, which was led by Shai Hope and coached by former captain Daren Sammy, in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifiers that ended on Sunday in Zimbabwe.

The two-time champions failed to qualify for the World Cup to be staged in India later this year for the first time after they finished fifth on only two points in the Super Six stage of the Qualifier after previous defeats in the tournament against hosts Zimbabwe, as well as the Netherlands and Scotland.

Sri Lanka and the Netherlands earned the final two spots in the 10-team World Cup to be played from October 5 to November 19, and Bishop said he still trying to come to grips

with the reality that West Indies will not be attending.

“It has been as tough for me, as I guess it would have been for any West Indies cricket fan whether they reside in the Caribbean or beyond,” he said on the iSports radio programme on i95.5 FM in his native Trinidad & Tobago during a telephone interview from Zimbabwe, where has been part of the TV commentary panel.

“The West Indies still have a lot of goodwill around the cricketing world. The number of people that have messaged me to say that they are also hurt has been quite reassuring, so it’s not something that I ever thought I would see taking place, but it is what it is, it has happened, and it has taken me a couple of days to get over it.

He added: “As a player myself, I have been in situations where we haven’t performed to the best of our ability, and if you are running a big organisation, your staff, your employees must have an understanding of what are the targets. If they fail to reach those targets, there

must be a reassessment and steps taken to right that wrong.

“I won’t say this is all on the players. They have some responsibility, and there must be some responsibility and acceptance from them, but we have to create players at the territorial level that [sic] understand the game, prepare for the game, and come up in a culture of excellence, and when you have done everything to prepare those players then you can hold them more accountable.”

Bishop said the fundamentals of the player-development pathway in the Caribbean needed work for it to produce world-class players, and there needed to be a system where players fully understand the requirements to be successful.

“We need to produce in the territories a culture that spreads throughout the region, where players must understand how they must carry themselves, how they must prepare, how they must run between the wickets, what the requirements are for white-ball cricket, what the requirements are for red-

ball cricket and then feed that into the international set-up,” he said.

“We have to look around, even people like myself, how I broadcast and tell the story. We have to reassess, is there something else that all of us can do and have a buy-in to prepare these players for the level of excellence required because the ICC Associate teams are not just beating us, they are wiping the floor with us, so there are dramatic steps that need to be taken right now, and we need everyone buying into that.”

Bishop said there are a few “green shoots” of talent coming through the system, players such as pacer Jayden Seales, and batsmen Alick Athanaze and Kevin Wickham, plus what has been on offer around the Twenty20 franchise leagues around the world.

“I still believe we have what it takes to be relevant once again, but obviously it will take a lot of hard work,” he said. “We have to find a better way of harnessing the talent, better talent identification, and

procuring of that talent.

“With the news that our prime minister, Dr Keith Rowley is now the chairman of the CARICOM sub-committee on cricket, I think it’s a great opportunity for us to harness in Trinidad and beyond, a way forward to nurture the talent. I don’t think it’s rocket science.”

Bishop, now a well-respected TV pundit, said the governments of the Caribbean have a major part to play in the revitalisation of West Indies cricket.

“We need a greater economics or finance coming into the Caribbean,” he said. “We are competing with India, England, Australia, all of whom have greater financial pools than we have, so the honourable prime minister and the rest of the governments have to find a way to contribute, because Cricket West Indies, as an entity, cannot do it on its own.

“Politics and sport have always been involved and intertwined along the way. We want accountability on both sides, but we must come together. I do

not think one can stand without the other.

Bishop also brushed aside assertions that the concept of a West Indies team had outlived its useful purposes, and it was time for individual territories in the Caribbean to seek international status as has been done in other sports.

“I have heard that for many years,” he said. “It’s not a recent thing, but I don’t buy into it because I don’t know if people understand the magnitude of what it takes to put an international team on the park…

“From where they start from, the economics that are needed to build that – TV rights, facilities, production of players, a first-class system, and all of that – so I totally disregard that. I don’t buy that.”

The West Indies Test side, led by Kraigg Brathwaite and coached by Andre Coley, start a two-Test series against World Test Championship finalists India on Wednesday at Windsor Park in Dominica hoping for better results.

West Indies women welcome clean sweep

(CMC) - WEST Indies Women’s captain Hayley Matthews said her side had bigger challenges ahead, but they welcomed the clean sweep of their home international series against Ireland that ended on Saturday in St Lucia.

The Caribbean side sent the visitors back home without a win on the entire tour after sweeping the Twenty20 International series 3-0 after they had won the preceding series of three One-day Internationals for ICC Women’s Championship points 2-0, with the second ODI washed out.

“The girls have supported me from day one from the time

I’ve taken up the captaincy, and I’m so grateful for every single one of them that has been out there supporting me,” she said in an interview with CWI Media.

“We have been going on the field and fighting for each other every day, and I think we all know that we gotta keep working keep trying to improve, and I think this series against Ireland was just one test for us.

“We’ve crossed this hurdle, and we have bigger tests coming up soon, so I think for us it’s just about going out there and preparing really well and getting ready for the next battle.”

Matthews said seeing some

of the newer members of the squad performing at critical times was satisfying and will be useful in higher intensity tussles later in the year.

“It was great to see some of the young girls getting an opportunity this series and kind of come into their own and to be leading from the front and setting a good example,” she said.

“I think that’s something as a captain that you want to be doing really well, so I agree that we were able to go out there and win this series, and all the young girls were able to get the opportunity, but at the same time watch a lot of the older girls really step up as well and

take ownership for their game and put down some serious performances.”

She added: “I think when we really do look around the team, and we talk about accomplishments, we’ve had players who made their debut and performed really, and we’ve had someone like Chinelle Henry come and get her first half century and then back it up with another half century and then two not outs in the T20s, which has been really good to see.

“We had Stafanie returning from injury and doing really well in the ODIs, so it’s just really good to watch all the girls contribute throughout the entire

series and play alongside them in a winning one.”

For Matthews, it was a personally gratifying series against the Irish women. She was Player-of-the-Match in all three T20Is and the Playerof-the-Series in the T20Is, and started the ODI series in similar fashion, having scored a hundred and taken three wickets.

“I’m pretty pleased,” she said. “Coming into the series and every time that I put on my West Indies jersey, I try to go out there and do really well whether that be batting, bowling or fielding, and I was able to do pretty well in more than one area of my game this

series, which I’m obviously pretty happy with and happy with the way I was able to go out and contribute to the team’s success as well.

“I probably would have wanted to get one or two more not out in the games, and coach (Robert Samuels) has been on my back about that a little bit.”

This was the only home international series for West Indies Women for the year, and they will be under new management when Shane Deitz takes over the head coaching role in late August ahead of their tour of his native Australia in October.