Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 16-10-2022

NOTWITHSTANDING the delaying tactics employed by the APNU+AFC Opposition, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has already identified a timeline for the hosting of Local Government Elections (LGE).

And now that a schedule has been estab lished, the Commission is expected to write the Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Nigel Dharamlall, shortly on the

matter, government-nominated GECOM Com missioner Sase Gunraj confirmed during an in terview with the Sunday Chronicle on Saturday.

“We have already identified the time period, and the Commission has taken a decision to write to the Minister of Local Government, indicating a timeframe within which elections can be held. I un derstand it will be done shortly,” Gunraj

said.

According to the GECOM Commis sioner, the Commission already has a plan that has been approved.

“Local Government Elections, like any other elections, is run via a plan;

we have a plan that is approved by GECOM, which the Secretariat will use to run elections. That plan includes timeline, etc.,” Gunraj explained.

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The Diwali celebrations in Guyana commenced on Saturday with the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha’s ‘Deep Jale’ at the Kitty roundabout in Georgetown (Adrian Narine photos)

Scenes from the Guyana Hindu

Dharmic Sabha’s Deep Jale

(Adrian Narine photos)

APNU+AFC continues attempts to delay LGE

NOTWITHSTANDING the delaying tactics employed by the APNU+AFC Opposi tion, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has already identified a timeline for the hosting of Local Government Elec tions (LGE).

And now that a schedule has been established, the Commission is expected to write the Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Nigel Dha ramlall, shortly on the mat ter, government-nominated GECOM Commissioner Sase Gunraj confirmed during an interview with the Sunday Chronicle on Saturday.

“We have already iden tified the time period, and the Commission has taken a decision to write to the Min ister of Local Government, indicating a timeframe within which elections can be held. I understand it will be done shortly,” Gunraj said.

According to the GECOM Commissioner, the Commission already has a

plan that has been approved.

“Local Government Elections, like any other elections, is run via a plan; we have a plan that is ap proved by GECOM, which the Secretariat will use to run elections. That plan includes timeline, etc.,” Gunraj ex plained.

And while he did not re veal what time period has

been identified, he said, “When the Commission writes [the minister], that date will then be made public.”

Asked about the delaying tactics being employed by the APNU+AFC-nominated Commissioners, Gunraj said that this will not hamper the Commission from moving forward with its work.

There had been purported

150,000 Guyanese to learn coding through UAE support

THE Government of Guyana is working with authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to launch a pro gramme that will see some 150,000 Guyanese being trained online as coders.

The programme is part of the government’s over all plan to make Guyana a hub for Information and Communication Technol ogy (ICT) services, and aggressively develop the country’s human resource capacity.

This latest develop ment was announced by President, Dr Irfaan Ali, on Friday, as he delivered the feature address at the 16th Annual Berbice Expo and Trade Fair.

“We are on the eve of launching an import ant transformative proj ect in the ICT sector. We are now working with the UAE government to

launch a programme to train 150,000 Guyanese as coders. This is the first ever in this part of the world. These are the in vestments we are making, putting investments in our people,” the President remarked.

Coding, sometimes called computer program ming, is the process of writing computer pro grammes, and is how hu mans communicate with computers. With the world becoming more computer based, the ability to under stand coding is becoming more important.

This training pro gramme will join a host of other human resource de velopment initiatives that the government currently has ongoing, including the Guyana Online Learning Academy (GOAL), which is already ahead in its ef forts to distribute 20,000 scholarships to Guyanese

across five years.

Further, in Berbice, the government will also be creating the country’s National Oil and Gas In stitute.

An investment of more than US$120 million will be made to develop a fa cility that will train all Guyanese, thereby ad dressing the country’s needs for technical skills to transform the economy.

With Guyana also ex panding its hospitality and tourism industry, major focus is being placed on training Guyanese in this area, with some 6,000 persons expected to be trained over the next three years.

Earlier this year Pres ident Ali had noted that steps will be taken for coding to be introduced to pupils at the primary school level in public

efforts by some of the AP NU+AFC- nominated Com missioners to stymie the hold ing of the elections, which will see councillors being elected for the 80 local dem ocratic organs (LDOs), which include the 70 Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) and 10 municipalities, inclu sive of Georgetown.

Many have challenged the Opposition’s readiness for elections, given the ulti matums made by Leader of the Opposition (LOO) and Chairman of APNU+AFC Aubrey Norton before they participate in elections.

Chief among Norton’ s demands is his continuous call for changes to the voters’ list, in contravention of a ruling by the High Court that outlines how said changes can be made.

This is despite the fact that GECOM had extended the Claims and Objections exercise to seven days, con cluding on Sunday, Septem ber 21, at the behest of the Opposition, which did not participate in this process.

The Claims and Objec

tions exercise within the con tinuous registration process is conducted at the registration offices and sub-offices for a specified period.

This exercise provides eligible electors who did not register, the opportunity to gain entry to the list of electors, or to update their particulars (transfers and changes), and it also provides the opportunity for objections to particulars in the Prelimi nary List of Electors (PLE).

Notwithstanding claims that the voters list is bloated, there was hardly any marked number of objections to the PLE during the recent Claims and Objections exercise held by GECOM.

The LGE had been con stitutionally due last year, with money being set aside in the 2021 budget for its hosting.

However, notwithstand ing money being allocat ed in the 2021 budget for the hosting of the LGEs, due to several issues facing GECOM, the Chairperson, Justice (ret’d) Claudette Singh wrote Minister Dha

ramlall last year indicating the elections body’s inability to host the elections

Following the 2020 elec tions debacle, whereby the APNU+AFC purportedly in terfered in the General and Regional Elections, there were questions surrounding the cred ibility of several employees who were implicated. Several were eventually booted, includ ing then Chief Elections Offi cer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield. Hence, the LGEs could not be held in the absence of a CEO.

It was not until December 2021 that the current CEO, Vishnu Persaud was hired for the position.

The government had re peatedly indicated that it was ready to hold the elections, but was awaiting the guid ance of GECOM.

Though the Local Gov ernment Minister is re sponsible for announcing the date for the LGEs, this can only be done after con sultations with GECOM, which would pronounce on the election’s machinery’s readiness to facilitate the democratic process.

GECOM Commissioner Sase Gunraj

Vincent: Opposition appointed GECOM Commis sioners ( From left to right ) Desmond Trotman , Charles Corbin and Vincent Alexander

Guyanese fisherfolk report better treatment from Surinamese authorities

–– credits this to Guyana Government’s posture on licensing issue

THE Upper Corentyne Chamber of Commerce & Industry (UCCCI) has said that it is pleased with the Government of Guyana’s pronouncements on the fish ing licence issue, which fish erfolk have been grappling with for quite some time.

It was reported recently that Guyana plans to write CARICOM on the delay in issuance of fishing licences by Surinamese authorities to Guyanese fishermen.

“With the recent utteranc es by His Excellency, Presi dent Dr. Mohammed Irfaan Ali and Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, the chamber has seen a softening of the

attitude of the Surinamese towards our fisherfolk. The Surinamese have since loos ened up on some restrictions. Our fishing boats which were required to be stationed in Nickerie, Suriname, are now being released,” the UCCCI said.

The chamber related that it is hopeful that the proactive approach by local leaders to resolve this issue will influ ence the other impositions, specifically barriers to the issuance of licences to Coren tyne fishermen.

“We are hopeful that our Surinamese counterparts will see the issuance of licence to our fisherfolk as a routine

application. Our fisherfolk have long enjoyed friendly re lations with our neighbouring counterparts and we believe with the softening of attitudes on this matter, we will contin ue to enjoy good relations,” the UCCCI said.

Vice President Jagdeo had announced that Guyana will be writing CARICOM over the harassment of local fishermen by Suriname’s authorities and the country’s failure to honour a written agreement to provide 150 licences to local fisherfolk.

The Vice President had outlined Guyana’s position twice in front of hundreds of fisherfolk at the Port Mourant

and Skeldon Community Centre grounds.

He related that Guyana has been waiting long enough and it is time that the Suri namese authorities fulfill their commitment.

“We recognised the in justices that are meted out to fishermen from Guyana. We recognise the capricious nature of the Surinamese Government and the corrup tion in Suriname that is pre venting this issue from being resolved,” Dr. Jagdeo said.

He added: “There are of ficials in Suriname who are totally corrupt and do not want to see this matter re solved because it affects their

pockets…. It seems as though that these individuals whoev er they are — are so powerful in Suriname – that they can negate a promise made by the President of Suriname.”

In July of this year, three Guyanese fishermen were detained by Surinamese au thorities for fishing in that country’s waters and their vessels were seized. The men detained were identified as Ramesh Ramchand and Ma hendra Bissessar of Annan dale, East Coast Demerara (ECD) and Troy Tyrell of Lusignan, ECD.

On September 5, the Government of Guyana, in a statement, condemned the

harassment of Guyanese fish erfolk by the Surinamese Government, inclusive of its failure to grant licences to local fishermen in keeping with the commitment made to President Ali, on November 26, 2020, during a visit to Suriname.

During the November 2020 visit, Minister of Agri culture, Zulfikar Mustapha had met with Suriname’s Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Parmanand Sewdien, and requested the issuance of 150 SK licences, which would allow Guyanese fish ermen to ply their trade in Suriname waters.

150,000 Guyanese

Digicel Group shortlisted for global awards

THE Digicel Group has been shortlisted for both the Global Car rier Awards and the World Communication Awards.

Entering the category for Best Environmental, Social, Governmental (ESG) Initiative, this sub mission looked at the ex tensive work the Digicel Haiti Foundation has done in the field of education throughout the nation.

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schools across the country.

The Head of State said that the government’s plan to make the country a hub of ICT services will not be simply for local consumption, but the government is also building out the country to be seen as a centre for other countries to set up shop here, particularly in the area of BPO, or call centres.

One of the biggest steps towards this was the government’s liberalisation of the telecommunica tions sector in October 2020, just a few months after assuming office.

Since then, three of Guyana’s primary internet providers -- GTT, Digicel and E Networks -- have all invested in the expansion of their services, with increased competition leading to more affordable prices for consumers.

According to President Ali, further legislative changes are in the works to open Guyana to an even wider range of ICT services

“We want to ensure that Guyana can be a zone for data services and data centres and data banks. We are going to pass legislation as it relates to Guyana becoming a major player in data bank in the data industry. This by itself will create tons of new employment at the higher level,” President Ali said.

Digicel has built 188 schools, resulting in more than 100,000 Haitian chil dren accessing education in a Digicel-built school each day.

The Best ESG Initia tive category recognises initiatives that are chang ing the world in the envi ronmental, societal, state, and government spheres, including charity initia tives, corporate environ mental commitments now or for the future, or any thing in the corporate so cial responsibility space.

For the World Com munication Awards, Digicel was shortlisted in two categories: The So cial Contribution Award, again for the work of the

Digicel Group CEO, Oliver Coughlan

Digicel Haiti Foundation in education, and the Cus tomer Experience Award for work done to improve customer experience and to go above and beyond when it comes to putting the customer first.

The Social Contribu tion Award celebrates the service provider demon strating the greatest posi tive impact on the market it seeks to address, while the Customer Experience Award will go to the ser vice provider that proves

to have the best all-round experience for its custom er whilst enhancing the trust bonds with its cus tomers in an increasingly digital world.

“Each year we take a look at the work Digicel has done in a number of areas and determine which aspects can stand tall in a global playing field. While we mostly operate in small island nations, we have a big impact and we are all immensely proud

of the work we do in the markets we serve,” said Oliver Coughlan, Digicel Group CEO.

“Being shortlisted for these awards is a tremen dous honour and vali dates the work we have been doing. Getting to this stage took a collec tive effort, so I’d like to give a big thank you to all the teams across the business who have been working extremely hard to make this a possibility, especially in Haiti, where, despite the challenges, we continue to do our best to create a world where no one gets left behind,” added Coughlan.

The Global Carrier Awards Ceremony will be held on October 19 at The O, London, and the World Communication Awards on November 1 at the Grand Connaught Rooms, London. (Jamai ca Observer)

President Dr Irfaan Ali

Shun Divisive Rhetoric

PRESIDENT, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, has issued a call to all Guyanese to shun divisive rhetoric and to work together to build a stronger, inclusive and better Guyana.

The call was made as the President paid follow-up visits to several communities in Region Six and Region Five, including Cot ton Three and Belladrum.

The President had earlier addressed res idents of No. 58 Village, Corentyne, where a new farm-to-market road was commis sioned. Significantly, the commissioning ceremony which will see the opening up of thousands of acres of agricultural lands, took place as the country is observing Agriculture Month.

According to President Ali, “We are, together, building a Guyana that is strong and better, a Guyana that is delivering for all the people.”

This is the message of inclusive devel opment, one in which no Guyanese will be left behind regardless of race, religion or political affiliation. The Guyanese President urged the political opposition to stop their “nonsensical narrative that only one set of people are benefitting from government’s programmes.”

Nothing could be further from the truth. The fact is that the PPP/C has, from its in ception as a political party, always embraced inclusive and participatory governance

which is in sharp contrast to that practised by the previous PNC administration, now practically re-branded APNU+AFC. The narrative of race and racism being spewed by the PNC has now reached a degree of national intolerance as the country is ad vancing to higher levels of ethnic harmony and tolerance.

Speaking to naysayers with obvious political agendas, President Ali was both candid and passionate when he responded as follows:

“You make no sense anymore, and guess what, your narrative will not derail us because we will continue to work with all of Guyana, all of the communities.... I intend to go to every single community and deliver the truth, deliver the platform on which the country is developing so that they don’t have to listen to the false prophets that continue to spread hate and division, but that they will see us for who we are, they will see Guyana for what Guyana is and will see the community for what the community is, because the rising tide will lift every community, every single Guyanese, all of us up.”

That message of optimism and hope of a more inclusive and prosperous Guyana is resonating with Guyanese from all across the political and ethnic spectrum, which apparently is posing some challenges to the opposition, APNU+AFC.

The development train set in motion by the PPP/C administration has picked up

momentum and has now touched the lives of people in every community and every vil lage. There is hardly any community in Guy ana that has not benefitted in one way or the other from the developmental programmes and policies of the PPP/C administration.

The political opposition has now found itself in a deep conundrum. Its bogus claim of being “cheated” out of government is being effectively debunked and with the set ting up of a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) to investigate opposition’s allegations of voting irregularities, the opposition now seems to be shifting the goal-post from electoral fraud to one of “racism” and “discrimination” against opposition members and supporters.

The fact is that President Ali and the PPP/C administration have stated repeatedly that it has zero tolerance for racist elements in our society. The PPP is a multi-racial political organization and has both at the leadership and rank levels, individuals of all ethnic groups in the country.

The fact that the PPP/C is now mak ing significant inroads in what was once perceived as “opposition” strongholds has proved to be a serious political challenge to the PNC, especially when seen against the background of impending Local Govern ment Elections.

The main opposition party is yet to decide on whether or not it will go into the elections in alliance with its junior partner

the AFC, but regardless of the way it intends to go, the prospects of dwindling political influence seem to be a force to be reckoned with.

President Ali, for his part, has made it abundantly clear that no village or communi ty is outside of his reach and had demonstrat ed that even in the face of PNC-instigated tensions and violence, he is willing to touch base with residents to discuss matters of concern with a view to finding solutions.

This developmental and solution- ori ented approach to community development has become a hallmark of President Ali and his PPP/C administration and has won the admiration and support of Guyanese all across Guyana.

The pluralistic nature of our society, both from a political and ethnic standpoint, is bound to pose governance and develop mental challenges, but as noted by President Ali, the way forward for Guyana is by way of continuous dialogue and connecting with people, especially at the grassroots level. And this is exactly what the President and his entire administration has been doing with tangible results.

His “One Guyana” vision is resonat ing with the Guyanese people who are growing tired of the political opposition, which seemingly is unable to rise above the narrow confines of sectarian and di visive politics.

2020 voter fiasco: Actions of PNC must be fully exposed to the world

Dear Editor,

IT is increasingly obvious that the PPP/C government must be more aggressive in the pursuit of exposing the PNC/APNU+AFC’s desperate attempts at staying in office, and their role in the delay of the 2020 elections results.

It was not so long ago that this PNC cabal led the most offensive attempts at suppressing our nation in full view of the world. They now pretend to be having a pious right to exercise from a moral high ground that is non-existent. These treacherous actions the Guyanese peo ple will not forget and must not be allowed to slip by the wayside.

It is for a lack of exposure that the current administrators of the lead party in the AP NU+AFC Coalition are becoming embold ened as they continue the use of tactics to frustrate all efforts by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) concerning the hold ing of legitimate Local Government Elections

(LGEs). A strengthened GECOM must be supported by all, and the slippery immorality of the PNC-led cabal is highlighted.

Within the framework of our applicable electoral legislation, GECOM has advanced efforts to realize the institution’s constitution al mandate towards transparent conduct of the overdue LGEs.

Albeit a little slow, GECOM conducted the cycle of Continuous Registration and sub sequent Claims and Objections Process. The Chief Elections Officer of GECOM with the full support of his staff, has produced a partic ularly excellent work plan for the holding of LGEs, targeted before March 2023.

GECOM was able to generate a ver ifiable Preliminary List of Electors after the smooth Claims and Objections process with a one-week extension requested by the PNC/APNU+ AFC. The foregoing serves to ensure that GECOM is now ready to hold elections with the best possible voters list. It is also noteworthy that GECOM has already

commenced the training of polling day staff in preparation for the LGEs. The institution is deserving of the necessary kudos in this regard.

On the Opposition front, the administra tors have been busy producing unjustified criticisms just for the sake of opposing. Having participated in the various processes by having representative scrutineers, they are hardly in any position to proffer any meaningful condemnations. Nevertheless, the APNU+AFC has submitted claims of 2020 elections anomalies that they suggest affect the final List of Electors.

In keeping with the ruling of the GECOM Chairperson, the APNU+AFC must also quickly give to the police, the addresses of all the voters that the APNU+AFC claims were either dead or out of Guyana and, therefore, could not have voted in the 2020 General and Regional Elections.

The Opposition now has an excellent opportunity to produce to the police all those

claims of impersonation in the 2020 elections. Further, Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton must not hesitate to produce the Statements of Poll in his party’s possession.

The disgruntled and malicious leaders in the PNC are looking very spineless in their struggle to counter the building of the “One Guyana” platform. The allegations of voter impersonation and a bloated list are now rubbish.

The deliberate, reckless excuses that the PNC is making since they lost the elections must stop. Their false and exaggerated claims of marginalisation and discrimination are now falling on deaf ears as our people are getting immune to their lies. The PNC’s failures and inability to produce proper leaders are certain ly a hindrance to that party’s development.

Guyana is ready for Local Government Elections.

Once again the PPP/C government has to clean up the PNC’s mess!

Dear Editor,

A PULSATING holiday weekend trans fixed with chaos, confusion and conster nation, commenced the week marred by accidents on the road and in the river.

The accident by a Panamanian vessel that crashed into the Demerara Harbour Bridge caused the bridge to be out of commission for over 48 hours, inconveniencing thousands of users.

President Ali chose to spend Youman Nabi, on Monday, visiting Linden and in teracting with the residents. The Guyana Government joined the rest of the world to remove the vaccination requirement for entry. Guyana also observed World Mental Health Day, noting its theme, “Creating hope through action.”

World Food Day 2022 was observed with the theme, “Leave No One Behind.” The Human Services and Social Security Ministry launched the “Be Real” anti-body shaming campaign to coincide with International Day of the Girl Child. World Sight Day, under the theme, “Love Your Eye,” was observed. Blue Water Shipping, a Danish international transport and logistics company, launched its services to the local petroleum industry.

The Islamic Development Bank approved a US$120 million loan to resurface the Soes dyke-Linden Highway. Iconic star of the US series “Murder She Wrote,” Dame Angela Lansbury, passed away at the age of 96.

Another street in South Ozone Park, NY, is renamed after Guyanese Ritwantee Persaud, aka ‘Aunty Rita,’ a popular singer and social worker who was mowed down by a car in 2020. Norton frets, fumes and frowns again, as the President was acknowledged at the CPL cricket games. The Coalition MP, a young, smiling Figueira, showed what a gen tleman he is by shaking the President’s hand and accompanied him on the walkabout in several communities in Linden.

Qatar’s Energy Minister, Al-Kaabi, is visiting Guyana and leading a high-level delegation to explore various possibilities. The fifth Canadian High Commissioner for the day was Ellen Gopaul. As the nation prepares to celebrate the “Festival of Lights,” do enjoy the colourful and brightly lit motor cades, the Berbice Expo Fair, local cricket and horse-racing and do take time out to relax and digest the selective quotes of the week and reflection:

1) President Ali in his Youman Nabi message said: “Without God in our lives, we are rudderless.” Commemorating the event is an occasion to reset moral compasses and become closer to God and all of His people.

2) A Mr Morris wrote: “Wake up folks. We do not have to be Sanctimonious Gang sters again.” Having wasted three years talking about renegotiation of the oil contract and spending another 20 years talking about how bad the contract was, he would rather Guyanese “focus on the future” and “build around the periphery of the existing contract.” Guyana needs to move on.

3) Minister Edghill commented on the new harbour bridge saying, “Everyone in the media can see that preparatory works for the new harbour bridge are underway.” Had the former administration acted prudently, the new bridge would have been a reality by now, but the nation knows that the PNC has proven to be a complete waste of time, money and resources!

4) AFC Chairperson Cathy Hughes, said: “And we take that position because you would recall the amount of persons who got pink slips that are still holding pink slips today.” During the last cruel PNC ad ministration, the diabolical AFC also took the delightful position of closing the sugar estates and firing some 4,000 sugar workers, joyfully driving them to poverty, hunger and starvation!

5) Barbara Broccoli said: “Thank good ness they cast Sean Connery originally because I think if it had not been him, who knows whether we’d still be here 60 years afterwards.” The hunt for a new 007 is on.

6) Jagdeo is becoming more of a crowd pleaser and gaining more fans in the diver sified arena, “Jagdeo is the best: the best in America, North and South!”

7) President Ali told teachers: “There was a backlog since 2016. I have instructed that, by the end of this year, the entire backlog (permanent certificates), must be cleared.” Once again, the PPP/C government has to clean up the PNC’s mess!

8) World champion, Ethiopian marathon runner Gotytom Gebreslase, said: “It’s like they turned the clock back by 30 years. Peo ple are suffering, but you might know about it because we’re cut off from the world. It’s pretty depressing.” Since fighting erupted between Tigrayan rebels and government forces in November 2020, few have been spared the effects of a nearly two-year internet and phone shut-down in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region.

9) President Ali told residents in Linden: “We’re working on generating employment, building tourism, expanding the economy of Linden. Opening up opportunities. Linking Linden and Region 10 with what is happening in the macro environment of our country.” With so many ongoing projects, naysayers cannot claim that the government favours one community over another.

10) Education Minister Priya Manick chand said: “We’re working really hard to achieve universal secondary education within this first term [in office] is up.” By 2025, the PPP/C government intends to complete build ing a number of new secondary schools in all the regions in order to enhance the education system.

11) Minister Edghill praised the repair team at the Demerara Harbour Bridge, saying: “Getting this to where it is right now was no ordinary job.” The bridge is back in operation and reopened to vehicles weighing up to 18 tonnes.

12) Minister of Health Dr. Frank Antho ny, said: “If we are able to detect depression early, it means we will be able to work with those patients, and we will be able to prevent cases of suicide.” The PPP/C government will train doctors to offer basic psychiatric care at the community level.

13) Pakistani Senator Shahadat Awan reasoned: “Attempted suicide is not a crime. It is a mental ailment, and it should be treated accordingly.” Pakistan recently passed a Bill to decriminalize suicide. There are some 20 countries worldwide where suicidal behaviour is a criminal offence, carrying a maximum penalty of up to three years in prison.

14) UNICEF representative, Nicolas Pron, said: “I want to emphasize that this project is not only gender-responsive, but we aim for it to be gender-transformative.” Funded by Canada, some 10,000 children from Region

Nine will benefit from UNICEF’s donation comprising various packages of sports and hygiene equipment.

15) Dr Anthony said: “We see school health as a very important aspect of deliv ering healthcare in Guyana.” The PPP/C government is again showing its care and concern for children by implementing soon, a screening programme within schools that will help in detecting various health issues among students.

16) Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Musta pha said: “Guyana has to play a leading role in agriculture in order to have a reduction on the food-import bill by 25 percent by the year 2025.” The PPP/C government distributed free seeds and seedlings to the public as part of the activities for Agriculture Month 2022.

17) Former West Indies cricketer and commentator Darren Ganga said: “President Ali has the heart and soul of the Guyanese people within, and he’s a breath of fresh air in terms of leadership, not only in Guyana but in the entire Caribbean nation.” President Ali and his government were congratulated for creating an environment for great cricket, celebration, entertainment and tourism.

18) US President Joe Biden in a CNN interview when questioned about Putin, said that he is a “rational actor who has miscalcu lated significantly.” President Biden doesn’t feel that Putin will use a tactical nuclear weapon.

19) Director-General of the T&T Civil Aviation Authority, Francis Regis, said: “We further confirm that the radar system was out of service at the time of the incident.” The pilot of a Jet Blue Airways aircraft was forced to take evasive action in order to prevent a possible collision with a Caribbean Airlines aircraft last Sunday at the Piarco airport.

20) Programme scientist for NASA, Tom Statler, said: “ The outcome demonstrated we are capable of deflecting a potentially hazardous asteroid of this size. The key is early detection.” The US$330 million first world’s test of a planetary defence system, successfully sent a spacecraft crashing into an asteroid last month.

21) Dr Leslie Ramsammy said: “Let us give the sugar workers and the sugar industry a chance.” Being one of the largest employ ers, sugar supports the economy of many villages, its drainage and irrigation system, contributes significantly to agriculture and its spinoffs ground the foundation of life for thousands of Guyanese. Sugar brings in much-needed foreign currency and Guyana cannot afford to import this local commodity. Giving up on sugar is indeed reckless eco nomics, politics and sociology.

22) Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond, said: “There was a purported launching which

Once again the PPP/C government has to clean ...

was nothing more than a farce, an attempt to fool Berbicians and the nation…. There was no equipment, no furniture, no staff and no budget. There was nothing here but an emp ty building.” The PNC was caught with their pants down again as the Belvedere Business Incubator Cen tre in Berbice was recommissioned, after the PPP/C government had injected some $100 million to develop agro-processing in Region Six.

23) Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Philips said: “There are about 720 consumers connected to the Mahdia power company and those consumers will benefit from the energy placed on that mini grid from solar. It influences cost in a big way, because the cost is currently subsidized.” Some 3,000 hinterland residents will benefit from a $362.4 million contract signed for a solar farm at Mahdia by the PPP/C government.

24) Human Services and Social Security Minister, Dr Vindhya Persaud, warned: “Don’t comment on people’s body type, their hair, their complexion, their mental attitude; don’t do these things, because those things have seri ous scars.” Body shaming should not be done on social media, on the streets, in communities, in homes, and particular ly, not in school.

25) The Agriculture Minister said: “After consultation, we decided to have one constructed here so you can benefit from the same services the farmers in Georgetown and other coastal areas receive.” A new $4.3 million coconut nursery was commissioned at Hosororo Village in Region One.

26) The CEO for Guyana Water Inc. (GWI), Shaik Baksh, said: “Across the coastal belt there is a crying need for treated water. At the present time, we have 52 percent coverage and we intend over the next two years, this project will be completed.” The PPP/C government is putting in capital investment of over $30 billion in water-treatment plants in order to bring treated water to a 90 per cent target.

27) Chinese Ambassador, H.E. Guo Halyan remarked: “Today, as we offi cially launch the civil aviation coopera tion, we see the further expansion of co operation between China and Chinese.” An Air Service Agreement was signed between the PPP/C government and the Government of the People’s Republic of China to enhance passenger travel and trade between the two countries and also to broaden Guyana’s global connectivity.

28) Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, reminded Guy anese: “There is no place for racism, marginalization and oppression in Guyana. It is all about development, inclusivity and improving all the lives and livelihoods of all Guyanese, inclu sive of African Guyanese.” The Prime Minister and Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr., paid trib ute to African ancestors as they joined ACDA at the Seawall Bandstand for the 29th Annual Observance of African Ho locaust Day, also known as the MAAFA of Kiswahili.

29) Head of El Dorado Offshore,

Sherry Ferrell, said, “Our slogan at El Dorado Offshore is Everyone Deserves Opportunities. As a Guyanese company servicing Guyana’s oil and gas sector, we believe Guyanese should be the first to benefit from these opportunities.” With a staff which grew from five to 400, this Guyanese company continues to provide training for young, skilled Guyanese seeking employment in the oil and gas sector.

30) During his visit to Cotton Tree, West Coast Berbice, President Ali told the residents, “I’m here to talk to the people. I’m here to listen to the peo ple…to listen to your concerns and to work with you on solving your prob lems… to work with you on developing your communities… to work with you on uplifting the lives of the people in this community.” The PPP/C govern ment will soon implement a programme for residents from Belladrum to benefit from a skills- development course that will see more young people being trained in heavy machine operations and mechanics.

31) Fresh from his successful and welcoming visit to Linden, President Ali was in a no-nonsense mood when he said: “You make no sense anymore, and guess what, your narrative will not derail us because we will continue to work with all of Guyana, all of the communities, we will work with them. I intend to go to every single commu nity and deliver the truth, deliver the truth, deliver the platform on which this country is developing, so that they don’t have to listen to the false prophets that continue to spread hate and division, but that they will see us for who we are, they will see Guyana for what Guyana is and will see the community for what the community is, because the rising tide will lift every single community, every single Guyanese, all of us up, together.” He made minced meat of the PNC.

32) President Ali reiterated to the nation: “The structure of the economy that we’re building, the dynamism of the economy that we’re building, the diversity of the economy that we’re building will be so integrated and multi-dimensional that we will be able to compete against the best economies in the world. We are doing the hard work now to ensure that the economy, 2030 and beyond, will be the strongest in the world. This is how we want to position our country.” The Head of State deliv ered the feature address at the opening of the 16th Annual Berbice Expo and Trade Fair.

33) The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture, Manuel Otero, said in Rio de Janeiro: “The war in Eastern Europe has further reaffirmed the fact that food security is at the top of the planet’s concern and that the American continent is strengthening its leading and relevant role as a guar antor of healthy and abundant food at the level.” The PPP/C government has prioritized agriculture with preferential and diversified treatment in order to make Guyana the “Food Basket” for the Caribbean once again.

34) President Ali told Berbicians: “All of us together will benefit from this infrastructure, all of us together will be

uplifted from this infrastructure.” At the commissioning of the newly construct ed farm-to-market road located in Num ber 58 village, Corentyne, thousands of acres of land will open up to farmers and residents of Region Six.

An 11-year-old Bryaneliza Latch man is all smiles after receiving her prize for placing third at an international letter-writing competition for young people. GDF Corporal Trevon Jeffers is smiling after his ITEC Training programme selection to India, courtesy of the Indian High Commission. Also, eight Guyanese are smiling with their selection to visit India via the “Know India Programme.”

Ornissa Gordon is smiling after be ing selected to go to India for the 69th Professional Course for Foreign Dip lomats. Some nine Guyanese from the T&HD are smiling after being selected to go to India to participate in the Major Equipment Training Session on the M.V. Ma Lisha. The cargo/passenger vessel will ply the Georgetown/ North West route.

Ales Belyatsky, a Belarusian smil ing in jail, won the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize. The parents of baby Shailah Ariya Persaud are smiling after doctors at the GPHC performed a successful operation to separate a large malformation/ mass attached to her head and upper cervical spine. Shawn Shewram is again smiling after copping five prizes at the “High Wooding” Law School. Also, Reon Miller, Dhuchanik Peters and Special Dazzell are also smiling with their prizes. The Guyana Cancer Society is smiling with Grace Kennedy Money services Ltd.’s donation of $250,000.

Delon Simpson is smiling with his $1 million prize in the AmCham Guyana Business Pitch Competition. Attorneys-at-Law Saskea Sara Lynch, Nicklin Belgrave, Calvin Brutus, Delon Fraser and Ismat Bacchus are smiling after being admitted to Guyana’s Bar. The owners and employees of Silvie’s, a mega complex at Good Hope, are smiling after being in operation for some 50 years. Residents in Region Two are smiling with the completion of phase two of the Lima Sands asphaltic road and concrete drains.

Providence residents are smiling with their new $25 million plus mod ern post office. Former Ambassador to Suriname, Keith George, is smiling as the new High Commissioner designate to Canada. Squash ace, Nicolette Fer nandes, is all smiles as she won silver at the South American Games, along with boxers Keevin Allicock and Desmond Amsterdam with bronze medals.

Some 24 NGSA students are smil ing with their bursary awards from GAWU. Additionally, 600 residents in Number 75 and 76 villages from Ber bice are smiling with their house lots. As you begin the new week, please remember to smile, because, “Smiling not only offers a mood boost but helps our bodies release cortisol and endor phins that provide numerous health benefits, including: reduced blood pressure, increased endurance.”

IMF report highlights policies that encourage and protect overall growth

THE International Mone tary Fund (IMF), an inde pendent financial agency of the United Nations that in cludes 190 countries, pub lished their 2022 Article IV Consultation report on Guyana. While these re ports offer detailed insights into a country’s economy, as discussed in last week’s column, they also explore the legal and regulatory situation within a country that could shape the econo my for better or worse.

Beyond the economic transformation happening in Guyana, the addition al findings from the report showcase a strong regulato ry environment in Guyana. The recent report applauded Guyana for taking steps to demonstrate its commitment to transparency like crimi nalising the non-publication of oil receipts by the Finance Minister under the Natural Resource Fund (NRF) law. The report also emphasises the crucial importance of strong transparency and an ti-corruption provisions to safeguard the broader econ

omy and minimise the risks of the resource curse.

As Guyana creates poli cies that shape its landscape for the better, the findings challenge the narrative that not enough has been ac complished or that systems are not yet transparent. The report lauded Guyana’s prog ress on reducing debt and making long-overdue struc tural reforms to address de velopment needs.

The 2019 version of the report prominently men tioned worrying structural weaknesses in the gover nance and anti-corruption frameworks of the country, but this year’s report shows that efforts have been made to strengthen the framework and transparency of the gov ernance of oil receipts. With an oil sector that is rapidly growing, the progress being made positions Guyana on a growth trajectory.

The anti-corruption framework and fiscal trans parency is being proactively improved and strengthened through including publication of audit reports of public ex

penditures and reestablishing the Integrity Commission. Through the Commission, all governmental officials are required to file a declaration every year regarding com plete assets and liabilities, which is meant as an avenue to ensure proper conduct of public officials.

According to the IMF, the asset declarations of many public officials have been submitted annually and the public procurement tenders are finally public. Anti-cor ruption frameworks in Guy ana are now better-aligned with international standards and are being improved through ensuring proper co ordination of all public agen cies involved.

The government has also prioritised reforms to the financial sector and the IMF praised efforts to bring the sector into alignment with in ternational norms. By being more aligned with interna tional standards, Guyana can directly impact and support the growth of its labour mar ket and social sectors.

The report did highlight

that Guyana “needs to lower unemployment, especially for youth in rural areas, and reduce inter-industry skills mismatches going forward.”

It goes on to say that a re sponsive and efficient labour market requires investing in human capital development, including “technical and vo cational education to ensure an adequate supply-side re sponse to emergent demands in the market for skilled labor.”

The government and in dustry continue to work to improve this aspect. The industry-funded Centre for Local Business Development (CLBD) has been instru mental within the business community by prioritising capacity and providing guid ance for companies that want to get involved.

Since 2017, the Centre has registered over 5,100 businesses on their Supplier Portal, conducted seminars for over 4,500 participants, cultivated over 750 oil and gas sector vendors, and deliv ered Health, Safety, Security and Environment (HSSE)

President Ali’s ‘One Guyana’ initiative is good for the country

Dear Editor,

IN response to a letter published in the Kaieteur News on October 14, titled: “Will Guyana ever get a Populous Nationalist Leader.? The answer is yes; Guyana has a Populous Nationalist Leader/President in His Excellency Dr Irfaan Ali. My answer is based on his positive outlook for the country, its citizens and the nu merous policies he has implemented since taking office on August 4, 2020.

Despite the many obstacles he has encountered while in office, he was able to overcome them with his holistic approach and with a vision to uplift everyone in society, especially the poor and downtrodden. His goal is to strive to make Guyana an affluent country and all Guyanese prosperous regard less of race, ethnicity, religion or party affiliation.

Dr Ali is young and as President, it is impossible to please everyone in the country. He will make mistakes, but he tends to listen to the populace and

will not hesitate to correct them. He is known to accept constructive criticism from whoever and wherever, and is favourable to different opinions.

Despite his hectic pace to do the right thing for the country and for every citizen so far, he has conducted himself fairly and judiciously, especially in ex ecuting his duties as president. Despite the fierce criticism from the opposition and others opposed to the reopening of the sugar factories, President Ali saw the importance of the sugar industry to various communities in the country and as a result he has decided to reopen the sugar estates. It was a good decision for the surrounding communities and the country as a whole.

In doing so, he has created more than 2,000 new jobs in addition to the 7,000 people already employed by the three sugar estates--Albion, Blairmont and Uitvlugt. Based on the five-year plan submitted by the CEO and the Board of Directors, the reopening of the Rose Hall estate in late 2023 should in crease the production of packaged sugar

and perhaps make GUYSUCO solvent. Kudos to President Ali to make such a bold decision.

President Ali is conscious of the fact that race has and continues to be a ma jor issue in Guyana, especially during elections season, but he is working non-stop to heal the racial divide in the country because he believes in unity and not division.

One of his primary proposals to unite the races and reconcile their differences is his “One Guyana” initia tive, which everyone should and must support for the good of the country. President Ali’s “One Guyana” initiative could end the discord that had endured for more than five decades. It will be a great day for Guyana and President Ali will be considered one of the greatest, if not the greatest President in the history of Guyana.

His “One Guyana” initiative is good for Guyana.

Asquith Rose.

programmes to over 310 businesses. The direct en gagement the CLBD has with local businesses helps home-grown, 100 per cent Guyanese-owned businesses to build their capacity and operate in the growing oil and gas sector.

As a next step, the IMF recommended that the gov ernment further improve information sharing and digital publication of finan cial information to improve compliance with recommen dations from the Extractive industries Transparency Ini tiative (EITI). Guyana still scores lower in these areas on EITI metrics, despite overall progress in meeting the initiative’ s goals. But the country has until 2024

to follow-up on EITI recom mendations and demonstrate additional progress towards the goals of transparency and accountability.

The report also made recommendations to strengthen long-term plan ning on the Natural Re sources Fund (NRF), build additional buffers against market volatility, and ramp up public investment where possible to ensure that de velopment remains inclu sive.

Overall, the report is a strong indicator of just how far regulatory systems have come in just a few years.

While there is still much to do, it is a promis ing sign that the country is on the right path.

Setting the record straight on youth, culture

RECENTLY, Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton held a youth symposium at Con gress Place, Sophia, where he made sever al damning statements about the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic’s (PPP/C)’s record on youth, education and cricket carnival concerts.

Norton then went on to profess his un dying love for Guyana’s youth and outlined his vision for how they would be treated if he wins the presidency in 2025.

He attempted to convince those present at the symposium, of what he referred to as the “APNU+AFC Coalition’s record”

in office from 2015 to 2020, and sought to correct the “PPP propaganda.”

Norton seemingly had his audience en grossed as he spoke about youth and culture, but most Guyanese are condemning the very things the Opposition Leader said.

They believe that Norton did not speak the truth to the young people and virtually all of Guyana, and, by extension, was only telling a half-baked story riddled with mis information and falsities.

Furthermore, they believe Norton’s at tempt to brainwash the youths and Guyanese into supporting his line of politics of oppor tunism, rancor, race hate and divisiveness will not work, especially with the progress of the PPP/C’s “One Guyana” initiative.

Firstly, the arguments put forward by Norton in his speech to show that the PNCled APNU+AFC cares for youths, youth development nationally and empowerment are weak and foolish in nature.

One would think Norton would quote some big figure or project during the five years that the coalition was in office, but instead, he quoted six early education devel opment centres for $270 million. Also, isn’t that what a government does?

He stated that this care for youths and education was informed, in part, by AP NU+AFC’s youth policy. Well, where is it? And how come the public is only now hearing that there was a PNC or coalition youth policy?

Similarly, he somehow remembers con veniently that the coalition trained “many young people,” empowering them and util ising state resources for businesses.

Assuming they did help youths, Norton should share the figures and types of Guya nese (ethnicities) the coalition helped with their businesses, because the only thing the public recalls is the scandal with the barber shop and Christopher Jones multibillion-dol lar Durban Park which is run-down, and the ministers’ salary increase to name a few.

There was no Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture and what the Ministry of Busi ness did is anyone’s guess. It is not true that the coalition government had been busy developing programmes for young people, and the Granger five Bs Initiative failed to achieve any real and meaningful impact on the educational side of things, apart from being a policy that was plagued by allega tions of fraud, mis-spending and corruption.

Secondly, the Opposition Leader said that the coalition government reintroduced law scholarships but failed to mention the other things they introduced. He did not tell the public that there was massive corruption taking place with how the APNU+AFC gov ernment had administered the scholarships that they introduced and met. Sitting minis ters, their children and party representatives were purportedly the first to get, ahead of the

long line of poor Guyanese.

Thirdly, Norton, of all people, cannot really be seeking to lecture the PPP/C gov ernment on having the right entertainment and cultural policy for the youths of this country. This is sheer double standards and hypocrisy.

What is good for the goose is good for the gander. If Buju Banton, who is a con victed criminal, and a controversial lyricist, is his idea of being good for young people in 2019, then by all means, Machel Montano is great for the same young people whom Norton is concerned about.

One does not think it is fair to say that the PPP/C is feeding youths “a diet of lawlessness,” when Norton’s party was in power, they sponsored a convicted felon and spent $50 million on tickets so as to patron ize the event. Also, Norton, who wants to be president, and his association with the vibes on Bam Bam Alley, has the public confused.

Using the Cricket Carnival Concert and music, in general, for politicking is not the right time to have a conversation about Guyana’s youth or culture. Norton appeared to be politically opportunistic, even if his concern was seen as having merits, which it does not have.

Also, bringing the promoters and deejays into the mix is just a silly act of desperation.

Fourthly, Norton purports to give the public his idea of what a culture minister should do, as well as his cultural policy outlook for youths. Wasn’t he the Adviser to the President on Youth Empowerment during the term of the coalition? Why did his colleagues or Coalition Government not listen to him? Moreso, why did they not care about his visions or perspectives?

The public is warned against holding its breath while waiting in anticipation for a plausible explanation, because only he knows.

Finally, nothing that Norton said about either youth or culture is true. It is not remotely impossible that it is true that Guy ana’s education system was destroyed by the PPP/C government, when we have the highest level of illiteracy rates.

The truth is, the APNU+AFC boycotted all of their promises to youth on culture, education, business, empowerment and jobs.

Youth cannot relate to the alleged ineq uity of resources and discrimination charges because it is not true. Where is the evidence or statistics? Where are the social media stories, posts and Instagram records?

No political or other activism will change this reality for the youth of Guyana.

Waking up in 2022 and getting the courage to finally speak out on youth issues when you had the chance of doing all you said for five long years, is political stupidity at its highest level, especially in the age of the internet.

What do you know about osteoporosis?

OSTEOPOROSIS occurs when bones become porous and weak due to the reduction of bone density (mass and strength), making the bones fragile. About 200 million persons worldwide are estimated to have os teoporosis where the ratio of women to men affected is four to one.

There are no signs or symptoms to alert you of a frac ture. So, learn all you can to make your bones healthy very early.

The theme on World Osteoporosis Day, to be celebrat ed on October 20, is “Step up for bone health.” Strong bones before age 30 enhance the durability of the skeletal system which means better mobility and fracture-free in cidents for persons later on in life. Generally, bone mass peaks during the early 30s.

However, the combination of endocrine changes due to age, along with nutrition and sedentary lifestyles, will affect bone mass as you get older. So menopausal women who have lower levels of estrogen or younger women who removed their ovaries, will sooner experience changes in their bone health.

Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center stated that 30 per cent of Caucasian women in the post-menopausal stage suffer from osteoporosis, which can increase as high as 70 per cent over age 80.

There is an ethnic risk also for osteoporosis where Caucasians, Chinese, Japanese and Koreans are statisti cally more affected.

Whilst men’s reproductive hormones are not as se verely diminished as women’s, bone loss is still accel erated since the levels of growth hormone and androgen gradually decrease. The abrupt loss of testosterone production in men on prostate cancer treatment and all cancer patients (both men and women) on treatment with chemotherapy, radiation and hormonal therapy can con tribute to bone loss.

Older persons may notice that they are getting shorter with age due to worn cartilage and spinal osteoporosis. Women can lose two inches whilst men one inch after age 30. Note that after age 80 both genders can lose another inch.

Additionally, small frame or petite, thinner women are at highest risk for osteoporosis later in life.

Also, those persons with a genetic factor for osteo porosis or a history of parental fractures are inevitably at a higher risk. It is key to know that the first fracture sustained increases the likelihood of future fractures if appropriate treatment is not immediately given. Assessing and building bone density as soon as a fracture occurs is highly recommended.

World Health Organization (WHO) criteria for di agnosing osteoporosis is connected to measurement of bone mineral density (BMD), after ascertaining a T-score measured by a dual X-ray absorptiometry scan.

Another assessment tool for fracture risk called FRAX, recently developed by the University of Sheffield may soon become a universal protocol to decide on the way forward with respect to treatment. Clinical risk fac tors used in FRAX calculations are age, gender, an earlier fracture, bone-mineral density, low BMI (less than 21kg/ m2), using prednisolone tablets 5mg per day for greater than three months, history of parental hip fracture, type one diabetes mellitus, early menopause(before age 40), smoker history and alcohol consumption (more than three drinks per day).

States estimated a cost of approximately US$19 billion annually on direct and indirect cost from fractures, which could have been prevented if proactive measures had been put in place.

For example, all female patients should be informed that after a total hysterectomy, or the removal of their ovaries, that they will have to be referred to the orthopae dic clinic for continuous assessment of their bone density and the need to build up their bones because of future risk for fractures.

The American Society for Bone and Mineral Research formed a coalition of experts from 42 professional or ganizations including physicians, nurses, pharmacists, members from the Geriatric Society and the International Osteoporosis Foundation to develop clinical recommen dations for the optimal prevention of secondary fractures in persons aged 65 and older.

Greater use of pharmaceuticals to prevent fractures is key in the 13 evidence-based recommendations they made. The coalition recommended:

* bisphosphonates as first line, in oral form but if not well tolerated then in intravenous form

* anabolic agents but very selective for high-risk pa tients who don’t have a cost barrier

* adequate daily intake of calcium and vitamin D ei ther from dietary or supplement source

* routine fracture-risk assessment and monitoring patient-adverse events

* prompt post-fracture treatment initiated and optimal duration for treatment follow-up monitored

Pharmacists play a vital role in monitoring patient-ad verse events and educating patients on fracture-reduction risks and the benefits of medications versus side-effect

profiles. Pharmacists further enhance treatment compli ance by discussing morbidity and mortality outcomes due to non-compliance.

It is advisable that only highly selective persons, those not at risk for blood clots or breast cancer, should be considered for estrogen therapy. And if you have been exposed to radiation you should not take teriparatide or abaloparatide.

In summary, the three pillars of ensuring bone health are:

> Regular weight-bearing and muscle-strengthening exercise

> Bone nutrition, consuming the adequate daily amount of calcium (1200mg) from foods and supplements and the required daily dose vitamin D

> Smoke-free and alcohol-free lifestyles

Whilst the risks factors for osteoporosis are:

> Advancing in age

> Bone density

> History of fracture

There is a projection that by 2050 there will be 21.3 million hip fractures annually and osteoporosis will be come the second global health crisis after cardiovascular diseases. Currently, 80 to 90 per cent of patients world wide with osteoporotic fractures are not assessed routinely for bone health and not monitored for medication usage.

For further discussion, contact the pharmacist of Medicine Express PHARMACY located at 223 Camp Street, between Lamaha and New Market Streets. If you have any queries, comments or further informa tion on the above topic kindly forward them to med icine.express@gmail.com or send them to 223 Camp Street, N/burg. Tel #225-5142.

Gender parity at all levels of governance essential to democracy

ATTORNEY General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, S.C., has said that gender parity in government, the legislature and all other levels of public decision-making is essential to democracy, social advancement, justice and peace.

“Without them, anarchy, violence and despotism result,” Nandlall said in his address to global leaders at the 145th Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly, Kigali, in Rwanda.

The conference was convened under the theme: “Gender Equality and Gender Sensitive Parliaments as Drivers for a More Resilient and Peaceful World.”

Nandlall assured leaders that the Gov ernment of Guyana’s policies are aligned with this theme, and there are continuous efforts to ensure that there is equality and equal treatment across the country.

“It goes without say ing that we support the confer

ence’s theme and that the IPU As sembly will have our full back ing as it works to advance this admirable goal,” the Attorney General said.

He also made reference to what Dr Martin Luther King, Jr once said: “Peace is not the absence of war but the presence of justice.”

Although gender equality is a funda mental right guaranteed by the United Nations Charter and other governing documents of organizations of a similar nature around the world, and is incorpo rated into most nations’ constitutions and legislation, Nandlall said: “The reality paints a starkly different picture, in par ticular as it relates to the membership of parliaments around the world.”

For example, only three out of the 193 countries surveyed have 50 per cent or more women representation in their legislatures; 143 countries have less than 30 per cent of women membership, and,

to date, several countries have no women representation in their parliaments.

“These are staggering statistics in a world where the female gender outnum bers the male,” Nandlall remarked.

He related: “Women are the source of life and the reason for our existence. We are all nurtured and groomed by women. It is said that the housewife of the average worker, in a world of rising costs of living but stagnant wages, is the world’s great est economist. Women have repeatedly shown in almost every area of human endeavour that they are equal to men.”

Quoting President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, Guyana’s Attorney General said: “We cannot be satisfied when women per form over two-thirds of the world’s work, produce over half of the food we eat, yet just a meagre 10th of global incomes be long to them… “Imihigo” should serve as our new metric for Rwanda’s commitments to better the lives of our girls and women.”

Rwanda, being the nation with the largest proportion of women in parlia ment (over 60 per cent), has one of the fastest-growing economies, not only on the continent of Africa, but also globally.

Given what Rwanda has accom plished, Nandlall said that there is no justifiable reason to oppose increased gender equality in parliaments, adding that it is unfair to women, and by doing so shortchanges the world and threatens the advancement of humanity as a whole.

It is for this reason that he emphasised the need for much more to be done to engender greater gender parity in parlia ments across the world.

Nandlall said too that there needs to be the removal of all institutional and systematic structures, legislation, policies

and programmes that perpetuate gender inequality across the states’ apparatus.

The Attorney General noted that Guy ana began this process a long time ago, but it remains a work in progress.

He also mentioned that one-third of Guyana’s parliamentarians are women; this is a statutory requirement outlined in the constitution of Guyana.

According to Nandlall, Guyana’s constitution guarantees that every citizen is given equal treatment and protection against discrimination.

Guyana has broad-based commis sions established by the constitution, such as the Women and Gender Equality Commission and the Rights of the Child Commission, which are designed to pro mote issues such as gender parity and to preserve and protect the rights of women and children.

He also highlighted that Guyana has a strong network of legislation, policies and programmes that outlaw gender and other forms of discrimination, and which pro tect women and children from ills such as sexual abuse, domestic violence and trafficking in persons, as well as human trafficking.

“In short, we are playing our small part and I wish to assure this Assembly that it has a willing partner in Guyana, and I daresay, the entire Caribbean Re gion.

“Let us therefore resolve to move resolutely to make the theme of this con ference a reality.

Our failure will certainly result in greater human rights tragedies, soci etal stagnation and, indeed, the global peace for which we strive will continue to elude us,” Nandlall said.

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, S.C., has said that gender parity in government, the legislature and all other levels of public deci sion-making is essential to democracy, social advancement, justice and peace

GFS hosts children’s fire safety lecture, practical sessions

THE Guyana Fire Ser vice (GFS), as part of Fire Prevention Month, hosted a fire safety lec ture and water tender tour for children from the various youth groups within #2 Sub-Division, Regional Division 4’A.

During the exercise which was conducted by section leader, Liverpool (only name given) and leading fireman, Cameron (only name given) at the Ruimveldt Police Station, children were sensitised on all the dos and don’ts to safeguard against fires.

Following the lecture, participants were allowed to inspect water tender #107, which is attached to the West Ruimveldt Fire Station.

The children were able to see and learn about the various compartments and equipment on the water tender.

The participating groups were the Ruim veldt Dynamic Leaders, Albouystown Faith Based Youth Group and the Ag ricola Rising Stars Youth Group.

The activity is part of the GFS’ partnership approach to tackling fire safety and promot ing youth development. Present at exercise were Insp Whickam; Sgt 20404 Griffith; L/Cpl Manu, and Liaisons, Kim Morgan, Donna Plass and Vanessa Mangra.

Fire Prevention Month is being ob served under the theme: “Working together as One Guyana to Prevent Fire.”

The Guyana Fire Service (GFS), as part of Fire Prevention Month, hosted a fire safety lecture and water tender tour for children from the various youth groups within #2 Sub-Division, Regional Division 4’A

Silvie’s gets President’s stamp of approval as company expands

and markets beyond Guyana’s shores

By Rabindra Rooplall

BUILDING and sustain ing a competitive busi ness for 50 years is not easy, especially in the changing global envi ronment; as such, Pres ident Dr Irfaan Ali has lauded Silvie’s Industrial Solutions for being an outstanding business that has been “grounded in people”.

President Ali was at the time giving remarks at the company’s recent 50th-an niversary celebrations at Lusignan, East Coast De merara (ECD) where he congratulated the founders Rajendra Persaud and his wife Prampattie “Silvie” Persaud and current Chief Executive Officer, Bra manand Persaud, for their achievement in business.

“Silvie’s, a household

name, people would’ve grown to trust the com pany, trust their product, trust their style of manage ment because they were able to create a direct rela tionship with customers,” the President noted.

He continued: “In 50 years, I’m sure this family

can tell you all the les sons from local market, challenges in the taxa tion system, challenges in the global environment, supply chain challenges, changing their product portfolio to meet market needs, and the changing market requirements, but more importantly, ensur

ing that they build a busi ness that was grounded in people.”

The company is devel oping a branch at Henri etta, Essequibo Coast in Region Two, which is expected to be opened by the end of the year while also planning to construct a megastructure at Good Hope, ECD, to better house its industrial division and repairs shop.

Noting the company’s success, President Ali re called that Silvie’s was the only company that offered credit to farmers and oth er operators who needed equipment and basic ma chinery to ply their trades.

“They provided service and credit to all sectors of people when it was not available anywhere else,” he added.

Additionally, the Head of State recognised efforts by the company to expand its market to the Caribbean Region as he commended Silvie’s for participating in the trade show at the Bar bados ‘AgroFest’ earlier this year.

He emphasised that this was a perfect moment to see a family-oriented and community-oriented busi ness thinking strategically of positioning themselves in the Caribbean Commu nity, being part of the de velopment of CARICOM, and supporting the food security drive.

Further, President Ali noted that the founder, Rajendra Persaud, out side of his noteworthy contributions to the local private sector, also played a major role in the Local Government system where he was heavily involved in community development resulting in the business remaining a vibrant leader in the sector.

Moreover, President Ali recalled growing up with the Persaud family, being a schoolmate and close friend of the current Chief Executive Officer Bramanand Persaud, who, despite being upper-class, never made him feel any different from them.

“They never lost their grounding, identity, or

connection with ordinary people. And up to today, the simplicity with which Bramanand continued this tradition must be cele brated, understood, and respected,” the Head of State underscored.

He continued: “And I want to say it is this type of dedication, humility, simplicity and commit ment that allows the com pany to celebrate 50 years today. And this will ensure that they face the next 50 years and beyond with the same strength of character, the same value system and the same system of com munity.”

Silvie’s CEO at the anniversary celebration said that its team of some 40 employees had played a significant role in the com pany’s success. He noted the business prided itself in training its team while encouraging staff to con tinue their growth course.

Further, he said Sil vie’s aligned itself over the years with many other companies that played a significant role in Guy

ana’s economy without thinking about them as potential competitors.

“We believe in an abundant mindset. We be lieve that there is enough to go around for every one,” the businessman emphaised.

“Customers would buy from us and sell back our products across the coun try. It is something that we want to see happening more in our country be cause we believe that there is enough to go around for everyone and more businesses that open with in this country is more employment and better for this country,” he said noting that the compa ny prides itself in having aligned itself with worldclass suppliers to ensure proper standardisation in the products offered to its customers.

Further, he noted that the company if not the only one, is one of the few, that boasts an almost 100 per cent guarantee on parts availability.

Silvie’s, on June 11, 2021, received its ISO certification. The company also has hopes of tapping into the regional market that exists across the Ca ribbean while it is also open to the possibility of directly servicing the oil and gas sector.

Additionally, George town’s Mayor Ubraj Na rine praised Silvie’s Indus trial Solutions for setting an example as a law-abid ing company in the city, following the guidelines the Mayor and City Coun cil Georgetown set.

Over 50 years ago, insurance salesman Ra jendra Persaud and his wife, Prampattie “Silvie” Persaud, commenced a business undertaking to the care of their family by selling automotive parts, having recognised a crit ical gap in the local mar

President Dr Irfaan Ali and his son Zayd flanked by founders Rajendra Persaud and his wife Prampattie “Silvie” Persaud and Chief Executive Officer, Bramanand Persaud (second from left) with wife Chief Opera tions Officer Dr. Shanti Persaud (third from left) with other family members to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Silvie’s Industrial Solutions at Lusignan, ECD (Office of the President photo)

Founders Rajendra Persaud and his wife Prampattie “Silvie” Persaud

ketplace.

Registered in 1972, Silvie’s was in business

five years prior when she and her husband operated a small business that sold

a variety of things on High Street, Georgetown.

Dealing with large vol

automotive parts business.

She and her husband decided to engage mer chants to source those items overseas for resale on the local market. Her husband would later travel overseas to procure items to resell. As the business evolved, the couple offi cially registered the com pany. Eventually, it moved to its first official location at 44 High Street, George town, under Silvie’s Gen eral Store, mainly selling automotive and motorcy cle spare parts.

Years later, they pruchased the property at 31 High and Hadfield Streets, Georgetown, where their business ex panded into a pharmacy, sports store and stationery centre under Silvie’s Vari ety Store.

Though successful, the latter three ventures were closed as Silvie’s focused its investment in the area of gold mining and other ventures.

In a significant re brand, Silvie’s renamed its first location Silvie’s Automotive Solutions, and its second location, Sil vie’s Industrial Solutions.

The two branches offer a variety of services across the automotive sector, mining, construction, ag riculture, vulcanising, and food processing amongst others.

With his parents ba sically retired, the CEO Bramanand Persaud his siblings and his wife, Op erations Manager Shanti Persaud are dedicated to continuing the legacy of Silvie’s.

Chinese Medical Brigade assists Joshua House Children Centre

–– children receive gifts, supplies and free medical services

THE eighteenth Chi nese Medical Brigade offered its services on Saturday and donat ed COVID-19 supplies and gifts to the Joshua House Children Cen tre at South Thomas Street, Georgetown, where many children received eye, heart and lungs tests.

Each child also re ceived a gift for partic ipating in the general screening and medical checkup offered by the medical brigade, while sanitary and COVID-19 supplies, among other items, were donated to the Joshua House Chil dren Centre.

According to the Cap tain of the 18th Chinese Medical Brigade, Dr. Chu Xuehui, the brigade recently arrived in Guy ana after the departure of the previous group last month and saw the need to assist in offering its services to youths of the children’s centre.

“We checked on their wellbeing and if any dis ease is affecting anyone; our duty is to provide help for those in need. We have travelled thou sands of miles to be here and we want to do as much as we can,” Dr.

Xuehui told this publi cation.

The Chinese med ical teams, over the years, have combined the efforts and expertise of more than 160 Chi

nese medical experts. Guyanese have bene fitted from the exper tise of professionals in specialised areas such as: acupuncture, anaes thetics, gynaecology,

nephrology, oncology, ophthalmology, pathol ogy, radiology, urology, obstetrics, paediatrics, general surgery, plastic surgery and osteopathy.

The first batch of Chi

nese medical profession als came to Guyana in 1993 due to the Protocol on Medical Cooperation, signed between the two countries on May 26, 1993.

During the course of their two-year stint, the outgoing batch of medical professionals treated over 41,000 pa tients and performed 6000 surgeries.

umes of people daily and listening to their stories, Silvie noted the gap in the

Chief Executive Officer, Bramanand Persaud (immediately behind first staff in front row on right) and his wife Chief Operations Officer Dr. Shanti Persaud (immediately behind second staff from front row on right) with some of the staff at the company’s 50th anniversary

Representatives of the eighteenth Chinese Medical Brigade hands over some of the supplies to Gladys Accra, Manager/Administrator of Joshua House for Children

Philomena ‘Fireball’ Sahoye-Shury remembered as the embodiment of a true Guyanese

PEOPLE’S Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) stal wart and former Deputy Mayor of Georgetown, Philomena ‘Fireball’ Sahoye-Shury, C.C. H., has made stellar contri butions to the citizens of Guyana, the country’s development and has left behind a rich legacy, the PPP/C has said.

Addressing a ceremo nial party send-off cere mony at Freedom House, Robb Street, President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, said the

President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, and other representatives of the PPP/C pay tribute to the late Philomena Sahoye-Shury

former Deputy Mayor was an “embodiment of Guy ana.”

President Ali said that Sahoye-Shury was a re flection of what national life is about—represent

ing the peoples’ interest, fighting for democracy and the rule of law, and fighting for the freedom of the people.

He said her mark in history is phenomenal

and she leaves behind a huge legacy—one of true commitment, patriotism, a deep sense of national pride and hard work for people and the develop ment of Guyana.

World Food Day 2022: Leave no one behind calls come at critical juncture

WORLD Food Day 2022 celebrations were held in Rome today under the rallying cry “leave no one behind,” amid a deterio rating global food security crisis and all-time high numbers of people at risk of experiencing serious lev els of hunger in Asia and Africa.

The annual event com memorates the founding in 1945 of the Food and Agri culture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). A global ceremony at FAO’s headquarters in Rome fea tured messages from, among others, UN Secretary-Gen eral Antonio Guterres, Pope Francis and Italian President Sergio Mattarella.

Hundreds of related ini tiatives were also being held in about 150 countries around the world, with a call to action in more than 50 lan guages featuring on digital billboards and through cre ative branding initiatives, including at Kigali Interna tional Airport, Rio de Ja neiro’s Christ the Redeemer statue, the Niagara Falls and London’s Piccadilly Circus.

This year’s edition takes place at a time when global food security is facing threats from multiple directions, with soaring food, energy and fertiliser prices adding to traditional drivers such as the climate crisis and long-stand ing conflicts. Meanwhile, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have knock-on effect, highlighting how in terconnected our economies and lives are.

“In the face of a looming global food crisis, we need to harness the power of solidari ty and collective momentum to build a better future where everyone has regular access to enough nutritious food,” FAO Director-General QU Dongyu said in his address to the ceremony in Rome.

On top of the 970,000 people at risk of famine in Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Soma lia, South Sudan and Yemen, the number of people facing hunger worldwide is on the rise (as much as 828 million in 2021, according to FAO’s latest The State of Food Se curity and Nutrition in the World report) and 3.1 billion people still cannot afford a healthy diet.

As is so often the case, it is the most vulnerable who are hit the hardest: Women, youth, Indigenous Peoples and rural farmers. They are often the ones who struggle the most to gain access to training, finance, innovation

and technologies.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres noted that World Food Day 2022 was taking place “at a challenging moment for global food secu rity” and urged stakeholders to act together in order to move “from despair to hope and action.”

Pope Francis, in a mes sage read on his behalf, urged the audience not to lose sight of the fact that people “are

Afternoon events in Rome included the inau guration of an exhibit with photos from space high lighting the effects of the climate crisis, taken by European Space Agency astronaut and FAO Good will Ambassador Thomas Pesquet.

World Food Day is also an occasion to celebrate people whose actions are making a difference, such

policymakers, agri-inves tors and scientists, who will be tuning in from the four corners of the world with one common goal: to move the needle of food security to achieve a better food fu ture for all, leaving no one behind.

CALL FOR ACTION

Leaving no one behind means working on many fronts at the same time.

For FAO, it includes our Hand in Hand initiative, which is designed to ac celerate agri-food systems’ transformations by eradicat ing poverty (SDG1), ending hunger and malnutrition (SDG2), reducing inequal ities (SDG10), promoting

decent rural employment and services, fostering gen der equality, ensuring social protection, ending child la bour, supporting local food production for vulnerable populations in food crisis countries, and supporting rural and Indigenous Peo ples, who are the custodians of much of the earth’s bio diversity.

More should be done to assist small-scale farms, which produce more than a third of the world’s food but represent 80 per cent of the world’s producers. They are one of the foundations of the world’s agri-food systems, yet they are too often trapped in cycles of poverty and food insecurity and excluded

from opportunities in systems dominated by large producers and retailers.

This requires transform ing current agri-food systems to provide equal opportu nities for all producers and helping smallholders gain ac cess to new markets. Invest ments in training, incentives, science, data and innovation can go a long way in placing smallholders at the centre of this transformation and be come active and equal agents of sustainable development.

Finally, governments must integrate a pledge to leave no one behind into their strategies, plans and budgets for achieving the UN Sustainable Devel opment Goals. (FAO)

World Food Day commemorates the founding in 1945 of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations

not just numbers, data or an endless stream of statistics.”

Italian President Sergio Mattarella said that without equitable access to food, mil lions of people on our planet, especially those living in the poorest countries, may not be granted a healthy life, quality education, and the opportu nity for social and economic growth.

“This year, more than ever, World Food Day should be a call to ramp up action to help small-scale farmers in rural areas, who supply food to their communities and countries – through crisis af ter crisis – despite inequality, vulnerability, and poverty,” said Alvaro Lario, President of the UN’s International Fund for Agricultural Devel opment (IFAD).

“My gravest concern is what’s coming next: a food availability crisis as the fall out from conflict and climate change threatens to sabotage global food production in the months ahead.

The world must open its eyes to this unprece dented global food crisis and act now to stop it spin ning out of control,” said World Food Programme Executive Director David Beasley.

as FAO’s Food Heroes and the recipients of the FAO Awards, which showcase successful initiatives that support the realisation of FAO’s mandate and the goals set out in its Strategic Frame work 2022-31. The first-ever such award was handed to the Kirisia Community Forest Association (CFA) in Kenya, for their successful resto ration of the Kirisia forest.

In addition, a Junior World Food Day event was held with a host of food heroes including Pesquet, renowned Chef Joan Roca and Lebanese media profes sional and FAO Regional Goodwill Ambassador for the Near East and North Africa, Darine El Khatib.

FAO-led or co-organ ised events designed to raise awareness about the global fight against hunger will continue to take centre stage in the coming week, with the second edition of the World Food Forum, which com prises the WFF Global Youth Forum, the FAO Science and Innovation Forum and the FAO Hand-in-Hand In vestment Forum.

The aim is to foster di alogue and debate among relevant stakeholders, including young people, farmers, small-scale pro ducers, Indigenous Peoples,

–– Pope Francis, United Nations Secretary-General and Italy’s President join other leaders in urging renewed efforts to tackle hunger and malnutrition

Agriculture Minister: Agricultural sector poised to take off

OWING to major bud getary allocations and fi nancial injections into the agricultural sector over the past two years under the PPP/C government, Guyana is poised for major development in the sector.

This was reiterated by Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha in his address to Cotton Tree, West Coast Ber bice residents during a pres idential outreach on Friday.

Citing major develop mental projects in the sector, the minister lauded the re vamping of the agricultural extension system, which will see officers being more re sponsive to farmers’ needs, and offering advice on the best practices for their un

dertakings.

He also alluded to Pres ident, Dr Irfaan Ali’s push to consolidate and expand traditional crops through the involvement of young people in agriculture.

“Traditionally, when you look around Guyana, you find mostly mature and older people are doing agriculture. And you have a number of young people who would have gone to the university, studied agronomy, have their degree, qualify, and are sit ting behind a desk, not doing anything. Just writing and taking notes.

“So, the President wants to change that, so what he has done is he has implemented a new, smarter way of doing it,

and where we have a number of young people now, they are involved in high- value crops; crops that they can grow and have a better price for them,” Minister Mustapha said.

Those crops include broc coli, cauliflower, carrots, and lettuce.

The minister added: “Those things are very ex pensive in the hospitality industry. Those things will be needed in the oil and gas sector. We are seeing more and more workers going into the oil and gas sector. That is more opportunity for the farmers, because more and more people going into the oil and gas sector, we will have to produce more food

for them to supply.”

He underscored the need for large-scale transformation and modernisation in the ag ricultural sector.

“We in Guyana here are producing 60 per cent of the food we are consuming, but the president and the govern ment are not satisfied with that. He said we must ramp up production, especially in the traditional crops. Increase the rice crop. Move the acre age. Increase the yield. Cash crop, fresh fruits and vegeta bles. Increase the livestock sector.

“But what we must also do is go into other crops. We must go into new crops so that the country can grow more diversified crops in our

–– modernisation remains a necessity for further development

country,” Mustapha said.

Further detailing the im portance of moving away from traditional practices within the agricultural sector, he highlighted the improved yield recorded with the new variety of rice being distrib uted by the Guyana Rice De velopment Board (GRDB), GRDB 16.

“We were able to move the national average from 39 bags per acre, and some of the farmers are reaping between 55 and 60 bags per acre in the GRDB-16 variety.

“And we are moving to develop something called bio-fortified rice. This rice is a variety that contains the supplement zinc…. We are now growing it in rice. And very shortly, we will distribute that to the farmers to grow. That variety will attract preferential prices,” Minister Mustapha said.

As it pertains to a market place for Guyana’s produce, the President has been work ing with a number of leaders within the Caribbean to re move the non-tariff barriers that affect the movement of local produce into places such as Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua and

Eastern Caribbean countries.

Those barriers, the Ag riculture Minister said, are currently in the process of being removed, “so, you the farmers now will have more opportunities, you’ll have better prices for produce.”

The government is cur rently working to develop a new packaging facility at Fort Wellington, where farmers can take their pro duce, have it packaged and prepared, and have a market found where their produce could be exported in a more profitable way.

“So, we have to prepare ourselves, we have to mod ernize the sector to be smart er, and do agriculture in a smarter way. We have to use shade houses. We have to use drones. Those are the things we have to bring into the agriculture sector. Those are the things we are imple menting,” Minister Mustapha said.

Agriculture continues to play a major role in the government’s transforma tional agenda, to further its goal of becoming the premier food producer of the Caribbean Community by 2025. (DPI)

Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha

Investments are being made in large-scale corn and soya production

Guyana, Qatar discuss avenues for growth in O&G sector

THE Government of Guyana continues to forge meaningful rela tions with countries, as development in the oil and gas sector continues.

Guyana’s Foreign Sec retary, Robert Persaud, in an interview with the Department of Public In formation, said: “With Guyana in pursuit of transforming its economy, while building new sec tors, the country contin ues to deepen its relation ship with its international allies. Especially as the country’s rate of growth in the oil and gas sector continues.”

This follows the recent official visit by Minister of Energy Affairs of the State of Qatar and Man aging Director and Chief Executive Officer of Qatar Energy, and Chairman of Qatar Airways, H.E. En gineer Saad bin Sherida Al-Kaabi and a delegation to Guyana.

The Qatari delegation engaged President, Dr. Irfaan Ali and Prime Min ister, Brigadier ( Ret’d) Mark Phillips, and other senior officials on devel opments in Guyana’s oil and gas sector.

The Foreign Secretary noted that with oil and gas being a relatively new sector for Guyana, the government is looking to develop synergies with countries that have expe rience in the sector.

Given Qatar’s experi ence, particularly in gas development, the PPP/C administration believes

it is a neat match for the government to intensify and develop a higher level of co-operation.

“It is also the Presi dent’s foreign policy thrust to partner with countries that have had good track record of people-centred development so that we can avoid the pitfalls and leap-frog with our devel opment agenda for Guy ana,” Persaud said.

Highlighting the exten sive portfolio of the visit ing dignitary, the Foreign Secretary said the gov ernment was able to have extensive discussions on several initiatives that will strengthen its relationship and strategic alliances with Qatar.

“The aim is to explore and start initial discussion which will definitely lead into technical co-opera tion agreements, including ways in which Qatar can also invest in various sec tors in Guyana – we would benefit from a country that have tremendous knowl edge and capital because Guyana aims to build not

only a first-class energy sector but to transform every sector into first-class sector,” Persaud related.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, Hugh Todd; Minister of Natural Re sources, Vickram Bharrat; Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill; Min ister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat In dar and other government officials were present at the meetings.

Guyana and Qatar es tablished formal diplo matic relations on August 23, 1996 and, since then, have collaborated at the multilateral level through organisations such as the United Nations and the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation.

Guyana recently signed an Air Services Agreement with Qatar on the sidelines of the 40th General As sembly of the International Civil Aviation Organi sation in Montreal, pav ing the way for increased movement of goods and people between the two

countries.

A high-level delegation also visited Guyana re cently with plans to invest in agriculture and meat production here.

Minister Todd had said: “Our presence in the Middle East is grow ing and I think it’s go ing to yield significant benefits for the people

of Guyana, in terms of investments and invest ment not only in pub lic-private partnerships but private capital.”

Guyana’s Foreign Secretary, Robert Persaud

President, Dr. Irfaan Ali and H.E. Eng. Saad bin Sherida Al-Kaabi, Ministers of Government, the visiting delegation, and other government functionaries

‘CNOOC Petroleum’ opens local headquarters

–– Prime Minister says investors with Guyana’s best interest at heart essential to development

PRIME Minister, Brig adier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, has lauded CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Ltd for its commitment to its Guy ana operations, noting that it underscores that strong partnerships are

essential to the overall success of any opera tion.

Prime Minister Phil lips made those re marks during the offi cial opening of CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Ltd new office building on

High Street, Kingston, Georgetown.

According to the Prime Minister, the transformative oil and gas sector requires de velopment partners who could collaborate with Guyana to advance its interests and objectives.

“Transformative de velopment opportunities such as our burgeoning oil and gas industry call for reputable partners with the country’s best interest at heart. While we, as a government, work to protect our re sources and our assets, the stakeholders who op erate within this industry must equally demon strate due diligence and commitment regarding our patrimony and the rights of our people,” Phillips related.

He added: “What this means, simply , is that as we look to build our oil and gas industry, our goal is to work with trusted partners with our best interest at heart, and we have welcomed CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Ltd and its op erations as part of this fold.”

While the govern ment welcomes invest ments in the sector, the Prime Minister em phasised that authori ties work tirelessly to establish a positive in vestment environment, while ensuring effec tive, responsible, and transparent monitoring and management of the country’s resources.

“We continue to stay vigilant and work assid

uously to ensure that we create an environment where our local and in ternational stakeholders can thrive, while en suring the effective and responsible management of our resources in a transparent and account able manner that will ultimately benefit our people and Guyana as a whole,” he related

Prime Minister Phil lips said that while rapid development is taking place and the govern ment welcomes invest ments in the sector, the interest of every Guya nese remains paramount.

On that note, he em phasised the importance of holistic development of the petroleum indus try through the creation of a diverse, sustainable, and climate-friendly economy.

“With investment in our people as one main goal and our commit ment to building on this industry, we must con sider other parts of the equation, such as the sustainability of our ef forts in a climate-friendly manner. As such , we continue to invest in our committed vision to drive Guyana’s development along a low-carbon path way through our new and expanded Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030,” Prime Minister Phillips said.

Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat, echoed the Prime Minister’s senti ments, emphasising the importance of mutually beneficial partnerships.

Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips; President of CPGL, Liu Xiaoxiang and other officials tour the CNOOC facility on Friday (Office of the Prime Minister photo)

RACING TIPS

South Africa Racing Tips

Greyville

08:15 hrs Evening

Primrose

08:55 hrs Winter Baron

09:30 hrs Pelargonium

10:05 hrs Boundless Bash

10:45 hrs Teichman

Irish Racing Tips

Naas

08:10 hrs Dame Kiri

08:45 hrs Navalny

09:20 hrs Lord Mas susus

09:55 hrs Toy

10:30 hrs Yaxeni

11:05 hrs New Hill

11:40 hrs Biggerthan bigtime

12:15 hrs Affable

English Racing Tips York

08:20 hrs Mallybawn Belter

08:55 hrs Grand Soir

09:30 hrs Londonofficecallin

10:05 hrs Corkbeg

10:40 hrs Idas Boy

11;15 hrs Low Style

11:50 hrs Fan De Blues

12:25 hrs My Gaffer

Kempton

08:40 hrs Age Of Sail

09:15 hrs Hasty Parisian

10:25 hrs State House

11:00 hrs Seeau Royal

11:35 hrs Jemima P

12:10

Mini Cadet and Pre-Cadet Experience transcends table tennis battle - Munroe

THE Mini and Pre-Cadet Championship currently underway in Georgetown, Guyana transcends the ac tual tournament and plays a critical role in re-estab lishing the sport in the lives of young players in the region, President of the Guyana Table Tennis As sociation (GTTA), Godfrey Munroe, stated yesterday.

At the opening ceremo ny, Munroe said that the event was needed after a lull in the game due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He also credited the teams that travelled for overcoming their challenges and pointed to the need to work as a unit to grow the sport.

“With that kind of for titude moving forward, as a region, we will be able to build Caribbean table tennis to where it use to be and even further.”

Munroe said that in terms of Guyana it was important to host the tour nament because 32 young players are getting the need ed opportunity and expo sure.

He said that the young developing players are the

future of the sport.

The hosting and par ticipation in the Caribbean Regional Table Tennis Fed eration (CRTTF) event was also lauded by the Com petition’s Director, Vasdev Bob Roopnarine, who spoke about the phenomenal costs of tickets and the difficulty of travel.

Director of Sport, Steve Ninvalle, credited Munroe with “a never-say-die atti tude” to make the tourna ment a reality.

HOME FOR TABLE TENNIS

He said that the gov ernment will be working on getting a home for table tennis.

“Very soon, table tennis would be having its own home in Guyana.” Some 13 contractors have already bid to construct the building, which will be housed at the Racquet Centre.

Ninvalle added that the government is committed to the development of sport and young people.

Chief Education Officer, Dr Marcel Hutson, spoke about the importance of sport and education and

about enhancing all-round health.

“We are concerned with creating rounded students, if you’re going to be rounded, it is not just mathematics,

social studies and science… it is also participating in a particular sport so that your brain, your mind and your discipline and everything about you could develop.”

The Mini and Pre-Cadet Championship has attract ed a number of regional English speaking nations, including Jamaica, Gre nada, St Lucia, T&T and

Barbados. The event is expect ed to continue today and run until Wednesday at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

Ganguly to contest CAB Presidency

(ESPNCRICINFO)Sourav Ganguly, the outgoing BCCI pres ident, will contest the upcoming elections at Cricket Association of Bengal with the aim of returning as the presi dent of the body, a post he had held for four years between 2015 to 2019.

"Yes, I will be con testing the CAB polls," Ganguly told PTI. "I plan to file my nomination on October 22. I have been in CAB for five years and as per Lodha rules, I can continue for another four years.

"I will finalise my pan el on October 20."

The PTI report said, "There was a strong buzz that Ganguly's el der brother, Snehasish, would contest in place of Avishek Dalmiya for the top post, but the former India player's nomination changes a lot of equa tions."

Ganguly became the president of the BCCI in October 2019, and is set to be replaced by former India allrounder, Roger Binny, from October 18, when the BCCI's annual general meeting will be held in Mumbai.

Jay Shah will continue as BCCI secretary, the most influential position in the board. Rajiv Shukla will also stay on as the board's vice-president.

Along with Bin ny, there will be two first-timers in the new administration: Ashish Shelar, who served as Mumbai Cricket Associ ation president between 2017 and 2019, will be the treasurer, and Devajit Saikia, currently secre tary at Assam Cricket Association, will be the joint secretary.

Another key appoint ment is that of Arun

Dhumal, who is set to take over as the new IPL chair man, a post held since 2019 by Brijesh Patel, the former India batter, who will be forced to vacate the seat as he turns 70 on November 24. That is the upper age limit for an office bearer or ad ministrator in the BCCI's constitution.

As a requirement, Dhumal, though, will initially need to contest for the position of an IPL governing council member. Also joining the governing council will be Dalmiya. He will replace Khairul Majumdar, who

“I have been in CAB for five years and as per Lodha rules, I can continue for another four years” (BCCI)

will be nominated as the BCCI's general body representative on the board's Apex Council.

The Mini and Pre-Cadet Table Tennis Championship got underway on Friday (Adrian Narine Photo)

Pairaudeau plays his final innings – Gone for 91

By Edwin Seeraj

IT is with a great degree of sadness that we have learnt of the passing of the for mer Guyanese, West Indi an and Northern Districts top-order batsman, Bruce Hamilton Pairaudeau, who died last Sunday (October 09) in New Zealand at the age of 91.

He was a bespectacled right-handed batsman who was used as an opener or in the middle order during a career of 13 Test matches for the West Indies between 1953 and 1957.

He had the distinction of engaging in his first firstclass match before he had attained the age of 16 when he turned out for British Guiana against Trinidad and Tobago at the Queen’s Park Oval in March 1947. In a

game the hosts narrowly won by two wickets, Pairaudeau registered scores of 19 and eight from number five.

However, in only his third encounter against the Jamaicans at Bourda later that same year, he record ed his maiden century – a resolute second innings 130 opening the batting.

Three years later (1950) amidst a paucity of first-class competitions in the Caribbe an, he fashioned a masterful 161 against the Bajans at the Kensington Oval in a high-scoring draw and then promptly proceeded to fur ther his fledging career in the Lancashire league.

The stodgy batter re turned to his homeland in the latter half of 1952 and was picked to contest two region al games against Jamaica at Bourda. In both games, he

used the experience he gar nered to score heavily as an opener stroking 77, 101 and 126 in the three occasions he batted.

His solid performances influenced the selectors to include him in the West In dies team for the first Test in Trinidad against the 1953 Indians.

In the drawn duel during which Polly Umrigar got 130 and Everton Weekes 207, Pairaudeau, batting at number six, etched his name into the record books by becoming the first Guyanese and only the third West Indi an, after George Headley and Andy Ganteaume, to post a century (115) on Test debut.

For the remaining four matches of the series he was asked to open the innings but although he reached fifty on only one other instance, he

aggregated 257 runs at 32.12 per innings.

When the English toured the region in 1954, he was out of favour with the se lectors for the first Test in Jamaica but was included for the next game in Barbados. He batted in the middle order and crafted a skillful 71 in his only innings as the West Indies romped to another huge victory to go 2-up in the series.

Unfortunately, Pairaudeau was omitted from the team for the third Test at Bourda and by the time he returned for the fourth engagement in Trinidad he had lost confidence, falling for a duck (run out) and five (hit wicket).

He did not feature at all in the five-match series against the visiting Aussies in 1955 but was chosen to be

a part of a make-shift West Indies side for their trip to New Zealand in 1955-56.

In conditions in which most of the batsmen strug gled, he was again used at the top of the innings and only mustered 101 runs in six times at the crease.

Although the West Indies won the series 3-1, New Zea land’s victory in the fourth and final game in Auckland was historic – it was their first ever Test win in their 43rd attempt in 26 years of trying.

His final Test appearanc es came in England in 1957 when he was involved in two of the five matches but scores of 1, 7, 6 and 6 did nothing to enhance his career and he was never called to international duty again.

Even outside the Tests he managed under 500 runs

in 31 innings although he had the consolation of carv ing an elegant 127 against Cambridge University and a career best 163 in a match against Hampshire.

Pairaudeau then emigrat ed to New Zealand and be gan turning out for Northern Districts in 1958-59 becom ing a regular in the side for several seasons. He subse quently rose to the position of captain and led the team to their first-ever Plunket Shield title in 1962-63 and finally bowed out of the firstclass scene in 1967.

All told, he contested 89 matches and totalled 4,930 runs at 32.01 per innings during which he notched up 11 hundreds.

Thanks for your contri bution BRUCE HAMIL TON PAIRAUDEAU.

Kane scores 400th tottenham goal as Tottenham close down Arsenal

off Alex Iwobi on its way in.

Spurs dominated the early stages but the two best chances of the first half fell to the visitors, who will be disappointed not to have put away both opportunities.

Demarai Gray failed to hit the target after rac ing on to Conor Coady’s long ball over the top of the Tottenham defence, before Amadou Onana blazed over the crossbar following Hojbjerg’s poor touch.

te’s team level on points with second-placed Man chester City and just a point behind north Lon don rivals Arsenal, while Everton drop to 14th.

Prolific Kane sets Spurs on their way

The victory lifts Spurs on to 23 points from 10 league matches - their highest tally at this stage of a Premier League sea son - while Kane has now scored in five successive top-flight games for the first time in his career.

Pickford bringing down England team-mate Kane inside the six-yard box with an outstretched arm.

Kane’s penalty lifts him to within eight goals of Jimmy Greaves’ alltime Tottenham record of 266.

Hojbjerg secured the win with five minutes remaining, collecting Ro drigo Bentancur’s deliv ery before finding the far corner via a deflection off Iwobi.

Kane broke the Tof fees’ resistance from the penalty spot after being tripped in the area by England team-mate Jor

dan Pickford, who had failed to hold on to Matt Doherty’s effort.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg added a second late on with a curling strike that took a slight deflection

Kane sent a rasping volley straight at Pickford early in the second half but there was nothing the Toffees keeper could do about the 29-year-old’s spot-kick - his 14th goal in 15 Premier League ap pearances against Ever ton - or Hojbjerg’s late finish.

The victory lifts Con

It was a win the home side thoroughly deserved after a dominant display, although they rode their luck in the first half and could have found them selves behind at halftime.

But Frank Lampard’s team were no match for Spurs in the second half and it wasn’t long be fore Spurs’ pressure told,

The only sour note from the hosts’ perspec tive was a second-half injury to former Everton forward Richarlison, who went down clutching his left calf and was replaced by Yves Bissouma.

“We hope it is not so serious,” Conte said afterwards. “He felt a problem in his calf. He will have an MRI to morrow.”

Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane with a second half shot during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Everton FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 15, 2022 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Rob Newell - CameraSport via Getty Images) (BBC) - Harry Kane marked his 400th Tot tenham appearance with the opening goal as Antonio Conte’s side closed the gap on Pre mier League leaders

Arsenal with victory over Everton.

President’s College/Golden Grove to battle for lead

THE battle for the lead of the GUYOIL tradewind Tankers’ schools Football league will determined today at the Ministry of Educa tion Ground on Carifes ta Avenue when Golden Grove plays President’s College.

Going by goal differ ence, the Golden Grove team leads by +8 to +3 with both teams having played four, won three and drawn one.

Their 16:30hrs clash at the end of the day is a fitting one that is ex pected to be a gargantuan battle.

Preceding that game, North Ruimveldt will battle West Ruimveldt

from 15:00hrs while third place Christianburg/Wis mar Secondary (CWSS) will play Cummings Lodge from 13:30hrs.

CWSS currently sit on nine points having played four games, won three and lost one.

Dolphin and Friend ship secondary open the fixtures with a game at noon.

North Ruimveldt are in fourth on seven points having played four, won two and drawn one and lost one while Cummings Lodge are fifth having won one and drawn three.

Dolphin (2), West Ruimvedlt (1) and Friendship (0) are the other teams

Pooran WT20 qualifying series is “blessing in disguise” for West Indies

CMC – Nicholas Pooran believes having to go through a qual ifying series to reach the main draw of the Twenty20 World Cup could prove a “blessing in disguise” for West Indies.

The Caribbean side produced a shocking campaign at last year’s T20 World Cup in United Arab Emirates to miss out on the second round and now find themselves facing a tricky eight-team qualifier – divided into two groups – starting on Sunday.

West Indies are in stalled in Group B along side the dangerous Scot land, Ireland and Zim babwe, with the top two teams in each group ad vancing.

“In all fairness, these guys represent the West Indies, and it’s only fair that we start at the bottom,” Pooran said,

while speaking as all 16 captains gathered for a pre-tournament media event here Saturday.

“I think we have the toughest way to the World Cup, and the guys under stand that. I keep telling these guys it may be a blessing in disguise for us to start in the qualifiers first.

“Obviously, everyone knows when you want something you have to work really hard for it.”

West Indies open against the Scots at Bel lerive Oval in Hobart on Monday and follow up with another test against Zimbabwe on Wednes day. They close out with a clash against Ireland on Friday.

Unfortunately, they head into the qualifiers on the heels of three succes sive series losses inside the last four months and eight defeats in their last 10 T20 Internationals.

And their build up over the last week was also less than stellar, beat ing United Arab Emirates by 17 runs in their open ing official warm-up and then having their second game against the Nether lands rained off without a ball bowled.

Pooran said it was critical his side managed the pressure associated with qualifying for the October 22 to November 6 showpiece.

“To be honest, I don’t feel like there’s a lot of pressure. Honestly, we believe that we are a new group of guys, yes, we are new when it comes to T20 cricket,” he pointed out.

“But yes, we want to qualify, and obviously there’s some pressure as well, but the guys are not thinking about that. We just want to focus on ourselves and try to play the best cricket we can.”

Wins for St Pius; Winfer Gardens

THERE were big wins on day two of the on going 2022 Courts Pee Wee Football tourna ment for St Pius and Winfer Gardens.

On a gloomy day at the Ministry of Education ground, on Carifesta Ave nue, the Petra organized, sterling products support ed tournament continued despite a damp surface.

St Pius gained a walk over from Mocha Prima ry in the first game of the day while St Agnes garnered the same result from their game against Den Amstel.

Tucville also gained a walkover from Sophia who failed to show while F.E Pollard took centre stage as they beat Re deemer Primary 3-2.Re deemer had a brace from

David De Costa (6th and 13th) and Adiel Hamilton (20th) while F.E Pollard had Darren Mc Farrell (9th and 17th) on target.

St Pius returned on the day to thrash Den Amstel 7-0 thanks to a hat-trick from Octain Moore (26th, 28th and 30th) while Eze kiel Lynch (2nd and 18th) scored a brace and Omar Moses (7th) and Javani Tullock (38th) had single strikes.

Craig Primary gained a walkover from Gra ham's Hall Primary while Enterprise Primary beat Ann’s Grove Primary 3-0 thanks to Dontay Kowlessar (18th), Jasha Haynes (6th) and Isandro Vincent (34th).

Smith's Memorial Pri mary gained a walkover from Timehri Primary with Marian Academy

decimating St. Margaret's Primary 5-0 thanks to Christina LaRose (12th, 16th and 39th), Maxwell Viapree (4th) and Nyal George (10th).

West Ruimveldt had a similar scoreline over Colaaco thanks to a pair of braces from Aaron Ar cher (15th and 30th) and Dane Vancooten (20th and 25th) along with a lone strike from Malachi Alleyne (40th).

Soesdyke overcame North Georgetown 1-0 thanks to Nathan Rob erts (10) while Winfer Gardens clobbered St. Stephens 6-0 thanks to (Shamar Bishop 11th and 19th), Niquan Har lequin (26th and 29th) and single goals from Andrew Robertson (35th) and Jaheem Jan sen (32nd).

File Photo: GUYOIL Tradewind Tankers schools football league action continues today

Pee Wee Football Tournament…

Wins for St Pius; Winfer Gardens