Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 17-09-2023

Berbice gets new life

- workers, residents rejoice as Rose Hall Estate returns hope to communities with historic re-opening

By Nafeeza Yahya-Sakur

FIVE years ago, a community was plunged into despair and thousands were left jobless when the former APNU+AFC government closed down the Rose Hall Sugar Estate in East Canje, Berbice.

But today marks a significant milestone as, under the governing People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C), the estate is back in operation and grinding has commenced.

There is a sense of renewed hope among residents and the sugar workers who were rehired as first sugar is expected on September 19. Leading up to this day was no easy feat but the burning of the cane fields on September 14 lit a new leaf of life for the many residents and employees.

Baywattie Sukhdeo, 48, a Fitter Machinist by profession and a resident of Rose Hall, was employed for 27 years by the estate before her services were terminated in 2017 by the David Granger-led administration, directly impacting her life and that of hundreds of other workers and essentially plunging the Canje/New Amsterdam area in a state of despair.

The closure cast a dark shadow over the entire community; the estate had been the lifeblood for Canje and neighbouring villages, providing livelihoods to generations of families. Forced to seek alterative employment, she made wreaths and sold them to make ends meet until 2021 when she was among

the first to be re-employed.

“When I got my redundance letter, it was like a scatter bullet in me because we didn’t expect something like this; it was miserable, the light just dim from then, the whole brightness of life in Rose Hall and it wasn’t for me alone it was for everyone and it was painful,” Sukhdeo told the Sunday Chronicle.

Now, being at the forefront of this groundbreaking moment, she expressed joy that the estate is back in operation.

On Friday and Saturday, the once dormant estate trucks made stops to pick up workers and took them to the fields where both machines

Edinburgh, a first time employee as a Cane Weigher, received training upon employment and beamed with excitement amidst the bustle of activities.

“It’s very exciting to see the process firsthand and to see how the estate has transformed to be producing. I can’t wait to see how the cane is transformed into sugar and see that first batch on Tuesday,” David told this newspaper.

For many of the workers who lost their jobs in 2017, the re-opening is much more than just a pay check; it means stability, job security, dignity and the ability to earn and care for their families.

came back to the estate because it’s a steady income.”

He is encouraging others to seek employment at the estate.

“It isn’t hard no mo’, cause you ain gotta fetch cane, we move away from that, you cutting and drop and the loader loading and you get more time, you could go home and do something, all like now I sorry I give somebody me car to work cause I could ah go home now and still do a second job, look is only 09:30 hrs and I done work already,” Forde said.

On Saturday, an interfaith service was organised by the workers and the man-

readiness and they have a target of 5,165 tonnes of sugar from 63,000 tonnes of cane. He noted that that amount was small since planting of canes only resumed in 2021 and it typically takes five years for a continuous supply to be established.

He is optimistic that by the second crop of next year, there will be enough canes to have the factory operate longer hours and produce more.

“The factory has the capability to grind up to 110 tonnes of cane per hour and can go continuously for 130 hours per week. The magnitude of production is dependent on the amount of cane available to crush. Hence the

something different but, for the majority of the workers, it’s a place of employment, steady employment, a place of earnings to feed themselves and their families but, more importantly for them, it’s the continuation of a family legacy where their predecessors have worked to build and establish themselves and the prospect of Rose Hall expanding means continuation for their children and future generations.”

He added, “It is very good for the people in the surrounding community since they were in a terrible situation financially. Having been here from 2020 to now and seeing the transformation from lack of income, stagnation of their lives in all forms, having to grapple for jobs just to get a little income and overall just struggling to survive and now seeing new life injected into the economy, the smiles on the faces of the people and overall excitement, this reopening and resumption of activities means more to the people than GuySuCo itself.”

From starting with a

and manual harvesting took place. Punts were filled and drawn by tractors along the various canals to make their way to the factory.

The once dilapidated factory now beams with a fresh coat of paint and rehabilitated components received the canes and placed them in the hoppers, much to the delight of the workers especially the youths that are employed for the first time.

Fantasia David, 24, of

Terrence Forde, 54, a cane harvester, credits everything that he achieved in his life to the estate and he has returned to continue to build until he can retire.

“It was rough, stressful because it was the estate that I worked 20 years with and all I had earned and achieved was through the estate and then everything get stagnated. I started doing some hire car work, but then I gave someone my car to work and

agement of the estate to give thanks for the successful operations thus far. Prayers and positive messages were shared by the management and staff alike with many expressing gratitude to the PPP/C government for honouring their promise to reopen the estate.

STATE OF READINESS

Meanwhile, in an invited comment, Vijay Goberdhan, the Estate Manager, said that the factory was in a state of

focus is on getting more cane available.”

Being at the helm to restore the estate to its former glory days, Goberdhan lamented that unless you are part of the community it would be difficult to fully comprehend what the opening of the factory means.

“The estate means different things for everyone. For some it is simply a place where they cane earn until they move forward to

skeleton staff of 104 people in 2020 to now 1,083 employed, the estate is encouraging persons to come and grow with them as they look to fill a vacancy of 990 mainly in the agriculture department.

On Tuesday, the first granules of sugar are expected to be produced as grinding commences today and the crystallization process will take place over the next two days.

The Rose Hall Sugar Estate

Cane-filled punts waiting to be onloaded in preparation for grinding

Cane being burnt in preparation of harvesting at the Rose Hall Estate

Vijay Goberdhan, the Estate Manager Baywattie Sukhdeo

Economic opportunities attract overseas Guyanese - President Ali says

FROM dark clouds covering Guyana to bright and sunny horizons, President Dr. Irfaan Ali says that Guyanese abroad are returning home to bask in the array of new opportunities that are being rolled out by his government.

Dr. Ali, during an address to the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States Protocolary Meeting in Washington, D.C., last Friday, emphasised that Guyana’s economic transformation was phenomenal, given that the country was previously among the three poorest nations.

The President said that, owing to the remarkable growth, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP)

government has a responsibility to ensure that all Guyanese feel the benefits of the oil and gas industry.

He stated that that target was being achieved by his administration through the formation of a number of programmes aimed at bettering the lives of the vulnerable, and the enhancement of the education and health sectors.

Reflecting on the dark times that shadowed every corner of Guyana, President Ali said that the economic challenges forced a number of Guyanese to seek refuge in other countries, especially in the United States and Canada.

Fast forward to better prospects and more opportunities, Dr. Ali said

we are witnessing a reverse in the situation as Guyanese are returning home.

“Guyanese are now returning home to take advantage of the economic and social develop -

ment that is being pursued vigorously,” the Head of State remarked. With the massive economic boom taking place in Guyana’s oil and non-oil sectors, the nation’s real Gross Domes-

tic Product (GDP) grew by an estimated 59.5 per cent, in the first half of 2023 while the non-oil economy grew by 12.3 per cent.

During a press conference, the President said: “We are not a country pursuing a future of oil and gas. We are a country pursuing a balanced, holistic [and] diversified portfolio that will see sustainability and resilience of our economy, our country and our people.”

Sectors that were left to decay under the previous coalition government have been revived and reignited, according to the President, and are contributing largely to the expansion of Guyana’s economy.

At a Guyana/Canada Diaspora event held at La

Primavera Banquet Hall in Ontario, Canada recently, the Head of State, who was on a three-day visit there, reiterated his vision for ‘One Guyana’ as he talked up the country’s booming economy.

“Under the umbrella of ‘One Guyana’, we as a people, see, feel and experience prosperity together! It will, and must be achieved!

“There is no stumbling block; there is no barrier, there are no challenges that I am afraid to confront, remove or dismantle to ensure that we as a people unify ourselves under the umbrella of ‘One Guyana’ for the development of Guyana,” the Head of State said.

President, Dr. Irfaan Ali

Gov’t anticipates publishing of draft National Gas Strategy in coming weeks - Dr. Jagdeo

WITH the aim of exploring new avenues to monetise Guyana’s gas assets, the Vice President and People’s Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, announced that the draft of the National Gas Strategy (NGS) is expected to be available in the upcoming weeks.

During a press conference last Thursday, he said, “…We’ve made it

clear we want to monetise the gas assets, we've said this to Exxon, we are working on a gas strategy,” adding: “I'm hopeful that within two weeks or so we should be able to put the first draft out for consultations and that strategy will outline basically our approach to the industry.”

Earlier this year, Dr. Jagdeo, said that the NGS will be one of several areas where the government

is collaborating with the Government of India, as bilateral agreements on the development of Guyana’s remaining offshore resources continue to be considered.

“We’re going to get some of the consultants from India and other places to work with us on having a National Gas Strategy, which will determine what we do with the gas that has been found offshore so far. It then deals

with the potential areas for bilateral co-operation in an exploration and developing of our natural resources,” the Vice President explained.

Along with the discovery of over 11 billion barrels of oil offshore, Guyana has a substantial amount of associated natural gas. Though some amount of the gas is being reinjected into the wells, there is a considerable amount that could be uti-

lised for other purposes.

According to the Vice President, a lot of interest has been expressed as to how the gas could be utilised.

“Would it be fertiliser; buy, sell, plant, etc. … So, we are moving ahead faster on that bit,” Dr Jagdeo said.

Though ExxonMobil had argued at the beginning that they need all of the associated gas pumped back into the

wells to keep the quality of the wells up, the Vice President shared that the government also has a different view on this matter.

“So that is why the gas utilisation plan has to be done and we are working on our gas strategy and the discussions have to take place about how we monetise the gas here….” Dr. Jagdeo said.

Mental Health services to be integrated into primary healthcare

STAYING in tune with the promise of providing quality healthcare to all Guyanese, the Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, on Friday, said that mental health services will be integrated into primary health care.

He made those remarks at the kick off session of the Joint Programme on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support for Children and Adolescents at the Grand Coastal Hotel.

“We want to make sure that mental health services are being integrated into primary healthcare…and so we have started work where we trained a lot of our primary care physicians to do some basic diagnostics,” the Health Minister stated.

Owing to the training provided, the physicians are able to detect mental health conditions such as depression.

Apart from this im-

plementation, the minister said that in order to ensure that Guyana’s goal for healthcare was being met, the ministry was also working on a school screening programme with the aim to screen 27,000 nursery school children.

Dr. Anthony said that it will soon evolve to primary and then secondary. The screening will ensure that children undergo preventative check-ups so

- Health Ministry targets 27,000 nursery school children for screening

that if they are suffering from any condition, such can be detected. He said the programme ensures that a child’s health can be monitored and the necessary attention can be given.

Earlier this month, children in several communities across Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), received free health screening from the Ministry of Health and the regional health department.

The children were screened in a child-friendly environment at the Anna

Regina, Essequibo car park. The screening was available to nursery school children with the primary aim of detecting if a child was suffering from any illness before entering the school system.

Parents and children during the Child Health Screening at the Anna Regina car park

The Washington Visit

PRESIDENT Dr. Mohamed

Ali, accompanied by a team of senior government officials including Minister of Foreign Affairs Hugh Todd and Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce Oneidge Walrond, paid a recent visit to Washington, United States.

The visit, from all indications, was highly productive. The President met with top officials from the US State Department, including Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. The discussions were aimed at deepening trade and investment between the two countries.

The President also met United States National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, aimed at deepening bilateral relations between the two countries. Among the several

issues discussed were energy security, climate change, and the shared regional impacts of Venezuela's migration and security issues.

Guyana's global support for Haiti was also lauded by the US National Security Advisor. Guyana has made its position clear that it will be using its membership at the United Nations Security Council to garner support for Haiti in search of a solution to the crippling political crisis in that country.

Visits to Washington by President Ali, Vice-President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo and other senior governments officials have seemingly generated a fair degree of political angst by the political opposition, especially as it provides renewed opportunity to debunk the false

narrative being peddled by the APNU+AFC regarding allegations of 'undemocratic' elections and ethnic discrimination allegedly perpetrated by the current PPP/C administration.

It matters little to the political opposition and their US-based 'sidekicks' that there is not a single shred of evidence to substantiate their bogus allegations. They seem to be under the illusion that by repeating their narrative of lies and falsehoods, some of them may stick among the unsuspecting.

In this regard, they are in for a major disappointment. Guyanese, both in Guyana and overseas, are much more informed and discerning than the political opposition would give them credit for. Indeed, the entire

democratic world, including Washington, is aware of what transpired during the March 2020 General and Regional Elections, having been directly involved in the efforts to thwart the attempted electoral fraud by the then APNU+AFC regime.

President Ali's visit to Washington coincided with the observance of International Day for Democracy, as proclaimed by the United Nations. It speaks to the democratic credentials of President Ali and the PPP/C administration that a protocolary meeting by the Organisation of American States (OAS) was held at its Headquarters in Washington to welcome the Guyanese President, who has been gaining the international spotlight as a consequence of his proac-

tive stance on critical international issues, such as climate change, food and energy security and debt relief for developing countries.

This observation was made by Secretary- General of the OAS Luis Almagro, who praised Guyana for its fast-paced development. It will be recalled that Mr. Almagro visited Guyana a mere three months ago, when he lauded President Ali for the role played by Guyana in regional and hemispheric advancement, and in critical areas of environment, food and energy security.

According to the OAS Secretary-General, the many engagements he had with senior government officials have convinced him that Guyana is creating a pathway for inclusive economic

and social development. The OAS, it will be recalled, was one of the several organisations and countries, including the United States, that fielded observers in the March 2020 Elections, and witnessed first-hand the blatant attempts by the APNU+AFC coalition to rig the elections. Having regard to the above, no amount of political posturing and grandstanding on the part of the political opposition will be enough to convince Washington, and for that matter, the international community otherwise. Indeed, Guyana, under the PPP/C administration, is today a respected member of the international comity of nations.

Guyana must put an end to elections rigging

Dear Editor,

THE characteristic thuggery mentality of the PNC's role in decades of election rigging in Guyana was made evident by Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton in his response to questions by journalist Denis Chabrol during a recent press conference. His unapologetic attempts to defend and justify his Party's evidence-based flagrant efforts to cheat elections have not gone unnoticed.

During the 28 years of PNC rule leading up to 1992, Guyana's recorded electoral history is imbued with much evidence of the PNC's excesses, a period from which Mr. Norton and many of his cohorts are products. These, while not limited, range from the strategic placement, control, and manipulation of the personnel in charge of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), which frequently allowed the significant abuses of the election’s procedure itself, to

outrageous behaviours by their supporters during the elections.

The contemptuous Norton approach is akin to the irrational mentality of his Party trying to prove in the Courts that 33 was not greater than 32 concerning the carried No-Confidence Motion of December 21, 2019. His reasoning, in the Denis Chabrol interview, quickly establishes the inference that under his leadership, the PNC will maintain illogicality concerning electoral matters. Of note, Norton and his either blind or corrupted acolytes seem not to care. At the same time, he appears to conflict himself by, at one point, advancing the claim that he is not aware of any rigging of elections by the PNC, while also suggesting that he “believes that there is evidence that in this political culture, no one side is innocent”.

Editor, Guyana has reached the point in our development where the nation will no longer allow the suppression of our citizens

through this cyclical undemocratic thievery to attain 'power by any means practices'. Most citizens will no longer accommodate these to the regression of national progress as collateral damages. All the 'riggers' must face the Courts, and, when found guilty, stand the consequences. The masqueraders and their shenanigans as advocates who have defended the contaminated riggers in GECOM as a means to their prioritised party paramountcy are the architects and real conspirators of rigging.

The 2020 National and Regional Elections were procedurally declared 'free and fair' by the PNC+APNU/AFC hours after the elections. Seemingly, they thought the old spreadsheet trick would work, and did not cater to the reach of the roving media. Notably, the APNU+AFC Presidential Candidate David Granger made several attempts to be sworn in as President while being aware of the status of the incomplete count of votes at

the designated GECOM-controlled Ashmin’s building. The Guyanese people stood up in unity, and received the support of the world in our fight for free and fair elections. The 'riggers' were stopped and exposed to the world.

Aubrey Norton’s tangle with Denis Chabrol on the issue of PNC/R and 'rigged' elections in Guyana is a revelation of the PNC's immunity to lies. But these can only deceive the indoctrinated PNC support base. Under the PNC-controlled mechanism, the 1968, 1973, 1980, and 1985 national elections were blatantly rigged, and several persons were brutally murdered. The Ballot Box Martyrs and the slaughtering of many political activists, including the brutal assassination of Dr. Walter Rodney, must not be forgotten.

It is fresh in our memory that in all the rigging, the manipulation of some GECOM staff holding particularly crucial positions in the Commission and Secretariat

played significant roles. The PNC dictated the leadership of GECOM, and employed the riggers to do their dirty work.

The fact that former Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield, his former deputy Roxanne Myers, along with the Region Four Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo, and the PNC all-powerful woman at the time, Volda Lawerence, are before the courts for electoral fraud is a matter of grave concern for our nation.

Further, GECOM clerks Denise Babb-Cummings, Michelle Miller, Sheffern February, Enrique Livan, and Opposition member Carol Smith-Joseph were all charged in 2020 for leading roles in the attempt to rig the election in favor of the APNU+AFC.

Another grave concern is the mysterious disappearance of the documentation for 47 boxes of votes. This matter is serious, because the 'riggers' instructed those 'Presiding Officers' not to place the

documents in the boxes. The public must be informed of elements of the concocted plot, given that the CEO's proposed candidate for RO in Region Four was vigorously opposed. Hence, Clairmont Mingo was catapulted from Region # 5 to Region # 4 as RO.

It is difficult for 'riggers' to survive in this framework of vastly improved technology that is making our world more visible. In the international setting, the serious court cases in the United States of America concerning the 2020 Presidential Election are setting the tone for the world to be a better place to live in peace and democracy. The numerous court cases concerning the 'rigging' of the 2020 National and Regional Elections must lead to an end to rigging in this country. Those who are found guilty must be made an example, with substantial penalties.

Sincerely,

Neil Kumar

The usual suspects inside the Hague haunted house

THERE was this house in Hague in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) that became a legendary tale of the power of life after death. Most Guyanese in Region Four who grew up after the 1940s would know about the Hague haunted house. The home was said to be haunted because people would die suddenly inside of it. From the 1950s no one wanted to live inside the place so it was left abandoned until it was renovated in the 1990s to be the home of a Caribbean company. But even the new tenants did not want to live inside of it.

The haunted building at Hague was demolished. It is doubtful it would be rebuilt because the eerie tale behind it would never die. When I taught philosophy at UG, I took my students in the night for them to experience for

themselves how the mind works and how the mind can be shaped by what the mind believes while shutting out reality.

The format was for the minibus that took us to Hague to stay a bit far from the house and each student would walk by himelf/herself into the house. The first student came back and was afraid. He said, “Mr. Kissoon something was wrong from the time I went onto the steps.” No other student volunteered so the trip was a waste of time. But to prove how a mind can be shaped, I told them I would go.

They all persuaded me not to. I waded into the darkness of the building where the weakened steps leading to the upper flat made the usual creepy noise. I looked out onto the Atlantic Ocean from one of the rooms that, no doubt, was the room in which the first person fell

dead while gazing at the Atlantic, and it was much more pleasant than the wind piecing my face that I get from my home that faces the same ocean in Turkeyen on the East Coast of Demerara.

It was interesting to see the reaction I got from my students. They said the “jumbies” knew who were not afraid of them so they went out of sight when I went into the building. These students were dead serious in that explanation. They all believed that ghosts exist.

Ghosts exist in people’s minds and it is the mind that brings them into your presence. The “jumbies” were always present in the house because those who moved in after they heard the tales brought the specters into the house because the apparitions were living inside their imaginations.

I dealt two weeks ago

with how the mind creates false constructs when I looked at the political ambition of Mr. Glen Lall, the owner of Kaieteur News. My point was that when Lall enters politics with the birth of his political party later this year, he will be unmoved by the penetrating, relentless criticism of his faults. In his mind those faults do not exist and they are created by others to harm him.

This is the same methodology that I now apply to those people I refer to as The Usual Suspects (TUS) in relation to the letters they write every fortnight in the newspapers with 20 signatures attached.

Their subjects include the bizarre, the incredible, the unbelievable. Among their demands the past three

years were/are - the rejection of the visit of Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo; a similar rejection of the visit of President Bolsonaro of Brazil; the immediate end to oil production; the dropping of the 20 murder charges against the Mahdia dormitory fire accused; the police must investigate who is threatening Red Thread, among others.

The list is too long to highlight but the question that tantalizes one is why TUS would demand things that no elected government would accept much less bow to. If one were to add the demands on the government the past three years by the Stabroek News then the government would simply become a rubber stamp.

The answer is in the mind of TUS. In their

minds, these people feel the society wants them to make these demands, the people of Guyana support them, the society admires them and they themselves have implanted on the walls of their mind that they are a superior species with superior knowledge and they expect the government to listen to them. I think these people genuinely believe that the directions they want the government to go in are better pathways for the Guyanese people because they are a cut above the rest and they know what the Guyanese people want. Yes, they genuinely believe these things. These things though have no basis in reality. The mind does that to you. Your own mind can deceive you.

Building community through sport

THE Caribbean Premier League (CPL) nears the finish line with the season set to conclude at Providence Stadium on September 24. Guyana is hosting 10 games this year, including the semi-finals and the final, which will be held here again in 2024 under a three-year agreement.

The Guyana Amazon Warriors will challenge the best regional teams from Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica, St. Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis and Barbados for a chance to win the prestigious trophy. Last week ExxonMobil Guyana announced it had returned for the seventh consecutive year as a sponsor for the men’s team and the second for the women’s team.

In announcing the sponsorship President of ExxonMobil Guyana, Alistair Routledge, said “We are very excited at ExxonMobil

Guyana for the seventh consecutive year as the sponsors of the Guyana Amazon Warriors. This has been forged in the spirit of partnership, one where we have renewed our commitment to compete, our commitment to unity, our commitment to teamwork.”

The company’s exclusive sponsorship of the Warriors has included support for uniforms, training, and travel. In highlighting the importance of the sponsorship, Chairman of the Guyana Amazon Warriors, Dr. Ranjisinghi ‘Bobby’ Ramroop noted, “Cricket in general, and Warriors T-20 Cricket, in particular, has come to define Guyanese unity and pride as a people since CPL’s launch in 2013, and ExxonMobil Guyana has enthusiastically embraced and supported our passion.”

To date, ExxonMobil Guyana has invested over GY$4 billion in sport and

other community initiatives. Sports benefit communities at all levels and especially the youth. Some 6,000 Guyanese students were in the stands at Providence Stadium last week. ExxonMobil Guyana has also been investing in upgrading sporting infrastructure at the community level, most notably at Friendship, East Coast Demerara and at Retrieve in Linden.

These investments allow for a more enjoyable experience both for players and fans. Furthermore, these investments in infrastructure will have benefits reaching far beyond the 2023 CPL season.

As a cultural staple, the significance of cricket cannot be overestimated. Cricket and Guyana’s national team are a symbol of national pride. This is easily illustrated with the company’s recent GY$4 million-dollar

sponsorship of a Primary School Tapeball Tournament. The winning school, Stella Maris Primary, is to be adopted by the Guyana Amazon Warriors.

It is significant that ExxonMobil Guyana has chosen to expand beyond its business pursuits and actively invest in communities. In addition to sponsoring the Warriors, ExxonMobil has committed to invest in the Guyanese community and Guyanese people. These pursuits include programmes helping children and other youth, training women, and fostering a competitive business community in Guyana.

ExxonMobil Guyana has had a long running partnership with the Volunteer Youth Corps Inc. (VYC), providing funding to the programme which enables volunteers to host critical afterschool services for children. With over GY$113 million

(US$565,000) donated since ExxonMobil began this partnership in 2012, thousands of youths have been able to benefit from the programme. ExxonMobil Guyana’s 2022 contribution helped support the continuation of the VYC’s STEM after-school programme.

Additionally, ExxonMobil has also made direct investments in cultivating the careers of Guyanese women through its Global Women in Management programme. This leadership training programme has allowed women from various associations, NGOs, and other community institutions to hone their leadership and management skills and then use those newly learned skills to benefit their communities.

The company also has commitments through the Centre for Local Business Development (CLBD). The CLBD conducts training and

educational programmes for those in and looking to enter the oil and gas industry in Guyana. In 2022, ExxonMobil and its contractors employed over 5,000 Guyanese workers, representing over 65 percent of the workforce in Guyana’s oil and gas sector. The companies also spent over GY$83 billion (US$400 million) with Guyanese businesses last year. Whether it's on or off the field, ExxonMobil’s commitment to Guyana and its people is a long term one. ExxonMobil has shown itself to be a true partner to Guyana with the company having invested more than GY$4 billion in community initiatives since 2015. As locals across Guyana watch the Amazon Warriors, we can be reassured by the fact that we have ExxonMobil on our team.

CARICOM must avoid becoming a historical irrelevance

SAINT Lucia’s VOICE

newspaper on September 9, 2023 loudly trumpeted its latest clarion call for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to recognise that it’s “time for regional cooperation on a scale never seen before”.

The day’s editorial’s headline was more than just a wake-up call; more like one for the region’s leadership to, at least, try to smell the coffee from how fast the world is turning around us.

The editorial said the recent decision by the BRICS alliance (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) to invite six other nations to join it “should make CARICOM pursue, even more vigorously, the Single Market and Economy component of its plan to unify the

region in ways that would bring sustainability and economic progress to its member-states”.

The newspaper aptly noted that the individual BRICS nations are far more powerful, in virtually all aspects, than CARICOM member-states, “yet they find it necessary to band together, in such a short time, to forge stronger strategic partnerships through solidarity and cooperation that could only redound to the benefit of their already growing economies”.

The idea of an integrated development strategy for the region was first presented at the 10th CARICOM Summit in Grenada in 1989.

It envisioned an economic space catering for free movement of goods and

services regionally, and the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME) was officially launched 17 years later, on January 1, 2006.

The original vision was for the creation of “a single market space where trade can flourish between countries without barriers being put up to hinder trading…”.

It also envisioned a space “where CARICOM nationals could move freely within, where services, capital, technology and free movement of skilled professionals is allowed, where member-states would be more economically-progressive and their economies would become more-sustainable and socially-advanced”.

The VOICE mourns (another 17 years later): “Sadly, years have passed; talks and more talks” have taken place, but “today we still have not fully-implemented the CSME…”

The CSME was to have been fully in place by 2015, and eight years later, the editorial blames its absence squarely on “the refusal of some governments within CARICOM to commit to the fundamental philosophy of oneness necessary for the integration to work…”.

Concluding that “these governments talk the talk, but decline to walk the walk”, the VOICE reminded CARICOM: “The world is evolving in ways never before witnessed” and “countries are forming alliances for their economic and military survival due to the criti-

cal juncture the world is at”.

It thus posited that “CARICOM cannot afford to wait any longer” and urged that: “Cooperation and solidarity among the island states of CARICOM must be implemented now, if CARICOM is not to be remembered as an historical irrelevance with the concomitant disadvantage to its people”.

The editorial is on track and on target, short of one unintended but potentially costly misstep in its urgent call, “cooperation and solidarity among the island states of CARICOM…”

It’s still an unfortunate fact of life that, for all the reasons the editorial identified, too many Caribbean citizens (of all walks of life everywhere) know too little of just how much we are -- at the same time -- united and divided, separated not as much by water but by our misunderstanding of the history and geography of our region.

We’ve been divided by description on maps as everything from ‘The West Indies’, ‘Lesser and Greater Antilles’ to the ‘Windward and Leeward Islands’, and further colonially divided into ‘British and French West Indies’, ‘French and Dutch Antilles’, ‘Overseas Departments of France’, ‘British and US Virgin Islands’, alongside Cayman and Turks & Caicos Islands, Anguilla, Bermuda and Montserrat, etc.

Now, after six decades of

independence, we’re ‘CARICOM’ and ‘O the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME) was officially launched O.E.C.S.’, ‘A.C.S.’ and ‘CELAC’.

Indeed, we are still the world’s last colonial frontier, but our colonial mis-education, over centuries, has resulted in such a strong dose of intended public ignorance regionally, with history and geography mixed into a geopolitical concoction that’s kept us from ever framing a true map of the region in our minds.

Historically, the ‘British West Indies’ included ‘British Honduras’ (Belize), ‘British Guiana’ (Guyana) and ‘Duch Guiana’ (Suriname), all three of which are fellow CARICOM member-states.

But still too many CARICOM citizens cannot imagine Haiti and the Dominican Republic sharing one island, far less remembering it’s the first one Christopher Columbus saw after losing his way in search of India in 1492, which he named ‘Hispaniola’.

Too many among us still see the region as the chain of English-speaking islands stretching from Jamaica, in the north, to Trinidad & Tobago in the south, but excluding The Bahamas, Belize, Guyana and Suriname.

Not many islanders remember or know ‘The Three Guianas’ (Guyana, Suriname and Guyana Française), and the French colony is still also mistakenly called ‘Kayanne’

by neighbouring Guyanese, and ‘Cayenne’ by Saint Lucians.

The average Caribbean islander doesn’t always imagine the sheer size of Guyana and Suriname and French Guiana, or that the three far outsize Britain, Holland and France, the European colonial dominions that carved them out on the north-eastern shoulder of South America.

Some well-intended technocrats and genuine advocates for regional integration still tend to fall into the monumental memorial lapse of seeing the Caribbean only as “the islands”, and in the process exclude Guyana, the region’s new economic powerhouse, whose oil-andgas production and earnings are forecast to be the biggest and fastest-growing globally, sooner than later.

Guyana’s new fortunes are already changing the face of the entire region’s collective economic performance figures, and the best is yet to come.

Thus, far from being influenced by the BRICS imitative, there’s still room for CARICOM to do much more to better educate our citizens about who we really are.

But we urgently need to shed the cloistered ways of outdated thinking if the region’s governments and technocrats are to take our people forward, without having to wait three-and-ahalf decades for an elusive CSME that’s still nowhere on the distant horizon.

Confusion Powder: The next PNC/R Presidential Candidate

THE People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R) has once again descended into confusion, infighting, warring, and outright drama as it prepares for a possible biennial congress to choose its next presidential candidate for the upcoming elections in 2025.

The Party’s leader, Aubrey Norton, has unilaterally set a date for the Congress sometime next year, even though his stint at the helm of the party expires in December 2023. If this goes as Norton says it will go, the PNC will be without an elected figurehead and leader for approximately eight months leading up to the Congress being likely to be staged in August next year.

Already, Norton has upset those within the party who are hoping to get rid of him because of his seeming non-performance and character flaws, which are as plain as day.

His decision to postpone the party congress is also sending shockwaves through the party grassroots base, who understand by now that they may have made a mistake with their selection of Norton when they voted at the last congress.

But this seeming ‘decision’ is hurting those persons who are gunning for Norton’s blood and head, because they would have to come up with another plan of action for the now delayed congress. They are now biting their nails, as Norton, a political strategist,

has drawn the battle lines. He is playing his one card while he is empowered by the party’s constitution. And, from all that is taking place within the walls of Congress Place, that card is called ‘powerplay’.

Norton’s only barrier to his plan will be the Central Executive arm of the PNC/R, and possibly rogue, unpredictable and democratic party lovers. He knows what will entice them, and that is simple: Power and position, should the PNC/R-APNU have its way at the upcoming election in 2025.

Norton is intent on becoming the PNC/R’s presidential candidate at all costs. If it means misleading the party membership and grassroots support base, he is likely to do it while telling the media, in classical Granger style, that his hands are clean. Norton will likely this year launch his bid for the presidential slot, even though he is increasingly falling out of favour with the party’s top leaders and support base. He is going to use Congress Place and all of the party’s resources to snatch that last title from the others, because he has already said ‘the party leader was always the party’s presidential candidate.’

Firstly, Opposition politics is seemingly cyclical, predictable and shameful.

It is shameful that Norton, three years after his party and others tried to steal a whole election, is still coming to the public with the

same ‘old trick’ and the same script. He has not learned his lesson on how to respect rights, rules, and democracy. He does not respect the party’s Constitution nor rules governing its biennial congress, much less its General Council meeting.

By law, Norton should make his case in favour of a postponed Congress, to a PNC/R general council meeting or the Central Executive.

As the current leader, he should be mindful of how he is treating the elected members of both party bodies. The CE members should arrange an urgent meeting to haul him over the coals, ‘flacking’ him for every decision he has taken that was neither discussed with the leadership of the PNC/R.

Secondly, Norton seems to have a shocking bout of dementia. He had campaigned strongly against Granger and Harmon in the party, at every level. He then basically drove the past party leaders out of active politics within the party, or so it seems.

Norton also was outspoken about the democratic PNC/R party principles, and had joined the ranks for Granger to hold the long-overdue congress. Now the shoes are on the other foot and he is wearing them, he seemingly seeks to throw those democratic principles and party norms to the wind in favour of holding on to power, under the guise of following the

party’s tradition of having the congress in August. What could have caused him to have this sudden change of heart?

It is sheer double standards and duplicitousness, to say the least.

Norton knows fully well that he is buying time, and is skillfully using the PNC/R leadership to stave off any competition by engaging in a clandestine whisper campaign, and a campaign of internal misinformation and distortion.

Thirdly, how they are going about it points to the real problem that seems to characterise the leadership

of the party, decade after decade; a lack of openness, transparency and accountability. Also, mismanagement of party resources, particularly party personnel in the race to win the spot of the presidential candidate.

Never had there been such a powerplay and desperate leader of the PNC/R who is obsessed with becoming the presidential candidate.

Finally, the war and fight that Norton is waging is not against the PPP/C; it is against his own fellow comrades for the power and prestige of calling oneself the presidential candidate.

It is now personal for Norton, and in the coming days, there will be the proverbial battle.

It is Norton versus sections of the PNC/R who do not want him. Wait! Wasn’t the PNC/R presidential candidate always chosen and decided by consensus politics!

If so, they will be forced to vote by secret ballot, because Norton would never forget who snatched his ‘bag’ or ‘bottle’ this time around. He would be ‘intoxicated’ with rage, and ensure that the divisions widen in the Opposition.

Mashabo community receives black giant chicken, fingerlings, agricultural equipment

The Amerindian community of Mashabo was full of bright smiles as they received black giant chickens, fingerlings, agricultural equipment, and seedlings on Friday. The distribution was in accordance with His Excellency President Irfaan Ali's commitment to the community made a month ago.

Delivering the promise on Friday, Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, said that the community will now be able to be more self-sufficient. Over 150 households in the community benefitted.

Minister Mustapha stated during his visit to Mashabo Mission that the Guyana government was distributing resources equally throughout the country. The black giant chickens’ distribution, according to him, will contribute to their livelihood's improvement. In addition, the community Toshao, Afeerah Shabeer, received three tillers and a boat with an engine to boost the security in the area.

Two batches of fingerlings were released in the fish

cage at Mashabo by Minister Zulfikar and Toshao Shabeer.

“When we make promises we, as a government, deliver the same. The Mashabo community will undergo massive transformational development,” Minister Mustapha said.

He said that the community will not only enhance in infrastructure but there will be several economic projects ongoing.

The Ministry of Agriculture will keep collaborating

with the community to better people's living standards, according to the minister. He conveyed that the Government has pledged to ensure development is evenly distributed throughout the country, including the Mashabo community.

PINEAPPLE CULTIVATION

Minister Zulfikar said that land clearing will commence in the area for the cultivation of pineapples.

He said that was another promise made by His Excellency, President Irfaan Ali, to the community. With the clearing of the 10-acre plot farmers in the area will be involved in the project. When the community starts to reap pineapples then officers from the New GMC will assist

with marketing.

The minister also told the community that NARIE will be working with them on a red bean project. He said that Guyana will become a central place for food production. A hub will be created that will store different fruits and food

for the Caribbean to export. He said that Mashabo can be able to contribute pineapples to the food hub.

Toshao of the community, Afeerah Shabeer, said that it was a “blessed and happy” day for the community. She said that all the promises made by His Excellency became fruitful. Shabeer said that residents will be involved in more economic activities and can better provide for their families. She therefore showered praises on President Irfaan Ali for keeping his promises.

Meanwhile one of the beneficiaries, Viola Christian, said she was overjoyed. She received 25 chickens. She said that feed was also provided to her. She said that now she is actively involved in the chicken project.

Another young resident, Vaneita Wilson, said that she was home and was not getting a job and she was happy for the chickens. She said she would take good care of the chickens and thanked the Government of Guyana.

Farmers receive vital agricultural equipment to enhance production in Region Two

THE Pomeroon-Supenaam region will soon witness an increase in agricultural production following the distribution, on Friday, of $1.9M worth of agricultural inputs to a total of 29 farmers from different farmers groups.

Among the items, which were officially handed over by Minister of Agriculture

Zulfikar Mustapha, are a small land tiller, water pumps, drip systems, shade house materials, a Mist Blower, a milking machine, and pasture wires.

During the handing over ceremony, Minister Mustapha made it a point to note that the government is highly in favour of equal resource distribution, and as such

wants to ensure that farmers in Region Two receive their share.

“This equipment will be made available to over 1200 farmers in the regions all across the country; we will allow our officers to allow these inputs to be available to all that want it to use,” he said.

Noting that the National

Agricultural Research & Extension Institute (NAREI) will be distributing free planting materials soon, he encouraged farmers to continue planting.

The Minister spoke of the need to develop nurseries in the county. In Essequibo, he plans to study the plants that are necessary in the region.

The agriculture sector is currently undergoing a transformation and modernisation, according to Delma Nedd, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture. According to her, the

equipment will aid expansion and diversification. She stated that agriculture now relies on machinery and has a higher number of people participating. She urged farmers to make sure of the equipment.

The Director General of the Minister of Agriculture, Madanlall Ramraj, stated his happiness to be involved in the transfer of equipment and tools to farmers in the region. He stated that the tools will add to the existing efforts of the farmers in the region.

“This will assist you further, I hope that this will help

improve production and your yield, the agriculture sector has grown by 9 per cent testimony of the investment,” Ramraj said.

Farmer Permaul Singh expressed gratitude for the equipment and thanked the Government for their intervention.

Attending the distribution ceremony was Regional Vice Chairman Humace Oodit and Regional Executive Officer Susannah Saywack.

Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, handing over some of the chickens. Also in photo is Toshao Afeerah Shabeer

Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, losing the fingerlings into the fishpond

Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha handing over one of the equipment to one of the 29 Region 2 farmers

Over 350 students for new $93M De Willem Secondary School

THE $93 million De Willem Secondary School which will accommodate over 350 learners, was, on Friday, commissioned in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) by Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand.

According to a press release, the Education Minister said that, from Monday, the Primary Top students attending Saraswat Primary School will no longer have to attend a Secondary Class in a Primary School but, from Monday, will be attending a discrete secondary school to receive a complete secondary education.

Further, she said that there are secondary-aged learners in Lanaballi, Saxacalli, Omorashi and lower and upper

Bonasika who are unable to access a secondary education and who have been enrolled into Primary Tops.

The Education Minister also announced that either next week or the following week, those students will be attending a discrete Secondary School, the Leonora Secondary School. Those students will be housed in dormitories that have been built and are now ready to accommodate students.

“So, when we say getting a secondary education is important, it’s more than just words. When we say to you that we believe education is important, you will see our actions accompanying that building out of schools, training teachers, helping parents get their kids into school, giv-

ing textbooks, giving school grants. You will see that in our action,” Minister Manickchand said.

Minister Manickchand explained that, in addition to the De Willem Secondary School, new secondary schools will be built at Crane, Tuschen and Nismes to accommodate all of the secondary-aged learners in the region.

Moreover, Minister Manickchand said that, in addition to constructing new schools, there needs to be a trained teacher in every classroom. She said that prior to 2021 the Cyril Potter College of Education accepted about 530 teachers but can now accept a few thousand teachers into the college that is now offering both online and in-person

instruction.

Due to the online offering, the Minister of Education said that the CPCE is now going to graduate 2500 students for the first time. She added that students are now receiving the textbooks they need and newly designed larger exercise books from the Ministry of Education.

Head teacher of the Uitvlugt Secondary School, Keith Sampson, said, “We commissioned renewed purpose.”

He explained that, in the past, the old building which the new structure has replaced housed the Zeeburg Secondary School.

Further, he said that, in 2016, a new Zeeburg Secondary School was built leaving the old structure wanting for

purpose. He said that the building was later refurbished to serve as an annex to the Uitvlugt Secondary School.

However, due to the visionary leadership of the Ministry of Education, a new secondary school materialised.

Meanwhile, Regional Vice-Chairperson, Omesh Satyanand, said that only a few weeks ago the Region commissioned a new primary school in Tuschen.

He said that the Regional Democratic Council is excited about the growth in education and noted that the region is experiencing holistic growth especially in the education sector where more children are attending school.

Further, he referenced the School Feeding and Breakfast Programmes saying that the

RDC was happy that children can attend school and receive breakfast or a snack.

He said that the RDC was happy with the work the Ministry was doing in the region along with its officers and teachers in the classrooms.

“You guys are doing a great job and that is why we are partnering with you to ensure that the delivery of education is second to none in this country,” he said.

Also present at the commissioning was the Regional Executive Officer, Jagnarine Somwar, the Regional Education Officer, Akbar Chindu, the Assistant Chief Education Officer (Secondary), Tiffany Harvey and the Assistant Chief Education Officer (Primary), Rabindra Singh.

Nextech delights customers with CPL tickets

NEXTECH Inc., a leading technology retail company situated at 233 Camp Street, Georgetown, offered its customers an exciting opportunity during the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) preliminary games.

Customers who made purchases at Nextech had the chance to win two tickets each to the highly-anticipated CPL finals, and the results were nothing short of exhilarating.

The CPL Raffle, which had been generating a buzz among ‘tech’ enthusiasts and cricket fans alike, reached its thrilling conclusion on September 15, 2023, when the lucky winners were drawn.

Five fortunate individuals emerged as the winners, each receiving a pair of coveted tickets to the CPL

finals.

The winners of the Nextech Inc. CPL Raffle are as follows: Dianand Rameshwar Singh, Ronieka Mayers, Lorna April, Dennis Thomas, and Deonarine

Dindial.

These fortunate winners will have the opportunity to witness the CPL finals, live, and cheer for their favourite teams in what promises to be an exhilarating cricket

showdown.

Two of the winners were interviewed by the Sunday Chronicle, and they were thrilled to receive tickets to the CPL finals.

April said she was filled

with excitement, because she was unable to get tickets for the finals. Upon hearing that she won the raffle, she was overwhelmed.

Thomas related that he felt “very good” to win the tickets, and expressed his excitement to attend the finals.

Nextech Inc., located at Camp Street, between Middle and Quamina Streets, just opposite the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) office, offers customers a unique and enjoyable shopping experience for a wide range of technology products.

Among the offerings at Nextech are laptops, desktops, printing supplies, security equipment, networking gear, and various other technological solutions tailored for both home and business use. Moreover,

the company also provides high-quality office supplies and stationery, catering to the diverse needs of its clientele.

One of Nextech's standout features is its status as an Authorised Partner for renowned technology brands such as Hewlett Packard (HP), APC, Linksys, and Logitech. This partnership underscores Nextech's commitment to delivering topnotch, certified products to its customers, ensuring they have access to the latest and most reliable technology solutions.

For more information about Nextech Inc. and its diverse range of technology and office products, visit their official website at www.shopnextech.com or connect with them on their Facebook page.

The new $93 million De Willem Secondary School Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, speaking to students in one of the classrooms of the school

Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand and the Regional Executive Officer, Jagnarine Somwar, revealing the plaque to mark the commissioning of the school

CEO of Nextech, Rehman Majeed (third right) with customers who won tickets to the highlyanticipated CPL finals

Guyana embraces Science, Technology and Innovation for Global Development challenges

CUBA, in its capacity as President of the Group of 77 plus China, convened a Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Group under the theme "Current development challenges: Role of Science, Technology and Innovation,” on September 15 and 16, 2023, in Havana.

Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, addressing the summit, reaffirmed Guyana’s commitment to the United Nations Charter and International Law, which remain the pillars and guideposts of multilateralism and of the relations between States.

He said that they remain cognisant of the challenges faced by both people and the planet which must be overcome in order to assure peace, development and the fullest enjoyment of human rights, including the right to development.

“Having endured the ravages of COVID-19, we are confronted with ecological crises, an inequitable global

economic and financial system and increasing geopolitical tensions. Indeed, at the midpoint of the 2030 agenda, we are seeing disquieting indicators,” he stated.

PM Phillips explained that more than 50 per cent of their targets are off track, along with a portion of which is in reverse and a $US4 trillion financing gap for the Sustainable Goals Development (SDG) implementation, which he said is double of what it was in 2015.

However, despite these challenges, he noted that the nations of the South have demonstrated resilience, ingenuity and solidarity.

“We must continue to advocate for the fulfillment of all outstanding international commitments, for a reformed global financial architecture, a fair and just energy transition, a climate resilient future and a truly democratic and inclusive international order,” he said.

PM Phillips related that Science, Technology and Innovation are crucial in

addressing development challenges from food security, poverty alleviations, enabling energy security, accelerating economic transformation, to effectively responding to the existential climate crisis.

He said they must continue to press for meaningful technology transfer even as we work to strengthen indigenous Science, Technology and Innovation platforms and programmes.

Additionally, the Prime Minister said that efforts to close the digital divide and offset development challeng-

es for countries of the South, must continue to be urgently pursued.

“The exploration of scientific and technological production and innovation could drive the sustainable development if employed strategically,” he said.

He added: “There is a need for greater international co-operation and support for local legislation frameworks to mitigate the ethical, legal and political considerations associated with artificial intelligence and cybersecurity concerns.”

Given this, he said Guyana welcomes the initiatives to resume and revitalise the work of the Consortium on Science, Technology and Innovation for the South (COSTIS).

“Guyana also notes, with appreciation, the United Nations Secretary General’s Initiative, announced in August of this year, to establish the new Scientific Advisory Board to inform member states of breakthroughs in science and technology as well as steps to harness the benefits of these advances and mitigate potential risks,” he said.

He related that Guyana is working to create the required enabling legislative and regulatory environment as well as the infrastructure to manage digitization, incorporating STEM and coding at the elemental levels of the school system, and especially among girls and laying the foundation for its first ‘smart’ city.

“The outcome document

of this esteemed summit rightly acknowledges that the strategic deployment of technology and innovation has the potential to resolve and minimise trade-offs among the Goals, critical to scale up and accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda,” he said.

PM Phillips further said that it was the time for them to leverage south-south, north-south and triangular cooperation for continuity, connectivity and digital inclusion among and within countries, reducing inequalities for a renewed impetus in the pursuit of resilient and sustainable development.

“In this context, the role of multi-stakeholder partnerships to foster strategic long-term investment in support to Science Technology and Innovation initiatives in developing countries including through innovative and blended finance, should not be underestimated,” he said.

Overpayments refunded, reduction in contract

AUDITOR- General Deodat Sharma presented his 2022 report to the Speaker of the National Assembly, Manzoor Nadir, on Friday.

In this his 19th consecutive annual report submission, Sharma highlighted significant progress in rectifying overpayments, and underscored the crucial importance of enhancing audit capabilities in the emerging oil-and-gas sector.

During the presentation, Auditor-General Sharma expressed his satisfaction with adhering to the statutory deadline for report submission, aligning with the mission statement of "timely reporting of results to the legislature and ultimately the public".

He noted that the Audit Office's steadfast commitment to this mission had persisted even during the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019.

“It gives me great pleasure to present my 19th report as Auditor-General. The presentation of this report marks the 12th consecutive occasion, except for 2019

when the report was presented in December 2020 due to COVID, that the Audit Office has been submitting its report by the statutory deadline of 30th September, following the close of the fiscal year,” the Auditor-General told the Speaker of the National Assembly.

Sharma further reported that substantial efforts had been made to bolster expertise in auditing the oiland-gas industry, including a workshop on "Auditing the Extractive Industries – Oil and Gas", attended by Members of Parliament and 23 officers from the audit office.

He emphasised the critical role of the audit office in ensuring transparency and accountability in Guyana's developing oil sector.

Furthermore, Sharma disclosed a renewed emphasis on enhancing the capacity to audit the emerging oil and gas industry.

He highlighted ongoing training and development programmes for staff, covering performance audits, financial audits, and compliance audits. These programs leverage both local and inter-

national training facilitators to provide a comprehensive skill set to audit personnel.

A significant milestone highlighted in Sharma's presentation was the successful refunding of overpayments, except for Region One and 10, for the first time in the Audit Office's history.

This achievement, at -

tributed to collaboration with the Finance Secretary, Sukrishnalall Pasha, and the Accountant General, was lauded as a testament to the Audit Office's growing credibility. Notably, the National Assembly's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) had raised concerns about overpayments while scrutinizing annual

reports in the past.

In terms of audit improvements, Sharma noted a reduction in contract overpayments during the year, building upon the observations made in the 2021 report. The specific findings from the 2022 report, as outlined by the Auditor General, will be made public after its

formal presentation to the National Assembly.

Concluding his presentation, Sharma revealed plans to expand audit activities within government ministries and agencies, further underscoring the Audit Office's commitment to fiscal oversight and accountability in Guyana.

Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips

Auditor General’s 2022 Report…

overpayments — capacity building for Oil and Gas audits undertaken

Speaker of the National Assembly Manzoor Nadir received the report from Auditor-General Deodat on Friday at the Public Buildings in Georgetown while being flanked by other officials

New Well at Wauna to be completed in one month

In approximately one month, a new well in Wauna will be finished, benefitting roughly 200 households (nearly 900 inhabitants) in the Mabaruma sub-region of Barima-Waini (Region One).

This development marks a significant step towards providing clean and accessible water to the community and is in keeping with a commitment of President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali.

The Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, visited the well site on Friday afternoon, where he met with the Guyana Water Inc.’s (GWI) Hinterland Services Well Driller, Mr. Joseph Mohanlall and team.

Currently, Wauna has its own distribution network. However, the community relies on the Wanaina Water Supply System for water. During the visit, Minister Croal emphasised the critical role of this well to the community, especially in the dry season.

The Minister explained, “with the increasing dry season that we expect for the rest of the year, this is very much timely for the Mabaruma sub-region […]. For the dry season the hinterland suffers the most because if you’re not getting a source from the river or the creeks then what happens is that for those who are inland a source of water becomes problematic because they depend mainly on rain water”.

He further stated that the Government has allocated $1.4 billion in 2023 for the Hinterland Water Programme, with plans to drill 40 wells across Regions 1, 7, 8, and 9.

Mr. Mohanlall elaborated on the drilling process at Wauna, highlighting that GWI is drilling an eight-inch rock well, sourcing water from within the fractures of the rocks. Drilling of the well began in August 2023. He noted that some challenges were encountered due to

the rock formation and adverse weather conditions; however, the team is on track. Presently, the well has reached a depth of 32 meters and the water company aims to reach at least 50 meters.

Upon completion of the well, two CSOs will be assigned to manage the system in addition to GWI. To further strengthen water services in the sub-region, the Minister announced plans for a

new sub-office for GWI, enabling the company to provide more efficient and timely services to communities.

While in the region, the Minister and the Regional Chairman, Mr.

Brentnol Ashley, also handed over a sewing machine to an elderly resident of Mabaruma, Ms. Genevieve Senanan. The machine will be used to support Ms. Senanan’s livelihood.

Decomposed body of missing man discovered floating in Dredge Creek

A GRIM discovery sent shockwaves through the community of Dredge Creek in Essequibo, on Friday, as a man's lifeless body was found floating in the waters of Dredge Creek.

Police authorities from Regional Division No.2 (Pomeroon/Supenaam) have launched an investigation into the tragic incident.

Police said that the unsettling incident unfolded on Friday when Keimesha Smith, a 28-year-old house-

wife residing in the area, made a chilling discovery at approximately 10:00 hrs. She spotted the lifeless body while gazing out over the canal at Dredge Creek.

The body, later identified as that of 42-year-old Labourer Wayne Hendricks, was found floating face-up on the western side of the canal. Sadly, the body had already reached an advanced state of decomposition when it was pulled from the water.

Kemeisha Smith, who made the identification, re-

vealed that Wayne Hendricks had been her brother-in-law. She indicated that he had been living alone and was known to battle alcoholism. The last confirmed sighting of Hendricks alive was on September 12, 2023, at his residence around 16:00 hours.

Remarkably, no visible signs of violence were detected on Hendricks' body, further deepening the mystery surrounding his tragic demise.

Following the retrieval

of the deceased, authorities promptly transported the body to the Suddie Hospital Mortuary, where it awaits a post-mortem examination (PME) that may shed light on the circumstances leading to the man’s death.

As investigations continue, the community of Dredge Creek remains in shock and mourning over the loss of Wayne Hendricks, as they await answers and closure to this distressing incident.

Dead: Wayne Hendricks

Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, at the well site on Friday

AFC acknowledges country’s rapid economic growth, criticises IMF report

LEADER of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Khemraj Ramjattan, on Friday acknowledged that the party is aware that the country’s economy is on an upward trajectory. However, he has criticised the recent International Monetary Fund (IMF) report which has highlighted this growth.

Ramjattan was at the time delivering a statement during the AFC’s press conference which was held at the party’s office at Railway Embankment, Kitty.

During his remarks, he noted that the reports are supposed to have inputs from representatives of the opposition but there was reportedly no consultation with the parliamentary opposition.

Against this backdrop, he said that the AFC is aware that there will be rapid growth in Guyana’s economy. While acknowledging same, he claimed that this huge growth is hardly reaching the Guyanese people.

The IMF report said

that Guyana has experienced Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth with a 62.3 per cent increase in 2022 which is said to be the highest in the world.

This growth, the report added is expected to continue in 2023 with a projected increase of 38 per cent as the country continues to build its image as a top destination for investment.

At the same time, the report highlighted that the current expansionary fiscal policy stance is an appropriate one given the country’s development needs.

Added to this, it noted that oil production was among the drivers of this growth as production is ramping up with the coming on stream of a third oil field along with growth in the non-oil sector.

The report said that spillovers from oil and construction are supporting growth in the services and supplies sectors while agriculture, mining and quarrying are performing well.

Leader of the AFC, Khemraj Ramjattan

Eccles roundabout crash: Driver to pay for damages, faces charges

THE driver who caused damages at the intersection of Eccles to Mandela FourLane Road and Dumpsite Road Friday night will face charges and will have to pay for the repairs of the water fountain and damaged area.

“There will be severe consequences, inclusive of charges and liability,” Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, noted.

Police reports indicated that the accident involved motor car with registration PAB 805, owned and driven by Troy Humphrey, a 27-year-old employee of the University of Guyana (UG) Library and a resident of Norton Street, Georgetown. There were two other occupants in the car - Phillip Jeffery, a 23-year-old security guard of Queenstown, Georgetown, and Fulisa Burnette, a 19-year-old from Norton Street, Georgetown.

Investigations revealed that the car was travelling south on the eastern lane of Eccles to Mandela Four-

Lane Road at a high speed. The driver failed to stop at the intersection of Eccles to Mandela and Dumpsite Road, where road markings are lawfully placed to regulate traffic, and continued further South. As a consequence, the vehicle collided into the roundabout.

As a result of the collision, the Water Fountain and other parts of the roundabout and the vehicle, were extensively damaged.

Police said that the driver and the two occupants in the vehicle received injuries to their head and other parts of their bodies.

The Ambulance service was summoned and arrived shortly after with a team of Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) who checked and examined the driver and occupants.

They were all placed into the Ambulance by the said EMT staff in an unconscious condition and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation where they were further examined

by doctors on duty.

The driver and Fulisa Burnette were admitted to the holding bay in the Accident and Emergency Unit at GPHC for observation.

Police said that their condition is considered stable, while Phillip Jeffery was admitted to the ICU, suffering from brain haemorrhage and a fractured right hand. His condition is regarded as serious.

Further, police noted that Motor Car PAB 805 was lodged at Diamond Police Station to be examined by a licensing and certifying officer.

“Open and sealed bottles of alcoholic beverages were observed at the scene in and out of the vehicle (PAB 805). Also, the driver narrowly missed hitting a parked Police anti-crime patrol vehicle, which was at the Roundabout when the incident occurred,” the Guyana Police Force noted in a statement Saturday as investigation continues.

Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal (at right), speaking with contractors doing renovation works on Saturday where the accident occurred Friday night

United States National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan has applauded Guyana for its leadership on global issues in CARICOM and at the United Nations. Mr. Sullivan made the comment while meeting with President Dr. Irfaan Ali in Washington, DC on Thursday. During the meeting, President Ali spoke about the strong partnership between the US and Guyana. The Head of State also reiterated Guyana’s leadership role on global issues such as food, energy, and climate security (Office of the President photos)

Officially opened on Friday evening by the First Lady of Guyana, Mrs Arya Ali, the Kingston Seawall Esplanade is already being utilised by persons. With a refurbished tarmac, vending units, restroom facilities, and the refurbished bandstand, the area is now a welcoming, secure, and accessible location. In order to assure their safety, visitors are encircled by a Police outpost and cameras. Persons also able access free Wi-Fi (Delano Williams photos)

RACING TIPS

Warriors entertain capacity...

From page 32

50 runs from three overs, was sent to open the batting with consistent 21-year-old Pakistani Ayub.

The pair carried the score to 56 in the six-over power play, before the left-handed Ayub, who scored three consecutive fifties on course for a fourth, playing fluency and confidence, hitting five elegant fours and a couple of effortless sixes.

But when on 37, Ayub fell to Hosein’s left-arm spin at 56-1 in 6.2 overs to the Odean Smith show.

Smith, picked for his bowling, played some brutal shots, one of which was a 103-meter six on the roof of VIP Suites, and after 10 overs, the Warriors were ‘large and in charge’ in their own backyard on 92-1.

It is said that when night falls, stars come out to shine, and last night, in a tremendous atmosphere, the unlikely star was Smith.

Built like a light-heavyweight boxer, Smith was dropped thrice, but rode his luck with ultra-aggressive batting, which had an energised crowd eating out of his hands.

Shai Hope also made his presence felt with an array of elegant shots, but with the score on 117, Smith’s luck ran out when he was well taken, in deep, to end an entertaining 61-run second-wicket stand.

11:55

Smith’s demise brought out Guyana’s most-talkedabout modern-day cricketer, Berbican Shimron Hetymer. His arrival sparked an electrifying atmosphere and plenty of arguments about the man who has a love-hate relation-

ship with his fans.

But when Hetmyer drilled his fourth ball to short cover off Deyal at 126-3 after making two, the ‘Trini’ fans were out of their seats after being silenced by Smith’s onslaught.

Khan hit a six and four in 12 from five balls, before he fell to Jayden Searles at 1394 in the 15th over.

Hope again looked well composed, and deposited Samit Patel for a towering straight six, before reaching his fourth 50 in this format.

Earlier, Warriors invited the Knight Riders, who rested Pooran, Russell, Narine, and Ali Khan, to bat on a good track and very quick outfield.

The largest crowd of the Guyana leg, which included President Irfaan Ali and several of his ministers of government, watched as Martin Guptill (1) was run out in the second over by a moment of brilliance by Junior Sinclair, with the score on 5-1 and colourful fans, dressed in Warriors colours, erupted in delight.

The left-handed Deyal cut Shepherd for back-toback boundaries, and after a ‘dot ball’, the Barbican conceded a third four as 12 came off the over.

A confident LBW shot was given against Walton, but was overturned by the review before Deyal pulled Shepherd for four.

The 30-year-old Trinidadian stroked Keemo Paul for two fours, before edging a cut to the keeper in the same over, to leave the four-time champions on 46-2 in the fifth over.

Tahir confused Carty, and after the six power-play

overs, Knight Riders were 49-2.

Walton drove Gudakesh Motie for four before he was miss-stumped by the burly Azam Khan on 10.

Odean Smith, who has been expensive this season, was introduced in the 10th over, and at the end of it, the Knight Riders were 73-2.

Carty pulled Smith for an enormous six, and cut him for four, while Walton smashed him four more as the over leaked 18, and TKR fans in the stands were dancing to the rhythm of the Tassa drums.

But when Walton missed an ugly swipe, and was bowled by the evergreen Tahir, it was the Warriors fans who were lustily waving their Guyana and Warriors flags.

Carty soon reached his fifty in his third game in this format, from 35 balls with three fours and three sixes as Smith, who was switched to the southern end, conceded 26 runs in his third over.

Skipper Kiron Pollard swivelled on one leg like Gordon Greenidge, and pulled Shepherd for four, while Carty off-drove and uppercut for fours, as boundaries rained at Providence in the midst of an El Niňo weather pattern in Guyana.

Shepherd struck at 150 in the 18th over when he had Pollard (9) plumb in front, but Carty, from the island of Saint Martin, kept going, and galloped into the 80s with a lofted six off Shepherd.

But just as he was set for his maiden ton, Carty,s befuddled by Tahir, was stumped and would have been on a hat-trick had Shepherd not dropped Akeil Hosein, first ball.

The live-wire from Afghanistan was in the action when he collected a return from the deep to run out Kadeem Allen (2), before having Hosein (2) on the mid-wicket boundary as Trinidad slipped from 150-4 to 169-7 and Tahir was on fire.

(1)

(2) What was the highest individual score made in CPL 2022?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

Terrence Hinds (1) was dismissed by Dwain Pretorius in the final over, and the Warriors managed to restrict the Knight Riders for a far smaller total than many in the ram-packed venue were predicting.

Tonight, the Warriors face Barbados Royals from 19.00hrs under the lights at the same venue.

One-Day Cup final: Leicestershire beat Hampshire for first List A triumph in 38 years

By Ged Scott

Leicestershire won their first List A trophy in 38 years as they beat Hampshire off the last ball to win the One-Day Cup final at Trent Bridge.

After slumping to 19-4, Harry Swindells' stunning unbeaten century helped the Foxes to a total of 267-7.

Hampshire looked likely to get there, especially after half-centuries from Tom Prest (51) and Liam Dawson (57).

But, with eight needed off the last over, Dawson holed out - and they fell short to lose a classic by two runs.

Although 19-year-old Josh Hull was a hero at the end, limiting Hampshire to just five off the last over, the star of the show was another home-grown Leicestershire product Swindells.

He became the first Leicestershire player to score a century in a limited-overs final since Roger Tolchard at Lord's in 1972.

His 117 not out was also the highest score in a final since Rilee Rossouw made 125 not out to help Hampshire beat Kent at Lord's in 2018.

First Foxes win since Gower was in prime

The Foxes had not won a List A knockout trophy since David Gower's side, complete with players including Jonathan Agnew, Peter Willey, Chris Balderstone and John Whitaker beat Graham Gooch's Essex in the 55-overs-a-side Benson and Hedges Cup final at Lord's in 1985.

They had not been to a one-day final since losing the Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy to Somerset in September 2001.

Since then, the only three trophies they had lifted was in the T20 which, like Hampshire, they have won a joint record three times - and the Foxes' last one of them was in 2011.

Hampshire, by contrast, have been a lot more prolific the one-day arena, having lost only two of their nine Lord's finals.

But 'little Leicestershire' fancied themselves for a bit of a resurgence at the

start of the season. And they even survived the disrupting mid-season departure of club legend Paul Nixon as coach to show the resilience to turn their season around.

Swindells and Evans rally the Foxes

After winning the toss, Leicestershire opted to bat first.

The Foxes were clearly more mindful of thinking how a used wicket might turn later, having opted to bring in spinner Evans for Matt Salisbury, rather than worry about how Keith Barker might perform early on under thick cloud cover.

But, inside seven overs, they found themselves four wickets down.

Left-arm seamer Barker broke through with the final ball of his first over when he had Rishi Patel caught behind, then struck again in the third over when Sol Budinger put him away for a leg-side boundary, tried to repeat the

shot and skied to Joe Weatherley at backward point.

9-2 then became 19-4 when, in the space of seven balls, the Foxes lost both their two South African batters.

Harry Swindells and Sam Evans broke Leicestershire's List A seventh-wicket partnership record

First, Colin Ackermann chipped a catch to an alert Fletcha Middleton diving forward at mid-wicket, then Wiaan Mulder missed a straight one to give Barker his third wicket.

Skipper Hill helped batten down the hatches, first in a 37-run stand with Louis Kimber and then adding 33 with Evans.

But Scott Currie, currently on a red-ball loan with Leicestershire, had Kimber caught behind for 19, then also got Hill for 42 when he tried to belt his Championship team-mate out of the ground but succeeded only in

giving keeper Ben Brown his third catch.

Hill's anguished face suggested that he had just thrown away any chance - but he could not have been more wrong.

Together with the key support of Evans, with increasing assurance, Swindells played possibly the innings of his life.

From 89-6 in the 22nd over, they put on 151 in 26 overs to transform their score from a massively under-par one to a potentially winnable one.

Evans holed out with 14 balls left, but Swindells stayed on to complete his century, comfortably his best one-day score, including the last of his three sixes and eight fours.

Hampshire just fall short Hampshire openers Nick Gubbins and Middleton began well - until they were parted by a classy piece of out-cricket.

in an English summer that Leicestershire have won the country's premier List A trophy.

The Foxes' three previous List A triumphs, all in mid-summer at Lord's, were in the Benson & Hedges Cup, which they won in 1972 as inaugural winners and again in 1975 and 1985, when the season-ending showdown in the September final, the Gillette Cup, which became the NatWest Trophy.

Leicestershire captain Lewis Hill:

Gubbins attempted a quick single on 20, but Mulder picked up and, with just one stump to aim at, it was a direct hit.

Better still for Mulder, eight balls later he rearranged the furniture again, bowling Middleton for 15.

Prest and Brown then settled things down in a stand of 79 before another clatter of wickets - this time three in four overs.

Brown (33) and Aneurin Donald, off only his eighth ball, both mis-timed attempted pulls and skied to Ackermann close in, before the Foxes appeared to have got the key wicket when Prest returned a catch to the bowler Hull.

It looked like Weatherley and Dawson, who took a record-breaking 7-15 in the semi-final win over Warwickshire, would see Hampshire home.

But substitute fielder Will Davis held on to a great catch diving forward at deep mid-wicket to remove Weatherley before Ian Holland took over as chief support to England all-rounder Dawson.

With 25 still needed off 19, Holland's attempted legside ramp was taken by a diving Hull running round to short fine leg. Although it looked like Barker's calming presence would get the job done, with three balls left, Dawson also attempted a legside ramp to long leg.

Chris Wright took the catch, on-loan Currie and Barker could only manage a single each off the last twoand one of the best-ever oneday finals was finally done.

It was also the first time

"That innings from Harry Swindells was one of the best innings I have seen. To come in under that kind of pressure, having not played a game in the competition, for him and Sam Evans to put together that partnership in that situation was absolutely outstanding.

"Harry did not know for sure until yesterday that he would be playing, but when Matt Salisbury was injured that kind of confirmed it. Otherwise it would have been me keeping wicket.

"We had a conversation about whether to bring Rehan Ahmed into the squad with him being available, but we felt we owed it to the guys who had got us to the final to have the chance to win it. Rehan supported the decision and he was here with his family to support us.

"At 19-4, I was wondering if I'd got the decision wrong but we have been in some pretty difficult situations before and come through through. And Josh Hull. He didn't bowl at his best but he is only 19 and to take the responsibility of bowling the last over as he did was so impressive. If he was nervous he didn't show it."

Hampshire's Tom Prest:

"Credit to Harry Swindells. He played really well, as did Sam Evans, but we still backed ourselves to get the runs. "We always felt in control of the run chase and we still felt in the game right up to the last over."When Daws hit that six, we needed 11 or 12 from two overs, so it is tough we couldn't get over the line. Everyone feels a little bit flat."

Leicestershire's last List A trophy came in 1985

Harry Swindells and Sam Evans broke Leicestershire's List A seventh-wicket partnership record with a stand of 151

Samoa 43-10 Chile: Samoa begin Rugby World Cup with bonus-point win

Samoa began their Rugby World Cup Pool D campaign with a bonus-point win over Chile in Bordeaux.

Chile took an early lead through a try from Matias Dittus, but Samoa regained control at the end of the half.

Former Australia flyhalf Christian Leali'ifano kicked 14 first-half points and Duncan Paia'aua scored a late try.

Samoa put in a dominant second-half performance, scoring four tries through Jonathan Taumateine, Fritz Lee and two from Sama Malolo.

The Pacific island nation, who had an initial rest week, are seeking their first quarter-final since 1995, with what is one of their strongest squads assembled, proven by a narrow final 17-13 warm-up defeat by world number one side Ireland in August.

Samoa recruited former All Blacks Lima Sopoaga, Steven Luatua and Charlie Faumuina before the World Cup due to a change in World Rugby eligibility rules. But it was the boot of Leali'ifano that was in-

strumental in keeping the scoreboard ticking over.

The 35-year-old, who started for Australia in their quarter-final loss to England four years ago, pulled the strings in Samoa's attack, with the pick of tries coming from Paia'aua, after a well-measured grubber kick in the midfield.

Chile became the first team to debut at a World Cup in 12 years when they took to the pitch in Toulouse against Japan last week and, like the game against the Brave Blossoms, could only show glimpses of their attacking style.

Fly-half Rodrigo Fernandez was at the heart of this and set up the opening score of the afternoon with a break, but struggled to

have as much impact in the second period.

Sterner tests lie ahead for Samoa, who will be quietly growing in confidence but will likely need to beat two of Argentina, Japan or England for a realistic chance of a knockout return.

They are next in action against the Pumas in Saint-Etienne on Friday, while Chile travel to Lille to face England next Saturday.

'It feels like all of Chile flew over'

Samoa began their Rugby World Cup Pool D campaign with a bonus-point win over Chile in Bordeaux. Chile took an early lead through a try from Matias Dittus, but Samoa regained control at the end of the half.

DCB to host two Super 50 trial matches

THE Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) has announced 33 players to participate in two 50 overs trial matches in preparation for the Senior Inter-County Super50 which will be played in early October.

National wicketkeeper batsman Tevin Imlach will captain one team while national middle order batsman Akshaya Persaud will be the captain of the other team.

The first trial match will be played on Thursday, September 21 at GCC while the second match will be played on Saturday,

September 23 at Lusignan ground.

Players are asked to be at the venues for 08:15 hours on match days.

The squads are as follows:

Imlach’s XI

Tevin Imlach-Captain

Tagenarine Chanderpaul

Raymond Perez

Sachin Singh

Ronaldo Ali Mohamed

Shamar Yearwood

Travis Persaud

Jeremiah Scott

Ashmead Nedd

Steven Sankar

Zackery Jodah

Krisna Singh

Nehemiah Hohenkirk

Chetram Balgobin

Dumuka Nedondo

Laurel Parks

Persaud’s XI

Akshaya Persaud-Captain

Chandrapaul Hemraj

Mavendra Dindyal

Christopher Barnwell

Ushardeva Balgobin

Quzim Yusuff

Joshua Persaud

Devon Lord

Reyad Latiff

Richie Looknauth

Floyd Thomas

Carlos La Rose

Sherfane Rutherford

Bernard Bailey

Robin Williams

Brandon Jaikarran

Matthew Nandu

Former Australia flyhalf Christian Leali'ifano kicked 14 first-half points and Duncan Paia'aua scored a late try.

Samoa put in a dominant second-half performance, scoring four tries through Jonathan Taumateine, Fritz Lee and two from Sama Malolo.

The Pacific island nation, who had an initial rest week, are seeking their first quarter-final since 1995, with what is one of their strongest squads assembled, proven by a narrow final 17-13 warm-up defeat by world number one side Ireland in August.

Samoa recruited former All Blacks Lima Sopoaga, Steven Luatua and Charlie Faumuina before the World

Cup due to a change in World Rugby eligibility rules. But it was the boot of Leali'ifano that was instrumental in keeping the scoreboard ticking over.

The 35-year-old, who started for Australia in their quarter-final loss to England four years ago, pulled the strings in Samoa's attack, with the pick of tries coming from Paia'aua, after a well-measured grubber kick in the midfield.Chile became the first team to debut at a World Cup in 12 years when they took to the pitch in Toulouse against Japan last week and, like the game against the Brave Blossoms, could only show glimpses

of their attacking style.Flyhalf Rodrigo Fernandez was at the heart of this and set up the opening score of the afternoon with a break, but struggled to have as much impact in the second period.

Sterner tests lie ahead for Samoa, who will be quietly growing in confidence but will likely need to beat two of Argentina, Japan or England for a realistic chance of a knockout return.They are next in action against the Pumas in Saint-Etienne on Friday, while Chile travel to Lille to face England next Saturday.(BBC Sport)

Barcelona crush Betis 5-0 to go top

BARCELONA thumped Real Betis to go top of La Liga and extend their unbeaten run to five matches.

Portugal forward Joao Felix, who is loan from Atletico Madrid, scored his first Barcelona goal in an impressive display at the Nou Camp.

Robert Lewandowski, Ferran Torrres, Raphinha and Joao Cancelo were also on target for the champions.

Barcelona are a point ahead of Real Madrid, who host Real Sociedad on Sunday.

Barcelona had 66% of possession and created passing intricate moves to break down a Betis side whose best chance came when Willian Jose was denied from close range by goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen.

Betis, who travel to Rangers in the Europa League on Thursday, are ninth in the table.

Samoa fly-half Christian Leali'ifano was Australia's top points scorer at the 2019 World Cup

Barcelona scored five goals in a La Liga match for the first time since April 2021

Brighton up to third with 3-1 at Man Untied

Manchester United were beaten 3-1 by Brighton at Old Trafford as the home crowd turned on manager Erik ten Hag.

Ten Hag has enjoyed the overwhelming backing of United fans since his arrival last summer and the majority have supported the Dutchman in his current dispute with winger Jadon Sancho.

But they let Ten Hag know they did not agree with his decision to replace new signing Rasmus Hojlund with Anthony Martial 19 minutes into the second period in no uncertain manner, as a cacophony of boos rang round the stadium before the Dane was applauded off.

The change didn't make much difference for United, who were behind thanks to a first-half goal from one-time home favourite Danny Welbeck, which was followed up after the interval by efforts from Pascal Gross and substitute Joao Pedro, who were both given far too much space around the United penalty box.

Hannibal Mejbri's first United goal gave the hosts some hope, but in a frenetic finish it was the visitors who came closest to finding the net again as Andre Onana made four excellent saves, the best of which came in injury-time to deny on-loan Barcelona man Ansu Fati a debut goal.

It was United's first home defeat in 13 months, when Brighton again triumphed here. The Seagulls are now on a run of four successive Premier League wins over their hosts, and this victory brought more boos at the final whistle, though not on anywhere near the same scale as when Hojlund was withdrawn.

Ten Hag's side have now conceded 10 goals in their last four games, and have also conceded more than one in four successive league matches for the first time since 1979.

United hit unexpected

Naseem likely to miss entire ODI World Cup with injured shoulder

...Initial scans in Dubai appear to show the injury could rule him out for the rest of year and even the Australia tour

trouble

Things were not supposed to be like this for United.

Six points from their opening five games represents their worst start since the 2014-15 campaign under Louis van Gaal.

In addition to the three damaging defeats they suffered, they are also without Sancho, who is training away from the first team after he said on social media he felt he was being made a scapegoat by Ten Hag in a clear challenge to the manager's authority.

Fellow winger Antony is also absent, having been given time off to address allegations made by his former partner.

With new signings Mason Mount and Sofyan Amrabat watching from the stands, Ten Hag is clearly struggling with significant membersof his squad missing.

Still, United had plenty of experience on show, but with the exception of Marcus Rashford they were largely toothless in attack.

The England forward had one first-half effort deflected onto the angle between post and crossbar, and also supplied the low cross which Hojlund, sliding in, probably should have converted.

At that point, with the game still goalless and United enjoying an encouraging

start, a goal could have been pivotal.

As it was, the home side's momentum gradually petered out and there was no repeat of the heroics which saw them come from two goals down to win against Nottingham Forest last month.

Brighton on the march

While Ten Hag's side is still being viewed as a rebuild in progress, it is worth remembering the Dutchman has been in charge of his team longer than Roberto De Zerbi has been at Brighton.

In that regard, the comparisons between the two sides are stark.

Six of United's starting line-up were bought during Ten Hag's tenure, while only one De Zerbi's signing - former Borussia Dortmund midfielder Mahmoud Dahoud - started for Brighton.

Evidently, De Zerbi has made a massive impact with his attention to detail and tactical acumen, which owner Tony Bloom admitted this week have caught him by surprise.

But through Bloom, chief executive Paul Barber, skipper Lewis Dunk and beyond, there is a continuity and vision about Brighton which those in power at Old Trafford would do well to take note of.

Simon Adingra is another previously 'unknown' player

making a huge impact for the Seagulls this season, as so many have done in recent years.

Bought from Danish club Nordsjaelland last year, the Ivorian was loaned out to Bloom's Belgian club Union Saint-Gilloise, before returning for the current campaign a more accomplished player.

The 21-year-old created the opener by exploiting space on the home side's left flank and delivering a cross which Adam Lallana stepped over to allow Welbeck the room to finish.

Kaoru Mitoma also travelled down the Brighton to Union SG loan route before returning to the south coast. The Japanese forward's impact is now well established and it was his pass that allowed Tariq Lamptey to set up Gross for Brighton's second, a goal made somewhat easier to convert for the German by Lisandro Martinez's fruitless dive to win possession inside his own area.

With star signin Ansu Fati making his first appearance for the club in the final moments and a European debut against AEK Athens to come on Thursday, these really are unprecedented times for Brighton.

PAKISTAN fast bowler Naseem Shah is likely to miss the entire World Cup after scans revealed an injury to his right shoulder that is worse than was initially suspected.

The PCB is understood to be seeking a second opinion, but scans from tests in Dubai appear to show the injury could rule him out for the rest of year. A note from the board on Saturday evening said, "the PCB medical panel will decide on the fast bowler's return to cricket based on further assessments." Should secondary results back up the initial ones, Naseem could be looking at a long layoff. His participation in the Test series in Australia at the turn of the year is in doubt, and he could also miss the next Pakistan Super League in 2024. Naseem walked off in the middle of the 46th over during Pakistan's second game against India at the Asia Cup last week on the reserve day organised for that game, and was ruled out of the tournament soon after.

The PCB had, ironically, pushed for that reserve day for the game against India, as a hard-won concession after the games weren't moved to Hambantota, which was expected to be drier. It was on that reserve day that Naseem sustained the injury to a muscle just below his bowling shoulder, one that ESPNcricinfo understands is not a recurrence of any previous shoulder injuries.

Naseem's absence from the World Cup, as well as the subsequent series in Australia, will come as a huge blow for Pakistan. Over the past year, Naseem has gone from a red-ball specialist to an all-format bowler for Pakistan, and on current form is the best of Pakistan's much-vaunted triumvirate of Naseem, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf.

The PCB is expected to make an official decision once it has results from his secondary scans in a few days. He was replaced at the Asia Cup by Zaman Khan, while Mohammad Hasnain, another possible replacement, is currently also injured.

Naseem has had injury issues in these early stages of his career. A back injury he sustained one year into his international career, when he was 17, kept him out of cricket for 14 months. Six weeks after his return, he was sidelined for a month with a shoulder injury he suffered on his debut in the County Championship with Gloucestershire.

In the 18 months since, his workload has increased significantly. While he was only a red-ball player at the time, Naseem has become a crucial bowler for Pakistan across all formats. He is their most potent bowler since making his ODI debut, with 32 wickets in 14 matches while averaging just under 17.

But that workload, especially with someone as young as Naseem, has built up quite steeply. Since July 2022, only eight fast bowlers have bowled more international deliveries than Naseem's 2246, none of them nearly as young as Naseem. Afridi and Haris Rauf combined have only bowled 2732 balls. In addition, Naseem has also been in demand on the T20 circuit, recently coming off the LPL. On Friday he was included in the SA20 auction shortlist, a tournament he is now almost certain to miss.(Cricinfo)

Brighton are third in the Premier League after winning four of their opening five games

Naseem Shah has injured his right shoulder

Republic Bank CPL…

Tallawahs beat Patriots to move closer to playoffs

Reifer reached the boundary twice, and cleared it once, before he departed at 107-6, and last year’s champions were still on shaky ground.

However, Springer, who was run-out in the final over, and Allen, carried Jamaica to what was, in the end, a winning total.

Assuria joins supporting cast for Kares Crossfit

By Sean Devers

THE first-day game on the Guyana leg of the Republic Bank CPL T20 league was played in scorching heat at Providence yesterday, with defending champions Jamaica Tallawahs moving a step closer to the playoffs when they beat St. Kitts Patriots by 59 runs.

This was Jamaica’s first win in their last six matches, as St. Kitts were knocked out of this year’s CPL.

The Tallawahs, who moved to seven points, face St. Lucia Kings today in the 10:00hrs game, and another win will take them into the playoffs in fourth position.

Jamaica recovered from 32-4 to reach 178-7, before restricting St. Kitts to 119-9 in 17.3 overs, since Ashmead Nedd could not bat due to an injury.

Jamaica were led by Man-of-the-Match Shamar Springer, who top-scored with 38 from 27 balls, with two fours and a couple of sixes, and shared in the 67run seventh-wicket partnership with Fabian Allen, who contributed an unbeaten 33 for 18 balls, aided by three fours and a couple of sixes.

Only Ramon Reifer, with 28 from 22 balls with two fours and a six, reached 20, as Nedd (2-25 from 3 overs) and George Linde (2-33 from 4 overs) were the main wicket- takers for the Patriots.

Yannick Cariah played a lone hand, with 65 from 40 balls, in an innings decorated with eight boundaries before being dismissed by Mohammed Amir, who was the second bowler in the game to be on a hat-trick.

Amir, back after recovering from an illness, sent back Andre Fletcher (11), while Evan Lewis was removed by Imad Wasim (2).

Will Smeed fell to Springer, and when the dangerman Sherfane Rutherford (1) ‘skied’ Chris Green, and was stupendously taken, running back, by the bowler, St. Kitts were 40-4.

Even though Cariah, who reached his 50 from 34 balls with five fours, offered plenty of fight, no other batter stepped up to the plate, as Amir had a career-best 4-19, and got support from Wasim, who took 3-25.

Earlier, watched by a relatively small crowd which included several school -

children whose attendance was made possible by a collaborative effort between CPL, Guardian Life and the Government of Guyana, Jamaica elected to bat on a lighting-fast outfield and dry pitch.

Nedd, the son of Gavin Nedd, who played 14 FirstClass matches for Guyana, was hit for six as Skipper Brandon King used his feet to the left-arm spinner. But the talented Nedd got rid of King (7) and Kirk McKenzie (1) in the space of two runs to leave Jamaica on 9-2.

Nedd’s third over cost

17, as Alex Hales played an inside-out cover-drive for four before depositing him for six.

Hales, after hitting two fours and a six in his 17 from 16 balls, fell to George Linde, who bowled Wasim for a first-ball duck to be on a hat-trick.

Jamaica were wobbling on the ropes at 32-4 in the seventh over, after the sixover power-play only produced 31 runs.

Shamarh Brooks (19) and Reifer (28) revived the position by taking the score to 65, before Brooks was dismissed by Cariah.

ASSURIA Insurance, a leading name in the insurance industry, is excited to announce its strategic sponsorship in the highly- anticipated Kares Crossfit October Showdown 2023.

The partnership aims to foster brand awareness, create brand synergy, and explore new avenues in the dynamic fitness-focused market.

The October Showdown will take place on Sunday, October 15 at the Aquatic Centre and National Park, and Kares Crossfit is proud to have Assuria Insurance on board as a

sponsor.

The Kares Crossfit October Showdown will feature a Teams Crossfit competition, a Novice Crossfit competition, and a Strongman Competition.

Over 50 athletes from Guyana and across the Caribbean region will participate in this test of strength to win over G$4M in cash and prizes.

Tickets are G$1,000, and are on sale at Kares Crossfit, Lotus Hardware, and Fitness Express.

Visit “Kares Crossfit Caribbean Championship” social media pages for more information.

Jordana Ramsay-Gonsalves (right), Event Organiser, and Ashley Layne, Representative of Assuria Insurance seal the partnership with a handshake

Man-of-the Match Shamar Springer celebrates Will Smeed’s wicket with a chest roll yesterday at the Providence Stadium. Photo CPL T20 photo (Getty Images)

The victory has kept Jamaica Tallawahs chances of a playoff spot alive (Photo: CPLT20)

Guy Vs T&T… Warriors entertain capacity crowd with 6-wkt win over TKR

By Sean Devers

MUCH to the delight of the over 15,000 fans at the Providence Stadium last night, Guyana Amazon

Warriors beat Trinbago

Knight Riders for the second time and seventh overall to move to 15 points and top of the table.

The emphatic six-wicket win kept TKR on 13 points after Shai Hope’s 37-ball

54, with two fours and three sixes; Smith’s 44 from 32 balls with four fours and three sixes; and Saim Ayub’s 24-ball 37 with five fours and two sixes leading to 177-4 in 18. 2 overs, replying to 176-8

made by the Knight Riders. A magnificent 83 from 49 balls, with seven fours and four sixes came from 26-year-old Kacey Carty, who got support from Mark Deyal whose 37 lasted 20

balls and included eight fours; while Chadwick Walton scored 25 from 27 balls with two boundaries.

Warriors 44-year-old skipper Imran Tahir produced a mesmerising four-over

spell of leg-spin bowling to end with 3-12 for the Warriors, who won with 10 balls to spare.

When Warriors began the chase, Smith, who conceded

Continued on page 27

Batter Shai Hope continued his good form with an unbeathen 54 to see the Amazon Warriors win with 10 balls to spare (CPL T20 Photo)