Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 18-02-2023

Youths must tap into ‘lucrative’ energy sector

–– upskill self to benefit from endless opportunities, says Senior Petroleum Coordinator

By Clestine Juan

SENIOR Petroleum Coordinator Bobby Gossai Jr., on Friday said that given the enormous opportunities that exist in the country’s growing oil-and-gas sector, young people must upskill themselves in the crucial areas so that they can earn and contribute to the development of the industry and the country.

Gossai, who is also an economist, was at

the time speaking at the youth-engagement forum on the final day of the International Energy Conference and Expo, which was held at the Marriott Hotel.

“For five to eight years, we’ve all seen the transition from traditional jobs to new areas and new industries and new sectors and sub-sectors that are opening up.

S ee full story on P age 03

The Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) and the Ministry of Housing and Water’s Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) on Friday launched their ‘Mash’ bands with much pomp and ceremony. Both entities signalled their readiness for next Thursday’s Mashramani road march competition which returns after a three-year hiatus owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d), Mark Phillips and Minister within his office, Kwame McCoy, were clearly impressed with the bright blue costumes that were on display. Similarly, Minister within the Housing and Water Ministry, Susan Rodrigues, embraced the gold and orange costumes which she and her staff believe are winning pieces

PresidentengagesseniorAfrican,USbankofficials

Guyana poised to become food hub for CARICOM – Minister Mustapha

––farmers from Region 10, Soesdyke-Linden Highway promised government support

CARICOM throws support behind President Santokhi, calls for urgent restoration of peace

2023 ‘Energy’ Expo heightens interest in O&G sector

Region Five RDC invites tenders for 16 developmental projects

( Adrian Narine photo)

( Delano Williams photo)

(OPM photo)

President engages senior African, US bank officials

PRESIDENT, Dr Irfaan Ali on Friday held separate meetings with the President of the African Export-Import Bank, Professor Benedict Orahma, and Chair of the United States Export-Import Bank, Reta Jo Lewis, on the sidelines of the CARICOM Heads of Government meeting in The Bahamas.

According to the Office of the President, the discussions with Professor Orahma surrounded mutual areas of interest inclusive of agriculture, energy, infrastructure and oil and gas.

During the meeting, the President was also presented with the Caribbean Part -

nership Agreement, which consolidates the bank’s efforts to promote and develop South-South trade, specifically between Africa and the Caribbean.

President Ali also met with various representatives from companies that are involved in the aforementioned sectors, OP said.

Additionally, he met with Lewis and discussed a range of topics, including the financing of infrastructural projects in Guyana.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hugh Todd, accompanied the President to the engagement with the US bank official.

Guyana poised to become a food hub for CARICOM – Minister Mustapha

–– farmers from Region 10, Soesdyke/Linden Highway promised government support

DURING an outreach to several communities in Region Ten (Upper Demerara-Berbice) and along the Soesdyke-Linden Highway, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha reassured

farmers that they will continue to benefit from the country’s resources as the government works to make Guyana a regional food hub.

Minister Mustapha travelled to Christianburg, Block

42, Moblissa, Yarrowkabra, and Kuru Kururu to meet with farmers from several communities to discuss the government’s plans to develop the agriculture sector in those areas and to listen to

any issues that farmers and residents are facing.

While engaging farmers, Minister Mustapha said that the government intends to increase production as it works with other CARICOM member states to lower the regional import bill. To achieve this, he noted that Guyana has to play that leading role and is already poised to become a food hub for the region.

He explained that farmers from every community have a role to play if Guyana is to achieve its goal and that the government will continue to make the necessary resources available to ensure the sector is able to become resilient.

While acknowledging the government’s interventions to improve and develop the sector, several farmers sought the minister’s assistance with providing an update on applications made for land titles to expand their cultivation.

The farmers explained that in order to receive loans from the bank to expand, they needed the necessary documentation for the lands which have to be issued from either the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GLSC) or the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL).

Farmers also sought the minister’s assistance with agricultural inputs such as seeds, seedlings, farming tools, machinery with implements, Black Giant chicks, and piglets to develop the poultry and swine industries.

Onifa Pantlitz, a 22-yearold student of the University of Guyana who resides at Blueberry Hill, Linden, told the minister that, like many

other young people in her community, she was interested in swine production and sought the minister’s assistance with getting involved in the sector.

While responding to her request, Minister Mustapha said that he was delighted to hear about her interest in the sector as the government has been working to get more youths involved in agriculture.

“I am happy that you want to get involved in agriculture. I am also happy to hear that more young people have the same desire.

I am charging you to get those young people together and form a group and I will assist you with getting involved in swine production. We have an investor who will be building a processing factory to produce sausages and so on and we’ll need pork to supply that factory.

The demand for pork will increase tremendously so you can concentrate on doing that,” he noted.

He also said that 50 residents from various communities along the highway were identified to receive piglets from the ministry and that the programme will continue.

While encouraging beneficiaries to take good care of the animals he urged them to ensure the animals are housed in secure areas so that they wouldn’t venture out and damage other farmers’ crops.

As it relates to poultry development, Minister Mustapha said that the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) has an ongoing Black Giant chicken programme targeting vulnerable groups, especially single parents.

“We have this programme and since you’ve expressed an interest, we’ll assist you with these birds. We’ll target single mothers and other vulnerable groups and they will be able to supply other persons in the community. These birds, as you know, are large dual-purpose chickens, with the ability to produce up to two hundred (200) eggs annually and about 4.5 kilograms of meat,” he explained.

Minister Mustapha also committed to assisting with challenges with irrigation. During the meeting at Yarrowkabra, farmers from Circuitville, related that while they wish to expand their production, irrigation remains a challenge.

Minister Mustapha told farmers that a team of engineers from the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) will visit the area and once a water source is found they will work to develop it so that farmers can benefit from irrigation.

Farming communities will also benefit from tools, seeds, seedlings, Acoushi Ants bait, and other farming inputs. The minister also committed to ensuring farmers benefit from improved extension services as the ministry is currently working to revamp its extension department to better serve farmers across the country.

The meetings were attended by representatives from Banakari, Circuitville, Yarrowkabra, Moblissa, Block 42, Blueberry Hill, Hauraruni, Wisroc, Chrictianburg, Wismar, Kuru Kururu, and other surrounding communities. (Ministry of Agriculture)

President, Dr Irfaan Ali interacts with the Chair of the United States Export-Import Bank, Reta Jo Lewis (Office of the President photos)

President, Dr Irfaan Ali and President of the African Export-Import Bank, Professor Benedict Orahma holding the Caribbean Partnership Agreement

Youths must tap into ‘lucrative’ energy sector

–– upskill self to benefit from endless opportunities, says Senior Petroleum Coordinator

By Clestine Juan

SENIOR Petroleum Coordinator Bobby Gossai Jr., on Friday said that given the enormous opportunities that exist in the country’s growing oil-and-gas sector, young people must upskill themselves in the crucial areas so that they can earn and contribute to the development of the industry and the country.

Gossai, who is also an economist, was at the time speaking at the youth-engagement forum on the final day of the International Energy Conference and Expo, which was held at the Marriott Hotel.

“For five to eight years, we’ve all seen the transition from traditional jobs to new areas and new industries and new sectors and sub-sectors that are opening up. Key industry opportunities for employment that were not clear are now here.

“And as we move forward into the next eight years, there is going to be more opportunities for the employment of our young people.,” he told his audience, while giving them insight into some of what is available in the energy sector.

He explained that over the last few years, traditional jobs in areas such as mining, agricultural sector, and the services industry have transitioned into the energy sector. However, he acknowledged that one of the serious impacts of this is a gap between the demand and the supply is young people who possess the requisite skills.

The coordinator said that the government has been working intensely to build capacity over the next couple of years to fill that gap with many incentives such as constructing the Guyana Technical Training College at Port Mourant, which will be the premier institution offering oil-and-gas training.

Along with this initiative is the much-needed National Hospitality Institute which will support the growth and development of tourism as a rapidly emerging sector that should be equipped to provide a world-class experience in service delivery.

“It’s not just about focusing on oil and gas, but it’s also focusing on infrastructure development needs, the engineering needs of this country and this is where we are looking to ensure that young people who have the skills and craft … are able to find lucrative opportunities in this economy,” Gossai added.

He said these complement government’s plans to build Guyana by 2030. Due to the dynamic energy sector, Gossai said that the world is in the midst of an energy transition with much focus being placed on a low-carbon economy as well as net zero.

He urged the youth to get on board and play an integral role in development of the sector.

“Right now, the gas industry is very lucrative, but you can also see that the entire economy is moving in an upward direction. So, it is not just oil and gas. There are new

and emerging areas in agriculture. There are new and emerging areas in the services industry, whether those are in the hospitality or the financial sector. There are new and emerging areas of growth and opportunities for you,” he emphasised.

According to Gossai, these employment opportunities will increase the country’s labour force, “not just in terms of having more of a certain type of skillset that is needed, but a wide diversity of skills that can grow in different areas.”

TRAINING IS A PRIORITY

He explained that government ministries have also implemented various programmes to entice young people who are interested in oil and gas.

He explained to the attendees that his ministry runs a programme called ‘Youth in Natural Resources’ during the July/August period, which allows young people to have an understanding not only of oil and gas, but also of every other natural resource in the country.

“The one thing we are very cognisant of is that we [Guyana] have a very short labour supply. And it’s not only for the fact that we have less [sic] than a million people, but it’s also because they are in heavy demand. There are a number of industries that are growing at the same time, not necessarily at the same magnitude, but at the same time, skills are being pulled all over the country.

“So, over the next five to 10 years, training our local young people to engage in new adventures of employment is priority number one for the educational mandates of the country. Because what we want to see is over the next 10 years, you have a higher level of participants in the labour force from the ages of 18 to 55 across the entire spectrum of work that we are engaged in,” the petroleum coordinator said.

The Ministry of Natural Resources, which is the lead agency on oil-and-gas gas management, is working with the Ministry of Education, as well as other agencies in the education sector to ensure that those goals are met.

“We’re not living in a time where you just need to focus on one particular type of skillset. Even though the advice is to master that skillset before you go on to anything else. The fact is, if you’re interested in something, research it [and] then you can do

it while you’re also earning a living in the country at the same time,” Gossai added. He noted that Guyana’s energy sector developmental goals and priorities are focused on providing those opportunities to the youth, specially to create that “worldclass knowledge and capacity” that they can take to any other part of the world. However, Gossai urged the youths to fulfil their mandate to their homeland because of the immense opportunities that exist.

Senior Petroleum Coordinator Bobby Gossai Jr ( Adrian Narine photo)

House gutted by fire at Kwakwani Waterfront

The woman further related that at about 18:30 hours, she noticed smoke coming from the house, and immediately ran over, only to discover that it was already engulfed in flames.

The Guyana Fire Service was summoned, and upon reaching the location, went into action and managed to extinguish the fire. However, the house was already gone.

The house on fire (Guyana Police Force photo)

A FIRE of unknown origin gutted the dwelling house of 31-year-old Ericka Gonsalves of Kwakwani Waterfront, on the Upper Berbice River, in Region 10, on Thursday night.

According to the police, the fire occurred

at approximately 18:30 hours.

Erica said that at around 06:00 hours, she turned on the lights in the house and the electrical fan in her bedroom and later left for her mother’s residence, which is located about two houses away.

Investigations are ongoing.

CARICOM heads commit to playing leadership role in Haiti crisis

THE Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), at their 44th Regular Meeting in The Bahamas have reiterated that the community must play a leadership role in addressing the deteriorating situation in Haiti, a member state of the community, towards which there are moral and political obligations.

This is according to a CARICOM statement which was released on Friday.

According to the release, the heads “affirmed that decisive action is needed at the earliest opportunity by CARICOM in view of the mounting insecurity and its widespread impact on all facets of Haitian life.”

It added that the heads were joined in part of their discussions by the

21, 2022, political agreement, the National Consensus for an Inclusive

it needed to be more inclusive.

In this regard, they have agreed to convene an early meeting of stakeholders in Jamaica.

They have also agreed to participate in a meeting to be convened in Haiti with Haitian stakeholders, to assist in the development of a plan to restore security and the rule of law.

have agreed to build international partnerships in support of efforts to return Haiti to

peace and stability as a necessary precursor for free, fair and credible elections.

Haitian

Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau.

The Heads of Government acknowledged the adoption of the December

Transition and Transparent Elections, launched by the Interim Prime Minister of Haiti, Ariel Henry, but were of the view that

The Heads of Government noted the various forms of security assistance provided by the Government of Canada and placed emphasis on strengthening the capacity of the Haitian National Police to protect the general population from criminal activities, the statement said.

It added that the Heads of Government

Protesters storm Suriname’s parliament as rally against austerity measures turns ugly

DOZENS of protesters

forced their way into Suriname’s parliament as hundreds more rampaged through the nation’s capital Paramaribo on Friday, clashing with police as demonstrations against the government descended into chaos.

Thousands took to the streets of Paramaribo in initially peaceful demonstrations against government austerity measures, including eliminating subsidies, against a backdrop of high inflation.

But the protests turned ugly when demonstrators throwing rocks and bottles at police stormed parliament’s grounds, with some making their way into

the building before being forced back, a Reuters witness said. Police fired tear gas in return.

Others started fires and looted city shops, many of which had closed as a precaution amid the unrest.

The government of President Chandrikapersad

Santokhi condemned the violence and said it had set up a task force to track down those responsible for attacking parliament.

“Vigorous action will be taken against the individuals who instructed, carried out and caused destruction in these attacks,” it said in a statement.

The United States embassy in Paramaribo condemned the attack on the National Assembly build-

ing and related violence in a statement, calling the incidents an “unacceptable assault on democracy.”

Suriname’s Ministry of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Technological Innovation advised businesses owners to shut their premises on Friday and Saturday, due to safety concerns.

Suriname, a former Dutch colony in northern South America with a population of 610,000, reported inflation of 54.6 per cent for 2022.

The protests come in the same week that the smallest party in government left the ruling coalition, citing disagreements over poverty and social policies. (Reuters)

security forces have struggled to contend with gangs that have taken control of large swathes of the capital city, Port-au-Prince (Odelyn Joseph/AP Photo)

Countering Organised Crime

GUYANA’s Anti-Money Laundering/ Combatting the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) measures are essential for the country’s economic and financial stability.

Money laundering and financing of terrorism are serious crimes that can cause harm to both the country’s financial system and its citizens.

Guyana has made significant progress in implementing AML/CFT measures in recent years.

The Government of Guyana has demonstrated a commitment to combatting money laundering and the financing of terrorism. The Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Act provides a framework for the prevention, detection, and prosecution for money laundering and terrorism financing activities. This law requires financial institutions, including banks, money transfer services, and insurance companies to have AML/CFT programmes in place to prevent and detect these crimes.

The Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of Guyana is responsible for implementing and enforcing AML/CFT measures. The FIU has made significant strides in recent years, including the establishment of a risk assessment methodology and the creation of an online reporting system for suspicious financial activities. The FIU has also increased

its collaboration with international AML/ CFT agencies to improve the effectiveness of its efforts.

Recently, the Attorney General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mohabir Anil Nandlall, met with a visiting delegation from the Regional Security System (RSS) Asset Recovery Unit (ARU) at the Attorney General Chambers.

Guyana signed on with the RSS in March 2022 at the 33rd Inter-sessional meeting of Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Heads in Belize.

“Currently, we are drafting legislation which we are to enact speedily before the commencement of our mutual evaluation later this year. Your intervention, therefore, is not only most welcomed but it could not have been better timed. Certainly, we will accept your guidance and incorporate it in our legislative and other endeavours. “We will also take advantage of your offer for capacity building at every level including at the investigative, prosecuting and adjudicative levels. We are prepared to partner with you in organising workshops to build capacity in the important agencies which form part of our AML/ CFT infrastructure,” the Attorney General told the visiting delegation.

Guyana signed on with the RSS in

March 2022 at the 33rd Inter-sessional meeting of Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Heads in Belize.

The Instrument of Accession for the Treaty Establishing the Regional Security System, making Guyana a member of the regional body, was later signed in September 2022. Guyana is also part of the RSS Asset Recovery Inter-Agency Network of the Caribbean (ARIN-CARIB) eight-member steering group that administers that operational arm.

The RSS ARU is a regional unit established to combat serious organised crime in the Caribbean common law jurisdictions, through partnership and the robust application of proceeds of crime and money-laundering legislation.

Currently, this unit is seen as the centre of excellence in the Eastern Caribbean in combatting serious organised crime, money laundering and the recovery of criminal assets. It commenced in November 2015, taking over from the highly successful Eastern Caribbean Financial Investigations Advisory Team (ECFIAT) and Caribbean Criminal Assets Recovery Programme (CCARP).

Based in Barbados, it covers the eight RSS Member States, namely Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia and St Vincent & the Grenadines. The team also

provides wider regional support to include key transit countries such as Trinidad and Tobago and the overseas territories of the United Kingdom.

The government is currently focusing on the enforcement of AML/CFT regulations and in ensuring that all financial institutions comply with AML/CFT regulations and that violators are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

There have also been increased public awareness campaigns to educate citizens on the dangers of money laundering and financing of terrorism.

Further, there is an oversight of non-financial sectors, such as real estate and the gaming industry since these sectors are known to be vulnerable to money laundering activities and the government is taking steps to ensure that they are adequately regulated and monitored.

Guyana’s AML/CFT measures are crucial for maintaining the country’s economic and financial stability. The government has taken significant steps to implement AML/ CFT regulations and improve the effectiveness of its efforts.

The government is vigilant in its efforts to combat money laundering and financing of terrorism, and ensure that all citizens and institutions are aware of the dangers of these crimes.

PNC crippled the bauxite industry, caused severe hardships

Dear Editor,

IT seems as though Lincoln Lewis has come out of the woodwork and has awoken from his deep slumber of irrelevance and nothingness.

He is now seeking to twist and misrepresent the facts surrounding the collapse of the bauxite industry in Guyana.

This man, who single-handedly engineered the near collapse of the Guyana Trades Union Congress and the Guyana Labour Union, now comes up with the “big lie” that under Bharrat Jagdeo’s presidency, the bauxite industry’s self- contributing pension fund, worth more than $2.5 billion, was destroyed, among other things.

Lewis, then in his missive, alleged President Jagdeo and President, Dr. Irfaan Ali are guilty of discriminating against one group, the Afro-Guyanese in favour of another group, the Indo-Guyanese.

Lewis should not be taken seriously in Guyana or elsewhere for that matter, but I have to set the record straight for all who lived through the very period he refers to in his letter, and for history.

I will do so too for the young people and the Afro-Guyanese youth who might be led astray by this very so-called union and labour representative.

Firstly, it was the Peoples Progressive Party/Civic that rescued the bauxite industry when it came to power from being badly mismanaged after it was on the verge of collapse under the Peoples National Congress Government.

It had already been virtually destroyed under the PNC and it was in 1983 that the bauxite industry suffered its first major retrenchment of workers, and the alumina plant and the bauxite operations at Ituni were closed.

Let Lewis dispute that and let him dispute that it was under former President Desmond Hoyte that the decision to sell the industry to private interest was made.

By this time, the PPP came to power, the production of bauxite was one-third of the production in 1975 and an increasing decline was evident. PNC killed the heartbeat of the Linden Mining Enterprise (LINMINE) steam power plant, not the PPP.

Secondly, the bauxite industry self-contributing Pension Fund was not worth more than $2.5 billion at the time when it was audited. Anyway, the PNC made sure it was not managing the funds of Pension Fund properly and per strict financial laws. It was wiped out because there was never really any transparency and accountability.

If anything, the workers know that it was PPP that saved some of the funds or else all

would have dried up. I challenge Lewis to provide a document that proved they were wiped out because of the PPP’s deliberate mismanagement and to say to the nation what he or any labour representative did to stop is. It is simply not true and Lewis knows this! He is just being political because he has to sing for his supper!

Thirdly, Lewis’ letter seems to be the grumblings of a bitter old man. The contents are bitter, vexatious and vacuous. Putting former President Jagdeo and President Ali’s investments in the sugar and agriculture industries, and tax support for the private sector, and what happened with bauxite, in general, is neither smart nor going to support Lewis’ argument that the government is discriminating against Afro-Guyanese.

It is absurd because the PPP bailed out bauxite and stopped the bleeding just like it is helping those industries along to financial independence.

I think he should come clean about all the workers who were allegedly retrenched and fired under the Jagdeo presidency. The unions and workers know it had nothing to do with Linden, race and politics. The PPP did all that was possible to keep the industry alive including retooling and re-educating the workers in other areas.

Lewis must be honest and accept the fact

that PNC killed the vibrancy of the sector through failed policies, bad financial deals and poor management. The unions are to be blamed because they knew it all the years and did nothing to stop the haemorrhaging of those industries.

PPP/C is still supporting the bauxite industry today and people of Linden have access to jobs, and everything that the people in Region Six have access to as far as PPP/C Government is concerned.

Finally, Lewis tried to pin the tail on the wrong donkey. He shot his political shots but missed the target. He swung but failed to hit the runs home. I think the fact that the junior has to school the elder is telling and damming.

Lewis could crawl under the rock and hang his head in shame and not bother to come out to tell us rubbish ever again.

There is a popular saying that “memories do not live as people do” and an old saying that “twist and re-twisting the truth will not change the truth.” If there is anything he must learn from this, it is never to underestimate the value of history, reading and research.

Now, I’m ready for the PNC trolls…

Yours respectfully, Hon. Anand Persaud, M.P Minister within the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development

Editor Navendra Seoraj

Time for Lincoln Lewis to be brought in from the cold

Dear Editor,

BEING a former employee of our bauxite industry, from 1967 to 1992, and having been Minister Responsible for Mines and Minerals (including our bauxite sector) from 1992 to 2011, I am obliged to respond to the allegations made by Lincoln Lewis in his letter in the Kaieteur News which was published on February 13, 2023, entitled “Under Jagdeo’s Presidency the bauxite industry self-contributing Pension Fund worth more than $2.5 Billion was destroyed,”

The bauxite industry contributing pension fund was not destroyed but distributed to its members. President Jagdeo saved it from destruction by refusing to hand it over to Mr. Lincoln Lewis as head of the union and his associates.

Our PPP/C Government’s position was that we had a legal and moral responsibility to hand the full benefit (employer and employee contribution as provided for in the pension fund rules) to every member of the pension fund. We said to Mr. Lewis and his colleagues that we can give each worker his cheque at one table and you can have a table nearby so that each worker could deposit it into your Fund as he or she may choose. It was for you, Mr. Lewis, to so persuade and commit to the workers.

Yes, “all bauxite workers, at a certain time, both at Linden and Berbice were terminated (some twice)” but no worker at that time went on the breadline. Those workers ended one day working for the government-owned company, receiving their termination of employment and all benefits; and the very next day went back to work for the new private bauxite company.

Mr. Lewis is remembering only those parts of various stories which paint his false picture of Former President Jagdeo and the PPP/C, as he advances his false charges that we have been bent on discriminating against and affronting the dignity of our fellow Afro-Guyanese citizens. We were not without blemish, but we worked for the equitable development of all our people.

Yes, there were lots of job losses in the bauxite sector: the first, the biggest and most traumatic was in 1983. For a full story allow me to recall the history. Like Lincoln, I put a lot of my early working life into the bauxite industry. I was devastated at many levels by the obvious steady decline after 1975- even though, I knew about the new, more advantageous bauxite deposits that were developed in Jamaica, Guinea and Australia; and I knew that nothing is forever-everything goes through the life cycle of being born/started, maturing, glory days, peaking, declining and disappearing. This is particularly so with “wasting resources” – minerals and oil and gas resources which do not “grow back” in our lifetime. The challenge is to use the benefits derived to soundly build new places in the future.

By the early 1980s many authorities were calling for a great downsizing and transforming of our bauxite sector and wondering whether it could be profitable again. President Burnham in 1982, looking to a return of the World Bank/ IMF, gave a go ahead for shrinking, which saw the drawing up of retrenchment lists to reduce employment by one third at every level. He back tracked in 1982, but the retrenchment went ahead in 1983. About 1,800 employees were retrenched then, receiving their full retrenchment and all other benefits. Declining fortunes continued in the bauxite sector requiring regularly, millions of dollars of subsidising support from our Treasury. In addition, there were two multilateral interventions – 1985 and 1990- and “voluntary” retrenchments (without replacements) was extended. Mr. Lewis should see the “beleaguered GuySuCo” as being these days in much the same position as the bauxite sector was through the 1970s and 80s, receiving proportionately similar billions of tax-payers money, and finding similarly, that the new and different approaches recommended by engineers and consultants have not been rewarded. Our experience in the way our bauxite sector has evolved can provide us valuable insights on how our sugar sector might yet evolve.

When, we, the PPP/C entered office in October 1992, we met in place an agreement entered into between the outgoing PNC administration and the multilaterals and bilaterals, which saw a Foreign Manager, MINPROC of Australia, installed since 1990. MINPROC was to pronounce by the end of 1994, whether they saw that the sector could be restored to profitability or not. If profitable the company was to be divested; if not, it was to be shut down forthwith. After more than a dozen

years, more good money from taxes was not to be thrown to the bauxite sector to keep it going.

In 1994, MINPROC announced that it saw no way of bauxite returning to profitability. We the PPP/C, according to the PNC, were supposed to shut down the sector forthwith. But we did no such thing, we violated that covenant. We argued with the World Bank/IMF, other multilaterals and bilaterals and found a number of creative ways, off and on budget, to keep the sector going, whilst we continued shrinking by retirement and “voluntary retrenchment;” and “unbundling.” We hoped for eventual privatisation of the bauxite cores, as eventually happened, and that some unbundled departments would become privatised businesses on their own.

We were conscious that the days of the old paternalistic company town, as well as the socialist state of state-owned enterprises were at an end, but they left in the minds of our people of the bauxite communities a mindset which would be a great drag. Accordingly, we embarked on changing the mindset from “company employees in a company town” to that of “self-responsible, enterprising entrepreneurs in an open town.” President Jadgeo announced special incentives to encourage business ventures in the bauxite communities whether initiated by persons from within the communities, from elsewhere in Guyana, or from “foreign.”

Mr. Lewis charges again that the Jagdeo regime did not acknowledge an offer from the Union in partnership with a

foreign investor to purchase Bermine. That offer was considered and found though desirable, to be not credible, and further many workers did not support it.

Mr. Lewis’s reference to the troubles at BCGI in 2009, points to an area for his reconsideration, and perhaps for all of us. Our righteous anger in the 1950s and 60s, our indignation about slavery and indentureship and the historical European colonial exploitation by imperialist capitalists put us at war with the developed countries and their transnational corporations. In DEMBA in the late 1960s, in the run up to nationalisation, much crude, unruly worker behavior was defended, even instigated, which otherwise would not have been acceptable. No wonder, after nationalisation, workers were in some confusion and there was much talk about “functional superiority.” Industrial relations after nationalisation in 1971, were the worst they had ever been.

I was Minister for the bauxite sector in 2009, when certain incidents occurred at Aroiama, and it was clear that Mr. Lewis was misleading himself and those workers following him, along the 1960s, pre-nationalisation of DEMBA playbook. But we are no longer at war with the developed world. These days we aim to be “Workers for the World” and “Partners with the World.”

The attacks on President Jagdeo must be particularly

Time for Lincoln Lewis to be brought ...

hurtful since as a young economist, he led a study of the Linden community with other young economists of Linden including De Clou and Cole.

He has known of and has been concerned about the challenges of the bauxite communities.

Thus, from budget to budget, he would put to the table that our subsidy of electricity in Linden (to the extent of G$3 billion, 90 per cent of the costs) was an important vehicle for putting money into Linden and the other bauxite communities.

The problem was that it was greatly

inefficient, wasteful to the extent of 50 per cent and more when compared with the electricity consumption of a similar cohort of customers on our electricity grid on the coast. The responsible thing to do was to seek more efficient and effective ways of injecting that money into the bauxite communities. And, sensitive to the dignity of our fellow citizens in Linden, we talked little about this subsidy, a very large allocation at that time, until we were braced with charges like those from Mr. Lewis that we were not doing anything for the people of Linden and the bauxite communities.

Again, please allow me to recall that when the Cambior/OGML group to which the Linden bauxite core was initially privatised, after an initial period of success, found themselves with little sales and announced that they had to shut down the operations for a month or two, President Jagdeo without a moment’s hesitation announced that his government would provide basic, 40 hours/week pay to every worker to be furloughed under the condition that such employees, from the janitorial to the managerial level, be engaged in a certain number of hours each week in learning or teaching something appropriate in computing.

It was amusing, but indicative of the challenges we faced. One commentator mischievously remarked that whilst the Jagdeo regime was doing its best to attract and keep mainly Indo-Guyanese workers in the dead-end job of manually cutting cane, it was pointing the mainly Afro-Guyanese bauxite worker to the future- working with computers. This would not have fazed Mr. Jagdeo. True, he is an Indian Guyanese, but he is and has been overarchingly, a Guyanese. Comrade Bharat has been and continues to be a blessing to all Guyanese and Guyana and even further afield where he has been so recognised.

Lewis first two paragraphs, particularly his allusions to the role of Prime Minister Phillips in the current PPP/C Government betray judgements, suspicions and questions, which emerged in the 1950s, and are still hanging around. Much of what these paragraphs say is what is to be read into them, between the lines, subliminal.

Mr. Lewis’s grumblings about the Men on Mission (MOM) programme reveals the orneriness in which he is stuck. He is loath to see anything good in the PPP/C. He cannot see that the threat to the co-operatives is intended to motivate African Guyanese members and leaders “to get up, stand up on their foot” and do a better job. He, and all of us have to get out of falling back on the paralyzing mindset of

being helpless victims which sets us up for new exploitation. Nonetheless, we ought to be understanding and sympathetic to Mr. Lewis and help him and others who are stuck with such views. A steadily closer union wouldn’t happen just so, we have to work at it and we are not alone as a country.

Today, in many countries with people of different ethnicities, much effort is put into having a diverse representative team, even though some of it might at first be thought of as contrived and awkward. Diversity is a common expectation today, but Cheddi and the PPP have been at this task of our nation building, across race, color, creed and class from the 1943 days of the PAC (Political Affairs Committee) and they have persisted.

After many years of being cheated, Cheddi and the PPP returned in 1990 to putting together a diverse group for the expected 1990 elections, and I was presented as the Prime Ministerial candidate. Many Afro-Guyanese asked: You believe that the PNC would allow Cheddi and you-all PPP to win the election? And if them people win, do you believe they will make you Prime Minister in truth? We now know the answers to both those questions.

It is time for Mr. Lewis and many of us seniors to reconsider and put aside much of our views, insecurities, and fears and attitudes formed in our youthful days in the 1950s and 1960s. We have had some 60 years’ experience since and much has happened and changed in the world and in Guyana. It is time to accept the PPP and PPP/C and Indo-Guyanese as Guyanese of no less standing and no less caring for Guyana.

Cheddi Jagan the leader, members and supporters of the PPP were put to the test repeatedly and we paid our dues many times over during the many decades of our history from the 1950s to today.

African Guyanese and Indian Guyanese and indeed Guyanese, of all races, with time, have been learning to work together in developing Guyana, and in the process, we are all becoming overarchingly Guyanese. We should not leave Mr. Lewis or anyone out.

I invite Mr. Lewis with his evidently great abilities to change his mindset, change his tune, come in from the cold and join in the realisation of a converging Guyana, steadily growing more prosperous all around.

Yours truly, Samuel

A. A. Hinds, Ambassador to the United States of America and the Organisation of American States

Was the violence the work of PPP infiltrators or PNC thugs?

Dear Editor,

THE morning of June 28, 2022, marked another dark day of racial violence in Guyana.

Responding to a mischievously inaccurate Facebook posting which stated that a police officer, who allegedly shot and killed Quinton Bacchus was released from police custody, the residents of Golden Grove took to the streets in protest.

Bacchus was killed in an alleged shootout after reportedly trying to sell a firearm to an undercover policeman in the Haslington New Scheme on June 10, 2022. The protest ended up at the Mon Repos market where it quickly turned violent.

Vendors of Indian descent were beaten and robbed, and their stalls and transportation destroyed and set on fire. Motorists and commuters were stranded the entire day as the protestors blocked the roadway with burning debris. No one was arrested.

Later, Dr David Hinds went on Facebook

and gave his account of the mayhem, accusing the PPP/C of planting infiltrators in the midst of the “innocent” protestors to create havoc, to let it appear as though Afro-Guyanese were behind the beating, burning and looting at the Mon Repos market. He proclaimed the innocence of those who participated in the “peaceful” protest and said the PPP chickens were coming home to roost. He soon had his racist partner parroting the same rhetoric on Kams TV.

Well, if there were really “PPP infiltrators” who created the terror at the Mon Repos market on June 28 of last year, one would expect the likes of David Hinds to be happy if they were caught and severely punished for trying to blame it all on the innocent protestors from Golden Grove.

Then earlier this month on February 1, unrest again erupted in another PNC stronghold, this time in Buxton, after members of the Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit (CANU) arrested a drug trafficker who tried to get away with over 52 pounds of cannabis in his car.

Demanding his release, the Buxton protestors blocked the road with burning debris, terrorising commuters and lighting afire the truck of a businessman who has nothing to do with their demands.

Police Commissioner Clifton Hicken issued a warning that this behaviour will not be tolerated, and shortly thereafter, issued arrest warrants for 12 persons accused of terrorism over the Mon Repos market incident. I expect more to follow.

Now, if David Hinds was right, those 12 wanted for terrorism should be all PPP supporters who were paid handsomely to infiltrate the “peaceful” protestors in Golden Grove to give Afro-Guyanese a bad name. He should be happy that finally, justice have been

served on these PPP “house slaves”. But not so, his rhetoric has been changed. Now he’s claiming that the wanted 12 were all innocent “peaceful” protestors, and are being hunted by the police because they’re black men.

Come on David, you can’t have it both ways. Before they were wanted, they were PPP infiltrators. Now that they’re being rounded up for terrorism, they’re innocent alter-boys.

To me, they’re plain ole PNC thugs that need to be put away with all those who are inciting violence and spewing racism every day on social media.

Yours sincerely, Harry Gill

Bartica couple dies after accident

A motorcyclist and his 23-year-old pillon rider were killed after they were hit by car at Bartica, Region Seven, on Thursday afternoon.

Felicia Lewis, a housewife of Mora Camp, Bartica, was pronounced dead shortly after the accident, while her husband, David Huggings, 26, of 1/2 Mile Potaro Road Bartica, died just after noon on Friday.

According to a police press release, ranks are

investigating the fatal accident which occurred around 15:50 hrs at Fourth Avenue and Fifth Street, Bartica.

The accident involved a motorcycle, CL #3359, owned and driven by Hugging,, and motor car PRR 5669, owned and driven by Byron Pearson, a 66-year-old taxi driver of Mongrippa Hill, Bartica.

“Enquiries revealed that motor car PRR 5669 was proceeding south

along the eastern side of Fourth Avenue, Bartica, at a speed of about 20 kph and failed to stop at the ‘stop sign’ on Fifth Street, Bartica. The motorcycle CL 3359, on the other hand, was proceeding east along the northern side of Fifth Street at a fast speed and collided with the right-side front portion of motorcar PRR 5669,” the release.

It further stated that as a result of the collision, the

motorcyclist and pillion rider fell onto the roadway and received injuries to their head and body.

They were picked up by public-spirited persons in an unconscious state and rushed to the Bartica Re-

gional Hospital.

A doctor on duty pronounced Lewis dead on arrival, while the motorcyclist was admitted to the Male Surgical Ward with head trauma and lacerations on his body. He was later air-dashed to Georgetown for further medical care. He, however, succumbed to his injuries.

The driver of motorcar PRR 5669 was breathalysed, and the results read .000 BAC.

According to the police, he was served a notice of intended prosecution and remains in custody.

Felicia Lewis David Huggings

CARICOM throws support behind President Santokhi, calls for urgent restoration of peace

IN the wake of the ongoing disturbance in Suriname, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) said on Friday that it reaffirms its support for the democratically elected government under the leadership of President Chandrikapersad Santokhi.

In a statement, CARICOM said the Heads of Government have received a report from Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Business and International Cooperation

of Suriname regarding the situation in that country.

“The Heads of Government took note of the unfolding situa -

of demonstration. They affirmed that these actions only serve to undermine the rule of law and the stability of democracies. Further-

more, they threaten the lives and livelihoods of our citizens and are inimical to the interest of our population,” the statement said.

It added that CARICOM stands in solidarity with all law-abiding citizens of Suriname and urges all concerned to make every effort to

maintain public safety.

“All efforts must be made to restore calm as a matter of urgency,” CARICOM said.

tion in Suriname and strongly condemned the violent attacks on people as well as private and public facilities including the parliament. They recognised the right to freedom of expression, and the right to peaceful protest, but expressed the view that there can be no excuse for the use of violence in any type

‘Brown Sugar Too Bitter for Me’ sequel premieres this Sunday

‘BROWN

Sugar Too

Sweet For Me 2 – The Oil Dream’, the sequel of ‘Brown Sugar Too Sweet For Me’ which was produced and aired in 2013, will premiere at Movie Towne Guyana on February 19.

The two-hour and 35-minute drama movie is the product of Mahadeo Shivraj, a Guyanese producer based in New York, and will run until February 28.

In a recent interview

with the Guyana Chronicle, Shivraj said that the first movie dealt with human values and sacrifice.

“It was based on these parents who worked in the sugar plantation but they didn’t want their kids to become cane cutters. They wanted them to go to university and become graduates in different professions,” he explained.

He said that the sequel was influenced by the closure of sugar estates which left 7,000 workers

unemployed. This was not only detrimental to them but their families as well.

“I came here for my mother-in-law’s funeral and I found out that people had committed suicide and things all stemming from that (the sugar estates’ closure),” he recalled.

He felt as though he needed to highlight this and simultaneously, Guyana’s emerging oil industry was making headlines.

“At the same time,

there was the oil boom and everybody was talking about oil and maybe oil will bring an end to all the ills of society and bring, you know, there will be no poor person anymore, but at the end of it, I was thinking to myself, what if there’s an oil spill? Are we prepared for it?” he asked. He said that instantly, he felt as though that would be the backdrop for his new movie. He then spoke to his friend,

a writer, who was able to complete the movie script within a year. The movie was produced and set to air in 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic caused a delay.

While the movie is fictitious, he said that it does address real-life situations and issues.

“…but there’s a makeup part about it with oil and gas and corruption and stuff like that in high places, because when all is said and done, you want to make something that’s entertaining,” he noted.

Shivraj shared that at the same time, he has made an effort to ensure that all of his previously released films, educate people in some manner and he hopes that this sequel will do the same.

In expressing the belief that enough is not being done to recognise the talent among Guyanese citizens, he shared an experience from when he produced part one of the movie.

“When I made sugar (Brown Sugar Too Bitter For Me), the first one, I went to Richmond

Hill which is called Little Guyana and I took some fliers in relation to the movie and was handing out to people and saying, I just made this movie, that if you could come out to support,” he said.

He added: “A middle-aged woman took the flyer and threw it back at me and said, ‘bai, meen want see stupidness. Guyanese can make movie?’”

While this was a devastating experience for Shivraj, he did not allow that to stop him from realising his dreams.

He said that he truly believes that Guyana has talent and wishes for more resources to be made available to push the film industry further.

In the future, he says he plans to do other films which will include more young Guyanese.

He stated that talks for a film he wants to produce later in the year have already begun.

Mahadeo Shivraj

Muslim scholar found not guilty of child rape

THE controversial Muslim scholar who is currently serving 45 years for sodomizing a young boy, was, on Friday,

found not guilty of raping a six-year-old lad in 2011.

Ali, also known as ‘Mufti,’ an Imam

ERC extends greetings to Hindus observing Maha Shivratri

THE Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) has extended greetings to thousands of Hindus across the country who will be observing Maha Shivratri today.

The ERC in a press release said it is cognisant that the annual auspicious occasion on the Hindu calendar is marked by fasting, prayers and paying homage to Lord Shiva, a central figure of the Hindu Trinity.

It said it further recognises that the occasion demands of Hindus to move away from conflict and embrace truth and peace instead.

“Ideally, the Commission behooves every Guyanese to traverse similar pathways to achieve national harmony and peace,” the release said before adding that the observance is a major festival in Hinduism which reminds devotees to overcome darkness and ignorance, practice self-restraint and grant forgiveness to others.

The ERC said it supports the continuous freedom of all Guyanese to celebrate their respective traditions and observances in our multi-religious society and Maha Shivaratri further consolidates the country’s religious diversity.

The body is certain that all the ethnic groups can learn from each other’s cultural practices to promote tolerance in one multi-ethnic homeland, the release added.

of Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, was on trial before Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the Sexual Offences Court of the Demerara High Court.

He had denied the offence which alleged that during the month of December 2011, while being a teacher attached to the Turkeyen Masjid, he engaged in sexual activity with the victim.

Ali was represented by

–– has seven similar matters pending

attorneys-at-law Dexter Smartt and Dexter Todd.

On Friday, the jury after deliberating for almost two hours returned with the not guilty verdict. The jury also found him not guilty of an alternative count of rape of a child under the age of 16.

On March 14, 2019, Ali was sentenced to serve 45 years by Justice Navindra Singh after a jury found him guilty of raping

a nine-year-old boy.

Ali had filed an appeal to set aside the verdict and sentence passed down on him. He is still to be tried for seven additional counts of engaging in sexual activity with boys under the age of 12, which were allegedly committed in 2012.

At the time the offences allegedly occurred, Ali was in a position of trust, being a religious teacher,

and knew, or could reasonably expect to have known, of the trust in relation to the boys.

The boys were attending Arabic and Quran classes at the time.

Muslim scholar Nezaam Ali

‘Energy’ Expo heightens interest in O&G sector

By Telesha Ramnarine

FOR Princess Baboolall, a Year One Mechanical Engineering student at the Government Techni-

ments that GTI had put in place, students from various departments were allowed to visit the ‘expo’, and Princess was among them.

cal Institute (GTI), the 2023 International Energy Conference and Expo has been nothing short of a delight, since it has stirred and heightened her desire ever more to become a mechanical engineer.

The professionals that she was able to interact with, along with the practical demonstrations of things that are familiar and fascinating to her, made her visits to the Marriott venue well worth it.

Thanks to the arrange-

“My father is a mechanic, and I grew up in the workshop; running about, getting injured,” she laughed. “It became a norm, and I just like the job. I fix cars with my father.”

Princess, whose dad operates Navin and Company in Grove, East Bank Demerara, is hoping to one day be able to work on an oil rig.

“The country is moving so fast, and a lot more will be developed, so I am sure that more will be on the scene by the next expo,” she shared.

Her friend, Adrianna Edghilo, who is studying Electrical Engineering, also at GTI, offered that it was nice to have a first-hand look at the things that she’d only read in books so far.

“I’m looking forward to the next ‘expo’, so that I can do a bit more in-depth exploring,” Adrianna said.

As for Nia Conway, a Fifth Form student at Queen’s College who doesn’t yet know what ca-

they were able to gather names and phone numbers for possible follow-ups.

Almost 200 exhibitors and over 800 delegates were scheduled to be part of the second edition of the annual event, which opened on Tuesday and concluded on Friday. The event had about 30 sponsors with 188 booths, comprising 70 international entities and 83 local businesses.

Some 60 speakers deliv-

NEW SERVICE

Also speaking with this publication was Head of the Health and Safety Department at Puran Brothers Disposal Services, Jason Carter, who noted that the networking afforded by the event has been amazing.

“We have gotten jobs; companies that are interested in our services. This has been extremely well for us. With this amount of networking that we did over the past three days, I think that’s a boom for business,” Carter said.

He used the opportunity to highlight a new service that will be offered by the end of March that will particularly benefit the oil companies.

“The totes that they bring their chemicals in are hard to get rid of; they try to destroy them. Doing so has been a challenge for the oil companies, but now we are bringing in shredders,” he explained.

This new service will also be used to shred tyres.

“I know that the country has a lot of tyres; the

is still virtually unknown.

It has been building software for companies to use and has done significant work with auto sales companies, helping them to manage their entire operations.

This software, and the many others available at Techlify, has been designed “from scratch” by local personnel. The company is headed by Joshua Kissoon who studied Computer Science, and went on to do his Master’s in India.

Manager and Network Engineer Darren Isardin shared how the ‘expo’ has helped Techlify to network with other businesses.

“Many business owners came, and were interested in our services; they saw how it can save them a lot of time and money, especially the payroll software.”

The fact that other businesses were made aware of the services the company provides and the tremendous benefits that persons can gain from them, was perhaps one of the biggest advantages of participating in the expo. In the past few

reer she wants to pursue, she went to the ‘expo’ in the hope of finding some guidance on what may be available.

“I found some things I think are interesting that I will go home and look up,” she told this publication. Her experience at the ‘expo’ has definitely helped her determine a way forward.

Meanwhile, Melissa Jacobus, a cardiac nurse at the Caribbean Heart Institute who works in the Outpatient Department, shared that most persons who visited the booth had never heard of the services that they provide. As such,

ered presentations under the theme, “Harnessing Energy for Development”. The event was organised and entirely privately funded by the newly formed company, International Energy Conference and Expo Inc., which is headed by Chairman Anthony Whyte.

The ‘expo’ assembled Heads of State, government officials, policymakers, academics, industry professionals, and global energy thought leaders.

Some of the onboard partners were CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited (CPGL), Hess Corporation, and GTT.

landfill is usually packed up on one side,” Carter observed.

POTENTIAL CLIENTS

Techlify, a local software company located in Queenstown, has been around for some time but

days, the company’s potential clientele has surpassed the 100 mark.

“And we haven’t even showed them the full features of our company; just some demo videos and they were pretty excited about it,” Isardin shared.

Two held, one being sought for attempted murder of gold miner

POLICE ranks in Regional Division #7 are investigating an alleged attempted murder committed on Ryan Williams, a 22-year-old miner of Byderabo Village, Essequibo River, by three suspects who are ages 17, 20 and 25.

According to a press release, the incident occurred at approximately 16:00 hours on Thursday at Byderabo Road, Bartica.

According to Annalisa Pereira, the reput-

ed wife of the victim, Williams and two of the suspects, who are brothers (the 20-yearold and 25-year-old), are neighbours and friends.

“On the mentioned date and time, the victim, who was ‘under the influence’ of alcohol, had an argument with the 20-yearold suspect’s 17-year-old girlfriend, which subsequently subsided.

The matter escalated again when the

other brother returned home and learnt about the earlier argument. The two brothers and the 17-year-old female then went to the victim’s house and confronted him, during which they allegedly dealt him several lashes about his body and head with a piece of wood, causing injuries.

Annalisa Pereira then took her husband to the Bartica Regional Hospital, where he sought medical attention but lost conscious-

ness. He was admitted as a patient but had to be air-dashed to the Georgetown Public Hospital for emergency medical treatment,’ the release added.

A report was made, and the 20-year-old and 17-year-old suspects were arrested. They are presently in custody while efforts are being made to apprehend the third suspect. Investigations are in progress.

Staff of Puran Brothers Disposal Services at the ‘expo’ (Photo taken from Puran’s Facebook page)

Darren Isardin (first left) with other staff of Techlify (Photo taken from Techlify’s Facebook page)

Representatives of the Caribbean Heart Institute explaining one of the services they offer (Adrian Narine photo)

Princess Baboolall (right) with her friend Adrianna Edghilo (Adrian Narine photo)

Three granted scholarships to study in India

THE High Commission of India has selected three Guyanese this month to travel to India as part of scholarships provided by the Government of India.

Selected was: Mr. Delon Turpin, a state auditor residing in Georgetown, who is currently studying auditing

in an IT environment at the International Center for Information Systems and Audit in Uttar Pradesh, India. Mr. Turpin’s course will last one month under the Indian Technical and Economic Co-operation (ITEC) program.

Captain Wyette Nestor of

the Guyana Defence Force was also selected to study the Officers Transport and Management Course at the Army Service Corps and College in Bangaluru, India. Captain Nestor, of West Coast Berbice, will be away in India for approximately two months.

Another successful par-

ticipant of the ITEC Scholarship is Mr. Elon Sooknanan, the Head of Public Infrastructure Transportation Tourism at Environmental Protection Agency, residing on West Coast Demerara, who will study Environmental Management at the Environment Protection Training

India’s High Commissioner, Dr. KJ Srinivasa, with Head of Public Infrastructure Transportation Tourism at Environmental Protection Agency, Elon Sooknanan and Research Institute in Hyderabad for three weeks.

The participants were allowed to meet and interact with High Commissioner, Dr. KJ Srinivasa, before travelling to India to commence their respective training. Each participant expressed gratitude and excitement for the opportunity to study in India.

The High Commissioner discussed with them how sharing India’s own development experiences with

fellow developing countries based on partnership and co-operation for mutual benefit, via scholarships, helps to strengthen the bond between India and Guyana.

The High Commission recently released an updated list of the ITEC and Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) courses that the Government of India offers in military, technical, medical, entrepreneurship, and culture, amongst others.

All Opposition presentations in 2023 budget debates were carried

NOTING that Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton has been deliberately peddling misinformation, the stateowned National Communication Network (NCN), on Friday, said that it gave coverage to every Opposition Member of Parliament during the recently concluded budget debates.

In a press release, NCN said it has taken note of a press statement from the Office of the Leader of the Opposition purporting falsehoods concerning coverage of the 2023 budget debates by NCN.

It said that this type of “deliberate misinformation peddling” by Norton and the wider Opposition camp with regards to coverage of the Opposition, is nothing new, and in fact has become an entrenched pattern.

“In its most recent statement, Mr. Norton’s office claims that coverage was not provided to Opposition Members of Parliament during the debates for Budget 2023.

On the contrary, the record shows that the budget presentations of all 31 members of the Opposition, who spoke during the recently concluded debates, were broadcasted ‘unedited’, with a total airtime of about 949 minutes or 15.8 hours.

In addition to the broadcast of those presentations, 26 stories specific to Budget 2023 and which featured members of the Opposition, were prominent in the news during that period,” NCN said.

Its statement emphasised that it has and continues to provide coverage for press

–– NCN says in response to Norton’s claims

conferences hosted by the Leader of the Opposition.

“It should be noted that, on several occasions across normal news cycles, NCN was prevented from providing coverage to activities involving the Leader of the Opposition and APNU + AFC,” the release said before highlighting some of those instances.

According to NCN, on November 6, 2022, two of its cameramen who were on official duty, were attacked and intimidated in Mocha by a prominent member of Norton’s team.

In May of the same year in Linden, the NCN team covering a walk-about by the Opposition Leader at Amelia’s Ward was attacked by members of Norton’s delegation.

Further, NCN said that

during the National Toshaos Conference in July, 2022, a camera-operator who arrived to give coverage to the Opposition’s reception for toshaos at Woolford Avenue, was turned away by Norton.

In another instance, a reporter was verbally attacked when a questioned was posed to the Leader of the Opposition during one of his press conferences.

“These scenarios expose what can only be seen as a calculated strategy by the Leader of the Opposition and the APNU + AFC camps, to intimidate the state media, undermine its credibility, and create an environment of hostility towards its operatives who are legitimate members of the Fourth Estate,” NCN said.

budget debates over

years

KARAUDARNAU Village in the deep south of Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) is collaborating with the South Rupununi Conservation Society (SRCS) with support from the Field Museum, the Royal Ontario Museum, the University of Florida and Jacksonville Zoo to genetically identify a species of rabbit that has been roaming in the farmlands.

For decades, the residents have known that there are wild rabbits around and many

Many residents have kept the wild rabbits as pets

have kept them as pets, even giving them a local Wapichan name ‘Kazoo-tain’ (meaning long ears). However, the species remains undiscovered to science.

It is therefore not known whether the species of rabbit is the same that can be found

in Suriname or Brazil, if it is a subspecies, whether it is a new species entirely or if it is a domestic rabbit that has gone feral and multiplied.

“Without this information, it is difficult to manage the species as it cannot be determined whether they are a native or invasive species,” SRCS Programme Coordinator, Neal Millar, told this publication recently.

To resolve this, and subsequent to the collaboration mentioned above, SRCS has trained local residents from Karaudarnau Village to set traps to capture the rabbits. If these traps do not work, the residents also have their traditional methods of trapping which could prove to be more effective than the scientific traps being used.

The traps were set in four farms around the village where the rabbits have been known to be sighted and are referred to by the residents as “hotspots”.

When setting the traps, the team also found rabbit droppings which were evidence

that the rabbits were nearby. The traps were filled with items for bait such as carrots, potato leaves and peanuts which residents suggested that the rabbits eat. The residents that were trained will check the traps every morning to see if they have captured a rabbit and to rebait the traps.

Once a certain number of rabbits have been captured, they will be processed and sent to the Field Museum in Chicago and the Royal Ontario Museum in Canada for analysis. Using DNA sequencing, scientists at these museums will then be able to determine the species of rabbit that is present in Karaudarnau.

Concurrently, SRCS has also assisted four residents from the village to share a survey with other members of the community. The purpose of this survey is to find out more local information about the rabbits including how residents perceived them, how long they have been present in the village and where they can be most commonly found.

According to Millar, SRCS will then con-

tinue to collaborate with Karaudarnau Village to collect more important scientific information such as the range of the species, the type of habitat it prefers, its behaviour and its diet.

This data can then be used to create a plan for how the species could be managed and to create measures to ensure that either the species is conserved for future generations if it is a new species or limited if it is an invasive species so that it does not impact other native biodiversity.

“This is a very interesting project for a number of reasons. Firstly, it highlights the importance of local knowledge as the species has been known about locally for a long time and only because of this are efforts being made to scientifically identify it,” Millar said.

“Like all of the projects being imple-

mented by SRCS, the activities are being conducted by the residents of Karaudarnau themselves and they are being equipped with the skills needed to do these types of assessment by SRCS.

It reinforces that the residents of the Rupununi are the best persons to conduct research and that more effort is needed to build their capacity to do so,” he added.

THE Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) is planning to execute a number of drainage and irrigation, bridge, road, and building works costing more than $182 million.

The RDC is therefore inviting tenders from suitably qualified contractors to bid for the projects which include repairs and extensions to schools, upgrading and rehabilitation of roads, and construction of farm-tomarket roads.

According to ad in the February 17 edition of this newspaper, the region plans to construct sections of farmto-market roads at Dundee, Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara (ECD); Blairmont No.3, West Bank Berbice (WBB); and No. 12 Village,

West Coast Berbice (WCB).

Construction of a section of No. 7 Eastern Sideline, SOPR, WCB, is also on the cards.

Under bridges, the region wants to construct a heavy-duty timber bridge at Blairmont No. 3 Settlement, WBB; a greenheart bridge across Bellamy Canal, Abary/Catherine, Mahaicony, ECD; and a greenheart bridge across Bellamy Canal, Calcutta, Mahaicony, ECD.

As for roads, tenders are invited for the rehabilitation and upgrading of Fifth Cross Street, NOPR, Waterloo Jib, WCB; upgrading of Salik Street, Block D, Phase 1, Waterloo, WCB; and the rehabilitation and upgrading of Cross Street in Zeezight, WCB.

Under education buildings, the region plans to rehabilitate and extend the upper flat of the Bath Primary School at WCB; construct a tarmac, driveway and drains at Lachmansingh Primary School, Phase 2, Bush Lot, WCB; extend the Hopetown Primary School, WCB; extend the SEN building at No. 8 Primary – Phase 2, WCB; rehabilitate the Abary Primary School and headmistress living quarters and construct a driveway and drains and do landscaping at Mahaicony Secondary School, ECD.

The RDC office has advised that tender documents for these projects can be purchased from the Tender Board Secretariat at its office in Fort Wellington at a non-refundable fee of $2,500 per copy.

Guyana Revenue Authority and the National Insurance Scheme must accompany the Standard Bidding documents. The RDC said com -

pleted documents can be deposited in the

Residents of Karaudarnau Village have been trained to set traps to capture the rabbits for research purposes

Setting a rabbit trap using carrots

Region Five RDC invites tenders for 16 developmental projects

Chief of Staff attends Aero India 2023

CHIEF OF STAFF (COS), Brigadier Godfrey Bess, is attending the Aero India Defence Exhibition and Seminar, in Bengaluru, hosted by the Government of India from February 13 to February 18.

According to the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), the defence exhibition

Chief of Staff, Brigadier Godfrey Bess, at Aero India Defence Exhibition and seminar hosted by the Government of India, in Bengaluru

seeks to display India’s aerospace and defence capabilities growth and aims to strengthen India’s relations with other countries.

As such, Chiefs of Defence and Ministers of Defence from South America, Central America, North America and the Caribbean are in attendance.

With over 800 manufacturers on exhibition—692 Indian and 98 foreign—this exhibition is one of the largest in the world.

The GDF has, over the years, enjoyed cordial relations with the Indian Army and Navy, which have seen the Force benefit in capacity building as ranks continue to benefit from various training opportunities.

(ESPNCRICINFO) - In one of the only two Tests India have lost at home in the last 10 years, Australia won the toss on a turning track and posted 261 in Pune in 2016-17 . They batted with similar urgency after winning the toss on a Delhi pitch where they played just one seamer, and managed to get to 263.

Australia will be hoping the similarities endure even though the black-soil track of Delhi got better to bat on as the day progressed. The pitch started off with more turn than Nagpur had on day one and also more bounce than is usual in Delhi , but batting looked easier as the day progressed

R Ashwin looked the most threatening bowler , operating over two long spells to pick up 3 for 57

in 21 overs, including the wickets of Marnus Labuschagne and Steven Smith in the same over moments before lunch Mohammed Shami bowled attacking lines and lengths , which showed in his economy rate of over four , but he also produced four wickets.

It wasn ’ t the best of days for Ravindra Jadeja , who went at 3.23 an over and conceded boundaries regularly off the back foot, but was still good enough to take three wickets

Usman Khawaja and Peter Handscomb were the standout batters for Aus -

a deep fielder just for the reverse-sweep, until a welltimed reverse-sweep ended in a blinder of a catch for KL Rahul at cover-point. The opener was 19 short of a hundred.

(ESPNCRICINFO) - Tom Blundell produced a masterful, marshalling century to haul New Zealand from collapse to near first-innings parity, before England’s bat-

ters re-inflated their lead under the floodlights - including through a chaotic late appearance from Stuart Broad in full “Nighthawk” mode - as the first Test in

Mount Maunganui continued to hurtle towards its final, accelerated showdown.

By the close of an undulating second day, England had regained the upper hand

tralia When India were at their most threatening with Ashwin and Mohammed Siraj bowling in tandem in the first session, Khawaja went reverse-sweeping and sweeping to make sure they denied the bowlers a stationary target. It worked perfectly for Khawaja, even resulting in

Handscomb was more orthodox and assured, trusting his defence, waiting for the loose ball and, on occasion, creating backfoot shots. When Khawaja and Handscomb added 59 for the fifth wicket in the middle session, Australia looked the most in control they have been all series. However, they also suffered three double blows: losing Labuschagne and Smith on 91, then Khawaja and Alex Carey on 167 and 168, and Pat Cummins and Todd Murphy on 227. Handscomb stayed unbeaten on 72, adding 19 and 17 for the ninth and 10th wickets.

Khawaja, Handscomb 50s give Australia a chance Blundell pulls New Zealand from collapse

after a frustrating afternoon in the field, in which Blundell’s Test-best 138 had rescued New Zealand from a nadir of 83 for 5 to post a fighting first-innings of 306.

Ironically, given that England themselves had declared with one wicket still standing, much of that rescue act revolved around Blundell’s tenth-wicket stand with the debutant Blair Tickner, who not only stayed long enough to see his team-mate to his fourth Test century, but remained 3 not out from 24 balls in a partnership of 59 - a contribution that evoked Jack Leach’s hand in Ben Stokes’ Headingley heroics in 2019.

It could have been the basis for a similar turnaround in this match too, given how New Zealand had fared in their own late-night session on day one. But England, to their credit, came through an hour-long examination under the floodlights in some style, reaching 79 for 2 in 16 overs before the close, thanks to a pair of breezy 20-somethings from Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett. Though neither could go on , nor did they depart without taking some lumps

out of New Zealand’s fallow attack with ten counterpunching fours between them.

Duckett, England’s firstday agenda-setter, was once again the more fluent of the pair in reaching 25 from 27 before Tickner capped his day with a fine lifter, fenced to second slip. At the other end, the under-pressure Crawley battled through another torrid examination from Tim Southee to crack six boundaries in the space of 17 balls.

When he toe-ended a pull off Scott Kuggeleijn in search of his seventh, however, Crawley cleared the way for a circus-act denouement, as Broad marched out with 15 minutes left in the day’s play, and fulfilled his brief to cause chaos in the most absolute of fashions. A second-ball slog sailed high in the air, only to plop inches from the crease as neither Kuggeleijn nor Blundell committed to the catch, and there was time for four leg-side byes, a crashed four over the covers, and a ten-minute delay for a conveniently damaged helmet, before the stumps were finally pulled.

Tom Blundell acknowledges his hundred on the second afternoon

• Getty Images

Usman Khawaja used the reverse sweep to good effect (Getty Images)

GSA’s Bounty Farm Mash Handicap Squash Tournament

Khalils, Taylor Fernandes, Arjoon, Daniel Ince among 2nd night winners

By Sean Devers

NIGHT two of the GCA’s Bounty Farm Mash Handicap Squash Tournament was contested on Thursday at the Georgetown Club with Ashley and Jason-ray Khalil, Alex Arjoon, Taylor Fernandes and Daniel Ince being among the winners.

In this format, better seeded players have higher handicaps against players ranked below them to demonstrate mental fortitude and a high level of stamina in matches which go to 15 points

In Thursday night’s encounter, Ashley DeGroot was beaten by Daniel Ince 5-15, 15-10, 15-9, but not before Ince, the son of National coach Carl Ince, was made to fight hard in the longest battle of the night.

DeGroot, with positive points, was willing to move quickly around the court and fire in some volleys and forehand drives in a game in which long rallies were the feature of the night; Ince could only score five points after cutting down his negative points.

In game number two, Ince turned up the heat with some clinical shots and in another long game against

the determined DeGroot, won 15-10 while in the third and deciding game DeGroot made some simple mistakes as she hit balls into ‘tin’ when under no pressure.

The fitter Ince utilised the lob and drop shots to good effect, to win 15-9 to take the competitive match 2-1

Caribbean Women’s champion, Ashley Khalil, who started with an 8-point deficit to Avinash Oditt, with three positive points , went hard at each other with entertaining Squash before the 29-year-old Khalil won 15-6-15-10.

Watched by as a fair size gathering, the exhausted Dennis Dias recovered from

a second game defeat to win 15-7, 11-15, 15-10.

Brenno DaSilva beat Jnae Singh 15-8, 8-15, 15-8; Blake Edwards beat Emily Fung-a-Fat 15-10, 15-10; Alex Arjoon defeated GSA’s president, 15-12, 15-13 in a one-sided affair while Justin Ten Pow got the better of Avian Wade 5-15, 15-14 , 15-14.

Kirsten Gomes beat Anna Perreira 15-12, 15-11; Jeremy Ten Pow beat Jacob McDonald 15-11, 15-10; Louis Da Silva beat Chad De Abreu 15-12, 15-11, Nicholas Narain defeated Jason van Dijk 15-10, 8-15, 15-7, Lydia Fraser beat Nakita Hicks 15-

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER

(SATURDAY FEBRUARY 18, 2023) COMPLIMENTS OF CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83 GARNETT STREET, CAMPBELLVILLE, GEORGETOWN (TEL: 225-6158)

Answers to yesterday’s quiz:

(1) Tejnarine Chanderpaul-258 runs

(2) Innocent Kaia-172 runs

Today’s Quiz:

(1) Which WI bowler took most wickets in the justconcluded Test series versus Zimbabwe?

(2) Which Zimbabwean bowler claimed most wickets? Answers in tomorrow’s issue

11 - 15-11, Deja Dias beat Brian Edwards 15-13, 15-12. Shiloh Asregado beat Reagan Rodrigues 15-11,1513; Lloyd Fung-a-Fat beat

Jean Paul Bones 15-10, 1511; Taylor Fernandes beat Steven Xavier 15-2 , 15-8; and Josh Verwey beat Tian Edwards 1-13, 15-11.

Javid Rahaman beat Sarfirah Summer 15-11,1512, and Jason-Ray Khalil beat Ryan Rahaman 15-12, 15-9.

Bavuma named test captain for home series against West Indies

CMC – Temba Bavuma has been appointed Test captain for the two-match series against West Indies starting at month end, as part of what Cricket South Africa has termed a “restructure within the leadership group”.

The 32-year-old righthander, the first black African batsman to play Tests for South Africa, replaces Dean Elgar who led the Proteas in 15 Tests.

Bavuma is also the current white-ball captain but while he will continue to lead the squad in One-Day Internationals, he has given up leadership of the Twenty20 International unit.

“Cricket South Africa would like to welcome Temba as the new captain of the Proteas men’s national team,” said Director of Cricket, Enoch Nkwe.

“He is a player that has vast captaincy experience both at domestic level and on the international stage having led both the ODI and T20I teams since March 2021 when he was appointed.

“We trust he will deliver on all our expectations and help carry the team forward after some excellent work by his predecessor, Dean, during the same period.

“At the same time I would like to sincerely thank Dean for all his commitment to the role over the past two years.

“He helped the team navigate through some stormy waters and put them in good position on the ICC World Test Championship table.”

He continued: “Both men have made us proud with the work they have done within the wider Proteas group and look forward to the next step in what is a new era for the Proteas under the leadership of dual coaches, Shukri Conrad and Rob Walter.”

Bavuma has averaged 34 from 54 Tests since making his debut nine years ago against the West Indies, but has made only one hundred – an unbeaten 102 against England in 2016.

He leads a 15-man squad

which will miss batsmen Rassie van der Dussen and Kyle Verreynne, along with fast bowler Lungi Ngidi, after the trio were dropped.

Elgar has retained his place while Senuran Muthusamy, a left-arm spinning all-rounder, has been recalled for the first time in nearly four years, along with Aiden Markram, who has not played in nearly a year.

Batsman Keegan Petersen has recovered from a hamstring injury to take his place in the squad while there is a maiden call-up for 25-year-old righthander, Tony de Zorzi.

The restructure has also seen the axing of chief selector, Victor Mpitsang, with CSA announcing the head coaches in each format to play a “leading role” in selections in the interim.

South Africa will assemble in Centurion on February 24 for the first Test which bowls off on February 28 at SuperSport Park.

The second Test gets underway at the Wanderers here March 8.

SQUAD – Temba Bavuma (captain), Gerald Coetzee, Tony de Zorzi, Dean Elgar, Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Anrich Nortje, Keegan Petersen, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton.

GHEs’ matches in West Indies

C/Ship shifted to Guyana

- 4-day Inter-County tourney to commence on February 25

By Sean Devers

THE Guyana Harpy Eagles (GHE) will play two of their remaining three West Indies four-day championship games at home according to wellplaced sources within the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB).

With a victory over defending champions Barbados Pride in Antigua and a last-wicket draw against the Windwards Volcanoes in Grenada, GHE lead the points table in the 2023 Championships with 28.6 points, 5.6 points ahead of second placed Barbados.

After a break, the last three rounds of the tournament were scheduled to be played from March 15 to April 1 in Trinidad & Trinidad. At the end of the tournament the winners will be presented with the Headley/ Weeks Trophy.

However, it is understood

that one of the three grounds in Trinidad is unavailable and it was confirmed by a usually reliable Cricket Board source that matches have been shifted to Guyana.

“The Harpy Eagles will play two of their last three games at the Providence Stadium on the same dates that they were set for in Trinidad. The official announcement will be made soon,” informed the well-placed source.

Three games will, however, be played in Guyana, with the Jamaica Scorpions playing the Windward Islands, before the former takes on the host Harpy Eagles. The Leeward Islands Volcanoes will also play the host here. Guyana’s third match will be in Trinidad against that country’s Red Force.

The tournament, which once consisted of a ‘double round’ with 10 matches being played has not only been reduced but is

now limited to only three venues due to the high cost of regional air-travel.

Meanwhile, it was also confirmed that the four-day inter-county cricket tournament is set to start next Saturday and will be used as a yard stick for the selection of the Guyana team for the last three rounds.

It is also understood that the Providence ground will be closed from March 3 to facilitate preparation of the square.

The new Headley/Weekes Series will follow the West Indies Championship and will feature three matches and three teams.

The Team Headley and Team Weekes will be selected from the best performers in the 2023 West Indies Championship and players outside the starting West Indies Test XI.

The new West Indies Academy will provide the third team in the new series.

New South African test captain, Temba Bavuma

‘Age should not eliminate players from selection’ – Sport Minister

MINISTER of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr., on Friday, issued a statement as regards the modus operandi local sport associations/federations use for their selection of athletes for national duties.

In recent times, some associations have been questioned by members of the media about the rationale for the non-se-

lection or selection of players.

At times, the response as it regards the non-selection of players, selectors would indicate age as a factor and the quest to “move on” and “give youths an opportunity”.

In a general statement on sports, Minister Ramson Jr. expressed, “Selectors for all sports teams should not be

eliminating player opportunities strictly on the basis of age. Performance is always key and experience matters even in periods of transition.”

He added, “It has been proven over time that the duration of a sports career can be extended with the right approach towards training. As Guyana's sports infrastructure continues

to transform, it is important that our sports culture transforms with deliberate enlightenment.’

Throughout 2023, the transformation of sport is expected as the Ministry’s Academies for the 12 core sports ramp up work to raise the output and consistency of athletes at international competitions.

Nation out of World cup; to be replaced by Cooper

(CMC) - West Indies have suffered yet another injury blow at the ICC Women’s Twenty20 World Cup with batter, Chedean Nation, ruled out with a knee injury.

The 36-year-old Nation, who has played 47 T20 Internationals, featured in both the Caribbean side’s losses in the tournament to England and India.

She has been replaced by Britney Cooper, a

33-year-old right-handed batter with 76 T20 Internationals, who was a part of the squad for last month’s Tri-Nations Series here involving the hosts and India.

“The Event Technical Committee of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 has approved Britney Cooper as a replacement for Chedean Nation in the West Indies squad,” the ICC said in a statement.

“The replacement of a

player requires the approval of the Event Technical Committee before the replacement player can be officially added to the squad.”

Nation is the latest player to be struck down with injury. Former captain and marquee batter, Stafanie Taylor, was ruled out of Friday’s critical third match of the T20 World Cup with Ireland, after going off with a back injury against India on Wednesday. The 31-year-old had

Chedean Nation is forced out of T20 World Cup with an injury.

only just returned from a five-month injury layoff,

her first game coming in last weekend’s defeat to England.

There were also injury doubts over captain Hayley Matthews ahead of the Ireland clash after she, too, was forced off against India but she has recovered in time to lead the side.

West Indies are on the brink of being knocked out of the tournament after losing their opening two matches.

Matthews produces captain’s knock as West Indies win against Ireland

(ESPNCRICINFO) - Captain Hayley Matthews led West Indies to a drought-breaking six-wicket victory over Ireland in their Women's T20 World Cup match at Newlands. The result ended West Indies' 15-match losing streak in T20Is and knocked Ireland out of the tournament with a third straight loss in the competition.

Chasing 138, Matthews hit an unbeaten 66 and took the team home with a ball to spare. Earlier, Orla Prendergast's 61 gave Ireland their highest total in a T20 World Cup. However, they collapsed at the end to finish on 137 for 9 which wasn't enough.

Captain's knock from Matthews Matthews did the bulk of the scoring after being dropped on 8 and helped West Indies chase down 138 after a shaky start. West Indies lost opener Rashada Williams and Shemaime Campbelle for 46 runs before the halfway mark. Adding to that, they did not have Stafanie Taylor, who was stretchered off the field during West Indies' previous game against India, and had to miss out this time with a back injury. Chedean Nation was also ruled out with a knee problem. Against that backdrop, Matthews took the responsibility to stay to the end and en-

sured the job was done. After seeing through the pitch with a run-a-ball 22, she picked up pace and found boundaries regularly off her trademark cut shots off the back foot. With Chinelle Henry at the other end providing a crisp 34, Matthews kept going strong to stitch a crucial 74-run stand off 55 deliveries for the third wicket. En route, Matthews brought up her seventh T20I half-century in 42 balls and slammed eight fours and a six in her 53-ball innings. That Ireland were sloppy in the field also helped West Indies.

Record partnership for Ireland Ireland dominated the first

15 overs before collapsing in the last five after opting to bat first. Prendergast and Gaby Lewis started briskly to keep the scorecard ticking in their 90-run partnership for the second wicket. After Shamilia Connell struck in the second over to remove Amy Hunter, West Indies struggled to break the partnership. From scoring 5.5 runs an over in the first six, the duo - with the stand dominated by Prendergast - shifted gears to take the run rate to 9.11 from seven to 15 overs.

Prendergast started off with a glorious strike over extra cover for four and brought up her third T20I half-century in 40 balls with a slog-sweep

over deep midwicket. In her 47-ball stay, she blasted six fours - three of which came through the covers - and one six.

It was also the highest partnership for Ireland Women in a T20 World Cup match. Lewis, on the other hand, was happy to play second fiddle, contributing 22 off 24 in the stand.

Ramharack, Fletcher strike late blows

West Indies got back into the game after 15 overs with Karishma Ramharack and Afy Fletcher striking at the death to spark Ireland's collapse. It began with the key wicket of Lewis (38), who

was looking to up the ante after Prendergast's dismissal, and was trapped lbw by Ramharack. Two deliveries later she bowled Louise Little, who was promoted ahead of captain Laura Delany.

Eimear Richardson then punished Henry for two fours but Fletcher came back with a double strike, conceding just one run in the 18th over, to strangle Ireland. In no time, Ireland went from 115 for 2 to 137 for 9, losing six wickets for a mere 22 runs. Connell, who removed Hunter and Prendergast, accounted for Leah Paul in the final over to end with 3 for 24.

Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr.

The Guyana Harpy Eagles will play two of their three remaining matches in the 2023 Cricket West Indies Championship at home

Ince (right) beat Ashley De Groot on Thursday night at the Georgetown Club (Sean Devers photo)