Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 21-08-2023

On Sunday morning, Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips and his wife, Mrs Mignon Bowen-Phillips, attended the Commemoration Service of the 200th Anniversary of the Demerara Slave Rebellion, where he delivered the feature address, and later mingled with attendees, most of whom were wearing African prints (Office of the Prime Minister photos)

The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administration’s focus continues to be people-centred, based upon an understanding that development must be for all, especially given the unique transformative opportunities that Guyana has seen in recent years

Congregational Church plays pivotal role in building

Afro-Guyanese communities

–– the good work must continue, be appreciated, PM says

By Naomi Parris

RECOGNISING the work done by the congregational church community in support of the 1823 Demerara Slave Rebellion , Prime Minister Brigadier ( Retd ’)

Mark Phillips has said that Guyanese must never forget the multifaceted institution

PM Phillips was at the time addressing a mammoth congregation on Sunday at the Bethel Congregational Church at Beterverwagting , on the East Coast Demerara , where the Guyana Congregational Union (GCU), Guyana Reparations Committee ( GRC ) and the Council for World Mission ( CWM ) held a commemorative service for the 200th Anniversary of the Demerara Slave Rebellion

“ There was a significant organisation that

went along with all that happened in 1823 , and that significant organisation and their work we must give credence to That is the Congregational Church,” PM Phillips said

He drew attention to the role the church has played in building communities and schools to push the education of Afro-Guyanese

“We must never forget the pivotal role that the congregational church played before and after Emancipation The congregationalists provided spiritual solace and education to the enslaved Africans in our nation, and that foundation was built upon after Emancipation,” the PM said, adding:

“ The Congregational Church ignited the flame and knowledge within the hearts of the freed population The Congregational Church also supported

the efforts of the Village Movement by freed Africans.”

According to PM Phillip, education became the cornerstone of the church body, by equipping people with the necessary tools and values to build village economies

“The Congregationalists were there to support the villages by building their churches They provided more than a place for worship ; they also set up schools to educate the children , and their churches were often used as meeting halls for community meetings,” he said

According to PM Phillips, the work of the church body must be recognised and appreciated by generations to come

“As we remember the struggles and triumphs of the past, let us recognise the responsibility we carry to continue this legacy of education, empowerment

and community building,” he said.

Aside from the PM’s feature address, the congregation was treated to a hearty sermon , led by Reverend Dr Roderick Hewitt of Jamaica

Several special prayers , messages , and hymns were recited in celebration of the anniversary

The service also saw special attendees, among them the Moderator of CWM Reverend Lydia Neshangwe from Zimbabwe; British High Commissioner to Guyana Ms Jane Miller ; and Chairman of the Guyana Reparations Committee Mr . Eric Phillips

In his brief remarks , Phillips said that in commemorating the efforts made by the Congregationalists and the ancestors who fought for freedom, Guyanese must reflect on their history, and

fight against injustices and prejudices

The 1823 Demerara Rebellion was the first massive slave uprising in the County of Demerara located in the then British Guiana

It broke out on August 18 , 1823 , and involved an estimated 11,000 to 12,000 enslaved people from about 55 plantations on the East Coast of Demerara, from Liliendaal to Mahaica

This uprising was an attempt by Africans to gain their freedom from an oppressive, authoritarian system that characterised the plantation economy in the then British Guiana

These enslaved people eventually won their full emancipation on August 1, 1838.

Prime Minister Brigadier (retd’) Mark Phillips

Members of the Congregational Church gathered on Sunday for a commemorative service to celebrate the 200th Anniversary of the 1823 Demerara Slave Rebellion (DPI Photos)

Several proposals received for establishment of oil refinery in Guyana

– Jagdeo

VICE - PRESIDENT , Dr Bharrat Jagdeo , has said that , while Guyana is still exploring options for oil refining , if this is to be done, a plant will have to be established in

Guyana. He was at the time responding to questions from members of the media during his press conference held on Thursday last

During the conference, he noted that the government is still exploring the establish -

ment of one oil refinery here , and several persons have already expressed an interest.

“We went out for requests for proposal We have several of those There was a first-round evaluation We are waiting for more information, but even as we do that, a number of other countries are sending in proposals,” he added

If it is to go forward, he said that it has to be on conditions that are

good for Guyana and all the financial and technical requirements would have to be met

He explained that Guyana does not have the capacity for two refineries and can only proceed with the establishment of one

Dr Jagdeo added that one of the reasons a refinery is being sought is to assure national energy security.

“If you’re doing the refinery, it has to be here

because what if there is a disruption in global supplies or regional supplies for an extended period and [ at ] the refineries in Trinidad, that doesn’t help us So those are the considerations,” he said Against this backdrop , he emphasised that if we are to establish a refinery, it will be in Guyana as any other option defeats the purpose of achieving national energy security

Vice-President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo

Guyana: Descendants of UK slave owners coming to apologise

FAMILY members of John Gladstone, a former owner of enslaved Africans, will be arriving in Guyana later this week to participate in the launch of the International Centre for Migration and Diaspora Studies (MiDias) at the University of Guyana (UG).

The family also plans to apologise for their ancestor’s role in that dehumanising period of world history.

“The Gladstone family, which includes several historians have today confirmed that they will in fact offer an apology given the role their ancestors had played here,” the university said in a statement on Saturday.

John Gladstone, the father of four-time British Prime Minister William Gladstone, owned 2,500 slaves and according to the UK Guardian, was the fifth-largest beneficiary of the £20 million fund (about £16 billion today) set aside by the British government to compensate planters when the Slavery Abolition Act was passed in 1833.

The paper also reported that in addition to making an official apology for Gladstone’s ownership of

Africans, the 21st-century Gladstones have agreed to pay reparations to fund further research into the impact of slavery, through a £100,000 grant to the MiDias.

The Diaspora and Migration Centre is set up to pursue five specific areas of research interest including Diaspora and Migration in and around Academia, Youth, Technology and Vulnerable Communities, Indigeneity, Indentureship and Slavery as specific and integral aspects of dispersion.

“The research track for Slavery and indentureship is the reason why it was deemed appropriate to launch the MiDias in this historically auspicious month in regard to the emancipation of enslaved peoples as well as the 200th anniversary of the 1823 slave revolution in Demerara,” UG added.

UG says it has been collaborating for several years with a number of universities as well as the Guyana Reparations Committee on specific aspects of impacts of the plantations’ enterprise of slavery and indenture as well as indigeneity on native populations, including relations being experi-

enced today.

According to that publicly funded tertiary institution, UG and the Guyana Reparations Committee invited members of the Gladstone family, part of the heirs of slavery grouping to participate in the event since Quamina and his son John, who led the 1823 rebel-

on one of his plantations. It was led by Jack Gladstone, an enslaved man forced to take his owner’s name, and his father, Quamina, who had been transported from Africa as a child.

About 13,000 Africans rose up in Demerara, a British colony that later became part of Guyana. Condi-

51 were sentenced to death when the uprising was crushed. Many of the convicted were tortured, decapitated and had their heads impaled on poles as a warning to others. Quamina’s body was hung in chains outside one of John Gladstone’s plantations.

Friday’s launch is

tions Committee and other groups, students and senior potentates to witness the launch and receive the formal apology from the Gladstone family.

After the formal ceremony at the UG, the moment will be marked by an inter-generational dialogue between stu -

lions were enslaved on Gladstone plantations.

John Gladstone owned or held mortgages over 2,508 enslaved Africans in Guyana and Jamaica. After emancipation, he was paid nearly £106,000, a huge sum at the time. The Demerara rebellion in August 1823 began

tions for the enslaved were particularly brutal there. The plantations were the most profitable in the British Empire, with an enslaved person in Demerara worth twice that of one in Jamaica.

More than 250 enslaved Africans were killed and a further

being done in collaboration with the National Reparations Committee and Heirs of Slavery, a group that includes the Gladstones, at the George Walcott Lecture Theatre of the Turkeyen Campus and is expected to be attended by several elders, the Guyana repara -

dents and youthful members of the Gladstone family, a linking of the University of Guyana Library with digital archives of the Council of World Missions and an exhibition of scholarly work throughout the day on the subject matter.

(CMC)

Editor Navendra Seoraj

Zone of Peace

EVERY now and then -- from the Cuba - US - Soviet ‘ missile crisis ’ in the early 1960s to the intervention in Grenada in 1983 to the current calls for yet another intervention in Haiti -- turbulent winds blow across Caribbean waters and skies that threaten the region’s peace and stability

Throughout the last six decades of independence, and particularly since the 1980s, there have been scattered calls for the Caribbean to be declared, treated and respected as a Zone of Peace, which arose from opposition to transportation of nuclear waste (and other toxic materials ) through the Caribbean Sea, to increased military exercises by the traditional external guardians of regional security

History has shown and taught enough about the long-term uncertainties that come with nations and regions having to completely depend on external might to determine and shape regional security, even as much-needed assistance for improving domestic defense and security capacity has also appreciably increased

But after six decades of independence , it ’ s the duty of any and all nations that can, to better shape their national defense and security forces in ways that can greater help reduce dependence on external defense and security support

Not that Guyana or any regional state should in any way undervalue current levels of security assistance from traditional allies

But with the region’s security situation now at a stage where the Caribbean has to take stronger collective measures to combat the proliferation of weapons into the region, it’s also necessary to note where the intelligence priorities of allies pursuing national interests in regional spaces may not always coincide with those of host nations

Fortunately, regional security and defense measures , while adopted at home, have of late been increasingly collective and in pursuit of similar goals, all in the interest of preserving peace in all CARICOM member-states, and always improving regional security

Guyana is engaging in multifarious mutual security and defense exercises aimed at strengthening the capacity of the nation’s defense and security forces, and enhancing their ability to always better protect the homeland against any eventuality, from any quarter

Guyana ’ s size and location also comes with larger and wider security and defense responsibilities that stretch from its own historic border security requirements to South America , the Caribbean Sea, the Atlantic Ocean, the neighbouring Gulf of Paria, the Gulf of Mexico, all the way to Central America and the Panama Canal

Historically, the region’s seas have been governed by the traditional allies that annually engage in air, naval and land exercises in different Caribbean locations , but mostly in pursuit of sharpening their own ability to address pressing national security concerns abroad

As global events have always shown, allies’ pursuit of national security concerns abroad through international or direct economic and other

sanctions , unavoidably hurt citizens more than the administrations they’re aimed at , as in Ukraine and Niger today

But Caribbean land, water and skies always need to be continuously protected against the dangers of transportation of toxic chemicals and weapons of mass destruction

CARICOM has historically supported calls for the region to be respected and treated as a Zone of Peace, which calls have also been supported, over time, by the likes of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), Association of Caribbean States (ACS), Community of Latin America and Caribbean States (CELAC), MERCOSUR, PetroCaribe and others

However, the deafening calls for military intervention in Haiti also continue to generate debate across the Caribbean about whether more should not be done to adopt the mechanisms to permanently declare the Caribbean a Zone of Peace

This may very well be a thought whose time has finally come

GECOM registration process is smooth and citizens are responding positively

DEAR Editor,

THIS writer, one of the vigilant public-monitoring stakeholders, maintains a tracker on the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) operations

This critical focus cannot be underscored, given the high-stake demand for transparency and fairness for acceptable governance determination under the rule of law

GECOM ’ s role and obligations in conducting the elections of governing officials at the local and national levels are central to supporting our constitutionally enshrined democratic principles and, therefore, ought not to be manipulated in the exercise of any unfair practice in favor of any specific interest group Instead,

our citizens expect the organisation to dutifully comply with the spirit and intent of the applicable legislation in executing its functions to ensure acceptable results of elections that are transparent and fair when completed

The appropriateness of the preceding is relevant given the known objectionable and characteristic behavior of the PNC-led Opposition to achieve power by ‘any means.’ Our history of the PNC’s involvement in conflicting elections matters, and their persistent attempts to create unfair advantages through clandestine manipulative influences imbue their record concerning the many cycles of elections for decades

The recent March 2020 elections debacle provides a stark reminder of

their apparent contemptuous association with attempts to deploy sinister practices Some PNC’s and APNU’s senior officials’ blatant public involvement in defending highly fraudulent practices by now condemned and charged GECOM officials who violently abused privileges, bare witness There is also previous solid and current evidence of the PNC’s bias to influence electoral results by manipulating GECOM staff wherever possible, and these emphasise testimony and justifications for one to keep connected with every rolled-out activity

Editor , it is noteworthy that the GECOM’s continuous registration cycle, currently in process , is attracting our citizens’ attention and responses Many persons are visiting the GECOM offices

around the country , seeking to update their records by applying for transfers to ensure proper registration in their Local Authority Area At the same time, our qualifying youths are also remarkably busy getting their names registered to get their national Identification cards.

This process will enable GECOM to prepare an updated Register of Registrants to facilitate holding any elections when necessary It is equally essential for GECOM to be fully prepared to hold constituency elections whenever the circumstance necessitates the same

At the Local Authority Levels, municipalities, Neighborhood Democratic and Village Councils must replace

The story of Red Thread: Part 3

IN our last installment (part 2), we made the point that Red Thread began to show its true colours after the death of one of its founding members, Andaiye.

One of the tragic stories of race and class in Guyana is the relation between dark-skinned African middle-class folks and the Mulatto/ Creole class (MCC). This article which is about Red Thread, the sub-theme of dark skin in a world of light skin in Guyana, is relevant because it brings out the Freudian agenda after 2019 in Red Thread after Andaiye died.

Some notes on the dark-skin predicament are useful in understanding both the nature of Andaiye and her role in Guyanese class and race structure and how that role played out in Red Thread. Two middle class Africans with the darkest skin colour that I have ever seen in Guyana were Hugh Chomondeley (deceased) and Sandra Williams who later changed her name to Andaiye.

They both became integral members of the MCC but lived their lives as people with deep psychological burdens. Chomondeley’s parents were very stylist middle class folks. Chomondeley’s father was a special adviser to Prime Minister, Forbes Burnham. My elder brother, Harold “Lightweight” Kissoon worked as the gardener for the Chomondeleys.

Chomondeley entered broadcasting which at the time was dominated by members of the MCC. He stood out as the only dark-skinned member in the media industry and secured his media status through the patronage of the Prime Minister whose adviser was Mr. Chomondeley’s father. It is eerie how the path of Chomondeley and Andaiye were uncannily identical.

Dark-skinned middle-class Africans had a hard time integrating into the MCC

simply because of their colour. They had to face the inherent perception of the MCC tribe that once you were of black skin then you were a descendant of the field slaves. The MCC in Guyana and Jamaica are some of the world’s most obsessed people with skin colour.

So how did Chomondeley find acceptance? By befriending MCC personalities and marrying MCC personalities. His best friends were the crème de la crème of the MCC – Stabroek News founder, David DeCaires and Miles Fitzpatrick. I cannot describe the Freudian mind of Chomondeley because I did not know him at all. But I knew Andaiye, up, close and personal.

Like Chomondeley, she buried her conscious understanding of the disadvantage dark skin carried by embracing the MCC. Andaiye married a White man and a Caucasian woman became her best friend. Even though she was a leader in the Working People’s Alliance, her closest companion was that Caucasian woman- the wife (deceased) of Guyana’s Foreign Minister in the Burnham Gov-

ernment, Rashleigh Jackson

The web page of Red Thread has the images of the founders of the grouptwo Portuguese sisters from the WPA and three MCC women, from the WPA too. Andaiye was the only person in the group that was not of light complexion. My deepest felt belief was Andaiye’s multi-racial and grassroot politics was derived from her ever-present awareness that despite the reverence she received from the MCC, she knew she could never get away from her skin colour.

It showed up in the 1970s when she was very popular in both the WPA and the Guyanese society. By that time many academics from UG and UWI frequented the company of WPA leaders and there was both an openness and freeness in intimate behavior but none of the “sweet boy” revolutionaries ever tried to date Andaiye. They preferred MCC women.

She buried her awareness of the disadvantage into her Freudian mind and that led her to engage with Indian activists that other MCC women would have no time for. Of all the WPA leaders, she had

a greater reach with dark-skinned Africans and non-Christian Indians. I recall my friend from London, Leyland DeCambra, who helped to birth the London WPA group told me he lost all respect for WPA leaders given what they became after 2015 but not Andaiye.

She singlehandedly steered Red Thread into the direction of working-class service. By the time she died, she had no use for the type of politics WPA was practising. I will end with a strange thing about Andaiye. I think because of her contacts with individual WPA leaders, she knew a plan was afoot to rig the 2020 election.

She told David Hinds months before she died that he has her blessing to campaign for the APNU+AFC in the 2020 election but she warned him not to support rigged elections. I don’t know if David Hinds would acknowledge that conversation.

If she was alive between March and July in 2020, she would have denounced the rigging in Red Thread’s name. Part 4 is forthcoming.

GECOM registration process is smooth ...

councillors lost by attrition or any other means to maintain an influential representative position

The procedure includes bi-elections in some cases and must be speedy and reflective of an updated voting population for fairness

We must never forget the international risks associated with threats to democracy since these conflict with the central pillar on which most countries with whom Guyana shares relations The world viewed the scenario as the PNC-led APNU attempting to impose itself upon the Guyanese people, despite being aware that they had lost the March 2020 General and Regional Elections Their criminal partners were corrupt GECOM officials, and after keeping their knees on the necks of the Guyanese nation for five months, they would not have budged without the intervention of and rejection by the international community

One recognises that the preceding un-

democratic practices are rejected in most countries globally Further, the realised obligations from treaties and agreements entered into by states are conditional on upholding democratic tenets Naturally, contrary actions have resulted in decisive punitive deterring outcomes One widely circulated example is the recent court cases in the United States of America concerning former President Donald Trump’s attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 Elections

The Justice Department is now acting to hold him accountable for the unprecedented effort to block the peaceful transfer of presidential power and threaten American democracy

Former President Donald Trump and many conspirators face legal consequences for their frantic but failed effort to cling to power

The occurrences in Guyana are no different, and the concerned authorities must bring those who held this nation at ran-

som for five long months to justice. Our citizens know those charged and placed before the courts for electoral fraud are on the streets In contrast, the magistrates’ courts appear to be dragging their feet on the trial as if these treasonous breaches were minor offences

They include former Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield, Deputy CEO Roxanne Myers, and former Region # 4 RO Clairmont Mingo, who should not be walking freely on the streets because of their actions during those five long months

The riggers must be penalized because of the need for us to deter such activities and never experience rigging again in this country The “riggers” and co-conspirators’ actions are ‘nauseating’ and ‘despicable.’ Enabling our people to vote, counting, and certifying the results in any elections must always be transparent and accountable

Those responsible at the judiciary

decision level should act to deter such recurrences, given the national impact and threat to civility The judiciary must never take such matters lightly The time is most opportune for this nation to call on the Judicial Service Commission to intervene and let justice prevail in our “Motherland.” The courts must be able to function in the interest of our democracy These fraud cases are before the magistrate courts for two long years, and there are too many unnecessary delays in ensuring the fraudsters answer for their alleged crimes

This writer endorses the efforts of GECOM in the continuous registration cycle and calls on all qualifying citizens to get registered

In addition, the people of Guyana call on the judiciary to act now in dealing with the electoral fraudsters.

Sincerely, Neil Kumar

The pain of loss… my son’s death

A WEEK ago , Sunday , I cremated my son, Ishmael

He was seriously injured when the car he was driving spiraled out of control, hit a culvert and ended up on its side in the trench

According to the occupants of the car he overtook, who not only witnessed the accident, but were the ones who subsequently got him out of the car, he was speeding. They estimated he was driving close to 150 kilometres (about 94 miles per hour), and was attempting to overtake a truck when he lost control of the car

Ironically , I always thought of my son as a careful driver , but then I realised this was because he would exercise the utmost caution when I was in the car, and I was often impressed by his ability to fit into tight spaces with relative ease

He was 30 years old and a twin. His sister, Rakel, is married with a toddler, and lives in Utah in the US It

was touch - and - go whether she would get an early flight , so that we could arrange a timely funeral

The same was true for her older sister, who had a disastrous connection from Wisconsin, which saw her being delayed for 15 hours in Miami

Thankfully , they both made it by Saturday, and we immediately completed the funeral arrangements , setting the date for the following day , Sunday , August 13 It rained early in the day , briefly , and my eldest daughter, who was with me at the parlour along with two friends , urged me to ‘take your wetting’, considered blessings, so I walked out into the rain for a few minutes After the shower, the sun came out in all its glory

It all began when I was awoken in the early hours of that fateful Sunday morning, with what must be a question every mother dreads, ‘Are you the mother of Ishmael Cort?’ It sets off alarm bells,

as it is usually asked by the police when there is trouble But, to me, the question was even more ominous , as it was the same question asked of me six weeks prior when Ishmael crashed in his own car, which was irreparably damaged, though he escaped with minor injuries He was not at fault, and I have yet to collect the agreed-upon sum from the company , K & P Project Management, whose truck hit my son’s car

So, when I got this call, my hackles rose when the caller said my son had been seriously injured in a car accident, and they were awaiting an ambulance to take him to the nearby Diamond Hospital Still confused and mystified, I told the caller my son no longer had a car, and asked if he had been knocked down The answer was short, “Your son was driving a white car.”

In a state of shock , I woke my eldest daughter, who I was visiting at the time, to tell her the awful news, and completely broke

down, as, deep inside, I felt my son would not survive this time, particularly because I thought I heard the young man say that my son ’ s skull was cracked , which turned out to be me mishearing what was said

Nevertheless , I felt that Ishmael would not escape this time I felt the previous accident had been a warning, and told him so on many occasions And the Guyanese saying , ‘wuh miss ya doan pass yuh’, kept replaying in my head Evidence of this is that he had been to a party with friends, who dropped him back home He waited until they were out of sight, and went back out in his brother’s brand-new white Toyota Axio

I suspected he was speeding to get the car back home, as he took it while his brother, wife and young son were asleep, and knew that his brother would never have approved of his going out again, under his obvious intoxication from drinking alcohol at the party But this was pure specu-

lation Neither I nor anyone else would truly know

What I felt sure of was that ‘the devil’ had whispered in his ear, ‘telling’ him to go back out in the car, and then to speed home before it was discovered missing

Now I am faced with grieving the unspeakable loss of my son , and also remembering the words I had spoken so many times before, that I never wanted to be in the position of having to bury any of my nine children Today , I have eight, and the pain of that loss is acute

I am now having to internalise the words of the Compassionate Friends Organisation, who say, “The pain of grief is extremely intense as parents digest the finality of never seeing their child again, and the loss of future hopes and plans.”

This feeling was actually devastating my youngest daughter, who kept asking me , “ Mummy you mean I will never see his face again; ever?”

It ’ s a question I have yet to come to grips with

In addition, the organisation tells us, “Although painful and difficult , expressing grief is vitally important; it helps a parent work through the pain of the loss.” But no one can tell you how long this is going to take, beyond saying that in time, the pain will become less intense I do , however , take heart from the view expressed by Compassionate Friends that, the love I have for my son is “not severed”, though the relationship will now continue in a different context, for it is not how he died, but how he lived

Gov’t working towards seamless, hassle-free ferry travel – Minister Edghill

TO accompany the largescale infrastructural and socioeconomic transformation underway , government continues to explore ways to vastly improve the quality of transportation services for Guyanese

Minister of Public

Works Bishop Juan Edghill gave the reassurance at the opening ceremony for the Simextra Duty-Free Store at the Canawaima Ferry Terminal at Moleson Creek , Region Six ( East Berbice - Corentyne ) on Friday

The minister noted that due to the large volume of people and vehicles moving along the route, government has added another vessel to the Parika/Supenaam, Parika/Leguan, Parika/Wakenaam, and Parika/ Bartica routes This is in light of the spike in commuters to these areas, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic

“ When people were not able to travel out of

the country for family vacations and the like, Mainstay was booked out, and that trend continues,” Minister Edghill explained

He said government is responsive to issues as they arise to ensure that as more sustainable structures and systems unfold , persons are not inconvenienced or subject to discomfort in the interim

“As a government,” he said , “ we are not sitting on our hands while these things are happening; we are addressing the issues as they arise So, if there is need for greater expansion here at Canawaima, while we wait for the bridge, we may very well have the MV Sandaka coming back to service here with the Canawaima.”

The overall intent is for there to be seamless, hassle-free travel, and the government is dedicated to putting systems in place to ensure this

In this vein, the public works minister pointed

out that efforts are being made to implement Online booking services for the Canawaima Ferry

“We have to finalise the details with our Surinamese counterparts , but we are ready to go We want to stop this long process of people having to come to Moleson Creek at 5:00am, line up to get a number In this electronic age, where there is accessibility, people must be able to book, and the service must be more predictable,” he said.

Implementing this service will enable businesses as well as the Canawaima Ferry Service to plan effectively, as they will be able to track how many persons will be aboard the ferry to arrange staffing and the like accordingly

The public works minister also sought to assure commuters that once the bridge is established and operational, this will not render the ferry terminal obsolete In fact , it will aid in expanding the range

of potential for the area, as the government aims to establish an exclusive duty-free zone

“When the bridge kicks in, there is a lot of potential for what we can do here We want people who come over from Suriname to be able to do exclusive

shopping in an area. The conversation is continuing in that regard Moleson Creek, Canawaima facilities, and everything around here is scheduled for great improvement and development,” the minister stated

He added that the County of Berbice is

slated for vast transformation in many sectors, through a number of projects, such as the Palmyra to Crabwood Creek Road, the Berbice stadium and multi - purpose facility, and the Berbice Deep - Water Harbour . (DPI)

Minister of Public Works

Bishop Juan Edghill engaging passengers aboard the Canawaima Ferry (DPI photo)

T&T getting technical support from Guyana to rebuild rice industry –– Mustapha

THE Government of Guyana is providing technical support to Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) in its quest to rebuild its rice industry, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha has said.

Mustapha, who chairs the special ministerial task force for food production and food security at the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), told reporters on the sidelines of a recent event that the initiative is part of a wider collaboration among regional leaders

to reduce the food importation bill by 25 per cent by the Year 2025

Collaboration has been a top priority for regional governments to achieve the ambitious target

“You know, Trinidad used to plant rice before We are working with them, and would have supplied them with seed paddy the other day We have some technical people working along with their technical people, so they have started replanting rice,” Minister Mus-

tapha said, adding that there is a high demand for rice across the world

“India would have withdrawn a lot of rice from the market, so there are a lot of markets now for rice,” he said

India is the world’s largest rice-exporting country today, but in an effort to tackle local inflation on prices for this staple crop, the Indian government recently decided to ban foreign exports of non-basmati varieties That applies to roughly half of India’s regular rice exports As it relates to Trinidad and Tobago , agriculture officials have been encouraging farmers to plant more

According to a recent report carried by the Trinidad and Tobago Guardian newspapers, farmers were urged to plant 5,000 acres of rice to obtain food security This call came following Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, Agriculture Minister Kazim Hosein and Minister in the Ministry of Agriculture, Avinash Singh’s attendance at the first regional meet-

ing on agriculture and an agri-investment forum and ‘expo’ held in Guyana in May 2022

According to the T&T media outlet, the island is not self-sufficient in rice, as, annually, they import 34,000 tonnes of the staple, costing $121 million, from Guyana and elsewhere in South America

Up to 1995, over 6,000 farmers cultivated at least 30 per cent of the country’s rice supply (21,000 tonnes), with a surplus to export.

Back in 2019 , the Trinidad Express reported that the island’s rice industry was facing a collapse That year, flood waters had washed away farmers’ seeds, the article said

At the 33rd Inter-Sessional Meeting of

the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM in Belize in 2022 , it was announced that Guyana would host the first Regional Agri-Investment Forum and ‘Expo’. The second exposition was held in Trinidad & Tobago later that year

This year, in Guyana, the conference will be held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre from October 20-22.

RAPHAEL Samuels , a 29 - year - old taxi driver , is in police custody, after an air gun and a revolver were allegedly found in his bedroom, during a police operation.

According to a press release, at about 06:00 hours, police officers and about 20 ranks , in six vehicles , acted on information received and proceeded to Lot 161 Area ‘ G ’ Strathspey , East-Coast-Demerara

On arrival at the address, the ranks observed a two-storey concrete building in a well-fenced yard The ranks gained entry to the yard through an open southern gate, made contact with the occupant, identified themselves as police officers , and told the occupants they would like to conduct a search of the building and their personal belongings, to which they complied

“ A search in the bedroom of one of the occu-

pants , Raphael Samuels , a 29 - year - old taxi driver , unearthed a black metal object suspected to be an Air Gun wrapped in a yellow pillowcase . In addition , a second metal object suspected to be a firearm was found in a black plastic bag on a wooden vanity in the room Samuels was asked to produce a firearm licence which he said he did not have He was immediately told of the offence , cautioned and arrested ,” the

police said in the release

The ranks escorted Samuels and two other occupants of the house , along with the suspected air gun and firearm , to the Vigilance Police Station

On arrival at the station, the suspected firearm was inspected in the presence of Samuels, and it was observed to be a 38 Taurus Revolver without ammunition

The firearm was placed in an evidence box, marked, sealed and lodged

The suspect was placed into police custody and is slated to be charged , according to the release.

Guyana’s Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha

Strathspey man arrested for unlawful possession of a firearm

Raphael Samuels

The air gun and revolver which were allegedly found by police (GPF photos)

Rupununi toshaos identify land at Aishalton for possible UG Annexe

By Naomi Parris

THE South Rupununi

District Council (SRDC)

and the University of Guyana ( UG ) recently held several discussions for the establishment of an annexe in Region Nine ( Upper Takutu - Upper Essequibo), and toshaos have since identified an area at Aishalton where the learning institution could be built.

Speaking recently to the Guyana Chronicle via telephone, SRDC member and Aishalton ’ s toshao , Michael Thomas disclosed that several village leaders had raised concerns about the increasing number of

how best we can support our students, and encourage them to complete their programmes , especially at the University of Guyana,” he said

He went on to explain that many indigenous men and women face challenges when they have to travel to complete their tertiary education

For women in particular, it can be very hard, Thomas said

“

For example ,” he said , “ we have teachers that would have started a family and have young children, and they have to leave their children home, and you know that distance, it makes them quit

“We have enough land space, and it is within our titled land, and we the village council manage our own land ,” Thomas told this publication

According to Thomas , there had been talks in the past about establishing an annexe in Lethem, which is the region’s central town However, the availability of land was said to be an issue

The university was established on October 1 , 1963 , following the assenting of the University of Guyana Ordinance on April 18, 1963

Its doors were first opened on October 2 , 1963 , and it functioned as an evening institution,

Agriculture and Forestry; Earth and Environmental Studies ; Education and Humanities; Engineering and Technology ; Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation ; Health Sciences; Natural Sciences; and Social Sciences

More than 116 under - graduate and post - graduate pro -

grammes are available , including Computer Science , Engineering , Entrepreneurship, Environmental Studies , Forestry, Urban Planning and Management , Tourism Studies, Education, Creative Arts , Economics , Law, Medicine, Optometry, Supply Chain Management and Nursing.

tertiary students from the district who were unable to complete their studies due to various circumstances.

“ There are difficulties hinterland students face when we have to move from our homeland to Georgetown for long periods of time like three to four years, not only for UG but CPCE [Cyril Potter College of Education], and GTI [ Guyana Technical Institute],” Thomas explained

At a regional toshao’s conference held last month in the district , it was Thomas who suggested that the Council explore the option of establishing an annexe in the region

“ We had a regional toshao conference where, again , the education department was really concerned about that , and asked that the toshaos see

sometimes.”

Following the conference , several toshaos met with the university’s Vice-Chancellor, Dr Paloma Mohamed in Georgetown

“We were able to meet with her , and we stated what we had to offer, because over the past three years, the village council had received multiple requests to have research conducted from different universities around the world in our village and the surrounding villages also.”

A subsequent meeting was held in the village of Aishalton , where the Vice-Chancellor and several other officials from the university earmarked a location at Maoka Taawa to build the facility, which they hope will accommodate lecturers and students in the near future

with only 164 students enrolled for classes in three faculties : Arts , Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences

UG currently has two locations; one at Turkeyen , Greater Georgetown in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), and an annexe at Tain , in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).

Persons from hinterland regions would usually migrate to Region Four to attend classes at the Turkeyen Campus

The university offers certificate , diploma , associate degree , undergraduate degree, graduate ( post - graduate ) degree , and professional degree programmes

These programmes are delivered through seven faculties and one school, each of which is headed by a Dean These are :

Aishalton’s Toshao Micheal Thomas

Members of the South Rupununi District Council and University of Guyana officials at the proposed site at Maoka Taawa in Aishalton (SRDC photo)

Over 600 women engaged in training through WIIN programme

SOME 650 women hailing from La Parfaite Harmonie , Pouderoyen , Vreeden - Hoop , Crane , and Leonora , in Region Three ( Essequibo Islands - West Demerara ) are being upskilled through the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security’s Women’s Innovation and Investment Network (WIIN) training programme.

The programme’s overarching goal is to bolster women’s prospects by offering them an opportunity for multifaceted skills training

to support and empower women across Guyana, as it is carefully curated to match the increasingly growing and competitive economy, while contributing to women ’ s personal growth and financial independence

The curriculum encompasses a wide range of courses , catering to the varied interests and aspirations of the participants

The women enrolled in WIIN are currently engrossed in an array of courses , including Home Management, Project Management, Social

Minister of Human Services and Social Security

Media Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Child Care, Care for the Elderly , Garment

Construction, and Graphics Design

In addition , some 550 women in Regions Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), Four ( Demerara - Mahaica ), Five (Mahaica-Berbice), Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), and Ten ( Upper Demerara- Berbice) are currently being trained in a number of courses offered through WIIN

An additional 200 women hailing from Lethem, Annai, and Karasabai in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo ) have also embarked on a path to academic and professional success in vital skills training

The WIIN programme , as conceptualised by Hu -

man Services Minister Dr Vindhya Persaud, seeks to empower women and girls, and has been instrumental in breaking down barriers, and is a beacon of hope for over 6,000 women across Guyana since its launch in May 2021

The programme ’ s resounding success has not only elevated the lives of thousands of women , but has also contributed to the broader goal of advancing the country’s socio-economic growth

To this end , Minister Persaud remains steadfast in her commitment to the cause, with aspirations to empower a further 6,000 women this year. (DPI)

Police find unlicensed shotgun, ‘ammo’ at Mariro Ranch in Karasabai

A 36-YEAR-OLD farmer was arrested on Saturday after a 12-guage shotgun and several rounds of matching ammunition were found in his house at Mariro Ranch, located along the Karasabai Access Road in Region Nine

At about 16:00 hours , Deputy Superintendent Ally, Inspector Winter , and Detective Constable Alleyne, acting on information received , went to the Upper

Takutu - Upper Essequibo location, where Kelbert Isaac was contacted

According to a police press release , he was told that the police had received information that he had a firearm at the ranch and, as such, would like to search the premises.

“Isaac had no objections, and the ranch was searched in his presence A brown 12-gauge shotgun was found braced to a wall, along with

three 12-gauge cartridges in a blue-and-white plastic bag on a wooden table inside the ranch house ,” the release said, adding that police took possession of the shotgun and ammunition, and asked Kelbert Isaac if he had a firearm licence, to which he replied, “No Sir.”

He was cautioned about the offence and arrested He remains in custody , and is assisting with the investigation

Dr Vindhya Persaud (DPI photos)

Participants of the WIIN programme

The gun and ammunition that were found on Saturday in Region Nine (GPF photo)

PM Phillips delivers solar power systems to Karasabai homes - reaffirms government’s commitment to bridging development divide

PRIME Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, has reaffirmed government’s commitment to bridging all developmental divides to ensure that all Guyanese are able to access opportunities to improve their lives.

PM Phillips gave the assurance in Karasabai, Region Nine, as he delivered a number of home solar system units that will equip each household with

access to reliable electricity.

“We are a government that is committed to the development of all the people in Guyana, wherever you are located. This is the time for development in Guyana. This is the time when you as the people of Guyana will benefit from all the revenue of this country,” the prime minister assured.

This initiative falls un -

der the Solar Home Systems Project, which saw 30,000 units being acquired through a US$7.2 million line of credit agreement between the Governments of Guyana and India via the Exim Bank. Systems will be distributed to the hinterland households, as well as several Amerindian villages along the coast.

Each unit consists of a 160-watt panel, charge con -

troller, battery, and other basic fittings.

This means that each household will be able to independently generate electricity.

Prime Minister Phillips noted that the contribution will assist in bridging the energy divide, in keeping with government’s manifesto promise, and complements a host of other projects in advancing the shift to sustainable, environmentally- friendly electricity sources.

Additionally, these projects work in tandem with the integration of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in every community, to ensure that all Guyanese are able to enjoy connectivity.

ICT is being used as a tool to drive education, job creation, and healthcare access, among other things, especially in far-flung and remote areas. This is evident in the number of ICT hubs being erected and operationalised under the ICT Access and eServices for Hinterland, Poor and Remote Communities project, and the

delivery of ICT equipment, as well as the expansion of telemedicine in these areas, all in an effort to ensure that no community or village is left behind.

PM Phillips also urged the young people in the village to seize the opportunities being made available to them, especially within the realm of education, pointing to the Guyana Online Academy of

Learning (GOAL) scholarship programme.

“Guyana’s development is not only about roads and buildings alone. It is also about people’s development. And we are committed to this. So, all the opportunities for people development, we will make them available to you,” the prime minister added. (DPI)

Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips

A section of the gathering at Karasabai, Region Nine

Sea defence works a priority for Leguan authorities

By Telesha Ramnarine

FROM an era of talks to relocate all of the residents and abandon the island of

for those who live there.

Around the 1980s, there were practically no sea defence mechanisms on the island and no hope of im -

works have been moving apace since 2020 with multiple projects ongoing simultaneously.

“Residents are feeling far more secure. If you can remember (this reporter cannot remember), during the ‘Burnham era,’ Leguan was actually given up…but in 1992, we saw that sea defence projects were re-established and then there were ongoing projects,” Ayube reflected in an interview with Guyana Chronicle on Sunday.

In 2015 to 2019, minimal works were going on but from 2020 to date, several projects have once again been ongoing which give farmers and residents confidence to venture into business, construction, and other developmental undertakings.

Regional Chairman, I could not have asked for better, and I would like to compliment the Public Works minister and all his engineers,” he added.

Meanwhile, for 2023, under Capital Works, over $511 million in sea defence works were tendered, awarded and are currently under execution. There were four major projects with all having advanced to a state in which they are nearing completion. As for maintenance works, more than $146 million in contracts were awarded as of June 2023.

Based on the island’s indicative budget for 2024, the local authorities are requesting more than $978 million for future sea defence works.

Authorities are currently requesting more than $978M for future sea defence works on Leguan Island

Leguan, to today injecting hundreds of millions of dollars into sea defence works, authorities are serious about fortifying critical areas along the shoreline - a move that has resulted in a heightened sense of security

provement in this regard, hence many residents moved away and authorities seriously considered relocating the rest.

Today, though, Regional Chairman Inshan Ayube has observed how sea defence

“Foreigners are also coming back to build houses in Leguan. This is due to the confidence in the government and the continuous sea defence works, because that was an issue - how we can secure the sea defences. As

Most of these works are being done along the north-eastern shores towards the Atlantic. Some of the projects are the construction of rip rap sea defence at Uniform, Cane Garden, Okum/ Retrieve and Belfield.

“Most of the projects are in areas that are critical in the

sense that hadn’t these works been tendered; we could have had breaches which would have led to damage to crops and livestock and flooding to residential areas. So these are heavily impacted areas which we are now trying to fortify,” District Engineer in charge of Leguan Island, Sea Defences, Seenarine Nandram, told this publication.

According to him, there has been much advancement in sea defence works on the island, with government placing significant emphasis on such, as can be seen in the substantial increases in

budgetary allocations for the island.

“Come next year, or come the next spring tide, it’s exposing more vulnerability; more areas we are seeing overtopping because of global warming predominantly. It’s basically us trying to play a catch-up game,” Nandram shared.

Apart from Leguan, sea defence projects are ongoing in the entire Region Three (Essequibo Islands/ West Demerara), along the coast for example, and on various islands in the Essequibo River.

Rip rap works at Uniform, Leguan

- more than $978M will be needed for 2024

Gov’t intends to garner as much oil resources as it can

- to incentivise future growth of the economy, VP says

VICE-PRESIDENT

Dr Bharrat Jagdeo has said that the government intends to get as much of its oil resources as possible out of the ground to put towards the further development of the country.

He made this disclosure during a recent press conference where he responded to the narrative being peddled by members of the opposition that the government wants to, “pull all the oil out.”

He said: “What I’m saying is that the depletion policy of the government is to get

more, as much of these resources out of the ground as possible given the net zero scenario globally where there would be a narrow window for using fossil fuel.”

According to him, these resources would then be converted into fixed assets that can incentivise future growth or be converted into financial assets that can be saved for the longterm development of the country.

While he noted the opposition’s attempts to paint a picture that says people are not benefitting from the oil re-

sources, he emphasised that these assets will benefit the people of the country as is already happening through various means.

Against this backdrop, he noted that since the country began producing oil, some $1.65 billion has been added to the national budget thus far.

He went on to speak about specific injections to the budget which include some $37 billion annually, for public servants. Additionally, some $8.4 billion has gone towards school children with the implementation of various

programmes.

“If you add the pensioners, the children, the public servants, the Joint Services, etc., and the part-time jobs,

330,000 Guyanese who are benefitting from about 70 odd billion dollars more, $70 billion more,” he said.

All of these various

programmes which include funding for education, new hospitals, and infrastructure among other things serve as direct benefits to the citizenry.

“So, how come ordinary people are not getting this money back? It's how much money you have you bring in. It's being divided up to ensure two things happen, that we build the infrastructure of the future whilst at the same time we address the social needs of our people and this is a carefully calibrated balance,” Jagdeo said.

Vice-President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo

Over 5,000 residents to benefit from $1.2B Onderneeming water-treatment plant

THE $1.2 billion water treatment plant at Onderneeming that will serve more than 5,000 residents from Taymouth Manor to Supenaam on the Essequibo Coast, is expected to be completed in April next year.

This is according to a Guyana Water Inc. (GWI) press release which also disclosed that the project is funded by the Government of Guyana.

Toshiba Water Solutions, an international multi-disciplinary environmental services company headquartered in India has been awarded the contract.

According to the release, GWI’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Shaik Baksh, inspected the project site on Friday and was impressed with the work done thus far by the contractor.

The project is current-

ly 30 per cent complete and every effort is being made to deliver it within the completion deadline, said Toshiba Water Solution Project Engineer, Amit Singh.

The plant is being built to have a capacity to supply some 10 million litres of water per day.

The construction of the treatment plant follows calls for greater access to treated water by Essequibo Coast resi-

dents, and Baksh said the government was happy to deliver on a promise made to the people, the release said

“This plant is one of two large plants that will be constructed on the Essequibo Coast. The other is at Maria’s Delight

sion lines from Taymouth Manor to Supenaam to supply water to households within these areas. This project is already out to tender.

The release added that, apart from the treatment plant at Onderneeming, six others are current -

Lodge, Greater Georgetown.

In addition, construction will commence on another five new treatment plants in Regions Two, Three, Four, Five and Six.

GWI is committed to providing treated water

and together they will provide treated water to residents from Charity to Supenaam,” the CEO was quoted as saying.

Some $1 billion will also be invested in the installation of transmis -

ly under construction. These are at Parika, East Bank Essequibo; Parfaite Harmonie and Wales, West Bank Demerara; Caledonia and Bachelor’s Adventure, East Coast Demerara and Cummings

to 90 per cent of the population by 2025, and, in support of this vision, the Government of Guyana, in recent years, has been investing billions of dollars annually in the sector, the release added.

GWI Chief Executive Officer, Shaik Baksh (fourth left), Business Development Director, Jaigopaul Ram (fifth left) and Hinterland Services Director, Ramchand Jailall (right) with technical officers working on the Onderneeming water-treatment Plant

A panoramic view of the worksite (GWI photos)

GWI Chief Executive Officer, Shaik Baksh, speaks with Toshiba Water Solution Project Engineer, Amit Singh, as others listen attentively

Chosen structure for landmark petroleum bill is best for Guyana -

Attorney General says

ATTORNEY-GENERAL and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall has said that the governance structure used for Guyana’s Petroleum Activities Bill is the best model for Guyana’s growing oil and gas industry and is similar to those in other countries.

The minister made this disclosure during an airing of his ‘Issues in the News’ show last week where he noted that the singular criticism that came from the opposition was the functional responsibilities that the bill reposes in the natural resources minister.

He told his viewers that they did not criticise any other aspect of the bill.

“So naturally they did not agree with us politically, nothing is new about that. Their argument essentially was that they want a commission and that the minister should not have the powers that the minister has,” he said.

Nandlall added that opposition members referred to a bill they attempted to put forward in the past which would have established a commission. He emphasised it was their prerogative at that time to determine what governance structure should govern the industry.

According to the AG this was not the model that this government chose to go with concerning the industry in its current stage.

He said: “It’s either you have a commission and a commission is reposed with the power or you have a minister, but you can't have a commission that becomes a rubber stamp of the minister and that in essence was our argument in relation to their bill.”

Speaking on the specific structure that the current administration chose, Nandlall said the minister is the authority in the Act and this was a model similar to what several other countries like Trinidad and Tobago have for their petroleum industry.

“We feel that at this point in time having the power in the minister acting upon the directions of cabinet is what is in the best interest at this time,” Nandlall expressed.

Additionally, the legal affairs minister disclosed that the government has made it clear that once the industry is out of its embryonic stages, with the necessary infrastructure and the industry up and running, it will move to establish a commission.

To this end, he said that the government is putting the functional responsibility of the industry in the hands of the minister and cabinet which under the Constitution is answerable to the parliament.

“That is democracy, that is what the Constitution prescribed,” he said.

Minister of Legal Affairs and Attorney-General, Anil Nandlall

GCC beat touring Trinidad U19 team

GCC beat the touring Munroe Road

Cricket club U-19 team of Trinidad & Tobago by 18 runs at Bourda yesterday in the first game of their 10-day tour to Guyana.

On a day blessed with glorious sunshine GCC were bowled out

for 128 in 42.1 overs with Trilok Nanan hitting three fours in 25.

Rayad Latif 21, Zakhari Jodhu 15, and Josh Charles 12, reaching double figures.

Fifteen-year-old Ramesar grabbed 5-26 and got support from Aaron Basant and

Thomas Walsh who took two wickets each for the visiting team who were dismissed for 110 in 36 overs.

The left-handed Basant, the son of former T&T U-19 batter Anil Barlo Basant, returned with the bat to reach the boundary twice and clear it once.

But only him and Ishant Roopnarine with 16 reached double figures.

Krsna Singh produced a Man-of-Match performance 4-20.

They play the second game tomorrow against Malteenoes.

(Sean Devers)

Gaikwad’s half century; Singh cameo help India seal series

(ESPNCRICINFO) - RU -

TURAJ Gaikwad scored a half-century but Rinku Singh stole the limelight on his debut, with a swashbuckling innings at the death as India sealed the series by beating Ireland by 33 runs in the second T20I.

Gaikwad and Sanju Samson put on 71 to stabilise India after they lost two wickets in the powerplay. Then, with Ireland applying the squeeze following their departures, Rinku took centre stage to help India pump 42 runs off the last two overs and get to a total of 185, which proved too much for Ireland.

Andy Balbirnie fought a lone battle for Ireland with a 51ball 72 but it wasn't enough as Prasidh Krishna, Jasprit Bumrah and Ravi Bishnoi spearheaded India's defence with two wickets each.

After India were put in on a sunny afternoon in Malahide, Gaikwad and Yashasvi Jaiswal got going in the second over.

Gaikwad nudged Josh Little behind square for the first bound-

Ruturaj Gaikwad scored his second T20I halfcentury • Sportsfile via Getty Images

ary of the match before Jaiswal pulled successive deliveries for four and six.

Jaiswal drove Barry McCarthy for another four before Craig Young got him for the second consecutive match by cramping him with a short ball. Jaiswal went for the pull nonetheless, and ended up caught on the

boundary by Curtis Campher running to his left from deep midwicket and reaching over his head.

McCarthy then struck in similar fashion as Tilak Varma skied a pull to deep square leg.

Gaikwad stepped up the tempo soon after the powerplay, taking on the short ball. He first

pulled legspinner Ben White in front of midwicket and then dispatched Young on either side of the midwicket fielder off consecutive balls in the next over.

Samson then played an impeccable on-drive off Adair before ramping up the pressure on Little, hitting him for three fours and a six in the 11th over as the left-arm quick ended up conceding 48 in his four overs. Samson drove him over cover for a one-bounce four and then slapped a length ball over extra-cover. He then steered a low, wide full-toss past the keeper to make it 4, 4, 4. A dot off the next ball was only momentary respite for Little, who then went short only to be pulled behind square for six.

But Young pulled things back with a five-run 12th over before Samson dragged on off White, to bring Rinku to the crease.

Rinku swept White for his first four in the 15th over before Gaikwad brought out a sweep of his own to bring up his half-cen-

Vieira picks up double podium weekend at CTMP

ELLIOT Vieira wrapped up a successful weekend at the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, following up Saturday’s Liqui Moly Pro Sport Bike victory with a second place finish on Sunday in the same class of the Bridgestone Canadian Superbike Championship (CSBK).

Vieira and Sebastien Tremblay rode away from the rest of

the pack on Sunday though the Guyanese could not launch a move on the winner.

Vieira was quoted as saying, “Tremblay rode the ass off that Suzuki! I had the draft on him, but he was so consistent in the first half of the track,” the race one winner said. “It sucks to not win again, but it’s the best we could do today.”

On Saturday, however, Vie-

ira was untouchable.

He returned to the venue where he won last year to continue that dominance and winning more than 14 seconds clear of championship leader David MacKay

The Guyanese took over the lead from MacKay on lap two and continued extending that till the chequered flag aboard the GP Bikes Ducati.

Apart from winning, he registered the Italian brand’s first ever win in the Sport Bike ranks aboard the V2 Panigale this year.

The series moves on to Round Five on September 15-17 at Shannonville Motorsport Park in Ontario.

(Stephan Sookram)

tury. Gaikwad then smacked him down the ground for six to take India to 129 for 3, leaving them poised for a potential 200-plus score.

McCarthy outfoxed Gaikwad with a slower ball in the 16th over, however, and Ireland began stifling India with good use of the short ball and slower ones. India could score just 14 runs off the 16th, 17th and 18th overs.

A below-par score on a high-scoring ground looked likely, with both Rinku and Dube struggling to break the shackles. Then Rinku did what he had done so many times in IPL 2023 to earn his India call-up.

He carved McCarthy over backward point for four in the 19th over and hoicked the next ball, a slower one, over long-on for his first six. McCarthy then bowled two wides on the trot and

changed his angle to go around the wicket, but it did little to stop Rinku's charge as he carted him over cover for another six.

Adair started the final over with a leg-stump full toss that Dube helped behind square for the first of two sixes. The next ball was in the slot and Dube swung it far into the stands over deep midwicket. Rinku then duly pulled a length ball for another six, the crowd's cheers growing louder with each hit.

A top-edge off an attempted pull saw Rinku walk back for 38 off 21, but by then he had done enough to get India to a morethan-fighting total.

Chasing 186, Ireland saw out Jasprit Bumrah's first over, although Balbirnie survived an lbw appeal that returned umpire's call at the stumps after India reviewed the not-out decision.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER

(Monday August 21, 2023)

CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83

Garnett Street, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158)

Answers to yesterday’s quiz:

(1) Fabian Allen (JT)

(2) Brandon King (JT)

Today’s Quiz:

(1) How many CPL matches Veerasammy Permaul has played for the Warriors to date?

(2) How many wickets he has taken for the Warriors to date?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue ..........................................................................................

Kyle Ramesar took 5-26 yesterday at Bourda in a losing effort for Munroe Road Cricket club

New Zealand put on show to beat UAE

(ESPNCRICINFO) - NEW

Zealand put up a complete show as they roared back in style following the loss on Saturday, to win the third T20I by 32 runs and seal the three-match series 2-1.

The win was set up by fifties from Will Young, playing his first game of the series, and Mark Chapman, who continued from where he left in the second game, as the visitors racked up 166 for 5 in their 20 overs. Junaid Siddique was the pick of the bowlers for the hosts, picking up 3 for 26.

In reply, UAE's top half was blown away by some restrictive New Zealand bowling. Basil Hameed and Aayan Afzal Khan added 68 off 57 for the sixth wicket, but it came a bit too late for the hosts as they could only muster 134 for 7.

The coin goes Waseem's way, again Muhammad Waseem made it three out of three at the toss and stuck to fielding first as he has all series. The UAE bowlers then backed

their captain's decision by restricting New Zealand to 38 in the powerplay while also removing the openers.

Tim Seifert got off the mark with a fierce cut while Chad Bowes also got going with a slash through covers. But Bowes' joy was short-lived with Muhammad Jawadullah sending him back with a skiddy short-of-a-length ball that he could only top-edge to short third where Zahoor

completed the catch on the second attempt.

Siddique then removed Seifert, who hacked his pull to the right of Hameed at deep backward square leg, the fielder sprinting low to his right and pulling off a screamer. New Zealand were more proactive in the powerplay but were only going at a run rate of just a tick over six.

Young, Chapman sizzle

in the middle overs

While the start followed a similar pattern to the previous game, Young and Chapman ensured they dealt with the middle overs differently this time. Young got off the mark with a finely edged four off his second ball before planting Siddique over the long leg fence. Young did slow down a touch when Seifert fell but three successive fours off Hameed got him going again, and he reached his fifty off 40 balls.

Young found an ally in Chapman, with the duo adding 84 off just 60 balls for the third wicket to tilt the scales back in New Zealand's favour. Chapman was circumspect initially but took 17 runs off a Mohammed Faraazuddin over to get into the flow. The surface seemed to be better for shot-making than the first two games and both batters capitalised on it as New Zealand moved from 55 for 2 after nine overs to 132 for 3 after 16. Chapman reached his fifty off 30 balls with five fours and two sixes

as New Zealand looked set for a tall total.

Siddique three halts New Zealand's charge Siddique came back in style, having been rested from the second T20I, by picking three key wickets to keep his side in the game. He got rid of Seifert in the powerplay and then removed both Young and Chapman in the space of two overs. Young was foxed by a shortish slower ball that he could only spoon to extra cover while Chapman swished one straight to deep backward square leg.

Siddique's spell halted New Zealand's momentum at the back end. They could only score 24 runs in the last three overs which included a six off the final ball of the innings from Mitchell Santner.

New Zealand keep mistakes to a minimum

After a maiden over by Tim Southee, Ben Lister was carved away for two successive fours by Waseem. But Lister struck back immediately to catch Waseem's

outside edge. Vriitya Aravind scored a couple of cracking boundaries but he was dismissed by Kyle Jamieson as the hosts reached 40 for 2 after the powerplay.

While that was still more than what New Zealand managed in theirs, UAE could not capitalise in the middle overs. Aryansh Sharma was stumped off Santner for 16 before Adithya Ashok claimed his maiden international wicket sending back Asif Khan. Two balls later Ansh Tandon committed a near-impossible run and UAE lost 3 for 9 in 11 balls. At 56 for 5 after 10 overs, the asking rate was always going against UAE. Hameed and Aayan did manage to keep UAE ticking along but the big hits never arrived. There were a few boundaries from time to time but New Zealand bowled with discipline. Lister then picked up two wickets in the 19th over to finish with 3 for 35 as New Zealand sealed a comfortable win.

GCA T20 Cup continued yesterday with MYO, DCC & GDF winning

By Sean Devers

AT DCC in overcast conditions, an incisive three-over spell of fast bowling from Keon Morris helped GYO defeat GCC by 25 runs in the first of two scheduled GCA T20 Cup games.

The Woolford Avenue side were bowled out for 121 all out in 18 overs after they were asked to bat on a good track on the ground.

Leon Swammy made 23 and got support from Zeynul Ramsammy (18), and Damion Vantull (17) as seamer Bernard Bailey grabbed 4-20 for the Bourda Boys.

GCC were shot-out for 96 all out in 19 overs with Zachary Jodah looking well set on 36 before he was bowled by Morris.

Ronaldo Ali-Mohammed with 15 and Khemraj Jaikarran (12) were the only others to reach double figures.

Morris captured 5-17 from three overs while Leon Swammy (2-18), and Marlon

Boele (1-11) conspired to bowl MYO to victory.

In the afternoon game, DCC beat Police by five wickets after bowling out the Cops for 92 in 17.1 overs before making 95-5 in 19.5

overs.

Kevon Boodie hit two fours and a six in his 19 while Dwaine Dick (18), Kemol Savory (15) and Kyle Micheal (10) also got into double figures.

Daniel Mootoo had 4-27 while Dexter George 3-8 and Sachin Singh 2-17.

DCC were spearheaded to victory by 33 from 44 balls with three fours and a six.

Over at Everest, GNIC reached 45-2 from 8 overs in a reduced game due to overnight and early morning rain, with Joshua Jones 1-17 and Damion Waldron 1-4.

In reply GDF made 48-2 from 5.4 overs Leon Andrews 25 not out and Quacy McPherson nine.

At Everest in the afternoon, Akshaya Persaud hit nine fours and two sixes as Everest reached 194-5 from 20 overs to beat Malteenoes.

Malteenoes were dismissed for 86 in 16 overs despite opener Shimron Barrington who hit two sixes and a four in cameo 20 as off-spinner Richie Looknauth had 4-12 and Clinton Pestano bagged 3-19.

Keon Morris Bernard Bailey

Daniel Mootoo

Will Young, playing his first game of the series, scored fifty off 40 balls • Emirates Cricket Board

Rain plays spoiler as GAW, SLK share points

RAIN has proven the victor as Saint Lucia Kings and Guyana Amazon Warriors took a point apiece in the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL).

Inclement weather throughout the day suggested that there would be a shortened match and Faf Du Plessis, having won the toss, made the decision to bowl first

to allow the Kings the chance to assess the conditions.

The match was persistently interrupted before eventually being reduced to a five-over-aside shoot out.

Saim Ayub and Chandrapaul Hemraj tried to accelerate but on a pitch with good bounce and carry, they struggled with their timing be -

fore Hemraj fell first for 4 midway through the third over.

However, that wicket seemed to spark the Amazon Warriors innings into life and Ayub and Azam Khan took Chris Sole and Alzarri Joseph for 18 and 19 runs respectively.

There was to be further woe for the Kings after they accrued the

slow over rate penalty for the final over but Jair McCallister bowled a brilliant death over on his CPL debut to ensure the Amazon Warriors were restricted to 56 from their five overs.

DLS readjusted the Saint Lucia target to 59 but the match was to see no further action as rain returned to call a permanent halt to proceedings.

The result meant both teams shared the spoils in a result that

GBA’s Winfield Brathwaite C’bean School Boys & Girls C/Ships

sent Saint Lucia to the top of the nascent CPL table.

Guyanese boxers dominate on penultimate night

By Sean Devers

Guyanese Boxers captured six titles while Trinidad & Tobago won two on the penultimate night of the sixth Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) Winfield

Brathwaite Caribbean School Boys & Girls Championships at the National Gymnasium on Saturday.

Barbados and Grenada won a title each while Bajan Carl Reid defeated St Lucian Jeananan Gas-

was scheduled to culminate with more Gold Medal bouts.

Watched by a fairly sized gathering which competed with basketball, tennis and futsal matches being played on the impressive courts recently constructed by the Guyana Government in the compound of the Gymnasium, boxing was the main attraction.

The international fights began with 11-year-old Jamal Muhammed from Diego

Schoolboy 40kg final; before that, Reid beat Jeananan Gaspard of St Lucia in the semi-final of the Juniors 80 plus kg.

Joshua Rene of St Lucia lost to Grenadian Joshua Clyne in the Final of the Juniors 80kg.

Arguably the most entertaining bout of the night was the Junior Girl’s 48kg final between Guyana’s Angelica Rogers and Trinidadian Reyna John.

The pair of pugilists went at each with all guns firing from the first bell and the action was fast and furious.

They traded punches and their combinations were like little pistons as both boxers scored with jabs to the head and punches in bunches to each other’s body in the opening round; the 14 year-old Trini from Sande Grande, winning a close round.

The hectic pace continued in the second round in which a threeshot combination sent John to canvas in the closing stages.

were hit but Rogers took the harder and more on target blow and when final bell sounded, both boxers earned a standing ovation, with John winning on points.

In the juniors 66kg final St Lucian Jack Suraj took a battering from Guyana’s Shemroy Wintz.

Herve Charlemange went toe-to-toe with Bancroft scoring with crisp jabs to head and upper-cuts to the body of the St Lucian who was willing to counter punch.

Whenever Bancroft scored, his team-mates and supporters would wave Guyana flags lustily before the fight was stopped in one minute and 20 seconds in the third and final round in favour of the Guyanese.

Guyana’s Chance Niles beat T&T’s Matthew Newallo in the Junior Light Middleweight final.

pard to qualify for the final last night when the three-night tournament

The intensity slowed a bit in the final round as the boxers began to tire. However, this did not stop them from charging at each other with arms flaying.

Both young ladies

Wintz hit Suraj almost at will to his head and body, staggering his man on a few occasions before the onslaught was halted by the referee in the first round.

The bout between Guyana’s Ryan Rogers and Bajan Maliki Edwards was also entertaining as Rogers produced a dominant performance.

Edwards who threw a barrage of punches in the opening round, most of which missed the target, threw a mighty ‘haymaker’ which knocked his opponent off of his feet much to the amusement of many.

Rogers also scored with some body shots.

The second Stanza of the Schoolboy Light Bantam 52kg final, was much of the same as the first round as Rogers chased his man across the ring as the Bajan seemed unable to maintain his balance. Rogers won on points.

The juniors 63kg final was also entertaining.

Guyana’s Eon Bancroft and St Lucian

Guyanese Joshua Thambaran stopped Grenadian Keno Griffith in one minute eight second in the first round of their Junior Light Bantam 52kg final in the final bout of the night.

A couple of local bouts commenced the night’s proceedings with Yusuf Edwards beating Nazeem Razak and Khumunda Alexander losing to Ken Harvey.

Among those in attendance were Guyana’s only Olympic Medalist, Mike Parris, who won Bronze in 1980 in Moscow, Olympian Keevin Allicock, former female World Champion Shondell Alfred and National

Martin in Trinidad, beating Guyana’s Dreshawn Willery to win the

Guyana’s only Olympic Medalist Mike Parris (2nd from left sitting) was among those who watched the action on Saturday night (Sean Devers photo)

T&T’s Reyna John is floored by Guyana’s Angelica Rogers but recovered to win the most entertaining fight of the night (Sean Devers photo)

Azam Khan of Guyana Amazon Warriors bowled by Jair Mcallister of Saint Lucia Kings during the Men’s 2023 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League match 4 between Saint Lucia Kings and Guyana Amazon Warriors at Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium on August 19, 2023 in Gros Islet, Saint Lucia. (Photo by Randy Brooks/CPL T20 via Getty Images)

GBA’s Winfield Brathwaite C’bean School Boys & Girls C/Ships

Guyanese boxers dominate on penultimate night

Vieira picks up double podium weekend at CTMP

Archibald runs personal best but exits World Championships

GUYANA’S Emanuel Archibald ran a personal best but exited the 100M at the semi-final round of the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, Hungray.

Archibald’s fairytale ended when he ran in heat two of the semi-final of the men’s 100M, running a 10.13 to finish sixth.

That 10.13 however remains the Guyanese’s best effort.

In the 100M finals, USA’s Noah Lyles took the title in 9.83 seconds with Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo winning silver

just a thousandth of a second ahead of Great Britain’s Zharnel Hughes.

Meanwhile Aliyah Abrams missed out on a spot in the women’s

400M final by not advancing beyond the heats. Her time of 51.44 was only good for fifth in heat five.

Saturday’s Pro Sport Bike podium from Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (L-R): Matt Simpson, Elliot Vieira, and David MacKay. [Photo: Rob O’Brien / CSBK]

Guyana’s Eon Bancroft (left) scores with a right upper cut as he beat St Lucian Herve Charlemange (Sean Devers photo)