Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 22-06-2023

- says if found culpable, Dharamlall will face consequences

‘The people will see us’

- VP Jagdeo says, as party continues works in communities following LGEs

Congress: Guyana showcases expertise in roads, highway construction

NIS pensions to now be paid on first business day of every month

President, Dr Irfaan Ali (fourth from left) and Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand (right) with some of the representatives from the World Bank moments after the ceremonial ribbon cutting to mark the official opening of the Good Hope Secondary School on the East Coast Demerara. (Office of the President photo)

President Dr. Irfaan Ali hosted the judges of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), led by its President, Justice Adrian Saunders at State House Tuesday night. The CCJ will be hearing several cases at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre. The judges will also participate in various training sessions with local stakeholders

VP Jagdeo: ‘No tolerance for abuse’

‘We are building a holistic education system’

- President Ali says at commissioning of Good Hope Secondary

CCJ President says court serves as catalyst for regional integration

- to engage with judiciary, bar, and civil society in Guyana

By Clestine Juan

PRESIDENT of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), Justice Adrian Saunders has said that the apex court serves as a catalyst for regional integration, promoting peace, justice, economic advancement, stability, and security.

He made these remarks on Tuesday during the opening ceremony of the CCJ’s second itinerant hearing in Guyana, held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC).

Over the course of the next two days, the CCJ would preside over five cases, with two originating

from Guyana itself.

Since its establishment in 2005, Justice Saunders said the CCJ serves as the highest appellate court for member states of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) that have acceded to the court’s appellate jurisdiction.

It acts as a replacement for the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, ensuring that final appellate jurisdiction resides within the Caribbean region itself.

“The CCJ stands as both a product and a beacon of regional integration. The court is one of the vital means through which the aspirations of the people of the Caribbean community for

peace, justice, economic advancements, stability [and] security, can be realised,” the CCJ president said.

President Saunders, however, stressed that a regional apex court cannot function as effectively if it is perceived as a remote, brooding infallible omnipresence since judges must avail themselves of occasions to interface directly with key stakeholders.

“Throughout the region, people from all walks of life need to have the opportunity to see, in flesh and blood, those who pass ultimate judgment on them,” Justice Saunders said as he expressed the court’s commitment to fulfilling the

people’s desires for a stronger Caribbean community.

He explained that the CCJ’s mandate extends beyond resolving legal disputes. The court aims to initiate various projects aimed at enhancing access to justice and promoting awareness of the judicial process. These endeavours seek to strengthen the fabric of the region and empower its citizens by providing a fair and transparent legal framework.

The CCJ will “squeeze in” a number of activities to increase public awareness about the role of the court, and its methods, and also about the place of the court in the operations of the

CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).

In particular, Justice Saunders added that the CCJ will embark on an extended programme that will include activities to advance an ongoing project that has been developed with the Caribbean Forum of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States (CARIFORUM), under the 11th European Development Fund (EDF).

“This project aims to, specifically in Guyana, sensitise the judiciary, the bar, and other stakeholders about the CSME and the role of the court and national courts and tribunals within that CSME regime,” he said.

At the level of the judiciary and the bar, Saunders said that the CCJ will facilitate sessions to address the referral process under Article 214 of the revised Treaty of Chaguaramas.

“We will also engage with civil society and the public, including a session with students from the University of Guyana. Over the next week, we have scheduled a compact and robust schedule, and we look forward to the mutual exchanges and learnings that will no doubt ensue from all of these interactions, as we discuss matters concerning the administration of justice and how we can serve the people of Guyana and the community with excellence,” he said.

Meanwhile, Chancellor of the Judiciary (ag), Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards, said that the CCJ presided over 111 matters for Guyana alone and has carved out a Caribbean jurisprudence that is “second to none.”

“This court is known to be revolutionary, forward-thinking, and even groundbreaking in some of its decisions that it has given over the years… Their honours have had their dockets dominated with a number of subject areas including criminal law, land law, constitutional law, and a number of election cases from Guyana… It is evident that Guyana has contributed significantly to the development of the Caribbean Court of Justice and its jurisprudence,” the Chancellor said.

Meanwhile, Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George hailed the CCJ for embracing the diversity of the Caribbean region while also emphasising the necessity for inclusion and harmonisation as it leads the judication in ensuring that the rule of law is upheld both in its original and appellate judications.

The Chief Justice stressed that the CCJ is also a champion of judicial and legal education through its arm, the CCJ Academy for Law and its support for the Caribbean Association of Judicial Officers.

“The CCJ sets a very high standard, leading us in the advancement of court technology and inspiring us, as it has done, to achieve excellence in court and judicial administration. And in doing so, this enduring regional institution- which has celebrated its 18th anniversary this year- educates, guides and enjoins us to ensure that in upholding the rule of law we engender public trust and confidence in our justice system,” the Chief Justice said.

CCJ’s President, Justice Adrian Saunders (DPI Photos)

Chancellor of the Judiciary (ag) Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George

The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) second itinerant hearing in Guyana

‘We want a holistic education system’

- President Ali at commissioning of Good Hope Secondary

By Tamica Garnett

PRESIDENT Dr. Irfaan Ali has stressed the importance of equitably distributed resources in a holistic education system, as he delivered the feature address at the commissioning of the long-awaited Good Hope Secondary School on the East Coast of Demerara, on Wednesday afternoon.

According to Dr. Ali, education gives everyone the opportunity to be a holistic citizen, and a holistic member of the human family, and as such, everyone should be afforded the equal access to this opportunity.

The President made this remark as he shared an anecdote of his own upbringing and transitioning from a primary school on the West Demerara where there were not certain amenities, to being awestruck by the level of amenities present when he graduated to attending, St Stanislaus College, one of the top secondary schools in the country, which is in the capital city Georgetown.

“I’m a President who wants to have a great Guyana, and I want every region to be part of that great story and to do that we have to recognise

that the story I’m telling you about where I came from, is a story across the country of where there were great disparities in equality and expenditure, where some regions were left lagging behind. Because there was no evenness in the expenditure,” the President shared.

He continued: “So while we celebrate the greatness of Region Four there was a time when many regions lagged behind because they did not have the same opportunities that we have in Region Four and we must acknowledge this because it is an important point to note that for education to be delivered in an even way requires even investment across every single region to ensure that all children have an opportunity to be the best they can be.”

The opening of the Good Hope Secondary school will see the closing of all the primary top schools on the East Coast Demerara, which includes primary tops at Enterprise, Paradise and Enmore. This will now afford underprivileged students the opportunity to receive a top-notch education at a state-of-the-art secondary school that comes equipped with all the amenities for a high-quality education.

In Guyana, “Primary Top Schools”, as they are called, are primary schools with a secondary school department, and are used as an alternative for students who would not have attained enough scores at the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) to be placed at a secondary school.

Though a traditional secondary school runs from Grades Seven to Eleven, classes at “Primary Top” schools run from Grades Seven to Nine, and the students are usually transferred to a secondary school after writing the Na-

tional Grade Nine Assessment (NGNA).

A Grade ‘A’, List B school, Good Hope comes well fitted with several amenities including various IT, chemistry, biology, physic and industrial technology labs, home economics rooms, smart classrooms, and a visual audio room, among other conveniences.

The school will have the capacity to hold between 800 - 1000 students.

Approximately 700 students are expected to be the first batch to attend the

school with approximately 400 students coming from the primary tops and approximately 200 pupils who recently wrote the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) scheduled to be placed there.

Another 93 students who were already placed at the school but were unable to attend due to the school not being completed will also now be able to move into their new school.

Approximately 60 teachers are initially expected to be placed at the school.

The school, is the second school to be completed under the Guyana Secondary Education Improvement Project (GSEIP), which is being funded with financing from the World Bank. The GSEIP schools are part of the government’s overarching programme to achieve universal secondary education, that is ensuring every eligible student has access to a secondary school.

The Westminster Secondary on the West Demerara is the only other GSEIP secondary to be completed thus far. However, a secondary school in Yarrowkabra is scheduled to be completed and commissioned shortly. Another

GSEIP school is scheduled to be built in Prospect on the East Bank Demerara.

Also making remarks at the commissioning ceremony Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand underscored the important role that the completion of the Good Hope and other secondary schools will play in the delivery of education.

“Every time we fail to put down a school, children can’t get educated at any proper quality and children drop out. Just under 1000 students were unable to get a secondary school right here on the east coast and were going to primary tops,” she noted.

Minister Manickchand continued: “With the completion of Good Hope the east coast of demerara achieves universal secondary education. We are going to close down the six primary tops that currently exist and the children are going to be able to come to a discrete secondary school. It means a secondary school that caters for secondary education, with labs and trained teachers and classrooms that are outfitted for secondary age children.”

VP Jagdeo: ‘No tolerance for abuse’

FOLLOWING allegations of rape and sexual misconduct made by a 16-year-old girl against Local Government Minister Nigel Dharamlall, General Secretary of the Peoples Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo said that no form of abuse or violence will be tolerated by the sitting government.

Dr. Jagdeo during a live Facebook interview on Wednesday evening, said that the government is in support of a thorough investigation into the serious allegations that have been made.

In fact, he said, if convicted, the member of parliament who has since proceeded on leave will face the brunt of the law.

“We have no tolerance for any abuse of women or children in our midst…there must be a full investigation of the allegations and if the minister is found guilty, he faces all the consequences associated with that charge and court imposed.”

Dr. Jagdeo further reminded of the sexual offences act, which was amended during his tenure as president in 2010.

“It was one [of] the most advanced pieces of legislation at that time in the region or the world and so we are intolerant to anybody harassing women or more so children, molesting children we take a strong view on that matter.”

According to the legislation, if a person (the accused) commits the offence of sexual activity with a child under 16 years of age, the accused if found liable on summary conviction can face imprisonment for five years and on conviction on indictment to imprisonment for 10 years.

However, he noted that the matter must not be tried in the ‘court’ of social media, or

be made as political weapon .

“We also believe that people must not be tried in the social media, or this is not a political matter this is an allegation [that] was made, it was investigated, he [Dharamlall] was presented with the allegations, he was arrested and he received bail.”

Last week, a letter addressed to Guyana’s Head of State Dr. Irfaan Ali along with several other posts alleging incidents of rape and sexual harassment made waves across social media.

The complainant detailed anecdotes of the alleged incident, which is said to have occurred in December 2022.

The allegations have since seen outrage with many local organizations, social media commentators, and opposition members of parliament condemning the minister.

Earlier in the week, several opposition members took to protest action, calling for his resignation.

Dharamlall on Monday presented himself to the Brickdam Police Station in the company of his lawyer Nigel Huges. He was arrested and subsequently released

on $1 million bail.

Jagdeo has, however, since called on the public to desist from politicizing the matter and allow for thorough investigations and the law to prevail.

“Process is important, the state lived up to the responsibility of this child, it took the child into custody, all of the

processes associated with the law have been followed. The process associated with the minister. He was presented with the allegations and he was taken into custody,” Dr. Jagdeo said.

Following his arrest, Dharamlall’s counsel acting on his behalf issued a statement saying that he intends

to cooperate fully with the investigation.

According to the statement, Dharamlall has also denied the allegation. The case is currently being investigated by the Guyana Police Force and the Child Care and Protection Agency.

President Dr Irfaan Ali and Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand with students of the Good Hope Secondary school after the commissioning

Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall

Minister Croal assists Smith's Memorial Primary in beautifying surroundings

By Cindy Parkinson

THE Smith's Memorial Primary School

Parent/Teacher As -

sociation (PTA) requested assistance with beautifying the school's surroundings, which Minister of Housing and Water

Collin Croal promptly provided in line with President Dr Irfaan Ali and First Lady Arya Ali's green and safe- space initiatives.

Minister Croal, in an exclusive interview, told the Guyana Chronicle that the PTA body

wrote him in March of last year and requested his presence at one of their meetings. However, because of his busy schedule, the minister said that he could not have made it, but he sent his representative

Ms. Donell Bess-Bascom, who is also the Deputy Director of Community Development.

Based on the engagement with Ms. Donell, the minister said that the PTA asked for his help in several projects, one of which was the beautification initiative.

According to Minister Croal, “I looked at all that they were seeking help for and the decision was made to go with this project because it is part of what we as a government are trying to accomplish under President Ali’s leadership. We are looking to enhance and beautify the urban area and the entire Guyana; the First Lady, Mrs. Ali is also ensuring that parks and safe places are being erected as well, and this seems to fit perfectly into what our vision is as a government.”

The minister further stated, “Smith's Memorial Primary School is also our neighbour and it felt like we were adopting it by doing this beautification proj-

ect. I will also like to say that the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports supported the cause by providing the lights, benches, and pavements and we opted for the construction sheds.”

Minister Croal added that each of the three wooden sheds has dimensions of 20 feet long, nine feet wide, and eight feet tall and was built at a total cost of $1.5 million.

Finally, the minister said that he would like to commend the headteacher, staff, and the vibrant PTA body for thinking about different ways of creating a child-friendly and safe environment for the children and parents. He also encourages other schools to play their role in the development of education facilities within their communities, regions, and, by extension, the country as a whole. The housing minister also urges persons using the facilities to help maintain and keep them clean.

In front of Smith's Memorial Primary School Beautification work done at Smith's Memorial Primary School by the Ministry of Housing and Water, with the help of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport

Jehovah’s Witnesses to host first large convention since 2019

AFTER a three-year pandemic pause, one of the largest convention organisations in the world has once again chosen the Leonora Track and Field Stadium to host its global three-day event - the 2023 “Exercise Patience”! Convention.

Prior to 2019, Jehovah’s Witnesses marked June through August thronging to venues to attend their annual convention.

In 2020, the pandemic interrupted that tradition when the Witnesses cancelled their in-person events throughout the world and held their convention programmes as virtual events in over 500 languages. On

July 7, 2023, the Witnesses will bring that tradition back to Leonora Stadium.

“As much as we loved the convenience and quality

of our virtual conventions, nothing can replace being together in a large group setting,” said Andre Darrell, spokesman for Jehovah’s

Witnesses. “While our online conventions reached millions around the world and kept our communities safe, we long to get back to our joyful fellowship at these large gatherings,” the Witnesses said in a statement.

Some 6,000 conventions will be held worldwide as part of the 2023 “Exercise Patience”! Convention series. Beginning on July 7, from Friday through Sunday, six convention sessions will explore the quality of patience, highlighting its modern-day relevance through scriptural examples. A live baptism will be performed following the Saturday morning session

and a prerecorded drama will be featured in two parts during the Saturday and Sunday afternoon sessions.

“Patience is a beautiful quality that all Christians desire to display in their daily lives,” says Darrell.

“Despite our good intentions, however, maintaining patience in the face of life’s many challenges can be a daily struggle. Spending three days exploring aspects of this quality will be very timely for all of us,” the statement said.

Jehovah’s Witnesses have been holding public conventions in stadiums, arenas, convention centres, and theaters around the world for more than

100 years. After resuming smaller in-person meetings and their public ministry during 2022, the summer of 2023 marks the first time they will gather at much larger regional events around the world since the lifting of pandemic restrictions.

The convention is open to the public and no collection is taken. For more information on the programme or to find other convention locations and dates, please go to jw.org and navigate to the “About Us” tab, or contact local spokesman Andre Darrell on 617-9089 or adarrell@jw.org

Public Works Ministry condemns dangerous road practices

- calls on drivers to desist from damaging public property

THE Ministry of Public Works has noted with much concern the irresponsible and criminal manner in which the roads are being used daily.

Recently, the Ministry noted that there have been an overwhelming number of reports of drivers using road shoulders, cycle paths and pedestrian walkways as driving lanes, in addition to vehicles damaging guard rails and road signs. These unlawful practices must stop immediately.

With respect to driving on the road shoulders, in addition to breaking the law, the Ministry underscored that this practice is very dangerous, as it increases the risk of accidents since it eliminates

the opportunity for other vehicles to access the shoulders in the event of an emergency.

These practices also impede pedestrian movements and thus expose them to collision with

vehicles.

Further, blockage of the road shoulder can im-

pede emergency vehicles and delay help reaching those who may urgently need it.

The Ministry, therefore, calls on the general public, especially drivers, to use the road shoulders ONLY in the event of an emergency, as these were designed to allow emergency vehicles a safe pass when there is congestion on the roadway. Persons are reminded that the blatant disregard and defiance of traffic rules and regulations can result in them being charged and placed before the courts.

On July 7, 2023, Jehovah’s Witnesses will bring back their convention tradition to the Leonora Stadium

Investing in Guyana’s Youth

GUYANA, a small yet promising nation nestled on the northern coast of South America, is poised to become an economic powerhouse with the discovery of vast oil and gas reserves. As the country prepares to capitalise on this unprecedented opportunity, it is essential to recognise the pivotal role of investing in the youth of Guyana.

The People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government has taken significant strides towards empowering the nation's youth through robust investments in education, particularly in technical training and scholarships, thus positioning young people to spearhead the

nation's development and harness the potential of burgeoning industries.

Education has long been heralded as the cornerstone of progress and development in any society. The PPP/C government has recognised this truth and made substantial commitments to bolster the education sector in Guyana.

Two notable initiatives are the $40,000 education cash grant and the Guyana Online Learning Academy (GOAL) scholarship programme.

While the grant provides financial support for parents to send their children to school (from nursery to secondary), the GOAL scholarship pro -

gramme aims to provide scholarships to Guyanese students pursuing higher education in fields crucial to the nation's development, including geosciences, information technology, and environmental studies, among other things.

By investing in the knowledge and skills of the youth, the government ensures a steady supply of well-trained professionals ready to contribute to the growing oil and gas sector and other budding industries.

Moreover, the PPP/C government understands the importance of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in preparing the youth

for the job market and equipping them with the skills needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving economy.

Recognising this need, the government has embarked on an ambitious plan to expand TVET programmes across the country. By establishing state-of-the-art vocational training centres and partnering with industry experts, the government is nurturing a workforce that can seize the opportunities emerging from the oil and gas sector and other burgeoning industries.

These TVET programmes provide specialised training in areas such as welding, construction, maritime skills, and renewable energy, among

others. By offering pathways to high-quality technical education, Guyana is empowering its youth to take an active part in shaping the nation's destiny.

In addition to investments in education, the PPP/C government has also prioritised the development of infrastructure and support systems necessary for the growth of industries in Guyana.

The government has worked diligently to create a favourable business environment, attract foreign investment, and foster innovation and entrepreneurship. By streamlining administrative processes and providing incentives for businesses to set up in Guyana, the government

is opening doors for job creation and economic expansion.

This strategy not only benefits the youth by providing employment opportunities but also ensures that the nation's wealth generated from the oil and gas sector is reinvested into education, healthcare, and other vital sectors.

Investing in Guyana's youth is not merely an act of goodwill, it is a strategic imperative for the nation's long-term prosperity. By equipping young people with the necessary knowledge, skills, and opportunities, the PPP/C government is laying the foundation for a vibrant and inclusive society.

CCJ denies child rapist special leave to appeal life sentences

THE Trinidad-based Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), which is currently sitting in Guyana, on Tuesday dismissed an application filed by a child rapist, who was seeking special leave to appeal his two life sentences for the rape and sodomy of an eight-yearold girl.

The ruling was handed down by Justice Denys Barrow, Justice

Maureen Rajnauth-Lee and Justice Peter Jamadar at the CCJ’s itinerant sitting at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre.

In 2018, a 12-member jury found the defendant guilty of rape, which occurred during the period of January 1 and 31, 2016.

Justice Jo-Ann Barlow had sentenced the man to life imprisonment with the possibility

of parole after serving 20 years in jail. The applicant,

through his attorney Nigel Hughes, had later moved to the Appeal Court, challenging the

conviction and severity of his sentence.

The Appeal Court however, did not find that the trial judge erred in law in her sentencing. The court also found that the sentence imposed by the trial judge was appropriate taking into consideration the mitigating and aggravating factors of the case.

On Wednesday, The CCJ’s judges, in their ruling, found that the

crime committed by the applicant was among the most serious offences and life imprisonment was well within the range of sentencing for it.

As such, the CCJ dismissed the applicant’s special leave for appeal. This means that the applicant will have to serve his sentence, since the CCJ is Guyana’s final appeal court.

Fate has saved Guyana from Sydney King, AKA Eusi Kwayana

EACH time I see a letter in the newspapers by Sydney King, AKA, Eusi Kwayana, written after March 3, 2020, I think how lucky this country was to have been spared the clutches of Kwayana.

Imagine if after self-government in the 1950s right through after Independence through to the 1980s, Kwayana was part of the government with actual Cabinet power. It never happened, because if it did, Guyana would not have survived. Kwayana can only see Guyana through the lenses of ethnic genetics. Mr. King or Kwayana is a deterministic geneticist but not the genetics that E.O. Wilson wrote so brilliantly about. Mr. Kwayana’s deterministic genetics are hardly positive and has no capacity to lead researchers into directions of discovering what makes humans as great as they are flawed.

Mr. Kwayana published a letter in the papers yesterday about the alleged Mahdia arsonist. I will quote what he noted. Then I will offer a number of statements made by Mr. Kwayana on the March 2020 elections in direct response to me. After that, I will prove beyond a shadow of a doubt, that given the way he reasons, interprets reality and offers explanations of that reality that Mr. Kwayana is a practitioner of a methodology former US President, Donald Trump invented called,

“alternative facts.”

Here is what Mr. King/Kwayana observed yesterday about the alleged arsonist: “One woman-child is being made to bear the brunt and burden of that unfortunate accident. In it, to me, there was no sign of criminal malice. With the recent outburst of accusations about the ravishment of a young woman-child of the first nations there is every sign of not only premeditation but of cover-up and official participation in this cover-up.”

I will ask readers to pay careful attention to the above quote because there is no ambiguity; Kwayana talks about what he knows.

Three things he knows in that quote above: The alleged arsonist is being made to bear the brunt. Please note Kwayana’s choice words “BEING MADE (emphasis mine) to bear the brunt;” there was no criminal intent by the accused arsonist; and he knows that in a recent episode there is a cover-up and official participation in such.

Please note that he says he knows. Here are my quotes from Kwayana’s pen on Kwayana’s attitude to election rigging from March, 2020 to July 2020

Quote 1 – April 6, 2020- Kaieteur News

(KN): “I consider it unhelpful about facts I do not have. I have always tried to make only such allegations as are founded in evidence.”

Q2- May 14, 2020, KN: “I have refused

from my location to single out any individual or party as responsible for what appears to be undeniable irregularities.”

Q3- June 2, 2020, KN: “I am a curious observer, from a great distance, of what I can hear and not read because of my impaired vision of the March 2 Elections.”

The juxtapositions of these quotes remind us of the early Kwayana then, named Sydney King (and the Sydney King in him took on new light and new meaning after March 2020) of what he did in the 1960s when he openly called for the partition of Guyana into an Indian and African sections. Looking back then, Guyana was indeed spared in that his advocacy fell by the wayside where it belonged.

Here now are my comments on the juxtaposition of the quotes.

(1)- In 2020, Kwayana was 95. Now he is 98. Since writing about his vision in 2020, Mr. Kwayana has penned more than10 letters to the newspapers. One has to be glad his eyesight has improved.

(2) - He writes that he operates from a great distance and could not

point fingers at anyone. But he is still at a great distance and he is pointing fingers. Maybe by some weird shift in the tectonic plates of the earth, Sydney is now right in Guyana.

(3) – Sydney tells us he only composes

allegations founded on evidence. So what evidence does he have that somewhere, some source is causing the alleged arsonist to bear the brunt of what happened at Mahdia. The police simply, and the emphasis should be on

‘charged someone who is alleged, as told to the police by eyewitnesses, made an incendiary device that created an inferno that killed 20 persons.

(4) – Sydney King becomes a thoughtless person and descended to levels of rascality by asserting that there was no criminal intent by the accused arsonist. And how Sydney knows this? How can anyone know this without talking to the alleged wrong-doer? As far as I know Sydney did not interview the accused. Did he?

CDB President says:

GDP Outa-Style!

THE President of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), Dr Hyginus ‘Gene’ Leon, says measurement of development by the traditional Gross Domestic Product (GDP) yardstick is out-of-date and insufficient today and it simply makes no sense for regional states to continue striving to annually qualify by that measure.

Dr Leon on June 20 invited Governors of CDB member-states attending the 53rd CDB Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Saint Lucia to consider that in these new times, new yardsticks are needed to measure development, if the Caribbean is to recover at the rate needed to overcome current

challenges of current global financial and economic realities.

Delivering his address at the Sandals Grande Saint Lucian Beach Resort and Spa, he continued offering prescriptions for evolving changes affecting and facing the bank’s borrowing member-states.

Following-up on his previous messages in 2021 and 2022 -- that the region’s primary development bank needs to reinvent its approaches to problem-solving in these new times -- he said much more needs to be done, more quickly, to enhance the region’s ability to adapt to new realities by using new strategies.

Describing COVID-19 as

“a once-in-100-years event” that “disrupted” regional economies with “erosive shocks” that slowed-down progress towards achievement of the United Nations Special Development Goals (SDGs), he said it also resulted in “increasing poverty, lower earnings, increasing costs of food and energy, plus exposure to international cross-border risks” that can overcome the region’s economic vulnerabilities and worsen already burdensome crises.

President Leon said the “new difficulties increase the region’s development challenges” and offered a ‘Regional Economic Response’, identifying several areas where the bank had

scored successes, as in climate change initiatives, an adaptation plan, new partnerships, interventions and increases in loans and grants.

He said he that bank was “also cognisant that headwinds remain” -- like more hurricanes and new financial strictures -- but “we will remain steadfast to close the gaps to help achieve SDGs and rebuild internal resilience capacity.”

He offered a ‘Trilogy’ of solutions that conclude that “Social Development is too important to be exclusive” and thus should be a shared goal of developed and developing nations through “financial partnerships” for new initiatives like Green Energy that go beyond national and regional boundaries and both compliment and complement the likes of new partnerships between private and public sectors.

President Leon also recommended that “We can use technology to bridge skills gaps and create new skills sets for youth and stop or slow-down the migration rate of regional skills,” adding that new approaches will require “creating new policies and instruments for change based on human needs and not only on GDP…”

He also urged delegates to “Let’s agree that we need a new suite” of investments and resource allocations to make the region better for the common good of all.

The CDB President noted that “use of GDP as a proxy for development is insufficient… and continuing to build on that basis “will also be insufficient…”

He urged instead, more use of related human development indexes “that aid in social development and achievement of SDGs.”

The President also advocated more be done to “create the architecture to assess Loss and Damage” from Climate Change, as agreed to at the 2022 Climate Change Summit (COP 27) at Sharmel-Sheik in Egypt.

He said the CDB, as the region’s development bank, “will relentlessly pursue the policies outlined with continued responsiveness…”

The CDB president concluded saying “The fate of the region and the bank is also ours” and urged governors and member-states to work together to address common challenges, “lest we are forced to answer in the future for not doing what we can do now and together!”

The CDB President’s recommendation that GDP be revisited and reconsidered did not draw immediate responses from the bank’s gathered governors, who might not have expected his bold submission.

But all cannot but agree with his underlying argument that (to use a popular Caribbean phrase) GDP has ‘Gone Outa-Style’ as far as being a reliable yardstick for measuring development of poor and small -island developing nations with small territories, populations and economies vulnerable to all earthly ills.

Medicine is never sweet and the CDB President’s tabling of a prescription for a brand-new prescription for regional economic development might frown some foreheads in banking and finance sectors, but hopefully it will eventually be seen as an early warning signal that early admission of full effect is better than late regret.

Caribbean and other small and more-vulnerable developing countries have, for more than two de-

cades, been complaining that changes in the yardsticks used by United Nations (UN) and other international agencies to measure development have been at our disadvantage.

The CDB President’s tabling of the hard truth and his prescription for tough medicine must be taken seriously, because while we are discussing GDP as an accurate yardstick, the reality is that its measurements no longer (or probably never did) reflect African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) realities.

It’s not a new argument, as many other small nations have expressed the same view: that the new yardsticks graduate (some say ‘kick’) many countries still in need out of the qualifying bracket for much-needed aid.

The President didn’t offer any direct recommendations and it’s to be hoped, if not expected, that his warning signal will be heeded like the very-real red flag it represents.

The opening session was held under the broad theme of Marshalling Resources for Sustainable Regional Development and Access to Affordable Financing, but here again, the region has a chance to take a stitch in time to avoid another costly embarrassment of fighting to place in an ever-losing race.

And like always, time will tell, today and tomorrow, whether – like the CDB President suggested – we’ll seize the time and act now, or be held accountable, before or after we’re gone, for not grasping that every challenge brings opportunities – in this case, to accept a bitter truth too-long treated like candy floss. (ends)

IRF Regional Caribbean Congress:

Guyana showcases expertise in roads, highway construction

structure for Small lsland Developing States.

The team was led by Director of Projects, Omar Narine, his Deputy, Intakab Indarjeet, and included other engineers from the Projects Department.

Coming out of the event, the team deemed the presentation a success, as the panel was impressed with Guyana’s use of Rigid Pavement designs, over the more traditional forms of road construction, which in an era of booming socio-economic development is a very feasible approach for the country.

With the Government’s expansive Building and Infrastructure Development Agenda, the Ministry of Housing and Water (MoHW)

and the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA) engineers started to explore pragmatic methods in order to ensure the realisation of that agenda within the shortest time. Also put forward was the importance of adopting new construction methodologies, designs, and implementation approaches.

With the development of new housing schemes and the expansion of existing ones, the Projects Department, after much research, planning, and designing, agreed to the use of Rigid Pavement Highways, which has been successful thus far. This method was highly praised by the panel leading industry innovators, researchers, and stakeholders during the

event.

Based on feedback from the conference and the Guyana delegation, the panel hoped that more Caribbean nations can adopt this methodology, given the success and benefits Guyana has achieved in terms of value for money, durability, and sustainability. This Rigid Pavement method was first used during the construction of the Mandela Avenue to Eccles Highway and is being used in the construction of the Meer Zorgen to the Crane four-lane Highway, Region 3. The 11th International Road Federation, (IRF) Regional Caribbean Congress was held in Nassau, Bahamas from June 13 to 16, 2023.

GUYANA was able to showcase its expertise in the area of roads and highway construction at the recently concluded 11th International Road Federation (IRF),

Regional Caribbean Congress in Nassau, Bahamas.

A team from the Ministry of Housing and Water-Central Housing and Planning Authority’s Project Depart-

ment took part and presented a case study on the Design and Construction of Rigid Pavement Highway in Guyana, as part of a technical session on Transport Infra-

Venezuelan convicted of operating brothel, remanded for TIP

VENEZUELAN National and businesswoman, Mayelin Cordova, was, on Wednesday, remanded to prison on nine counts of Trafficking in Person (TIP).

Cordova, 41, of Second Avenue, Bartica, who is currently serving a sixmonth sentence for operating a brothel, appeared virtually before Magistrate Christel Lambert at the Bartica Magistrate’s Court and pleaded not guilty to the nine charges.

Particulars of the charge alleged that Cordova between March 15, 2023, and April 30, 2023, trafficked nine Venezuelan females from Venezuela to Guy -

ana and exploited them between Crusher Hill and Barakat Backdam, Cuyuni Mazaruni River, Region Seven.

The victims reported the matter to the Guyana Police Force, and members

led to Cordova’s arrest.

The businesswoman was remanded to prison until July 5, 2023.

Director of Projects, Omar Narine (second from left), Deputy Director of Projects, Intakab Indarjeet (centre) and other members of the CHPA 11th International Road Federation (IRF), Regional Caribbean Congress in Nassau, Bahamas

of the Trafficking in Persons Unit of the Criminal Investigation Department Headquarters which

Remanded: Mayelin Cordova

Expanding Horizons: Foreign, local businesses join forces under Local Content Law

THE Local Content Law, which has helped to raise the country's profile as an investment destination has facilitated partnerships between Guyana and foreign investors.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Office for Investment (Guyana Invest), Dr. Peter Ramsaroop, has stated that, in the early years of the oil and gas sector, large companies initially entered the sector without the need for local partners.

However, in recent times, investors have shown increased interest in local content and local partnership.

During an interview with local oil and gas news outlet, OilNow, Dr. Ramsaroop said he believes that the new wave of investments will necessitate collaboration with local companies.

“I believe a lot of the next level of investments really require local partnerships… Because the early

days of the oil sector, 2020 and right before that were Schlumberger and Baker Hughes, massive companies…They didn’t need local partners. But the new players, in selling pipe coding for example, or oil services, are all companies that will require partnership and I know some of them are already in Guyana with partners,” Ramsaroop said.

He stressed the positive impact of such collaborations, noting that expanding local content in various sectors will be beneficial to Guyana, and will attract foreign investors who want to have a better understanding of the environment.

“I think local content is a good thing. I think companies want it more, and I believe as we expand local content in the other sectors, that it will be very good for Guyana, because, as a foreign investor, you don’t want to come into an environment that you don’t understand completely. You don’t understand the culture or the type of workforce. So, having that local partner is a plus for investors and I see it as a plus for Guyana and it’s not a detriment,” he expressed.

The CEO stated that while there is currently no direct conversation concerning expanding local content beyond the oil and gas sector, it is something that could

prove beneficial for Guyana.

“If, say, you’re coming to set up an agro-processing facility in Guyana, you would want to understand the local supply chain and which farmers can produce, or which smaller agro-processors can feed a bigger agro-processing [company].

So, I believe that it would be a good thing if we could expand local content to all other sectors,” he said.

The Local Content Laws were enacted in January 2022, after being passed in the National Assembly in December 2021. The act lays out 40 different services

that oil and gas companies and their sub-contractors must procure from Guyanese companies.

Its passage aimed to strengthen the laws which ensure that Guyanese adequately benefit from the burgeoning oil and gas sector.

Well-drilling projects to provide water security in Region Four

A NEW well worth $130 million will soon be constructed and drilled in Annandale, East Coast Demerara, to provide improved water access and supply to residents.

Additionally, persons living at La Bonne Intention (LBI), East Coast Demerara will benefit from the construction of a well there. Another $130 million is being set aside for the execution of that project.

The administration continues to bridge the gap between the coastland and hinterland regions, which en-

sures that hinterland residents benefit from increased access to a clean and reliable source of water.

In line with this, some $33 million will be expended towards the water supply improvement project at Bamboo Creek, Region Eight.

The government continues to advance its drive to ensure Guyanese benefit from improved access to potable water countryside.

The Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) has invited eligible bidders to execute these significant projects.

Bids must be deposited

into the tender box at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board, Ministry of Finance, Main & Urquhart Streets, Georgetown no later than Tuesday, July 11, 2023, at 09:00 hours.

Bidding documents can be purchased from the cashier at GWI, Shelterbelt, Vlissengen Road and Church Street, Bel Air Park, Georgetown.

In budget 2023, the government allocated $17.7 billion to further improve access to potable water throughout the country.

One of the many wells drilled by GWI countrywide

Guyana Office for Investment’s CEO, Dr. Peter Ramsaroop

‘The people will see us’

- VP Jagdeo says, party continues works in communities following LGEs

VICE- PRESIDENT (VP), Dr Bharrat Jagdeo has said that citizens can expect to continue seeing members of the government and members of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic in their communities aiding in development works.

The Vice-President made these remarks during a recent radio interview where he noted that with the significant increase in votes the party received in several areas across the country where

they did not have high votes at the 2018 Local Government polls, they will continue to foster development in those areas.

At the time, Dr Jagdeo was speaking on the recently concluded 2023 Local Government Elections (LGEs) where he indicated that the PPP/C made significant headway in areas such as Linden, New Amsterdam, and Georgetown.

As such, he expressed gratitude to those and all other constituents that

supported the party during the polls.

He said, “In Georgetown itself, APNU votes

fell. They were saying thye increased their votes by 2700. It’s not true if you combine APNU and

AFC votes from 2018, they got fewer votes than they got combined in 2018 in this election.”

However, he noted that the PPP/C’s votes increased by some 5,500, showing a massive increase in the city.

To this end, he said that the party campaigned strong and while they did not win the city, the support from voters was significant.

“We asked for a chance but people came out, they supported us

in large numbers and we have a duty to get back into those communities,” he said.

The Vice-President added that they will go into all those communities, even in those that they did not win and fulfil the promises that they made to those constituents.

“But we got a large number of votes… to fulfil every promise we made to those people, every one of them, they will see us,” he said.

GPHC reports success in bariatric surgeries

THE Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) on Wednesday reported on the number of successes that it has had in performing bariatric surgeries here.

Bariatric surgery, according to the Mayo Clinic, comprises gastric bypass and other weight-loss procedures involving changing the digestive system to assist an individual in losing weight.

During a press briefing on Wednesday at the

GPHC, the team of doctors who play an integral role in the bariatric department explained the procedure and highlighted several successful surgeries that have already been done, even as it was noted that there is currently a waiting list for persons who want to have the procedure done.

The hospital in February of last year conducted the first successful surgery with the support of the administration, while it was noted that it was previously

done using an open method at a private institution. The GPHC now conducts the procedure using the less invasive laparoscopic method.

Consultant for General and advanced laparoscopic surgery, Dr Hemraj Ramcharran, told members of the media that for someone to qualify for the surgery, their Body Mass Index (BMI) has to be 40 and above.

He explained that after the surgery, the stomach is made smaller and is a quarter of the actual size, so as a result, those persons will only be able to consume significantly less food than they did before.

Immediately post-op, they will be kept on a liquid diet and subsequently graduate back to solid foods just around three months after surgery.

“So, about three months after surgery they’re back on a normal diet, I mean normal foods, but of course, it is in smaller quantities. So, it is less food and we also work with them on eating healthier,” Dr Ramcharran said.

According to Dr Jagnanand Ramnarine, over some 50 percent of Guyanese are obese, according to World Health Organisation statistics and the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated this.

However, when asked how can persons access this service, he indicated that throughout the country there are primary health facilities such as health centres and polyclinics and a number of patients will have some sort of comorbidities such as hypertension or diabetes, among other things.

He added that in the ideal case they would visit these centres and the doctors there would refer them to the GPHC’s bariatric department to benefit from this surgery.

In this way, Dr Ramnarine said they could not catch all people who may need the surgery; however, he added that many patients have already come without referrals after hearing about the procedure through other means.

He also stated that they also receive patients from orthopaedic doctors

who would be referred for weight loss before joint replacement procedures are done.

Meanwhile, one patient who had a successful operation, Sharon Stevenson, told members of the media that she was referred to the clinic after having issues with her feet, which caused her pain when walking.

It was then she noted she will do the surgery and came out of the procedure healthier than before. She said that prior to the operation, she was hypertensive and later diabetic and was considered a high-risk patient for the operation. As it is right now, she said that

she no longer has these issues after losing a significant amount of weight

Stevenson added she has gone back to eating solid foods for quite some time.

“For me, it was perfect as you see me to the size [I had] you will know,” she said.

Adding to this, another patient, Teekah Singh, said that prior to the surgery he was over 400 pounds and has since gone down to just around 200 pounds. He praised the bariatric surgery team and added that he has been re-energized and is back to living a normal and healthier life.

Vice-President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo

- patients report significant weight loss after surgery

Patient Teekah Singh before and after his surgery

Patient Sharon Stevenson before and after her surgery

GCCI endorses Disruptive Leadership Conference

- calls for new leadership identities in Guyana

By Faith Greene

WHAT is leadership, and how can I become an effective leader? These questions were answered at the Disruptive Leadership Conference 2023, Masterclass Leadership Series, and Business Mixer on Wednesday.

The event featured Stedman Graham, a bestselling American author, speaker, and educator, who, this year collaborated with Go Blue Consultants, organiser of the 2023 leadership master-

class, to share his expertise on identity leadership in Guyana.

Graham has said that identity leadership is one of the highest orders of leadership, it is leadership that is required in the 21st century.

The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) supported and endorsed the event.

The GCCI Senior Vice-President, Richard Rambarran, said that an event like this one, within the local state, is of utmost importance for not just the

Guyanese business community, but the Guyanese people at large.

He mentioned the importance of forging new leadership identities for Guyana. Rambarran suggested that there is a strong need to develop individuals who possess not only intelligence, culture, or resourcefulness but also integrity, ethics, and morality to confidently represent themselves on any global platform.

Go Blue Consultants’ Chief Executive Officer, Judy McCutcheon, who has

spent several years consulting and training persons, noted that she has wanted to change the leadership landscape of the Caribbean. However, in 2019, she got the idea that she could help fill the leadership gaps that she knew exists in the Caribbean region.

McCutcheon noted that when she started the Disruptive Leadership Conference in 2019, it was to help fill these leadership gaps which exist, as well as to help leaders grow and develop better people-cen-

tered leadership.

The Masterclass according to McCutcheon, was aimed at setting participants on a path to self-discovery, which will help them to tap into who they are at the core of their being.

The Identity Leadership Masterclass, was advertised to mobilise people in organisations to apply success processes to their personal and professional lives in ways that align with their organisational goals.

Graham has a ‘9 steps

to identity leadership success process’ which is described on his website as a life management and learning system, which teaches you how to organise your life, around who you are;

1) to check your ID;

These nine steps are:

2) create your vision;

3) develop your travel plan; 4) master the rules of the road; 5) step into the outer limits; 6) pilot the seasons of change;

7) build your dream team;

8) win by a decision and finally, 9 )commit to your vision.

NIS pensions to now be paid on first business day of every month

Below is the complete statement that was issued by the Ministry of Finance:

Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance Dr. Ashni Singh, in keeping with an announcement made by His Excellency President Irfaan Ali today, has instructed that with effect from July 2023, National Insurance Scheme (NIS) pension payments will now be paid from the first working day of every month to align with

Old Age Pension (OAP) payments. Previously, NIS pension payments

to improve, modernise and streamline its service-delivery to citizens.

System (OCCS) which is expected to reduce the incidence of inaccuracies, the WhatsApp life certificate hotline, WhatsApp Queries Textbook Service and NIS Live Chat.

were made from the first Monday of every month.

This is part of Government’s broader agenda

Other measures taken thus far by the administration have been the NIS Online Contribution Checking

NIS payments are paid via the Guyana Post Office Corporation (GPOC), Commercial Banks and at NIS local offices countrywide and other payment options are currently being considered by Government.

Recently, Government expanded the payment options for OAP to include

Mobile Money Guyana (MMG). This adds to the existing options of the Guyana Post Office Corporation (GPOC), MoneyGram, Western Union, Sure Pay and Commercial Banks.

A priority of the Government when it assumed office in 2020 was to address the complaints received from contributors to the NIS with pending claims at the time amounting to 14,000 as at November 2020. In support of this effort, Government at Cabinet

level, undertook a series of nationwide outreach sessions that took the services of NIS to the citizens. Persons across the country have benefitted from these sessions, many of whom are in receipt of Old Age Pension after waiting for a number of years. Of the 14,000 pending claims inherited in 2020, over 12,000 have been addressed. Government remains committed to improving the quality of service it provides to contributors and pensioners.

Chief Executive Officer of S. Graham and Associates, Stedman Graham (Japheth Yohan Savory photos)

Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Senior Vice- President Richard Rambarran

Chief Executive Officer, Go Blue Consulting, Judy McCutcheon

Empowering Educators: Grade Five assessment facilitates development of effective teaching strategies through diagnosis

THE National Grade Five Assessment is being taken by pupils nationwide, testing content from Grades Three and Four for the first time. These results are used as a diagnostic to guide teachers for the Grade Six year

of teaching. The Ministry of Education, on Wednesday, said the evaluation will assist in identifying the areas that require additional focus and represents a significant step towards improving the quality of education.

Armed with the information, educators can tailor their teaching strategies, curricula, and lesson plans to address the individual requirements of each pupil effectively.

To guarantee that pupils remain in school

and that education is given effectively countrywide, the government is committed to providing assistance in the form of educational resources to teachers and learners.

In 2023, the government aims to procure

more than $3.4 billion worth of textbooks for use at the primary and secondary levels, to ensure that learners are provided with the necessary learning resources.

The administration is also working to improve access to world-class ed-

ucation at all levels, and to improve the quality of Guyana’s human capital to compete globally and in the region. A total of $94.4 billion was allocated to further improve access to quality education for Guyanese learners.

Pupils during the National Grade Five Assessment at Bath Primary School

Pupils during the National Grade Five Assessment at Ketley Primary School

Transforming farmlands in Mabaruma, Matarkai 250 acres dedicated to turmeric, ginger

SOME 250 acres of farmlands in the sub-regions of Mabaruma and Matarkai, Region One, have been

transformed into turmeric and ginger cultivation sites.

A donation of planting materials provided

earlier this year by the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) has facilitated the expansion

of spice production in the region.

NAREI’s Research Scientist, Ramnarace Sukhna, and Extension

Officer, Charles Romascindo, recently visited various farms in the Mabaruma sub-region to assess the progress of the planting materials which exhibited an acceptable germination rate, indicating a promising future for the turmeric and ginger crops.

To maximise the yield of these crops, some farmers have chosen to intercrop their ginger with cassava, a practice known to provide benefits such as increased soil fertility and pest management.

Additionally, other farmers have opted to plant gliricidia alongside their turmeric and ginger crops.

The gliricidia will also serve as support structures for black pepper vines, which will provide valuable shade to enhance the growth and quality of the tur-

meric and ginger plants. Following the successful cultivation of turmeric and ginger in the sub-regions, farmers are gearing up for the upcoming harvesting season in September and October.

Meanwhile, the trial production of mint, black pepper and cinnamon have recently begun in Aroaima Savannah, Region 10. The introduction of these high value crops will continue to increase the livelihood of famers within these regions. These initiatives are in keeping with government’s commitment to increase agricultural production of non-traditional crops and draws Guyana closer to realising the region’s goal to reduce its food import bill by 25 per cent by the year 2025.

Sections of the cultivated turmeric

Sections of the cultivated ginger

Prison Service recruits 24 trainees

THE Guyana Prison Service has recruited 24 trainees, including six women, to become Prison Officers.

The 24 recruits were drawn from across the country. They were trained in both the theoretical and practical aspects of the job. They were exposed to topics such as institutional lectures on prison fundamentals, behavioral modification training, foot drills, use of force, human rights, mental health, and fire drill.

In his address at a Passing Out ceremony, the Acting Deputy Director of Prisons, Kevin Pilgrim, congratulated the trainees for embracing the profession of a Prisons Officer which, according to him, is noble.

The job of a Prison Officer, he underlined, requires a high standard of discipline, honesty, moral integrity,

commitment and being in the frontline to uphold law and order.

He urged the recruits to

be responsible, demonstrate preparedness and dedication during their job as well as to cultivate a sense of belong-

Construction of new Bartica hospital to begin before year end - Minister Anthony

THE construction of the new Bartica Regional Hospital will commence before the end of this year as access to primary and tertiary healthcare continues to expand in Guyana, according to Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony.

At the launch of the Professional Nursing Training Programme – Hybrid Approach on Monday, he gave a speech reminding everyone that the health sector is undergoing a transformation.

Some $830 million was allocated in budget 2023 to complete the design and commence construction of the Region Seven hospital.

Additionally, work on several hinterland health facilities will begin before year end. Some $1 billion was allocated in budget 2023 to retrofit and upgrade health centres, health posts, and other facilities across the country

“We’re working to upgrade Lethem and to build a new hospital in Kamarang, a new hospital in Moruca, and a new hospital in Kato. The assessments have already started and by the end of the year, we should be substantially along our way to upgrading these facilities,” the Health Minister disclosed.

Additionally, construction is underway for the six world-class regional hospitals in Anna Regina, Region Two; De Kinderen, Region Three; Bath, Region Five; Number 75 Village, Region Six; one at Diamond and another at Enmore in Region Four and the Paediatric and Maternal Hospital in Ogle.

And to complement the massive infrastructure in the health sector, several

ing which will help them be successful throughout their career.

Mr. Pilgrim continued:

“I believe our people are the most valuable asset we have. Working in our prisons can be challenging but

it is also hugely rewarding. There will be challenges but there will also be many opportunities.”

He cautioned of the temptations that are present in the prisons and requested the new officers not to give in to them and to carry out their duties diligently and with utmost honesty.

The recruits are to be transferred to various prison locations.

Also gracing the occasion were Chairman of the Prison Service Recruitment Board, Ronald Harsawack and Divisional Fire Officer, Clive McDonald.

Meanwhile, persons desirous of joining the service can send their application and curriculum vitae (CV) to the Director of Prisons, Lot 46 Brickdam, Georgetown.

training programmes for healthcare professionals are being rolled out.

Only recently, the hybrid Professional Nursing Training Programme was launched to train 1,160 Registered Nurses (RNs) in three years.

The government in 2023 allocated a mammoth $84.9 billion to further advance the health sector.

Chairman of the Prison Service Recruitment Board, Ronald Harsawack (seated fourth from left), next to Acting Deputy Director of Prisons, Kevin Pilgrim and other senior ranks, flanked by the new recruits

Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony

Government invites consultants to research intimate partner violence in Guyana

THE government, through the Ministry of Legal Affairs, is inviting applications for individual con -

sulting services in relation to the Support for the Criminal Justice System (SCJS) programme.

A loan agreement was recently signed between the ministry and the Inter-American Development

Bank (IDB) for further advancement in improving the justice sector in Guyana.

According to a release

issued on Wednesday, the agreement is intended to advance the SCJS programme, and is utilising part of the proceeds for consulting services.

Eligible ‘individual consultants’ are now invited to indicate their interest in providing these services.

The consultant will be required to conduct research on the socioeconomic breakdown of the contributing factors behind the high rate of intimate partner violence and domestic abuse in Guyana during the period 2013 to 2022.

This research forms part of the government’s commitment to address and eradicate all forms of domestic and intimate partner violence throughout Guyana.

Meanwhile, during a ceremony to hand over $30 million worth of information and communications technology (ICT) equipment to the Guyana Prison Service (GPS), under the SCJS programme, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mohabir Anil Nandlall, SC, said the government is working to pilot an initiative to examine the cases of femicide that have occurred in Guyana.

According to the United Nations, femicide is defined as intentional killing with a gender-related motivation.

“Femicide is a serious problem, and we have to recognise that. We must address these issues, analyse them from a sociological and scientific perspective, look at the trends, examine the possible causes, examine each incidence so that we can understand all the factors that may be relevant to detect root causes. We are

going to explore that, and when that study is completed, it will produce a report, which we will study to draw possible solutions,” the AG had said.

These solutions, he stressed, will be legislative, educational, and policy-oriented, and will cover every possible rubric to allow the government and the society at large to combat the social ill.

The SCJS programme aims at addressing overcrowding in Guyana’s prisons and has also served as an avenue for improvements in the criminal justice system.

The programme has allowed for the establishment of the Restorative Justice Centre and had seen the passage of the Restorative Justice Bill, as part of its two-pronged approach to addressing overcrowding in prisons.

This approach focuses on the criminal justice system’s overreliance on custodial sentences as well as the overuse of pre-trial detention.

Details of this consultancy are in the Terms of Reference which can be obtained at rabindra.kandhi@scis.gy, during office hours between 09:00 to 15:00 hours, Mondays to Fridays.

Expressions of Interest applications must be submitted to Ministry of Legal Affairs, Support for the Criminal Justice System, Procurement Officer, 341 East Street, South Cummingsburg, Georgetown, Guyana, via e-mail on or before July 18, 2023.

For more information, persons can call telephone: (592)-226-1370 Ext. 204/ (592)-650-8803

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER

(Thursday June 22, 2023)

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

Answers to yesterday’s quiz:

(1) Allan Knott-105 dismissals (97 catches/8 stumpings-34 Tests)

(2) Rodney Marsh-148 dismissals (141 catches/7 stumpings-42 Tests)

Today’s Quiz

(1) Who has scored most Test centuries for ENG against AUST to date?

(2) Who has compiled most Test hundreds for AUST against ENG to date?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

RACING TIPS

14:40 hrs Blue Shark

15:10 hrs Somewhat Cloudy

15:40 hrs Baby Jane

Irish Racing Tips Leopardstown

11:40 hrs Aird

12:10 hrs Akkadian Emperor

12:45 hrs Amanirenas

13:15 hrs Benavente

13:50 hrs Semblance Of Order

14:20 hrs Shining Aitch

14:50 hrs King Leodegrande

15:20 hrs Mon Coeur

American Racing Tips Belmont

Race 1 Big Night Out Race 2 Easter Race 3 Greatest Love Race 4 Act Of Congress Race 5 Culprit

Race 6 Colonel Bowman Race 7 Daufuskie Island

South Africa Racing Tips

Kenilworth

08:00 hrs Look Forward

08:35 hrs Red William

09:10 hrs Musical Arts

09:45 hrs Fun Zone

10:20 hrs Dance Variety

Sammy urges West Indies to score with intent

(ESPNCRICINFO) - Daren

Sammy, the West Indies head coach, is wary of the threat posed by the new ball in the early-morning conditions in Zimbabwe, but has called for more intent from his batters. In West Indies' opening game against USA in the World Cup Qualifiers at the Takashinga sports club in Harare, they had a sedate powerplay, managing just 41 runs for the loss of both their openers Brandon King and Kyle Mayers.

"We don't have say in how the toss goes, but whenever we bat, that new ball poses a challenge," Sammy told CWI media. "You've got to make sure that the opposition don't get too much ahead when that new ball comes. I thought we could have had more intent because that's one of the things we are talking about as a batting group - intent to score. And when I say intent to score, it's not looking for boundaries but looking for scoring opportunities and when you do that, you could score off good balls and get rotation of strike going.

"Again, it's a work in progress and we have to bowl well and keep creating opportunities. We dropped a couple of catches and that could affect us in the bigger scheme of things. But I'm quite happy with the way we're going; the last six games that we have played we've taken steps in trying to play the brand

of cricket we want to move forward with it. Again, it's sticking to our guns, sticking to the plans that we have, and believing and committing to the execution."

Despite King and Mayers scoring nothing or next to nothing, and despite Shamarh Brooks being unavailable because of illness, West Indies regained lost ground through their middle order.

Shai Hope, who has slid down to No.4 since taking charge of the ODI side, and Johnson Charles, who had replaced Brooks, led a quartet of half-centuries as West

Indies posted 297, which proved 39 too many for USA. Though none of the batters could kick on and score a century, Sammy was pleased with the progress of the lineup.

Under Sammy and Hope, West Indies are looking to adopt a more aggressive approach and on Sunday, they had batting all the way down to No.11, with allrounder Akeal Hosein slotting in there. It was this depth that perhaps prompted the likes of Hope and Nicholas Pooran to keep playing their shots.

"I listened to the captain

after the post-match," Sammy said. "He said ideally you may want one of them to score a big hundred, but he was happier that performances came from different batsmen in the group. You look at Brandon King, who has been playing well, didn't get a score, Kyle Mayers didn't get a score, so it's good signs for us that even though we were under pressure we came back strongly and ideally you would want one of those to convert it into a hundred and we, as a team, celebrate the milestones after.

"But, yeah, the guys have

prepared well and they are hitting lots of balls and they understand the direction the team wants to go in as a batting group. It is early doors, but the fact that mindset is getting towards what we want to do as a team I believe that you will see improvement in days to come."

West Indies' next game is against Nepal, who had strung together an improbable series of wins to make it to the World Cup qualifier. In their first match of the tournament, they brushed UAE aside by six wickets. Nepal's head coach is Monty

Digicel Schools Football 2023…

Desai who was previously with West Indies as their batting coach under Phil Simmons. Sammy made it clear that West Indies are not taking any opposition lightly in a cut-throat tournament, which allows just two teams to qualify for the World Cup later this year in India.

"Yeah, I guess [in] the first match against the USA, we got the 'W' that we wanted, which was the win," Sammy said. "Great start to the tournament, but we have so much left in the tank. The guys came out and you could see they were not happy with the way they played, which is a good sign for us. We keep challenging ourselves and, yeah, in the end we have a few things we have to continue. But it's a work in progress - trying to find the identity of our cricket moving forward.

"But, yeah, I was pleased with the victory. You come [up] against Nepal, a team who is on the rise and they've been playing some good cricket, so again we respect all our oppositions, but we focus on the things that we want to do as a team and focus on the brand of cricket we want to play. And it all boils down to our preparation, which we've been doing well and then on game day the execution. I have full confidence and belief in the boys - or men rather - that they will go out and do themselves and the region proud."

Balls presented to participants; fixtures expected on Friday

With opening day for the 2023 edition of the Digicel Schools Football tournament drawing closer, participating schools were on Wednesday handed gear and equipment.

Some of the participating schools were briefed on the tournament format at a special meeting at the National Library in Georgetown, where balls were also handed out.

Speaking prior to the meeting, Petra co-direc -

tor, Troy Mendonca, added that they are expecting the co-operation of all the teams and stakeholders to make the tournament a success.

Petra are the organisers of the tournament.

“This is the first year for us hosting this prestigious tournament and we want to ensure that it is a good tournament for all, participants, sponsors and everyone involved.

Mendonca also indicat-

ed that fixtures would be provided on Friday, prior to the opening day on Saturday.

Meanwhile, in an interview with the media, Chase Academy head teacher, Henry Chase, told the media that the defending champions are ready to take their place at the pinnacle of schools football.

“Chase Academy will be back to take its rightful place at the head of schools’ football. We were away for

a few [tournaments] but now we are back and we have our full complement of players.”

One hundred and twenty-eight teams are expected to gear up between June 26th and August 13th this year as the tournament returns for an eighth edition. Region One [9], Two [9], Region Three [12], Region Four (divided into three sections: East Coast Demerara [12], Georgetown [33], and East Bank

Demerara [8]), Region Five [8], Region Six [20], Region Seven [3], Region Eight [2], Region Nine [4], and Region Ten [8] make up the number.

Following the regional rounds, a round of 32 teams will make up a national championship, of which 13 schools will come from Georgetown. Regions Three and Six will each have two teams as will the East Coast Demerara, East Bank Demerara, Region

Seven and Region 10 respectively.

The National Champions will receive $1,000,000 and the championship trophy with second, third, and fourth place finishers getting $500,000, $300,000, and $200,000 respectively. All moneys will go towards a school project with prizes also expected for the highest goal scorer, best goalkeeper, and most valuable player.

Daren Sammy told the media, “I have full confidence that my men will go out and do themselves and the region proud" (Peter Della Penna)

Allicock to miss CAC games

Guyana's boxing team for the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games will unfortunately be without Olympian, Keevin Allicock, as he sustained an injury on Father's Day before his departure for the Games.

The 2023 CAC Games are scheduled to take place from June 23 to July 8 in El Salvador.

As a result of Allicock's injury during training on Sunday, the Guyanese boxing team is now reduced to three members. The team representing Guyana will consist of Desmond Amsterdam,

Emanuel Pompey, and Joel Williamson, accompanied by officials Terrence Poole and Lennox Daniels.

Steve Ninvalle, president of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA), expressed his disappointment regarding the situation. He stated, "We're a bit disappointed that Mr. Allicock could not have made the trip to the CAC Games. We had high expectations that he would've medaled if he went to the Games."

Ninvalle further mentioned that Allicock's absence is not only a disappointment for the boxing fraternity

but also for Guyana as a whole. Nonetheless, he expressed confidence in Desmond Amsterdam, who has been named Sportsman of the Year, believing that Amsterdam has the potential to secure a medal.

Team Guyana consists of a total of 69 individuals, including 52 athletes, 15 officials, and two medical staff members. These athletes will compete in ten different disciplines: archery, athletics, badminton, basketball, boxing, swimming, table tennis, weightlifting, and fencing.

KFC/GFF Elite League

GDF holds lead with win over Milerock FC

Action in the 2023 KFC/ Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Elite League is heating up with the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) holding a slim lead after Tuesday evening’s matches.

The army boys beat off Milerock FC 7-0 at the National Training Centre (NTC), Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD) to put a three-point difference between them and second placed Western Tigers FC.

The soldiers consistently rattled the nets when they faced Milerock FC, with

Cedric Osbourne opening the scoring in the 8th minute.

This was followed by goals from Benjamin Opara (11th), Chris Macey (31st) and Kennard Simon for a 4-0 score at the end of the first half.

Darren George (50th), Stephen McDonald (58th) and Amos Ramsay (69th) added three more for the 7-0 win, also ensuring that the GDF would boost their goal difference, just in case.

The other game on Tuesday night saw Santos FC collecting the three points

on offer when the faced Buxton United FC. Stephon Reynolds (20th) and Lennox Young found the back of the net for Santos, as they went on to win 2-0. The victory means that Santos would now reposition themselves ahead of Buxton United on the points table, after sitting below the East Coast outfit last week.

Though GDF currently lead the table, matters are subject to change quickly, given tonight’s League fixtures. Western Tigers will have a chance to one-up

GDF when they face Fruta Conquerors at 19:00hrs at the NTC, Providence. A win for ‘Western’ would bring them level with the Soldiers on points (16) but possibly ahead on the points table, based on the number of goals scored.

The following clash on Thursday will see the Guyana Police Force (GPF) FC matching strides with Ann’s Grove United FC from 21:00hrs.

With the Policemen currently sitting at third on the League’s points table (On 12

points from 4 games), a win would inch them closer to the top two teams, but Police’s solace lies in the fact that they have played one less game than GDF and Western Tigers.

Santos follows in the table with 9 points, while Buxton United sit at fifth with 7 points. Defending champions Fruta Conquerors (0) and Den Amstel FC (-17) follow, both on 6 points but separated by goal difference.

Ann’s Grove United, with 4 points in hand, will be more than eager to upset Po-

lice when they meet tonight in order to propel themselves further. On the other hand, Victoria Kings have just 3 points after picking up their first win in this year’s 5th edition of the League last weekend, while Milerock FC are yet to register any points thus far.

Aside from tonight’s double header, the KFC Elite League will continue this Saturday, June 24th, 2023.

Senior National Squash Championships hits off June 30th

The Guyana Squash Association (GSA) Senior National Squash Championship for this year will begin on June 30th and end on July 9th.

This highly anticipated event, sponsored by Guinness, will be held at the Georgetown Club Courts (GTC) and aims to make a

lasting impression on both players and fans.

Guinness, known for its unwavering commitment to promoting active talent and fostering a passion for sports, is sponsoring the 2023 edition of the National Seniors' Squash tournament. This year's championship will continue the

legacy of the tournament while injecting fresh energy into the competition.

It will feature four draws, including the Men's and Women's Nationals, as well as the Men's and Women's Veteran's draw.

The 2023 championship will also provide a platform for junior athletes

who are transitioning into their senior years, allowing them to showcase their athletic prowess as senior players. The tournament will bring together the top senior squash players in the nation, who will unleash their expertise, strategic brilliance, and unwavering determination on the

courts.

However, this edition of the championship is poised to take the sport to new heights and inspire a generation of aspiring senior squash players. As anticipation builds for another captivating edition of the National Senior Squash Championship,

local stars such as sixtime Caribbean champion, Nicolette Fernandes, senior Caribbean star Ashley Khalil, Jason Ray Khalil, and young Kirsten Gomes (competing in her first senior competition) will be preparing to deliver an exciting tournament for the spectators.

Keevin Allicock

Guadeloupe end Guyana’s Gold Cup hopes

Guadeloupe defeated Guyana 2-0 on Tuesday at the DRV PNK Stadium to progress to the Gold Cup Group Stage.

Les Gwada Boys controlled the match early, and, shortly after a 15-minute lightning delay, got on the scoreboard first. Anthony Baron’s cross pinballed around multiple Guyanese defenders and found its way into the back of the net in the 18th minute. Liam Gordon was charged with the hardluck own goal.

Guadeloupe would not let up, and Guyana’s ‘keeper’ Kai McKenzie-Lyle was called into action several more times in the first half, while the Golden Jaguars largely struggled to create chances. As was the case in their first match, Les Gwada Boys’ defensive unit was tough to crack.

The lead was doubled in the 57th minute when Andreaw Gravillon curled in a free kick from close to 30

BCB and University of Guyana to establish closer relationship

The Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) met with a high-powered delegation from the University of Guyana recently at the Tain Campus.

The BCB was represented by its president, Hilbert Foster and Chairman of the Competitions Committee, Leslie Solomon while the University delegation was headed by Vice Chancellor, Dr Paloma Mohamed.

Foster, who is serving his third term after being elected in 2018, expressed thanks to the University’s delegation for the meeting and expressed confidence that the relation established would benefit both organisations.

The two delegations discussed and agreed on a wide array of areas for Berbice cricket.

The University would assist a cricketer with a full scholarship to pursue a course at the Tain Campus while a Wall of Fame to honor Berbice cricketers who played for the West Indies at the international level will also be established at the

campus.

The wall will honor a total of thirty players who have played at the test, ODI, 20/20 and female levels.

Those players include Rohan Kanhai, Basil Butcher, Joe Soloman, Alvin Kallicharran, Roy Fredericks and Shemaine Campbelle.

Among other areas of co-operation will be the setting up of a digital electric board with facts of Berbice cricket in front of the campus, publication of the BCB historic coaching manual for distribution to youth cricketers, renaming of several of the campus’ rooms af -

ter outstanding players like Rohan Kanhai and hosting of etiquette classes for all Berbice youth teams prior to playing in the inter county tournament.

Vice Chancellor, Dr Mohamed, expressed delight at the successful discussion and noted that the University was pleased to be associated with Berbice cricket which has a rich tradition to uphold.

The two delegations will be working closely over the next few months to make sure that the programmes and projects are implemented successfully.

Foster noted that the

younger generation of cricketers have limited knowledge of the game or its history and he was confident that the package with the university will assist to correct this programme.

The promotion of an educational background for cricketers, he stated, is very important to the BCB and, as such, he welcomed the scholarship to the university for a youth cricketer.

He expressed thanks to the delegation which included the Director of the Tain Campus, Dr Gomathinayagam Subramanian and Jainarine Deonarine.

yards out, over the wall and past McKenzie-Lyle. The strike was perhaps the finest goal of the tournament so far.

Nursing a 2-0 lead, Guadeloupe really placed a stranglehold on the game. They dominated possession and conceded no clear-cut chances in the second half.

Guyana, unable to break through, tried their luck several times from long range during the final 10 minutes, but Guadeloupe ‘goalie’ Davy Rouyard comfortably parried all efforts, and Guadeloupe saw out the rest of the match for a second consecutive clean sheet to start the tournament.

They will join Group D, alongside Canada, Guatemala, and Cuba. This will be the fifth appearance in the group stage for Les Gwada Boys, and their second consecutive appearance. Their best finish at the Gold Cup to date was a run to the semi-finals in 2007.

BCB donates gear to New Amsterdam/ Canje primary schools

The Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) continued its distribution of taped-ball cricket gear to schools across the county with Assistant Secretary, Ameer Rahaman and executive, Gregory Crandon, handing over bats and tape balls to fifteen schools in the New Amsterdam area.

The board, for this year, has assisted over sixty primary schools with almost a half a million dollars’ worth of cricket equipment as part of its developmental programme. Among the schools were Sandvoort Primary, Locaber Primary, St Therese Primary, New Amsterdam Primary, All Saints Primary and St Aloysius Primary. The board has started to host primary school taped ball competition at the inter zone level leading to an overall Berbice championship.

Guyana's Neil Danns (left) trying to dispossess Guadeloupe's Mattias Phaeton in Tuesday's clash

The BCB and the University of Guyana delegation pose after the successful meeting

Executives Ameer Rahaman and Gregory Crandon hand over gear to a school