Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 22-08-2023

This is Almond Beach, located on Guyana’s Atlantic Coast in Region One (Barima-Waini) (Photo courtesy of President Dr Irfaan Ali’s official Facebook Page)

One of the most critically burned

of the Mahdia fire was discharged from the Staten Island hospital on Monday (screenshot from WABC news report)

Assuria General and Life Insurance Company has opened a head office valued at one billion dollars. Economic diversification measures by the government have been attracting investment, fostering growth, and opening doors for both businesses and individuals

Sod turned for $388.8M Friendship Magistrate’s Court

EAST Bank Demerara residents will soon have easier access to justice, as the sod was turned on Monday for the construction of a magistrate’s court at Friendship

The $ 388,873,985 contract for the construction of the courthouse was awarded to Romano Builders Inc by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) after a public tender

The sod was turned by Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall , S C ., Chancellor of Judiciary ( ag ) Yonette Cummings , and Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman

The building will house a courtroom, magistrate chambers , living quarters for a magistrate and a clerk of court , washroom facilities , parking facilities and a perimeter fence.

The project is expected to be completed by October 2024

In her remarks , Magistrate Latchman thanked the Attorney General for the “ground-breaking initiative” and extended gratitude to the Government of Guyana

She noted that the court will serve citizens on the East Bank Demerara and assist with the expansion of Guyana’s jurisprudence

Nandlall had recently said that the construction of the court is in keeping with government’s plans to invest

heavily in the legal system

“This demonstrates vividly the government’s commitment to upholding the rule of law and ensuring that there is equal and ready access to justice, right across the length and breadth of our country,” he said

The judiciary received some $4 billion in the 2023 budget to construct and maintain the courts at Timehri , Friendship, Cove and John, Mahaicony , Anna Regina , and Parfaite Harmonie

The Guyana Chronicle was made to understand that the Friendship building will also be equipped with recording technology for the taking of evidence, a lock-up and lawyer rooms

Guyana has over 50 magistrate’s courts, including the Bail Court, Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation Court, Juvenile Court, and the Sexual Offences Court

Recently , the judiciary launched 12 Juvenile Drug Treatment Courts (DTC) in magisterial districts around the country as part of its efforts to reduce crime and substance abuse through the use of therapeutic interventions and judicial supervision

Also, four Electronic Notice Boards were installed at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court to facilitate easier access to information for court users Soon, the court will be rolling out a case manage-

ment system pilot project

In April 2022 , during the commissioning of the $ 37.8 million Kwakwani Magistrate’s Court, Nandlall reaffirmed the government’s commitment to partnering with the judiciary to ensure access to justice throughout Guyana

According to Nandlall , access to justice is the foundation of a democratic nation and the hallmark of modern civilisation

He reminded those gathered of the Constitution , which speaks of the state not denying anyone equality and equal protection and benefit of the law

“The judiciary is one of the fundamental pillars upon which a modern democratic society stands Our government recognises the significant role the judiciary must play and must continue to play as we strive to develop this country,” he said.

He explained that currently , several courts are either under construction or being renovated, which will aid in the delivery of justice across the country

“When in government, we speak about the economic , commercial , and infrastructural transformation that is taking place in our country across every landscape [and] that same thing is happening in the judiciary as well,” the AG said

Online payment of traffic tickets being pursued - AG

ATTORNEY - GENERAL and Minister of Legal Affairs , Anil Nandlall , S C , has announced that government will be working with the judiciary to establish frameworks that will facilitate online payments, through the e-ticketing system, for traffic offenders.

This announcement was made during the commissioning of the state-of-theart Vigilance Magistrates ’ Court which incorporates a modern digital payment mechanism for bail and fees using GTT’s Mobile Money Guyana (MMG).

Nandlall revealed that the recent enactment of the Electronic Communications and Transactions Bill (E-Bill) has paved the way for the elec-

tronic utilisation of records and signatures within government entities, particularly for electronically issuing traffic tickets

The e-ticketing system, operational since its launch last year on the Mandela to Eccles Highway , employs cameras and advanced technology to meticulously monitor traffic, track speeds, and capture licence plate details of Guyanese vehicles

This allows the system to automatically identify traffic violations and dispatch email notifications containing traffic tickets to drivers, based on customisable criteria

Notably , the system ’ s reliability is enhanced by its error-free performance and 24/7 functionality

In keeping with the larger endeavour to digitise various judicial procedures, including financial transactions within the court framework, Nandlall emphasised the meticulous planning that is underway to seamlessly integrate the e-ticketing system

into broader online payment solutions across all magistrates’ courts nationwide.

“ The Commissioner of Police and the Ministry of Legal Affairs , in collaboration with technology experts, are working together, not only designing the law,

but crafting a system which we will have to engage the judiciary once we get our concept and design clear , whereby we will be issuing traffic tickets electronically using cameras that are installed across the country,” he said

He further explained that drivers who find themselves on the wrong side of the law will have the obligation to remit their fines electronically, akin to the electronic receipt of their tickets

Nandlall said that based on the trajectory Guyana is on , especially the judiciary, he envisions a future where payments , currently processed manually at magistrates ’ court offices throughout the country, will

transition into the digital domain

The proximity of this transformation is noteworthy, as digital notice boards, known as e - notice boards , have already been deployed in courts across Georgetown and in other regions

The court also has its own website ( https :// supremecourt gy ) which provides general information and an online filing mechanism

In this transformative journey, Tagman Technology , a local IT company , plays a pivotal role by collaborating closely with the judiciary to implement this robust system to facilitate and streamline online payments to the courts, among other things

From left to right : Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, S C., Chancellor of Judiciary (ag) Yonette Cummings and Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman at the sod turning ceremony for the new court at Friendship, East Bank Demerara

A traffic violation is captured on camera on the new Mandela-Eccles Highway

Venezuelan woman arrested after fire destroys Bartica house

A VENEZUELAN woman is currently in police custody after a fire of unknown origin destroyed a wooden cottage at Bartica Arcade.

According to a police release, the wooden cottage/ house measuring approximately 20 feet in length by 15 feet in width, was abandoned by its owner, 68-year-old Al-

fred Wyatt and had become a makeshift home for vagrants

Eyewitness Seeyone Lindore, a 45-year-old businessman in the area, recalled the moment he noticed smoke emanating from the wooden structure.

Lindore told police that he saw a Venezuelan national, identified as Carmen

Cristina Ruiz, fleeing from the yard while uttering the words, “It was an accident.”

Lindore immediately contacted the police and the Guyana Fire Service

Police officers and fire service personnel quickly responded to the scene, deploying Water Tender # 98 and Water Bowser #11 to combat the inferno However , the fire had already consumed the building by the time they arrived

Ruiz, who had reportedly decided to take up residence in the abandoned cottage , claimed that she had left

Bartica Arcade around 16:30 hours to purchase groceries from a Chinese supermarket Upon her return, she allegedly discovered a mattress ablaze in the structure

Ruiz attempted to remove the burning mattress but was unsuccessful As the fire quickly spread, she managed to escape to safety

The now-destroyed house did not have electricity and was uninsured The total cost of the damage remains unknown at this time

Ruiz is currently cooperating with the investigators.

What’s left of the Bartica Arcade property

New port facility supporting economic development in Region Three

–– to soon offer farmers cheaper options to transport goods to Georgetown

LOCAL firm, GAICO, is now offering oil - and - gas support services, with the completion of its port facility and laydown yard at Nismes, West Bank Demerara

In an exclusive interview with the Guyana Chronicle, GAICO ’ s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Komal Singh said the US$25 million investment has been supporting the ongoing gas-to-energy project and several other major projects underway in Region Three ( Essequibo Islands-West Demerara).

told this publication. A 12 - inch pipeline , which will stretch some 200 km from offshore , will be used to transport natural gas from the Liza Phase One and Liza Phase Two Floating , Production , Storage , and Offloading (FPSO) vessels offshore to the power plant and Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) facility which is being constructed at Wales , West Bank Demerara “ Our laydown yard is currently being used for the C6 pipeline project, and like

Currently, the region is undergoing an infrastructural transformation with the ongoing construction of a new four-lane highway from Schoonord, West Bank Demerara, just across the way from the western end of the Demerara Harbour Bridge, to Crane, on the West Coast Demerara

Meanwhile, at the centre of the modernisation plans for the region is the construction of a new “fly-over” Demerara Harbour Bridge, which will stretch from Nan-

region by complementing the numerous ongoing projects being done there

Additionally, the facility will also be able to support the local agriculture sector, and provide farmers with affordable transportation to ship their produce from the region to the capital city , Georgetown

fectly positioned to offer oil-spill response, and waste management services and equipment in the event of an oil spill In addition to civil works , the company also provides services to the marine sector

will enable the transfer of skills and technology for the development of the Guyanese workforce in the growing oil-and-gas sector

“ The wharf has been a great help to the development that is taking place on the West Demerara All the pipelines; the land- base pipeline project, all the materials from that project were discharged and passed through that facility,” Singh

all other developments in Region Three , it ’ s seeing massive growth at this point in time We hope to make Region Three a major developmental hub as a result of the gas-to-energy project that is currently in place ,” Singh said

dy Park, on the lower East Bank Demerara ( EBD ), to La Grange, on the West Bank Demerara

Singh said that the port is not only a new addition to the region, but it will play an important role in the massive development slated for the

“ At this point in time , farmers moving cargo have not gone through there as yet, because most of the vessels are still in the Georgetown area But when the new bridge is finished, that will open up a whole host of opportunities to remove some of those barriers, and reduce some of those extra costs that farmers have to pay to travel to Georgetown,” Singh said GAICO, he said, is per-

In August 2021 , the Guyanese - owned company signed a Memorandum of Understanding ( MoU ) with two United States-based companies , Myer Marine Services and Hargrove EPC, at the Offshore Technology Conference in Houston, Texas

The objective of the MoU was to foster a deeper relationship , and to work in close collaboration for the development of projects in Guyana

This strategic partnership

Additionally , in 2022 , GAICO and Corena Group, which operates as GAICO - Corena Environmental Services , and the Guyana Shore Base Incorporated ( GYSBI ) pooled their resources to launch a US$10 million firm , Sustainable Environmental Solutions Guyana Inc. (SES), to manage “oil waste”.

SES is the materialisation of a joint venture partnership signed in February 2019, by the two companies to provide oil-spill response and waste management services to the country ’ s oil-and-gas industry.

Mahdia fire victim discharged from Staten Island hospital

–– three months after horrific incident

( WABC ) It ’ s been three long months of surgeries, skin grafts, physical rehabilitation, and grief counselling.

But on Monday , three months to the day of a fatal fire that claimed the lives of 20 students in a girl’s dormitory in Guyana, the most critically burned patient was discharged

Mariza Williams was a student at the school in Mahdia when another student allegedly set the ‘dorm’ on

fire back on May 21, 2023

She suffered second and third - degree burns to her back, legs, and arms Fortunately, her face was spared Still, it took 92 days to get to this point in her care

Mariza received life-saving care at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corp but was then transferred over 2,500 miles to receive charitable care at the Regional Burn Center at Northwell Health, Staten Island University Hospital

“ The discharge of this little girl is a joyous chapter in this otherwise horrific story,” said Dr Eric Cioe Peña, Vice-President of the Center for Global Health at Northwell Health . “ The Mahdia fire was a national tragedy in Guyana that captivated the world, and was heartfelt in Little Guyana in Queens Getting her home will help accelerate the healing process for Mahdia and Guyana.”

Cheering her on at her discharge from the hospital

A fatal fire claimed the lives of 20 students in a girls’ dormitory in Guyana, but on Monday, the most critically burned patient was discharged were her parents , Marlene and Max Williams They

stood alongside Dr Shalindra Rajkumar, a plastic surgeon at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corp in Guyana; the Guyanese Ambassador to the United States , Sam Hinds; Peña, Vice-President for Northwell’s Center for Global Health; and Dr Michael Cooper , Director of the Regional Burn Center at Staten Island University Hospital

Now Mariza can take her inspirational story and continue her recovery at her home in South America

Offloading of onshore pipeline segments at the Nismes laydown yard of GAICO Construction and General Services Inc. on the West Bank Demerara

Energy Access

GUYANA , a nation blessed with abundant natural resources and breathtaking landscapes , is also home to diverse indigenous communities nestled in remote regions.

The integration of solar power systems in these areas is transforming lives, bridging the gap, and offering a beacon of hope for a sustainable future

For far too long, indigenous communities in Guyana have relied on expensive and environmentally damaging fossil fuels or lived without electricity altogether Solar power offers a clean, renewable alternative that reduces greenhouse gas emissions, improves air quality, and mitigates climate change effects

Solar power systems, when properly designed and maintained , provide a consistent and reliable source of electricity This newfound energy access has a profound impact on these communities, enabling them to refrigerate medicines, power schools and com -

munity centres, and enhance overall quality of life

Solar power systems drastically cut energy costs for remote indigenous communities By reducing dependence on expensive diesel generators, households can allocate more resources to other essential needs, such as education , healthcare , and infrastructure development

Solar power projects often create local job opportunities Indigenous community members can be trained to install, operate, and maintain these systems, offering a source of income and enhancing skills

Access to electricity enables schools to operate more effectively, with improved lighting and the ability to use modern teaching aids like computers and projectors This enhances educational outcomes and opens up opportunities for young minds in these communities

Electricity is vital for healthcare

facilities Solar power allows for refrigeration of vaccines and medicines, powering essential medical equipment, and facilitating telemedicine services, thereby improving healthcare accessibility and outcomes

Indigenous communities in Guyana have rich cultural traditions and languages Solar power can help preserve these cultures by enabling the recording and archiving of oral histories, facilitating traditional crafts and arts, and connecting these communities to the wider world while maintaining their unique identities

Indigenous communities often have a strong connection to the land and natural resources. Solar power aligns with their values by providing a sustainable energy source that doesn’t harm their environment, promoting harmony between modernity and tradition

Solar power systems can serve as a crucial lifeline during emergencies

They ensure that indigenous com -

munities are better prepared to deal with natural disasters and other crises by providing access to electricity for communication, lighting, and powering emergency response equipment

The establishment of solar power systems in indigenous communities showcases Guyana’s commitment to sustainable development and its recognition of the importance of uplifting marginalised populations This not only strengthens international partnerships but also draws attention to the country’s efforts to meet its climate goals

By providing access to clean energy , improving living conditions , and preserving culture and heritage, solar power is paving the way for a more equitable and prosperous future for all Guyanese, regardless of where they call home It’s time to harness the power of the sun to light up the lives of those who have long lived in the shadows of energy inequality.

PM Rowley should be thankful for Guyana instead of making a mockery of the country

Dear Editor,

TRINIDAD and Tobago’s (TT) Prime Minister, Keith Rowley, has a lot he should be thankful to Guyana for , rather than making disdain remarks about the country.

I also saw from one of my Trinidadian friends, that a minority leader of a political party posted on his Facebook page stating that Guyana’s Vice-President, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo called a press conference to respond to Prime Minister Rowley’s inappropriate remarks

This is not true The Vice-President did not address Prime Minister Rowley in his initial statement; it was after this as-

pect and during the question-and-answer segment, a journalist posed the question about foreign exchange shortage, where he said what he said as a “by the way” comment

But let me take this opportunity to highlight a few things in regard to why Prime Minister Rowley should be thankful to Guyana; because it is not the first time he has made remarks about Guyana in a mocking way

Trinidad & Tobago is Guyana’s largest trading partner for imports, whereby Trinidad enjoys a handsome trade surplus with Guyana In 2022, Guyana’s import bill with Trinidad amounted to over US$1 billion , accounting for 25 per cent of

Guyana’s total imports

On the other hand, Guyana’s exports to Trinidad is virtually negligible, less than 5 per cent of total non-oil exports, giving rise to a trade surplus with Guyana in the region of US$900 million

Additionally , there are two large Trinidadian conglomerates operating in Guyana, namely: Massy and AnsaMcal Group of Companies, and one financial institution, Republic Bank Ltd In 2022, these three companies racked up an estimated after-tax profit in the region of US$185 million from their operations in Guyana

There are many other Trinidadian companies operating in Guyana’s oil and

gas sector as well, and some are in partnerships with Guyanese firms So, looking at our balance of payment accounts, reasonable estimates can be derived in terms of repatriation of profit to Trinidad

Considering all of the above, altogether the Trinidad economy earns anything over US$1.3 billion attributed to Guyana’s economy

This amount represents nearly six per cent of T&T’s 2022-GDP, 17 per cent of its current revenue and 91 per cent of the country’s total debt service figure for 2022 In other words, Guyana ’ s contribution to the T & T economy (from trade and profits from

Editor Navendra Seoraj

OP-ED

In the Amazon, sustainable agriculture is also part of the solution

By Manuel Otero, Director General of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA)

THE Amazon Summit that took place recently in the city of Belém, in the Brazilian state of Pará, had the great merit of bringing together, for the first time, presidents, environment and foreign affairs ministers and hundreds of civil society representatives.

Stakeholders, including Indigenous Peoples, traditional communities and inhabitants of the Amazon, as well as international cooperation and multilateral financing agencies, debated on existing challenges and possibilities for the sustainable development of a strategic region for the world, which must look towards protecting an irreplaceable biome while also reducing inequalities and promoting social inclusion

The meeting was based on two premises, summarized by Brazilian Environment and Climate Change Minister, Marina Silva: The understanding that the Amazon must not reach a point of no return, where no regen-

eration is possible, and that major regional cooperation efforts are required to protect the rainforest, biodiversity and Indigenous Peoples, by promoting a new cycle of prosperity

At the summit, 19 multilateral banks led by the IDB, the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES) and the CAF launched a coalition of financial institutions to support the sustainable development of the Amazon, while in the Belém Declaration the presidents of the States Parties to the Amazon Cooperation Treaty agreed to strengthen the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO) to implement the new agenda of cooperation in the Amazon Key issues such as food and nutrition security of Amazonian people and towns, driving the bio - economy , innovation and dissemination of technologies, support for rural women entrepreneurs and the creation of a network of water authorities to improve the management of water resources in the countries, are part of this new, challenging and wide-ranging agenda, explained Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira

The summit, proposed and convened by

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula de Silva, recognized explicitly the key role of international cooperation and multilateral financing in initiatives already under way to support the Amazon with technical and financial resources, in areas such as energy transition, biodiversity, and tackling hunger, climate change and deforestation.

With the vision of an international cooperation focusing on building solutions through sustainable agricultural and rural development, understanding rural territories as strategic assets and key players in the world’s food and nutrition security and environmental sustainability, the broad call led by Brazil and a coalition of stakeholders offers a unique opportunity to integrate knowledge-intensive agriculture with a human face as an active component in the protection, improvement and sustainable development of the Amazon Sustainable agriculture is capable of balancing human and conservation needs, by applying practices respectful to the environment like agroforestry , bio - economy , and regenerative agriculture, contributing to soil

health, preventing deforestation, and promoting the restoration of ecosystems

The current scientific and technological scenarios are reason for optimism in terms of attaining this new balance

Sustainable , climate - smart agricultural models under the bio-economy paradigm, to give one example, can generate jobs and income for local communities, while reducing dependence on economic activities that damage the environment, thereby promoting sustainable economic and social development Sustainable development can also contribute to guaranteeing greater availability and access to nutritional, safe foods for local populations, improving their quality of life

Collective actions to promote the protection of the Amazon, sustainable development and inclusion have and will continue to benefit from the steady cooperation of international stakeholders and organisations dedicated to sustainable agriculture, a crucial sector to provide comprehensive, effective responses that must be part of the solution in the world’s largest rainforest.

PM Rowley should be thankful for Guyana ...

T&T companies in Guyana) is sufficient to cover more than 90 per cent of its debt service payments.

Interestingly to note, in just seven years, US$4.6 billion of T&T’s economy was wiped out under Prime Minister Rowley, from US$27 billion in 2015 down to US$22 billion in 2022; another US $ 3.1 billion in T & T ’ s foreign reserve disappeared, moving from US $ 9.9 billion in 2015, the equivalent of 12.2 months import cover, down to US$6.8 billion, the equivalent of 8.6 months import cover in 2022

As for the total debt stock, 90 per cent of GDP and climbing, up from 68 per cent in 2015

To put this into perspective , Guyana ’ s pre-oil GDP was US$4 billion Effectively, the T&T economy shrank by an amount that is larger than the size of Guyana’s pre-oil GDP

That’s like killing all of the productive sectors in the Guyanese economy, taking it from a state of prosperity and growth to bankruptcy and widespread poverty in just seven years; all under the stewardship of Prime Minister Rowley

Meanwhile, the Guyanese economy is projected to surpass T&T’s economy by 2025 For instance, based on projected growth for 2023, real GDP is forecast to more than quadruple from pre-oil levels, to US$17 billion

While the Guyanese dollar is weaker to the US dollar relative to the T&T currency to the US dollar, the Guyanese exchange rate has been stable over the last 15 years within the framework of a floating exchange rate system

In the case of Guyana , exchange rate stability is important at this time versus a revaluation of the exchange rate for a stronger currency Conversely, Trinidad & Tobago has a fixed exchange rate regime which means that to maintain a certain exchange rate, the central bank has to maintain an established minimum level of foreign exchange reserves

As mentioned above, the foreign ex-

From page 6

change reserves was equivalent to more than one year’s worth of import cover, which has weakened consistently to 8.6 months import cover in 2022 This means that if the T & T economy continues to dwindle at the current rate, by 2025 the T&T economy will be in trouble that is, a brewing debt and foreign exchange crisis

In addition, to date, Guyana has a long list of unresolved trade barriers with Trinidad & Tobago, to the extent that Guyanese firms are prevented from exporting their commodities into T&T

Even approved items are denied entry, and T&T seems to have no interest in resolving these issues, though some of them, if not all of them, are in violation of the revised Treaty of Chagauramas

Be that as it may, I wish to acknowledge that over three decades ago, Trinidad & Tobago, under former Prime Minister, Basdeo Panday, was very generous to Guyana when Guyana had its own debt crisis To this end, Guyana benefited from debt forgiveness from T&T which, in part, helped Guyana to recover during that period

Finally, Guyana has always been generous to Trinidad & Tobago, and there was a time when Trinidad was more generous to Guyana.

Guyana welcomes the many Trinidadian firms in Guyana, our Guyanese counterparts have many fruitful and gainful partnerships with our Trinidadian counterparts Going forward, I would like to see more mutual respect for each other, especially from the level of the current T&T Government

And to the rest of our T&T counterparts— some of them— drop the arrogance, it won’t get us anywhere.

Yours respectfully, Joel Bhagwandin

The vast power of judges

I HAVEN’T done the research and I am only going by memory, but I think since the late 1980s , no High Court or Court of Appeal judge has been removed

The last was under the presidency of Desmond Hoyte in the late 1980s Based on a complaint by magistrate Claudette La Benette against Justice Kenneth Barnwell, a judicial panel was set up and it recommended the removal of Judge Barnwell

That was a long time ago. Since that time, Cabinet members, opposition legislators, senior security officers and other categories of public officials have faced adverse criticism by way of accusations by members of society Some of them have been sanctioned In Guyana today, judges seem to be immune from two processes – accountability and discipline

We have finally reached a stage in this country where the vacancies to fill positions on the bench will be advertised But this can be a deception in transparency

The Judicial Service Commission should publicise the names of the applicants so the country could know who it is getting

A judge is too powerful a person, with jurisdiction that may exceed even legislators and prime ministers and presidents

No two examples are more potent than the ones I will offer now First, is the ruling of Justice Sandil Kissoon that ExxonMobil must take out unlimited insurance in the event of an oil spill, failure of which the EPA is directed to withdraw its environmental licence

If Exxon did not get a stay of that judgement and was uncomfortable with unlimited insurance, then it had to cease operation, thus bringing to an end the largest foreign investment in Guyana

In my opinion , a foreign investor should only be cited if he/she/it violates the laws and constitution of the country Outside of that, stopping a foreign investment should be the jurisdiction of elected legislators

The second one relates to a judge suing a columnist over the nature of a criminal sentence. I was that columnist. In all cases, I repeat all cases around the world, the columnist or journalist or editor is sued along with the media house In this case, the newspaper was not sued I later found out why but will only reveal that story to the Judicial Service Commission now that it has been constituted

I took the writ to several lawyers that I consider friends and people I know would come to my rescue if I am hospitalised or need financial assistance . They all expressed fear of taking the case because they told me it could affect their clients who have to go in front of that judge should the judge lose the case I was desperate because I could not secure legal assistance

I eventually got a lawyer who lives abroad to take the case after three lawyers drafted my defence and asked that they not be named. The foreign based lawyer agreed to accept the case because he would use zoom facilities I was lucky, and extremely so because when the matter

came up before another High Court judge, the court declined to hear the case Normally in any part of the world, judges do not sue if they feel offended They charge you with contempt of court and ask you to explain yourself

It has to be a frightening experience for a judge to sue a member of the media and no lawyer in the country wants to take the case because they are afraid of future victimisation if they should win against the suing judge

This particular case highlights the need for the judiciary to publish a guideline for the conduct of judges and the stipulation that judges should be above the fray and not sue the press The definitive case in this context is a 1930 decision in Trinidad – Ambard versus the Attorney-General in which the editor of the Port-of-Spain Gazette was sued by

a judge

Once the applications meet the deadline, the applicants should be identified so members of society can have an opportunity to present a case against a lawyer or judge, where the facts support the ineligibility of that person to sit on the High Court or be promoted to a higher court

It would help the panel and the judiciary and the country as a whole if facts can be cited about a lawyer or judge whose conduct is unbecoming Let us offer some hypothetical examples - does Guyana want a judge who gets into public physical confrontations, threaten teachers of the school his/her children go to, demand money from journalists or editors or columnists or else they would sue

The judiciary could preserve its credibility if these things are brought out before an appointment is made

I do not need to research information about GYO/MGO

Dear Editor,

REFERENCE is made to the Freddie Kissoon column on August 19, 2023, regarding Mr Khemraj Ramjattan and Gandhi Youth Organisation (GYO).

Mr Kissoon seems to have relied on Google solely for above article and the previous one, hence the faux pas in his article

That Google article should have added the words Cricket Club to make the article factual, and I advised Mr Kissoon to contact Mr Ramjattan to confirm directly from him that he was only President of the GYO Cricket Club and not the main body (temple).

Mr Kissoon, for your edification, I am the oldest and longest active devotee of the GYO/MGO, so I definitely know the facts on this issue and unlike you, I do not need to research this I reiterate for the benefit of any in-

terested party that the only Ramjattan who was President of the Gandhi Youth Organization (Temple) was Shri Naubat Ramjattan, Khemraj’s uncle If Mr Kissoon chooses to base an article only on what is found on Google, he runs the risk of misleading readers of his column

Finally, Mr Kissoon, you digressed from the topic and posed a question to me on Prime Minister Modi

I will tell you that I am a great admirer of Shri Narendra Modi ji, and under his astute leadership , the state of Gujarat made tremendous progress and similarly India is progressing leaps and bounds to regain its rightful place in the world as a leading economic power with military capabilities to defend itself from any possible foreign aggression

In closing, I hope PM Modi ji is re-elected at the next general elections.

Yours sincerely, Chris

Persaud

ExxonMobil’s Whiptail development requires workforce of over 500 persons

approximately 33-72 wells to be drilled, as ExxonMobil’s EIA awaits review, approval

THE Whiptail Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), which was submitted to Guyana’s Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA ) for approval and review , has revealed that the project will require a workforce of over 500 persons.

The document read : “EEPGL estimates the project will require a workforce of approximately 540 persons at the peak of the development well drilling, approximately 100 to 180 persons at the peak of production operations (with an additional 25 to 30 personnel on board each export tanker), and approximately 60 persons at the peak of decommissioning.”

As Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) advances its plans for its massive sixth offshore development , the EIA said that it is also targetting the

drilling of approximately 33 to 72 development wells and the drilling is expected to take several years

Also, development drilling is currently scheduled from late 2024 / early 2025 through mid-2030 but could extend as late as 2031

The EIA also stated that the installation of subsea components is planned to begin in the second half of 2025 or early 2026 . The Floating Production Storage Offloading (FPSO) installation, commissioning, and start-up are planned to occur in 2027 and the project is expected to continue for at least 20 years

Additionally , although majority of the operations will be offshore, the EIA disclosed that onshore infrastructure will be in place

“While much of the installation and production operations activity will be offshore,

the Project will also use onshore infrastructure, including, but not limited to, shore bases , warehouses , storage and pipe yards, fabrication facilities, fuel supply facilities, and waste management facilities in Guyana,” the document outlined, explaining that the infrastructure will be utilised in order to support drilling, installation, production, and decommissioning operations

It was also stated that the project will be located in the eastern portion of the Stabroek Block, approximately 195 kilometers northeast of Georgetown and other Stabroek projects

In a brief history of the Stabroek Block, the EIA read: “In 2015, oil was discovered in the Liza field within the eastern half of the Stabroek Block Following that discovery and based on exploration and assessment activities to

date, EEPGL has identified the presence of multiple reservoirs of crude oil with an estimated recoverable resource of approximately 1.75 billion cubic meters (m3) of oil-equivalent resource in the eastern half of the Stabroek Block,” adding: “The Project is located in the Whiptail , Pinktail , and Tilapia fields ( hereafter , the “ Whiptail field ”) approximately 195 kilometers northeast of the coastline of Georgetown in waters approximately 1,500 to 2,200 meters deep.”

Additionally, EEPGL and EIA consultants have conducted a vigorous public consultation programme throughout Regions One through Six to inform the public about the project, to understand and record stakeholder concerns, and, to the extent possible, to answer questions

“This process began when the notice to the public indicating that an application [which] had been submitted for the project was posted on the EPA ’ s website and published in the Stabroek

News on January 15, 2023, initiating the 28-day public comment period

“Eight public consultation meetings were held in Regions One through Six between January 30 and February 7, 2023, to present the planned project activities, respond to questions and concerns from the public, and document relevant topics to be included in the Terms and Scope for the Project (Appendix A) and to be addressed in the EIA,” the document revealed.

Melanie farmers, residents welcome planned drainage works

FARMERS and residents from Melanie and other surrounding communities along the East Coast of Demerara, will soon benefit from improved drainage as works have commenced to desilt several main canals in the area.

Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha , met with residents from Melanie and other surrounding areas to discuss the scope of the scheduled drainage works

Prior to Monday’s visit, Vice-President, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, had visited the community to meet with residents to discuss some of the

government’s developmental plans for both the residential and farming communities along the East Coast corridor

During the meeting with the Vice-President, several residents raised concerns about the lack of proper drainage and sought the government’s urgent intervention to have the issue resolved

While some farmers have occupied the reserve, Minister Mustapha said that some access will have to be given to allow the excavator to traverse the dam in order to properly desilt the canals

“ I walked from Enterprise and came across to

Melanie and noticed that there was a lot of encroachment on the reserve As a result of that, our machine cannot get free access to desilt the canals I spoke to some of the residents and farmers and they’ve agreed that access has to be given so that they can get better drainage

“I’ve also put some other plans in place so that the machine can maneuver along different parts of the reserve so that we can clean those canals After speaking with the residents and explaining the scope of work needed to access proper drainage ,

–– Agriculture Ministry pledges support to ensure canals are desilted, maintained

they have pledged their full co-operation and those works will start tomorrow,” he said Sirestsi Bascom, a Councillor from the Buxton/Foulis Neighbourhood Democratic Council and Chairman for the Melanie Community Development Council, stated that --

“This project came about after we would’ ve reached out to the minister about some of the flooding we’ve been having in the community We had asked for his intervention to see how we can deal with the drainage issue and mitigate flooding

in the community

“I’m happy that the minister came and he was able to meet with some of the residents and farmers who are usually affected We were able to have a fruitful consultation and come to an agreement on how we will move forward so that residents can have better drainage,” he said

Prior to Monday’s visit, engineers from the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority visited the area to assess the communities’ drainage networks

Residents also welcomed

the health benefits that are to be derived from the project, noting that the area was infested with mosquitos Minister Mustapha said that he will be returning to the area to hold a meeting with farmers to develop a plan to improve agriculture in the area . He also disclosed that the ministry, through the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), will also develop a comprehensive drainage plan to guide the extensive and continuous works needed in the area.

Child completes burn treatment in US

follow-up care at GPHC

SHIV Thompson, who, in mid - July , sustained second - degree burns to 50 per cent of his body, has returned to Guyana after receiving medical care in Texas, United States and will continue follow - up treatments at the Burn Care Unit at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

This was according to a post made on Facebook by the Saving Hands Emergency Aid (SHEA) Charity.

“We are pleased to share that Shiv has completed burn care treatment in the United States, and safely returned back home to Mabaruma , Guyana He will continue to have regular follow - up care by the Burn Care Unit at GPHC in Guyana ,” the organisation said The organisation also

thanked everyone that assisted in the lifesaving mission Thompson, on July 16, left for Texas, where he received specialised medical care The child was accompanied by his mother, Sonia Thompson.

The three-year-old sustained deep second degree burns across 50 per cent of his body when he accidentally fell into a pot of boiling water at his home in Mabaruma , Region One ( Barima - Waini ). According to SHEA, Thompson was immediately rushed to the regional hospital and quickly transferred to the GPHC where doctors worked tirelessly to stabilise him

He was at the GPHC , where doctors were providing outstanding supportive care However, due to the extent of his injuries, he had to be medically airlifted to the

United States for emergency surgery and management SHEA Charity is an organisation that aims to provide financial assistance , and coordinates free or low-cost treatment to address the emergency medical needs of individuals in impoverished countries.

Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha and other officials while engaging residents from Melanie North

A section of one of the canals that was desilted by the ministry

Three-year-old Shiv Thompson

International Building Expo: Police, stakeholders conduct ‘site visit’ at Stadium

DEPUTY Commissioner of Police (Operations), Ravindradat Budhram , along with other senior officers and ranks from the Guyana Police Force, Guyana Fire Service and representatives from other stakeholder agencies, conducted a site visit at the Guyana National Stadium where the much - anticipated International Building Expo is scheduled to be held

The International Building Expo commences on Thursday, under the theme ‘Building for All, One Guyana, Many Opportunities’.

The site visit on Monday was geared towards facil -

itating traffic and security arrangements for the mega event slated to conclude on Sunday, August 27, 2023

Among those present during the site visit were Commander, Regional Division 4 ‘B’, Senior Superintendent Mahendra Singh; Traffic Officer, Superintendent Dennis Stephen; Deputy Superintendent, Rovin Das; Chief Inspector, Mark Lyte ; Inspector Michael Ramdas ; Sergeant Richard Trotz ; Guyana Fire Service Divisional Operations Officer, Otis Charles; Impressions owner , Patrick Sukhlal , who is the Logistics Coordinator for

Shopkeeper accused of killing drunken customer gets

bail

A 27-year-old shopkeeper was, on Monday, released on $500,000 bail over the alleged fatal beating of Aaron Conyers, a 38-year-old businessman of Mabaruma, Region One.

Zamal Samuels, of Gaja Landing, North West District, appeared before Magistrate Sunil Scarce, at the Mabaruma Magistrate’s Court

In April , Samuels made his first court appearance for the offence of manslaughter and was not required to plead.

Particulars of the offence alleged that Samuels between March 27 and March 28, 2023, at Black Water Village, NWD, unlawfully killed Conyers

On Monday , Samuels ’ attorney , Bernard DaSilva , made an application for bail on the grounds that his client was not a flight risk and wanted to clear his name

Magistrate Scarce released Samuels on $500,000 bail with strong reporting conditions The case was adjourned until November 20, for the commencement of the preliminary inquiry into Conyers’ death

According to reports, on March 27, 2023, Conyers was consuming alcohol along with others at Samuels’ shop situated in Black Water Village An altercation broke out between Conyers and one of his drinking companions, leading to Samuels’ intervention

This intervention resulted in Conyers directing verbal abuse towards Samuels In response, Samuels physically restrained Conyers, causing him to fall and strike the back of his head.

Subsequently, Conyers regained his footing but continued to use offensive language directed at Samuels He then left the premises, stumbled by the roadside near a lamp post, and remained on the ground

Conyers’ wife and sister came to his aid and later assisted him home The following morning, he was heard groaning, prompting his transfer to the Mabaruma Regional Hospital, where he died while undergoing medical treatment

A post-mortem examination revealed that the cause of death was attributed to brain haemorrhaging stemming from blunt trauma.

Deputy Commissioner Ravindradat Budhram (centre) flanked by Impressions proprietor, Patrick Sukhlal and senior Fire and Police ranks at the site visit at the Guyana National Stadium, in preparation for the International Building Expo

the International Building Expo ; Mr Nigel Hoppie , who is the Chief Security Officer at Central Housing and Planning Authority

$500,000

Zamal Samuels

CAL obtains injunction, pilots ordered to report for duty

CARIBBEAN Airlines

(CAL) obtained an injunction from the Industrial Court of Trinidad and To-

bago to prevent the Trinidad and Tobago Airline Pilots Association (TTALPA) and its members from en-

gaging in industrial action, including mass sick calls.

The injunction also barred pilots who had par-

ticipated in such action from continuing to do so

The airline sought legal intervention after receiving

calls from 75 pilots between August 19 and 20 , 2023 , claiming illness and, thereby , being unable to fulfil their duties

According to a press release , these calls were received just hours before scheduled flights , causing over 60 flights to be cancelled, which greatly inconvenienced passengers.

The airline said that it swiftly took measures to address the situation, leasing additional aircraft and accommodations for stranded travellers while obtaining legal guidance

These actions culminated in obtaining the aforementioned injunction against TTALPA to mitigate the disruptions

The Port Authority of Port of Spain assisted the airline’s domestic operations, by adding a special ferry sailing which took passengers to and from Tobago

Acknowledging the distress caused to passengers due to these events , CAL expressed profound regret for the inconvenience and emphasised its commitment to restoring the trust between the airline and its passengers

Despite the setback, the company is determined to ensure smoother travel experiences for its customers in the future

For automatic flight notifications and updates, passengers are encouraged to update their contact details on the official Caribbean Airlines website : https :// www . caribbean - airlines . com/#/caribbean-flight-notifications

The airline said it is diligently working towards restoring its regular flight schedules and appreciates the public’s support during this challenging time

“ As you may know by now , the disruptions were caused by a high volume of sick calls (93) from pilots scheduled to operate flights over the period August 18 through August 20 , 2023

The calls were received just prior to the pilots having to

report for duty for their respective flights,” CAL said

The airline added that this resulted in approximately 60 flights having to be cancelled between August 19 and 20 and the unavailability of these pilots, combined with the short notice, made it impossible to recover

In response to the critical situation , Caribbean Airlines, at a significant cost, immediately wet-leased two aircraft, obtained accommodation for stranded passengers and took legal advice

Thereafter, the company obtained an injunction from the Industrial Court of Trinidad and Tobago against the Trinidad and Tobago Airline Pilots Association (TTALPA) to bring a stop to the disruption

“We took these measures to safeguard the interests of our valued customers , our amazing staff and our beloved airline Our aim was to do our best to return stability to our operations , and we are now actively working towards restoring our flights to their regular schedules,” CAL stated

Noting that the events over the past few days have put a significant damper on what have been very positive developments for Caribbean Airlines , they accept that this is a significant setback in their relationship with passengers

However, the airline said it is resolute in its commitment to restoring the trust and affection upon which this most valuable relationship is based, and in so doing, ensure that their future travel experiences are as smooth and pleasant as passengers rightfully expect

“Once again, on behalf of all of us at Caribbean Airlines , we apologise to all our affected passengers. We deeply regret the distress caused by these disruptions , which were beyond our control , and the subsequent impact on your very important travel plans,” CAL said.

Regional authorities closer to addressing non-tariff barriers

technical teams, ministerial task force collaborating to resolve remaining issues, Minister Mustapha says

WITH the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) looking to achieve its ambitious food security targets by 2025 , efforts are underway to address non - tariff barriers that limit the trade of produce to some regional states

Agriculture Minister , Zulfikar Mustapha , who chairs the special ministerial task force on food production and food security, recently told reporters on the sidelines of an event that Guyana is currently engaging officials in Trinidad and Tobago to address the barrier to the importation of honey to the island

The non - conformity of Trinidad and Tobago ’ s legislation governing the importation or transiting of honey has been a long - standing issue continuously raised before the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED).

“We have a team working very aggressively to not only remove that barrier, but other non- tariff barriers that are affecting products from Guyana and parts of the Caribbean,” Mustapha said

According to Mustapha, officials are closer to settling an agreement, noting: “They are coming closer to an agreement I can’t give

a timeline, but I [am] hoping very shortly We are doing a lot of work in the ministerial task force; we are bringing the technical personnel together.”

Meanwhile , the Chairman of Guyana ’ s Private Sector Commission, Komal Singh , said that , in order for the region to achieve its goals , the remaining

non-tariff barriers must be addressed sooner rather than later

He said: “We must not neglect the opportunity to address some regional trade barriers which currently cause limitation to market growth and development

“ It is critical at this point in time that the private sector take the initiative to

work on a more aggressive regional logistics approach where we can move our products and services easily around the region.”

Trinidad and Tobago’s honey, bees and bee products are guided by the island ’ s age - old Food and Drug Act of 1960 and Beekeeping and Bee products Act of 1935

Both of these , however, are not in keeping with the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas (RTC) as highlighted by COTED and has led to the total prohibition of honey from other countries to the island

In 2012 , a portion of Grenada’s honey was confiscated, while a US$3,000 fine was imposed on the

Guyanese company Laparkan in 2015 for coming within one mile of the island’s shores

The COTED has since stipulated that Trinidad and Tobago ’ s legislation be amended to provide for the trade in honey from its fellow member states; however , the conditions have not changed

GAWU’s 22nd Congress begins tomorrow

THE 22nd Delegates ’ Congress of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Union (GAWU) will be held on August 23 and 24 , 2023 , at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC).

According to a release, the Congress will attract approximately 320 delegates representing union members from GAWU’s various bargaining units

The milestone activity, which is being held under the theme “ Advancing workers’ rights, economic progress and social justice,” will review the work of the Union since its 21st Congress in 2016

It will also consider local and international developments since the last Congress

The Congress’ Opening Session will be held on the morning of August 23, 2023, and will be addressed by GAWU’s President, Seepaul Narine, who will situ-

ate the efforts and progress of the Union

Also addressing the opening will be President, Dr Irfaan Ali and the feature address will be given by the recently re-elected General Secretary of the International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel , Restaurant , Catering , Tobacco , and Allied Workers’ Associations (IUF),

Sue Longley

During the session, the Union will also honour several outstanding union members who have contributed to GAWU’s successes and triumphs

“Joining the Congress will be overseas delegates from Jamaica and Argentina. The Union has already received several messages of solidarity and support from fraternal organisations locally and overseas,” GAWU stated in its release

Following the opening, the Congress will shift to the business sessions Over a day and a half, delegates and observers will receive the report of the General Council, which will be presented by the Union’s General Secretary, Aslim Singh.

The comprehensive report covers more than 50 subjects and will address the union’s activities, functioning and stewardship since the last Congress

Following the report’s presentation,

delegates and observers can share their contributions and offer suggestions and guidance as the GAWU charts its path until the next Congress

Vice President, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, will also have an interactive session with union members during those sessions.

The Congress will also elect a new General Council, which will guide the Union until its 23rd Congress

The business session will also see some 20 motions being moved and discussed The proposed motions address several important and relevant issues and are sure to attract some level of discussion

“The Congress will conclude with the charge given by the Union’s President The Union, at this time, is finalising last-minute details towards successfully hosting its 22nd Congress,” GAWU said.

From left: Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne; Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley; Prime Minister of Dominica, Roosevelt Skerrit; CARICOM Secretary-General, Dr. Carla Barnett; President of Guyana, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali; Prime Minister of Belize and Chair of CARICOM, John Briceno; Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Keith Rowley; Deputy Prime Minister of The Bahamas, Isaac Chester Cooper and Premier of Montserrat, Joseph Farrell, at the opening of 2022 Agri- Investment Forum and Expo which was held at the National Cultural Centre

India name their 17-member squad for the upcoming Asia Cup

INDIA have been bolstered by the return of KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer in the squad announced for the Asia Cup on Monday Both the middle-order batters were rehabilitating from their respective injuries at the National Cricket Academy and have been declared fit for the Asia Cup.

The squad also marks the return of Jasprit Bumrah to ODI cricket after a gap of more than one year After proving his fitness in the ongoing T20I series against Ireland , Bumrah is set to test himself in the 50 - over format heading into the World Cup Squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya (vice-captain), Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna.

Travelling reserve:

Sanju Samson

The return of Iyer and Rahul is a massive boost for India in time for the Asia Cup as well as the World Cup. Both the players have been mainstays in ODIs of late at No.4 and No.5, the two positions India have struggled to fill after the 2019 World Cup.

Rahul has been a revelation in ODIs since moving into the middle order. In the 18 matches that he has played at No.5, Rahul

has scored 742 runs at an average of 53 while striking at close to run-a-ball, a significant improvement over his career average of 45.13 and strike rate of 86.57.

Iyer too has been groomed for the No.4 spot since the 2019 World Cup, having featured 22 times at the position where he

has scored 805 runs at 47.35.

The other big highlight from the squad announcement was the maiden ODI call-up for Tilak Varma. The 20-year-old has only played seven T20Is but has impressed with both his intent and temperament. The southpaw, who averages 56.18 at a strike rate of 101.64 after 25 domestic List-A games, also gives India some much-needed left-hand variation in the middle order.

The Rohit Sharma-led India begin their Asia Cup campaign on 2 September, taking on arch-rivals Pakistan in Kandy, Sri Lanka after which they face Nepal at the same venue two days later

This will be the first time India and Pakistan face off in ODIs after the 2019 Cricket World Cup. The top two teams from each group will progress to Super 4 where each team will face the other. At the end of the Super 4 stage, the top two teams will face off in the final on 17 September in Colombo. (ICC.com

Rohit Sharma and Ajit Agarkar address a press conference where India’s squad for the Asia Cup was announced•(AFP via Getty Images)

Women’s World Cup 2023:

Jorge Vilda says Spain players are ‘eternal’ after they beat England

By Neil Johnston BBC Sport at Stadium Australia

EVEN in glorious triumph, sounds of disapproval rang out in Jorge Vilda’s direction.

AS his players celebrated winning the World Cup for the first time after defeating England 1-0, boos rang out in the crowd when the jubilant Spain boss was pictured on the big screen being congratulated by Spain’s Queen Letizia at Stadium Australia

Moments earlier , Vilda had looked up to the sky , raised his hands and screamed with joy when the referee ended the match to confirm Spain as world champions

Controversy has followed Vilda at every turn of this tournament and even in victory there was no escape

This will go down as one of the most remarkable triumphs in Women ’ s World Cup history, with Spain entering the tournament amid a backdrop of unrest and a number of players unhappy with Vilda, who had survived a player revolt to keep his job

The Spanish football federation ( RFEF ) released a statement revealing that 15 players had submitted identical emails saying they would not play for Vilda unless “significant” concerns over their “ emotional state” and “health” were addressed

“Las 15”, as the players became known, denied claims they had asked for 42-yearold Vilda to be sacked, but tension followed amid reports of concern over training methods and inadequate game preparation

Yet in Australia and New Zealand, his players put aside their differences to conquer the world in an impressive style at just their third World Cup, prompting Spain’s official Twitter account to post: ‘VILDA IN

“The girls are eternal now and they have a star on their chest forever ,” said Vilda “It’s been very easy [to manage the group].

Conde Riley to serve fourth term as BCA President

CONDE Riley will now have a fourth term as President of the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) after winning a tight election on Friday.

Riley narrowly edged challenger and vice-president Calvin Hope 75-72 in a tightly contested election

Gregory Nicholls , the third nominee, received 37 votes

“ We are a family , we are world champions with a family of players.”

‘JUST RIDICULOUS’

Spain were made to wait before they could finally celebrate

After 13 minutes of stoppage time were signalled at the end of 90 minutes, it was not until the 105th minute that the referee brought the final to an end

Some of Spain’s players were in disbelief as the magnitude of their achievement started to sink in Others were in tears

Spain came into the tournament missing some of their best talent due to the player revolt, including several members from Barcelona’s triumphant Champions League campaign like Mapi Leon, Patri Guijarro and Sandra Panos

Three of the 15 selected were recalled after having been frozen out of the national set-up after a protest, including midfielder Aitana Bonmati and defender Ona Batlle, who both started all seven games in Australia and New Zealand

When they lost 4-0 to Japan in their final group game, they looked a long way from being world beaters

“ No - one should lose hope,” said Vilda after that

defeat in Wellington on 31 July

“

We have not seen the best Spanish team yet This defeat hurts, the players are angry and I am convinced they will be better.”

After his side ’ s World Cup victory, Vilda described the Japan defeat as a “turning point”, adding: “It made us react, the team changed and the players increased their contributions Mentally they were much stronger

“I believe these reasons helped us reach the final and won the final.”

Indeed , Spain bounced back from that setback to defeat Switzerland, the Netherlands and Sweden to make the final

Against European champions England, La Roja produced a tactical masterclass Even after captain Olga Carmona’s winner, they enjoyed more possession and attempts on target.

“ For me , it ’ s credit to those players ,” former England striker Ellen White told BBC One . “ To win a World Cup is just absolutely phenomenal

“ It takes a lot of guts , mentality, desire, hard work, togetherness The way this Spanish team played today was just unbelievable.

“The way they moved the ball was just ridiculous.”

‘Progress has been phe-

nomenal’

Seventeen of the 23-player squad were appearing at their first World Cup including keeper Cata Coll and 19 - year - old forward Salma Paralluelo

Despite the controversy that followed him around , Vilda was not afraid to make bold decisions

After the defeat by Japan, he gave a senior debut to Coll, while Paralluelo came off the bench to score in backto-back games as Spain performed admirably throughout the knockout stages before deservedly overcoming England.

Spain’s players performed on the pitch despite all of the noise off it

Before the semi-final win over Sweden , long - serving forward Jenni Hermoso spoke emotionally of the progress made in the women’s game since she made her senior international debut in 2012 when she used to play in front of crowds of a few hundred

On Sunday, she celebrated winning the World Cup in front of 75,000 in Sydney

Spain now have women’s world titles at senior , under-17 and under-20 levels

“This Spanish side, this nation , what they have achieved in women’s football over the last two years is phenomenal ,” added White.(BBC Sport)

“ I ’ m happy . I ’ ve been here for a number of years . This is my fourth term . We have a number of youngsters on scholarships overseas doing A levels , O levels as well as playing cricket so I’m happy,” Riley told SportsMax.tv on Friday last.

Riley will now have a fourth term as BCA President

Riley ’ s main plan while serving his fourth term is to bring a world class indoor facility to Barbados

“The major thing is the indoor facilities which have thought about building since 2005 We need the money There’s about $20 million owed by Caribbean Governments to the West Indies so, once we get some of that money, that’s the one I want to complete,” Riley said.

“I want to do it so no matter the weather or time of day, clubs and schools can have indoor facilities to train,” Riley added Riley says he hopes to complete this venture in the next two years

“I’ve already sourced the names and cameras and so on, I want to a very modern indoor facility here, hopefully within the next two years,” Riley said.(Sportsmax)

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER

(Tuesday August 22, 2023)

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

Answers to yesterday’s quiz:

(1) 56 matches

(2) 37 wickets

Today’s Quiz:

(1) How many captains have been used by the Warriors in CPL cricket to date?

(2) Who has led the GAW in most matches to date?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

Spain are the fifth team to win the Fifa Women’s World Cup after the USA (4), Germany (2), Norway and Japan.

Spanish FA president apologises for kissing player at Women’s World Cup

SPANISH football federation president Luis Rubiales has apologised for kissing Jenni Hermoso on the lips after Spain won the Women’s World Cup

Rubiales kissed the Spain forward during the presentation ceremony following the team’s 1-0 win over England in Sunday’s final “I didn’t like it,” Hermoso said on Instagram, but a statement released later on her behalf defended Rubiales

On Monday , Rubiales said : “ I was completely wrong, I have to admit it.”

He added: “It was without bad intention at a time with a lot of excitement. In the moment, we saw it as natural, but outside a commotion has formed.

“I have to apologise, learn from this, and understand that when you are president you have to be more careful.”

Rubiales had been criticised by some Spanish government ministers and come under fire on social media Spain’s equalities minster

Irene Montero said : “ It ’ s a form of sexual violence women suffer on a daily basis.”

Montero added that up to now it had been “invisible” and that it is something “we can’t normalise”.

“We should not assume kissing without consent is something ‘that happens’,” she said Spain’s sports minister Miquel Iceta told Spanish public radio it was “ unacceptable ” for Rubiales to kiss Hermoso , adding : “The first thing he has to do is to give explanations and make apologies , it is the logical and reasonable thing to do.”

In a statement released by

the Spanish football federation, following the player’s initial comment about dis -

liking the kiss, Hermoso said the moment was a “natural gesture of affection”.

Jamaican women secure semi-final spots in 400m Hurdles at 2023 World Athletics Championships

JAMAICA ’ s prowess in the Women’s 400m hurdles was on full display on Monday as all three hurdlers, Rushell Clayton , Janieve Russell , and Andrenette Knight, confidently secured their spots in the semifinals during the afternoon session on Day 3 of the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

Clayton ’ s solid run of 53.97 earned her the top spot in the opening heat, surpassing former world-record holder Dahlilah Mohammed, who clocked in at 54.21 . The German athlete Carolina Kraftik claimed third place with a time of 54.53, followed closely by Viivi Lehikoinen of Finland, who secured the fourth automatic qualifying spot with a time of 54.65

Russell continued the Jamaican surge, executing a controlled performance that resulted in her winning the second heat in 54.53 She outpaced Anna Cockrell of the USA , who finished in 54.68 Gianna Woodruff of Panama secured the third position with a time of 55.31, while Canada ’ s Savannah Sutherland secured the final

automatic spot in the semifinals with a time of 55.85

Andrenette Knight maintained the Jamaican success, finishing second in her heat behind Kemi Adekoya of Bahrain, who claimed first place with a time of 53.56

Knight’s impressive run of 54.21 ensured her progression to the semifinals . Italy ’ s Ayomide Folorunso secured the third qualifying spot with a time of 54.30 , while Cathelijn Peeters of the Netherlands clinched the final automatic spot with a time of 54.95

Meanwhile , the gold medal favorite Femke Bol of the Netherlands showed why she is the fastest woman in the world this year Determined to make a statement after failing to lead her team to a medal in the Mixed Relays on Saturday, Bol clocked an impressive time of 53.39 in her heat , leaving her competitors trailing in her wake Vicktoriya Tkachuck of Ukraine secured second place with a time of 55.05 , while Hanne Claes of Belgium took third with a time of 55.1 Line Kloster

“It was a totally spontaneous mutual gesture because of the immense joy that winning a World Cup brings,” said the 31 - year - old , who is Spain ’ s all - time leading scorer

Video footage circulated online after the match also showed Rubiales, who was sat in the VIP area of the stadium near Fifa president Gianni Infantino and Queen Letzia of Spain, grab his groin as he celebrated the final whistle.

Rubiales ’ actions were heavily criticised on social media , with ‘ dimision ya ’ – ‘ resign now ’ in English – trending on X , formerly known as Twitter, in Spain Rubiales told Spanish broadcaster COPE it was “a kiss between two friends celebrating something” and those who saw it differently were “ idiots and stupid

people”.

“Let’s ignore them and enjoy the good things,” he added, before offering a different view on Monday Spanish newspaper El Pais ran the headline “Jenni didn ’ t like Rubiales ’ kiss , neither did we”.

Spain won the World Cup despite controversy over coach Jorge Vilda, who survived a player revolt to keep his job

The RFEF said in September 2022 that 15 players had submitted identical emails saying they would not play for Vilda unless “significant” concerns over their “emotional state” and “health” were addressed

However , the RFEF continued to back Vilda and posted ‘VILDA IN’ on Spain’s official X account after their World Cup triumph. (BBC Sport)

Unstoppable Slingerz demolish Eagles and Bell West get past Wales

IN another hurricane-like performance Slingerz FC demolished Eagles FC 11-0 in the second match of the West Demerara FA’s double-header in the Senior Men’s League played at the Tuschen Community Centre ground last Sunday

It was the second 11-0 that Slingerz have deliverrd in the competition and after three games they have accumulated 31 unanswered goals

The onslaught was spearheaded by four braces: Ricardo Halley(16’ and 87’), Jamal Codrington(21’ and 46’), Leo Lovell(28” and 85’) and Deon Alfred(61’ and 83’). There was one each for Lennox Young (2’), Brian Wharton (38’) and Clive Nobrega(80’).

Meanwhile, Bell West registered its first victory of the season after coming from a goal down to easily beat Wales FC 3-1 in the opening match

of Norway clinched the final qualifying spot in the heat with a time of 55.23

Great Britain ’ s Jessie Knight won the final heat, finishing with a time of 54.27 and securing first place She triumphed over Shamier Little of the USA, who took second place with a time of 54.40. Anna Ryzhykova of Ukraine secured third place with a time of 54.70 , while Nikoleta Jichova of the Czech Republic secured the fourth qualifying spot with a time of 55.10.(Sportsmax)

Quacy Alleyne gave Wales the lead in the 9th minute, but teammate Jacob Roach produced an own goal in the 32 minute for the equaliser Derek Cornelius struck in the 60 th minute to give Bell West the advantage

Things got worse for Wales in the 72nd minute when they were reduced to ten Shamar Abrams was served a Yellow Card for unsportsman behavior and then one for dissent in an instant, resulting in his expulsion Adrian Webster sealed the win five minutes from full time

It was the first win for Bell West who had a draw and a loss in their other 2 outings, while Wales lost for the 2nd time to add to their one win

The West Demerara FA is one of nine Regional Associations of the Guyana Football Federation(GFF) who are providing 2nd tier football Leagues with funding from the Federation’s Members-Financial Assistance Programme (M-FAP).

Spanish football federation president Luis Rubiales had been criticised by some Spanish government ministers and come under fire on social media.

Clayton, Russell and Knight all advanced to the semi-finals.

Warner, Shadab, Wood and Rayudu among high-profile overseas signings for ILT20

DAVID Warner , Mark Wood, Shadab Khan and Ambati Rayudu are among the major overseas players signed up for the second season of UAE ’ s ILT20 , starting January 13 next year.

Warner and Wood, rivals at the Ashes recently, will team up at Dubai Capitals , while Shadab joins Pakistan team-mates Shaheen Shah Afridi and Azam Khan at Desert Vipers

Rayudu, who retired from all Indian cricket after IPL 2023 and is currently playing in the CPL, has been signed up by MI Emirates , while Martin Guptill and Maheesh Theekshana will play for Sharjah Warriors alongside Lewis Gregory

Apart from Warner and Wood , Capitals have also signed up Andrew Tye , Dasun Shanaka, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Sam Billings

Josh Little , Laurie Evans, Ravi Bopara and David Willey have been signed up by Abu Dhabi Knight Riders , while Mujeeb Ur Rahman, part of Capitals last season, has moved to defending champions Gulf Giants Qais Ahmed , meanwhile , has moved from Giants to Warriors

Kusal Perera, Akeal Hosein and Corey Anderson have been drafted in by MI Emirates apart from Rayudu They have also acquired up and coming Sri Lanka mystery spinner Vijayakanth Viyaskanth USA ’ s Saurabh Netravalkar and Noshtush Kenjige have been picked by Giants and MI Emirates respectively , while Bas de Leede and Roelof van der Merwe are the two Netherlands players in the mix, as part of Vipers and Capitals

respectively Scotland teammates Chris Sole and Mark Watt will be part of Warriors while Brandon McMullen is part of Knight Riders

The last stage of the squad-building process will involve selecting the UAE players

The second season of the ILT20 will run more or less concurrently with the second season of the SA20 league in South Africa, and will overlap with the BBL, too That aside, there ’ s England ’ s five - Test

tour of India starting January 25, which could force players like Root and Wood to leave the ILT20 early

The squads at this stage

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders

New signings: Brandon McMullen , David Willey , Jake Lintott, Josh Little, Laurie Evans, Michael Pepper, Ravi Bopara and Sam Hain

Retentions : Ali Khan , Andre Russell, Charith Asalanka, Joe Clarke, Sabir Ali, Sunil Narine , Marchant de Lange and Matiullah Khan

Desert Vipers

New signings : Adam Hose , Azam Khan , Bas de Leede, Michael Jones, Shadab Khan and Shaheen Shah

Afridi

Retentions: Alex Hales, Ali Naseer, Colin Munro, Dinesh Chandimal , Gus Atkinson , Luke Wood , Matheesha Pathirana, Rohan Mustafa, Sheldon Cottrell, Sherfane Rutherford, Tom Curran and Wanindu

Hasaranga

DUBAI CAPITALS

New signings: Andrew Tye, Dasun Shanaka, David Warner, Mark Wood, Max Holden, Mohammad Mohsin, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Nuwan Thushara, Roelof van der Merwe, Sadeera

Samarawickrama and Sam

Billings

Retentions: Dushmantha

Chameera , Joe Root , Raja

Akif , Rovman Powell and Sikandar Raza

Gulf Giants

New signings: Dominic

Drakes, Jordan Cox, Karim

Janat, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Saurabh Netravalkar and Jamie Smith

Retentions: Aayan Afzal

Khan, Carlos Brathwaite, Chris Jordan, Chris Lynn, Gerhard Erasmus, James

Vince, Jamie Overton, Rehan Ahmed, Richard Gleeson , Sanchit Sharma and Shimron Hetmyer

MI EMIRATES

New signings : Akeal Hosein , Ambati Rayudu , Corey Anderson , Kusal Perera, Nosthush Kenjige, Odean Smith, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth and Waqar Salamkheil

Retentions : Andre Fletcher, Daniel Mousley, Dwayne Bravo , Fazalhaq Farooqi , Jordan Thompson, Kieron Pollard, McKenny Clarke, Muhammad Waseem, Nicholas Pooran, Trent Boult , Will Smeed and Zahoor Khan

SHARJAH WARRIORS

New signings : Chris Sole, Daniel Sams, Dilshan Madhushanka , James Fuller , Johnson Charles , Kusal Mendis, Lewis Gregory, Maheesh Theekshana, Mark Watt, Martin Guptill, Sean Williams and Qais Ahmed

Retentions : Chris Woakes , Joe Denly , Junaid Siddique, Mark Deyal, Muhammad Jawadullah and Tom Kohler-Cadmore (ESPNcricinfo).

Billings hits brilliant half-century as Oval Invincibles beat Trent Rockets to reach final Simmons, Smith shine but Riders lose

SAM Billings hit a brilliant unbeaten half - century as Oval Invincibles sealed their place in the Hundred final with a five - wicket victory over Trent Rockets.

Captain Billings hit 76 from 40 balls as Invincibles won with eight balls to spare at the Kia Oval

Rockets earlier posted 148-7 with Colin Munro top - scoring with 36 from 35 balls and Lewis Gregory adding 35 from 24

The win means Invincibles cannot now be caught at the top of the table and progress directly to Sunday’s final

Defending champions

Rockets stay third on net run-rate ahead of Southern Brave and Welsh Fire, but need both those sides and London Spirit to lose their final match in order to stay in the final knockout qualification position

Oval Invincibles men’s team are through to their first Hundred final, having failed to qualify for the knockout stages in each of the first two years

Billings’ innings included five fours and five sixes - one of which went 122 metres into the top tier of the stand

Trent Rockets took a team hat-trick, with Luke Wood dismissing Jason Roy before Daniel Sams removed Tawanda Muyeye and Sam Curran in successive deliveries to leave Invincibles wobbling on 21-3.

Gregory and Munro were the bedrock of the Rockets’ innings, putting on 70 for the fifth wicket after the visitors were reduced to 54-4

‘It has been a real team effort’ - what they said

Match Hero, Oval Invincibles’ Sam Billings: “It has been quite a while since

I hit it that well. It has been a long summer so it was nice to see some of the work behind the scenes actually come off. It wasn’t the perfect scenario to come in but it was an opportunity to bat and get myself in and then I just played to my strengths It was really pleasing to get over the line

“It is amazing to qualify and go straight to the final It was big boots to fill with Heinrich Klaasen, he’s arguably been the best player in the world in the last year , so it was about someone stepping up and filling those shoes and thankfully I got it done

“That is the story of our summer , everybody has stepped up at different times

It has been a real team effort. There isn’t a single person in the squad who hasn’t played a part in getting through to the final.”

FORT LAUDERDALE , Florida , ( CMC ) – West Indies stars Lendl Simmons and Dwayne Smith produced cameos but their efforts went in vain as Atlanta Riders slipped to a seven-wicket loss to New York Warriors in the US Masters T10 on Monday.

Playing at the Central Broward Regional Park Stadium, Smith top-scored with 36 from 24 balls while Simmons chipped in with an 11-ball 21, knocks which propelled Riders to 97 for four off their 10 overs

The 38 - year - old Simmons put on 29 for the first wicket with captain Robin Uthappa (24) and 28 for the second wicket with Smith who counted four fours

Ex-Pakistan seamer Sohail Khan claimed three for 21 while former West Indies speedster Jerome Taylor finished with a single wicket

In reply, Kamran Akmal

struck a breezy 11 - ball 34 with three fours and three sixes, in a 63-run, opening stand with Tillakaratne Dilshan who belted a 14-ball 28

Former Bangladesh leftarm spinner Elias Sunny snapped up two for 11 as three wickets tumbled in successive deliveries at the start of the fifth over but former West Indies all-rounder Jonathan Carter struck a four and a six in an

unbeaten 17 to get Warriors over the line in a 40-run, unbroken fourth wicket stand with Shahid Afridi (22 not out).

On Sunday , ex - West Indies player Chris Barnwell struck 28 not out off just 10 balls with four sixes as New Jersey Tritons chased down 85 to beat Warriors in a contest reduced to five overs per side due to rain

From left: David Warner, Shadab Khan, Mark Wood and Ambati Rayudu

Ex-West Indies batsman Lendl Simmons

World Championships 2023:

Sha’Carri Richardson claims 100m gold as Dina Asher-Smith eighth

By Harry Poole

DINA Asher-Smith missed out on a 100m medal at the World Championships in Budapest as American Sha’Carri Richardson beat a star-studded field of rivals to claim her first major title

Britain ’ s Asher - Smith finished a disappointing eighth in 11.00 seconds after scraping through the semi-finals

Richardson , contesting her first major final at 23 , clocked a championship record 10.65 secs to take victory

Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson took silver ahead of Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce

Jackson , the reigning 200m champion , ran 10.72 secs as compatriot and record five - time champion Fraser-Pryce finished in 10.77

Three - time individual world medal winner Asher-Smith, who was crowned 200m champion in 2019 , was left unsure as to why she could not perform at the level she expected

The 27 - year - old has made a habit of producing her best at major championships, but her participation in the final was initially unclear after a unconvincing run in the semis earlier in the session

Asher-Smith appeared to have qualified for the medal race as the last non-automatic

qualifier by one thousandth of a second

But Poland’s Ewa Swoboda was also permitted to

contest the final by organisers due to the miniscule difference between the times set by the two, leaving nine athletes

in a stacked race featuring the six current fastest women in the world

In the final it was Richardson - competing at her first major championship after missing the Tokyo Olympics through suspension and failing to qualify for last year’s Worlds - who prevailed

At first, Richardson simply could not believe it

Inexperienced at this level, she had failed to secure automatic qualification after finishing behind Jackson and Marie -Josee Ta Lou in her semi-final

But, as the battle for gold appeared to be focused on a blur of yellow and green as the Jamaican duo Jackson and Fraser - Pryce duked it

out in the centre, Richardson stole in from lane nine.

The stunned American almost stumbled over the edge of the track as she backpedalled in an attempt to get a better look at the big screen, waiting for confirmation of the result she longed to see

When it arrived she was overcome with emotion before bursting into celebration, running around the track with an American flag raised above her head

Following a turbulent start to her senior career, a determined Richardson has insisted this season: “I’m not back, I’m better.”

In Budapest, she proved that in the most emphatic way.(BBC Sport)

Gary Neville critical of Manchester United’s handling of Greenwoodinvestigation

GARY Neville says Manchester United’s handling of the Mason Greenwood investigation has been “pretty horrible” and lacked strong leadership

Greenwood, 21, will leave the club by mutual agreement after a six-month internal investigation

It came after charges against the player, including attempted rape and assault, were dropped in February

“It was clear from day one that he wouldn’t play for Manchester United again,” said former defender Neville

Speaking on Sky Sports Monday Night Football, Neville, 48, who made 602 appearances for United, added: “The process in getting there has been pretty horrible . When you have significant situations, and difficult situations like this , it requires strong authoritative leadership . And that comes from the very top. Manchester United don’t have that.”

Fellow pundit and former England midfielder Karen Car-

ney said the matter was “handled poorly ” and it was a “ really uneasy situation for me”.

England international Greenwood was arrested in January 2022 following allegations surrounding material which was published online

In a statement, Greenwood accepted he had “ made mistakes ” and took his “ share of responsibility ”, but added : “ I did not do the things I was accused of.”

United have said “based on the evidence available to us, we have concluded that the material posted online did not provide a full picture and that Mason did not commit the offences in respect of which he was originally charged ”, adding : “ All those involved , including Mason , recognise the difficulties with him recommencing his career at Manchester United.”

An announcement of the investigation’s results was expected before United’s opening Premier League game of the season against Wolves on 14 August , but the decision was delayed amid fierce debate about Greenwood’s potential reintegration at Old Trafford

The club said they wanted to consult with their women’s team , some of whom were part of England’s World Cup squad playing in Australia , before announcing a decision about Greenwood’s future.

In an open letter to United supporters on Monday chief executive Richard Arnold said the club had “limited powers of

investigation” and “were reliant on third-party co-operation” as they “sought to collate as much evidence as possible to establish facts and context”.

He added: “Reintegration was one of the outcomes we considered and planned for For context, over the course of the past six months several outcomes have been contemplated and planned for, and my view has evolved as our process progressed.”

Carney, 36, who chaired a major review into the women’s game, added: “I think Manchester United as an institution, as football club and what is stands for, has handled this really really poorly “ I think from statements , that have been confusing and conflicting to everybody From leaks From involving stakeholders unnecessarily I e female players, our Lionesses.”

‘It should have been dealt with independently’

Greenwood’s potential return prompted a group of female United supporters to protest

outside Old Trafford before the Wolves game on 14 August , and said they wanted the club to “demonstrate a zero-tolerance approach ” towards violence against women

Female Fans Against Greenwood’s Return put out a lengthy statement to say the striker’s reintegration would tell them “as women, that we don’t matter”.

Greenwood’s contract at Old Trafford runs until 2025, and he could now be sold or loaned to another club for the remainder of his deal He remains on full pay but will not return to training with United

Neville also claimed United should not have been in the situation where the were presiding over a matter where they did not possess the requisite experience, and called for the introduction of an independent panel for the future

“ On an issue like domestic abuse, on violence against women, there needs to be independence,” he said

“It shouldn’t be that Man-

chester United are the judge and jury on such a significant issue Not just for themselves , but also for the game People talk about the reputation of Manchester United but it’s the Premier League here as well

“My view is that on issues of this importance, and severity, they should be dealt with independently by a pane “It’s been clear that Manchester United have not had the skill and ability to deal with this situation properly It’s been well above their grade of experience and ability.”

Sports lawyer Chris Farnell told BBC News: “Manchester United are damned if they did, and damned if they don’t

“If they had done a quick analysis they would be told it should be more in depth Because it’s been in depth it’s ‘taken too long’.

“ I think the important thing is you have to look into the conclusions Manchester United have to come to and reasons behind it.”(BBC Sport)

Rain ruins Kings, Patriots CPL clash

and

Persistent

tilles,

The morning fixture at the venue between Barbados Royals and Jamaica Tallawahs was also washed out

It marks the second straight day of abandonments after the two games on Saturday ended in no results, with only a combined eight overs possible

The tournament will now shift to Warner Park in Basseterre where Patriots host reigning champions Jamaica Tallawahs tomorrow.

GROS ISLET, St Lucia, (CMC) – Rain has forced the abandonment of the nightcap game in the Caribbean Premier League between St Lucia Kings

St Kitts and Nevis Patriots without a ball bowled here Sunday

rain, caused by a strong tropical wave sweeping through the Lesser An-

delayed the start of the contest at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground and even after the adverse weather abated, soggy conditions forced officials to

scrap

Sha’Carri Richardson won from the outside lane in Budapest

Mason Greenwood’s last appearance for Manchester United was against West Ham in January 2022

GBA Winfield Braithwaite C’bean Schoolboys & Girls Championships…

Guyana extends winning streak to six titles

By Sean Devers

THE fans left the National Gymnasium at 01:00hrs

Monday celebrating Guyana’s six consecutive titles in the sixth edition of the Guyana Boxing Association ( GBA )’ s Winfield

Brathwaite Caribbean

Schoolboys and Schoolgirls

Championship held over three nights at the Mandela Avenue venue

Trinidad & Tobago finished second, while Barbados ended up in the third position , as talented Guyanese pugilist Shakquian James , who won Gold in the Youth Welterweight 67kg division, took the Best Boxer of the Tournament award

The 6 ’ 1 ” 16 - year - old Tiquan Sampson, who won Gold for Guyana in the Junior Lightweight 60kg division, was adjudged Best Junior Boxer, as Guyana, geographically located on mainland South America, once again confirmed their powerhouse status in boxing among the CARICOM nations

A fair - sized and noisy crowd danced to music from the Sound System as they screamed their support for the home team , while the tantalising smell of fried chicken and fish produced a marvellous atmosphere as Guyana won six Gold Medals on the final night

While Mike Parris is

the only boxer in the English - speaking Caribbean to win an Olympic Medal , and Guyana ’ s only medal , history was again made when 12 - year - old Guyanese Jumaine Moore made his debut as the youngest Boxing Judge in the Caribbean

With Deputy Director of Sports Frankie Wilson eloquently providing information as the announcer, the Championships, which was attended by four overseas nations, was well organised, despite the over two-hour late start on Sunday.

In the Ring , the action commenced with Matthew Thomas beating fellow Guyanese Wayne Castillo in the

Youth 52kg Division before Vicki Boodram, the Trinidad and Tobago Coach, did not allow Jaheem Alexander to fight Guyana’s Keyon Britton in the Schoolboys 38kg due to the age gap between the two young pugilists

St Lucia won its first Gold Medal of the night

Weithers being administered a standing eight-count as the Guyanese desperately tried to fight back to stay in the contest

In the final round, Weithers again tripped and fell before a wicked uppercut to the body resulted in the Guyanese being given another eight-count

Weithers missed with some wild swings , and seemed unwilling to fight at close-range, or trade punches with his opponent

T&T’s Makieve Bellillie beat Bajan Jaquan Grant in the Schoolboys 57kg Final, while Guyana struck Gold in the Youth Bantamweight 57kg Final, when Leon Albert beat Bajan Jazari Narine

Mayers

a split decision.

St Lucia won its second Gold when John Dedier beat Joshua Lewis of T&T, while the matchup between Guyana’s Akeila Van Cooten and ‘Trini’ Shania Nunez was a riveting battle

Nunez came out to brawl, but her ‘Rough House’ tactics did not sit well with the referee, who, after she forcefully pushed VanCooten onto the canvas for the third time (once ending on top of her like a wrestler ), instructed each of the five judges to deduct a point from her score

moving forward , and used his very fast hand speed to good effect, reeling off a fivepunch combination , which resulted in the ‘Trini’ being given another eight-count in the second round Charles retaliated with a few good shots of his own, but Sampson was relentless with his hand speed , and excellent technique to take the Gold.

when Kyle Marcel defeated Guyana’s Kaiden Weithers in the Youth 75kg Final Marcel launched a ferocious attack on Weithers, and backed him up on the ropes with a flurry of on - target shots

The Guyanese slipped and fell early in Round Two before a left-right combination to his head resulted in

In the Youth Bantamweight 57kg Final , Bajan Abisilhai Baptiste was getting the better of Guyana’s Raheem Peters with some telling blows to the mid-section , and left jabs to the head before Peters , who was given standing eightcounts in the first and second rounds, ‘woke up’ in the third stanza

He capitalised on a tiring Baptiste, and ‘pepped’ him with some good right-hooks and straight - rights to head as, the surprised Bajan tried to counter-punch

But in the end, Peters had done enough in the final to win a close fight on

When the Guyanese lass went after Nunez , and began hitting her with an array of punches, the crowd was on its feet, with Guyana’s only two presently world - ranked female boxers (the Jackman siblings ) screaming and dancing with delight at the beating, as VanCooten took Gold in the Junior Girls 60kg Final.

Fighting in the Junior Lightweight 60kg Final , Guyanese Tiquan Sampson used his long reach to execute crisp left jabs to the face of the much shorter Prince Charles of T & T , who has previous experience in this tournament

A one-two to head staggered the ‘ Prince ’, and he received an eight-count in the fight round

The taller Sampson kept

‘This is CARICOM’s youth Boxing Olympics’ Says Ninvalle

By Sean Devers

THE sixth Winfield

Braithwaite Caribbean

Schoolboys and Schoolgirls

Three-day Boxing tournament concluded in Guyana in the wee hours of the morning on Monday with the host country winning its sixth consecutive team title.

Steve Ninvalle, President of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA), who did a wonderful job of organising the tournament, which was inaugurated in 2016 , said the return of this tournament

after a two-year hiatus was very important for the development of amateur boxing in the Caribbean.

“This tournament is the Olympics of youth boxing for CARICOM, and it’s improving We had four teams coming for this tournament, and next year it will be bigger and better, and with more teams” said the GBA Head Ninvalle , who first attained the helm of the GBA in 2009, praised the work of his Executive, led by Seon Bristol, and everyone who worked behind the scenes “ We have to sensitise

the public about Boxing , and encourage the parents to let their children become involved in the sport. I am impressed by the growing number of females, and the standard they are achieving,” posited Ninvalle, who became Guyana’s Director of Sport in May 2021

Ninvalle thanked the GOA , Minister Charles Ramson and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport for their support

“ This is the only such competition in the Caribbean, and many of those who are successful in their careers

in the sport have participated in this tournament ,” said the former Sports Journalist who covered the bout for Stabroek News when Guyana ’ s first world title was achieved by the late Andre ‘Six-Heads’ Lewis

Ninvalle reminded his audience that Mike Parris , who ’ s won Guyana ’ s only medal in the sport to date, also won the only Olympic medal in boxing in the English - speaking Caribbean when he won Bronze in the 1980 Games in Moscow

When asked how long he thinks it will take for Guy-

In the Youth Girls 80-plus kg, Guyana’s Tianna Moore was totally out-classed and out-boxed by her opponent, Nordissha Williams, from the Spice Isle of Grenada

The contest provided plenty of entertainment for fans who were in peals of laughter at the way Moore, from the West Demerara , fought

At one stage , Moore threw a punch so hard that when she missed, it spun her around, twice, and she ended up with her back to Williams, who pounded her from all angles

But although she was knocked down and staggered a few times , she was still standing when final bell rang as Williams took the Gold

In the final match of the night, the talented Shakquian James was clinical in his destruction of T & T ’ s Michel Medica , who was no match for the Guyanese, who copped the prestigious Best Boxer award

ana to get another Olympic Medal in Boxing, with only Keevin Allicock qualifying for the Olympics in the last decade, Ninvalle said:

“With more boxers going to other big events like the World Championship, these tournaments are just like the Olympics in the standard , and GBA is putting in the work and developmental programmes to give our boxers the best chance of winning medals at the big events.”

Guyana is considered the engine room of amateur boxing in the English-speaking Caribbean

GBA President Steve Ninvalle

A confident Jumaine Moore made his debut at the tournament to become the youngest Boxing Judge in the Caribbean