Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 22-11-2022

“I express sincere solidarity with the Government and People of Indonesia following Monday morning’s earthquake in the West Java Province, which claimed the lives of at least 160 people. The Government and People of Guyana are ready to support you at this dif ficult time. We will keep you in our prayers.”

Dignified retirement…

GDF veterans to finally receive their pensions

THE National Insur ance Scheme (NIS), over the next three days, will be hosting a special outreach at the Guyana Defence Force (GDF)’s Base Camp Ayanganna to address a range of issues af fecting army veterans.

The outreach follows President Dr. Irfaan Ali’s recent engagement with the Guyana Vet erans’ Legion (GVL), where he committed to addressing pending issues faced by GDF veterans.

Among the issues addressed on Monday is that of persons who have exceeded the age of retirement, and have been waiting for years to access their pension because of incomplete or inaccurate records.

There were also per sons with NIS contri bution statements that reflect missing contri butions, as well as per

sons who did not have adequate constitutions to receive pensions.

Senior Minister in the Office of the Presi dent with responsibility for finance Dr. Ashni Singh said that having examined each of the cases, immediate ac tions were taken to have most of the matters re solved within a timely manner.

Those persons who have been waiting years to access their contribu tions will do so before the end of December, Dr Singh announced.

“Persons who are waiting for three, four, five years for their pen sion should be able to access their pen sion within a matter of weeks, and I have, in fact, asked the [NIS] general manager to en sure that they access their pension before Christmas,” he stated.

In those complicated

cases where the issues do not relate to employ ment with the army, but with other private com panies, Minister Singh said that the NIS will attempt to verify those periods of employment.

“Some of those com panies are still in ex istence; some are not. Some of those com panies may not have been paying over NIS deductions, and in some cases, it would be very difficult and challenging to verify those periods of employment with employers, for exam ple, who are no longer in existence or whose

records are incomplete, or who we know are in default,” he explained.

The finance minister added: “Even in those cases, we are not turning people away; we will try our best to unravel, to get to the heart of those matters, and try our best to resolve those matters. But those will take lon ger to resolve.”

There was also one case of a pensioner who acknowledged that he did not have enough contributions to access a monthly pension, but is eligible to benefit from an NIS grant.

Minister Singh said

the pensioner was able to apply for that grant, and will be receiving it within a matter of days.

Dr. Singh also used the opportunity to assure the veterans that the Ir faan Ali-led Govern ment values immensely the distinct and dedicat ed service that they gave to Guyana, and want to ensure that they enjoy a dignified retirement.

VETERANS SATISFIED

The Department of Public Informa tion (DPI) also spoke to a number of the veterans who thanked President Ali for the swift action in ensuring their NIS woes are addressed.

Elroy Blades, a pen sioner said that over the past four years he has been engaging the NIS to receive his pension. He is relieved that we will finally benefit from his pension after many

years of service to the country.

“I feel very happy that the service has come to me…I am hap py that I could have talked to the minister and the general manager and I think I will receive my pension by Decem ber,” he said.

Former Army Corpo ral, June Johnson, who accompanied a fellow veteran to resolve her issue, commended the initiative which allows for a hassle-free space to resolve pending NIS issues.

“It is less running around and fatigue for these pensioners…it is good for them,” she said.

The government, since its assumption to office, has been work ing aggressively to re solve the over 10,000 backlogs of pension issues. (DPI)

GDF veteran, June Johnson

Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for finance Dr. Ashni Singh addressing the issues of a GDF veteran

GDF veterans having their issues addressed by the NIS

Local artistes cash in

PRESIDENT Dr. Irfaan Ali on Mon day announced that the Government of Guyana will double the earnings made by local artistes who participated in the One Guyana Concert during this year’s Cricket Carnival held here in Guyana.

At a meeting with local artistes at State House, the President said that the govern ment will continue to make the needed in vestments to further propel and develop the entertainment industry.

“We had 89 local artistes on the One Guyana stage; 89 lo cal artistes. The cost of the production was borne completely by the government; we brought in the corpo rate sponsors to get

them to sponsor tick ets. Every single cent in revenue; $6.9 mil lion went to those 89 artistes, ranging from between $100,000 to $300,000, as prom ised,” Dr. Ali said.

To supplement this sum, and to ensure that the artistes fully bene fit, the President said that the government will provide the equiv alent of $6.9 million.

President Ali also pointed out that the concert had an Online viewership of more than 100,000 persons.

According to the Head of State: “I want to say to you that we continue to be your partner in your own development; in the development of our culture, the develop ment of your talents, and the promotion of

‘One Guyana’ as a des tination that is not only diverse, by people and culture, but is rich in talent, and ready to explode on the inter national stage.”

GUYANESE PRIDE

President Ali also used the opportunity to express his delight at the development of local talent.

“I wanted to tell you today how very proud I am of Guya nese talent; our talent might still be raw and fresh in many ways, but we never, and will never lack the capacity and capability to make it on any stage. And I intend to invest in the talent that we have, to make it regional and global,” Dr. Ali said.

The President said the government has been able to build a product that brings economic prosperity

and artistic and cultur al development.

This forms part of the government’s con tinued efforts that will support and expand opportunities that will promote and invest in Guyana’s budding entertainment industry.

The Department of Public Informa tion (DPI) spoke with a few local artistes who expressed grati tude and excitement at the current trajectory of Guyana’s entertain ment sector, under the guidance of the PPP/C administration.

“This year has been exceptionally differ ent; it was truly ex citing and great,” Mi chelle “Big Red” King said.

Melissa Roberts, better known as “Va nilla”, said: “I like the fact that the President is supportive, and I’m looking forward to what he has in store.”

Well-known artiste, Roger Hinds also said: “So far, what he [the president] has done for the artistes, I think it is a great initiative.”

Another artiste, Seon King-Shakti Strings Band, related: “We have a lot of tal ent down here; we will just do our thing.”

Winston Cesar’s response was similar to that of his fellow artistes at the event, as he said: “I applaud the President; I think he’s very social. The sup port is necessary…”

In addition, Bunty Singh expressed hap piness at the Presi dent’s announcement, noting: “It’s a great opportunity; we’re just happy about it.”

Minister of Cul ture Youth and Sports, Charles Ramson em phasised the impor tance of the govern ment’s initiative led by President Ali.

“This is import ant because we want to see you succeed; the initiative to create the platform for the success of our artistes has been that of Pres ident Ali, who also instructed that revenue received from (Cricket Carnival One Guyana Concert) which is the largest crowd for any sole Guyanese event we have ever had in this country,” the min ister said.

Further, Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond told the ar tistes: “You have done Guyana proud, and you, our artistes are a compelling tourism product.”

Minister with in the Office of the Prime Minister, the Honourable Kwame McCoy and other Government officials were also at the meeting.

— earnings doubled for ‘One Guyana’ show — more investments coming for entertainment industry, President Ali says

At a meeting with local artistes at State House, President Dr. Irfaan Ali said that the government will continue to make the needed investments to further propel and develop the entertainment industry (Office of the President photo)

President Dr. Irfaan Ali

Indonesian rescue workers race to find victims trapped by deadly quake

(Reuters) - Indonesian rescue workers were rac ing on Tuesday to reach people still trapped in rubble a day after an earthquake devastated a West Java town, killing at least 162 people and injuring hundreds, as of ficials warned the death toll may rise.

The epicentre of the shallow 5.6-magnitude quake hit on land close to the town of Cianjur in a mountainous area of In donesia’s most populous province. The tremor on Monday afternoon prompt ed panicked residents to flee onto the streets as buildings collapsed.

Overnight a hospital parking lot in Cianjur was inundated with victims,

some treated in makeshift tents, others hooked up to intravenous drips on the pavement, while medical workers stitched up patients under the light of torches.

“Everything collapsed beneath me and I was crushed beneath this child,” Cucu, a 48-year-old resi dent, told Reuters, from the crowded hospital parking area.

“Two of my kids sur vived, I dug them up ... Two others I brought here, and one is still missing,” she said through tears.

On Tuesday morning, hundreds of police officers had been deployed to as sist in rescue efforts, Dedi Prasetyo, national police spokesperson told the An tara state news agency.

A man walks near a destroyed kindergarten affected by the earthquake in Cugenang, Cianjur, West Java province, Indonesia (REUTERS/Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana)

“Today’s main task or der for personnel is to focus on evacuating victims,” he said.??

At least 162 people were killed in Monday’s quake, many of them chil

dren, with more than 300 injured, West Java Gov ernor Ridwan Kamil said, warning some residents remained trapped in isolat ed places.

Authorities were operat ing “under the assumption

that the number of injured and death will rise with time”, he said.

The national disaster agency (BNPB) said it had confirmed the deaths of 62 people, but had not verified 100 additional victims.

Cianjur police chief told Metro TV news channel that 20 people had been evacuated from Cugenang so far, most of whom had died, with residents still reporting missing family members.

The area was hit by a landslide triggered by the quake that had blocked ac cess to the area on Monday.

Rescue efforts were complicated by electricity outages in some areas, and more than 80 aftershocks.

The earthquake, which

struck at a depth of just 10 km (6.2 miles) and was felt strongly in the cap ital Jakarta about 75 km away, damaged at least 2,200 homes and displaced more than 5,000 people, the BNPB said.

Straddling the so-called “Ring of Fire”, a highly seismically active zone where different plates on the earth’s crust meet, In donesia has a history of devastating earthquakes.

In 2004, a 9.1 magni tude quake off Sumatra Island in northern Indo nesia triggered a tsunami that struck 14 countries, killing 226,000 people along the Indian Ocean coastline, more than half of them in Indonesia.

PAHO Director receives Honorary Freedom of Barbados Award

DIRECTOR of the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) Dr. Carissa Etienne was among thousands of individuals recognised for their sterling contri bution in the fight against COVID-19.

During the second Humanitarian Awards, Etienne received the Honorary Freedom of Barbados Award for the exemplary service provided to Barbados throughout that chal lenging period.

In her remarks, she extended her grati tude stating, “I wish sincerely to thank the people and the Gov ernment of Barbados for the honour and privilege of being decorated with this prestigious award. I am grateful for the recognition but even more so for the oppor tunity to have served your Government and you the people of Bar bados.”

In the ceremony, hosted at Kensington

Oval on Sunday, recip ients drawn from both the public and private sector were recognised for the sacrifices that were made to ensure that the country was able to navigate the period of uncertainty created by the ravages of the virus.

Among the awards distributed were the Humanitarian Medals, which were conferred on front-line workers who, despite the obvi ous risk to their own safety, persevered to ensure that the public could still have their basic needs met.

Humanitarian lapel pins were presented to those who worked in supporting roles on the front line and who played their part in reducing the impact of the virus. The final category of awardees received Humanitarian plaques as an expres sion of appreciation for their generous do nations to lessen the impact of COVID-19.

Prime Minister Mia

Mottley also addressed the gathering and at the close she called for a moment of si lence in memory of those who succumbed to the illness. This was followed by a rous ing three cheers in acknowledgement of the awardee’s yeoman service.

The recipients and

the specially invited guests enjoyed mu sical treats from stu dents from local edu cational institutions.

The line-up in cluded University of the West Indies stu dent Mikel Gooding, performing Damien Marvay’s Push and Go Through and Mya Sobers of the Alex

andra School who delivered a chilling performance of Ri hanna’s Lift Me Up. Barbados Community College instrumen talists Kaylee Allman and Jazaria Chandler entertained on steel pan and flute with the

song Slow Dance. Awardees were afforded the oppor tunity to take an of ficial picture with Dame Sandra Ma son and Dr. Etienne at the close of the ceremony. (Barbados Today)

Covering Oil Dorado!

GUYANA’s 21st Century fortune continues to at tract positive internation al attention and global news headlines, the latest including November 14, 2022 Bloomberg podcast headlined “Guyana is the Most Exciting Story in the World Oil Market” plus three other online You Tube videos titled “Why Guyana’s Economy Is Booming;” “Guyana’s Game-Changing Oil Dis covery,” and “Is This the Richest Country in the World” and “How Much Could Guyana Make?”

The podcast examines “What happens when a huge player strikes (black) gold?” It also looks at is sues like the US shale oil boom, OPEC and “The

incredible rise of Guyana as one of the fastest-growing economies in the world.”

The podcast features oil historian Gregory Brew’s thoughts and insights into the Guyana story. His fore casts help better tell the story of the world’s newest Oil Dorado, coming as it is in the prestigious publi cation trusted by the world of finance and on global money markets.

Guyana’s oil story has, particularly in the past two years and under the lead ership of the current PPP/ Civic administration led by President Dr Irfaan Ali, has been a boon to the nation’s hitherto battered and broken image between 1964 and 1992, when world news headlines about ‘The

Co-operative Republic’ were mostly negative -from electoral fraud, cor ruption, extravagance and wastage of natural resourc es, to naked political dis crimination and violations of human rights, including the right to life.

During those dark days of PNC rule, Guyana de veloped its current reputa tion as the nation with the biggest diaspora popula tion, with over one-third of its citizens residing and became the biggest Carib bean victim of the global Brain Drain, as talented, innovative and ambitious Guyanese had no choice but to opt to migrate to be better able to help families.

But the size of Guy ana’s diaspora also has its

positive sides in terms of both volume and value of remittances and the scope for positive engagement with and for the homeland, especially with a positive attitude on the part of the current administration.

All the videos quoted above, all positive, con firmed the ever-growing international and region al interest in Guyana’s oil wealth, as the last 27 months have seen prudent management of how the basis is laid to engage in best practices for Guyana’s sustainable future, by learn ing from and acting upon the lessons offered by other nations -- big and small -- that welcomed the cash windfall, but failed to look beyond black gold’s glitter.

The government has also repeatedly made it clear that it does not intend to lead Guyana into the trap of ignoring the need to develop other productive and income-generating sec tors, from agriculture and manufacturing to tourism and expansion of regional trade – and using the na tion’s oil wealth to ensure citizens’ social and eco nomic needs are addressed at home and work, in their neighbourhood communi ties and regions, all across ‘One Guyana’.

The podcast and videos highlighted also reiterate that Guyana today is be ing increasingly embraced by Big Oil (for obvious reasons) and is led by an administration that’s being

careful to avoid the country experiencing the so-called “Dutch Disease” that’s seen countries get rich with oil and sink in poverty there after.

But Guyanese have already started to taste and feel the difference be tween governments that talk and those that walk, which is why they’re also getting ready to walk to the ballot boxes to talk their minds loudly on March 13, 2023, when voters will have their mid-term chance to say, very loudly, how they feel about their government’s handling of the nation’s growing oil wealth, in free and fair Local Govern ment Elections.

I have every confidence in the intellectual ability of every Guyanese to easily reason this out

Guyanese.

SO, Aubrey Norton, who aspires to lead Guyana as its President, wants the Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali-led PPP/C administration to abandon its sound national transformational agenda.

Norton wants the govern ment to halt its exponential build-out of the traditional sectors which the Granger ad ministration utterly degutted and tragically ruined.

He wants the PPP/C gov ernment to ignore the sound, globally established economic sustainability conventions of smartly using the bulk of early oil revenues to build a multi-dimensional economy, which becomes robust enough in short order to sustainably improve the livelihoods of all

His economic alternative calls for the government to pause the building of new highways that are opening land for new businesses that will create good-paying jobs across the country.

He wants the government to not bother with building a new four-lane bridge across the Demerara River that will ease the suffering of hundreds of thousands of Guyanese and expand economic de velopment and opportunities beyond Georgetown.

Norton wants President Ali to not prioritise a ful ly rehabilitated highway for the people of Linden, nor the Pan-American Highway to South America that will potentially transform that town into a thriving city. He

thinks Lindeners do not de serve an Industrial Estate, nor one thousand turn-key homes within the first term in office of the government, or the hun dreds of millions of dollars in road rehabilitations currently underway.

He would rather the res idents of South Georgetown, Belladrom, Buxton, and New Amsterdam remain underem ployed, unempowered and hopelessly deprived of clean, ‘green’ recreational spaces and facilities, improved in frastructure, and economic opportunities.

Aubrey Norton couldn’t care less about the thousands of Amerindians whom Grang er rendered unemployed and penniless, and for sure, he would rather see the thousands of sugar workers who were

sent packing into nothingness remain there and wither away with their families and die.

The vacuous mind that is Guyana’s shadow of an Oppo sition Leader hung up on the petty ‘Bam-Bam Alley’-type of politics and drunk on the evil bitterness of his shallow, racist ideological rage conve niently refuses to see anything or anyone beyond the welfare of public servants whom his party hypocritically, shame lessly, and falsely claim as its own and claim they were empowering.

It is a task of virtual im possibility for Norton to begin to comprehend the very basics of how a country that wants to leapfrog from the outer bands of perpetual poverty to the up per echelons of wealth for all its citizens must prudently and

strategically manage its de velopment agenda to achieve constant, exponential, and sustainable growth for both its people and its sector webs concomitantly.

Surely, if Guyana were to heed the advice or contem plate the little-league leader ship of Aubrey Norton and his Third-Grade advisers, this country would most assuredly fall prey and dinner to not only the Dutch Disease but also the PNC’s rice-flour and breadfruit scorn all over again.

The hopes of its citizens to benefit from free university education by 2025 would be dashed against the exorbitant fees the APNU+AFC intro duced and planned to keep increasing; the government would spend $60B of oil rev enue in one-off payments

of $300,000 to each house hold annually, and condemn them to continue suffering in blackouts, falling waist deep into potholes, receiving only a chest sounding and a pre scription at every hospital and clinic, drinking fecal coliform from their taps, and receiving education on slates under the flickers of flambeaux.

Because he would see no merit in bringing gas to shore and building hydroelec tric plants to halve people’s electricity bills; no refinery; no new hospitals or water treatment plants or modern ‘smart’ schools; no modern sports facilities or new city for that matter; and he certainly would give no cash grants to our children. Our sea defenc es would crumble, our water

Dear Editor,

President Ali is steering Guyana in the right direction

Dear Editor,

THE PPP/C victory over the coalition gov ernment on March 2, 2020 sends a power ful message to all and sundry that President Dr. Irfaan Ali will be sworn in as the ninth president of Guyana on the following day. But, sadly, it did not happen until five months later on August 4, 2020, af ter several legal battles aimed at nullifying the election results.

Though he won, nar rowly, by only one par liamentary seat, it was enough for Dr. Ali to tell the nation that he will govern in the interest of all Guyanese, regardless of race or party affili ation. In less than six months in office, he has succeeded in spanning the country, from-coast-

to-coast to meet and in teract with the people, but more importantly, to solve some of their out standing problems.

Faced with a deeply divided country, the Pres ident has set the tone in several speeches that no one will be left behind, and all will be involved in the development of the country. To this end, he has established a civil, inclusive, and conciliato ry administration to make sure that all are treated fairly and equally.

On several occasions, he has called for healing and solidarity among the races. His “One Guyana” initiative is solid proof that he is serious and genuine about solving the race issue, which has plagued the country long before he was born.

Make no mistake,

since in office, President Dr. Ali had faced tremen dous headwinds in gov erning, but his convic tions and vision for a de veloped and prosperous Guyana, coupled with his prodigious economic strategy, have successful ly steered him though the perils. And while he is addressing the problems, head-on, he has an oppor tunity to be a transforma tional President.

He has offered a blue print that would bolster agricultural, livestock, mining and commodity markets with conserva tion goals, and is invest ing in the technologies and skills needed to de velop the country and move it forward.

He has promoted rec onciliation with the “One Guyana” initiative, and has called for an end to

I have every confidence in the intellectual ability...

From page 6

conservancies would continue washing out the farmers, our loggers and miners would keep paying taxes to use bad roads, our Amerindian broth ers and sisters would get no titles for their lands or funds for their development, and our youths would have no forum, resources nor hope to contrib ute to decision making.

According to his short-sighted lunacy, all the myriad cost-of-living cush ioning given to every sector and citizen to weather the storm of the global meltdown over the past two years would have been left to the magic and economic gymnastics of his one-off $300,000 to each household, full-stop.

Then, according to my grandmother, everything else ‘wudda suck salt’.

My fellow Guyanese, look around for yourself, reason logically, or better yet, ‘talk de ting straight up’…

Does the all-round, care ful approach by President Ali to national development and transformation, where everyone and every sector grow together at an even pace make sense to you, or Aubrey Norton’s plan to share out all the oil money at $300,000 a household, then be able to do nothing else, nada, for the country’s sustainable devel opment?

I have every confidence in the intellectual ability of every Guyanese to easily reason this out, whether from an academ ic or a street-smarts point of view, to see an 8% retroactive increase for public servants, along with adjustments to all categories of salary scales to be announced in the coming days, and all the other support programmes already enacted and with more to come, as prudent fiscal management.

Add the reduction in mortgage rates for new home construction to that; add the removal of VAT from almost

every food and household item to that; add the removal of excise tax from gasoline to that; add the regular sup port to those with disabilities and those on dialysis to that; add the home construction management and materials assistance programme to that; then ask yourself what in the world is Aubrey Norton really grandstanding about.

My Guyanese brothers and sisters in the Public Service, my brothers, and sisters in the rice fields, those in the cane fields, those in the mines, those of you in the in terior, and those of you who can see through-and-through Norton’s useless diatribes, I trust that you would think for yourselves, choose for yourselves, and determine which is the smarter path to your Guyanese future of wealth and empowerment.

Hon. Kwame McCoy Minister within the Of fice of the Prime Minister

political polarisation and racial politics, which, at times, could heighten the risk of violence. Not to mention that his govern ment has fostered closer partnerships with civil society to rein in disinfor mation and brain-wash ing, and safeguard civic and human rights.

His development strat egy includes the mod ernisation of the aging infrastructure, expand ing education, improving healthcare, increasing agriculture, mining and fishing production and the social welfare of the citizens.

Equally important, President Ali has called for unity and an end to racial intolerance, which are constantly amplified by some on social media and messaging services at home and in the diaspora.

He has encouraged intergroup and intra group contact, and com munication/discussions

through citizen assem blies as outlined in his 1,000-men programme, which is aimed at reduc ing prejudices between the races, and creating a more civil society. In other words, he is foster ing a political and social culture in which citizens focus more on policies than on personalities, by allowing for more open discussions and debates and participatory deci sion-making.

President Ali has re invigorated the United Nations global initiatives to address poverty, in equality, and food in security in the wake of the COVID-19 pandem ic, and Russia’s war on Ukraine, which has led to steeply high food and commodity prices world wide.

As a consequence, these events have led to massive suffering and set-backs not only in Guyana, but also among

many other lower-and middle-income and de veloped countries’ sus tainable-development efforts. And as the global financial and monetary conditions have tight ened, many countries in the Global South are faced with punishing debt crises that will hit the most vulnerable commu nities the hardest.

To counter these ef fects, President Ali has asked his Finance Min ister to develop a robust budget that will move the country forward and avoid such pitfalls. Many believe that Pres ident Ali is the right President at the right time in the nation’s po litical history to steer the country forward and once again make Guyana the bread bas ket of the Caribbean.

truly, Dr. Asquith Rose

Yours

A quick win in battle against climate crisis

— FAO technical support for investments helps improve livelihoods and nutrition while curbing livestock greenhouse gas emissions

OUR social media feeds and airwaves may be abuzz with climate predictions and po lemics. But let’s focus for a moment on one area offering relatively quick and straight forward wins against climate change: Lowering emissions from the planet’s billions of livestock.

Although some voices, particularly in high-income countries, say we shouldn’t be keeping the animals at all, they are an essential, or sometimes the only source of nutrition and income for some of the world’s poorest communities. And by investing in better ways of feeding and managing livestock, we can preserve livelihoods and provide people

with better nourishment, while reducing the harmful impact of methane and other gases released by the livestock value chain.

That’s the thinking behind the FAO’s work, providing technical support and expertise to governments and multilater al lenders like the World Bank for projects benefiting millions of livestock keepers. FAO’s support ensures that these investments and projects in corporate more climate-smart livestock management prac tices into their efforts.

We share our planet with around 1.5 billion head of cat tle, and two billion sheep and goats among other livestock, and the methane produced

by their digestion is more potent than carbon dioxide. Although it doesn’t stay in the atmosphere for nearly as long, methane traps 27 times more heat over a 100-year period.

Yet, when it comes to ways of bringing these emissions down, there are encouraging results from the work that the FAO is engaged in with part ners, including the World Bank and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) in a dozen countries.

These initiatives aim for greater inclusion of climate objectives in livestock devel opment, training stakeholders to calculate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and grasp ing the climate benefits of

improvements in livestock production. Such measures include better management of animal health and reproduc tion, better grazing manage ment, and restoring pastures, improving feed and forage mixes and better storage and use of manure.

INVESTMENTS FOR LIVESTOCK-KEEPERS AND FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

For example, in Kyrgyz stan, the FAO has calculated the climate impact of a large IFAD-investment in dairy farms. Results showed that this investment reduced GHG emissions by 17 per cent while increasing milk and meat pro duction by four percent. FAO and IFAD then worked with the government to include the outcomes of this assessment in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), the country’s pledges to reduce emissions and meet global climate goals as decided in the 2015 Paris Agreement.

For the pastoralist or smallholder farmer on the grassy steppes of Central Asia or the rangelands of Sub-Sa haran Africa, the message is clear: “You can get the most out of your herd, have a better diet and that can also help the environment around you. If your environment is healthy,

it will be productive and ben eficial for all. So it’s a win-win situation,” says Thanawat Tiensin, Director of FAO’s Animal Production and Health Division.

Such outcomes are all the more significant in light of the discussions on climate change and the undifferenti ated criticism directed at the livestock sector. “If it weren’t for FAO’s work, some multi lateral lenders might shy away from investing in livestock de velopment projects altogether, which would leave millions in a very dire situation,” says Thanawat.

BUILDING COUNTRY CAPACITY

In recent years, there’s been growing consensus that the world needs to address the issues of food security, nutrition and climate together, not follow a climate agenda which overlooks the plight of the billions of people fac ing food insecurity and hun ger. The livestock sector has been particularly important in the international discussion and in a decision made at the 23rd Conference of Parties (COP23) in 2017. This out come, called the Koronivia Joint Work on Agriculture, recognises the unique poten tial of agriculture in tackling climate change.

But there have been limit ed concrete steps forward and only about one in five coun tries have included climate commitments on livestock in their new or updated NDCs to wards reducing GHGs. More over, most of those commit ments are conditional, firstly on funding being available and secondly on the provision of technical support.

That’s what makes FAO’s role particularly crucial in helping to unlock multilateral finance for the livestock sector by making sure climate-smart practices are incorporated into the projects and by providing the necessary training and know-how to governments and lenders in calculating GHG emissions using tools, such as the free online Glob al Livestock Environmental Assessment Model-interac tive, GLEAM-i.

As global leaders gather for the 27th Conference of Parties (COP27) in Novem ber 2022, amid increasing alarm over where our cli mate crisis is heading, these moves to reduce livestock emissions clearly represent a cost-effective and relatively quick path to achieve signif icant results alongside work to address the many chal lenges of other agricultural and industrial sectors. (FAO)

The world needs to address the issues of food security, nutrition and climate together. That’s what makes FAO’s role particularly crucial in providing the necessary training and assessment capacity to governments and lenders on climate-smart livestock management (FAO)

Lonely Planet lists Guyana as a top travel destination for 2023

GUYANA was recently awarded a spot on the top 30 list of Lonely Planet’s ‘Best in Travel 2023’, for being among the few places on the planet that offer “raw” adventure.

“Although the country has a troubled history of po litical instability and intereth nic tension, underneath the headlines of corruption and economic mismanagement is a joyful and motivated mix of people who are slowly turn ing the country into the con tinent’s best-kept eco-tourism secret,” the website said.

Georgetown, the coun try’s former colonial capital, was described as distinctly

Caribbean, with an alluring vibe, happening nightlife, and some great places to eat.

“The interior of the coun try is more Amazonian, with its Amerindian communi ties and unparalleled wild life-viewing opportunities tucked quietly away from the capital’s noise and bus tle. From sea-turtle nesting grounds along the country’s north coast to monkeys and jaguars in the rainforest, and giant anteaters down in the southern savannas, Guyana’s natural wonders are well worth the mud, bumpy roads and sweat,” Lonely Planet said.

Having a vision of trans

forming Guyana into the Number One eco-tourism destination in this part of the region, the government, through the Ministry of Tour

ism, for the first half of 2022 expended some $312.8 mil lion to improve the capabili ties of the sector.

The government invested

significantly to improve the service sector to promote world-class service in the tourism industry. During the first half of the year, oth er initiatives included the training of 808 persons in business and social media marketing, first aid and CPR, and hygiene and sanitisation. The aim was to improve the delivery of quality tourism experiences to customers.

According to the midyear report, there was a 103 per cent increase in visi tor arrivals from January to May 2022, from 48,626 to 105,905, when compared to the same period in 2021.

The report noted that this

is primarily due to increased oil-and-gas activities, as well as the resumption of tourist activities such as the Barti ca Regatta and Pakaraima Safaris.

Lonely Planet provides travel guides and travel infor mation to the world.

“We believe that travel is for everyone. It helps us learn about ourselves and the world around us,” their website stated.

Their goal is to help more people from more backgrounds experience the joy of exploration, since they believe this builds a kinder, more inclusive, more open-minded world.

WHO convenes experts to identify new pathogens that could spark pandemics

laying out knowledge gaps and areas for research.

Desired specifications for vaccines, treatments and diagnostic tests will

also be determined, where relevant.

Efforts will also be made to map, compile and facilitate clinical tri

als to develop these tools. The revised list is ex pected to be published in early 2023. (WHO)

THE World Health Or ganisation (WHO) is working to compile an updated list of priority pathogens that can cause future outbreaks or pan demics, the UN agency announced on Monday.

The WHO is convening over 300 scientists who will consider the evidence on over 25 virus families and bacteria, as well as “Disease X”, which indi cates an unknown patho gen that could cause a seri ous international epidemic.

The process began on Friday, and will guide global investment, and research and development (R&D), especially in vac cines, tests, and treatments.

ESSENTIAL FOR QUICK RESPONSE

The priority pathogens list was first published in 2017, and includes COVID-19, Ebola virus disease, Lassa fever, Mid dle East respiratory syn drome (MERS), Severe Acute Respiratory Syn drome (SARS), Rift Valley fever, Zika, and “Disease X”.

“Targeting priority pathogens and virus fam ilies for research and de velopment of countermea sures is essential for a fast and effective epidemic and pandemic response,” said Dr. Michael Ryan, Exec utive Director of WHO’s Health Emergencies Pro gramme.

“Without significant R&D investments prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, it would not have been possible to have safe and effective vaccines devel oped in record time”, he added.

ROADMAP FOR RESEARCH

The experts will rec ommend a list of priority pathogens that need further research and investment.

The process will in clude both scientific and public health criteria, as well as criteria related to socioeconomic impact, access, and equity.

R&D roadmaps will be developed for those patho gens identified as priority,

A health worker in training at an isolation centre in Bole Chefe, near Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (WHO photo)

‘We are here for you’

— First Lady tells children at World Children’s Day celebration at State House

OVER 100 children and youths celebrated World Children’s Day (WCD) on Sunday at a special event hosted at State House by the First Lady of Guy ana, Arya Ali, in collab oration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Under the theme, “In

clusion for every child”, Guyana joined global WCD celebrations with the trans formation of State House into a safe space for chil dren and other youths who were invited to creative ly express their feelings through art.

“The event was very great; I got to go and say

a poem. It was very nice; I can’t believe I got to… The art pieces were beautiful; they all did a wonderful job… [It’s] something that I would want to go back and do again,” said 11-year-old Neerav Persaud, who recit ed the poem, “Rising”, to the assembled children and dignitaries.

The poem celebrates survival and not giving up despite challenges. The WCD event, “Therapy for mental health”, focused on mental health and partic ipants included students, children living with dis abilities, migrant children, youth advocates, and other youths, including UNICEF volunteers who provided support to the children. Art facilitators, including a therapist, peer educators, and counsellors from the Ministry of Health, were also present to lend support and share information.

In her remarks, the First Lady reminded the chil dren that they are all very special.

“I welcome you to my home, State House, and want to let you know that you are now part of my ex tended family; we want you

all to know that we love and appreciate you. That is why UNICEF and my Office or ganised this event for you,” she said.

The First Lady encour aged the children to express themselves through their art, and reminded them that they are supported.

“We were once children, too, so we know sometimes it gets hard. We know you have your own challenges, and sometimes you feel like there is no one you can talk to. Let me remind you that we are here for you; we love you, and we want you to always remember that you are never alone. Even if you do not want to talk to us right away, talk to your friends; that is what friends are for; to support each other,” the First Lady said.

She added: “And to the parents, guardians and care

givers here today, I implore you to continue to play a meaningful role in your children’s lives. Let us en sure we provide them with adequate support to realise their true potential. The government stands ready to extend its support to ensure our children have a better life.”

UNICEF Deputy Rep resentative Irfan Akhtar seized the opportunity to recognise young people who were courageously sharing their stories, and thanked the First Lady for being an important cham pion for young people, and recognising the importance of mental health.

“I want to encourage all today to let us work togeth er to ensure that every child has the right to survive, thrive, and grow up in a

Over 100 children and youths celebrated World Children’s Day on Sunday at a special event at State House (Office of the First Lady photos)

World Bank debars consultant for misuse of position in Guyanese project

THE World Bank Group last Wednesday announced the three-year debarment with conditional release of an individual consultant in connection with a corrupt practice as part of the Pe troleum Governance and Management Project in Guyana.

The debarment makes Carlos Barberán Diez, a Spanish national, and his controlled affiliates, AC Oil & Gas SL and AC Oil & Gas Emirates LLC, ineligible to participate in projects and operations financed by in stitutions of the World Bank Group.

“It is part of a settlement agreement under which Bar berán Diez acknowledges culpability for the underlying sanctionable practice and agrees to meet specified in tegrity compliance conditions as a condition for release from debarment,” the World Bank said in a statement.

The project provides fi nancing to support the en hancement of Guyana’s legal and institutional frameworks, and the strengthening of the capacity of key institutions to manage the country’s oil and gas sector.

“According to the facts of the case, in 2020, Barberán

Diez approached four con sulting companies involved in the oil-and-gas business, and used his position in the project to directly offer his services and solicit future payments from each of these companies.

“In exchange, he offered

to influence procurement processes under the project in their favour. Although INT found no evidence of pay ments made to Barberán Diez by any of these companies, such a solicitation constitutes a corrupt practice under the World Bank’s Procurement

Regulations and Anti-Corrup tion Guidelines,” the World Bank said.

The settlement agree ment provides for a reduced period of debarment in light of Barberán Diez’s coopera tion and voluntary remedial actions. As a condition for release from sanction, under the terms of the settlement agreement, Barberán Diez commits to undertake corpo rate ethics training.

In addition, any affiliate that he currently controls or comes to control, directly or indirectly, during the pe riod of World Bank Group sanction, will be required to

implement appropriate integ rity compliance measures in consultation with the World Bank Group Integrity Com pliance Officer.

“Barberán Diez also com mits to continue to fully co operate with the World Bank Group Integrity Vice Presi dency,” the World Bank said.

The debarment of Bar berán Diez and his affiliates qualifies for cross-debar ment by other multilateral development banks (MDBs) under the Agreement for Mutual Enforcement of Debarment Decisions that was signed on April 9, 2010. (World Bank)

‘We are here...

From page 10

safe and protective environment, including access to quality mental health and psychosocial support,” Akhtar said.

INVEST MORE

He highlighted UNICEF’s commitment to work ing closely with different stakeholders to invest more, and develop relevant mental health programmes and initiatives for children in Guyana.

“We recognise that we must focus not only on the clinical aspect of mental health, but a multi-sectoral approach to prevention, promotion, and care at the community and family levels,” Akhtar said.

Chairperson of the Rights of the Child Commis sion, Aleema Nasir highlighted that mental health is increasingly becoming an important aspect of the health and well-being of children.

“In all our outreach work over the last 10 years in the regions of Guyana, we have found, first-hand, that art therapy helps children to express how they are feeling, if there is anything that is troubling them, that that child is sad or happy, or needs help in some way,” she said, adding that adults must be ready to help children get the help he or she may need, so that difficulties being experienced are addressed properly.

UNICEF is working with various partners on mental health, and in her remarks, Cilandell Glen, Coordinator of the Adolescent Health Unit said that the activities provide children and adolescents with the tools and skills needed to not only improve their mental health and wellness, but also with opportuni ties to contribute positively to society.

“It is imperative that we continue to provide lov ing support to one another; the support we provide to each other would make the difference, would create the change, reduce the stigma and improve access to mental health services,” she said.

Sunday’s event was graced by President Dr. Irfaan Ali, who greeted and interacted with the children and other participants.

Miss World Guyana 2022, Andrea King also par ticipated in the activity and recited the Mental Health Pledge developed by Guyanese youths.

World Children’s Day is UNICEF’s Global Day of Action for children, taking place every year on November 20, the anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

On this day, UNICEF advocates and raises awareness for the most pressing issues facing chil dren. (UNICEF)

Taxi driver gets two-and-a-half years for $58M gold and money heist

TAXI DRIVER Dequan King, was, on Monday, sentenced to two and a half years in prison for the multimillion-dollar gold and money heist, which occurred last year at Walli son Enterprise, on Gordon Street, Kitty.

King, of D’ Field, So phia, Georgetown, was sen tenced by Principal Magis trate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus at the Georgetown Magis trates’ Court. He had plead ed guilty to the crime last month.

King had admitted, that on August 5, while being armed with guns, and in the company of others, he robbed Wallison Enterprise of $38 million in local cur rency, and $20 million worth of raw gold, property of

Francis Santos Lumes.

He had also confessed to relieving, at gunpoint, Fernanda Carmichael of a cell-phone worth $350,000; Francis Santos Lumes of gold jewellery and cash amounting to $224,000; and William Batista DaSilva of a cell-phone valued $60,000.

On Monday, Magistrate Isaacs-Marcus sentenced King to two and a half years on each count. The sentences will run concurrently, which means King will only serve two and a half years in jail.

King was arrested in Oc tober after spending the last year on the run from police. He was nabbed by the au thorities in Suriname and deported to Guyana.

Former Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Sergeant,

Keyon King, and two of the company’s security officers, Delroy Jackson called “Bug” and Peon Lee called “Nino Brown”, were charged with the robbery in August 2021.

King pleaded guilty to the charges and was sen tenced to serve three years in prison, while Jackson and

Lee pleaded not guilty to the charges and were later released on $450,000 bail.

Crime Chief, Senior Su perintendent Wendell Blan hum, had told reporters that the plan was hatched by Lee, who, at the time, was the company’s Chief of Security.

Jackson, a security of ficer on duty at the time the robbery was executed, reportedly confessed that it should have gone down on August 4, 2021, but be cause the owner’s family was there, it was done the following day instead.

DaSilva, a 45-year-old goldsmith, and Carmichael, a 20-year-old cashier, were at the business when the ban dits entered at 10:05 hours.

It is alleged that they had come in a white car driven

by King, which they parked on the northern side of the building before entering the compound through the main gate.

They were reportedly granted access into the build ing by a security guard after they indicated their intent to sell gold.

Once in the establish ment’s waiting area, they reportedly told the cashier that the small package they were carrying contained the gold they’d come to sell, and after they would have gained her confidence, they whipped out their firearms, and, at gunpoint, ushered her into an inner office where the goldsmith and another man were conducting some business.

Holding both men at

gunpoint, the bandits report edly ordered the goldsmith to open the two metal safes in the office, before hand cuffing them, and, confiscat ing their cell-phones.

They later made good their escape with the $38 million in cash and 60 ounc es of raw gold valued at $20 million.

By the time the cashier raised the alarm, and the security guard on duty real ised what had transpired, the bandits were long gone. The entire incident was caught on CCTV cameras located inside the business premises.

Police made a major breakthrough in the inves tigation following the dis covery of a total of $18M buried at Keyon King’s residence.

Self-service laundromat opened on Mandela Avenue

WANTING to cater to those who struggle to wash during the rainy season, Cowen Git tens, an Environmental Health Assistant at the Ministry of Health, re cently opened a self-ser vice laundromat.

During an interview with the Guyana Chron icle, Gittens said that Clothesline Laundry Ser vices’ was birthed after he and his wife were able to wash and dry their clothes on a rainy day.

Gittens, who also owns Affordable House Plan, an architectural design company, noted that while they had a washer at home, they had no means of drying the clothes they had washed on a Sunday.

That led to their search for a laundromat that could fulfill that ur gent need.

Since it was a Sunday, finding an open laun dromat was challeng ing, but when they found one, they were told they would have to return sev en to ten days later to col lect their clothes, which was “a bit strange and ridiculous” to them.

They then decided on their drive back home that they would get into

the laundry business.

Gittens explained that seeing that persons who use laundromat services either do not have the time or the facilities to wash their own clothing, they wanted to make it easier for them to do so.

‘Clothesline’ offers same-day services, mean ing that within 24 hours, customers can get their clothes back, washed and dried, or, they can use the company’s facilities to wash and dry their clothes themselves, or just dry them.

Aside from the laun dromat service, Gittens also has a passion for architectural design. He related that he has a love for giving people the opportunity to explore different kinds of house designs.

“We know we are go ing into an oil age, and I know that persons have ideas or their own dream home, and they might see something on Pinterest and they want to have that same building ren dered, or a similar plan, so I give persons the op

portunity,” he said.

Gittens noted that in Guyana, most times per sons may have “a onetrack mind”, which may be a regular house plan. He said what he has to of fer can be non-tradition al, within their budget, and close to their dream house.

While he has plans to expand both businesses, he plans on starting a franchise for the laun dromat, depending on the current one’s success.

“Based on the success level, I can know how soon to open one on the

West Bank, in Linden and Berbice,” he related.

He noted that they have been open for two weeks, and are so far having a great turnout. They are also looking to give those persons out side of Georgetown the experience of a self-ser vice laundromat, as well as the opportunity to uti lise it.

Gittens shared that he did not expect the busi ness to be so successful, because of the other laun dromat competitors.

“How we are set up, you can literally just

come in and see how your clothes are being treated; you can come in and use the facilities,” he said.

He explained that be cause the machines only use high-efficiency deter gents, such as Downy or Tide, if a customer comes without their own, they offer it at an affordable price.

‘Clothesline’ is locat ed at 667 Mandela Av enue. The staff can be contacted on 503-2982, 610-4085, or @clothes linegy on Instagram and Facebook.

Dequan King

Guyana to deliver closing arguments in border case today

TODAY, Guyana will pres ent its closing arguments to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the highest court in the world, on the preliminary objections that were raised by Venezuela in the border controversy case.

On Monday, Venezuela’s representatives, in conclud ing their oral arguments, called upon the ICJ judges to dismiss the case.

Last Friday, when Guy ana’s round of argument commenced Professor Ordi naire, Université Catholique de Louvain and member of the Institut de Droit Interna tional, Foley Hoag, LLP and the Bar of Brussels, Pierre d’Argent said that Venezue la’s claim was inadmissible.

Another member of Guy ana’s legal team, Christina Beharry, who is a member of the Bars of the District of Columbia, the State of New York, England and Wales, and the Law Society of On tario, made submissions on how Venezuela’s preliminary objections conflict with the ICJ’s 2020 judgement.

Further, member of the Bars of the United States Supreme Court and the Dis trict of Columbia, Paul S. Reichler addressed the legal standard under the monetary gold argument and the fact that the UK is not an indis pensable third party to the

proceedings.

Guyana’s representative, Professor Philippe Sands, KC, had asked the ICJ to reject the “incoherent, legally misconceived, and factually baseless” preliminary ob jections that were raised by Venezuela.

In adding to Guyana’s position on the matter, Pro fessor Sands said Venezue la’s preliminary objections totally ignored the realities of the 1966 Geneva Agreement, the aim of which was to ad dress any controversy over the 1899 Arbitral Award.

Venezuela had asked the ICJ to dismiss Guyana’s application to reaffirm the validity of the 1899 Award, and solidify its support for a “peaceful resolution” of the Guyana/Venezuela border controversy.

Executive Vice-Presi dent of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, had claimed that the Spanish-speaking coun try is the “sole indisputable inheritor” of the Essequibo region and the Monetary Gold Principle.

Although Venezuela had claimed that the ICJ did not

have jurisdiction to hear the substantive case, the country made a U-turn following the court’s December 2020 ruling on its jurisdiction to hear the case. Venezuela on that occasion contended that Guyana has no standing in the matter.

Venezuela argued that the United Kingdom is the prop er party, since the territory was “given” to Guyana by the British.

“Venezuela’s claims of fraud and corruption are false, and they are to be treat ed with great caution… Their

fanciful and unmeritorious nature makes it clear, crys tal-clear Venezuela’s attack on the validity of the 1899 Award,” Professor Sands said while addressing specific factual allegations that were made.

He said that the nature of Venezuela’s arguments reflects the true purpose of the preliminary objections, which is to avoid the court addressing their “hopeless allegations”.

Guyana had moved to the ICJ with its case in March 2018, challenging the non-participating Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela over its disagreement on the legal validity and binding effect of the 1899 Award.

In a December 18, 2020, 12-4 majority ruling, the ICJ upheld that it has jurisdiction to entertain Guyana’s con tention concerning the valid ity of the 1899 Award about the frontier between British Guiana and Venezuela, and the related question of the definitive settlement of the land boundary.

The ICJ pointed out, too, that both Guyana and Vene zuela had agreed to the 1966 Geneva Agreement, which showed that both parties had accepted the possibility of the controversy being re solved by means of judicial settlement.

After a case management

meeting, the ICJ had set time limits for Guyana and Vene zuela to file written pleadings on the merits of the case.

Guyana met its March 8, 2022 deadline to submit its Memorial on the merits of its case to the court. Venezuela, on the other hand, submitted preliminary objections.

As a result, the ICJ al lowed for such an objection to be lodged and considered by the court, and, as a conse quence, the proceedings on the merits of the case were suspended until it rules on the preliminary objections.

Guyana maintains that a judicial settlement of the matter is the only recourse remaining, as it has exhaust ed all other avenues.

As recently as October 4, the United States govern ment reaffirmed the validity of the 1899 Arbitral Award, and solidified its support for a “peaceful resolution” of the Guyana-Venezuela bor der controversy through the proper court, if there is any deviation from that Award.

Guyana seeks to obtain a final and binding judge ment that the 1899 Arbitral Award, which established the location of the land boundary between the two countries, remains valid, and that the Essequibo region belongs to Guyana, and not Venezuela.

Battle looms between Norton, Granger over AFC’s nine seats

— PNC leaders reportedly at odds over whether or not AFC should retain seats after leaving the coalition

THE Alliance for Change (AFC) having decided to sever ties with the People’s National Con gress-Reform (PNC-R)led A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), there is now a looming battle between Opposi tion Leader Aubrey Nor ton and Representative of the APNU+AFC list, former President David Granger.

A source at Congress Place told this publication that at a recent meeting of PNC-R executives, Norton expressed the view that the AFC contested the March 2, 2020 General and Re

gional Elections as part of a coalition with APNU and obtained nine seats by vir tue of the Cummingsburg Accord.

He reportedly said that in the first place, the AFC should not have gotten nine seats, as it is not pro portionate with the votes it

obtained.

Norton also told his audience that seeing that the AFC did not contest the elections on its own,

and the seats were won by the APNU+AFC; it therefore stands to reason that it cannot retain those seats while separating it self from the political en tity that won it.

The source said that not only did Norton use strong language, but he was also adamant that once the AFC leaves the coalition, its Members of Parliament (MPs) will be recalled.

But, according to the source, Granger, the for mer leader of the PNC-R, has an opposing view.

Granger is the Repre sentative of the List under

Guyanese law, and as such it is he who has to submit the names of persons to be recalled and replaced.

The source pointed out that he is likely to use the opportunity to embarrass Norton again, in retalia tion for the way he treated Joseph Harmon. Harmon, Granger’s hand-picked successor, was forced out of the position of Lead er of the Opposition by Norton.

The PNC-R is deeply divided, with factions led by Granger and Joe Harmon on one side, and Norton and Volda Law rence on the other.

The Members of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) (UN Photo/ICJ-CIJ/Wendy van Bree)

Leader of the Opposition Aubrey Norton

Former President and Leader of the APNU+AFC’s list for the 2020 General and Regional Elections, David Granger

96 women entrepreneurs equipped with new business, financial management skills

— after graduating from growth, finance programmes

ActionINVEST Caribbe an Inc. held a gradua tion ceremony on Sunday when ninety-six women entrepreneurs completed the ‘Road to Growth’ and ‘Road to Finance’ pro grammes.

The ExxonMobil Foun dation, in collaboration with the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women, sponsored the course delivered by Action INVEST Caribbean Inc.

‘Road to Growth’ and ‘Road to Finance’ are two of five flagship programmes offered by the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women.

‘Road to Growth’ is de signed to build women en trepreneurs’ business skills and financial literacy. Road to Finance, Developed in 2021, supports ambitious women to build their skills and confidence to success fully secure finance, grow their businesses and achieve their goals potential.

Coach Keon Smith, Di rector of ActionINVEST

Caribbean Inc., commenced the ceremony with opening remarks. Ms. Upasna Mudli er, Co-Facilitator, offered an overview of the course.

Ms Leanne Baker, pro gramme specialist for Her Venture, Cherie Blair Foun dation, elaborated on the success of HerVenture and affiliated business support

training.

Mathias Terheggen, Chairman, Cherie Blair Foundation, expressed that the Foundation is “an act of partnership,” with gratitude to ExxonMobil Foundation and ActionINVEST Carib bean Inc., using mobile tech nology for business acumen, supporting over 40 women

at the Berbice Chamber of Commerce, New Amster dam in the past week.

He emphasized that Ac tionINVEST Caribbean Inc. turns opportunities into suc cesses.

Suzanne De Abreu, Community Relations Man ager, ExxonMobil Guyana, reflected on the value Exx

onMobil Foundation places on corporate social respon sibility of women’s empow erment and the strategic goal of deploying technological learning which supports women entrepreneurs di rectly, to financial indepen dence.

Jane Miller, British High Commissioner, extended three invaluable pieces of advice to the graduates, tak ing their “seat” among op portunities, selecting a suit able mentor, and changing their mentor if the chemistry is lacking.

Alana James, a partic ipant in the ‘Road to Fi nance’programme, remi nisced on her participation in the programme. She en couraged women entrepre neurs to view their small businesses as growing busi nesses and to acknowledge the importance of numerical literacy in maintaining prof itability.

Minister of Human Ser vices and Social Security,

Dr. Vindhya Persaud, urged women entrepreneurs to immerse themselves in the gratification of their success.

She outlined the Global Gender Gap Report 2022, released by the World Eco nomic Forum, where Guy ana moved 18 spaces up from 53rd in 2021 to 35th among 146 countries.

Minister Persaud demon strated the alignment of the Women Innovation and In vestment Network (WIIN) to the brainchild of the Che rie Blair Foundation in ex posing women entrepreneurs to business literacy who ex change “creative currency.”

Davitri Doerga, CEO of ActionINVEST Carib bean Inc., highlighted the diverse roles of women in society and encouraged keen attention to evolv ing consumer taste, while re-investing into their busi nesses, and participating in the upcoming ‘Road to Leadership’ programme.

Seated with other officials in the foreground are: Minister of Human Services and Social Security Dr. Vindhya Persaud and British High Commissioner Ms. Jane Miller (third and second right, respectively). Standing immediately behind them are the women entrepreneurs that completed the ‘Road to Growth’ and ‘Road to Finance’ programmes

Linden teacher, 22, stabbed to death

KELLY Charlotte, 22, a teacher of 790 One Mile Extension, Wismar, Lin den, was stabbed to death, allegedly, by the father of her son at the aforemen tioned address on Sunday night.

The suspect was iden tified as Leston Baynes, a 28-year-old truck driver of One Mile Extention Wis mar, Linden. Charlotte was a teacher at the Christiansburg Primary School.

Riverine communities receive vocational, skills training

— 50 certified in four sector

One of the four groups that received certificates via the Board of Industrial Training

FIFTY residents of Caria Caria, Wakenaam and Leguan, Region Three, recently received certif icates in Small Engine Repairs, Garment Con struction, Agro-process ing, and Information Technology facilitated by the Board of Industrial Training (BIT).

Minister of Labour, Joseph Hamilton; BIT’s Chief Executive Officer, Richard Maughn; BIT’s Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Nateica Garraway; Caria Caria Communi ty Development Council Chairman, Campton Klass, among other officials, bear witness to the graduates receiving their certificates after acquiring the need ed skills to improve their livelihood.

Minister Hamilton ap plauded the graduates for taking advantage of the opportunities BIT offered, demonstrating their will ingness to assist in the county’s development.

He also noted that they must not settle with the knowledge gained but con tinue to thrive, as the pro gramme ties into the Gov ernment’s plan to improve the lives of its citizens, which speaks to ensuring

the country’s food security, advancing its hospitality sector, and modernizing Guyana’s telecommunica tion industry, among other sectors.

The labour minister further hinted that the next step is for the graduates to get involved with the Ministry of Tourism, In dustry and Commerce, Small Business Bureau for capital, guidance, and marketing opportunities.

To this end, he urged them to be credible in dividuals related to their trade to sustain their busi ness.

BIT’s CEO, Maughn, urged the graduates to use their skills wisely to empower themselves and develop their respective communities.

He said their success is in keeping with BIT’s agenda to empower per sons by equipping them with the skills and knowl edge needed to help the country’s growth.

An agenda, he also pointed out, will aid the government’s mission to create skilled individuals to benefit from the op portunities slated to come out from the country’s emerging industries.

According to the Guyana Police Force, enquiries dis closed that the now-deceased woman ended the relation ship with the suspect and was living with her 27-year-old sister at the address men tioned above.

According to the de ceased woman’s sister, at about 10:00 hours on Sun day, the suspect visited the home and collected his son.

At about 21:15 hours on the same day, the suspect re

turned the child to the house, and Kelly Charlotte went to the front door to collect the child.

Her 27-year-old sister said that she was in the kitch en when she heard Kelly shouting her name. The sis ter immediately ran to the front of the house, where she saw the suspect stabbing her sister about her body with a knife.

The woman immediately called the police while the

suspect made good his es cape on foot.

The 22-year-old woman was taken to the Linden Hospital Complex by police ranks, where she was pro nounced dead on arrival.

The woman’s body was then escorted to the Pen sioner’s Funeral Home, awaiting a post-mortem examination. Police are on the hunt for the suspect as investigations continue.

Dead: Kelly Charlotte Wanted: Leston Baynes

Missing Corentyne woman feared kidnapped

AMRITA SAMPAL, 21, of Line Path Corentyne, Ber bice, has been missing since Sunday, November 20. Her family is asking for help to locate the young lady since they fear that her former lover had kidnapped her.

Amrita was last seen by her mother, 58-year-old Phu latie Sampal, at about 08:30 hours.

According to the Guyana Police Force, Amrita Sampal is five feet tall, fair in com plexion, with black and gold hair and black eyes. She was last seen wearing a pink top, blue pants, and brown shoes.

Police noted that she is suspected to be abducted and held against her will by a 29-year-old identifiable male from Angoy's Avenue, New Amsterdam.

Information revealed that the suspect threatened to kill her if she tried to leave

him or end their relationship, which was her intention.

Anyone with informa tion about the whereabouts of 21-year-old Amrita Sam pal is asked to contact the nearest police station.

10 GDF ranks commence garment construction training

The course commenced on Monday, October 3, 2022, and was officially declared open on Thursday, November 17, 2022. It is scheduled for 36 weeks.

The successful students of this course will gain the knowledge and skill to correctly perform all steps required to construct garments from beginning to end.

According to the GDF, the course, which caters for students with little to no knowledge of garment construc tion, will be held in three phases: beginners, intermediate and advanced. The covered areas will include garment construction terminology, tools, seams and finishes, fabric cutting, and fabric stitching.

Missing: Amrita Sampal

TEN members of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) have begun training on an internal Garment Construction Course.

(Seated) Senior GDF ranks with the ten soldiers that commenced the garment construction training

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Dominant England hit...

guire would come even clos er in the 32nd minute as he shrugged off his marker and rose to meet Kieran Trippier's corner. But the centre-back could only look on as his header thudded off the post.

It was youngster Jude Bellingham, making his World Cup debut, who put England ahead. The 19-yearold’s header from a Luke Shaw cross caught substitute goalkeeper Hossein Hossei ni flat-footed and nestled in the back of the net.

England doubled their lead in first half added time as Arsenal midfielder Bu kayo Saka rifled a swerving volley into the back of the net after another well-won header by Maguire.

Alireza Jahanbakhsh had Iran’s best chance of the first

half, but he blazed over de spite having time to take an extra touch.

After the break, England threatened to extend their lead as Kane and Sterling combined cleverly. But Chelsea winger Sterling was charged down by an Iranian defender and the chance was lost. Saka would get his second in the 62nd minute as he tucked home after great work from Sterling to find him.

Iran refused to throw in the towel and would get a brilliant consolation soon af ter as Mehdi Taremi ghost ed in behind Maguire and hammered home in off the crossbar.

Any hopes of a come back was put to rest in the 71st minute as substitute Rashford kept his cool to

(From back page)

step inside and finish calmly.

And substitute Callum Wilson looked to have put the gloss on the victory as he unselfishly squared to Grealish to tap home in the 90th minute.

Yet Iran pushed. They were inches away from their second late into stoppage time as Sadar Azmoun's shot was helped onto the crossbar by England goalkeeper Jor dan Pickford.

And there was still time for an Iranian goal, as they were awarded a penalty after shirt-tugging in the penalty box. Taremi stepped up to send Pickford the wrong way to the delight of the swathes of Iranian support.

England will next face the United States on Fri day, while Iran will go up against Wale.

Pooran steps down as...

Monday afternoon.

His decision came amidst a comprehensive review by an eminent three-member panel of the squad’s early exit from the World Cup in Australia last month.

The West Indies failed to qualify for the Super12 phase (second round) after losing unexpectedly to low er-ranked teams, Scotland and Ireland.

“The T20 World Cup is something that must not define us and I will readily get involved in the upcoming reviews. And whilst it will be several months until we reconvene as a squad, I want to give CWI plenty of time to prepare for the match es against South Africa in March and beyond,” Pooran said, referring to the West Indies’ next white-ball series in March 2023, which will consist of three ODIs and three T20Is.

Pooran, who first cap tained the squad last year in the absence of fellow Trini dadian Kieron Pollard before being appointed as skipper in May this year after Pollard quit international cricket the previous month, stressed that he continues to have faith in West Indies.

“By stepping down now

as the West Indies white-ball captain, I believe it is in the best interests of the team and for me personally, as I need to concentrate on what I can deliver to the side as a player. I desperately want us to be successful and the most value I can give to the team is through fully focusing on the role of consistently scoring runs at crucial times,” said the left-handed batsman who averaged nearly 29 from 15 ODIs which yielded 434 runs since being appointed as captain in May, and a meagre 18 in 15 T20 Internationals during that period.

Last year and earlier this year, Pooran led the West In dies in the absence of Kieron Pollard, recording a T20I series win against Austra lia at home (4-1). Overall, he captained the team for 17 One Day Internationals (ODIs) and 23 T20Is and had a 3-0 ODI series win against the Netherlands and a 2-0 victory over Bangladesh in a T20I series.

“I am very thankful to CWI for the opportunity and faith shown in me and for the support that I have received by our devoted fans since taking the role, and to my teammates who have worked so hard as well. I know we

(From back page)

have it in us to carry West Indies cricket forward and be proud,” he said.

CWI Director of Crick et, Jimmy Adams thanked Pooran for his captaincy and indicated he would continue to have a major role in the squad.

“Having spoken with him I know he remains fully com mitted to West Indies cricket and I am convinced he has a big role to play in our fu ture,” he said.

Last week, CWI an nounced that a three-member ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Review Group of indepen dent professionals had started a holistic assessment of all aspects of the team’s prepa ration and performance at the global tournament.

West Indies batting leg end and current Indian Premier League (IPL) T20 head coach Brian Lara; international cricket coach, South African Mickey Ar thur; and Justice Patrick Thompson Jr., a High Court Judge at the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, who serves as Chair of the Group, are expected to submit a report to the CWI Board of Directors with relevant insight and clear recommendations.

Djokovic beats Ruud to equal Roger Federer's ATP record

FORMER world number one Novak Djokovic beat Casper Ruud for a re cord-equalling sixth ATP Finals title.

The 35-year-old Serbian overcame his Norwegian opponent 7-5 6-3 in Turin on Sunday.

Victory for Djokovic in the season-ending event caps a year in which he was forced to miss two majors because of his reluctance to take a Covid-19 vaccination.

He last won an ATP Fi nals title in 2015 and has matched Roger Federer's mark.

Earlier, Britain's Joe Salisbury and American part ner Rajeev Ram triumphed in the men's doubles event.

Salisbury became the first Briton to win the dou bles title as he and Ram beat Croatian pair Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic 7-6 (7-4) 6-4.

Djokovic took the big gest pay cheque in tennis, worth $4,740,300 (£3.985m), for going through the tourna ment unbeaten.

Having sealed the suc cess with one of nine aces in the match, he said the seven-year wait for the title made the triumph "even sweeter".

"It feels deeply satisfy ing and, at the same time, a huge relief because of the circumstances that I have been through this year, sit uations earlier this year, of course, with Australia," added Djokovic.

"That had an effect ob viously on my start of the year. For the first several months, I was trying to find that balance game-wise but also mentally in order to be able to come back to the court and find that tennis level that I need.

"I don't know what the future holds but I know that what I hold in my mind is a huge hunger still to win trophies."

Ruud, 23, made two poor errors to hand the 21-time major winner the break in the first set.

Having won the opener, Djokovic then took control and broke his opponent's

serve in the fourth game of the second set.

Ruud continued to battle and forced the veteran into a 36-shot penultimate rally, but Djokovic was stronger and closed out the match with a powerful ace.

It marked another final defeat for the Norwegian who was runner-up at both the French Open and US Open.

But Ruud said: "Over all, if you gave me the offer to end the year at number three, play the finals that I've played, on 1st January this year, I would proba bly sign the contract right away. No doubt about it.

Irving helps Brooklyn Nets win on return from suspension

KYRIES Irving helped the Brooklyn Nets to a 127-115 win over the Memphis Griz zlies on Sunday in his first game after a team-imposed suspension.

Irving missed eight games after posting a link to an an ti-Semitic film, during which time he met NBA commis sioner Adam Silver and Jewish community leaders.

He finished with 14 points on his return while Kevin Du rant scored 20 of his 26 points in the second half.

The Nets pulled away in

the fourth quarter to improve to an 8-9 record.

The Golden State Warriors, the defending champions, are also 8-9 after beating the Hous ton Rockets 127-120 for their first away win of the season.

Klay Thompson scored a season-high 41 points while Stephen Curry posted a sea son-best 15 assists, plus 33 points and seven rebounds.

Anthony Davis recorded 30 points and 18 rebounds as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the San Antonio Spurs 123-92.

The Lakers, who are now

5-10, led 95-67 after three quarters and cruised to the fin ish to claim a third straight win for the first time this season.

Only the Utah Jazz have a better record than the Phoenix Suns in the Western Confer ence after Cameron Payne scored a team-high 21 points as the Suns beat the New York Knicks 116-95.

Playing in place of in jured All-Star point guard Chris Paul, Payne added nine assists and seven re bounds as Phoenix improved to 10-6.

Tennis - ATP Finals Turin - Pala Alpitour, Turin, ItalyNovember 20, 2022 Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates with the trophy after winning the men's singles final against Norway's Casper Ruud REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane

With Super50 and CPL titles under his belt, Powell hopes long-suffering fans enjoy success

JAMAICA Scorpions cap tain, Rovman Powell, said he hoped fans of the team enjoyed their winning the 2022 CG Insurance Su per50 title on Saturday night which ended a de cade-long wait for the Ja maicans, who had not won a regional title since 2012.

The decade-long wait finally ended following a nail-biting three-wicket vic tory over the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua.

Set 218 for victory, half-centuries from Chad wick Walton and Andrew McCarthy laid the founda tion for victory with a sec ond-wicket partnership of 126 after inform batsman and opener, Brandon King, was dismissed by Shannon Gabriel for just 12.

Powell scored 25 be fore he lost his wicket late but those runs were enough for him to be the leading run-scorer of the tournament with 346 runs at an average of 69.20. It was the achieve ment of a goal that he set himself prior to the start of the competition in October.

“Just spending time at the crease. Over the past year or so I have spent a lot of time, especially batting spin, so

it is good to see it bearing fruit now,” said Powell, who scored a match-winning un beaten 105 in the semi-final against Guyana Harpy Eagles on Thursday.

“I came in wanting to top the competition, wanting to spend a lot of time at the crease and I think I did that.”

The 2022 CG Insurance Super50 title is the second trophy Jamaica has won under Powell’s leadership. Earlier this year, he led the Jamaica Tallawahs to their third CPL title. The Jamaican T20 franchise won the inau gural title in 2012 and then again in 2016.

However, their fans had to endure watching the Bar

Tests are Starc's first...

from a Test-playing country in that period alongside Matt Henry and Dushmantha Cha meera.

During the recent T20 World Cup Starc was re lieved of his first-over duties following Australia's big loss to New Zealand in the open ing match of the tournament, and eventually lost his place in the XI for the final match against Afghanistan.

Starc said last night he had "strong opinions" on his omission for that match and had voiced those to national selection chair George Baile "George and I have spo ken and that's where it will stay," he said.

"I spoke to George at length, it was a good conver sation. Many different things were floated there.

"I still have ambitions to

bados Royals and Trinbago Knight Riders celebrate tri umphs over the next six years before they were finally able to celebrate once more. Pow ell said that he hopes that this is the start of a brighter future for both franchises.

“During the journey, they have become a little frustrat ed. They cussed us on social media but I guess that is part of the sport,” Powell said.

“It’s just good that we have finally delivered the CPL title and the CG In surance Super 50 after a decade. It is a very good feeling. I hope they enjoyed it and hope that it is the start of something success ful.” (Sportsmax)

(From page 25)

play T20 cricket for Austra lia, but it is a long time to the next one and a lot of water to go under the bridge.

"So we will face that when we get to that."

Australia travel to Mel bourneyesterday ahead of the third ODI today where they will be aiming for a series sweep of England, the world's No.1 ranked 50-over side. (AAP)

Wakenaam teenager benefits from Project Cricket Gear

WAKENAAM teenager, Cyanna Retemiah, who was recently selected to the West Indies Under-19 training squad to tour India but wasn’t selected in the touring party, is determined to continue to work hard on her game. She is the latest recipient of one pair of cricket shoe, compliments of Project Cricket Gear, a joint ini tiative between Kishan Das of the USA and Anil Beharry, former Berbice all-rounder and current executive of the Guyana Cricket Board.

At a simple ceremony held recently, Retemiah expressed thanks to the ini tiative and promised to con tinue to work hard on her game and to do herself and others proud. The round ed athlete is a four- time national cycling champion who captained her County in youth cricket and represent ed Guyana. She also passed five subjects at CXC. The project sponsors are happy to be part of the develop ment of young Retemiah and every other young and tal ented cricketers in Guyana.

The sum of $20 000 was also donated to this initia tive by a friend of cricket who requested his name not

be mentioned.

Total cricket-related items collected so far are: $29 ,000 in cash, two tro phies, 12 cricket boots, 20 pairs of batting pads, 25 bats, 17 pairs of batting gloves, 20 thigh pads, one pair of wicket-keeping pad, three arm guards, two boxes, six cricket bags and three helmets. In addition to the above, $600, 000 worth in gear was donated by former National wicket-keeper/ batsman, Sheik Mohamed.

To date, 44 young play ers from all three counties of Guyana have already benefitted from three junior gear bags, two trophies, three arm guards, 17 bats, two boxes, three helmets, 13 pairs of cricket shoes, 10 pairs of batting pads, one thigh pad, one bat rub ber and 12 pairs of batting gloves. In addition, two clubs in the Pomeroon area received two used bats.

The Pomeroon, Leguan and Wakenam Cricket Com mittees and Cotton Tree Die Hard also received one box of red cricket balls each while RHCCCC got two boxes, 15 white cricket shirts, one pair of junior batting pads, one pair of wicket-keeping gloves and a set of stumps and bails. The Essequibo Cricket Board and the Town of Lethem also benefitted.

Cricket-related items, used or new, is distributed free of cost to young and promising cricketers in Guyana. Skills, discipline and education are import ant characteristics of the recipients. Talent-spotting is being done across the country and club leaders also assist to identify same. Progressive and well man aged clubs will also benefit.

‘We didn’t assess properly’ - Pooran

NORTH SOUND, Antigua, (CMC) – Trinidad and To bago Red Force captain Nicholas Pooran has pointed to inept batting in Satur day’s Super50 Cup final as the reason behind their three-wicket defeat to new champions Jamaica Scor pions.

Bidding to repeat as cham pions, Red Force mustered only 217 from 47 overs after being asked to bat first and Pooran said his side had failed to assess conditions at the Viv ian Richards Cricket Ground, especially coming off their 312 in last Wednesday’s semi-final against Barbados Pride.

“Today wasn’t our day with the bat and in the end there, we saw we were 50 runs short. We didn’t assess proper ly,” Pooran lamented.

“The batsmen fought but we kept losing wickets at crucial times and every time we got a partnership we lost wickets.

Trinidad and Tobago Red Force captain Nicholas Pooran speaking following Saturday’s

Super50 Cup final.

“We saw Yannic Cariah there in the end, he and Akeal (Hosein) putting on a partner ship but we kept finding ways to get out which obviously hurt us in the end.”

Red Force were floun dering at 79 for four in the 22nd over when experienced left-hander Darren Bravo (14) tapped a return catch to let-arm spinner Dennis Bulli.

And when Pooran edged a slash at pacer Odean Smith and was taken behind for eight, the innings tottered further at 101 for five in the 27th over.

Left-handers Cariah (43) and Hosein (37) put on 56 for the sixth but once the stand was ended when Cariah trod on his stumps, Red Force lost their last five wickets for 60 runs.

Red Force struck early in the Scorpions innings but then watched as Chadwick Walton lashed 80 from 94 balls and Andre McCarthy, 55 from 89 deliveries, the pair posting 126 for the second wicket to put

Scorpions in command.

And even though seamer Terrance Hinds (2-31) and left-arm spinner Khary Pierre (2-42) scythed through the middle order to haul Red Force back into the contest, the small target worked against them.

“The guys obviously fought. Two hundred and eighteen is obviously difficult on that track to defend and I think the guys fought extreme ly hard – all the bowlers,” Pooran said.

“I’m really proud of the guys. They stuck in there but again, we batted poorly and obviously we paid the price.

“There’s not much we could’ve done differently [with the ball]. If a couple decisions had gone our way early, maybe.

“We tried to get early wickets but it just didn’t happen for us. We got Brandon (King) early but I thought Walton and McCa rthy played well. They didn’t give us a chance early and we lost the game there.”

Jamaica Scorpions captain, Rovman Powell

Wakenaam teenager, Cyanna Retemiah

Injured Shaheen Afridi out of Pakistan’s squad for England Test series

CA could lift lifetime leadership ban after changes to code of conduct approved

DAVID Warner will be able to attempt to have his lifetime leadership ban lift ed after changes to Cricket Australia's (CA) code of conduct were approved.

Warner was banned from elite cricket for 12 months and from leadership posi tions for life by CA in 2018 for his part in the infamous ball-tampering scandal in South Africa.

But the 36-year-old can now apply to have his sanction "modified" by a three-person review panel, as long as "exceptional cir cumstances" exist to justify a change to his ban.

These include whether he has shown genuine remorse, his behaviour and conduct since he was handed the ban, and whether sufficient time has passed to allow for re form or rehabilitation.

PAKISTAN have named an 18-man squad for the three-Test series against England next month.Fast bowler Shaheen Afridi will miss the series after he underwent appendicitis surgery at the weekend.

Fawad Alam, Yasir Shah and Hasan Ali have all dropped out of the squad having been part of the Sri Lanka tour in July earlier this year.

Leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed and fast bowler Mo hammad Ali have received their maiden Test call-ups.

Ahmed has taken 43

wickets at an average of 21.95 in the domestic tour nament and Ali has claimed 56 in the last two domestic seasons.

Uncapped pair Moham mad Wasim and Zahid Mah mood, part of the squad for the three Tests against Australia in March, are the other two players to come in.

Afridi is also recover ing from a knee injury he suffered during Pakistan's defeat by England in the T20 World Cup final earlier this month.

The opening Test in Rawalpindi will be En

gland's first in Pakistan in 17 years and the three Tests are part of the ICC World Test Championship.

PAKISTAN SQUAD Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Azhar Ali, Abrar Ahmed, Mohammad Ali, Shan Masood, Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf, Mo hammad Nawaz, Nauman Ali, Saud Shakeel, Zahid Mahmood, Mohammad Wasim, Naseem Shah, Sal man Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed.(BBC Sport)

However, speaking on Monday, Warner criticised CA for the time taken to review their code of conduct.

"I'm not a criminal," said Warner, adding that the pro cess had been "traumatic".

"You should get a right of appeal at some stage. I under stand that they put a ban in place but banning someone for life I think is a bit harsh.

"So it's just an opportuni ty to come out and show that I'm remorseful, I've done all my time, to get back into the Australian cricket set-up.

"It's frustrating because we could've done this about

nine months ago when it was first brought up."

After Aaron Finch stepped down as Australia's one-day international captain, there have been calls for Warner to fill the vacancy.

Pat Cummins, Australia's Test captain, was named as Finch's successor in Octo ber but has said he would be willing to share the ODI captaincy to ease his burden.

Opening batter Warner previously deputised as ODI captain in 2016 and 2017 and was vice-captain of the Test team when he was banned.

"It's good to get in a posi tion where we are now today

and it gives me an opportu nity to ring up the integrity unit to therefore have a word to them and put forward my case of the 100 hours [of community service] that I did in 2018 for what happened," he added.

"All this good behaviour stuff that I've done I have to put forward, so I'm happy to do that - I'll have to wait and see in due course when my schedule fits to be able to do that.

"It's been five years in the making. For me, I've done everything I've had to do possibly right." (BBC Sport)

Tests are Starc's first priority amid busy schedule

MICHELL Starc has re vealed cricket's cluttered schedule will eventually prompt him to retire from white-ball formats first in a bid to prolong his Test career.

One of six three-format players in Australia's team, the left-armer is staring at the prospect of more than 100 days of international cricket in the next year.

Australia's busy schedule is highlighted by the fact players moved straight onto a three-match ODI series against England just four days after the visitors' T20 World Cup triumph.

The long list of fixtures also prompted Pat Cummins to last week join Starc in sitting out the IPL, a position

the latter has taken since 2016.

Cummins also sat out yesterday's series-clinching 72-run victory at the SCG one match after making his 50-over captaincy debut as part of his managed Test preparations ahead of two and three-match series against the Windies and South Africa respectively this summer.

But Starc said while that was important for body man agement, it wouldn't enable him to play all three formats too long into the future.

"Not the way it's sched uled these days," Starc said last night following victory in the second ODI.

"It's certainly impossible at the moment to play ev ery game as a three-format

player.

"Having (the IPL period) to rest might help me keep bowling at decent speeds for a period of time.

"(But) I don't think play ing three formats is some thing I can do for a long period moving forward."

Asked if he'd given thought to his long-term plans, the world's former top-ranked ODI bowler said white-ball cricket would be the first to go.

However, the 32-year-old is likely to play onto the T20 World Cup in 2024, with an ODI World Cup hosted by India also next year

"Tests (are) always first (priority) … far above whiteball," Starc said.

"I'll decide on the rest as

I go and where my body's at and how I feel about it.

"I'd love to, selection and form pending, continue play ing Test cricket as long as I can."

Starc enhanced his repu tation as the deadliest newball bowler in ODIs last night with a sizzling display in the first-over as he removed both Jason Roy and Dawid Malan without scoring on his way to a haul of 4-47 that earned him Player of the Match honours.

Starc has now struck 22 times in the first over of an ODI innings, the most of any bowler in the format since the start of 2012 and has taken 13 wickets in the Powerplay since the beginning of 2021, the joint-most of any player

Shaheen Afridi was injured while catching out Harry Brook as England beat Pakistan in the T20 World Cup final earlier this month

David Warner has played 140 ODIs and 99 T20 internationals for Australia - and is closing in on 100 Test caps

Mitchell Starc has warned that cricket's busy schedule means he can only be a three-format player for so much longer

Bale penalty salvages draw for Wales against USA

GARETH Bale rode to Wales' rescue once again as the captain's late penal ty salvaged a draw against the United States in his country's first World Cup game for 64 years.

Wales were listless and overrun in a first half dom inated by a vibrant USA team, who led as Tim Weah finished smartly after a surg ing run and pass by Chris tian Pulisic.

The half-time introduc tion of striker Kieffer Moore revitalised Wales, whose newfound energy and pur pose turned a one-sided af fair into a genuine contest as Ben Davies and Moore both came close to equalising.

Then with nine minutes left, the hitherto anonymous Bale was clattered in the box by Walker Zimmerman before confidently whipping his penalty into the net to send the travelling Welsh

supporters behind that goal into raptures.

Wales finished the game strongly, buoyed to have secured a point on their long-awaited World Cup re turn when they had appeared to be heading for a defeat which would have left them staring at an early exit from the competition.

Instead, Robert Page's men will return to the Ah mad Bin Ali Stadium on Fri day to face Iran - thrashed 6-2 by England earlier on Monday - knowing that victory would give them a chance of progressing to the second round.

Wales conclude the group stage against En gland a week Tuesday but thoughts of that game can wait as they savour this fightback and the good it will do for their hopes of extending their World Cup adventure.

Wales make their long-awaited return This was a seismic mo ment for Wales, not only in a footballing sense but in a broader historical context for a nation which has never enjoyed the global attention

that comes with a mod ern-day World Cup.

No country had waited as long between a first and second appearance at the tournament as Wales had done with their 64-year ab sence, a barren spell littered

with painful tales of near misses.

But Wales are now in the midst of a golden era, ending their 58-year wait for a major tournament by qual ifying for Euro 2016 - where they reached a historic first semi-final - and backing that up by reaching the second round of Euro 2020.

World Cup qualifica tion continued to prove elu sive until Wales overcame Ukraine in their play-off final in June. After that mo ment of catharsis in the pouring Cardiff rain, this game in Qatar was their return to football's grandest stage in the dry heat of the desert.

However, Wales' firsthalf performance failed to match the magnitude of the occasion.

They were slow to set tle and severely disjointed against their dynamic op

ponents, who seized the initiative in a first half which should have brought them more than one goal.

The States' first chance came in the ninth minute when Weah's powerful cross from the right was headed towards his own goal by Joe Rodon but, fortunately for the Wales centre-back, it hit his goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey. That was not the end of the danger though as, seconds later, Josh Sargent glanced a close-range header against the post

Midfield seemed to be the area of greatest con cern for Wales, who sur prisingly dropped striker Moore and started with Fulham playmaker Har ry Wilson alongside the similarly attack-minded Aaron Ramsey in front of Ethan Ampadu, tasked with protecting the back three. (BBC Sport)

England hire team chef amid concerns about Test tour catering

…Move follows concerns about food preparation on T20 leg of Pakistan tour

THE England Test side has been shedding support staff during the early stages of Brendon McCullum's ten ure as head coach. However a new addition has been made for their upcoming tour of Pakistan - a chef.

The appointment comes following a debrief of the limited-overs side's experi ences in the country during their seven-match T20I se ries. The feedback from play ers and support staff was that the food on offer, particularly at match venues, was not

quite up to scratch, with a handful suffering from upset stomachs at certain parts of the tour.

The issues encountered were far from drastic: no-one was ill for an extended period of time, and England went on to win 4-3 in an exciting series

. However, given the de mands of a Test match, not least the back-to-back nature of the three-match series across 21 days in three dif ferent locations (Rawalpindi, Multan and Karachi), having

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER

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Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) Jeff Dujon-84 dismissals (83 catches; 1 stumping – 23 Tests) (2) Ian Healey-78 dismissals (72 catches; 6 stumpings – 28 Tests)

Today’s Quiz: (1) Which WI has played most Tests against AUST to date? (2) Which AUST has contested most Tests against the WI to date? Answers in tomorrow’s issue

someone to oversee food preparation and tailor menus according to specific require ments and tastes throughout felt a necessary controllable to control. Indeed one of Cricket Australia's few re grets from their successful tour of Pakistan earlier this year was not taking a chef with them.

The topic of local cuisine came up during the T20 tour when Moeen Ali, as standin captain, waded into the food culture war between Lahore and Karachi, tongue very much in cheek: "Foodwise, I have been a little bit disappointed in Lahore. Ka

rachi was really nice." With Lahore not on the agenda this time around and Karachi hosting the third Test, those who wish to sample the local delicacies can rest easy.

ESPNcricinfo under stands Omar Meziane, who worked with the England men's football team in a similar role during the 2018 World Cup and Euro 2020, will assume the role.

While the Test team's move will cater for fussy eaters, it will also make Jack Leach feel more at ease. The left-arm spinner suffers from Crohn's disease, an inflam

matory bowel disease, and takes immunosuppressant medication to manage the ill ness while being strict about what he eats.

On a tour of New Zealand in November 2019, Leach was struck down so severely by food poisoning he ended up being hospitalised and contracted sepsis. Though he was able to make it onto the subsequent Test tour to South Africa, the effects of the previous illness meant he was unable to play any part in proceedings and ended up leaving the tour early.

Though this is perhaps the first time the ECB has specifically employed a chef for a tour, they have previous

Late goals give Dutch victory...

way through.

The risk paid off as the Netherlands secured a vital three points in a game many believe could decide the winners of Group A.

They now sit joint-top in the group with Ecuador, who beat hosts Qatar 2-0 on Sunday evening.

Senegal, without injured key forward Sadio Mane during the competition, looked like a side missing their main attacking threat but can take confidence from the number of times they troubled the Dutch defence.

Dutch underwhelm but

find enough

There was a risk both sides would leave the Al Thumama Stadium with a sense of frustration before Gakpo's header finally broke the deadlock.

Senegalese fans brought colour, dance and unwav ering drum-banging, often silencing the Oranje masses, but despite an explosive start to the match on the pitch, it fizzled out as the game wore on.

Watford winger Ismaila Sarr had shone on the left for the African champions in the first half, while De

(From page 27)

Jong controlled the tempo and dictated play for the Netherlands.

Neither goalkeeper, though, had been tested by half-time. The Dutch who had wasted two glorious chances - Barcelona's De Jong taking too long to shoot after Gakpo had been selfless when he should have had an attempt himself.

But chances began to fall as the final whistle drew closer.

Senegal's Boulaye Dia and Idrissa Gueye came close, while the Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk head

when it comes to food away from home. Ahead of their disastrous 2013-14 Ashes, the Sydney Morning Herald got hold of a dossier entitled "Test catering requirements" which was distributed to all hosting venues.

The 82 pages contained 194 recipes ranging from "Moroccan spiced griddled chicken fillets with lime and coriander mayo" to pro tein-based "banana and pea nut bars", and was described by the Herald as "modern pretentious". It did England no favours in a crushing 5-0 whitewash.

Expect pasta dishes to be a prominent part of the Pakistan menus. (Crricinfo)

ed a good chance over the bar from a Gakpo corner.

Van Gaal eventually rolled the dice, bringing on Depay, who was not fully fit - his introduction receiving a huge roar from the Dutch fans.

He did not feature much until his shot was pushed out by Mendy into the path of Klaassen who made it 2-0.

It was an underwhelm ing performance from the Dutch at times but they did enough to come through arguably their toughest match in the group. (BBC Sport)

Gareth Bale equalised from the penalty spot for Wales in their 1-1 World Cup draw with the US

Callender, Mohabir and Drayton lead Guyana’s charge in Suriname’s Independence blitz

THREE of Guyana’s top chess talents were able to keep the Golden Arrow Head fluttering when they competed at the Srefidensi Online International Blitz Tournament in honour of Suriname’s upcoming Independence Day (No vember 25).

Outstanding female play er, Jessica Callender, talent ed pre-teen Julian Mohabir and Fide Master Anthony Drayton managed to amass victories for Guyana over competitors from Suriname and across the Caribbean in the event.

The tournament was split into two divisions, a Master Class division restricted to players rated above 1750 and a Challenger Class Open for all other players.

Callender finished as the Best Female Player in the Challenge Class Open. Her five points from sev en rounds earned her ninth overall, which was the best performance by a Guyanese player.

She was also Guyana’s only female competitor in the event.

Meanwhile, young Julian Mohabir won Best Under-10 category in the tournament with three points. Guyana also saw exceptional per formances from Roberto Neto (19th on 4 points), Kyle Couchman (26th on 3.5 points), Owen Mickle (34th

on 3 points) and Landon Mo habir (49th on 1.5 points).

Guyana’s lone competi tor in the Master Class divi sion was Fide Master Antho ny Drayton (2.5 points) who came away with the prize for Best under- 2100 rated player. Drayton finished sixth overall in the division.

Stage One of the tourna ment was held on November 19 and 20 and featured 60 competitors across Guyana, Suriname, Dominica, Bar bados, Netherlands Antilles, Trinidad and Tobago, Cuba and Jamaica.

The event, which was hosted by the Surinamese Chess Federation (De Su rinaamse Schaakbond), is an annual event commem orating the anniversary of Suriname’s independence from the Netherlands, which took place on November

25th, 1975.

Second Stage

Srefidensi translates as Independence. This year’s event features a special Stage Two battle where the top two male and top two female finishers across the Caribbean will face off as a team against China in De cember.

The second stage will be organised by the Chinese Chess Association. As the best woman at the conclu sion of the event, Jessica Callender will compete for the Caribbean in this team which also features Cuban Grand Master Jimenez Luis Lazaro Aguero, Bar badian International Mas ter, Orlando Husbands, and Surinamese Women’s Fide Master, Catherine Kaslan.

Brathwaite expecting competitive final warm-up against Australia PM’s XI

CANBERRA, Australia, (CMC) – West Indies Test captain Kraigg Brathwaite is expecting tougher compe tition in his side’s four-day match against Australia’s PM XI starting Wednes day, which he believes will be good preparation for their two-match series against the hosts next week.

The teams will go up against each other in a day/ night match at Manuka Oval, Canberra following last Sat urday’s draw against Com bined NSW/ACT XI at Philip Oval.

Brathwaite said he ex pected a “nice and competi tive game” which will be the last warm-up match before the first Test, given the qual ity of the opponents.

“We know what we’re up against and it’s just for us mentally to prepare. Our preparation has been going really good and we’re real ly looking forward to this second game. Australia is a world-class team, with a top bowling line-up so we’ve gotta work hard if we want to score runs…. Mentally, we have to prepare for that and once we do that we’ll be in good stead,” Brathwaite told reporters on Monday.

“I think we had a good first three-day game. This second game is obviously a different team, a much more competitive team so we look forward to that challenge. Gearing towards the first Test, it’s a pink ball game, so

it would be good to get used to the pink ball and the [cold] conditions here in Australia.”

“It [the pink ball] will re act differently off the surface, especially when the lights turn on, so I think that’s something we’ve got to be aware of both as a bowling unit and a batting unit. It tends to do a lot more at night so that’s just something we’ve gotta keep on our minds,” the captain added.

Although acknowledg ing the Australia team’s experience and skill, the right-handed batsman also contended that the West In dies Test squad had made “tremendous” strides recent ly, not conceding any match es this year and winning one or two series last year, as he urged his teammates to con tinue to fight.

Meantime, asked about his impressions of Tage narine Chanderpaul – son of West Indies great and recent ICC Hall of Famer Shivnarine Chanderpaul –who got his Test call-up for the Australia series, Brathwaite said he expects him to succeed at this level.

“I think he has a bright future for West Indies. He is a guy who can spend a lot of time at the crease and it’s just to urge him to do it. The same things he would have done in first-class cricket for Guyana he just has to do here,” he said.

As for the senior Chan derpaul with whom he played, Brathwaite said he deserved his recent honour.

“In the squad with Chan derpaul, I really learnt a lot. He is a legend of the game, someone I really looked up to. [Seeing] him spend a lot of time at the crease, it was remarkable…and I would have learnt a lot from just watching him, how he went about his work and I think he really deserved that honour. And it’s just for us to aspire to be in those shoes and even aspire to do better but I think he did a remarkable job for West Indies,” he said.

West Indies’ first Test against Prime Minister’s XI will be played at Perth Stadium in Perth. The sec ond Test, a day/night en counter at Adelaide Oval, Adelaide is set for Decem ber 8-12.

Late goals give Dutch victory over Senegal

TWO late goals from the Netherlands sealed a cru cial victory in their World Cup opener against Sene gal in Group A.

PSV Eindhoven forward Cody Gakpo beat Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Men dy to the ball when it was chipped in by Frenkie de Jong to nod the Dutch in front with six minutes re maining.

Substitute Davy Klaas sen then pounced on a re bound from Memphis De pay's shot to add a second deep into stoppage-time to confirm the success.

Gakpo whirled away in celebration in front of the Senegal fans behind the goal as the Dutch supporters, together in a sea of orange at the other end of the Al Thumama Stadium, rose to their feet.

They were already chant

ing their team's name as they knew victory was near before Klaassen made sure in the ninth and final minute of injury time.

Senegal, who had threat ened throughout the match, came close to equalising before that when Papa Gu eye fired a finish towards the bottom left corner, but Dutch

goalkeeper Andries Noppert got his fingertips to it.

It was a match that teased a goal for long periods but both sides lacked ruthless ness. Netherlands boss Louis van Gaal even risked the fitness of Depay to bring him on as a second-half substi tute in the hope of finding a

Jessica Callender will now represent the Caribbean against a team from China in December

Young Julian Mohabir finished as the best U-10 player

West Indies Test captain Kraigg Brathwaite

PSV Eindhoven forward Cody Gakpo celebrates his goal against Senegal (Photo: Skysports / November 21, 2022)

Dominant England hit six past plucky Iran in World Cup Group B opener

DOHA: They used mist machines to cope with the midday sun in the lead-up to the 2022 FIFA World Cup, but it was England who brought the heat and kept their cool on Monday (Nov 21) as they hammered Iran 6-2.

In front of a crowd of about 45,000 at the Khalifa International stadium, a Bukayo Saka double

and goals from Jude Bellingham, Raheem Sterling, Marcus Rash ford and Jack Grealish sealed an emphatic victory for Gareth Southgate’s men in their Group B opener.

There were extraordinary scenes before the opening whistle as Iranian players stayed silent throughout the course of their na

tional anthem with their raucous supporters drowning out the music with loud boos and jeers.

A popular revolt sparked by the death of young woman Mahsa Amini after her arrest for flouting Iran's strict Islamic dress code has gripped the country for over two months. Since then, dozens of Iranian public figures, athletes and

artists have displayed solidarity with the protesters.

England immediately took the game to their opponents and Harry Maguire looked to have been bundled over in the box by Rouzbeh Cheshmi, but no penalty was given.

A quickly-taken free kick min utes later saw Harry Kane curl a

dangerous cross into the box. Irani an goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand managed to get a touch on the ball and an onrushing Maguire could only direct his shot wid

However, Beiranvand clashed heads with a teammate in the pro cess and had to be substituted after a substantial delay.

Ma

Pooran steps down as West Indies white-ball captain

ST JOHN’S, Antigua, (CMC)

– Less than seven months after being appointed as West In dies white-ball captain, Nicholas Pooran has called it quits, saying the decision was in his best inter est and that of the team.

Pooran, the second casualty from the failed ICC Men’s T20 World Cup – coming on the heels of last month’s resignation of head coach Phil Simmons – stressed his resignation was not an indication he had given up on the ODI and

T20 squad.

He said he would now be focus ing on his role as a player.

“I have given the captaincy a great deal of thought since the enor mous disappointment of the T20 World Cup. I took on the role with

great pride and dedication and have given it absolutely everything over the past year.

“This is not me giving up. I remain ambitious and still view the captaincy of West Indies cricket as an honour that is bestowed upon

you. There is no doubt I remain ful ly committed to West Indies cricket and I look forward to providing my services as a senior player in a supportive role,” Pooran said in a statement from Cricket West In dies on

West Indies won just one out of three matches in the first round of the T20 World Cup (AFP/Getty Images)

England forward Bukayo Saka celebrates with captain Harry Kane and defender Luke Shaw after scoring his side's fourth goal during their World Cup Group B game against Iran at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar on Nov 21