Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 23-05-2023

Mahdia tragedy: President Ali declares three days of national mourning

Adonijah Jerome

Andrea Roberts

Belnisa Evans

Bibi Jeffrey Delicia Edwards

Loreen Evans

Martha Dandrade Mary Dandrade Natalie Bellarmine

Nicholeen Robinson

Sabrina John

President, Dr Irfaan Ali (right), Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips and National Security Adviser, Captain Gerry Gouveia (left) comfort a grieving mother

Tears flowed on Monday for the 19 children who perished in the fire at Mahdia (Office of the President photos)

Mahdia ‘dorm’ fire was maliciously set

–– 19 confirmed dead; 17 hospitalised

By Shamar Meusa and Clestine Juan

GUYANA was plunged into further sorrow and shock as news emerged on Monday afternoon that the deadly fire at Mahdia, Region Eight , was intentionally set.

Deputy Chief Fire Officer ( ag ), Dwayne Scotland made this startling revelation during a press conference

Up to press time on Monday night, the death toll stood at 19 Nine of the 17 students who were injured during the blaze were air-dashed to Georgetown for additional medical care The others are patients at the Mahdia Hospital

The dead students have been identified as Bibi Rita Fiona Jeffery , 13 ; Sabrina John, 16; Loreen Evans, 14; Belnisa Evans,13; twin sisters Mary and Martha D’Andrade , 15 ; Omefia Edwin , Natalie Bellarmine, and Andrea Roberts, 13; Lorita Williams , Nickleen Robinson , Sherena Daniels , Eulanda

Carter, Lisa Roberts, Cleoma Simon , Tracil Thomas and sisters Delecia Edwards, 15; and Arianna Edwards, 13

Five - year - old Adonijah Jerome, who was the son of one of the House Parents , also perished in the fire

According to Scotland , the fire originated in the south-western section of the structure, and quickly consumed the entire building

After conducting their preliminary investigation, the Guyana Fire Service handed

over their findings to the Guyana Police Force for further inquiry, and for the intensifying of efforts to uncover the motives behind this heinous act

“The fire was maliciously set ,” Scotland emphasised He related that the Mahdia Fire Station received an emergency call about the fire at 23:15 hours on Sunday , prompting swift action from the firefighters

Despite their prompt response , the flames had already engulfed the building upon their arrival , posing significant challenges to the rescue operation

Nonetheless , the firefighters battled the inferno, managing to save at least 20 students

The operation persisted for approximately three-anda-half hours until the fire was eventually brought under control and extinguished

According to one of the female students who managed to escape, she was awakened by screams , and upon checking, she saw a fire in the bathroom area, which quickly spread to other parts of the building

Commissioner of Police (ag) Clifton Hicken assured the public that the investigation would be expedited, with the findings to be made public once the process concludes

Additionally, Hicken revealed that DNA testing would be promptly conducted to positive identify the charred remains of 13 bodies , while post - mortem examinations had already been conducted on six of the deceased

Expressing his condolences on behalf of the force, Hicken emphasised their commitment to swiftly bring the matter to a close so as to offer some solace to the grieving families

a team from the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation that came in around 03:29 hours That team from the Georgetown Public Hospital, along with a team from the Mahdia District Hospital did initial assessment of all the patients.”

Along with this, of those patients received, Dr. Dudhnauth revealed that the first medical evacuation of the first three very critical patients took place around the same time They were airlifted out of the region and transported to the GPHC for further treatment

Subsequently, he noted, a second medevac transported three more girls to the city around 06:27 hours

On Monday afternoon around 14:05 hours , three more were airlifted to the city and transported to the GPHC

Brigadier Omar Khan , Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force ( GDF ) and head of the technical committee overseeing the national response, shed light on the efforts undertaken to address the catastrophe

He said that the military responded to the distress call for a medevac operation which led to the leveraging of resources from the Ministry of Health, joint services, and the private sector

This coordinated effort involved five aircraft , six ambulances , and over 80 personnel specializing in emergency response, medical care, and security

“

As you know , last night was bad weather and because of this , we had some concerns about flying into this area ; however , despite this, our pilots were determined to execute this medical evacuation operations ,” Brigadier Khan said.

EMERGENCY PLAN

Following the tragedy, a full-scale medical emergency plan was launched, and saw the quick treatment of those injured in the fire at both the Mahdia District Hospital and the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

During a briefing by President Dr Irfaan Ali, in Mahdia, Regional Health officer Dr Ravindra Dudhnauth told the nation that hospitalisation and care efforts began late Sunday evening when the first set of patients arrived at the Mahdia District Hospital around 23:30 hours

According to Dr Dudnauth , some 26 patients in total came to that facility

The hospital ’ s capacity was later boosted by the arrival of additional medical personnel from Georgetown

The RHO said: “We got

“Currently, there are 17 patients at the hospital, 11 of whom are stable, while there are five that we can still consider stable but critical,” he added.

GPHC

On Monday morning , during a media briefing , Dr Vickita Nandan provided a report on the six patients who had arrived up to that point

During that briefing, she noted that those patients had varying degrees of burns that ranged from approximately 30 per cent of the total surface area to about five per cent

At the time , she noted that two patients were admitted to the Intensive Care Unit where they were intubated and on ventilative support

One of those patients , according to Dr Nandan , was rushed to the operating theatre to have limb-saving surgery done due to the extent of the burns received , while the other three patients were admitted to the hospital’s Paediatric High Dependency Unit

Meanwhile, Dr Shilindra Rajkumar, who was part of the team that lent support to the Mahdia Hospital, upon his return to the GPHC stated that the situation on the ground was under control , and they would have been able to get to that level after some 12 hours

Dr. Rajkumar, during a live broadcast, said that they have managed to treat some patients, and have them discharged, and also managed to triage others to determine which of them were in need of a high level of care

He and his team brought the last three girls to the city

The doctor explained that of those three, one had a predisposing condition which was exacerbated by possible smoke inhalation

Minister of Education Priya Manickchand consoles Valerie Carter, mother of 15-year-old twins Mary and Martha D’Andrade, who are among those who died (Ministry of Education photos)

Education Minister Priya Manickchand with Elna Toney, the mother of Eulanda Carter, who died in the fire

President Ali declares three days of national mourning

IN the wake of the deadly fire at the Mahdia Secondary School female dormitory, President, Dr Irfaan Ali, has declared three days of national mourning and has said that the national flag will be flown at half-staff at all public buildings in honour of the children who lost their lives

“Today is one of the saddest days of my life as President It is a day that I wished never occurred ,” the Head of State said after speaking with parents, guardians, and relatives of the 19 victims

During a live update to the nation on Monday, President Ali said that government is fully committed to assisting those affected by this heartbreaking incident and will work tirelessly to ensure that they receive the necessary care and assistance during this difficult time

“ I ’ m committing , as I have done to the family members already , our full , unconditional , unhindered support for the families and these children; whether it be medical, social, counselling, financial, transportation, ac-

commodation- whatever the form of support required , the state will provide that support to the families, to the children,” the President said while in Mahdia

When the news broke in the wee hours of Monday morning, President Ali immediately rushed to the Eugene F Correia International Airport at Ogle where he coordinated an emergency plan of action He also was on hand to witness the arrival of

some of the seriously injured children

He later travelled to Mahdia where he met Prime Minister , Brigadier ( retd ) Mark Phillips; Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand and Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn. The heads of the joint services were also present

“There are no words that can describe this magnitude of pain that our brothers and sisters are going through today We wish this day

had never occurred This is a pain we must carry as a nation and as a family It is a pain we must share together and support in our prayers,” President Ali said He added that he is committed to bringing justice to the victims’ families and as such a technical task force led by Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force, Brigadier Omar Khan and a Cabinet task force led by the Prime Minister, will be

established

He announced Monday that the government was seeking regional and international assistance to conduct DNA tests on several of the bodies to confirm their identities

In keeping with the President ’ s announcement , the national flag was flown at half-staff at all public buildings from 16:00hrs on Monday This will continue for three days

“I ask that as a nation we

utilise the next three days as three days of prayers for these children, their families and the community,” he said President Ali said that “ every conceivable action that is required of the government” will be taken to ease the pain

“We want to assure you, all of you, that no efforts will be spared Every conceivable help, every conceivable assistance, every conceivable action that is required of the government we will do; we will support, and we will ensure that we are with you not only today but through this difficult path ahead,” he said

He explained that the Ministry of Education is working on the reprogramming of all educational requirements , which include the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) examinations that some of the children who have lost their lives and others at the school are currently writing “ As a family we will have to bond together We will have to support each other through faith and patience , we will have to persevere,” Dr Ali said

Guyana, Ghana relationship strengthened with Chamber of Commerce launch

BILATERAL relations

between Guyana and Ghana have now been strengthened following the Ghana Chamber of Commerce - Guyana launch at Church and New Garden Streets , Queenstown , Georgetown, Monday morning. The chamber will allow the two countries to connect businesses and foster investment, which will further drive local economic growth

The first of its kind to be established in the Caribbean , Guyana and Ghana will work together in many areas, including oil and gas, tourism, agriculture, education, sports, and health

With the establishment of the chamber , Minister of Public Works Bishop Juan Edghill im-

plored the Ghanaian Government to work with the Guyana Government to operationalise the air services agreement inked between the two nations in 2019

“ We have signed an air services agreement with Ghana and it’s now up to the private sector both here and in Ghana to operationalise an airline in keeping with those terms and conditions and freedoms,” the minister with responsibility for aviation encouraged

The birth of the chamber is just one of many initiatives that the government is pursuing , to build trading relationships with countries from different continents.

Speaking on behalf of his country, Ghana’s Minister for Trade and

Industry , Kobina Hammond said with a firm based in Guyana , businessmen and women can sit and focus on key areas in which their countries can be developed

“

This is commerce , this is trade , we are talking about industrialisation, we are talking about the development of our respective countries But you cannot produce, industrialise, and keep all the products produced in your country They have to be some sort of trading relationship between countries ,” emphasised the Ghanaian minister

Meanwhile, Chief Executive Officer ( CEO ) of GO Invest , Dr Peter Ramsaroop believes the undertaking will bring together the various sectors

Minister Edghill interacting with officials of the Ghana Government

“These are all great initiatives . It allows Guyana ’s private sector, with government’s support and regulations and other incentives, to build global sectors , and when you build global sectors you can increase competitiveness ,” Dr Ramsaroop asserted. (DPI)

President Ali and his team listening to relatives of the victims

Mahdia ‘dorm’ fire was maliciously ...

as a result of the fire.

The second had some amount of facial burns and respiratory problems, which he and the team tried to manage on the ground but after not reaching much of a resolution, they determined it was best to have her transported to Georgetown

The third patient, who it was stated did not have a lot of visible burns, had some level of smoke inhalation injury, which could have been a result of her being near the fire for a long time

PTSD CARE

According to Dr. Rajkumar , there is also an element of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder that the

fire victims would be going through, as he added that the children may still be in a state of shock.

Meanwhile, earlier in the day, Minister of Human Services and Social Protection, Dr Vindhya Persaud during a briefing at the GPHC said that a team effort was underway to be able to provide and ensure the best care is given to those hospitalised at both health facilities

Dr Persaud said that a team was being created to deal with the psychological aspects of the tragic event even as she noted that a combined team from the Ministry of Health’s Mental Health Unit , the GPHC ’ s Psychiatry and Psychology Units and the welfare and

Child Care and Protection Agency officers would be dispatched to the region

Further , the Guyana Chronicle was able to confirm that this collaborative effort saw a team of psychologists and psychiatrists as of Monday morning on the ground in the region

According to information reaching this newspaper, due to the severity of the issue and the demand, another team is expected in the town this morning.

A team was also assembled in Georgetown to provide psychological and psychosocial support to the patients who were transported to the city and their relatives.

From right to left are: Brigadier Omar Khan, Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF); Commissioner of Police (ag) Clifton Hicken; and Deputy Chief Fire Officer (ag) Dwayne Scotland (Office of the President photo)

Families overcome with grief following Mahdia tragedy — hope the injured can recover quickly

By Trina Williams

A MASSIVE fire that gutted the Mahdia Secondary School’s female dormitory has left a number of families in anguish as they mourn the loss of their loved ones and pray for the speedy recovery of those who are hospitalised.

The Guyana Chronicle visited the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where relatives of some of the girls who were air-dashed to the city, had gathered.

They sat on benches outside the Intensive Care Unit, with a blank expression on their face. The Guyana Chronicle was able to speak with some of them and they used the opportunity to reflect on the good times.

Beverly Simmons’ cousin, Ulyne Stephens, described her as someone who would always bring a smile to the faces of everyone even in a “gloomy” room.

Still devasted by her cousin’s condition and the battle she now faces, Stephens said that she was hoping to receive an update on her condition. She and her aunt had just arrived at the

GPHC.

“We never expected anything like that,” the 18-yearold said when asked about the fire.

“Kind,” “friendly” and “funny” were some of the adjectives Simmons’ cousin used to describe her.

Reflecting on how her cousin was always energetic, Stephens said: “When we are at home, we usually go play football, go into the river, go to the farm [and] come out to the village and walk and meet people.”

Stephens, who is a former student of the Mahdia Secondary School, disclosed that she previously lived in the dormitory and thus, she was left shocked when she got the news.

When asked how she felt after hearing that apart from those hospitalised, 19 children had died, she responded: “I felt really scared because I attended that school and I [lived] in that dormitory.”

While trying to contain her tears, she added, “I felt so sad today [for] the ones that died.”

The teen said her wish is for her cousin “to feel better and that nothing [worse] happens to her.”

This publication spoke to a businesswoman and her daughter who frequently visit Mahdia and the surrounding villages.

Being well-acquainted with several of the injured girls, Shameeza Ali said that her interaction with them was never dull.

“They were always laughing” she said, adding that they were friendly with everyone.

She further stated that this tragedy is heart-breaking to her and she cannot begin to understand the unimaginable shock the victims’ families are enduring.

TORN

Meanwhile, relatives and friends took to social media to express their shock and sadness at the incident which

has been described as a national disaster.

In her comments to other sections of the media, Rihana Jeffrey, sister of now deceased, Bibi Rita Fiona Jeffery, said she was torn to pieces by the news of her passing.

“Life has shown us again its hurtful side by taking you away from us when we didn't see it coming. My dearest

sister you didn't deserve to die in [this] very tragic way. I can't begin to imagine the trauma, pain, horror, you been through screaming and crying for help. I am scattered. I feel the pain in my guts, liver, lungs, spleen, kidney heart, brain and every part of my body. There's no way to make up for time lost and now gone but I hope wherever you are, you know that you are truly loved and we hope you find peace and joy ... please watch over your colleagues that are still fighting for their lives. Ask God to lay hands on them and heal them. My baby girl I know Jesus has welcomed you into his loving arms.... Rest in peace my baby girl,” the woman said. She recalled that the family had prayed hard for a sister.

“He answered our prayers [but] 13 years later he take you home back to him ... my heart can't take it no more,” she said.

While talking about how close they were, Rihana who was trying to contain her emotions said: “Her last words to me was ‘Goodnight, sweet dreams, I love you’ and I tell her back the same thing.”

This publication also spoke with the Mayor of Mahdia, David Adams, who said that the township is in absolute shock and devastation.

“We [are] mourning the loss, the tragic incident. Never in the history of our township, have we had such an incident and then it is kids, all young children,” he expressed sadly.

Relatives of some of the injured children waiting at GPHC for updates on their condition

An unimaginable loss

THE devastating fire that engulfed a dormitory in Mahdia, Region Eight, claiming the lives of 19 innocent children, has left the nation reeling in grief and despair. As the nation mourns this unimaginable loss, it is crucial that we rally together as a community and focus our efforts on providing trauma relief and support to those affected.

In this time of collective sorrow, it is essential for politicians to resist the urge to politicise this tragedy and instead work hand in hand for the betterment of our society.

The Mahdia school fire was not just an isolated in-

cident; it was a profound tragedy that shook the core of our nation.

The loss of 19 young lives is an indescribable pain that will leave a lasting impact on their families, friends, and the entire community. As we come to terms with this heart-wrenching reality, it becomes imperative to prioritise the mental and emotional well-being of the survivors and all those affected.

Trauma relief assistance must be swiftly provided to those grappling with the aftermath of this incident.

Counselling services, support groups, and specialised care should be made available to help survivors cope

with their grief, trauma, and potential survivor's guilt.

Our government, NGOs, and individuals from all walks of life should join forces to create a comprehensive system of care that addresses the unique needs of those affected by this tragedy.

President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, during a visit to Mahdia on Monday, said: “I asked everyone here this morning to be kind to the family members. Let us give the family members an opportunity to talk to us. I’d like to assure you, all of you, that no efforts will be spared. Every conceivable help, assistance, and action that is required of government will be taken.

We will support, and we will ensure that we are with you not only today but through this difficult path ahead.”

He affirmed that as they awaited the full report from the preliminary investigation of the fire, counselling and psychological support services are being provided to those who are struggling to cope.

“We have already made arrangements for those who are discharged to be accommodated with their parents. We are trying to see how we can get the necessary expertise from around the Caribbean region, to come in as quickly as possible to support us in the identification of our children. This is

beyond a tragedy. It is very difficult for us all,” President Ali said.

There has already been an outpouring of support from the international community and regional partners.

Tragedies have the power to unite communities like nothing else. The pain felt by the families who lost their loved ones in the Mahdia fire is shared by the entire nation. In this dark hour, we must unite as one, transcending political affiliations and personal agendas.

Let us remember the lives lost by honouring their memory through tangible actions. Let us extend a helping hand to the survivors,

their families, and the affected community, ensuring that they receive the support they need to heal. Let us work together to prevent future tragedies by prioritising the safety and well-being of our children.

We must remain vigilant against the temptation to politicise this tragedy. Our politicians, especially those in the opposition, have a responsibility to prioritise unity and collaboration over political maneuvering.

Let us rally as a nation, standing shoulder to shoulder, as we navigate this painful journey of recovery.

Flawed analyses are disruptive to Guyana’s progress

Dear Editor,

Amazingly, the discovery of oil off the coast of Guyana seemed to generate many pseudo experts on petroleum and gas. With their legitimate or store-bought advanced degrees, they jostle to provide numerical analyses on Guyana’s oil reserves, annual production, global market demands and prices.

This they do under the pretext as qualified authorities either with years of professional experience in conducting market research on oil producing countries, or knowledge in oil production.

Some of these newly minted experts utilise numbers and analytic gamesmanship that mesmerise readers into thinking that they provide valid results as to the true state of Guyana’s oil production and its accrued income.

Yet, any academician, or analyst, familiar with statistical analysis, or estimates and projections/forecasting will tell you that numbers and use of equations can be manipulated

to provide desired results. And that analytical assessments are grounded in and guided by clear and verifiable assumptions that facilitate the verification and validation of research results.

In looking at analyses provided by some of the self-anointed oil and gas experts over the past year, I am yet to find clear specifications of their assumptions. In addition, limitations regarding their source(s) of substantiated and verifiable figures on oil reserves on which they base their results and conclusions are not clearly stated.

For example, whether Exxon, Hess, or the government are the sources of their secondary data: What verification tests did they conduct to ascertain the veracity of such data? And, since accurate projections/ forecasting are customarily based on reliable and verifiable data collection over time: How many years of production and global market prices for oil and gas did they take into consideration in ascertaining the validity of their estimates and

projections/forecasting?

This is not to say that analysts refrain from making projections/forecasting on limited data, but when they do, they regularly acknowledge that the results are crude estimates? In short, have limitations.

Undoubtedly, Guyana’s oil and gas production is in its infancy, still developing and expanding within the dynamics of a complex fast-paced global marketplace. Hence, analysts who make claims as to the accuracy and validity of their projections/forecasting results should be viewed with a dose of skepticism.

This is especially in cases where the analysts fail to clearly acknowledge that their results are crude estimates, (e.g, Professor Kenrick Hunte’s evaluation, May 18, 2023). Most analytical experts would acknowledge, if asked, that it would take a minimum of three to five years’ accumulation of data to provide valid, and trustworthy results that facilitate accurate projections/ forecasting.

This then begs the follow-

ing questions: Why did the “so called experts” on Guyana fail to mention the limitations of their analytical assessments?

Renowned and qualified experts regularly do. Was the intent to discredit or cast doubt or suspicion on the current PPP/C Government? Was the intent to support opposition forces unsubstantiated claims of governmental wrongdoings or mismanagement? (See Damien King’s analysis, March 2022).

From the inferences and conclusions of several locally published analyses, it seems clear that an underlying intent is to discredit the current PPP/C Government policies on oil. This becomes abundantly evident when one takes into consideration the exclusion from analyses, APNU’s role in the extraction and sale of Guyana’s oil.

Given the above, the current PPP/C Government appears to find itself in a quandary in trying to dispel, or dispute every flawed assessment provided by opposition forces, their sympathisers, or disgruntled opportunistic credentialed

individuals, (see Nigel Hughes, December 2022).

In this regard, the acquisition of a group of internationally renowned consultants - oil and gas as well as national development specialists - could be assets to the government to evaluate, assess, advise, and provide reliable and valid information on which to base national policies (if not yet in place).

Such consulting groups would most likely buffer or debunk false claims by credentialed and non-credentialed individuals seeking to discredit or cast doubt on the current government.

The sponsoring of a group of renowned expert consultants is not new to Nation States intent on development. Those familiar with the United States would recall the hiring of Swedish economist Gunnar Myrdal to examine race relations in the country. Myrdal study resulted in a two-volume report entitled An American Dilemma, which provided much information for policy decisions.

Today, several of the oil producing countries have also acquired outside consultants to assist them in oil and gas production, and many of whom are still employed in doing so. In trade, China too has hired outside consultants to help inform and guide trade policy decisions.

Factually, Guyana is a newcomer in the arena of oil and gas production, and lacks the expertise to fully capitalise on the benefits to be accrued from its newfound wealth.

Hence, it would serve the PPP/C Government well to formalise the acquisition of consultants to provide both expert advice, and assist in the training of Guyanese employees to contribute to a just and economically advanced society that serve to the benefit of all. That is, in building a truly representative and globally respected ‘One Guyana.’

Yours sincerely, Narayan Persaud, PhD.

Professor Emeritus

Guyana must unite in this time of tragedy

PPP/C: This was a painful loss

The People’s Progressive Party joins all Guyanese in expressing heartfelt condolences to the grieving families and people of Mahdia following the painful loss of several children to the devastating early morning fire at the Mahdia Secondary School dormitory.

We thank all those who have worked and continue to work towards saving the lives of the survivors as we pray for their speedy and full recovery.

OLO: National Day of Mourning

The APNU+AFC wishes to express our condolences to the families, relatives, friends, residents of Mahdia, Region #8 and all Guyanese as we mourn the loss of lives of our children and to state that we are deeply saddened by the loss of lives.

We wish all those that are injured a speedy recovery and express our support and gratitude to the medical team and others who are engaged in the process of treating and helping the injured and hope there are no more fatalities. Special appreciation and thanks to our brave pilots and the Joint Services who played and continue to play a key role in the entire operation.

We also wish to express gratitude to the people of Mahdia who worked assiduously to rescue the children trapped in the Mahdia Secondary School dormitory. Our gratitude is also extended to our Regional Member of Parliament, the Mayor and Deputy Mayor for their compassion and positive involvement in helping to give leadership during these trying times.

We will continue to keep the situation under review and will make a full statement at a later time as we demand a thorough investigation into this horrific incident that has resulted in the loss of innocent young lives.

In light of this tragedy, we wish to call on all to make this Independence Day a Day of Mourning in solidarity and support with the families, friends, relatives, the citizens of Mahdia and Region #8 and all Guyanese and a Day of Support to the injured, their families, friends, relatives and the people of Region Eight.

PSC: Support will be given to those affected by this heartrending tragedy

The Private Sector Commission (PSC) offers its condolences and prayers to the parents and family of the children who have lost their lives in the terrible and heartrending tragedy which has occurred at Mahdia. We will do everything in our power to support the affected and hope for the speedy recovery of the injured.

ERC: Deep sadness over loss of children

The Chairman and Commissioners of the Ethnic Relations Commission, (ERC), are collectively saddened and shocked at the deaths of the 19 children who perished following a fire at their school’s dormitory in Mahdia, Region Eight.

This tragedy has inflicted unimaginable pain on the affected families. The Commission shares their pain and sorrow and offers its deepest condolences on their tragic loss and trusts that they be strengthened during this extremely difficult time and be able to find some comfort from the outpouring of support from Guyanese and others.

Those who survived the horrific ordeal are left traumatised and the Commission’s fervent

wish is for them to be able to overcome and heal over time through the necessary interventions and support mechanisms.

The ERC thanks H.E. President Mohamed Ali, government agencies and Region Eight officials involved, the Joint Services, the Private Sector and all citizens who continue to contribute towards easing the impact of the catastrophe.

The ERC prays for the affected families, relatives, friends and the communities of Mahdia and Region Eight as they seek support and solace from the reverberating impact of the irreplaceable loss of the young souls.

GMSA: Potential of those who died was abruptly cut short

With profound sorrow and heavy hearts, we were utterly devastated this morning upon receiving the heart-wrenching news of the horrific fire that mercilessly

consumed the Mahdia Secondary School's Female Dormitory. The flames, fueled by unfathomable tragedy, ruthlessly snuffed out the lives of 19 vibrant and promising young Guyanese students, leaving an indelible void in our hearts.

The weight of this unimaginable calamity bears down upon us with a profound sense of loss and despair. Each soul lost in this inferno represents a world of dreams, aspirations, and potential abruptly cut short. The magnitude of this tragedy is truly overwhelming, as the flickering flames devoured not only their innocent lives but also shattered the hopes and futures that were intertwined with them.

In this time of immeasurable sorrow and shattered dreams, we come together as a community to offer solace, compassion, and unwavering support to the families and friends who are left to grapple with the unbearable pain of losing their beloved children. We extend our deepest condolences, as mere words can hardly express the depths of our empathy and grief.

To the grieving families, we hold you close in our thoughts and prayers, fervently hoping that you find strength in the embrace of your loved ones and in the outpouring of love and support from the entire Guyanese community. May the memories of these cherished young lives be a source of comfort and inspiration, reminding us all of their indomitable spirit and the joy they brought to the world.

In the face of such profound tragedy, we stand united, offering our unwavering support and collective determination to work tirelessly to prevent such devastating incidents in the future.

Guyana - On the verge of uneasiness?

Dear Editor,

Marvin Gaye asked, “What’s going on?” Quite a pertinent question to ponder given the recent spate of dangerous, damaging, and deadly incidents which have occurred throughout Guyana.

The country is on the verge of uneasiness as some troubling incidents occurred to leave a distasteful taste in the mouth and a sense of uneasiness, as Guyanese recall a troubled past.

Is it an accident that the “Mother of all calamities” in the past, when “The Famous Five” staged a daring shoot out at the Camp Street Prison and killed two prison officers

in an escape bid for freedom during a time when Guyana was celebrating Mashramani?

While those criminals were on the streets, a leading newspaper noted, “The crime wave saw several execution-type murders, stabbings, robberies, attacks on police stations, and other criminal activities which in essence, almost crippled Guyana and its economy.”

Is it a coincidence that, “Smallie” Williams, a convicted murderer sentenced to death, escaped from a maximum security Mazaruni prison with the aid of three armed accomplices, when Guyana is on the verge of celebrating her 57th Independence anniversary?

Will he be arrested or will he also pursue a warfare to form another gang to unleash a dose of the monstrosities as experienced during the 2000’s? Those nightmares are still fresh in the minds of many. Once again, the PPP/C Government is faced with a dilemma of preventing a repetition of “The Famous Five,” this time by “The Infamous Four.”

As a trend setter, was it merely an incident that the PNC was evicted again from a Government building in Lethem, Rupununi? Or, was it laying a foundation for other things to follow? It will be recalled that earlier in March 2023, they were removed from that building. Godfrey

Williams and Carl Parker, two senior PNC members, have been charged with malicious damage to property.

Laying a trail of mischief, PNC Leader Aubrey Norton a few Sundays ago, urged vendors and the business community to vote for his party or risk being marginalised by the PPP at the upcoming Local Government Election.

He openly apprised the audience that, “I want to warn the vendors. They are out of power in Georgetown and every day they moving vendors. Imagine them in power. You are obligated to vote for the APNU so that you can continue to vend so to don’t vote for us is to give PPP the opportunity to take away your livelihood.”

Recently, a number of PNC supporters have crossed the bench willingly and have since joined the PPP/C team to contest the upcoming election. A perturbed and worried PNC Party, is now scrambling to increase their propaganda campaign.

Continuing a path of attempting to sabotage progress, the PNC Party went to the High Court to order the

postponement or cancellation of the June 12 Local Government Election. As noted by the AG, this Party had months to engage a legal process for any challenges but failed to do so and at the last moment, is now desperately trying to stall the holding of election.

The PNC is quite aware that they will be the loser by a wide margin. This dogma of a devious DNA, continues to materialise in different deportment.

The PNC has lost its strangle-hold on GECOM with the absence of Lowenfield, Mingo and Roxanne-Myers, as they are no longer occupying strategic positions. The PNC is also infuriated with the appointment of Vishnu Persaud as Chief Election Officer.

Since the angry, aggressive and annoyed PNC lost the March 2020 General and Regional Elections and were verbally asked to “step aside” after being sanctioned by the US Government for attempted election fraud, the PPP/C legally and legitimately was sworn into power after a five months impasse. Since then,

the country has witnessed a series of fire to government buildings, including, police stations and in particular, schools.

Guyanese are left gasping and with eyes turned-up, fingers point in a particular direction. Sadly, another devastating fire occurred Sunday at the dormitory at the Mahdia Secondary School. The death toll stands at 19, with serious injuries to others. Many were lucky to escape this towering inferno which struck in the night. The President and all officials have put a full-scale medical plan into action.

This progression of events have certainly left Guyanese at home and abroad to wonder about an ultimate motive by some evil force in light of Independence celebration coming up this week to be followed by the Local Government Election on the June 12, 2023. Bob Dylan sang, “The answer is blowing in the wind.”

Yours respectfully, Jai

Lall

Tragic loss of lives

Dear Editor,

Early this [Monday] morning, I was alerted to the tragic news that [19] young persons perished in a fire at Mahdia Secondary School dormitory.

I offer my deepest and

most heartfelt condolences to the families of the students who were victims of this tragedy.

Parents of victims, those who were injured, other students of the school and teachers are today bearing the brunt of deep trauma resulting from this incident.

With so many others, I join in sympathy, deep concern and prayer as we all try to comprehend the profound loss and pain.

Sincerely,

Francis Alleyne OSB Bishop of Georgetown

Guyana must unite...

We will honor the memories of the fallen students by advocating for improved safety measures, ensuring that no other child has to endure such a tragic fate.

In the midst of darkness, we find solace in the power of unity and compassion. Let us join hands, shoulder to shoulder, as we navigate the turbulent waters of grief and mourning. Together, we will navigate this harrowing journey, providing comfort and strength to one another, for no burden is too heavy when shared by a compassionate community.

May the hearts of the bereaved find solace in knowing that their pain is not borne alone. In our collective embrace, may

From page 7

they find a flicker of light amidst the darkness, a gentle reminder that they are surrounded by unwavering support and love.

GOGEC: Mahdia’s healing and recovery are important

The Guyana Oil & Gas Energy Chamber (GOGEC) mourns with the families of those who perished in the fire at Mahdia. This is an extremely trying period for the entire community.

The Mahdia community's recovery and healing are import-

ant to us at GOGEC and we are dedicated to rendering assistance by giving any essential help and resources. We will work closely with government and all like-minded organisations to alleviate this pain and suffering to all those concerned.

We would like to commend President Irfaan Ali and the government for the swift and caring response to this tragedy.

We would also like to see a co-ordinated approach adopted by the various organisations to come together to bring relief to all the families and the people of Mahdia.

Aircraft operators braved dangerous weather to evacuate badly burnt students - Gouveia

By Cindy Parkinson

DESPITE dangerous weather conditions , aircraft operators rose to the challenge and were able to successfully evacuate several Mahdia Secondary School students who were badly burnt in the fire that gutted their living quarters and left 18 female students and a five - year - old boy dead

This is according to National Security Adviser, Captain Gerry Gouveia , who played a key role in organising the medical evacuation from the Eugene F Correia International Airport at Ogle on the East Coast of Demerara, to the mining town of Madhia in Region Eight

Gouveia who has decades of flying experience under his belt, said that the evacuation effort was a success because of the national effort displayed by all of country’s aircraft operators

He related that Air Services, Trans Guyana, Roraima Airways, and the Guyana Defence Force ( GDF ) Air Corps responded immediately upon receiving the “horrific news.”

“ It was a battle for us ; it was a battle because of the weather There was a lot of lightning and thunder Mahdia is in the mountains I want to tell you all that the pilots were brave and determined, and the Air Services pilots were already on the ground, so we were able to alert them, and they brought out the first three sets of patients,” he said

According to Gouveia , as the patients arrived, the medical team took charge and accompanied them to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation ( GPHC ) via ambulance

He also said that investigators and a number of medical personnel were able to travel to the township from Ogle to render assistance

Gouveia emphasised that it was a “massive operation that was done in very dangerous conditions, but everyone put their shoulders together and made a gigantic effort to try and save those who could have been saved He also noted that he believes that it was indeed a great effort

The security adviser also added that President , Dr Irfaan Ali , arrived at the airport in the wee hours of Monday and stayed throughout the operation so as to get

a full understanding of what was happening and the scale of the disaster

Meanwhile, Captain Gerry Gouveia Jr., who piloted one of the medivac flights, told the Guyana Chronicle that Roraima Airways has developed a very “robust and reliable” approach to getting into the jungle, even in the “dead of night.”

Gerry Jr said that they have been using their experiences , training , and GPS for over three decades, and regardless of the inclement weather and turbulence, they understood that they were the children’s “only lifeline.”

Gouveia Jr said: “I myself have been doing this (flying) for about eight years now , and Captain [ Learie ] Barclay has been doing it for almost 20 years So, we have a lot of experience with the aircraft, and what we did was use our training and our GPS, and we got in there We were lucky enough to get in, and we landed somewhere around 1:30 to 2 am Monday morning with the GPHC medical team and their equipment

When we got into Mahdia , there was a buzz of activity, and we had already made arrangements with a plane that was on the ground and waiting The first aircraft from Air Services came out to Ogle with the first three critical patients, but myself

and Captain Barclay stayed back and helped to coordinate with GPHC with the other critical patients.”

Gerry Jr also stated that “it was a very catastrophic event, and things were happening very, very quickly.”

According to him, one of the children had an inhalation injury due to the smoke

Gouveia said that he was “ very impressed ” with the doctors from the GPHC that were on board the aircraft

He added that the doctors reacted very quickly and were able to stabilise the child until she reached the GPHC in Georgetown

“I will just like to say that the medical team that came in from GPHC was outstanding today

I will also like that the partnership between the private sector and the government came together and dedicated all of our efforts collectively in helping these children and families in need,” Gouveia Jr said

He used the opportunity to thank the Roraima Airways team and all those who participated in helping the children, their families, and the people of Mahdia as they grappled to come to terms with the enormous loss

Shortly before midnight on Sunday, a fire engulfed the school’s female dormitory which housed 59 students

According

Medical personnel wheel one of the survivors to a waiting ambulance (DPI photo)

to reports, three of the girls went home to spend time with their families for

the weekend , while 56 remained and were present at the time of the tragedy

The 18 female students who perished were between the ages of 12 and 17.

Mahdia inferno: One of Guyana’s immense tragedies

ON the top of my list for the most deeply traumatic occasion in the entire history of this country is the Wismar massacre. That was a cruel moment in the life of the British West Indies. Second would be the Jonestown deaths.

These people weren’t Guyanese, but 918 persons were forced to take their own lives in what has to be seen as one of the world’s most painful tragedies in non-violent times in the 20th century.

Number four for me would be the Lusignan massacre. Gunmen just indiscriminately killed men, women and children in an uncivilised act of race hate. Eleven innocent souls were murdered. Number five is the Bartica tragedy

when gunmen entered a commercial bank and killed people in the bank and others in the town of Bartica including policemen. A total of 12 persons were murdered.

Number six is the Buxton atrocities of 2002-2005, when, over a period of four years, Region Four, the most strategic of the 10 regions in Guyana in terms of importance to the economy and population, was held hostage to marauding killers who murdered innocent souls in a mad political act designed to frighten the Government of Guyana.

That leaves number three. For me, it is the fire at the Mahdia dormitory that at the time of writing, took the lives of 19 school children, with

a few more being treated for serious burns at the Georgetown Hospital.

The horror of tragedies one, three, four, five and six are the implications and consequences for a small population like Guyana.

The total number for Lusignan, Bartica and Mahdia is 43. For a nation of just under 800,000 residents, when you add on to this figure, the victims of Buxton then maybe one of out every four citizens may have known a victim of these tragedies.

Humans tend to be particularly riveted mentally when a large number of victims are killed in one incident and the dead are mostly children. In the case of Mahdia, those children did not

deserve to die so young. They were school children.

The harsh reality of our mental lives is whether we like it or not is that humans are not smothered with relentless grief when loved ones in advanced age die. We always clothes ourselves with the reality that they lived long enough to achieve things in life.

We tend to accept death for those who endure unbearable suffering. It is for this reason, many countries have legalised euthanasia. I have seen people live with cancer; complications from diabetes; cruel manifestations of Alzheimer’s; and you know that life is not to be lived in such humiliating, painful situations. You then accept the arrival of death.

But with children, the soul is tormented when at such a tender age, with so much to give, so much to offer, so much to achieve, so much to change, children die in circumstances that are too hard to accept.

At the time of writing, the cause of the fire was not yet determined, but as I type these paragraphs, my mind flew onto the death of a friend, Latchie Kalicharran, one of Guyana’s cultural icons.

My understanding was as the fire spread at her home in Kitty, she could not get the windows opened because the windows and the doors were grilled. The door was also padlocked to the grill. This is always the problem with house fires.

I believe as a matter of safety, grilled windows should carry padlocks so you can open them and jump out of a burning building. All my windows and doors have padlocked grills. At the time of writing, I do not know if the building had or didn’t have smoke alarms. But I would like to think all school dormitories must have such.

The death of 20 children in a fire at their dor-

mitory at Mahdia is for a small population like Guyana, an incredibly painful incident. I think the mental burden will not escape any human in this country.

What are the lessons to learn? I don’t know the cause of the blaze but I will still write and say that all grilled window must have padlocks, and that smoke detectors must be a legal requirement for all dormitories throughout this country.

I am not a believer, so I should not say I pray, but I am praying it was not the fault of a defective instrument like a fan or a hair-dryer. A young lady on the East Bank of Demerara lost her life because while sleeping, her fan overheated and the house was engulfed. My deepest condolences to the people of Guyana, and the families and relatives of the victims.

Author honours achievements of Guyanese in new book

By Cassandra Khan

DENNIS Nelson Sr., a 76-year-old author, has created a book titled 'They Made Us Proud,' aimed at raising awareness about the achievements of Guyanese individuals in Guyana and around the world.

While this is not his first publication, 'They Made Us Proud' marks the first volume of his book series. Within its pages, readers will discover the stories of 68 outstanding individuals from various fields such as politics, literature, performing arts, sports, and music.

The inspiration behind the book struck Nelson when his father, Robert Nelson, passed away. A friend of his father's read the obituary and commented, “There is nothing much mentioned here about Robert, and especially for the people in New Amsterdam, it would take a book to do this.”

From those words, Nelson continued to think about how many other families have people with outstanding achievements that not many people know about, and so, the idea was born.

Compiling the book involved gathering information from various sources, including relatives of the featured individuals, and some even wrote their own stories.

Nelson and his team ensured the authenticity of the information. The book took a total of four years to complete.

The official launch of Nelson's book will occur at three locations on different dates. The first launch is scheduled for May 25, 2023, at the Molteenos Sports Club. The second

launch will be held on May 29, 2023, at 13:00hrs at the New Amsterdam Town Hall and on May 31, 2023, at 13:00hrs, the third launch will be held at the Linden Library.

For those interested, the book is available for US$20 (GYD 4,000).

Additionally, the first 15 buyers will receive special gifts.

According to Nelson's biography, he is the fifth son of Robert Alexander Nelson and Gladys Nelson. He was born in New Amsterdam Berbice, British Guiana, and attended Saint Ambrose Anglican Primary School.

Nelson then went to Guyana Oriental College and later joined the Government Technical Institute (GTI), where he was the only male student among 24 females in their first commercial education class.

After graduating from GTI, he started working at the Government Printery in the Typesetting Department in 1967. Subsequently, he left

CDC sends relief supplies to Mahdia fire survivors

THE Civil Defence Commission (CDC) on Monday sent a quantity of relief items to the town of Mahdia, which is currently mourning the loss of several children who perished in a dormitory fire.

According to a press release, the Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG), Comfort Sleep, Red Cross, and United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) donated a variety of items such as mattresses, food items, sanitary supplies, clothing and care packages.

More supplies are intended for the Region Eight town and will depart the CDC Headquarters at a later date.

Meanwhile, in a statement, the CIOG said that its donation which amounted to $1.5 million included a large quantity of clothing, hand sanitisers, Lysol wipes, soap and footwear.

The organisation expressed hope that the items will be of support to the emergency care and need that is at hand.

A team of senior personnel including the CDC's Director General, Col. Nazrul Hussain, is in Mahdia assessing the situation and is providing support.

the Government Printery to become a salesman for the International Telephone Directory Services. His responsibilities included compiling and printing Guyana's telephone directory.

Nelson's passion for printing led him to rejoin the newly formed Guyana Printers Limited in 1971.

Guyana Printers brought together the Guyana Lithographic Company, the Guyana Chronicle, and the Government Printery.

During that time, Guyana Printers Limited handled the printing of the daily and Sunday Chronicle newspapers, official government documents, books, and even the laws of Guyana.

Additionally, they prepared and printed other newspapers like the Catholic Standard, New Nation, Green Beret, Guymine News, and the Queens College Lictor.

Dennis worked at Guyana Printers Limited until 1975, when the government established Guyana National Newspapers Limited, separating commercial and newspaper printing.

He was chosen to train linotype operators for the newly acquired TTS machines. Later, he was appointed assistant production manager and occasionally acted as the production manager.

In August 1978, Nelson migrated to the United States and began working at R.S. Rosenbaum & Co., Ltd, a financial printing company, where he managed the typesetting and proofreading departments for 21 years. From 2002 to 2008, he owned and published a biweekly Caribbean newspaper called Caribbean Impact Inc. Moreover, from 2016 to 2017, he managed the New York Edition of the Guyana Chronicle.

Throughout his career, he has typeset and edited numerous books for Guyanese, Caribbean, and American authors. He was also selected by the Guyana Cultural Association Folk Festival 2006 awards committee to receive the prestigious Wordsworth McAndrew Award.

In December 2021, Dennis and his wife migrated to Georgia, and he is now a member of the Guyana Association of Georgia (GAOG). He hopes that his book about the people of Guyana will bring pleasure and new knowledge to every reader.

International community stands with Guyana in time of mourning

Dr. Carla Natalie Barnett, CARICOM SecretaryGeneral: This is an unimaginable loss

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has received with great sorrow the shocking news of the fire at the high school in the Guyanese town of Mahdia, where a number of children died.

We mourn with the families, friends and communities who are impacted by this horrifying event.

On behalf of CARICOM, I extend sincere condolences to the Government and people of Guyana.

We pray a speedy recovery for those injured and otherwise impacted and offer the support of CARICOM Member States as the community returns to normalcy.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you at this time of unimaginable loss.

Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados: You have my support

The news of the fire at the Mahdia Secondary School in Guyana, which claimed the lives of 19 children late last night, is truly a tragedy beyond words. To [President] Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, and the people of Guyana, I offer my sincere condolences, and offer my support during this difficult time.

Philip Brave Davis, Prime Minister of The Bahamas: United we

stand in this tragedy

I am deeply saddened by the devastating news of the fire at the Mahdia Secondary School dormitory in Guyana. On behalf of the people of The Bahamas, I extend our heartfelt condolences to President Irfaan Ali, the people of Guyana, and especially

to the families who have lost their precious children in this tragic incident.

As fellow members of CARICOM, we share not only common goals and aspirations but also the pain and suffering of one another. We stand united with you in mourning, and our thoughts and prayers are with the families who have lost their loved ones in this heartbreaking incident.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, United Arab Emirates: UAE stands in solidarity with Guyana over school fire

The UAE expressed its solidarity with the Co-operative Republic of Guyana over a fire that broke out in a residential building for students located south of the capital, Georgetown, which resulted in dozens of deaths and injuries.

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) expressed its sincere condolences and sympathy to the Government of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana and its people, as well as to the families of victims, and its wishes for a speedy recovery for all the injured.

The CIOG was among several organisations that donated supplies to the CDC for those who survived the horrific fire at Mahdia. (CDC photo)

The aftermath of the deadly

THESE photographs which were sourced from the social media pages of the Department of Public Information (DPI), Ministry of Education, Ministry of Home Affairs, the Office

of the Prime Minister and the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), capture the aftermath of Sunday’s deadly fire at the Mahdia Secondary School ’ s female dormitory

According to the latest update from officials , a five - year - old boy and 18 female students perished , while nine students were air-dashed to Georgetown for urgent medical care Others are hos-

pitalised at Mahdia Students from the Region Eight communities of Karisparu, El Paso, Micobie and Chenapao are accommodated in the school’s male and female dorms

deadly fire at Mahdia

THE University of Guyana (UG) on Monday extended sincere condolences to the people in Mahdia following the loss of lives and property and the trauma experienced as a result of the horrendous fire which claimed the lives of 19 children.

Institutionally, the University has immediately activated several mechanisms internally and externally aimed at ascertaining any students

and staff who may be directly affected. Several students have been identified already.

The University of Guyana will host a Vigil of Compassion from 6pm to 8pm tonight at George Walcott Lecture Theatre (GWLT) at the Turkeyen Campus.

Those wishing to join online may do so at https:// zoom.us/j/92423592766.

UG's Social Work Unit in the Faculty of Social Sciences

is supporting the Ministry of Education’s Welfare Unit and has reached out to other stakeholders they are collaborating with for practicum to determine how we may support them.

Members of the University Social Work Unit are set to accompany a Ministry of Education Welfare team.

UG’s Social Work graduates in the Mental Health Unit of the Ministry of Health

are on standby to travel. The Vice-Chancellor as Chair of UG's Mental Health Task Force convened a meeting at 12 noon on Monday with UG’s College of Behavioural Sciences and Research (CoBRES), Institute of Resiliency, Inclusion Unit and Social Work Departments on development of an emergency mental plan for quick

deployment which includes support to first responders.

Additionally, Dean of UG’s College of Behavioural Sciences and Research (CoBRES), Dr Katija Khan in her capacity as President of the Caribbean Alliance of National Psychological Associations, also pledged support and that of their Disaster Mental Health Committee in any way needed at this time.

UG’s College of Medical Sciences is also mobilising to lend additional medical support at the location so that there are no interrupted medical services; mental health nursing specialists are required, as well as the

Amerindian Studies Unit in the Faculty of Education and Humanities.

Mahdia fire: UG extends support, deploys specialist teams

The University is also requesting the exercise of sensitivity and compassion in not sharing and circulating photos, videos and images of this terrible event. The University is requesting that any civil society, religious or other entities wishing to partner or in need of support to kindly reach out using email fixyg@uog.edu.gy or WhatsApp: 5926427273. The University’s response continues to develop.

Woman dies after smash-up at Camp and Church Streets

POLICE are investigating a fatal accident that occurred on Sunday at about 23:00 hours at Camp and Church Streets, Georgetown, which resulted in the death of Natisha Natalie Fernandes, a 30-year-old Kitty resident.

According to a press release, the accident involved motor car # PAD 8395 owned and driven by Shawn Phillip Parasram, 34, and motor car # PTT 7041 owned and driven by Sheik Rahman, 63, with Ronda Holder, 30, and Fernandes as occupants.

“Enquiries disclosed that motor car PAD 8395 was proceeding east on the southern side of Church Street and on the approach at the intersection of Church and Camp Streets, where a traffic light is erected and was flashing red

in his direction, the driver of motor car # PAD 8395 failed to stop at the intersection and collided to the right rear portion of motor car# PTT 7041 which was proceeding south on the eastern drive lane of Camp Street. As a result of the collision, both vehicles were damaged extensively,” police said in its release.

The driver and occupants of motor car # PTT 7041 were transported to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation where Fernandes succumbed to her injuries while receiving medical attention.

Her body is currently at the Georgetown Public Hospital Mortuary awaiting a post-mortem examination.

According to the release, Holder and Rahman are currently receiving medical atten-

tion at the GPHC. Parasram was escorted by the police to the St. Joseph Mercy Hospital to receive medical attention. The scene was visited by ranks of the Brickdam Traffic Department.

“A breathalyzer test was done on the driver of motor car # PAD 8395 and the results showed 14 per cent and 33 per cent BAC and the driver of motor car # PTT 7041 -- the results showing 3 per cent and 6 per cent BAC,” the release added.

Both vehicles are currently at Alberttown Police Station and will to be examined by a Licensing and Certifying Officer.

Further investigations are ongoing.

APA’s call for suspension of Guyana’s carbon credits rejected

The following is the full statement from the Office of the Vice President:

THE Government of Guyana welcomes the conclusion of the independent ARTTREES grievance process and the rejection of the complaint made by the Amerindian Peoples’ Association (APA), including the associated call by the APA for the suspension of Guyana’s ARTTREES carbon credits.

As has been confirmed by the independent grievance process, the APA’s claims that it had not been appropriately consulted on Guyana’s ARTTREES issuance process were verifiably false.

The APA’s complaint had been made without the knowledge or support of any Indigenous communities in Guyana, and without even the knowledge or support of any of their elected leaders. Once the existence of the complaint was made public (by other parties, not by the APA), not a single Indigenous community supported it.

It is to their credit that the National Toshaos’ Council (NTC) spoke up on behalf of Indigenous communities to ensure that their voices would be heard. The NTC is comprised of leaders from every Indigenous community in Guyana.

Those leaders are elected by their own communities, unlike those of the APA.

The NTC continues to speak up on behalf of communities across the country, including raising issues with the Government to ensure that communities receive the benefits from the sale of carbon credits that they rightly expected.

Now that the APA’s complaint has been rejected, we hope that individuals and families who live in our indigenous villages and communities will be freed from the worry that their expected benefits will be jeopardised.

Guyana has earned US$150 million in payments

from the sale of ART-TREES credits for the year 2023. Some 85 per cent of this money is being invested in multi-community and national priorities identified by stakeholders during the seven-month consultation on the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030, while 15 per cent - or GY$4.7 billion – has been directly transferred to village bank accounts for investment in village plans, put together by villages themselves. This programme will see continuous financing flows to villages. A total of 242 communities are putting those plans together, and over 80 have already been completed to the standards required by

village-led processes.

In all cases, the village processes must culminate with a vote of approval from at least two-thirds of all adult villagers present at village meetings (in many villages, support has been unanimous). All 242 communities have their own carbon credit bank accounts and finance committees chosen by villagers and community members.

On Thursday, May 18, the first 13 villages received a total of GY$187 million as they mobilise to invest in areas

identified by community members. These include priorities as varied as building shade houses, improving local guesthouses for tourism, supporting cassava farming, providing craft classes and purchasing village tractors.

Now that the call for their revenues to be suspended has clearly been rejected, communities can rest assured that their plans for unprecedented levels of financing will be realised.

This ends an unnecessary and negative attempt to override the freely expressed desire

of communities to continue to participate in a process started in 2009 with the world’s first Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) from a developing country. The process continues and the Government of Guyana hopes that all stakeholders who wish to do so will continue to engage with the LCDS 2030 as it continually evolves, and the country plots a development pathway to 2030 that values all Guyanese.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER

(Tuesday May 23, 2023)

COMPLIMENTS OF CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD

- 83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158)

Answers to yesterday’s quiz:

(1) Dinesh Karthik: 18 – 14 catches; four stumpings (RCB)

(2) 215* for the second wicket: Virat Kohli & A B De Villiers (RCB vs MI)

Today’s Quiz:

(1) Who is the first player to contest 100 IPL games?

(2) How many IPL games Sachin Tendulkar played? How many runs he scored?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

RACING TIPS

South Africa Racing Tips

Turffontein

08:25 hrs Qhawe Lami

09:00 hrs Laetitia’s

Angel

09:35 hrs Aussenkehr

10:05 hrs Escape Artist

10:35 hrs Rade

American Racing Tips

Finger Lakes

Race 1 Conformist

Race 2 Cousin Greg

Race 3 Albany Yates

Race 4 Preferred Outcome

Race 5 Hyper Speed

Race 7 Wartapped

Irish Racing Tips

Gowan Park

11:35 hrs Khafaaq

12:10 hrs Mashia

12:40 hrs Skyquake

13:10 hrs Cuban Dawn

13:40 hrs

Everylittlestep

14:10 hrs

14:40 hrs

English Racing Tips Wolverhampton

09:10 hrs

West Indies ‘A’ looking to build on showing

(CANAnews) - A confident West Indies ‘A’ will be looking to build on their impressive showing last week when they face Bangladesh ‘A’ in the second four-day “Test” starting here Tuesday.

The tourists produced a strong batting effort to take command of the contest before mustering two incisive bowling efforts which nearly took them to victory, as the hosts held on grimly to force a draw.

“The goal in the second game is to continue trying to get better, in terms of how we performed in the first game,” head coach Rayon Griffith said, ahead of the fixture at the Sylhet International Stadium 2.

“It could be a different ball game but we have to go back and assess and try and build – have a good start, have that intent in our cricket and continue that pattern

that we played [in the first game].”

Specialist batsmen Kirk McKenzie, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Alick Athanaze and Joshua Da Silva all scored half-centuries in the opening “Test”, with tail-ender Kevin Sinclair chipping in with an unbeaten 50 as West Indies ‘A’ piled up 427 for seven declared in their first innings.

Fast bowler Jair McAllister then thrived with a five-wicket haul as the hosts were dismissed for 264. With the follow-on enforced, he picked up another brace of wickets to put West Indies ‘A’ in a strong position to force a win.

“I thought we played well. We had a good start. I think Kirk and ‘Tage’ … played well in terms of leaving the ball and playing balls they needed to play at,” Griffith said.

“And they had a plat-

form in terms of setting up a 130-run partnership for the first wicket, which allowed the team to build on that.

“It was pleasing to see we had three 100 partnerships in the batting department, so that is a good sign.”

He continued: “In the bowling department, I was impressed with the seamers – the seamers were actually aggressive. The aggression is what I would take away from the first game, at least trying to be aggressive to the Bangladeshi batters – especially Jair.

“[He] bowled with some pace and actually bowled some good lengths as well.”

Griffith said while there was a layer of grass on the pitch similar to the first game, the surface appeared harder, and this factor would play a role in determining the final XI.

“This one looks dif-

GRFU appoints Butts 7s coach

THE Guyana Rugby Football Union (GRFU) has appointed former 'Green Machine' Captain Claudius Butts, as the under-23 and senior men's Sevens head coach.

This announcement was made last Friday during a press briefing by the GRFU at GT MotorSports on Albert Street and Thomas Lands, and this appointment is timely, since it will give Butts enough time to prepare his troops for the Grenada World Rugby Sevens this December.

Speaking to the media, Butts mentioned that, "Moving forward,

it’s going to be a very strange team that will include some very good talent that definitetly need nurturing.

"Off the ground, there are certain aspects I'd like to work on including speed, fitness, decision making and technical support. I'm also looking forward to the full support of all stakeholders."

The Ryan Dey-headed GRFU also announced that Theodore Henry will be continuing as Strength Trainer, while Kevin McKenzie will provide technical support.

Patron of the GRFU, “Kit” Nascimento, ap -

ferent to the first game. It is not as dry – it seems to be a lot harder. So it’s a little something we have to think about concerning our combination going into this game.”

The game gets underway at 10am (midnight Monday, Eastern Caribbean time).

SQUADS:

BANGLADESH –

Afif Hossain Dhrubo (captain), Zakir Hasan, Shadman Islam, Mohammed Saif Hasan, Md Naim Sheikh, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Irfan Sukkur, Shahadat Hossain Dipu, Naeem Hasan, Tanvir Islam, Rishad Hossain, Mushfique Hasan, Khaled Ahmed, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Ripon Mondol.

WEST INDIES –

Joshua DaSilva (captain), Alick Athanaze, Yannic Cariah, Keacy Carty, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Tevin Imlach, Akeem Jordan, Brandon King, Jair McAllister, Zachary McCaskie, Kirk McKenzie, Gudakesh Motie, Anderson Phillip, Raymon Reifer, Kevin Sinclair.

pealed for support from the corporate community. He posited that, "We [Rugby] are trying our best to start from scratch, but the main ingredient is financial support from both government and corporate Guyana."

"In our glory days, Guyana had won regional Sevens tournament for four consecutive years, but unfortunately, the sport has faded locally. We want to return to that success."

“Kit” further mentioned that we can produce the best team in the world, but if there is no financing it will all be for nothing.

GOA continues sponsorship of PE teacher

THE executive committee of the Guyana Olympic Association has continued the sponsorship of Mr Willon Cameron, the Physical Education Teacher at President's College, who is pursuing a Sports Coaching degree at the University of the West Indies Open Campus.

During the last semester, Mr Cameron completed four courses: SPKN 2102 Exercise Physiology 1, SPKN 2104 Motor Control & Motor Learning, SPKN 2107 Sport & Exercise Biomechanics, and SPKN 2108 Pharmacology & Doping in Sport.

Mr Cameron shared his experiences with the executives during a recent meeting on Wednesday, 17th May, 2023.

He shared that in Exercise Physiology the class spent a lot of time understanding how to assess fitness and how the body responds

to exercise, in Motor Control and Motor Learning and they were able to understand the processes involved in learning and developing skill. Sport and Exercise Biomechanics was about understanding movement and forces associated with the body and sport and in Pharmacology and Doping in Sport they studied the WADA standards and discussed the mechanism of actions for various banned substances.

The executive committee congratulated Mr Cameron on his GPA after having completed year one, which was 3.92, and on his making the honours roll in both semesters.

In the upcoming summer semester, he plans to undertake three courses, SPCH 2001 Sport Coaching and Learning, SPCH 2010 Coaching Practicum 2, and SPCH 3010 Coaching Practicum 3.

At the handing-over ceremony at Olympic House, Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown, the executive

GFF sends support to families of Madhia fire victims

THE Guyana Football

committee wished Mr Cameron continued success in his studies.

Return of the Scorpions Boxing card

Coach Blake talks about female participation

By Sean Devers

FOUR female bouts are Carded on the Bris-O Promotions ‘return of the Scorpion’ Pro-Am boxing extravaganza which is set for June 3 at the National Gymnasium.

Among the female bouts will be the Jackman sisters Alisha and Abiola who will trade punches with a Jamaican and Trinidadian, respectively.

Sebert Blake, who coaches the siblings at the FYF Gym in Albouystown, provided his thoughts on the sisters and female boxing in Guyana.

Blake who quit Boxing at the age of 27 after returning from an unsuccessful Olympic Qualifiers, said that in addition to the Jackman siblings there will a junior female clash between Tafina Barker and Akela Vancooten.

“These two young ladies are very good prospects for the future of female boxing. One of the worries is

getting more females boxers involved and Coach Blake said the President of the GBA wants more females in boxing.

“This is why we want these females to showcase their talent in the ring. One of the young ladies competing is a National U-20 footballer and she is 15 years old. She started boxing from very young but this would be [her] first bout. Because of her ability we wanted to put her in [the] ring to show that Guyana has depth in female boxing,” Blake informed.

“Also, we [GBA] want to encourage other young ladies to come on board and enjoy the sport. This programme that the President has set out has lots of potential to attract a multitude of ladies,” Blake continued.

“The main difficulty with have [sic] boxing in schools starts with the stigma that this sport will have some negative effect on the kids, like getting hit on the head and damaging their brain for life. The sport of boxing can get into the school system

Federation

(GFF)

President Wayne Forde has sent the federation’s condolences to the families and friends of the 19 students who tragically died on Monday morning in the Mahdia Secondary School Dormitory fire.

“The Guyana Football Federation sends deepest condolences to the families of the students who died in the Mahdia Secondary School Dormitory fire on Sunday. It is hard to fathom the pain that you are going through at this time. The loss of a child is something that no parent should ever have to endure. I am deeply sorry for your loss. As a father, I cannot begin to imagine your pain and suffering at this moment. Your loved ones were taken from us far too soon, and their untimely passing is felt deeply by all of us,” he shared on behalf of Guyana’s football fraternity.”

Reports are that the fire started shortly before midnight on May 21 and quickly spread throughout the building housing students from remote villages in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni).

because there is something called School Boxing. Why we call it school boxing is because it’s non-contact; like in Karate it’s called Kata.

“A few years ago, I developed a programme to introduce boxing into the school system but we never got to that level for Education Ministry to bring that sports. But hopefully that can happen in the future.

“We have to talk with the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Sport. But we do have a plan for a proposal to send to them to get boxing into schools as a non-contact sport.” Coach Blake explained.

“One reason they [the Jackman sisters] are missing out on quality sparring is because the boxing culture (among women in Guyana) is non-existent.

In Guyana, there is a stigma in women's boxing...

President Forde added that the GFF is ready to offer support to the families in their time of grief and that his thoughts and prayers are also with those who were injured in the fire.

“They were young, full of life, and had so much potential ahead of them. It is a tragedy that they were taken from us before they could fully realise their dreams. I know that no words can ever truly ease the pain that you are feeling right now. But please know that you are not alone in your grief. The entire nation is mourning with you, and we are here to offer any support and comfort that you may need. Our thoughts and prayers are also with the children who were injured in the fire.”

“May the love and strength of family and friends surround you during this difficult time. We will always remember your children and the impact they had on our lives. They will forever be in our hearts and memories. May their souls rest in peace.”

about hurting their face… head injuries and so on. They work a lot with each other since they are sisters. But it's mostly like an exhibition and nowhere close to competition," said Blake, an IBA three-star coach.

"Hopefully, we can take these videos of the performances back to Guyana and broadcast it [sic] back home so that some of the youngsters are able to see it and would be inspired to join the sport. We want to spread that message as much as possible," said Blake

"I'm hoping for them to qualify for the Olympics, but it's an uphill task for 2024. We are looking at 2028 and beyond. I believe the two girls have the ability and if they are nurtured in the right direction, we can make 2028 for sure," Blake disclosed.

From left to right: Assistant Secretary of the Guyana Olympic Association, Ms Emelia Ramdhani; Mr Willon Cameron receives his cheque from Vice-President Philip Fernandes. On the right is Mr Garfield Wiltshire, Treasurer of the GOA executive committee

Coach Sebert Blake

Oceaneering U-14 Indoor Hockey League Day two…

Big wins for Cummings Lodge

FIRST-TIME participants

Cummings Lodge Secondary School (CLSS) produced a stunning performance as the second day of the Oceaneering U-14 Indoor Hockey League concluded on Friday last.

With Cummings Lodge entering two girls’ teams in their first-ever competition, it was the CLSS Samurais who tasted their first victory with a defeat of Richard Ishmael Secondary School by 8 to 1.

All eight of the Samurai’s goals were scored by the standout female player of the day, Sarysha Phillips.

It was the CLSS Scouts turn next, and they also came out victorious by edging past North Ruimveldt Multilateral by 2-0 and returned later

to defeat Richard Ishmael, (RISS) Top Shelf Titans, by 4 – 2.

Keitana Percival was the outstanding player for the Scouts and scored two goals in each match. Kadence Belony meanwhile scored all six goals for the GCC Challengers to give them an easy victory over Hikers Junior Jets.

In the boys competiton, YMCA Old Fort led by an eight-goal tally by Richard Marques, dominated the RISS Blade Running by 10 - 0. The GCC Outlaws meanwhile had their hands full against the SHC Minnions, and narrowly escaped with a 3-2 victory in one of the most exciting matches of the

afternoon.

Girls Competition:

CLSS Scouts - 9 points

GCC Challengers - 4

SHC Sensations – 3

CLSS Samurais – 3

RISS Top Shelf Titans – 1

Hikers Junior Jets - 0

Multi - 0

Boys Competition:

GCC Outlaws – 6

YMCA Old Fort – 3

SHC Minions – 3

GCC Pitbulls – 0

Multi – 0

RISS Blade Running - 0

The league will pause next Friday due to the Independence Day holiday and continues Friday June 2nd at Marian Academy.

CWI Coaching Education Programme concludes in Guyana … 25 complete Level One; 23 complete Level Two courses

CRICKET West Indies (CWI) wrapped up its Coaching Education Courses at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, on Sunday with 25 persons completing the Level One course and 23 completing the Level Two aspect.

The courses commenced with the CWI Level Two Coaching Course last Thursday and the CWI Level One Coaching Course on Friday.

The CWI Level Two Coaching Certification Course had 23 candidates, including Ravi Rampaul, Anthony Bramble, and Assad Fudadin, as well as two females in Nadine Smith and Karishma Ramnauth. The Coach Developers for this Level Two Course were Ryerson Bhagoo, Keshava Rampaul, and Ryan

Hercules.

The CWI Level Two Coaching Certificate is expected to be used for training at the senior club level, Female and Male Under-19 Regional Tournaments, Female and Male Under-17 Regional Tournaments, and Female and Male Under-15 Regional Tournaments, Upper School’s District Cricket (e.g. Cricket training and competitions for Lower Six and Upper Six forms, and other vocational schools for youths older than fifth-form age), and Girl’s preparations camps.

The certified coaches at this level are generally referred to as CWI Representative Coaches.

The CWI Level One Coaching Certification Course which was held at GNS, Providence,

from May 19, 2023, to May 21, 2023, had 25 candidates, including national female player Erva Giddings. Two other females, Rhonda Jones and Sonia Benn participated in this course. The Coach Developers were Brendon Ramlal and Junie Mitcham. They were ably assisted by the GCB’s Territorial Development Officer, Colin Stuart.

The CWI Level One Coaching Certificate is expected to be used for training at the junior club level, at the community level involving adolescents playing the game of cricket, Primary to middle school competition (First to Fifth form of Secondary and High Schools), as well as camps.

The certified coaches at this level are generally referred to as CWI Competition Coaches.

The CWI Coaching Education Courses provide individuals with an opportunity to learn and develop contemporary coaching philosophies and techniques that will allow them to thrive in the training and competition environments from Under-11 to senior-level cricket activities.

Further, the CWI Foundation Coaching Certificate is expected to be used for entry-level training activities for children, ages six years old to 11 years old, including Primary School cricket. The certified coaches at this level are generally referred to as the CWI Foundation Coaches.

Additionally, the CWI Level Three Coaching Certificate is expected to be used for training and competition for West Indies senior teams, West Indies ‘A’

and ‘B’ teams, including President X1 matches and training assignments, Franchise Cricket, CPL matches and training assignments, and West Indies Aged Group teams. The certified coaches at this level are generally referred to as CWI High-Performance Coaches.

Apart from the need for successful participation and/or assessment for certification at all levels in the CWI Coaching Education pathway, individuals are required to have a First Aid Certificate, Child Protection Certificate, and a valid Police Clearance for the applicable certification.

In relation to the CWI Coaching Education Courses which concluded on Sunday, May 21, 2023, the GCB

President Bissoodyal Singh expressed his happiness, and that of the GCB executives, in the interest shown by the participants of both the CWI Level One and Two courses. He indicated that the GCB is of the view that the information shared on recommended coaching approaches will aid the knowledge base and “know-how” of the coaches. Further, he specified that the enhanced capacities of the coaches will enable them to effectively intervene in the growth of the players, in a manner that acknowledges their unique characteristics, and creativity, to build on the special West

Indian flare and glamour of playing the lovely game of cricket.

Kyle Couchman

(Centre Left) Coach Developers Ryerson Bhagoo, Ryan Hercules and Keshava Ramphal flanked by CWI Level Two Coaching Course Candidates (Missing is Ravi Rampaul, Anthony Bramble and Assad Fudadin)

Coach Developers Junie Mitcham and Brendon Ramlal are seated in front of Assistant Coach Developer Colin Stuart are flanked by CWI Level Coaching Course Candidates, May 21, 2023

West Indies ‘A’ looking to build on showing GRFU appoints Butts 7s coach

Fast bowler Jair McAllister

Claudius Butts has been named the under-23 and senior men's Sevens head coach

Theodore Henry will be continuing as Strength Traine

Kevin McKenzie will provide Technical Support