Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 24-05-2024

dire consequences for perpetrators, delays, Dr. Jagdeo says

Aunty Hamidan Bacchus, of Cotton Field, Essequibo, celebrated her 100th Birthday with her family, and friends on Thursday

Over 115 Lindeners, who were allocated house lots in Amelia’s Ward-Fitz Hope housing area, signed their agreements, thereby paving the way to process their Certificates of Title PG

‘They could talk a lot but never deliver’

— Dr Jagdeo flays Opposition for attempting to encourage Guyanese to boycott flag-raising ceremony

By Trina Williams

ALTHOUGH Independence Day stands as a historic anniversary for all Guyanese, opposition operatives are seeking to politicise this significant celebration by urging citizens to boycott the flag-raising ceremony, which is set to be held in Region Ten (Upper Demerara-Berbice) this weekend.

People’s Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo flayed those detractors of development, and pointed out that this action is the “latest manifestation of their racism and victim mentality”.

During a press conference at the party’s headquarters on Thursday, he brought to light

a flyer that has wormed its way into households throughout Linden.

The flyer contains “ten reasons” why the people of Linden and Region Ten should not support the Independence Day activity.

This sort of tactic does not come as a surprise to Dr. Jagdeo, as he highlighted: “I recall when it went to Essequibo, people from Linden; the executives of the PNC said, ‘Why take it to Essequibo? PPP is taking it to their support base.’ Now that it’s going to Region Ten, they’ve urged people not to attend.”

Further, while the government has injected tremendous investments within the region, the flyer says that despite a significant increase in

the national budget allocation, the PPP has not completed any transformational projects within the region.

On that score, Dr. Jagdeo decided to highlight facts which state otherwise.

While the flyer says that the government has installed an “eight-member Board of Guardians (all Indians),” the PPP General Secretary stated that this is untrue.

While noting that it is not even eight but seven members, Dr. Jagdeo said that there are only two Indo-Guyanese on the Board.

“...They put in bracket all Indians; most people don’t know who the members of the Board of Guardians are. Just imagine if you live in Linden and you see this,

you would actually think it’s true. The fact of the matter is that of the seven members, two are Indo-Guyanese; the rest are made up of Afro-Guyanese, people of mixed descent, and Amerindians,” he said.

The government had installed groups of persons that were specifically tasked with reviewing applications for public assistance within their respective catchment areas, and they are referred to as the “Board of Guardians”.

Another untruth was that the PPP was unable to complete the synthetic track.

Dr. Jagdeo explained that this project was a failure on the part of the APNU+AFC Government, and they were constantly deceiving Guyanese by claiming that the project would be

finished by 2018. Then, when that deadline was missed, they then set it to 2019.

However, it was revealed that the synthetic material was never even paid for; that it was the PPP, which, upon taking office, pursued its completion, while developing other sports facilities within Region Ten.

“When we got into office, they didn’t even pay for the synthetic track. If you check the payment when it was done, it was done under this government... But we didn’t leave it at the synthetic track; we put in, on the same ground, FIFA-compliant lights, so you can play international football in that area,” he said.

He also said that two stands are being constructed, with one being $130 million and the

other $150 million.

In response to that bold accusation by opposition operatives, the PPP General Secretary said: “They have a unique; an uncanny capability of not being able to complete anything. They can talk a lot but never could deliver on a real project.”

Responding to the claim that the government suspended the Linden Enterprise Network (LEN) Board, Dr. Jagdeo said it was created when he was serving as Finance Minister, noting that the project was left on the backburners under the APNU+AFC administration.

“So, we left the LEN programme functioning; APNU bankrupt it,” he said, while listing other incentives that the PPP rolled out that bolstered economic growth within the region. Additionally, he pointed out how the housing sector has seen new heights under the ruling PPP government.

“We got into government, we had to buy land, a plantation next to Linden on which we are doing 1,000 plots of land for the people of Linden. In Amelia’s Ward, another 400 lots… and we are spending nearly 600 million there...That’s 1,400 people who will get a plot of land or a core home from this government,” the PPP General Secretary said.

PPP General Secretary Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo

Gov’t mulls ‘sting’ operations to tackle procurement breaches

— dire consequences for perpetrators, delays, Dr. Jagdeo says

By Naomi Parris

THE Government of Guyana plans to conduct ‘sting’ operations to clamp down on officers and other personnel who engage in procurement breaches.

This was revealed by Peoples Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary and Guyana’s Vice-President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo at a news conference at his party’s Georgetown Headquarters on Thursday.

Dr. Jagdeo told local journalists that the government has undertaken a review of the procurement system at every level.

“Let me put on notice all of those people who are responsible for procurement in public corporations, statutory bodies, the ministries, the regions, central ministry, everywhere, all the way to the National Tender Board,” the General Secretary said firmly.

“Let me make it clear, if we find that those officers are skirting the provisions of the procurement law, then there shall be consequences for them, because too often we hear people come and they complain that in some remote parts of this country, somebody is doing something,” he said.

The government, he also related, will be scrutinising delays in processing contract payments, and dishonest supervisory on projects.

expended money, and they have to run there to these czars who are processing people,” Dr. Jagdeo said.

He added: “I am forewarning them; so, if you have been engaged in these practices and get caught, don’t come and later complain you have two kids or something else or you belong to some party.”

Back in April, the government had clamped down on delinquent contractors for delayed works.

sions, we will issue a letter today, instructing that the liquidated damages be instituted immediately. We cannot tolerate this; liquidated damages must be instituted,” the Head of State had stressed.

The government, he related, is examining the procurement procedures for compliance, and activities for compliance with the laws.

If persons are found to be in breach of the law, Dr. Jagdeo affirmed, they will be held accountable.

“People have to run there ten times; they have completed the work. They have to run 10-15 times to get money for work that they already did. Sometimes they have bank loans; sometimes they have other issues to deal with, because they have

President Dr. Irfaan Ali had then instructed all relevant ministries and agencies to issue letters for liquidated damages to contractors for delayed projects.

“All the projects that are beyond the contracted time, where they have exhausted justified exten-

Several massive infrastructural projects are underway across the country. These include the rehabilitation of small community roads, and the construction of major highways and bridges, among other initiatives geared at improving the lives of all Guyanese. Liquidated damages are an exact amount of money, or a set formula, to calculate the amount of money a party will owe if it breaches a contract, or fails deliver on a contract.

Full Court throws out Magistrate Clarke’s appeal

— awards Attorney-General costs in sum of $200,000

ON Thursday, the Full Court of Demerara dismissed Magistrate Tameika Clarke’s attempt to challenge a decision by Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George, S.C., who had awarded her damages and costs totalling nearly $1 million for the breach of her fundamental right to liberty.

Late last year, Clarke, who was an attorney-at-law in private practice at the time, had appealed the Chief Justice's November 17, 2023 decision, which ordered the AttorneyGeneral to pay her $700,000 in damages, and $250,000 in costs for the contravention.

Clarke was detained for less than an hour by Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) officers on October 28, 2022, at SOCU’s

Attorney-General Anil Nandlall, S.C.

Headquarters on Camp Street, Georgetown, while she was there accompanying a client. She had filed a Fixed Date Application (FDA), suing the Attorney-General for breaching her fundamental right to liberty pursuant to Article 139

of the Constitution of Guyana, and sought declaratory orders and damages relating to her detention.

At the time of the incident, Attorney-General Anil Nandlall, S.C., had issued a public apology, and made several offers to settle

the matter out of court, in an effort to avoid protracted litigation. However, these were rejected by Clarke.

The matter came up for hearing on June 12, 2023 before the Chief Justice, and Nandlall conceded liability on the part of the State, leaving only the question of compensation to be determined.

Then, on November 17, 2023, following submissions by both parties, Justice George determined the issue,

and ordered that an apology be made by the SOCU rank to Clarke, and awarded to Clarke $700,000 as damages and costs of $250,000.

In the Full Court, on Thursday, Nandlall objected to the jurisdiction of the Full Court to hear the appeal, arguing that the appeal should have been filed in the Court of Appeal.

His argument was that the matter related to a final decision of the High Court in the exercise of its juris -

diction on matters of enforcement of fundamental rights and freedoms.

After hearing submissions from both sides, the Full Court upheld the Attorney General’s jurisdictional objection ruling that the appeal should have been directed to the Court of Appeal. The Full Court also awarded the Attorney General costs of $200,000. Clarke was sworn in as a Magistrate in February of this year. Before the Full Court, the Attorney General appeared in person, leading State lawyers, Shoshanna Lall, Laurel Dundas, Aruna Budhram, and Ismat Bacchus. Clarke was represented by Attorneys-at-Law Nigel Hughes and Shawn Shewram.

PPP General Secretary and Vice-President of Guyana Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo

Magistrate Tameika Clarke

US labour market remains strong; housing market losing momentum

THE number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits fell last week, pointing to underlying strength in the labour market that should continue to support the economy.

The second straight weekly decline in claims reported by the Labour Department on Thursday unwound most of the jump at the start of the month, which had lifted applications to a level last seen at the end of August. Though job growth is slowing as a result of hefty Federal Reserve interest rate hikes in 2022 and 2023, layoffs remain very low.

"Claims settled down from the previous week, so the acceleration some had feared hasn't come to pass," said Robert Frick, corporate econ-

omist at Navy Federal Credit Union. "The labour market remains robust, and if claims are the canary in the coal mine for jobs, it has yet to develop a mild cough."

Initial claims for state unemployment benefits dropped 8,000 to a seasonally adjusted 215,000 for the week ended May 18. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast 220,000 claims in the latest week. There were notable declines in filings in California and Indiana. Companies are generally holding on to their workers after experiencing difficulties finding labour during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. That was underscored by a survey from S&P Global on Thursday showing a

moderation in the pace of decline in employment at factories and services businesses in May.

The flash employment PMI climbed to 49.9 this month from a reading of 48.4 in April amid a rebound in manufacturing headcount. Services sector employment, however, remained soft in part due to worker shortages. A reading below 50 indicates contraction in private sector employment.

Last month's decline, which pushed the index into contraction territory for the first time since June 2020, sparked fears among some economists that a deterioration in labour market conditions was around the corner.

The U.S. central bank has raised its policy rate by 525 basis points since March 2022 to slow demand in the economy.

Minutes of the Fed's April 30-May1 poli -

cy meeting published on Wednesday showed officials assessed that "demand and supply in the labour market, on net, were continuing to come into better balance, though at a slower rate." But they also noted that conditions had "generally remained tight."

The Fed has kept its benchmark overnight interest rate in a 5.25%5.50% range since July. Financial markets expect the first rate cut will come in September.

Stocks on Wall Street were trading higher. The dollar was steady versus a basket of currencies. U.S. Treasury prices fell.

The claims data covered the period during which the government surveyed employers for the nonfarm payrolls component of May's employment report. Claims rose slightly between the April and May survey weeks.

Data next week on the number of people

receiving benefits after an initial week of aid, a proxy for hiring, could offer more clarity on the labour market.

The economy added 175,000 jobs in April.

The so-called continuing claims rose 8,000 to a seasonally adjusted 1.794 million during the week ending May 11, the claims report showed. Continuing claims are at historically low levels.

"There is absolutely no sign that the labour market is unraveling in a major way," said Christopher Rupkey, chief economist at FWDBONDS. "There is no reason for businesses to reduce the headcount at their firms any further because the economy continues to perform relatively well given the degree of monetary restraint the Fed has put in place to fight inflation."

However, higher mortgage rates and rising home prices have taken the shine off the housing market after a strong performance in the first quarter.

New home sales dropped 4.7% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 634,000 units in April, the Commerce Department's Census Bureau said in a third report.

The sales pace for March was revised lower to 665,000 units from the previously reported 693,000 units. The government revised the sales, inventory and months supply data going back to January 2019.

New home sales, which account for about 13.3% of U.S. home

sales, declined 7.7% on a year-on-year basis in April. That was the first year-on-year drop since March 2023.

The data followed news on Wednesday that existing home sales fell last month. Government data last week showed single-family housing starts and building permits fell in April. Homebuilder confidence deteriorated considerably this month.

The average rate on the popular 30-year fixed-rate mortgage increased through April, pushing back above 7%, data from mortgage finance agency Freddie Mac showed.

The median new house price increased 3.9% to $433,500 in April from a year ago. Most of the new homes sold last month were in the $300,000-$499,999 price range. The government updated the sales price range groups to better reflect the current distribution of new home prices.

There were 480,000 new homes on the market at the end of April, up from 470,000 units in March. Houses under construction accounted for the bulk of inventory. At April's sales pace it would take 9.1 months to clear the supply of houses on the market, up from 8.5 months in March.

"Rising inventories mean homebuilding will likely slow in the second half of the year," said Bill Adams, chief economist at Comerica Bank. "The broader economy is in pretty good shape." (Reuters)

Global supply chain issues need global solutions

IT is somewhat fortuitous that the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development is hosting the first-ever Global Supply Chain conference in Barbados this week, as citizens in countries around the world, particularly Small Island Developing States (SIDS), continue to feel the brunt of high inflation and increasing cost of living.

Economists have done various analyses on the determinants of the high cost of living positing the problem is ineffective policy, poor governance and even existential shocks. Whatever the research reveals, the undeniable fact is that it is increasingly difficult for the average citizen to maintain an acceptable standard of living and a key contributor to this is the disruption being experienced in the global supply chains.

A global solution is therefore needed to this global crisis.

The Global Supply Chain conference is understandingly being held against the backdrop of several global challenges including:

Unprecedented disruptions to global trade: COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, geopolitical tensions.

The lack of resilience and sustainability in global supply chains, especially for developing countries.

Disproportionately affected vulnerable economies, particularly SIDS and Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs).

The COVID-19 crisis caused a 1.5 per cent increase in global consumer prices due to higher maritime transport costs, with an even greater impact (7.5 per cent increase) on SIDS. Both businesses and consumers have been adversely affected by the disruption in supply chains.

Financial consequences for businesses include:

Escalating Costs: Disruptions have led to increased production costs.

Revenue Loss: Delays in delivering products translate to lost sales and revenue. Dissatisfied customers may switch to competitors, impacting future sales.

To combat the cost to

businesses, firms have considered sourcing materials from alternative, potentially more expensive, suppliers; expediting shipping to meet deadlines, incurring higher transportation costs; and temporarily halting production due to material shortages, leading to lost productivity. All of these factors will erode profit margins.

The consequences for consumers include:

Higher Cost of Living: The increased cost of production due to supply chain disruptions gets passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices for goods.

Product Shortages: Disruptions lead to stockouts and limited availability of certain products.

Longer Waiting Times: Delays in getting products from factories to stores result in longer wait times for consumers.

One key point noted from the first day of the UNCTAD conference is the role of small and medium enterprises in supply chains. This sector is arguably the engine of growth for economies and more so, the catalyser for social justice and enfranchisement of societies’ vulnerable –women and the youth. The conference therefore underscored “the difficulties faced by SMEs in accessing global supply chains and the necessity of financial inclusion to support their participation. Programmes aimed at upgrading technology and decarbonising SME operations were mentioned as ways to help

these businesses enter export markets and comply with increasingly stringent environmental standards”. Several small business administrators and business owners agreed with the conference’s summation and opined that the provision of adequate financial resources is needed to build resilient and sustainable SMEs. The addition of the digital transformation agenda further compounds the capacity vulnerabilities of small businesses to navigate supply chain disruptions.

The deleterious impact of such disruptions was evidenced in the world’s largest economy in an article on USbank.com which showed how supply chain disruptions can contribute to inflation. These disrup-

tions were a major factor in the rise of inflation in 2021 and 2022 in the US. Inflation declined from a peak of 9.1 per cent in June 2022 to 3.2 per cent in February 2024 as issues with supply chains began to normalise.

There is a positive correlation between price increases and Inflation: Disruptions cause a shortage of available goods. When demand for goods remains high, prices rise significantly. This is evident in the example of the COVID-19 pandemic where high demand for goods coupled with production limitations led to a surge in inflation.

Individual consumers and businesses feel the impact of price increases: Consumers are at the receiving end of these disruptions. They face limited

availability of certain products or are forced to pay a much higher price due to scarcity. A recent example of this was seen with the disruption in the supply of building materials, which created a scarcity in the market and the resultant price hikes for lumber and related construction materials.

Research done by o9 Solutions showed how supply chain disruptions impacted consumer behaviour.

More than half (52 per cent) of surveyed consumers reported experiencing supply chain disruptions in the past year.

Nearly half (49 per cent) of consumers faced difficulty finding products they typically buy.

These disruptions have led to changes in how consumers shop, resulting in

Cost-conscious choices: Over a third (38 per cent) stopped buying certain items due to price increases.

Increased comparison shopping: 35 per cent reported doing more comparison shopping to find better deals.

Prioritisation: 33 per cent adjusted their buying habits to prioritise essential purchases.

An assessment of the

consumer’s confidence in supply chain functionality revealed that 38 per cent believed supply chains were working well; 39 per cent lacked confidence in their performance and 24 per cent were unsure about how well they function.

Consumers perceived there were a number of reasons for supply-side disruptions, with 58 per cent indicating inflation was the biggest driver, followed by labour shortages, transportation issues and geopolitical factors.

Hopefully, during this week many of the solutions to this global crisis will be explored. For sure, SIDS in the region can begin to look inward and discuss a regional industrial policy to rationalise the production of key commodities for the Caribbean, address the issue of transportation to get these commodities across borders quickly and cheaply and harness the investment capital in the region for the development of the private sector.

The Small Business Association of Barbados (www.sba.bb) is the non-profit representative body for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). (Barbados Today)

Expanding trade relations

WIDER market access and a boost in economic growth are on the horizon for at least three CARICOM members states: Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados. These are likely to be achieved when the much anticipated regional ferry service becomes operational.

Based on the recent comments of Guyana’s President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, the final arrangements are being made and the service will become available sometime in the near future.

Many of us may not understand or appreciate the impact this collaborative effort will have on the econ-

omies of the participating states and their population.

This is a good initiative which should be supported and embraced.

Good trade relations are essential for economic growth and sustainability. It is good for the prosperity of CARICOM states and the region as a whole.

A ferry service of the kind presently under consideration will no doubt make the transport of goods easier and more economically viable, particularly for small business owners and farmers who have decided to expand production but do not have a market for it. It could become a major contributor to

the reduction of the region’s food import bill which is a goal all CARICOM heads have committed to working towards.

Guyana has a major role in the introduction of this ferry service and will see the modernisation and expansion of existing infrastructure to accommodate the offloading and arrival of cargo.

This ferry service will be based at Parika, Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), an established port in Guyana.

President Ali has indicated the government’s commitment to making the necessary upgrades to this

port which is already a major transport and logistic hub providing much needed services to the people of Regions Two and Three and Bartica. Over the years, the operations there have been expanded to accommodate the increase in passengers and cargo traffic.

Many farmers sell their produce at that port which is popularly known for its market-like atmosphere particularly on Sundays.

Having the regional ferry there will create a lot of networking opportunities for farmers; for example, those who have hundreds of pounds of ginger and are seeking larger markets for

their produce.

Guyana takes pride in its agricultural sector and the ferry service will perhaps inspire farmers to increase their yield so as to service both the local and regional market. We here in Guyana have the potential to feed the entire region with wholesome, organic produce.

Hence, the introduction of this ferry service, provides the perfect opportunity for all producers – from the small community farmer to the big companies to export their goods to Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados and hopefully further afield when the benefits of the ferry service are realised and a

decision is taken to extend it to other parts of the region.

Both Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados have products that they can import into Guyana. Many of these are already on Guyanese supermarket shelves and in markets.

The idea of the ferry service is an excellent one. It is a sound investment that has the potential to significantly enhance agricultural trade and reduce the region’s substantial food import expenses by 25 per cent in the coming year. Kudos to the architects of this brilliant master plan.

2019, 2020, 2021 cannot reasonably be included in any negotiations for increases

I write to offer a short perspective on the ongoing teachers' strike based on my understanding of what has transpired.

As part of the union’s menu of demands, they seek retroactive increases of 20+ per cent as far back as 2019. It must be recalled that there was another government in power at the time.

The APNU+AFC government, though it fell on December 21, 2018, and occupied government illegally. Thereafter, a full, complete, and legal budget was passed some three weeks earlier. APNU+AFC, therefore, had every legal avenue for offering specific increases to teachers.

Please recall that in 2019, teachers benefitted from a nine per cent increase for those who earned $100,000 or less and an 8.5 per cent

increase for those earning above $100,000. That existing APNU-led government declared that the treasury was unable to afford or sustain any additional payments to teachers.

Fast forward a bit to 2020, after prolonged failed attempts by APNU to steal the election, the PPP/C came to power and was appalled at the level of financial mismanagement of the economy and confirmed that indeed the broken, ravished, and rundown economy of 2019 could not afford another cent to any recurring financial regime.

In this letter, I will not delve into the odious, brazen, and unapologetic overt political agitation masked as a teacher’s strike, except to point out that the striker in chief, Ms Coretta McDonald is a sitting member of parliament of APNU.

Ordinary citizens and

teachers should demand from MP McDonald why her party, which gripped power so tightly, failed to negotiate with and pay teachers greater increases in 2019. Instead of owning up to this and outlining the truth, MP McDonald chooses instead to attempt to hoodwink the nation.

The truth is that the state the economy was in at that juncture, the treasury could not even sustain the 8.5 per cent. The APNU administration found itself with its back against the wall, occupying the seat of power illegally, knowing fully well it would have to face the electorate in a short time.

In fact, APNU launched its campaign for the March 2020 elections three weeks after the announcement of the increases, and on the said day, the payout commenced; it was all electioneering.

One of the vibrant “pro-

testors” knows that APNU starved many other good and worthy ventures of resources and increased taxes to fund their 2019 political odyssey.

In 2019, realising they had a short time left, the APNU government raided the treasury and diverted hundreds of millions of dollars to benefit a few friends.

Think for a moment, APNU was facing an election for its very political survival and designed its campaign around “massive” salary increases for public servants. MP Coretta says the economy could have afforded a 20 per cent payout to teachers, yet they did not pay it to bolster their campaign. Ask yourself why. The short answer is, the money just was not there.

The initiators of the strike also know that the plan was to steal the election then attempt an economic rescue mission in 2020. Instead, the elec -

torate chose the PPP/C. The PPP/C entered government in late 2020 having to repair the damage done to the economy in 2019, the battering of COVID-19 along with the repairs to the tattered reputation of the country as a lawless undemocratic nation, one shade away from economic sanctions and diplomatic isolation.

Despite the fact that economic activities in the country literally ground to a halt in 2020 and 2021, the government of Dr. Irfaan Ali was able to pay teachers five per cent and seven per cent increase respectively.

The tone of the political rhetoric coming from MP McDonald and other known political operatives embedded in the GTU strike action suggests that teachers did not receive any increases whatsoever, this is a lie.

Further, during 2020 and

2021 much of the nation’s resources were absorbed in diverting funds to the health sector to acquire vaccines, build specialised high-dependency COVID units, pay overtime and exposure premiums to healthcare workers, etc. So, the increases already given to teachers are absolutely what the country could have afforded.

This expresses how ridiculous and unconscionable the “no compromise” position of MP McDonald is flaunting. The years, 2019, 2020, and 2021 cannot reasonably be included in any negotiations for increases. This is not to pre-judge any other year for inclusion or exclusion in negotiations, I merely addressed these specific years mentioned.

Yours sincerely, Arnold Sanasie

Dear Editor

AFC-PNC: Marriage in Hotel California

IN 2016, the AFC allotted 75 delegates to represent Georgetown at its congress at Vreeden-Hoop. At the time of voting at the AFC’s head office on Railway Street, 67 persons turned up to vote for 75 positions. All 67 members were automatically assigned delegate status.

The AFC could not get even 75 persons to be delegates to fill 75 slots in 2016 when it was in

power, how and where is it going to get 300 delegates from the corners of Guyana for its 2024 congress, when even when it was in power it was hemorrhaging members.

In the history of modern politics, a trend of attracting large numbers to a political party after it wins power is a well-established reality. In the history of modern politics anywhere in the world, there has been no parallel as to what happened in

the AFC in Guyana when it held power between the years 2015-2020.

The AFC formed half of the government in

2015 and as it settled down to govern, the opposite trend took place – instead of attracting numbers it was losing numbers. It has not been documented by any academic, but the research would reveal that important personnel that made the AFC into a reality and facilitated the AFC into power began to leave even in 2015.

Few Guyanese know that the first in the big names to leave the AFC, ironically, after it got power in 2015, was the current mayor of Georgetown, Alfred Mentore. Mr. Mentore is not the kind to go public with his frustrations. He was a serious financial contributor to the AFC, then, his chagrin alienated him from the AFC. Geeta Chandan was yet another big name that chose to settle within APNU rather than AFC after 2015.

I spoke to literally dozens of young people in 2016 who worked with me on the AFC election campaign in 2015, including the daughter of PNC icon, Dr. Ptolemy Reid and when I enquired about their politics, they all were gone. One recurring face was a girl of Amerindian/Portuguese ethnicity, who was more than energetic.

I remembered her so well because she was at every meeting I spoke

at up EBD because she came from EBD. About one year after the AFC got into power, I ran into her. She was packing customers’ bags at the cashier counter at Survival Supermarket. I was stunned and when I tell you stunned - my knees wobbled. I asked her what she was doing at Survival. She indicated that she had left the AFC because she couldn’t even talk to the ministers about a job.

This is a small country so I am going to get my information about attendance at the AFC. I doubt the AFC will secure 100 delegates to attend much less 300. Those who attend will be so tiny in numbers that they will go the incestuous route and have acclamations rather than voting. There will be no contest for the hierarchical positions.

Who will be these observers and what roles they occupy in society? Why anyone would want to be an observer at the congress of a political party that is long gone. Here is my prediction leading up to the national and regional elections in 2025. The PNC leadership race will create an implosion in the PNC because the voting will be tainted.

The image of the PNC will be badly tarnished with a school of unten-

able leaders taking the PNC into the election. These leaders will crave for face-saving formulas. The AFC will be one. The PNC will need the AFC in 2025. The AFC will need the PNC in 2025.

What is going to happen then, is the PNC and AFC are going to go into the 2025 poll as one, hoping to get at least five seats from the PNC.

The brutal reality that the AFC has accepted is that it cannot leave the PNC. Here is a part of that super-iconic song, Hotel California that tells of this fate

I had to find the passage back to the place I was before "Relax," said the night man, "We are programmed to receive you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave"

The AFC became dead meat even when it was feasting at the table of delectable meat of all varieties between 2015 and 2020. Here are a few words again from Hotel California that remind me of the rotting meat the AFC became.

“Mirrors on the ceiling, the pink champagne on ice And she said, "We are all just prisoners here of our own device" And in the master's chambers, they gathered for the feast They stab it with their steely knives, but they just can't kill the beast”

DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Guyana National Newspapers Limited.

28 Lindeners receive steel, cement vouchers

— as $6.3M injected into Linden’s economy

TWENTY-EIGHT families of Linden, Region 10 now have the opportunity to commence construction of their homes following the distribution of vouchers through the steel and cement subsidy initiative while injecting $6.3 million into the town’s economy.

The vouchers, worth $225,000 each, were presented by Chief Executive Officer of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA), Sherwyn Greaves,

during an outreach at Watooka Guest House on Thursday.

Homebuilders constructing homes costing $6 million or less will be provided with the steel needed and one sling of cement for the construction of the foundation.

Homebuilders spending $6 to $25 million will be given two slings of cement.

The recipients welcomed the initiative which has now empowered them to achieve homeownership.

Due to financial con -

straints, Carol Martin said it was difficult to build her own house since the money was used to finance her five children’s education.

She is beyond thankful for the voucher and can now build her dream house since she used to live in an apartment.

“Right now, I am living in my parents’ house. I am very happy that I have this land. I have my blocks but couldn’t [afford] to do the foundation. I am happy that

I get assistance now so I can do something for me,” she expressed.

Recipient, Randolph Braithwaite expressed great appreciation for the support, as it now provides him with the means to build his home.

This will be a vast improvement for Braithwaite since he used to live in a shack for seven years.

“I feel so happy since this will give me a start,” he added.

Similarly, Clinton Nedd

said this initiative has positively impacted his life.

“When this programme started, I decided to get on the board to get some help to get the work off the ground. I accept this small mercy,” he explained.

Through this initiative, some $6.3 million is being injected into the township’s economy.

It brings business to the area because this is direct funds being spent in the community.

“What we try to ensure is that once you get the steel and cement voucher in a region, you have to purchase from suppliers in that same region. We want the funds to be injected in that particular region,” Greaves explained.

Some 97 steel and cement vouchers were issued in Linden last year. (DPI)

Twenty-Eight families of Linden, Region 10 now have the opportunity to commence construction of their homes following the distribution of vouchers through the steel and cement subsidy initiative while injecting $6.3 million into the town’s economy

Gov’t to increase black-eyed peas, red beans cultivation

PRESIDENT Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali has announced that Guyana will begin cultivating black-eyed peas and red beans on a larger scale within a few days, in order to satisfy existing local and regional demand for these crops.

“I am going to visit that farm in about three days. The planters and everything are here… So, the small farmers will help to support the local markets,” the Head of State disclosed.

The president was at the time addressing the opening ceremony of the Private Sector Commission (PSC)’s 32nd Annual General

Meeting on Wednesday at the Marriott Hotel in Kingston, Georgetown. He emphasised that the initiative will

Furthermore, the undertaking would give Guyana the capacity to supply the two crops to the markets in CARICOM by 2026.

In October 2023, the President unveiled plans to cultivate red beans on 400 acres of land at Baracara Village in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).

enable the country to achieve self-sufficiency in black-eyed peas and red beans by the first quarter of 2025.

Additionally, largescale production of black-eyed peas and red beans is being done at Ebini, along the Berbice River.

Several other mas -

sive developmental projects are ongoing to achieve food security locally and regionally.

“Agriculture is our future, and this is going to be a massive revenue creation for this country,” the Head of State emphasised.

Over the years, investments in the agriculture sector have been carefully made to position Guyana as the food hub of the Caribbean region, while reducing its food importation bill. (DPI)

Guyana to soon establish national honey bank

A NATIONAL honey bank will soon be established in Guyana to advance production, capitalising on the lucrative nature of honey and improved access to regional markets.

Several specialists have already been hired for the building out of this venture.

Mottley had said, we should have a regional honey bank.

So, we are expanding honey production,” the president posited.

Last year, the government revealed that it would utilise Cuba’s vast honey production experience to carry out this project.

In this vein, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was inked between Guyana and Cuba for the Spanish-speaking country to share its expertise. It would also provide technical assistance in agriculture and forestry which include beekeeping.

Guyana has hectares of mostly undeveloped land for beekeeping, which offers vast potential for the development of the apiculture sector, thereby enabling the country to become a CARICOM honey exporter.

Ten women from the village of Agatash in Region

Seven are slated to benefit from beekeeping training, 25 hives, protective gear, and access to the market to advance honey production. The President also encouraged other communities in the region to capitalise on this undertaking due to its lucrativeness. (DPI)

The initiative aims to enhance the efficiency and quality of honey production, ensuring Guyana meets increasing demand and maximises its economic potential in the sector.

“Very soon, we are going to establish a national honey bank…Just as Prime Minister

This was announced by President Dr Irfaan Ali, on Wednesday, during the opening ceremony of the Private Sector Commission (PSC) 32nd Annual General Meeting at the Marriott Hotel in Kingston, Georgetown.

FAO launches new action plan to mainstream biodiversity across agricultural sectors —

FROM bees to earthworms, from coral reefs to rain forests - biodiversity helps to ensure food diversity and must be key to transforming food production systems, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations underlined recently.

As it marked International Day for Biological Diversity, FAO launched its updated action plan for Mainstreaming Biodiversity Across Agricultural Sectors and prepared to embark on several new biodiversity-related initiatives.

“Biodiversity is the potential of food diversity in the future,” FAO DirectorGeneral QU Dongyu said in a video message for UN celebrations of the day. Qu said biodiversity: “is what we farm, catch, harvest and cultivate. It is what supports our food networks from pollinators to micro-organisms in our soils. It is what prospers livelihoods of farmers, forest managers and dwellers, fishers, livestock keepers and pastoralists across the

following approval of biodiversity-related projects

world.”

The theme of this year’s International Day for Biodiversity is “Be Part of the Plan” - a rallying call to the public and diverse actors to support the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, endorsed in December 2022, and also known as The Biodiversity Plan. FAO is an integral part of this plan, as agrifood systems are a powerful channel for readily available and scalable solutions to conserving, restoring and sustainably using biodiversity.

MAINSTREAMING BIODIVERSITY

By advocating for sustainable agricultural practices that safeguard biodiversity and enhance ecosystem resilience, FAO is helping to reduce a key driver of biodiversity loss and protecting vulnerable rural communities. By partnering with governments, civil society and the private sector, FAO is helping mainstream biodi-

versity across the food and agricultural sectors, across policies and programmes.

In concrete terms, this can mean anything from working to restore coastal mangrove forests which host a rich variety of fish species to supporting farming systems which help to preserve biodiversity for food and agriculture in a way that improves people’s nutrition and benefits the environment.

ACTION PLAN LAUNCHED

FAO this week launched its 2024–27 Action Plan for the Implementation of the FAO

Strategy on Mainstreaming Biodiversity Across Agricultural Sectors. The plan supersedes an earlier 2021-2023 document. It has been further streamlined better to serve the strategy’s aims to reduce the negative impacts of agricultural practices on biodiversity, to promote sustainable agricultural practices and to conserve, enhance, preserve and restore biodiversity as a whole.

The action plan sets out a wide range of deliverables including support for countries in the implementation and monitoring of the Kunming-Montre-

al Global Biodiversity Framework (Biodiversity Plan).

The new FAO Action Plan fully aligns with the Biodiversity Plan and includes FAO’s Biodiversity Knowledge Hub, providing a ‘one-stop shop’ to facilitate access to knowledge on biodiversity for food and agriculture. It compiles over 350 tools, guidelines and other resources on biodiversity developed by FAO that can be searched and filtered, including by targets of the Biodiversity Plan.

Meanwhile, earlier this month, three project concepts in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Palau, and Samoa became the first FAO-led submissions to be approved under the Global Environment Facility’s Global Biodiversity Framework Fund.

The new fund was launched in August 2023 and mobilises investment for countries – especially Small Island Developing States and Least Developed Countries – to achieve the targets of the

Biodiversity Plan.

Once fully designed and implemented, the three projects will direct over $7.8 million and leverage $14.2 million in co-financing to achieve targets of the Biodiversity Plan.

All three projects will support Indigenous Peoples to conserve and use sustainably biodiversity and strengthen their stewardship of natural resources.

According for FAO’s State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World, the world has up to 783 million people suffering from chronic hunger; a quarter of our children under the age of five are stunted; a third of the global population is malnourished; and obesity affects one in eight people on the planet. Conserving, using sustainably and restoring biodiversity, while mitigating the uncertainties associated with climate change has never been so important for food security and nutrition. (FAO)

American journalists explore Guyana’s rich biodiversity, cultural heritage

IN a collaborative effort to showcase the unparalleled natural beauty and vibrant cultural tapestry of Guyana, the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA), in partnership with its North American market representatives, Emerging Destinations and CornerSun Destination Marketing, re -

cently hosted a group of American journalists on a press trip across the country.

The participating journalists contribute to renowned publications such as AFAR, Travel Noire, Atlas Obscura, Lonely Planet, and Matador Network.

The week-long journey

began in Georgetown at the historic Cara Lodge. From there, the group travelled to Lethem to immerse themselves in the heart of Guyana’s pristine environments.

Key activities included participating in wildlife research, and caiman tagging at Caiman House Field Station, bird

and wildlife spotting on the Rupununi River, and a visit to the conservation-focused Karanambu Lodge with its rich history and diverse ecosystems.

The journalists experienced multiple river excursions and savannah tours, encountering Guyana’s diverse wildlife, including giant anteaters and black caimans. A visit to the breathtaking Kaieteur Falls highlighted the natural splendor of Guyana, showcasing the world’s longest single-drop waterfall.

The excursion concluded with a cultural and culinary exploration of Georgetown, including a tour of significant historical sites, and a cooking experience at the Backyard Cafe, featuring local ingredients sourced from Bourda Market.

Nicholas DeRenzo, a participant in the trip and contributor to Afar magazine, noted, “For most of the writers on our trip, it was our first time in Guyana, and our first

experience with Guyanese culture, and we were surprised at every step of the way; at the vastness of the landscape, at the abundance of the wildlife, at the deliciousness of the cuisine, and especially at the generosity and friendliness of the people, from lodge owners and birdwatching guides to chefs and restaurateurs in Georgetown.

When you visit a place like Kaieteur or Karanambu or Caiman House, you go through two emotions: You immediately want to post about it on Instagram and tell all your friends, but you also want to keep it hidden and magical and pristine.”

Makayla Anderson, who has personal ties to Guyana, expressed, “As a first-generation GuyaneseAmerican, each trip back to my father’s homeland is done with the intention to learn more about my heritage. Embarking on the journey to cover this trip for Matador Network presented me with the op-

portunity to experience a unique side of this country that prior generations of my family actually have yet to see. This was the most impactful trip I have been on, and it heavily reinforced the pride I have in being a Guyanese.”

This press initiative underscores the Guyana Tourism Authority’s commitment to promoting sustainable tourism and enhancing global recognition of Guyana as a premier ecotourism destination. By facilitating these visits, the GTA aims to illustrate the significant socio-economic benefits of tourism, which supports local communities, preserves cultural heritage, and promotes conservation.

The positive coverage expected from this trip will help attract more eco-conscious travelers, eager to explore one of South America’s hidden treasures, thereby supporting local economies and furthering conservation efforts.

North American ‘Fam’ Group at Waikin Ranch

North American ‘Fam’ Group at Kaieteur

Man acquitted of murder of Better Hope father, daughter

THE man who was charged with killing a father and his daughter during a robbery at Better Hope, East Coast Demerara (ECD), has been freed.

The ruling was made earlier this month by the Demerara High Court, which declared that not enough evidence was available to allow 42-year-old Mocha, East Bank Demerara (EBD) resident Lloyd Sadloo to lead a defence.

Sadloo was on trial for the July 4, 2019 murders of Aaron Latchman, a 47-year-old moneychanger, and Arianna

1.452 kilogrammes of cannabis in his possession for the purpose of trafficking.

In the past, he was also accused of armed robbery, breaking and entering, escaping from police custody, and unlawfully possessing a gun and ammunition. In 2008, he was also accused of killing two miners from Brazil during a robbery. However, since there was not enough evidence to convict him, he was freed of those murders.

Meanwhile, Troy Abrams, 46, and Paul Chan, 41, are two more men who are currently

Latchman, his 18-year-old daughter, in front of Judge Jo Ann Barlow and a jury.

But Sadloo was exonerated of the crime after the Judge accepted his attorney Mark Waldron's no-case submission.

Waldron contended in the submission that the prosecution's case against his client was not sufficiently supported by the evidence. Following the submission, Justice Barlow accepted it and gave the 12-person jury instructions to return a formal not guilty verdict.

Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Tiffini Lyken, State Counsel Praneta Seeraj, and State Counsel Taneisha Saygon represented the prosecution. They called a number of witnesses to testify, including members of the public and police force and a doctor.

On July 4, 2019, robbers accosted Latchman and his daughter at their Better Hope house as they were returning from Georgetown, according to reports.

Witnesses described how the bandits approached businessman Latchman and demanded money and valuables. There was a scuffle between Latchman and the attackers when he resisted them.

Latchman and his daughter were hit by several gunshots fired during the incident. As the bandits made off with their possessions, they fell to the ground.

The injured father and daughter were transported to a city hospital, where they were declared dead upon arrival. Latchman had many gunshot wounds, according to an autopsy, whereas his daughter Arianna only had one fatal bullet wound.

Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman had sentenced Sadloo to four years in prison and fined him $300,000 on May 17, 2016, for trafficking in marijuana. On October 20, 2015 at Eccles, EBD, he had

Thomas were initially charged with the double murder at Better Hope. Reports state that in October

2020, Rufino, a 29-year-old labourer from Parika, East Bank Essequibo (EBE), escaped from Lusignan Prison.

He is yet to be recaptured. Thomas was freed during the preliminary inquiry.

awaiting trial for the murders of the father and daughter. Their case is anticipated to be called at the Demerara Criminal Assizes' next sitting, which is slated for next month.

In 2016, Abrams was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for a gunpoint robbery committed on moneychangers Rayburn Fraser and Osaffo Ward on America Street, Georgetown on November 3, 2015. On the day in question, gunmen on motorbikes descended on Fraser and Ward and robbed them of over $2 million in local and foreign currency.

Sadloo, Abrams, Chan, Mark Rufino, and Sean

From left to right: Troy Abrams, Lloyd Sadloo and Paul Chan

Dead: Arianna Latchman and her father Aaron Latchman

Justice Jo Ann Barlow

Over 115 Linden residents move closer to home ownership — after signing agreements of sale

OVER 115 Lindeners, who were allocated house lots in Amelia’s Ward-Fitz Hope housing area, signed their agreements paving the way to process their certificates of title.

This marks a significant step in their lives, fast-tracking their journey towards homeownership.

Over 487 lots have been allocated in this housing

area. The signing ceremony occurred at Watooka Guest House in Linden, Region 10 on Thursday.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA) facilitated the distribution of the documents.

The titles offer the landowners vast opportunities such as easier access to a mortgage from

the local banks to build their homes.

Landowner, Melisia Roberts received her house lot two years ago and participated in a lot identification exercise last year. “I am absolutely happy because I can now proceed to start building,” Roberts expressed.

Lydia Allen, who received her land about two years ago noted that she is relieved since she has been waiting a long time for this moment.

Her next steps involve the construction of her house.

“You have to get this before you get the mortgage to start building”, Allen emphasised.

Meanwhile, CEO Greaves noted that Thursday’s exercise marks a pivotal milestone in the beneficiaries’ lives with the signing of their documents.

“We were held back from getting to this stage because of some squatting issues and [we wanted to] make sure that when we reached this stage, persons wouldn’t get any hiccups,” Greaves pointed out.

Just last week,

Greaves led a technical team to conduct an assessment in the area as infrastructural works were being impeded by squatting.

Greaves noted that some squatters who have regularised will also sign their agreements of sale.

In March, 167 families of Amelia’s Ward Phase Four signed their agreements of sale.

Since 2020, various developmental works have been executed in Fitz Hope, Amelia’s Ward and Wisroc including drainage networks, asphaltic roads, land preparation, and providing improved access for allottees.

“Between 2020 and 2023, we have spent more than $1.1 billion for housing alone in infrastructural works in these areas,” Greaves highlighted.

In 2024, another $2 billion will be spent in Region 10 including developmental works in Plantation York to construct young professional houses. Works are also ongoing in Amelia’s Ward and Fitz Hope.

Over 115 Lindeners, who were allocated house lots in Amelia’s Ward-Fitz Hope housing area, signed their agreements paving the way to process their certificates of title

China’s new energy sector development, cooperation opportunities with Guyana

By Chinese Ambassador to Guyana, Guo Haiyan

TO navigate the challenges posed by climate change to the whole of mankind, energy transition is the key approach and now is well underway worldwide. As a big and responsible country, China highlights the development of new energy sector and has promised world’s largest reduction in carbon emission.

Besides meeting strong domestic demand, China’s new energy sector also makes significant contributions to the world’s endeavour of addressing climate change and green development. Guyanese government targets low-carbon development and new energy transition, immense space of co-operation between China and Guyana in the field can be expected.

1. China’s emphasis on new energy development and significant advantages achieved

China’s new energy products including electric vehicles (EVs), lithium batteries and photovoltaic equipment have gained significant progress after decades of development. As of 2023, China’s share in power battery market, production and sales of EVs and installed capacity of solar power had ranked first in the world for eight, nine and 10 consecutive years respectively.

In the same year, China contributed more than 50 per cent of global newly added installation of renewable energy, and above 60 per cent of global sales of EVs was absorbed by Chinese market. China’s new energy products with high quality and good competitive price are in short of supply in many markets especially in the developing countries keen to achieve new energy transition.

Over the past 10 years, largely relying on the Chinese products, the average kilowatt-hour generation cost of global wind power and photovoltaic power have been decreased by more than 60 per cent and 80 per cent respectively. A number of new energy technologies and the capacity of equipment manufacturing in China are leading the world, from the world’s first 16 megawatt power generation offshore wind turbine, to the battery with a range of 1,000 kilometres per charge.

As Mr. Fatih Birol, the Executive Director of the International Energy Agency underscored, China’s support to other countries has significantly enhanced the accessibility and affordability of clean energy and green technology. The strong competitiveness and leading technology of China’s new energy products

lies on early industrial layout and sustained R&D input, and combining with China’s complete industrial chain, mega-size market and rich human resources, the comprehensive competitiveness of new energy sector is formed.

Certainly, above mentioned success cannot be achieved without the efforts made by Chinese entrepreneurs. It is thus clear that China’s advantages in new energy sector are the result of market competition.

China’s contribution to address the insufficient capacity of global green production

Today, new energy transition is in pressing need while the threat of climate challenge is imminent. However, the market demand for new energy products is far exceeding the global production capacity.

According to the data of International Energy Agency, by 2030, the global demand for EVs will reach 45 million units which will be 4.5 times that of 2022, global demand for newly installed photovoltaic capacity will reach 820 gigawatts, which will be about four times that of 2022.

Therefore, China’s new energy sector development provides the world with vital support to catch up the surging demand, especially to the developing countries for their efforts to deal with climate change and green transition.

Recently, there’s voice accusing China of overcapacity in new energy sector, which is absolutely groundless. In 2023, China sold a total of 9.495 million units of EVs, almost 90 per cent of which are domestic sales, the rest 10 per cent for export.

The exclusively foreign-owned enterprise Tesla China accounts for about 30 per cent of that export. Obviously, the main Chinese production capacity are used for meeting China’s domestic demand, the voice of overcapacity is ridiculous. As some people called on, we cannot claim shortage of production capacity in world’s new energy sector while talking about climate change, on the other hand accuse China of production overcapacity while talking about Chinese new energy

sector.

Such deliberate accusation of so called “overcapacity” against China is clearly for the sake of suppressing China’s industrial development, will not only hold back global green transition and shake confidence in the co-operation to address climate change, but also dampen the determination of enterprises to engage in foreign trade and investment co-operation.

3. Grasping the historical

opportunities to achieve mutual beneficial and win-win co-operation between China and Guyana

Focusing on global climate and energy security, Guyana firmly adheres to “net zero” carbon emission policy in pursuit of oil and gas development, and is playing an increasing leadership role in region’s energy transition.

According to Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy 2030, the share of renewable

energy will increase to an average of 50 per cent by 2027 and 70 per cent by 2030, of which solar power will be the main energy resource on the local grid.

China’s advantages in new energy production capacity, technology and engineering are strongly complementary to those of Guyana, which has been preliminarily reflected in the start of solar power co-operation between the two countries.

At the same time, the big potential in the EV related co-operation will be quickly released in the near future.

With Guyana’s fast economic development, broad opportunities of co-operation between China and Guyana in energy transition are emerging, the two countries share a bright future in jointly exploring technology transfer and production co-operation.

EPA deploys second water quality monitoring system in Region Seven

THE Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced the expansion of its Real-time Water Quality Monitoring Systems (RTWQMS), with the deployment of a buoy on the Essequibo River and at Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).

This was done in midMay 2024.

Building on its Strategic Vision for 2024-2030, which emphasises the integration of strict scientific methodologies, and cutting-edge technologies, the EPA has partnered with the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) to deploy the buoy at a strategic position near Saxacalli Village, and the Bartica township in Re-

gion Seven.

This collaborative initiative underscores the EPA’s unwavering commitment to protecting water resources, and fostering a sustainable future.

These systems, they said, allow for continuous and precise monitoring of water quality parameters in the Essequibo River, such as the

pH (potential of hydrogen), temperature, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, and conductivity, and transmit the data wirelessly to a cloud server.

The primary objective of implementing the Monitoring System is to enable early detection of any changes in water quality, and the prompt identification of key pollutants in our water bodies through accurate real-time data.

Furthermore, the EPA states that data collected from the Monitoring System would inform the development of national ambient water quality standards for rivers, and enable swift response and action to mitigate impacts,

and prevent risks to human health and environment.

By focusing on those areas directly impacted by mining activities, the EPA’s mission is clear: To comprehensively understand environmental dynamics in order to effectively guide its regulatory interventions.

This is the agency’s second deployment. The first RTWQMS deployment was done in the lower Demerara River in August 2023. This, along with the one deployed in Bartica were both purchased with G$100 million allocated by the government to the EPA as part of its 2023 budget.

The EPA is empowered

by the Environmental Protection Act to oversee the environmental activities of all persons. The agency is regulatory, with the authority to grant or not to grant permits for developmental projects that will impact the environment.

As a regulator, the EPA is also required to monitor activities of development, and to enforce the provisions of the Act. The work of the EPA is organised into technical programme areas, supported by the Operations and Corporate, Human Resources, Finance and Communications Departments.

Region Four youths benefit from indepth job readiness workshop

OVER 20 youths from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) on Wednesday benefitted from a job-readiness workshop hosted by the Ministry of Labour’s Central Recruitment and Manpower Agency (CRMA).

The ministry noted that 18 of the youths in attendance were trainees from the cosmetology programme offered through the Board of Industrial Training (BIT), and are being trained at Nicknell’s School of Cosmetology, and Kevin’s Reflections.

The training was conducted in the boardroom of the ministry’s head office, at Lot 82, Brickdam, Georgetown, by Chief Recruitment and Manpower Officer Yolanda Grant, and Recruitment Officer Ria Persaud.

It featured presentations from officers of the BIT, the Ministry of Labour’s Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) and Co-operatives and Friendly Societies Departments.

Participants of the workshop benefitted from discussions and tips on job research, preparation for

employment, resumé writing, interview tips and work ethics, and a step-by-step presentation on how to use the Online National Job Bank.

In addition, attendees participated in role-playing activities to replicate proper and improper workplace conduct, good work ethics, and the interviewing process.

At the end of the workshop, participants received comprehensive guidance on how to create strong resumés and cover letters, enhance their interview skills, as well as to develop the soft skills necessary to function effec-

tively in the workplace, so as to further increase their employment opportunities.

Guidance was also provided on career paths, goal setting, and personal development.

Earlier in May, the CRMA conducted similar job-readiness workshops in Regions Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) and 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), each targetting 25 persons.

Moreover, a similar workshop was held in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) on Thursday.

Deployment of Data Buoys on the Essequibo River, in the vicinity of Saxacalli Village (Photo courtesy of the EPA)

Attendees during one of the sessions on Wednesday (MoL)

Guyana could save more than US$150M with import cuts by 2025

GUYANA will be able to save more than US$150 million in imports for a variety of crops by the end of 2025, due to its crucial planning, execution of developmental projects, and investments in the agriculture sector.

This is according to President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, during his address at the opening ceremony for the Private Sector Commission (PSC) 32nd Annual General Meeting on Tuesday, at the Marriott Hotel in Kingston, Georgetown.

“People might say “you are planting a lot. What does all of this mean for the country?” It means that we will be saving by the end of next year more than US$150 million of imports. That is what we spend to import onion, corn, soya, feed, black eye and red beans. That is the type of foreign currency impact that we are talking about, when you add the fertiliser, the chemicals, and all of these things that come with that,” the Head of State said.

The Head of State said the agriculture sector has grown tremendously over the years and there is no doubt that more investment would be made to ensure it remains sustainable.

He opined that regional institutions need to do more in integrating these policies that Guy-

ing to produce all of its livestock feed by October of this year, which will cut the cost by 50 per cent.

By the end of 2025, the country will also become self-sufficient in the production of corn and soya.

“We have done

ana is heavily building out.

To support this integration, the government is also investing in infrastructure that will have a far-reaching impact on the economy.

Importantly, manufacturing will be boosted and the cost of energy will be reduced by 50 per cent as a result of the groundbreaking gas-toshore energy project.

“Is it going to get harder or easier? It is going to get substantially easier because we are now moving into the other form of energy mix, where we have the gas coming on stream. We will be producing fertiliser here,” he said. In order to increase cassava production, the government has a major plan to move towards farine production and refined cassava flour for local and highly specialised markets.

With the introduction of a new variety for cassava, the yield has since increased from 15 tonnes to 30 tonnes per hectare. Guyana has reaped over 20 million pounds of cassava so far for 2024.

For the aquaculture sector, the $100 million prawns production project is moving apace at Onverwagt in Region Five. This project is slated to produce 12 tonnes of Vannamei prawns per crop, with each tonne expected to be worth approximately $4 million.

Guyana is also look-

this in an environment where we confronted the COVID-19 pandemic for a year and a half. We confronted two major floods and one major drought and we have achieved this. I say this so that we understand and value the type of effort that was placed

in us achieving us,” he told those attending the session.

Senior Minister within the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance and Public Service, Dr Ashni Singh; Minister of Labour, Joseph Hamilton; Chairman

of the PSC, Komal Singh; President of ExxonMobil Guyana, Alistair Routledge, China’s Ambassador to Guyana, Guo Haiyan, members of the Diplomatic Corps and officials were present at the event.

50 persons graduate from skills programmes through Humanitarian Mission Guyana Inc.

FIFTY persons in Port Mourant, Corentyne, Berbice on May 18 graduated from several courses through the Humanitarian Mission Guyana Inc., which is located at Lot 14-26 Area Q, Ankerville, Port Mourant.

The students completed several programmes, including cake decoration, information technology, sewing, and cosmetology (hair, nails, and makeup).

They will now embark on the next chapter of their lives (academically and otherwise), equipped with knowledge, skills, and memories that will last a lifetime.

The Chief Executive Officer and Secretary of the Mission, Suresh Sugrim told graduates during the ceremony that in today’s rapidly changing world, the need for life skills education has never been more critical.

He noted that by equipping persons with essential life skills, they are not only empowered to navigate life’s challenges, but also strength-

en communities and society as a whole.

"We are immensely proud of our graduating class and all that they have achieved,” Sugrim stated, adding, “To-

day, we celebrate not only their academic accomplishments but also their growth as individuals, leaders, and change makers. We have every confidence that they will

go on to make meaningful contributions to their communities and the world."

The graduation ceremony served as a moment of reflection, gratitude, and celebra-

tion for the graduates, their families, and the faculty and staff of the mission.

As the graduates prepare to embark on new adventures and pursue their dreams, they do so with the unwavering support and encouragement of the Humanitarian Mission Guyana Inc. community.

The Humanitarian Mission Guyana Inc., believes that education is the key to unlocking human potential and driving positive change.

They are committed to providing life skills education to individuals of all ages and backgrounds. The mission invites stakeholders, including government agencies, businesses, educational institutions, non-profit organisations, and community leaders, to join in their efforts to promote life skills education; whether through funding support, partnership opportunities, or volunteering, there are several ways to get involved and make a meaningful impact in the lives of others.

The mission was established in 2015, and has since graduated some 5,000 persons at their Corentyne, Berbice location.

Presently, registration is open for the mission’s June semester. To do so, persons can visit the Humanitarian Mission Guyana Inc. on Facebook where a registration link can be found. They can also visit the Berbice office or make contact by calling 336-6913 and 6152433 for more information.

Classes are only available in Berbice.

Humanitarian Mission Guyana Inc. is a non-profit organisation dedicated to educating, empowering, and elevating individuals in breaking the cycle of poverty through life skills education and community development in Guyana. Through its programmes and initiatives, the mission strives to empower individuals and improve their quality of life.

Graduates with faculty members of the Humanitarian Mission Guyana Inc. at the graduation ceremony (Humanitarian Mission Guyana Inc. photo)

Omni Helicopters in Guyana receives the ‘Great Place to Work’ certification

OMNI Helicopters International, Latin America's leading air mobility solutions provider, has announced that its operations in Guyana, through Omni Helicopters Guyana Inc. (OHGI), have been certified by Great Place To Work.

According to a press release, this prestigious award is based entirely on what current employees say about their experience. This also marks a significant milestone for Guyana as OHGI becomes the first company in the country to receive this recognition.

“Great Place To Work is the global authority on workplace culture, employee experience, and leadership behaviours proven to deliver market-leading revenue, employee retention and increased innovation. The prestigious award is based entirely on what current employees say about their experience working at the company,” OHGI said.

The survey was a group-

Omni Helicopters International, Latin America's leading air mobility solutions provider, is proud to announce that its operations in Guyana, through Omni Helicopters Guyana Inc (OHGI), have been Certified™ by Great Place To Work

wide initiative designed to gain insights into employees' perceptions of the organisation. Specifically, the survey targeted Omni Táxi Aéreo and Revo in Brazil, OHI in

Portugal, and OHGI in Guyana with all surveyed organisations successfully attaining the certification.

“Great Place To Work Certification is a highly cov-

eted achievement that requires consistent dedication to the overall employee experience,” the Vice President of Global Recognition at Great Place To Work, Sarah Lewis-Kulin.

Peter Gay, Country Manager for Omni Helicopter Guyana Inc. summarised the importance of this certification, noting: “Our commit-

ment to deliver exceptional customer service can only be achieved through our employees and this type of certification, which benchmarks against the best in the world, is essential to ensure that we are best-in-class and can ensure a positive and consistent employee experience. We’re delighted that our team here in Guyana feels valued and enjoys coming to work at Omni each day, and I thank them for their commitment and dedication.”

The Great Place To Work Certification is the only recognition based entirely on what employees report about their workplace experience –specifically, how consistently they experience a high-trust workplace.

Great Place to Work Certification is a global benchmark for identifying and recognising outstanding employee experience. Every year, more than 10,000 companies across 60 countries apply to get Great Place To Work-Certified.

Guyanese entertainer Richard Singh tells his story

By Telesha Ramnarine

RICHARD Singh may have started his professional career in entertainment recently, but he has always known that he had it in him to perfect the craft someday.

The 36-year-old ‘Berbice Gyal’ singer is not up for anything bland but loves to spice up his music and skits with humour. The Buzz asked Richard a few questions lately:

Where were you born and raised?

RS: I was born in James Street, Albouystown, but I moved around a lot as a kid. I lived in Princes Street,

Lodge, then Hague, West Coast Demerara; then Kitty (all before the age of 12). I then moved up to Lusignan, East Coast Demerara from the age of 12 and lived there until adulthood.

Please explain what it is that you do in the line of entertainment.

RS: I'm a singer and an allaround entertainer. I love incorporating humour in my music and skits. I started with Chutney music and branched off into Rap and Dancehall.

When did you start your entertainment career?

RS: I started just over two years ago. During the pan-

demic, I got so bored at home that I thought it'd be fun to record a song or two. Unknowingly, the songs I recorded did relatively well at the time. The two songs were ‘Confessing’ and ‘Last Night.’

Why did you decide to get into entertainment? What accounts for your interest and love for it?

RS: I've always been a glorified bathroom and Karaoke singer. As mentioned, COVID lockdown was the catalyst that got me here. But since I've known myself, I've always had a passion for the craft.

What do you think sets you apart from any other enter-

tainer?

RS: I don't like to compare myself to anyone. But if I had to give advice to up and coming artistes, I'd say: Just be yourself. I honestly believe that's what sets me apart; me on record and me in person are the same people. There's no filter or pretending. I find that people gravitate to genuineness.

How easy is it to be in this field in Guyana, and what kind of support would you especially appreciate from authorities?

RS: It's not easy. You gotta have really thick skin and determination if you wanna succeed. It's a "who knows

who" type of business - no one's really your friend. And sometimes being brutally honest tends to get you in trouble - guess I'm guilty of being one of those people. There's no special criteria for selecting talent in Guyana. If I had to identify support for artistes, I'd say more radio time, rotate and include more artistes on shows, and value our Guyanese artistes.

What about your career are you particularly proud of it so far?

RS: Man...everything...this started as a mere fun project and so far I've performed in NYC, Canada, and in several locations in Guyana. I've done TV and radio shows,

met tens of thousands of people, but the most awesome part of this is having people saying "I’m your #1 fan." That just fills my heart with so much gratitude and humility.

Two years in the music and entertainment industry and it feels like I'm on cloud 9. I'm forever grateful to the fans who made me, and I truly appreciate them.

My next big show is Clash of the Titans on June 22. I'll be releasing a new song leading up to the biggest chutney show in the world.

Note: I'm actually not from Berbice. A lot of people believe so because of my song ‘Berbice Gyal.’ I apologise to them.

Guyanese entertainer Richard Singh

Miss/Mrs/ Teen India Worldwide Guyana finalists to be sashed come June 2

THE official sashing ceremony for the 2024 Miss/ Mrs/ Teen India Worldwide Guyana finalists will take place on June 2, 2024, at the Ramada Georgetown Princess Hotel (Roraima Ballroom), under the theme, “High Chai-A Mogul Affair.”

During an interview with EdYou FM, franchise holder, Hashim Alli, stated that all preparations are in place for the sashing of the 16 finalists.

He explained that this year’s sashing is an elite tea party, with an Indian twist.

Alli pointed out a number of changes to this year’s event including the theme, which was inspired

by an Indian series on Netflix, Heeramandi. The ‘High Chai’ will also have a cutoff point, making the event a bit more intimate than last year.

The ballroom will be designed to replicate the show, to give attendees a well-rounded experience and persons are expected to be appropriately dressed in elegant floral or Indian designs.

He revealed that the finalists of this year’s pageant consists of 16 beautiful women competing for the Miss/ Mrs. /Teen India Worldwide Guyana 2024 titles.

In the teen category, he said that three will be competing for the title of Miss Teen India Guyana.

These three are Akeela Sukhanan, Shaniya Singh, and Timran Dookna.

Another three will be vying for the title of Mrs India Guyana and they are: Anganie Persaud, Devi Lim, and Umadai Haitram.

The delegates in the Miss India Guyana category are: Anna Gafoor, Chandanie Lackan, Chitra Devin Singh, Diana Herelal, Elizabeth Ally, Manisha Ramgobin, Rani Devi Goberdhan, Ruchira Rushana Guyadeen, Shaneza Fiddel and Sophiena Mohamed.

For more information on the availability of tickets persons can call 592-680-5999 or 592688-0036.

The official sashing of the 2024 Miss/ Mrs/ Teen India Worldwide Guyana finalists is expected to be a posh affair

Guyana Princess Pageant billed for August 11

THE Guyana Princess Pageant, now in its fourth year, is billed for August 11 at the National Cultural Centre, and franchise holder, Nelsion Andre Nurse, says it’s going to be more than just about ‘looks’ alone.

The girls, ranging from ages seven to 11, will also be subjected to an intelligence segment, which will require them to interview certain personalities and then do written and oral presentations.

Nurse, who has been into designing since the age of 13, does costumes, fashion and décor.

In a recent interview with Buzz, he recalled how this pageant got started.

The 36-year-old got the idea after being repeatedly asked by schools to help out with their pageants.

“A few years back, in 2015, because I am a designer and work on ‘Mash’, a lot of schools asked me for help to coordinate their pageants for them,” he recalled.

“I realised that when these girls finish at these schools, that’s all; that’s about it. So we thought about taking the queens from all those dif -

ferent schools and putting them together in one pageant.

That’s how the whole idea of the Guyana Princess Pageant came around. But then we eventually opened it up to the public,” Nurse added.

This year’s pageant has 11 girls confirmed so far, and Nurse is hoping to get one more from Lethem. The parents have already committed to working with them virtually, but Nurse would prefer to have this girl in Georgetown so that she can benefit from the kind of hands-on training that everyone else is getting.

According to him, it’s not just a beauty pageant that entails only how the girls look, but adequate ground work is required. “We have the girls do an essay and over the years we have been looking at iconic Guyanese women who have contributed to the society and this year we are working with women in the arts,” he shared. So this year, 12 women in different aspects of the arts were selected; two from creative arts; two artists; two women each in drama, music, fashion and literature.

“So the girls will pull a name and do an interview with the person for their essay. We try to expose them to meeting this person and conducting an interview and then from what they grasp, they compose an essay and hand it over to the judge.”

This essay is what will

be used for the intelligence segment. They will then do an oral presentation on that person.

Nurse further said that this year, they will be visiting a charity home, and most of the girls want to go to a children’s orphanage.

Then there are other cat-

egories like creative wear where the girls and their families are tasked with making a creative outfit using recycled materials, as opposed to getting a professional one done. Nurse is hoping that more sponsors will come on board to make the event a success.

Venus Williams among sporting figures to get own Barbie doll

SEVEN-TIME Grand Slam champion, Venus Williams and Australian soccer player Mary Fowler are among nine athletes to get a Barbie doll in their likeness as toy maker Mattel seeks to shine a light on women sports role models ahead of the Paris Olympics.

Mattel unveiled the dolls on Wednesday, each with their bespoke accessories. Fowler wears gloves and holds a football while Williams' doll, dressed in an all-white tennis dress and visor as well as wearing earrings, comes with a miniature racket.

The former world number one said she hoped to motivate young girls into sports with the doll.

“I literally can’t imagine my life without sports and without the game," Williams said in a video, in which she held the doll.

"I want other young girls to have that invaluable experience of playing a sport and what it teaches you and what you learn and what you take from it,

not just that moment (but) for the rest of your life... I think it’s so important for girls to be in sports."

Other sports figures to have a doll in their likeness include French boxer, Estelle Mossely, Polish sprinter, Ewa Swoboda, Spanish doctor and paratriathlon athlete, Susana Rodriguez, Italian former swimmer, Federica Pellegrini, Canadian soccer player, Christine Sinclair, as well as Mexican and Brazilian gymnasts, Alexa Moreno and Rebeca Andrade.

The dolls, unveiled

as Barbie turns 65 this year, "(recognise) the impact of sport in fostering self-confidence and ambition among the next generation", Krista Berger, senior vice president of Barbie and Mattel’s Global Head of Dolls, said.

“By shining a light on these inspirational athletes and their stories, we hope to champion the belief that every young girl deserves the opportunity to pursue her passions and turn her dreams into reality," she said in a statement. (Reuters)

The pageant is open to girls between seven and 11 years old

Franchise holder of the Guyana Princess Pageant, Nelsion Andre Nurse

U.S. Tennis player, Venus Williams, poses with a Barbie doll, in Puerto Rico in this undated handout image (Mattel/WME Sports Studio/Handout via REUTERS)

‘Lean Back’ was made for the Jamaicans — Fat Joe

HIP Hop star, Fat Joe, has once again credited Jamaicans for inspiring his popular hit ‘Lean Back.’

He was speaking on the Jennifer Hudson Show with host Jennifer Hudson.

The song, which was a track on the True Story album, was a Terror Squad collaboration featuring American rapper, Remy Ma.

Praising Fat Joe for the track, Hudson said “Lean back…That song is everything. It’s like…I don’t care when you hit it we all just lean back. How did that track come about?”

Fat Joe shared that he wanted to create a track that the Jamaicans “could rock with”.

“At the time, the Jamaicans [were] winning and they [were] like sig-

nal the plane, rock away, running man. Then I was like yo, when I came up with the hook, I was like

‘yo, we need something the Jamaicans could rock with’. So we came up with My people don’t dance,

we just pull up our pants and do the rockaway so lean back, lean back, lean back, lean back,” the New York rapper explained to Hudson.

“You know what’s so crazy about Lean Back is it was my solo record on the Terror Squad album and I had three verses. I went to McDonald’s with Khaled and by the time we came back everybody was looking so scared in the studio and I was like ‘what’s up?’ They was like ‘yo, Remy came here, erased the second verse and she spit’. I was like ‘what?’ and when I pressed play she was like ‘R to the E-zy, M to the wizz-Y’. I was like ‘oh

we leaving it, we need it, we need it’. And so I’m glad she did that,” he continued.

Upon its release, Lean Back topped both the US Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard Hot R&B/HipHop Singles & Tracks charts. It also received a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Performance by Duo or Group at the 47th annual Grammy Awards.

Fat Joe grew up in the Jamaican stronghold of Bronx, New York. He has collaborated with Jamaican artistes such as Bounty Killer, Buju Banton, and Barrington Levy. (Jamaica Observer)

Pavilion+ aims to revolutionise Caribbean streaming

A NEW player has emerged in the ever-evolving landscape of digital entertainment promising to transform the way we consume movies, television shows, and documentaries in the Caribbean.

Pavilion Entertainment, the brainchild of Los Angeles-based film producer from Trinidad and Tobago, Gian Franco, aims to disrupt the streaming industry with a transformative approach to delivery and a world-class streaming experience.

Pavilion Entertainment aims to become the "Disney of the Caribbean" offering a fresh alternative to content creators and consumers in the region.

Streaming platform Pavilion+ is set to make its mark in a competitive market, by showcasing movies and TV shows from and for the Caribbean.

The innovative mind behind the creation of Pavilion Entertainment and Pavilion+ is Gian Franco, who has shared his talents with Microsoft and Amazon and has consulted for Comcast and Liberty Media.

Franco's film Venus as a Boy won an audience award at the Tribeca Festival and was picked up for distribution on Hulu.

He has also collaborated on projects such as Machel Montano's Bazodee, Kingston Paradise, and Green Days by the River.

Pavilion Entertainment was born in an application essay Franco wrote in applying for a Master's in Business Administration and Finance, Strategy, Media, Entertainment, and Technology at the

"In truth, incredible stories by Caribbean creatives exist, and we aim to elevate

as a producer from the Caribbean and a champion of homegrown content creators, it was his mission to bring Caribbean voices to the world stage.

"We aspire to become the ‘Disney of the Caribbean,’ positioning Pavilion Entertainment as a leading media and entertainment company dedicated to creating and curating content exclusively from the Caribbean. Our focus spans across movies, TV shows, music, and various forms of entertainment," he said.

"We’ve launched Pavilion+, a streaming service, which showcases the best Caribbean movies, TV shows, and documentaries, all in one place - from classic movies and TV shows that haven’t been available for years to never-before-seen shows from other Caribbean islands," Franco added.

While Franco's key differentiator is his commitment to original content he also wants to dispel the misconception that Caribbean television shows and movies lack quality.

the standards of Caribbean content by showcasing the rich creativity of these creatives," he said.

"We also want to inspire global audiences. We often say, “These are our stories, best told.” You don’t have to look elsewhere for quality Caribbean content, and by showcasing the diverse and vibrant storytelling that the Caribbean has to offer, we want global audiences to see that. That starts with Pavilion+. We want to reshape local and global perceptions of Caribbean content," Franco said.

Franco believes that Pavilion Entertainment and its streaming service Pavilion+ have the power to transform how we produce, distribute, and consume Caribbean television and film in the Caribbean and globally.

"Pavilion+ not only aims to be a central hub but also envisions a future where Caribbean storytellers consistently produce world-class content within the region. With data on our side, we can understand what audiences in the Caribbean and the dias-

With a forward-thinking approach, the company stands to redefine the future of entertainment

Fat Joe (left) speaks with Jennifer Hudson on The Jennifer Hudson Show.

New York University Stern School of Business. Franco told LoopTT that

pora want to watch," he said. The streaming industry is dominated by the likes of Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Max, Disney, and Hulu.

streaming in the Caribbean and shape the next chapter in the digital entertainment revolution. (Loop News)

Gian Franco

Cricket fever grips Guyana as schoolchildren get up close with T20 World Cup Trophy

THE ICC Men's T20 World Cup trophy embarked on a memorable ‘visit’ to Guyana's historic St. George's Cathedral, the world's tallest wooden building, on Thursday.

School children from across the region were treated to a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to pose for pictures with the coveted trophy and mingle with Guyana's national cricketers amidst the grandeur of the landmark. This visit is just a taste of the excitement brewing in

Guyana, which is gearing up to "knock it out of the park" as it prepares to co-host the tournament alongside the United States. The country will showcase its unique culture and warmly welcome fans as it stages group matches from June 2nd to 8th, culminating in the second semi-final on June 27th.

Guyana will have the honour of hosting the second match of the tournament, which will also be the West Indies' opening fixture, on June 2nd. The ICC Men's

T20 World Cup 2024 runs from June 1st to 29th.

Fans eager to witness the action live can still secure their tickets. Physical sales are ongoing at the Guyana Cricket Board office on Regent Street, while online purchases can be made through the official website at www. tickets.t20worldcup.com.

Here's a quick look at the Men's T20 World Cup 2024 matches scheduled for the National Stadium, Providence:

Sunday, June 2: West Indies vs Papua New Guinea - 10:30 hours

Monday, June 3: Afghanistan vs Uganda - 20:30 hours

Wednesday, June 5: Papua New Guinea vs Uganda - 19:30 hours

Friday, June 7: New Zealand vs Afghanistan19:30 hours

Saturday, June 8: West Indies vs Uganda - 20:30 hours

Thursday, June 27: Semi-final Two - 10:30 hours

King and Motie set up opening win for ...

From page 40

way point of our innings, I thought we could have gotten 200 or so because we had wickets in hand – but it’s a difficult pitch to bat on when the ball gets older, so we still ended up getting a competitive total.

“I think [Motie] is a very skillful bowler, a very smart bowler. He changes his pace really well and he tries to think ahead of the batsman and executes well most of the time, so he has been a reliable player for us, and we hope he continues into the World Cup.”

King got into stride with a drive through cover for four off left-arm spinner Bjorn Fortuin in the first over and was dominant from early, reducing typically

aggressive opening partner Johnson Charles to a mere spectator.

Charles faced only five balls before he was caught at deep square leg off pace newcomer Ottneil Baartman for one in the fourth over, and he was the only batsman to fall during the Power Play, which ended with West Indies on 64 for one.

King continued to unleash a volley of strokes and brought up the fastest of his nine T20I 50s from 26 balls when he pulled a short ball from pacer Lungi Ngidi to “cow corner” for his sixth four in the final over of the Power Play.

Kyle Mayers was a solid ally for King, and they carried the Caribbean side to 109 for one at the halfway stage, but the interim West Indies captain was caught at short extra cover from

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a miscued drive off pacer Andile Phehlukwayo in the next over.

King and Mayers put on 79 for the second wicket to propel West Indies to 115 for three, but the rest of the batting of the hosts failed to come to terms with the pitch and disciplined bowling from the Proteas and they lost seven wickets for 66 in the second half of the innings – something that they will need to clean up.

Phehlukwayo was the pick of the South Africa bowlers with three for 26 from his four overs, and Baartman ended with three for 28 from his four overs.

Forde then had talismanic left-hander Quinton de Kock caught behind for four with the second ball of the chase, Roston Chase got Ryan Rickelton stumped for six in the second

over, and Shamar Joseph, playing in his maiden T20I, trapped Matthew Breetzke lbw for 19, all inside the Power Play and had the South Africans were wobbling on 46 for three.

But West Indies met resistance when the Proteas captain Rassie van der Dussen and Hendricks shared 42 for the fourth wicket and carried the visitors to 99 for three at the halfway stage.

When Motie trapped van der Dussen lbw for 17 in the next over, a decision confirmed after the batsman reviewed, attempting an ill-advised reverse sweep, that opened the floodgates, and only Hendricks, whose lusty hitting intensified in the closing stages, could offer South Africa a lifeline.

CRICKET QUIZ

Quiz:

Ponting & Langer rule themselves out of India job

AUSTRALIA greats, Ricky Ponting and Justin Langer, have ruled themselves out of becoming India's next head coach.

The contract of current coach, Rahul Dravid, 51, runs out at the end of the T20 World Cup next month and India has invited applications for the position.

Ponting, who currently coaches Delhi Capitals in the India Premier League, said he has held talks about the role but did not want to commit.

Former Australia coach, Langer, told the BBC he was not ready to take another

international job.

"I know that it's an all-encompassing role and having done it for four years with the Australian team it's exhausting," Langer told the Stumped podcast.

Langer, 53, left his position with Australia in 2022 amid reported unrest over his leadership style, external, despite winning the T20 World Cup and the Ashes.

He took over as Lucknow Super Giants head coach in the IPL this season

Ponting, who captained Australia's Test side between 2004 and 2011, also works as head of strategy at the Hobart

Hurricanes in the Big Bash League and as head coach of Washington Freedom in Major League Cricket.

"Everyone knows if you take a job working with the Indian team you can't be involved in an IPL team, so it would take that out of it," Ponting, 49, told the International Cricket Council.

"Also, a national head coach is a 10 or 11-month of the year job, and as much as I'd like to do it, it just doesn't fit into my lifestyle right now and the things that I really enjoy doing."(BBC Sport)

Doncic leads Mavericks to win over Timberwolves BCQS International Barbados Masters Squash Tournament 2024

DONCIC starred as the Dallas Mavericks beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 108-105 in the opening game of the NBA's Western Conference Finals.

Slovenia's Doncic top-scored with 33 points, including 15 in the final quarter, as the Mavericks gained first advantage in the best-of-seven series.

Kyrie Irving also scored 30 points for Dallas, with 24 of them coming in the first half in Minneapolis.

"We had to work really hard to get this one," said Doncic.

"I think we're known for losing game ones, so we were trying to make a point. But it's only one and we have three more [wins] to go."

The two sides exchanged leads multiple times in a see-saw final quarter, as Anthony Edwards' 24-foot three-pointer gave the Timberwolves a 102-98 advantage with just under four minutes to go.

But eight unanswered points from the Mavericks, including a step-back jump shot from Doncic, put them back in the ascendency before seeing out victory.

Jaden McDaniels led the scoring for the Timberwolves with 24 points, while Edwards added 19.

Game two takes place today in Minneapolis.(BBC Sport)

GUYANESE Regan Pollard (45-54) and Dennis Dias (over 65) registered victories on Day Two of the BCQS International annual Squash Tournament Barbados Squash Club in Christ Church Barbados Wednesday.

However, Dias won his second match while Robin Low (55-65) lost his second match after losing the Barbadian Tony McKenzie on the opening day.

Dias defeated American Auchee Lee 11-2, 11-3, 11-3 for his second win before losing to Trinidadian Richard Hart 12-10, 11-4, 11-2 on Wednesday.

Low lost to Barbadian Peter Harris 11-7, 11-6, 11-3 while Pollard defeated Barbadian Martin Bryan 11-2, 11-3, 11-7 to win his first game.

Yesterday, Joseph Mekdeci lost to Colin Mowser 11-13, 5-11, 11-7, 6-11 before Dias lost 7-11, 11-3, 11-4 to Ruairidh McKenzie

Pollard was set play his second game last evening against Bajan Andy Gill, Mekdeci will play Tony Mckenzie. The other set for last evening by a Guyanese was a match-involving Low.

LUKA

Ricky Ponting (right) worked with his friend and former team-mate, Justin Langer (left), while Langer was Australia head coach

Regan Pollard

Guyanese foursome go into action today in Thailand Qualifiers for the Paris Olympics in July

By Sean Devers

FOUR Guyanese pugilists will go into action from today in the Olympics second Qualifier in Bangkok Thailand, with the hope of qualifying for the Paris Olympics which is scheduled to commence on July 24.

Desmond Amsterdam (80kg) Keevin Allicock (57kg) Joel Williamson (63.5kg) and Emmanuel Pompey (92kg) are hoping to qualify for Paris 2024 while at the same time win medals.

Allicock is the only member of the group who has attended a previous Olympics: having fought at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.

The boxers are being accompanied by Coach Lennox Daniel. Director of Sport (DoS), Steve Ninvalle who is also the President of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) explained that it is important for them to qualify for the Olympics.

“Securing a place at the Olympics is one dream most athletes have…the other is to win medals at the games. In recent times we have seen that the IBA World

Championship has pushed its way into becoming another dream for boxers, as the monetary benefits associated with winning Medals there are huge and potentially life-

Sheltez/Homesafe Independence tournament

Nathan DeNobrega and Renola Jordan take U-18 titles

NATHAN DeNobrega emerged champion in the boys U-18 after he had played unbeaten to win the U-14 title of the Sheltez/ Homesafe Independence Tennis tournament which climaxed with the boys U-18 final last Sunday.

DeNobrega beat Navindra Arjune in an entertaining U-18 Final while Renola Jordan got the better of Paula Kalekeyzi in the Girls U-18 Final.

The Sheltez Tennis Club thanked the sponsor and congratulated all of the play-

ers, especially the winners. According to the Club there were plenty of young talent on show which augurs well for the future.

Coach Shelly Daley informed that the official Ceremony will be held on Saturday May 25, the day before Guyana celebrates its 58th Independence Anniversary.

Results: U-18 Boys

Winner Nathan DeNobrega Runner-up Navindra Arjune U-18 Girls

Winner Renola Jordan

Runner-up Paula Kalekeyzi U-18 Novice Medley

Winner Ethan Singh

Runner-up Mickaya Roberts U-14 Boys

Winner Nathan DeNobrega

Runner-up Zephan Henry U-14 Girls

Winner Kimora Erskine

Runner-up Niomi Erskine M U-12 Boys

Winner Michael Fordyce

Runner-up Alexander Parkinson U-12 Girls

Winner Israbella Grannum

Runner-up Samara Siland

U-10 Green Ball Medley

Winner Michael Fordyce

Runner-up Israbella Gran -

num

U-10 Orange ball Boys

Winner Yoshua Mangru

Runner-up Hayden Chan U-10 Orange ball Girls

Winner Arian Shako

Runner-up Denisha Boston

U-10 Red ball Boys

Winner Yoshua Mangru

Runner-up Yarib Trejo

U-10 Red ball Girls

Winner Denisha Boston

Runner-up Maya Harding (Sean Devers)

changing” stated Ninvalle. “Guyana and CARICOM only have one Olympic boxing medal.

So, these qualifiers are immensely important, not

only to our Dear Land, but also for the region, as it allows us a chance to emulate Mike Parris’ 1980 bronze medal, or better it” continued the DoS.

The GBA top man informed that he was satisfied with the quartet’s preparation and overall training sessions.

“Yes! I am satisfied. The team was sent to Ecuador for two weeks of high-altitude training.

Reports emanating from the training camp placed the team in high spirits and prepared for the task at hand, disclosed the DoS.

“We have asked that they remain focused despite obvious distractions and give their best. They are all very talented and have the ability to qualify” The DoS concluded.

‘Big Bravo’ gets bowling consultant role with Afghanistan

BASSETERRE, St Kitts, (CMC) – Former West Indies all-rounder, Dwayne Bravo, will become a technical adviser to one of the visiting teams during the ICC Men’s Twenty20 World Cup, starting on June 1 in the Caribbean and the United States.

The 40-year-old, a member of the two-time men’s T20 World Cup winning West Indies teams, has joined the support staff of the Afghanistan team as the bowling consultant, following in the footsteps of Trinidad & Tobago compatriots, Kieron Pollard, and Phil Simmons.

Pollard will be working with defending champions England, the only other nation that has won the T20I World Cup twice, and Simmons will be attached to the Papua New Guinea team, which will play in Group “C” that also features co-hosts, West Indies.

Bravo will link up with the Afghans in their 10-day training camp that has already reached the St Kitts & Nevis capital of Basseterre and will help them to prepare for the global showpiece.

The Afghans are also in Group “C” that also features New Zealand and African qualifier, Uganda, against whom they play their opening match in the tournament on June 3 at the Guyana National Cricket Stadium.

Bravo began his international career two decades ago and represented West Indies until his retirement three years ago.

He appeared in 40 Tests, 164 One-day Internationals, and 91 T20Is for the Caribbean side, and he scored more than 6 000 international runs and collected a little more than 360 wickets.

Bravo has had a prolific career in the sport’s shortest format with the West Indies and for various franchises across the globe. His 625 wickets are the most in official T20 matches, with 78 of them coming in international matches.

Bravo was a member of West Indies squads that won the T20I World Cup in 2012 and 2016, and he most recently featured in the role of bowling coach for the Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League.

Nathan DeNobrega was the star of the tournament Renola Jordan plays a forehand shot during the Girls U-18 final

Keevin Allicock Desmond Amsterdam Joel Williamson Emmanuel Pompey

Ali Khan and Monank Patel take USA to historic T20I series win over Bangladesh

...It's the best possible build-up to the T20 World Cup for USA, the co-hosts. For Bangladesh, it's as bad as it gets

ALI Khan played the starring role as USA fought their way to a T20I series win over Bangladesh at home, going up 2-0 in the three-match series in Texas on Thursday. His three-wicket haul helped USA to a six-run win in the second game after they had won the first game courtesy Harmeet Singh's big hitting.

USA bowled superbly in the death overs with Ali Khan picking up all his three wickets in that period, while Saurabh Netravalkar took one in the 19th over.

On Tuesday, when USA won the first game, it was their first win over a top-ten T20I side. This time, they went one step further. It will be a huge boost for the team ahead of the T20 World Cup next month.

Scores: USA 144 for 6 (Monank 42, Jones 35, Taylor 31, Rishad 2-21, Shoriful 2-29, Mustafizur 2-31) beat Bangladesh 138 (Shanto 36, Shakib 30, Ali Khan 3-25, Netravalkar 2-15, van Schalkwyk 2-21) by six runs.

For Bangladesh, it's a cricketing disaster.

They couldn't get the 145run chase on track from the start. They lost two wickets inside the powerplay before a rush of wickets following a 48-run stand between captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and Towhid

Hridoy. Shakib Al Hasan tried to get them home but Ali Khan removed him in the 18th over to get USA back in the game. Rishad Hossain led Bangladesh's efficient bowling effort after they decided to bowl first. He took 2 for 21, his best and most economical spell in T20Is, while Mustafizur Rahman and Shoriful Islam also took two each. USA captain Monank Patel top scored with 42 while his deputy Aaron Jones got 35, but the home side couldn't take advantage of a decent powerplay. USA make inroads

In the chase, Netravalkar gave USA the early breakthrough they wanted defending a smallish total. He caught and bowled Soumya Sarkar, who feebly pushed the fourth ball of the innings back to the bowler. Tanzid Hasan hit a six off Ali Khan, before tickling a boundary off Steven Taylor in the fourth over. Tanzid, however, threw away his good start when he was bowled attempting to pull a delivery from Jessy Singh that wasn't short enough for the shot. After that, Shanto and Hridoy, who made a fifty in the

first game, added 48 runs for the third wicket. Hridoy and Shanto struck Harmeet for a six each in the tenth over, both hitting the ball relatively straight.

But Shanto and Hridoy got into a mix-up in the 11th over and Shanto was left stranded in the middle of the pitch. Corey Anderson then bowled Hridoy in the 13th over for 25 off 21 balls before Shadley van Schalkwyk did the same to Mahmudullah in the 15th over.

Ali Khan swings it USA's way Shakib survived a run-out at-

tempt at the start of the 16th over when the point fielder couldn't hit the stumps even as Shakib struggled to reach the striker's end. He shook it off by timing two superb fours off Jessy later in the over, first through point and then tickled past third.

Bangladesh's joy, however, was short-lived. Jaker Ali fell to van Schalkwyk before Shakib followed him back next ball. Batting on 30, Shakib chopped an away-going delivery from Ali Khan on to his stumps, leaving the tail to finish the job.

Ali Khan then trapped Tanzim Hasan lbw for a duck just one ball later, to put USA well and truly on top.

Ali Khan the last-over hero Rishad slammed Ali Khan for a one-bounce four at the end of the 18th over to keep Bangladesh in the hunt but Netravalkar bowled Shoriful in the penultimate over. Mustafizur took a single off the last ball of the over, before running a bye at the start of the last over. Rishad struck Ali Khan for a four through long-on but next ball, Ali Khan took his inside edge as he tried to ramp the fast bowler, sparking huge celebrations for US.

Rishad strikes after good USA start

In the first half, Taylor and Monank took a bit of time to get going but from the fourth over, the USA opening pair strung to-

gether a few boundaries. Taylor struck Tanzim for two fours in the fourth over before he cracked Mustafizur and Shakib for a six each in the following overs.

But shortly after finishing the powerplay without any losses, USA lost two big wickets. Rishad floated one through to Taylor, who struck it down wide long-on Tanzid Hasan's throat. He made 31 off 28 balls with two sixes and three fours. Next ball, Rishad had Andries Gous caught behind for a duck with a beautiful legbreak. He finished with his best T20I figures of 2 for 21 from four overs.

Shoriful, Mustafizur join the party Monank and Jones then added 60 runs for the third wicket but they batted at only 6.42 per over. Jones was more fluent than he was in the previous game, though, hitting Rishad for a six over long-off, but big hits were few and far between in general.

After keeping Jones and Monank on a leash for just under ten overs, Bangladesh got their reward in the last four overs. Mustafizur removed Jones for 35 off 34, caught at long-on. Shoriful bowled both Anderson and Monank in the 19th over. And Mustafizur had Harmeet soon after for a duck. But as it turned out, USA had enough on the board. (ESPN Cricinfo)

Thompson-Herah vs Richardson clash to feature at Prefontaine Classic

EUGENE, Oregon, (CMC) –

A spicy showdown between Elaine Thompson-Herah of Jamaica and Sha’Carri Richardson of the United States will be one of the headline acts of the Prefontaine Classic on Saturday.

The two track darlings will feature in a hotly contested women’s 100 metres dash at Hayward Field in the American city of Eugene in the state of Oregon that also features world indoor 60m champion, Julian Alfred of St Lucia and Marie-Josee Ta Lou-Smith of the Ivory Coast.

Richardson, the reigning world 100 champion, will be running her first race over this distance for the year, but she has got her legs in tune with a couple of 200s earlier in the season and given that she ran sub-11 seconds throughout last year, the showdown holds much intrigue.

Alfred made history with her world indoor title in Glasgow, Scotland, earlier this year and facing runners the calibre of Thompson-Herah and Richardson will be a good indication of how

The Classic is extra special for Thompson-Herah because she earned the label “the fastest woman alive” three years ago when she clocked 10.54 seconds over the distance – a time that was only five hundredths-of-asecond off the world record of deceased American star, Florence Griffith-Joyner. Thompson-Herah is a two-time Olympic double sprint champion, but the past year was quite rocky after she split with iconic coach Stephen Francis, and she has struggled to find her form since the parting of ways.

much she has progressed this season.

Ta Lou-Smith, 35, will also be looking to create an upset while celebrating her marriage to Trinidadian J. Smith after she produced a scintillating run to win the women 100 in 10.91 secs at the Jamaica Athletics Invitational meet, a World Athletics

Continental Tour Silver event, on May 11.

Ta Lou-Smith was making her individual season debut, and her performances moved her to third on this season’s world-leading times list after she got a decent start and went into overdrive at the halfway stage before going on to claim a clear win.

Another mouth-watering duel is in store when world indoor men’s 60 champion Christian Coleman of the United States meets Ackeem Blake of Jamaica in the men’s 100.

The men’s 110 hurdles is also expected to be a heated affair with three-time world champion Grant Holloway

of the United States down to face a field that includes five who raced in last year’s World Championships final in Budapest, including silver medallist, Hansle Parchment of Jamaica and American bronze medallist, Daniel Roberts. The women’s 100m hurdles will not count towards Diamond League points totals, but it will be more potential previews for global championships.

Women who account for five of the year’s six fastest times, all of whom are separated by fractions of a second, will face off in the hurdles, including world indoor champion Devynne Charlton of The Bahamas and two-time world champion Danielle Williams of Jamaica.

Elaine Thompson-Herah

Sha’Carri Richardson

Cricket fever grips Guyana as schoolchildren get up close with T20 World Cup Trophy

National cricketers, local tournament ambassador, Ramnaresh Sarwan, along with school children at the St. George’s Cathedral

King and Motie set up opening win for Windies against Proteas

KINGSTON, Jamaica, (CMC)

– ICC Men’s Twenty20 World Cup co-hosts West Indies drew first blood in their warm-up series against South Africa with a 28-run win on Thursday in Jamaica after Player-ofthe-Match batting from their interim captain Brandon King and steady bowling from leftarm spinner Gudakesh Motie set them up.

King, leading the Caribbean side because fellow Jamaican and regular captain Rovman Powell is involved in the knockout stages of the Indian Premier League, hit six sixes and six fours in an electrifying 79 from 45 balls, and the hosts reached 175 for eight after they were put in to bat in the first T20I of the three-match series at Sabina Park.

Motie then defied a career-best 87 off 51 balls from South African opener Reeza

Hendricks and bagged three for three for 25 from his allotted four overs before the visitors were dismissed for 147 in 19.5 overs.

Pacer Matthew Forde ended with three for 27 from 2.5 overs, and lanky left-arm pacer Obed McCoy finished with two for 15 from three overs to complete the demolition of the Proteas batting and ensure no batsman other than Hendricks reached 20.

With at least half of their World Cup squad missing either due to IPL commitments or resting after their involvement in the lucrative franchise T20 tournament, the result was a step in the right direction for the Caribbean side, whose aim is to clinch a third T20 world title and become the first to win the global showpiece on home soil.

There are still a few areas of concern for the home team to tidy up in the remaining

two matches on Saturday and Sunday at the same venue, but King erasing concerns about his fitness, and Motie proving his usefulness in the middle of the innings were satisfying.

“We are leading in to a World Cup so we want to be playing good cricket going into that,” King said during a postplay interview on TV. “We got the win, so we are happy about that and I think all-round we played well.

“I think I know the conditions very well, and I know that it is easier to bat against the new ball, so you have to try to get a really good start because when the ball gets older it gets more difficult to score, and we saw that in both innings. That was my plan going out there, and I executed it well.”

King added: “At the mid-

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Brandon King was named man-ofthe-match for his brilliant 79