Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 26-04-2023

Sadhguru hails President Ali’s integrity, focus, foresight

— commends Guyana’s leader for his ‘uncompromising’ determination to the ‘Save Soil’ Movement

By Clestine Juan

GUYANA’S President, Dr. Irfaan Ali’s work and advocacy in the areas of climate change and food security have been highlighted worldwide, including by renowned yogi and philosopher from India, Jagadish Vasudev, better known around the world as Sadhguru.

Last year, Guyana signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sadhguru on soil cooperation, and to preserve Guyana’s soil in keeping with the country’s Low-Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS).

The issue of soil degradation is a significant threat to the planet, as the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) predicts that soil extinction

could become a reality if soil degradation continues at present rates.

The Save Soil Movement, which is the brainchild of Sadhguru, is a global movement to address the soil crisis by bringing together people from around the world to stand up for soil health, and supporting leaders of all na-

tions to institute national policies and actions toward increasing the organic content in cultivable soil.

His foremost principle for the Save Soil Movement is, “Soil is our life, our very body, and if we forsake soil, in many ways, we forsake the planet.”

The renowned philoso -

pher commended Dr. Ali for his uncompromising determination towards the movement.

“Our utmost gratitude to His Excellency President Irfaan Ali for Guyana's uncompromising determination to #SaveSoil. With this integrity, focus, and foresight, we have what it takes to change

the trajectory of the planet,” Sadhguru said in a Twitter post.

President Ali has expressed his unwavering commitment to preserving the soil of Guyana and reiterated the government's support for the 'Save Soil' Movement.

During his Earth Day greeting, the President emphasised the crucial role that soil plays in sustaining the country's agricultural sector and securing food security for its citizens.

“This planet is blessed with resources to provide for the well-being of humanity and the creatures of the land, sea, and air. Guyana is committed to playing its part in rejuvenating the Earth's soil.

“Guyana remains committed to measures aimed at reforestation, land reclamation, improving land

productivity, restoring soil health, protecting freshwater supplies, reversing land degradation, halting biodiversity loss, and expanding the country's protected areas system,” the President said.

By recommitting to the preservation of Guyana's soil and promoting the “Save Soil' Movement,” President Ali demonstrated his administration's dedication to environmental sustainability and the well-being of the Guyanese people.

The Head of State said that Guyana has been pleased to involve itself with the objective of the “Save Soil” Movement. Guyana has dedicated itself to support efforts to preserve and establish a harmonious balance between human activities and nature.

President Dr. Irfaan Ali Sadhguru

Job opportunities are readily available

— President Ali tells 1,450 graduates of GROW programme

AS 1,450 Guyanese graduated on Tuesday with the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) Level Six certificates, President Dr. Irfaan Ali called on the graduates to make the best of the job opportunities being made readily available, with the government ready to provide assistance to persons desirous of pursuing careers in the nursing, teaching, caregiving and hospitality sectors.

Delivering the feature address at the ceremony held at the National Cultural Centre (NCC), President Ali said that the government is doing its part to create a country where all citizens can equally benefit, and so Guyanese must ensure to make the best of the opportunities being made available to them.

“You can’t just sit back and wait for your dream job or perfect job; that is not how the developed world operates. You have to enter the workforce and start to build experience by working and earning,”

President Ali told the gathering of students.

The group of graduates included 568 students from the 2021/2022 cohort and 882 students from the

2022/2023 cohort, with 88 per cent of them already enrolled in a university.

The SCQF was being offered under the Get Ready for Opportunity

to Work (G.R.O.W) programme through the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL).

In encouraging messages, some of the grad-

uates urged potential students to never let anything stop them in their academic pursuit, and always remember that there is a brighter future, regardless of your background.

Many of the graduates shared that it was not easy pursuing their academics while simultaneously holding a job, in addition to dealing with the varying demands of their family and personal life during the time.

This was particularly challenging for Priya Chetram, when, in addition to juggling all of the different areas of life, she faced the added challenge of dealing with an illness and losing her home and all its contents in a fire during her time studying.

“So, it was somewhat challenging for me, trying to juggle between my job, studies, and rebuilding my family's life. All the way it was on God and my family, especially my husband and father [but now] I've acquired more academic proficiency, and it will help me to climb the

career ladder,” Chetram commented.

She added: “My advice to [others] would be to let nothing stop you go for it as long as you can think you can do it just apply. It's going to be a lot of late-night studies, and just go for it; it's going to help you all the way, academically, and you're going to learn a lot.”

Guyana Police Force (GPF) Corporal, Mohamed Kadir shared how grateful he is for his academic elevation, which will improve his contributions on the job, and help him to advance in his career path.

Having completed the SCQF, Kadir is currently enrolled at the JainDeemed-To-Be University in India pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Human Resource Management.

“Once I complete this, it is going to help me to be part of the administration, and be able to make decisions that will better my organisation,” Kadir noted.

Kadir shared his grati-

Continued on page 5

President Dr. Irfaan Ali called on graduates of the GROW programme to make the best of the job opportunities being made readily available

The government has committed to investing in human capital so that every citizen can benefit from the economic development taking place in every sector (Office of the President photos)

LGE contenders have until today to correct defects on LGE lists

POLITICAL parties, voluntary groups and individuals contesting the June 12 Local Government Elections (LGE) have until today, April 26, to correct any defects identified on the List of Candidates by the Returning Officers (RO) of the respective districts. The titles and symbols of the lists, and the names

of the candidates are expected to be published by the ROs by Saturday, April 29, Public Relations Officer of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Yolanda Ward has confirmed.

Entities contesting the LGE would have submitted the names of their proposed candidates to contest in the 610 constituencies across

the 80 Local Authority Areas (LAA) on Nomination Day, April 17.

Since then, the various ROs have been examining those lists to ensure that all components are in accordance with the provisions of Sections 38 A, 44 and 44A of the Local Authorities (Elections) Act, Cap 28:03.

The provisions of Sections 38A, 44 and 44A outline the various ways in which a list may be deemed defective, such as if the list is not in the prescribed form, is not accompanied by statutory declaration in the prescribed form, does not have the required number of persons, does not have the required number of signatories, or is a list without an approved symbol, among other reasons.

According to statutory requirements, in the case of a defect being identified, the RO must, no later than the 49 days before the elections, inform the Representative or Deputy Representative of the Lists, and specify the nature of the defect or defects.

The Representative/ Deputy Representative of a List of Candidate then has until 47 days before Election Day to submit the corrections to the lists to the RO.

For those lists found to be in order, the RO will, not later than the 46th day before Elections Day, publicly declare the titles of the approved lists, and the names of candidates therein, and will give notice, in writing, to the Representative or Deputy Representative.

Within that timeline, the RO must also notify the

Representative or Deputy Representative of any List that has not been approved. Both of Guyana’s two main political parties, the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), have submitted their list of candidates to contest in the LGE. A number of involuntarily groups and individuals have also come forth to contest particular areas.

The PPP/C has declared that the party has submitted candidates to contest in all 80 LAAs. APNU, however, has been cryptic about the constituencies and areas that they have put forward candidates for, only noting that they are contesting in “virtually” all of the LAAs.

General Secretary of the PPP/C, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo has, however, revealed that the APNU is only contesting in 279 of the 610 constituencies in 24 of the 80 LAAs. The APNU has since denied this, but continues to withhold any information on where the party is contesting.

AG Nandlall meets with visiting delegation from Trinidad, BVI FIUs

ant international institution will significantly enhance its FIU institutional capability to access international platforms, and to receive and be able to disseminate vital information and intelligence in relation to organised crime, terrorist financing, and other local and cross-border illicit activities.

The delegation commended Guyana on its current AML/CFT framework, and the consistent exchange of information and cooperation within this domestic network.

The delegation also hailed Guyana’s FIU for executing Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with almost all of its counterparts across the Caribbean and other key stakeholders.

reporting entities including the commercial banks and the Guyana Immigration Service.

The Hon. Attorney-General thanked the delegation for their timely visit. He informed them of various pieces of legislation currently in draft to strengthen and update Guyana’s AML/CFT regime and to meet the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) international standards, including amendments to the principal AML/CFT Act, a Bill to create an omnibus agency as a supervisory authority for unsupervised entities, and a draft Real Estate Bill which

will provide the regulatory framework for real estate agents and developers.

The Attorney General indicated that he is optimistic that the delegation’s visit and input will help to accelerate Guyana’s application to join the Egmont Group, as Guyana is becoming a sophisticated economy attracting large investments and therefore the importance of creating a strong regulatory framework to protect its growing financial sector is of paramount importance to the government. (DPI)

THE Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs

Anil Nandlall, S.C, on Tuesday met with a visiting delegation from the Financial Intelligence Units (FIU) of Trinidad and Tobago and the British Virgin Islands.

The delegation comprised Mr. Nigel Stoddard, Director of Acting Director of the FIU, Trinidad and Tobago, and Mr. Errol George, Director of the

Financial Investigation Agency, British Virgin Islands.

Accompanying the Attorney-General were Matthew Langevine, Director of the FIU Guyana, and Mr. Rommel St. Hill, Anti-Money Laundering/Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Officer attached to the Attorney-General’s Chambers.

The visiting delegation is

currently in Guyana conducting an on-site visit with regard to Guyana’s application to join the Egmont Group of FIU. Subsequent to their visit, the delegation will provide a report to the Egmont Group in July 2023 in Dubai for consideration.

If successful, this will enable Guyana to join the Egmont Group in early-2024. Guyana’s joining this import-

During their visit, the delegation met with the Finance Secretary, the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), the Customs Anti Narcotic Unit (CANU), the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), representatives from the Bank of Guyana, Guyana Securities Council and the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA). They are also scheduled to meet with

Job opportunities are...

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tude with the opportunity that the GOAL scholarship programme has afforded him, given that he had not always thought that higher education was something that he would be able to afford.

“As a child growing up, I was always told that education is expensive. And when I read the platform of the GOAL, I realised that I'm being given an opportunity to pursue a greater education [for free], took the opportunity to pursue a degree which I'm presently doing,” Kadir said.

As a police officer, Kadir shared that with the free scholarships now being available, he is now in a position to advise youths who get caught up on the wrong side of the law about this great opportunity that they could use

to change their own story.

“Whenever I see youngsters sitting at the station and I talk to them, I ask them what your education background is. And a lot of them would say to me, I didn't get to write CXC, and I advise them have you ever heard about the GOAL programme, and a lot of them would say no, but I try to show them that no matter what you went through in the past, there is always a brighter future for you,” Kadir said.

“The government of Guyana provides a gold scholarship whereby you can pursue your study and make yourself a better individual. I urge each and every single individual there and especially the youngsters to not give up do not give up and do not follow the part of crime.

“Always believe in

yourself and always believe that there's an opportunity for you to make it enough yourself somebody. The government provide gold make you serve it. It's a free scholarship you don't have to pay for that just make use of it and make the sacrifice and invest the time.”

Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, said that the government will continue to invest in human capital so that every citizen can benefit from the economic development taking place in every sector.

“You sit here as testimony to what can happen when people believe in you, people love you and people invest in you,” Minister Manickchand told the gathering of graduates.

Aside from now being able to apply to univer-

sities under the GOAL programme, Minister Manickchand explained that the University of Guyana, as well as the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE), will also be accepting the SCQF Level 6 certification as an eligibility criterion for persons desirous of pursuing programmes at the institutions.

Minister of Public Service, Sonia Parag congratulated the graduates on their accomplishments, and implored them to stay the course despite the challenges as education will open doors.

“I am very proud to stand here in this moment and see Guyana reflected in all of you. I want to thank you for trusting us in helping you take the next step in your academic journey,” she said.

Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall, S.C., on Tuesday April 25, 2023, met with a visiting delegation from the Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs) of Trinidad and Tobago and the British Virgin Islands

Preserving Indigenous Languages

WORLD Book Day is an annual event which is observed on April 23 to promote love for reading, writing, publishing and copyright globally. On this day, several activities are organised across the world to promote the passion for books and reading. It also works towards creating awareness of and importance of reading.

The first World Book Day was organised by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization on April 23, 1965, to

coincide with the birth anniversaries of several world-acclaimed writers such as William Shakespeare, Garcilaso de La Vega, and Miguel de Cervantes.

The theme of this year's World Book Day is “Indigenous languages” and focuses on promoting the diversity in native languages of a country.

World Book Day is being celebrated in Guyana by way of encouraging reading at the National Library and mobile libraries in areas where libraries are not easily accessible.

Emphasis is also placed on the preservation of Indigenous languages with a view to bridging the learning and communication gaps between hinterland and coastal regions.

The importance of books cannot be overemphasised. Books, it is said, are the storehouses of knowledge. As Lyndon B Johnson once said, “A book is the most effective weapon against intolerance and ignorance.”

In similar vein, Charles William Eliot said: “Books are the quietest and most constant

of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counsellors and the most patient of teachers.”

The theme of this year's World Book Day is of particular relevance to Guyana, given our ethnic and cultural diversity. And even though English is the official language, there are several Indigenous communities which still communicate in their respective Indigenous languages and dialects.

Unfortunately, many of the Indigenous languages in the world are at risk of dying out. Guyana

is, however, fortunate in that it still has nine Indigenous languages. The Ministry of Education has been making efforts to promote the teaching of Wapishana children in their own language at the primary level, with the aim of improving literacy levels.

According to Education Minister Priya Manickchand, there are plans to expand the teaching of the Wapichan language in several communities in the South Rupununi.

The aim is to seek to bridge the language

gap to enable hinterland children to learn in their native languages. Among the several plans are the training of teachers in several of the communities to deliver the ministry's curriculum in the native tongue.

Guyana has a relatively high literacy rate. This is due in large measure to the several initiatives taken by the Education Ministry to encourage and promote reading, especially at the nursery and primary levels.

The narrative of APNU is counterproductive to national unity

Dear Editor,

FROM time immemorial, the politics of inclusion and broad representation has always triumphed over fear and intimidation. In Guyana’s context, our country is a classic case study.

In the years leading up to national independence following the Second World War, a multiracial group comprising Dr Cheddi Jagan, Janet Jagan, Ashton Chase and Jocelyn Hubbard established the Political Affairs Committee on November 6, 1946, to pursue representative politics and

inclusive governance through universal adult suffrage.

With the advent of the People’s Progressive Party on January 1, 1950, as an established political force that consisted of a wide cross-section of Guyanese, the move towards peaceful agitation for independence and national identity began.

In the early 1950s, the PPP team and membership took root in practically every part of Guyana on a platform of transitioning our country from a dependent colony to an independent nation, where her peoples were free to live and prosper in unity and harmony.

That was short-lived, however, as a breakaway faction led by Forbes Burnham formed the PNC, in collusion and connivance with external forces that were unfriendly and unkind to the conviviality that existed under the diverse banner of the PPP.

Thereafter, the PNC embarked on a vicious campaign to derail the independence efforts of the PPP, which culminated in sordid violence against our Guyanese brothers and sisters around 1964.

After handed unelected authority in 1964 and an independent Guyana in 1966, the PNC began dismantling the

institutions of national unity at break-neck speed.

A once peace-loving and ethnically diverse country was machinated into a desperate nation governed through fear and intimidation.

The result of such undemocratic rule saw the rise of a dictator, one-party rule and party paramountcy never before practised in the English-speaking Caribbean.

Tens of thousands of Guyanese were driven from the shores of our country, illegally and legally, as ethnic discrimination, political victimization, economic malaise, widespread ill -health, food

shortages, national insecurity, endemic corruption and rigged elections became historic in Guyana.

After prolonged peaceful and non-violent struggles, the move from ethnic domination and unelected rule to democratic transition began in late 1992 upon the return of a broad-based multiracial, multi-religious, multicultural coalition of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic, led by Dr Cheddi Jagan and Prime Minister Samuel Hinds.

The transformation of our country into a national polity with sound governance structures once again prospered.

During the period 19932014, Guyana prospered immensely, rising to the top of the Caribbean economic index. Democracy was restored, good governance prospered, the economy grew, hope beckoned, poverty was reduced, jobs flourished, the constitution was respected and national institutions were fortified.

This all happened because the PPP is premised on multiracial, multicultural politics. The PPP is a unifying force.

The period from mid-2015 to mid-2020 during the rule of APNU+AFC, which was led

Continued on page 7

Guyana to establish local vaccine production facility with India's help

a strategic partner of Guyana in the realisation of our plans and projections, we’re expanding this friendship so that we can open up new frontiers," the President said.

During a recent press conference, Vice-President Bharrat Jagdeo had emphasised that establishing a local vaccine production facility would provide regional security for life-saving vaccines.

"This issue has been a concern for some time, particularly in light of the pandemic. We have been exploring the possibility of

achieving regional vaccine security to protect our people," Dr. Jagdeo had said.

Guyana has begun engaging with researchers and developers to acquire pharmaceutical equity for global public health.

These efforts, Dr. Jagdeo highlighted, are in response to the challenges encountered during the COVID-19 pandemic. He added that the global crisis highlighted the importance of not only having access to vaccines, but also ensuring that every region has vaccine security.

The pandemic also exposed the inequality in the manufacturing, pricing, and distribution of vaccines.

"The goal is to ensure future security, as seen during the pandemic. We couldn't obtain supplies for our people in this part of the world; Africa faced similar issues, which is why there are discussions with Rwanda to pursue the same course. We cannot rely on the developed world in the future to provide these supplies," Dr. Jagdeo said.

IN keeping with its agenda to improve healthcare across the country, the Government of Guyana will be establishing a local vaccine production facility, and India, a world leader in this sector, has expressed a strong desire to be a part of this initiative.

President Dr. Irfaan Ali, during his address at the commissioning ceremony for the MV MA Lisha, said that as part of its efforts to improve healthcare, the Government of Guyana has recognised the need for increased access to life-saving vaccines, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I do not intend, as I have said many times before, to be a sit-and-wait President. No! It's not going to happen!

We're going to make the tough decisions and hard calls in the interest of Guyana and the people of Guyana," the Head of State said.

India has expressed its "firm and strong" desire to be a part of Guyana’s efforts to establish a vaccine production facility for Guyana, similar to BioNTech's mRNA vaccine factory in Kigali, Rwanda.

India’s Minister of External Affairs Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar also said that the bilateral partnership is set to benefit both countries, as Guyana will gain access to India's vast knowledge and experience in vaccine production, while India will have the opportunity to expand its reach and impact in the global healthcare

sector.

As a country with a long history of cooperation with Guyana, India has pledged to provide technical support and expertise to help establish the local vaccine production facility.

President Ali said that the establishment of a local vaccine production facility in Guyana is a significant step forward in the country's efforts to improve healthcare, and strengthen its healthcare infrastructure.

By working together with international partners like India, the government is laying the foundation for a more resilient and sustainable healthcare system that can better serve the needs of its people.

"Given our strong commitment to seeing India as

The narrative of...

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by the PNC as the main and significant partner, Guyana’s excitement went into a tailspin as ethnic discrimination, racist policies, political vendettas, en vogue corruption, poverty, unconstitutional rule and national fear stalked our land.

Today, with President, Dr Irfaan Ali at the helm, after leading the PPP/C to victory at the 2020 elections, a new life was breathed into Guyana.

Our country is now the

fastest-growing economy in the world, national pride has become entrenched, and world class investments are prospering, ethnic domination zeroed, and constitutional rule has been restored; jobs are bountiful and national harmony pervasive.

The platform of President Ali, One Guyana, is truly being realised because every Guyanese has a role and a space to function and contribute in an unfettered way. We need to continue on

this path and our country and her peoples will soar to unimaginable heights.

Guyanese must at all cost repel and rebuke racism, intolerance fear, bullyism and intimidation propagated by the APNU and its leaders.

Yours faithfully, Nigel Dharamlall Minister of Local Government and Regional Development

India has expressed its "firm and strong" desire to be a part of Guyana’s efforts to establish a vaccine production facility

Regent Street vendors to continue plying trade in structured, clean manner

VENDORS will continue to ply their trade along Regent Street, Georgetown, in a clean and structured manner, as it is a policy of the People’s Progressive Party /Civic (PPP/C) government that all Guyanese have the opportunity to make a living.

This was on Tuesday reaffirmed by Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall, who took to the streets to ensure that vendors were

complying with the requisite standards.

He said the exercise was in keeping with President, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali’s directive and to dispel rumours that were causing public discomfort and worry.

“We had received reports that the opposition has been spreading rumours that stalls on Regent Street are being broken on the instruction of the government. And as you are aware, based on this visit… no stalls have

been broken.”

The minister re-emphasised the government’s intent for vendors to operate in an organised manner.

“We would like people to ply their trade, but do so in a more structural and organised way… President Ali’s position is that everybody has to come and make a living,” Minister Dharamlall stressed.

He also highlighted the importance of cleaning the drains to mitigate flooding during the upcoming rainy

season.

Meanwhile, Minister Dharamlall noted that the government remains accessible and in service to the people. In keeping with this objective, a clean-up campaign will

be conducted on Sunday, April 30.

Similarly, Town Clerk Candace Nelson reassured vendors that the council will be working with them.

“It is also important

that I mention that, in this exercise, nobody will be displaced. All of the vendors will be able to come back and vend after the exercise is completed,” Nelson clarified. (DPI)

Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall along with City Council Engineer Colvern Venture on Tuesday

Amerindian rights significantly advanced under PPP/C Government

GUYANA is one of the few nations globally and the first in the region to establish laws that specifically protect and empower indigenous peoples.

The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administration has prioritised developing institutions that advance the rights of Amerindians through empowering village-level governance and decision-making, which also supports the regional and national representation of indigenous people’s rights through the National Toshao’s Council (NTC).

In the Amerindian Act of 2006, indigenous villages gained access to land titles, providing resources for village-level development. One of the stand-out provisions of this Act is the provision that grants Amerindian villages subsurface rights for small and medium-sized mining activities.

In ensuring that the indigenous people are always protected, the PPP/C government has also taken the lead in drafting constitutional clauses establishing the Indigenous Peoples Commission (IPC). This historic action demonstrates the importance that Guyana’s government attaches to the development of the indigenous peoples and ensures that it is protected to the fullest extent possible by the Constitution.

EMPOWERED AT THE VILLAGE LEVEL

According to the laws of Guyana that govern the indigenous peoples, the NTC is the national organisation that represents all the indigenous villages in the country. The NTC is comprised of elected leaders from villages.

The National Toshao’s Council, through the Amerindian Act, outlines the NTC's role and responsibilities in Part IV, Sections 38 through 43 of the Act. The Toshao’s and Village Council, a larger body elected by villagers to govern the affairs of the village, is headed by the village Toshao, and is elected at the village level. As a result, Toshaos attend NTC meetings on behalf of their villages.

According to Section 41(h) of the Amerindian Act,

Part IV, the duties of the NTC are listed as "co-ordinating and integrating the activities of the villages on a national basis" and "preparing strategies and plans for the protection, conservation, and sustainable management of village lands and natural resources." Section 41(e) lists the duties as "preparing strategies and plans for the protection, conservation, and sustainable management of village lands and natural resources." By virtue of the provisions of Part IV of the Act, particularly Section 41(h), these legislative measures collectively entrench the NTC's authority to spearhead, direct, and support the national strategies and programmes, including those of the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030, which has opened up opportunities for carbon financing in Guyana.

PIONEERING A GLOBAL MODEL FOR FORESTS

Under successive PPP/C administrations, expanding resource availability to villages by valuing the protection of forests has been a tremendous success.

With incremental work over the last 12 years, starting under the Guyana Norway Bilateral Co-operation in 2009 on climate and forests, pioneered by then President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo (current Vice President), Guyana earned approximately US$220 million that was invested in low-carbon livelihood programmes including at the village level.

Dr. Jagdeo not only pioneered the structure of the model for a country like Guyana that has protected forests, but he also showed how the model could translate into immediate benefits for indigenous villages.

EXPANDING RESOURCE FOR AMERINDIAN VILLAGES

Moving to the second phase of the LCDS, Guyana launched LCDS 2030 in October 2021. National consultation from October 2021 to July 2022 saw the original LCDS expanded and enhanced, culminating in the

endorsement of the National Assembly and then the finalisation of LCDS 2030.

In November 2022, Guyana issued the world’s first jurisdiction-scale, sovereign carbon credits as the next phase in Guyana’s creation of a global model for forest climate services. This was followed shortly afterwards by the world’s first sale of such credits in global carbon markets.

After the seven-month national consultation on LCDS 2030, it was agreed that 15 per cent of all revenues received from the sale of carbon credits would be paid directly to indigenous and local communities across Guyana. Since February 2023, communities nationwide have been working on

village plans that express the development needs of the villages and for which forest carbon financing will be channeled. There will also be investments from the remaining 85 per cent of revenues into multi-community and national programmes and initiatives.

UNPARALLELED DEVELOPMENT OF AMERINDIAN VILLAGES

Undoubtedly, the greatest support for Amerindian villages has been under successive PPP/C administrations. The PPP/C Government has a proven track record of investing in indigenous villages in infrastructure, ICT access, water supply, electricity in the hinterland, health, and

education. Every village participates in identifying needs, and annual budgeted allocations gradually address those requirements. In addition, the village's development would also benefit from presidential grants and the current funding from the sale of carbon credits.

In February 2023, indigenous peoples and local communities across the nation received a total of $22.5 million and are using their village-led processes to decide whether and how to use these resources to improve their own villages and communities. There is now a lot of support

for turning this progress into tangible results and impact.

The PPP/C Government continues to work with all stakeholders in implementing these programmes – implementation that will see this first series of investments made under LCDS 2030, bringing about impactful results on sustainable livelihoods and low carbon development in every Amerindian village.

(This is part of a weekly series on LCDS.) The author can be contacted at cparkinson0206@gmail. com)

Farmers urged to plan for unusual weather in May, June — Hydromet Office

FARMERS and other large-scale farming companies were advised to plan ahead as an unusual weather forecast was predicted for the May-June period.

This was according to Climatologist of the Hydrometeorological Service, Ministry of Agriculture, Komal Dhiram during the 14th National Climate Outlook Forum (NCOF) on Tuesday.

The forum, which aims

to raise awareness of key preparedness, response, monitoring, and reporting requirements was hosted at Herdmanston Lodge.

According to Dhiram, the May-June season will be much wetter than usual, but will quickly change to the opposite.

“This wet season is slightly different from those that we forecasted over the recent years. So, the first part of the season is likely to be wetter than

usual or above average rainfall, but towards the end, we are going to have a drastic change into a dry period. This dry period will eventually lead to a drought,” he pointed out.

He explained that the seasonal outlook aims to provide information on the predicted forecast which will help people, particularly farmers to improve their decision-making.

Dhiram encouraged

persons to find innovative ways to cultivate and care for their crops.

“So, it will mean that farmers or those largescale water users will have to harvest this water properly because going into July and August… you will have dryness.

“Cash crop farmers, you may want to focus on what is happening in the ground, keep the focus on the daily weather forecast…so you make plans on the shorter crops.”

He also urged that alternative measures such as collecting water from trenches and conservancies as well as cultivating drought-tolerant crops be considered.

The forum, which facilitated a question-and-answer segment, saw participation from a number of departments under the Ministry of Agriculture such as the Guyana Rice Development

Board (GRDB), National Agricultural Research Extension Institute (NAREI) and many more.

In recent months, Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha and Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall have been assessing and ensuring pump stations are operable to ensure the

efficient flow of water. Several clean up campaigns were also conducted to clear the drains and other water ways to assist in flood mitigation.

The Ministry of Housing and Water has also been drilling a number of potable water wells to ensure adequate water supply. (DPI)

Ministry of Agriculture Climatologist Komal Dhiram

Chinese modernisation conceived in China, opportunities it brings belong to world

day and attracting over 3,000 foreign businesses every month. With over 1.4

billion people on course toward modernisation and common prosperity, China

will create more opportunities for global develop-

Continued on page 14

(People's Daily) "China will provide new opportunities for global development with new accomplishments in Chinese modernization, lend new impetus to humanity's search for paths toward modernisation and better social systems, and work with all countries to advance the building of a community with a shared future for mankind."

The above remarks were made by Chinese President Xi Jinping in a congratulatory message to the Lanting Forum on Chinese Modernisation and the World held at the Meet-the-World Lounge in Shanghai on April 21.

The event, along with the previously held special forum "Understanding China - GBA Dialogue" in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong province, both focused on the opportunities brought about by Chinese modernisation to the world.

Attendees to the two meetings believed that Chinese modernisation is conceived in China, and the opportunities it brings belong to the world.

Realizing modernisation is a relentless pursuit of the Chinese people since modern times began, and it is also the common aspiration of people of all countries. Over the past 100 years and more, China has found by itself a path to modernisation, and created a new form of human advancement. Ample facts have proved that there is no fixed model of, or single solution to, modernisation. Any country can achieve modernisation, as long as the path suits its conditions and answers the need of its people for development.

Former Egyptian Prime Minister Essam Sharaf called Chinese modernisation a gift to the world. Gambian Foreign Minister Mamadou Tangara said that the modernity of China is an inspiration and proof to all that every country has its unique and viable options to anchor its development pursuit.

The modernisation of China will be a stronger boost for global economic recovery and open up a broader path to the common development of all

countries.

Over the past decade, China has contributed more to global growth than all the G7 countries combined. Today, China is the main trading partner of over 140 countries and regions, making $320 million direct investment around the world each

Chinese President Xi Jinping

Good start of Chinese economy in 2023 boosts confidence of world

(People's Daily) China's GDP grew 4.5 percent year on year in the first quarter of 2023, according to statistics released by the country's National Bureau of Statistics on April 18.

The sound performance was said to be a solid start of the Chinese economy in 2023 by the international community, and the world is confident about China's longterm economic resilience and

vitality. It is believed that China will continue injecting strong impetus into global recovery. This performance was a hard-won result achieved in an external environment that

was volatile and grave. Since this year, as the country has achieved a smooth transition in COVID-19 response and front-loaded the policies to stabilize growth, employment

and commodity price, it has accumulated more positive factors.

Multiple international organisations and investment institutions had lifted their forecast on China's economic growth this year.

After the Q1 performance was released, global media outlets, seeing the energy and vitality of the Chinese economy, described it with "recovery," "rebound," and "prosperity."

The encouraging momentum of rebound of the Chinese economy has laid a solid foundation for the country to achieve its annual targets. Both Citigroup and Societe Generale have raised their forecast on China's annual growth since the release of the country's Q1 performance. This once again indicated the recent remarks by World Bank Group President David Malpass that global growth is expected to be weak this year, but China will be an exception to the slowdown.

Consumption, one of the three major driving forces of China's economic growth, played a prominent role in the country's economic development in the first quarter and demonstrated the dynamic internal impetus of the Chinese economy.

China's retail sales of consumer goods went up 5.8 per cent year on year in the first quarter of this year, and the retail sales of services maintained double-digit growth in the same period. Final consumption contributed 66.6 per cent to the economic growth, much higher than the whole-year figure in 2022.

The third China International Consumer Products Expo was held recently in south China's Hainan province. Over 1,000 products under 300 global brands made their debut at the event. It fully proved that to explore the huge potential of the Chinese consumption market is a consensus of global enterprises.

China is witnessing continuous expansion of consumption scenarios, improved consumption expectation, growing market sales and obviously rebounding service consumption. An Associated Press report said that China's economic growth is accelerating with consumption boost.

A foreign scholar noted that China's bright economic prospects come from more flexible and higher-quality development.

Since this year, China has actively given play to the key role of investment to drive high-quality development. It expanded investment in key areas and livelihood sectors, and witnessed sound growth in manufacturing investment. In particular, the investment in high-tech manufacturing jumped 15.2 per cent.

China's commitment to high-quality development is mirrored by the country's growing solar and wind power generating capacity as well as the soaring sales of new energy vehicles, said Chief Executive Officer Shakeel Ahmad Ramay of the Asian Institute of Eco-civilisation Research and Development in Pakistan.

Senior executives of multinational corporations have paid frequent visits to China

Continued on page 13

Chinese President urges peaceful development as he meets with new envoys to China

(China daily) Chinese

President Xi Jinping reiterated on Monday China's commitment to peaceful development, saying that the nation will create more opportunities for the world with its own development and work with other countries to jointly deal with global challenges.

Xi made the remarks while meeting with 70 new foreign ambassadors to China after he received credentials presented by them at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. He also met with Zhang Ming, Secretary-General of the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation.

He welcomed the ambassadors and asked them to convey his good wishes to the leaders of their countries or organisations. He said that China is ready to deepen friendship and expand win-win co-operation with people from all

countries based on equality and mutual benefit, and advance the steady development of bilateral ties.

Xi expressed his hope that the ambassadors will have a full and in-depth understanding of China and act as messengers of friendship and bridges of co-operation.

He talked about China's momentous journey combating the COVID-19 pandemic over the past three years, saying that the nation always puts people first and people's lives foremost.

During the process, China obtained sincere assistance from many countries and their peoples. It also took real action to fully support the global pandemic response and work with various countries to practice the concept of a global community of health for all, Xi said.

China has kicked off a new journey of building a modern socialist

country in all respects and will advance national rejuvenation on all fronts through the Chinese path toward modernisation, the president said.

He reaffirmed China's commitment to pursuing a peaceful development path, adhering to the basic policy of opening-up and resolutely adopting the strategy of openness for mutual benefit and winwin results.

China stands ready to work with the international community to advance the implementation of the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilisation Initiative, and advocate for the common values of humanity, Xi said.

It will work with countries from around the world to promote exchanges of people and build close people-to-people bonds, jointly cope with various global chal-

Good start of Chinese economy in 2023 boosts confidence of...

this year, with many enterprises announcing to expand their investment in China. In the first two months, China's foreign direct investment, in actual use, reached $40 billion, and the figure is keeping growing.

It has become a broad consensus that advancing with China is advancing with opportunities, and investing in China is investing in the future.

The encouraging momentum of rebound of the Chinese economy has provided more opportunities for the rest of the world.

In the first quarter, China's foreign trade of goods went up 4.8 per cent year on year. In particular, trade with countries along the Belt and Road surged 16.8 per cent, while

From page 12

that with other participating countries of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership rose 7.3 per cent.

In the same period, China's outbound shipments of solar batteries, lithium-ion batteries and electric vehicles surged 66.9 per cent on a yearly basis. Cross-border e-commerce and other new businesses also saw rapid growth. This well explains the supportive role played by new drivers in the foreign trade sector.

In its latest annual trade statistics and outlook report, the WTO lifted its forecast for global trade growth in 2023 to 1.7 per cent from the previous estimate of 1.0 per cent, saying China is a "key factor" of this increase and the release of the demand for consumption

lenges and advance the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, he added.

When the ambassadors arrived in the Great Hall of the People, they were saluted by honour

guards and Xi took photos with them individually.

will promote global trade growth. A Bloomberg report noted that the growth in China's exports boosted economic prospects and suggested that global growth may be better than expected.

The good start of the Chinese economy this year once again proved that fundamentals of China's economic growth remain unchanged, and China's advantages of its large-scale market and complete industrial system remain unchanged.

China has the confidence and ability to sail the giant ship of the Chinese economy steadily ahead against all winds and waves, and make even greater contributions to the global economy.

Chinese modernisation...

From page 11

ment.

The international community believes that China is the biggest hope in revitalising global economy, and hopes to take the opportunities brought by the country's high-quality development and higher-standard opening-up.

The Belt and Road Initiative and the Global Development Initiative proposed by China have built important platforms for countries to achieve common progress and prosperity. British scholar Martin Jacques noted that Chinese modernisation in essence is providing opportunities to the world, especially developing countries.

The modernisation of China will open up bright prospects for human progress and provide a more viable pathway to a clean and beautiful world.

China takes people's free and well-rounded development as the ultimate goal of modernisation. The well-rounded development of people means not only material abundance but also cultural-ethical enrichment.

The Global Civilisation Initiative proposed by China promotes the respect for the diversity of civilisations, and advances the principles of equality, mutual learning, dialogue and inclusiveness among civilisations. It advocates the importance of inheritance and innovations of civilisations, and of enhancing international cultural and people-to-people exchanges and co-operation.

Chinese modernisation will add new vigor and vitality to the profound Chinese civilisation, and contribute more Chinese wisdom to global peace and prosperity and to human progress. China, focusing on the harmony between humanity and nature in planning its development, readily takes on its responsibility of protecting the environment and tackling climate change, and leads the world on many counts such as the scale of artificial afforestation. It will strive to peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060.

Co-chair of the Board of Trustees of the Asia Society of the United States John L. Thornton hailed that Chinese modernisation is very compelling, enduring and inspiring, adding that he sees it as a guide to higher-level human development.

The modernisation of China will bring more certainty to world peace and stability and boost the force for peace and justice.

China is the only country in the world that pledges to "keep to a path of peaceful development" in its Constitution. China is the top contributor of peacekeeping personnel among the permanent members of the UN Security Council, and the only country among the five Nuclear-Weapon States that has made the promise of no-first-use of nuclear weapons.

The Global Security Initiative put forward by China has pointed out the right direction of pursuing common and universal security. China has taken an impartial stance and pushed for peace talks in order to reduce the pressure and lower the temperature around the Ukraine crisis. Facilitated by China, Saudi Arabia and Iran resumed diplomatic relations. Following a path of peaceful development, the country has made important contributions to fostering a new type of international relations and building a community with a shared future for mankind.

As the biggest developing country, China always keeps in mind the greater good of the whole world. While pursuing its own development, it is also injecting more positive energy into world peace and creating more opportunities for global development. China is ready to work together with all parties to promote diverse ways of modernisation and create an even brighter future for our planet.

USAID hosting five-day training on fertiliser use, nutrient management

STAKEHOLDERS within the agriculture sector are currently participating in a five-day training programme on the use of fertilisers, biofertilisers and nutrient management.

The training was launched on Monday at the Guyana School of Agriculture and is being conducted by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which according to Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha is a step in the right direction.

During his remarks at the launch, Mustapha stated that this training will aid in the

fast-tracking of food production even as he added that the efficient use of fertilisers will aid farmers immensely as it would reduce the cost of production and increase the yield.

He said: “For this initiative to be successful, we need our extension officers who are the important link between the government, private sector, and farmers to be proactive and to extend our reach and services to every region, farmers, and farming communities in our country.”

According to the minister, minerals and biofertilisers play a key role in sustainable agriculture as it improves soil fertility and crop productivity.

He went on to add that fertilisers were developed to improve the quality of fruits and seeds which leads to better harvests and earnings.

“Efficient use of nutrients can be achieved by the adoption of best nutrient management practices. This is achieved when the right fertiliser product is selected and applied in the right amount and at the right time and place to match plant needs and reduce nutrient losses,” he said.

Mustapha stated that there must be collective efforts to improve agricultural productivity and enhance

farm performance specifically in regions where food is more needed.

During the launch, he remarked that the government has made strides to assist farmers with fertilisers among other things.

He disclosed that the government has allocated some $1 billion to farmers and thus far, over 21,000 farmers have benefitted.

“However, to address both the medium and longterm impacts, this increase in fertiliser prices should be used as a motivator to accelerate our innovations in the use of biofertilisers and other

technologies, and policies in response to this rapid cost rise and discuss ways to mitigate the effects of increasing food and input price on the region,” he said.

A number of extension officers and staff attached to the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), National Agriculture Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC), Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) and other agencies are participating in the five-day training activity.

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha (DPI photo)

Single-window system for trade to be operationalised by year-end

MINISTER of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond, has disclosed that a new electronic single-window system for trade is expected to be operationalised by the end of the year.

Minister Walrond made this revelation on Monday in the National Assembly while speaking about the Planning and Development Single Window Bill.

During her remarks, she stated that alongside that bill, a new single-window system for trade is set to be established.

She explained that it will integrate the procedures, information and requirements of some 14 agencies in the import-export regime.

“That project is well underway and we expect the electronic single-window to be operational by the end of this

— says Minister Walrond

year,” she said.

According to the minister, this transformation, which will facilitate convenience and efficiency, is at the centre of the government’s thinking.

She added that it is also part of the government’s thrust to modernise the state and stands alongside similar initiatives.

Minister Walrond said that in the same way that the Central Housing and Planning Authority will be the central entity for the planning and development single window, the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) will be the central entity for the single window for trade.

In addition to electronic optimisation of the various processes, the system will also look at streamlining the various processes with the objective of maximising efficiency for those using the system.

Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond

China contributes more to global growth than G7 countries combined

— Country’s Foreign Minister contends

By Suelle FindlayWilliams

in

Shanghai, China

CHINESE Foreign Minister and State Councillor, Qin Gang, has said that over the past decade, China has contributed more to global growth than all the G7 countries combined.

The Foreign Minister made this statement during his keynote address to the opening ceremony of the Lanting Forum on Chinese Modernisation and the World in Shanghai, on Friday.

Qin said that China is the leading trading partner of “over 140 countries and regions, making US$320 million in direct investments around the world each day and attracting over 3,000 foreign businesses every month.”

Highlighting China’s growth, Qin said that over the past 40 years since China’s reform, “the Chinese government has lifted over 800 million people out of poverty and enlarged the middle-income group to over 400 million people.”

The minister told the gathering that given that China has successfully been

able to turn its fortunes around and set the entire population on course to modernisation, the country will be able to provide a much stronger impetus to the global economy.

Qin explained that China’s modernisation aims to achieve common prosperity for all, including common development for all countries.

“Modernisation should not make the rich richer and the poor poorer. Nor should it serve the interests of only a few countries or individuals. Common prosperity for the whole world requires the development of all countries,” he said.

He pointed out that the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the Global De-

velopment Initiative (GDI) are key collaborations that China offers to the international community, serving as a means to pursue development goals.

BRI started 10 years ago, and according to Qin, more than 3,000 co-operation projects have been launched, involving close to US$1 trillion in investments and creating 420,000 jobs for participating countries.

“Many nations have thus realised their dreams of railways, big bridges, and poverty alleviation,” he said.

The Lanting Forum is a platform for communication and exchanges between the government, the business community, academia, media and the public. The

Forum was established in 2010 by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China to facilitate discussions on foreign policies and issues of common interest.

Other speakers at the opening ceremony included Chen Jining, Party Sec-

retary-Shanghai; Dilma Rousseff, President of the New Development Bank and Former President of Brazil; Mamadou Tangara, Gambian Minister of Foreign Affairs; Essam Sharaf, Former Prime Minister of Egypt; Mau-

rice Greenberg, Chairman and CEO of CV Starr & Co Inc and Starr Insurance Company, and Xie Chuntao, Executive Vice President of the Party School of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.

Chinese Foreign Minister and State Councillor, Qin Gang

More Court of Appeal Judges soon

— with passage of Court of Appeal Bill in the National Assembly

TO address the backlog of cases, the government successfully amended the Court of Appeal Bill 2022 to increase the number of judges sitting in the Court of Appeal to at least nine. This was according to Minister of Legal Affairs and Attorney General, Anil

Nandlall, S.C., who said the law provides for no less than two and no more than five judges for Guyana’s Court of Appeal.

The bill was read for the third time and passed during Monday’s sitting of the National Assembly.

Clause two of the bill amends Section 34(1) to provide that the complement of Court of Appeal judges include not less than five and not more than nine Justices of Appeal.

“Mr Speaker, it is no secret that Guyana has always been a litigious society. In my view, the propensity to litigate in Guyana has grown progressively over the years. It is quite possible that litigation has increased several 100 fold from 1970 to now.

“The latest statistics from the Caribbean Court of Justice revealed that nearly 60 per cent of the appeals ordered by that court are from Guyana, 60 per cent. This means that Guyana as a singular jurisdiction, sent more appeals to the CCJ than all the other territories combined.”

Nandlall said too: “Indeed appeals from Guyana triple those of the other individual territories. It is, therefore, both unreasonable and impossible to expect the same number of judges to cope efficiently in the face of such an increase in workload. This amendment is, therefore, long overdue and should attract no opposition from any rational-thinking person.”

He added that the backlog of cases that has afflicted our judicial system and the consequential injustice in which cases are heard has long ailed the judiciary.

Among other things, Nandlall said that the government has been a willing and reliable partner in supporting the judiciary in every initiative designed to improve the justice system and bring to its processes greater dispatch.

Some of these initiatives included audio-video recording systems, which allowed for automatic recording of proceedings in

court with a written transcript being produced, obviating the need for judges and magistrates to take notes in longhand.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, in a unique collaboration between the executive and the judiciary, virtual courts were established at the three major prison centres.

These courts permit prisoners to have their cases virtually heard by magistrates and judges from the various prison locations by internet linkups, television screens, and much more.

“To complement the aforementioned physical and systemic transformation, we are now increasing the complement of justices of appeal in the manner set out in the bill. No doubt this apparent, small measure will positively affect the overall administration of justice in Guyana,” he said.

The government did not act unilaterally on this initiative and had consultation between the judiciary and the legal profession.

“While the executive cannot dictate how the judiciary conducts its business, it would be reasonable for the public to expect that once more judges are appointed, there will be greater alacrity in the hearing and determination of cases,” he said.

The Attorney General stressed that not only will there be a greater frequency of sittings of the Court of Appeal at its Georgetown abode, but soon in Essequibo and Berbice as well.

In support of the bill, Opposition parliamentarian Khemraj Ramjattan, who is also an attorney, said that the bill is important, especially to keep the government in check.

He added that the old laws had created a “bottleneck” in the system, which the amended laws will fix.

“It is important in the context of the development of the country and its evolution, that we see that this happens as early as possible,” Ramjattan said.

The Court of Appeal

Modern bill tabled to improve recovery of payments from foreign companies

THE Foreign Judgement

(Reciprocal Enforcement)

Bill, which will help Guyana recover repayments against international companies if no local assets are available, was on Monday introduced to the National Assembly by Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, S.C.

The bill seeks to make provisions for the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments and to repeal the existing Foreign Judgment (Reciprocal Enforcement) Act, Cap 7:04 and the Judgments Extension Ordinance, Cap. 27.

The bill follows the recent case in which the AG’s chambers secured an ex-parte judgment against Trinidadian company, Davis Ecolife Limited.

Based on the ruling, the company has to repay the $6,159,325 deposit it received from the National Data Management Authority (NDMA) in 2019, for the supply of two prefabricat -

ed enclosures to house ICT hubs.

The said agreement –made under the coalition government-- had a completion date of January 25, 2019. However, Davis Ecolife Ltd. failed and/or neglected to perform the contract in accordance with the agreed date.

And as part of a major legislative push this year, the government will be seeking to enact new legislation to deal with similar cases.

The Bill establishes a legal framework to allow judgments from Guyana to be enforced in another country.

And once that company has assets in that country, Guyana will be able to recover the proceeds of the judgement in the same way as if the company had assets in the country in which the judgement was granted.

The process typically involves submitting a request for recognition of the foreign judgment to a court in the country where enforcement is sought.

This request must demonstrate that the foreign judgment is final and conclusive, was made by a court with proper jurisdiction, and does

not violate public policy in the country where enforcement is sought.

If recognition is granted, the foreign judgment can be enforced in accordance with the laws of the country where enforcement is being sought. This may involve taking additional legal steps such as filing a lawsuit, seeking an injunction or seizing assets.

With Guyana’s burgeon-

ing oil and gas sector and the country’s development making the country a more advanced place of business, it has been contended that updating the country’s archaic laws is necessary.

The bill is intended to promote international trade and investment by providing a more secure legal environment for foreign investors and businesses operating in

Guyana. It also reflects Guyana's commitment to international law and the recognition of foreign judgments.

If passed, the bill will have significant implications on the legal system of Guyana, and might help to attract foreign investment by providing a more predictable and transparent system for investors.

Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, S.C.

Human development, agri-food systems priority areas at global conference in Vietnam

THE Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) is participating in the Fourth Global Conference of the One Planet Network’s Sustainable Food Systems Programme.

Until the end of the week, stakeholders from diverse regions will discuss how to tackle multiple crises facing humanity, by building sustainable, resilient, healthy and inclusive agri-food sys-

tems.

The meeting was jointly organised by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), in coordination with other governmental and civil society organisations, including the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock of Costa Rica.

It is taking place in Hanoi, from Monday, April 24 to Thursday, April 27. Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is

hosting the meeting, which will also be attended by the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries, Rural Transformation, Industry and Labour of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Saboto Caesar.

The One Planet network is a global community of practitioners, public policymakers and experts, including representatives of government, business, civil society, academia and international organizations, which pro -

motes sustainable production and consumption.

This is one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that the international community has established as part of the 2030 Agenda.

Discussions in the Hanoi forum will focus on the transformations needed to enable food systems to contribute to overcoming the overlapping and interrelated crises now facing humanity, due to climate change, loss of biodiversity, inflation, the energy situation, hunger, malnutrition and the war in Eastern Europe.

SOUTH-SOUTH COOPERATION IN A ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION

In collaboration with the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), as well as Grow Asia and Food Action Alliance—the two multi-sectoral platforms promoted by the World Econom-

ic Forum (WEF) to strengthen food security—IICA will co-convene an Inter-regional Ministerial Roundtable on Digitalization and Investment for the Transformation of Food Systems on April 25.

Ministers from various countries will participate in the roundtable, sharing national and regional experiences in designing and implementing digital solutions, promoting collective action and fostering investments to transform food systems. In particular, participants will discuss South-South cooperation models and best practices in the Americas, Asia and Africa, in addition to opportunities for reciprocal cooperation that will facilitate accelerated action.

Representing IICA at the meeting will be Director General Manuel Otero, who will deliver a message, and Special Adviser to the Director General, Jorge Werthein.

As an organization based

in the Americas, but with a global outlook, and as an entity that is advocating for greater South-South cooperation, IICA has been pursuing relevant actions to promote closer engagement among the Americas, Africa and Asia, something that is fundamental to ensuring global food security.

Last year IICA convened the first Africa-Americas Ministerial Summit on Agrifood Systems at its headquarters in San Jose, Costa Rica, in collaboration with AGRA and the African Union Development Agency–New Partnership for Africa's Development (AUDA-NEPAD).

On that occasion, the most senior authorities in agriculture from 40 countries took steps to create concrete mechanisms to foster mutual learning and joint action by both regions, based on science, technology and innovation. (IICA)

$21.4M contract signed for extension of nurses’ hostel at Suddie

AS government continues to work to improve the country’s healthcare sector, a $21.4 million contract was inked on Monday for extension of the nurses’ hostel at the Suddie Public Hospital in Region Two.

The contract was awarded to K and J Persaud Contracting Service by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB). It was signed by company representative Kamta Persaud and the region’s Regional Executive Officer, Susannah Saywack, in the presence of Regional Health Officer Dr Ranjeev Singh and Civil Engineer Harindra Nandalall.

According to Dr Singh, the extension of the hostel is needed and will provide accommodation for those desirous of becoming nurses.

He explained that with the planned construction of a specialty hospital in the region, there will be a need for nurses and other trained medical staff.

As part of the project, the building will be extended to

accommodate 10 rooms to house trainee nurses who reside in riverain communities. The works should be completed within four months.

Dr Singh added that nurses from far-flung communities who are desirous of working on the Essequibo Coast, can also be accommodated at the hostel.

“This is something the region needs and with the extension we will see more people being trained in the field. I am happy for the

project, it’s a boost for our region,” he said.

Meanwhile, Saywack said that the project will be continuously monitored by the region’s engineers, even as she pointed out that she is expecting quality work from the contractor.

Saywack emphasised that young people in the region will be given an opportunity to further their studies in the medical field with the extension of the hostel.

Kamta Persaud of K and J Persaud Contracting Service and Region Two’s Regional Executive Officer, Susannah Saywack, sign the contract for extension of the nurses’ hostel (Indrawattie Natram photo)

Workplace safety essential to fostering emotional, mental wellness

— Ambassador Lynch says

these fatalities have been the subject of thorough investigations, and the reports should be delivered to him soon.

On the other hand, the President of AmCham Trinidad and Tobago (T&T), Toni Sirju-Ramnarine asserted that workplaces should aim to provide safe and healthy work conditions given the changing nature of the world and the modernization of business practices.

WITH citizens being a country's most valuable resource, and given the rapid and revolutionary pace of Guyana’s economy, local and foreign businesses should take health and safety more seriously.

This is according to United States (US) Ambassador to Guyana Sarah Ann Lynch while addressing the American Chamber of Commerce in Guyana (AmCham Guyana) Health, Safety, Security, and Environment (HSSE) Conference on Tuesday.

The conference, held under the theme 'Building Resilience: Navigating Health and Safety Challenges in the Modern Workplace’, took place at the Marriott Hotel, and targetted Chief Executive Officers (CEOs), Health and Safety Executives (HSEs), security professionals, and technicians from both the private and public sectors.

In her opening remarks, Ambassador Lynch affirmed that creating a safe and healthy work environment is a moral obligation and a legal one.

The Ambassador also said that she is satisfied with US companies' track record here in Guyana, and underscored the value of maintaining a safe workspace.

In noting that these companies' world-leading standards are attainable with the help of their Guyanese partners, Ambassador Lynch said: “It’s the people that will take this country forward to the next level, so

it’s very important that we protect them in all industries across Guyana.”

According to Ambassador Lynch, she’d noticed when she first came here that most Guyanese tended to overlook health and safety, but she has since seen significant progress in that area as time progressed.

“I’m happy to see the strides that have been made on working conditions” the US career diplomat said.

She highlighted that employers must continue to push for an ideal workplace, including investing in modern equipment, top-of-theline safety gear, and clear standards, as people are becoming more conscious and desirous of safe work environments.

SAFETY IS KEY

Meanwhile, Minister of Labour Joseph Hamilton challenged companies to consider how they can uphold fundamental rights in a secure and healthy workplace.

“A worker who loses their life on the job is not a statistic; it is a person,” the Minister noted as he made the point that these people should not be treated like numbers but rather as someone's child, or the sole breadwinner in a family.

The Minister pushed for employers to adapt and pay attention to that crucial topic, noting that there are new challenges presented every day, and as such, previously used approaches may not be applicable in the present.

Although since 2020, there has been a steady decline in the incidence of occupational fatalities, the Labour Minister still raised

some concerns about the safety regulations in the areas where these accidents frequently occur.

According to statistics, there were 32 fatal workplace accidents in 2020, with the majority occurring in the mining, construction, and agricultural sectors. Additionally, there were 27 fatalities in 2021 and 21 in

2022, with the bulk occurring in the aforementioned industries.

For 2023, two fatalities have been reported in the marine industry, one each from mining, construction, and machinery repair.

Apart from calling on workers to demand safe work spaces, the Minister continued by saying that

Ramnarine pointed out that businesses must establish psychologically safe environments because of biases towards marginalized communities such as people with disabilities, women, and people with diverse sexual orientations.

She also urged employers to take a multifaceted approach to workplace health and safety rather than a one-size-fits-all strategy. (Trina Williams)

US Ambassador to Guyana Sarah Ann Lynch, and Minister of Labour Joseph Hamilton at the AmCham Guyana Health, Safety, Security, and Environment Conference

Some of the safety gear displayed at one of several booths (Delano Williams Photos)

‘Guyana Shop Corner’ - Local products featured in 43 supermarkets nationwide

— Consumers praise affordability

THOUSANDS of Guyanese nationwide now have access to more local and diverse agro-processed commodities as the Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC) continues collaborating with the business community to increase local consumption through awareness and accessibility.

To increase accessibility to locally produced agro-processed commodities, in January 2023, the GMC intensified its efforts to establish more ‘Guyana Shop Corners’ at various supermarkets nationwide.

Since the commencement of the ‘Guyana Shop Corner’ initiative, 43 supermarkets have jumped on board to expand the range of local agro-processed commodities offered to consumers within their communities.

As part of the initiative, the GMC provides all branded materials to be used and locally-produced products, all at an afford-

able cost for the participating supermarkets.

According to Richard Hanif, Marketing Manager of GMC, the exercise has cascading benefits at all levels of the business cycle.

According to Hanif, “Through greater awareness of our products produced locally, especially since

many of these products are manufactured using internationally accepted guidelines from fresh ingredients grown locally under environmentally friendly conditions, our consuming public is guaranteed affordable, wholesome foods and other products, which, in some cases, are creating a

stir on both regional and international markets.”

He also noted that many emerging agro-processors are embracing the initiative because not only does it provide a pathway for local market penetration through greater accessibility and awareness of their products, but it also serves as

economic empowerment for young entrepreneurs, especially women.

In an invited comment, Clarence Hinds, proprietor of Kumaka Grocery, Kumaka Waterfront in Region One, praised the ‘Guyana Shop Corner’ initiative and expressed satisfaction with the affordability and excel-

lent packaging of locally manufactured goods.

Meanwhile, ‘Uncle Junior’, an elderly resident from White Water in Region One, was pleasantly surprised at the extensive range of products manufactured from materials grown here in Guyana and lauded the ‘Guyana Shop Corner’ as an excellent one.

Meanwhile, Wendy Sajon, proprietor of Tru Value Supermarket, Yarrowkabra, Linden Soesdyke Highway, remarked that not only is it making local products more accessible but also helps the business community in timely sourcing and restocking these products through the GMC.

Additionally, in Region Nine, "Mrs. Khan" of Savannah Inn Supermarket, located in Central Lethem, remarked that she strongly advocates local content and is extremely excited and pleased to have such a wide variety of local products in her supermarket.

Clarence Hinds, proprietor of Kumaka Grocery, Kumaka Waterfront in Region One, displays one of the many local products in his shop

Mrs. Khan of Savannah Inn Supermarket, located in Central Lethem, displays two of the local products being sold

Healthcare in Region Three boosted with Sheriff Hospital - R3PSInc Head

Facility offers patient-centred care, creates jobs

THOUSANDS of persons from Regions Two, Three and Seven will benefit from increased access to quality healthcare and reduced wait times as the Sheriff Medical Centre Inc. opens its US$5M state-of-the-art hospital in Leonora, West Coast of Demerara, Region Three, this Saturday.

This is according to Halim Khan, Head of the Region Three Private Sector Inc. (R3PSInc), who noted that Sheriff General Hospital Guyana has partnered with USA-Based International healthcare software company Adroit Infosystems to enhance their healthcare software solutions.

Khan told this publication that the facility is dedicated to staying ahead of the various technological changes constantly impacting the healthcare industry and is a modern facility.

He explained that the partnership with Adroit Infosystems would integrate and manage all aspects of hospital operations, such as emergency, outpatient, inpatient, ward, operation theatre, laboratory, radiology, pharmacy management, patient electronic health records, and telehealth management.

Integrated healthcare applications, Khan noted, will allow for maximising the way the overall health of patients is managed.

“This will benefit service providers and patients; this also offers patients the option of viewing their lab results and medical history online around the clock, and options are also available to chat with providers and schedule appointments. The system will also feature an alerting feature that will send texts, instant messages, and e-mail reminders to improve patient care quality,” the R3PSInc head explained.

Further, he said the new private hospitals in Region Three will focus on quality of care, which can result in better facilities, equipment, staff training, and more personalised care and attention for patients.

“With more medical facilities and services available in a region, wait times for appointments and treatments is reduced, which can lead to better health outcomes for patients,” he said.

Adding that the Sheriff General Hospital Team held a job fair last Sunday, the R3PSInc Head said building and operating a private hospital also create jobs in the region, boosting the local economy.

“The hospitals also have invested in the latest medical technologies and innovations, which can lead to better diagnostic and treatment options for patients,” he noted.

Khan said the general public is invited to the opening of the state-of-the-art hospital at 13:00 hours this Saturday.

The Sheriff Group of Companies will also construct a Specialty Hospital at Palmyra, Region Six – an investment which, after completion, will open up 400 jobs to Berbicians. Preparatory works have already begun for a major facility at Houston on East Bank Demerara. The group also has a medical facility on Sheriff Street, Subryanville.

Head of the Region Three Private Sector Inc., Halim Khan

Phase one construction of Football Stadium begins

GUYANA Football Federation (GFF) president Wayne Forde’s vision to construct a state-of-theart football complex in the heart of Georgetown is closer to reality.

Forde, visiting One CONCACAF and Caribbean Project Senior Manager Howard McIntosh; GFF First Vice President Brigadier (ret.)

Bruce Lovell, and GFF General Secretary Ian Alves, on Monday, inspected the federation’s multi-million-dollar Durban Park Football

Complex presently under construction.

Phase One will cost between 18 - 25 million dollars and will involve clearance, levelling, and filling of the land over the next four weeks.

Overall, the complex will be built on just over seven acres of land acquired in 2018 and will house the GFF National Technical Centre, the GFF Football Stadium with a maximum seating capacity for 14,000 fans, mini-pitches for some community grass-

West Indies Academy urged...

magnificent 153.

From page 40

Brilliant execution from seamers Young and Kelvin Pitman – both of whom claimed three-wicket hauls – sent Team Headley to a paltry 122 all out in their second innings.

Coley said fight, discipline and application had been the qualities critical to WI Academy’s success.

“We showed fight throughout the game. In the first innings when we bowled we were very disciplined. We were disciplined in how we bowled and we caught well, and we were able to put Team Headley under pressure,” Coley explained.

“When we went to bat we lost two early wickets and the application we showed to dig ourselves out of that hole [was impressive].

“Kevlon’s marathon innings along with the partnerships –along the way he had crucial partnerships – took us past Team Headley’s score and gave us a reasonable lead of 60-plus.”

Team Weekes wil be led by Alick Athanaze and include Test players Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Devon Thomas, Raymon Reifer and Veerasammy Permaul.

Athanaze, 24, said he was looking forward to renewing old acquaintances.

“I knew most of them (WI Academy). It’s been a couple years so I assumed they’ve developed their game,” he said.

“But it’s always good to reunite with old friends so on the best of information we had on them before, we would like to attack them in their weak areas to see how things are still going.”

SQUADS:

WI ACADEMY – Nyeem Young (captain), Kevlon Anderson, Ackeem Auguste, Joshua Bishop, Teddy Bishop, McKenny Clarke, Rivaldo Clarke, Joshua James, Johann Layne, Kirk McKenzie, Ashmead Nedd, Kelvin Pitman, Keagan Simmons, Ramon Simmonds, Kevin Wickham.

TEAM WEEKES – Alick Athanaze (captain), Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Keacy Carty, Dominic Drakes, Jahmar Hamilton, Brandon King, Jair McAllister, Zachary McCaskie, Veerasammy Permaul, Raymon, Reifer, Kevin Sinclair, Nial Smith, Devon Thomas.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER

(Wednesday April 26, 2023)

COMPLIMENTS OF CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD

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

Answers to yesterday’s quiz:

(1) Harry Brook-100* (SH vs KKR)

(2) Mark Wood-5/14 (Super Giants vs Delhi Capitals)

Today’s Quiz:

(1) How many games were scheduled for IPL 2012?

(2) Which two teams contested the first IPL game in 2012?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

root programmes and an administrative office.

Currently, there is no cost attached to the overall project, but Forde indicated they will soon secure a partnership with an international entity for the engineering and design of the project, and he

will engage other partners to secure funds to complete the transformational project.

Commenting further on the stadium, the GFF head envisioned that if all goes according to plan, the entire facility could be ready to host international football in

four years.

Meanwhile, McInstosh expressed delight with the progress of football in Guyana, noting that collaborations, especially with the government, are vital.

He further highlighted that the conversation upon

visiting Guyana has moved from the turmoil of football politics and normalisation committees to facilities and football development.

The hope of McKintosh, should he return in September, is that he could see football on the new field.

Great North Run will be my farewell-Mo Farah

MO FARAH says September's Great North Run will be his final competitive race.

The four-time Olympic champion, who also said he would compete in the Great Manchester 10k in May, finished ninth in his final London Marathon.

"Part of me was wanting to cry," the 40-year-old Briton told BBC Sport after crossing the finish line. "I will miss that feeling, I am emotional today.

"I want to pass that on. The Great North Run is going to be my last ever run and that will be my goodbye."

Farah enjoyed his finest moment at London 2012, winning the 5,000m and 10,000m titles, and repeated the feat at the 2016 Olympics in Rio.

Having won the Great North Run six times, the half-marathon race on 10 September will provide a fitting send-off for Britain's most decorated long-distance

runner.

"My career has been amazing, my wife and kids have been with me throughout this journey and I want to give time to them now, as well as getting involved in grassroots sport and give back to this sport," Farah added.

'You know when it's time to call it a day'

The father-of-four had already announced that this year's London Marathon would be his last.

His time of two hours, 10 minutes 28 seconds was more than five minutes off his personal best and nine minutes behind 23-year-old Kenyan winner Kelvin Kiptum.

He said: "Training went well and I was confident. I thought I could do between 2:05 and 2:07 but you never know with the marathon.

"I gave it my all but my body just wasn't responding and that's when you know when it's time to call it a day."

Wimbledon 2023

But Farah made sure he enjoyed every last second, lapping up the crowd's support.

"London has been so great to me over the years and I wanted to be here to say thank you to the crowd and the support was just amazing," said Farah.

"I started here at the mini marathon and to finish here is just incredible.

"If somebody had said to that kid running the mini marathon that I'll be Olympic champion, he would never have believed it.

"The sport needs this, we need to give back to the young athletes and teach them what is possible with hard work."

The first British man home was not Farah, but Yorkshire's Emile Cairess, who finished a creditable sixth on his marathon debut.

"I beat Mo Farah but it's not the Mo Farah who was at the Olympics," said Cairess.(BBC Sport)

Support for Ukraine announced after ban on Russians and Belarusians lifted

WIMBLEDON is set to donate more than £500,000 to Ukraine relief after the "difficult decision" to lift its ban on Russian and Belarusian players.

The All England Club (AELTC) and Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) will also fund accommodation for Ukrainian players.

Russians and Belarusians were not allowed to play last year in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Chairman Ian Hewitt said lifting the ban did not lessen the AELTC's "total condemnation" of the invasion.

Wimbledon and British tennis' governing body the LTA were punished for their stance last year by the WTA and ATP with heavy fines and the removal of ranking

Gill hits another 50 as Titans topple Mumbai Indians

points, and overturned the ban last month.

"This was an incredibly difficult decision. I personally say that I found this probably the most difficult decision during my chairmanship," Hewitt, who is standing down at the end of this year's championships, told the annual Wimbledon spring news conference on

Tuesday.

Announcing a series of financial measures to support Ukrainians in an initiative being funded in partnership by the AELTC and LTA, Hewitt said £1 for every ticket holder would be donated to Ukrainian relief, which could amount to more than £500,000.

He also said the AELTC

and LTA would pay for two hotel rooms per Ukrainian player in the Wimbledon main or qualifying draws for the whole grass-court season.

Those players will also be invited to practise on the Wimbledon or Surbiton courts during that time, while 1,000 Ukrainian refugees will be invited for a day at the Grand Slam, which runs from 3 to 16 July.

Russians or Belarusians wishing to play at Wimbledon must sign a declaration indicating their neutrality, that they will not demonstrate any support for the war or receive financial backing from their states or companies linked to them.

Flags from either country or any other symbol of support will also be banned from the grounds.

GUJURAT Titans claimed an emphatic win over Mumbai Indians to move into second place in the Indian Premier League.

Inspired by Shubman Gill's third half-century of the season, the Titans swatted aside Mumbai by 55 runs on Tuesday.

Gill scored 56 from 34 deliveries before he was dismissed by Kumar Kartikeya in the 12th over, with the Titans on 91-3.

David Miller (46 from 22) and Abhinav Manohar (42 from 21) picked up the slack, driving Gujarat to 207-6 from their 20 overs.

Mumbai's chase started badly – captain Rohit Sharma caught and bowled by Hardik Pandya (1-10) in the second over, with Ishan Kishan and Tilak Varma succumbing to Rashid Khan (2-27) in the eighth.

Cameron Green plundered 33 but his stand came to an end three overs later, with Noor Ahmad picking up the first of his three wickets.

Nehal Wadhera's 40, which included six boundaries, offered Mumbai some slim hope, but his dismissal in the 18th over all but ended their chances, with the Indians limited to just 152-9.

Gill keeps up sparkling form

No IPL player has scored more half-centuries than Gill this season, while his knock on Tuesday came at a strike rate of 164.7 – the second-highest of his campaign.

Slow

starts stalling Mumbai's progress

The Indians managed just 29 runs during the powerplay, the second time they have scored such a measly total in the powerplay this season.

Rajasthan Royals are the only team to score fewer runs in a powerplay in 2023. That low score of 26 also came against the Titans.(Sportsmax).

Mo Farah's best performance at the London Marathon was third in 2018

Aryna Sabalenka was not allowed to play at Wimbledon last year because of the ban on Belarusian and Russian players but can compete this year

Shubman Gill stroked 56 from 34 balls

Second Test in Galle..

Ireland post highest Test score of 492

IRELAND posted their highest Test score of 492 as Paul Stirling and Curtis Campher became the third and fourth Irishmen to hit centuries in the game's longest format.

Before rain stopped play on day two in Galle, Sri Lanka reached 81 without loss in reply, 411 runs behind.

Nishan Madushka was unbeaten on 41 and Dimuth Karunaratne 39 not out.

Stirling scored 103 and Campher 111 after captain Andy Balbirnie made 95 on the opening day.

Lorcan Tucker scored a useful 80 while Prabath Jayasuriya, the home hero of the first Test, took five wickets for 174.

Asitha Fernando and Vishwa Fernando took two

111

wickets each for the home side.

Ireland only gained Test status in 2017 and have lost all five games in the red-ball format.

Their previous highest Test score was 339 against Pakistan in their inaugural match in 2018.

In punishingly hot and humid conditions, Stirling retired hurt with cramps on day one after reaching 74 but came back to the crease the following morning after Tucker fell.

Stirling reached his maiden Test century in style, upper-cutting Fernando for six

over deep point.

The batter now has centuries in all three formats of the game.

Soon afterwards the same bowler dismissed Stirling for 103 as he hooked a short delivery into the hands of Dhananjaya de Silva on the fine-leg boundary.

Campher was well caught by a diving De Silva at first slip to give Jayasuriya his third wicket in the innings.

Sri Lanka's openers negotiated the final session without much trouble, although Ireland's quicks found the outside edge of Madushka's bat with the new ball.

Ireland trail 1-0 in the two-match series after losing the first Test by an innings and 280 runs.(BBC Sport)

Rahane returns to India Test squad for WTC final

…Rohit Sharma will lead a team that has named six specialist batters

AJINKYA Rahane will have a second shot at WTC glory after being named in India's 15-member squad for the final against Australia from June 7-11 at The Oval.

Rahane is one of six specialist batters in the squad and comes in to replace the injured Shreyas Iyer, who recently underwent back surgery.

Rahane's inclusion means there is no place for Suryakumar Yadav, who was one of the reserve batters during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at home against Australia this February-March. Suryakumar featured in just one Test of that series - Nagpur - and made 20 in India's innings victory.

Rahane's inclusion comes at a time when his IPL stocks have hit an all-time high. Playing for Chennai Super Kings, his powerplay batting and six-hitting have earned him many plaudits. In his most recent outing on Sunday night, he made a 29-ball 71 in a Player-of-the-match winning effort against Kolkata Knight Riders.

Last month, Rahane, who led India to a famous Test series win in Australia in 202021 was omitted from BCCI's central contracts for the current season, a demotion from the Grade B he'd been given prior to that. He last featured in a Test in January 2022, in

Pant's recovery period set to extend well beyond World Cup 2023

RISHABH Pant's return to action will take a while and it would still be construed as a very fast recovery if he is back on the field by January, a full one year from the near-fatal high-speed car accident that he suffered on the New Year Eve.

The wicketkeeper-batter, thus, will be ruled out of the Asia Cup in September and the World Cup in October-November.

Pant was recently seen during the Delhi Capitals IPL games at the Arun Jaitley Stadium walking with the help of crutches and those close to him reveal that he will take at least a couple of weeks to walk without any help.

The general impression is that he is recovering faster than anticipated, but it will take seven to eight months to be cricket-fit. That said it could take even longer for him to do the wicketkeeping and the initial comeback period will have to be solely as a batter, which is still considered an asset.

At one stage after the accident, it was thought whether he would be back on the field at all and whether he will be able to keep at all, but there is now some optimism on the 25-year-old's return to the field.

South Africa.

Rahane's inclusion means his county championship debut with Leicestershire is likely to be pushed back after initially committing to play eight red-ball games and the entire 50-overs competition.

Rahane was a constant feature for Mumbai during the 2022-23 domestic season in which he led them to the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20s title. During the Ranji Trophy, he had insisted that he wasn't giving up hopes of an India comeback and ended the season with 634 runs in 11 innings, with two hundreds and an average of 57.63.

"I don't want to prove anything to anyone," Rahane

had said, when asked where he thought his career was at. "I think my competition is with myself. If I stick to that, things will fall into place. I don't want to run after anything… just want to back my game."

The only other surprise was the absence of a second frontline wicketkeeper after KS Bharat. It's likely KL Rahul will take up that role if required. Rahul had earlier lost his Test spot during the Australia Tests to Shubman Gill.

Jasprit Bumrah wasn't considered as he's recovering from back injury, with the team management keen to amp up his workload and have him fully fit in time for

the 50-over World Cup this October-November.

Jaydev Unadkat, who made a Test comeback after nearly 11 years in Bangladesh last December, keeps his spot alongside Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj and Umesh Yadav. Shardul Thakur, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel are the allrounders.

India squad: Rohit Sharma (capt), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, KL Rahul, KS Bharat (wk), R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat. (Cricinfo)

Pant is believed to be showing a lot of heart to return to action and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is extending all possible medical assistance. The BCCI previously said, "(It) will make every effort to aid and expedite the recovery process of Rishabh and will provide him with all the support he needs during this period."

Pant underwent surgery for ligament tears in January and is under the care of Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala, head, the Centre for Sports Medicine, and director - Arthroscopy & Shoulder Service at the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital and Medical Research Institute in Mumbai. There is a possibility he may undergo another surgery.

Pant suffered a road accident on December 30 last year and has been out of action since. He last represented India in a Test in Bangladesh in December. (Cricbuzz.com)

The exact time of his return will only be known only after he goes to the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru for rehab (Cricbuzz.com).

Rishabh Pant was seen in the IPL games recently © IPL

Curtis Campher top-scored for Ireland in their first innings with

Ajinkya Rahane will have a second shot at WTC glory

Western Conference play-offs

LeBron stars as Lakers beat Grizzlies in game four

LeBron James starred with 22 points as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Memphis Grizzlies 117111 on Monday.

James forced overtime with a layup before scoring late in the extra period as the Lakers extended their lead to 3-1 in the Western Conference playoffs.

He also claimed a career-high 20 rebounds, while Austin Reaves scored 23 points for the seventh-seeded Lakers.

The Lakers can seal victory and eliminate the Grizzlies in game five on Wednesday.

It is the first time a Lakers player has reached 20 or more points and

rebounds in a single playoff game since Shaquille O'Neal in 2004.

D'Angelo Russell also scored 17 points for the Lakers, including three long-range three-pointers in the fourth quarter.

Earlier on Monday, Jimmy Butler scored an impressive 56 points as

Miami Heat beat the Milwaukee Bucks 119-114 in the Eastern Conference play-offs.

Butler's haul is the joint fourth highest individual points tally in play-off history.

Speaking after the game, Butler credited his performance to his team-

mates.

"This legit was a complete team effort," said the six-time NBA all-star.

"I know everybody sees the 56 points, but if my team-mates aren't looking to get me the ball, or setting great screens where I can get to my right or my left or the free throw line, this game's a lot different.

"A lot of shots went in tonight. But my teammates kept feeding me the ball and telling me to attack. When you've got team-mates like that, good things happen."

Victory for the Heat stretches their series lead over the top seeded team to 3-1.(BBC Sport)

Veteran Kendall’s Union cricketer honoured posthumously

PERTAB Chanderjit, popularly known as “Uncle Muntuk” and formerly of Number 19 Kendall’s Union, was recently honoured posthumously by Krishna Appiah on behalf of himself and the Appiah family.

Chanderjit played cricket for many decades and helped nurtured many cricketers in and out of the area, providing leadership and being a great role model on and off the field. He was considered a mystery off-spin bowler who could have held his own with the bat. He was also a fierce, yet friendly competitor.

At a simple ceremony held recently in Queens, New York, Appiah presented a plaque to his wife Varone in the presence of his daughter Lita, her husband and sons, Indranauth

Valentin scores four as Girona beat Real Madrid

GIRONA striker Valentin Castellanos scored four times as they recorded a resounding victory over reigning La Liga champions Real Madrid. Castellanos, on loan from New York City, headed the opener and then ran onto a long ball before slotting past Real's Andriy Lunin to make it 2-0. Vincius Jr gave Real hope with a header from Marco Asensio's cross.

But Castellanos, 24, tucked in a cross from Yan Couto and headed a fourth - before Lucas Vazquez's consolation.

Real are 11 points behind leaders Barcelona, having played a game more. They play Manchester City in the Champions League semi-final first leg in two weeks.

Castellanos is the first player in more than 75 years to score four goals in a La Liga game against Real Madrid. In December 1947, Esteban Echaverria netted five for Real Oviedo against Madrid.

Argentine Castellanos, 24, only touched the ball 15 times, with as many goals as passes attempted, before being replaced in the 71st minute. He has now scored 11 La Liga goals this season.

Real were without first-choice goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois through gastroenteritis and striker Karim Benzema with a leg injury.

Who is Castellanos?

Taty Castellanos, to use his commonly used nickname, is on loan to Girona from New York City - both sister clubs of Manchester City. The season-long loan does not have the option for Girona to make it permanent.

It was reported that nobody bid the £12m ($15m) NYC wanted last summer so they decided his value might go up after a season in one of Europe's top leagues.

and Deo.

Krishna continued the tradition of his late father, Ramnarine Appiah, also known “Brother Appiah”, in giving back to his place of birth

through sports, honouring outstanding sons and daughters of the area and providing support for the school children of Bohemia Primary School. In addition,

he annually provides hampers and tokens for the elderly and persons with disabilities in the Number 19 straight road area.

He won the 2021 MLS Golden Boot with 19 goals in 32 games and is the second youngest player to hit 50 MLS goals.

The uncapped Argentine had played his club football in Chile and Uruguay before joining NYC in 2018.(BBC Sport)

LeBron James made 22 points and 20 rebounds as the Los Angeles Lakers moved to within one victory of a series win over the Memphis Grizzlies

Krishna Appiah hands over the plaque to Varone Chanderjit

Valentin Castellanos scored with four of his six shots against Real Madrid

‘Table tennis needs home for the sport to improve’ – Coach Johnson

By Sean Devers

NATIONAL Table Tennis

coach, Linden Johnson feels that for the standard of table tennis in Guyana to really improve, the Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA) needs a home for the sport.

“We (GTTA) want to do so much for local table tennis but presently our tournaments are played at the National Gymnasium where table tennis competes with several other indoor sports disciplines. Previously, table tennis tournaments were held at the Cliff Anderson National Sports Hall but due to the rehabilitation of that facility it cannot be used at this time,” disclosed Johnson.

“We (GTTA) used the Malteenoes Sports Club for our training and practice and if we can acquire our own home for table tennis with dorms to accommodate out-of-town players, our sessions could be longer and we could have camps” said Johnson, who is also an NSC Level 2 Table Tennis Coach.

Three International tournaments were held in Guyana for this year which is historic for this country.

“We hosted three tourna -

ments back-to-back, with the first being the CAC which Guyana qualified for in both Men and Women categories, thereafter we staged the Caribbean Senior Table Tennis Championships which served as qualification for the Pan Am Games. Guyana put their best foot forward but we will have to play in another qualifying tournament. We also hosted the Caribbean Youth Championships to qualify for the Junior Pan Am Games,” Johnson pointed out.

Johnson informed that Jonathon Van Lang is the highest ranked Guyanese Junior player.

The multi-talented Van Lange, also a member of Guyana’s senior Men’s team, is also a National youth cricketer.

It is understood that the CAC is scheduled for June in the USA while the Pan Am and Junior Pan AM overlaps each other.

“We are not sure of the exact dates, hence the teams haven’t been released. Of course, we would want to arrive in the host country a week before our event starts but the GOA is responsible for all travel arrangements” stated Johnson who gained his Level 2 certification in Trinidad.

Giving his views on sports and table tennis in particular, especially in schools, Johnson admitted that there has been a decline from ‘back in the days’ but was quick to add that the Ministry of Education is working to fix that problem.

“The Ministry is sending NSC Table Tennis coaches into the schools to coach to teachers and students the rudiments of the game.

He pointed out that the main issue is the ‘follow-up -- getting tables and rackets into the schools and getting the teachers to continue the work when the

Athanaze eyeing runs, leadership knowledge in Tri-Series

NSC coaches leave. “Getting players from the rural areas to get involved in National competitions is another issue that we face.

“In the past, there were a lot of out-of-town players involved but now that is on the decline, but we (GTTA) are working to put things in place to encourage players for out of town to participate” Johnson assured.

Johnson revealed that he has been around table tennis since the 1980s.

“I played a bit but not at a high level but then I got into administration and in 1989 fell into coaching and got a scholarship to attend a course in Hungary. I also went to China.”

The NSC coach resigned and the players were reluctant to get into coaching, so I decided to give it a try and that’s how I got involved in coaching” explained Johnson.

Johnson said he has travelled a lot with National teams and remembered going with Trenace Lowe and Michell John on tours.

His favorite quote is ‘what the mind can believe, anything can be achieved’ which Johnson regularly uses when dealing with his charges.

Bairstow hits 97 for Yorkshire 2nd XI on comeback from broken leg

JONNY Bairstow confirmed he is ready to push for a place in this summer's Ashes, after producing a hard-hitting innings of 97 from 88 balls for Yorkshire 2nd XI, in his first competitive innings since breaking his leg last summer.

Bairstow, 33, had been in the form of his life for England's Test team in the 2022 home season, scoring 681 runs at 75.66 at close to a run a ball, including four centuries and a 71 not out in five consecutive innings against New Zealand and India, to kickstart the so-called "Bazball" revolution.

However, in September, he suffered multiple fractures to his left leg during a freak golfing accident, which ruled him out of the final Test of the summer against South Africa, as well as England's T20 World Cup victory in Australia, and their subsequent Test campaigns in Pakistan and New Zealand.

He was also due to play for Punjab Kings in the ongoing IPL, but pulled out of that deal to concentrate on his return to redball cricket, which he is expected to step up with a comeback for Yorkshire's 1st XI in the County Championship against Glamor-

gan next month. And while he had already insisted he was fit and ready for his comeback, Bairstow has now assuaged doubts as to whether his form would suffer for the lengthy lay-off, as he struck 13 fours and two sixes against Nottinghamshire 2nd XI at Headingley. Stiffer tests will lie ahead, although Bairstow did come up against one prospective England team-mate in Nottinghamshire's Olly Stone, who played his first first-class game in two years

against Hampshire earlier this month, and is building up his red-ball workload ahead of a prospective Ashes role.

Working up a sharp pace, Stone could have had Bairstow caught at second slip early in his innings, only for the ball to fly away to the boundary. However, he got his revenge in his subsequent spell, as Bairstow chopped a short ball to point while searching for his comeback hundred.

Bairstow is set to both field and keep wicket in the course

of the match, to test his fitness in both roles. While he last week dismissed the notion of him taking the gloves for Yorkshire as a "non-story", his return to the England set-up could yet be as wicketkeeper in place of Ben Foakes, given that his own replacement in the middle order, Harry Brook, emerged as the winter's breakout star with 797 runs at 88.55 in his five Tests against Pakistan and New Zealand. (Cricinfo.com)

ST JOHN’S, Antigua, (CMC) – Alick Athanaze said he is relishing the opportunity to be among the runs again when his Team Weekes clash with high-flying West Indies Academy in the second match of the Headley/Weekes Tri-Series. The 24-year-old left-hander was the leading scorer during the recently concluded West Indies Championship with 647 runs at an average of nearly 65, and will be leading Team Weekes when the contest gets underway at the Coolidge Cricket Ground on Wednesday.

“I would definitely like to get some runs here. It’s another opportunity to put my name in the hat [for selection] again,” Athanaze said.

“I see cricket as bat and ball and as long as I keep following the same process, most of the times you will do well.

“Cricket is also an up and down game but let’s see what happens in this game.”

Athanaze also led Windward Islands Volcanoes during the West Indies Championship, taking them within touching distance of the title before they were edged out by the Guyana Harpy Eagles on the final day.

Volcanoes finished on 74.2 points, less than 10 points behind Harpy Eagles (84) in the five-round championship which became a two-team race late on.

Athanaze said that along with scoring runs in the Tri-Series, he was also focussed on continuing to develop his leadership skills.

“It’s a good opportunity [to captain Team Weekes],” said Athanaze, who toured South Africa for the Test series last month but did not play.

“I see it as a role for the future and I normally do well when I have added responsibility, so I think it can be a very good challenge.”

Athanaze leads a Team Weekes side which includes Test players, left-handed opener Tagenarine Chanderpaul, all-rounder Raymon Reifer, batsman Devon Thomas and leftarm spinner Veerasammy Permaul.

Brandon King, Keacy Carty and Dominic Drakes are all part of the West Indies white-ball setup, leaving Team Weekes well stacked in all areas.

“I think it’s a good mixture of boys,” Athanaze explained.

“They are the top performers [from the West Indies Championship] so we definitely have a good squad. They have been playing good cricket so it will be an exciting match.

“It’s good having [the experienced players] around to share all their knowledge [especially with] me in this new role at this level.”

WI Academy stunned a star-studded Team Headley by seven wickets in last week’s opener at Coolidge but Athanaze said he expected his side to be prepared for the challenge.

“We personally as a team we’re excited to play good cricket and seeing they (Academy) are playing good cricket, it’s more exciting for us. Now is the time for us to just keep our heads down and try to put on a good performance.”

Team Weekes captain, Alick Athanaze

National Table Tennis coach, Linden Johnson

Jonny Bairstow made 97 from 88 balls on his comeback from a broken leg • ( Getty Images)

Phase one construction of Football Stadium begins

See page 35

West Indies Academy urged for repeat against Team Weekes

ST JOHN’S, Antigua, (CMC)

– Head coach Andre Coley has urged West Indies Academy to repeat the good things they executed in last week’s shock victory over Team Headley, when they meet Team Weekes in the second game of the Headley Weekes Tri-Series today

The inexperienced Academy side, led by all-rounder Nyeem Young, trounced Team Headley by seven wickets at Coolidge Cricket Ground and will now turn their attention to Team Weekes at the same venue starting here Wednesday.

“Having gotten early wickets in the first innings [against Team Headley], we were able to follow that up in the second

innings and restrict them to an even lower total, and on the back of that win the game,” Coley said ahead of the four-day first class match.

“Some of those things are what we want to transfer into game two. If you think about winning a series, you have to be able to repeat performances.

“Yes, it’s a slightly different team in this game coming up but the disciplines remain the same and if we are able at the end of both matches to say – based on the plans that we had – we were able to tick them, because of the processes we went through and the discipline that we showed, then they would take a lot out of it, other than the win.”

He added: “Obviously we want to play to win but what we want to do is encourage and funnel players down the path of what they need to do to achieve a goal, and get them to buy into processes that are important to them.”

WI Academy boasted development players with precious little or no first class experience but produced telling all-round performances to earn themselves an impressive victory inside three days.

They reduced Team Headley to 59 for five on the first morning before bowling them out for 259, and then piled up 323 in reply, behind Kevlon Anderon’s

Continued on page 35

Construction has commenced at the facility

Guyana Football Federation president, Wayne Forde (right), in discussion with CONCACAF’s Howard McIntosh at the construction site

First-game century-maker, Kevlon Anderson, bats in the nets ahead of the second outing in the TriSeries. (Photo courtesy CWI Media)