Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 27-01-2023

New wave of economic activities imminent

- President Ali says, reiterates Guyana’s intention to leverage India’s support to achieve this goal

By Clestine Juan

PRESIDENT, Dr. Irfaan

Ali has said that Guyana will continue to work on an international agenda that will propel the country to become a global leader in several areas, including agriculture, technology, education and even on the oil and gas front.

The Head of State made this announcement while delivering the feature address at India’s 73rd Republic Day Anniversary reception at the Pegasus Suites and Corporate Centre, on Thursday.

President Ali recently returned from India after leading a delegation of ministers and local private sector representatives.

There were “fruitful engagements” with the Government of India in many areas which presented numerous opportunities for Guyana, in keeping with the government’s developmental trajectory.

“In my very short visit to India, I had the distinct honour of sitting with industry leaders, the inventors of vaccines for COVID-19, discussing

with them the plight in the developing world and how we can integrate what we do to make us more efficient, in handling pandemics and sharing technology.

“But importantly, [this will help us] in strategising the next decade and more of the relationship between Guyana and India, and where we position our strengths and weaknesses to have better outcomes for both countries,” Dr Ali said.

He highlighted the “outstanding contribution” of India to the development of Guyana’s education system through scholarships, training,

technology transfer and the evolution of our cultural development.

“... Our leadership in Guyana today is about positioning Guyana to be a strong, responsible leader in the Caribbean, and Latin- America and be one of the top countries in the globe, presenting leadership on environment, climate, and energy, all of these areas.

“We are small in population, but we are not small in our ambition to present the project to Guyana in an environment of a scale that it can operate to make an immense global contribution. We have proven this,”

the President said. He said Guyana must continue to find strategic bilateral partners to work on a “government-to-government” basis who have a deep interest in being a part of the entire ecosystem of Guyana’s energy sector, not just buying the crude oil.

Dr. Ali related that India has mastered the art of transforming raw materials into value-added [products] along with its state-of-the-art technology sector, which Guyana can benefit from, especially in the agriculture and manufacturing sectors.

The President said that

India has already committed to helping Guyana establish a Regional AgroTech Campus that would be supported by regional universities, governments, private sectors and international organisations such as the Food and Agriculture Organisation.

“So, over the next few months, you will see a number of measures that will be aimed at creating this new ecosystem around agriculture by focusing on high value, focusing on new areas and innovation because that is where the future would go.

“We are building a food production and agricultural system on a platform that will make it competitive and resilient to operate in an economy in 2030 and beyond,” the Head of State said.

Dr. Ali related that Guyana must position itself to support a foodproduction system for the region that will help to withstand economic and food crises. However, with India as a bilateral partner, Dr Ali said that Guyana is in good hands.

“We want to position Guyana to be a manufac-

turer to be a producer in alternative energy, including solar. That is what we’re doing. We are working hard to create a new wave of economic activities. But that requires infrastructure transformation,” he said as he explained that India will be key to achieving this.

Dr. Ali said he is confident that the partnership with India will achieve sector-wide transformation in Guyana since the country is among the fastest-growing economies in Asia.

“We want to be driven and supported by a country that has done it, tested it and is working there,” he added.

However, the President said that time is against Guyana and urged that those who do not believe the same, are dreaming.

“Because if we can’t build an economy and an ecosystem in the next seven years that is functional, resilient and sustainable to survive in a world 2030 beyond. I’m sorry, we will just be marking time. We have seven years to build this ecosystem. I’m going to do it,” President Ali said.

New US$5M concrete production facility to utilise waterways for operations

- investor says intention is to make life easier for businesses and individuals by avoiding vehicular traffic

By Cindy Parkinson

BUSINESSMAN Azruddin

Mohamed of Mohamed’s Enterprise has partnered with Mikhail Rodrigues of Tepui Group Inc., to construct a US$5 million concrete production plant at Providence, East Bank of Demerara.

Both businessmen visited the site on Wednesday to inspect and evaluate the ongoing project. While there, Mohamed was briefed on the type of work that has been done so far and was amazed at how quickly works are progressing.

Mohamed, in an invited comment, said: “Production will start in April and it is basically a plant that will produce concrete piles for building walls as well as

other purposes.

“With the location of the site, we can load the concrete products from our wharf in Providence. We will be able to transport our items via waterways to customers located along the coast as a result of this. This will be beneficial since it will be done without the hassle or delay of vehicular traffic.”

He went on to say: “This will also provide more employment for our local Guyanese people, and the public can make contact with us and order whatever they may need and we will get it for them. The main objective in mind when we thought of starting this initiative, was to create a company that can make life easier for other businesses, companies and

individuals to get access to concrete products without any difficulty.”

According to the information that was shared by Azruddin with the Guyana Chronicle, the facility, upon completion, will produce concrete pre-stress piles as large as 16X16 in width with a length of up to 160 feet; slabs for bridges and utility poles; and a wide variety of construction services, including state-of-the-art equipment rentals.

Further, these high-quality materials will be made to international specifications and will be certified by German engineers.

Mohamed is confident that this multimillion-dollar facility will contribute to the country’s booming economy with its operations and tax

payments.

Back in April 2022, Hadi’s World Incorporation, a subsidiary of Mohamed’s Enterprise, partnered with China Harbour Engineering Company Guyana Inc. to pursue a US$25 million quarry project to cater to the needs of the country’s booming construction sector.

The long-term agreement will see the establishment of the quarry along the Mazaruni River, where the Chinese company will produce boulders and quarry aggregates for local and foreign construction markets.

Back in 2018, Mohamed’s Enterprise constructed the first-ever laydown facility at McDoom.

The facility, constructed on five acres of land, is esti-

mated to cost US$3 million.

The area was underdeveloped and required massive intervention to become one of the best-constructed facilities in modern times.

A total of 7,000 tonnes of crush and run, 500 loads of sand, and approximately 250 loads of red loam were used to construct the facility.

A US$5 million concrete production plant is being constructed at Providence, East Bank of Demerara

President, Dr. Irfaan Ali has said that Guyana will continue to work on an international agenda that will propel the country to become a global leader in several areas, including agriculture, technology, education, and even on the oil and gas front (Delano Williams Photo)

Region needs modern financial system

- President Ali tells Jamaica stock exchange conference - says Caribbean region needs proactive financial response to address specific needs, global crises

By Naomi Parris

PRESIDENT, Dr. Irfaan Ali, on Thursday, said that the Caribbean region is faced with many developmental crises, and to effectively cross those hurdles, the region would need a modern financial system.

The Guyanese Head of State made this charge during a virtual address to the Jamaica Stock Exchange’s 18th regional investment and capital market conference.

Guyana and the rest of the region, he said, operate in a global environment which faces challenges related to inflationary pressures, food crises, climate crises, and energy crises, among other things.

“[To address those challenges] the first proposition is that the Caribbean financial sector needs to play a more instrumental role in mobilising capital to fill the region’s financial gaps,” Dr. Ali said.

He added: “An open invitation is extended to Caribbean financial institutions to come to Guyana and to explore the opportunities available. We are just as keen to partner with regional institutions as

we are forging international partnerships.”

The Head of State said that, while Guyana’s oil and gas sector has become a new frontier for economic development, the country still lacks the financial support to develop its petroleum industry.

And while Guyana has set out to foster partnerships with major international economies, he related that regional financial institutions must become more aligned to address

the concerns of food security, climate change and the expansion of the petroleum industry in the region.

“Without investment, our region’s energy and food security plans will flounder… the region’s financial systems, therefore, must take account of the development plans of the region and I think the regional financial system also must be able to proactively respond to the needs of the region, and we cannot do so without com-

bining our efforts,” Dr. Ali said.

The President warned that strong regulations and oversights will be needed to safeguard the growth of economies and investors.

“Securities and capital markets need strong regulation and oversight in order to protect investors. Experiences around the world forewarn us that the need for strong regulation, due diligence and oversight of financial institutions is critical,” the Head of State said.

He related that the region has to be prudent and avoid exposing investors and depositors to extreme risk of implosion by financial institutions, in its quest to advance the financial sector.

CAREFUL MANAGEMENT

“Guyana has been careful with the management of its financial sector. A short while ago, we came in for some criticisms for denying the buyout of a certain financial institution by a major regional bank,” Dr. Ali said.

The President was referring to an attempt by Scotiabank to sell its Guyana operations to the First National Bank.

The bank first tried

to sell to Republic Bank Limited and then to the First Citizens Bank Limited – both Trinidad and Tobago banks.

However, in June of 2022, the agreement of sale of its banking operations in Guyana to Trinidad’s First Citizens Bank Limited was terminated in accordance with the terms of the agreement.

“We are mindful of the risks involved in allowing any one institution to have an inordinately larger share of the sector, which can expose us to risks. The diversity and spread of risks have always acted as insurance to protect investors,” Dr. Ali said.

As it relates to Guyana specifically, he noted that the aim is to promote the country as a premier destination for industrial and manufacturing development, while also promoting the traditional sectors

“We are seeking partnerships not only to develop our oil and gas sector, but also to modernise our traditional sectors such as agriculture, gold, diamond, bauxite, manganese mining, and forestry,” Dr. Ali said.

He added: “Guyana is also set to become the energy and industrial

capital of the region, a regional food engine, an eco-tourism destination, a major aquaculture producer and the Mecca of regional cricket. These are our ambitions from which we are not shirking.”

President Ali affirmed that Guyana’s development is not confined to oil and gas.

He posited that the country has the potential to become the financial epicenter of the Caribbean; however, the region must form consortiums with its private sector community.

“Given our own development and given the projections of development, our financial sector will continue to expand. Our financing needs are great and we are looking for winwin partnerships.

“As this is a conference dealing with investments and capital markets, I want to emphasize the importance of financial markets to Guyana’s, and the region’s development,” Dr. Ali said.

Guyana is currently hosting Jamaica’s Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Senator Aubyn Hill, along with a Jamaican business delegation.

President Dr. Irfaan Ali

Investments in Joint Services producing positive results

Minster Benn says

SERIOUS crimes have decreased by more than 20 per cent in 2022 when compared to what it was under the previous administration, due to the government’s firm support for the Guyana Police Force (GPF), Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn, said during the budget debates, on Thursday.

Challenging earlier claims made by Opposition Member of Parliament, Geeta

Chandan-Edmond, about the state of crime in the country, Minister Benn reminded that crime in country is actually lower now than it was during the opposition’s time in government, from 2015 to 2020.

“Crime is a serious problem, but I’ll go to statistics. The statistics of ours and theirs. Robbery with violence in 2017 it was 143, in 2022 it was 76, burglary decreased from 177 in 2018 to 108 in 2022, break and enter and

larceny reduced from 926 events to 496, almost by half.

“The overall decrease of the crime statistics between 2015 and 2022 is a decrease of 20.6 per cent. We have reduced total robbery, serious crime, murder and violence by an average figure of 20 per cent,” Minister Benn said.

He related: “I am saying it has a lot to do with our support to the GPF. Our support with new vehicles, with new training, with new efforts with respect to crime and violence, and mitigation of that.

I have said before that our approach now is a more empathetic approach. We have taken to less lethal resort in the engagement between the police and the public.”

Minister Benn said that the country has also seen dramatic increases in the seizure of narcotics based on the work of the Customs AntiNarcotics Unit (CANU), while more arrests have been made with respect to unlawful activities.

The government also has on the cards a school for prisoners at the Lusignan prison, while a release programme called “Fresh Start” is being done to enable prisoners to develop gainful employment skills and be able to be reintegrated into society and reunited with their families.

“We are talking largely over the country that we are pursuing a programme to increase the peace through the citizens’ security strengthen-

ing programme,” Benn said.

The minister called on members of the opposition, in particular Leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Khemraj Ramjattan, to call on supporters and associates to desist from inciting violence and criminal activities, especially as it pertains to calling for the burning down of public buildings.

Regarding the recent school fires, Ramjattan was

brave enough to take the floor and say: “I disavow all violence and destruction of schools. You could write it for me and I would certainly deliver it.”

On improving the Guyana Fire Service (GFS), Minister Benn noted that seven new fire assets to fight fires along with three modern ambulances are also on the cards for 2023 to improve firefighting.

Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn

‘We uplift citizens not disenfranchise them’

- Minister Croal affirms, says home ownership drive extends far beyond any APNU+AFC initiative

MINISTER of Housing and Water, Collin Croal has made it clear that the government is not in the business of disenfranchising residents, but about making home ownership accessible for all citizens.

The minister was, on Thursday, responding to opposition comments in relation to the Cane View (Mocha) squatting issue.

Minister Croal told the National Assembly that the decision to relocate the squatters followed consultations and a range of interventions aimed at ensuring residents are provided with the necessary assistance to be relocated to developed housing schemes.

“We followed the process. We engaged and consulted and every time a new excuse was made, we tried to find another way to resolve those issues, until we ran out of options,” Minister Croal revealed.

He chided the APNU+AFC Coalition for doing absolutely nothing to assist those squatters during its five years in office, and now want to deprive the residents of a better standard of living.

“We offer all seven of the remaining squatters complete houses and they refused,” he stated.

The minister said the ministry is focused on providing subsidised housing for citizens, noting that government remains committed to providing opportunities to make home ownership a reality.

According to the Housing Minister: “It has been so since the

PPP/C returned to power in 1992. It is the commitment of every President of the PPP/C, every government of the PPP/C. We have not wavered from our commitment.”

Croal related that among the interventions is the regularisation of old squatter settlements and resolving the issue of squatters occupying government reserves.

“We regularised six areas and reduced squatter settlements from 19 to 13. This year, we will continue the process of regularising 13 settlements and by the end of this year we will complete the relocation and resettlement of close to 1,000 households,” Minister Croal said.

Similarly, he said the ministry will continue to implement new measures to assist lowincome applicants.

Already, vulnerable groups are benefitting from the Home Construction Assistance Programme, the steel and cement initiative, as well as the Adequate Housing and Urban Accessibility Programme.

While defending the $54.5 billion set aside for the housing sector, Minister Croal stated that the budget provides a precise blueprint for the future under the PPP/C Government.

He emphasised that the budget balances infrastructural development with modern systems for the delivery of social services, which will significantly improve the quality of life for citizens.

“The 2023 budgetary allocations for the Ministry of Housing and Water builds on the gains that the ministry

has made in 2020, 2021 [and 2022],” Minister Croal told the National Assembly.

This year, $50 billion will be expended on new and existing housing areas including the construction of roads, drains, bridges, and installation of water and electricity in areas such as Mabaruma, Buxton/St Joseph, Stewartville, Hope, Wakenaam, Charity, Chateau Margot, Sophia, Belvedere, Success, Amelia’s Ward and Number 75 Village.

This will allow thousands of Guyanese to access lands allo -

cated to them, and facilitate new allocations through the ministry’s ‘dream realised’ housing drive.

“The manifesto promise of 50,000 house lot allocations will be kept, and above all else, the people of our country will enjoy a more comfortable life,” Minister Croal said.

Major focus will also be placed on the construction of 345 low-income units set to be constructed at Great Diamond, Little Diamond and Ordinance Fortlands, 131 young professional homes at Prospect and

80 at Little Diamond, 266 moderate-income homes at Cummings

Lodge, Williamsburg/ Hampshire and Amelia’s Ward.

Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal

Fixing While Providing

GOVERNMENTS have the task of protecting and providing for their citizens. They have to protect citizens from violence and the vicissitudes of life and provide public goods at the level necessary to ensure a globally competitive economy and a well-functioning society.

Wherever possible, governments have to invest in citizens to enable them to provide for themselves in rapidly and continually changing circumstances. The situation in Guyana is no different. Unfortunately, the PPP/C Government did not have a solid foundation when it entered office in August 2020. In fact, it inherited fractured systems which were in urgent need of fixing.

Any plans to imme -

diately tackle a development agenda had to be put on hold indefinitely, and every ounce of energy had to be exerted towards fixing those broken systems.

While this was a top priority, the government knew that at the same time it had to ensure that the basic necessities were provided to citizens.

There was lots of work to be done in the health, education, tourism and security sectors. Public works and several other sectors were also on the long to-do list.

Things are now at a more manageable level, thereby allowing the government of the day to execute its own plans with precision.

Ministers have used the ongoing budget debate to highlight the missteps made by the APNU+AFC

and the corrective actions they have had to take.

A ccording to Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill, the government is focused on the task at hand, especially as it pertains to fixing the shortcomings of the APNU+AFC. He even hinted that he has done a lot more in his ministry than his predecessor.

He assured that Budget 2023 is “strategic, purpose-driven and well-orchestrated,” and contains billions for bridges and roads, which are integral to the development of the country.

For him, it is one that will promote the country’s development to bring about transformation, modernisation and prosperity.

The actions of

APNU+AFC that tainted the country’s international image was included in the presentation made by Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, Hugh Todd.

He said the government has been in damage control mode to try and rebuild Guyana’s image since entering office.

He recalled that the Head of the Organisation of American States (OAS) Elections Observer Mission (EOM) to Guyana, former Prime Minister (PM) of Jamaica, Bruce Golding, had said that “the pernicious actions of a few, have wreaked considerable damage to Guyana’s image and reputation.”

The government, in response to this, has spent most if not all of its time in office thus far, rebuild-

ing to the extent that Guyana’s international footprints have increased dramatically.

Everyone now wants to invest in Guyana. They are seeing opportunities for partnerships which will be beneficial to both parties. This could only have been possible through the hard work of the government.

“Guyana’s international image has been repaired. It’s on the move and being led by His Excellency, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali,” Minister Todd told the National Assembly before adding that the character of the Opposition has always been one of a “wrecking ball.”

Based on his utterances, the PPP/C has always been there to clean up the mess made and has kept the economy on the right

path towards development.

According to Health Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony, the PPP/C Government inherited a broken health system which has since been given new life.

Like his fellow ministers, he chastised the APNU+AFC and said that they have left behind a legacy of broken promises, incompetence and mismanagement.

Fixing all of the inherited problems will take a lot of work, but the government has publically shown that it is up to the task. It had proven time and time again that things will get better.

It knows that in addition to fixing what was broken, it has to pursue a development agenda that will benefit every single Guyanese.

Alexander continues to bury his head in sand

Dear Editor, GECOM Commissioner, Mr. Vincent Alexander has tried without success to refute what I said in my missive published in the letter columns of S/N 22/1/ 23.

The Commissioner claimed, rather cynically, that I “embrace double standards aimed at serving

my purpose.”

As is the norm, Mr. Alexander’s view and conclusion in respect to what he considers “the illicit creation of a post and an irregular appointment to that post” at GECOM are not only misinformed but woefully misplaced.

In his letter, Mr. Alexander sought to link, and

at the same time justify, a misdeed carried out under his watch in 2014 to the situation currently at hand.

In case he missed it, Mr. Alexander failed to realise that the misdeed he was party to, and the one he now claims to be ultra vires nine years after, places him in the realm of hypocrisy and practitioner

of the same double standards he accuses others of.

In retrospect, the selfserving double standard which Mr. Alexander is unquestionably guilty of, is perhaps an extension of the uncivil behaviour that was displayed by his comrades at the Ashmin’s building at Hadfield and High streets, Brickdam on Thursday,

March 5, 2020.

The stand Mr. Alexander has adopted now in relation to the matter currently under consideration at GECOM is precisely the stand he should have adopted at the time when he sat approvingly in support of the misdeed committed at GECOM in August of 2014.

Minutes of a GECOM meeting held in August 2014 show that Mr. Alexander was totally involved in the discussions which led to Vishnu Persaud being shortlisted for interviews for the position of DCEO.

The professed Mr. “Clean” Alexander did not

The truth and untruths

Dear Editor, I RECALLED a quote from Mahatma Gandhi which stated that, “An error does not become truth by multiplied propagation, nor does truth become error because nobody sees it. Truth stands even if there is no public support. It is selfsustained.”

The Guyanese people are witnessing the lies and the truth as the Budget Debate 2023 progresses, and it is easy for the public to discern who is peddling the lies and who is presenting the facts.

I will just give two examples, starting with day three of the budget debate analysing with the presentation by Mr. Roysdale Forde, SC, and Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Zulfikar Mustapha.

These two presentations will provide the evidence that Mr. Forde was spewing untruths and misinformation about the socio-economic conditions which currently exist in Guyana.

Even as he did his

mischief, he was respectfully allowed to make his presentation by those on the government side, notwithstanding the fact that they knew that that his presentation was riddled with errors and inaccuracies. But not so Minister Mustapha’s presentation.

The Opposition side of the House had to be rebuked by the Speaker since they behaved in the most despicable manner.

Listening to Mr Forde’s presentation, one would have thought that he was describing what took place in Guyana during the years of hardships and deprivations which Guyanese had to endure under the late LFS Burnham and then his successor, the late Desmond Hoyte and which Guyanese narrowly missed from 2015 to 2020 under Burnham’s acolyte, Mr David Granger. Those were the times when putting food on the table was a criminal activity.

As a senior legal luminary, Mr Forde ought to know that the harrowing conditions which he de -

picted in his presentation are falsehoods meant to “win” his case, and does not depict the current reality. His quoted statistics are related to the Coalition’s tenure in government.

The 26 (including the current term) years of the PPP/C government which he decried as being the cause of the dire conditions which he falsely attributed, were the years which brought Guyana from being a highly indebted poor country (poorer than Haiti) to a progressive upper-middle income country.

The PPP/C has ensured that Guyanese can own their own homes and cars, and go on vacation to the North American countries.

Mr Forde should understand that even though his mentor Burnham spoke about equality of all races and that all races are important, in reality he never practised that.

He hated all those who opposed him and many persons were severely persecuted in many different

ways.

Burnham was a despot in all negative forms and connotations of the term. His rigging, corruption and squandermania combined with his Machiavellian strategies are indelibly etched in the annals of our country. The name Burnham will always be synonymous with dictatorship. Please do not rewrite our history Mr Forde.

On the other hand, Minister Mustapha’s presentation was truthful and accurate with no intent to deceive Guyanese.

The facts can be verified. His well-constructed speech clearly recalled the horrors and rapid decline which the agriculture sector had to endure under the Coalition, especially in the areas of sugar and rice.

It was the Coalition’s budgets from 2015 to 2019, which were the recipe for the Dutch Curse which Mr Forde went at pains to attribute to the PPP/C Government’s budget.

The Coalition severely cut the agriculture budget

year after year and saw the rice industry as private business as outlined by Minister Mustapha.

He pointed out the massive taxation and other debilitating measures which crippled the rice industry as well. Both rice and sugar were seen as populated by PPP/C supporters hence the vindictiveness.

The comprehensive and excellently crafted plan for the agriculture will definitely not only realise 100 per cent selfsufficiency by 2025, but it will also boost the export earnings of both traditional and non-traditional high value crops.

I will exhort those persons who have missed the minister’s 2023 budget presentation, to view it on YouTube. There has never been such a solution oriented plan ever for the sector and it definitely will make massive progressive strides from what was already achieved since 2020.

The Opposition cannot dispute these hard facts

and as the minister said in his conclusion, it is worrying when elected officials ignore the facts and go to extreme lengths to distort and present their lies as facts in the honourable House.

Undoubtedly, the 2023 budget was well-planned and crafted, flexible, realistic and clearly communicated.

One can easily discern the connections of the many facets which will promote the economic and social well-being of every Guyanese as the year progresses.

The Coalition must understand that Joseph Goebbels’ Nazi propaganda strategy of repeating a lie often enough and it becomes the truth will not work in this day of easy access to credible information.

“Truth alone will endure all the rest will be swept away before the tide of time,” Mahatma Gandhi.

Yours sincerely, Haseef Yusuf

Alexander continues to bury his head in...

FROM PAGE 6

oppose Persaud’s candidacy for the position then. However, subsequently, he chose to oppose Persaud’s candidacy which cost him a substantial sum of money. Apparently, he has not learnt that overreaching comes at a cost.

Mr. Alexander purposely overlooks the point that Persaud’s rival was given an unfair advantage when appointed to act as Voter Registration Manager (VRM). It was on the basis of that unfair advantage that the much favoured in-

dividual was confirmed in the position, since she was seen as the “only one with the required experience.”

It is quite obvious to many that all the noise being orchestrated by Alexander and company on this matter, is aimed at achieving a specific objective with another of their favoured candidates in mind to fill the vacancy for a substantive DCEO.

From all he has written, it is clear that Mr. Alexander represents those who profess to be supportive of transparency and ac -

countability, but at the same time, consider them useless in pursuit of their partisan political and antidemocratic objectives

And just in case Mr. Alexander is not aware of it, Guyanese who uphold the fundamental tenets of a modern democracy including transparency and accountability far outnumber those who choose to engage in illicit activities aimed at thwarting the will of the people.

There are individuals like Mr. Alexander in our midst who are so insu -

lated in their thinking that they tend to assume that anything or anyone outside their political/ideological universe is suspect, if not downright undesirable. This is precisely Alexander’s disposition in respect to the matter currently under consideration at the commission.

Experience teaches you that whenever individuals adopt a stubborn stand against a particular matter, it’s probably because they simply do not want to confront the facts, as a result, these individuals are likely

to find themselves facing similar situations in future.

Mr. Alexander refuses to admit that his views are misplaced and the position he has adopted on the matter at GECOM is extremely imprudent and shortsighted; his escape route is to justify his action by discrediting the solution.

The bulk of Mr. Alexander’s response to my missive I consider as fluff and the regurgitation of his opinion to which he is entitled, but he must bear in mind that “no man has

a right to be wrong in his facts.”

As regards my “warped experiential background,” I would like Mr. Alexander to consider his judgmental assessment in relation to his association with a party that time and again either wholly or partially, sought to deprive Guyanese of their right to elect a government of their choice.

Mr. Alexander can do nothing but live with that badge of dishonour forever and ever Amen!

Yours faithfully, Clement J. Rohee

China, CELAC, CARICOM and Guyana in the Year of the Rabbit

THE Caribbean Community (CARICOM) made history at the seventh Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), held on January 24 in Argentina, where the bloc’s longestserving Head of Government, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, was elected Chair of the 12-year-old regional grouping.

Also, the longest-serving re-elected Prime Minis-

ter of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr. Gonsalves is the first CARICOM leader to lead CELAC, which comprises 34 nations -including all 14 Caribbean Community (CARICOM) nations -- covers 7.88 million square miles (20.41 square million kilometres) and is home to some 651.13 million people.

Prime Minister Gonsalves will serve in the rotating chairmanship for one year and is expected to

bring CARICOM issues to the CELAC table, including pursuit of reparations from Europe for slavery and native genocide in memberstates.

The reparations issue has taken centre stage in CARICOM and globally since 2013 and increasingly in a growing number of South American states, especially since the election of Colombia’s Vice President, Francia Marquez, a woman of African descent.

The reparations issue was also raised at CELAC’s Tuesday summit by Antigua & Barbuda’s Ambassador.

Prime Minister Gonsalves, regarded as the Father of the CARICOM Reparations Movement for his role in giving birth to the CARICOM Reparations Commission (CRC) in 2013, also has a leading role in a similar AfricaBrazil-Caribbean (ABC) initiative that encourages inclusion of the continent and Brazil -- with the most people of African descent outside Africa -- in the international reparations debate.

The presence of Brazil’s President ‘Lula’ Da Silva also marked Brazil’s return to CELAC after being pulled out by his predecessor Jair Bolsonaro in 2018; and with over half of his nation’s 215 million inhabitants – 56 per cent or

about 120 million people -- being mainly poor and historically marginalised Afro-Brazilians, he’s unlikely to oppose or discourage discussion of reparatory justice for them.

Another highlight at the CELAC Summit was the video-link address by China’s President, Xi Jinping and his reiteration of Beijing’s willingness to continue working with CELAC and member-states, collectively and individually, to strengthen bilateral and South-South co-operation.

The Xi address, days after China welcomed the 2023 Spring Festival in the ‘Year of the Rabbit’, also came during the 50th anniversary of the birth of diplomatic ties between China and Caribbean nations, starting with Guyana and Jamaica in 1972.

China now has ties with most CARICOM nations

and since Xi’s first Caribbean visit (to Trinidad & Tobago in 2013), a comprehensive, cross-sector China-Caribbean partnership has kept deepening. Indeed, that much was stated at an April 28, 2022 online meeting between Foreign Ministers of China’s nine CARICOM allies, during which then Foreign Minister Wang Yi promised closer policy communication between the two sides.

Yi said Beijing was also ready to hold the eight Round of Consultations between China and Caribbean countries “as soon as possible” -- and to arrange a Special Envoy for Caribbean Affairs to visit Caribbean countries, “as early as possible”.

He pledged continued economic and technical assistance to Caribbean countries, “without any

TURN TO PAGE 9

China, CELAC, CARICOM and Guyana...

FROM PAGE 8

political strings attached” and focusing on “vigorously developing projects that benefit the people and promote practical technologies.”?

President Xi said “Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries are important members of the developing world that also take an active part in global governance and make important contributions to it” and acknowledged the region “has grown to be an indispensable driving force behind global SouthSouth co-operation” while “playing an important role in safeguarding regional peace, promoting common development and advancing regional integration.”

He said China regards CELAC as “our key partner in enhancing solidarity among developing countries and furthering SouthSouth co-operation” and “building a China-LAC community with a shared future.”

Chinese descendants are very present in all CELAC member-states and are one of Guyana’s six original ethnic groups.

There’s also a significant Chinese presence in Suriname, Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago – and the Lunar New Year is a holiday in Suriname and Trinidad & Tobago, even though not yet in Guyana.

Guyana’s President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, in a message welcomi ng Year of the Rabbit, said: “Chinese have long contributed to the development of Guyana and continue to do so now,” especially as it’s “experiencing significant transformation.”

Guyana and China share “imperishable relations strengthened by ties of blood, history, friendship and shared interests,” President Ali said, and the Year of the Rabbit “offers the promise of enhancing co-operation” between the two nations and people.

LAC states face tougher times in 2023, with international agen -

cies indicating that 131 million (or 40 per cent of the region’s population) opened the year without access to nutritious meals, while the world’s richest countries continue failing to deliver on promises of North-South assistance.

The China leader says Beijing is willing to further and deeper engage with CELAC and CARICOM “to together forge new ties of mutual benefit” – and it can.

In 2022, China’s economy remained the second largest in the world; and its GDP exceeded 120 trillion yuan (around $17.5 trillion USD), representing a three per cent growth rate increase over 2021.

And predictions are for five per cent growth in 2023, which would represent a 30 per cent increase in China’s contribution the global economy.

Beijing’s growing engagement with the LAC region will continue to attract the usual American and European attention, including accusations of “luring” developing nations into so-called longterm “debt traps”.

But only time will tell when Reparatory Justice for South Americans of African Descent becomes an official agenda item in South America; and how CELAC and CARICOM will respond to President Xi’s latest invitation to become “key partners in enhancing solidarity among developing countries and furthering South-South co-operation.”

Meanwhile, with Cuba in the presidency of the G-77, CARICOM’s elder statesman chairing CELAC, Guyana opening 2023 as the world’s fastest-growing economy and fourthlargest oil supplier and China anxious to closer embrace LAC nations in the Year of the Rabbit, South-South co-operation can get added meaning in this part of the developing world, in the near future.

Finance Minister highlights region’s need for concessional financing - during engagement with UK envoy

SENIOR Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh, on Friday, met and held discussions on Guyana’s current developmental trajectory with Small Island Development States’ (SIDS) Envoy, Rebecca Fabrizi at the Ministry of

Finance.

The meeting was facilitated by British High Commissioner to Guyana, Jane Miller. During the meeting, Dr. Singh outlined the government’s policies and programmes, while emphasising the various

sectoral areas to which the government is committed to continuously develop and expand for the benefit of all Guyanese. Both officials reaffirmed Guyana’s and the UK’s commitment to advance collaborative efforts

and improve relations in a number of areas.

Also accompanying the British officials was Sherwyn Naughton, the UK’s Country Director for Trade

and Investment at the British High Commission in Georgetown.

The minister, during the discussion, reminded that Small Island Developing

States (SIDS) and developing nations such as Guyana should be provided with access to concessional financing given their vulner-

TURN TO PAGE 11

Senior Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh, on Friday, met and held discussions with a visiting UK Envoy

Finance Minister highlights region’s...

FROM PAGE 10

abilities.

Dr. Singh also advocated for a universallyaccepted multi-dimensional index in order to form a basis on which access to concessional financing is allowed. He called on the UK to continue its advocacy for the adoption of a multi-dimensional index.

Minister Singh posited that a result of the country’s ramped-up oil production and with Guyana being one of the fastest growing economies in the world, the government, in its quest to prudently manage the country’s resources, is striving to keep a balance between investing in some major areas such as energy and infrastructure which will benefit Guyanese in the

long term, while the administration is simultaneously investing in the social sector to improve the lives of citizens daily.

Dr. Singh alluded to Guyana’s sale of carbon credits, and, while referencing the recently-presented $781.9 billion national budget, noted that, notwithstanding the size of the budget, it was still modest with a few large projects included, such as the hydropower project and the new Demerara River Bridge.

He also referenced some of the other provisions, including those to assist the agriculture sector, as he linked the need for an improved electricity supply in the country to Guyana working towards moving from being a primary pro-

ducer of commodities to being a secondary producer, as well as cheaper electricity costs reducing the cost of doing business in the country and catalyzing the manufacturing sector.

Dr. Singh also posited that Government’s focus on infrastructure was to address the longstanding infrastructure gaps over the years.

It was with those in mind, as well as larger projects in the pipeline, that the Minister alluded to concessional financing by Guyana’s development partners, some of whom continue to provide aid and partner with Government to accelerate programmes and projects.

Guyana recently collaborated with the UK Car-

ibbean Infrastructure Fund on the US$190 million Linden to Mabura road project, with the latter providing US$66 million towards the project.

The two-lane highway between Linden and Mabura Hill forms part of the arterial link between Linden and the Lethem Highway and links Georgetown to the Brazilian border.

Additionally, through the UK Export Finance

(UKEF) the Government of Guyana is constructing a modern Pediatric and Maternal Hospital. The building and equipping of the state-of-the-art hospital cost £149 million.

Other Co-operation programmes/projects between Guyana and the UK include the Diamond Diagnostic Centre, the Lethem hospital, the Leonora Cottage Hospital, the Mabaruma Hospital and the Paramaka-

toi Hospital.

As of November 9, last, through collaboration between the two countries, Guyanese are now able to visit the UK visa-free. President, Dr. Irfaan Ali had said as well that the two governments intend to further expand bilateral relations with the hope of furthering investments, including expansion of Guyana’s tourism market.

Taxi driver granted $60,000 bail on cannabis trafficking charge

CARLOS Edward, a 52-year-old taxi driver of Stanleytown, New Amsterdam, Berbice, has denied trafficking cannabis and was granted $60,000 bail by Magistrate Marissa Mittelholzer.

Edward appeared at

the Mahaica Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday. The matter was adjourned to February 14.

According to a police statement, on January 20, Edward was nabbed with 28.6 kilogrammes of cannabis after his failed attempt to escape

from police ranks. He led police on a high speed chase after the ranks attempted to stop the black motor car, he was driving at the time. Ranks had observed him overtaking several vehicles on the Mahaica Bridge.

In his effort to flee, Edward sped into Jonestown and hit a utility pole at Belmont, Mahaica. As a result, he lost control of the motorcar and it ended up in a trench.

He exited the vehicle and reportedly attempted to escape with two bulky bags. However, he was arrested by the ranks.

When the ranks searched the motor car, nine black plastic parcels and three

transparent plastic parcels, with a quantity of leaves, seeds and

stems suspected to be cannabis were reportedly found.

Carlos Edward

Hemp Awareness Week commences February 19

GUYANA will be observing its eighth Hemp Awareness Week from February 19, 2023, under the theme, “Hemp! The answer for Guyana,” as part of this year’s Republic anniversary celebrations.

The week of activities will commence with a launching event in New

Amsterdam, Region Six, which will begin at 11:00 hrs. There will be speeches and cultural entertainment, among other items on the programme.

In a press release issued on Thursday, the Hemp Association said that the weeklong programme will focus on sensitising Guyanese on

the importance of an industrial hemp industry in the country which will provide thousands of jobs, create new industries, build on the economy and eradicate poverty.

This year’s observance will be bigger and better, the association said, adding that it seeks to integrate a wider

cross-section of Guyana with the hosting of mini Hemp Festivals on February 21 in the Berbice River, Region Six, and on February 22, at Linden.

Other activities for the week will include an award and recognition ceremony, participation in the National Mashramani Parade and a

special online hemp conference.

On February 25, the week of activities will con-

clude in Region Three with a sports and cultural extravaganza at the Santa Aratack Sports Complex.

Brothers ‘busted’ at Tuschen with cannabis

TWO brothers were arrested on Thursday, after cannabis was reportedly found in their Tuschen New Housing Scheme, East Bank Essequibo house.

Police said, in a statement, that Kevin De’cruz, 24, and Patrick De’cruz, 25, were in custody pend-

ing charges. At approximately 05:30 hours, police, acting on information received, went to the house of the brothers and conducted a search in their presence.

Under Kevin’s bed, the ranks reportedly found one large trans -

parent zip lock plastic bag containing several smaller zip lock bags with suspected cannabis.

According to the statement, Kevin confessed to the officers stating, “Is just a small portion, I can deal with that”.

A more thorough search was carried out

in the hall where another transparent plastic bag containing suspected cannabis was found on the table. Patrick reportedly told the officers, “Is me thing. Is a lil thing.”

They were arrested and escorted to the Leonora Police Station along with the suspected can -

nabis.

In the presence of Kevin, the suspected cannabis was weighed and it amounted to 54.5

grammes, while the other portion was weighed in the presence of Patrick and it amounted to 13.3 grammes.

Kevin De’cruz Patrick De’cruz

Latin America, Caribbean could lead global food, agriculture drive

- providing it first tackles hunger and inequality, FAO says

LATIN America and the Caribbean “can and must step up” to address increasing hunger and inequality rates in the region, a role that would move them “to the forefront of global food and agriculture.”

This was according to Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), QU Dongyu, in an address to regional political leaders, on Tuesday.

Qu’s speech to the seventh Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Community of Latin America and Caribbean States (CELAC), presided over this year by Argentina, was delivered by FAO Chief Economist, Maximo Torero.

CELAC is an intergovernmental mechanism for dialogue and political agreement designed to support regional integration programmes and comprise of 33 countries that are home to around 600 million people.

Its role is important today as recent years have seen a weakening of collective efforts towards regional and global integration.

“Multilateral institutions

need to be innovative” to respond to current unprecedented and overlapping crises, said Qu, who will sign several letters of intent to pursue projects in the region during the meeting.

“We live in the most unequal continent in the world and once and for all we must undertake a process leading to equality,” said President Alberto Fernández of Argentina in his opening remarks. “It is much easier to achieve such results working together.”

Qu pointed to key priority areas that integration through CELAC would facilitate, highlighting the need to expand food supply in the Caribbean, where healthy diets are expensive, investing in water infrastructure and food production initiatives in Central America, where droughts and outmigration are persistent trends, improving food exchange between countries in the Andean region, and fostering a large regional programme of infrastructure for production, storage and transportation of food to facilitate intra-regional trade and exports.

While prioritising the

protection of national economies is natural, it is important to note “we are all together on this small planet and the measures taken in one country affect all the other countries,” the Director-General said, citing the worldwide experience of the COVID-19 pandemic as an example of the value and importance of international collaboration.

The FAO can efficiently provide support for the implementation of CELAC initiatives and goals of all members if their concerns are made clear and the tangible and sustainable solutions agreed, he noted.

TRANSFORM AGRIFOOD SYSTEMS TO REBOOT SDG AGENDA

Latin America and the Caribbean was an outperforming region in terms of reducing hunger and poverty in the decade up to 2015.

Yet, despite being the world’s largest net food exporting region, it has faced major setbacks lately. Between 2019 and 2021, the number of people suffering from hunger increased by 30 per cent to 56.5 million, while those enduring poverty also increased.

That could represent a setback of a decade or more in the effort to reduce poverty and hunger in the region and beyond and stymie efforts to reduce inequalities as called for by Sustainable Development Goal 10, FAO’s Director-General said.

While the FAO Food Price Index has been declining, offering some respite, recovery has yet to be established and more challenges are inevitable as the world’s agrifood systems operate under risks and uncertainties, including those stemming from the climate crisis and economic slowdowns, he

added. Qu called for urgent collective action now to focus on the social and economic consequences of the pandemic, rising food insecurity, rising prices of staple foods, fertilisers, and other agricultural inputs, the climate crisis, erosion of biodiversity, deforestation and water scarcity, and persistent poverty and rising inequalities that are especially impacting rural populations, women, youth and the most vulnerable.

“All FAO teams in the region are ready and fully committed to providing all the organisation’s technical

expertise and capacity to governments to assist them to face the current challenge of food security,” he said. “No one can do it alone.”

The best way to do this, regionally and globally, is to transform agrifood systems to make them more efficient, more inclusive, more resilient and more sustainable, he said.

“It is critical to achieve our common goal of the Four Betters: better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life for all,” he added.

Work to commence on Moco Moco, Kumu hydroelectric plants

from electricity produced by renewable energy sources, as the project sites were recently handed over to contractors for the construc -

tion of two hydroelectric plants at Moco Moco and Kumu.

‘Cops’, mason remanded for alleged possession of narcotics, ‘ammo’

TWO Constables and a mason, on Wednesday, appeared in Cove and John Magistrate’s Court on possession of narcotics and ammunition charges and were remanded to prison by Magistrate Fabayo Azore.

According to a police statement, 29-yearold Albert Beresford who is stationed at the

Clonbrook Police Station, 22-year-old Julius Cambridge who is stationed at Cane Grove Outpost and 32-yearold Sheldon Benjamin, a mason of Vigilance, East Coast Demerara, pleaded not guilty to the joint charges. They will make their second court appearance on February 28.

On January 16, ranks

intercepted a Premio motor car being driven by Constable Beresford and occupied by Constable Cambridge and the mason. Due to suspicious behaviour, the occupants along with the car were searched.

A grey and black

travelling bag containing two parcels and a container with leaves, seeds and stems, suspected to be cannabis, were reportedly found. Ranks reportedly found another container in the bag with several parcels of rocklike sub-

stances, suspected to be cocaine.

After the suspects were arrested and escorted to the station, the suspected cocaine was weighed and amounted to 170 grammes, while the suspected cannabis was weighed and

amounted to 9,430 grammes.

According to the police, a more thorough search of the motor vehicle resulted in the discovery of two .38, two .40 and eleven 9mm rounds of ammunition.

Security guard arrested after police find loaded gun in hammock

A 35-year-old man of Wisroc, Linden, was arrested on Wednesday, after police ranks found a 12-gauge shotgun and one matching round in his camp.

According to a police statement, a Detective Sergeant and other ranks were on patrol when they observed a make-shift wooden and tarpaulin camp a short distance from the Essequibo River.

The ranks while investigating encountered the 35-year-old man who identified himself as a security guard.

During a search of the camp, the ranks observed the suspected shotgun wrapped in a hammock.

Upon examination, one 12-gauge cartridge was found in the firearm which had no serial number.

According to the police statement, the Wis-

mar resident confessed to the ranks.

“Officer, I hunt with this gun to make me lil side hustle on my lil security work. I get $200,000, what y’all can do for me?” he reportedly said.

He was then arrested and escorted to the Mackenzie Police Station. The shotgun and cartridge were lodged. Investigations are ongoing.

Albert Beresford

Julius Cambridge

Sheldon Benjamin

The shotgun that was found by ranks on patrol (Guyana Police Force photo)

Go-Invest throws full support behind upcoming energy conference

portunities for Guyana’s energy and other sectors.

“I believe their return can prove to be very strategic in positioning investors with the right people from across all sectors as we continue to build a strong economy.”

The International Energy Conference and Expo Guyana 2023 is just under three weeks away and continues to garner support both locally and internationally.

Earlier this week, the conference and expo received an endorsement from the Minister for Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat.

There are also three confirmed heads of government slated to attend and address the conference: The President of Guyana, Dr. Mohamed Ir-

THE Guyana Office for Investment (Go-Invest), on Wednesday, once again signalled its support for the upcoming International Energy Conference and Expo, scheduled for February 14-17, 2023.

The second edition of this conference was endorsed by Dr. Peter Ramsaroop, Chief Investment Officer of Guyana.

Dr. Ramsaroop said: “The Guyana Office for Investment is proud to be a partner of the Energy Conference. We believe it will allow Guyana to stand out in many aspects and in many sectors, energy and renewable energy being chief among them, but it will also benefit

other sectors like agriculture, manufacturing, tourism and mining.”

He added, “As we saw in the first edition last year, this conference provides many opportunities for face-to-face engagements with a broad range of investors. While Guyana’s oil and gas development is at the centre of focus, it has drawn attention to all investment opportunities for Guyana.”

Go-Invest acts as the main point of contact for investors and communicates with government organisations throughout the investment process for people or companies interested in investing in Guyana.

In addition, it gives

investors comprehensive information on the procedures required to launch a firm, along with a number of other advantageous procedures for investment.

In response to the endorsement from GoInvest, Kurt Baboolall, Chief Executive Officer of the International Energy Conference and Expo Guyana 2023, said: “Guyana [Go-] Invest’s continued support of the conference and expo is exemplary, and we are pleased to have the opportunity to partner once again with them as we aim to not only bring energy discussions to the fore, but also help in providing investment op -

faan Ali; the President of Suriname, Chandrikapersad Santokhi and, for the first time, Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr. Keith Rowley.

This year, the conference and expo is being hosted under the theme “Harnessing Energy for Development” and is expected to assemble heads of state and government, government officials, policymakers, academics, industry professionals, and global energy thought leaders.

Registration for the conference and expo continues and can be done via the secretariat’s website, www.guyanaenergy.gy or by downloading the Guyana Energy App which can be found on the Google Play Store or the Apple Store.

Chief Investment Officer at the Guyana Office for Investment, Dr. Peter Ramsaroop with Kurt Baboolall, Chief Executive Officer of the International Energy Conference and Expo Guyana 2023

State House attacker further remanded

NIGERIAN national, Bethel Ikena Chimezie was, on Thursday, further remanded to prison for the attempted murder of a Presidential

Guard and discharging a loaded firearm at another during a brazen attack at State House.

On January 20, Chimezie,

25, of Ninth Street, Industry, East Coast Demerara, made his first appearance before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magis-

trates’ Court.

Chimezie was not required to plead to the charges which alleged that, on December 15, 2022, at Carmichael Street,

Georgetown, he unlawfully wounded Presidential Guard, Telon Perreira, with intent to commit murder.

He was also not required

to plead to a second charge which alleged that, on the same day and at the same lo-

cation, he discharged a loaded firearm at Presidential Guard, Quacy Cummings.

During his second court appearance on Thursday, statements were filed in the attempted murder case and Chimezie was further remanded to prison until February 6, 2023.

According to reports, on the day in question, at about 07:30 hours, Chimezie went to the south-eastern entrance of State House which is the official residence of the President and his family and spoke with Perreira.

Chimezie indicated to Perreira that he wanted to see President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, and had an appointment with him. Perreira directed the accused to the seating area while he attempted to confirm that he had an appointment.

However, Chimezie became annoyed, got up from the seating area and attempted to walk through the security hut into the compound of State House.

Perreira attempted to block Chimezie but the man pulled out a knife from his shoulder bag and stabbed him five times. The men ended up in a scuffle and a female Presidential Guard came to Perreira’s rescue. She took out her service revolver, but Chimezie managed to disarm her.

Cummings, who was at the south-eastern entrance intervened, but Chimezie discharged three rounds in his direction. Chimezie then attempted to flee on foot. However, Cummings pulled out his service weapon and discharged a round in his direction, hitting him in his right leg. He fell to the ground and was arrested.

Perreira and Chimezie were rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation where they both underwent surgery. Following the attack, Perreira, a Constable, was promoted to the rank of Corporal for his courage.

Bethel Ikena Chimezie

Canadian/Jamaican reggae artiste, Steele Mobs, eyes Guyana’s entertainment scene

FOLLOWING his first visit to Guyana less than a week ago, the possibility of Jamaican reggae sensation and Canadian resident, Mark Steele, known as ‘Steele Mobs’, returning to perform in front of a Guyanese crowd is very high. Having headlined concerts and festivals in Jamaica, Africa, USA and Canada, he

is known as a “steller performer,” and will no doubt bring a new vibe to Guyana. He told the Buzz that it all began “in the church in the beautiful island of Jamaica, in his younger days, and he built his career from there”. Being in the choir and having parents who were singers, also influenced his musical career.

“…growing up in the church… [I] was guided into being in the youth choir, and I guess the influence came from my parents because they also sang in the choir,” he said.

Steele made mention of the fact that every time he touches the stage, he feels as though he is there for a purpose, that is, to perform

and entertain.

He emphasised that he is a strong believer in whatever song he sings because, according to him, his music has to be 110 per cent uncorrupted material.

Steele is a three-time JUNO-nominated artiste and a seven-time Reggae Music Achievement Award winner. He holds several titles in -

cluding best vocal artiste and vocalist of the year.

He is described as a dynamic and sensational singer, with versatility and a range that defies restrictions to any one genre.

Steele is as captivating in his handling of R&B material as he is with soul, classical music and jazz.

He confidently said that

reggae is his first love.

Steele has performed worldwide and with some of the big names in music, including Freddie Mc Gregor, Queen Ifrica and Rita Marley. Jah Is My Strength, Another Confrontation, She Believes in Me, Real Life, A Girl like You, Push It, and Hold Me Tight are some of his most popular hits.

‘Fail to learn business side of music at your own peril’

JAMAICAN music scholar Clyde McKenzie is encouraging artistes to take responsibility for their own education in the entertainment business, arguing that those who fail to do so must be reminded of the dire consequences that are likely to affect their livelihoods and families.

“I think we need to remind artistes of the consequences of not paying attention to the business aspect of their careers — point to examples of people who ignore sound advice at their peril. That is a more powerful means of getting through to individuals as opposed to exposing them more often to success stories,” McKenzie said in a recent interview ahead of the Island Music Conference (IMC) scheduled

— music scholar warns entertainers

for next month in Kingston.

According to McKenzie, knowledge of the business side of entertainment is also important for artistes to develop healthier relationships with their teams in the long term.

“Artistes don’t need to be experts on these things per se, but they need to be aware of what’s happening — otherwise, they can be more easily duped by their handlers,” he said.

“There is also the case of artistes not understanding the value of the contribution of those around them. Once you have knowledge and appreciation of the business, you understand the work and

contribution of the people around you,” he explained.

The conference is the brainchild of Jamaican Grammy-winning artiste Shaggy, whose real name is Orville Burrell, as well as music industry stalwarts Judith Bodley and Sharon Burke.

The event, set for February 8 to 12 at The Courtleigh Auditorium, Jamaica Pegasus hotel, and The Courtleigh Hotel and Suites in New Kingston will place global music executives — who can be difficult to contact, let alone meet in person — within reach of aspiring entertainers who are eager to make strides in the industry.

Among confirmed speak-

ers are renowned attorneys Lloyd Stanbury, Andrew Krents, and Sapna Lal.

YouTube’s Director of Black Music and Culture, Tuma Basa; Tanya Lawson from Audiomack; Madeline Nelson from Amazon; Diego Herrera, Pandora; Loretta Gadson of BMI; Damien Granderson and Steven Carless from Warner; and SeaniB from BBC1Xtra are among some of the industry experts who will be in attendance.

“Sometimes the people who need it most are absent from these events. It’s a shame, because it is important that they understand how to position and market themselves as a brand; how to get

involved with platforms like Spotify; how to get on American radio. You won’t have access to all these executives

in one place on a regular basis,” said McKenzie.

Organisers say there will be a full YouTube day and keynote speakers for the week are IMC Chairman, Dr Orville “Shaggy” Burrell, Bentley Kyle Evans and IHeart Radio’s Tom Poleman.

Among the international press scheduled to cover IMC are Billboard, Vibe, and Rolling Stone.

The conference, being held under the theme ‘Cari Culture’, will explore topics such as social media marketing, the pros and cons of owning masters, and copyright and publishing.

An all-day market featuring natural products and the work of artisans will be set up at the Jamaica Pegasus and will be open to the public. (Jamaica Observer)

Steele Mobs

Steele Mobs and his band members

The reggae sensation visited Guyana for the first time a few days ago

Clyde McKenzie

(Jamaica Observer photo)

Porter-Christie inks Hollywood deal

JAMAICAN writer and director, Aisha Porter-Christie, has been signed to the Creative Artists Agency (CAA) in Hollywood. That company represents A-listers like Tom Cruise, Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg.

Porter-Christie is currently a consulting producer on Marvel and Disney’s upcoming Daredevil series. CAA recently announced her signing on its website.

“CAA is considered one of the most powerful in Hollywood. They don’t announce every client they sign. Usually it’s more established or famous artistes that get press like this, so it was really great to be included and valued in that way,” she told the Jamaica Observer.

The Holy Childhood High School past student hopes it will catapult her to new heights.

“It definitely means more opportunity. Access to bigger and better projects with wider audiences. Access to top-tier actors. It will allow me to elevate to the next level of my career especially as I transition from television to

film and look to start directing features,” she said.

Previously, Porter-Christie was co-executive producer on The Boys’ spin-off Gen V and a supervising producer for The Girls on The Bus.

Born in Kingston, she grew up on the outskirts of Old Harbour, St Catherine.

Porter-Christie is the daughter of broadcaster Thelma Porter. She moved to Toronto in 2006 to study media at Ryerson University before going to the United States to earn a master degree in film at Columbia University in New York.

She revealed that her interest in film first manifested as she read for her degree in Canada.

“I got my first taste of screenwriting in a class at Ryerson. I had always loved writing essays and short stories for competitions and stuff, and it was great to find another outlet. On one of our assignments, I remember my professor left me a note that said, ‘You really have a knack for this, please, please tell me you want to be a screenwriter’. That really was the first time the possibility was opened in my mind, and so I decided to

go to film school right after undergrad,” she disclosed.

“While I was at Columbia, I was able to direct and produce as well and fell in love with film-making as a whole, but screenwriting — particularly for TV dramas — is my bread and butter,” she added.

Being represented by CAA is no easy feat, but Porter-Christie says this is just another achievement to add to an already lengthy list.

“I wouldn’t consider being repped by CAA to be a huge achievement so much as something I’m grateful for and excited about. For me, I consider two things to be my biggest achievements. First, the fact that I got to the co-executive producer title within four years of starting my television writing career. That usually takes twice as long, and for someone who isn’t American, who didn’t grow up rich with a bunch of industry contacts and access, that’s something I’m really proud of,” she said. “I’m also really proud of working my way to a green card. I didn’t have to marry anyone

or have a company sponsor me — I was able to apply on my own as an ‘Artist of Extraordinary Ability’. It took 10 years of blood, sweat and tears and I’m just so happy to have the weight of constantly hustling to get work visas off my shoulders.”

Perry Henzell’s The Harder They Come marked its 50th anniversary last year. Although Jamaica has produced other well-received movies such as Rockers, Porter-Christie says much more needs to be done to improve the country’s film scene.

“Brand Jamaica is huge, and it’s such a shame to me that we haven’t been able to achieve more in film and TV the way say, Nigeria and South Africa have, but of course, our economy puts us at a disadvantage and we don’t have as much funding allocated to the arts,” she stated. “I’ve had many opportunities to succeed as a screenwriter, but I had to leave Jamaica to get those opportunities,” she said.

(Jamaica Observer)

Angela Bassett becomes Marvel’s first actor nominated for an Oscar

ANGELA Bassett

made history on Tuesday as the first Marvel Cinematic Universe star to be nominated for an acting Oscar for her “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” role as Queen Ramonda.

After being nominated in the best supporting actress category, Bassett paid tribute to the character she portrayed.

“Wakanda Forever’s Queen Ramonda is a character that touched my spirit because she is a mother and a leader who must care for her grieving nation as much as she cares for her family in mourning,” Bassett said in a statement.

Bassett is a favorite to win at the Oscar ceremony on March 12, having already secured

a Golden Globe and a Critics Choice award for the role. The film secured four other nominations, including for visual effects and costume design.

Bassett was previously nominated for a best actress Academy Award for her portrayal as Tina Turner in the biopic “What’s Love Got To Do With It.”

Disney’s “Black Panther” sequel sold around $330 million in tickets and set a November record in the United States and Canada.

In the sequel, the

character King T’Challa dies at the opening, a script change made after actor Chadwick Boseman passed away from cancer in 2020 just before filming started.

Marvel decided not to recast T’Challa. Instead, writer and director, Ryan Coogler, crafted a script that put female characters at the forefront.

“Ramonda is a love letter that reflects and acknowledges what we women do every day,” Bassett said.

Her nomination challenges a long-held belief by many big names in Hollywood, including directors Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino, that Marvel films are not real cinema.

“They seem to me to be closer to theme parks

than they are to movies as I’ve known and loved them throughout my life, and that in the end, I don’t think they’re cinema,” Scorsese wrote in the New York Times in 2019, igniting backlash. Despite that kind of criticism, the first “Black Panther” won three Academy Awards after garnering seven Oscar nominations in 2019, including the first Best Picture nomination for a super hero movie.

Bassett is joined in the category by fellow nominees Hong Chau from “The Whale,” Kerry Condon from “The Banshees of Inisherin,” and Jamie Lee Curtis and Stephanie Hsu from “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” (Reuters)

Aisha Porter-Christie (Jamaica Observer photo)

Angela Bassett accepts the Best Supporting Actress award for “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” during the 28th annual Critics Choice Awards in Los Angeles, California, U.S. on January 15, 2023 (REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni)

Justin Bieber sells rights to songs for $200M

JUSTIN Bieber has sold his share of the rights to his music to Hipgnosis Songs Capital for a reported $200 million.

The firm now owns the pop star’s stake in some of the biggest hits of recent years - including “Baby” and “Sorry”.

Bieber, one of the best-selling artistes of the 21st Century, joins a growing group of artistes who have cashed out on their catalogues.

The move means Hipgno-

sis will receive a payment every time a song they own part of is played in public.

The company - a $1billion venture between financial giant Blackstone and the British Hipgnosis Song Management - acquired Bieber’s publishing copyrights to his 290-song back catalogue.

That includes all of his music released before 31 December 2021 - and his writer’s share.

The star artiste’s rights to his master recordings were also acquired in the deal. Hipgnosis has not disclosed the terms of the deal, but a source told the news agency AFP it was worth

Shah Rukh Khan’s spy film sees bumper Bollywood opening despite protests

SHAH Rukh Khan’s Hindi spy thriller opened to packed movie theatres in India on Wednesday in one of Bollywood’s top openings on record, despite protests from some religious groups over scenes they deemed obscene.

The success of “Pathaan”, where Khan plays a spy fighting a militant outfit, is crucial for the Indian film industry that has seen a spate of high-profile flops since the COVID-19 pandemic began, as Netflix (NFLX.O) and Amazon (AMZN.O) have provided varied, and much cheaper, content at home.

“It has seen a bumper opening, the second-best in Bollywood ever, even on a non-holiday, midweek day, when audiences don’t go to theatres,” said Girish Johar, a producer and trade analyst who tracks box-office figures.

Movie critic Taran Adarsh said Pathaan, which marks Khan’s return to the big screen after four years, sold about 556,000 tickets on the first day, just behind record-setter “Baahubali 2”’s 650,000 on the first day.

“Pathaan has it all: Star power, style, scale, songs, soul, substance and surprises,” Adarsh said on Twitter, adding that Khan was “back with a vengeance”.

Of the 5,000 screens Pathaan was playing in, the occupancy rate was a high 65-75 per cent, a rarity in Bollywood for a film opening day, Johar said, especially as it was mid-week.

The film will now be shown on 8,000 screens, 2,500 of which are abroad where Khan has a strong following, Adarsh said.

Right-wing Hindu nationalist groups had, in recent days, protested against the movie as promotional trailers showed lead heroine Deepika

Padukone in an orange bikini, dancing to a racy song. The groups said the scenes denigrated the Hindu religion, which reveres the colour saffron as a symbol of spirituality.

“It is full of obscenities,” said Hemanta Ratha, chief of Odisha political party Kalinga Sena, as dozens of its activists shouted slogans against Khan and tore down the film’s posters on Wednesday. “It will have a bad impact on society.”

Nevertheless, local media showed audiences dancing inside theatres, waving their mobile phones in the air and singing along with the songs from the movie as it played.

around $200 million.

Artistes are increasingly selling stakes in their work to music funds - including Justin Timberlake and Shakira, who have also struck deals with Hipgnosis.

But the trend is more common among older artistes. In the last two years, music legends Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen both sold back catalogue rights to Sony.

Springsteen received a reported $500M (£376M) for the sale of his life’s work.

The Hipgnosis Songs

Fund is building up a catalogue of hit songs - and inviting big institutional investors to share in the proceeds.

The fund floated on the London Stock Exchange in July 2018.

The man who founded it, Merck Mercuriadis, previously said hit songs can be “more valuable than gold or oil”.

“The impact of Justin Bieber on global culture over the last 14 years has truly been remarkable,” he said, announcing the latest deal. (BBC)

Justin Bieber performing in Hollywood, California earlier in January (GETTY IMAGES)

Bollywood actor, Shah Rukh Khan, speaks during an interview with Reuters at Madame Tussauds in London, Britain on April 13, 2016 (REUTERS/Hannah McKay/File Photo)

Belgian costume maker hopes for carnival boom after COVID ‘black hole’

HUGE ostrich feather headpieces are one of the costumes made by the Kersten family for Belgium’s celebrated Mardi Gras carnival, and after the event was cancelled due to

COVID in recent years, the 120-year-old family business is hoping for a revival.

Rooted in the Middle Ages, the Binche carnival, a UNESCO World Heritage event, is one of Europe’s old-

est surviving street carnivals and the biggest in Belgium.

The oldest and main participants in the carnival are the up to 1,000 Gilles who wear medieval costumes in the black, red and yellow

colours of the Belgian flag and who parade in the centre of Binche, a town of some 30,000 inhabitants southwest of Brussels near the French border.

The costumes include ostrich-feather hats, wooden clogs, bells and wax masks, elements which the Kersten family have been designing and making for five generations.

“This year, we are celebrating the 120th anniversary of the start of the ‘Gilles de Binche’ costumes production”, said 57-year-old Fanny Kersten, who has been making costumes with her father, Louis Kersten, 82, for 33 years.

“My great-great-grandfather decided to make a Gilles hat following a bet with his friends ... It mustn’t

have been easy for him but it worked out,” she added.

The Binche carnival’s cancellation in 2021 and 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic was a “black hole” for the business, Kersten said, adding “we couldn’t even imagine a future for the carnival.”

It was the first time the carnival was cancelled since World War Two, significantly reducing costume makers’ income from renting out their pieces.

“Now (the return of the carnival) is a great relief. Still, every morning, we look at the COVID numbers,” Kersten said.

Her ostrich feather hat weighs 4kg (8.8 lbs) and maintaining it takes 85 hours a year. The costume itself requires 13 hours of work.

Kersten said the family can make 300 costumes per year.

The carnival is due to take place from Feb. 19-21.

(Reuters)

Stars seen filming season six of The Crown at Winchester Cathedral

FILMING for the final season of The Crown has been taking place at Winchester Cathedral, Netflix has confirmed.

Actors Bertie Carvel and Lydia Leonard, who play Sir Tony and Cherie Blair respectively in the hit TV series, have been seen outside the Hampshire cathedral.

It is believed to have been used as a substitute for Westminster Abbey for filming the funeral of Princess Diana.

Winchester Cathedral de-

clined to comment.

Photos of the production team also showed mourners in black and women in white and gold dresses similar to a wedding’s flower girls.

A person in a bishop’s costume and a man in a military suit were also seen as a crane was used at the cathedral.

The fifth series of the show charted the breakdown of the marriage between King Charles, played by Dominic West, and Diana, Princess of

Wales, portrayed by Elizabeth Debicki.

West was previously spotted filming at the cathedral in a dark mourning suit, according to photos published online on Tuesday.

The drama has in the past caused controversy after claims it was “complete fantasy” and unfair on the royal family.

Netflix has defended the show, saying it “has always been presented as a drama based on historical events”.

“Gilles of Binche” costumes at Louis Kersten’s workshop (REUTERS/Yves Herman)

Winchester Cathedral has been closed for two days for filming of season six of The Crown (PA Media)

De Nobrega ranked number 1 in Guyana’s U-12 & U-14 Tennis

By Sean Devers

THE Guyana Tennis Association (GTA) number one ranked U-14 tennis player, 12-year-old Nathan De Nobrega, is also the number one ranked in U-12s.

Nathan, who was Guyana’s number one U-10 player, dominating his previous leagues with numerous victories before rising up the ladder to the U-14 division, won 27 tournaments, including 24 Singles and three doubles.

This is an era when young tennis players are emerging with the hope of being the best. Despite these challenges from his competitors, Nathan still manages to outplay and outclass almost all who challenge him.

Nathan has always been at the top of all the leagues he has entered. For seven consecutive years since the start of his tennis career, the top spot has never been taken from him.

A versatile all-court player, Nathan’s toughness has made him highly popular among players, both nationally and internationally.

Outside of competing, he played an instrumental role in the success of the

Rebel Tennis Club, the tennis club with whom he began his journey.

Born on April 4, 2010 in Guyana, Nathan is the second child of Dru De Nobrega and Nickosha Smith.

But it was his grandmother, Sheila Smith, who played a key role in the upbringing of Nathan, who has six siblings, including two sisters.

Nathan, who grew up in Diamond, East Bank Demerara and also speaks a bit of Spanish, started his tennis journey with the Rebel Tennis Club in 2016, with his coach, outstanding Tennis player Andre Erskine.

Nathan, who attends

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER

(Friday January 27, 2023)

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

Answers to yesterday’s quiz:

(1) vs IND, Brabourne, 1966-67

(2) Garry Sobers

Today’s Quiz:

(1) How many Test matches Clive Lloyd played?

(2) How many runs he scored?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

the Diamond Secondary School, won his first tournament as a sevenyear-old in early 2017. He continued to assert dominance over his foes throughout the U-12 and U-14 Leagues even defeating opponents that were over twice his age.

Nathan won the 2021 Under-12 Sheltez cham-

RACING TIPS

English Racing Tips Doncaster 09:05 hrs Parramount

09:35 hrs William Cody

10:05 hrs Gaelic Park

10:40 hrs Arclight

11:15 hrs Xcitations

11:45 hrs Macavity

12:20 hrs Morandi Second

Lingfield 08:45 hrs Winnetka

09:15 hrs Youllovewheniwin

09:45 hrs Colors Of Freedom

10:20 hrs Vega Sicilia

10:50 hrs Ciao Adios

11:25 hrs Nazymbek

11:55 hrs Pablo Del Pueblo

Wolverhampton

13:15 hrs Winklevi

13:45 hrs Miss Sligo

14:15 hrs Mountain Song

14:45 hrs Algheed

15:15 hrs Fly The Nest

15:45 hrs Three Dons

20:15 hrs War In Heaven

Irish Racing Tips Dundalk

12:30 hrs Nevada Queen

13:00 hrs Roman Bull

13:30 hrs Dubawi Spectre

pion; 2021 Under-12 Rebel champion; the quarter finals in GBTI Juniors and men’s open doubles.

Nathan was the U-12 finalist in the Coteec/ International Tennis Federation in St Lucia and also represented Guyana at the U-12 development programme and the U-14 Trinity cup in Trinidad and in the U-12 tournament in Dominican Republic.

Nathan's success was severely hampered by an ankle and other injuries.

Despite these injuries, he forged ahead and competed through this pain, continuously winning whatever matches or tournaments he played in. He is aiming to become the best, climbing his way to the top.

He is a young unpolished gem yet to be fully refined!

14:00 hrs Swarch For The Star

14:30 hrs Linus Larrabee

15:00 hrs Anann

15:30 hrs Hero Of The Hour

n American Racing Tips

Aqueduct

RACE 1 Joey The Fish

Race 2 Melting Snoe

Race 3 Vax

Race 4 Reunion Tour

Race 5 Rossa Veloce

Race 6 Salute To America

Race 7 Cees Get Degrees

Arab Emirates Racing Tips

Meydan

10:00 hrs Go Soldier Go

10:35 hrs Nahaarr

11:10 hrs El Patriota

11:45 hrs Mawi

12:20 hrs Felix

12:55 hrs Ever Given

13:30 hrs Naval Power

14:05 hrs Western Symphony

South Africa Racing Tips Fairview

008:00 hrs Hazy Crazy Night

08:35 hrs Ferrari Ice

09:10 hrs Jaeger Moon

09:40 hrs Global Drummer 10:10 hrs On The Road Again

10:45 hrs Divine Dynasty

Nathan De Nobrega, ranked number one in U-12s and U-14

Rybakina to face Sabalenka in Australia Open final

WIMBLEDON champion Elena Rybakina has another shot at a major title after reaching the Australian Open final where she will meet Belarusian fifth seed Aryna Sabalenka.

Rybakina, 23, won 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 against Victoria Azarenka, ending the two-time champion's hopes of winning the title 10 years after her last triumph.

Sabalenka beat Poland's Magda Linette to reach her first major final.

The powerful 24-year-old won 7-6 (7-1) 6-2 against her unseeded opponent.

Sabalenka was the heavy favourite to beat 30-year-old Linette, who had never been past the third round of a Grand Slam event before, and grew in confidence as the match wore on.

After losing three times in major semi-finals, Sabalenka's relief was evident after securing her place in Saturday's showpiece against another big-hitter.

"I wouldn't say I started really well but in the tie-break I found my rhythm and trusted myself and started going for my shots," said Sabalenka, who is on a 10-match winning streak after lifting the Adelaide title.

Rybakina, seeded 22nd, will contest her second major final after her triumph at the All England Club last year.

"I'm super happy to be in the final and play one more time here," she said.

"It was different conditions, I couldn't play aggressive tennis and couldn't go so much for my shots but I was happy to win.

"I got a lot of experience from Wimbledon and I want to come on court [for the final] and enjoy the moment."

Low-key Rybakina making sure she is noticed Rybakina has been one of

the most unheralded Wimbledon champions in recent history as a result of her low profile and a ranking that is artificially low because points were not awarded at the All England Club last year.

At Melbourne Park, the tall Kazakh - who was born in Moscow and represented Russia until she was 19 - has been reminding people once again of her outstanding talent.

At the US Open last year, Rybakina said she did not "feel like" a major winner because she was ranked outside of the world's top 20 after points were stripped because of Wimbledon banning Russian and Belarusian players.

Rybakina was also stuck on a small outside court for her Australian Open first-round match - although she insisted she "did not care" - but since then there has been no escaping the threat she posed in the draw.

She was responsible for knocking out world number Iga Swiatek in the last 16, either side of other notable wins against 2022 runner-up Danielle Collins and 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko.

Big serving has been one of the keys to her success and it teed up what many expected to be a fascinating contest against 33-year-old Azarenka, who has been one of the best returners in the game over the years.

Rybakina laid down a marker in the first game of the match with three aces and produced another comfortable hold before 24th seed Azarenka - absorbing her opponent's power which helped her switch defence into attack - broke for 3-2.

An instant reply swung the momentum back to Rybakina but, as she tried to serve out the set at 5-3, her first-serve percentage suddenly plummeted.

That enabled Azarenka to fight back to 5-5 and earn three break points in the 11th game, only for Rybakina to regain her composure to hold and providing confidence to take control of the tie-break.

Azarenka was not helped by several costly errors and they continued in the second set as Rybakina imposed herself with two breaks for a 5-2 lead.

While she could not serve out the match, Rybakina sealed victory with another break and - rather fittingly - produced a low-key celebration.

Rybakina's win ended the prospect of an-all Belarusian final in Melbourne before Sabalenka ensured the eastern European nation - whose flag she cannot play under because of its support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine - would be represented.

Sabalenka has previously said "no-one supports war", adding she was "really disappointed" politics had interfered with sport after Russian and Belarusian players were banned from Wimbledon last year.

While Sabalenka says having "zero" control over the war helps her "stay strong", her success will lead to more discussion about a divisive political issue in sport.

Amid the ongoing controversy, her focus has been on finally reaching the major final which her talent has long promised.

A edgy start saw Sabalenka lose serve in the first game and, although she broke back for 2-2, did not find her best form until the pivotal first-set tie-break where her explosive hitting came to the fore.

With confidence now flowing, she raced ahead in the second set. Nerves crept in again as she could not convert any of three match points on Linette's serve at 5-1, but took her fourth opportunity in the next game with a typically thunderous forehand winner.

"It's good that I have made a breakthrough in the semi-finals, but there is one more match to go. I just want to stay focused," Sabalenka said.

Barbados Pride begin title bid at iconic stadium

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados,

(CMC) – Barbados Pride’s bid for a third successive first class crown will begin at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground in Antigua next week, when they take on traditional rivals, Guyana Harpy Eagles.

Cricket West Indies on Thursday formally announced the match schedule for the opening two rounds of the five-round tournament which runs from January 31 to April 1; games will also be played in Grenada and Trinidad.

In fact, the Grenada National Stadium will host the tournament opener next Tuesday when Windward Islands Volcanoes clash with Trinidad and Tobago Red Force.

Pride’s fixture will be one of two bowling off next Wednesday, with Leeward Islands Hurricanes hosting Jamaica Scorpions at Coolidge Cricket Ground.

“We are happy to announce

Ben Stokes & Nat Sciver among ICC Cricketer of the Year winners

the match schedule and venues for the first two rounds of the West Indies Championship, our flagship regional tournament on the annual calendar,” said CWI’s manager of cricket operations, Roland Holder.

“The six teams have been preparing diligently for the up-

coming season and we expect to see keen competition this year as they battle for the Headley/ Weekes trophy.

“From the tournament, the best performers also have the reward of playing for Team Weekes and Team Headley in the new tournament announced

by CWI scheduled for April and May.”

The Headley/Weekes Series will comprise three matches and three teams – Team Headley, Team Weekes and the West Indies Academy – and run from April 19th to May 6th at the Coolidge Cricket Ground.

Team Headley and Team Weekes will be made up of the tournament’s best performers who do not currently feature in the starting West Indies Test XI. Round two of the Regional first class Championship will bowl off February 8th and will see Pride taking on Scorpions at Coolidge; Red Force clashing with Hurricanes at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground and Harpy Eagles up against Volcanoes at the Grenada National Stadium.

The last three rounds of the championship will take place in Trinidad starting March 15.

England won nine out of their 10 Tests

ENGLAND Test captain

Ben Stokes and England

all-rounder Nat Sciver are among the winners in the International Cricket Council's annual awards.

All-rounder Stokes has been named Men's Test Cricketer of the Year while Sciver won the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy for ICC Women's Cricketer of the Year.

Sciver, 30, is also named Women's one-day international (ODI) Cricketer of the Year.

The ICC said Stokes "defined the year of Test cricket more than any other".

The 31-year-old took over the Test captaincy from Joe Root in April 2022 and has won nine of his 10 Tests in charge.

Before his appointment, England had won just one Test in 17 matches.

Alongside new coach Brendon McCullum, Stokes transformed England's Test fortunes with an attacking approach and mindset.

It is the first time Stokes has won the men's Test award and he is the third England player to do after his two predecessors as captain - Alastair Cook in 2011 and Root in 2021.

Stokes previously won the overall Men's Cricketer of the Year award in 2019.

He was also named in the Men's Test Team of the Year for 2022 alongside team-mates Jonny Bairstow and James Anderson.

Stokes scored 870 runs at an average of 36.25 and took 26 wickets at an average of 31.19 during the year but it is his leadership that had the biggest influence on England's performances.

With his positive style and commitment to entertaining, Stokes led England to series wins over New Zealand and South Africa at home, victory over India in a one-off postponed Test before finishing the year with a phenomenal 3-0 clean sweep in Pakistan - the first visiting side to ever win three Tests in the country.

Pakistan captain Babar Azam won the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for the ICC Men's Cricketer of the Year for the first time, as well as the men's ODI award for the second year in a row.

Sciver named women's overall and ODI player of the year Sciver's two awards come after she scored 1,346 runs and took 22 wickets from her 33 international matches in 2022.

2022

Nat Sciver scored 148 not out as England attempted to chase 356 to win the World Cup v Australia in March

She scored five half-centuries and two centuries, including her maiden Test hundred against South Africa in June.

She also scored a stunning unbeaten 148 in the World Cup final defeat by Australia in March as England fell short of their target of 356.

Only South Africa's Laura Wolvaardt scored more ODI runs than Sciver's 833 in 2022. Sciver took a break from the game after captaining England during the Commonwealth Games, where they finished fourth, to protect her mental health.

But she returned to the side in England's clean sweep over West Indies in December and has returned to her role as vice-captain for the upcoming T20 World Cup.

The ICC said Sciver had a "deserved reputation as one of the most pleasing batters to watch in the game" and "frequently delivered against the highest calibre of opposition".

Full list of ICC winners

Men's Test Cricketer of the Year: Ben Stokes, England

Men's ODI Cricketer of the Year: Babar Azam, Pakistan

Men's T20 Cricketer of the Year: Suryakumar Yadav, India

Men's Emerging Cricketer of the Year: Marco Jansen, South Africa

Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy: Babar Azam, Pakistan

Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy: Nat Sciver, England

Women's ODI Cricketer of the Year: Nat Sciver, England

Women's T20 Cricketer of the Year: Tahlia McGrath, Australia

Women's Emerging Cricketer of the Year: Renuka Singh, Indi.

Elena Rybakina has beaten three major champions in a row on her way to a second Grand Slam final

Aryna Sabalenka finally reached her first major final after semi-final defeats at Wimbledon and the US Open in 2021, as well as last year at Flushing Meadows

under Ben Stokes' captaincy in

The Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground in Antigua

Nandu looking forward to first-class debut in Antigua

By Sean Devers

THE Guyana Harpy Eagles face two-times defending champions, Barbados, in the opening round of the 2023 CWI’s Regional firstclass tournament in Antigua from February 1-4.

The two youngest members of the team: 19-year-old West Indies player Matthew Nandu and Ashmead Nedd, who turned 22 this month, are hoping to join their fathers as father/sons to play at the firstclass level.

The 51-year-old Arjune Nandu, Matthew’s dad, played four first-class games between 1989-1992 while Ashmead’s dad, 50-yearold Garvin Nedd, played 14 first-class games between 1995-1999.

The pair of dads played together in the 1991 Regional U-19 Championships in Jamaica. Meanwhile, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and his son Tagenarine are the only Guyanese father/son pair to play both first-class and Test cricket.

The Chanderpauls join the Trinidadian pair of Lebrun Constantine and his son, Sir Learie Constantine, as the only West Indian father/son combination to play in the same first-class match.

The left-handed Nandu, who was born in Canada on June 9, 2003 to Arjune and Jackie Nandu, scored two fifties in the two practice

games at Providence, to pick himself for the trip to Antigua and Grenada.

“It feels good to get runs in the trial games. However, I’m still trying to develop my game as much as possible” informed Nandu, who, like his dad, represented the West Indies U-19 team.

“I am looking forward to making my first class debut. If I do get selected I will try to take full advantage of the opportunity” said the talented Nandu.

Nandu said his initial aim is to enjoy the experience, and make his first class debut.

He feels that for him to be successful at this level he needs to continue putting in the hard work and always look for ways to improve on all aspects of the game.

“I would like to thank my parents and my older brother for their continuous support. As well as Uncle

…set to join dad as father/son to play first-class Cricket

joined city side, Everest and represented East Bank in the Franchise league.

Nandu had an outstanding 2019, scoring five consecutive half-centuries for his Canadian Club, Tranzac, making 150 not out in the Sir Garfield Sobers International Schools tournament and being picked for the Chris Gayle-led Vancouver Knights in the second edition of the Global T20 in Canada.

Richard Jodha (ex-Guyana U-19 Batter) and Aunty Sonia Jodah (at whom he resides in Guyana).

It feels great to follow in my dad’s footstep by playing first-class cricket. I just want to learn and enjoy the experience as much as possible and hopefully do well enough to one day play Test cricket for West Indies.

Being in Guyana does not affect my studies because many of my courses were online and my teachers were very understanding of my situation,” informed Nandu, who is presently doing online classes from Canada”

He grew up in Canada but began going back and forth to Guyana since 2017 and played for Demerara in 2018 at the U-17 and in 2019 at U-19.

However, unlike his dad, who played youth and senior cricket for Berbice, Matthew

CWI hails Windies trio after ICC honour

However, the pandemic put his budding career on ice for over a year and robbed him of the opportunity of representing Guyana in U-19 cricket.

However, Nandu, one of four Guyanese players selected for the practice matches at a camp in Antigua, and Berbice pacer, Isaiah Thorne, were selected to tour England for a six-match youth ODI series between Young England and West Indies U-19s.

In the 2022 U-19 World Cup in January, Nandu scored 128 against PNG in Trinidad in Plate Quarter Final and was one of U-23 players selected for the Guyana Amazon Warriors in the 2022 CPL

Without Tage Chanderpaul, Vishaul Singh, Hetymer, Rutherford, Paul and Shepherd, Nandu’s biggest challenge will be getting consistent partnerships with Chanderpaul Hemraj at the top of the order and converting ‘starts’ into centuries.

SCA gears for bumper 2023 season …ecstatic over selection of Matthew Nandu

By Frederick Halley

DESPITE several adversities, the Scarborough Cricket Association (SCA) completed a successful 2022 season and is gearing for a bumper season this year when action bowls off in early May.

However, with the prospects of an additional 30 plus teams following a record 94 in 2022, the SCA executives are faced with a dilemma of accepting these new clubs when the Annual General Meeting convenes on Sunday at the Agincourt Community Centre, Scarborough, Ontario, Canada.

The major problem remains the acquisition of new grounds, compounding the loss of the Ajax Cricket Ground which is scheduled to

undergo complete rehabilitation and will not be available for the 2023 season.

The SCA is one of the most inclusive and diverse cricketing organizations in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) with programmes for youths, women, adults and adults primarily over the age of 50.

However, the growth in the SCA has been stymied by the number of grounds available, forcing the SCA to turn away prospective teams, posing a real concern for President Shiv Persaud and his executives.

In a recent interview, the Guyana-born Persaud lamented the lack of support by the relevant authorities for cricket.

Persaud pointed out that “we have witnessed the growth from 21 teams in 2015 to 94 teams in 2022.

“Because of the lack of facilities, we have had to turn away 45 applications for new clubs to participate in the association. This is putting approximately 1350 constituents out of cricket. We hope that we can have facilities in the near future to accommodate these players. Hopefully,

sooner than later as we have all witnessed the importance of physical activities on the health and wellness of individuals.”

Referring to the City of Toronto's Cricket Reference Group 20-year cricket strategy to implement five new cricket fields, Persaud emphatically stated that “this is not enough today and will not be nearly enough in the future. Because of this, residents are leaving to go play in surrounding areas where they have better quality of facilities.

“Often the main point that comes up is the size of field that is required for cricket is too large to easily find in a developed City like Toronto. We hope that the City will acknowledge the demand for arguably the fast-

ST JOHN’S, Antigua, (CMC) – Cricket West Indies president, Ricky Skerritt, has heaped praise on the West Indies trio of Kraigg Brathwaite, Shai Hope and Alzarri Joseph, who were this week named by the International Cricket Council in their Teams-of-the-Year.

Test captain Kraigg Brathwaite was announced in the Test Team-of-the-Year while prolific stroke-maker Shai Hope and fast bowler Alzarri Joseph were picked in the One-Day International side.

“Captain Kraigg Brathwaite continued to lead from the front with a number of world-class batting displays, which characterize his composed and courageous style of play,” Skerritt said.

“The major achievement was leading the team to victory over England to capture the Richards/Botham trophy which brought glory to West Indies fans.

“Shai Hope also demonstrated his immense talent in front the stumps and agility behind the wickets. He too showcased an exceptionally high level of skill, and a great sense of occasion, with a remarkable century to mark his 100th appearance against India in Trinidad.”

He continued:

“Alzarri Joseph emerged as the leader of the bowling attack in ODIs and was consistent and persistent all year in all three formats. He has matured from an exciting young speedster to a truly world-class pace bowler and is reaping the rewards for the hard work he has been putting in off the field.

“We applaud all three for their outstanding performances in 2022 and also wish them continued success and growth in 2023 and beyond.”

The 30-year-old Brathwaite averaged 62 in seven Tests during the last calendar year while scoring two hundreds –against top tier sides England and Australia.

Hope, meanwhile, was among only seven batsmen to pass 700 runs in ODIs while Joseph emerged as the leader of the West Indies attack, picking up 27 wickets at an average of 25 from 17 matches.

est growing sport. Cricket is growing in the international standard of hardball and other emerging formats like softball, tape ball and tennis ball. Each format has their own needs,” Persaud stated.

According to the SCA president, the City's Cricket Reference Group is focusing on developing facilities and also improve the maintenance of existing ones. “We have seen improvements and awillingness from the city to work with cricket stakeholders and welcomes it. The committee has been open to working with different groups in a collective effort to satisfy the requirements of the sport. Our hope is that decisions that often takes time can be made quicker by the city to accommodate the demands of the sport.”

Meanwhile, Persaud said he is ecstatic over the selection of Matthew Nandu in the Guyana National Senior team for the start of the 2023 Regional four-day tournament.

“We have been following the youthful Nandu's progression over the past few years and it's abundantly clear that his discipline, dedication, sacrifice and hard work have been paying dividends.

“Apart from representing Guyana at the Youth level and West Indies at last year's ICC Under-19 World Cup, Nandu is also a product of the SCA where he plays for Kaieteur Sports Club.

“The SCA takes this opportunity to wish Nandu best wishes for a fruitful tournament and continued success in his future endeavours!”

Teenager Matthew Nandu batting in the practice match at Providence

ODI star Shai Hope

SCA president, Shiv Persaud

Remembering Kobe Bryant on third anniversary of crash

THURSDAY marked three years since the tragic accident that claimed the lives of Kobe Bryant, his daughter, Gianna, and seven others.

During a foggy California morning on Jan. 26, 2020, Kobe, 13-year-old Gianna, and six of their friends boarded a Sikorsky S-76B helicopter flown by pilot Ara Zobayan. The group was flying from John Wayne Airport in Orange County to a basketball tournament at Kobe's Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks. But they never arrived.

Zobayan, the Bryants, and their friends — John Altobelli, Keri Altobelli, Alyssa Altobelli, Sarah Chester, Payton Chester, and Christina Mauser — all perished when the helicopter crashed on a hillside in Calabasas, just 14 miles away from their Thousand Oaks destination.

At the time, Kobe was four years into retirement after winning five championships with the Los Angeles Lakers over a 20-year NBA career.

A year-long National Transportation Safety Board investigation later found that pilot

error was the most consequential reason for the accident that morning.

In their 86-page report, NTSB investigators found that Zobayan flew through clouds — an apparent violation of federal standards — which likely led to him being spatially disorientated during their flight.

The NTSB said that the pilot's "self-induced pressure and plan continuation bias" were factors in the crash.

Kobe's widow, Vanessa Bryant, also filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Island Express Helicopters, which was settled for an undisclosed amount in June 2021.

Vanessa — who also shares three other daughters with Kobe: Natalia, 18, Bianka, 6, and Capri, 3 — spoke to PEOPLE in March 2021 and opened up about the grief she experienced since the accident.

"This pain is unimaginable

[but] you just have to get up and push forward," she said in PEOPLE's Women Changing the World issue. "Lying in bed crying isn't going to change the fact that my family will never be the same again. But getting out of bed and pushing forward is going to make the day better for my girls and for me. So that's what I do."

In August 2022, Vanessa was subsequently awarded $16 million in a lawsuit against L.A. County over graphic photos of Kobe and Gianna that were allegedly taken at the crash scene by emergency responders.

Vanessa then donated the funds to the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation, a non-profit that continues Kobe and Gianna's legacies by presenting opportunities to underprivileged young athletes.

Vanessa told PEOPLE that "Kobe and Gigi motivate" her to "keep going," and her other three daughters help her "smile through the pain."

She added: "They give me strength." (Yahoo Sports)

Inter-association action resumes tomorrow ...WDFA competition underway

Match-day three of the Tiger Rentals-sponsored Guyana Football Federation (GFF) nationwide under-13 football tournament will see action continuing at the National Training Center (NTC), Providence with four more matches in the group round-robin stage, tomorrow from 10:30hrs. These games will be in the Inter-Association/club level.

There will be two simultaneous matches being played. On pitch one, Bartica will play West Demerara while East Berbice will match skills with West Berbice on pitch two, both from 10:30hrs. The second set of matches are scheduled for kickoff at 12:00hrs. Georgetown will be pitted with Upper Demerara on pitch one while East Bank will clash with East Coast on pitch 2. Match day two recap.

EBFA defeated Bartica 2-0 while West Berbice proved too good for West Demerara with a similar 2-0 victory. East Coast were held to a 1-1 draw by Georgetown ATC after being up 1-0 and Upper Demerara defeated East Berbice 3-0 in the fourth and final game.

This inaugural tournament is sponsored by Tiger Rentals that has plugged in over $10m. The tournament will feature clubs and Academy Training Centres (ATC) going head to head for top honours while member associations of the GFF have been funded to run intra-association football tournaments.

(Please see points table below)

WDFA competition

Two matches were played last Sunday at the West Demerara Secondary School ground in the West Demerara Football Association (WDFA) intra-association opening round of matches. Eagles FC smashed 12 unanswered goals past Belle West. In the other match, Pouderoyen got the better of Eagles with a 3-1 triumph.

Petterson-Griffith to compete in ‘Ragnarok Games’ Strongman Competition

...Wants deadlift world-record

By Calvin Chapman

NATIONAL & Commonwealth Strongman champion, Carlos Petterson-Griffith, is set to compete in the Ragnarok GamesWorld Strongest Mancompetition next month (February 24-26) in Miami, Florida.

He will be looking to continue his excellent form in the sport following his second place finish in the Barbados Strongman and his victory in the Aruba Strongman, both in 2022.

The Ragnarok Games will see competitors from over 40 countries vying for top honours at the Miami Convention Center where Carlos has his sights set on placing among the top three.

Although Strongman and Powerlifting are not directly related, Petterson –Griffith has one eye set on the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) World Classic Competition that is set for Malta this June.

December last, Petterson – Griffith created history when he won overall Gold at the Commonwealth Powerlifting Championships in Auckland, New Zealand. In the 93kg class (equipped), he managed 350kg to win gold in the Deadlift, setting the Commonwealth record along the way.

The number 1 ranked South American, with the adrenaline running, then attempted the world record for his class -372kg, and although he lifted it, he couldn’t manage to lock out. However, he is optimistic of getting the record this year.

More importantly, Carlos, who is currently ranked in the World Top 10 (93kg class), is looking to break into the top five. The athlete’s morale is very high especially after he was tested at the Commonwealth Championships last month, proving to many doubters that his ability is 100 percent natural.

The late Kobe Bryant and wife Vanessa

Carlos Petterson-Griffith poses with the three Commonwealth Championships medals

National Sports Conference on tomorrow

UNDER the principal theme of ‘The Science for Sports Development’, the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport (MCYS) will stage its 2nd edition of the National Sports Conference tomorrow at the National Cultural Centre on Homestretch and Mandela Avenues from 9:00 am4:00 pm.

The forum, which is the brainchild of the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport,

Charles Ramson Jr, was the first of its kind on local soil and will consist of four-panel discussions with a plethora of representatives from various national associations/ federations.

The topics for panel discussions are (1) shifting of training to a science base (2) inculcating a winning mindset (3) the business of sport (4) generating more revenue and (5) minimum standards for traveling national teams.

The National Sports Conference, which emanated on the heels of the identification of the 12 core sports, is a critical arm of the MCYS’s attempt to formulate the National Sports Policy. It also is a vital component of the government’s long-term vision for the development of the local sports sector.

The inaugural edition was staged on October 2nd, 2021, and afforded the opportunity for information

to be disseminated to representatives of the 12 core sports on how the Ministry’s Sports Academy, which comprises the three pillars -- nursery, tournament, and elite training -- would function following its eventual initiation.

The core sports are athletics, badminton, basketball, cricket, football, hockey, lawn tennis, rugby, squash, swimming, table tennis, and volleyball.

Lara to work with WI international teams as performance mentor

De Nobrega ranked number 1 in Guyana’s U-12 & U-14 Tennis

See page 28

ST JOHN’S, Antigua, (CMC) – Batting legend and former Test captain Brian Lara has joined Cricket West Indies as a performance mentor, the regional sports governing body said Thursday.

The 51-year-old will work with all CWI’s international teams “in providing players with tactical advice and improving their game sense”, and will also provide developmental support for the West Indies Academy.

Lara will also engage in “strategic planning” for the ICC World Cup, collaborating closely with Director of Cricket, Jimmy Adams.

“Having spent time with the players and coaches in Australia and in discussions with CWI, I really believe that I can help the players with their mental approach to the game and with their tactics to be more successful,” Lara said.

“I’m looking forward to joining the group in Zimba-

bwe and the opportunity to work with other West Indies teams later in the year.”

Adams, a contemporary of Lara’s during his playing days, said: “I am really looking forward to Brian making a significant contribution to our cricket system by providing invaluable guidance and advice to our players and coaches.

“We are confident that Brian will help to improve our high-performance mindset and strategic culture that

will bring us more success on the field across all formats. Everyone is excited to have Brian involved in supporting our players.”

Lara is currently with the West Indies squad for the two-Test tour of Zimbabwe, marking his first assignment in the new role.

The Kraigg Brathwaiteled unit, which is being overseen by interim head coach Andre Coley, are preparing for the opening Test in Bulawayo on February 4.

Remembering Kobe Bryant on third anniversary of crash

Minister of Culture, Youth & Sport, Charles Ramson Jr.

Brian Lara (left) chats with West Indies batsman Kyle Mayers during a training session ahead of the first Test in Bulawayo.

(Photo courtesy CWI Media)

Nathan De Nobrega, ranked number one in U-12s and U-14