Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 27-06-2023

President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, on Monday met with Ambassador of the Republic of Singapore to CARICOM, Karen Tan, to discuss areas of co-operation between the two countries President Ali presented copies of his publications, ‘From Crisis to Opportunities’ and ‘Post COVID-19 Ukraine-Russia Crises,’ to Ambassador Tann Director of Presidential Affairs, Marcia Nadir-Sharma was also at the meeting. (Office of the President photos)

Mabaruma, Matarkai spice farmers to supply local distributors

— 250 acres of turmeric, ginger to be harvested by year-end

By Naomi Parris

SOME 250 acres of turmeric and ginger are currently being cultivated at farms in Mabaruma and Matarkai, Region One, and once harvested farmers will be supplying spices to several local distributors across the country.

During an interview with the Guyana Chronicle on Monday, regional coordinator at the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), Orison Sealy, said that farmers will be supplying spices to the Beharry Group, Mattai’s and Ricks & Sari Agro Industries.

“We have over 300 farmers who are cultivating ginger and turmeric, and in total in Matarkai and Mabaruma

sub region it’s like about 714 persons we distributed ginger and turmeric to,” Sealy said.

Additionally, farmers will be able to access agro-processing facilities in the region to further push the local production of by-products.

“If a farmer or a group of farmers is interested in processing the ginger or turmeric and branding it as their product, the factory could do it for them and they pay a small fee, or the factory would buy the raw material from them and process it and sell it directly to a market,” Sealy related.

Meanwhile, to maximise the yields of these crops, some farmers have chosen to intercrop their ginger with cassava and other crops.

He said: “At the moment

we are not discouraging the farmers from continuing to produce the normal crops that they produce, because most farmers have mixed variety crops. But for the spices now, what we are doing is to have them cultivate whether [it] is an acre or quarter of an acre, and when harvested, it is guaranteed that they will be able to supply all that produce directly to the factory.”

Additionally, other farmers have opted to plant gliricidia alongside their turmeric and ginger crops.

The gliricidia will also serve as support structures for black pepper vines, which will provide valuable shade to enhance the growth and quality of the turmeric and ginger plants.

Following the successful

cultivation of turmeric and ginger in the sub-regions, farmers are gearing up for the upcoming harvesting season in November and December.

Meanwhile, the trial production of mint, black pepper and cinnamon recently began in Aroaima Savannah, Region 10.

NAREI had met with farmers at the Kokerite Bush Concession to discuss expanding the cultivation of spices.

The trial will help in assessing the growth of the plants so that improved strategies can be implemented to increase yields.

It is expected that agricultural production in Region 10 will increase and additional incomes will be garnered for farmers, owing to the

expanded production and reduction in the importation of spices.

The government in a bid to increase the production of ginger and turmeric had allocated some $153 million in the 2023 national budget to improve processing capacity at Hosororo, Parika, and Soesdyke/Linden.

This investment will target over 300 tonnes of the output of ginger and turmeric and decrease drying time from three-five days to eight hours per day, directly enhancing productivity.

Additionally, the government will increase seedling distribution to farmers by 100,000 to increase citrus production.

In October 2022, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar

Mustapha had said that the government will continue to work with farmers to boost the productivity of spices.

To boost the production of spices at the Hosororo factory, Region One, Minister Mustapha put into operation several new pieces of machinery to the tune of $9.7 million for the NAREI spiceprocessing plant. These tools included a Vibro sifter, a ginger washer, a ginger slicer, and a ginger grinder.

These investments are in keeping with government’s commitment to increase agricultural production of non-traditional crops and draw Guyana closer to realising the region’s goal to reduce its food-importation bill by 25 per cent by the year 2025.

Collaborative, comprehensive approach to be taken to tackle country’s

MINISTER of Health Dr

Frank Anthony on Monday emphasised that a collaborative effort between the relevant stakeholders is needed to tackle drug abuse issues in the country.

He made this remark during a ceremony that was held to observe International Day against Illicit Trafficking and Drug Abuse.

According to Dr Anthony, the health ministry has approached this issue from a medical perspective to help ascertain the best measures or

drug-abuse issues

ways to prevent these types of habits from developing.

He noted that medical professionals believe that the school system is the best place to start, as it is here that children of all ages can be educated about the harmful effects of drugs.

The minister acknowledged that while raising awareness alone does not change behaviour, it is an important part of the work that needs to be done to tackle the various issues.

“In terms of prevention,

— Health Minister says

while we are collaborating with the Ministry of Education and going into schools, if we do it in pockets, it’s not going to work. We have to do it on a scale,” he explained.

With the programme about to be rolled out in schools, the health minister indicated that teachers also need to become involved. This could be done by incorporating awareness and prevention talks into the school curriculum, he said.

Added to this, he said that there is also a large pop-

ulation of children who have dropped out of school and as part of this programme, those persons will be targetted.

While there are educational, reintegration programmes which provide such persons with other practical and technical skills, the minister said that there must be a way to give them the type of education that would guide them away from substance abuse.

Further, he said that closer attention must be paid to schools and even commu -

nities where the different agencies must collaborate to address drug abuse issues.

“While we would work and provide the knowledge and so forth in terms of whether its prevention or treatment, we also need to do more in terms of the clinics that we have and how we can treat… we have about 10 clinics that are operational now and if this is a national problem, then we need to have more clinics and make them more accessible to people,” he said.

Sections of the cultivated turmeric (Office of the President photos)

Farmers from the region will be supplying spices to several local franchises

Minister of Health Dr Frank Anthony (DPI photo)

Education paramount for societal advancement, development

–– President Ali says collective effort and investment in education drive meaningful change

PRESIDENT, Dr Irfaan Ali has said that the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) recognises the pivotal role education plays in driving societal advancement and the need for continued investment in education for a brighter future for all Guyanese citizens.

The Head of State made those remarks during his address at the commissioning of the state-of-the-art $585 million Abram Zuil Secondary School in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) last week.

In his address, he outlined the pivotal role education plays in achieving societal transformation, reducing inequality, generating intergenerational wealth, and empowering individuals.

With strategic policies and investments, he said the PPP/C-led government aims to integrate development with tangible results, bringing Guyana one step closer to achieving its educational aspirations and fostering a prosperous society

“Education, people say, is the key to the future…but education has specific features that are linked to socioeconomic advancement and societal development,” the President said.

He acknowledged, however, that having bright and intelligent individuals alone does not ensure societal progress. Instead, it is the collective effort and investment in education that drive meaningful change.

EQUALIZING FORCE

One of the central pillars of the government’s education policy is the concept of education as an equalising force. President Ali expressed his commitment to reducing disparities in access to education and healthcare.

He referenced the “Because We Care” grant, which aims to provide equitable access to educational resources, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to access a quality education.

This initiative was introduced by the PPP/C to offset expenses associated with children attending school. However, this initiative was discontinued by the former APNU regime and was recommenced when the PPP/C returned to office in 2020.

Under the 2023 budget, parents and guardians of 214,000 schoolchildren will now receive $40,000, which amounts to

$8.6 billion.

The Head of State also mentioned the “One laptop per family” programme as a means to provide equal access to information and technology.

“The ‘Because We Care’ grant is not just giving the children money and the parents money; it is an equalising force ensuring that access to resources is equitable, to allow them to participate in the educational opportunity. The one laptop per family programme was to ensure that every family had that equalising opportunity to have access to the social good that the country is giving. So, education is a social good -- the investments that we are making all across the country,” he said.

The President praised the PPP/C-led government’s efforts in achieving universal primary education, a significant milestone in bridging the gap between urban and hinterland regions. He acknowledged that in the past, the disparity in access to primary education between these areas stood at a staggering 85 per cent.

However , through investments in education, particularly in secondary education, the government aims to realise the promise of universal access to secondary education. President Ali deemed these investments critical and vital to ensuring that every child in Guyana would have access to secondary education.

“Education as an equalising force al-

lows the government to invest across the board, reducing inequality and providing opportunities for access to the social good,” President Ali said passionately He stressed that education as an equalising force helps level the playing field and creates opportunities for all children to pursue secondary education, irrespective of their backgrounds.

GENERATIONAL AND INTERGENERATIONAL WEALTH

Drawing on personal anecdotes, President Ali spoke about how parents in Guyana, like billions of others worldwide, never had the opportunities their children have today.

“You will see that all social statistics point to a very important fact that most families transcend out of poverty because of investment in education.

“So, you will see that in the older families that are very large in Guyana, the first three to four children would have to sacrifice to ensure the last two children got an education. And those two children who got the education, utilise the education that they got to take the entire family out of poverty and give the older one that opportunity,” President Ali said.

He highlighted the remarkable transformations occurring within families, as children who receive an education become teachers and change the prospects

of future generations

These educated individuals then use their knowledge to uplift the entire family, reversing the cycle of poverty and creating a foundation for intergenerational wealth.

TRANSFORMATIONAL FORCE

President Ali further emphasised education as a transformational force, both at the individual and community levels.

He explained that with higher levels of education , people are expected to make better decisions regarding health, family, community, and personal growth. Education contributes to stronger societies by shaping values, perceptions, and analytical ability.

“Education is transformational. It shapes our behaviours, our perceptions, and our ability to analyse and contribute to society. It empowers individuals to make better decisions,” President Ali said with conviction.

The president urged Guyanese to embrace education at all levels, which he believed would contribute to the development of stronger communities and foster robust value systems.

EMPOWERING TOOL

Lastly, President Ali highlighted education as an empowering tool, particularly for women. He lauded the strides women have made in bridging the gender gap through their aggressive pursuit of education.

Noting that women now outperform men at every educational level, he underscored the empowering nature of education and its pivotal role in advancing gender equality.

“Education empowers people. One of the greatest advances women made in bridging the inequality gap was the way in which they aggressively pursued education. Today women are outperforming men at every single educational facility, and that is to show you how empowering education is,” the Head of State said.

The government has allocated $94.4 billion for the education sector this year. Some $12.4 billion of that total has been set aside for the building, rehabilitation, expansion, and maintenance of educational facilities nationwide.

President, Dr. Irfaan Ali

Food security improves in the Caribbean yet challenges persist

World Food Programme highlights

A RECENT food security and livelihoods survey conducted by the World Food Programme and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in the Caribbean region revealed that

3.7 million people, or 52 per cent of the population of the English - speaking Caribbean remain food insecure.

This is a 10 per cent decrease when compared

to an August 2022 survey; however , it underscored growing financial hardship and challenges due to the rising cost of living in the aftermath of the pandemic

According to the 2023 Caribbean Food Security and Livelihoods survey carried out among Englishspeaking Caribbean countries, 98 per cent of respondents reported high food pric-

es in the three months prior to the survey , the highest level reported since the first survey in 2020

In a region that is highly vulnerable to climate shocks, the survey revealed that 42 per cent of households were affected by climate-related hazards in the 12 months prior to the survey These events continue to have a significant impact

on climate sensitive livelihood activities such as in agriculture and fisheries

“In this complex socioeconomic environment that is vulnerable to climate change, the priority of CARICOM and national governments to make food accessible amidst these shocks is important Collaboration across agriculture , social protection , education , and finance sectors , helps to improve livelihood opportunities and contributes to achieving affordable food for all,” Representative and Country Director WFP Caribbean Multi - Country Office, Regis Chapman said

For persons who reported a disruption to their livelihoods , 65 per cent cited the unaffordability of the necessary inputs as the main cause, with domestic workers and farmers most impacted

Salaried persons are managing slightly better, yet 40 per cent of respondents indicated job losses or salary reductions in the six months before the survey

Others have resorted to alternative or secondary sources of income to meet food and other needs , according to the survey

The cost of living has had a widespread impact on people’s ability to continue to meet food and other

needs Rising prices for animal feed, fertiliser and fuel have also severely affected respondents engaging in farming and/or fishing

“Food insecurity is having major effects on the socioeconomic welfare of citizens throughout the region , the solution however can only be accomplished through joint regional efforts in the planning and execution of comprehensive sustainable actionable solutions geared towards building resilience against climatic conditions and future market disruptions,” Director, Directorate of Single Market and External Trade CARICOM , David Prendergast said

The survey’s results are a reminder of the importance of the region’s agenda to reduce imports by 25 per cent by 2025 , which includes strengthening food systems in the Caribbean so that they are resilient and adaptive to shocks and building on measures to address the affordability, accessibility, and availability of livelihood inputs

The survey was completed with the support of the Government of Canada , the European Union and the United States Agency for International Development , Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance (World Food Programme)

More road-enhancement works to be executed in Georgetown

RESIDENTS of Kitty , Lamaha Gardens , and Bel - Air Park , Georgetown , will soon benefit from infrastructural development within their communities.

Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar, following a community - engagement exercise Friday last , assured community members that D ’ Andrade Street, Garnett Street, and Da Silva Street, Kitty will be rehabilitated

Drainage works are also scheduled for D’Andrade Street to Middleton Street and along nearby roads

Residents of Lamaha Gardens will soon see the desilting of the main connector drains leading to the Dennis Street canal

Additionally , an assessment will be carried out to determine the priority roads within the community that are in need of resurfacing

As part of a follow-up discussion from President, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali’s walkabout last Tuesday, residents of Bel Air Park were also engaged on issues surrounding the desilting of drains , obstructions on parapets , and the illegal disposal of garbage

Works were also recently completed on Barima Avenue, between Vlissingen Road, and Rupununi Street

These community-engagement exercises are a part of the government’s commitment to community development. (DPI)

‘Sharky’ convicted for killing clothes vendor

A 12-member jury has found Anthony Chester, called ‘Sharky’ guilty of the murder of Purcell Moore Jr., who was gunned down during a robbery at Craig Old Road, East Bank Demerara (EBD) in 2017 Chester, 27, of Section C, Block Y, Diamond Housing Scheme, EBD, was on trial before Justice Sandil Kissoon at the Demerara High Court

He had denied that , on December 20 , 2017 , he murdered 40 - year - old Moore during the course of a robbery

A 12-member jury, after deliberating for almost two hours, returned with a guilty verdict Justice Kissoon deferred sentencing to July.

In 2021, two men Selwin Dawson , 27 , called “ Crack Skull ”, formerly of First Field , Kaneville , EBD, and Kevin Persaud,

called “ Boyce ”, 28 , formerly of Fourteen Avenue, Diamond, EBD, were sentenced to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after serving 15 years for the crime

The men were also sentenced by Justice Sandil Kissoon for the capital offence of murder However, the pair had moved to the Court of Appeal seeking to overturn their conviction and sentence

DEAD: Purcell Moore Jr

According to statements presented in court, Moore was returning home from a shop when Chester, who was armed with a handgun, confronted him An argument reportedly ‘erupted’ between the men

That escalated into a scuffle, during which several rounds were discharged at Moore He was rushed to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre, where he was pronounced dead on arrival

Chester is currently serving a total of 14 years and six months behind bars for a series of offences, including armed robbery, possession of an illegal gun and ammunition, and discharging a loaded firearm.

Anthony Chester, called ‘Sharky’

A Vast Difference

FOLLOWING allegations of rape and sexual misconduct against a government minister, General Secretary of the Peoples Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C), Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo has assured that “no form of abuse or violence” will be tolerated by the administration his party leads.

He reiterated that his party has “no tolerance for any abuse of women or children in our midst…” and further reminded of the Sexual Offences Act amended during his tenure as president 13 years ago (2010), referring to it as “one of the most advanced pieces of legislation at that time, in the region or the world” and an indication that “we take a strong view on that matter.”

However, he also insisted that the matter must not be tried in the courts of social media or public opinion, or be politically weaponised, because, after all, this is an allegation being investigated, in which the accused surrendered to the law voluntarily and with legal representation, was presented with the

allegations, arrested and granted bail.

The accused denied the allegations and intends to co-operate fully with the investigation. The case is being investigated by the Guyana Police Force and the Child Care and Protection Agency.

This is how this matter has played out – and this is how it should be: For the accused to be treated as innocent, until proven guilty.

The allegations have naturally drawn public outrage, but the PPP Leader has urged allowance for thorough investigations and for the law to be allowed to prevail.

The government and ruling party should be congratulated for moving so swiftly to address the issue internally, and allow for public disclosure of the charges and the legal and judicial processes being engaged.

Here again, the way the law operates under the PPP/C is vastly different to the realities registered historically under the APNU or PNC-led administrations, when serious allegations tended to re-

main just that (allegations) and investigations were seen to be swept under the carpet, with justice not seen to be done.

In fact, some of the failed political hopefuls seeking to politicise the current affairs involving a Cabinet Minister will have thought people would have forgotten the travesties of justice recorded historically under their watch -- from naked politicisation of the justice system to allegations of existence of ‘death squads’, ‘torture chambers’ and unofficial ‘burial sites’ with ‘unmarked graves’ for ‘disappeared’ persons.

Senior party and government officials accused of improprieties either ended-up without being seen to have been investigated, or with legal slapson-the-wrist through ‘caution’ and small fines.

And then there’ s the most outrageous spit-in-the-face of the law by the APNU-led coalition that defied the electorate’s decision in 2020 and tried, for five months, to steal the results, defying local law and judicial jurisprudence

until it became impossible to deny the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), which continues to serve Guyana and CARICOM with distinction.

But then, the PNC was born of legal deceit, joining with the United Force (UF) in 1964 to change the results of an election the PPP won, by engaging in a post-election alliance that allowed the losers to be legally declared winners.

Not so the PPP, which has remained true to its original call in 1950 as Guyana’s first political party dedicated to end colonialism, build genuine independence and plant and nurture a new and decent political culture uniting people across all barriers.

The rabble-rousing political miscreants seeking to weaponise this case must therefore realise that the radically-different approaches to Law and Justice under different Guyana ruling parties and administrations, is already established in the court of Guyanese public opinion.

That said, Case Closed!

Attacking the US Ambassador, American corporate executives in poor taste; apology demanded

Dear Editor,

COLUMNIST and supposedly Godsent , GHK Lall , has egregiously breached protocol with his personal attacks on US Ambassador Sarah Ann Lynch, and Exxon Country Head Alistair Routledge.

Referring to her Excellency, Sarah Ann Lynch , and Alistair Routledge , Lall barks the following insult: “Their verbal sorceries are seen through their maternalism and paternalism discerned for the cheapness and insulting nature of both, and the ravages wreaked on a poor, backward nation under democracy and contract sanctity.” (KN6/26/2023)

Here is the definition of sorcery according to Cambridge dictionary: “A type of magic in which spirits, especially evil

ones, are used to make things happen.”

So what we have here is a privileged Guyanese man of religion who recently claimed that he was doing God’s work, attacking the American ambassador, and the head of Guyana’s number one source of FDI in the languages of the evil ones

Not to leave out his favourite object of daily personal attacks, GHK Lall says the following about Vice President, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo : “ He cowers … before geopolitical and geostrategic imperatives, fears the political implications of raising his hand and voice.”

What this time we have here is a paper-tiger messing around with a lion It is comical and does not require any substantive response In what follows; therefore, I ask for the attention of the Guyanese people, not for Paper-Tiger GHK Lall

Let me address the blatant and callous insult against Ambassador Lynch, whose contributions to Guyana became legendary in real time

Ambassador, allow me to apologise on behalf of all Guyanese for the boorishness of Mr GHK Lall We also take this opportunity to thank you for your courageous , determined , and selfless service to this country Your defense of democracy will never be forgotten, nor will we allow those displaying infantile temper-tantrums to impugn your credibility or your record

As for Mr Alistair Routledge , although we wished that the APNU+AFC had negotiated a better contract for Guyana, we do underscore that the principle of the sanctity of the contract is sound, and shall be defended

You know that new legislation to govern our natural resources is now under review You also know that future PSAs will deliver considerably more benefits to the Guyanese economy, and people

But what is also especially important for you to know is that we will not, I repeat, we will not go back to the days of kicking out foreign investors only to return to them later, bent-doubled, with effusive prayers for forgiveness, and a little philanthropic assistance

To the Guyanese people who are daily subjected to the insults of development defectors like Melinda Janki and GHK Lall, you should know that last year Exxon Mobil invested $39.2 billion in our oil and gas industry, and

Editor Navendra Seoraj

300 died, then, five died: The world’s reaction

ONE of civilisation’s most cruel insensitivities in the history of the world took place between June 15 and June 18.

On June 15, a boat with refugees capsized off Greece and more than 300 lost their lives

Three days after, five persons died in a mini submarine on a tourist ride to see the Titanic wreck

The contrast in the world’s reaction to the two incidents shows the evil face of European racism against non-White races BBC investigations showed that the Greek coastguard officials lied in their account of the sinking vessel The BCC was able to ascertain that the vessel was stuck for seven hours, yet the Greek coastguard did absolutely nothing to attempt to rescue the vessel

This was one of the most horrible expressions of racist attitudes in the 21st century But even more horrible was the world’s reaction to five, not 15, not 55, not 75, not 85 but five persons who got lost on the trip to see the Titanic wreck days after the Greek tragedy

As soon as it was announced that the submersible vehicle named Titan had lost contact with its mother ship, the Canadians, US and French navies went into full action The navies of three rich countries made a colossal search for the Titan lasting days and amounting to millions of dollars

The search for the Titan revealed another dimension about how the US treats poor countries The US as a policy does not reveal information about its sophisticated listening system on its submarines and the satellite

capacity of the US armed forces

That policy is to protect these sophisticated operations from being known to other countries, particular enemy countries But the US made an unbelievable break with that policy on Sunday evening of June 18.

The US coastguard has admitted that one hour after the Titan lost contact with its mother ship there was a catastrophic explosion that destroyed it and its five passengers

So, not wanting to reveal the listening capacity of its subs, the US coastguard along with Canada and France kept searching thousands of miles deep in the ocean for the Titan It was only after the official declaration that the Titan was destroyed that the US coastguard revealed it knew about the fate of the vehicle one hour after it went missing

Contrast this with the missing Malaysian airline, flight MH370 that vanished over the Indian Ocean with 239 people on board in 2014 It has not been found The radar system of the Malaysian air force failed to pick up the flight of MH370 But whereas civilian radar systems did not pick up the ultimate direction of MH370, military spy satellites pick up everything in orbit around the world.

The US National Reconnaissance Office has a sophisticated global network of spy satellites that must have taken an image of the downed plane The US spy satellites are far more sophisticated than Europe’s and is far ahead of China’s and Russia’s For reasons of protecting the capacity of its spy satellites, the US will not reveal where MH370 went down

So why did it do so with the Titan Could it be that the Malaysians and Chinese on MH370 were more expendable?

For five days, the missing Titan made the headlines in every major American television channel and in major European and Canadian newspapers After the destruction was revealed, the Titan made all the headlines again In contrast, the Greek shipwreck was taken off the front pages the next day

Five persons went missing on a mini-sub and it made headlines for days and nights in the most powerful media entities in the US, Canada and Europe But 300 lives lost at sea were not worth even two days of coverage. The BBC ’ s exposure of the Greek coastguard’s cover-up is enough to warrant a UN

investigation with the possibility of charging the Greek Prime Minister for war crimes President Putin faces a warrant for his arrest from the International Criminal Court for deportation of children from the Ukraine to Russia But Greek sailors watched as a ship with over 800 refugees on board sinking

The ship was in distress for seven hours and the Greek coastguard refused to rescue those poor souls

Isn’t that a war crime? Well if it isn’t, then what constitutes a war crime? In the meantime, the media in the US and the UK are still highlighting the tragedy on board the Titan

I guess five European and American lives are worth more than 300 from the Third World.

Attacking the US Ambassador, American corporate ...

in 2021 they pumped in $42.2 billion into our economy.

As Mr Routledge stated, and as President, Dr. Irfaan Ali and Vice President Jagdeo have underlined, these investments are sourced from equity, not loans

An article in Kaieteur News on June 26, 2023 made it appear that the US$1.4 billion we received for the Stabroek Block in 2022 is “small change.”

Yet, readers should know that Jamaica’s total foreign exchange earnings in the same year was US $1.9 billion You all know that Jamaica has three times the population of Guyana.

As it stands, President Ali and Vice President Jagdeo always try to explain to the nation why it is important for investors to recover their investments and also make a profit This is necessary because of the distortions on oil and gas by the likes of KN’s two Lalls, and Melinda Janki

The APNU, WPA and AFC are ideologically against profit making . They

believe in the very economic ideology that bankrupted this country more than once Most in the WPA would not know how to run a business if handed to them for free

The APNU would probably start sharing out a million dollars apiece to man, woman, child, and also every animal before evening earning a penny (PS – the European Union does subsidise their cows, so there may be a case for that here).

Economic nationalism has many different forms The hegemonic states cloak their economic self - interest as “ public goods ,” something that Ravi Dev touched on since 1993 in his employment of Gramsci to flesh out the challenges to political , cultural , and economic advancement in Guyana

And yes, we do have a hegemonic world economic order The fact that the President of France could muster up so many bodies to talk about reforming the global financial / developmental archi -

tecture is proof of this Western-centric hegemony It should be critiqued

There are also forms of defensive economic nationalism Here, you have leaders in the Global South who are driven by what I see as “ pragmatic internationalism.” In this instance, leaders like India’s Modi; South Africa’s Ramaposha ; Barbados ’ Mia Mottley , and our own Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, are at the leading edge of constructing new ‘regimes’ of development finance, combined with new norms of global governance

In Guyana, we are fortunate to have a transformative President in Dr. Irfaan Ali, with an experienced past president and current Vice President, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, to walk us through the complicated path before us

Finally, you have those like Melinda Janki and GHK Lall who are development deniers incubated in pathological nationalism This sort of nationalism is built around making the advocates celeb-

rities Some even believe that God sent them Another one by the name of Tom Sanzillo went so far as to say Guyana does not need roads This foreigner lives in New York, in that world that Homi Bhabha once described as a world where “signs [are] taken for wonders.” This motley crew owes the Guyanese people an apology for their dottiness

For starters , I call on GHK Lall to apologise to Her Excellency Sarah Ann Lynch, Ambassador of the United States to Guyana, for characterising the Ambassador’s work in the language and imagery of sorcery

This masculinist brinkmanship shall not be tolerated

He should also apologise to Mr Routledge for his statements which are unbecoming of a columnist in a national newspaper

The nation awaits.

Yours sincerely, Dr. Randolph Persaud

Guyana not interested in joining OPEC – VP

Jagdeo says

NASCENT oil producer Guyana is not interested in joining the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries ( OPEC ), Guyana ’ s Vice-President Bharrat Jagdeo said on Monday, as the South American country looks to rapidly boost production and attract new operators.

Guyana , which has become one of the fastest - growing crude - oil producers in the world since it began producing oil commercially in 2019 , has been invited to attend OPEC’s international seminar in July,

Jagdeo said, but there was no invitation to become a member of the cartel

“We were not formal-

ly invited to join OPEC

That is not something we are interested in We have been invited , however ,

to participate in OPEC meetings ,” Jagdeo told Reuters

The Ministry of Natural Resources said the country was invited to attend the July meeting in Vienna and participate in a ministerial panel on diversifying energy economies

The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday that Saudi Arabia’s Energy Minister, Abdulaziz bin Salman, and Haitham al-Ghais, OPEC’s secretary-general, have invited Guyana to join the cartel.

Guyana is planning an oil auction within a couple of months in the hope that such can bring in other oil and gas companies

An ExxonMobil Corp-led (XOM N) consortium currently controls all offshore output in Guyana under a production and sharing agreement in which Exxon decides the pace of production and shares a piece of the output with the government

“We are committed to responsibly developing the resources offshore Guyana to maximise value for all stakeholders , including the government and people of Guyana,” said Exxon spokesperson Meghan Macdonald , in response to questions about the country and OPEC

The company and the country are in talks over which unexplored offshore areas will be returned to the government , people close to the discussions have told Reuters

The country is using its inland forests to tap carbon markets, in a business the government sees as more profitable than using the acreage for mining or agriculture, Jagdeo had previously said (Reuters)

More core homes to be built for low-income families

THE Ministry of Housing and Water ’ s Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) will be undertaking the construction of 70 core homes for low-income families in Region Four.

The ministry is inviting bids from eligible bidders to carry out the project, which entails the construction of 20 x 20 feet two-bedroom concrete units

The Core Homes Initiative falls under the $5.8 billion (US$28 million) Adequate Housing and Urban Accessibility Programme (AHUAP) funded by the Inter-American Bank (IDB). A total of 250 low-income families are set to benefit from the programme

Each unit costs about $4 million and beneficiaries are required to contribute a sum of only $100,000 towards the cost of the home They also receive a five-year termite-treatment certificate and electrical certificate for the building valid for 10 years.

Last month, the ministry handed over 13 homes to families in Sophia, Georgetown In that community alone, some $191.6 million has been allocated for the construction of 80 core homes

Several homes were also constructed and handed over in Westminster, Onderneeming, Lust-en-Rust, Recht DoorZee, and Parfait Harmonie Phase Two, Region Three

The project boundary spans Georgetown to Grove on the East Bank of Demerara, and Westminster, Onderneeming, Lust-en-Eust, Recht door-Zee, and Parfaite Harmony Phase Two on the West Bank of Demerara

On the East Coast, it spans Georgetown to La Bonne Intention (LBI) to Haslington

Bidding for the projects will be conducted through the National Competitive Bidding procedures specified in the Inter-American Development Bank’s Policies for the Procurement of Works and Goods financed by the Inter-American Development Bank and is open to all eligible bidders

A complete set of bidding documents will be provided on a flash drive which can be purchased by interested bidders from the CH&PA’s cashier at 41 Brickdam and United Nations Place, Stabroek, West Bank Demerara, for a non-refundable amount of $5,000

Bidders are required to indicate an email in their application, while the method of payment is cash

Bids must be delivered to the Chairman, National Procurement and Tender Administration Board, Ministry of Finance (Northeastern Building), Main and Urquhart Streets, Kingston, on or before Wednesday, July 26, 2023 The delivery/construction period is 200 days per lot

Vice-President Bharrat Jagdeo

Local private sector poised to capitalise on benefits of growing economy

–– as Guyana becomes a ‘bullseye’ for business opportunities - GCCI President

GUYANA’S rapid economic progress has been creating opportunities which stakeholders in the local private sector are positioning themselves to capitalise on, President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), Kestor Hutson has said.

The country ’ s progress and the expansions in the oil and non-oil sectors are reflected in the

opportunities for Guyanese businesses to foster partnerships, but also to assist private persons in recognising their rights at the regional level under the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas (RTC).

62.3 per cent , with the non-oil sector expanding by 11.5 per cent, Huston said that this is a major achievement because most economies normally record GDP growth rates of one to three per cent

remarking that the private sector plays a key role in the growth of the economy , Hutson acknowledged that the country is becoming a bullseye for business prosperities

formative infrastructure, small business support , youth development and skills training, agriculture and food security as well as health and education.”

GCCI’s business magazine, which was unveiled at the chamber’s breakfast seminar at the Marriott Hotel, on Monday Launched under the theme , “ The Future is Now,” the business magazine primarily focuses on Guyana ’ s promising future and rapidly growing Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Hutson said amidst the exponential growth, the GCCI is not only committed to creating

Acknowledging the gap and the legal constraints, he said: “As part of our [GCCI] membership, we thought it best to have a committee set up to provide some clarity in any legal challenges that members will face.”

Hustson added that the GCCI ’ s legal committee aims to not only provide assistance, but to also release necessary information to its hundreds of members

“ As we look ahead , Guyana’s future appears to be incredibly promising thanks to the remarkable growth our economy is experiencing,” the GCCI President said

Noting that Guyana’s GDP growth in 2022 was

Additionally, according to him , Guyana ’ s overall GDP is anticipated to expand by 25.1 per cent in 2023

According to Hutson: “These figures are a testament to the tremendous

He related: “As the oil and gas sector continues to rapidly emerge, our nation has become a hotspot for investment and the business landscape is filled with opportunities,” adding that: “This has led us to anticipate significant spending in various areas , including trans -

Although Guyana ’ s oil industry is booming, it is quite noticeable that the local industries will not be left behind and such can be seen in multiple industries such as the agriculture sector, which has seen a surge in the demand for locally grown produce Hutson also com -

mended the government for the well-crafted Local Content Act (2021), noting: “The Chamber is equally excited about the wealth of opportunities that await the local private sector through the Local Content Act ( 2021 ), and continues to lobby for an increase to the current 40 services which oil and gas companies and their sub - contractors must procure from Guyanese , as prescribed in the Act.”

potential that Guyana holds, and we are poised to take advantage of this growth to create a brighter future for our private sector.”

In order to continue this development while establishing an equitable and sustainable society, the GCCI President said that with the right policies and investments , Guyana will become a beacon for economic success in the region

Additionally , while

Director of External Trade at the CARICOM Secretariat, Dr Chantal Ononaiwu (left) and President of GCCI Kester Hutson (right) unveiling the 13th edition of GCCI’s business magazine

Child gets new lease on life after successful surgery

A three-year-old boy is now on the road to recovery after he successfully underwent a surgery in Trinidad and Tobago to treat a severe medical condition called Posterior Urethral Valves (PUV).

His surgery was organised by the Saving Hands Emergency Aid (SHEA), which said that he will now have follow-up care and monitoring by a local medical team, to ensure he progresses well.

Prior to the surgery, the parents of young Ismaeel Knights sought treatment for their son at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) Pediatric Unit, where he presented symptoms and signs of a urinary tract infection (UTI).

However, an ultrasound was performed and revealed bilateral hydronephrosis which is the swelling of both

kidneys due to a build-up of urine

Further evaluation by his medical team at GPHC, with dilatation and radiology imaging of the prostatic urethra, suggested that he had PUV

“PUV are obstructive membranes that develop in the urethra (tube that drains urine from the bladder). The valve can obstruct or block the outflow of urine through the urethra When this occurs, the bladder, ureters and kidneys become progressively dilated, which can lead to damage,” SHEA said

Based on these previous findings, Knights urgently needed posterior urethral valves ablation, which is not currently available in Guyana

As a result, he was referred to a doctor in Trinidad who specialises in the procedure and agreed to treat Knights in Trinidad

SHEA Charity accepted the child’s case and sponsored this life altering surgery They worked with his medical team to finalise the details of his treatment and transfer

“This process has been very difficult and painful for the three-year-old, since the tube needed constant cleaning and replacement He spent a significant amount of time going in and out of the hospital due to infections,” SHEA said in a Facebook post

The organisation added: “The surgery was completed on Thursday, June 15, and he did extremely well He returned to Guyana and into the loving arms of his father. He no longer needs a catheter and as you can see, he’s very happy.”

The organisation’s mission is to provide medical aid and humanitarian services to people in impoverished countries, mainly Guyana and the Caribbean

Ismaeel Knights

Guyanese native Andrea S. Ogle appointed judge of the Civil Court of New York

By Tangerine Clarke

JUDGE Andrea Sabita

Ogle was officially inducted into the Civil Court of the City of New York, one year after making history as the first ever biracial, and ever first woman and Guyanese-born elected by the Queens Democratic Party , chaired by Congressman Gregory Meeks Judge Ogle , who was supported by a packed courtroom of colleagues , some retired , friends and family, placed her hand on the bible held by her mother, Ivy Ogle, and joined by Nigel Ogle and Dr Kevin Ogle as the judicial oath was conducted by Honourable Edwina Richardson - Mendelson, in Queens County Civil Court , on Sutphin Boulevard, last Friday

Simone - Marie Meeks introduced the inductee

Judge Ogle , who realised an extraordinary American dream to become an attorney, successfully managing her own law practice in Queens County for more than 20 years and served as a member of the Attorneys for Children and 18b Assigned Counsel Panels , representing indigent adults and children in Family and Supreme Court proceedings since 1999, after being robed, thanked the Queens community for placing their trust and confidence in her.

With an outstanding record in the judicial system, deserving of her many accolades, Judge Ogle, who has written on issues including the 13 th Amendment , bail representation of the indigent , and has organised

Continuing Legal Education Seminars for attorneys on various topics, including the new “Raise the Age” legislation, said she was grateful for the support, and thanked her beloved family and parents for the sacrifices they made to help her achieve the American dream

“ Thank you to the Queens County Democratic Party , the Queens County Executive Committee, the District Leaders , elected officials and each club for your mentorship, guidance, and confidence,” said Judge Ogle, adding:

“

Our borough is one that has its greatest strength in our communities, in our diversity and in our ability to seamlessly blend virtues, such as civil engagement, hard work and inclusion , making Queens County much richer and a model

for the world.”

Congressman Meeks said he was proud of all judges, noting that America ’ s strongest institution is the judicial system , as exemplified in Judge Ogle

“Thank you for being a leader in our community ; thank you for making the sacrifice you made as an attorney to make things better in our communities Thank you for being the judge you are , but most important , thank you for never forgetting who you are , where you came from, who helped you get here, and wanting to make a difference,” he said of Judge Ogle.

Queens Borough President Donovan Richards described Judge Ogle as a distinguished public servant , who is resilient and persistent He said those who administer justice need

to possess the best qualities of the borough -- empathy, fairness, hard work, service, and respect. “I am pleased that Judge Ogle has all these qualities.”

“She’s a Guyanese immigrant; she’s a Queens story, a woman, a public servant, a volunteer, and most importantly , she ’ s from Queens,” said BP Richards Assemblywoman Jennifer Rajkumar , in turn called Judge Ogle a trailblazer , and a tireless advocate for justice

“We welcome her into our esteemed fold of judges Her journey from Guyana to this momentous induction ceremony is filled with determination, resilience, and grit From her early years in Guyana , to her rigorous legal education in New York, she has displayed an unwavering commitment to the rule of law in pursuit of justice, and has been a beacon for all of us in this

community She illuminates a path for us to follow,” said Assemblywoman Rajkumar

Judge Ogle, who is inspired by the work of Justice Thurgood Marshall , the Supreme Court ’ s first African - American justice who said , “ We will only attain freedom if we learn to appreciate what is different, and muster the courage to discover what is fundamentally the same ,” was described as persistent, and focused by New York State Senator Leroy Comrie

“ Judge Ogle is always fighting for impoverished people , indigent families , and those who don’t have representation She is fighting for women to get into positions of power, and for people to be respected,” he said

“Andrea will pay it forward, and keep the will of justice clean and pure, and will never let us down,” said Sen Comrie

Consul-General of Guyana to New York, Ambassador Michael E Brotherson applauded Judge Ogle on behalf of the Guyana government, and congratulated her outstanding achievements, noting that Guyanese have their place in the United States, and her successes reflect that of immigrants in general

A congratulatory letter from Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs of Guyana , Mohabir Anil Nandall, was also read

Other speakers included District Leader 39th Assembly District I Daneek Miller ; Ali Najmi , Esq president, The South Asian and Indo-Caribbean Bar Association of Queens; Deborah A Kaplan , Deputy Chief Administrative Judge of the New York City Courts, District Leader 29th Assembly District , and Pamela Bluford, during the proceedings emceed by Guyanese-born Supervising Judge, Shababudeen A Ally

Thanks also to Chief Judge New York Court of Appeals , Rowan Wilson New York State Senator Roxanne Persaud, Queens Democratic District Leader, District 31 , Richard David ; Adreena Ogle - Crawford, Alexander Ogle, Dr William Ogle, who did the robing, and other community leaders attended the celebration that opened with a procession and presentation of colours by the NY State Court Officers Honour Guard

A reception , accompanied by the music of Angels Caribbean Entertainment Group of Companies, Amar Bisram and Geeta Bisram, celebrated Judge Ogle, while Sybil’s Bakery , Richmond Hill provided Guyanese food.

Judge Andrea Ogle, (hand raised centre) being inducted as Judge of the Civil Court of the City of New York by Honourable Judge Edwina Richardson-Mendelson, far left, surrounded by Ivy Ogle, Nigel Ogle, Dr Kevin Ogle, Adreena Ogle-Crawford, Alexander Ogle, Dr. William Ogle, in the Queens County Civil Court, on Sutphin Boulevard, on Friday 16, 2023

Consul-General of Guyana to New York, Ambassador Michael E. Brotherson; Simone-Marie Meeks; Judge Andrea S Ogle; and Congressman Gregory Meeks after the induction ceremony, Friday, June 16

A part of the packed audience during the induction ceremony of Andrea Sabita Ogle, Judge of the Civil Court of the City of New York. CG. Michael E. Brotherson, Gennie Persaud, community leader, and Attorney Ali Najmi in the front row (Photos by Tangerine Clarke)

‘Creative, innovative’ Naya Zamana 25 set for August 26

–– organisers promise a production like no other

By Faith Greene

THE National Cultural Centre is set to come alive on August 26, 2023, for what the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha promises to be one of the biggest productions of the mesmerizing and ecstatic Naya Zamana.

In 1994, Naya Zamana was founded by Dr. Vindhya Persaud, current Minister of Human Services and Social Security.

At the recent weekend launch of the event at the MovieTowne Mall, the organisers gave patrons an opportunity to reflect on and compare previous productions of the popular show to those made in recent years. And audiences saw a preview of what is to come

on the actual night of Naya Zamana 25.

A few things that have remained the same throughout the Naya Zamana experiences each year are the location of the production, the bright and colourful costumes for all dancers, and the carefully designed props used to decorate the stage of the National Cultural Center annually.

There was a video compilation of clips of Naya Zamana 1 in 1994, all the way to the present; and it shows how this has paved the way for 24 other productions years later.

In her brief speech, Minister Persaud, who also serves as the Hindu Dharmic Sabha’s President, and the founder, choreographer, and scriptwriter of Naya

Zamana, reflected on how far it has come.

“Looking back on that video, I saw how people have grown. Grown chronologically, and definitely grown in dance. And looking just now, I realize that the new generation is on stage,” she said.

Dr. Persaud related that it is an amazing and incredible feeling to have, adding that sometimes it is surreal.

She said no one would believe all of this was brought to life from just having the idea to bring young people together, to explore their talents, develop their inherent potential, and to give them the platform that Naya Zamana has become to enable them to be creative, to express many positive things and to

Founder of Naya Zamana and Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud and her main partner in the coordination of the much-anticipated show, Trishala Simantini Persaud, present an award to longstanding dancer, Shania Persaud (Delano Williams photo) give strong, powerful social messages.

Dr. Persaud recalled that it was her father who gave her the name for the show. She said it describes what the show is all about -- the new world, and, importantly, the new generation.

She related that this year there might be more pressure to produce the best show, noting, “How can you do better, what you’ve done every year? And the expectations are so high. But I will tell you that Naya Zamana 25 will be fresh, it’ll be innovative, it’ll be something that you will love; it will take you out of your normal life for two and a half hours.”

Full of excitement, Dr.

Cotton Tree, Cumberland Primary Schools to get smart classrooms

AS part of the Ministry of Education’s goal to transform the educational landscape through the integration of technology , smart classrooms will be established at the Cotton Tree Primary School , Region Five, and Cumberland Primary School, Region Six.

To execute these projects, the ministry has extended an invitation to contractors to

submit bids for the implementation of the upgrades Technology - infused learning is made possible in smart classrooms, which benefits both students’ learning and teachers’ delivery of lessons.

As such, the government believes that technology-enhanced spaces in schools are essential to students’ access to education

These classrooms are fully equipped with an interactive board , audio system, motion, voice-activated cameras , face recognition features, and a television for remote access

Smart classrooms were established at President ’ s College , Queen ’ s College , Leonora, Moraikobai, Christianburg , Charity , New Amsterdam , Brickdam and

East Ruimveldt Secondary schools , and St Stanislaus College

Some 25 smart classrooms are expected to be established or enhanced at secondary schools across the country in 2023 Meanwhile, the ministry is also looking to refurbish the information technology (IT) laboratory at Riverstown Primary School. (DPI)

Persaud said that the two and a half hours will not just dazzle patrons, but also leave them yearning for more.

She commended the hard work of her young cast, most of whom are students, and who have dedicated most of their time and energy to ensuring that Naya Zamana is a success.

Tickets for the much-anticipated show are currently available at MovieTowne Mall, the Dharmic Kendra, the National Cultural Centre, Red Mango, E-Net (on Camp Street and Giftland Mall), and Unique Innovations at Amazonia Mall. Persons can also call telephone number; 227-6181.

One of the ecstatic preludes to Naya Zamana 25 (Delano Williams photo)

Men get nine years each for East Coast robbery spree, abduction

THREE men were on Monday sentenced to nine years each for a series of armed robberies and the abduction of a taxi driver on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD).

Rawle Franklyn , called “Rawle Dog,” 34, of Sparendaam Housing Scheme , along with Emmanuel Hale,

19 , and Hamza Samuels , called “ Bad Coolie ,” 33 , both residents of ‘B’ Field, Sophia, were sentenced by Magistrate Rushelle Liverpool at the Sparendaam Magistrates’ Court

They were found guilty of three counts of armed robbery and one count of abduction

The first charge stated that Hale and Samuels on August 18 , at Ogle , while being in the company of others, allegedly robbed Madan Ramdeo of a cellphone and cash totalling $73,000

It was further alleged that on the same date, at Red Road Sophia , they robbed Jenny Mingo of $293,000 in

various items.

The third charge alleged that on the same date , at Vryheid’s Lust, ECD, they robbed Joshua Singh of his $1.7 million Allion motorcar, along with his cellphone and cash

The men were also charged with abducting Singh during the robbery ,

charge, and this sentence will run consecutively with the robbery sentence

The state was represented by police prosecutor , Sergeant Ramjattan

The men are accused of being part of a gang that carried out a series of robberies in Georgetown and along the East Coast corridor

The men were nabbed during a police chase which led to a shoot-out in the wee hours of August 19, 2022, at Hunter Street and Mandela Avenue, Georgetown, in the vicinity of DSL

with intent to cause him to be secretly confined

For each robbery charge, the men were sentenced to serve five years , with one year deducted for time spent on remand This means that they will serve a total of four years for the robberies

Additionally, they were each sentenced to serve five years on the abduction

There , the vehicle crashed into a rail and the men were subsequently arrested They currently have other matters pending in several courts

Franklyn is no stranger to the courts In 2017, he was sentenced to four years imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to the illegal possession of a gun and ammunition

Pedestrian dies after being struck down at La Grange

A 52-YEAR-OLD woman lost her life on Monday when she was hit by a car at La Grange, West Bank Demerara (WBD).

The victim has been identified as a Samaroo Scheme, La Grange resident, Vidya Tie, who was struck around 5:50 hrs

According to a police report, 35-year-old Timothy Waldron of Shopping Plaza , South Ruimveldt , was driving hire car HD 3435 allegedly at a fast rate of speed along the western side of the La Grange public road

The driver alleged that while he was in the process of overtaking a motorcar (number unknown) that was proceeding in front of him, the pedestrian ran across the said road from the eastern side to the western side, and the left side front portion of the hire car crashed into her

As a result of the collision, the pedestrian was flung onto the bonnet and windscreen of the hire car, then fell onto the road surface and sustained injuries about her body

She was picked up in an unconscious state by the police and driver and escorted to the West Demerara Regional Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival The body was transported to Ezekiel Funeral Home for storage and a Post Mortem Examination (PME).

The driver was arrested, and a breathalyzer test conducted on him showed no traces of alcohol A Notice of Intended Prosecution was served. Further investigations are in progress.

Emmanuel Hale and Hamza Samuels, called “Bad Coolie”

Rawle Franklyn, called “Rawle Dog”

Van Beek’s Super Over fireworks...

From page 24

Van Beek hit 28 at a strike rate of 200 during the run chase after Nidamaduru belted 111 off just 76 balls, with 11 fours and three sixes. Edwards, meanwhile, smashed 67 from 47. Not only did they find boundaries at will, they also made the West Indies fielders look ragged, converting ones into twos and twos into threes. Every run counted towards a remarkable Super Over win.

The game was set up by West Indies' centurion Nicholas Pooran. After half-centuries from Brandon King and Johnson Charles laid a solid foundation, Pooran added 108 with Shai Hope for the fourth wicket in less than 13 overs.

Pooran was on 7 off 17 balls at one stage. He then took Saqib Zulfiqar for a four and a six in the 35th over. In the 39th, he targeted the same bowler with a six and four

again, before reaching his fifty in the 40th with another run of boundaries off Vivian Kingma.

West Indies added 118 in the last ten overs. Pooran reached his second century of the World Cup Qualifier in the penultimate over, before Keemo Paul took over, ransacking Aryan Dutt for 20 in the final over to propel West Indies to 374. Who knew even that wouldn't prove enough?(Cricinfo)

John dispatches field to capture...

From page 24

Veteran Team Evolution’s Denise Jeffrey rode brilliantly to win her race in 21 minutes 17 seconds.

In the Masters’ Time Trial

the Champion was Kwame Ridley of Kaieteur Attack, winning his race in a time of 33 minutes 59 seconds from Team Evolution’s Seagun Hubbard.

The Junior Time Trial champion was Aaron New -

Fortune screamer helps T&T to...

From page 24

T&T took the lead when Neveal Hackshaw floated a brilliantly weighted pass over the top for Jones to chest down in the box, and drill his clinical finish past goalkeeper Julani Archibald.

“It was just we needed to move the ball faster. [We were] moving the ball too slow,” Eve said in explaining T&T’s inability to break down the Kittitian defence earlier.

“They sit very deep and try to prevent us from breaking the lines so we wanted to move the ball a little bit sharper so we

could effectively break the lines.

ton of We Stand United, who won in 16 minutes 53 seconds, while Alexander Leung also of We Stand United won the Juvenile Time Trial. (Joe Chapman) 18-yard box in the 33rd minute. With half-time approaching,

“So when we started to do that and get the ball going up the flanks, that’s how we got the first goals.”

The second goal was a screamer, the United Statesbased Fortune blasting a 20yard drive past Archibald after shaking off three defenders with a strong, intelligent run.

And Garcia’s good work down the right led to the third goal, his squared pass into the box ricocheting off Ible and into the back of the nets.

(lb8, w6) 14

TOTAL (6 wkts, 50 overs) 374

Did not bat: R Chase, A Hosein, A Joseph Fall of wickets: 1-101 (Charles), 2-160 (Brooks), 3-163 (King), 4-271 (Hope), 5-272 (Shepherd), 6-295 (Holder)

van Beek 10-0-77-1 (w3), Kingma 10-0-66-1 (w2), Dutt 10-1-71-0, de Leede 6-0-72-2 (w1), Floyd 6-0-26-0,

1-0-11-0, Saqib 7-0-43-2.

*+S

A Dutt c Paul b Joseph

C Floyd not out 0

Extras (b5, lb4, w6, nb1) 16

TOTAL (9 wkts, 50 overs) 374

Did not bat: V Kingma

Fall of wickets: 1-76 (O’Dowd), 2-90 (Vikramjit), 3-128 (Barresi), 4-170 (de Leede), 5-313 (Edwards), 6-325 (Saqib), 7-327 (Nidamanuru), 8-371 (Dutt), 9-374 (van Beek)

Bowling: Holder 10-2-59-1 (w1), Joseph 10-0-73-2 (w1), Paul 5-0-47-0 (nb1), Chase 10-0-77-3 (w3), Hosein 10-0-73-2, Shepherd 5-0-36-0 (w1)

Result: Match tied (Netherlands win Super Over).

Points: Netherlands 2, West Indies 0. Man-of-the-Match: Logan van Beek.

Gardner skittles England as Australia win Ashes Test

were bowled out for 178 before lunch on day five at Trent Bridge.

Gardner's effort gave her an astonishing 12 wickets in the match after her four in England's first innings.

Danni Wyatt top-scored with 54 before she was given out lbw to Gardner for Australia to wrap up the victory inside 21 overs on the final day.

England resumed on 1165 after a late collapse on day four left them requiring another 152 to win.

Wyatt and nightwatcher

Kate Cross added 25 for the sixth wicket before the latter was caught behind for 13 off Gardner, who took all five

remaining wickets.

England then slumped from 151-6 to 178 all out as Wyatt struggled for support from England's lower order.

Amy Jones made just four before she was stumped by Alyssa Healy after a fumble, Sophie Ecclestone was pinned lbw for 10 and Lauren Filer was bowled for a duck.

Defeat felt cruel on Tammy Beaumont, who scored 208 in England's first innings, and Ecclestone, who also took a 10-wicket haul in the match but was ultimately eclipsed by Gardner.

The series continues with three T20s and three one-day internationals, all worth two points each, starting at Edg-

baston on Saturday 1 July.

Gardner the difference despite Wyatt's resistance

Wyatt, unbeaten on 20 overnight, was going to be key to England's hopes with her naturally aggressive style of play, and she stuck to her task efficiently by reaching her half-century from 78 balls.

But Gardner toiled away unchanged in an incredible effort of consistency with the day five pitch offering some uneven bounce and turn.

The all-rounder's match figures of 12-165 are the second-best of all-time in women's Test cricket, after Shaiza Khan's 13-226 for Pakistan against West Indies in 2004.

England promised an attacking brand of cricket and over four days, proved that they could unsettle Australia, but in a tough morning session, it was the world champions who held their nerve under the pressure.

The hosts' have much to be proud of - and justified the decision to play the Test over five days - but now have a very difficult task in overturning Australia's fourpoint lead.

Australia are world champions in both whiteball formats, their dominance particularly evident in ODIs where they have lost just one match from their last 42 (BBC Sport).

Australia beat England by 89 runs to win the one-off Ashes Test match and take a 4-0 points lead in the

multi-format series.

Spinner Ash Gardner starred with 8-66 as England

RACING TIPS

13:40 hrs Lady Of Leisure

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Race 6 Macho Miah Race 7 Wedontbelieveher

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CRICKET QUIZ CORNER

(Tuesday June 27, 2023)

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

Answers to yesterday’s quiz:

(1) 323-Jack Hobbs & Wilfred Rhodes (Melbourne, 1912)

(2) 329-Mark Taylor & Geoff Marsh (Nottingham, 1989)

Today’s Quiz:

(1) Who has taken most wickets for ENG in a Test series against AUST to date?

(2) Who has claimed most wickets for AUST in a Test series versus ENG to date?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

Ashleigh Gardner claims best figures for an Australian woman to break Australia's Test drought

Alcaraz beats Alex de Minaur in Queen’s final to win first grass title

...regains world number one ranking

CARLOS Alcaraz won his first title on grass and regained the world number one ranking with an impressive victory over Alex de Minaur in the Queen's final.

Alcaraz's 6-4 6-4 triumph means he moves above Novak Djokovic in the rankings and will be the top men's seed at Wimbledon, which starts on 3 July.

The Spaniard, 20 was playing only his third grasscourt tournament.

"So many legends have won here. Seeing my name on the trophy surrounded by the great champions is amazing," he said.

Alcaraz will now hope to emulate his compatriot Rafael Nadal, who triumphed at Queen's in 2008 before going on to win Wimbledon for the first time a few weeks later.

There were questions about Alcaraz's ability on grass at the start of the week but he answered those in emphatic style, becoming a

Brandon

crowd favourite with his attacking play, humble attitude and boyish smile.

He will now be considered the main threat to Djokovic's defence of his Wimbledon crown.

"It helps a lot to be top seed at Wimbledon," said Alcaraz. "It's amazing. It wouldn't be possible without

the support of the people through the whole week.

"I started the tournament not really well, I had to adapt my movement a bit on grass," he said. "But it's been an amazing week and it's ending with a lot of energy and on a high.

"I have played 11 matches in my career on grass, so I

Williamson refusing to give up on World Cup dream

have to get more experience, more hours.

"But obviously after beating amazing guys, great players, and the level that I played, I consider myself one of the favourites - or one of the players to be able - to win Wimbledon. (BBC Sport).

McMullen's 136 helps Scotland beat Oman and reach Super Six

Brandon McMullen's powerhouse 136 led Scotland to the Super Six stage of the World Cup Qualifier with a 76-run win over Oman.

McMullen registered the highest total in the tournament as Scotland finished 320 all out, with Bilal Khan taking five wickets.

Only Naseem Khushi was able to make a significant score in Oman's chase, but he was caught on 69 by Chris McBride.

The Scots finish Group B against Sri Lanka today (08:00 BST).

Like Scotland, Sri Lanka have three wins from three and beat Ireland by 133 runs on Sunday.

McBride fell lbw for Scotland in the first over, but McMullen's 136, including three sixes, gave the Scots the momentum they needed, with captain Richie Berrington

contributing 60.

McMullen was eventually caught by Kashyap Prajapati, with Berrington run out by Jatinder Singh, but Mark Watt's 25 helped Scotland past 300 late on.

McMullen took the first Oman wicket as Prajapati went for 12 with Jatinder Singh then bowled for 14 by

Adrian Neill.

Leask bowled Zeeshan Masqood for eight, Watt dismissed Aqib Ilyas for 31 and Mohammad Nadeem went lbw in the first of five wickets taken by Chris Greaves, which also included top scorer Khushi.

Shoaib Khan was caught for 36 by McMullen as Oman

struggled to make in-roads to their 321 target and ended on 244-9.

McMullen 'just tried to keep it simple' Player of the match McMullen told Sky Sports: "It was a great day and a great way to finish.

"Our bowlers were clinical and [Greaves] finished it off incredibly well.

"I just tried to keep it as simple as possible and do it my way. I played my own game. I can't give you those secrets yet."

As for the final game against Sri Lanka, he added: "We just need to play our best cricket and be more disciplined with the bat and ball. That's basically it.

"Score more than Sri Lanka, that's what [Matthew] Crossy always says. (BBC Sport)

(Reuters)-Kane Williamson has not given up on playing a part in New Zealand's 50 overs World Cup campaign but says he is taking his recovery from a right knee injury on a week-toweek basis.

The elite top-order batsman suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) while fielding for the Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League and underwent surgery in early April.

Williamson said he was making progress but ensuring the knee mended properly was his overriding priority ahead of getting back on the pitch at the World Cup in India in October and Novem-

ber.

"Very much just trying to keep it week-to-week at the moment," he said on Monday.

"I haven't had such a long-term injury before but talking to other people that have, the journey is a bit of a long one so if you look too far ahead it probably can become a little bit daunting.

"Whereas, one week at a time, ticking off those small markers, those little wins that are nice to experience.

"But also knowing that the journey won't be completely smooth and you have a few setbacks along the way that you have to navigate.

Carlos Alcaraz showcased his all-around ability with a confident display

Brandon McMullen had registered just 14 runs prior to his 136 against Oman

New Zealand's star batter Kane Williamson admits looking too far ahead is 'daunting' but continues to tick off minor milestones on his recovery from a major knee injury

Thompson-Herah grateful after 100m season opener- ‘I almost gave up but I have faith’

TWO-time double Olympic sprint champion, Elaine Thompson-Herah, made her much anticipated season debut in the 100m at the JAAA All Comers Meet at the Ashenheim Stadium at Jamaica College on Saturday.

The 30-year-old ran a pedestrian, by her standards, 11.23 to win comfortably win ahead of Racers Track Club’s Jodean Williams (11.38) and Titans International’s Shurria Henry (11.76).

This race almost never happened, however, as Thompson-Herah revealed in a very candid post-race interview that her persistent injuries almost caused her to quit the sport entirely.

“Honestly, I’m feeling good despite the fact that I’ve been out so long. It has been a challenging one but, I still hang on. I almost gave up but I have faith and I came out here to just test my body to see where I’m at. My training

Why

has not been how I wanted it to but, the fact that I missed so much and came out here and ran 11.23 today, I’m just grateful,” she said.

Prior to Saturday’s race, Thompson-Herah’s last competitive outing was a 200m race at the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational on April 14 where she ran 23.23 to finish second.

Between then and now, the sprinting superstar has struggled with injuries such as a persistent Achilles injury which hampered her for most of the 2022 season, shin splints and a knee injury which Thompson-Herah said “shut down my entire body to the point where I could not do anything.”

“The past couple months have been rough. Most days I’m not able to do anything so I’m just grateful I was able to be here in spikes.

I’ve been bouncing spikes and track shoes so, to come out here and get a clean race,

God is good,” said Thompson-Herah.

“People see us on the track all the time but they don’t know what comes behind that. I cried most mornings when I was driving home in my car because I see that I’m working hard and I’m not getting the results I

want. I was on the verge of giving up, honestly, but God spoke to me and said ‘you cannot give up right now because I took you this far,” she added.

Despite her Olympic exploits, she has yet to win an elusive individual World Championship gold medal.

Her best result in the 100m was her bronze medal from last year’s Eugene World Championships while she won a 200m silver medal at the 2015 edition in London.

So, why is it that she can’t replicate her Olympic successes at the World Championships? This is a question

Thompson-Herah still can’t answer herself.

“I don’t know why World Championship season always seems very challenging for me. I have not changed anything, I’m not doing anything wrong but it’s like a test to see if I can do it or not. This one has tested me a lot and it tested me last year as well,” she said.

With the Jamaican National Senior and Junior Championships scheduled for July 6-9, Thompson-Herah says that she is going there with no expectations of a fast time, but instead just hoping for a spot on the team to Budapest later this year.

“I didn’t see trials coming, honestly. I’m just going there, not expecting the result, just trying to get into the top three. I’m not looking for a fast time or anything. I just want to make it to the World Championships and take it from there,” she said.

did I play at those?' - Labuschagne looks for Broad answers

Marnus Labuschagne believes the slowness of the Edgbaston pitch played a part in him being drawn into twice edging Stuart Broad during the first Ashes Test but while he is looking at some technical adjustments it isn't something he will dwell on for long.Labuschagne nicked deliveries outside off stump in both innings - the first against the outswinger Broad said he developed especially for him and Steven Smith - with Australia's batting coach Michael Di Venuto saying he had never seen that happen before.

Labuschagne netted extensively at Lord's over the weekend in preparation for the second Test which starts on Wednesday, at the venue where his Test career took off in 2019, with the Sunday session watched by Ricky Ponting, the pair sharing the occasional word.

While he did not want to divulge everything he had learnt from his twin dismissals, Labuschagne put some

of it down to the conditions although did suggest Broad may have out-thought him in the first innings.

"When you get out first ball you just throw it in the bag. Potentially I thought that they were going to come straight and then he got a

nice ball that swung in the right area," he said. "With a lack of bounce at Edgbaston, it sucks you in to thinking you can hit the ball a bit more and I just made a few poor decisions [against balls] that were really wide. They'd be eighth or ninth stump,

some of those deliveries.

"They were very uncharacteristic dismissals to how I've usually played, that's why I was pretty frustrated with myself to get out that way and asked myself the question, 'why did I play at those deliveries?'.

"I've come up with my own summation of what that is. Now it's if there's anything I can do tactically or technically to make sure it doesn't happen again. It's a rarity that I'd play at those balls so it's not something I'm going to overthink, but I hold myself to a much higher standard than those dismissals."

Labuschagne was happy to acknowledge the skill of Broad for having the better of him in the first Test. The only previous occasion he had been dismissed by him was the bizarre occasion when he walked across his stumps in Hobart and ended up flat in the crease.

"He's 2 and 0 now so he's done his homework," Labuschagne said. "That first [and only] ball I got in the first innings was a very nice ball. I haven't faced Stuart Broad where he's really been able to swing it away. He usually angles in, and that one definitely swung.

"First ball, most of the time you just play and miss at that then you go 'okay',

you can make the adjustments out there. I said this about [R] Ashwin, guys who take the time to do the homework, understand the game, and work out how they're going to get certain guys out, I've got so much respect for them so if they're putting the time and effort in and it pays off, that's a credit to them."

On the flip side, Labuschagne was confident that he has the body of work to show he can respond to the challenge, which his batting coach Neil D'Costa had earlier told ESPNcricinfo was part of the "arm wrestle" that everyone enjoyed watching in Test cricket.

"I've tried to make my game as adaptable as possible, so I don't have one way of batting," he said.

"Some people play their whole career and bat one certain way and have one method that works… I'm always working on my game and working on my technique to think of ways I can score runs."(Cricinfo)

Elaine Thompson-Herah competing at the World Championships in Eugene last year

...Australia's No. 3 was happy to acknowledge Broad won the early round

Stuart Broad claimed Marnus Labuschagne twice in the first Test • (Getty Images)

England teenager Rehan Ahmed admits Ashes call-up ‘means everything’

ENGLAND teenager Rehan Ahmed has admitted being part of this week’s Ashes squad at Lord’s is beyond his wildest dreams.

Ahmed, 18, became the youngest male to play Test cricket for England in December when selected during the Pakistan series and marked his debut with a stunning five-wicket haul in Karachi.

The confidence of the Leicestershire all-rounder has been clear from the outset despite his tender age, but even he conceded his call-up to the group for the second Test on Friday was unexpected despite injury concerns over Moeen Ali.

“It means everything. I would never have dreamed this,” Ahmed told England’s official Twitter account.

“To be part of an Ashes squad at my age, at Lord’s as well, I never saw it coming so it is lovely to be a part of.

“I was actually with my brother when Baz (head coach Brendon McCullum) called me, but my mum and dad found out straight away, and a couple of my friends.

“Baz said I would be

joining up with the squad for the next couple of games, well the next four games. Yeah, he was so chilled about it as well but I was on the phone a bit panicky but just happy.”

Ahmed joined the group on Sunday and had his first nets session at Lord’s a day later.

While Ahmed has never played at the home of cricket, he is familiar with the ground having bowled there to future captain Ben Stokes when he was 11 and impressed the late Shane Warne two years later with his leg-spin.

He added: “Lord’s is always a special ground.

“I’ve never played here before, I’ve not been on the main pitch either but (I have) good memories from when I was 13, 14 and I net bowled for England as well.”

Quizzed on his Ashes memories, Ahmed admitted the first time he fully watched five days of a Test against Australia was the thrilling opener at Edgbaston last week.

With Moeen able to bowl during Monday’s training session, Ahmed is not expected to feature at Lord’s but made no secret of how much he relishes being part of the environment Stokes and McCul-

Sinclair funds repairs of RHTY&SC Main Pavilion

By Sean Devers

lum have created.

“The last game was probably the first time I watched the full Ashes, the full days,” Ahmed revealed.

“I was playing a game against Notts for Leicestershire and I was getting drinks every two overs for the score. The last game was unbelievable.

“Baz gave me a call on Friday morning. He basically told me I would come in and join the lads. It was unbelievable.

“I love it. I love being around this new environment that’s been created. It is unbelievable.”(Sportsmax).

Pierrot stoppage time winner gives Haiti late Gold Cup

HOUSTON, Texas, (CMC)

– Israel-based forward Frantzdy Pierrot scored deep in stoppage time as Haiti came from a goal down to beat Qatar 2-1 in the CONCACAF Gold Cup here Sunday night.

The French Caribbean side fell behind to Yusuf Abdurisag’s 20th minute predatory strike but managed to equalise on the stroke of half-time through veteran Duckens Nazon.

Israel-based forward Frantzdy Pierrot celebrates his goal on Sunday.

With the game seemingly headed for a stalemate at the NRG Stadium, the 28-yearold Pierrot, who plays for Maccabi Haifa in the Israeli Premier League, poked home from close range in the sev-

enth of nine added minutes, to hand Haiti a sensational opening win in Group B. In the other fixture in the group at the same venue, powerhouses Mexico thrashed Honduras 4-0 with Luis Romo scoring twice in the first half.

Both sides had chances before Qatar went ahead. Goalkeeper Alexandre Pierre came out and cleared from the feet of Mostafa Mashal but a loose ball resulted and Abdurisag pounced to volley into an empty net from 15 yards.

win

Haiti missed a couple of half chances and the Asia Cup champions also came close but the Haitians drew level from the penalty spot when Pierrot lashed a shot against Tarek Salman’s outstretched arm in the area, and Nazon sent goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham the other way.

Derrick Etienne Jr struck the post in the 52nd minute, Ricardo Adé drove his 19yard free kick straight at Barsham in the 62nd minute before the upright also denied Abdurisag in the 76th minute.

With time ticking away, Carnejy Antoine raced onto a ball out of the back and squared from the left for Pierrot, who eluded Salman’s challenge to nudge home from close range.

BERBICE, Guyana and West Indies

all-rounder Kevin Sinclair has pledged to support his Berbice club Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTY&SC) by funding building materials for the main pavilion at the Area H Ground.

Sinclair visited the office of RHTY&SC Secretary Hilbert Foster to inform the membership of the Club that he would be funding some major repairs to the main pavilion at the Area H Ground

Foster expressed gratitude to Sinclair for his support and assistance. It was agreed that a contractor selected by Sinclair would soon visit to take an estimate.

“The Club would like to thank Kevin for remembering our massive input into his career and for carrying it forward with his kindness. He has also pledged his support for our cricket academy set for next month. Charity surely begins at home. Well done Kevin Sinclair,” disclosed the hard working Foster.

Sinclair had also made himself available to play in the BCB zone of the Speakers T20 Cup which was scheduled to have started last Saturday.

However, according to Berbice Cricket Board’s (BCB), Guyana Cricket president Bissoondyal Singh has deemed the Speaker’s T20 first division competition ‘illegal’ since this tournament, which was scheduled to be held in Berbice, has not been approved by the GCB.

The tournament is named in honour of Speaker of the National Assembly and Everest’s president, Manzoor Nadir and is also scheduled to be played in the City.

When contacted, the Guyana Cricket Association (GCA) said they were still going ahead with planning dates and fixtures as soon as the weather improves and grounds become available since the Constitution of the GCA says that the GCA is mandated to organise cricket in Georgetown.

England young leggie Rehan Ahmed with head coach Brendon McCullum)

Israel-based forward Frantzdy Pierrot celebrates his goal on Sunday

...GCB deems BCB’s Speaker’s Cup t20 ‘illegal’

Williams and Co demolish records to keep Zimbabwe undefeated

…Williams' 174 powered Zimbabwe to their highest ODI total before they bowled USA out for 104

By Rvel Zahid

ZIMBABWE crushed USA by 304 runs, registering the second-biggest margin of victory by runs in ODIs. USA ran into a side that has been in redhot form in this World Cup Qualifier as Zimbabwe feasted on runs to put up their highest-ever total in ODIs, surpassing the 351 they made against Kenya in 2001.

After seeing off the new ball, Zimbabwe went all guns blazing in the final 35 overs and were led by their stand-in-captain Sean Williams who was an unstoppable force on the day as he raced to his hundred in a mere 65 deliveries, sending the jam-packed crowd into raucous applause.

(Scores: Zimbabwe 408 for 6 (Williams 174, Gumbie 78, Raza 48, Paradkar 3-78) beat USA 104 (Paradkar 24, Ngarava 2-25, Raza 2-15) by 304 runs) Williams romped to 174 off 101 deliveries as the hosts put up an impregnable total of 408. While he started to cramp up in the last ten overs, he was aided by useful contributions from the opening wicketkeeper-batter Joylord Gumbie, the in-form Sikandar Raza, and then Ryan Burl.

Once again, USA let themselves down in the fielding department.

Nostush Kenjige had Gumbie and Raza dropped off his own bowling, and they both feasted on the errors as nothing went in USA's favour on a forgettable day. The dropped chances proved too costly in a game where they were lacking the services of their

main men and death overs specialists Ali Khan and Saurabh Netravakar - who were both struck down by flu.

Gumbie and Williams put on a 160-run partnership for the third wicket to lay down the platform for Zimbabwe. Williams was the aggressor, milking the spinners for runs, especially the debutant Usman Rafiq, who leaked 40 runs in four overs.

Raza then came in and hit five fours and two sixes en route to his 27-ball 48 be-

fore Burl clubbed 47 off 16. One hit away from equalling AB de Villiers for the fastest ODI fifty, Burl was caught at deep midwicket off Jessy Singh in the 48th over.

In reply, USA snapped under the scoreboard pressure. They were bundled out for a paltry score of 104 as Richard Ngarava, who ran riot with a scorching spell upfront, coupled with Raza took two wickets apiece while Brad Evans, Luke Jongwe, and Burl grabbed one each.

Ngarava sent both openers back early. He got Ste-

ven Taylor capitulating to a vicious snorter on off that he nicked through to the keeper and in his very next over, he beat Sushant Modani's cut as Zimbabwe's opening burst proved too hot to handle for a depleted side that was reeling from a flu outbreak in the camp.

USA captain Monank Patel got out in single figures after miscuing a drive to mid-on where Williams pocketed a low catch, and thereon the game became a point of discussion about records as USA's resistance quickly petered out due

to the loss of wickets at frequent intervals. There were as many as three runouts in the innings and two mix-ups in the tenth over by Brad Evans; both Aaron Jones and Shayan Jahangir were involved in a terrible botch-up.

Zimbabwe made four changes coming into the game, with Innocent Kaia,

Jongwe, Evans and Tadiwanashe Marumani replacing Blessing Muzarabani, Craig Ervine, Clive Madande and Tendai Chatara, but continued in the same manner as they have in the World Cup Qualifier, and will be riding high on confidence going into the Super Sixes stage. Sean WilliamsUnited States.

Shemar Britton through to CAC table tennis quarter-final

GUYANA’S Shemar Britton has advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2023 Central American & Caribbean (CAC) games men’s table tennis singles following an incredible 4-1 win against Abit Tejada of the Dominican Republic in the round-of-16.

Britton had lost the first game against his Spanish speaking opponent 11-8 but he rallied back strong to win the next four matches 11-2, 11-6, 11-8 and 11-5.

Next up in the quarterfinal, the Guyanese will match skills against the highly rated Livan Martinez of Cuba.

Earlier in his round-of-32 clash, Britton had brushed aside Oliver Guerrier of Haiti in four straight sets. In his round-of-64 match Luis Medina of Honduras suffered a similar 4-0 fate against Britton.

Shemar Britton through to CAC table tennis final 8

Sean Williams continued his rich vein of form with a 101-ball 174 • ICC via Getty Images

Sikandar Raza scored 48 runs and took two wickets on the day•ICC/Getty Images

Van Beek's Super Over fireworks put West Indies' World Cup hopes on the line

...Nidamanuru's 76-ball 111 helped Netherlands tie the game after they were set 375 to win

And if you thought that was enough excitement for the day, van Beek bashed 4, 6, 4, 6, 6, 4 to smash the record for most runs in a oneover eliminator.

In reply, West Indies lost two wickets for eight runs, and that was it. Netherlands took two vital points into the Super Six of the World Cup Qualifier, leaving West Indies with nothing to carry forward after being beaten by both Netherlands and Zimbabwe.

give Netherlands hope from the most helpless of situations. That stand consumed only 90 deliveries. West Indies stormed back, though, taking 3 for 14 in a hurry to leafe Netherlands needing 30 from the last two overs.

At the crease was none other than van Beek. The first three legal balls of the 49th over, bowled by Roston Chase, disappeared for 4, 6, 4.

"I can't really explain it," Player of the Match Logan van Beek said. Netherlands, chasing 375 against West Indies, were deep in trouble with 205 required from the remaining 125 balls with only six wickets in hand. Who would have known they would end up getting

John dispatches field to capture Elite 97-Mile Road race

WE STAND UNITITED cycling club national racing cyclist, Briton John, disposed of his rivals in commanding fashion to easily cart off top honours when the Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF) staged its 97 miles Elite Road Race in a winning time of 5hrs 1min 29secs in the mining town of Linden on Sunday, last.

The Elite Road Race began in brilliant sunshine but was interrupted by a downpour of rain that failed to put a damper on the event.

Briton John broke away early, in the second lap, to pace himself well to brilliantly win the race that began outside the KDJ Supermarket in Amelia’s Ward.

Nineteen cyclists faced the starter’s whistle for the daunting

97 mile route which was a virtual five lap event as John changed gears to pull away going into the third lap on the hilly race course. A very pleased president of the Guyana Cycling Federation, Horace Burrowes commenting before the presentation of trophies and medals said, “The rain tried to put a damper on things. It was good to see so many participants and you were

uniformed which is a good thing for the sport.”

Last Saturday Curtis Dey of Team Evolution rode beautifully to capture the Elite Men’s Time Trial covering a two round circuit of a distance of 7.2 miles in 32 minutes 15 seconds which was held in Mahaica. He won ahead of Christopher Griffith and third was Arjune Sukhai.

Continued on page 18

204 of them in a frenetic finish that would force the game into a Super Over?

(Scores: Netherlands 374 for 9 (Nidamanuru 111, Edwards 67, Chase 3-77) tied with West Indies 374 for 6 (Pooran 104*, King 76, Zulfiqar 2-43). Netherlands won the Super Over

The two-time World Cup champions are now teetering, their hopes of making the World Cup proper hanging by a thread.

Before van Beek batted like a free spirit, it was Teja Nidamanuru and his captain Scott Edwards who made that finish possible, adding 143 for the fifth wicket to

Gold Cup...

Nine needed off six balls. Four more from van Beek. But there was a twist. With one to get from the last ball, he swiped to mid-on, where Jason Holder tumbled to his right to grab the ball. It would be given out only after the third umpire made sure Alzarri Joseph hadn't overstepped.

Continued on page 18

Fortune screamer helps T&T to 3-0 win

FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida, June 25, (CMC) – Trinidad and Tobago opened their CONCACAF Gold Cup campaign with a 3-0 thrashing of St Kitts and Nevis at the DRV PNK Stadium here Sunday.

Alvin Jones put them ahead in the 43rd minute for a 1-0 halftime lead before Ajani Fortune doubled the lead in the 65th minute.

A Jameel Ible 73rd minute own goal put the Group A contest beyond the reach of St Kitts, who reached the group stage of the confederation showpiece via the preliminaries here last week.

“I thought that we were very composed today,” said T&T head coach, Angus Eve.

“They had a bit more rhythm than us because this [was] our first game – they played a couple of games before [in the preliminaries].

“But I think the guys coped with them really well and we

pushed the ball around a difficult park tonight with the rain but I think all in all it was a good performance.”

England-based forward Omari Sterling-James was denied at the near post in the 15th minute by goalkeeper Nicklas Frenderup, as St Kitts fired early

warning shots. Levi Garcia then responded for the Trinidadians in the 28th minute, sending his free kick over the bar before the enterprising Kevin Molino had a shot blocked on the edge of the

Continued on page 18

Logan van Beek scored 30 runs in the Super Over • ( ICC via Getty Images)

Nicholas Pooran celebrates his third One-Day International century against the Netherlands on Monday

Some podium winners of the National Championships

Ajani Fortune (#8) celebrates his goal against St Kitts and Nevis on Sunday