Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 28-05-2023

New fiscal terms concrete

says

will have to ‘live with’ conditions outlined in Draft PSA

2,000 more part-time jobs for hinterland residents -VP Jagdeo announces

PERSONS residing in the hinterland regions are set to benefit from an additional 2,000 job opportunities, with the introduction of the government’s part-time jobs initiative there.

The programme, which was launched in several coastal regions in 2022, is already being rolled out in Region One (BarimaWaini), and Bartica, in Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni).

General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo made the revela-

tion at his weekly press conference on Thursday at Freedom House, on Robb Street, Georgetown.

Dr. Jagdeo, who also serves as the country’s Vice-President, explained that this is in addition to the 2,500 persons who are employed as Community Service Officers (CSOs).

“At the end of the day, they would probably have, with the 2,500 CSOs and the part-time job workers, close to 4,500 persons,” Jagdeo noted.

He further explained that persons in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni)

and Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) have already been identified to benefit from the programme.

“Those still have to be rolled out, but they will be, over the course of the next few months, so they would be implemented. And this is in addition to the 2,500 CSOs that we have rehired,” Dr. Jagdeo said.

In Budget 2023, the government earmarked $10 billion to expand the programme.

The well-crafted employment initiative allows

one person per household to work in public agencies for 10 days per month, and earn $40,000.

Since its commencement, over 11,000 indi -

New fiscal terms concrete

Though the government continues to work towards a final Production Sharing Agreement (PSA), Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, has reaffirmed that there will be no changes to the fiscal terms from what was released in a draft PSA earlier this year. Last week, President of ExxonMobil Guyana, Alistair Routledge, expressed disapproval of the fiscal terms contained in the draft PSA, which was released in March.

However, the Vice President established that the government remains unshaken by the reaction.

“We're not changing the fiscal terms. That's it, we're not changing the fiscal terms. So, they would have to live with

fits for Guyana, including a royalty rate increased from two per cent to 10 per cent, corporate tax of 10 per cent and a cap on cost oil of 65 per cent.

The new fiscal terms will govern future oil contracts that the govern-

Guyana in the prolific Stabroek Block, where transactions are governed under a widely disparaged 2016 PSA that was orchestrated by the A Partnership for National Unity+A lliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition when it was in government.

In the 2016 PSA fiscal terms, the royalty was a mere two per cent, while recoverable cost oil was 75 per cent. Since a change in ad -

viduals have been employed under the initiative in several regions. About 2,000 residents have already gained employment through the massive re -

cruitment drive in Regions Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) and Three (Essequibo Island- West Demerara), respectively.

The government has also provided 4,000 residents of Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) with part-time jobs, and more than 1,000 persons in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice). The Administration is aggressively pushing to provide 50,000 jobs over five years, as promised in its Manifesto. (DPI)

- Dr. Jagdeo says ExxonMobil will have to ‘live with’ those conditions outlined in the draft PSA

ministration in 2020, the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) has been working to maximise benefits from the lopsided 2016 agreement and provide better terms in future agreements.

The government is currently auctioning off 14 offshore oil blocks, including three deepwater and 11 shallow water blocks. Guyana is among 65 countries that launched auctions of oil

blocks at the same time, and as such the government worked along with international consultant, IHS Markit Consulting, to offer the best terms that will see the country remaining competitive while also getting a fair deal.

Since its release the draft PSA has been undergoing extensive consultation, and seeing feedback from stakeholders in all sectors.

those terms,” Dr. Jagdeo maintained, when he was questioned on the issue during his weekly press conference last Thursday.

The draft model petroleum agreement outlines an oil agreement with significantly more bene-

ment inks with petroleum operators, however, it does not affect an existing PSA that the government has with ExxonMobil.

ExxonMobil, and partners Hess and CNOOC, currently operate offshore

Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo

APNU a ‘no-show’ at signing of first code of conduct for LGEs

ON Saturday, a Code of Conduct created by the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) was signed by a number of political parties contesting the June 12 Local Government Elections (LGEs), except the country’s main opposition party, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU).

The Main Opposition’s failure to participate in the activity resulted in several parties and independent candidates questioning their genuine intentions for the upcoming elections.

The whole purpose to having a Code in place is so as to ensure that the remaining period of the campaign is free of ethnic division, discrimination, hate speech, incitement and provocation, and according to ERC Chairman Sheik Moeen Ul Hack, the reason organisation has chosen to extend the signing period is to accommodate those who were a "no-show".

The parties signed the Code at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, in the presence of the Commission’s members, members of the diplomatic corps, and international observers, among other dignitaries.

The Chairman stated that signing onto the Code of Conduct has enormous significance for the ERC as well as the political parties and independent candidates, and underscored the point that the crucial document helps to advance the best interest of the country and its people.

“It is the first time that the Ethnic Relations Commission would be initiating such signing for Local Government Elections,” its Mr. Ul Hack said, adding:

“As a Commission, we firmly believe that as a constitutional body birthed out of political discord and one that is entrusted with the promotion of harmony and good relations, among other responsibilities, such an endeavor as this signing, becomes absolutely necessary.”

The parties which signed the Code were: Destiny to Oneness, signed by its leader Yenchandra Ram -

barran; Greenwich Park/ Vergenoegen Community Enhancement Group, signed by its leader Ewin Nurse; Guyana National Service Party, signed by its leader Oral Semple; Juliet Patricia Julian, signed by its candidate deputy, Juliet Lemar Williams; Movement for Unity, signed by its General Secretary Denzel St Hill; People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C), signed by its executive secretary Zulifikar Mustapha; along with independent candidates, Edward Persaud, Mark France, Aaron Blackman, Mark Isaac, Robert Bostwick, Shazam Ally and Krishna Subrian.

Speaking with the Sunday Chronicle, PPP/C’s Mr. Zulfikar Mustapha commended the exercise, and added that his party has always prioritised proper conduct in order to preserve peace and harmony.

“We as a party suffered before, when our campaign material and other meetings were disturbed... So, we are in full agreement with the ERC to promote good relations to campaign in a civil manner...”

Onix Duncan, an independent candidate running in the Beterverwagting/Triumph area, praised the effort and said that the rules aid in fostering peace and security. Duncan asserted that his goal for Local Government Elections (LGEs) is to improve his community of Beterverwagting.

“I think everybody should understand what the ERC is trying to do…To give people the opportunity to step back a little and you know, focus on the good and not always hate.”

Additionally, Krishan Subrian, another independent candidate, declared that everyone should support this exercise and what the ERC is trying to accomplish. He expressed disappointment in the main Opposition not showing up to sign onto the code.

“Their [the Opposition] silence and absence are quite noticeable and visible,” Subrian asserted.

ERC commissioners, members of the diplomatic corps, international observers, among other dignitaries observe the signing of the code of conduct

Corn, soya production in Region Nine moving apace – Min. Benn

MINISTER of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn, on Friday last, paid a visit to the Iring Integrated Farm Inc. and Santa Fe Farm, located in the South Rupununi, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo).

Iring Integrated Farm Inc., which stretches some 24,000 acres, and Santa Fe, which measures some 10,000 acres, have completed over 10,000 acres of land preparation, procured fertilisers, seeds, and agro-equipment, and constructed irrigation canals.

The level of production and the expected yields have the potential to position Guyana as a net exporter of raw materials for animal feed production or finished feed products to the region. This

will also reduce the cost of production of animal products.

During the tour, Minister Benn expressed that he was pleased with the progress of production as it strategically aligns with the government’s efforts to drive investment in

producing soya and corn for animal feed.

The minister was accompanied by Chief Executive Officer of the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institution, Jagnarine Singh, Head of the Community Policing Group,

Rishi Das, members of the Community Policing Group, and a team from the Home Affairs ministry. The large-scale production of these crops will propel CARICOM’s 25 by 2025 vision, which aims to lower the regional food import bill by

Veteran PNC/R member now supporting PPP/C

- impressed with ‘good work’ of the party

RONALD Backer, a veteran member of the People's National Congress/Reform (PNC/R) and former political assistant to Joseph Harmon, has decided to endorse the governing People's Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C), highlighting the outstanding work the party has been doing across the country.

Backer, in a video interview, said: "Right now I've been trying to switch over to the PPP because of the amount of good work I've seen that they've been doing." The longtime PNC/R stalwart further noted that he will soon officially join the PPP/C.

Meanwhile, many longstanding members of the PNC/R have recently thrown their support behind the PPP/C and openly endorsed the party.

The former Mayor, Patricia Chase-Greene, along with a former A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) member, Trichria Richards, are among several.

Representing the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) as a Georgetown Councillor for Constituency #13 since 2018, Richards said that her move was based on what she believes is best for her community.

“Personally, I’ve lost confidence in the APNU party and I decided to make this move because I’m concerned about my constituency and I want to see progress, and I want to see development for my area and I believe this is the best move that I could make,” Richards had told this newspaper.

Some of the others to join the PPP/C are popular radio announcer and former

Georgetown councillor, Malcolm Ferreira, commonly known as “Mr. Wickedee,” and former The Citizen’s Initiative (TCI) member, and businessman, Alfonso De Armas.

The PPP/C’s list also include former Alliance For Change (AFC) candidate, Jewula Ceasar, and former independent candidate, Jainarine Singh.

25 per cent by the year 2025.

In 2021, government announced the implementation of large-scale planting of corn and soya bean, and this saw investments in building out the infrastructure and facilities to significantly boost the farmers’ yields and propel

the country’s economy.

In keeping with its manifesto promise, the PPP/C government committed to promoting the cultivation of corn and soya bean in the intermediate savannahs. To this end, the 2023 budget allocated over $1.2 billion to infrastructural development in the Tacama area, here soya is being widely grown.

Further, the government invested in a drying and storage facility, the first of its kind in the country, for which construction works will be completed soon.

These investments continue in irrigation and building human capacity in supporting the country’s agriculture, with the aim of promoting self-sufficiency in Guyana. (DPI)

Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn visited corn and soya farms in South Rupununi, Region Nine

Ronald Backer

Counting our blessings

AS we observe yet another Independence anniversary, it is important that we look back at the difficult road we traversed as a nation. Independence did not come to us on a platter. It had to be fought for amidst much political machinations and intrigues.

When the Golden Arrowhead was raised 57 years ago, the country was still recovering from a period of political instability and ethnic tension which was engineered by foreign vested interests, in collaboration with local reactionary forces.

During the immediate post-independence period, the country suffered at the hands of PNC dictatorial rule and consequential economic and social decline unprecedented in the Anglo-phone

Caribbean.

It was not until the restoration of democratic rule on October 5, 1992 that the Guyanese people began to experience the true benefits of political freedom. For most of the post-independence years, the Guyana economy experienced negative economic growth resulting in a situation where the country was ranked among the poorest in the western hemisphere.

In all of this, it was the indomitable will of the Guyanese people for a democratic and economically just society that eventually prevailed. This capacity to overcome has always been a characteristic feature of the society, one which has seen the country emerge from the ashes of economic ruin to that of the

fastest growing economy in the world today!

We have had our fair share of challenges but in the end we always emerged triumphant. Even in the darkest of moments, we never gave up on hope. As noted by President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali during his address to mark this year's Independence celebrations in Lethem, Region Nine, we are a people full of determination and resilience even during moments of crisis.

This was very much in evidence during the Madhia dormitory tragedy when the entire nation joined with President Ali in mourning the loss of our children in one of the most horrific fires experienced in our recent history.

As mentioned by President Ali, although tragedies

can be heartbreaking and devastating to all, they can offer a branch of healing and an opportunity for people to put aside their differences in time of need. This is especially so in a time of crisis but having a government that can unite and face such challenges along with the people, is what is essential for the healing process.

In the final analysis, as observed by President Ali, the true character of Guyana is to be found not in the country's grand achievements but in the way people adapt to challenging circumstances. The current PPP/C administration has not been found wanting in this regard. In essence, it boils down to the issue of trust and the extent to which the Guyanese people repose their trust and con-

fidence in the administration to do what is right.

The PPP/C administration has over the years earned the respect and trust of the Guyanese people to do what is right for them and in their best interests, both at the individual and collective level. That trust continues to remain solid, despite attempts by some opposition elements and mischief-makers in our society to drive a wedge between the people and their elected representatives.

President Ali and the PPP/C administration continue to govern with humility and with a listening ear. And in the words of President Ali, the government has always been a listening one, that analyses and acts on the people's concerns.

“This is true for all seg-

ments of our population; our senior citizens, our children, our farmers, our miners, our women...you have all trusted us and we have delivered on that trust. We govern to earn and respect your trust,” the President said.

This is more than the Guyanese people can reasonably expect especially at this time when our democracy and independence is becoming much more consolidated and meaningful. The economic and social gains the country is now making are indeed changing the lives of all Guyanese in positive ways, especially for ordinary people.

We have to count our blessings 50 years on, even as we continue to confront the challenges of development.

Is the dollar still King? Yes!

Dear Editor,

The global financial landscape has long been shaped by the supremacy of the U.S. dollar. Yet, in the wake of western sanctions against Russia and economic uncertainty in the U.S., emerging markets are increasingly motivated to reduce their reliance on the dollar and explore avenues for financial independence.

This plan, led by the socalled BRICS countries –Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa – is well-intentioned but is not the right answer.

BRICS countries increasingly clamor to challenge the dollar's dominant role as the world’s reserve currency. The reserve currency is held in great quantities by Central Banks and is used by financial institutions for international trade. Until World War II, the British pound served

as the reserve currency. Since then, the U.S. dollar has.

Russian leader Vladimir Putin said last June that the BRICS countries are developing a new reserve currency for member countries. Brazil’s president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, also expressed support for a common currency. China, too, is in favor of challenging what its ministry of foreign affairs calls U.S. “dollar hegemony.”

The group has announced its intention to discuss the matter at a late-August summit in Johannesburg. Russia has already ramped up its use of the Chinese yuan to cope with the Western sanctions imposed on it.

After Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the G-7 group of nations retaliated with onerous economic punishments on Russia. That forced Moscow to

seek alternatives to the dollar and euro.

Some BRICs backers have floated ideas, such as expanding the use of the Chinese yuan in transaction settlements, but few have yet embraced as far-reaching a proposal as a common BRICS reserve currency.

That wouldn’t be easy to implement. The dollar’s dominance in the global market cannot be overstated.

The dollar is the preferred currency of governments, accounting for about 60 percent of Central Bank reserves in late 2022 compared with the euro’s 20 percent and the Japanese yen’s six percent.

The U.S. dollar is used in 84.3 per cent of cross-border trade compared to the yuan’s 4.5 per cent. The pound, the Chinese yuan, and the Canadian and Australian dollars represent less than five percent of government reserves.

The dollar is also dominant, although less so, in private markets.

The BRICS countries cannot compete with the dollar’s financial dominance and stability. One reason: BRICS nations often don’t get along. Political tensions between India and China make it nearly impossible for India to turn its back on the U.S. and side with China on currencies or any other matters.

BRICS economies also are not especially stable. China is an economic superpower. India has a large but still-developing economy. The other three are essentially stagnant commodity exporters.

The economies also are dramatically different in terms of trade, growth, and financial openness. Real Gross Domestic Product per

capita between 2008 -2021 rose 138 percent for China, 85 percent for India, 13 percent for Russia, and four per cent for Brazil. South Africa had a five percent contraction. Trade between the members is severely imbalanced with India and South Africa both running long-term deficits with the other members.

All BRICS members run account surpluses, meaning they rely on other economies’ demand and must export their excesses abroad. If the countries want to reduce their reliance on the dollar and on the West, their options for exports would be limited. China will have to absorb the demand, yet it has shown no intention of doing so. In fact, the country’s account surplus hit a 14 - year high this year.

Deciding about reserve currencies can be complicated. The Government of

Guyana, for example, might feel that it needs to show fealty to its big neighbour to the south, Brazil. But the BRICS effort is unlikely to produce results that are in the long-term interest of our country. Guyana’s big neighbour to the north, the U.S., remains the safest storehouse of financial investment.

In today's interconnected global economy, the U.S. dollar is a pillar of strength. As the world's premier reserve currency, it plays a crucial role in facilitating international trade and shaping the financial landscape across nations. The challenges facing BRICS countries make clear that the U.S. dollar is likely to keep its role as the world’s reserve currency for a long time to come.

Yours truly, Nazar

Mohamed Businessman

PNC in crisis at 66

THE People’s National Congress (PNC) is facing a serious crisis, and is battling to survive the changing political tide that is taking place in Guyana now.

The party, once filled with strength, buoyancy, and spirited activism is now weak, tired and ineffective when one looks at its current political strategies, policies, and positions.

Most, if not all, would agree that the PNC is a skeleton of its former self. It is not the party its founding leader, Forbes Burnham created when he split from the People's Progressive Party (PPP) in 1957. Burnham must be turning in his grave to see what is happening in the party and outside of Congress Place now.

Also, the veil of being a multiracial party and pursuing coalition politics that it enjoyed hiding behind is gone, leaving its true self exposed and susceptible to political attacks from the body politic in Guyana.

At 66, the party is also busy trying to get a grip of the changing narrative that it is headless and directionless, even though it has a very polarised and uncharismatic leader in the person of Aubrey Norton. He is twiddling his thumbs while the legacy of Burnham and the PNC goes up in flames right before his eyes.

No doubt that there is infighting, chaos and a leadership duel taking place in the party which has exacerbated the crisis to unbelievable proportions, leading to several cliques and circles. There is the circle of those who still support the ideology of David Granger and Joseph Harmon, and there are those who support the ideology of Norton.

Also, there is a sweeping change creeping through the party that the leader should be a person who is futuristic in terms of policy approaches, modern in terms of reforms and changing the old PNC ways that have not worked and undermine the party.

This crisis is causing the party to face serious haemorrhaging as far as membership is concerned. The crossover to the PPP and other forces is also only a symptom of the crisis. The PPP, presumably, has many more important Opposition politicians that will cross the floor to its side when the national polls are held in 2025.

Apart from the resignations, Norton has now placed an ineffective and timid woman to function in the post of the party’s General Secretary; a woman who is seen as a placeholder, and is not learning how to navigate the racist regime of the PNC. She is unable to have any influence on the party and its members, because of the fact that she is seen as a political novice and a newcomer to the PNC. She is not allowed to have a voice, and does much of what she did as a minister in the previous government, only now, signing Norton’s blank cheques.

As this occurs, the PNC is seeking the shelter of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), which its leader killed when he took over in 2021. After all, the Working People's Alliance (WPA) and Alliance for Change (AFC) are gone. So, that has pretty much killed the coalition alliance. Everything that was seen as good that Granger passed on, Norton killed, or is killing. Therefore, Norton as

leader is deepening the crisis, because he has failed to put new things and policies in place before he removed similar Granger reforms.

This crisis is weighing on the party's ability to perform at Local Government Elections and effectively stop the intended steal of perceived opposition constituencies and strongholds. It has caused many politicians to have knee-jerk, and half-baked reactions to unfortunate situations in our country. Just look at the cases of Amanza Walton-Desir, Norton and others to see how they are politicising the recent fire at Madhia Secondary School, which the government has already said there will be a Commission of Inquiry.

The crisis has pit Roysdale Forde, Annette Ferguson, Ganesh Mahipal and others against the party leader.

As there is disunity and discord even among the PNC members in the diaspora, the PNC should address the skeleton in the room now rather than later.

It must call an emergency meeting of its Central Executive (CE) Members

to get to the bottom of this leadership crisis and vacuum. Norton must be given a period of six months to get his act together and do right by the PNC, or face the embarrassment of public abandonment. He must try hard to merge the leadership styles of Desmond Hoyte, Robert Corbin, and David Granger into one whole, fusing it with his qualities that are good in order to become president or an effective political leader.

If he refuses the advice or constructive criticism, the leaders should rally the members of the party at Congress to have him removed.

The CE should have a

dialogue with the feuding parties in Congress Place in order to get the unity and collectiveness restored. Personalities aside, they should focus on working to get the people genuine representations in the National Assembly and start to hold government accountable both inside and outside the parliament.

It also should restart the conversations with political parties to reignite the flame in APNU and future coalitions or electoral alliances.

While it does that, the sector leaders in Parliament should focus their attention to coming up with counter policies, positions and plans for their sectors and Guyana as a rapidly developing nation.

History is replete with examples of political movements dying because of lack of continuity and leadership crisis like these; do not let this political organism be another such statistic.

Deadly fire… The fallout

I AM still in a state of partial shock, one week after the awful news I woke up to last Monday morning, when I learned that 19 children had died in a fire in Mahdia. Indeed, the nation is still reeling from what is the worst tragedy of its kind to ever happen in this country.

The flames which swept through the Mahdia Secondary School Girls’ Dormitory, also injured several others, who had to be air-dashed to Georgetown for treatment. Eighteen teenaged girls and the 5-year-old son of the dormitory custodian perished in the blaze.

And if I am in this state of emotional upheaval, how much more so must be the survivors, family, friends and especially the parents of the deceased, some of whom lost their only child and in one instance lost twins.

The fact that the fire

was apparently deliberately set by one of the girls, upset over the confiscation of her cell phone, makes this act even more horrendous, especially because 13 of the girls were burned beyond recognition.

Adding to their stress, some parents have therefore had to submit to DNA testing so that remains can be properly identified. Then there is the ‘waiting game’, as the samples had to be shipped abroad for testing. So, while some have been able to claim the bodies of their children, others have not.

Also, at the time of writing, several girls – all in their early and midteens – were still hospitalised – and at least one was fighting for her life owing to the severity of the burns.

These parents now have to suffer the anguish of visiting their children in hospital, many wondering when and if they will

recover and all knowing that these girls will be left with both emotional and physical scars for the rest of their lives.

While at this time I know little about the young woman responsible for this tragedy and what actions will be taken against her, as investigations are ongoing, I do know that she suffered injuries but escaped the fire.

However, the word ‘escape’ may not even apply to her as I am certain that she will be plagued by mental health issues throughout her life when she absorbs the horror of what she has done to people she knew, some of whom were probably her friends.

Yet I must wonder at the circumstances which led this teenager to take such drastic action and what other measures could have been taken to deal with the matter of her involvement with an older

man and to prevent such a horrific outcome.

These issues need to be addressed and lessons learned, particularly as it applies to the handling of adolescents, the provision of adequate facilities and the security protocols that need to be instituted to keep them safe in such an environment.

It is not enough, nor is it desirable, for us to simply lay all the blame for this tragedy at ‘the feet’ of the young girl who lit the flame and to cast aspersions on her ethnic background.

The period of adolescence is a difficult one, fraught with psychological, emotional and physical changes, which can happen differently for each teen.

It is a time that young girls are most susceptible to outside influences, particularly that of their peers, and when they seek greater independence from adults. It is also a period during which teens may become rebellious and begin to ‘act out’. Perhaps that was the case with this teenager and we have yet

to see what legal action may be taken against the older man involved.

We are told by experts that adolescence can be a time of confusion, given the physical and mental changes taking place and a time requiring “great adjustment” in moving from “the world of the child to the world of the adult.”

While I certainly do not condone the dreadful actions of this teenager, I urge those who are the guardians and caregivers of adolescents to ‘sit up and take notice.’

Rather than just meting out punishment, we also need to do as the experts advise and “open conversations” about the issues

that impact our young people.

The Health Children Organization recommends, “This open door will help with conversations about other important topics such as healthy relationships, sex, sexuality, consent and safety…”

Along with proper security and meaningful supervision it may also help to avert the kind of tragedy that has left this nation mourning.

My heartfelt condolences to the parents, families and friends of the deceased and my thoughts and prayers remain with the parents of those who are still hospitalised.

Guyana: Race and class in 2023

In my first column for the Chronicle last Monday, I traced the class demands and class yearnings of the Mulatto/ Creole petty bourgeoisie from the 1940s. I stopped at the point where the MCC decided to team up with Forbes Burnham, although there were inherent problems in such a marriage because of class and race.

The League of Coloured People that was instrumental in getting the MCC to form their own political party saw the PNC as a working-class entity that rests within the bosom of the darker-skinned sections of Guyana.

The MCC folks do not consider themselves Africans, although they have African genes genetically. They used the typology of Mulatto/Creole to describe themselves. They consider the ethnic makeup of the Mulatto/Creole class not part of the African race.

This thinking forms an integral part of their psyche for two reasons. They know that they have Caucasian blood, which they contemptuously and conveniently use to ingratiate themselves in a post-colonial society. This happens in Guyana even to this day.

For example, formidable historian Professor Clem Seecharran (a dark-skinned non-Christian) told me on the Gildarie-Freddie Kissoon Show that he knows UG would never consider him for the Walter Rodney Chair. But the quintessential MCC personality, Dr. Alissa Trotz is on the consideration list.

A few months ago, Professor Percy Hintzen, a sociologist that I once knew when I was a student at UG, wrote a commentary edited by Dr. Trotz in which he openly exclaimed, “When people ask me what I am, I reply that I am a Guyanese creole. This is how my identity was forged, and where my interactions have been, and continue to be, most intense.”

I got to know how the mind of the MCC personality is shaped through my long friendship with the great women activist, Andaiye (deceased). I would use Freudian analysis on her to understand her psyche. My exercise proved invaluable.

Andaiye as Sandra Williams was born into middle-class luxury. But she was very dark-skinned, which had a troubling psychic effect on her. She felt deep down in the prison walls of her mind that she may never be accepted into a class that she wanted to be an essential part of.

So to find acceptance, she married a White UG lecturer, Bill Carr (deceased) and her best friend was a White woman, Mrs. Jackson, the wife of Guyana’s then Foreign Minister, Rashleigh Jackson. Andaiye went out of her way to court the friendship of prominent MCC personalities.

In fact, Andaiye’s relationship with the MCC mirrors that of another very dark-complexioned, prominent, middle-class citizen, Hugh Cholmondeley (deceased). Both Andaiye and Cholmondeley hardly cultivated any friendships with dark-complexioned Afro-Guyanese and dark-complexioned Indians. I honestly do not know, up to this day, why Andaiye appreciated me.

I cite these two examples because they give an insight into the nature of the MCC in relation to race and culture. We are now seeing how contemptuous of Indians and dark skinned Africans is the MCC and this explains their attitude toward the PPP and Cheddi Jagan since the late 1940s. This will lead us to a discussion of the role of the MCC from March 2020.

The second reason in understanding the mind of the MCC is the house slave world they descended from. The descendants of the house slaves carry the profound Freudian underpinning that colonial society saw them as special and educated them for

the takeover of power.

For two good sources describing and analysing the house-slave mentality, see the following two books edited by David Lowenthal and Lambros Comitas, “Slaves, Citizens, and Free Men” and “Consequences of Class and Colour.”

Out of this mentality was born the instinct of entitlement. From the formation of the League of Coloured People and the National Democratic Party right through to the founding of the WPA and AFC by the MCC, this class wants to have power. This instinct obtains in all the French and British islands in the West Indies

and Guyana. They feel a natural entitlement.

When the layperson hears about the MCC, they naturally ask where that class is today since Guyana has changed considerably from the 1940s. The MCC is very much alive in Guyana. Today’s

MCC personalities are the descendants from the 1970 and 1980 generations. The high schools of School of the Nations, Mae’s, Marian Academy, and the American School in Prashad Nagar are the breeding ground. Their meeting spot is Moray House.

I attended a general meeting of the School of the Nations to decide on the school switching from CXC to Cambridge GCE. The MCC parents were quite barefaced in their contempt for the Caribbean examination. To be continued.

Tom Sanzillo’s assertion that ‘Guyana risks economic wipe out’ extremely careless and unsubstantiated

SUMMARY

IT is worth noting at the outset that Tom Sanzillo is associated with an organisation, namely the IEEFA, that is funded by renewable energy advocates globally. And accordingly, the work of the organization by Tom Sanzillo and his colleagues are often skewed against multinational oil companies, especially ExxonMobil.

Pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Production Sharing Agreement (PSA), the Environmental Act, inter alia, the Environmental Permit, there is absolutely no ambiguity that it is XOM/EEPGL and its co-ventures’ primary responsibility to bear the cost of any environmental liabilities. As illustrated herein, the analysis of Tom Sanzillo evidently ignored many key variables and considerations that in effect, rendered his conclusion that Guyana risks economic wipeout an unsubstantiated view.

BACKGROUND

Reference is made to a Kaieteur News article in its May 27th, 2023, edition, where Sanzillo is quoted as saying “Guyana risks economic decimation as it would leave to pick up the bill for an oil spill from XOM’s operations.” The analyst, however, failed to

justify how he arrived at that conclusion―and he also failed to consider a multiplicity of factors that would have lend to him forming a more informed professional view on the issue.

Readers may recall that Tom Sanzillo and this author had engaged in numerous debate on a variety of issues in Guyana’s oil and gas industry over the last few years. And on every occasion, I had demonstrated his mediocre and flawed analyses. After a long time, he has once again re-emerged at the request of a certain newspaper publisher, to comment on the recent High Court’s ruling in respect of the “parent company guarantee” that ExxonMobil (XOM) and its co-venture partners need to provide.

Discussion and Analysis

Pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Production Sharing Agreement (PSA), the Environmental Act, inter alia, the Environmental Permit, there is absolutely no ambiguity that it is XOM/EEPGL and its co-ventures’ primary responsibility to bear the cost of any environmental liabilities.

So, for the readers benefit, hereunder stated are some of the key variables and factual, legal, and technical considerations that Tom Sanzillo completely ignored in his analysis:

i) Article 28 of the PSA speaks to the Contractor’s social responsibility and protection of the environment. Article 28.1 states that “in accordance with the Environmental Protection Act, 1996, the Contractor shall obtain an environmental authorization as required from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and comply with the provisions of that EPA in relation to any activity of this Agreement that is governed by the EPA Act… Article 28.3 states “in furtherance of regulation 6 of the Regulations in the conduct of Petroleum Operations, the Contractor shall take necessary and adequate precautions, in accordance with good international industry practice, against pollution and for the protection of the environment and the living resources of the rivers and sea.”…Article 28.6 states that “If the Contractor does not act promptly pursuant to Article 28.4 so as to control or clean up any pollution within a reasonable period specified by the Minister, the Minister may, after giving the Contractor reasonable notice in the circumstances, take any actions which are necessary in accordance with good international petroleum industry practice and the reasonable costs and

expenses of such actions shall be borne by the Contractor.”

ii) In accordance with the Environmental Protection Act Section 31 (1) states that “the Agency may include in any environmental authorization a requirement that the person to whom that environmental authorization is issued shall provide financial assurance to the State for any one or more of the following”,

a) the performance of any action or compliance with the condition specified in any environmental authorization;

b) the provision of alternate water supplies to replace those that the Agency has reasonable grounds to believe are or are likely to be contaminated or otherwise inferred with by the works to which the environmental authorization relates; and

c) measures appropriate to prevent adverse effects upon and following the cessation of closing of the works.

d) Section (2) of the Environmental Act states that… “A requirement under subsection (1) shall specify the amount of the financial assurance and may provide that the financial assurance may be provided, reduced, or released in stages specified in the environmental authorization”.

iii) As of FY 2022, the

total assets of the Guyana operations (EEPGL, HESS and CNOOC) stood US$19 billion. As such, the value of the total assets plus the parent company guarantee of US$2 billion and the insurance coverage of US$600 million, altogether amounts to US$21.6 billion in total coverage for any environmental liability that may occur at this time.

iv) More importantly to note is that the insurance coverage and the parent company guarantee sum is subject to revision over time. That is to say, as production increases, the number of FPSOs will increase, which means that the potential liabilities will also increase proportionately. With this in mind, since it is expected that by 2030 there will be a total of 10 FPSOs operating, resulting in an increase of total daily production of approximately 1 million barrels per day, up from 350,000 barrels per day currently; an upward revision of the parent company guarantee as well as the insurance coverage, relative to this level of increased production can be anticipated.

v) It should be noted as well that the total assets and projected future cash flow will grow substantially by billions of U.S dollars, thereby amounting to adequate financial coverage (both in the form of liquid and illiquid assets) to cover any potential environmental contingent liability. For example, by 2030 when daily production is ramped up to 1 million barrels per day, at an average price of US$60 per barrel, average annual revenue will amount to about US$21.6 billion, and total assets is estimated to reach in excess of US$100 billion by then.

It is worth noting that Tom Sanzillo is associated with an organization, namely the IEEFA, that is funded by renewable energy advocates globally. And accordingly, the work of the organization by Tom Sanzillo and his colleagues are often skewed against multinational oil companies, especially ExxonMobil. Below is an excerpt cited from an article published June 1st, 2022, by this author exposing the IEEFA’s / Tom Sanzillo’s agenda.

In the press release by Adani in August 2019, the company stated that the:

“IEEFA is known for publishing alarmist papers that attempt to discredit the fossil

fuel industry using flawed analysis in order to achieve its stated aim of transitioning to renewable energy. Its campaign to discredit Adani’s Carmichael Project began in 2013 and has involved the publication of a number of papers containing false claims and associated publicity stunts.

IEEFA has known associations with left-wing activist groups, including acting as a spokesperson in campaign videos for Get Up! which received $495,000 from the anti-fossil fuel activist group Sunrise Project last year to advance its anti-coal agenda.” Adani further urged in its statement that “while everyone is entitled to their own opinion, it is important that commentators declare their personal and financial interests upfront when discussing issues so as not to give any misrepresentations of independence and impartiality”. Adani’s full response to the IEEFA can be accessed here. https://www.bravus.com. au/fact-check-adani-respondsto-ieefa-paper-on-financialstatements/.

And for ease of reference, here is the link to the referenced article by this author (https://guyanachronicle. com/2022/06/01/spherex-analytics-article-3-2022/).

CONCLUDING REMARKS

As illustrated herein, the analysis of Tom Sanzillo evidently ignored many key variables and considerations that in effect, rendered his conclusion that Guyana risks economic wipeout an unsubstantiated view.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

J oel Bhagwandin is a public policy/financial analyst―and an experienced financial professional with more than fifteen years’ experience in the financial sector, corporate finance, financial management, consulting, and academia. He is actively engaged in providing insights and analyses on a range of public policy, economic and finance issues in Guyana over the last six years. He has authored more than 300 articles covering a variety of thematic areas. Joel has also written extensively on the oil and gas sector. (Author’s professional profile on LinkedIn can be accessed here: https://www. linkedin.com/in/joel-bhagwandin-57481470/.)

Guyana’s right to produce oil and remain environmentally sustainable isn’t mutually exclusive

GUYANA has been steadfast in developing its oil and gas sector ever since first oil in 2015 and resource estimates now top 11 billion barrels of oil equivalent.

Within the last two years, critics far and wide have pronounced impending doom from the resource curse, Dutch disease and other maladies that befall resource-rich nations.

But, thus far, Guyana remains on course to responsibly develop its oil, while spreading the benefits of development to other areas of the economy and protecting the environment in the process.

In May 2022, at a CARICOM-US forum, Guyana’s sovereign right to produce its oil and gas was a heavily-debated subject. President Irfaan Ali asked attendees: “if you’re locking out new suppliers, it is to whose advantage? We can very well be creating a monopoly for those who are already in the business, who have already extracted this natural resource and developed their own jurisdiction.”

For Guyana, oil represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to modernise the country after decades of low growth and economic malaise. Even critics of fossil fuel development recognise that the world will need oil for the foreseeable future and countries can both develop those resources and invest for the future.

Norway is one prime example, having amassed a vast fortune since its offshore oil discoveries decades ago. It now stewards those investments in one of the world’s most prolific sovereign wealth funds and invests in high growth areas such as re-

newable energy, while providing extensive funding for climate adaptation and forestry conservation. This is proof that it is possible to produce responsibly and protect the environment while doing so.

President Ali echoed a concern from many developing countries that those who benefitted the most from industrialisation and modernised their economies with fossil fuels should not stand in the way of countries like Guyana who rely on multilateral funding from partners to bring large-scale projects to life.

Restrictive investment policies that prevent new fossil fuel infrastructure could unfairly block development from new producers while allowing entrenched players to continue to be the sole beneficiaries.

With Guyana as a site for some of the biggest discoveries in the last few decades for offshore drilling, it’s no wonder that the offshore oil industry is seeing a resurgence and an increase in spending for the first time in years. Rystad Energy’s April 2022 report found that offshore spending will account for 68 per cent of spending on newly-sanctioned projects over the next two years, and “will eclipse $100 billion in 2023 and 2024,” with Guyana being a prime example.

Contrary to some critics, Guyana has taken measures to support its rapid pace of development and maintain its responsibility to mitigate the impacts of climate change and be good environmental stewards. Continued investments in all areas such as skills certification, safety, spill response and remediation

Guyana’s ability to prevent and recover from an incident.

Just last weekend, the Private Sector Commission urged the country to find a balance between development and the need to earn revenues and the environment.

“It is inconceivable that any sensible Guyanese would consider reversing

this massive progress but, yes, every sensible Guyanese must also consider the absolute need to also sustain and protect our environment and guard against the unlikely and highly improbable event of an oil spill and its consequential fallout.”

To this point, according to the Ministry of Finance Guyana has already

received 20 per cent of the projected US$1.63 billion in 2023 revenues as of April, which is held in the Natural Resource Fund. More oil revenues in the Fund creates a cushion in case of economic emergencies and allows the government to further invest in benefits for the Guyanese people such as improved infrastructure

and investments in other sectors like agriculture, education, or health. Guyana has come so far over the last few years, and despite the critics, it has secured its position as a leading producer because the world will require oil and gas for decades to come and Guyana will be there to help to meet that need.

Complete reform needed at City Council to keep abreast of country’s modernisation

By Tamica Garnett

WITH Local Government Elections (LGE) mere weeks away and Georgetown poised for a new council, Chairman of the 2009 Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the Mayor and City Council (MCC), Keith Burrowes, says that the municipality is critically in need of a redesigned assembly and a strong city plan. In an exclusive sit down with the Sunday Chronicle, the former

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Office for Investment (GO-Invest), also supported calls for the upgrading of the legislation governing local government organs.

“Georgetown is being modernised around a City Council that unless it is completely reformed, it cannot respond to the modernisation that is taking place, because there is so much interlink between the two,” Burrowes related.

Burrowes has intricate knowledge into the operations of City Hall, having spent over a year studying the functioning of the municipality, and later, producing a report containing some 45 recommendations.

The recommendations in Burrowes’ CoI final report received bipartisan acceptance and support from the councillors, however, years later, the recommendations remain to be implemented.

Over the years, the councillors have simply continued to shift blame on the lack of movement on the recommendations. In 2018, a subsequent CoI into City Hall ordered by the Local Government Commission (LGC) further validated that the recommendations of Burrowes’ report should have been implemented.

The capital city, Georgetown is currently managed by a 30-seat council that presides over the city’s 15 constituencies, aided by the administrative arm which is headed by the Town Clerk.

From his study, Burrowes recalls that the Council, which was headed by then Mayor Hamilton Greene, made

managing the city all the more difficult by inhibiting the work of the administration.

However, Burrowes noted that while he had the full support of the then Mayor, there were several other councillors who were stymying movement and development of the municipality.

“They had some really good people working there [in the administration]; technically capable people, and when I started to look at the system, I started to realise that the culture was so anchored into a particular way that if you come in and you’re a professional, there is no way that you can survive if you don’t fall into line.

“I had endless meeting with the management team and the junior staff from different departments; there were people there who really wanted to see change but the system was not allowing it. The Council was an impediment,” Burrowes noted.

Over the years, the Georgetown Council has been plagued with accountability issues, and mismanagement; issues with garbage collection, lack of cleaning

and maintenance of infrastructure including drainage; roadways continue to decline.

On the issue of accountability, Burrowes attested that he unearthed rampant flouting of accounting practices as it pertains to the Council’s finances.

“If there is a new Council, one of the first things that they should do is run a parallel accounting system. When I was operating there, nothing on the balance sheet, nothing on the financial statements were correct. They didn’t have any documents to support receivables, or payables. There is no supporting documentation to validate the info in the financial statements,” he noted.

However, with the

country currently on a path of massive development due to the burgeoning oil and gas industry, citizens wait with bated breath to see the capital city aligned with the transformation taking place across the rest of the country.

Burrowes believes that a new, vibrant council may be able to breathe new life into the city.

“With a new council consisting of people who are professionals, we would start to see change almost immediately. There’s still a lot of development in Georgetown, but the fact is, we need to have a properly functioning City Council and I believe once the people are professional, the technical people who have been appointed to do the job will do the job,” Burrowes reasoned.

On that note, Burrowes believes that the future of Georgetown now lays in the hands of its citizens.

“I’m not saying whom anyone should vote for, but I would say citizens should be objective in what they’re doing and they choose. It’s about who can make the difference,” Burrowes noted.

“A City Council that is not functioning as it should would not be able to respond on a timely basis and therefore it will affect the organisation. We need a modernisation plan. Development is occurring all across Guyana and you need to have city plans. You need to have a very strong city planning department to respond to the changes that are going on. A very, very strong city planning unit that is highly technical.”

Keith Burrowes

Over 200 participate in STRIDE592’s inaugural MilesforMoms

STRIDE592 held the first ever MilesforMoms, Walk Run Move 5K, which saw close to 250 participants of all ages and fitness levels gathered at the National Park to celebrate the spirit of motherhood and promote a healthy, active lifestyle.

According to a press release, Onika Jervis, founder of STRIDE592, said that she is grateful to everyone who made MilesforMoms a success last May 13.

“It was beautiful to look out and see so many of my Guyanese sisters and brothers and friends having a great time. We made memories that will last a lifetime,” Jervis noted.

MilesforMoms kicked off with a Soca warm up by Guyanese artiste and fitness enthusiast, Vanilla and then participants set off on an electronically timed route through the National Park,

up Carifesta Avenue, and looped down the seawall, back into the National Park where every finisher was greeted with a cold water coconut and a finishers’ medal.

Following the walk, participants enjoyed healthy foods such as porridge, provisions and salads, to refuel before gathering for the intergenerational school games: sack races, limbo, egg and spoon, three-legged race and more.

Buxton Visions drummers led in singing folk songs and local vendors participated as well. Each participant was gifted goodie bags of fresh vegetables.

Guyanese designer and franchise holder of the Miss Guyana Culture Queen Pageant, Randy Madray was in attendance with the delegates of the 2023 pageant.

Madray said, "I think this was a great initiative. It

brought together people of all walks of life. I believe the way in which it was done was welcoming to everyone. I can really see this growing bigger and better, and with hope that the collaboration between STRIDE592 and Miss Guyana Culture Queen continues annually.”

Kim Cernek said that as a Peace Corps volunteer living in Georgetown, she was grateful to have discovered the existence of the event. She related that she is looking forward to the next event.

“The success of MilesforMoms would not have been possible without the generous support of sponsors and dedicated volunteers. Partner supporters are Healthcare International, Mobile Money Guyana (MMG), Living Turkoise, Supreme Laundromat, Global Logistics Services

and Signature Moves Marketing Agency,” the press release stated.

Also present at the MilesforMoms event were the Guyana Culture Queen Pageant Finalists, Mathew Gaul of Common Cents, Prince Copping Fit, Prowell Fitness, Renata Bailey, Gabriella Chapman, Sophie Dolphin and Tianna Springer, record-breaking 400 meter athlete at the South America U-20 Championships.

STRIDE592 is a Guyanese homecoming cele -

bration of healthy living, joy, family and community togetherness.

It was founded and registered in 2022 with local businesses and community support. STRIDE592 produces year-round fun walking and running events to enhance the exposure of the community to the health, social and economic benefits of embracing a lifestyle.

“Our goal is to give everyone whether a seasoned athlete, first-time participant or tourist alike the chance to win their race by providing

them an amazing experience from the time they register until the moment they reach the finish line and celebration after party. Events will be professionally staffed with race production, medical and security teams,” the release said.

STRIDE592 collaborates with local and national businesses, community organisations, schools, and governmental offices to have diverse participants and community support. They can be contacted via move@stride592.com.

Scenes from MilesforMoms (STRIDE592 photos)

Major outfall for Region Three to enhance drainage

RESIDENTS of Goed Fortuin, on the West Bank of Demerara, on Saturday heard from President Dr. Irfaan Ali about the government's plans for the creation of a new outfall in the district to enhance drainage in the area.

President Ali spoke

about the infrastructure during a community meeting held at the Hugh Anderson Sports Complex in Goed Fortuin.

The outfall at reference is expected to be similar in structure to the Hope Canal, in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), and would ensure that water

flows rapidly out of the rain-affected communities on the West Bank.

During the 2011 floods, several villages on the coastland escaped being devastated by flood waters due to the Northern Relief Channel that was constructed at Hope/Dochfour on the East Coast

Outside of Region Three (Essequibo Islands – West Demerara), similar outfalls are also in the works for Regions Five (Mahaica-Berbice) and Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).

In 2021, the government began technical work to advance the creation of

replicas of the Hope Canal.

The President’s meeting in Goed Fortuin was the first of a series of stops that he made in the Region on Saturday as he shared the government's objective in creating positive change across the country.

Besides announcing

that the area would be massively transformed through the implementation of enhanced infrastructure, job opportunities, and developmental projects, the President also listened to the concerns of the residents and made on-the-spot decisions to resolve them.

Demerara.

Albouystown residents welcome road works

WORKS on the Independence Boulevard in Albouystown, Georgetown are expected to be completed within a few days’ time, according to Mohammed Ali, a representative of Rim Constructions.

During an interview with the Sunday Chronicle, Ali said the construction began in September 2022; he noted that while there were some setbacks in the beginning stages, works progressed smoothly on the road.

The construction of Independence Boulevard starts from Saffron Street Albouystown and ends at Cemetery Road; the Boulevard at this point, has a paved walk-

way, along with benches and street lights from Ramoutar and Sons Contracting Services.

Some residents of the developing area shared their thoughts on the construction works occurring. One resident who wished to remain anonymous said, “We’re grateful for the enhancements. There has been a significant enhancement for the area, more security. Overall, we’re grateful for the progress.”

He added that the road was very inaccessible but now, there has been a significant ‘ease’ to residents. “We’re hoping there is some level of committee work that can be put in to maintain the current enhancement.”

A resident, who identified himself as Harry, noted that the project is a good one.

“It just bring proper road to the community. What we’re supposed to get. That’s beneficial I think for everybody. Every citizen, everybody got to use the roadways.”

Meanwhile, Rudolph Joe, another resident shared that the enhancements are a good improvement. He explained that these works were never done in Albouystown before.

Joe pointed out that there were no lights, or proper drainage systems in place before construction began, however he has already seen that has changed.

Road works are progressing in the community of Albouystown

Mohammed Ali of Rim Constructions

Abouystown resident, Rudolph Joe

Abouystown resident, Harry

Critically injured Mahdia fire victim medivacked to NY hospital

ONE of the two critically-injured girls, who were receiving treatment at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) following the tragic Mahdia Secondary School dorm fire, was, on Saturday, medically evacuated to the Northwell Health, Burns Centre, Staten Island University Hospital for further treatment.

According to a press release from the Ministry of Health, while at the GPHC, the13-year-old child underwent two surgeries and her condition, though critical, improved steadily. The transfer was deemed necessary out of an abundance of pre-

caution and made in the best interest of the patient.

President Dr. Irfaan Ali had agreed that the child should receive the best care available for burn victims and pledged full governmental support to the family to see the safe return of the child.

The Global Rescue Air Ambulance departed the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) at approximately 14:25 hours and is expected to arrive in New York at 23:30 hours.

“The 13-year-old girl was accompanied by her mother to New York. The mother will receive support from the Northwell Hospital which

has waived all costs for medical care,” the press release stated.

The former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carolyn

Rodrigues, who is presently serving as Guyana's UN Representative in New York will give all necessary support to the mother and child.

The GPHC team had discussed with several of the top hospitals in the United States of America, the possibility of offering specialised medical care for the child and it was agreed that she would be best managed at the Northwell Burns Centre, Staten Island University Hospital in New York.

Northwell Burns Center in New York is recognised among the top burn centres globally. The Ministry of Health and the GPHC wished the child a full and speedy recovery.

The Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony and Adviser to the Minister of Health, Dr Leslie Ramsammy, were present to see the departure of the child and to give support to the father and mother.

A GPHC team, led by Dr. Shilindra Rajkumar, Head of the Burns Unit, and his team of doctors, were on hand to assist in the movement of the patient from GPHC to CJIA.

The Hospital's Director

of Medical and Professional Services, Dr. Navin Rambaran and other GPHC doctors, and Robbie Rambarran, the Chief Executive Officer of the GPHC, were also present. The devastating fire started after 23:00 hours on May 21 and continued into the wee hours the next morning at the female dorms of the Mahdia Secondary School located in Region Eight. Authorities confirmed that 18 girls and one boy died in the fire. Another 29 girls were injured in the fire. Many of them have received the necessary treatment for their physical injuries and are receiving mental health support.

It was reported that the fire was started by a young student, but safety concerns about the dormitory have been raised. Dormitories like the one destroyed at Mahdia house students who live far away from nearby schools.

Scenes from the 13-year-old’s departure from the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation

More speech therapists, audiologists needed in health sector

GIVEN the scarcity of Speech and Language therapists and audiologists in Guyana’s health sector, the Ministry of Health (MoH) is working on promoting the profession and encouraging more individuals to join the field.

This was disclosed by Speech and Language Therapist, Sonia Fredericks, during Health Matters, a programme hosted by Alicia Martin.

“We have started with a lot of advertisements just letting the public know that we are here and the service that we provide,” Fredericks said.

She noted that in order to build a strong foundation, they need more human resources. Guyana currently only has 11 speech and language therapists, with 10 of them serving in Georgetown.

This means that individuals in other regions are left without access to these services, relying solely on rehabilitation assistants.

She explained that the University of Guyana (UG) will soon recommence the two in one Medical Rehabilitation-Bachelor of Sciences in Speech-Language Therapy and Audiology Programme.

“What is great is that from branching off when you finish your studies, you can either practice as an audiologist or as a speech and language therapist but the key thing is that you have both,” Fredericks related.

The programme was designed by the American Speech and Hearing Association.

While some might think that being a speech therapist means only dealing with children, Fredericks said that they deal with adult patients who have suffered from strokes, leaving their speech affected and those who may have swallowing and feeding problems.

“It is a wide field. It is not just with the children; it is adults; it is in the hospital setting and then it is also in the school setting. So, basically because we are limited in our human resources, we have not been able to play that role in the school setting,” Fredericks said.

She related that the Health Ministry would like to expand and introduce speech therapists within schools and throughout the country.

Fredericks further explained that audiology deals with hearing, testing and the treatment of hearing diseases which have special techniques to treat them.

To enroll into UG’s programme, an individual would need five Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) subjects, inclusive of English, Mathematics and one Science subject, with grades one to three passes.

For persons over the age of 26 wishing to register, an entrance exam would need to be written and a score of over 60 per cent would have to be attained.

Meanwhile, those persons already in the health field with MoH training programmes certificates and three years’ experience in the health sector, qualify to enroll for the programme.

Speech and Language Therapist Sonia Fredericks

NM Trucking inks US$90M contract to build state-of-the-art showroom

NM Trucking Auto Sales and Agri Machinery, recently inked the final binding agreement with Xuzhou Construction Machinery Group (XCMG) for the con-

struction of a state-ofthe-art showroom.

According to a press release, representatives of NM Trucking, including Nasrudeen ‘Juniour’ Mohamed, travelled to Brazil

and signed the initial Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on February 9, 2023, at the office of XCMG Brazil Industria LTDA, the South American headquarters.

With the value of the three-year term contract set at US$90 million, NM Trucking said the construction of a state-of-the-art facility has commenced.

“Special attention and emphasis will be placed on heavy-duty construction, asphalt paving, mining and lifting equipment and machinery,” the press release stated.

After all, the necessary preparations were made locally to accommodate the first shipment of machines from XCMG; Mohamed then travelled to China to close the deal and was given a tour of the factory located at No. 1 Industry Area, Xuzhou Economic Development Zone Jiangsu, Mainland China.

“We understand the needs of the Guyana market and are willing to make the investment to boost the standard and quality of projects in Guyana. After signing the final documents, NM Trucking can focus heavily on the completion of their new showroom,” he was quoted as saying in the press release.

The first three shipments are expected to arrive in Guyana in the month of June, July

and August with 41, 30 and 54 pieces of equipment respectively per shipment.

NM Trucking and by extension Jumbo Jet has been responsible for the importation of over 80 per cent of the heavy-duty machinery and trucks for the past 28 years. The company has established a solid foundation in the mining and construction sector with their sales and efficient after service.

Rated as the third largest supplier of heavy-duty equipment, XCMG is eager to enter the vastly growing Guyana market.

XCMG was founded in 1943 and has since stood at the forefront of construction machinery and has grown significantly into one of the world’s largest and most influential enterprise groups with its global annual sales exceeding US$14 billion for three consecutive years.

Representing XCMG Group were General Manager and Head of XCMG South American countries, LiHanguang; Commercial Director of XCMG South American Group, Wu Shuxin; and Manager of International Business Department and NM Trucking Director, Nasrudeen ‘Juniour’ Mohamed, Sanjeev Caimraj and associate Nishant Sudhakar.

Nasradeen ‘Juniour’ Mohamed and Commercial Director of XCMG South American Group, Wu Shuxin signing the agreement

Tree planting exercise launched to increase community awareness on Climate Change

- special tree planted in honour of Mahdia fire victims

‘ARTS and The Environment’, a tree planting project coupled with an upcycling and arts programme, has been in gestation by the Rupununi Music and Arts Festival for nearly two years, and was successfully launched at the office of Visit Rupununi in Lethem, Region Nine, on Independence Day.

A special tree was planted in honour of the children who died in the horrific fire at Mahdia.

“Climate Change is not about something out there; the raging fires in Europe or Australia, the tsunamis in Bangladesh, the drought across Africa; Climate Change is about our behaviour and our reluctance to change,” Festival Director, Dr Bob Ramdhanie has said.

He feels that the arts, as instruments of social change, have a key role to play in increasing community awareness.

“As individuals, we may think we have no contribution to make, but alas, that’s not true! We can recycle and upcycle; we can repair more and buy less; we can plant trees and protect the ones we have; we can eat less meat and dairy products; we can form community groups and spread awareness of the issues and we can join forces with many other organisations, to make our voices heard. Indeed, in our own small way, we can make a change by being a part of the change!”

In the coming months, the festival will be working

with local schools, community groups, creatives and others to galvanise action in communities and get more folks involved in simple activities that would yield positive results in the longer term.

The festival’s programme, ‘Arts & The Environment’ is sponsored by Thistle Construction (Guyana) Inc., in partnership with a range of other supporters including the Government of Guyana, The University of Guyana, Cara Lodge, TGA, Giftland Mall and Visit Rupununi.

Luke Johnson, the festival’s co-ordinator of the tree planting initiative, was key in bringing on board Thistle Construction (Guyana) Inc., as having worked with them, he believes that their approach to eco-friendly construction in Guyana is a positive step and resonates deeply with the values of the festival.

“The festival is a member of and the representative for Guyana within the Caribbean Tree Planting Project (CTPP) and we are also a member of Policy Forum Guyana,” he said.

Throughout the programme periods, the festival will engage creatives – landscape designers, story tellers, visual and performance artistes, writers, composers and many others – to work alongside community groups, involving them in creative ways to share their stories and to develop meaningful programmes for their communities, using the arts.

The launch in Lethem today is a free event. “All are welcome. It’s a symbolic gesture for an all-year-round tree planting programme.”

The programme included a cultural presentation from the Kumu Cultural Group, along with the ‘tilling of the soil’ by local dignitaries.

Director of Rupununi Music and Arts Festival, Dr Bob Ramdhanie (second from right) with volunteers in Lethem

A special tree was planted in recognition of the children who perished in the Mahdia fire

Asset recovery necessary in Guyana’s growing economy

- so too related legislative framework in order to seize assets that are proceeds

WITH Guyana's current economic growth, particularly in its burgeoning oil and gas sector, it is crucial for judicial officers to stay up to date with the latest best prac-

tices on asset recovery and civil forfeiture to ensure proper adjudication of cases related to these matters.

This was according to Chancellor of the Judiciary,

Yonette Cummings-Edwards, who was addressing the opening of the two-day “Judicial Asset Recovery Conference” at the Marriott Hotel in Georgetown on Monday.

“We were told growing up that crime does not pay and the proceeds of crime, the ill-gotten gains, are only for a time. And this is so because the state and the law-enforcement agen-

of crime

cies will come after those elements who tried to get rich by criminal means and to get their assets,” the Chancellor said.

She added that the goal of the conference is to engage members of the judiciary in the area of asset recovery, building knowledge, and sharing best practices in conviction-based and non-conviction-based asset recovery.

“It's no secret that Guyana has experienced an economic boom, or we've been on that trajectory. And with that, that development and the type and magnitude of such development is historic.

“The spin-off oil and gas and its related industries, and the challenges and legal issues associated with such economic development are well known. The judiciary of Guyana must meet those challenges legally and we must be above par in dealing with those issues,” Justice Cummings-Edwards said.

She encouraged the judicial officers to view the conference as an opportunity to build and enhance their capacity, and to develop key strategies for combatting asset recovery and civil forfeiture.

Also speaking at the event was the United States (US) Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch, who said that the conference will be an avenue for “an understanding of trends, discussing typical relevant issues, exploring new methods of solving problems….”

She said that the conference is aimed at advancing capacity within the judiciary of Guyana to further promote timely and reasoned adjudication on asset recovery.

“Asset Recovery legislative frameworks are critical to taking the profit from crime. While we understand the challenge of reform, we encourage counterparts to update existing legislation to give judicial officers the best possible framework through which to adjudicate these cases.

“…This conference is well timed, as it comes

in the midst of Guyana’s rapid economic transformation. It brings together regional partners to enhance knowledge of the law and share local, regional, and international best practices that will help build expertise in areas of conviction-based and non-conviction-based asset recovery in Guyana,” the US Ambassador said.

Currently, both the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) and Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act have provisions for asset recovery and civil forfeiture.

Asset recovery and civil forfeiture are legal processes used by governments to seize assets that are suspected to be the proceeds of crime, in order to prevent criminals from profiting from their illegal activities.

Asset recovery refers to the process of recovering assets that were obtained through illegal means, while civil forfeiture allows governments to seize assets, even if the owner has not been convicted of a crime, if there is evidence that the assets were obtained through illegal means.

The attendees, consisting of Judges, Magistrates, Commissioners of Titles, State Prosecutors, and Registrars, will get to interact with expert faculty including Hon. Chief Justice of Belize, the Justice of Appeal from the Supreme Court of Jamaica, High Court Judges from the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, and the Judiciary of Trinidad and Tobago, among others.

The conference was made possible by the National Center for State Courts (NCSC), which partnered with the Judicial Education Institute of Guyana, in recognition of the increased collaboration between the Government of Guyana and the Government of the United States of America on security, rule of law, and countering organised crime.

Small businesses grow when they work together and network –

says organiser of pop-up shop

CRAFTY Guy GY, led by Berbician youth Shazam Somwar, recently held its first one-day ‘Pop-up Shop’ to aid five small businesses to market their products and services, and network with customers and potential clients.

The Lot 20 Sheriff Street location (opposite Dolce which is formerly Club Monaco), was effective in accommodating the businesses, each of which brought its own unique services, ranging from locally made crafts, skincare products, candles, food, etc.

“That’s the only way we feel small businesses can grow; you work together, you network, you connect and you promote,” Somwar, who has spent several years in the field of volunteerism and humanitarian services, expressed during a chat with the Sunday Chronicle.

One of the small business owners, Lisa Deolall-Sahadeo started up ‘Scented Touch’ in 2018 in Trinidad and Tobago, and started business in Guyana last year. To her, the pop-up shop was a great experience enabling her to find new customers.

She believes that such an initiative is great for small business owners and offers this piece of advice: “Advertising is key. Take advantage of pop-up shops offered as a way to get exposure for your business and build a clientele.”

Lisa’s business is all about skincare. “We sell all the materials needed to make skincare products and candles. We also offer online courses that teach you to make these products such as candles, soaps, body scrubs, lotions, etc.,” she shared.

Quiniah Mc Pherson was also there with her business ‘Amara's Choice’ which features pepper sauce, achar, juices, detergents, coconut oil, pastries, and other products. Omeiga ‘Esha’ Joseph showcased her business ‘Esha Ankara Collection’ which features African prints and other things that she sews herself.

Kya Bovell with ‘Kustom Box’ customising games for adults and children was on hand, along with Varshanie Singh who has Kids First Fund Guyana. Her goal is to help sick children, animals and adults. She also sells locally made crafts from the Rupununi, the proceeds of which go towards the NGO.

‘Take advantage of pop-up shops offered as a way to get exposure for your business and build a clientele.’ – Small business owner Lisa Deolall-Sahadeo

The businesses that participated in the Crafty Guy GY pop-up shop

ExxonMobil Boys’ and Girls’ U-14 football tournament…

Bartica girls, Marian Academy boys score big wins

The Bartica girls and Marian Academy boys were the biggest winners of the most recent rounds of the ExxonMobil Boys and Girls U-14 football tournament.

With the weekend’s games being played at the National Insurance Scheme ground on Carifesta Avenue, both male and female action took place under sunny weather.

However, when the dust settled, it was Bartica who trumped Mackenzie High 10-0 while Marian Academy made light work of Hope Secondary via an 8-0 scoreline.

Matches continue today at the same venue.

The tournament is sponsored by Exxonmobil with support from GYSBI, DDL, under the Pepsi Brand; MVPSports, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, the Ministry of Education and the Guyana Football Federation.

See full results below GIRLS

East Ruimveldt vs Dora (East Ruimveldt won via walkover).

Vergenoegen 5 vs New Camp-

bellville 1

Vergenoegen - Emily Guera 10th,

22nd

- Esdrimar Reben 2nd, 16th, 24th

New Campbellville

- Sherira Callender

23rd

Cummings Lodge 5 vs Christ

Church 2

Cummingslodge - Dianyes Martinez 4th, 10th, 11th, 34th

- Deshaunna Bovell

30th-

Christ Church - Christina Dainty 12th

- Joslene Klass 32nd

President’s College 6 vs West Ruimveldt 0

President’s College - Kimon Edwards

6th,9th,11th,18th,25th,30th

New Central 2 vs West Min -

ster 0

New Central - Tamana Hilliman 1st

- Alyhia Detrutius 8th

Ann’s Grove 1 vs New Amster-

dam 0

Ann’s Grove - Kashaiya Tixey 6th

Waramuri 8 vs St Stanislaus

College 0

Waramuri

- Allia Henry 1st,9th,22 nd,25th,27th,28th,39th,40th

Marian Academy 1 vs IAE 0

Marian Academy

- Kaithlyn LaRose 6th

Tucville 1 vs Charlestown 0

Tucville

Ceara Glasgow 40th

Bartica 10 vs Mckenzie High 0

Bartica

- Nikesha Persaud 7th, 12th, 30th

- Nicole Joseph 4th, 23rd, 39th

- Mia Peters 7th - Candacy Robinson

14th,18th, 38th

BOYS

President College 2 vs Institute of Academic Excellence 2

President College - Ricardo Ramdihal

12th

- Steffon Castello 24th

Institute of Academic Excellence

- Ethan Persaud 15th

- Vickaycy Graham

26th

Dolphin 1 vs New Campbell -

ville 0

Dolphin - Damani Hardey 18th

Marian Academy 8 vs Hope 0

Marian Academy - Kishon Shansudeen

1st,8th

- Miciah Enoe 9th

- Jonathan Lynch 20th

- Maxwell Viapree 6th

- Kriston Vaipree 27th

- Nyhl George 34th

- Justin Tenpow 38th

New Central 6 vs Christ Church 0

New Central

- Peter khan

1st,14th,35th

- Caedon White 16th

- Trevor Gordon

26th,32nd

Fort Wellington 4 vs Annandale 1

Fort Wellington - Quivon Julius

7th,38th

- Raven Vannooten

29th,33rd

Annandale - Jehoash Thomas 28th

Bush Lot 1 vs Charity 0

Bush Lot - Ceon George 15th

Carmel 1 vs New Amsterdam 1

Carmel - Earl Lawrence 40th

New Amsterdam

- Omarion Rose 29th

Mckenzie High vs St Cuthbert

(McKenzie High won via walk over)

CWSS 3 vs Queenstown 2

CWSS

- Pharez Noble 11th

- Curt Murphy 24th

- Keimar Gishard 27th

Queenstown - Evoranso Watts 29th - Antione Taitt 26th

Anns Grove 0 vs Dora 1

Dora - Mark Younge 1st

Charlestown 1 vs West Minster 2

Charlestown - Decquan Hetsburger

13th

West Minster - Michael Singh

6th,14th

West Ruimveldt 1 vs Patentia 2

West Ruimveldt - Wayne Solomon 2nd

Patentia - Christiano Felix 6th,

17th

Vergenoegen 1 vs Bartica 2

Vergenogen - Isaac Parjohn 35th

Bartica - Riley Tracey 28th, 38th

Waramuri Top 1 vs Cummings Lodge 2

Waramuri - Shakeel Marks 24th Cummings Lodge - Cleon London 13th - Malachi Anderson 8th East Ruimveldt 5 vs St Stanislaus College 3 East Ruimveldt - Gary Primo 11th,24th - Dennis Fowler 4th, 30th - Torrel Bob-Semple

17th

St Stanislaus College - Jaron Isadore 5th, 28th - Clint Bynoe 20th Chase 3 vs North Ruimveldt 1 Chase - Daniel Chester 2nd,32nd - Tyrell Walcott 7th North Ruimveldt - Dimitre Straker 15th

Sammy identifies key areas of development for West Indies

Hetymer, Lewis, Russell, Narine named

(ESPNCRICINFO) - West Indies' newly appointed whiteball coach Daren Sammy has had "in-depth conversations" with Shimron Hetmyer, Evin Lewis, Andre Russell and Sunil Narine about their reintegration into the national side.

Hetmyer had recently made himself available for selection for the upcoming 2023 ODI World Cup Qualifiers in Zimbabwe, but he was left out of the squad because the management wanted to give a longer run to the players who had performed well in South Africa, where West Indies drew the ODI series 1-1 and took the T20I series 2-1. As for Lewis, he hasn't made himself available for West Indies selection until after CPL 2023. Russell hasn't played for West Indies since the 2021 T20 World Cup in the UAE while Narine's last appearance for West Indies was way back in August 2019. In an interview with The Cricket Monthly last year, Narine, though, had said that he hadn't shut the door on a West Indies return.

"Well, first thing I'd like to make it known is everyone who plays regional cricket is

available or is indicating that they're available for West Indies selection," Sammy said in his first press conference as the white-ball coach. "I've had conversations with both Hetty [Shimron Hetmyer] and Evin Lewis. Having played not too long ago and understanding the complaints of players - and the lack thereof of communication - I think it's important for us to communicate. It sounds simple but I understand that just clear communication makes the process better and it gives you a better understanding. So, yes, I've had in-depth conversations with Shimron and Evin Lewis about their mindset, their plans, and where they see West Indies cricket in line with themselves in [it].

"I must tell you that the feedback has been positive and I've also reached out to guys like Andre Russell. I've reached out to Sunil Narine and all these guys, too, to hear what their thoughts are. Because they still take part in some of our domestic competitions. But it takes honest and mature conversations, which is one I'm not afraid to have with the players. I'm encouraged by the

discussions that we've had when it comes to West Indies cricket, outlining clear plans as to how we reintegrate because these players….look at the caliber of Shimron…I'm sure it hurts fans to see him perform elsewhere and not in the maroon."

Sammy has been in charge of the St Lucia and Peshawar Zalmi franchises in the CPL and PSL respectively, but this West Indies assignment is his first as a coach in international cricket. Sammy hopes to draw from his experiences of having worked with former West Indies coaches Phil Simmons and Ottis Gibson.

Under Gibson and Sammy, West Indies lifted their first T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka in 2012 and four years later in India in 2016, West Indies won another T20 World Cup under the leadership of Simmons and Sammy.

Sammy also has a good working relationship with current West Indies red-ball coach Andre Coley, who had been an assistant to Simmons, when West Indies clinched that T20 World Cup title seven years ago.

"For someone who didn't have the desire to go into coaching, they're more of coaches I've worked with - whether in fran-

chise cricket or the West Indies team or the different teams I've played," Sammy said. "I've garnered so much knowledge that I could implement for myself. Ottis Gibson and I are quite close. We've always been in contact from way before he came into the set-up and we had a very good relationship, in terms of planning our cricket and how we presented to our guys.

"I also worked with Phil and we won a championship together, so everybody has their own styles. For me, all what I've garnered and now putting all this into my style but my way is not the highway. It's incorporating everybody to pull in one direction and try to get results for our team. And try to inspire the next generation of cricketers and our fans."

Sammy: WI are not 'far off' from being an elite team

Sammy's immediate focus is a three-match ODI series against the UAE in Sharjah in June, which will form part of the preparations for the World Cup Qualifiers in Zimbabwe in June-July. His long-term focus is to lift West Indies from the bottom half of the ICC rankings. They're currently tenth in ODIs and seventh in T20Is, but Sammy feels they're not "far off"

from being a top international side.

"Numbers don't lie. We're No. 9 [10] and No. 8 [7] respectively," Sammy said. "We're there for a reason, and we've not been consistent enough, but then when I look at the data ahead of me - what we've done in the last five years, where we've been losing games in different stages… Man, we're not far off, and that excites me. When I say I try to build an elite team, I look at what openers are doing around the world overseas, we're not far off. Different stages of the game where spin is killing us between

overs 11-40, you know areas we could improve.

"When I look at the one percenters, if we could improve on certain areas and just be more aware of the situation, probably a different mindset and better skills and better execution, we're not far off. If we could build on these things and improve the small goals that I have for the team...we want to start improving on our rankings by the time our year ends. We want to finish in the top eight next year and start taking these little steps."

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER

(Sunday May 28, 2023)

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

Answers to yesterday’s quiz:

(1) Mohammed Shami - 24 wickets (GT)

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

Today’s Quiz:

(1) Which wicket-keeper effected most dismissals in the preliminary rounds of IPL 2023?

(2) What was the highest partnership in the preliminary phase?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue ……………………………………………

PPP/C ‘One Guyana’ Beach Football continues tonight in Linden

Play in the men’s and women’s categories of the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic Linden ‘One Guyana’ $1M Beach Football tournament is on tonight.

The quarterfinal game will start from 18.00hrs with a number of interesting encounters carded for outside of the host’s Industrial Area Mackenzie office.

Tonight’s matches include Main Street versus Amazing, YMCA facing Minerals, Speightland opposing Kara Kara United, and Young Gunners versus Elite Ballers.

In the female class, Exodus will take on Nurses.

Last Friday’s action featured exciting action where the male teams of Swag and Dynamo, along with Speightland women were impressive.

The first men’s game of the evening was between Good Fellas and Rockstone, with Good Fellas easing past their opponents 2-0 thanks to Akel Plass and Kelvin Blake.

The second game of the evening was a female clash where Dynamo FC girls made light work of Milerock Scorpions with a 6-0 scoreline.

Shanice Johnson and Glendy Lewis each got doubles while single strikes were

delivered by Jalade Trim and Sandra Johnson.

In the second men’s game, Swag arrested Police 5-1 as Colwyn Drakes, who was in ripping form, scored all five for the Swag team which is favoured to lift this title, having recently carted off the Linden Guinness Greatest in the Streets football a few weeks ago.

Ezikiel Prince notched in the lone goal for the losers.

R9’s men then battled their way past Young Ballers 4-3, with Omar Brewley getting a hat-trick along with Tyric McAllister’s lone strike.

Dequan Samuels scored

looking for revenge

The 'Return of the Scorpio' Boxing Extravaganza is set to take place this Saturday, featuring a highly anticipated rematch between Jamaican boxer, Britney MacFarlane and her Guyanese rival, Alesha Jackman.

MacFarlane, a talented 22-year-old fighter, is seeking revenge after her defeat in their previous encounter in 2019.

MacFarlane, who was crowned the Best Female Boxer in the Caribbean School Boys and Junior Championship in 2018, expressed her determination to claim victory this time around.

She emphasized her improved skills and mentioned that she knows what to expect from Jackman since they have fought before. Representing Jamaica is of great importance to MacFarlane, and she always puts her country first.

The postponement of the fight from the original date of May 21st provided MacFarlane with an extended preparatory phase, allowing her more time to work on her combinations.

She has been sparring with male boxers in her gym, honing her skills and stamina for the upcoming bout.

MacFarlane warned her opponent to be prepared because she is coming back stronger than before.

The 'Return of the Scorpio' event is considered the largest fight card in more than a decade, featuring both professional and amateur bouts.

Professional boxers, Elton Dharry and Dexter 'De Kid' Marques will headline the event, with Dharry facing Ramos Ronald in an eight-round Bantamweight match, and Marques taking on Luis Carrillo in an eight-round Super Bantamweight bout. The fight card also includes exciting match-ups between local and international fighters.

In the amateur section, Trinidad and Tobago's cham-

pion, Lee Ann Boodram will compete against local standout Abiola Jackman, who holds the IBA world 27th ranking in the Elite Women 81 and over Kg or heavyweight division.

Tickets for the event can be purchased at Hot & Spicy Creole Corner, with prices ranging from VVIP at $10,000 to VIP at $6,000, Ringside at $3,000, and Stands at $1,000. The 'Return of the Scorpio' Boxing Extravaganza promises to be a thrilling night of boxing, attracting both local and international fans.

twice and Shemiah Samuels one for the Ballers team.

In the other women’s match, Speightland overwhelmed River’s View 8-0 as goals were registered by Lakisha Pearson (two) with Sheenesa Cornelius, Nikita Wayne,

Precilla Rose, Alliyah Venture, Lavisha Cornelius and Tandi Smith each scoring once.

Quiet Storm then scored a 2-0 win over Sandbox with the scorers being Zidane Ramdeholl and Quacy Cadogan.

Golden Stars B had a similar win against Exodus with Crandon Samuels and Kenroy Gillis netting the goals, while Ballers Empire gained a walkover win as Blueberry Hill failed to show.

GABA hosts successful fundraiser

The Georgetown Amateur Basketball Association (GABA) hosted its fundraising event, which featured two exhibition games and a raffle draw, on Independence Day (May 26th) at the Burnham Basketball Court on Middle & Carmichael Streets.

In the first game, UG Trojans got past Nets while Bounty Colts proved too much for West Dem D-Up Rising Stars in the final exhibition.

The winners of the raffle draw were: First place prize of a Jordan sneaker box (Simon Fredericks); second place prize of a Nike sneaker box (Ravi Motilall) and third place prize of a Puma sneaker box (Katina BennGeorge).

The fundraiser was sponsored by STUFF GY and entertainment was provided by

Hennessy with all proceeds going towards the upcoming ‘GABA Basketball Premier League’.

The upcoming GABA Premier League will feature 14 teams namely Ravens, Colts, Kobras, Pace-

setters, UG Trojans, West Demerara D-Up Rising Stars, Kwakwani Untouchables, Guyana Defence Force, South Ruimveldt Mambas, Plaisance Guardians, Nets, Pepsi Sonics, Black Caimans and Eagles.

Britney MacFarlane

‘Return of the Scorpio’ Pro/Am card… Jamaican MacFarlane

Battle for possession between Golden Stars B and Exodus on Friday night

Game 2 winners, Bounty Colts

Game 1 winners, UG Trojans

GFF members approve amended budget at Ordinary Congress yesterday

The Guyana Football Federation’s (GFF) Consolidated Financial Statements for 2022 and the 2023 Amended Budget were yesterday approved by regional associations, clubs and affiliate associations during the federation’s Ordinary Congress at the National Training Centre in Providence, East Bank Demerara.

GFF president, Wayne Forde, opened the Congress

with a minute of silence for the 19 students who died in the Mahdia Secondary School Dormitory fire and vice-president of the Essequibo-Pomeroon Football Association, Albert Tucker, who passed away on May 24.

The overall focus was to candidly discuss the state of football in Guyana with an aim to take the sport to the next level across the ten administrative regions.

General Secretary Ian Alves introduced the agenda for voting and discussions.

Congress accepted the President’s report that contained the federation’s achievements between August and May, including the launch of the current KFC Elite League, national Under-13 and Under-17 youth competitions, the much anticipated historic match between Ethiopia and Guyana’s Senior Men’s Na -

Sinclair happy to return to senior Windies squad

When asked what he did in the last few months to become successful with the ball at the first-class level, Sinclair said it was a big transition for him.

“It was very difficult at first getting into bowling slower in red ball cricket. I am bowling slower now, spinning the ball more and bringing batsmen forward hence I'm getting more success.

I have also been doing a lot of spot bowling and working on my variations,” said Sinclair, who came to prominence when he had the best economy rate in the Regional Super50 in Trinidad which the West Indies Emerging Players won in November 2019.

tional team and the start of phase one of the multi-million dollar Durban Park Complex and installation of the FIFA-standard floodlights at the NTC ground.

Additionally, members ratified the Independent Auditor's Report on the 2022 Statements of Accounts, which was presented by Chris Ram, Managing Partner of Ram and McRae Chartered Accountancy firm, and the new three-member

Electoral Committee - Marcel Bobb, Partner of Innovative Legal and Business Solutions Inc, Attorney-at-Law Shercola Exeter-Sardina and journalist Iva Wharton - was approved. In his address, Forde stressed on the importance of putting football and the players first as the federation focuses on ensuring good governance, accountability and capacity building at all levels.

GFF boss, Wayne Forde during his ‘President’s Address’

Namilco ‘flour power’ under-17 football Buxton, Haslington and

Dynamics win on Independence Day

By Sean Devers

Guyanese Kevin Sinclair has taken eight wickets for the West Indies in their ‘A’ team Three-Test tour to Bangladesh in the first two ‘Tests including 5-79 on Friday as the visitors won the second four-day ‘Test’ by three wickets

The third unofficial Test starts on Tuesday with the visitors leading 1-0 after the first match ended in a draw.

The 23-year-old off-spinner has been included for the three-match ODI series in the UAE and the World Cup Qualifiers in Zimbabwe.

The West Indies will face the USA in their first match of the World Cup Qualifiers on June 18 following the conclusion of the UAE series on June 9th.

Sinclair, who has 49 wickets and five fifties from 17 first-class games since making his debut against Barbados at Bridgetown in January 16, 2020, spoke to Chronicle Sports.

Sinclair said he is delight-

ed to be back in the West Indies’ ‘white ball’ squad adding that his dream is to play for the West Indies at highest level.

The Guyanese has played three ODIs since making his debut against New Zealand in Barbados last August after playing six T20Is against Sri Lanka in Antigua and South Africa in Grenada in 2021.

However, his first five wicket-haul (6-33) in March gave Guyana its 13th firstclass title.

The last day of the tournament began with the Leewards needing 62 to win with eight wickets in hand and the off-spinner produced a destructive match winning spell.

His second five-wicket haul came in the Weekes/ Headley four-day tournament in Antigua when he captured 5-48 before taking 5-79 on Friday in Bangladesh. In his last five matches, Sinclair has taken 24 wickets.

During that period, he scored his highest score of 88 in the first Weeks/Headley and an unbeaten 53 in the drawn first ‘Test’ in Bangladesh.

The Berbician, who informed that Bangladesh off-spinner Mehdi Hasan Miraz has helped him improve, also spoke of the importance of being able to contribute with the bat.

“Being able to bat well is very important and it brings more value to whatever team I play for and I always want to be able to be outstanding with bat and ball.

It's not far off, I believe a hundred will come at the right time once I spend time at the crease and do the basics for a long period” informed Sinclair, who was born in Guyana’s oldest town, New Amsterdam.

Sinclair, who has two centuries in Berbice first division cricket, played for Guyana as an opener at the Regional U-15 level in 2014, at the U-17 level in 2015 and 2016, and at the U-19 level in 2017 and 2018.

His highest score at U-19 level is 82 against Canada when he opened with Raymond Perez.

Buxton & Haslington maintained their lead at the top of the points standings with respective wins when the East Demerara Football Association’s (EDFA) National Milling Company (Namilco) ‘Flour Power’ under-17 football league continued on Friday last.

The games were contested at the Guyana Football Federation’s (GFF) National Training Centre (NTC) at Providence.

Dynamics FC continued their purple patch with a triumph of their own as all three matches produced results.

In the first game, which

kicked off at 13:00 hrs, Haslington made light work of Mahaica Determinators 2-0 with Akini Baynes (25th minute) and Isiah Alphonso (50th minute) accounting for the goals in the relatively easy win.

The second clash saw Shaquan Frank’s 56th minute strike being the decisive moment as Buxton Stars needled Beterverwagting/ Triumph in that fixture.

Meanwhile, the feature clash of the day, Dynamics FC orchestrated a commanding 4-0 victory against Ann’s Grove.

Bryan Wharton led the charge with two early goals

in the ninth and 13th minutes that came after Joshua Holder’s opening strike in the fifth minute of the encounter. Kelvin Richardson made it 4-0 after this shot found the back of the net in the 35th minute.

Matches continue today at the Buxton Community Centre ground with three matches, from 14:00 hrs. In the first game, Victoria Kings will match skills with Ann’s Grove followed by Haslington versus Melanie 15:30 hrs. The feature clash will see Buxton Stars pitted against Mahaica Determinators.

Kevin Sinclair had 5-79 as West Indies ‘A’ beat Bangladesh on Friday (CWI photo)

Action between Buxton (left) and BV/Triumph on Friday (Shaniece Bamfield photo)

Buxton’s Shaquan Frank Akini Baynes (left) and Isaiah Alphonso

Bartica girls, Marian Academy boys score big wins

Sammy identifies key areas of development for West Indies

Hetymer, Lewis, Russell, Narine named

Marian Goal scorers- Nyhl George (1),Micaiah Enoe (1),Kristian Viapree(1),Maxwell Viapree(1), Jonathan Lynch(1),Kishon Shansudeen(2),Justin Tenpow(1).

Bartica Goal Scorers from left - Nicola Joseph (3),Mia Peters (1), Nikesha Persaud( 3), Candacy Robertson(3)