Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 28-06-2023

Findings, key considerations of ‘Corentyne Bridge’ feasibility study to be discussed

as Suriname Public Works Minister set to visit Guyana today for ‘milestone’ meeting

A MEETING heralding the culmination of the consultancy assignment that was awarded to WSP Caribbean in May 2022 for the feasibility study and detailed designs for the construction of a bridge over the Corentyne River, connecting Guyana and Suriname, is expected to be held today.

According to a release from the Ministry of Public Works , the High - Level Decision Makers ( HLDM ) meeting is a milestone activity of the consultancy , during which key experts from WSP Caribbean will present the main findings and key considerations of the study, and field questions from the Guyana and Suriname delegations. The Minister of Public

Works of Suriname, Dr Riad Nurmohamed will visit Guyana from June 28 , 2023 to June 29, 2023 to attend the meeting The first HLDM meeting was held in Suriname from February 27 and 28, 2023

While in Guyana , Dr Nurmohamed intends to meet with Minister of Public Works-Guyana, Juan Edghill to discuss matters relating to the construction of the Corentyne River Bridge

A tender document for this bridge was issued to prequalified contractors on May 9, 2023 and it closes August 1, 2023

The Corentyne River Bridge will be constructed via a Public Private Partnership ( PPP ) arrangement and according to the Design - Build - Finance - Oper -

ate - Maintain model ( DBFOM).

This means that the successful contractor of joint venture will be responsible for its final design, construction, financing, operation, and maintenance

The list of pre - qualified contractors / joint ventures are the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC); China Railway Construction International Ltd (CRCCI), China Railway Construction Caribbean Co Ltd ( CRCCCL ), and China Railway Construction Bridge Engineering Bureau Group Co Ltd (CRBG); Ballast Nedam Infra Suriname B V.; China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC); China Overseas Engineering Group Co Ltd (COVEC), China Railway Eryuan Engineering Group Co Ltd (CREEC), and China Railway First Group

Flashback: Public Works Minister, Bishop Juan Edghill, and the Surinamese delegation, during October 2020, had sailed up the Corentyne River to plant the flags at Long Island

(CRRG).

According to the agreement reached between

Guyana and Suriname at the first HLDM meeting in Suriname, offers will be

evaluated, negotiated and a contract awarded by October 2023

Bids open for construction of Burma main drain control centre

corn, soya plant

ACHIEVING food security

while slashing Guyana ’ s Food Import Bill by 25 per cent by 2025 is the government’s top priority, and to achieve this goal, multiple projects are being rolled

out by the Ministry of Agriculture.

The ministry , through the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), recently issued an Invitation for Bids (IFB) seeking suit-

able and qualified bidders to do external works on the corn and soya bean conditioning and storage plant at Tacama, Region 10 ( Upper Demerara-Berbice).

According to an engineer, $97,579,490 is estimated to be the cost to execute the external works, which consists

of fence and internal road network for the conditioning and storage plant in Tacama

Additionally , the Agriculture Ministry is pursuing bidders to construct an estimated $ 55,570,420 control structure at Burma main drain , Mahaicony , Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice).

Bids for the project are to be submitted by July 18, 2023, at the office of the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB).

Bidders must submit one hard copy and two electronic copies of the tenders, sealed in separate envelopes and labelled accordingly

According to the IFB , bidding will be conducted through the National Committee Bidding (NCB) procedures, as specified in the Procurement Act 2003 and Regulations 2004

Bidders are asked to adhere to all of the necessary requests for information found in the tender documents , and valid certificates of compliance from the Guyana Revenue Authority and the National Insurance Scheme must accompany the standard bidding documents

Regarding the developments at Tacama , Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha had said that the new facilities will provide employment opportunities and boost the nation’s food sector Minister Mustapha related that the government spends almost $ 60 million to import the two products However, they are now cultivating the commodities

locally with the intention of exporting

“We [government] have started the production of corn and soya in the intermediate savannah; we started to build facilities there and in another two - three months , we ’ ll have those facilities complete. We want to produce more that is why we are expanding those foods we have been importing, we want to start producing them locally and that is why we ventured into new crops,” the Agriculture Minister said

Meanwhile, another $150 million was set aside in this year’s budget for constructing a wharf in the area

It will provide easy river access to the land under cultivation, making it more accessible for farmers to transport their produce

“

In just under three years we have seen budgetary allocation to the agriculture sector move from $13 billion to $32 billion

Why have we invested in it? Why have we doubled it? Because we see the need to improve the infrastructure in our country . We see the need to ensure that we prepare the agriculture area in a way that farmers can have it easier to produce,” Mustapha said

‘Food

security cannot be confronted in isolation’– President Ali

–– CELAC encouraged to produce action plan to allow countries to learn from each other

By Tamica Garnett

PRESIDENT, Dr Irfaan

Ali on Tuesday called for a targeted approach to food security that involves the integration of the health, education, and technology sectors, along with climate change mitigation, so that food security can better enable national prosperity.

The President shared this view as he delivered the feature address at the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) high level Ministers of Agriculture meeting, which is being held in Guyana at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC).

The President was making a presentation on the CARICOM 25 by 25 Food Initiative that is targeting the reduction of the Caribbean’s Food Import Bill by at least 25 per cent by 2025

Dr Ali emphasised that food security is about wider dynamics that involve and address more than just the issue of nutrition

“We cannot speak about food and nutrition as if it exists as a standalone in the policy articulation and formulation of our different countries If we attempt to do that, we’ll be doing ourselves a great injustice in this forum,” the President said

He went on to say: “You cannot confront food security and nutritional security without confronting climate change, without confronting our education system, health system, without confronting sustainable development

“ Without confronting the sometimes unexplained disinterest from international funding agencies, commercial banks , and financial

institutions when it comes to financing agriculture food security and understanding the connection between agriculture, our health security, and ultimately national security.”

According to Dr Ali , across the CELAC member states , the health and education systems must be re-oriented to align with the culture change necessary to bring about food security “ If we don ’ t have a health sector that understands the linkage between food production and food security and what they do, then we’ll have a mismatch; we will not have an alignment of policy So, one of the outcomes of this meeting should be to outlined very clearly the role of the health sector in this equation,” he

advised Dr . Ali called for the conference to focus on identifying existing difficulties and barriers to food security in the region, and have a very frank conversation that points to the policies , solutions and opportunities, and clearly articulate the link between food security and national prosperity in every single country

“Once we are able to do that, I think we will have a very impactful conference and one that can feed into many other things that CELAC is looking at; one that can lead to an integrated discussion in agriculture, health and education and finance one that puts food nutrition as central to poverty reduction and reducing inequality That is the type of discussion

that would evoke the interest we want to have,” the Head of State said

Formed in 2010 , CELAC consists of some 33 countries , and is an intergovernmental mechanism for dialogue and political agreement

It was created with a commitment to advance the gradual process of regional integration , unity and carefully balance political, economic, social and cultural diversity of Latin America and the Caribbean, and represent, promote and protect the interests of its member states and their citizens

It promotes an increase in regional trade, economic development , and further economic cooperation among members in order to defend their growing econ-

Korean Forest Co-operation Delegation explores areas of collaboration in Guyana

MINISTER of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, Hugh Todd, on Tuesday, met with a Korean Forest Co - operation Delegation headed by Dr Jae Soo Bae, President of the National Institute of Forest Science of the Republic of Korea

During the meeting, Minister Todd alluded to Guyana’s developmental agenda - The Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) and said that environmental sustainability is paramount to Guyana

Minister Todd and the team acknowledged the longstanding partnership between

Guyana and the Republic of Korea and highlighted potential areas of collaboration in forestry, including the exchange of expertise, capacity building and forest science education

The team also provided an update on high-level visits by the Republic of Korea to be

omies

President Ali described CELAC as a bloc that binds together the constituting nations as one region that must focus on creating a unified family

The President underscored the need for CELAC to produce an action plan for countries to learn from each other’s best practices, and dispose of policy and practices that are hindrances to progress

He stressed that the time is right for the region to capitalise on the global focus that food security has been receiving over the past few years due to food availability concerns , which were brought sharply into focus by the COVID-19 pandemic from 2020 and later the Russia/Ukraine war which began

in 2022

As the world grappled with food product shortages during those crises , many small nations , particularly those that constitute CELAC, found themselves disadvantaged in the food supply process

“We have various countries in CELAC that have the capacity to coordinate with all of us a plan in which we secure ourselves And we need to start ensuring that the world understands that agricultures is about food production and food production is about nutrition. And food production and nutrition is about good health, and good health, and food production is about national prosperity National prosperity is about national security because if you don ’ t have national prosperity, you cannot have national security And all of this is linked back to our system and what our system feeds us,” Dr Ali said

The President also pointed to the need for the involvement of the research and development institutions, such as the universities, as an important part in developing solutions customised to the specific needs of the region “ Where are the leading universities in CELAC in this discussion today ? Where are the research institutions in CELAC in this discussion today? Are we incapable of developing and innovating within this region? Why can’t we have the resource agencies and universities presenting today on models and technology that is applicable to this region Where are they?” the President questioned.

undertaken in the upcoming months to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

Dr . Bae was accompanied by Hong Seong Hoa , Special Envoy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other representatives from the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Caracas

MINISTER of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, Hugh Todd with President of the National Institute of Forest Science of the Republic of Korea, Dr Jae Soo Bae

President, Dr Irfaan Ali on Tuesday called for a targeted approach to food security that involves the integration of various sectors and global issues (Office of the President photo)

Data Protection Bill set for National Assembly soon

–– Health Minister confirms

A MEDICAL data protection bill for Guyana is expected to be tabled in Parliament very soon , according to Dr . Frank Anthony, the Minister of Health.

The Minister made this disclosure, on Tuesday, while speaking at the launch of the Sixth edition of the Family Health Manual at the Ministry of Health ’ s headquarters at Brickdam, Georgetown

During his remarks, he iterated that the ministry recently concluded work on the draft legislation which

would deal with data confidentiality

“ If we are going to do electronic health records , then people ’ s information must be kept confidential

So, you can’t go and steal people ’ s information ,” he said

According to the health minister, the legislation will see hefty fines being imposed for breach of confidentiality, which he added would start at about $20 Million and even up to $100 million and also include provisions for persons to face imprisonment

Minister Anthony said that the bill and its consequences serve as a warning to everyone that, as healthcare workers, it is pertinent to ensure the protection of patients’ data

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines, he said that they have been working on the piece of legislation for more than a year and are finally at the point where it would be tabled in parliament

Emphasising the need for this bill he said , “ We need that data architecture because right now we are going to move in the direction of having the electronic

health records in another month or so so we want these legislative things to be in place so once we start implementing health records system that people must be assured that their information would be well kept.”

The bill will help to regulate the collection , storage , processing , use , and dissemination of personal data, all in a private manner It will consider an individual ’ s right to privacy and will aid in aligning Guyana with the best international practices on data protection and privacy.

Child on the road to recovery after brain tumor diagnosis

able in Guyana.

The Saving Hands Emergency Aid (SHEA) organisation stepped in to mobilise support for Persaud

Early this month, SHEA, via a Facebook post, said that the child had an endocrinology follow-up in Trinidad, and will now have access to vital growth hormone medication He will continue to have biannual follow-up appointments in Trinidad until he could have these services locally in Guyana

Prior to this , Persaud spent six months in Boston, United States of America (USA) to treat the rare brain tumor He then returned home to Guyana with a new lease on life ; however , he still needs hormone replacement therapy as part of his continued recovery

During an interview with the Guyana Chronicle in January 2022 , the child ’ s mother, Alicia Persaud, said that Aden was diagnosed with craniopharyngioma, a rare type of tumor near the pituitary gland, after experiencing persistent headaches and vomiting.

According to the Nation-

al Cancer Institute, craniopharyngiomas are usually part solid , part fluid - filled cysts, which are usually benign and not cancerous, as they do not spread to other parts of the brain, nor to other parts of the body

“ However , they may grow and press on nearby parts of the brain or other areas, including the pituitary gland, the optic chiasm, optic nerves , and fluid - filled spaces in the brain Craniopharyngiomas may affect many functions of the brain, such as the hormone-making process, growth, and vision,” the institute said

Prior to developing this condition, Alicia said her son was very active and jovial, and would often spend a lot of his free time playing cricket. The organisation continues to wish Persaud a good health, long life, and much success in his future career as the best cricketer out of Guyana.

IN 2022, Aden Persaud of Blairmont , Region Five ( Mahaica - Berbice ), was diagnosed with a rare brain tumour, and needed help to access specialised treatment which was not avail-

Aden Persaud

Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony (Delano Williams photo)

–– plea discussions and agreements part of plans to streamline criminal proceedings

New Criminal Procedure Bill to fix ‘gaps’ in justice system

THE government has introduced a draft Criminal Procedure ( Plea Discussion and Plea Agreement) Bill, a comprehensive piece of legislation which seeks to establish a system of plea discussions and plea agreements in criminal procedure.

The bill seeks to repeal the Criminal Procedure ( Plea Bargaining and Plea Agreement ) Act , Chapter 10:09 and re-enact legislation which addresses the gaps in the current law to effectively expedite criminal proceedings, protect the rights of the individual and ensure offenders are properly sentenced in accordance with the law

The bill, which was prepared by the Attorney General’s Chambers and the Ministry of Legal Affairs, consists of five parts and 38 clauses

It seeks to streamline the justice system while ensuring the protection of the rights of the accused as well as the interests of victims

The primary objective of the bill is to provide a framework for plea discussions and plea agreements at any stage before conviction, including before charges are laid

Under the proposed law, both summary and indictable offences would be subject to the provisions, with specific safeguards in place to preserve the right of an accused person to plead guilty without entering into a plea bargaining or seeking a sentencing indication from the court

Part One of the bill outlines the preliminary provisions, including the short title and commencement of the legislation It also provides definitions for key terms such as “improper inducement,” “ a particular course of action ,” “ suspect ,” and “ vic -

tim .” Importantly , the bill defines the scope and nature of a plea agreement, setting the stage for its implementation in subsequent parts.

Part Two deals with the procedure surrounding plea discussions , imposing requirements for obtaining permission from the Director of Public Prosecutions before entering into such discussions or concluding a plea agreement

It expressly prohibits the use of improper inducements and outlines circumstances in which a prosecutor is restricted from participating in plea discussions

The bill also establishes the rights of an accused person to have legal representation during plea discussions, ensuring fairness and protection of their interests.

Part Three focuses on victim impact statements , emphasising the rights of victims and their families The bill outlines the duty of prosecutors to inform victims of their right to provide impact statements while setting

limitations on the content that can be included

It also provides procedures for cases where victims are deceased , ill , incapacitated, or cannot be found, allowing their relatives or authorised representatives to provide impact statements

Part Four lays out the procedure for plea agreements and plea agreement hearings It establishes the necessary documents that must accompany a plea agreement, including its filing with the Clerk of the Court or Registrar

The bill outlines the timeframe for conducting plea agreement hearings and provides guidelines for cases where an agreement is filed before or during committal proceedings It clarifies that acceptance of a plea agreement is not binding on the court and outlines the process for an accused person to withdraw from an agreement

Finally , Part Five in -

cludes general and miscellaneous provisions, including avenues for appeals by both accused persons and the Director of Public Prosecutions in cases where plea agreements are rejected

It also addresses the admissibility of withdrawn plea agreements as evidence and empowers the court to order the sealing of records related to plea discussions or agreements The minister is granted authority to amend the schedule and make regulations as needed

The AG’s Chambers said that only recently, judges of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) lauded the manner in which plea bargain mechanisms have worked in other jurisdictions , contributing significantly to speed and efficiency in the administration of criminal justice

The Attorney - General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, in April 2023 invited comments in

writing on the draft Criminal Procedure (Plea Discussion and Plea Agreement) Bill Submissions were solicited from the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Office of the Police Legal Advisor , the

Guyana Bar Association , the Berbice Bar Association, and the Law Reform Commission

The draft bill will soon be taken to Cabinet and will subsequently be laid in the National Assembly

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

Combatting drug trafficking

JUNE 26 has been designated by the United Nations as International Day Against Illicit Trafficking and Drug Abuse. The day is intended to serve as a reminder that everyone can play a role in the fight against drug trafficking. It also raises awareness about the dangers of drugs and illicit drug trafficking.

The history of International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking dates back to 1987 when it was first established by a resolution of the United Nations General Assembly. The resolution recognised the dangers posed by drugs and urged greater international

cooperation in dealing with the issue.

The theme of this year's observance is: “People First: Stop stigma and discrimination, strengthen prevention.” Drug trafficking is a global issue involving the cultivation, manufacture, distribution and sale of substances that are subject to drug prohibition laws.

Drug trafficking is a global phenomenon, in some cases, undermining political and economic stability, ruining the lives of individuals and inflicting harm on communities. It is constantly evolving, undermining economic and social development and contribut-

ing to crime, instability and insecurity.

According to a report by the United Nations Office on Drug and Crime (UNODC), it is estimated that the global illicit drug trade amounted to a staggering $32 billion and is believed to be the most lucrative form of business for criminals worldwide.

The dangers posed by drugs on the health and well-being of people globally is worrying. According to the UNODC 2022 World Drug Report, 284 million people aged 15-64 used drugs, a 26 per cent increase over the previous decade. Young people are using

more drugs with use levels higher today compared to previous generations. In Latin America and the Caribbean, people under 35 represent the majority of people treated for drug use disorders.

Guyana has been making significant progress in the fight against drugs and substance abuse. On September 18, 2020 President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali announced the reactivation of the Shiprider programme, a maritime and air cooperation agreement with the United States that will allow for the deployment of joint patrols in Caribbean airspace to disrupt drug smuggling on

Guyana's border with Venezuela.

Several other policy initiatives have been implemented including preventative education, awareness generation and counselling services, and the development of a national action plan for drug reduction.

And, according to Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony, collaborative efforts between the relevant stakeholders will be strengthened to effectively tackle the issue of drug trafficking. In this regard, more work will be done among young people, including school children, to raise awareness about the harmful effects of drugs.

According to Minister Anthony, greater collaboration between the Ministries of Health and Education will be done, which involves teacher education and the incorporation of awareness and prevention education in the school curriculum. The PPP/C administration must be commended for several measures it is taking to confront the scourge of drug abuse and the illicit trafficking of drugs. This is manifested in the increasing number of convictions in cases involving substance abuse, drug smuggling and human trafficking.

The PPP/C’s massive LGE victory will accelerate the unification of our people

Dear Editor,

IT was a foregone conclusion that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) would have realised significant improvements as a measure of their improved connectivity with the Guyanese people.

The results of the Local Government Elections (LGE) polls confirm that the PPP/C won 66 or approximately 83 per cent of the 80 Local Authorities Areas (LAAs).

A more detailed breakdown of seats to be filled on the various councils by elected candidates, the PPP/C emphatically won 906 or approximately 75 per cent of the available 1,120 seats contested in the just concluded LGEs.

This massive victory manifests the PPP/C's electoral prowess, and our population's response to the party's demonstrated resolve to continue working hard to unite every citizen while

improving the welfare of our people.

At the municipal level, the PPP/C performance shows much improvement and is most encouraging. While the PPP/C won seven of the 10 municipalities, their votes in Georgetown, New Amsterdam, and particularly Linden increased by the thousands.

This increase in support is particularly great news for the heavily populated areas in Guyana, where our politics in the past was heavily polarised.

Undoubtedly, we are experiencing almost a re-engineered political dynamics with citizens paying keen attention to the country's tremendous all-around development, leading to greater unity in our diversity.

Although the Opposition PNC is talking about retaining their support base in Georgetown, Linden, and New Amsterdam, their leaders cannot at all be breathing easy, given the substantial at-

trition of their usual support.

With most of the voting population supporting the candidates on the PPP/C slate for the contested seats at the LGEs, the party has undoubtedly asserted itself in the Local Authorities Areas. Indeed, these results elicit strong confidence in the PPP/C's leadership and set the stage for catalyzing productive work with supportive teams at the local levels.

From the looks of things, the PPP/C's Agenda for National and Community Development will not pause or slow down.

Further, our citizens have ensured a diminished influence in the many LAAs, of the usual obstructionist approaches we have witnessed for decades across many previously fully controlled PNC areas.

This confidence and assurance pave the way for an all-inclusive continuous engagement at the grass root levels in all communities as a collective with common

goals.

Consequently, there is high country-wide anticipation that with supporting partnerships on the various community and municipal councils, the new councillors must advance effective representation while providing objective and decisive leadership.

Critically, our councillors must work together to deliver the most significant service improvements and support national development by aggressively assisting with programs and initiatives to increase the advantage of citizens within their respective LAAs.

The PPP/C's general selection approach and quality of the candidates is a true reflection of the “One Guyana” motto of President, Dr. Irfaan Ali.

The balance of ethnic, religious, and respected experienced personnel manifests itself in a fine blend of included youths, women, and prominent business personal-

ities, along with vibrant community leaders now elected to serve as councillors.

Notably, the PPP/C's leadership carefully crafted the observed selection of candidates' criteria to inform the set up more qualitative and better functioning council that will understand the diverse community needs and be easy to communicate with, among others.

The PPP/C is a massbased political party with a well-oiled and flexible structure. Its high-quality leadership is highly competent and well-respected.

Consequently, the party's rollout strategic plans have been effective holistically and at various levels, giving proper and meaningful guidance to the activists and foot soldiers.

Door-to-door canvassing and effective use of well-prepared relevant flyers was a success story. The houseto-house campaign made a big difference, as the PPP/C leaders walked the walk and

talked the talk with the masses of people.

Importantly, our leaders allowed the populace to express their views and genuine concerns, and they listened and acted.

Unlike other political parties, seeing the older comrades in the PPP/C making way for the younger generation is heartening.

This approach was also reflected in the 2023 LGEs, which attracted the involvement of many neutral and otherwise stakeholders who wanted to contribute. In this respect, even in the many PPP/C strongholds, our senior comrades step aside in a purposeful working bid that must unite our people.

As this nation transforms and develops economically, our people must unite in our diversity and live a better life.

Yours sincerely, Neil Kumar.

Telemedicine pilot deemed successful

FOLLOWING the initial rollout of the telemedicine programme in rural communities over the last six months, Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony, has declared the pilot a success and announced plans to expand and improve it.

The Minister made this disclosure on the sidelines of an event on Tuesday where he revealed that there are telemedicine sites currently in four regions.

The pilot began in Region Nine at four centres and the minister noted that community health workers will be trained to use the devices.

“While we are able to do that the big challenge was connectivity, so in each of these sites we have put in satellite connectivity,” he said.

Added to this, he noted that since the implementation of telemedicine, quite a number of persons’ lives were saved as they had severe conditions and were able to be medically evacuated for critical care that they needed.

Currently, he added, that since the expansion, there are four sites in Region One, four sites in Region Seven, four sites in Region Eight and another four sites in Region Nine.

Giving an explanation of how the system works, he said that it would basically be a computer which has a number of devices that includes probes that would allow doctors miles away to conduct an ultrasound of a patient’s abdomen among other things.

“So, let’s say at Gunns where we have one site that’s probably about 500 miles away from George-

Major General (Ret’d) Joe Singh to lead team for Mahdia fire CoI

PRESIDENT, Dr. Irfaan Ali has announced that retired Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), Major General Joe Singh, will head the team that will conduct the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into deadly Mahdia dorm fire that claimed the lives of 20 children.

town -- the community health worker in Gunns can use that probe, put it on somebody’s abdomen in Gunns and the doctor at Georgetown hospital would be able to see what is going on in that person’s abdomen or similarly, they can put up the electrodes on the chest and doctors would be able to see the ECG at Georgetown hospital and that helps with the diagnosis,” he added.

Against this backdrop, with the addition of satellite connectivity, the programme, he said, has so far worked really successfully.

According to the Head of State, the Terms of Reference (ToR) for the CoI are in the process of being finalised so as to guide the commission on what it will set out to accomplish.

Several meetings are being planned in relation to the incident over the next few days, including meetings with the family members of the victims.

The President made those announcement in an invited comment to the media on the sidelines of an event at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC).

"So, we are finalising

the ToR right now. I have a meeting before the end of this week with the team. I can tell you that we have identified Major General Joe Singh to lead that team. So, I have a meeting with him before the end of this week.

I'm also having a meeting with the family members of the fire to discuss some outstanding issues that I'm

in discussion with the family with,” the President said.

It was on May 22, just a few days before Guyana celebrated Independence Day that a tragic fire gutted the Mahdia Secondary School Female Dormitory. At the time of the fire, 56 of the girls were present, as three had went home with their families for the weekend.

The children housed at the dorms came from the communities of Karisparu, El Paso, Micobie and Chenapao.

Initially 18 girls from the dorm and a five year old boy, who was the son of the dorm mother, perished in the fire, but a 20th student who was injured in the fire passed away a few days later.

President Ali had committed to the launching of a CoI to investigate the causes and circumstances of the deadly Mahdia fire, and guide the way forward.

Major General (Ret’d) Joe Singh

‘Plaisance

vendors should have been properly consulted’

––VP Jagdeo says after addressing concerns of residents, affected persons

VICE - PRESIDENT , Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, on Tuesday, said that the vendors at the popular “Plaisance Line Top” should not have been issued with letters before appropriate consultations were held with the

vendors and residents of the community

The Vice-President said this in response to questions about the issue on the sidelines of a meeting with Plaisance residents in the community, on Tuesday

The meeting came on the heels of the issuance of letters by the Ministry of Public Works to vendors who are encroaching on the main thoroughfare, to facilitate a Railway Embankment expansion project

“I didn’t know about it until we had the appreciation ceremony for the people who supported us in Region Four I met some people from Plaisance and they said to me we received this letter, and I said this letter should have never been issued in the manner that it was issued and I will come personally to look into it That was Sunday and so today I’m here, and it’s Tuesday,” the Vice-President said

Dr Jagdeo maintained that while the vendors may need to be removed to facilitate the moving forward of the road project, the serving of the letters without proper consultation with the vendors was most definitely not the

way to go

“ It should have never happened it was callously done and I’m not going to walk back on that comment I believe that they [Ministry of Public Works] could have easily done what we did here today and talk to people first and then subsequently issued the letter,” Dr Jagdeo said

He added : “ I ’ ve been very public about my comments in how we engage on these matters , particularly where our in actions of the state of necessity discomforts people. Like here we have to build a road, but then how we should engage, the tone of engagement and the help that they should receive I’ve been very public about that, and I hope that the technical officers as well as those within the political directorate that fall under the PPP that they follow that approach.”

However, the Vice-President dismissed comments

coming out of the camp of the main political opposition A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) disparaging attempts by the governing People’s Progressive Party ( PPP ) to meet with residents and build support in non-traditional communities, particularly those that are strongholds of the APNU Plaisance , which falls in the Industry / Plaisance Neigbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) is considered a stronghold of the APNU, but the PPP recently won a majority in the NDC at the recently concluded Local Government Elections (LGEs).

According to Dr Jagdeo, the reaction by the APNU to his Tuesday’s visit to Plaisance mirrored behaviour displayed whenever the PPP members visit any area that is a APNU stronghold, even though the visits are focused on development for the communities

TYPICAL BEHAVIOUR

“I think they prefer us to stay away from the communities, but this is a typical behaviour for APNU When we went to Mocha they didn’t want the President to go there The NDC chairman there felt that they controlled Mocha , like they own the people there The same be-

haviour by the chairman here [at Plaisance]. It happened in New Amsterdam once when I went as president , they didn’t want me to visit Angoy ’ s Avenue People believe they own communities ,” the Vice - President noted

Dr Jagdeo also opined that the APNU is also worried about the PPP majority of the Plaisance / Industry NDC, which would see more accountability and transparency being brought to the local government organ.

“They are worried about the audit that will be done in this area The PPP/C won majority of the votes in this NDC, so we hope that the Chairmanship will go to the PPP and then we will do an audit and expose all that is happening including the sale of land

“People talk about the sale of ancestral land, people would be shocked to hear what the NDC and the Chairman was doing here So, all of that will be made apparent They are very, very worried about that audit that will happen in the future. That is why they chose to stay away they could have come this is an engagement. I asked him [current NDC Chairman] to be invited he did not want to come ,” Dr Jagdeo said

Is there a lone ranger at Stabroek News?

ONE of the most attractive emanations from a High Court judge in the history of jurisprudence in Guyana came in 2020 when acting Chief Justice, Roxanne George ruled that Chief Election Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield cannot be a lone ranger; he must take instructions from the GECOM Chair and The GECOM Commission.

The CJ’s statement became an instant repetition in journalism because it was a fitting way to describe how the CEO behaved – he simply had no one to answer to. The meaning of someone being a lone ranger is that the person acts alone thus has no one to account to.

After investigation, this column asks the question whether there is a lone ranger in Guyana’s journalism and is that person based in the Stabroek News? Here now is information about the possible lone ranger in Guyana’s journalism.

Professor Randolph Persaud, presidential adviser on constitutional affairs sent me a statement with his permission to use. I quote: “Stabroek News has not been publishing my letters. It appears to be a matter of policy. I sent letters on June 1 right up to June 17, none was published….”

I rang the professor to enquire about his state of mind. He said

that he has been singled out because since May his letters have not been printed while others write as often as daily and three times a week. This has become distasteful in that a letter by Mr. Hamilton Green that mentioned his name was taken out in SN while his name was retained in the same publication by the Kaieteur News

Dr. Persaud felt that editor, Anand Persaud, is pursuing a vendetta against him because he complained to this columnist a few months back that, in a conversation with Mr. Persaud, he was informed of the reason why his letters weren’t being carried, and the explanation involved his criticisms of civil society groups.

I did a piece on that episode and quoted iconic Guyanese, Ian McDonald as saying he does not agree with that approach by SN. On Monday, I did my investigation as required by the principles of journalism. What I found out was so shocking that journalism may have reached its lowest point in Guyana. I will wait to see what the believers in free speech have to say.

I rang Mr. Persaud. He said; “no comment” when I read out the complaint of Dr. Persaud. Dr. Persaud has an impressive curriculum vitae. He was at the American University, one of the United States’ most highly rated universities. I re-

quested a copy of the members of the board of directors from Mr. Persaud but he refused. He said I should research it.

I spoke to board member, Timothy Jonas, who is the general-secretary of the opposition party, ANUG. He told me he can only recall three board members apart from himself – the children of SN founder, David DeCaires, Isabelle and Brendan and Anand Persaud himself. Mr. Jonas said as a board member he cannot comment on the paper ostracising the professor since the board does not deal with the journalistic dimensions of the newspaper.

I asked Mr. Jonas to take off his board member’s hat and put on the politician’s hat of ANUG. He insisted that he cannot react to Dr. Persaud’s complaint because the board cannot comment on SN’s journalism. Last year, majority shareholder, Isabelle DeCaires informed me, through a letter in the press, that, as a shareholder, she cannot intervene with the editor’s direction.

I spoke to president of the Guyanese Press Association, (GPA) Nazima Raghubir. She indicated that she cannot speak to me on the issue because she is not the GPA, that I must contact the GPA with my complaint.

As in the case of Jonas, I asked again for Raghubir to give me a

comment as the president. But she insisted she is not the GPA, I must interface with the GPA.

To sum this up, Raghubir refuses a response to a grave danger of denial of free speech by SN involving one of the advisers to the president. The editor refuses to offer a comment too. Jonas cannot give his perspec-

tive on what SN’s editor has done to Dr. Persaud.

This is the same Raghubir that will put her mike to a Cabinet minister and the President and ask for a comment. This is the same Jonas that will demand government show accountability.

This is the same Isabelle DeCaires

that sees the government as dysfunctional. But there is a larger danger ahead. If the board cannot interface with the editor, if DeCaires as majority shareholder cannot discuss the contents of the paper with the editor, then who is the editor accountable to? Is he a lone ranger?

Ready Like Freddie!

I RARELY comment on other colleagues’ comments unless I feel I should – and in this case just to note two notes from the last two articles I read by my longtime colleague writer and fellow progressive thinker, Frederick Kissoon, in the Guyana Chronicle.

The first is Freddie’s profound revelation (in the column of June 23, 2023 aptly

titled: My political life had been changed forever!) that after five-and-a-half decades of skirting everything from philosophy to anarchy to always bucking the political trend, he was driven by the type of one-time event that can erase the past and start a new path for, and to, a new future

With no apologies, Freddie recalled the personal tri-

umphs and manifestation of fierce independence by voting with his mind every five years, instead of according to traditional campaign platforms of the two major parties

But his life was shaped greatly by his infatuation with the themes and substance of the books on Philosophy he got acquainted with at the Michael Forde

Chronicles of a ChronicGuyana Chronicler

By Earl Bousquet

Bookshop at Freedom House, headquarters of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) on Robb Street in Georgetown that remained permanently-etched in his fertile mind.

Clearly, the lifelong imprint of his early exposure to Marxist and Leninist philosophical works influenced his position that Humans should work and live happily on Planet Earth, but the lines never translated into the young revolutionary in him joining the PPP as a card-bearing member

Freddie fought in the trenches for five decades , plus many years alongside others aiming at the same targets, but with different aims

In the period leading up to, and after, the March 13, 2020 electoral debacle, his writings revealed certain levels of entertained discomfort generated by his fellow fighters for simply not blindly lobbing grenades in every direction, hoping at least one will hit something, somewhere

After 2020, his detractors thought they ’ d sufficiently relegated him to their historical dustbin by treating him as an untouchable, with more than a ten-foot pole

But no sooner than they’d slammed their doors shut and thought he was locked-out, a wider one opened to larger courts of local public opinion and the global public square

Now Freddie shines even brighter , free to continue being himself, offering views we’ll agree with or won’t, but will all respect, coming from one who lets his thoughts flow unedited, whether from mind to pen and paper , or fingering his keyboard

My second note here is of Freddie’s June 24, 2023 column entitled Our Former Foreign Minister Wrote Baloney addressing resent statements by ex-Guyana Foreign Affairs Minister and UN Ambassador Rudy Insanally

The Ukraine war has seen the best of old minds adopt new positions (and vice ver-

sa) in these new times, when Climate Change and Regime Change increasingly collude and/or collide to offer many new lessons

But given the long history and geopolitical sensitivities involved in understanding the roots that grew the unfruitful Russia-Ukraine ‘war’ or ‘special military operation’, I would not allow His Excellency’s position today to erase my impressions of his words and actions between 1993 and 1999, when I interviewed him several times as a senior international diplomat and a government minister

On each occasion I found him to be in-step, lock-stockand - barrel , with Guyana ’ s foreign policy objectives , as set - out by the PPP - led administrations he served at the United Nations (UN) and from the ministry at Takuba Lodge in Georgetown

That said, I still defer to Freddie’s right to make his analysis and come to his conclusions, based on the words he quoted

My bigger point, though, is that Freddie is yet-another very prime example of the extent to which right - andleft - thinking and middleof-the-road Guyanese of all parties , races and creeds were put-off by the way the then government and ruling coalition handled their loss in March 2020, even accusing the Opposition of stealing its genuinely hard-fought election victory

Many supporters decided not to dump their losing leaders , who had engaged legal and judicial gymnasts in defence of their unproven claims of having proof the election result was stolen

After five months of monstrosities like voting spreadsheet figures being displayed on bedsheets and strangestof - things happening at the Elections Commission during the endless counting, those who still hoped for some sort of plausible argument or justification from the reluctant losers were left in limbo --

and the inevitable happened: Democracy was restored on August 2, 2020

The same losers would lose again three years later – and again try to claim victory, this time unable to offer even a scintilla of evidence

Rather than taking their blows in peace , they tore themselves into pieces , tearing-out even louder and wider against those former longstanding members and supporters (of all walks of life , race and creed ) who , like Freddie, had, since 2020, decided to freely and fully exercise their democratic right to decide which party’s platform they would support in 2023

Freddie’s account again confirms the undeniable reality that the Guyana electorate, like everywhere else, is more interested in tomorrow than yesterday, cares more about the future than the past; and most feel it a duty to join and help build A New One Guyana by supporting continuity instead of waiting for another national election to start-all-over – again

And it ’ s these sorts of new developments in the new Guyana taking shape, that reaffirm the correctness of my decision early in life, like Freddie , to not only visit and purchase books and Amerindian trinkets at Michel Forde Bookshop every time I visited Guyana, but to also have worked for six years alongside Editor-in-Chief Janet Jagan at the New Guyana Company Limited, publishers of The Mirror newspaper

Meanwhile , Freddie might not know , but Janet and Cheddi Jagan also both ordered and purchased the philosophy classics at Michael Forde -- and as leaders in the business of spreading progressive knowledge, they would also have admired the lengths he went to , to get and read those books that helped him ultimately make his mind up, once and for all

Big-up, Freddie!

GDI brings ‘early harvests’ for global good

–– initiative hailed as ‘effective tool’ for building international consensus on growth

DIPLOMATS , officials and scholars from around the world said the tangible, accessible benefits that their countries have enjoyed are a great testimony to China’s capability to deliver on the Global Development Initiative.

They made the comments as Saturday marked the anniversary of President Xi Jinping hosting the High - level Dialogue on Global Development on June 24 last year

At the landmark event for empowering and realising the GDI , Xi proposed a series of major steps that China will take to implement the initiative, and a list of deliverables was released , including 32 measures covering the GDI ’ s eight key areas of co-operation

“We are glad to see that over the past year, with the concerted efforts of all parties, the GDI is delivering real results, with improved co-operation mechanisms, steady progress in key areas , and various capacity-building programs being launched ,” Vice - Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu said at an event regarding the GDI earlier this month in Beijing

“It has brought true benefits to all countries,” Ma said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said co - operation in the eight priority areas has advanced steadily , “ with a growing list of projects and an expanding pool of development resources, demonstrating good momentum of all-around progress with clear priorities”.

“The GDI has been an effective tool for building international consensus on

development and for galvanizing co-operative actions, which has produced many early harvests,” Mao told reporters on Tuesday

Xi proposed the GDI at the General Debate of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly in September 2021

Currently , nearly 70 countries have joined the UN-based Group of Friends of the GDI, according to the Foreign Ministry

Many Latin American countries, including Argentina , are among the more than 100 nations and international organisations that have supported the GDI

Sabino Vaca Narvaja , Argentina’s ambassador to China, told China Daily that the GDI “is a very responsible initiative”.

The GDI and other China-proposed initiatives “have a common view of an integrated world,” and all the initiatives that China has put in the international system are “a very responsible solution” for the entire human community, he said

This is because they have “a humanistic view, and ( have been) focusing on the growth of the people That is the most important issue for us, too”, the ambassador added

When meeting in Beijing on June 16 with Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, President Xi noted that he put forward the GDI, as well as the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilisation Initiative, “to provide China’s solutions to tackling global challenges.”

Gates said China has made remarkable achievements in poverty reduction and its response to COVID - 19 , and has set

a good example for the world

Pick Fung Ho - Chong , ambassador to China of the Republic of Suriname, said that “China has always been a leader” in terms of promoting development

“ With China growing , the rest of the world will definitely grow This is what I personally think will happen with the leadership of President Xi Jinping , with all that ’ s been said and the steps that have been taken It is going to be a definite, positive change in the world’s development in many areas,” she said

“ We are looking forward to joining hands together with the changes,” she added

Alexander Ayertey Odonkor , an economist and columnist in Ghana , noted that Xi proposed the GDI to “support the timely achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals”.

“

China , through the GDI, is strengthening global development partnerships

and promoting stronger , greener and healthier global development . ... ( It is ) a timely action, especially for developing countries , as they struggle to recover from the brutal impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,” he wrote in a recent article published by news portal Modern Ghana

“ Through the GDI , which prioritises development financing and innovation - driven development , Ghana could scale up value - addition , clean energy production and agricultural modernisation, and enhance environmental protection, increase digital connectivity and drive sustainable industrialisation,” he added Beijing has been consistently earnest in synergizing the GDI with growth blueprints of other nations and organisations, such as the UN , observers said This vision should be rolled out with greater global efforts, as the world faces sluggish economic recovery, lingering geopolitical conflicts, climate change, food inse-

curity and energy crises , they said

When addressing an Africa Day reception in Beijing last month , State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang called on China and African countries to better synergize the Belt and Road Initiative and the GDI with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the development strategies of African countries

The goal is “to help Africa accelerate industrialisation , localisation and economic diversification,” he said

Speaking on future steps for realising the GDI, Ma, the vice - foreign minister , stressed the need to foster greater synergy between the development strategies of countries and organizations

Beijing will “better synergize development strategies with members of the Group of Friends of the GDI as well as their regions, in particular major development strategies of developing country groups such as the African Union’s

Agenda 2063 and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ Vision 2025,” he said

Tang Ying , director - general of the Global Development Promotion Centre of the China International Development Cooperation Agency, told China Daily that the agency will host the first high-level meeting of the Forum on Global Action for Shared Development early next month in Beijing

The theme of the event will be “Global Development Initiative — Echo the Development Agenda and Call for Global ACTION.”

“

We very much look forward to meeting in Beijing with all partners regarding development, and, together with all of them, will discuss major development issues and map out plans on common development,” Tang said

Ren Lin, head of the Department of Global Governance at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences’ Institute of World Economics and Politics, said the GDI focuses on tapping into the new driving forces and fresh momentum that could help shore up post-pandemic economic growth “ It helps to facilitate international co-operation and helps countries catch up with the historic opportunities for technological revolution and industrial transformation,” she said

“Also, it seeks common development and progress with great quality, drawing a contrast with the pattern of behaviour that seeks a zero - sum game and competes for the limited existing resources for development,” Ren added.

(China Daily)

WTO warns of global GDP loss through decoupling and fragmentation

DECOUPLING and fragmentation will be costly for the world, said Ngozi Okonjo - Iweala , director - general of the World Trade Organisation, on Tuesday

“ If we decouple into two trading blocks, it will cost the world a five per

cent loss in global GDP in the longer term The IMF estimates (long-term cost of trade fragmentation could be as high) 7 per cent (of global GDP),” she told a forum on Tuesday during the 14th Annual Meeting of the New Champions , also known as the Summer

Davos Forum The event, themed “ Entrepreneurship : The Driving Force of the Global Economy”, runs from Tuesday through Thursday in Tianjin

“That’s like saying that we lose the equivalent of the whole economy of Japan, which will be cat-

astrophic for the world,” she added “ So , decoupling and fragmentation is something that the world simply cannot afford to have.”

When it comes to the headwinds, Okonjo-Iweala said World Bank research shows that the long-term

growth potential of both developed and developing countries , and emerging market economies are declining due to some structural factors like demographics, calling for more efforts to harness areas where there is productivity growth and where young

labor can help the global economy

Despite the challenges ahead, she still sees some opportunities in world trade including the rapidly growing digitally delivered services and the growth potential in green trade. (China Daily)

Chinese premier offers insight into how world can navigate tough times

CHINESE Premier Li Qiang, on Tuesday, offered his four-pronged observations on how humanity can navigate the turbulent times, as the world is standing at a historical crossroads.

“I believe that we could draw some very important lessons from the transformations happening in the world in the past several years,” said Li when addressing the opening of the 14th Annual Meeting of the New Champions, also known as the Summer Davos, in north China’s Tianjin

Municipality

Firstly, he called for better communication and exchanges among the international community

“The absence of effective communication and a lack of comprehensive, holistic and objective perception could easily lead to prejudice and even stereotypes,” Li said

Secondly, he stressed solidarity and co-operation after the world has experienced the shocks of global crises

“As a community with a shared future, we must cherish the gains of co-operation, embrace the concept of win-win cooperation, and work together to tackle these global challenges and promote human progress,” Li said

Thirdly, the premier noted that having gone through the twists and turns of economic globalisation, all countries should cherish openness and co-operation more

“Economic globalisation is a historical trend,” said Li. “Despite the headwinds and pushback , development trend of economic globalisation has kept moving forward.”

Lastly , the premier said peace and stability should be cherished more in the wake of experiencing anxiety caused by conflicts and instability

He urged solid efforts to firmly up-

hold fairness and justice, work hard to solve the security dilemma, and jointly safeguard a peaceful and stable development environment. (Xinhua)

Former Colombian President lauds Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy 2030

COLOMBIA ’ s former president , Ivan Duque Marquez, is among regional leaders who have highlighted Guyana’s visionary

By Cindy Parkinson

approach to Low Carbon Development as outlined in the country’s LCDS 2030

In a feature address that President Duque gave earlier

this year at Guyana’s second International Energy Conference and Expo, which was held at the Marriott Hotel, he commended the strategy ’ s

excellent vision , forward thinking approach, and coherence

The former president applauded President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali for expanding the meticulously crafted strategy, which was initiated by former president and current Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, and noted that the strategy is in line with the realities of a committed country towards advancing environmental sustainability and energy security

He also took the opportunity and highlighted the potential benefits of Guyana’s oil resources

The former Head of State pointed out that Guyana has a wide range of economic opportunities in the natural resources industry as a whole, which may be used to significantly boost the nation’s development

According to him, “Guyana has the possibility today

to utilise the richness of the underground to close the social divide and eradicate poverty all around Guyana has the condition of being a carbon - neutral or even a carbon-negative country It has one of the lowest deforestation levels in the world. But that richness has to be used intelligently.”

President Duque Márquez also added: “There has to be a plan for an economic transition that allows this country to become a very important player in food security, energy security , science and technology in the Caribbean, and the possibility of being a hub for entrepreneurship”.

He explained that the development of this kind requires strong collaboration between the private sector and the government in the relevant industries

The former president emphasised his enthusiasm for the developments that would occur in Guyana’s oil and gas

sector as well as the growth that would result from utilising the associated revenues

Additionally, he praised the government ’ s approach to investigating options for accelerating Guyana’s growth up to this point

“

In times where the world is seeing so much polarisation about the way we manage energy, today we can say that in the case of Guyana, there is no yinyang, there is no contradiction The country is doing what it has to do in terms of exploring resources that are needed to reduce poverty and generate social and economic transformation while being at the same time being a conservation superpower ,” President Duque expressed

In addition to discussing the growth potential for Guyana and its partners, the conference offers senior government officials, business executives, and other stakeholders the chance to address important concerns in the expanding energy sector

The former president , Iván Duque Márquez , was the first speaker at the conference and expo, which took place from February 14 to 17

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

Hicken urges ranks to embrace restorative justice

ACTING Commissioner of Police, Clifton Hicken, has called on his ranks to adopt restorative justice practices as part of ongoing efforts to address overpopulation in the prisons and combat rising crime rates especially among juveniles.

Speaking at the Restorative Justice Awareness Training held on Tuesday at the Officers ’ Training Centre , Hicken stressed the urgent need for a more effective and sustainable solution to these challenges

Highlighting the potential of restorative justice in Guyana, he explained that this approach could significantly impact the justice system by providing an alternative to imprisonment for individuals accused of minor, non-violent offences

He said that it will reduce recidivism and help keep out those individuals who ought not to be in

prison

By emphasising the importance of community involvement and dialogue, restorative justice addresses the underlying causes of criminal behaviour, rather than just punishing offenders

He alluded further that restorative justice practices offer an opportunity for offenders to take responsibility for their actions , make amends to victims , and reintegrate into society as productive citizens. By diverting individuals away from the traditional punitive model, he argued that the country could break the cycle of crime and reduce the burden on the prison system

“As a nation, we must adopt an alternative approach that addresses the dehumanization frequently experienced by people in our justice system As we must focus on healing and accountability, we must find an approach that requires more engagement from stakeholders ’ integration and must implement alternative punishment and imprisonment,” Hicken said

Against this backdrop, he pointed out that restorative justice offers a “genuine opportunity” to repair the harm caused by criminal behaviour

“Indeed, restorative justice is not just the solution for the social problems but is based on international best practices It is what is needed to beat contemporary crime Restorative justice has proven victim satisfaction and offend -

er accountability and also presents or prevents re-offending since victims feel they are treated more fairly,” he said

The acting commissioner said that its time for officers to adopt and embrace restorative justice practices for a paradigm shift in criminal justice

He added that the GPF has historically faced numerous challenges in tackling crime, with overpopulation in prisons being a persistent issue However, to curb this , the GPF has implemented several restorative justice practices such as community intervention to identify the root cause of criminal behaviours especially among the youth

He added that the GPF has collaborated with other ministries for diversion programmes for youth and adults involved in minor offences Police officers are also being trained in areas such as public management, stress management and policing partnerships

“This alternative framework offers resolution conflict and prevention. It seeks to address the question of making things right So as a nation with a common goal, let’s make things right by resolving the current societal problem that drives fear and selfishness ,” Hicken said

In closing , the Police Commissioner charged his officers to embrace restorative justice since they are the first “point of contact” in the criminal justice system

In April, the Restorative Justice Centre was launched with the aim to repair the harm caused by criminal behaviour, particularly among juveniles, by bringing together the victim, offender, and community to find a way forward that promotes healing, accountability, and understanding.

The approach is based on the belief that justice can be served in a way that promotes healing and accountability while addressing the underlying causes of criminal behaviour and reducing recidivism

Retired Commissioner of Police, Seelall Persaud, is the director of the centre , which is staffed by trained professionals who will work with victims, offenders, and their communities to develop individualised plans that focus on repairing the harm caused by criminal behaviour and preventing further offences. Teachers, police - community mem -

–– says this approach will reduce crime, prison overcrowding

Acting Commissioner of Police, Clifton Hicken bers, and religious leaders are also benefitting from this training.

DPP’s office says it will not be intimidated by Opposition –

assures case against Dharamlall will follow ‘due legal process’

THE Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions ( DPP ) which is led by Shalimar Ali - Hack , has said that it will not be intimidated by the Opposition while it provides legal advice to the police on its case against Local Government Minister , Nigel Dharamlall.

On Tuesday , several members of the Opposition and other persons protested

outside the office , which is located in Kingston , Georgetown The DPP is currently reviewing the file on the alleged rape committed by Dharamlall on a 16 - yearold girl

The file was handed over to the DPP for legal advice last week

“The DPP’s office will not be intimidated by these individuals who profess to

want justice in a criminal matter even while a police file is being given due legal attention,” the DPP said in a statement

“This police file in question is only one of thousands of police files which the office receives from all stations in all 10 administrative regions of Guyana for legal attention.

“Files for persons in custody are given priority We

strongly urge the general public to desist from politicising an alleged criminal offence It is indeed one of national interest and therefore , ALL statements / evidence MUST be considered before legal advice is given to the Guyana Police Force,” the DPP said

The office reiterated its commitment to impartiality and reminded the public that the allegations against Dha-

ramlall must be examined thoroughly before any legal advice is provided Minister Dharamlall , who is currently out on $1 million station bail, has denied the allegation and has proceeded on administrative leave

He has retained the services of the Hughes , Fields & Stoby law firm to represent him and safeguard his interests.

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP)

Shalimar Ali-Hack

Illegal vendors encroaching on main roadways asked to vacate

–– Plaisance vendors not uniquely targeted, Ministry of Public Works clarifies

THE Ministry of Public Works, on Tuesday, corrected a report in Tuesday’s edition of the Stabroek News, which indicated and suggested that vendors along the Plaisance Line-Top area were only recently issued letters to vacate.

“The ministry wishes to note that several notices to vacate have been made to all vendors along main thoroughfares where major infrastructural works are either underway or to start,” the ministry said in a press release

On the East Coast of Demerara, vendors and residents have been notified of the impending East Coast

Some stalls along the Line-Top at Plaisance (Delano Williams photo)

Road Project, which is an extension of the Railway Embankment Road into four lanes from Sheriff Street to Enmore, and construction of a four-lane road to Orange Nassau, Mahaica

Additionally, persons who were noticed expanding their vending operations, as well as yard fencing, have also been cautioned against such practices

Further, there have been several public notices and news reports on this subject, and vendors were notified accordingly and in a timely manner, and any utterances opposing this is contrary to the truth

“The ministry wishes to again remind everyone that the road reserve along the entire public road network is the property of the Government of Guyana, and all encroachment on the reserve will be removed,” the Public Works Ministry said

Failure to comply will result in the ministry taking action in accordance with Chapter 51:01 of the Road Act of the Laws of Guyana, and will continue to serve these notices wherever encroachments are observed

The Public Works Ministry also clarified that there was no meeting planned on Tuesday with the Plaisance vendors and Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill, or any of his staff or representative.

The naysayers will never appreciate development

RECENTLY, I am reading about the role and importance of sports and recreational facilities in our country. It is amazing to see the shallow memories and poor judgement some people have. Further, it seems that the opposition and the naysayers will never appreciate development.

The PPP/C must be proud of their achievements in the development of sport and recreational facilities across this country. It was the PPP/C government that built the national stadium at Providence.

The PPP/C built the first ever International Athletic Track. The world class facility at Leonora is second to none in the Caribbean. The synthetic track and field facility

also gives our footballers their first recognised international football field.

The National Aquatic Centre, with a 50 meters swimming pool and a warm up/warm down 25 meters pool, is a tremendous achievement for this country. The national Racquet Centre, along with the prestigious National Sport Resource Centre mark a new beginning for sports in Guyana.

The PPP/C government developed the national sport hall into an international facility. Athletes and coaches training and competing in basketball, volleyball, badminton, hockey, karate, and boxing are delighted with access to the sport hall.

The National Gymnasium is yet another facility where athletes of

multiple disciplines, particularly football, relish the use of the facility.

The PPP/C successfully developed and implemented a National Development Programme, which included the establishment of many community centres and playfields around the country.

The PNC during its 28 years, 1964-1992, did not build a single sport facility that they can show to Guyanese.

In the period 20152020, the PNC+APNU/ AFC can down their heads in shame and walk around Durban Park, their “flagship” facility in Demerara.

In Essequibo, the PNC shamefully spent millions of taxpayers’ money to put together a recreational park at “Ex-Mouth;” this

park is disgraceful with heavy grass and vines over-running the entire place.

Worst is the fact that the money was spent by the PNC/REO without verifying the owner of the land. Today, that issue is in the court.

Millions of dollars were spent on developing the facilities at Linden and New Amsterdam; shamefully, this nation is awaiting an explanation of how the money was spent by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport and National Sport Commission during the period 2015-2020.

Sport is a must for

all from the cradle to the grave. The PPP/C government fully recognises this indubitable fact and thus, we are committed to the development of professional, amateur and recreational sports.

The most recent recreational facility at Windsor Forest is indeed a tremendous achievement that clearly demonstrates this commitment. First lady Arya Ali must be complimented for this momentous achievement as we continuously see hundreds of persons enjoying the use of this impressive

facility. Money spent on well-organised and executed projects that significantly benefit our citizens is money well spent. Those persons saying otherwise are obviously unscrupulous in their attempts to score fallacious political points.

The PPP/C government will remain undeterred by such unfounded and politically motivated claims as we continue to demonstrate our commitment to improving the lives of all Guyanese!

Search and rescue mission:

Missing family found alive in Chinoweing

IN a dramatic turn of events, a search and rescue operation conducted by the 31 Special Forces Squadron proved successful when a

missing family was found alive and in good health in Chinoweing, Region Seven (Cuyuni/ Mazaruni).

The operation was

launched following a missing persons’ report, filed by concerned residents of the village.

On Wednesday, June 21, 2023,

68-year-old Jerine George, her 19-yearold daughter Cenoriza George, and Cenoriza's two-year-old son Vel George set off from Phillipai on

foot, en route to Chinoweing. However, they failed to arrive at their destination on the same day as expected, raising alarm among the local community.

Prompted by the residents' fears, a search party was organised but unfortunately, it could not locate the missing family initially. With the situation growing increasingly urgent, authorities decided to deploy a patrol from the 31 Special Forces Squadron to aid in the search and rescue efforts.

At 13:30 hours on Saturday, June 24, 2023, the Special Forces patrol was dispatched to Chinoweing, deploying from Chi Chi with the assistance of the GDF Skyvan. After three intense hours of scouring the rugged terrain, the patrol managed to locate the three persons.

Relief washed

over the search party as they discovered the missing villagers safe and sound. The Special Forces team wasted no time in assessing the family's condition, and to their immense satisfaction, the GDF medics confirmed that all three individuals were in good health.

With the successful rescue mission completed, the GDF patrol provided an escort for the individuals as they made their way back to Chinoweing. The entire village rejoiced upon their safe return, grateful for the combined efforts of the search party and the 31 Special Forces Squadron.

This heartwarming story serves as a reminder of the importance of community vigilance and the dedication of our armed forces in ensuring the safety and well-being of every citizen.

The joyous reunion showing Jerine George, Cenoriza George and her two-year-old son Vel George, and the GDF medical personnel who provided assistance during the ordeal

USAID aims to raise awareness about water sector resilience

— with ‘Water for All’ Pitch Competition for youths, entrepreneurs in Eastern, South Caribbean

THE USAID Eastern and Southern Caribbean office is pleased to launch the Water for All Pitch Competition, seeking entrepreneurs located in the Eastern and Southern Caribbean region to submit game-changing innovations that focus on the water sector.

According to a press release, the pitch competition aims to bring regional awareness and drive action to

promote water sector resilience in the face of climate change and other hazards affecting the region.

“It will amplify the private sector’s role in water solutions by showcasing promising innovations and practices and to strategically connect them to advanced support systems that will ultimately support the scaling up of their innovations for the benefit of all. This would enable testing of ideas to identify what works and catalyse follow-on investments for, and bring attention to, proven solutions for greater scale,” USAID said.

Entries must be submitted in English through the website: https://www.waterislife2023.com. Eligible entrepreneurs must have an existing innovation or prototype, pitches must provide solutions for water resilience and sustainability, and ideas must be driven or amplified by technology.

The pitch competition is open to eligible applicants in the following ESC countries: Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago.

Up to five entrepreneur finalists will be shortlisted to participate in an in-person pitch in Barbados with a total of a USD$50,000 cash prize.

The grand prize winner will win a US$25,000 investment in their pitch. The first and second runners-up will win USD$15,000 and USD$5,000 investments, respectively.

The other three finalists will receive non-financial support in the form of business development, market assessment, public relations and communications, technical expertise, and travel services in order to accelerate and facilitate continuing development of their pitches.

The Water for All Pitch competition will be open for applications through July 14, 2023. All interested participants should read, carefully, the eligibility criteria and entry process before submission. If the entrant experiences any difficulty with submitting an entry, please contact ESC Resilience Team at mission-esc-resilience@usaid.gov.

Windies loss to Dutch ‘true reflection’...

From page 36

they were not expressing themselves like a quality international side.

“[At the] half-way stage [and with] 375 on the board, I thought the batters did excellently but again it shows you where we are as a team,” said Sammy who took over the helm of the white-ball squad last month.

“We were kind of poor tactically. We didn’t stick to the plans as long as possible and we just thought because we had 375 on the board that we should win, but cricket is not played like this.

“And it’s a lesson for us that you can’t take any game of cricket for granted.”

He continued: “I am a very positive thinker and I understand the journey that I have to take with this team. Sometimes you’ve got to reach rock bottom to come back up.

West Indies head coach Darren Sammy.

“I understand the challenges ahead and I also understand that things will not change overnight and it’s a true reflection of where our cricket is at the moment and we have a lot of work to do.”

West Indies appeared out of sight when they rattled up 374 for six off their 50 overs but then watched as the Netherlands produced a superb run chase to tie the scores, courtesy of Teja Nidamanuru’s 111 off 76 balls.

Logan van Beek then blasted 30 runs from Jason Holder’s super-over before taking up the ball to defend the target, as West Indies lost their second on the trot following last weekend’s defeat to Zimbabwe.

“We keep on dropping catches and coming down to the end, some of the decision we made, it makes you question what was going on,” Sammy lamented.

“Again, like when we played Zimbabwe, we really did not deserve to win with that display in the second half. It was really poor. Credit most go to the Netherlands … the way they batted and they stuck to it.”

He continued: “For years people have been

saying we’re a boundary-hitting team and scoring off more balls is one of the big elements we have to improve on in all formats of the white-ball game and again, just being hungry.

“Even in the field, so far I can safely say we’re the worst fielding team in this competition and I speak the truth and I’ll tell the guys that.

“We cannot continue displaying this type of behaviour and attitude on a cricket field and call ourselves an international team. Every other team there’s energy, there are a lot of things that we’re supposed to be doing naturally because it’s a professional sport.

“But again I say, it’s a true reflection of where we are as a team and the stuff we have to do to move forward.”

The defeat left West Indies in a precarious position, without a single point despite reaching the Super Six stage and needing to win all three of their next matches in order to reach the World Cup in India later in the year.

“We’ve put ourselves there, we’ve got ourselves to blame. Two crucial matches with points on offer, we found ourselves in good positions and we let it slip,” Sammy said.

“So again, it’s a true reflection of where we are as a team and in order for this train to move forward, a lot of things have to change.”

RACING TIPS

English Racing Tips

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09:10 hrs Jubilee Walk

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Kempton

12:15 hrs Boom Boom Pow

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Irish Racing Tips Naas

11:55 hrs Asean

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England choose Josh Tongue for second Ashes Test against Australia

ENGLAND have included Josh Tongue in an all-pace attack on a green-tinged Lord's pitch for the second Ashes Test against Australia.

Tongue replaces off-spinner Moeen Ali, who was fit despite suffering a cut spinning finger in the first Test loss at Edgbaston.

"We turned up at Lord's and saw there was quite a lot of grass on the pitch," said England captain Ben Stokes.

"We thought we would get more out of our fourth bowler being Josh Tongue."

Though Moeen, 36, has been able to bowl in the nets this week, there remained a concern that he would be susceptible to a recurrence of the finger injury.

That, the conditions and ongoing management of Stokes' own persistent left knee problem has led England to pack their pace attack.

Tongue, 25, wins his second cap after making his debut against Ireland on the same ground at the beginning of June.

Stokes admitted England wanted to pick Mark Wood, but felt he was not able to get through a five-day Test having not played any cricket for more than two months. The hope is he will be ready for the third Test at Headingley next week.

"We felt that he could definitely start the game," said Stokes. "The extra week with build-up and getting his workloads up would give him a better chance and an opportunity to play a full part from Leeds onwards."

Worcestershire's Tongue took five wickets in the second innings against the Irish and will join James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Ollie Robinson as the frontline bowlers.

"I'm looking forward to seeing Tonguey continue the great start he had against Ireland here," said Stokes.

"The only thing that's different for him is the occasion. He's had his first Test match, his debut game, which he's had huge success from.

"Coming in and being able to use him in a fourth seamer role is something that I'm very much looking forward to him being able to do and I think he's really looking forward to the challenge as well."

Without Moeen, responsibility for spin will fall to Joe Root, who took one wicket with his off-breaks at Edgbaston.

In the second innings, Root actually bowled more overs than Moeen as the Warwickshire man nursed his finger.

Moeen came out of Test retirement to play in the Ashes after regular frontline spinner Jack Leach suffered a stress fracture in his back.

Leach had been ever present in the England team since Stokes took over as captain at the beginning of last summer and this will be the first Test under Stokes that England have not fielded a frontline spinner.

Leach has been at Lord's this week and spoke to the England squad before training on Tuesday.

"It was a huge loss, losing Leachy for the series," said Stokes. "He's been an integral part of everything we've been able to achieve until now. The XI that we've picked is the XI that we've picked and I've got to try and make that work.

"Joe's bowling has gone from strength to strength and the more responsibility I've given him with the ball has brought out another side to Joe. It's great having someone like that who also averages 50 with the bat, that's always nice."

Before speaking to the media, Stokes addressed the publication of the report from the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket by reading a prepared statement.

"It is clear there is so much more the game has to do and as players we really want to be a part of that to ensure this is truly a sport for everyone," Stokes said.

If they are to win the Ashes for the first time in eight years, England must become the first team since 2005 to come from behind to lift the urn.

Australia are expected to include left-arm paceman Mitchell Starc, while off-spinner Nathan Lyon will become only the seventh man in history - and first bowler - to play 100 consecutive Tests.

"We are pretty sure which way we are going to go," said Australia captain Pat Cummins. "We just want to cover it all off, have another look at the wicket and what the weather is going to be like."

England XI: Crawley, Duckett, Pope, Root, Brook, Stokes, Bairstow, Broad, Robinson, Tongue, Anderson. (BBC Sport).

Josh Tongue (right) has taken 167 first-class wickets at an average of 25.9

Matthews hundred hands Windies Women opening win

SCOREBOARD

WEST

*H

GROS ISLET, St Lucia, (CMC) – Captain Hayley Matthews carved out a fourth One-Day International hundred and then grabbed three wickets as West Indies Women repelled a spirited challenge from Ireland Women, to come away with a 58-run win here Monday.Opting to bat first in the opening ODI of the three-match series, the hosts gathered a more than competitive 297 for six off their 50 overs with the 25-year-old Matthews top-scoring with 109 from 106 deliveries.

Former captain Stafanie Taylor chipped in with 55 off 69 deliveries while Chinelle Henry struck an unbeaten 53 from 37 deliveries.

In reply, Ireland made a good fist of it with 22-yearold Gaby Lewis hitting 83 from 102 balls and captain Laura Delany (40) and Orla Prendergast (37) providing support knocks.

With the visitors going

MANCHESTER City have signed Croatia midfielder Mateo Kovacic from Chelsea for an initial £25m.The deal for the 29-year-old is also worth a possible £5m in add-ons and he has signed a four-year contract.

Kovacic is City's first signing of the summer after they won the Treble of Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup titles last season.

"This is a brilliant move for me, and I cannot wait to get started with City," said Kovacic.

well at 172 for two in the 36th over, Matthews intervened with her off-spin to snatch three for 53 – including the scalp of Lewis – to derail the run chase.

Leg-spinner Afy Fletcher (2-49) and left-armer Qiana Joseph (2-53) added a brace of wickets each as Ireland declined to 239 for nine off their 50 overs.

Choosing to bat first at the Darren Sammy Cricket Ground, West Indies were handed a solid start through Matthews who put on 36 for the first wicket with 18-yearold Zaida James (13) and a further 156 for the second wicket with Taylor.

Matthews counted 10 fours and a couple of sixes while Taylor struck four fours before both fell in a slide that saw West Indies lose three wickets for six runs.

Henry then anchored the lower order, striking seven fours and putting on 42 with Shemaine Campbelle (24) for the fifth wicket and 45 for

His arrival follows the club announcing Ilkay Gundogan's free transfer to Barcelona, while City have had a £90m bid - thought to have included an £80m initial payment - for England midfielder Declan Rice rejected by West Ham.

Kovacic added: "Anyone who has watched this team under [manager] Pep [Guardiola] knows how good they are - for me, they are the best in the world. The trophies they have won are clear for all to see, but they are also the best footballing side out there.

Did not bat: Q Joseph, C Fraser, S Connell

of wickets: 1-36, 2-192, 3-194, 4-198, 5-240, 6-285.

Prendergast 6-0-42-0 (w5), Canning 8-0-33-1 (w1), Kelly 10-1-45-1 (w1), MacMahon 5-0-30-1 (w1), Paul 4-031-0 (nb1), Delany 6-0-37-0, Murray 10-0-60-3, Richardson

PAUL Stirling’s century earned Ireland their solitary win in the Cricket World Cup qualifiers with a dominant 138run victory against the United Arab Emirates.

The opener’s impressive knock of 162 was complemented by half-centuries from Andy Balbirnie and Harry Tector, with the UAE unable to find valuable partnerships to chase a victory target of 350.

It was a bittersweet ending for Ireland, whose hopes of reaching the final six had already been dashed by defeats in their three previous matches, meaning they finished second-bottom in Group B.

After being put in to bat, Ireland lost Andy McBrine for 24 after he was lbw to Sanchit Sharma, but Stirling and captain Balbirnie ran riot as the pair put on 184 for the second wicket.

Ali Naseer found the long-awaited breakthrough in the 39th over as Balbirnie was caught for 66 and Stirling scored another 29 runs before he was caught by Karthik Meiyappan off Sanchit Sharma.

Tector added 57 before Sanchit Sharma struck again in the penultimate over, Meiyappan with another catch, and Ireland finished on 349 for four thanks to a tidy partnership of 23 from Lorcan Tucker and George Dockrell at the death.

The UAE got off to a decent start until captain Muhammad Waseem was run out for 45 and wicketkeeper Aryansh Sharma followed shortly after.

Josh Little struck in quick succession to dismiss Vriitya Aravind and Ethan D’Souza before McBrine struck twice in the 21st over to get rid of Naseer and Aayan Afzal Khan.

the sixth wicket with Aaliyah Alleyne (15).

Ireland also began well thanks to Lewis, the righthander posting 34 for the first wicket with Leah Paul (10) and 67 for the second wicket with Prendergast,

whose knock came from 41 balls and included four fours and a six.

Lewis counted half-dozen fours but her dismissal in the 36th over signalled the start of the decline as wickets tumbled regularly.

Basil Hameed put on a valuable 70-run partnership with Sanchit Sharma, the pair taking their side from 109 for six to 179 without further loss, but Hameed was dismissed by Dockrell for 39.

Curtis Campher then picked up two wickets in an over, Sanchit Sharma falling for 44 and Junaid Siddique for six, before Dockrell took the final wicket to hand Ireland the victory with 11 overs to spare.(Sportsmax)

I want to help this club stay at the top and win more trophies."

Kovacic joined Chelsea from Real Madrid in August 2018, initially on loan, before signing a five-year deal.

He made 37 appearances for the club in a turbulent campaign last season as they finished 12th in the top flight.

el, Kovacic has made 95 appearances for Croatia, playing every game as they finished third at the 2022 World Cup.

"To be joining this squad really is a dream for any footballer. I still have plenty of learning and developing to do, and I know under Pep's management I can be-

come a better player, which is really exciting for me.

"My plan now is to rest for a few weeks before coming back to Manchester to prepare for the new season.

Kovacic was part of the Chelsea side who won the Champions League in 2021, coming on as a late substitute in the 1-0 final win over City.

At international lev -

"It was a very simple decision to bring him to City because he has the tactical and technical qualities we are looking for in a midfielder," said City director of football Txiki Begiristain.

"He is someone we have monitored for a very long time and always we were impressed whenever we watched him."(BBC Sport)

Captain Hayley Matthews was at her best with both bat and ball

via Getty

Kovacic joined Chelsea from Real Madrid for £40m in July 2018

Paul Stirling century leads Ireland to emphatic win over UAE

Paul Stirling swings one away over midwicket • (ICC via Getty Images)

Gaffaney set to reach 50-Test milestone at Lord’s today

UMPIRE Chris Gaffaney will stand in his 50th men’s cricket Test match during the second Test between England and Australia at Lord’s from today.

Gaffaney will become only the second New Zealand umpire to reach the half-century mark after Billy Bowden, who stood in 84 Tests.

Gaffaney has also officiated in 77 ODIs and 43 T20Is and was part of the panels that officiated in the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy in 2017, the Men’s Cricket World Cups in 2015 and 2019, as well as the ICC Men’s T20 World Cups in 2016, 2021 and 2022.

His first Test as an umpire was in Harare in 2014 (Zimbabwe vs South Africa) and he has been part of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Umpires since

2015.

Gaffaney said he was thrilled to be reaching the milestone at Lord’s.

Chris Gaffaney: “It’s a tremendous honour to reach 50 Tests and it is made even more special since it will be at the home of cricket. I feel very lucky.

“To be only the second New Zealander in the history of the game to do this is something I’m very proud of. I never thought

I’d do one, let alone 50.

“None of it would have been possible without my incredible wife Sarah who has stuck with me through the highs and lows and been my biggest supporter.

“I’d like to thank Rodger McHarg who was my first umpire manager at NZ Cricket. When I took my first steps into umpiring, he was always there to encourage, help and direct me on the path on which I walk today.

RHTYSC Cricket teams to host annual Republic Bank Summer Camp and Bakewell/ Busta Cricket Academy

“Also massive thanks to all my umpiring colleagues. Umpiring is an extremely challenging job which is made all the more enjoyable with the quality people I've had the privilege of working with. Thanks team!”

ICC Manager of Umpires and Referees, Sean Easey, congratulated Gaffaney on reaching the landmark.

Sean Easey: “Chris is a respected member of the team and has been on our elite panel for close to a decade. An achievement like this is special and a credit to his consistently strong performances.

“Hopefully this Test milestone is just one of many to come. On behalf of the ICC, I congratulate him for reaching 50 Tests and wish him all the best for the future.” (ICC Media)

MYO strongly supporting Regal in NYSCL Independence Cup

…Club mourning the loss of Wayne Jones’ wife

A 40-MEMBER contingent, comprising players and officials of Regal Masters and Legends teams will wing out for New York today to participate in the 18th edition of the New York Softball Cricket League (NYSCL) annual Independence Cup which commences on Friday.

According to the club, it has received the full backing of the Muslim Youth Organisation (MYO) and this was very evident last Saturday when representatives of MYO joined forces with members of the Regal cricket teams to pull off a major fund-raising venture for the cricketers

heading to New York for the tournament which climaxes on Sunday.

Led by President Azad Ibrahim, with support from Imran Ally of I & S Trading and Fazal, the take-away barbecue was deemed an overwhelming success. More than 2000 tickets were sold and catered for which was mainly through collaboration between the two entities.

The management of the Regal cricket teams take this opportunity to extend special thanks to the supporters who purchased tickets to ensure the trip to the “Big Apple” is a success.

The club pointed out that profits garnered

from the barbecue will help to offset some of the expenses, such as flights, accommodation, meals and transportation for the contingent. Regal Legends Over-50s are the defending champions while Regal Masters Over-40s are making their debut this year. Both teams are in good spirits and are set to represent the Golden Arrowhead and the One Guyana concept proudly as sporting ambassadors.

The club has also been boosted with contributions from Premier Insurance of High Street, Georgetown and Albion Corentyne and FLSSSports Youtuber

and has expressed sincere thanks to both entities.

Meanwhile, the Regal fraternity was plunged into mourning on Tuesday morning following the passing of veteran player Wayne Jones’ wife, Monica Powley. According to reports, she died at her Bel Air, Greater Georgetown home after a prolonged illness.

Jones has since withdrawn from the Regal Legends Over-50 team.

Skipper Mahendra

“Anil” Hardyal, while pointing out that Jones’ absence is a huge loss to the team, he is still confident of defending the championship honours come Sunday.

THE cricket teams of Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club, from July 17, will host their annual Grade Six Summer Camp and the 34th edition of the club’s annual cricket Academy as the Berbice club continues its youth development programmes.

The club has secured sponsorship for both events with Republic Bank renewing their support for the Grade Six Summer Camp for the 14th successive year while the cricket Academy will be supported by long time sponsor, Bakewell, and the Guyana Beverage Company.

RHTYSC’s Secretary, Hilbert Foster, stated that the grade six summer camp will be held at the Rose Hall Town Primary School and would cater for a total of one hundred students who recently wrote the Grade Six exams.

“The main objective is to assist youngsters to make a successful transition to secondary school. The students will be taught four subjects in the month-long camp along with topics that will prepare them for secondary school.

Each student attending the camp will receive a school bag along with educational materials. The best student will also receive an electric bike while four other studens will receive a bicycle as prizes, disclosed Foster, who is also the President of Berbice Cricket Board (BCB).

The 34th cricket academy will cater for 120 youth cricketers between the ages of 8-19 and will be held at the Area H Ground from 9am to 1pm daily.

A panel of cheaded by Winston Smith will conduct the two-week Academy while the club will work with the Guyana Police Force ‘B’ Division to attract interested youths across Region Six to the Academy.

“There will [be] no entrance fee while snacks will be provided daily while the RHTYSC will provide crick-

et gear and educational materials.

The youngsters will participate in several lectures on a wide range of topics including drug abuse, history of the game, rules of cricket, personal manners, table etiquette and public speaking, informed Foster, the most proactive Cricket Administrator in Guyana.

The Academy’s top participant will receive a Gold medallion worth a hundred thousand dollars while another twelve students will receive a collection of gifts including designer clothing, personal care hampers, cycles and household items.

Like the grade six summer camp, each participant will take home a school bag with educational materials.

The cricket Academy was launched in 1990 and has been the foundation of the club’s success which include winning one hundred titles at all levels and producing 120 players for Berbice, Guyana and the West Indies.

Among the players who passed through the Academy are Esuan Crandon, Assad Fudadin, Royston Crandon, Kelvon Anderson, Kevin Sinclair, Aksay Homraj, Dominic Rikhi, Shemaine Campbelle, Sheneta Grimmond, Junior Sinclair, Erva Giddings and Slyus Tyndall.

Foster, a former CWI Director, encouraged the youths to register as early as possible since there are only a few spots available.

Non club members, after the completion of the academy will be given the opportunity to join the most progress Sports Club in Guyana once they satisfy the disciplinary guidelines.

The tournaments planned are the Farfan and Mendes U-15, the Poonai Pharmacy U-13, the Bakewell U-17, the Pepsi U-10, the Metro Female tournament and the NAMILCO Thunderbolt Flour First-Division competition.

Chris Gaffaney set for his 50th Test as an umpire

Shemaine Campbelle

RHTYSC Secretary, Hilbert Foster

— Half centuries from Pathum Nissanka and Charith Asalanka see Sri Lanka post 245 despite a late batting collapse

Theekshana, Hasaranga spin Sri Lanka to victory to go top

SRI Lanka may have had some cause to worry when they were bowled out for 245 in the 50th over. But as good as their batting has been in this tournament - until this game, at least - their bowling has been the best on show.

Wanindu Hasaranga didn't get a five-wicket haul this time, but between them, he and Maheesh Theekshana buried the Scotland batting orderTheekshana claiming 3 for 41, Hasaranga 2 for 42.

(Scores: (Sri Lanka 245 all out (Nissanka, Asalanka 63, Greaves 4-32) beat Scotland 163 all out (Greaves 56*, Theekshana 3-41, Hasaranga 2-42) by 82 runs)

With the seamers pitching in, and a couple of run outs to finish, Sri Lanka strode to a 82-run victory. None of their matches in this group stage have been close. Though there remains some embarrasment about having to play a Qualifying tournament at all, as a former ODI World Cup champion, Sri Lanka will take some satisfaction from

being the side best-placed ahead of the Super Six. They will take four vital points into that stage, in addition to the tournament's best Net Run Rate (NRR) of 3.047.

Scotland have also qualified for the next stage, having won three matches and lost only this one, while maintaining a NRR of 0.540. The Super Six matches against Zimbabwe and West Indies are likely to decide their fate.

Sri Lanka's bowlers have

been imperious in this tournament, and this match was no exception, as they reduced the opposition to 6 for 74 on a sluggish Bulawayo track, inside the first 16 overs. This essentially threw Scotland out of the game. Chris Greaves struck an unbeaten 56 from No. 7, but the target always seemed beyond Scotland, with Sri Lanka's bowlers having dominated right through their innings.

Seamer Lahiru Kumara had made the first breakthrough, up-

rooting Matthew Cross' middle stump with a jagging, length delivery. Then the spinners piled on. Theekshana took out Brandon McMullen's middle stump, before having Richie Berrington caught athletically at slip by Dhananjaya de Silva soon after. Later, Hasaranga would have opener Christopher McBride caught at short cover, before having Mark Watt lbw.

When Theekshana had Jack Jarvis lbw to leave Scotland 100 for 8, it was all over. Greaves

would need a miracle to take Scotland towards victory; he merely produced a very good innings, and saw his last two partners run out. Scotland were all out in the 29th over.

On a surface that was tough to score on, Pathum Nissanka and Charith Asalanka had propelled Sri Lanka to their competitive total, the former collecting 75 off 85 deliveries, the latter making a busy 63 off 65 as wickets fell around him. The two shared only a 44-run stand,

but together were responsible for giving the Sri Lanka batting effort its backbone.

Nissanka was steady through the first half of the innings, and Asalanka guided Sri Lanka through the middle overs.

The left-arm finger spin of Mark Watt was responsible for dismissing them both - Nissanka slapping a short ball to short midwicket, Asalanka edging one to the keeper as he attempted a late cut. Watt would get a third, when he snared Rajitha in front of the stumps. He'd finish with Scotland's best analysis: 3 for 52.

The last of his wickets came in Scotland's best period of the game, when they claimed five wickets inside 34 deliveries. It meant that Sri Lanka would score about 40 runs fewer than what they seemed to be headed for in the 37th over. But such was the quality of Sri Lanka's bowling, it mattered little.

Wanindu HasarangaMaheesh TheekshanaChris GreavesPathum NissankaCharith AsalankaScotlandSri Lank (Cricinfo)

THE Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) were "alarmed" by the "truly appalling" fact that England Women have never played a Test match at Lord's, making the damning assertion that: "The 'home of cricket' is still a home principally for men."

In a 317-page report published on Tuesday, the ICEC highlighted the "public function" of Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), the private members' club which owns Lord's and said that recent decisions made by the club's members have sent "a very public signal about the club's values".

Specifically, the ICEC recommended to MCC that the annual Eton-Harrow and Oxford-Cambridge fixtures should no longer be staged at Lord's after 2023, and that they should be replaced by a national Under-15 state school finals' day for boys and girls, and a national university finals' day for men's and women's teams.

"We respect and value many of the traditions of cricket generally, and Lord's in particular, but not all," the commission wrote in its report. "Some no longer have a place in contemporary

Britain.

"Guaranteeing a tiny number of schoolboys the right to play at Lord's every year when millions of children are denied that right is completely unacceptable. So too is the fact that the schoolboys of two expensive and elite institutions get to play at Lord's every year when the England Women's national team have yet to play a Test Match there.

"The Oxford and Cambridge match has also had its time and should no longer be played at

Lord's. It sends a similar message of elitism, entrenching the position of certain institutions to which only a small minority of school pupils will gain access."

England Women have played at Lord's only once in any format since they won the 2017 World Cup final there six years ago - though are due to return on July 8 for the third T20I of the ongoing Ashes series.

England Men, by contrast, have played two Tests and at least one limited-overs international at Lord's every year since

2000 - except for the pandemic-affected 2020 summer.

Richard Thompson, ECB chair, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "That's unacceptable, and we're going to ensure that there will be a Test match by the England Women in 2026 - and that should have happened sooner. So that has been addressed and will be addressed in 2026 when we also host the Women's T20 World Cup which is a real moment for women's sport in this country. Clearly, we hope that will be a celebration

of cricket."

The commission highlighted the successful attempt by MCC members to challenge the decision of the club's committee to move the "historic fixtures" away from Lord's as "an illustration… of the obstacles placed in the way of those seeking to modernise the game".

It added: "MCC may be a private members' club, in which some members may resent 'interference' with their right to make their own decisions, but it is also a club that benefits from substantial amounts of money from the general public through ticket sales for major matches, with all the accompanying publicity and prestige.

"Those who argue for the continuation of the Historic Fixtures do not seem to understand the damage they are doing to the reputation of MCC and Lord's in the public imagination - compounding a view, whether fair or not, that MCC members are out of touch, elitist and unrepresentative of both the wider population and those who play cricket.

"As the game strives to become more inclusive, as it clearly must, decisions such as these at 'the home of cricket' do more harm than some people

appear to realise."

Lord's was also singled out as the only major venue in the country that does not permit the use of musical instruments, which the commission gave as an example of "ways in which authorities have sought to sanitise the atmosphere at grounds", saying the ban "had a disproportionate impact on ethnically diverse communities, particularly those from Caribbean communities".

In a statement, the MCC Chief Executive & Secretary, Guy Lavender said: "Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) received the report published by the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) earlier today. We recognise that it will make very difficult reading for everyone involved in cricket in this country. This is a vitally important piece of work and all stakeholders in the game must now reflect on the contents of the report.

"MCC is named in the report and we will be analysing the findings in detail. We are committed to playing our part in ensuring cricket is the most inclusive sport in this country and that Lord's is a place where everyone feels welcome."

Maheesh Theekshana dealt Scotland some big blows ( ICC via Getty Images)

Pathum Nissanka brought up a run-a-ball half-century (ICC via Getty Images)

'Home of cricket is still a home principally for men': Lord's castigated for lack of Women's Tests

Lord's has come under fire from the ICEC report, principally on grounds of class and gender • (Getty Images)

GCC Joins MSC with record for most players in a National U-19 team

The CWI’s Rising Stars Regional U-19 three-day and 50-over tournaments will be held in St Vincent from July 2, 2023 and the Guyana team, which is presently encamped at the Chetram Singh indoor facility at LBI, has a record seven players, which is the most from a single club.

The Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) has Skipper Mavendra Dindyal, Rivaldo Phillips, Aryan Persaud, Thaddeus Lovell, Josh Charles, Shaahid Viera and Zachary Jodah in the 14man squad which will leave for the Windward Island on July 1.

Zachary Jodah joins his father Richard Jodah, who played at the Under- 19 level as a dashing left-hander in 1985 & 1986 before surprisingly not being picked for his last year in 1987, when the tournament was held in Jamaica.

GCC has another player on the list of Standbys; he is off-spinner Krsna Singh.

However, there can never be a second first as 36 years ago seven players from

the Malteenoes Sports Club (MSC) WERE selected to represent the Golden Arrow Head in 1987 in Jamaica.

They are off-spinner Sean Devers, batters Shawn Holder and Nezam Hafiz, who later died in the 9/11Terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in NY, and four others with previous Regional U-19 experience.

Pacers Colwyn Cort and Barrington Browne made their debuts in 1985 when Guyana won the tournament, along with batter Nigel Greaves and left-arm Glen Robinson, who played in 1986 in Trinidad.

Orin Hutson, who was

tipped to captain the team, was relegated to the standby list.

Known as the ‘magnificent seven’ the MSC players were on the Guyana team on the plane to Reggae Country.

MSC’s Devers captured the most wickets for Guyana, which had a four-pronged pace attack of Cort, Browne, Linden Joseph and David Fingal from Berbice while GCC’s 15-year-old opener Paul Persaud scored the most runs for Guyana.

Will left-handed Shamar Yearwood, who scored a century in the senior Inter-County and who was Guyana’s leading run-scorer last year?

Will Rampertab Ramnauth who scored centuries for Guyana at U-15, U-17 & U-19 levels or will Skipper Dindyal achieve the feat?

The full squad reads: Rampertab Ramnauth, Shaahid Vieira (WK), Mavindra Dindyal (Captain), Alvin Mohabir, Jonathan Rampersaud (Vice-Captain), Zachary Jodah, Thaddeus Lovell, Aryan Persaud, Joash Charles, Zeynul Ramsammy, Shamar Yearwood, Jeremy Sandia, Rivaldo Phillips and Isai Thorne. (Sean Devers)

worst cricket match ever played by the West Indies'

So disgusted was Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley by the dismal display of the West Indies cricket team, that he took to social media, and held nothing back.

“Today I saw the worst cricket match ever played by a West Indies team” he wrote.

He said: “This amateurish demoralizing embarrassment has to stop. Playing for West Indies requires a desire to fight, to believe, to win. To saunter through to defeat is unacceptable.

Playing for West Indies must be a treasured privilege available only to the best that are prepared to show character in defence of our legacy and our pride.

Those to whom these truths mean nothing must not be allowed out in West

Indies colours.”

Rowley was referring to the game between the West Indies and the Netherlands on Monday.

dred with a scintillating one of his own while Manof-the-Match Logan van Beek produced a fearless all-round effort, as Netherlands stunned West Indies yesterday, in a dramatic super-over to leave the Caribbean side’s World Cup hopes hanging by a string.

Tasked with overhauling 375 after the left-handed Pooran lashed a pulsating 65-ball unbeaten 104, the Netherlands staged a remarkable chase, the 28-year-old Nidamanuru top-scoring with 111 off 76 balls with 11 fours and three sixes, to leave the scores tied in the Group A contest at Takashinga Sports Club.

Van Beek, whose grandfather Sammy Guillen was born in Trinidad and who played five Tests for West

Indies during the 1950s, then annihilated Jason Holder in the super-over, plundering 30 runs courtesy of three sixes and three fours.

The 32-year-old then returned to bowl the Dutch side’s super-over, limiting West Indies to eight runs from the first three balls before removing Johnson Charles and Romario Shepherd in successive deliveries, to spark celebrations at the venue.

Rowley added "The stench of today’s embarrassment didn’t start today, it had a long gestation period in two decades of disappointment, so those who were “expecting” should not come looking for any exemption here."

(Reprinted from TTs Daily Express)

Tropical Shipping, a leading transportation and logistics solutions provider, proudly announces its partnership with Guyana Motor Racing &Sports Club (GMR&SC) as the official shipping company for international events.

This collaboration marks an important milestone in enhancing the growth and development of motorsports in Guyana. As part of this partnership, Tropical Shipping will facilitate the seamless transportation of race cars from the Caribbean to Guyana for high-profile motor racing events. With its extensive network, state-of-the-art facilities, and commitment to exceptional service, Tropical Shipping ensures a reliable and efficient shipping experience for all involved parties.

GMR&SC, renowned for organising thrilling motorsport events, hosts international competitions that attract drivers, teams, and spectators worldwide. By partnering with Tropical Shipping, the organisation aims to elevate the stature of its events further, fostering increased participation and global recognition.

"We are happy to have Tropical Shipping as the official shipping company for Guyana Motor Racing. We recognize the significance of motorsports in Guyana and will continue to grow our international events by providing secure and timely transportation for race cars. Tropical Shipping's extensive experience in the shipping industry and our commitment to competitor's satisfaction ensure we exceed all involved parties' expectations," said Mahendra Boodhoo, GMR&SC President.

The partnership between Tropical Shipping and Guyana Motor Racing exemplifies the shared vision of promoting excellence in motorsports and creating opportunities for drivers and teams to showcase their talent internationally. By streamlining the shipping process, this collaboration enables the smooth execution of events, allowing participants to focus on delivering exhilarating performances.

Teja Nidamanuru defied Nicholas Pooran’s hun -

'The

The GCC players in the Guyana U-19 team at the LBI facility (krsna Singh, the standby, is at 3rd left)

TTs Prime Minster Dr Keith Rowley

England Cricket Board apologises for discrimination following equity report

LONDON, (Reuters) - The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has apologised "unreservedly" to those who faced discrimination in the game after the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) released a report finding evidence of racism across the sport.

The report found the cricket boards had failed to prevent "structural and institutional racism, sexism and class-based discrimination", and the ECB acknowledged the need for change.

The ECB said it will work alongside representatives from the sport and build a plan of action in the next three months, which will align with the ICEC's 44 recommendations.

"On behalf of the ECB and wider leadership of the game, I apologise unreservedly to anyone who has ever been excluded from cricket or made to feel like they don't belong," ECB chair

Richard Thompson said in a statement.

"Cricket should be a game for everyone, and we know that this has not always been the case. Powerful conclusions within the report also highlight that for too long women and Black people were neglected. We are truly sorry for this."

England captain Ben Stokes called on cricket to "learn from past mistakes" and "be more inclusive and

diverse" in the wake of the damning report at a press conference ahead of the second Ashes Test against Australia at Lord's.

"To the people involved within the game who have been made to feel unwelcome, I am deeply sorry to hear of your experiences," Stokes said on Tuesday.

"Cricket needs to celebrate diversity on all fronts, as without diversity it would not be the game it is today.

CPL to unveil 2023 squads at draft show on Friday, June 30

Organisers of the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League and the Massy Women’s Caribbean Premier League will unveil all the squads for this season at the draft show on Friday, June 30, from 10:30h (Eastern Caribbean time).

The drafted players and the overseas signings for both tournaments will be revealed during the show.

Alex Jordan will host the show, which features Ian Bishop, Daren Ganga, and Anisa Mohammed giving their expert

opinions on the squads for both the CPL and WCPL. It will be broadcast on CPL’s Facebook page and YouTube.

In the lead-up to the draft, all franchises announced their retained players, and there have already been some big moves.

Shimron Hetmyer leads the retentions for the Guyana Amazon Warriors alongside Odean Smith, Romario Shepherd, Keemo Paul, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Gudakesh Motie, Matthew Nandu, and Junior Sinclair.

Warriors will have eight slots, of which they can have a maximum of five overseas players, to fill their 17-man squad.

The 11th edition of CPL runs from August 16 – September 24 and will be played in St. Lucia, St. Kitts, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, and Guyana.

From September 13-24, CPL will be staged in Guyana, and tickets are currently on sale online.

Jamaica Tallawahs will enter the tournament as defending champions.

"I am Ben Stokes, born in New Zealand, a state educated pupil who dropped out of school at 16 with one GCSE in PE.

"I needed help with the spelling and grammar in this speech and am currently sitting here as the England

men's Test captain.

"It is clear there is so much more the game has to do and as players we really want to be a part of that to ensure this is truly a sport for everyone."

The Culture, Media and Sport (CMS) Committee

also commented on the report, reasserting that there is a deep-seated problem of racism in cricket while recognising the need for the ECB to re-align and seeking to ensure it delivers on its commitments.

Windies loss to Dutch ‘true reflection’ of status quo, says Sammy

HARARE, Zimbabwe, (CMC) – Head coach Darren Sammy said Tuesday West Indies’ failure to defend 374 against minnows the Netherlands and their shoddy fielding throughout the entire tournament, was a “true reflection” of the state of affairs surrounding the Caribbean side.

In a frank assessment following West In-

dies’ shock defeat to the Dutch in the ICC World Cup Qualifiers on Monday, Sammy slammed

his side as the “worst fielding team” in the campaign, contending

Continued on page 30

England captain Ben Stokes

ECB Chairman, Richard Thompson

West Indies head coach Darren Sammy