Guyana_Chronicle_Epaper_30_07_2022

SATURDAY 30th July, 2022 PRICE

No.106799

$100

VAT INCLUSIVE

Agri Ministry working robustly for release of fishermen detained in Suriname

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'Triumph of democracy'

–– Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee hails President Ali’s election victory

–– commends President for not only 'planting' a future for Guyanese but for the entire region

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Gov’t negotiating with ExxonMobil on US$2B insurance policy 02 PAGE

Distribution of ‘Because We Care’ cash grant begins on August 2 06 PAGE

Santa Rosa farmers to benefit from improved 11 breeds of swine PAGE

President Ali with Congresswoman Sheila Jackon Lee (Office of the President photo)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, July 30, 2022

Gov’t negotiating with ExxonMobil on US$2B insurance policy –– AG says Opposition motion woefully wrong, misconceived

GOVERNMENT is negotiating insurance coverage of up to US$2 billion with US oil major ExxonMobil, in the event of an oil spill or disaster.

Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall S.C. said the parliamentary opposition’s motion which was defeated in the National Assembly last Thursday was riddled with errors, was unrealistic, and misconceived.

He made this disclosure on his weekly ‘Issues in the News’ Programme aired Tuesday on Facebook, where he addressed the motion, schooling the opposition on government’s insurance policy for the new and emerging sectors.

The motion was presented

by Opposition Parliamentarian, David Patterson and called for government to adopt full unlimited liability coverage for oil spills and other disasters related to petroleum production, as a condition for granting approval for ExxonMobil’s fourth project, the Yellowtail development, and

all other future petroleum development.

It also called for an independent analysis of the possible ill effects of an oil spill. The motion, which was defeated, also called for the report to be submitted to the Parliamentary Committee of Natural Resources and used as a reference for all other future oil development submissions.

Attorney General Nandlall noted that he was not a speaker on the motion in Parliament, but the debate is still ongoing in the public domain about the issues raised.

He was adamant that government was talking to ExxonMobil now to strengthen the insurance coverage.

This, he said, was in addition to the steps taken by the administration on tackling the issue of insurance to safeguard Guyana’s environment in light of an oil spill or some disaster.

“So, Liza One that they issued had no insurance whatsoever. We amended Liza One and we put insurance.

We also put insurance on Liza

Two, and we put insurance also in the Yellowtail… and what is that insurance? It is $600 million US dollars per event. So, if you have an event today, $600 million insurance coverage you have, you’ll have an event tomorrow… and then you’ll have we are currently negotiating with the parent company for a $2 billion coverage. $2 billion US dollar coverage.

So that is the framework that we currently have as per the licence now,” the legal affairs minister said.

Attorney General Nandlall explained that is a significant leap forward with regards to the insurance framework of these petroleum companies.

FAR BETTER “It may not be the perfect insurance scheme or policy, but it is far better than they [APNU+AFC Administration] had, which was zero….There was an argument that was put forward to limit liability only to certain areas of damage.

That was a proposal that

A ship drilling for oil (DPI photo)

was on the table. We rejected that…. We rejected that, employing the causation principle in the law, negligence, and the principle of polluter pays. The insurance policy will run wherever the damage flows. That is the principle.

Wherever the damage flows and the extent of $600 million,” he said.

He made it clear he was merely clarifying the misconception of government’s commitment to having a strong insurance policy for the oil and gas sector.

“So, the misinformation and lack of information that was… that came out of that motion was repeated and enlarged in in the press. And that is the problem. And that is why every one of these motions and these statements that these fellows are making, you have to examine them, scrutinise them and answer them. Because they have a habit. They have a tendency of making up a lie and repeating this lie ever so often…. and that lie in their heads becomes become the truth. And I’ve seen that said so many times, and done it so many times…,” the AG warned.

Nandlall said if anyone knows how the insurance industry works in Guyana one would question the practicality of the motion in the first place.

He delved into the school of thought which supports the motion in championing the government to try and negotiate for limitless insurance coverage. “… the concept of unlimited insurance can only be a theoretical construct.

It doesn’t exist in the real world…. Practicality and pragmatism do not support this concept of an unlimited insurance. The concept is repulsive to reality…. Contract, by its very nature, must be precise. It must have terms and conditions that are precise so that people can know what they are agreeing to.

Who will agree to a contract that has limitless liability… which insurance company will agree to a contract that has no ceiling on the limit?,” Minister Nandlall questioned.

He said government must be practical and realistic when negotiating with

Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall S.C. the oil and gas industry.

FLAWED The Legal Affairs Minister said the entire basis of the motion is flawed.

“Well, it doesn’t make sense, but this guy puts it in a motion and then argues on it. So, the entire concept of his motion, the entire basis of his motion was misconceived and flawed.… Now obviously our government values insurance… but let’s go back to when they were in government, because these guys come to the Parliament while we are in government and they bring all sorts of things. They move all types of motions to do things that they never did when they were in government and they were only delivered two years ago…” the Attorney-General said.

He said the PPP/C Government has to stay within the precinct of the agreement that was signed by the APNU+AFC Administration with respect to the issue governing insurance in the petroleum sector. “… what Mr. Patterson doesn’t understand… they signed the contract. I’ve described the contract as the most lopsided contract in the world… That contract has a clause in it that speaks to insurance and regulates the issue of insurance between the parties… that the four corners of that clause in that contract is what must govern in the insurance in relation to that sector, at least the operators who have signed that signed that contract…you can’t come outside of the four corners of that clause…” he said.

Meanwhile, Minister Nandlall said this is just one example of the opposition spreading false information with the intention of getting the public excited and agitated for no reason.

He said one should look no further than to the contents included in Patterson’s original motion which has a host of factual errors.

“So, every time these people speak, you have to examine what they see microscopically, clinically and critically because 99 per cent of the times they are lying and they are spewing untruths, and half-truths,” he said.

Only Wednesday, the government welcomed the latest oil discoveries announced by US oil giant ExxonMobil, which, Natural Resources Minister, Vickram Bharrat said will further translate into improved living standards for Guyanese.

The oil and gas company announced the discovery of commercial quantity of oil at its Seabob and Kiru-Kiru wells Tuesday.

The company said the Seabob-One well encountered approximately 131 feet (40 metres) of high-quality hydrocarbon-bearing sandstone and was drilled in 4,660 feet (1,421 metres) of water by the Stena Carron drill ship. The Kiru-Kiru-One well encountered approximately 98 feet (30 metres) of high-quality hydrocarbon-bearing sandstone and was drilled by the Stena DrillMAX in 5,760 feet (1,756 metres) of water.

With these two discoveries, the oil find of ExxonMobil has increased to seven so far for 2022. (DPI)

'Triumph of democracy'

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, July 30, 2022

–– Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee hails President Ali’s election victory

–– commends President for not only 'planting' a future for Guyanese but for the entire region PRESIDENT, Dr Irfaan Ali and his delegation, on Thursday evening, met at a dinner on Capitol Hill, with several members of the Congressional Black Caucus, in Washington DC. The Head of State was lauded for his visionary leadership and was bestowed with a Certificate of Congressional Recognition by Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee. “What I see in you is the kind of leadership that can go into many doors around the world and view the people as equal and show them respect so that we can have solutions.”

She added that it was her pleasure to present the recognition of the 18th District of Texas to President Ali, which recognises his election victory as a “triumph of democracy” while distinguishing his commitment to the Guyanese people.

“It goes on to assure that you are steadfast in your commitment to the wellbeing and the future of the Guyanese people, and through your outstanding character as a

President Ali and members of his government with representatives of the Black Caucus (Office of the President photo) survival.

“There are not enough weapons for us to generate peace and security; it has to be through diplomacy. I think what you have exhibited here this evening and your travels throughout the day, and your eagerness to speak with one of our members who was not able to come, to be able to show him the new Guyana is a very important position to take Mr President. I am very proud to have the opportunity to meet with you.”

She told President Ali that she was impressed that he was not only “planting” a future for

`AND ENHANCING RELATIONS In his remarks, President Ali pointed to the importance of networking as a key component of diplomacy. He emphasised that sharing ideas and opinions contributes to building trust and enhancing relationships.

“We have adopted a new approach to diplomacy…. An important aspect of diplomacy is networking, and when you build friendships, you must be able to share that network and integrate that network in building trust and enhancing relationships; that is a feature of democracy

President Ali and delegation at dinner with members of the Black Caucus on Capitol Hill (Office of the President photo) leader, you are going to help them overcome struggles that they may not foresee… it goes on to indicate that your election was a triumph of democracy and a promise of hope for the Guyanese people.”

The veteran Congresswoman added that international diplomacy was the cornerstone of the world’s

Guyanese but for the entire region. “…Your light shines, and hopefully, it can draw in other countries which you border, and we can find better ways to solve problems. I applaud you, and I am delighted to be one of the hosts.”

BUILDING TRUST

you would have seen at work this evening.”

The President also recognised the astute leadership and positive influence of the Congresswoman, who has served as the US Representative from Texas’ 18 Congressional District since 1995.

“I want to assure you of our full support, of our openness. Any questions you may have, any clarifications you need, you call directly; we are open and ready to provide those.”

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Congressman Gregory Meeks, spoke of his “fantastic” meeting with President Ali. “I just had a fantastic meeting with President Ali, talking about the relationship between the United States of America and Guyana and his leadership. To be quite frank, he is an individual that has a vision of how to make sure that tomorrow is better than today.

Bringing all of the people of Guyana together; thinking with the vision of the economy in Guyana; working together collectively with various other countries in the forefront

with reference to making sure that you deal with agriculture so that the people are not starving and hungry.”

He said he was also impressed by President Ali’s plans on how the United States can work with Guyana and the rest of the region in enhancing its partnership.

“So, it was a very important and a very good meeting that I had with President Ali.” Chair of the Appropriations Committee, Congresswoman Barbara Lee; Congressman Danny Davis from Illi-

nois and Congressman Al Green from Texas joined Congresswoman Jackson Lee and Congressman Meeks at the reception for the Guyanese delegation, which included Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, the Honourable Hugh Todd; Foreign Secretary, Robert Persaud; Guyana’s Ambassador to the United States, H.E Samuel Hinds and Deputy Chief of Mission at the Guyana Embassy in Washington, Zulfikar Ally. (Office of the President)

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Vice-President COVID-19 negative

Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, on Thursday took another COVID-19 test and the result returned negative, a statement from the Department of Public Information (DPI) said.

The Vice-President never exhibited any symptoms of COVID-19, the release noted

July 20, 2022

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, July 30, 2022

‘Agri’ Ministry working robustly for release of fishermen detained in Suriname

THE Ministry of Agriculture, through the Fisheries Department, is robustly working to secure the release of three Guyanese fishermen detained in Suriname for alleged unauthorised fishing in that country.

Subject Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, told the Guyana Chronicle that he is unsure when the men will be released from custody in Suriname; however, he disclosed that the Fisheries Department has been tasked with providing a report on the situation.

“I asked my fisheries officer to give me a report on the matter; he has

28/07/22 - 03, 09, 14, 19, 25

to provide me with a report because I understand that they were fishing in Surinamese water without a licence so I have to get a proper briefing,” Mustapha told the Guyana Chronicle on Friday.

He said once the fishermen are released and returned to Guyanese shores, a more extensive report will be provided.

The detained men were identified as Ramesh Ramchand and Mahendra Bissessar of Annandale, East Coast Demerara (ECD) and Troy Tyrell of Lusignan, ECD. The fishing vessels belonging to the men have been seized.

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28/07/22 - 3 9 4

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha

28/07/22- 2, 3, 5, 9, 13, 19, 21

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, July 30, 2022

Subsea 7, Van Oord awarded contract to install gas-to-shore pipeline

TWO companies, Subsea 7 and Van Oord have been awarded a multimillion dollar contract for the installation of the pipeline for the Gas-to-Energy Project.

The contract which was described as “substantial” by Subsea 7 was awarded to the companies from ExxonMobil affiliate Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL).

According to a release from Subsea 7, the scope covers the project management, engineering, and installation of approximately 190 kilometres of pipeline, with an associated shallow water portion and onshore approach making landfall to the west of the Demerara River, along the coast of Guyana.

“We are honoured to have been selected for Guyana Gas to Energy. This is an important project to support the Guyanese people and we look forward to continuing our relationship with EEPGL in one of the most prolific and exciting development basins in the world,” said Craig Broussard, Vice-President for Subsea 7 US. According to Subsea 7, their company’s share of the contract is valued between US$150 million and

US$300 million.

HONOURED Hans van Gaalen, Commercial Director for Van Oord, said the company is honoured to have been selected for the Guyana Gas to Energy project in co-operation with Subsea 7.

“Developing the coastal infrastructure for the project will allow our Subsea 7 and Van Oord consortium to positively contribute to the development of Guyana’s electricity supply which in turn will reduce Guyana’s dependence on imported fuels.”

It was disclosed that the entire Gas to Energy Project is estimated to cost more than US$1 billion inclusive of the pipeline, onshore and offshore components combined.

According to the Ministry of Natural Resources, the scope of the project covers combined cycle turbines; multiple-fuel consumption (including rich and lean natural gas, natural gas liquids, and diesel); powerplant to generate up to 300 MW of power with net 250 MW delivered into the Guyana Power and Light grid at a sub-station located on the East Bank of the Demerara River.

The project shall include a 230 KV substation and back-up fuel capacity; NGL plant with the capacity to process 60,000 cubic feet per day (MCFD) in the first phase and up to 120 MCFD in the second phase, capable of conditioning the gas and removing heavier hydrocarbons in the liquid form.

Five-day storage for these products to be provided, as well as truck or river loading

facilities; and the project will include related infrastructure and civil works for the above facilities.

The project will be located in the Hermitage, part of the Wales Development Zone, with approximately 150 acres allocated for it.

Notably, the government has invited interested parties to invest in its US$900 million Gas-to-Energy Project Wales Development Zone

(WDZ). A public notice from the Ministry of Natural Resources stated that the WDZ was selected as the landing facility for the pipeline, following the consideration of more than 20 potential locations.

The pipeline, which would end in the WDZ, will measure some 225 km from the Liza area, where the natural gas is produced.

GAS-PROCESSING PLANT The project will see the establishment of a Gas-Processing Plant (GPP) and a Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) facility, capable of producing at least 4,000 barrels per day, including the fractionation (or separating out) of Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG).

The government said a power plant will be established to generate 150 MW, with an additional 150 MW in a second phase, and that an industrial park will be established to comprise industries that could use gas, steam, and/or electricity.

ExxonMobil’s local affiliate, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), has guaranteed the government a minimum of 50 million standard cubic feet of gas per day (mmscfd) will be transported through the pipeline by 2024. The pipeline will have a maximum capacity of 130 mmscfd.

The Gas-to-Energy Project, which is expected to come on stream by late 2024, is expected to reduce Guyana’s energy-sector emissions. The project will also cut electricity costs by more than half.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, July 30, 2022

Foreign and domestic policy

ALBEIT a relatively short trip, the official visit of President, Dr Irfaan Ali and his high level team to Washington DC culminated into a rather packed agenda of public engagements with renowned think tanks, and meeting with federal government officials and private sector representatives.

The President also took the time to engage the Guyanese diaspora in the US. There is no need to guess what Guyana’s goal is as the messaging and talking points are consistent in and out of Guyana.

There is, as has hardly ever been seen before, an immaculate blending of Guyana’s domestic and foreign policy initiatives. Central to this is the push for food and energy security and the blending of that security with the idea of prosperity for not only Guyana but the rest of the Caribbean and the Americas.

With the thrust into oil and gas, Guyana is using its global placement responsibly to remind the world that despite the advancement of petroleum, renewable energy must also form part of the conversation, and our people must be fed. But as President Ali has shown, and which has also been recognized

by other leaders from around the world, his vision is for Guyana and our friends in the wider world.

While moving through Washington’s corridors of power, President Ali met Chairman of the House of Representatives’ Foreign Affairs Committee, Congressman Gregory Meeks. “To be quite frank, he is an individual that has a vision of how to make sure that tomorrow is better than today.

“Bringing all of the people of Guyana together, thinking with the vision of the economy in Guyan, working together collectively with various other countries in the forefront with reference to making sure that you deal with agriculture so that the people are not starving and hungry,” Congressman Meeks is quoted aptly as saying.

Most notable from the President’s Washington trip is the unlocking of US$2 billion for development here through an agreement between Guyana and the US Export-Import (EXIM) Bank. Speaking on the agreement, the Bank’s statement said: “The MoU includes several potential sectors in which projects may be identified, including, but not limited to, infrastructure (including roads and bridges); energy (in-

cluding renewable energy and emission reduction); telecommunications (including wireless technologies); water treatment and sanitation (including technologies and infrastructure); and agriculture.”

Adding further context, the Bank said: “The MoU provides a framework within which financing can be provided by EXIM to advance developmental projects in Guyana while promoting the export of U.S. made goods and services.

“In this regard, the MoU provides a valuable mechanism for deepening the trade and economic ties between the two countries while advancing shared interests, especially following the launch of President Biden’s Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII). PGII will mobilize $200 billion from the United States over the next five years to promote infrastructure development?in low- and middle-income countries.

“The initiative focuses on advancing sustainable projects with high standards across four key sectors, combatting the climate crisis, safeguarding global health and health security, accelerating technological transformation in the face of a growing dig-

ital divide, and advancing gender equity.”

Guyanese can rest assured that the future of this country is bright. In his engagements, Dr Ali also met with the US Secretary of Energy, Jennifer M. Granholm, Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey, US Undersecretary for Economy Growth, Energy and the Environment, Jose W. Fernandez, Senators Tim Kaine and Marco Rubio of the US Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee, officials of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and a number of representatives of civil society organisations based in Washington DC. It is clear that the global interest in Guyana is keen, for reasons that don’t require expounding in this editorial. What is more important to that global interest, however, is that through the vision of President Ali, Guyana has clearly set out its targets and ambitions which must be met with this prosperity boom, while at the same time leveraging its influence to extend that prosperity to our regional and hemispheric neighbours.

This is a different time, and Guyana has entered its ‘main character’ phase.

Distribution of ‘Because We Care’ cash grant begins on August 2 –– parents asked to check schedule for pick-up locations

THE Ministry of Education, on Friday, released the schedule for distribution of the $25,000 “Because We Care” cash grant and $5000 uniform voucher and Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, called on parents to keenly check the schedule to see the location and date for their pick up.

Distribution of the monies will commence on August 2 and run until August 5. Any parent failing to make it on the designated day of distribution will have to await the completion of the process to be given a different date to uplift their grant from the ministry’s office, directly.

The distribution scheduled for each respective region is posted on the ministry’s social media pages, and has also been shared by the minister on her official Facebook page.

Additionally the ministry has also set up a WhatsApp hotline on 652-9145 whereby parents can make enquiries.

This year distribution will see some schools group with others at a single location; hence, in some cases parents will not necessarily be uplifting the money at the school that the child attends. As such, the minister is calling on parents to find out early where their distribution location will be.

Minister Manickchand explained too that this was done to pool resources, particularly personnel, in cases where schools had smaller

number of children.

“We have had to group some schools.

Every location will have education officers, teachers, auditors from the Auditor General’s Department and policemen and women…. We’re asking you to pay attention to the schedule,” the minister emphasised.

AVOID OVERCROWDING Notwithstanding the consolidation of schools, Manickchand noted that efforts were made not to put too many students at any one particular location so as to avoid overcrowding.

“Except the school has more than a thousand children, we don’t really have more than a thousand persons at any location unlike last year,” the minister noted.

Minister Manickchand on Friday held a live question and answer video segment on her page where she fielded questions from the general public and also commented on how happy she was to know that parents would be able to receive their grants early to facilitate timely purchasing of school supplies.

The $25,000 “Because We Care” cash grant and $5,000 uniform voucher will be given for each learner from nursery to secondary, in private and public schools who were listed on a school register as at 30 June.

As such, year one nursery school pupils will be able to access the facility once they were registered by June 30 at a particular school; however, Grade 11 and Grade 13 learners will not be issued grants.

In the case of Grade 11 students, they will be issued grants if they subsequently register for Grade 12, which is not a mandatory level. Minister Manickchand related that these students will receive their grant at a later time in October when they are expected to conclude registering for Sixth Form.

“This is a grant to assist the parent for the new academic year between September 2022 and June 2023. So if you will not be in school in September 2022, then you’re not entitled to the grant. So school leavers in second year [Sixth Form] are not entitled to the grant.

[Fifth form] students leaving school will not be entitled to the grant. If they’re coming back into school to do Sixth Form then they will get the grant sometime around October,” the minister explained.

DESIGNATED APPOINTED PERSON In cases where parents cannot attend to uplift their grant, they can send a designated appointed person with an authorisation letter to uplift the money in their stead.

This year’s total assistance of $30,000 is

a marked increase from the $19,000 “Because We Care” cash grant and the school uniform and supplies grants that were given out last year.

Amounting to an additional $2.2 billion, the education cash grant is part of the $74.4 billion budget for the education sector this year.

The “Because We Care” cash grant and uniform voucher are part of welfare measures being implemented by the government to put more disposable income into the hands of parents and increase school attendance of learners, particularly those disadvantaged because their parents could not always afford the basic necessities.

The government, in its manifesto, had promised that by 2025, each child will receive $50,000.

The “Because We Care” project started in 2014 under the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Government and saw parents receiving cash grants of $10,000 per child in the public school system.

However, when the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) assumed office in 2015, the party discontinued the grant. When the PPP/C returned to Government in 2020, they upheld their promise to restore the grant and increase it.

Cause of St George’s High School fire still unknown

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, July 30, 2022

THE cause of the fire that destroyed the St George’s High School is still unknown even as the Ministry of Education has already begun to relocate some of the affected students.

Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle on Friday, Fire Chief (ag) Gregory Wickham confirmed that the investigation into the cause of the fire is still ongoing, with the Guyana Fire Service still awaiting results on tests being carried out on samples retrieved from the site.

“We want to be very concise and complete before we give the cause of the fire [so] I would not be able to disclose any information at this point,” Wickham informed.

He added: “We have to ensure that at all times we cover all the ends. We don’t want to rush to say something that days after you have more information coming about the same thing. Sampling has also been done so we’re waiting for results to come in on some samples and other things we would’ve taken.”

Some 421 students have been displaced when a fire of unknown origin ravished the St George’s High School on Church Street. The fire was the third such fire at a secondary school in less than two years. The North Ruimveldt Multilateral School, in Georgetown, went up in flames in June 2021, while the Mabaruma Secondary School, in Region One, was also destroyed by a fire in September.

Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand had called the fire at St George’s High an extremely big loss as the school was one that the ministry had a lot of interest in because of what they could do with the school’s programmes and more.

In a recent interview with this publication, Minister Priya Manickchand noted that the Ministry of Education (MoE) has already begun to put measures in place to determine how they are going to place the students; however she emphasised that this is being done in consultation

with the students and their parents.

“We are speaking individually to parents and students to determine how we’re going to place these students for September.

It’s 421 students so we don’t know that there’s any particular school that can house them all, and even if there is, students are coming from very far and may not want to go to the school,” Minister Manickchand explained.

According to one news report, over 220 of the students have since been placed at new schools after the Ministry of Education (MoE) facilitated the move. In the meantime, no new students would be allocated a place at this school when the upcoming National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) results are released.

Grade Six pupils are placed in a secondary school based on their performance at the NGSA. However, as pertains to whether or not the ministry

The destroyed St George’s High School

will be rebuilding the school on location, Manickchand explained it would depend on several factors, particularly because the land that the school was located on is not owned by the Ministry of Education.

According to Minister Manickchand, the land

is owned by the Anglican Church.

Nonetheless, whether the school is rebuilt on location or not, Manickchand affirmed that a school needs to be built since most schools in the City are operating at maximum capacity.

Education Minister, Priya Manickchand

Ensuring First People Are Not Last Citizens

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, July 30, 2022

Part 6: CARICOM also seeking Reparations for Native Genocide

By Earl Bousquet BRIEFLY glimpsing the history of Guyana’s First People from the affectionate words and 12 original drawn and painted illustrations in Robert H. Schomburgk’s book ‘Views of the Interior of Guiana’ (1840) and recent developments relating to indigenous people’s representation and development in several Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member-states, the question begs: Has the Caribbean done and/or is doing enough to stamp indigenous people’s rights into their rightful places in contemporary life and history?

It will take more than space will allow to fully answer, but any brief review will reveal CARICOM member-states with indigenous populations have cared more today for their indigenous populations’ causes than ever before, even though at different levels.

Back in 2013 when CARICOM started pursuing ‘Reparations for Slavery and Native Genocide’ from Britain and European nations that built empires on the TransAtlantic Slave Trade and Chattel Slavery, the ‘Native Genocide’ part was not an afterthought, as Slavery was preceded by a steady campaign of

European genocide that allbut rendered the region’s indigenous people (and their civilisations) extinct.

After Columbus opened the way in 1492, all indigenous populations in the Caribbean and The Americas suffered different degrees of Native Genocide by the European conquistadores.

Colonial invaders used different methods over time to achieve the similar goal of wiping-out the people they met, including use of early germ warfare by deliberately lining colorful blankets (meant as ‘gifts’ for the friendly indigenous people) with deadly contagious diseases such as Small Pox, which have never left the region.

Today, the University of The West Indies (The UWI) is looking with the University of Glasgow at jointly investigating bad Caribbean health conditions inherited from slavery; and The UWI also has a special scholarship, in the name of the late Sir Arthur Lewis, for the benefit of the region’s indigenous communities -- of which Dominica’s Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Hon. Cozier Frederick, was an honored beneficiary.

Today, First People worldwide are recognised by the United Nations (UN) as deserving of the greater levels of participation that belong to them as the origi-

Chronicles of a Chronic Guyana Chronicler

By Earl Bousquet

nal inhabitants of this large slice of Planet Earth.

Like fellow Caribbean citizens of African and Indian descent, Caribbean First People have long passed the stage of begging for a seat at the table, the UN having passed a ‘Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People’ since 2007.

Today, the Declaration is regarded as the most comprehensive international instrument on the rights of indigenous peoples, as it establishes a universal framework of minimum standards for the survival, dignity and well-being of the indigenous peoples of the world.

It also elaborates on existing human rights standards and fundamental freedoms as they apply to the specific situation of indigenous peoples, whether in Asia or Africa, Australia or New Zealand, the USA or Canada, or The Americas

and the Caribbean.

The UN also designated August 9 as International Day for Indigenous People and the recent outreach between Belize and Guyana at government levels can go a long way in addressing issues that also affect First People in other CARICOM nations.

The Organisation of American States (OAS) has also announced its 2022 Inter-American Week for Indigenous Peoples will run from August 8 to August 12, to coincide with the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. This year’s theme, adopted by OAS Member States, is ‘The Role of Indigenous Women in the Preservation and Transmission of Traditional Knowledge in the Americas’.

The OAS is also encouraging celebration of indigenous traditional knowledge through events in which

participants share elements of their ancestral knowledge through stories, songs, folklore, proverbs, rituals, traditions, gastronomy, dances, paintings, carvings or other artforms.

First People’s descendants today, therefore, are more than just the greatgrand daughters and sons of the original Caribbean and American inhabitants who built civilizations destroyed

by Europeans in quick time.

Instead, they, like the descendants of enslaved Africans, are heirs and successors of their ancestral legacies, as generational victims of the ‘Native Genocide’ that preceded TransAtlantic Slavery.

The United Nations in 2001 declared TransAtlantic Slavery as not just ‘A Crime Against Humanity’ but ‘The Worst crime Against Humanity’ known to Humankind.

All 14 CARICOM governments have therefore committed and successive governments are expected to remain duty-bound, to pursue Reparations for Slavery alongside similar Reparatory Justice for the descendants of the First People, destruction of whose blood and civilisations opened the way for TransAtlantic Chattel Slavery through the extremely-profitable so-called Middle Passage and Great Triangle (between Africa, the Caribbean and Americas region and Europe).

There have been meetings of indigenous peoples in the last two decades involving entities representing Belize, Dominica, St. Vincent & The Grenadines, Surinam and Trinidad &

Tobago.

Indeed, CARICOM isn’t only seeking Reparations for Slavery, but also for Native Genocide on behalf of the region’s First People, who continue to be treated as its always-last-in-line citizens.

Through designed Mass Murder -- now appropriately called Native Genocide -the number of First People across the also-misnamed British, Dutch, French, Portuguese, Spanish ‘West Indies’, was reduced by the European ‘conquistadors’ from the millions they met to mere hundreds, in just a few decades.

But apart from the historical deliberate extermination of entire peoples, indigenous communities, some coastal and many located away from urban cities, have also, in most recorded cases, been victims of recent Climate Changes, while COVID highlighted and underlined the relative lack of protection most indigenous populations suffer the world over.

However, First People everywhere continue to press ahead for those who abused their ancestors and stole their lands to apologise and atone, just like CARICOM is also pursuing reparations with and for them.

To this end, CARICOM and American governments concerned have a common stake in ensuring they take common approaches to the common issues affecting the region’s First People -- and 15 years after the UN’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People is a good-enough time to start.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, July 30, 2022

Digicel supports ACDA’s Emancipation festival

Digicel has been a proud supporter of ACDA’s Emancipation festival for many years. This year is no different for the telecommunications provider. Receiving a cheque from Digicel’s CCO, Simone Pierre, on behalf of ACDA is Gail Napoleon from ACDA’s Sisters in Unity and member of the Emancipation Committee (Digicel photo)

Minibus driver remanded to prison over marijuana

MINIBUS conductor Warren Broomes, who was allegedly busted with cannabis hidden in his pants pocket, was, on Friday, remanded to prison by Senior Magistrate Leron Daly.

Broomes, 34, of Edon Street, Tucville Housing Scheme, Georgetown, appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court where the drug possession charge was read to him.

He denied having 60 grams of cannabis in his possession on July 27 at Arapaima Street, East La Penitence, Georgetown.

Police Prosecutor Christopher Morris, told the court that the cannabis was allegedly found in Broomes’ rightside front pants pocket when he was searched by police.

According to reports, Broomes, along with other men, was searched by the police during an operation at East La Penitence.

Morris further told the court that Broomes was recently convicted for drug trafficking and had to pay a fine of $5,000 and undergo 15 hours of mandatory community service.

Given the seriousness

REMANDED: Warren Broomes of the offence, Magistrate Daly remanded Broomes to prison until August 19.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, July 30, 2022

Banks production departments Full Court ‘hands down’ one-year retain international certification suspended sentence for ‘ganja’

BANKS DIH Limited has reported that its Quality and Food Safety Management System for the Soft Drink Production Plant and Dairy/ Novelty Department have been recertified by the International Standards Organisation (ISO).

According to a release, the certification which falls into seven categories was issued by certifying company Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance Limited (LRQA) on behalf of the ISO. The certification includes

the ISO9001:2015 which is applicable to the manufacturing of ice-cream and fruit-ice products and covers production, storage, warehousing and dispatching.

The release noted that the ISO22000:2018 certified the manufacturing of carbonated soft drinks in non-returnable polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles from preforms and carbonated soft drink in NR-PET bottles, carbonated water in addition to post and pre mix beverages.

Seeranie Ramnauth, Quality Assurance Executive, said

the company continues to work diligently to produce nutritious products for consumers that conform to international standards.

“The certification is an assurance to our customers that Banks DIH Limited remains committed to producing quality products and we will uphold those standards,” she added.

The recertification which was approved on March 9, 2022 will expire on December 10, 2024. The Dairy/Novelty and Soft Drink plants were first certified in 2014.

A 22-year-old barber, who is currently serving a three-year sentence for trafficking 16 grams of cannabis, on Friday, had his sentence reduced to one-year suspended sentence by the Demerara Full Court.

Last year, Shem Winter, of Tabatinga Central Rupununi, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), pleaded guilty to the charge before Magistrate Allen Wilson at the Lethem Magistrate’s Court.

The Magistrate, after taking the plea into consideration, sentenced Winter to serve three years along with a fine of $10,000.

Dissatisfied, Winter, through his attorney Jerome Khan, moved to the Full Court seeking to have the sentence set aside. He claimed that the Magistrate erred in law by failing to apply case law principles that promote fairness in sentencing.

The appeal was heard by Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George and Justice Sandil Kissoon.

The Chief Justice, while delivering the ruling, noted that the court allowed the appeal in relation to the sentence.

(From left) Shem Winter and his attorney, Jerome Khan The Court found that the registration number PRR previously imposed sentence 4548, which was proceeding was excessive, taking into on the Tabatinga access road. consideration the sentencing There were three occuguidelines. pants in the vehicle, includAs such, a one-year sus- ing Winter. pended sentence was imWinter was searched and posed on Winter. In essence, a bulky transparent plastic this meant that Winter was bag was found in the crotch a free man, but would serve of his pants containing a the sentence only if certain quantity of leaves, seeds and circumstances prevailed. stems suspected to be cannaThe Guyana Chronicle bis sativa. previously reported that on Winter was reportedly November 21, 2021, police, also told of the offence comacting on information re- mitted and, under caution, ceived, intercepted a green he told the police, “yes offiPremio motorcar bearing cer is me own!”

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Santa Rosa farmers to benefit from improved breeds of swine

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, July 30, 2022

–– NAREI to address issues faced by Waramuri farmers, villages to benefit from improved extension services

LIVESTOCK farmers in Santa Rosa, a riverine community in the Moruca sub-district, Region One, will benefit from additional stock to expand swine rearing in the community.

This assurance was given to the farmers by Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, who said that the government in its effort to improve the agriculture sector has been making sizable budgetary allocations to expand and develop the livestock sector.

One of the four swine farmers from the village told the minister that he would like to expand his

share with the other farmers who are interested so that they too can get involved in swine production,” the minister explained.

Minister Mustapha also said that technical officers from the GLDA will be visiting the area more regularly while the agency works to have a full-time veterinarian stationed to service the communities.

With the growing demand locally for special cuts of meat and CARICOM’s goal of reducing the regional food import bill by 25 per cent by 2025, Minister Mustapha said that the government

would wither and that villagers were not satisfied with the quality.

Minister Mustapha told the farmers that technical officers from the National Agriculture Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) would be returning to the village to meet with farmers to give technical advice in this regard.

He further stated that farmers are now being encouraged to consolidate and expand their cultivation. To this end, the minister said that the ministry through the NAREI, in addition to the necessary skills training, will provide farmers with

Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha while engaging a farmer from Santa Rosa (Ministry of Agriculture photo) operations but because of issues with stock, he was beginning to have issues with inbreeding. This, he added, has affected the health and quality of the offspring and his ability to expand his operations.

Minister Mustapha told the farmers that the ministry, through the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) would assist the farmers in the area with additional animals to develop the stock in the village.

“There are only a few of you but we will assist with expanding your operations.

The GLDA will make additional stock available so that you can expand. Each farmer will be given piglets. When those piglets grow and have droppings, those who benefited from the initial stock will have to

had embarked on a number of projects geared at expanding the livestock sector.

GIANT CHICKENS In addition to swine, poultry farmers in the village will also benefit from 25 Black Giant chickens to push their production capacity.

Meanwhile, farmers from Waramuri Village who are having issues with crops were also assured that they too would benefit from assistance.

One farmer present at the meeting said many persons from the village would usually purchase vegetables from the market at Charity because the vegetables grown in the village were not appealing. He explained that some vegetables remained small while others

planting materials free of cost.

“We will provide you with the necessary planting materials. If you want cassava slips, seedlings for various fruits and vegetables, or seeds we will make those inputs available. We have ready markets available for a number of commodities that can be grown right here in Waramuri. The New Guyana Marketing Corporation will facilitate getting you access to these markets.

They will also meet with you to plan for these markets so you will know what quantities are required and what to plant.

It is time we move away from subsistence farming and rest assured that the government will help you to do so,” Minister Mustapha stated. (Ministry of Agriculture)

Some farmers from Santa Rosa who received Acoushi Ants bait (Ministry of Agriculture photo)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, July 30, 2022

Major interventions to push agriculture in Manawari Village –– Agriculture Ministry to train, hire three additional extension staff

FARMERS from the riverine community of Manawari in Region One will soon benefit from a number of critical interventions as the government moves toward improving and developing agriculture in hinterland communities.

During an outreach to several villages in the Moruca sub-district on Thursday last, Agriculture Minister

have to cut and keep going every season,” the farmer said.

Henry Vickery, another farmer from the village, said that farmers needed more technical advice. He also told the minister that farmers also needed more access to markets for their perishable commodities.

“We want more assistance with training so that

be made available for the school in terms of tools, textbooks, training, and maybe if some materials can be given to us so that we can do the shadehouse farming,” she noted.

Farmers also requested assistance with the construction of an agro-processing facility, farming tools, and other agricultural inputs such as planting

Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha handed over seeds and Acoushi Ants bait to farmers (Ministry of Agriculture photo) Zulfikar Mustapha told farmers that the government is steadfast in its efforts to ensure their colleagues in the hinterland regions benefit from the same services as farmers on the coast.

Farmers who attended the meeting told the minister that they depended on agriculture for their livelihoods but needed the government’s assistance to move forward.

Owen Williams, a farmer from Mud Creek, said that many farmers in the area needed help with transporting their produce. He explained that farmers still practice the slash and burn technique because the soil becomes less fertile after every crop cycle.

“One of the difficulties we are facing in our area is to get our produce out from the backdams. Our land is not like the coast land that we can use over and over. We

we can learn more about agriculture, about rearing cattle and birds (poultry) and other things. We have the capacity. We also have to look at marketing. I cannot go to Georgetown to sell 500 pounds of plantain. That cannot pay me. By the time I reach halfway, it will be ripe. We need a ready market and we are looking at our government to do that. So, when we’re ready to harvest we must have that ready market,” the farmer noted.

Nadira George, a teacher and a village councillor, told the minister that the school’s agricultural science department needed assistance to boost the practical aspect of the curriculum.

“This is the third year we are offering Agriculture Science at CXC but we are lacking many things. I am asking if more resources can

materials and Acoushi Ants bait.

NEEDED TO CHANGE While responding to the farmers’ concerns, Minister Mustapha said that agriculture is advancing and that farmers in the villages needed to change the way they were doing agriculture.

“Many farmers here are still practicing ‘slash and burn’. If we are going to move agriculture forward, we have to move away from that nomadic technique. A team of specialists consisting of soil scientists will come back to meet with you so that you can have those lands to farm continuously.

They will guide you on what you can add to the soil so that you don’t have See page 13

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, July 30, 2022

Major interventions to push agriculture...

From page 12 to keep moving to different lands when you are ready to plant again.

They will also teach you about crop rotation. That will happen in another two weeks or so,” the minister disclosed.

Minister Mustapha also told the farmers that additional extension staff will be trained and hired to service the sub-district.

“We will train and hire three additional extension staff for this area. So instead of two, you will have five.

Once you can identify persons who can do the job, we will train them and hire them as extension staff,” he added.

The subject minister also committed to assisting the Manawari Secondary School’s agriculture department with a shadehouse, as well as tools and other technical support through the National Agriculture Research and Extension Institute (NAREI).

Residents from the village were also told that some

$4 million was available under the Hinterland Environmentally Sustainable Agricultural Development (HESAD); an International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) sponsored loan with approved funds totalling US$7.952M. Prior to the minister’s visit, villagers had indicated that they wanted a wharf to be constructed. Minister Mustapha advised villagers to meet and discuss the project and said if everyone agreed then those funds could be used to construct the wharf.

In addition to that, the minister said that an additional $2 million will be made available to assist with the construction of an agro-processing facility for the village, as well as a set of farming tools that will be used by villagers to improve their agricultural practices.

A team from the ministry comprising officers from the NAREI, Guyana Livestock Development Authority, and the New

Teen remanded for stealing items from Laing Avenue home A 19-year-old man, who was recently released from prison for burglary, has found himself before the court again, this time for breaking into a Laing Avenue, Georgetown home and stealing over $400,000 in items.

Dequan Parris, of Middle Road, La Penitence, Georgetown, appeared before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

He was not required to plead to the charge which alleged that on July 19, at Laing Avenue, while being in the company of others, he broke into the dwelling house of Adrian Walker and stole an HP laptop, a PlayStation 4, two cellular phones, along with other items totalling $440,000.

According to the facts presented by Police Prosecutor Christopher Morris, Parris and Walker are not known to each other.

On the day in question at about 08:00 hrs, Walker secured his home and went to work leaving inside the items mentioned in the charge. However, when Walker returned home from work, he discovered that his home was ransacked and the items were missing.

The matter was reported to the police station and an investigation was launched. Parris’ uncle was arrested with Walker’s stolen cellular phone in his possession.

When questioned by the police, the man revealed that he purchased the cellular phone from his nephew.

Under caution, Parris allegedly admitted to breaking into Walker’s home. He also gave his accomplice’s identity to the police.

Prosecutor Morris told the court that Parris was recently released from prison after serving a one-year sentence for a similar crime.

Given the nature and prevalence of the offence, Magistrate Daly remanded Parris to prison until September 2.

Guyana Marketing Corporation is expected to return to the villages in two weeks to meet with the farmers. Farmers present also received a variety of vegetable seeds and Acoushi Ants baits. (Ministry of Agriculture)

A section of the gathering (Ministry of Agriculture photo)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, July 30, 2022

Hand signal developed to alert public of human trafficking

A scene from Friday’s Counter Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Unit awareness walk and exhibition (Carl Elvin Croker photo)

Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud; British High Commissioner to Guyana, Jane Miller; First Lady of Guyana, Arya Ali; Head of the ministry’s TIP Unit, Tanisha Williams-Corbin and others doing the hand signal (Carl Elvin Croker photo)

By Cassandra Khan we may not recognize it.

“I like to say… it is MINISTER of Human the most invisible form of Services and Social Se- modern day slavery. It robs c u r i t y , D r . V i n d h y a a person of their rights.

Persaud, on Friday, dis- It robs the person of their closed that her ministry freedom and it robs them has developed a hand of every opportunity that signal that can be used by they have for self-developsomeone who is a victim ment,” she stated. of trafficking so that they Additionally, in many can signal for help if they cases, she said, people are are in public. trafficked for years, and “I thought that maybe in many instances they sometimes people are not remain in the clutches of able to transmit the mes- a perpetrator who shows sage that they’re being no remorse, so we need to trafficked and are not able encourage people to report to say to somebody, ‘I need trafficking in persons as it help’. But, if we develop is the only way that we will a hand signal… they can be able to help someone show it; but you need to who is being trafficked. recognize it,” Minister PerMeanwhile, the Head saud said. of the ministry’s TIP Unit, The Human Services Tanisha Williams-Corbin, Minister noted this at the said that for 2022, 230 MHSSS’s Counter Traf- alleged victims have alficking in Persons (TIP) ready been identified and Unit awareness walk and assisted. exhibition in observance Corbin noted that huof World Day against Traf- man trafficking is a grossly ficking in Persons 2022 on underreported crime so she July 30. is encouraging all GuyAdditionally, Minister anese to report using the Persaud related that a se- hotline number. ries of public service anShe shared that there nouncements (PSAs) will are nine types of traffickbe done to make the signal ing. These are domestic widely known across the servitude, sexual slavery, country. The signal is sim- child soldier, prostitution ple and entails the opening of another, child marriage, and closing of the right or forced begging, forced left hand three times. labour, illicit removal of “Look for those PSAs, organs, and servile marshare it on your social me- riages. dia, share it wherever you According to Corbin, can so that we can raise 187 law enforcement offiawareness as we ask for cials, 98 members of govthe signal for help, because ernment agencies, and 28 trafficking in persons does members of the private not only occur by itself, sector have been trained by many times you have some the TIP Unit to deal with elements of domestic vio- trafficking encounters. lence,” she said.

Additionally, she said Minister Persaud add- the TIP Unit is bringing ed: “Many times it is ac- back an initiative from companied by some form years ago in which they of abuse. So, we need to will be working with the make sure that when traf- Ministry of Tourism to ficking occurs, we are able reach out to hotels and bars to take action, strong ac- to do extensive work. tion.”

To report a suspected She related that traffick- case of Human Trafficking in persons exists and, ing, call the hotline on most times, even though it 227-4083, 623-5030 or may be right in front of us, 624-0079 (Spanish).

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, July 30, 2022

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South Africa Racing Tips Greyville 08:15 hrs Ameena 08:50 hrs Laguna Verde 09:30 hrs Captain’s Ransom 10:05 hrs Nebraas 10:50 hrs Kommetdieding 11:25 hrs Pink Tourmaline

English Racing Tips Newmarket 08:20 hrs Canadiansmokeshow 08:55 hrs Fox Degree 09:25 hrs Rose Of Kildare 10:00 hrs Temporize 10:35 hrs Razeyna 11:05 hrs Thunder Legend Goodwood 08:40 hrs Lethal Levi 09:10 hrs Soapy Stevens 09:45 hrs Sea La Rosa 10:20 hrs Saint Lawrence 10:55 hrs Positive Impact 11:30 hrs Forest Falcon Doncaster 08:47 hrs Menalippe 09:17 hrs Sherdil 09:52 hrs Laatansa 10:27 hrs Savvy Victory 11:00 hrs Parisiac 11:35 hrs She’s The Danger 12:10 hrs Kodebreaker

Irish Racing Tips Galway 09:00 hrs Merlin Giant 09:30 hrs Digby 10:05 hrs Giawatha 10:40 hrs Olympieus 11:15 hrs Goa Gajah 11:45 hrs Mary Salome 12:20 hrs Alma Libre 12:55 hrs Carrigmoorna Queen American Racing Tips Laurel Race 1 Fuvecommatwo Race 2 I Love You Race 3 Blue Collar Boom Race 4 Doctor Davis Race 5 Divine Huntress Race 6 Can The Queen Race 7 Local Motive Race 8 Jaxon Traveler Race 9 Magic Michael Race 10 Bourbon And Ice

Canadian Racing Tips Woodbine Race 1 Call Me Banker Race 2 Twister Alert Race 3 Secrets Told Race 4 Ol ‘ Blondie Race 5 I’m A Bourbon Girl Race 6 Keries Beauty Race 7 Lido Key Race 8 Frosted Over Race 9 Menagerie

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, July 30, 2022

Rohit, Karthik, spinners usher in India’s victory (ESPNCRICINFO) - In the first international game at Brian Lara Stadium, India’s move to go in with three spinners - as opposed to West Indies’ one - reaped rich dividends as Ravindra Jadeja, R. Ashwin and Ravi Bishnoi combined to pick five of the eight wickets to fall, helping them to a 68-run win in the first T20I of the five-match series.

In T20s before yesterday at this ground, spinners had an economy rate of 6.31, which is the fourth-lowest among all the venues in West Indies.

They averaged 20.91 - again the fourth-lowest at any Caribbean venue where spinners have bowled in more than ten innings.

India managed to post a tall 190 for 6 on a seemingly slowish surface, thanks to captain Rohit Sharma’s half-century and Dinesh Karthik’s perfect finishing act of an unbeaten 41 off just 19 balls before the West Indies’ batting was entangled in the web of spin.

ANOTHER PARTNER FOR ROHIT After being put in to bat, Rohit walked out with a new partner, Suryakumar Yadav, who was the seventh opener for India in T20Is this year.

Suryakumar got going quickly with a four off Obed McCoy in the first over then another off Jason Holder in the next. His trademark wristily-flick for six over fine leg also made an appearance - debutant Alzarri Joseph bearing the ignominy.

However, Akeal Hosein’s introduction had Suryakumar stalling. He was dropped off the first ball from the spinner before a top edge on the very next ball saw it evade the bowler running back. However, Hosein had the last laugh in the next over after Suryakumar’s attempted whip resulted in a thick leading edge to short third.

PACE LEADS TO CHANGE OF MOMENTUM India had raced to 44 inside five overs but Suryakumar’s wicket slowed down the proceedings. Despite finding a couple of boundaries early

on, Rohit struggled to get the ball away. With the odd ball gripping the surface, Hosein and McCoy used that to their advantage with the latter dismissing Shreyas Iyer for a four-ball duck.

While Rohit got his eye in, Rishabh Pant threw his hands around to get a couple of fours.

Their partnership of 43 off

aced in his designated finisher’s role to help India get close to 200. He used the crease well to put the bowlers off their lines and lengths. In the company of Ashwin, he took a toll on the erring Holder and McCoy to help India amass 36 off the last two overs.

SPIN TO WIN In their pursuit of 191, Kyle

Rovman Powell gets bowled by a Ravi Bishnoi delivery (July 28, 2022, Associated Press) just 25 balls helped Rohit free himself up. But then India lost Pant and Hardik Pandya - who ramped a Joseph short ball straight to deep third for his maiden T20I wicket - in quick succession to find themselves at 102 for 4 with over eight overs left.

THE PERFECT FINISH In the interim Rohit got to his 27th half-century in T20Is off 35 balls. Just when he started accelerating, he slapped Holder straight to sweeper cover. At 131 for 5 in 15 overs on a track slowing down, India looked on course to finish around the 170-run mark.

But Karthik once again

Mayers got West Indies off to a rapid start, helping them score 11 off Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s first over and as many in the first three balls of Arshdeep Singh’s over. However, Arshdeep managed to deceive Mayers with an off-pace short ball to crash-land the chase.

Holder, sent in at No. 3 couldn’t see off Ravindra Jadeja’s spin while Ashwin managed to see the back of the left-handers in Nicholas Pooran and Shimron Hetmyer. Ravi Bishnoi then dismissed Rovman Powell and Odean Smith in successive overs to pretty much seal the game.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Saturday July 30, 2022) COMPLIMENTS OF CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) Mohinder Amarnath-100* (Faridabad, 1988) (2) Gordon Greenidge-106* (Birmingham, 1979) Today’s Quiz: (1) Who was declared Man of the Match in the 1983 World Cup final (WI vs IND)?

(2) Which WI has scored most ODI runs against IND without hitting a century?

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

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, July 30, 2022

Hercules, Mohamed appointed GFF/NAMILCO U17 Boys’ assistant coaches for Amazon Warriors League kicks off today

Ryan Hercules RYAN Hercules and Saheed Mohamed will join the Guyana Amazon Warriors franchise this season as assistants to head coach Rayon Griffith.

Hercules, Level III Certified, is currently the assistant coach for the Guyana Harpy Eagles and has over 12 years of experience in coaching while Mohamed is one of the senior coaches at Everest Cricket Club (ECC).

According to a release to the media from the franchise yesterday, the 46-year-old Mohamed, who holds a Level II Coaching Certificate, has captained the Cayman Islands in a number of 50-over matches

Saheed Mohamed and has played three T20s for the Island with a best of 62 not out and a tally of five wickets with his off-spin.

Ryan Hercules: “It is a great opportunity for me, my passion and goals have aligned by being with this team. I think it is great for me to go out and show my skills along with Rayon Griffith as the head coach.

I am pretty excited to work with the team and build that unity so we can share our success. I am looking forward to being a part of this season and working hard towards the title.

Saheed Mohamed: “It is an honour to be part of a tournament of this nature, especially with a team of

this calibre. I am happy to be around a group of young, vibrant, and passionate Caribbean players as well as experienced international players and management staff.”

Dr Bobby Ramroop, Chairman of the Guyana Amazon Warriors franchise, said, “We are happy to have the two coaches joining us on our journey this year.

We think these guys bring a wealth of knowledge in their own aspects and add value to the side. We wish them well and look forward to a successful season.”

The 2022 Men’s Hero CPL tournament will take place from August 31 to September 30. The host countries for 2022 will be St Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, Trinidad & Tobago and Guyana.

In 2022 there will be the first running of the Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) which will feature Barbados Royals, Guyana Amazon Warriors and Trinbago Knight Riders. The WCPL will take place in St Kitts & Nevis from August 31 to September 4.

THE Guyana Football Federation (GFF) and the National Milling Company (NAMILCO) Thunderbolt Flour Power U17 League for boys will commence today at the National Training Centre, Providence.

A release from GFF indicated that the partnership continues in line with NAMILCO’s objective to support the sustainable development of youths in Guyana.

The competition, which is compulsory for all nine GFF regional associations, commences with the intra-association league in the East Bank Football Association, with an exciting match featuring Swan FC vs. Kuru Kururu Warriors FC at 13:00hrs In addition, at 15:00hrs the East Demerara Football Association commences its Intra-Association Leg with Buxton United FC taking on the B/V Triumph United FC alsoat the GFF National Training Centre, Providence.

After the Intra-Association phase of the tournament the best teams in each regional association will compete in a championship round to

crown the national champions.

“We are delighted to see the Regional Associations kicking off this tournament under the prevailing challenges that the recent weather pattern has posed and we continue to be very grateful

and to discover and nurture talented footballers through age-specific programmes,” president Forde said.

M o re t h a n a t h o u sand boys across Guyana have benefited from the GFF-NAMILCO ‘Flour Power’ U17 Intra-Associ-

Intense action is anticipated at the National Training Centre at Providence that NAMILCO, as a brand with a long history of service in Guyana, has come on board again to support this tournament, which is a crucial pillar in our longterm strategy to develop young men, who will lead positive, productive lives

ation League, with several players progressing to Guyana’s youth and senior national teams, including Omari Glasgow, who recently signed a professional contract with Chicago Fire II.

Allicock looks to end Guyana’s Commonwealth medal drought in boxing OLYMPIAN Keevin Allicock will be the first Guyanese boxer to step into the ring at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, when he squares off with Kenya’s Okoth Okongo in Roundof-32 Bantamweight action today, at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Birmingham. Fight time is 14:15hrs (GT time).

The last time Guyana won a boxing medal at the former British Empire Games, was at the 1990 event in Auckland, New Zealand, when Wesley Christmas claimed bronze in the Bantamweight division.

In fact, of the 16 medals won by Guyana since the 1930 Commonwealth Games, 11 are split between Track and Field and Boxing.

The country’s other medals at the games came from Rowing (bronze - 1930), Swimming (bronze - 1938)

Keevin Allicock (photo compliments: Newsroom) Lewis and Amsterdam and Weightlifting (bronze - 1954, 1962 and silver - received a bye to the Roundof-16 of their respective 1966).

Meanwhile, Light Wel- categories.

Winfield Braithwaite’s terweight, Colin Lewis, is down to compete tomorrow 1978 top-of-the-podium against Colin Louis Richamo finish in the Men’s Light from Mauritius. Desmond Welterweight Division Amsterdam, tomorrow, will was the last time Guyana be making his Common- won a gold medal in boxwealth Games debut against ing at the Commonwealth New Zealand’s Richardson Games.

Emile.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, July 30, 2022

Jason-Ray Khalil through to Round-of-32 at Commonwealth Games ... Mary Fung-A-Fat in action today

By Rawle Toney in Birmingham

WHILE it was a tough outing for Shomari Wiltshire and Ashley Khalil, Jason-Ray Khalil had an impressive start to his Commonwealth Games Squash campaign in Birmingham, England.

At the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia, Jason-Ray Khalil was booted in the first round of the singles competition by former World-rated, Campbell Grayson of New Zealand.

H o w e v e r, t h i s t i m e around, Khalil showed why he’s one of the country’s top players, when he stormed from behind to defeat Paul Kadoma of Uganda 3-2 on opening day of individual competition for the sport at the University of Birmingham Squash Courts.

Khalil lost the opening set 12-14, but bounced back

to win the second 11-9. He lost the third set 9-11 before rebounding to claim the other two sets 11-4, 11-9.

With the win, Khalil advanced to today’s Roundof-32, where he will come up against Malaysia’s Eain Yow. Meanwhile, his sister, Ashley, playing at her second Commonwealth Games, was knocked out of the competition after a hard-fought 2-3 defeat to Sri Lanka’s Yeheni Kuruppu.

Having first competed at the Commonwealth Games in 2014, where she had reached the Round-of-32, Ashley Khalil reminded that she was still a junior - 17 to be exact.

The 18-year-old Kuruppu had the Guyanese down 4-11, 9-11, but Khalil, a former National champion, clawed her way back into the match, using her experience and brilliant display of squash to even the games 2-2, taking

both sets 11-9, 11-3 In the fifth set, however, Khalil could not keep up with the much younger Kuruppu, who took the firth and deciding set 4-11.

Junior Caribbean Squash champion, Shomari Wiltshire, tasting competition at the Commonwealth Games for the first time, had a good showing against Ravindu Laksiri of Sri Lanka, but only managed to win one set.

Laksiri is one of, if not Sri Lanka’s best Squash players, and his experience showed against the 18-yearold Wiltshire.

The Sri Lankan had Wiltshire down 2-1, 1-11, but buoyed by the support of his peers in the stands, along with Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr. this year’s Caribbean junior champion won the third set 11-7.

But the cheers didn’t last long. Laksiri graciously took

the fourth 3-11.

Next player up for Guyana is Mary Fung-A-Fat who will face New Zealand’s Katelyn Watts today.

After the day’s play, the coach spoke profoundly of the team’s performance, while lauding Jason-Ray’s performance.

“The court is totally different and we’re playing against players who are world-ranked; a lot of them are top 50 in the world. It’s a learning experience and we can only get better from coming to these games and matching our talent with players from around the world,” Wiltshire said.

The senior Wiltshire, a squash extraordinaire, said his son, Shomari, who is preparing to make the transition from junior to senior competition, will need as much exposure at higher competition, like the Commonwealth

Guyana Women through to table tennis...

FROM BACK PAGE to one.

But Musfiquh came back to play Cummings in an entertaining match.

Cummings, looking to seal the deal for Guyana, came out blazing to an 11-7 win in the first set. But in the second set, Musfiquh raced to a 0-8 lead.

Cummings then played some excellent tennis thereafter, to make up for the errors that caused her to be down by a huge deficit. It was not enough. She lost the set in a nail-biting 1315 result, also losing the following sets 8-11, 8-11.

This brought Greaves back to the table, to face Edwards. She spun her way to a 3-1 win to send the Guyanese women marching forward with only the top-seeded India left to play in their group.

Speaking after the team’s triumph, Edghill, said even though things didn’t go as planned, she

Shomari Wiltshire (L) shares a light moment with Sri Lanka’s Ravindu Laksiri following his singles defeat at the 2022 Commonwealth Games Games, to fortify his place amongst the Caribbean’s top players.

He added, “Obviously, any exposure at any higher-level competition, will only make your game improve, so, we’re looking to see based on his perfor-

Persaud sets new National 100m Butterfly Record at Commonwealth Games

By Rawle Toney in Birmingham

(L-R) Thuaria Thomas, Priscilla Greaves, Natalie Cummings and Chelsea Edghill after securing a spot in the semi-finals of the teams event at the 2022 Commonwealth Games thanked Cummings and Greaves for giving them a good start in the day’s final game against South Africa.

According to Edghill, so far, the team accomplished one goal, which was to at least make-it to the quarter-finals.

“It feels really good, knowing that the hard work that we’ve been doing is paying off. We will give it

our all against India; it’s a strong team and all we can do is to leave it all on the table. If it’s good enough to win, then, so be it,” the Olympian stated.

But while it has been smooth sailing for the women, the men’s team of Christopher Franklin, Jonathan Van Lange, Shemar Britton, are having a tough time.

The Guyanese men opened against the home side where they were beaten 3-0 by England.

In their second match of the day, it went down to the wire against Bangladesh, but the Tigers had the final say when it ended, winning 3-2 over the Guyanese.

They will play Fiji today in their final Team event.

mances here (at the Commonwealth Games) and at the Junior World Championship. We’ll see how that goes and if he can take that form into the Senior Caribbean Championships in Jamaica, from August 21-28.”

WHEN Olympian Aleka Persaud crossed the line first in the Women’s 100m Butterfly at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, her winning time of one minute, 07.24 (1:07.24s) also represented a new National Record.

Persaud, competing at her first Commonwealth Games, erased her previous record of 1:08.53s., which she had set at the 2019 CARIFTA Games.

Persaud is not known for the 100m Butterfly, but rather the 50m and 100m Freestyle, which she will compete in at the Games in Birmingham.

The 16-year-old also

holds the National Record in the women’s 50m Freestyle (27.65s) and the 100m Freestyle record (1:00.69s).

Persaud will compete today in the 50m Freestyle.

The other two Guyanese on show, Paul Mahaica and Shekel Tzedeq, also had good performances and both swam personal-best times.

Tzedeq was third in the Men’s 100m Backstroke, swimming a new personal best of one minute, 03.37 seconds (1:03.37s), bettering his entry time of 1:03.72s.

Mahaica Jr set a new personal best in the Men’s 50m Butterfly to finish 6th in his Heats.

He swam a time of 26.88s; his entry time was 27.00s.

28

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, July 30, 2022

Rohit, Karthik, spinners usher in India’s victory SEE PAGE

25

Rovman Powell gets bowled by a Ravi Bishnoi delivery (July 28, 2022, Associated Press)

Jason-Ray Khalil through to Round-of-32 at Commonwealth Games SEE PAGE

27

... Mary Fung-A-Fat in action today

Mary Fung-A-Fat

Guyana’s Jason-Ray Khalil (R) after his match against Paul Kadoma of Uganda at the 2022 Commonwealth Games

Guyana Women through to table tennis quarter-finals ... Men’s team out of competition

Action between Chelsea Edghill and Daniesha Patel in the Women’s Team event at the Commonwealth Games

By Rawle Toney in Bir- gles.

South Africa. mingham, England Just like 2018, the womGreaves and Cummings en’s table tennis squad will got the team off to a perfect IT WAS a day of mixed feature in the quarter-finals start when they defeated the results for the country’s of the Team competition of pair of Lialaa Edwards and table tennis players on the the Commonwealth Games, Daniesha Patel in straight opening day of competition after playing undefeated sets. yesterday at the Common- against Fiji and South AfH o w e v e r, K a l a m wealth Games. rica.

Musfiquh knocked off The women’s side once Though easily brush- G r e a v e s 3 - 0 , b e f o r e again reached the quarter-fi- ing aside Fiji, the team of Olympian Chelsea Edghill nals of the Team event, while Chelsea Edghill, Priscilla made light work of Patel, the men’s team, this time Greaves and Natalie Cum- in similar fashion to put around will have an early mings had a tough time see- Guyana up two games shift of attention to the sin- ing off the women from TURN TO PAGE 27

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| SATURDAY, JULY 30, 2022