- gov’t intervention results in reduced interest rate on bank loans for farmers, President Ali announces
- stakeholders engaged on the need to identify another 25,000 acres of land for the production of rice as an input to feed
- President Ali says; affirms support for Afro-Guyanese groups organising Emancipation activities
- Private Sector Commission challenges farmers to use opportunity to upgrade facilities to increase production
President, Dr. Irfaan Ali on Saturday met with several Afro-Guyanese groups organising Emancipation activities and assured them of his government’s full support. During an engagement at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, the President emphasised that his approach to managing the country is working directly with people and communities.
“I love working with the masses. Everything we do will be done directly with the people. You will see the President, the ministers, and all stakeholders coming out to directly to work with you, your organisation, and your group,” Dr. Ali affirmed. President Ali also told the group that the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport has planned a number of massive events across the country that will feature educational programmes and cultural activities, among others, on the occasion of the 200th Anniversary of the Demerara Revolt. The President also signalled his intention to revive the “art of drumming” programme. (Office of the President photo)
- cleanliness initiative takes centre stage for Guyana Police Force anniversary activities
APNU-controlled City Hall will be monitored for corrupt activities
- Jagdeo says
PRESIDENT, Dr. Irfaan Ali, during a live Facebook announcement on Saturday, said that interest on loans for poultry farmers will be slashed from eight per cent to around five per cent, to support small, medium and large-scale farmers’ livelihoods while promoting agricultural diversification.
In an effort to reduce the monthly expenses of farmers, while making financing more accessible, the President said that, due to the government’s intervention, various commercial banks will now introduce a new facility, through which the interest income earned by the banks on loans granted to the poultry sector, will be free of corporate income tax.
The President said: “We will introduce a facility under which the interest income earned by commercial banks on loans granted to the poultry sector will be free of corporate income tax. This now will enable commer-
cial banks to lower their interest rate.”
The commercial banks that were listed are: Citizens Bank, Republic Bank, Demerara Bank,
and GBTI, which, according to the Head of State, agreed to reduced loan rates for farmers.
“This is a tremendous moment for the poultry sector this
morning,” President Ali said, adding that current borrowers will also see the benefits of reduced interest rates in the upcoming month.
Dr. Ali said that during the recent engagements with farmers, in particular, the small-scale farmers, issues were raised regarding the cost of capital.
The President related: “For the last three weeks, we have been engaging the poultry sector in an effort to find ways in which we can continue the rapid collaboration and ways in which we can continue the goal of expanding the sector beyond its present size.
“The government has already [laid out] a foundation, a very comprehensive strategy in [the] short, medium and long-term. These interventions were needed to ensure that our industry remains vibrant and competitive,” Dr. Ali said.
The President related that his administration has strengthened the National Poultry Association, and engaged the Mahaica, Mahaicony, Abary-Agricultural Development Authority (MMAADA) and Guyana Lands and Survey Commission on the issue of the allocation of lands for the poultry sector, specifically, the identification of another 25,000
acres of land for the production of rice as an input to feed.
According to the Head of State: “We've equipped the GLDA nutrition lab with additional instruments. We have equipped the quarantine and surveillance unit, the tools and equipment… more than $13 million to support their work, for regions Three, Four, Five, and Six.
“The procurement of vaccines: We spent $29 million on the procurement of vaccines, and this will reduce the costs of acquisition of ‘chicks’ by the farmers by $6 per ‘chick’.”
Additionally, the government has already injected millions into drainage and irrigation, constructed a number of farm-to-market roads, distributed plant material and breeding stocks, partnered with the private sector to develop large-scale corn and soya bean in order to become self-sufficient in animal feed, and removed value-added tax (VAT) on heavy-duty equipment used in agriculture.
BOTH the Guyana Poultry Producers Association and the Private Sector Commission (PSC), through a press release, lauded President, Dr. Irfaan Ali’s announcement that poultry farmers will receive loans at a reduced interest rate, all in keeping with his government’s commitment to agricultural diversification to promote food security.
In an effort to reduce the monthly expenses of farmers, while making financing more accessible, the President said that, due to the government’s intervention, various commercial banks will now introduce a new facility, through which the interest income earned by the banks on loans granted to the poultry sector, will be free of corporate income tax.
The President said: “We
will introduce a facility under which the interest income earned by commercial banks on loans granted to the poultry sector will be free of corporate income tax. This now will enable commercial banks to lower their interest rate.”
The commercial banks that were listed are: Citizens Bank, Republic Bank, Demerara Bank, and GBTI, which according to the Head of State, agreed to the reduced loan rates’ for farmers.
A press release issued by the Guyana Poultry Producers Association underscored that they continuously welcome the support for the industry by President Ali.
The association said he has supported in the areas of production, availability, and affordability of poultry meat products to the consuming
public.
The release read: “The Association is greatly appreciative of His Excellency’s swift action to address the concerns of the industry and to alleviate the hardships being faced by poultry producers,” adding: “These actions are a tangible demonstration of the Government’s commitment, under President Ali’s leadership, to address in a meaningful manner the issues that are critical to ensuring adequate production and affordable availability of essential food items for the Guyanese people.”
Meanwhile, while congratulating the government for its efforts in encouraging private sector development, the Private Sector Commission said: “The Private Sector Commission congratulates the Government of
Guyana on the decision made by the President to grant reduced interest rates on agricultural loans for poultry farmers which has resulted from his recent meeting with the Minister of Agriculture, poultry farmers and the local commercial banks.”
It then went on to say that the PSC perceives this decision as a forward-looking move in the right direction towards enhancing the livelihoods of the poultry farmers.
“The Commission looks forward to the poultry farmers now utilising this decision by the government to modernise, and upgrade their production facilities and increase their production to ensure that Guyana becomes self-sufficient in poultry production,” the press release stated.
youths are now better equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills to prepare them for employment, following a graduation ceremony on Friday at St Ignatius Secondary School.
This was made possible through the job-readiness summer camp initiative, which is a partnership between Specialists in Sustained Youth Development and Research Inc. (SSYDR) and ExxonMobil Guyana.
This undertaking aligns with the Ministry of Labour’s strategic endeavours, which include skills training and apprenticeship programmes for the empowerment of young people.
The participants were exposed to one month of training in various areas including literacy, job readiness, safety and health at work, financial fitness, and entrepreneurship.
SSYDR also ensures that participants are equipped with the necessary documents for employment.
Several graduates shared their experiences.
One such graduate is 17-year-old, Shazanna Williams who is currently await-
ing her Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) results.
She related that her focus will be centred on creating new goals while pursuing her desired career.
“Doing this was challenging as I had little knowledge about the world of work… Not only did this training programme make that easy, but I learnt so many things in the process,” she said.
Another graduate, Tiffany Regis, commended the programme which she said has not
only boosted her confidence, but has also empowered her.
“I learnt how to set goals for myself and how to achieve them. I also learnt how to communicate effectively with others which have [sic] helped me build stronger relationships with my friends and families…I can’t wait to see what we will achieve in the years to come,” Regis expressed.
Rita Marare said collaborating with her peers and participating in activities have helped her to further develop
her strengths.
During his feature address, Minister of Labour Joseph Hamilton applauded SSYDR and ExxonMobil.
While underscoring the need to be multi-skilled, Minister Hamilton emphasised that the graduates should make use of everything Guyana has to offer.
“You have all the opportunities before you. You can make any choice… So, all the training you have received is for you, which is to make you a better human being,” the minister said.
He added that over 10,000 persons have graduated from the ministry’s skills-training programmes nationwide.
Meanwhile, Production Manager of ExxonMobil Guyana, Mike Ryan, highlighted that the programme is vital since it provides youths with the necessary skills to take advantage of the endless opportunities as Guyana’s expansion
continues.
SSYDR has utilised the services of the Central Recruitment and Manpower Agency (CRMA), and has collaborated with the Ministries of Home Affairs; Human Services and Social Security; Culture, Youth and Sport; and Agriculture.
SSYDR’s Coaching Manager Carl Brandon stated that 1,051 persons have been trained so far in the job-readiness initiative countrywide. Of that amount, 811 persons were trained last year, while an additional 240 persons have been trained in job readiness this year. More than 100 persons have registered as volunteers for SSYDR. Regional Chairman, Brian Allicock; Regional Education Officer, Kateri Joseph; Headmaster of St Ignatius Secondary, Kenrick Lewis and the ministry’s staff also attended the ceremony. (DPI)
AS Guyana's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is expected to triple by 2025, the government is creating a framework for affordable housing to ensure that all Guyanese, particularly those in low and middle-income groups, have access to adequate housing.
In a recent interview with the Guyana Chronicle, the Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, explained that he visited three of the four existing areas where they currently have the new housing development.
Those areas, according to him, are Experiment, Balthyock, and Shieldstown in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice).
“Upon visiting the project site in Shieldstown, I also took the opportunity to engage with residents in the said community.” The housing minister also disclosed that the investment for the Shieldstown housing
development is at a cost of over $2 billion. “We have a $2 billion investment that is being used for the new housing development area, and the work is progressing smoothly,” he added.
In terms of what this means for development of the people of Region Five and, by extension, the country, Minister Croal said, “We have a lot of simultaneous projects, and these are all to satisfy our requirement of having allocated funds; we also have to do the infrastructural work. This is all part of the $54 billion that I alluded to where we have existing contracts signed for, including the four-lane road.” The minister further stated that he is pleased to know that through such initiatives, they as a government are positively impacting the lives of people on a daily basis.”
He continued: “These initiatives mean a lot to people; the beneficiaries are the ones who are really impacted, and those beneficiaries are await-
ing their lands to go, so that they can have the opportunity to build their new homes.”
While the minister noted that many of the recipients of these lands who are currently renting, living with their extended families or in-laws would have a better living arrangement for themselves and their families, he also said that this type of development creates employment for the locals.
According to him, “With the construction that is happening, everyone benefits, whether it is in the transportation sector or with the suppliers. These projects have a domino effect on everyone, and everyone benefits.”
Finally, Minister Croal revealed that all the sites in Region Five are expected to be commissioned by October
2023, considering the weather. While on the Shieldstown site, the minister suggested to the contractors to take advantage of the dry season to hasten their work in order for it to be finished on schedule.
Once finished, the project will produce over 700 residential house lots, and the works also include roads and drainage networks, which are divided into six lots.
Minister Croal was accompanied by Member of Parliament, Faizal Jaffarally; the Regional Chairman for Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), Vickchand Ramphal; the CH&PA’s Director of Community Development, Gladwin Charles and the senior engineers were also present.
Earlier in the month, Minister Croal and his team also held outreaches
in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) and engaged with the residents of several communities.
He sorted out many of their housing issues and processed certificates of title for those who were given house lots after they had signed their agreements of sale.
During one of his presentations, the minister said, “In all, in just Region Six, we have about
$10.6 billion of ongoing infrastructure work. When you take into consideration Palmyra and ongoing works in our new housing developments. We are trying to fast track the process of homeownership…it is also a means of creating opportunities for employment and providing economic benefits.”
PRESIDENT, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali has visited a number of infrastructural projects within the past few days.
The visits gave the President an opportunity to have a first-hand assessment on the status of these projects, which when completed, will have a major impact on the quality of life of the Guyanese people.
These are all transformational projects involving billions of dollars. Among these are the new bridge across the Demerara River, the four-lane road linking the East Coast Demerara to the East Bank Demerara all the way to Greater Diamond and ultimately to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport.
These are massive projects which are funded by the Guyana Government with significant donor support by way of loans.
As such, it is the Guyanese tax payers that have to repay the loans, regardless of whether the loans are payable on long term concessional repayment terms.
Fortunately, our oil revenues are contributing significantly to loan repayments unlike what transpired during the PNC regime when the servicing of debts consumed over 90 per cent of government revenues.
It is therefore important that these projects are not only completed within the stipulated contractual time-
frame, but that they are also done within the framework of the agreed financial envelope.
In other words, there must be value for money which is an essential ingredient from the standpoint of effective project execution and management.
In all of this, the element of opportunity, time is of utmost importance. In the case of the construction sector, weather conditions can be vital. The pace of construction work can be slowed down significantly during periods of excessive rainfall. Rain, however, cannot be used as a pretext for failure to meet project deadlines as is so often the case.
This is why it is im -
portant to, as it were, read the 'riot act' on contractors who lag behind construction schedules, especially when there is favourable weather conditions. This point was repeatedly made by President Ali during his several visits to a number of construction project sites.
During his visit to the East Coast Demerara-East Bank Demerara road link project, the President said that it was time to “double up” in order to meet deadlines. Doubling up means taking maximum advantage of daylight hours while at the same time making use of artificial lighting to compensate for loss of daylight hours.
Similar instructions
were given on several of the projects visited by the President as he stressed the importance of project management skills by contractors and supervisory consultants.
It is the duty and responsibility of contractors to get the job done, failing which the government reserves the right to take recourse to the mechanisms available in the contract for compensatory action such as the imposition of liquidated damages or contract termination. In all of this, accountability of work performance is of critical importance.
Projects are expected to be completed within the contracted period and with due regard to cost and work
quality. It is the taxpayers who are adversely affected and inconvenienced when projects are inordinately and unnecessarily drawn out for prolonged periods.
The PPP/C administration has been doing an extraordinary job in terms of mobilising funds for infrastructural development and when projects are behind schedules it must be a matter of concern to policymakers.
In the final analysis, the proverbial buck stops with the President and it is commendable that President Ali has been taking time off from his busy schedule to ensure that the interests of taxpayers are well represented.
Dear Editor,
Those who think that too many press conferences are abusive either do not understand democracy or are themselves closet authoritarians. It could also be that those who object to weekly press conferences by the PPP are also suffering from a heavy dose of jealousy.
Critics of the PPP/C seem to want two contradictory things at the same time. Only recently, some opinion makers were complaining that President, Dr. Irfaan Ali was not availing himself to the
media. When the president did meet with the press, the complaint shifted to the format of the event and other petty points of disgruntlement. Now there are complaints that Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo is having too many press conferences. The word “abusive” has been used to characterise these meetings with the press corps. This writer is not aware of any press corps, in any democracy, that has called for less access to a sitting administration.
Dr. Jagdeo made it clear
that the Thursday meetings at Freedom House were in his capacity as General Secretary of the PPP/C.
Those meetings with the press were held to provide updates on the recently concluded Local Government Elections. By contrast, press conferences at Office of the President are held to provide information on government policies. The extraordinarily dynamic developments in the economy necessitate these updates.
Anyone who has ever attended the Thursday meetings will tell you that apart
from the short opening statements by Jagdeo, the rest of the time is spent answering questions posed by journalists.
Some journalists ask up to five or six questions. Jagdeo’s answers usually take two forms. He first addresses false information or claims that have been circulated on a particular issue. In doing so, he often names the sources that peddle falsehoods.
Since those same falsehoods are politically motivated, the answers provided are not and should not be devoid of politics. Once the errors
and lies are cleared out, the relevant information is provided and placed in their appropriate contexts.
Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton is not a heavy hitter where policy analysis is concerned. He is more like a drive-by “peeper” of policy documents.
His press conferences reflect this abandonment of duty. By contrast, President Ali and Vice President Jagdeo are noted as policy wonks, meaning that they spend an enormous amount of time reading policy documents and analyzing data
before they speak or act. While Prime Minister Mark Phillips has not done formal press conferences, his deep immersion in the policy dynamic is also well known. The complaint that there are too many press conferences by the PPP/C is not only incomprehensible, but also terribly childish. Democracy is at its best when journalists interact with policymakers. No democracy can survive without this access.
Yours sincerely, Dr.
Randolph PersaudThe recently held Local Government Elections (LGEs) results undoubtedly emphasise our nation's support for the Peoples Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government and overwhelmingly demonstrate most of our citizens' confidence in the PPP/C's leadership.
The party's evident commitment is to further strengthen this vote of confidence, which the mid-term measure confirms is a welcoming approach.
Without any doubt, the PPP/C's hard work remains firmly and purposely focused beyond the intermediate LGEs' victory, which presents a conducive framework for working at the ground level with all citizens to forge the strengthening of partnerships and benefits for all Guyanese.
Importantly, Guyana's tremendous development and strengthening democracy with President, Dr. Irfaan Ali leading the reign of government, makes him an inevitable choice to be a two terms President in Guyana.
It was not surprising, therefore, that General Secretary of the People's Progressive Party, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, at his recent influential and powerful weekly press conference, clearly indicated his support for the party's choice of Dr. Ali to be the PPP/C Presidential Candidate in the 2025 regional
and national elections in Guyana.
The energetic, likable, charismatic, and all-season President Ali has already truly earned the respect of his peers nationally and internationally, and that of our nation.
The Local Government Elections were a tremendous success for Guyana and the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).
The PPP/C's immense victory at the LGE polls indicates that the party will likely dominate at the 2025 polls once the current charter is advanced.
Notably, the “One Guyana” framework, as the brainchild of our president and the PPP/C, has been a genuine and realistic counterforce to the overused and outdated ethnic division approach of the PNC Opposition.
Consequently, the electorate is more open to accepting free and fair elections. In addition, our people have shown an increased no-tolerance to the inbred cheating disposition of the PNC-led opposition.
The Local Authority Areas are now entirely in
place, and all the municipalities and Neighborhood Democratic Councils should prepare their respective work plans and work schedules targeting the advancement of significant works in the respective communities.
The PPP/C Government’s signal of continuous and committed support is undoubtedly an incentive to accelerate results and services at the grassroots level that will be more direct and effective.
With the quality of Councillors now elected, expectations are sky-high, and more tremendous success is anticipated. We are witnessing at the national level a significant transformation and genuine development across the country through our Government's advancement of major infrastructural projects to complement our development agenda. Many communities' drainage and irrigation systems are far improved, and we are experiencing less flooding.
Additionally, the roads and streets are in better condition, and our Government has committed
to placing street lights in every community during this term of Office. Further, residents of varying communities now have greater access to health facilities.
It follows that the various Councils, among others, will have the responsibility of sustaining the resources and maintaining the aesthetics of the different Local Authority Areas, including partnering with residents to improve recreational facilities and encouraging enhanced security systems.
Indeed, our people live in greater harmony, and success at the National level will impact and reflect a better life for our nation.
There is also the high expectation that the people's government will roll out further initiatives to catalyze the strengthening of our welfare system and take better care of our citizens as we approach
year-end. The opportunities are maturing, and we must continue working harmoniously as one Nation while supporting a productive framework and Government.
Editor, on an equally important front, GECOM is conducting country-wide continuous registration, which will put the institution in an excellent position to hold elections at any time.
This exercise will ensure that the Register of Registrants will be adequately prepared and ready to extract a voters-list for
elections. The thorough preparation by GECOM for the holding of elections is most welcome as it is a central pillar to ensure that our peoples' democratic rights can be readily exercised.
Guyana is on the rise, and we must continue the most robust support for President Ali, Vice President Jagdeo, and the members of the PPP/C team, who are in the process of providing better conditions for the nation.
Yours respectfully, Neil Kumar.
IN an interview with the Chronicle to be broadcast on the newspaper’s Facebook page at 6:00 pm/18:00 hrs today, the host asked me how I have handled all the criticism over the decades. My response is dear to my heart, mind and soul. It never bothered me and it never will. The surest way to the lunatic asylum is to be concerned about the things people say about you.
Last Friday, I was deluged with screenshots from the Facebook page of editor in-
chief at the Stabroek News (SN) referring to me as a PPP lapdog after I asked him to appear on the Gildarie-Freddie Kissoon Show. I don’t have a Facebook page, so I didn’t know about his remarks until the items were sent to me. When I saw the denouncing comments in reaction to Mr. Persaud’s insult of me on his own Facebook page, I know there is a solid appreciation out there for my work. Unapologetically, I prefer being a PPP lapdog than a lapdog of the Mulatto/Creole class
that owns and operates SN. I prefer to be a PPP lapdog than have any association with sections of this society that do not want to see dark-skinned Indians, and Hindu and Muslim Indians in control of the Government of Guyana.
All my life, I have seen this cultural contempt, and if I am a lapdog of the PPP maybe the anti-Indian elites that once ruled British Guiana and post-Independent Guyana drove me in that direction.
The remark by SN’s editor has tremendous journalistic and polit -
ical implications that show the sordid side of Guyanese society. Let’s examine these implications.
1-First, I am not an employee of the state so I have no reason to sing for my supper.
2- My Chronicle columns are done without payment. I want to use the columns as a struggle against those, who since March 2020, reject the PPP in government because of anti-Indian sentiments that are bound up with class and colour.
3- I say without concern for those who think I am a PPP lapdog that I think Dr. Irfaan Ali is a transformational president and will leave an impressive legacy.
4- The lapdog comment has exposed the so-called independent media. Any examination of the use of the term points to someone being sycophantic. If the lapdog label fits me, does the tag apply to others? The General-Secretary, Kian Jabour, of the opposition party, ANUG told to his fellow ANUG colleague Mr. Timothy Jonas that News Room, over the past three years, has not said anything critical of the government. So, I told Jonas that for the past three years, all the
SN editorials have been against the government.
Now, if I am pro-government, and that makes me a lapdog for the PPP, why is Mr. Persaud not a lapdog for the opposition? Why those who write in favour of the government are lapdogs and those who hate the government and publishes that hate are not lapdogs of a different kind?
SN has two columnists who supported the March 2020 election rigging, have an open African agenda and in every column since the PPP government came into power in August 2020, have been writing poisonous condemnations of the government. Not one column has been neutral. All have been anti-government. Are they, together with Mr. Persaud, not lapdogs?
5- How do the socalled guardians of morality in Guyana feel about the use of such terms to describe other media practitioners? Are they going to chastise Mr. Persaud for the low level he descended to? The answer is no for two reasons. One is that they are afraid themselves that they will be banned like Professor Randolph Persaud from the pag-
es of SN. And two, they openly embrace a shameless school of double standards, where one set of behavioural rules apply to members of the government and a different set for them.
6- The lapdog remark should open the eyes to all decent Guyanese in and out of the country of the kind of instincts that have been unleashed since March 2020, where the government is so hated that the independent media and civil society have steeped so far in journalistic and political vulgarization and patriotic miasma that there is a huge struggle to save democracy from these people.
I informed Mr. Jonas that former President, Barack Obama in an interview with CBS lamented the slanted direction of the media in the US, and that a poll taken by three prestigious institutions found that a majority thinks that the media is a threat to American democracy. The US does not have state-owned media. Finally, the lapdog insult against me should warn the PPP what it will be up against in 2025.
EARLIER this month, United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, visited the region, including stops in Guyana and Trinidad where he participated in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Heads of Government meeting and the 50th Anniversary celebration of CARICOM.
With former Secretary Mike Pompeo’s visit in September 2020 –the first-ever visit by an American Secretary of State to Guyana, this is the second time in four years that the top U.S. diplomat has made the trip. This is a clear message and confirmation that America views Guyana as an emerging geopolitical player in the region and a valued partner.
Secretary Blinken’s visit was aimed at strengthening ties between the U.S. and Caribbean leaders, including addressing key regional challenges such as food and energy security and decarbonisation, climate resilience, regional migration, and building local capacity. The visit also highlighted Guyana’s goal of rapidly developing its oil and gas sector to fuel its economy while remaining committed to developing a low carbon economy
around conservation and resource management.
During a joint press conference with Secretary Blinken, President Irfaan Ali highlighted that Guyana and the United States “share common interests in three very important areas; those are food security, energy security, and climate security.
Guyana is contributing significantly in all three of these areas and the vision is to position our country to be a leader, a global leader on energy security, food security, and climate security and we are seeking to expand our partnership with the U.S. in all of these areas.”
Both Secretary Blinken and President Ali emphasised the importance of their respective country’s bilateral relationship, especially considering the U.S. is Guyana’s number one trading partner.
Secretary Blinken, in his remarks, noted the co-operation underway in the areas of energy, security, and trade.
“Our own Export-Import Bank is working closely with the Guyanese Government on a major gas-to-energy project that’s going to cut emissions by 50 percent. American companies can bring unparalleled ex -
pertise, high labour and environmental standards, and transparency to help power Guyana’s dynamic growth, to advance regional energy security, to deliver tangible benefits to all the people of Guyana,” Sectary Blinken stated. He went on to say that the United States “aims to become Guyana’s partner of choice on energy security and energy transition.”
He also highlighted the large role the U.S.based Guyanese diaspora is likely to play in building greater trade and investment links between the two countries.
Earlier this year the International Energy Conference and Expo held in Georgetown brought together energy professionals, companies, foreign dignitaries, and Heads of States to discuss the important concerns affecting the regional energy sector, climate change, and best practices to maximise the benefits of local content development in both Guyana and the region. Guyana will increasingly play host to major hemispheric and regional gatherings as it is uniquely positioned as both an emerging energy leader and a global leader in sustainability.
Just in the last year Guyana has earned
US$1.24 billion from oil revenues and royalties. More than 30 discoveries have been made offshore Guyana, with 10 new discoveries in 2022 alone and Rystad Energy found that Guyana is leading the world in offshore
discoveries since 2015.
Increased interest from the U.S. in Guyana is a positive sign that growth at home is translating into greater diplomatic support abroad at a critical time for the country.
With a growing roster of discoveries, rising production and the world’s fastest-growing economy, Guyana is well-positioned to take on a greater global role while improving lives at home.
A LOT has been said over the past two weeks in the media since the government rolled out its programme of assistance to the families of the survivors and victims of the fatal Mahdia blaze.
Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, SC, went to lengths to explain the government’s decision to provide the families and surviving victims with financial and other assistance during this time of difficulty.
He explained, among other things, that this money must not be seen as “hush money” to shut the families and victims up, telling the state broadcaster, NCN, that the families requested and the government delivered.
According to him, there was no motive and no sinister plot to take pre-emptive action ahead of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) being put together by the Head of State, President Dr Mo-
hamed Irfaan Ali.
He believed the disinformation and misinformation were being deliberately set, sowing seeds of confusion primarily by the political opposition using so-called activists and social media.
He said the families and victims all benefitted from independent and private legal advice from at least three law firms.
Apart from this, the persons concerned had social workers and other services such as an interpreter present so they understood the full extent of the documents they were asked to sign.
Nandlall presented a passionate argument for other matters related to the assistance given and the CoI, making it abundantly clear that they had nothing to do with each other.
He was certain that the arguments made were baseless and sounded like the very same arguments put forward by the main opposition on the subject matter. So, he dismissed the fears and
posturing that the public may have ahead of the CoI and the entire situation with the victims.
One must delve into the pits of opposition politics being played out here if one must understand the insensitive and cruel war being waged against the interest of these Indigenous Peoples.
Also, one must understand how the public perception can go against the government’s support offered voluntarily to them if it is packaged with a slight twist or information deceitfully coined as ‘news’ or ‘editorials’ for public consumption.
Firstly, there is nothing wrong with the government giving the families and victims aid, assistance or support during the course of this difficult period.
After all, President Ali said that he wants to assure “…that no effort will be spared. Every conceivable help, every conceivable assistance, every conceivable ac -
tion that is required of the government, we will do, we will support, and we will ensure that we are with you not only this day but through this difficult time.”
The government is living up to its word and has ensured that ministers are in constant contact with those affected by the tragedy in Mahdia.
The families have access to every resource that they may need both socially, psychologically, and economically to start the process of transitioning from grieving to healing when they chose to move on with their lives.
But the political opposition and opposition media seem to be playing and toying with these families and victims' emotions through their unfounded and unjustified questioning of support given by the government to the families. Did the government say that money was their “final” instalment of support or the families cannot speak to the circumstances that led to the dreadful inferno which took lives? Hasn’t the government flung itself at the beck and call of these families and victims? Hasn’t it adopted the right tone when talking about Mahdia and what occurred there? What more do the opposition detractors want from the government
before it can stop its politicking and shamelessness over this issue?
From all sides, the government has been very transparent from day one and would have been aggressively fighting to ensure the transitional phase is easy and bearable for the victims and families.
Secondly, the AG answered every reasonable question surrounding this financial deal, as far as he can at this point and time. Now, the opposition and media are clutching at straws. They have their own narratives about the CoI before it begins its work.
Why, you may ask? It appears to me that they want the findings of the CoI to solely lay blame at the government’s feet. This is not what the COI is supposed to do primarily. It has to examine the entire situation and all of the events that led to the inferno occurring at Mahdia. It is supposed to take into account all the actions and non-actions that led to the blaze and lives being lost. The core of its work is supposed to focus on recommendations so that it never happens again.
Thirdly, every right-thinking Guyanese should condemn the Stabroek News and all sections of the media that think that in this age of information, the web and education, Indigenous People at Mahdia are
slow, uneducated and cannot make the right decisions for themselves given the right circumstances.
This is most disrespectful, as from all indications, the families and survivors understood fully the simplistic language used before signing on to the deal. One must dare the media to investigate and find anomalies in the process instead of guessing.
Finally, the CoI’s work will continue regardless in an impartial and independent manner as the President promised. The other Commissioners, one presumes, will be quickly sworn-in in the coming days and the terms of reference confirmed.
The political opposition must stay away from the families and victims if they will not offer them anything, and they have not to date apart from doing them an injustice by making this tragedy into a purely political battle. This is also insensitive to the still-grieving parties and indigenous people in general. Find another political object to craft statements about other than this tragedy.
Justice must be seen to be done, and justice will be done according to the law as the saying goes. There is a difference between the two processes of assistance and justice. Learn it.
PURSUANT to the Natural Resource Fund (NRF) Act, all withdrawals from the NRF to finance the national budget are subject to approval by the National Assembly.
Once the budget is approved, only then the withdrawal can be effected, and this is done not all at once, but throughout the fiscal year in various sums. Additionally, all withdrawals from the NRF shall be deposited into the Consolidated Fund in accordance with the NRF Act.
The national development priorities of the country are not state secrets. Broadly speaking, the development priorities are: the energy sector, aimed at reducing energy costs and delivering reliable a supply of energy, infrastructural development, housing, education, health, and the “green economy” within the framework of the Low Carbon Development Strategy, just to name a few and for context.
With this in mind, it can be easily deduced
from the national budget speech and estimates, the projects, and other areas in line with the national development priorities, that the NRF withdrawals will be used to finance
The question of specificity regarding the expenditure of the withdrawals from the Natural Resource Fund (NRF) has surfaced in certain sections of the media. Additionally, concerns with regard to the investment mandate of the fund has also emerged.
Discussions surrounding these aspects of the NRF have been
gaining critical attention, and they are not unreasonable questions to ask. This article, therefore, seeks to contribute to the discussion by attempting to provide answers to these questions.
Pursuant to the NRF Act, all withdrawals from the NRF to finance the national budget are subject to approval by the National Assembly.
Once the budget is approved, only then the withdrawal can be effected, and this is done not all at once, but throughout the fiscal
year in various sums. Additionally, all withdrawals from the NRF
shall be deposited into the Consolidated Fund (CF) in accordance with the NRF Act.
According to the withdrawal rules (first Schedule), the ceiling on annual withdrawals are as follows:
1. 100 per cent of the first US$500 million
2. 75 per cent of the second US$500 million
3. 50 per cent of the third US$500 million
4. 25 per cent of the fourth US$500 million
5. Five per cent of the fifth US$500 million
6. Three per cent of any amounts in excess of US$2.5 billion. With this simplified formula, one can observe that the withdrawal rule of the fund is not calibrated to withdraw all of the monies from the NRF, especially as the balance in the fund starts to grow.
The upfront drawdown from the fund is necessary to accelerate Guyana’s massive
TURN TO PAGE 12
FROM PAGE 11
development agenda in infrastructure (new roads and bridges, social infrastructure, health care, education, national security, and ICT etc...), all aimed to modernise and transform the economy and diversify the economy.
As illustrated in the chart, the 2023 national budget is financed from various sources as stated hereunder:
(1) Tax revenue accounting for 41 per cent or $321.1 billion,
(2) Non-tax revenue accounting for two per cent or $15.2 billion,
(3) Carbon credit inflow accounting for four per cent or $31.28 billion,
(4) NRF withdrawals accounting for 27 per cent or $208.9 billion, and
(5) Debt financing accounting for 26 per cent or $206.5 billion.
The NRF Act establishes that withdrawals from the NRF shall be used to finance the following:-
a) National development priorities including any initiative aimed at realising an inclusive green economy; and
b) Essential projects that are directly related to ameliorating the effects of a major natural disaster.
The national development priorities of the country are not state secrets. Broadly speaking, the development priorities are: the energy sector aimed at reducing energy cost and delivering a reliable supply of energy, infrastructural development, housing, education, health and the green economy within the framework of the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), just to name a few and for context.
With this in mind, it can be easily deduced from the national budget speech and estimates, the projects, and other areas in line with the national develop -
ment priorities, that the NRF withdrawals will be used to finance. This is demonstrated in the table.
As established previously, the NRF withdrawal represents 27 per cent of the total budget (2023), amounting to $208.9 billion. The selected projects in the above table amounted to $241.9 billion, or 115.8 per cent of the NRF withdrawal.
The gas-to-energy project, which is a major national development priority, the sum of $43.3 billion is budgeted for same, representing 20.7 per cent of the NRF withdrawal; the budgeted sum for roads and bridges represents 44.5 per cent of the NRF withdrawal, the capital budget for education, housing and the health sector represents 8.4 per cent, 26.1 per cent and 12 per cent respectively, of the NRF withdrawal.
Part V of the NRF Act, sections 22–27 establishes the eligible investment, the
minimum investment in very safe investments, and investment for long-term savings, passive investment management, and the investment mandate of the fund.
Investment of fund applies to the balance net of withdrawals to finance the national budget. To this end, the Bank of Guyana which is vested with the operational management authority for the NRF, publishes monthly, quarterly, and annual reports.
The national development priorities of the country are clearly outlined by the government, in its manifesto, the LCDS, budget presentations, policy positions, and demonstrated through the types of policies being pursued within the broad framework of its development agenda.
The withdrawals from the NRF can be clearly aligned with these priority areas identified in the national budget.
KEEPING up-to-date with China’s economic development and its trade ties with the rest of the world can be easy or complicated, depending on the source.
Unfortunately, many citizens in different parts of the world depend on supposedly ‘independent’ accounts by giant modern global juggernauts of the so-called ‘Mainstream’ and Social Media that claim to offer analyses and predictions based more on wishes than actual facts, commentaries and conclusions always tending to differ with what the Western media likes to describe as ‘communist-party controlled propaganda’.
During COVID, the rest of the world was too busy battling the pandemic and blindly blaming China, but immediately after, the ever-rising costs of the Ukraine War and the continuing supply chain foul-ups that jacked-up prices started biting home as the chickens came to roost across Europe and North America, in particular.
Those fanning the flames of war in Europe from near and far conspired to block the only peace plan on the table, tabled by Beijing and supported by both Kyiv and Moscow.
All other efforts at brokering peace were killed on arrival, until the African Union (AU) dispatched seven leaders, led by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, to visit both fighting nations and work on offering a new peace plan.
US-China ties recently exploded over the shooting of an alleged ‘spy balloon’ by the US military and insensitive comments
by Washington’s political dynasties.
Post-COVID economic recovery in China has been described by the Western media as everything from ‘slow’ to ‘reversing’ to ‘static’ and ‘unmoved’, even its annual positive growth rates ignored, upstaged or downplayed by the media from competing economies in the Group of Seven (G-7), the richest nations on earth.
They love to refer to the fact that China no longer boasts double-digit growth rates, but refuse to admit that even the lower growth rates are in the black (plus) positive bracket while other global economies are mainly in the negative red (minus) bracket.
Just last week, Bloomberg, CNN and BBC economic reports started highlighting ‘growing unemployment’ in China, without also acknowledging the PRC is still the most advanced member state of the UN with the lowest poverty rate and the highest contributor to aid for developing nations, while also leading in implementation of the UN’s Special development Goals (SDGs).
But all that adds-up to naught (zero) when one sees the real facts and figures -- from China – that simply cannot be challenged, far less changed.
Take the latest figures I got online from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), on Monday.
It said: “China's GDP grew by 5.5 per cent yearon-year in the first half of the year to 59.3 trillion yuan ($8.3 trillion), posting a steady economic rebound.”
In the second quarter, it added, “The economy rose by 6.3 per cent compared with a year earlier, up from 4.5 per cent in the first quarter of the year.”
The NBS further reported: “On a quarter-on-quarter basis, China's GDP increased by 0.8 per cent in the second quarter of the year.”
The figures also showed:
China's value-added industrial output -- a gauge of activity in the manufacturing, mining and utilities sectors -grew by 4.4 per cent in June from a year earlier, after a 3.5 per cent rise in May;
In the first half of 2023, value-added industrial output “grew by 3.8 per cent compared to the same period last year, while in the first quarter, it rose by three per cent from 2021…”
And retail sales -- a key measurement of consumer spending – “grew by 3.1 per cent year-onyear in June, down from the 12.7 per cent growth in May.”
In the first half of the 2023, retail sales also “rose by 8.2 per cent compared to the same period in 2022, while in the first quarter, they grew by 5.8 per cent from 2021.”
In the January-June 2023 period, fixed-asset investment -- a gauge of expenditures on items including infrastructure, property, machinery and equipment – “grew by 3.8 per cent, compared with 2022, while in the January-May period, it jumped four per cent yearon-year.”
The urban jobless rate came in at 5.2 per cent in June, flat with the previous month, according to the NBS.
But despite the steady recovery, the NBS warned of “pressures from a complicated international environment,” saying that “the foundation for the economic rebound is not yet solid.”
The NBS also advised that “More efforts should be made to promote high-quality growth, fully deepen reforms and opening-up, accelerate the modernisation of the industrial system, improve the economic structure and gather new growth momentum.”
Unbelievable to those already rendered braindead by the global anti-China propaganda lobby but undoubtedly true, these figures expose the lies, half-truths and basic concoctions served-up daily by correspondents
in Beijing, Hong Kong and Taipei.
China and the USA share the world’s two biggest economies and while China doesn’t ever lay claim to be the better manager of macro home economics, its growth, since the Deng Xiaoping era in the 1980s, has shown the entire world that Beijing has always done a better job, with China’s planned economy forever expanding while central authorities plan ahead for both the expected and unpredictable.
In four decades, the PRC has so better understood the working of the global capitalist economy that Beijing has been consistently able to keep the US in line on bilateral trade and investment matters -- to the extent that
US corporate businesses based in China annually plead with Washington to play its cards with Beijing in ways that won’t harm their profitable business interests.
But that type of news you’ll only get if you have reason to doubt the permanent preachers of doom and gloom for everything involving China.
Meanwhile, having reduced poverty to near total eradication (by UN standards) and set the stage for advancing towards a China under Socialism with Chinese Characteristics by the Centenary of the Republic in 1949, the PRC continues rolling out long-term plans for the next quarter century of the still-new millennium.
GENERAL Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, on Thursday, announced that President, Dr. Irfaan Ali will make his return as the PPP’s presidential candidate for the 2025 General and Regional Elections.
This, according to Dr. Jagdeo, is owing to his outstanding performance and impeccable leadership abilities he has displayed during his tenure as the President of Guyana.
According to PPP General Secretary: “He's [Ali] been the Finance Secretary of the party for a number of years, one of the most senior persons and most aggressive party members in a positive way in terms of hard work. President Ali earned his position as our candidate. He didn't come from anyone influencing us; he comes from a long history of a family that has been in the struggle.”
President Ali has made a number of noteworthy accomplishments since being elected to office as Guyana's ninth executive president.
In his capacity as president, he has put Guyana on the map, upheld national security and law and order, created the right conditions and environment for thousands of people to get jobs and house lots, and awarded contracts to the most qualified contractors regardless of their race, ethnicity, religion, or political affiliation, among many other things.
He has travelled to nearly every district, village, and town in this little period to meet with the locals to discuss and resolve their issues.
President Ali has also put Guyana on a sound economic path that will not only benefit the populace, particularly the poor, but also achieve his ultimate goal of reducing or ending poverty, as well as improving the nation's education and healthcare systems, among other things, and most importantly, returning the nation to its former glory.
The Head of State, just
last month, said that he has received invitations for state visits from more than 50 nations and that he will travel to China this month to deepen bilateral ties with the Asian country.
Speaking on how his many international engagements have been prosperous for Guyana over the last three years, he said: “For the month of July, I received more than 50 direct requests from Heads of Governments around the world. We’re going on our official state visit to China. These are the things we do to bring results for the country.”
He added: “We have proposals coming from France, French Guiana. These are all proposals that come directly from our international engagements, directly from pushing and promoting Guyana and what we have to offer. We are on the right trajectory.”
The Head of State had related that since being elected to office, he has had the privilege of meeting with more than 60 world leaders, more than 50 chief executive officers of significant multinationals, interacted with international organisations, and was asked to deliver the keynote addresses at more than 150 events.
Additionally, Dr. Ali had said that Guyana's government has a plan to make the country a leader in the world in the three major security areas - food, energy, and climate. However, to do this, Guyana must take a steadfast stance on the global stage and engage in bilateral and multilateral engagements to increase support for the country.
THE Guyana Police Force marked its 184th anniversary with a clean-up exercise led by Acting Top Cop Clifton Hicken, as part of the strategic plan to strengthen police-community ties. It hosted a fun day for over 800 children at the Police Sports Club Ground to promote closer relations between the GPF and the public.
Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle, the Commissioner said that the clean-up initiative is a “national drive” that is led by His Excellency President Irfaan Ali.
According to Commissioner Hicken, “The clean-
up exercise is part of the President’s initiative to ensure that we live and dwell in a clean and tidy environment. It is a national drive, and it is only fitting that we, the members of the Guyana Police Force, provide our service. There is no definition for service, and so we have started the exercise with the commencement of President Ali initiative, and we want to sustain that. We did it as an individual organisation today because it is slated as part of our calendar of activities for our 184th anniversary month that we are celebrating.”
The Top Cop further explained that he is pleased to say that the clean-up exer-
cise by the public has been phenomenal, and he would like to urge all Guyanese to play their role in ensuring that their surroundings are kept tidy.
“I would like to say to the public that cleanliness is next to Godliness, and therefore we as members of the GPF are committed to cleaning the seawalls so that we can work in a conducive environment, and likewise you can do the same. It is nice to enjoy and have fun, but more importantly, these exercises transcend where we live and our immediate communities. We are taking the lead on this, and I would hope that everyone understands the importance of
cleanliness,” he noted.
Commissioner Hicken also related that he is very optimistic that the public will recognise that through such initiatives, the President, his government, and the GPF are working to enhance not only the environment and the country, but the people as well.
“I am hopeful that the people can be motivated and come out in their large numbers or individually and clean up their villages, and their communities; let us lead by example,” he underscored.
Apart from the clean-up exercise, which was held on Saturday, the commissioner and the ranks of the GPF also organised and hosted a fun-day for over 800 children as part of their calendar of events for the anniversary month as well as in honour of the Commissioner’s birth anniversary.
Mr. Hicken said, “To mark the 184th anniversary of GPF and in celebration of my birthday, we have held a fun day with an excess of over 800 children.”
Finally, the Commissioner said, the goal of the fun day is to sensitise, mould, and build a relationship between the young minds and the GPF.
According to him, due to the collapse of the community projects under the previous administrators, he ensured that, as Commissioner of Police (ag) and
at the helm of the GPF, he puts the framework in place so that it could become policy.
Now, Commissioner Hicken said that the Youth groups and Scout groups are part of the recent policing strategy in all the regions across Guyana.
and understand at an early stage that we can all occupy one space without any conflict. If these attributes are inculcated as they grow, they will understand that we are human beings at the end of the day, and there would be no separation among us.”
“Today, I am happy to give the youths a chance to come, have everything free, enjoy a good outing, but more importantly, get the opportunity to interact with the members of the GPF, learn each other’s culture,
Today, (July 23) there will be a commencement of the police athletic championship at the aquatic centre, followed by a night of boxing, and another activity at the Eve Leary ground.
THE Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) is moving to establish a new water source to serve residents of the Five Mile Housing Scheme and the new housing development at Seven Mile, Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GWI, Shaik Baksh, accompanied by Hinterland Service Director, Ram-
chand Jailall; Water Quality Specialist, Dr Deon Anderson, and other technical officers, on Friday, visited several sites in the mining town that could be used as a viable water source.
Once the source is identified, GWI will install a transmission line and construct a small treatment plant and storage facilities to ensure reliable ac -
cess to quality water for residents of Five and Seven Miles.
The utility company is hoping to complete this project early next year. Bartica, the gateway to the interior, is a bustling town with a growing population.
Cognisant of those developments, GWI is making every effort to provide improved services to residents of the township.
THE A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) has once again come under fire after several city business owners have alleged that the party tried to exploit them in order to fund their recent victory rally in Georgetown.
It is also alleged that APNU, which won majority of the seats on the City Council, even promised favours to these businessmen in exchange for funding.
Addressing the alleged “shake down” and threatening of businessmen by Opposition members to give funding, General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, during a press conference on Thursday, said: “They [APNU] are known to do this and Norton, having said publicly he didn't have money to contest the Local Government Elections, of course, it's a lie because you don't need to spend a lot of money to contest Local Government Elections. Most of it is done by the committees themselves in every area.”
Owing to those reports, Jagdeo said that his party’s councillors at City Hall will be “on the ball” to make sure that no wrongdoings occur, such as the illegal sale of properties in Georgetown and waiver of taxes.
“So, we have our 11 councilors [and they] will look out for any sale of this [city’s] property, that's one. Two, any attempt to give waivers to people,” he said while underscoring that there will be no private negotiations for rates and taxes to be waived.
Also, in keeping with the party’s commitment to run on accountability and transparency, the PPP General Secretary said the party’s councillors will also be looking out for any corruption in the city.
Newly-elected PPP Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) councillors had said previously that they are on a mission to ensure there is accountability at the APNU-controlled City Hall.
The councillors’ plans were outlined by PPP councillor, Odayson Ashby, in an interview with the Guyana Chronicle.
Ashby also reaffirmed that he, together with his colleagues, will be lobbying for an audit to reveal the years of financial mismanagement at City Hall under the PNC administration.
Stressing that they will stay true to their manifesto promises, he said: “The only difference is whether APNU will choose to work with us or work against us,” adding: “We [PPP councillors] are very competent and com-
mitted to delivering to the residents of Georgetown.”
When asked what is first on their agenda, the newly-elected councillor remarked: “For 27 years, the [PNC] council has practically derailed the laws,” emphasising that an audit of City Hall not being done for a number of years is evidence of the poor management.
He then went on to say: “What we’re looking to do is that we will look to put as much pressure as we could put on the APNU councillors,” adding that at the next statutory meeting, which is slated to be next month, the PPP councillors will be advocating for an audit in order to unearth the billions of dollars in taxes that are unaccounted for at City Hall.
The PPP has gained 11 seats on the 30-seat council; this is an increase from the seven seats the party had at the last LGEs. And the party hopes to use its increased voice to deal with some of these known issues at the Council.
QUIZ CORNER
(Sunday July 23, 2023)
CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD
-83 Garnett Street, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158)
Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) Raymon Reifer & Rahkeem Cornwall (2) Shardul Thakur
Today’s Quiz:
(1) How many runs Sunil Gavaskar made in his very first Test series?
(2) Who is the first man to hit a double century and a century in the same Test match?
Answers in yesterday’s issue
CANADIAN
Race
From page 28
ing and two days left in the match.
“I enjoyed batting here more than Dominica,” Dominican Athanaze said. “I came in at a stage where we had just lost a few quick wickets, and it was all about rebuilding, so I enjoyed the challenge of batting in that situation.
“There was not as much turn for the spinners as there was in Dominica, and given the quality of bowlers they have, they have played in so many different conditions, they understood the situation well and had the proper field settings to support the bowling, so it was a real challenge.
“I will be looking to continue in the same vein (on Sunday). It’s really about batting and batting long. We enjoy the challenge, and as a unit, it’s no secret we are trying build something here, so I think right now we will just try to enjoy the challenge and stick to the basics.”
Rain stopped play after about 55 minutes with only 10.4 overs possible in the morning session after West Indies resumed from their overnight total of 86 for one.
McKenzie batted all that time and helped the Caribbean pass the 100 mark before he was dismissed and the
INDIA 1st Innings 438
WEST INDIES 1st Innings (overnight 86 for one)
weather immediately intervened, prompting an early lunch with the home team on 117 for two.
McKenzie, playing his first innings in Tests, looked solid enough after he resumed from his bedtime score of 14 not out, but youthful exhuberance started to get the better of him, and pacer Mukesh Kumar got him caught behind, flashing at a ball of no real merit seconds before the rain came down.
After the interval, the Caribbean side made slow progress and crawled to 174 for three at tea after they were set back when Brathwaite fell to a special delivery from off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin.
The West Indies captain reached his 50 from 170 balls when he whipped a delivery from Kumar through mid-wicket for two, and he added 40 with his deputy, carrying his side comfortably past 150 before he was undone by Ashwin.
Lunging onto the front foot to defend, Brathwaite was bowled by a delivery that pitched outside the offstump and was perhaps the only ball that turned prodigiously all day, spinning back sharply between his bat and pad to rattle the stumps. For the remainder of the session, Blackwood and
Athanaze curbed their natural instincts and defied the Indian attack in sweltering conditions with little trouble, but they added only a further 17 between them.
Both survived Indian reviews of umpiring verdicts – Blackwood, on 13, for a caught behind down the leg-side off left-arm spinner Ravendra Jadeja that TV replays suggested clipped his pad, and Athanaze, on 11,
for lbw to Ashwin essaying a slog-sweep that TV ball tracking technology showed the ball may have clipped the top of leg-stump, but not out verdict of field umpire Marais Erasmus superceded.
After tea, Blackwood drove the first delivery from Jadeja through the off-side for four, but he was caught at slip two balls later when he played forward to the leftarm spinner, bowling over
the wicket, and got a delivery that turned and bounced out of the bowlers’ footmarks.
Hometown hero Joshua Da Silva came to the crease and batted for close to an hour, made 11, and took West Indies past 200 before pacer Mohammed Siraj bowled him with an in-swinger and the rain returned immediately for a second time.
Play resumed after 45 minutes, and Athanaze and
Holder held firm for the rest of the day even after India chose to take the second new ball after 103 overs.
India lead the two-Test series 1-0 after they won the first Test that ended last Friday at Windsor Park in Dominica by an innings and 141 runs inside three days. The two Tests are part of the new round of the World Test Championship 2023 to 2025.
*K. Brathwaite b Ashwin 75
T. Chanderpaul c Ashwin b Jadeja 33
K. McKenzie c wk Ishan Kishan b Mukesh Kumar 32
J. Blackwood c Rahane b Jadeja 20
A. Athanaze not out 37
+J. Da Silva b Siraj 10
J. Holder not out 11
Extras (b4, nb7) 11
TOTAL (5 wkts, 108 overs) 229
K. Roach, A. Joseph, J. Warrican, S. Gabriel to bat. Fall of wickets: 1-71 (Chanderpaul), 2-117 (McKenzie), 3-157 (Brathwaite), 4-178 (Blackwood), 5-208 (Da Silva).
Bowling: Mohammed Siraj 7-2-23-0 (nb1); Unadkat 163-44-0; Ashwin 33-10-61-1; Mukesh Kumar 14-4-35-1 (nb3); Jadeja 25-10-37-2 (nb3).
Position: West Indies trail by 209 with five first innings wickets standing.
Umpires: Marais Erasmus (South Africa), Richard Kettleborough (England).
TV umpire: Michael Gough (England).
Match referee: Jeff Crowe (New Zealand). Reserve umpire: Nigel Duguid.
THE United States launched their bid for an unprecedented third consecutive world crown with a comfortable win against Women's World Cup debutants Vietnam in Auckland.
\Sophia Smith struck twice before half-time for the four-time world cham -
pions in front of thousands of travelling USA fans in a crowd of 41,107.
Smith, one of 14 players in the squad appearing at their first World Cup, fired the number-one ranked team in the world ahead with a low drilled finish from an angle.
Her second was awarded
following a lengthy check by the Video Assistant Referee for an offside before captain Lindsey Horan, after an assist by Smith, swept home the third in the 77th minute.
There was a memorable moment for Vietnam keeper Tran Thi Kim Thanh when she was mobbed by her jubi-
lant team-mates after keeping out Alex Morgan's penalty, which was awarded for a foul on Trinity Rodman.
Vietnam rarely managed to get out of their own half but worked hard and produced a gritty defensive performance to keep the scoreline respectable.
Bigger tests to come
While this was not the hammering some had predicted in the build-up, the
United States did enough to get their campaign off to a winning start.
Four years ago in France they recorded the biggest Women's World Cup win, a 13-0 thrashing of Thailand, in their opening game on the way to winning the tournament.
They carved out enough chances against Vietnam to record another double-digit win and there was a tinge of
disappointment from boss Vlatko Andonovski that his side did not make the most of their 28 attempts.
The USA arrived in New Zealand as favourites but tougher tests lie ahead and only after Thursday's match against the Netherlands in Wellington - a repeat of the 2019 final - will their fans learn more about whether they can make it three World Cup successes in a row.
This was so comfortable that Andonovski sent on 18-year-old Alyssa Thompson for her first taste of the World Cup, while fellow substitute and icon Megan Rapinoe also made her 200th appearance for the Stars and Stripes - 17 years to the weekend she made her debut. Rapinoe had a chance to mark the milestone with a goal but failed to take her chance, while Rose Lavelle struck the bar in the closing stages.
ESSEX made heavy weather of scoring the 30 runs required to beat Kent by seven wickets and secure their fourth successive County Championship Division One victory.
It needed Paul Walter to keep his head and stroke the winning runs 23 balls into what turned into a more difficult run chase than necessary.
Essex attempted to make light work of reaching the target and were halfway there from the first over bowled by Hamid Qadri.
However, Dan Lawrence was first to go when he tried to hit Grant Stewart's first ball out of the ground but only skied to mid-on.
Adam Rossington followed in the next over, lbw attempting to reverse sweep Qadri, and first-innings centurion Matt Critchley departed first ball to a caught-andbowled by the off-spinner, taken running back and over his head at mid-on.
That was 23-3 in the third over, but Essex managed to get over the line in the next over to take 21 points and keep up the pressure on Championship leaders Surrey.
Earlier in the morning, Essex needed eight overs before breaking a stubborn overnight partnership, but once Qadri departed to a smart catch at short square-leg by Simon Harmer the innings collapsed in just six balls.
Sam Cook added a second of the morning three balls later when Matt Quinn played on and Joey Evison fell lbw to the first ball of Harmer's 44th over of the innings. Harmer finished with 4-72 to take his season's tally to 41 wickets and Cook had figures of 4-46.
That was 23-3 in the third over, but Essex managed to get over the line in the next over to take 21 points and keep up the pressure on
Championship leaders Surrey.
Earlier in the morning, Essex needed eight overs before breaking a stubborn overnight partnership, but once Qadri departed to a smart catch at short squareleg by Simon Harmer the innings collapsed in just six balls.
Sam Cook added a second of the morning three balls later when Matt Quinn played on and Joey Evison fell lbw to the first ball of Harmer's 44th over of the innings. Harmer finished with 4-72 to take his season's tally to 41 wickets and Cook had figures of 4-46. (BBC Sport)
Only one wicket fell in the 30 overs possible as Australia edged towards retaining the Ashes
A gloomy Manchester allowed more cricket than many thought would be possible on the fourth day, but England only managed one wicket in 30 overs in their push to send to the series to a decider as Marnus Labuschagne made his first away Ashes century before falling to Joe Root.
(Scores: Australia 317 and 214 for 5 (Labuschagne 111, Wood 3-27) trail England 592 by 61 runs
Root was only bowling because the umpires had told Ben Stokes that it was too dark for pace, a decision which did not appear to impress the England captain. However, after initially proving costly as Labuschagne moved towards three figures with a brace of sixes, both Root and Moeen Ali caused problems late in the session with turn and bounce and the former broke through shortly before tea.
That was as far as play got as steady drizzle returned and played was called off shortly before 6.30pm. The forecast for Sunday is bleak, with warnings for heavy rain in place for the northwest of country including Manchester, but England will hold onto the belief that they could still force victory with a small window of opportunity.
The second new ball is nine overs way - although now the umpires have taken a light reading that could become a factorand Australia are still 61 behind. Were they to get into the lead, that would be another element to take out time.
A draw will see them retain the Ashes, taking
a 2-1 lead to The Oval where the best England could achieve would be a shared series. Labuschagne's century at least
duce one cracking cover drive off Stuart Broad England were able to get the ball changed in the 58th over but James An-
much further, though, as another slingy delivery from Root bounced as Labuschagne attempted to cut and the top edge was
ARGENTINA star Lionel
Messi curled in a stunning stoppage-time free-kick on his Inter Miami debut to clinch a 2-1 victory against Mexican side Cruz Azul.
Messi, 36, struck in the fourth minute of added time as his Major League Soccer side won the Leagues Cup tie.
The 20,000-capacity crowd included celebrities such as basketball’s LeBron James, tennis legend Serena Williams and US TV star Kim Kardashian.
“We wanted to start like this by giving these people a victory,” said Messi.
earned Australia the right to take it to the fifth day.
The rain had lashed down during the morning, but the biblical forecast improved as the hours wore on and a gap emerged long enough for the clean-up operation to being and play to start at 2.45pm. However, England struggled to replicate the intensity of the previous evening when Mark Wood had made sizeable inroads, with Labuschagne and Mitchell Marsh making relatively comfortable progress.
Labuschagne, who made his first half-century of the series on the opening day, was the more aggressive, taking advantage of anything loose as England's quicks searched for any modicum of assistance with the old ball that, by and large, refused to do much - perhaps hindered by becoming damp over the outfield. Marsh, while playing second fiddle in what became a stand of 103 in 31 overs, did pro-
derson was only able to bowl four deliveries with it before the umpires, Nitin Menon and Joel Wilson, ruled it was getting too dark just as Stokes prepared to bring Wood back into the attack.
He summoned his spinners and there were soon signs that they could be a threat as one delivery from Moeen popped into Marsh's gloves but landed safely. Labuschagne took the positive route, dancing down to Root and twice sending him into the stands as he motored through the 90s.
But, on 93, he had a scare when Root sent down one of his alternative seam-up swinging deliveries which took the outside edge and flew too high and fast for Zak Crawley at slip. In the next over Labuschagne nudged Moeen into the off side and scampered the single that took him to his 11th Test hundred, his first in 24 innings and just his second overseas.
He didn't advance
well held, after a rebound, by Jonny Bairstow. It was not given on-field by Menon although England reviewed in an instant and Labuschagne immediately indicated he knew he was out, tossing the bat frustratedly in the air.
Four balls later Root nearly had Marsh as well when he pushed with hard hands and got an inside edge that flew low to Harry Brook's left at short leg. Brook could not quite channel Abdullah Shafique and hold on.
England were excited again with the last ball of the session when an uncertain Cameron Green, who looks short on confidence with the bat, lunged forward and the ball ballooned to slip. England reviewed again, but this time there was no inside edge involved before it took the pad. That was the last action of the day. Once again, the two teams were left to nervously watch the weather forecasts. (Cricinfo)
“We knew that it was very important for us to start this championship in winning fashion. Luckily we were able to do it in the end, and I am very happy.”
Smoke bombs in Miami’s pink colour were let off behind the goal at the DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale as some fans ran on to the pitch to celebrate Messi’s goal, before being led away by security.
It continued the party atmosphere started on Sunday, when Messi was officially unveiled to fans in front of another capacity crowd in south Florida.
The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner only trained with his team-mates for the first time on Tuesday after moving to the MLS following the end of his contract at Paris St-Germain.
Messi scored 32 goals in 75 games during a two-year spell with the French champions after leaving Barcelona, and turned down lucrative offers from other countries to play in the US.
This was the first time he had turned out for a non-European club side, but was joined by a familiar face as he and former Barca team-mate Sergio Busquets came on as part of a 54th-minute triple substitution.
Spain defender Jordi Alba has also made the switch from the Nou Camp, and will be available to play against Atlanta United in the Leagues Cup on Tuesday.
The cup competition between sides in the MLS and Mexico’s LIGA MX marks
a fresh start for Inter Miami, who are bottom of the MLS table without a win in 11 games.
Messi was on his feet with the rest of the bench to celebrate Robert Taylor’s 44th-minute opener for the home side, but Cruz Azul’s Uriel Antuna had not read the script, cancelling out Inter Miami’s lead with 25 minutes remaining.
But Argentina’s World Cup winner provided the Hollywood ending as Messi was brought down by Carlos Salcedo for a free-kick just outside the box in the final seconds, in ideal range for his famous left foot.
And he delivered perfectly, curling the ball high to the right of goalkeeper Andres Gudino and into the top corner.
“It is a huge joy to get this first victory after how we have done in the league,” Messi added.
“It is important to start winning, beyond the fact that it is another championship, for confidence it is very good to get victories.”
‘This is the way it’s meant to end’
Ex-England captain David Beckham, who is co-owner of Inter Miami, watched Messi’s debut from an executive box next to the dugout.
He was almost tearful at the final whistle, with the victory coming 16 years to the day since he made his own MLS debut for Los Angeles Galaxy.
“To be honest, as soon as I saw the free-kick given I thought this is the way it’s meant to end,” said the 48-year-old.
“Especially when you’ve got players like Leo and Sergio on the pitch, that’s what they produce.
“It’s so exciting tonight for our fans. All of these people that come down here to see Leo just step onto the pitch, let alone just do what he’s done. It’s a dream come true for everyone in this stadium to see.
“It’s such a moment for this country, such a moment for this league.” (BBC Sport).
Decades of dreams for a basketball league in Guyana are now reality compliments of the Ministry of Culture and Sport, and G-Boats Incorporated, with the formation of the ‘One Guyana’ Basketball Premier League.
The league will be coordinated by the Guyana Basketball Federation (GBF) and is part of the National Sports Academy, focusing on tournaments after the first pillar of nursey commenced in 2022.
The League will have 14 teams, divided into two conferences – Harpy Eagles Conference and Jaguars Conference – and there will be a minimum of 56 games and a maximum of 63 after it starts on August 12 and concludes in March 2024.
Saturdays will be the official match days, and there will be two break periods for an All-Star weekend.
Speaking at the launch on Friday at the National Gymnasium, Minister Charles Ramson Jr. hailed the formation of the league as historic and one to reignite significant interest in the sport.
Noting “basketball culture is dormant in the country,” Ramson Jr. firmly believed there is interest
to play, but “you have to develop a culture that focuses on professionalism and the development of the sport.”
To achieve such, he implores clubs to operate more professionally regarding practice as there is more access to improved facilities.
The Minister indicated that they will start the construction of five gymnasiums across the countries this year and noted, “By next year, you should be playing in your air-conditioned facility at the Sports Hall.”
The Cliff Anderson Sports Hall is currently undergoing rehabilitation, and when completed, it will be a modern facility
for hosting international events.
Through these efforts of making Guyana more attractive to hosting international events, the Minister firmly believes it will give local athletes exposure at higher quality for players to improve their skills.
All proceeds the league generates will go to the GBF.
More so, Jermaine Slater, President of the Georgetown Amateur Basketball Association, stated, “The league comes as a response to the growing demand from players and coaches for a platform that fosters the growth, development, and nurturing of basketball talents across
Guyana.”
He added, “This league will serve as a stepping stone for young players who dream of reaching the professional stage.”
Additionally, Sherman Gonsalves, a representative from G-Boats, expressed they are happy to support basketball and pledge to be more involved in the sport as it presents a platform for youths.
Matches will be staged at the National Gymnasium on Mandela Avenue and stream live on the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport’s Facebook page.
The winning team will pocket $1M while the runners-up get $500,000.
POTARO Strikers registered their third victory in the Bartica FA's Senior Men's League (SML) when play continued at the Bartica Community Centre ground last Friday night.
The 3-2 win was inspired by a second-half double from Shamar Stephen, who found the back of the net in the 58th and 74th minutes of play after Rising Stars had held a 2-1 advantage at the half.
Daniel Gardener gave Strikers the lead as early as the fourth minute, but
strikes on target by Chad Edwards(26') and Ashton Dutchin(38') saw the citadel of Strikers being breached for the first time in this season's league competition.
The three points have now pushed the unbeaten Strikers to 10 points in second place and two points adrift of leaders and defending champions Rivers View after four matches each. Meanwhile, the Stars were on the receiving end for the second time as they remain on five points from as many
games in fourth place.
The other match of the night produced the first taste of success for AK Galaxy, who defeated Mil Ballers 2-1, their third loss in four outings.
Ashberk Hohenkirk opened the scoring for the winners in the 25th minute and 10 minutes later Mario Perreira doubled the lead.
Kishan Tobin netted the consolation for Ballers in the 72nd minute.
The three points lifted Galaxy to four points from
five games and fifth position, while Ballers, after four outings, remain on three points in seventh place.
The two-round Bartica SML will continue on Monday (24th July) with another two games at the Bartica Community Centre ground. At 7pm, Rising Stars will oppose sixth-placed Wolves United and at 9 pm, it will be second-from-the-bottom Lazio against third-placed Beacons FC.
FOOTBALL fans on the "West side" can now breathe a sigh of relief as finally the much awaited kick-off of the West Demerara FA's season has been confirmed amid uncertainty, following mal-administration unearthed several weeks ago.
Swift and intelligent intervention by President Wayne Forde of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) resulted in an Interim Competitions Committee being established to run the nine-team Senior Men's League.
Former President of the “West Dem” FA, Kenneth Thomas, will spearhead the installed Interim Committee which also includes, Lawrence Griffith and Denise Lovell.
The one-round league will commence today at the Tuschen ground with a grand march past of the nine teams at 13.00hrs, to be followed by the opening game at 14.00hrs. It will be Uitvlugt FC against Uprising FC and in the second game set for 16.00hrs, Wales FC will face the might of Slingerz FC.
The highly rated Slingerz are expected to lift the title due to their star-studded squad and expert guidance in the persons of former national captain Charles 'Lily’ Pollard as head coach and his assistant is former national midfielder Vurlon Mills.
Captain Jeremy Garette is one of three current ‘nationals’ in the line-up, the others being goalkeeper Akel Clarke and utility Leo Lovell. Among the recent ‘nationals’ are, Joshua Browne, Sheldon Holder, Clive Nobrega and Quincy Adams. However, the one to look out for is the former national under 15 captain, teenager Shakem Welcome.
The other five teams competing are: Eagles FC, Pouderoyen FC, Crane Rovers, Belle West FC and Number One All Stars. Matches will be played on Saturdays and Sundays at the Tuschen ground.
By Sean Devers
URGED on by a large and raucous gathering of Essequibo supporters under an almost cloudless sky in steaming heat, a well-oiled Essequibo unit remained unbeaten in the GCB U-13 Inter-County 40-over cricket tournament when they defeated Demerara by 15 runs to lift the inaugural trophy yesterday at the historic GCC ground, Bourda.
Led by a Man-of-the Match performance from 13-year-old Bumesh Lall, Essequibo were all out for 119 in 37.5 overs before dismissing Demerara for 103 in 40 overs in their own backyard.
Lall topscored with an attractive 41 from 51 balls with five fours and one six but only Usain Fredericks (11) and Mark Daniels (10) reached double figures, while extras contributed 26.
Left-arm spinner Skipper Brandon Henry, who belatedly introduced himself into the attack, followed up his 3-19 on Friday with 4-12, while leg-spinner Makai Dowlin had 3-22.
Reyaz Latif (22) and Dowlin, who retired hurt for 10 were the only batters to reach double figures while Ruel Dindyal, who surprisingly batted at number 11, made nine with a cover-driven boundary. Lall returned with the ball to finish with 3-19
When the home team began their chase the US-based Guyanese Khush Seegobin (2), who edged Makayan Holmes to the wicker-Keeper at 9-1 and never recovered
despite Latif’s brief resistance.
Earlier, the lads from Guyana’s largest county elected to bat on a good track and fairly fast outfield and the right-handed Lall from the island of Wakenaam which produced former West Indies batter Ramnaresh Sarwan, launched into pacer Patrice Fraser and hit him over long-off for six before stroking gloriously off the back for four past cover in an over which cost 12 runs.
Left-arm pacer Thierry Davis bowled with good pace for his age and dismantled the stumps of Justin Dowlin (7) at 31-1, Eleven-year-old leg-spinner Dowlin, watched by father, former West Indies batter Travis Dowlin, bowled with teasing flight and good control.
Lall played an array of lovely shots and deposited Kyle Gibson over mid-on for four before punching Dowlin through the fielder at cover
for a fortuitous boundary.
When well set for the first 50 of the tournament, Lall ‘tugged’ a flighted delivery from Dowling to short mid-wicket at 67-2.
Reyaz Latif bowled David Person (8) without addition to the score before Dowlin struck to leave the score on 67-4 as three wick-
ets fell for no runs. Daniels and Fredericks offered token resistance before Henry wrapped up the innings.
ECB president Deleep Singh was at the presentation ceremony while president of the DCB and GCB Bissoondyal Singh was not present.
KINGSTOWN, St Vincent, (CMC) – A devastating spell from leftarm spinner Aryan Persaud bowled Guyana to a stunning, come-frombehind, 189-run win against hosts Windward Islands in the Cricket West Indies Rising Stars Men’s Under-19 threeday championship on Saturday in St Vincent.
Consistent batting down the order led by a
half-century from opener Adrian Weir enabled Jamaica to draw with defending champions Leeward Islands on the final day of the second round of matches.
AT ARNOS VALE: Persaud returned the flattering figures of seven for six from 10.5 overs and the Guyanese bowled out the Windwards for 59 in their second innings after setting them 249 to win.
Jonathan Rampersaud supported with three for 28 off from 11 overs, and no Windwards batsman was able to reach 20.
Guyana had conceded a 17-run lead after a low-scoring first innings, but they recovered in the second innings and declared on 265 for nine with Zeynul Ramsammy finishing on 59 not out, after they started the day on 229 for six.
Off-spinner Tarrique Edwards was again the pick of the Windwards bowlers, taking six for 93 from 34 overs to finish with match figures of 11 for 97.
AT CUMBERLAND: Weir struck three fours and two sixes in 60 off 92 balls and set the tone for the rest of the batsmen, and the Jamaicans batted through most of the day before they were
dismissed for 267 in their second innings, leaving no time for a chase for the Leewards.
Jordan Johnson supported with 41, Justin Beckford score 39, Reon Edwards made 32, Brian Barnes got 29 and Trevaun Williams added 24 to prop up the Jamaica batting.
Wilden Cornwall Jr, son of former Leewards and West Indies
all-rounder, was the most successful Leewards bowler taking three for 36 from 16 overs, while Chamiqueko Landerford and Michael Palmer collected two wickets apiece. In the next round of matches: Jamaica face Barbados at Arnos Vale, Leewards meet Guyana at Sion Hill, and Windwards play Trinidad & Tobago at Park Hill.
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, (CMC) – RESOLUTE batting down the order, led by their captain Kraigg Brathwaite, ensured there was no batting collapse from West Indies this time, but India made timely strikes in between a couple
rain delays to remain in control of the second Test on Saturday in Trinidad.
Brathwaite made 75 and typified the painstaking approach from the Caribbean side, and they reached 229 for five, replying to India’s first innings total of 438,
when bad light stopped play on the rain-marred third day of the 100th Test between the two teams at Queen’s Park Oval.
All of the West Indies batsmen batted with restraint, but none of them could convert their promising starts
into significant scores –Alick Athanaze was not out on 37 and Jason Holder was not out on 11 when stumps were drawn, debutant Kirk McKenzie made 32, and vice-captain Jermaine Blackwood got 20.
West Indies gathered
only 143 from the 67 overs bowled during the day on a mostly unresponsive pitch, but they will be more than gleeful that their batting did not implode like the first Test when they failed to pass 200 in both innings, and they finished the day 10 away from
making India bat again.
The host will be relying heavily on Athanaze and Holder on the fourth day to help them make a deep cut into the 209-run deficit they currently face with only the frontline bowlers remain -
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