Guyana Times - Friday, June 2, 2023

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Friday, June 2 – 03:00h-04:30h and Saturday, June 3 – 03:30h-05:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Friday, June 2 – 15:10h-16:40h and Saturday, June 3 – 15:55h-17:25h .

FERRY SCHEDULE

Parika and Supenaam departure times – 05:00h, 10:00h-12:00h, 16:00h, 18:30h daily.

WEATHER TODAY

Thundery showers should prevail, interrupted by early-morning and late-afternoon sunshine, during the day, with clear to cloudy skies at night. Temperatures should range between 23 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.

Winds: North-Easterly to South South-Easterly between 1.34 metres and 2.68 metres.

High Tide: 15:26h reaching a maximum height of 2.56 metres.

Low Tide: 08:58h and 21:12h reaching minimum heights of 0.55 metre and 0.67 metre.

Dominican Republic eyes oil refinery in Guyana

…signs MoUs with Guyana for energy, air and regional cooperation

Stemming from the abundance of opportunities available from the local oil and gas sector, the Dominican Republic is exploring the possibility of collaborating with Guyana on the establishment of a crude oil refinery here.

This was revealed by Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader during a one-day visit to Georgetown on Thursday. The visiting Head of State was accompanied by a delegation comprising both Government and Private Sector officials.

Following brief bilateral talks between President Dr Irfaan Ali and President Abinader at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre in Greater Georgetown on Thursday, senior Ministers from the two regional nations signed three pacts to strengthen collaboration, including a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Cooperation in energy-related matters.

This MoU seeks to establish a framework to facilitate and enhance bilateral cooperation in the hydrocarbon sector of the two countries based on equality and mutual benefit. It will include the promotion of investments

billion barrels of crude offshore in the ExxonMobiloperated Stabroek Block alone.

The MoU, signed by Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat and Dominican Republic Foreign Minister Roberto Álvarez, creates the opportunity for support towards financing and construction of a refinery in Guyana.

It was announced that a joint working group would be set up within the next three months to discuss the vari-

Based on industry feedback, the Guyana Government has extended the deadline for the competitive bidding process from April to July 15, 2023. This was also done to facilitate the advanced pace of modernising the oil and gas regulatory framework.

Abundance of opportunities

Moreover, the Guyanese Head of State also highlighted the abundance of opportunities that would come on stream when the model

LOTTERY NUMBERS

in each other's countries, as well as technology transfer, research and development, the building of human resources and collaboration in the natural gas sector.

Energy partner

Prior to the signing of the agreement, President Abinader remarked that the Dominican Republic is eager to partner with Guyana in the energy sector.

“Guyana will be the energy partner of the Dominican Republic and will be a destination for all the produce [from Guyana’s oil and gas sector] …In this MoU, we will also look at exploration and exportation of gas, oil and also, if possible, because it will have to be discussed between our countries and Private Sectors… a refinery – a joint venture here in Guyana,” the Dominican Republic Leader stated.

Currently, Guyana has proven reserves of some 11

ous arrangements for cooperation in the energy sector and to also oversee the implementation of initiatives agreed to by the two sides.

Only in April, it was reported that the Guyana Government has not yet made a decision on whether it would pursue the construction of an oil refinery in the country, though it had previously indicated that several proposals were received on this.

Nevertheless, President Ali on Thursday used the opportunity to encourage the Dominican Republic Delegation to participate in other areas within Guyana’s oil and gas industry such as the ongoing oil block auction.

At least 14 oil blocks are currently up for tender – 11 in the shallow area and three in the deep-sea area. These blocks will range from 1000 square kilometres (sq km) to 2000 sq km, with most of the blocks being approximately 2000 sq km.

gas-to-energy project was operationalised by the end of 2024. This initiative features the construction of an integrated Natural Gas Liquid (NGL) plant and a 300-megawatt (MW) combined cycle power plant at Wales, West Bank Demerara (WBD).

According to President Ali, while the immediate need for this project will be to supply gas for local use, the long-term vision is to use the resource to fuel the country’s manufacturing sector.

“The greatest disadvantage now for manufacturing and agro-processing in Guyana is the cost of power. But the cost of power will be reduced substantially in the next two years. It will be cut by half because of the gas-toshore project that we’re doing,” the Guyanese Leader told a room packed with potential Dominican Republic investors.

Meanwhile, of the other two agreements signed on Thursday between the two

regional nations was an MoU on Political Consultation between the Foreign Ministries of Guyana and the Dominican Republic. This pact will establish a mechanism for periodic meetings to be held on a wide range of topics at the level of senior officials of the two Foreign Ministries to allow for discussions and the exchange of views on issues concerning bilateral relations and international matters of mutual interest.

The third MoU signed was an Air Services Agreement between Guyana and the Dominican Republic. It deals with establishing and operating air services between and beyond the two countries, and serves as an important tool in fostering collaboration between the two nations in the area of tourism.

SkyCana flights

In fact, this Air Services MoU comes on the heels of Dominican Republic-based airline SkyCana commencing flights between the two countries on Thursday.

During his visit in Georgetown, President Abinader also participated in the opening of the first Dominican Republic Embassy in Guyana. Only on Wednesday, President Ali accredited the Dominican Republic Ambassador to Guyana, Ernesto Torres Pereyra.

In a Joint Statement on Thursday, the two Heads of State said these moves would augur well for enhanced cooperation and facilitate opportunities for further engagement in the advancement of the bilateral agenda between Guyana and the Dominican Republic.

The missive also detailed that discussions between the two Presidents focused on enhancing bilateral relations between the two countries and expressed their commitment to pursue greater collaboration particularly in the areas of energy; agriculture; tourism; trade; Information and Communications Technology (ICT); infrastructure, and industry.

President Ali and his Dominican Republic counterpart President Luis Abinader, along with senior officials from both countries

President Dr Irfaan Ali and Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader witnessed the MoU for Energy Cooperation signing between the two countries. The agreement was signed by Guyana’s Natural Resources Minister, Vickram Bharrat and Dominican Republic Foreign Minister Roberto Álvarez

Editor: Tusika Martin

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Males in education system

The current situation regarding males in education is significant enough to warrant a strategic, long-term intervention. For over a decade, there has been clear evidence that the boys in our schools are not having an equal experience to that of girls. More importantly — as studies have unearthed — the issue goes well beyond a mere question of competence, interest in, or value for, education.

There are at play deep socio-cultural and other factors that indicate the need for a multifaceted approach towards addressing the issue. The potential consequences of ignoring the problem are dire, and the red flags are numerous, demanding that something be done at the soonest. The issue is affecting the entire Caribbean, and as such, there are some lessons from sister territories that could inform the approaches adopted.

One dimension — and arguably one of the most significant contributors to the problem — is the absence of male teachers in the system. The exodus of males from the teaching profession would have been chronicled over the last three decades. The process unfolded gradually, and, over time, it appears that the system simply adjusted to the changes. There has not been any intervention to target the absence of male teachers in the system.

Initially, economics was considered the major push factor at play. The question of whether this remains the primary consideration has merit, and studies are now examining why males are not opting for teaching as a career.

Regardless of the causes, there has to be a well-thoughtout solution, since the issue has now hit crisis proportions. The most recent data show that there are over 8000 female teachers in the system, as compared to just about 2000 males.

Research has indicated that this acute imbalance impacts the quality of the educational experiences boys are having. It is important to mention here that female teachers view the behaviour of boys much differently from male teachers. The research indicates that female teachers consider boys at the primary level to be highly disruptive and uninterested in education; whereas girls, on the other hand, are viewed as settled, model pupils. An extension of this is that boys are more often penalised for their behaviours, which in turn impacts their academic experiences.

As early as Grade Four, there are decisions made regarding the academic potential of boys that have little basis in competence indices, but more to do with their behaviours.

In studies across the world, boys have reported that their male teachers encourage them more, and have a greater impact on their confidence levels as pupils.

This issue has implications well beyond the academic experiences boys are having, however, and speaks to the very nature of their socialisation. Schools are critical socialising institutions, and the absence of male role models in schools must impact the extent to which boys receive critical social cues regarding their gender identity and their expected roles.

The fact that the absence of male teachers further compounds the problem of the education of the ‘emotions of boys’. This forces boys to seek guidance from alternative external sources that oftentimes are not as wholesome. Research has also shown that boys feel more comfortable speaking to male teachers about issues they are having both at home and at school.

It must be noted here that boys are not the only ones to benefit greatly from the presence of male teachers. Girls also need solid male role models to provide balance in their socialisation. In addition, to the extent that schools are a microcosm of society, they should fully reflect the diversity and prevailing cultural dynamics found in the wider society. There is an overabundance of accounts of the ‘feminisation’ of schooling, brought about in large part by the absence of male teachers in the profession. Both female and male inputs are vital to the effective delivery of education.

The work environment is greatly enhanced by the presence of male teachers providing balance in perspectives and approaches. Traditionally, males have championed the use of technology and the importance of sports and other extracurricular activities in schools. Their absence has left key voids that need to be addressed.

PPP/C consistently addresses economic and social policies

Dear Editor,

Political parties are different by virtue of their conditions of emergence, and the social and historical forces upon which their support rests. Most Caribbean political parties emerged out of the struggle for independence. Most also have deep connections to, and are supported by, trade unions. While the historical origins of a political party do not per se create path dependence, history does matter. In fact, as I show below, the contemporary foci, practices, and conduct of PPP/C, PNCR, and AFC are not accidental.

The AFC emerged out of a situation of ‘external guidance’, and concomitantly without any social basis in Guyana. This is why they can’t compete in the LGE. They are the product of mere rhetoric, as in the fantastic claim that they are the only multi-racial party in the country. Readers would know that this same claim had previously been made by the WPA, when in fact the modern WPA is purely a party of race-baiting with no chance of ever winning a seat in the National Assembly on its own.

The PNC also emerged out of ‘external guidance.’

The difference with the PNC is that it was delivered during the Cold War, and because of that, no matter how incompetent and dictatorial it became, the providers of ‘external guidance’ kept it in power. This much occurred to the detriment of Guyana.

Moreover, the PNC also developed a one-man strong man party, (some would say charismatic). Mr. Burnham was a ‘total leader,’ meaning that he commanded every and all aspects of party life and state life. He was the ‘maximum leader’ with a political party that directly controlled state institutions; viz, party paramountcy.

The PPP/C developed as a party out of a civic (PAC) culture, while at the same time grounded in the independence movement, the latter itself indivisible from trade unionism and working-class militancy.

Today we see some connections between their past and the present. The PNCR is hardly interested in matters of economic and social policy.

Can anyone really say what are the policies of the PNCR regarding agriculture, infrastructure, oil and gas, or education? Mr. Norton’s press conferences are all about obstructionism; for instance, attempting to prevent the Local Government Elections. Instead of engagement with macro-economic policies and economic issues such as labour shortage, PNCR leader Aubrey Norton is all about race, and only about race. Nothing else matters.

Consistent with its origins, the PNCR is more about grabbing and holding on to state power for the sake of it. The AFC is worse than the PNCR, because, like the WPA, it is leader-

less. It is never engaged in policy discussions. When last did the AFC speak on public policy issue? Most of its commentary utterances are taken from the letter sections of two newspapers that are known to be anti- PPP/C.

The PPP/C, on the other hand, is steeped in substantive policy engagement, with regular press-conferences, outreaches, public policy statements, and regular updates from the Department of Public Information.

President Ali is quickly earning the reputation of the president who does not rest, a kind of twenty-four hour ‘workhorse.’ He is always on the move, if not in Guyana, then in the international arena.

General Secretary (and Vice President) Bharrat Jagdeo is the quintessential ‘policy wonk,’ to borrow an American expression. As General Secretary, Jagdeo hosts a press conference every Thursday at the PPP Headquarters. Although he speaks a great deal about party issues and political matters, he does address public policy issues at length. These press conferences are usually over two hours, and Jagdeo answers every question in detail.

Of recent, both President Ali and Vice President Jagdeo have addressed policy issues; including, but not restricted to, biometrics, campaign finance, the integrity of local government elections, the Wales gas project, the reconfigured PSAs for

future oil and gas partnerships, food security, GOAL scholarships, part-time employment, the challenges of labour shortage, the Local Content Act, issues related to “unlimited parent company guarantee” by Exxon; and, most recently, the devastating fire at Mahdia.

President Ali has been directly involved (and in person) with providing relief, assistance, and care for the patients and for families who lost their children to the fire set by a teenager.

The engagement with public policy issues by President Ali and Vice President Jagdeo are invariably situated in the larger development framework of the LCDS 2030.

The central focus of the 2030 vision is to pursue environmentally sound development with continuing diversification of the economic base of the country. The regional 25/25 food security policy is a good case in point, because it speaks to a specific strategy of warding off threats of the “resource curse” and “Dutch disease”. The ART-TREES deal between Guyana and Hess Corporation is another instance of pursuing environmentally sound policies, while diversifying our sources of foreign exchange.

The PPP/C’s Low Carbon Development Strategy 2030 is also geared towards the economic transformation of Guyana.

President of the Dominican Republic, Luis Abinader at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport on Thursday upon his arrival in Guyana for high-level bilateral meetings. He was received by Prime Minister, Brigadier (Retired), Mark Phillips (Office of the Prime Minister photo)

Dr David Hinds should not be so hopelessly pessimistic Counsellors in schools

Dear Editor, Dr David Hinds's shows on YouTube are predictable: he dutifully carries on about marginalisation and apartheid on AfroGuyanese. On Tuesday 30/5, he was different: He talked about the decline and fall of the PNC/APNU party; of how all forces were stacked against it; how it was imploding from the inside, and how PNC members and supporters are defecting to the PPP/C; and that the PNC was hopelessly expiring.

To exorcise this hopelessness, I would suggest Dr Hinds puts on his Historian and Political Scientist Professor's mortarboard and look back at the 1960s, when the PPP

party was on the verge of being wiped out forever.

The PPP party and Dr Jagan were caught in a pincer: The foreign intelligence agencies had their operatives on the ground relentlessly fighting a weak PPP, which was shorn of any support from the Army, the Police, the Civil Service, the Trade Unions; the Media, both local and foreign; were contesting fraudulent elections in which the then Dictator Burnham allowed only 20% of Parliamentary members to the PPP; where PPP supporters could not find jobs, or obtain education.

The end result was that the PPP party disintegrated. Its wealthier and middle-class supporters

left the Party, and many of them defected to the PNC. the Party had little funds to address its expenses, and its membership comprised of the few Parliamentarians and a small number of poor, illiterate peasants. The intelligence agencies and all others waited to witness the demise of the party, but Dr and Mrs Janet Jagan had a remarkable faith in Guyana, the Party and themselves. They had no money, except their Parliamentary pay, and had to live abstemiously. They kept working assiduously among people, and went into rigged elections well knowing they would only be allotted 20% of the members. After 28

years, the Party was intact and was ready to assume power.

Dr Hinds and the PNC's leadership could learn from Dr Jagan: Have faith in the tiny remnants of your membership; work tirelessly among the people; in Parliament, work hard and do your research, and constructively criticize the Government's programmes; and go into elections though you know you will lose, but it keeps the Party alive. I hope Dr Hinds assimilates this historic example and helps to resurrect the PNC.

Yours sincerely, Paul

Validum Ramlochan

Dear Editor, Much has been written, and much more, in all likelihood, would be written about the Mahdia mega-tragedy. However, missing in all of this is a very doable measure that would have prevented this firecounsellors in schools.

Had there been counsellors on the staff at the school, that student would have been referred to that counsellor as per standard procedure, and that counsellor would have helped that student to deal with her emotions arising out of the ‘loss’ of her cell phone, and would have recommended that that student not be returned to dorm, as per standard procedure, until it could have been certified that danger was eliminated.

In effect, the counsellor would have done what counsellors do, and eliminated any danger to the school and its students.

Since 2014, The Caribbean Voice has been

calling for the placement of counsellors in schools, and if this Mahdia mega-tragedy does not catalyse such a move, then what will?

Unlike ten years ago, there are now available psychologists trained by UG and other tertiary institutions, who can be employed while they work towards their masters, perhaps via a programme implemented by the Ministry of Education via an agreement with UWI or some other international institution.

At the same time, the Masters in Psychology programme, which has been in the making for years at UG, should be implemented as soon as possible.

Once again, The Caribbean Voice makes this appeal: Please place counsellors in schools, at the minimum all secondary schools, immediately, with placements to all other schools to follow.

Sincerely, Annan Boodram

PPP/C consistently...

Dear Editor, There is a letter which attacks me; noting, it says, “the deafening silence of the Private Sector Commission and their oft times spokespersons like Gerry Gouveia and Kit Nascimento” on the subject of the Mahdia tragedy and the Mazaruni prison escape.

The letter goes on, quite wrongly, to claim that we are quick to comment when we “are ready to praise this Government”.

The letter writer has withheld his/her name and address, not having the courage of his/her convictions. Wherefore their credibility?

No sane Guyanese can be anything but horrified at the death of the children in the fire at the Mahdia Secondary School dormitory. As a result, there has been a plethora of letters, the great majority of them choosing to lay blame at the feet of the Government, while ignoring that those children would have been alive today had the fire not been deliberately and criminally started in the first place.

Now, there has been a long letter signed by a large group of persons, the majority of whom are known for their political animosity towards the Government, and some others who should know better, demanding that the student who lit the fire should not be prosecuted for murder.

I must ask: Has that group consulted the parents of the children who have lost their lives on how they feel about that? I have lost a son, though much older than those children. I have some idea of what they may feel: the anguish, the trauma, the disbelief. In this case, the anger that their child is no more, a victim of a fire which was deliberately set.

The Director of Public Prosecutions has made it clear that this charge has been brought in accordance with the Juvenile Justice Act, that the hearing of this case will be in the Juvenile Court, and that the rule of law will be respected and applied.

I have not commented on this matter because it is much too early to do so sensibly, other than to offer my sympathy and my prayers for the loss of these young lives; because the facts are not yet known, and, unfortunately, the media, without exception, have indulged in and encouraged widespread and ill-informed speculation.

The children, we know, were imprisoned from escape from the fire by the fact that the windows of the dormitory were heavily grilled. We know that the grilling was done to prevent these girls from leaving at night to meet with men who prey upon them as much as to keep criminals out.

Nevertheless, we also

know, myself included, that we bar our homes with grillwork, which itself endangers our lives in the event of a fire in our homes. We know that the Fire Service inspected the dormitory and identified this fire hazard. We do not yet know, however, what official notice, if any, was taken of this warning.

I strongly hold the view that, in any society, incompetence thrives in an administrative environment when no one is held accountable, and much of that obtains in our country; but blame for incompetence cannot be ap-

portioned, and rectification of it cannot be achieved without full exposure of the facts which led to the incompetence. This is precisely why the President has announced his intention to appoint a Commission of Inquiry to obtain the facts; to apportion accountability if and where it belongs; and, hopefully, ensure that what so tragically went wrong will not happen again.

Yours sincerely, Kit

Nascimento

The policies pursued under LCDS 2030 have been positively reviewed. Only yesterday, (SN,1/6/2023), the past president of the Caribbean Development Bank noted that “[a]ll things considered: Guyana is on the right path to economic transformation.” Professor Bourne specifically noted that “[t]he importance of the massive investment programme currently being undertaken in economic and social infrastructure cannot be overstated as a fundamental component of a holistic programme

for Guyana’s economic transformation.”

There are huge infrastructure and human capital challenges in Guyana, but according to Dr. Bourne, “[t] he production and marketing of its offshore energy resources enables Guyana to finance its economic transformation at a rate previously unimagined. Revenues derived directly from the oil industry have substantially augmented fiscal resources.”

Sincerely, Dr

Randolph Persaud

No sane Guyanese can be anything but horrified at Mahdia incident

Dividing fractions by fractions

by Wilson Harris

It is strange

Standing here

Beneath the whispering trees

Far away from the haunts of men Tell me, trees!

What are you whispering ?

When I am dead I shall come and lie

Beneath your fallen leaves... But tell me, trees!

What are you whispering ?

They shall bury me

Remember

Exercises: Divide

Beneath your fallen leaves. My robe shall be Green, fallen leaves. My love shall be Fresh, fallen leaves. My lips shall kiss Sweet, fallen leaves.

I and the leaves shall lie together Never parting...

I and the leaves shall always lie together. And know no parting.

It is so strange

Standing here

Beneath the whispering trees ! Tell me, trees!

What are you whispering ?

WORD SEARCH

Vote for party “that looks out for your welfare” – Jagdeo as Disciplined Services vote today

A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) after taking office in 2015.

Jagdeo reminded that during the last LGE in 2018, APNU has allegedly called the bonus a tool by the PPP/C to ‘suppress opponents’ at the poll.

“That is how APNU saw the one-month bonus that you used to receive under the PPP that they discontinued, that it was a bribe from the PPP for members of the disciplined forces, all of our policemen, soldiers, firemen and prison officers,”

As the Disciplined Services turn out today to cast their ballots ahead of Local Government Elections 2023, General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, has urged them to vote for the party that has their welfare and best interest.

During his weekly press conference on Thursday, Jagdeo pointed out that the PPP/C has been working to improve working conditions for the Disciplined Services, which began with the reinstation of their one-month tax free bonus.

This was removed by the

He posited, “This is why in opposition, we made a commitment that we shall restore the bonus, and we have done that faithfully since we got into office.”

Today, ranks are benefitting from the one-month bonus, which amounts to a $1.3 billion spending from the country’s coffers.

“That is what the Disciplined Services get now, that they would not have gotten had APNU been in power. For those of them voting, I urged them to support a party that looks out for their welfare and has kept its promise to them, didn’t see them as

bribe-takers,” the General Secretary voiced.

As the date draws nearer for the June 12 polls, parties have been contesting in their respective constituencies in order to secure those areas, and Government has promised continued support and incentives for the Joint Services under its governance.

In late 2022, President Dr Irfaan Ali had announced salary increases for certain groups of public sector employees, Disciplined

Services members. As a result, 8000 members of the Guyana Police Force, Guyana Fire Service, and the Guyana Defence Force received salary increases that amounted to over $1 billion. Adjustments for members of the Joint Services saw ranks getting pay raises ranging from 5.8 per cent to 21.7 per cent.

Voting GECOM had announced that the Disciplined Services would vote on June

2, in keeping with Sections 74A and 74I of the Local Authorities (Amendment) Act. Disciplined Services encompass the Guyana Police Force (GPF), the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), the Guyana Fire Service and the Guyana Prison Service.

“And whereas Section 74E requires the Elections Commission to appoint a day on which persons entitled to vote under that part may ballot; Now therefore the Elections Commission hereby gives notice that

the day on which the persons entitled to vote under Sections 74A-74I may ballot shall be 2 June, 2023 from 6:00 hours to 18:00 hours,” GECOM has explained. Voting for the Disciplined Services is traditionally held separately from the general population because the Disciplined Services will have their hands full in ensuring law and order is maintained when the general population votes.

GECOM has already been in preparation mode over the past few months as it gears up for the long overdue elections. The Commission had previously indicated that its approved work plan entails, among other things, that the Elections Secretariat would immediately move to roll out a robust civic and voter education programme, appoint Electoral Registrars and Assistant Electoral Registrars, and extract the Preliminary List of Voters (PLV). These activities, it noted, are directly linked to the preparation of Registers of Voters for each of the 80 Local Authority Areas (LAAs).

PPP General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo

Hotelier, employee murders 4 years’ jail for man who killed duo while a juvenile

ment at the Berbice High Court earlier this month, the young man faced two counts of the capital offence of murder over the deaths of Vivekanand Narpatty, 71, and his employee Harry Prashad, which occurred between December 19 and 27, 2019. He opted to plead guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter.

At his sentencing hearing on Thursday, the presiding Judge ordered that he serves four years in custody, and credited him for the time he has already spent in pre-trial detention.

It’s about...

…money

Biden and House congressional leader McCarthy finally reached a deal on their country’s “debt ceiling” conundrum. The divided US House of Representatives – on a divided 314-117 vote - passed a bill to actually SUSPEND the US$31.4 trillion debt ceiling. Meaning that for a while there’s actually gonna be NO debt ceiling!! But the drama ain’t over yet – the Senate gotta also approve the arrangement – which ain’t as simple as it sounds – there’re all sorts of side deals to pacify doubters from across the divide.

Aman who was a juvenile when he killed a Canada-based hotelier and his employee back in 2019 has been sentenced to serve four years in custody. This is in addition to a series of rehabilitative orders that have been imposed by Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall.

In accordance with the

Juvenile Justice Act, notwithstanding that the felon is now an adult, he is afforded certain protections because he committed the crime while he was a juvenile. As such, his name, address, other particulars and photographs cannot be published.

Initially charged when he was 16, at his arraign-

After he completes serving the sentence, the young man will be placed on probation for three years, during which he has to report to the Chief Probation Officer monthly.

In addition to this, he has to inform the Chief Probation Officer of any changes to his address, and can leave the country only if he gets permission from the court.

The Judge told the man that after he is released from prison, he must try to find gainful employment. She also placed him on a bond to keep the peace and to be of good behaviour while on probation, and to perform community service for one hour weekly for six months.

TURN TO PAGE 16

Now, dear reader, you may be wondering why your Eyewitness keeps bringing up this seemingly-esoteric subject. As he’s said before, we’ve got an economy that’s getting more and more integrated into the Americandominated financial system with our oil-fuelled economy. So if they even emit a muffled sneeze, we’re gonna catch a cold!! It’s not only because most of our trade is denominated in US dollars – like the rest of the world – but we now park our Natural Resource Funds in their Fed!! So, for a while at least – what’s good for America is good for us!!

So, what’s with this debt ceiling business and how does it matter to us?? Very simply – just so your eyes don’t glaze over too much – the US right now has a total debt of US$31.4 Trillion – that’s 31,400,000, 000, 000 dollars – enough to go around the earth 20,000 times if laid end to end!! The US Govt owes this to domestic debtors and to countries abroad for “goods and services rendered”. All this means is the US has been allowed to just print pieces of paper with numbers on them that are basically IOUs that can be reclaimed at any time.

The debt ceiling is an arbitrary figure that Congress has set to signal that the government’s spending too much. For the domestic debt, the US can simply create a single coin that declares it’s worth the domestic debt of US$25 trillion!! For the foreign-held debt, foreigners – like China with US$3 trillion and counting – the fear is they’ll call in the debt by dumping dollars and demanding other currencies. The US dollar will lose value and plummet. And that’s when we catch that cold!!

With no debt ceiling in place, the US Govt will be able to pay its debtors and workers and American won’t seem to be in a tailspin – and create another reason for the dollar to plunge. Right now, everyone and their uncle see the US declining. The BRICS Foreign Ministers are meeting this week to expand their membership – and to place having a NEW reserve currency to replace the American dollar on their leaders’ agenda.

Ain’t gonna happen anytime soon – but doesn’t that mean speculative turmoil.

…enemy action??

The first time is “happenstance”; the second, “coincidence” – but the third time – it’s gotta be “enemy action”!! Now your Eyewitness has done some serious thinking after he learnt early yesterday that there was a fire at the girls’ dormitory at Karasabai. Luckily there were no injuries and everyone escaped. His first thought was that this was a “copycat” action – done for the thrill of notoriety.

But then he wondered: is there any connection between Smallie’s breakout from Mazaruni Penal Settlement and the fires?? To create a diversion from the manhunt in place to capture him?? After all, he broke out from Camp Street jail in spectacular fashion under cover of an even more spectacular fire where the casualties were seventeen dead!! Not that he’s a pyromaniac or anything, but maybe the fallout from the Mahdia fire might’ve given him the idea of a diversion. He certainly wouldn’t have minded another dozen deaths or so. He’s directly killed more during the Bartica Massacre and elsewhere!!

Did he persuade the 4 confessors!?!

…paranoia

Do folks realise that most of the mega bucks – “billions and billions” as Carl Sagan used to say about the stars! – Oil Companies had to shell out came out of lawsuits filed and not any “promise” to pay??

Dead: Vivekanand Narpatty Dead: Harry Prashad

Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall

Mazaruni Prison escape

“Smallie”, accomplice killed in shootout with Joint Services

ly charged with the May 1, 2015 murder of Sophia shopkeeper Shawn Anys, but was acquitted of that murder in 2020. He was also charged with trafficking in narcotics.

Meanwhile, in a statement on Thursday evening, Police said that Joint Services ranks set up a dragnet within the 33 Miles, Potaro Road, Bartica area while they remained in pursuit of the wanted man and during the operation, on Thursday, Williams and his accomplice, Roberts, were confronted by a Joint Services team. Both men were killed during the operation.

Williams was attacked with AK-47 rifles by the individuals on the boat, which was in the Mazaruni River.

Following the escape, a reward of $10 million was announced by the Guyana Police Force for any information leading to Williams’s arrest.

Days after the escape, six persons, four of whom are Prison Officers, were charged and remanded to prison for aiding the escape of the death row inmate. The Prison Officers charged are Alexander Hopkinson, 58, of Bartica Housing Scheme, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni);

Oldfield Romulus, 50, of Victoria Street, Cumberland Village, East Canje, Berbice, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne); Conroy Hosannah, 35, of East Canje, Berbice; and Omar Witherspoon, 26, of Stanleytown, New Amsterdam Berbice.

They have been charged along with Rajmohan Autor, called “Chico”, a 48-yearold businessman of Parika, East Bank Essequibo (EBE); and Venezuelan national Frangeliz Jugandry Flores Perez, 28, of Kitty, Georgetown.

Williams is a convicted mass murderer, having been

found guilty of the Bartica Massacre in 2008. During that incident, he and his accomplices ambushed and killed 12 individuals, including three Policemen.

Further, Williams had been sentenced to death in September of the previous year for the murder of Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Corporal Ivor Williams on January 23, 2008.

Williams had previously escaped from the Camp Street Prison on July 9, 2017, but was eventually recaptured on October 10, 2017, on the Weldaad Public Road, West Coast Berbice.

Mark Royden Durant, also called “Royden Williams” and “Smallie”, along with an accomplice, was shot and killed during a confrontation with members of the Joint Services at 33 Miles Bartica Potaro, Region Seven.

This was confirmed by Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum, who had initially reported that one man was killed in the confrontation, which occurred between Wednesday evening and Thursday morning. In a new update, the Crime Chief stated that a second person, suspected to be assisting the notorious murderer, was also shot dead.

The accomplice has since been identified as Odel Roberts, also called ‘Gully Side’. He was reportedly one of the men who kidnapped the boat captain and held him at gunpoint to transport ‘Smallie’ and others during the escape.

He was previous-

A M70 rife, along with 79 rounds of live ammunition, was recovered from the two men.

Additionally, Police also found a bucket with a red shirt, a pair of black trousers, a grey T shirt, a yellow overshirt, a yellow longsleeve jersey, a black T shirt, a black belt, a silver-blade knife, three Amoxicillin tablets, three small batteries, one toothbrush, three clothes pins, and one condom.

This comes on the heels of the shooting to death of another accomplice, Neon Howard, called “Taxi”, of Friendship, East Coast Demerara, on Sunday evening at St Mary’s Logging Area in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).

It was reported that Howard was arrested, and was being escorted through the trail when he snatched one of the ranks’ firearms and attempted to crank it with the intention of opening fire at the ranks.

As a result, one of the Joint Services ranks, who

was armed with an AK-47 rifle, discharged four rounds in Howard’s direction, one of which struck him and caused him to fall in a ditch of water while still attempting to crank the firearm.

Another Joint Services rank then discharged three rounds from his 9mm weapon, two of which struck Howard and rendered him motionless.

At the time of Howard’s arrest, Police said, he was found with a black Samsung phone, one gray haversack which contained a pair of black Nike boots, Vitamin C tablets, Iron tablets, malaria tablets, one camouflage hammock, one pack of cookup seasoning, and one pair of checkered boxers.

“Smallie”, made a daring escape from the maximum security Mazaruni Prison on May 19, with the assistance of heavily armed individuals. The escape occurred in broad daylight and involved the use of a speedboat. During the escape, the escort party accompanying

Dominican Republic eyes oil...

President Ali welcomed the keen interest of the Private Sector from the Dominican Republic in Guyana. Both Presidents recognised the important contribution which the Private Sectors of the two countries could make in advancing this agenda, and encouraged increased collaboration and partnership between businesses of

Guyana and the Dominican Republic, including increased investments by companies from both countries.

The Presidents also discussed issues of mutual interest and concern on the regional, hemispheric and multilateral agendas, and undertook to strengthen their resolve to collectively work on advocating in

FROM PAGE 3

the interest of Small Island Developing States to address challenges, including food security, energy security, and the impact of climate change.

In a follow-up to these initial discussions, President Ali will be paying a reciprocal visit to the Dominican Republic later this month.

Dead accomplice Odel Roberts

Prison escapee Mark Royden Durant, also called “Royden Williams” or “Smallie”

4 boys confess to setting fire to Karasabai girls hostel …19

children safely evacuated, no injuries reported

Four male students have confessed to setting a fire on Thursday that partially destroyed St Angela’s Girls Hostel at Karasabai, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), nearly two weeks after a deadly inferno had destroyed the Mahdia Secondary School’s female dormitory and claimed the lives of 20 children.

All 19 children housed at the Karisabai hostel safely evacuated the building, according to a press release from the Guyana Police Force (GPF).

The fire occurred between 02:30h and 03:00h, and while firefighters from Lethem and Georgetown were dispatched to aid in quelling its impact, it de-

stroyed much of the building and its contents.

Initial investigations revealed that the affected building was occupied by 19 students between the ages of 11 and 16 years.

The hostel was built and managed by the Catholic Church through a self-help initiative, and it aimed to ease the burden on students living with guardians in the village. Several students who occupied the hostel hailed from far-flung communities within the district.

Four male students had threatened to set fire to the building after they were chased from the premises by the caretaker. Making good on their promise, the school was set alight early on Thursday, leading

Karasabai Police Station authorities and villagers to immediately form a bucket brigade and extinguish the fire, while the 19 students made their way to safety.

The four alleged suspects were contacted and interviewed by the Police in the presence of the Commander of Region Nine, the Regional Education Officer of Region Nine, and their parents, during which they all confessed to the planning and execution of the crime.

The alleged suspects are presently in custody.

Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn visited the site of the incident on Thursday alongside a team of technical officials. The minister called on the public to take precautionary mea-

sures to help in the prevention of such disasters, which can result in severe emotional and psychological distress.

On May 21, nineteen female students and a fiveyear-old boy tragically died in the fire that engulfed the Mahdia Secondary School

girls’ dormitory in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni).

A fifteen-year-old student was on Monday remanded to the Juvenile Holding Centre for her alleged involvement in starting this fire. This case has been adjourned until July 4.

Initial reports indicat-

ed that this student had her cell phone confiscated, and was previously suspended for engaging in activities contrary to the rules of the institution, after which she allegedly threatened to cause “trouble” during an argument with the administrators.

Major infrastructural works for black belly sheep programme …$257M

contract awarded for rehabilitation of all-weather road

The National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), through the Agriculture Ministry, recently awarded a contract totalling $257,166, 500 to EPCOT Enterprise Inc for Rehabilitation of the all-weather road at Blairmont, West Bank Berbice, for the black belly sheep project which is currently being rolled out across the country.

The 4300-metre road is expected to be completed within a 12-month period.

During a telephone interview with this publication, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha revealed that there are other major infrastructural works slated for the area, such as the construction of living quarters, fence, and more.

“You know, the President would have launched this project sometime back, and we are setting up that area. That area will be the area that the project will be rolled out in, so we have to do some infrastructural work. For example, doing the fence, doing some living quarters for some people who will be there to supervise and look after the entire operations,” the minister revealed.

He highlighted that the construction of the road will be the first step, as the Government is looking to increase the production of rice, livestock, and other crops in Region Five.

“We…first of all have to build a road, because you know Region Five, and especially the MMA Scheme…we are looking now to increase production both in livestock

and rice [as well as] other crops. So, this is one part of it that we are developing in the livestock production, and there’s that part we are developing for the black belly sheep project. But not far from there also, we will have pastures and other facilities for cattle and so,” Mustapha explained.

According to the minister, the infrastructural works will not only benefit the black belly sheep programme, but also other livestock-rearing projects within the region.

“Then the infrastructure, like the road and the bridges and so, will also be used for other livestock production,” Mustapha added.

Meanwhile, the minister also revealed that just under 500 black belly sheep are expected to arrive by the end of this month, as they are currently being quarantined before being shipped.

In August last year, Guyana received the first

shipment of 132 sheep - 20 rams and 112 ewes. The programme was launched with an estimated $600 million investment from the Government. President Dr. Irfaan Ali, during the launch of the project at Onverwagt, West Coast Berbice in March 2022, had said the project is intended to pave the way for Guyana to tap into the region’s hefty food importation bill, which sees Caricom countries collectively spending some US$43 million on import of mutton alone. And even though Guyana’s food production capabilities are impressive, the country still imports approximately US$130,000 worth of mutton.

Meanwhile, President Ali is hoping that with Guyana’s projected increase in mutton production, Guyana can target markets in the Bahamas, Jamaica, Barbados, and Trinidad and Tobago.

St Angela’s Girls Hostel at Karasabai, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) engulfed in flames

The first batch of black belly sheep that arrived in Guyana

13 Sophia families receive keys to new core homes

Thirteen families from Sophia, Georgetown have each received the keys to their spanking new core homes, marking another promise delivered by the Housing Ministry.

The keys, along with electrical and termite treatment certificates, were handed over by Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues, at a simple ceremony in Section ‘D’ Turkeyen, Sophia.

Present at that ceremony were the following persons: Deputy Director of Community Development at the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA), Donell Bess-Bascom, and technical staff attached to the CHPA.

The homes were con-

structed through the US$28 million Adequate Housing and Urban Accessibility Programme (AHUAP) funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IBD) to improve the lives of low-income Guyanese in urban and peri-urban Georgetown through better access to housing and infrastructure.

Minister Rodrigues has said that projects such as this are important as they support the national housing programme and help to provide affordable housing for vulnerable families. She added that Government’s housing drive is placing emphasis on home construction.

“While you see a lot of attention being placed on house lot allocation, the fo-

cus is on home ownership, as it should be helping people to get into their own home,” she said.

Each core home is a single-family unit measuring about 400 square feet, with concrete blocks for outer walls and floors, basic doors, windows, electrical wiring, water connections and other amenities. The units are designed to meet basic standards that a family can move into and affordably expand over time.

Each beneficiary is only required to contribute a sum of $100,000 towards the cost of the home. The termite treatment certificate is valid for five years, while the electrical certificate is valid for 10 years.

“While you also see a lot

of attention being paid to house lot allocation, the focus is on home ownership, as it should be… For those most vulnerable, we have this programme where your contribution of $100,000 goes a long way, and that is your equity contribution,” she explained.

Some $191.6 million was allotted for the construction of core homes in Sophia, and

80 beneficiaries were selected from the area. So far, 35 core homes have been constructed, with 21 already handed over.

One of the beneficiaries, Shirley Campbell, expressed her delight at now owning a new home. “I feel happy about everything, because I was frustrated…I feel extremely happy about everything, and by God’s grace,

I would get the advantage of enjoying much of what I worked so hard for,” the elderly woman expressed. A mother of five, Drupati Angad, also commented, “It means a lot, so I am thankful for it. I was living in a wood structure building, and rain used to wet we and it had a lot of holes in the house, so I am thankful for it.”

Minister Susan Rodrigues along with the beneficiaries of the core homes

Squatters block roadway, burn debris after court order enforced, houses demolished

Following a court order and the subsequent demolition of several homes at Hill Foot, Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara, owners of the demolished structures have been taking protest actions since Wednesday evening, blocking the roads with burning debris.

According to the Guyana

Police Force, several persons armed themselves with missiles and offensive weapons before piling up and lighting debris and tyres across the Soesdyke-Linden Highway.

This publication understands that the owner of the property had moved to the courts in 2019 to have the squatters removed from the property, and a court ruling

issued on the matter in April 2023 had stipulated that the squatters have to remove from the land, which is privately owned.

Law enforcement officials have noted that the fire set had been extinguished and debris was removed from the highway in the evening. However, protest actions intensified on

Thursday morning, as the squatters persisted in protesting on the highway. At various sections of the road, they continued adding to the fire, causing vehicles to navigate on the road shoulders to pass through protest lines.

Maintain peace Commander of Regional Police Division 4’B’, Senior Superintendent Mahendra Singh, who was on the scene with other joint services ranks, has maintained that they were on the ground to maintain peace.

“This which is happening here is not as a result of Police actions. Let’s be very clear…This happened as a result of private action in the court by the owner or supposed lawful owner of this property. It has noth-

According to details provided, residents were given notices to vacate the property prior to the demolition. While some got a chance to remove their items from the structures, others did not.

Clyde Williams, who has been residing in the village of Hill Foot for about seven years, shared that all of his belongings are now outside of the demolished building.

“Me just come in and just

ing to do with the Police; the Police are here to maintain peace,” he explained.

According to the commander, no rounds were fired on Wednesday, nor were persons assaulted, as contended by residents.

“I will tell you that I do not know, or am aware, that same occurred. Three persons were arrested for disorderly behaviour and other offences. This which is happening here is tantamount to public terror,” said the commander.

watching when they come in. I barely come in the same time everything going on. The same time they said ‘See what you got’ [in the house],” he noted.

Another man, who lived in a concrete house, stood next to the flattened structure with his belongings heaped in a corner. He told the media that he guarded all of the items throughout the night and sent his kids to sleep at a nearby resident.

Police removing a post that was used to block the roadway

…Govt refutes “blatantly false” claims of involvement by Opposition

The burning of debris along the roadway continued on Thursday

One of the demolished homes

One of the houses being demolished

Guyana remains attractive as Govt pushes for more investments – VP

Highlighting that Guyana is competing with some 85 countries seeking investments globally in the oil and gas sector, Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo has reassured that the country maintains strong attraction to reel in funds.

At a press conference on Thursday, Jagdeo shared that the intention is to ride the economic wave and benefit from the current momentum, while keeping other priorities in focus.

“Right now, the key is

getting the investment dollars to flow. Eighty-five countries are now out with auctions, hoping to get oil and gas companies to go and invest in those countries. Eighty-five we’re competing with, and they’re busy trying to do it,” he disclosed.

The VP added, “Momentum is everything, and it is hard to pick up momentum back again. Guyana still remains attractive. We’re discovering. We have an aggressive programme to discover

more. At the same time, increasing momentum doesn’t mean we have to be lax on other things. Our environmental permits now are significantly stronger than they were five years ago. Our capacity to fight spills is vastly enhanced.”

Jagdeo noted that Guyana is pushing for the new floating, production, storage and Offloading vessels (FPSOs) to come on board at the soonest, to capitalise on the current momentum.

PAGE 17

One of the FPSOs offshore Guyana TURN TO

Hits and Jams Entertainment has, without a doubt, put an end to the cravings of the thousands of hungry Guyanese partyholics, who were in need of some fun and entertainment to calm their minds from everything that is happening around them.

The entertainment group hosted several mega events to commemorate Guyana’s 57th Independence Anniversary, but the icing on the cake was Kees and his band at the signature event, ‘Stinging Nettles’, which was held at the Guyana Marriott parking lot on the evening before Independence. This has become one of the most anticipated events of the Independence weekend.

Although there were calls for the shows to be rescheduled due to the tragic fire in Mahdia, Hits and Jam’s directors could not have made such a decision, since a lot of investment was pumped into staging the shows. Nevertheless, before the commencement of the show, a one-minute silence was observed in tribute to the 19 souls who have lost their lives.

The event could only be dubbed extraordinary,

since two well-known international Soca artistes were the headline acts. But kudos must also be given to the local deejays, who definitely set the tone for a fantastic evening. Soca rhythm upon soca rhythm boomed through the speakers, sending the right vibes for at least two hours before the artistes came on stage.

While Timeka Marshall and other local artistes started the show, and Barbadian soca Rupee had the crowd going wild as he belched out some of his tunes, the night belonged to Kes. As usual, he dished out some of his hits,

accompanied by his signature “fine wine”, sending the crowd into a frenzy. During Kes’s energetic performance, the rain came down, but that just made things merrier for the partyholics and soca junkies, who, drenched from their heads to their toes, thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Some of the patrons even partied into the morning.

Meanwhile, the “Stink and Dutty”

J’ouvert was also off the hook. Thousands flocked the National Park to be part of the event, which formed part of HJ’s Independence Weekend fete. The music, performances, and water sprinklers did the job, and without a doubt added to the excitement of a fabulous evening.

Then came “Baderation” at the Guyana National Stadium, with Jamaican dancehall star Alkaline heading that show.

He last performed in Guyana several years ago, and his fans turned up in their

thousands to get a glimpse of him and, more so, to enjoy the vibes associated with the event.

He was accompanied by other Jamaican artistes, but his performance was the proverbial icing on the cake. He was well-received, and definitely performed for his fans.

The packed weekend culminated with the most elite event, “Soca and Wine”, which saw ladies and gentlemen lashing out in their designer “dan-dan” to match the theme.

While there were some hiccups at the beginning, this did not stop those present from having a grand time. Soca music was up to their throats, and the party mood was definitely palpable.

The decor and the setting added to the ambience of a well spent evening of fun and excitement.

The event also saw the top nine delegates vying for the Miss Jamzone title being announced after the online voting.

All in all, the Independence Weekend activities with Hits and Jams Entertainment were nothing but real vibes and fun, and without a doubt, patrons cannot wait for next year.

Deadly Mahdia fire

Final 11 victims laid to rest at Micobie

in their communities

– Ali

The final 11 victims of the deadly Mahdia dormitory fire were laid to rest on Thursday in their home community of Micobie Village in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni).

Those laid to rest were Natalie Bellarmine, Andrea Roberts, Lorita Williams, Nickleen Robinson, Sherlyn Bellarmine, Lisa Robert, Cleoma Simon, Tracil

departed.

President Ali, in brief remarks, said that lives of the children who died in the Mahdia Secondary School dorm fire will be remembered through the implementation of positive change in their communities.

“I recommit to all of these families our love and our continued support. We are

bers of Mahdia gathered at the town’s airstrip to bid their final farewell to the teen girls, before they were flown to Micobie, where their funeral rites were read and they were laid to rest.

Minister within the Housing and Water Ministry, Susan Rodrigues, Labour Minister Joseph Hamilton, Education Minister Priya Manickchand, Local

tims hailing from Chenapau – twins Mary and Martha Dandrade, Omefia Edwin and Eulanda Carter – were laid to rest at their home village as well.

Meanwhile, friends and relatives bid farewell to the youngest casualty and son of the school’s caretakers, five-

Manzoor Nadir, offered support to the family members during the service of the young Micobie resident.

The first funeral, that of 16-year-old Sabrina John, was held last Wednesday at her home village of Karisparu.

The three other

was initially pronounced dead shortly after the fire, but medical personnel had managed to resuscitate her, following which she had been medically evacuated (medevacked) to the country’s main referral hospital for further care.

The other critical pa-

Thomas, Delecia Edwards, Arianna Edwards and Sherana Daniels.

President Dr. Irfaan Ali and several cabinet members joined with the community and families to pay their final respects to the

going to ensure that these girls and our little boy, that their lives are marked with a legacy of positive change in these communities,” he said.

Families, friends, teachers and community mem-

Government and Regional Development Minister Nigel Dharamlall, and other senior Government officials offered support to the families during the sombre ceremony at the airstrip.

On Wednesday, four vic-

year-old Adonijah Jerome, on Wednesday at Eccles Assembly of God Church, East Bank Demerara.

Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister, Kwame McCoy, Amerindian Affairs Minister Pauline Sukhai and Speaker of the National Assembly,

Karisparu residents – Bibi Jeffrey, Belnisa Evans and Loreen Evans – were laid to rest on Tuesday.

The death toll rose to 20 on Tuesday as 13-year-old Sherana Daniels of Micobie succumbed to her injuries at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC). Daniels

tient was medevacked on Saturday to Northwell Health Burn Care Centre in New York to seek advanced medical care She was picked up by the Global Rescue Ambulance via the Air Ambulance at Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).

…students will be remembered through positive change

Families and supporters bade final farewell to 11 Micobie girls who died in the Mahdia dorm fire

Over 200 suppliers, contractors attend PPC training seminar

The Public Procurement Commission (PPC) held a one-day training seminar for suppliers and contractors at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) at Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown, on May 31. The seminar was intended to teach participants more about public procurement and the role of the PPC. The event was well at-

tended by numerous suppliers and contractors from across the country. More than 200 suppliers and contractors benefited from this training, which covered the following topics: introduction of the PPC; overview of the Inter-American Development Bank’s (IDB’s) procurement policies and procedures; the procurement process; tender open-

ings, evaluation and publication of contract awards; tips on tendering; and the legal framework, administrative review, and debarment processes.

Opening remarks were made by Chairperson of the PPC, Attorney-at-Law Pauline Chase, as well as the Country Representative of the IDB, Lorena Solorzano Salazar.

Jury finds 3 men guilty of vendor’s murder

Presentations were delivered by officials from the PPC, the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB), and the IDB.

The PPC is encouraging all suppliers and contractors to take advantage of training opportunities to learn more about the public procure-

ment processes in Guyana, to ensure their compliance therewith. To request training, or for more information, persons are invited to contact the Commission by telephone numbers (592) 2263729, (592) 231-7306, and (592) 226-2364; or via email at publicprocurement@ppc. org.gy

The PPC is mandated by Article 212AA(1)(b) of the Constitution, and is enabled by S.17(2) of the Procurement Act to organise training seminars among suppliers, contractors and public bodies, to promote awareness of the rules, procedures and special requirements of the procurement process.

4 years’ jail for man who...

FROM PAGE 8

Noncompliance with these orders would permit the State to make an application to have his sentence reviewed withthe intention of changing same.

State Counsel Muntaz Ali appeared for the prosecution, while Attorney-atLaw Suriyha Sabsook represented the young offender.

Police had stated that Narpatty owned and resided at the Sun Splash Holiday Beach Resort located at Lot 110 Number 63 Village, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).

On Friday, December 27, 2019, at about 11:20h, the bodies of the two men were discovered on the second flat, in the balcony area

of the hotel. This newspaper was told that relatives visited the resort after several telephone calls to the overseas-based Guyanese had gone unanswered.

According to a relative, upon arrival, persons realised a stench was coming from the building, and this prompted them to call the Police. The body of Narpatty, who had arrived in Guyana on December 16, 2019, was found with two toes from his left foot severed; and Prashad was found with both hands tied behind his back onto a post on the balcony, and his left foot was severed from the ankle. Investigators concluded that the men had

been tortured before being killed.

In May 2019, Narpatty had reported that he had been robbed on several occasions, including once at knifepoint, when he came to Guyana. Previously, he had reported that he was robbed more than ten times while visiting Guyana over the past four years.

Over 18 years ago, he opened the Sun Splash Hotel and Resort, but the business never did well. He subsequently closed operations and went to Canada, but returned to Guyana frequently.

While here, he usually opened the place for business.

Three men were on Tuesday convicted by a jury in the Demerara High Court of the murder of Dhanpaul Dookie, the vendor who was killed during a robbery at his home in 2017. Chandrapaul Persaud, also called “Raju” or “Duffy”;

Heralall Ramdhan, also called “Baba” or “Roshan”; and Jagishwar Dhanai, also called “Toto”, had been on trial for the capital offence before Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry and a mixed 12-member jury.

The indictment stated that

they murdered Dhanpaul Dookie between July 24 and 26, 2017 during the course or furtherance of a robbery in the county of Demerara. They were all represented by legal counsel.

A sentencing hearing for these convicted men has been set for June 27 at 09:00h.

Police had stated that Dookie, a farmer/vendor, was found dead with stab wounds to his abdomen, lower back, hip, forehead and right eye in his home in Uitspa Village, Demerara River. After committing the act, the perpetrators had reportedly made their way into the man’s home, from whence they raided money and jewellery, among other items, before escaping.

The man’s decomposing body was found by persons who had gone to check on him.

Squatters block roadway...

FROM PAGE 12

“I didn’t sleep for the whole night. I had to watch everything. My friend over there, I send my kids there to sleep. Me don’t know what will be the next step here now. I does work, and I get a call that these people in here, so I left and come down. They started from there and coming through,” he gestured.

Another young man, whose father was arrested, explained that he slept in a section of the demolished house on Wednesday evening, since it started raining and he had nowhere to go.

No involvement

In the meantime, Government has dismissed what it deemed as “malicious attempts” to link its involvement in the demoli-

tion of property and eviction of squatters at Hill Foot.

A statement informed that there has been an ongoing dispute between squatters and the property owner. Following a civil court ruling, action was taken on May 31, 2023 by the landowner to demolish one of the structures on the land.

Two months ago, Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister, Kwame McCoy, met with the squatters and provided a commitment that the Government would fast-track existing land applications for those facing eviction.

“The Government has taken note of the spurious attempts by the PNC to attribute blame to the Government for the eviction of the squatters. This assertion is blatantly false, and is indicative of the modus ope-

randi of a failing Opposition to fact-check national issues,” the administration responded.

In their haste to score political points, Government noted, PNC Parliamentarians “descended on the community, seeking to fuel antagonism and hatred to further advance the Opposition’s false narratives. This is an unconscionable approach by the Opposition, who continually seek to accumulate political dividends from tragic events at the expense of the pain and suffering of Guyanese.

The Government continues to appeal to the residents affected by the eviction to conduct themselves civilly and desist from engaging in further illegal activities, such as blocking the Linden/ Soesdyke highway,” the release ended.

Suppliers and contractors from across Guyana attended the training

PPC Chairperson, Attorney-at-Law Pauline Chase, delivering remarks at the seminar

The three murder convicts: Chandrapaul Persaud, Heralall Ramdhan, and Jagishwar Dhanai

Demand transparency, accountability from elected leaders – Edghill urges NA residents

Public Works Minister Juan Edghill is calling on residents of New Amsterdam to ensure that the next council they elect to manage the affairs of the township is one which would provide transparency, accountability and service to the people of the town.

The minister, during a visit to Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) on Thursday, pointed to recent developments which have been taking place within the township, and noted that more things will be able to happen after the upcoming Local Government Elections.

Following a visit to Overwinning, Islington and Glasgow New Housing Scheme, which are communities considered as Greater New Amsterdam, and a visit to Stanleytown and Smithtown in Central New Amsterdam, Public Works Minister Juan Edghill says the current Government wants to see installed in

New Amsterdam a council that will be transparent, accountable, and will serve the citizens of the town.

Edghill met with residents in those communities and committed to having several streets resurfaced. However, he said that as Government prepares to make a special effort to bring development to the town, residents must demand and put persons in place so that they can have transparency and accountability.

“New Amsterdam will be developed. Why do you believe we are bringing all of that development to Palmyra? With the deep-water harbour that we are talking about, it is coming to Palmyra. When cruise ships come to Guyana, with a deep-water harbour at Palmyra, the first town will be New Amsterdam. We are building hotels and the stadium there… We can’t develop New Amsterdam if we have leaders who every day are playing the blame game

and quarrelling and doing nothing for the people. The first thing that the Town Council needs to do is to get their books properly audited,” Edghill told residents at Smithtown.

Neglect, mismanagement

Edghill said the level of neglect of the town and the mismanagement of the town’s resources must be corrected. During his visit, the Minister was accompanied by candidates from the People’s Progressive Party’s list to contest the June 12, Local Government Elections; pointing out areas that need intervention.

“Simple things that the Town Hall should be fixing they are not fixing. You can’t just say it is the Government. The reason that we have Local Government is because they are specific things that local government needs to be doing. I think the people of New Amsterdam need to become conscious and make a

Guyana remains attractive...

FROM PAGE 13

“There will be a time when you will not be able to raise money because of environmental, social and governance (ESG)(issues); because of what shareholders are pushing for - these companies to switch to renewable energy, that you may not be able to even do this. This understanding of the dynamics of the industry is important to having a national position,” said the Vice President.

The oil and gas sector, which continues to grow amid Guyana’s reputation as the fastest growing economy, is responsible for approximately US$700 million in revenue that is retained and spent within Guyana, helping to fuel economic growth.

To date, there have been some 35 discoveries in the Stabroek Block, where production activities have been ongoing since 2015, and there has been a total of 40 oil finds for all blocks being explored offshore Guyana.

Exxon, through its local subsidiary Esso Exploration and Production Guyana

Limited (EEPGL), is the operator of the Stabroek Block and holds 45 per cent interest in the block. Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd holds 30 per cent interest, and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of CNOOC Limited, holds the remaining 25 per cent interest.

Currently, Liza Phase 1 and Phase 2 developments in the Stabroek Block are operating at a combined gross production capacity of more than 360,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd) using the Liza Destiny and Liza Unity floating, production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels respectively.

The third development in the Stabroek Block – Payara – is on track to become operational by the end of 2023 with a gross production capacity of approximately 220,000 bpd. While this may be the gross production capacity, it is expected that the startup will see a much smaller number of oil barrels being produced. For instance, when Liza Phase Two started in 2022, it was

producing significantly less than its current production.

Meanwhile Yellowtail – the fourth development –with a production capacity of some 250,000 bpd, is slated for 2025. Both these development projects have been approved by the Guyana Government.

Uaru, the fifth development, is expected to become operational at the end of 2026 with a gross production capacity of approximately 250,000 bpd, with first oil anticipated at the end of 2026. The development plan for Uaru was submitted for Government’s approval in November 2022, and final approval is expected by the end of the first quarter of this year.

ExxonMobil has said it anticipates at least six projects offshore Guyana will be online by 2027. The company is meanwhile seeking project approval for the sixth oil development in Guyana’s waters, approaching the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for environmental authorisation for its Whiptail Project.

decision of putting their development above their politics,” he added.

He said the town needs a council that would focus on implementing projects which would benefit the people of the town and one that would work with the Government.

According to the Public Works Minister, at Glasgow New Housing Scheme, a section of the road network will be resurfaced shortly. Among them is the main access road leading to the school and

community center.

Vehicle operators have complained about damage to their vehicles while traversing sections of the scheme.

Back in 2021, Edghill had met with residents of the same community and promised to have some roads upgraded, and last year work was done to upgrade the main road in the community.

Meanwhile, work is soon to commence to have a concrete surface for all nine streets in Islington.

“All streets in New Amsterdam will be addressed. I cannot tell you that all will be done at the same time. We will be doing it in phases, and all the streets will be done, but we have to get a council that will work with us… You can’t keep doing the same thing for 53 years and expect a difference.”

He said development should take priority over any political agenda. “Development before politics.”

Pilot on 16 human trafficking charges granted $1.3M bail

Orlando Charles, the pilot and businessman charged with 16 counts of human trafficking, has been arraigned virtually beforeBartica Magistrate Christel Lambert on Thursday.

The 45-year-old Charles, of 45 Main Street, Georgetown, has pleaded not guilty to these charges of human trafficking, contrary to Section 3(1)(i) of the Combatting of Trafficking in Persons Act No. 2 of 2005.

Police have said that between November 1, 2022 and May 18, 2023, Charles trafficked 16 Venezuelan nationals between Mazaruni riverine communities in Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni) and Georgetown.

Charles has been placed on bail in the sum of $1.3 million on condition that he lodges his passport with the Clerk of Court at the Bartica Magistrate’s Court, and the matters have been adjourned until June 14 for disclosure of statements.

The allegations against this businessman have been investigated by the Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Unit of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters.

Following that investigation, legal advice was given by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for Charles to be charged with 16 counts of Trafficking in

Orlando Charles

Persons.

Charles was arraigned days after the Police had issued a wanted bulletin for him.

Shortly after, he issued a statement in which he claimed, among other things, that an issue had arisen between him and the foreign nationals over the payment of wages.

“I am a pilot and businessman with various construction projects countrywide. A dispute (arose) over wages with 30 persons who were either employed by me or awaiting the availability of more work with my business so they can be employed. I had nothing to do with bringing them into Guyana, nor controlling their movement or where

they were employed.”

He continued, “Indeed, a dispute arose with some of them over wages, and I agreed to resolve the matter to our mutual agreement, and some of the persons readily accepted the settlement while others wanted more money. The discussions with the latter are ongoing, and a reckoning was taking place. [I] will defend myself vigorously against these charges.”

Meanwhile, the Guyana Police Force’s TIP Unit, in efforts to combat trafficking in persons, assured that it will continue to work with other stakeholders to conduct intelligence-led operations, spot inspections, awareness, and training in every region of Guyana.

The current state of one of the roads at Glasgow New Housing Scheme

Public Works Minister Juan Edghill during one of his engagements with residents of New Amsterdam, Region Six, on Thursday

Regional

Haiti vigilante push “symptomatic” of State’s failures – advocates Brazil posts record trade surplus in May on surging exports

Gedeon Jean describes it as a “collective awakening”.

Over the past several weeks, groups of Haitian citizens armed with machetes, sticks and other makeshift weapons have banded together to root out suspected gang members and try to end the killings, rapes and kidnappings destroying their communities.

The Centre d’analyse et de recherche en droits de l’homme (CARDH) rights group that Jean leads said suspects have been “chased, beaten, decapitated and then burned alive” by members of the grassroots vigilante movement – dubbed “Bwa Kale”, or “peeled wood” in Haitian Creole.

At least 160 suspected gang members were killed between April 24 and May 24, CARDH said in a report this month, and as a result, Haiti has seen “a dramatic

Rights advocates say vigilante killings are response to unchecked Haitian gang violence, but not a long-term solution

decrease” in kidnappings, killings and other forms of violence linked to the armed groups.

However, Jean said while the movement has had “considerable” effects, it does not present a longterm solution to the violence

gripping the Caribbean nation of about 12 million people. Instead, he said Haitian State institutions must be reinforced and take responsibility for protecting citizens.

“We’re in a situation in which the popula-

tion has to defend itself,” Jean, CARDH’s Executive Director, told Al Jazeera in a phone interview. “Bwa Kale is symptomatic of the collapse of the State,” he said.

“Citizens can’t really protect themselves … It’s the role of the institutions, of the Police, of the State –to take steps so that [they] can exercise their mandates.”

The Bwa Kale movement formally began on April 24, when a mob lynched more than a dozen suspected gang members and set their bodies on fire in the streets of Canape Vert, a neighbourhood of the capital, Port-au-Prince. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Brazil posted a US$11.4 billion trade surplus in May, marking a record for any given month since the data series began in 1989, official data showed on Thursday.

The figure also came above the $9 billion surplus expected in a Reuters poll with economists, backed by a surge in the volume of exports that more than offset price drops.

According to the Ministry of Development, Industry, Trade and Services, Brazilian exports totalled US$33.1 billion in May, up 11.6 per cent from

Chile's Boric to insist on shelved tax reform bill by end of July

the same month in 2022, to the highest value ever recorded in the entire series.

They were bolstered by significant double-digit growth in key commodities, including soybeans (+23%), crude oil (+21.4%), and sugar (+91.8%).

Meanwhile, imports fell by 12.1 per cent in May, to US$21.7 billion, added the Ministry.

Herlon Brandao, the Director of Foreign Trade Intelligence and Statistics at the Ministry, attributed the significant boost in Brazilian exports to the country's record-breaking agricultural harvest, with robust soybean shipments.

"This should cool down, but not much. We still have the record corn crop coming in the next few months as well, so the volume shipped this year should grow," he said at a news conference.

From January to May, the positive balance of trade soared by 39.1 per cent compared to the same period last year, reaching US$35.3 billion.

Chilean President Gabriel Boric said on Thursday his Government would insist on pushing through a tax reform bill that was shelved by Congress earlier this year.

During his second state of the union address to Congress in the port city of Valparaiso, Boric said the Government would talk to political, social and business groups and push the senate to take up the issue again by the end of July.

During a wide-ranging speech that spanned more than three hours, Boric reiterated the need for tax reform to fund healthcare infrastructure, investments in education, public transportation, labor reforms and financing for victims of sexual violence.

"Everyone in this room knows, that neither this government or any other, can advance responsibly in making these rights a reality without tax reform."

Boric rode a wave of leftwing optimism to the presidency, but his popularity has plummeted since amid economic woes, rising crime, and political setbacks like a failed new constitution.

The Government has also seen key parts of its agenda, like tax reform bill shelved by Congress in March, stalled by a divided legislature.

"We've presented a horizon, we know the debts we have to pay, and we're open to building a common roadmap to get there," Boric said. "What we need now

is to know if this Congress shares these priorities or not." (Excerpt from Reuters)

Following the Ministry's initial projection for a US$84 billion trade surplus this year, Brandao said that the figure is expected to be changed in the upcoming review in July, considering more favourable export prospects. (Reuters)

US and Guatemala launch new migration processing centres

The United States and Guatemala have announced the launch of new migration processing centres in the Central American nation as President Joe Biden’s Administration tries to deter migrants and refugees from seeking to enter the US at its border with Mexico.

In a statement on Thursday, the White House said the six-month pilot programme aims to “manage irregular migration” through the use of “Secure Mobility Offices”.

The offices will be open for appointments beginning on June 12 to facilitate temporary work permits, family reunifications and other avenues of entry to the US, according to a joint statement issued by the two countries.

It was unclear from the announcement where in Guatemala these centres will operate.

The move comes as part of Washington’s push to deter asylum seekers from

seeking protection at the southern US border, which has seen an influx of arrivals since Biden took office in early 2021.

The Biden Administration had put new migration restrictions in place and announced it would open centres in Guatemala and Colombia to screen would-be migrants and refugees as a contentious, pandemic-era policy expired last month.

The Title 42 public health order, first imposed by Biden’s predecessor Donald Trump in 2020, had allowed US border authorities to rapidly expel most asylum seekers due to COVID-19 concerns without having to rule on their applications for protection.

Now, in addition to other measures, a new US rule has made most people ineligible to seek asylum at the US-Mexico border if they passed through a third country and did not first apply for protection there.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Chilean President Gabriel Boric gestures on the day of his annual speech at the National Congress, in Valparaiso, Chile, June 1, 2023 (Reuters/Rodrigo Garrido)

Around The World OIL NEWS

BRICS Ministers put on show of strength as Putin’s arrest warrant looms large

Oil rises 3% on US debt ceiling progress, traders on alert for OPEC+ meeting

Oil prices rose on Thursday by the most in two weeks ahead of an Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies (OPEC+ )meeting on Sunday, while House of Representatives passage of a bill to suspend the US debt ceiling helped to offset the impact of rising inventories in the country.

West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose US$2.01, or three per cent, to settle at US$70.10 a barrel, recording its biggest daily gains since May 5.

Brent crude futures settled at US$74.28 a barrel, up by US$1.68, or 2.3 per cent, to US$74.65 a barrel, their biggest daily gains since May 17.

Both benchmarks recovered from two-straight sessions of losses after the House passed a bill late on Wednesday to suspend the US Government's debt ceiling and improve chances of averting a default. The legislation now moves to the Senate.

"The successful debt ceiling negotiations clear that minefield, but the overall demand outlook is still murky – the trucking space is doing poorly, for example," CFRA Research analyst Stewart Glickman said.

The market's focus has also shifted to the June 4 meeting of OPEC+.

"The OPEC+ meeting this weekend may be leading to a little caution around those (low price) levels, particularly in light of the 'watch out' warning from the Saudi Energy Minister," OANDA analyst Craig Erlam said.

Four sources from OPEC+ told Reuters that the alliance is unlikely to deepen supply cuts at the Sunday meeting, but some analysts maintain that it is a possibility as demand indicators from China and the US have been disappointing in recent weeks.

US crude oil stockpiles rose unexpectedly last week, as imports jumped and strategic reserves dropped to their lowest since September 1983, according to data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA).

"Third Bridge experts would not rule out more aggressive actions from OPEC+, but the tug-of-war right now in the market is the seasonal versus the cyclical," Third Bridge analyst Peter McNally said.

"We are watching to see how strong the developed world's summer demand uptick will be relative to the struggles of China's cyclical recovery. This will determine how effective OPEC+ will be," McNally added. (Reuters)

Brazil, Russia, Indian, China and South Africa (BRICS)

Foreign Ministers on Thursday asserted their bloc's ambition to rival Western powers, but their talks in South Africa were overshadowed by questions over whether Russia's President would be arrested if he attended a summit in August.

South Africa's Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor said her country was mulling options if Vladimir Putin, the subject of a war crimes arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), came to the planned BRICS summit in Johannesburg.

As a member of the ICC, South Africa would theoretically be required to arrest Putin, and Pandor was bombarded with questions about that as she arrived for a first round of talks

with representatives from Brazil, Russia, India and China.

"The answer is the President (Cyril Ramaphosa) will indicate what the final position of South Africa is. As matters stand an invitation has

US President Joe Biden trips and falls at Colorado event

US President Joe Biden has tripped and fallen while handing out diplomas at a graduation ceremony for the US Air Force Academy in Colorado.

Biden, who is the nation's oldest serving president at 80, was helped back up to his feet and appeared to be unhurt.

The President had been standing for about an hour and a half to shake hands with each of the 921 graduating cadets.

The White House communications director said

Canadian Socialite spared jail after killing Belize police chief

ACanadian Socialite who killed a Police Chief in Belize with his own gun has reportedly been spared prison time.

Jasmine Hartin, 34, was handed a £30,000 fine and 300 hours of community service, according to local reports.

She pleaded guilty in April to the manslaughter of Henry Jemmott on May 28, 2021. He died from a single gunshot wound to the head.

Hartin is the former partner of Andrew Ashcroft, the son of a prominent UK businessman Lord Michael Ashcroft.

Under the sentence handed down by the Belize's high court, Hartin must

pay $75,000 BZD within 12 months, or face a potential prison sentence of 12 months, according to Channel 5 Belize.

She must also ?r?du?? ? v?d?? warning against the dangers of drunkenness and mishandling firearms, according to Breaking Belize News.

At the time of Jemmott's death, Hartin and Ashcroft lived in Belize with their two children.

Over the course of the investigation and criminal trial, it was revealed that Hartin and Jemmott, who were known to be friends, had been at a party in together on the island of Ambergris Caye on the

night of his death.

Police say that the two took a stroll on the beach before ending up at a pier. At some point, Jemmott handed her his gun to put aside.

She later told investigators that she had been drinking, and had fumbled with the Glock 17 after the Police Chief asked for it back, leading to an accidental discharge.

Police found Hartin near the pier, covered in blood and distraught. Jemmott's body was found in the water off San Pedro, Belize.

Hartin was charged with manslaughter by negligence, and eventually pleaded guilty in April 2023.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

earlier "he's fine".

"There was a sandbag on stage while he was shaking hands," Ben LaBolt wrote on Twitter after Thursday's fall.

"I got sandbagged," the smiling President joked to reporters as he arrived back at the White House that evening.

A White House press pool report earlier said Biden had tripped on a black sandbag while moving on stage.

Footage of the incident shows Biden appearing to point at one of two sandbags used to prop up his teleprompter as he was helped up by an Air Force official and two members of his Secret Service detail.

He was seen walking back to his seat unassisted and later jogging back to his motorcade when the ceremony ended shortly after the accident.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

been issued to all (BRICS)

Heads of State," she said.

At a news conference later, the Ministers sidestepped a barrage of questions about the Putin issue.

The ICC accused Putin in March of the war crime of forcibly deporting children

from Russian-occupied territory in Ukraine. Moscow denies the allegations. South Africa had invited Putin in January.

Putin has not confirmed his plans, with the Kremlin only saying Russia would take part at the "proper level".

The Ministers sought to focus attention on their ambition to build up their influence in a multi-polar world.

India's Subrahmanyam Jaishankar spoke of the concentration of economic power which he said "leaves too many nations at the mercy of too few", and of the need to reform global decision-making including by the United Nations Security Council.

"Old ways cannot address new situations. We are a symbol of change. We must act," he said. (Excerpt from Reuters)

NATO divided on Ukrainian membership as Zelenskyy renews call

Ukrainian President Volodymyr

Zelenskyy has taken his quest for more arms and Ukrainian membership in powerful Western institutions to a sprawling summit of European leaders.

But as Zelenskyy renewed his demands for NATO and EU membership at the European Political Community meeting in Moldova, held on Thursday, leaders of the military alliance gathered in Norway and were divided on Ukraine’s call.

Zelenskyy said all countries bordering Russia should be full members of both organisations since Moscow “tries to swallow only those who are outside of the common security space”.

He called for more European support on the ground, which he said is saving lives and “literally accelerating peace”.

According to Al Jazeera’s Stefanie Dekker, reporting from the summit, Zelenskyy

was the first foreign leader to arrive at the venue, a move unlikely “by chance”.

The choice to hold the summit in Moldova, a former Soviet republic of approximately 2.6 million people near Ukraine, was seen as a message to the Kremlin from the EU and Moldova’s pro-Western government.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte told the summit, “Our meeting today in Moldova speaks volumes. The country borders on Ukraine and here, the Russian threat is palpable.”

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also attended.

Meanwhile in Norway, divisions among NATO allies about the speed of Kyiv’s accession became apparent, only weeks before a decisive mid-July summit in Vilnius.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Deadly protests rock Senegal as Opposition Leader sentenced to jail

Nine people were killed in Senegal on Thursday in clashes between Riot Police and supporters of Opposition Leader Ousmane Sonko after a court sentenced him to two years in jail, casting serious doubt on his chances of running for President next year.

Sonko, 48, did not attend the hearing over an alleged sexual assault. The Justice

Ministry said the Opposition Leader could now be taken to prison at any time. Police remained stationed around his home Dakar as unrest flared in the capital and elsewhere after the verdict.

Sonko was accused of raping a woman who worked in a massage parlour in 2021, when she was 20, and making death threats against her. He denies wrongdoing and says the charges are po-

litically motivated.

A criminal court cleared Sonko of rape, but found him guilty of a separate offence described in the penal code as immoral behaviour towards individuals younger than 21.

"With this sentence Sonko cannot be a candidate," said one of his lawyers, Bamba Ciss, citing Senegal's electoral law. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu; Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira, South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar attend a BRICS Foreign Ministers meeting in Cape Town, South Africa, June 1, 2023 (Reuters/Nic Bothma)

DAILY HOROSCOPES

Pay attention, follow the money and budget for something that will affect how you live. Listen to your inner voice regarding love, health and personal growth. Don’t act in haste.

(March 21-April 19)

Clear your head and speak your mind. You can resolve issues and take care of unfinished business if you use your smarts and pay attention to what’s going on around you.

(April 20-May 20)

PEANUTS

(May 21-June 20)

Preparation will lead to success. How you approach projects and handle people will determine how much you accomplish. Don’t waste your time trying to persuade others. Believe in yourself.

Make changes based on how you feel. Reach out to people who raise your spirits. A romantic encounter will encourage you to alter your living arrangements. Take part in enriching activities.

(June 21-July 22)

CALVIN AND HOBBES

(July 23-Aug. 22)

A steady pace will help you avoid interference. Interacting with others will slow you down and confuse you. A lifestyle change will warm your heart. Consider how you can use your skills effectively.

Listen, observe and be resourceful. What you discover will help you use your attributes to make a lucrative opportunity. Take a different approach to helping others. Travel is favored.

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

Visit friends or relatives, and you’ll gather ideas that will help you turn your surroundings into a space that inspires you. Don’t tolerate anyone who uses emotional manipulation.

(Sept. 23-Oct. 23)

Pay attention to meaningful relationships, how you look and what you share with others. Limit your spending; generosity will leave you in debt and feeling lost. Use your ingenuity.

(Oct. 24-Nov. 22)

Don’t share personal information or give anyone the OK to speak on your behalf. A partnership will cause concern if it lacks equality. Monitor situations that can interfere with your happiness. or cash flow.

(Nov. 23-Dec. 21)

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

Give away what you no longer use. Take care of a domestic problem before it has a chance to spin out of control. Too much of anything will leave you at a loss. Stick close to home.

Problems with institutions, relatives and friends will surface if you let your emotions take charge and anger set in. Protect your reputation and keep your thoughts to yourself.

(Jan. 20-Feb. 19)

Keep track of your expenses. Cutting back on spending will ease stress and give you hope. Spend on quality, not quantity or bargains you don’t need. Set a new budget.

(Feb. 20-March 20)

Archery Guyana’s Independence Open 2023…

Persaud tops Men’s Recurve, Williams tops for women

…Zamaluddin tops men, Deoroop tops women in Barebow

Archery Guyana’s Independence Open sponsored by Massy Guyana and the National Sports Commission (NSC) got underway last Saturday, May 27 and Sunday May 28, at the Muslim Youth Organisation.

The enthusiastic archers enjoyed the friendly competition and camaraderie, and shot to the best of their abilities, some of whom bettered their ranking scores over previous competitions.

The ranking rounds were shot on Saturday, beginning with the men’s and women’s Barebow Division. Coming out on top of the men’s rankings, out of a possible 720 points, was Jeewanram Persaud with 633, followed by Muhammad Zamaluddin with 595, Afzal Karim with 495, Sean Duncan with 461, Jaza Percival with 370, Courtlee Rodrigues with 276 and Richard Dookie with 233.

In the women’s ranking rounds, Julie-Ann Williams topped with 367, followed by Theresa Deoroop’s 360,

240 and Stephanie McTurk’s 93. Following the Barebow

event was the Recurve ranking rounds. In the men’s category, Jeewanram Persaud again came out on top with

BCB/Ali Bakery Inter-club Under-17 tournament…

RHT Bakewell and Albion to clash in finals after winning semifinals

sive overs.

611 points, as Sean Duncan followed up with 538 and Saeed Karim with a close 535. Robert Singh shot 507

and Jaza Percival 449.

Only 3 women shot for recurve ranking; Julie-Ann Williams topped with 426 points, Theresa Deoroop scored 418, and Bibi Saleema Salim scored 387.

The eliminations and finals were shot on Sunday, and made for exciting matchplay. Trophies were awarded from first to fifth place.

In the Men’s Barebow Division Muhammad Zamaluddin surprised everyone by gaining 1st position over Jeewanram Persaud, who had to settle for 2nd, while 3rd place went to Afzal Karim, 4th place to Jaza Percival, and 5th place to Sean Duncan.

The women also saw excitement as Theresa Deoroop took 1st place over JulieAnn Williams’s 2nd, while Bibi Saleema Salim placed 3rd, Karin Toppin 4th and Stephanie McTurk 5th.

In the Men’s Recurve Division, Jeewanram Persaud took 1st place, followed by Sean Duncan in 2nd, Robert Singh 3rd, Saeed Karim 4th and Jaza

Guyanese team competing in Roger Boyce Pro Classic

Percival 5th; while in the Women’s Recurve, JulieAnn Williams took 1st place, while Bibi Saleema Salim came in 2nd and Theresa Deoroop 3rd.

The judges for the competition were Elizabeth Mason and Umasankar Madray.

Archery Guyana wishes to extend heartfelt gratitude to our sponsors: Massy Guyana, Guyana Beverages Inc, the National Sports Commission and Mr Azad Ibrahim, President of MYO, for making this competition a success.

Arch rivals Albion and Rose Hall Town Bakewell would shortly clash in the finals of the Berbice Cricket Board Ali Bakery Under-17 Inter-Club 50 overs tournament. The two teams reached the finals after winning their semifinals, with Albion defeating Cotton Tree by 184 runs at the Jai Hind Ground while RHT Bakewell squeezed past Rose Hall Canje by two wickets.

The tournament is being sponsored by Ali Bakery of Cotton Tree Village, West Coast Berbice and is been organised by the BCB Cricket Committee headed by Leslie Soloman.

At the Jai Hind Ground, Albion batting first amassed 225 for 9 from their allot-

ted 50 overs. Afraz Budhoo top scored with 57 and he received support from Damion Cecil with 45 and Nicholas Ishack with 34 not out.

Bowling for the visitors, National Under-15 fast bowler Arif Khan took 3 for 55 from nine overs, while there was one wicket apiece for Tameshwar Adin, Shoaib Gafoor and Arif Bacchus at the cost of 39, 36 and 34 runs respectively.

In reply, the first-time semifinalist were bowled out for 41 off 22 overs, with only Rohan Sarjoon reaching double figures with 11. Tameshwar Mangal claimed four wickets for no runs from two overs, while left arm spinner Kumar Deopersaud took 3 for 3 from five impres-

At the Area H Ground, Rose Hall Town Bakewell won the toss and invited the visitors to take first strike. Rose Hall Canje were off to a brisk start, reaching fifty for one in 12 overs, before collapsing to 84 all out off 31 overs. Sanjay Algoo top scored with 24, and he received good support from Avinash Persaud with 21 while extras contributed a healthy 30 runs. National off spinner Matthew Pottaya bowled ten overs to claim 2 for 8, Kumalchan Ramnarace took 3 for 12 while Khemraj Tika and Deeraj Ramjit had one wicket apiece.

RHT Bakewell, in reply, needing 85 runs from 50 overs, reached 87 for 8 from 39.5 overs, with Pottaya returning with the bat to score 34. Other important contributions came from Ramzan Koobeer’s 12 and captain Romesh Bharrat’s 20.

Off spinner Richard Ramdihal was Canje’s best bowler with 4 for 8 from 10 very tight overs, while left arm pacer Nicholas Hall took 2 for 10 from 8 overs. The date and venue for the finals would be announced shortly by the BCB.

Guyana’s bodybuilders have set off for Bridgetown, Barbados, to compete in the Roger Boyce IFBB Pro Classic 2023. The event was set to commence on Thursday, June 1, 2023 at the Lloyd Erskine Convention Centre and run until Sunday, June 4, 2023.

At the professional level, Guyana will be represented by Pro Athlete Rosanna Fung and at the amateur level Guyana will be represented by reigning Mr. Guyana Bodybuilding Champion

Darious Ramsammy, CAC gold medalist Julio Sinclair and CAC silver medalists Nicolas Albert and Christina Ramsammy.

Rosanna Fung will compete in the women’s wellness category. While Darious Ramsammy and Nicolas Albert will both compete in the men’s bodybuilding category up to, and including 80kg. Julio Sinclair will compete in the heavier category at over 90kg, and Christina Ramsammy will compete in the bikini category in the over 164cm group.

Karin Toppin’s 264, Bibi Saleema Salim’s

The Independence Open winners’ row

Jeewanram Persaud [1st Place Recurve Men] Julie-Ann Williams [1st Place Recurve Women]

Guyana’s Rosanna Fung is competing at the Professional level

Mr. Guyana, Darious Ramsammy, is also taking to the stage in Barbados

Tameshwar Mangal, Damion Cecil, Afraz Budhoo and Nicholas Ishack of Albion

WI tour to Bangladesh 2023…

West Indies ‘A’ scenting win after Chanderpaul's unbeaten 83

West Indies ‘A’ will have to take 10 wickets on Friday’s final day if they are to win the third unofficial Test against Bangladesh ‘A’ at the Syhlet International Stadium.

At stumps on Thursday, Bangladesh reached 47 without loss in their second innings, still needing to score 414 more to achieve a most unlikely victory.

Resuming from their overnight score of 157-7 with Nasum Ahmed on seven and Tanzim Hasan Sakib on 17, Bangladesh ‘A’ were bowled out for 205, thanks to Nasum Ahmed’s unbeaten 38.

Hasan Sakib failed to add to his overnight score when he was bowled by Veerasammy Permaul,

who took all three remaining Bangladeshi wickets to finish with figures of 3-38.

Kevin Sinclair took 2-75 and Anderson Phillip 2-36.

With a healthy lead of 240 runs, the West Indies declined to enforce the follow-on and went in search of quick runs. Opener

Tagenarine Chanderpaul scored 83, his second such score of the match, as the West Indies raced to 2205 from 55.2 overs. Captain Joshua da Silva contributed an unbeaten 47, his third such score of the series.

Saif Hasan was the chief wicket-taker with 3-62, while Nasum Ahmed supported with 2-56.

Set a mammoth 461 for victory, Bangladesh ‘A’ still have a mountain to climb to achieve victory on the final

GBF names historic CAC Women’s 3x3 team - Spain-based Ruth Adams confirmed

The Guyana Basketball Federation (GBF) has announced its women's 3x3 team for the upcoming Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in San Salvador, El Salvador.

The tournament will run from June 23 to July 8, with the 3x3 basketball games scheduled for June 30 to July 2.

The GBF team will be led by Ruth Adams, a point guard currently playing in Spain's second division women's professional league with Miralvalle. Adams, who hails from Plaisance, migrated to the US at eight years old, and had a successful CAA Division 2 collegiate career with St Thomas Aquinas College before turning pro and heading overseas.

Michael Singh, President of the GBF, expressed his happiness that Adams chose to represent Guyana, and stated that her willingness was encouraging for the governing body for basketball in the Land of Many Waters.

He explained that other Guyanese-born players in several professional leagues overseas were contacted, but though they were eager

SCOREBOARD

Bangladesh A 1st Innings

Mahmudul Hasan Joy c

Imlach b Akeem Jordan 9

Zakir Hasan run out

(†Da Silva/Imlach) 29

Mominul Haque c †Da Silva b Reifer 5

Saif Hassan (c)c

McKenzie b Phillip 32

Yasir Ali b Sinclair 9

Shahadat Hossain

c & b Sinclair 3

Nurul Hasan †c

McKenzie b Phillip 28

Tanzim Hasan Sakib b Permaul 17

Nasum Ahmed not out 38

Shoriful Islam c

Athanaze b Permaul 13

Musfik Hasan c & b Permaul 0

Extras (b 7, lb 5, nb 6, w 4) 22

TOTAL 54 Ov (RR: 3.79, 248 Mins) 205

Fall of wickets: 1-25

(Mahmudul Hasan

Joy, 8.1 ov), 2-37

(Mominul Haque, 9.5 ov), 3-66

(Zakir Hasan, 18.3 ov), 4-79

(Yasir Ali, 21.2 ov), 5-97

(Shahadat Hossain, 27.1 ov), 6-117

(Saif Hassan, 34.5 ov), 7-138

(Nurul Hasan, 38.1 ov), 8-157

West Indies A 2nd Innings

Tagenarine Chanderpaul not out 83

Kirk McKenzie c Zakir Hasan b

Saif Hassan 20

Zachary McCaskie lbw

b Nasum Ahmed 2

Alick Athanaze

lbw b Saif Hassan 27

Joshua Da Silva (c)†

b Nasum Ahmed 47

Raymon Reifer c † Nurul Hasan b Saif Hassan 6 Tevin Imlach not out 28 Extras (b 2, lb 4, w 1) 7 TOTAL 55.2 Ov (RR: 3.97, 247 Mins) 220/5d

Fall of wickets: 1-36

(Kirk McKenzie, 11.5 ov), 2-41

(Zachary McCaskie, 16.3 ov), 3-86 (Alick Athanaze, 27.1 ov), 4-155 (Joshua Da Silva, 40.2 ov), 5-181

to represent Guyana, the CAC Games scheduled was not friendly to their club obligation.

The other members of the team were selected from players who excelled at the recently-held National Women's 3x3 Championship. Kennesha Leacock, the tournament MVP, will be joined by her Kwakwani teammate Shania Sears and Kristy Thomas from Bartica. Thomas is a former youth national football player with the Lady Jags.

The team's coordinator for the event in El Salvador will be Abdullah 'Zico' Hamid, a former national player turned coach.

Singh said the GBF is

committed to developing and exposing the country's top female players to competitions, both locally and overseas.

To prepare for the CAC Games, the team will begin their training this weekend, and the GBF plans to host a series of events to simulate the high-intensity level of basketball expected at the tournament.

(Tanzim Hasan Sakib, 47.6 ov), 9-205

(Shoriful Islam, 53.5 ov), 10-205

(Musfik Hasan, 53.6 ov)

BOWLING O-M-R-W

Akeem Jordan 8-2-21-1

Raymon Reifer 6-0-23-1

Anderson Phillip 9-2-36-2

Kevin Sinclair 18-3-75-2

Veerasammy Permaul 13-2-38-3

Sarwan questions CWI’s decision to hire Sammy over Chanderpaul as head coach

Former West Indies Captain Ramnaresh Sarwan has questioned the hiring of Daren Sammy over Shivnarine Chanderpaul as West Indies white-ball coach.

Sammy, also a former West Indies Captain, was hired as the regional side’s new white-ball head coach in May.

The 39-year-old, who has coached the likes of Peshawar Zalmi in the PSL and the St. Lucia Kings in the CPL, was hired by CWI despite not having a level III (3) coaching certificate.

Sarwan, in a social media post on Wednesday, questioned the process that went into hiring Sammy.

PSG Manager Galtier confirms Messi’s departure

Lionel Messi will play his final game for Paris St-Germain against Clermont on Saturday, says manager Christophe Galtier.

BBC Sport reported in May that the 35-year-old Argentina forward would leave when his contract ends this summer.

Messi, who joined on a free transfer from Barcelona in July 2021, helped PSG win two successive Ligue 1 titles.

"I had the privilege of coaching the best player in the history of football," said Galtier. "This will be his

last match at the Parc des Princes, and I hope that he will receive the warmest of welcomes."

PSG increased security at the homes of Messi, forward Neymar, midfielder Marco Verratti and Galtier last month following protest from fans. It followed a defeat by Lorient and Messi being suspended for two weeks after travelling to Saudi Arabia without PSG's permission. He later apologised to his teammates.

Messi captained Argentina to victory at the 2022 World Cup, and fol-

lowing his return from the tournament, appeared set to stay at PSG. The two par-

ties reached an agreement in principle to extend his stay by a year before changing their minds.

Messi has 21 goals and 20 assists for PSG in all competitions this season, and 32 goals in 74 matches for the club overall.

PSG have been knocked out of the Champions League at the last-16 stage in the past two seasons.

Spanish football writer Guillem Balague said Messi is set to make a decision on his future soon, but will not return to Barcelona, the club where he spent 21 years. (BBC Sport)

“Twenty-two persons were interviewed for the white ball coaching position. However, two were shortlisted. The big question is why were the other twenty persons/coaches not made known to CWI directors, and also, why is this a big secret and being kept away from the cricketing public?

In the interest of transparency, those names should have been made available, at least to directors of CWI,” Sarwan wrote.

The 42-year-old then went on to question how Sammy got the job over Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who was the other man shortlisted for the job, despite the fact that Chanderpaul is fully qualified and Sammy isn’t.

Chanderpaul, 48, most recently coached the USA Women's Under-19 team

and coached the Jamaica Tallawahs to CPL glory in 2022.

“The two coaches shortlisted by the President (headed) committee were Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Daren Sammy. Chanderpaul is fully qualified with a level III certificate and Sammy has almost zero coaching qualifications. Shockingly, Daren Sammy confirmed as coach. How is this possible?

The President has a professional and moral obligation to the Caribbean people and, without delay, make public the criteria/ method used for the selection of the coach,” Sarwan said.

Sammy’s first two assignments will come this month with three ODIs against the UAE, before taking part in the ICC World Cup Qualifiers in Zimbabwe. (Sportsmax)

Tagenarine Chanderpaul

day. Mahmudul Hasan Joy will resume on 28. With him at the crease is Zakir Hasan

on 14. West Indies ‘A’ lead the series 1-0. (Sportsmax)

Kristy Thomas

Ruth Adams

Kennesha Leacock

Messi captained Argentina to victory at the 2022 World Cup

Ramnaresh Sarwan

Guyanese Carl Hooper named -as CWI announces coaching and support staff for upcoming West Indies men’s teams

Cricket West Indies (CWI) on Thursday announced the members of the coaching and support staff for the West Indies men’s red ball and white ball teams.

Former West Indies captains Carl Hooper and Floyd Reifer have been named as assistant coaches in the white ball teams, to work alongside new Head Coach Daren Sammy. James Franklin, the former New Zealand allrounder, is the third assistant coach. They have joined the team ahead of the start of the upcoming three-match One Day International (ODI) series against United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Speaking on the appointments, Sammy said, “Cricket is a team sport. Therefore, having the right set of people around you, who share your vision, is extremely important. This is a group of hard-working, passionate men, who have no egos. Our collective desire is to have a positive impact on the players and West Indies cricket.”

Hooper is one of the most successful allrounders in West Indies history. He is the only player to score over

5,000 runs and take over 100 wickets in both Tests and ODIs. He worked previously at various levels coaching in the Caribbean and Australia.

Reifer also has experience across various levels from regional up to international.

Hooper, former allrounder from Guyana, expressed his desire to see West Indies cricket move forward. Hooper stated, “When I was initially approached by Daren about the potential opportunity, I immediately confirmed my interest, as I really want to help with the challenge and make a meaningful impact. I firmly believe that it is time for West Indies Cricket to ascend, and I am confident in my ability, knowledge, and experience to aid in this endeavour.”

For the Test Team, former West Indies players Kenny Benjamin and Stuart Williams, as well as Rayon Griffith, will be the assistant coaches, working alongside Head Coach Andre Coley.

Benjamin and Griffith were part of the coaching staff for the tours of Zimbabwe and South Africa earlier this year, while Williams has previously

worked as an assistant coach on various tours.

Coley, who took the team to Zimbabwe and South Africa earlier this year as head coach, is confident that some continuity will be beneficial to the players. He has said, “We are looking for as much continuity as possible in the preparation for our upcoming assignments. Kenny and Rayon will continue in their roles from the previous two tours, and Stuart Williams is currently with the ‘A’ team in Bangladesh. It is a hard-working group with some clear tasks outlined, and we can effectively serve West Indies cricket as a unit for the upcoming series against India.”

The other members of the Team Management Unit who will work with the WI men’s teams across all formats are: Rawl Lewis (Team Manager), Denis Byam (Physiotherapist), Ronald Rogers (Strength & Conditioning Coach), Avenash Seetaram (Analyst) and Dario Barthley (Media & Content Officer).

The West Indies are presently in Sharjah for the series against UAE, which bowls off on Sunday 4 June

at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. The second match is on Tuesday 6 June and the third and final match is on Friday 9 June.

For the ICC World Cup Qualifiers, West Indies have been drawn in Group A, where they will face hosts Zimbabwe, United States, Netherlands, and Nepal in the preliminary round. The ten teams will be compet ing for the two remaining places at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, to be hosted in India later this year. All new assistant coaches have been appointed on a short-term basis, and will be reviewed after the India Series in August 2023.

WI Men White Ball Team Management Unit

Daren Sammy (Head Coach) Carl Hooper

Marques eager to get ‘one up’ on Colombians

The ‘Return of the Scorpio’ pro/am card will see a num ber of Guyanese pro fessional pugilists stepping into the ring on Saturday af ter a long hiatus. One such boxer, who hasn’t battled in a little over a year, is Dexter ‘The Kidd’ Marques, who is keen to trounce Colombia’s Luis Carillo in their SuperBantamweight 8-round en counter.

In an exclusive interview with Guyana Times Sport Marques detailed his prepara tion ahead of D-day.

“My preparation is so good so far, because I put in a lot of work in the past three months, and you know I’m always in the gym, even before. As a boxer, you always go to be in the gym, don’t wait for something to happen and then take part in it,” the boxer ex plained.

Marques added, “But, it’s good. I have a new team working with me. I really appreciate the effort they’re making for me.”

Zeroing in on his opponent, Marques revealed his history in rivaling Colombian fighters, as he expressed an intention to exact his revenge.

Marques revealed to this publication, “Colombia. My last amateur fight, I been to Colombia at the CAC Games and I lost to a Colombian. So, I always want to get to fight back a Colombian, because I was in a Colombian fight and the decision didn’t come my way. Now it’s my hometown; it’s professional, not amateur; it gives me a lot more expo-

sure to do what you gotta do. As a pro, you have to know what you want to do,” he further stated.

In light of the lack of competitions for professional boxers of late, Marques went on to touch on the importance of the upcoming bout, encouraging patrons to support the Guyanese pugilists.

“It get a lot to do with promoters, and Government now trying to do what they have to do to support amateur and professional boxers now. It was a long layoff for us, but I will say again: I always dedicate myself into my training.

I always believe in myself (that) a day

must come I must shine and my time. And I think coming on Saturday, is my time,” the pugilist said about dealing with the long layoff.

On a different note, Marques added, “On Saturday, just come out and support our Guyanese fighters. Each and every one of we, Elton Dharry, me and the girls. All of we put our best foot forward to do what we gotta do, and I’m sure confident in myself and my team we’ll come out successful.”

The ‘Return of the Scorpio’ card is set for the National Gymnasium tomorrow, Saturday, June 3. (Jemima Holmes)

(Assistant Coach)

Floyd Reifer (Assistant Coach)

James Franklin (Assistant Coach)

Rawl Lewis (Team Manager) Denis Byam (Physiotherapist)

Ronald Rogers (Strength & Conditioning Coach)

Avenash Seetaram (Analyst)

Dario Barthley (Media & Content Officer)

WI Men Test Team Management Unit

Andre Coley (Head Coach)

Kenny Benjamin (Assistant Coach)

Rayon Griffith (Assistant Coach)

Stuart Williams (Assistant Coach)

Rawl Lewis (Team Manager)

Denis Byam (Physiotherapist)

Ronald Rogers (Strength & Conditioning Coach)

Avenash Seetaram (Analyst)

Dario Barthley (Media & Content Officer)

CPL 2023: TKR, SLK make switch for Deyal & Pierre

As the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) inches closer to the 2023 Players’ Draft, the league continues

Riders, his home franchise, after three seasons with the Kings. Deyal has 446 runs at the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) with a high score of 78.

to reveal roster changes for this year’s 11th edition.

According to the RBL CPL, Mark Deyal has been transferred to the Trinbago Knight Riders from the Saint Lucia Kings. As part of the same deal, Khary Pierre will move from the Knight Riders to the Kings.

Deyal, a top order batter, returns to the Knight

Left arm spinner Pierre has been with the Knight Riders since 2017, and has been part of a championship winning team three times. He has 40 wickets at an average of 25 in CPL matches.

The complete squads for the 2023 Republic Bank CPL will be announced during the draft, show which will take place at the end of June.

Guyana’s Carl Hooper was named an assistant coach for the white ball team

Another Guyanese, Rayon Griffith, was named assistant coach in red ball team

Khary Pierre and Mark Deyal will trade places in the TKR and SLK camps

Dexter Marques going through the paces in training

‘Return of the Scorpio’ boxing card