Guyana Times -- Sunday, May 21, 2023

Pres Ali leads massive countrywide clean-up campaign

ing the junction of Mandela Avenue and Houston Access Road while Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister with Responsibility for Public Affairs Kwame McCoy conducted the exercise on Savage Street alongside Guyana Defence Force (GDF) members.

The National Enhancement Exercise began on Saturday morning, with President Dr Irfaan Ali leading the charge along the entire stretch of the Kingston Seawall.

This forms part of the massive clean-up exercise that saw the participation of Cabinet members, public and private sector officials and volunteers across the country in a continuous beautification effort spearheaded by the President under the “Men on Mission” and “One Guyana” initiatives.

Other Georgetown locations for this exercise included Savage Street, Mandela Avenue to Haags Bosch, Riverview to Houston Bypass and Ogle’s Shell Gas Station.

While President Ali started the Seawall exercise at 5:00h on Saturday, similar efforts were made across the country.

Minister within the Public Works Ministry Deodat Indar led a team in clean-

In Port Kaituma, Region One (BarimaWaini), Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal guided the clean-up efforts with Regional Chairman Brentnol Ashley and Deputy Regional Executive Officer Shem Cuffy.

Residents and volunteers across the different regions are also doing their part including Mabaruma and Matthew’s Ridge in Region One; Mora Camp, Itaballi, Karau and Four Miles in Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni); Mahdia in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) and Wismar in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

As part of the enhancement exercise, the Private Sector Commission, led by Chairman Komal Singh, joined the branding company Impressions in erecting 10 anti-littering signs and planting 20 plants along the Rupert Craig Highway.

Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister, with Responsibility for Public Affairs, Kwame McCoy, during the clean-up exercise at Savage Street

President Dr Irfaan Ali during the National Enhancement Campaign at the Kingston Seawall on Saturday

Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal during the clean-up exercise at Port Kaituma

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Sunday, May 21 – 05:00h – 06:30h and

Monday, May 22 – 04:15h – 05:45h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Sunday, May 21 – 05:00h – 06:30h and

Monday, May 22 – 05:20h – 06:50h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

There will be thundery showers and sunshine during the day. Expect partly cloudy skies and thundery showers at night. Temperatures should range between 24 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Easterly to East North-Easterly between 2.68 metres and 4.47 metres.

High Tide: 17:34h reaching a maximum height of 2.5 metres.

Low Tide: 11:09h and 23:17h reaching minimum heights of 0.53 metres and 0.74 metres.

LOTTERY NUMBERS

SUNDAY, MAY 21, 2023 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

US Ambassador hailed for a results-oriented, results-driven tenure

– Pres Ali assures Govt will continue to build on gains achieved under her leadership

President Dr Irfaan Ali has lauded outgoing United States Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch, for her leadership in strengthening the ties between the two nations, as well as with the Caribbean region.

President Ali made these remarks at a farewell reception held for the outgoing diplomat, who is wrapping up a four-year tenure in Georgetown. He described the event as a bitter-sweet one as he reflected on the strong relations that were established with Ambassador Lynch over the years.

“I had a partner in the US Ambassador that I know we could’ve relied on; a partner that exhibited a tower of strength and inspiration; a partner that has done her country proud in her representation of who the United States of America is.

“Your work, your leadership and your commitment, and the ease at which you did it demonstrated who and what the true United States of America is, and indeed you are our friend. I thank you for your service,” he stated.

According to the Guyanese Leader, Ambassador Lynch led in an unconventional way during her tenure here. He noted that the private sectors of both countries have especially benefitted from her aggressive push in advancing their interests.

“Ambassador Lynch worked tirelessly to ensure that the US private sector was first encouraged to be here, and then participated fully in the development that is unfolding… You should also be congratulated for the establishment of chambers of commerce – AMCHAM Guyana.

“More importantly, today we have many companies that act in partnership; that is, US and Guyanese companies partnering together in various sectors,” the President noted.

On the Government-toGovernment end, Ali pointed out that the Ambassador pursued a results-oriented and results-driven agenda that sought to build on the common interests, common values, common priorities, and a very open and transparent relationship between Guyana and the US.

This, according to Ali, has resulted in an unprecedented level of coordination and collaboration on the security front between the two nations, which has led to a great pushback in the drug trade. It has also seen an unprecedented joint exchange programme, whereby not only the military, but also Police officers and policy-makers have benefitted.

Regionally, President

Ali said, Ambassador Lynch fostered the US-CARICOM (Caribbean Community) relations, thus resulting in the fourth engagement between US Vice President Kamala Harris and regional leaders in the coming weeks.

“These results don't come by accident. It comes by building trust, building confidence, supporting each other, understanding our varied priorities, and then establishing a strong footing through which we build systems to improve what we want to achieve… Energy, climate change and financing, and food security. On all three fronts, the US and CARICOM are working collectively on a joint action plan to address all three of these critical global issues under the leadership of Ambassador Lynch,” he added.

On this note, the Guyanese Leader assured the outgoing US diplomat that his government would continue to build on the gains achieved under her leadership.

“You also brought a different flair with the office; one that was different in

we have succeeded in,” the President declared.

Friday’s reception marked the commencement of the process in which Ambassador Lynch will wrap up her fouryear tenure in Guyana. She will be leaving Georgetown to take up a new posting at the SOUTHERN Command in Miami.

According to Lynch, her service over the past four years in Guyana was an adventure that included resolving an election, leveraging Guyana's newfound wealth to attract US strategic investments, and advancing shared security equities to improve regional security in

tating of trade missions that were done to bolster bilateral trade between the two countries, especially at the Private Sector level.

“The trade figures are one thing, but the training for hundreds of aspiring entrepreneurs, new jobs for thousands of Guyanese, and increase in foreign investment into Guyana are already ringing positive results, with more to come… Our security partnership sends a strong signal that we are partners and we care about Guyana… All of these accomplishments are not just US Embassy accomplishments, they are mutual achievements of both

approach, different in style and different than conduct. And what that allows you to do is to win the trust of the Guyanese people. You have won yourself a number of friends. You have integrated yourself into our society and in our culture, in our customs… Our partnership and your work here were to advance common values, was to advance democracy, was to advance the prosperity of the people of the United States and the people of Guyana, was to advance greater participation of the US in the development of our country, advance greater coordination on the security front, was to build transparency and good governance, was to expand the relationship and deepen our friendship – all of which

order to put Guyana on the path to success.

Among her proudest achievements was the US assistance to strengthen Guyana’s elections machinery like the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) and financial institutions like the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) – all aimed at modernising and digitizing local systems to improve transparency and reduce corruption.

She also mentioned the promotion of youth civic engagement and building youth capacity through leadership programs, as well as work in climate services. Another highlight of her service in Guyana, which the outgoing Ambassador outlined, is the many engagements which included webinars and facili-

Guyana and the US that demonstrate that our partnership has been strengthened and deepened over these past four years, and signals that we will be key allies for years to come in this region that we share.

“And this effort doesn’t come easily or quickly. Sometimes things come one step at a time, or as I like to say ‘One, one duddy build dam’,” the US Diplomat stated.

Ministers of Government, Members of the Diplomatic Corps, Members of the Opposition, and other invited guests were also at the farewell ceremony. Ambassador Lynch was sworn-in as the US Ambassador to Guyana in January 2019. (G-8)

President Dr Irfaan Ali addressing the gathering

President Ali and Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch with officers of the US Marines

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Catalytic Entrepreneurial State

As we attempt to lift our country out of its underdeveloped state, which was created by the British and by the PNC dictatorship, we would be foolish not to look at how others were able to create investment opportunities, starting with even greater constraints than we have, and how those opportunities were realised in a sustainable manner. Let theory be guided by successful practice. The history of the world after World War II has demonstrated that the countries that successfully pulled themselves out of the poverty trap – Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea and then later Malaysia etc. -- all followed the example of Japan, where the state was integrally involved in formulating and executing explicit industrial policies.

The central linchpin of Singapore’s success, for instance, lay in Lee Kuan Yew’s articulation of a clear strategy for development, in which his government played the key role. The state enumerated the constraints, identified the opportunities, and methodically set about removing the constraints to achieve the identified opportunities one after the other. The people of Singapore were willing to accept near-term deprivations because they could see the vision slowly becoming a reality. Our people must also do so.

We know that, in Guyana, we had the disastrous PNC experience with state involvement in development, but let us not throw out the baby with the bath water. Not all state actions are negative, and, in fact, there may be the necessity for government intervention when the free market is stymied for one reason or another (market failure). And if we don’t have a market failure here, we certainly have market constipation. We need only to look at our banks’ claiming that they do not have foreign exchange to satisfy local demands even as the BoG insists they do.

After that experience, the PPP in 1992 agreed that the state has to be transformed into one that is as small as possible, but, at the same time, we have to insist that it should be as large as necessary to ensure that we move ourselves out of poverty in as short a time as possible. The PNC’s development plans were driven by state ownership of production (State Capitalism) which destroyed the market forces necessary for competition and other disciplines necessary for sustainable growth.

The socialist dogmas undergirding the then development policies were inimical to the free market, and spawned a culture of special interests seeking to benefit from the state policies (rent-seeking). While we should learn from our experience as to the downside risks of a large governmental role in industrial policy, and act to minimise those risks, we again emphasise the fact that no country in the modern era has risen out of poverty without strong Government intervention.

In this space, we have consistently called for the creation of what has been labelled a “Catalytic Entrepreneurial State” (CES). Such a state would first have to be a responsible state, with a strong demonstrated commitment to Private Sector development, as is presently the case. Unlike the APNU/ AFC coalition Government, the incumbent PPP Government has been willing to facilitate Guyanese becoming wealthy. The Government’s relationship with the Public Service is another area of grave concern in the formation of a CES. In whatever endeavour the state engages, much depends on the professionalism of the Civil Servants for success. In Guyana, we will definitely need to insist on new and higher standards for employment, with commensurate remuneration in the Civil Service, and this may necessitate redeploying much of the present staff.

The CES will also have to be a “facilitative State”, as the IMF/World Bank has been insisting. We have no problem with the proposition that the Government will play a regulatory role to restore (and maintain) markets to their proper function (clearing markets).

As the Government is bravely demonstrating against the tide of the dominant neoliberal orthodoxy, it will have to continue to provide quality free education, social services, and healthcare for all citizens, even as it develops our abysmal infrastructure and catalyses industrialization.

GECOM in full readiness for 2023 LGE

Dear

Editor,

One should have no problems providing the deserving plaudits and commendations to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) for seamlessly rolling out its comprehensive plans for hosting the June 12 Local Government Elections (LGEs).

In arriving at the demonstrated whole level of preparedness, the GECOM's implementing team has ensured consistency with the legallytime-bound, verifiable activities, while providing transparent guidelines and decisions for fairness and to inform acceptable results.

At this point, the nomination of candidates competing for election to the Councils of the various 70 Local Authority Areas (LAAs) and 10 Municipalities is completed, and potential candidates have already received the confirmations from GECOM. Consequently, the transformation of the mood and spirit of the entire country to the competitive fever we experience at election time is very much on track.

Some vital scheduled activities are ongoing, including the Joint

Services’ preparation for the Elections, which is also welcome. While the Joint Services staff will cast their votes on June 06, 2023 (D-Day), the Joint Services Training Committee is conducting intensive training in preparation for all possible scenarios on and before Election Day. In addition, GECOM has invited the application of interested persons and groups for their consideration and approval as Observers, which is most welcome. It is applaudable that Local Observer Groups will be accredited to observe the Elections.

GECOM's Chief Executive Officer, Vishnu Persaud, and his efficient team produced a carefully prepared Work Plan through which the Preliminary List of Voters (PLV) was updated thoroughly, and the Registers of Voters for each of the 80 Local Authority Areas. Further, through these controlled procedures, its Secretariat has more robust command and control with the appointment of Electoral Registrars and Assistant Electoral Registrars. In addition, GECOM has already completed the management and polling day staff

training for all the Local Authority Areas.

Seeing the two main political parties on the ground campaigning is heartening. While the main Opposition has failed to put up candidates to contest the Elections in many constituencies, they are visibly trying to be active in a few areas. However, the PPP/C is very proactive, and is aggressively campaigning in all corners of the country. Even in Constituencies where the PPP/C has no opposition, they are going house to house to bring about political awareness and enlighten the masses of their good intention to make all the Comminutes a better place.

These LGEs will be an Election with a difference, since the strategic and objective approach of the Governing PPP/C presents a solid contrast to the system of the Opposition, which in the recent past has been more focused on offering cases to disrupt or further delay the elections. Notably, the PPPC demonstrates a committed and firmly focused agenda on strengthening the people's inclusiveness and togetherness at the grassroots level, which will unite this nation in all its

diversity. In contrast, the Opposition clan seemed to jump on board at the last moment, following their failed and futile excuses-laden approach premised on ethnic division. There is intense anticipation that the PNC will pay dearly for the roles of some of their senior administrators in their failed attempt to steal power at the March 2020 General and Regional Elections. This position is evident in their failure to propose representative contesting candidates in several constituencies.

Notwithstanding, they could no longer present futile excuses, as GECOM has presented a transparent and verified Preliminary List of Voters, and notified procedures as a platform for free and fair elections.

The PNC must now face the electorate, and it is pleasing to know and see that the campaigning in the various constituencies has taken on a very peaceful posture. As Guyana moves towards LGEs on June 12 this year, let us help GECOM to produce the best free and fair elections.

Sincerely,

Neil Kumar

Officers of the US Marines presented the outgoing US Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch, with a departing gift (the recent US flag that was flown over the Embassy) in recognition of her four-year tenure in Guyana. Ambassador Lynch hosted officials, including President Dr Irfaan Ali, at an elaborate farewell reception on Friday evening at her official residence (US Embassy photo)

5 reasons the PPP/C will win big at LGE

Dear Editor, Democracy may be more than elections, but free, fair, and regular elections must certainly be the most fundamental aspect of democratic governance. Without elections, the very thing we call citizenship will cease to exist in any meaningful way.

The PPP/C has always put its faith in free and fair elections, and accordingly, no one should be surprised with its focus on educating, preparing and mobilizing the Guyanese people for the upcoming LGE next month.

The PPP/C will win these elections for five specific reasons. Firstly, PPP supporters are highly motivated, well organized, and are eager to contest these elections. They know that without elections they do not have a voice in governing the country. Readers need to know that, in politics, party leaders and supporters communicate a great deal in the run-up to elections. During this time, the rank-and-file members of the party get steady access to leaders, who get to know thousands upon thousands of the people who not only vote, but get others to do so. Look around Guyana and you will see the red force in action.

Secondly, the PPP has superb leadership at the top. Freedom House is a well-oiled machine. It is built on brilliant strategic thinking, agile political manoeuvres, and a ferocious tenacity to make party supporters central to what the party does, and how it goes about putting ideas into action and action into service.

President Ali and Vice President Jagdeo are not only gifted political minds, but are also maximally pragmatic. Unlike the PNC, which is stuck in thinking

from the 1960s, the PPP is made of the stuff of innovation. Mr. Norton has nothing to offer his own party, much less the Guyanese people. The WPA and AFC are born losers where elections at the LGE are concerned. Neither could even get a respectable list of candidates. The WPA, by its own admission, is leaderless. AFC leaders worry most about which one will be the favourite pet of the APNU.

In the meantime, Prime Minister Brigadier Mark Phillips is an astute field commander for the civic component of the PPP/C.

Thirdly, it can now be said with both confidence and data that the PPP has the most ethnically diverse list of candidates compared to any party list in the history of Guyana. The PPP struck a mighty step forward with new names on the list, including former Mayor of Georgetown and APNU Councillor Patricia Chase-Green, APNU Councillor Tricia Richards, and former Independent City Councillor for the Albouystown/Charlestown Constituency, Malcolm Ferreira.

Nor should we forget that the PPP now has on board former National Cricketer and Businessman Steven Jacobs, and national footballer Jeremy Garrett, a former Citizenship Initiative Executive. These are only the most high-profile names of prominent Afro-Guyanese who have joined the PPP ticket.

The PPP ticket is also deep with gender balance and with young candidates. These are historical strengths of the PPP/C. The current cabinet, for instance, has several young ministers who are making incisive contributions to the country. Charles Ramson Jr. and

Susan Rodrigues obviously come to mind. The indefatigable Nigel Dharamlall and Collin Croal obviously come to mind as youngish party activists who made it all the way to cabinet ministers!

Fourthly, the record of the PPP/C really matters. Without a solid record of economic achievements, even the best of political parties cannot budge voters. Remember James Carville’s “It’s the economy, stupid!” Despite every effort by development deniers in Guyana, many of whom hide behind the label “civil society,” Guyana is moving forward. It is important to acknowledge that while oil and gas are at the leading edge of the current economic transformation, the non-oil sectors, and particularly agriculture, are making great strides. GuySuCo CEO Mr. Sasenarine Singh is optimistic that the promised turnaround in sugar is well under way. GuySuCo is set to meet all its production targets. Recall that this is the same industry that the APNU-AFC worked hard to put out of business, with massive layoffs and blatant disrespect for workers.

Still on the economic front, it is imperative that we acknowledge the dramatic innovation in mon-

etizing our carbon sink capacity. The first ever REDD+-TREES agreement between Guyana and Hess Corporation is bold, brilliant, and unprecedented. Guyana is leading the way on climate change economics for developing countries. Readers should also know that, in addition to oil revenues, the Local Content Legislation for the oil sector is allowing Guyanese employment and business opportunities that only years ago were the stuff of wishing thinking.

Fifth and finally, the PPP/C is an optimistic force in Guyana. When you listen to those from the PNC/R, WPA, and AFC, you cannot help but feel a sense of gloom and doom. These people are not only poor managers of the economy, but they are also steep in negativity that is almost ideological. They hope for failure because the rhetoric of doom and gloom is their basic language.

The PPP is on its way to a massive victory at the June LGE. It is quite likely that the crossover movement from the APNU-AFC to the PPP, which began in small but steady steps, will turn into a tidal wave.

Sincerely,

Dr Randolph Persaud

POPULAR PURE BREEDS (AND CROSSBREEDS) IN GUYANA - continued

The discussion on the German Shepherd breed on my column of May 7, 2023 created quite a reaction, mostly in support of my contention that this breed is quite intelligent. However, breeders and dog lovers must be (and are usually) quite cognizant of the fact that biology, in which the study of genetics finds itself, is not an exact science, say like mathematics. Some siblings are left-handed while others are right-handed. A woman can have a gesta-

I am making is that while one breed is known for its intelligence, so too are other breeds. I make an extra effort to belabour that point because the readers of this column will constantly notice that words like loyalty, human friendly, good-with-children, energetic, strong, hardy, trustworthy, territorial, easily trainable, are characteristics used to describe various breeds, and are in fact shared by many quite different breeds.

vices, Rottweilers, though burly and protective, were never seriously considered for duty because of their perceived inability to jump over walls in pursuit of “criminals”. Some Rotts would prefer to go through and around obstacles, rather than go over a wall in chase. Actually, the evaluators of the exercise felt that they were not very clever, and definitely not good at solving problems. Rottweilers use their bulk and strength to remove barriers.

Should a decision on its intellectual aptitude be made using only a few standard parameters? In fact, the shallowness of that particular evaluation at that time (when statistical methodologies were not as accurate as they are today) resulted in a decline in the usage of Rottweilers during the 19th century, causing the breed to dwindle almost to the point of extinction.

sturdy build, the Rott is quite agile.

tion (length of pregnancy) of 8 ½ months, 9 months, and 9 ½ months – irrespective of race, geography, and even her age and number of pregnancies. The point

ROTTWEILER

During my training stint with dogs being selected for work in the army and other security ser-

By the early 20th century, however, the Rottweiler made a dramatic comeback, not lastly because of its guarding and fighting instincts. They are currently employed by both the police and the military; perhaps not so much in Guyana, but definitely in other parts of the world, particularly as guard dogs and in search-and-rescue work.

Allow me to quickly add that, in spite of its size and

The Rottweiler at present enjoys a more positive image as a guard dog and an intimidating status symbol. My own expe rience working with Rotts and as a veterinary care giver can attest to the fact that, despite the breed’s great strength and easi ly aroused protective re sponses, Rotts are not nat urally ill-tempered. With thoughtful, profession al, experienced and firm training protocols, the Rottweiler will exhibit to any handler, veterinari ans included, enough mes sages that it is prepared to be aggressive. Once one knows what to look for, the

Rottweiler will be a calm (confident) and obedient companion, loving bouts of exercise with its owner/ caregiver.

Poodles (Medium-sized Poodles) and the Toy Poodles – each with its fancy poodle clips.

Weight and Size Variations in Poodles

POODLE

In Guyana, and I imagine in many other countries, the word “Poodle’ is used very loosely. The Standard Poodle, on which many of the current variations of the breed are based, would be the one which we usually see competing in Dog Shows. They are just plain and simple cute.

The Poodle is claimed by France (ergo, the French Poodle), but because of the portrait by German artists, paintings of noblemen and kings with their Poodles, it is not illogical to believe that this breed had German origins.

Over the centuries, the larger Poodle (Standard) has been deliberately downsized. Consequently, we now have the Miniature

(REF:3 Ways to Identify a Poodle - wikiHow)

Whichever variation, Poodles are energetic and very intelligent. That’s why so many circus dogs you see jumping through hoops and performing difficult acts are Poodles. They are easy to train.

The Poodle is affectionate and easy to please. It is sensitive, and tends to bond closely, especially with one person. A big plus for this breed is that its coat does not shed hair easily. Of course, the coat needs to be brushed and clipped regularly. This last comment demands that I advise caregivers to describe to the groomer the exact “cut” (fashion, grooming style) they desire. All quarrels/ misunderstandings can be circumvented after the clip by dissatisfied owners.

ExxonMobil

unlimited guarantee court order…

Private sector body concerned about local impact of ruling

…wants amicable resolution

The local private sector has weighed in on the heated public debate regarding the recent court ruling that ExxonMobil Guyana and its co-venturers must provide unlimited insurance coverage for its Liza 1 operations, expressing grave concerns over the possible impacts of such a judgement.

The Private Sector Commission (PSC), now headed by Komal Singh, issued a statement on Saturday stating that it is “profoundly concerned over the controversy which has arisen” regarding the ruling handed down in the matter “Collins & Whyte vs The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)”.

Recognising that it is bound by the fact that the case is sub-judice, the Commission nevertheless registered its view that the outcome of this legal battle holds “considerable significance” to the future of Guyana.

On May 3, High Court

Judge Justice Sandil Kissoon ordered the EPA to issue an Enforcement Notice to ExxonMobil’s local affiliate, Esso Exploration and Production (Guyana) Limited (EEPGL), to provide an unlimited Parent Company Guarantee Agreement and/ or unlimited liability Affiliate Company Guarantee within 30 days. Failure to comply would result in the suspension of the permit dated May 31, 2022, which essentially means oil production at Liza 1 in the Stabroek Block offshore Guyana would be ceased, resulting in significant revenue losses of approximately US$350 million per month.

The EPA and ExxonMobil Guyana have since filed appeals against the ruling, with

the US oil major further applying for a stay of the order. If the stay is not granted and if the parent companies of the co-venturers, including Hess Corp and CNOOC, do not agree to comply with the order of unlimited insurance coverage, the Liza 1 operations could be halted, ExxonMobil Guyana Country Manager Alistair Routledge explained during a press conference on Friday.

Amicable resolution

Amid the appeals, the PSC said it looks forward to “ultimately clarifying the legal issues at stake with a view to have an amicable resolution”.

In the meantime, the Commission invited all of Guyana to give “serious thought and reflection” to where the country is today in terms of the significant infrastructure and transformative developments which have already taken place as a result of the investments made by ExxonMobil.

“The capital investments made by Exxon and their partners are already quite extraordinary for our country of less than a million people, amounting to date, of US$20B in the Stabroek Block and committed investments amounting to some US$45B. We have already begun to benefit hugely from these investments which are projected to exceed some US$200B over their lifetime,” the PSC outlined.

“This influx of massive amounts of capital investments and foreign direct investment has led to the unprecedented demand of unskilled, skilled, and technical labour resulting in significant increases in salaries in the private sector alone. Consider

four years ago, unskilled labourers earned GY$3,000 to GY$4,000 per day; today, that same labourer earns between GY$8,000 to GY$10,000. This significant increase in wages is replete in all spheres of employment across Guyana as a result of the oil & gas sector.”

Against this backdrop, the PSC posited that it is “inconceivable” that any sensible Guyanese would consider reversing this massive progress but in the same vein, the organisation recognised the need to protect the environment and guard against an oil spill – something which it described as “unlikely and highly improbable”.

Meanwhile, the Commission said it is reassured by remarks from ExxonMobil Guyana’s President that the company is prepared “at any time to do the right thing”.

“The Private Sector Commission believes and support the fact that significant strides and attention is being paid by all stakeholders in Guyana to ensure continuous and sustainable development. The Private Sector Commission will continue to advocate for national development in an environmentally safe manner, which benefits all Guyanese throughout the length and breadth of Guyana. Guyana’s oil and gas industry is the vehicle which promises to take us to that realisation.”

Background

The court challenge, which was filed by President of the Transparency Institute of Guyana Inc (TIGI) Fredericks Collins and Guyanese citizen Godfrey Whyte in September 2022, only sought to have the EPA implement the liability

clause in the Liza Phase One permit. Hence, the Liza Phase Two Project currently in operations offshore, and other potential developments, will not be affected by these proceedings.

ExxonMobil had previously contended, after the court ruling, that the Stabroek Block co-venturers have adequate and appropriate insurance as well as proposed guarantees in an amount that exceeds industry precedents and an estimate of potential liability.

It was disclosed that after almost one year of negotiations,

EPA and EEPGL have completed a Parent Guarantee and Indemnity Agreement to the tune of US$2 billion in liability coverage in compliance with EEPGL’s financial assurance obligations under the Environmental Permit and the Environmental Protection Act.

But Justice Kissoon had found that, “the insurance obtained by the EEPGL from its Affiliate Company AON UK Ltd, both for the Liza Phase 1 and Phase 2 Projects, does not satisfy the stipulation and obligation set out at Condition

14:5 of the Environmental Permit, or even what is considered environmental liability insurance according to international standards of the petroleum industry.”

June 10 is the deadline for compliance with Justice Kissoon’s ruling and on May 29, the Appeal Court will hear arguments on whether the appeal has reasonable prospect of succeeding. Meanwhile, there are several court cases challenging various aspects of ExxonMobil’s operations offshore Guyana. (G-11)

EPA Head Kemraj Parsram ExxonMobil Guyana President Alistair Routledge

PSC Head Komal Singh

GPF offers $10M reward for recapture of high-profile prisoner “Smallie”

– authorities

– confirms boat used in operation

One day after the escape of notorious mass murderer Mark Royden Durant also known as “Royden Williams” and “Smallie,” who escaped in dramatic style from the Mazaruni Prison, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) is now offering a $10 million reward for any information that may lead to his arrest.

With a manhunt underway for the fugitive, a joint service operation led to the discovery of the getaway boat on Saturday along with the arrest of the captain, who claimed that he was coerced to commit the act.

The vessel was found on the right bank of the Cuyuni River. This bit of information was released to the media on Saturday during a press briefing by Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn.

He stated that the owner, who is also the captain of the boat, was reportedly forced to facilitate the escape of the high-profile criminal. Benn also believes that the wanted man is being accompanied

by a group of three or more accomplices.

Expressing his dismay, Benn described the brazen daylight escape as a “wellplanned operation”, and believes that there was some form of involvement by prison officials. So far, the two prison officers who were escorting Durant remain in custody along with others, including a Spanishspeaking woman.

“The information we have so far is that it was wellplanned. Persons, perhaps in the prison system and otherwise, who may be involved

in relation to the issue… we have to determine that properly as a result of investigations which have started…”, Benn told media operatives.

Recent developments have shed light on Williams's movements immediately following his escape. According to Benn, Williams and his accomplices were spotted in the vicinity of a quarry after the getaway boat encountered mechanical issues.

Prompted by this information, the Joint Services have launched an intense pursuit, thus employing their resources across air, land, and water with the aim

of apprehending the fugitive. In addition, the Minister noted that the need has not arrived to inform their counterparts in neighbouring countries.

“We haven’t gotten to that point, but all divisions were alerted and are at an elevated state of readiness”, he said.

He said border crossings have been closely monitored to prevent his potential entry into foreign territories, ensuring that he remains within the jurisdiction of Guyana.

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Fears…

…of the machine

The world is all agog over the claims and counterclaims about whether machines have now become sentient. Surely, you haven’t been able to avoid articles and arguments of the Artificial Intelligence “bot” (no more “robot!) called ChatGPT? This question, of course, has been around in the science fiction world for decades. Of recent, movies have offered graphic presentations of what’s gonna happen when they actually do. They go back at least to the 1930s, but, in the present, think “The Terminator” and “The Matrix” franchises!! The first thing they’ll do - we’re assured - will be to take over the world and rule us under their jackboots!!

And why not? No matter how you slice it or dice it, if the bots are being programmed like the neural networks of us humans, isn’t that what we’d do if we had the wherewithal to do so?? Think Genghis Khan, thru Stalin and Hitler!! The wherewithal would come from their superior ability “to go where no man has gone before” in the thinking department!! And this isn’t just about beating us at chess, which was accomplished decades ago, but to “think” outside the box – the “box” of our brains!!

The machines are taught by an AI algorithm known as a “large language model”, or LLM. This uses “deep learning” and large data sets like millions of books and the entire Wikipedia to digest and generate new content. Recently, one researcher at Microsoft published a paper describing his experiment that demonstrated machine sentience. But that’s been trenchantly challenged. There are doubts that the bots can actually go beyond the algorithms and come up with something entirely new!! But the Turing test for sentience seems to become obsolete: these bots can convince a human interlocutor that they’re sentient hands down!!

Anyhow, to save us from sentient machines, the sci writer Isaac Asimov, in the 1950s, devised his three laws of robotics: A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm; they must obey orders given them by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law. And must protect their own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

But what’s gonna ensure the improvement of AI is that it will be driven by that concept that’s at the center of all present human activity – profits!! One analyst from Goldman Sachs recently justified massive spending in this field: “Over the next 10 years, AI could increase productivity by 1.5% per year. And that could increase S&P500 profits by 30% or more over the next decade.”

Yep…money will even make the new AI world go round!!

…of political usurpation

In the evolution of political participation in the West, there’s been a certain pattern. First, the nobles flexed their muscles against the King; then the emerging bourgeoisie against the nobles; and finally, the plebes or commoners did their thing against the bourgeoisie. There was a twopronged attack in Guyana, with workers first rising up for better conditions through riots and then Trade Unions.

Then the Trade Unions begat Political Parties, which duked it out to control the Government and political power. There was now a demarcation between their fields of activity: political parties vied for political power, and Trade Unions agitated against employers for better working conditions and wages. In the present neo-liberal dispensation, labour’s been the one bearing the pressure for profits. So, you’d think the unions would be taking on employers something fierce, no?? Not in Guyana!! The TUC – aligned with the PNC - announced a 15-point plan of activities – 10 of which are political!!

Going political to undermine the PNC Opposition Leader, eh??

…of Judicial intimidation??

All the AG remarked was that a magistrate didn’t follow the most basic rule of the judicial decision-making process: to follow the reasoning of previous Courts on similar fact-pattern. It’s called stare decisis.

That’s intimidation??

investigating “well-planned” escape – Min Benn

discovered, captain arrested

Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn

Prison Director Niklon Elliot Escapee Mark Royden Williams, known as “Smallie”

Banks DIH records $5.26B profits in half-year report

– parking facility for completion in 2nd half of 2023

Banks DIH Limited is continuing its excellent performance, with the Group recording a $5.266 billion profit before tax in the first half of its 2023 fiscal year.

This is according to Chairman, Clifford Reis, in his report on the Operating and Financial results of the Group’s mid-year performance for the six months, ending on March 31, 2023.

Compared to the previous year, the $5.266 billion unaudited profit before taxation is reflective of an increase of $484 million or 10.1 per cent. The 2022 mid-year profit was $4.782 billion.

The Group’s unaudited profit after taxation attributable to shareholders of the parent company was $3.068 billion compared to $2.820 billion in 2022 – another increase of $248 million or 8.8 per cent.

However, the Group’s third-party revenue for the six-month was $23.508 billion compared to $21.873 billion for the corresponding period in 2022. This represents a hike of $1.635 billion or 7.5 per cent.

Revenue generated by the company in the first half of 2023 was $20.864 billion, raising by $1.296 billion or 6.6 per cent over last year’s $19.568 billion.

Additionally, the unaudited operating profit before taxation for the company was

$3.960 billion compared to $3.646 billion in 2022, that is, an increase of $314 million or 8.6 per cent; while the unaudited profit after taxation was $2.760 billion compared to $2.533 billion in the previous year, also an increase of $227 million or 9 per cent.

“The company was able to achieve growth in the first six months of the 2023 financial year due to increased revenue derived from an increase in physical units sold for our food and beverage products as well as prudent cost management and company-wide improvement in the productive efficiency of our manufacturing plants,” Reis explained in his report.

He went on to note that the capital expenditure to increase the efficiencies of the company’s manufacturing capacity continued on its production plants and the commissioning of the Water Production Plant.

Moreover, there was the

acquisition of new trucks and forklifts as well as freezers, coolers and water dispensers to enhance the route-to-market initiatives. Expenditure was also made on solar panels to further the beverage giant’s alternative energy programme and investments were made in computer hardware and software as well.

In addition, the Chairman reported that work will continue in the second half year on Banks DIH Brewery expansion and Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Plant upgrades.

Banks’ automotive and parking facility

Meanwhile, Banks Automotive and Services Inc, a 100 per cent owned subsidiary of the company, generated revenue to the tune of $67.1 million compared to $25.8 million in 2022, thus reflecting an increase of $41.3 million or 160 per cent.

Profit after taxation for this subsidiary was $1.6 million.

In the first half year, works continued on the new multi-storey vehicle parking facility, corporate offices and showroom for Banks Automotive and Services Inc. This project, according to Reis, is expected to be completed in the second half year.

Construction on this facility began in 2019 at the Demerara Park Area – located opposite Banks DIH Ruimveldt, Greater

Georgetown, and will create massive parking space for staff and customers as well as space for planned future development.

Meanwhile, Citizens Bank Guyana Inc, a 51 per cent owned subsidiary of the company, recorded an unaudited profit after taxation for the first half of 2023 to the tune of $838.2 million. This is compared to $722.2 million achieved during the same period last year and represents an increase of $116 million or 16.1 per cent.

Chairman Reis noted that “The improved results of Citizens Bank were derived from increased interest income due to the increase in the quality of loans and controlling of key operational expenses. In the second half

year, the Bank will continue to align its efforts to support the various developmental projects embarked on in the economy.”

Moreover, the Directors have approved an interim dividend of $0.45 per share unit to all shareholders whose names appear on the Share Register as of May 18, 2023. The cost of this dividend payment will be $382.4 million.

As a local food and beverage company, Reis pointed out that Banks DIH is involved in transforming raw materials into finished products which has its own difficulties. He highlighted the overall challenge continues to be associated with supply chain issues, which include the availability of raw and packaging materials, ship-

ping delays, and increased costs.

“This has affected our performance. However, we are optimistic that through our management capability, enhanced production processes, and human resource management, we will report better results in the second half of the financial year 2023,” the Chairman posited.

Nevertheless, he used the opportunity to extend his gratitude to his fellow Directors and the Executive Board for their continued support and dedication as well as to shareholders, employees, suppliers and customers for their sustained confidence and loyalty to the Group.

“We look forward to serving you in the future,” Chairman Reis said.

Banks DIH Chairman Clifford Reis

Works ongoing to complete Banks DIH vehicle parking facility in the second half of 2023

US oilfield services company opens base in Guyana

Texas-based National Oilwell Varco (NOV), a leading oil and gas drilling and production equipment provider, opened its first base facility in Guyana on Thursday, joining the country’s emerging energy sector.

This Wellsite Service and Tuboscope facility at Plantation Rome on the East Bank of Demerara adds to the base facilities

the company has in 11 Latin American countries.

An industry leader, NOV offers technical expertise, specialised equipment, and operational support in areas of drilling and production, taking into consideration the safe production of energy with minimal adverse impacts on the environment.

The company made its first trip to Guyana in 2020, working with ExxonMobil

through Sustainable Environmental Solutions (SES), to help with the recycling and reusing of drilling materials.

Now, as the country’s oil and gas sector continues to grow expeditiously, NOV’s new facility offers them a chance to be active participants in Guyana’s development, with plans to expand to include more Guyanese in their workforce as well.

“We have a small handful here now, we are growing it and we hope to do a lot more here and we will grow it with a very intelligent, hardworking workforce,” NOV President Mark Lapeyrouse stated at the opening.

NOV also houses a thermal distortion facility at Guyana Shore Base Inc and works closely with SES which houses an estimated US$4 million in parts for the oilfield services company.

Senior Petroleum Coordinator at the Natural Resources Ministry, Bobby Gosai expressed that major

goods, services, and technology are available in the country,” Gosai said.

Gosai added this is also an opportunity to increase the skills within the Guyanese workforce.

“The oil and gas that is produced in Guyana and the services, products, and skills that are needed are world-class and companies like NOV and [their partners] need to have specialised skills,” Gosai said.

“Having personnel here in Guyana [who are] trained and being able to man and manage these types of operations is very important,”

further business growth, opportunities and revenue-generated capacity for Guyana.

Meanwhile, Guyana Office for Investment (GOInvest) Chief Executive Officer, Dr Peter Ramsaroop assured NOV that they have made a successful investment.

“Our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew 62 per cent last year and [is set to grow] 35 per cent in the next four or five years,” Ramsaroop said.

investors like NOV are welcome in Guyana as they will expand the local content services available in the country.

“Services like [NOV], through [their] partnership, will now be added to what we can measure as local content simply because the

he said, adding that these activities are set out in the country’s Local Content Law.

Gosai also said that over the next few months, the Government will be working on further regulations and ways in which they can improve the facilitation of

“No investor has to wonder where Guyana is going, no investor has to wonder whether or not the Government is investing in their people, investing in education, training and healthcare – those are all public directions that His Excellency is taking us,” he added.

National Oilwell Varco (NOV) President, Mark Lapeyrouse

NOV’s new base facility at Plantation Rome, East Bank Demerara

Cross-ethnic support must be wooed, not bludgeoned

My old friend and ex-PPP Minister

Berbice Deep Water Port could be partially operational this year – as

CGX pushes ahead with in-river construction

The Canadian-based CGX Energy aims to partially have the Berbice Deep Water Port operational in the fourth quarter of 2023 as the in-river construction activities are progressing rapidly.

linquish two oil exploration blocks offshore Demerara and Berbice to the State, so that the company can focus on operations in the Corentyne Block as well as the deep-water port facility.

Dr. Henry Jeffrey responded rather acerbically to my piece “Stop blaming Indian indentureds: we were all pawns/We once again call for a national conversation on race/ethnicity”. But I am a bit unsure about the source of his angst. The gravamen of my article was that it was not a historical fact that Indian Indentured undercut the wage demands of the newly-freed African labourers and made them leave the plantations. And that when the claim is repeated in the present, where the two groups are competing for power, it unnecessarily adds to the justificatory blame game. To ordinary Guyanese, it appears that Indians transitively stymied early African aspirations.

GAICO Construction and General Services Inc. (GCIE) has started with the 160-foot access trestle, after which the wharf would be built perpendicular to the trestle and parallel to the eastern bank of the river.

Ravi Dev

Henry, however, went beyond the proof I offered: that by 1848, when the strike by the African labourers for higher wages was broken by indentured labourers, the Indian component was much smaller than the combined African West Indians, Liberated Africans and Portuguese Madeirans. He approvingly cited the historian Webber to conclude, “Africans were leaving the plantations voluntarily en masse: Indians did not have to chase them!” Yet he chose to label my claim “propaganda”.

He also took great pains to emphasize that, overall, indentureship depressed plantation wages: implying that if the wages were higher, the freed Africans would have remained on the hated plantations. He thus contradicts his own citation of Webber: ‘The forsaking by the Negroes of the plantation and electing to work on them only when the direst necessity compelled it may be understood. They had no gratitude to, and less liking for, the men who had placed a yoke on their necks for 100 years.’

The reality was that, in Guyana and Trinidad, the availability of land offered the freed Africans an opportunity to be completely free of plantation labour. In places like Barbados and Antigua, where there was no available land, the freed Africans could either accept plantation work or, at best, emigrate to Guyana or Trinidad, where wages were higher. That’s right: the wages on the Guyanese plantations were not only attractive to Indians and Madeirans, but West Indians from the small islands.

Presumably as a corrective to my “propaganda”, Henry offered “four notions of truth”, which I will use to evaluate my claim, which Henry also dubs a “false narrative (that) falls short on every count.”

Whew!!

1: Factual or forensic truth: an interpretation of facts that would at least erode any denials about the past. Isn’t this what I did with the uncontroverted asynchronous numbers on Indian Indentured arrivals and the movement out of the plantations by newly-freed Africans??

2: Personal or narrative truth: stories told by perpetrators and victims that provide an opportunity for healing and reconciliation. There were no narratives from 1848.

3: Social or ‘dialogue’ truth: generated by interaction, discussion and debate of conflicting views. Isn’t this what Henry and I are doing, even with Henry’s name-calling?

4: Healing and restorative truth: truth as a factual record is not enough: interpretation must be directed towards goals of selfhealing, reconciliation, and reparation. I was attempting to show that labelling Indian Indentureds in effect as “scabs” who undercut African wage demands misapplied an agency to the former, who were pawns in the Planters’ determined efforts to obtain plantation labour. Plantations, as Rodney noted, “require a labour supply of a particular type. The labour must be cheap and plentiful, and even more important, the labour must be easily controlled.”

Henry says my claim “obstructs the opportunities for healing and reconciliation as contained in the Opposition’s position”. To wit, that “the idea of shared governance is rooted in the fact that all of us have built Guyana, and should equitably share in its operations and outcomes.” But the Opposition’s memory warriors bellicosely insist that African Guyanese have an unassailable legitimacy to Guyana’s patrimony because of historical claims of prior arrival, greater suffering etc.

The fact that they and Henry can demand that extant neutral democratic rules for allocating governmental authority be jettisoned to facilitate their “seat at the table, or else”, exemplifies this assumption. In the absence of imposition of shared governance, they undermine needed cross-ethnic outreaches such as Norton’s and Alexander’s support for INDIAN Arrival Day.

In divided societies, cross-ethnic support must be wooed. The Opposition’s memory warriors remind me of Sparrow’s misogynistic advice in this department: “Black up deh eyes, bruise up deh knee/ And den deh love you eternally”!!

In brief comment to Guyana Times, owner of the company, Komal Singh, said that in a month’s time the trestle should be completed, thus paving the way for other major work to commence.

Back in January, the company had said it had spent over US$22 million on the BDWP project thus far through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Grand 2 Canal Industrial Estates (GCIE). GCIE had previously reported that there were some minor setbacks with the project, due to revisions that were needed to the design of its Wharf and Trestle in the Berbice River.

In November 2022, CGX reported that the cargo terminal aspect of the Port is expected to commence in mid-2023 and operation of the oil and gas support base in late 2023, subject to construction schedules and supply chains.

The port facility intends to serve as an offshore supply base for the oil and gas industry, and as a multi-purpose terminal to service agricultural import/export and containerized and specialized cargo, including aggregates for construction purposes. The BDW Project aims to enable the provisioning of operators and vendors in the territorial waters of both Guyana and Suriname.

The deep-water harbour project is being built on 30 acres of land adjacent to and north of Crab Island on the eastern bank of the Berbice River. It has been reported that 10 acres of the plot have been set aside as a living laboratory for the study of mangrove habitats in co-existence with commercial port operations.

Previously, the Guyana Government had expressed concerns over the slow

pace of the BWDP Project, and had given CGX up to month-end of September 2022 to submit a plan on how it intends to move forward with the port facility. Subsequently in October of that year, Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat told this newspaper that he was slated to meet with CGX representatives to intensify discussions on fast-tracking works on the project.

The CGX deep-water harbour project has been in the works since 2010. GCIE has been engaged in civil works related to the construction of the US$130 million Berbice Deep-Water Port, which intends to serve as an offshore supply base

for the oil and gas industry, and as a multi-purpose terminal cargo handling base to service agricultural import/export, containerised and specialised cargo.

Initially, it was expected that the offshore oil and gas support shore base would be operationalised by the third quarter of 2022, and the cargo terminal by the end of 2023. However, in its financial statements in August 2022, CGX informed shareholders that it would be unable to meet the 2022 deadline, and that a revised schedule for completion is being discussed with the contractor.

Given its slow-paced operation, the Guyana Government had CGX re-

President Dr Irfaan Ali has already emphasised the importance of a deep-water harbour in Guyana as part of his administration’s push to have the country become a major logistics and trans-shipment hub in the region, including the Caribbean.

In fact, back in December 2022, the Head of State indicated that such a facility is needed to link Guyana with Brazil.

“We’re now working very actively on ensuring that Guyana will have, and must have, our own deep-water harbour. That deep-water harbour must be connected to Brazil, and must be built as the premier logistics and trans-shipment hub for the Caribbean, going up North and connecting Brazil. That is the business model,” he stated.

According to President Ali, he had already reached out, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to the new Brazilian President, Luiz Inácio Lula Da Silva, for a bilateral meeting to discuss this and other issues.

Work ongoing at the Berbice Deep Water Port

| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Miss Universe Guyana pageant returns after 5-year hiatus

The Miss Universe Guyana Pageant will be hosted this year after a five-year hiatus under new management. The pageant is set for September 1-2 under the patronage of Apply Global Productions LLC, independent producers under licence by the Miss Universe Organisation.

Guyana debuted at Miss Universe in 1956 and has only competed 22 times, never placing. US-based Talent Acquisition Leader and award-winning pag-

eant director Teri BrownWalker said she plans to change those stats and has developed what she calls the “Avengers Winning OPS Dream Team,” to pull off Guyana’s first-ever placement.

The dream team is comprised of four nationally ranked titleholders with various expertise, award-winning fashion and costume designer, interview, fitness, public speaking, and media coaches, all of whom are highly regarded in their

fields and have produced multiple national winners.

Miss Guyana Universe 2023 winner will be set up for success with 1-on-1 coaching, a complete wardrobe of evening gowns, cocktail dresses, interview/ media outfits, and other required attire to compete at the Miss Universe level. All contestants must be at least 18 years of age and under 28 years of age and be a citizen of Guyana.

The winner of the Miss Universe Guyana pageant

will move on to compete at the Miss Universe international pageant in El Salvador (date not yet announced). Miss Universe is one of the most-watched pageants in the world with an estimated audience of over 500 million viewers in over 190 territories.

Teri, to date, has crowned over 75 queens, eight (8) national winners, one (1) international winner, and two (2) Best National State Costume winners. Her mission is to create a loving pageant culture where women feel safe, respected for their humanity, valued for their talent, and rewarded for their contributions.

“Pageantry is my Ministry; I Love this part of my life. Directing and working with contestants and titleholders has become my passion and one of the purposes that God has ordained for my life" Teri noted.

It was reported that after being mired in controversy following the crowning of Rafeiya Husain as the local representative to compete for the Miss Universe 2017 crown, Guyana was reportedly banned from participating in the international pageant for two years.

It was further reported that after complaints were filed which indicated that the Director of the Miss Universe organisation in Guyana ran an illegitimate competition, an investigation was launched by the pageant’s head organisation.

Based on findings of results tampering, etc, Director Jyoti Hardat was allegedly fired and Guyana was given the ban. After Husain’s crowning at York College Performing Arts Centre in New York, the 15 other delegates reported that the pageant was rigged, and Husain was handpicked as the winner even though the crown was not rightfully hers.

The young women alleged mistreatment, sexual harassment, and disrespect by the organisation. Some took to social media and told tales of what occurred during their Miss Universe journey.

Miss Universe Guyana 2017, Rafieya Husain

Pageant Director Teri Brown-Walker

GNBS launches initiative to ensure manufacturers properly measure, label products

The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) on Friday launched its “Verification of Net Content on Pre-packaged Goods” programme to ensure that manufacturers accurately measure and label their pre-packaged products.

“The main objective of this programme is to ensure that consumers receive the correct net content of products purchased and also to ensure equity and trade,” GNBS Head of Legal Metrology Shailendra Rai stated during the launch.

The GNBS describes net content as the amount of product contained in a package, as declared on labels in the form of mass, volume, or other units of measurement.

This verification programme requires manufacturers to use GNBSapproved and verified instruments, measure using only metric quantities as legally required and ensure

measurements are done by trained employees.

This service, to be rolled out immediately by the Bureau’s Legal Metrology Services Department, will begin with the verification of

the net content of pre-packaged goods sold by mass, eventually moving to other units of measurement including volume, count, and length.

GNBS personnel will vis-

it manufacturers’ premises to facilitate corrective actions where necessary in the form of repackaging or relabelling products, the first visit being free while subsequent trips to ensure ap-

propriate actions are taken costing $15,000 per house in addition to transportation costs for destinations out of Georgetown.

Inspectors who will be conducting these verification checks were reportedly trained by the Superintendence of Industry and Commerce (SIC) in Columbia during a four-day exercise last June.

“Once we commence this service, if there is any situation where we encounter problems where there are discrepancies in terms of the weight, an unconformity form will be issued to the manufacturer or the retailer – whoever is doing the pre-packaging – and the product will be placed on hold pending necessary corrective action,” Rai explained.

If the issue can be corrected, the company will be given a timeframe to make adjustments followed by an-

other verification check to ensure its accuracy before the product can be sold once again.

In cases where it cannot be corrected, the product may have to be confiscated or the company may have to remove it from their line.

However, Rai believes when it comes to improving measurement, it is unlikely that a discrepancy would not be fixable.

This verification programme forms part of the activities the GNBS has put forth in anticipation of World Metrology Day to be celebrated on Saturday under the theme “Measurements Supporting the Global Food System.”

The organisation also held training sessions in Essequibo, Berbice, and Georgetown to educate agro-processors and manufacturers on best practices for measuring their products.

Guyana National Bureau of Standards Head of Legal Metrology, Shailendra Rai, alongside colleagues during the launch of the “Verification of Net Content of Pre-packaged Goods” on Friday

Multi-million-dollar recycling project launched in N/A

very time-consuming to get the shredding done; we can shred a lot of bottles in two hours, and then, at another time, we do the mounding and another set of persons can then be attaching the key rings or the earring hooks.”

Aplastic recycling project was on Friday launched in New Amsterdam, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne).

The project, which cost some US$46 million, is being run by the Grace Temple Assembles of God Church. It has already started producing items

from recycled bottles, and soon intends to be producing construction blocks.

Already, Grace Temple Assembles of God Plastic Recycling/Upcycling Centre has been producing earrings, plant pots, and school items like rulers from the recycled bottle caps.

“We are going to use the bottles to make construc-

tion blocks in which the shredded bottles would be incorporated into the concrete to make pavement blocks which you can use to make walkways, etc. We are also hoping that it can be used in the foundation of buildings, thus utilising or getting rid of more of the bottles that will be available to us,” Project

Coordinator Roxanne Ward has said.

Grace Temple has partnered with GEF Small Grants Programme and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for funding.

According to Ward, the church is also partnering with secondary schools in New Amsterdam and Rose Hall Town for the supply of bottles. At Friday’s launch, bins were presented to the participating schools.

“Because the schools have been identified as one

of the largest single users of plastic bottles on a daily basis. So, we have partnered with them. The bins will be placed in the schools, and we will collect the bottles twice weekly, thus giving us a constant supply of the bottles that we will need.”

The project is expected to employ about ten persons, and according to Ward, there is also room for volunteers.

“Two hours of work in the evening will allow us to do a whole lot. It is not

Meanwhile, Regional Manager of the Environmental Protection Agency, Sasenarine Tomby, pointed out that plastic pollution has emerged as a pressing environmental challenge of our time.

As such, he said, the plastic recycling and upcycling programme in New Amsterdam serves as an inspiration to other groups and communities who want to make a difference in combatting plastic pollution.

The project, he noted, showcases what can be achieved when communities, schools and Government agencies unite to address a shared challenge.

Recycling bins donated to schools in New Amsterdam

An apparatus used for recycling

Digicel Guyana scoops Ookla Speedtest Awards for best mobile network

Digicel Guyana has been recognized by Ookla, the global leaders in internet testing and analysis, for offering its customers the “fastest mobile network”, “best mobile coverage”, and “best mobile network”.

This acknowledgment is based on Ookla's Speedtest testing data for the period July to December 2022, which showcased Digicel's mobile network achieving impressive upload and download speeds.

Chief Executive Officer of Digicel Guyana, Gregory Dean, has expressed satisfaction with this achievement, emphasizing the company's commitment to providing customers with the best network experi-

ence. Dean has highlighted Digicel's continuous investments in network infrastructure to ensure the delivery of superior services.

Further, he noted that this recognition from Ookla instills confidence in customers, validating their decision to choose Digicel as their preferred network provider.

Dean has credited the tireless efforts and unwavering dedication of Digicel's exceptional teams throughout the region for this accomplishment.

Moreover, Digicel has introduced FibreX, its cutting-edge fibre optic network, to further revolutionize the connectivity landscape. FibreX provides businesses with ultra-fast and reliable internet con-

nectivity, enabling them to leverage advanced digital technologies and empower

their operations. With its robust infrastructure and high-speed ca-

pabilities, FibreX offers businesses the necessary tools to thrive in today's digital era.

Dean has also reaffirmed Digicel's promise to customers to offer the best network, with unparalleled coverage across Guyana. He emphasized that fulfilling this commitment drives the company's daily operations, and Ookla's recognition of Digicel with the Fastest Mobile Network, Best Mobile Coverage, and Best Mobile Network awards serves as a testament to the collective hard work of all staff members.

It is also a testament to Digicel's unwavering dedication to enabling its customers to fully embrace and enjoy their digital lives through Digicel's superfast connectivity, available to everyone everywhere in Guyana.

Members of Digicel’s Senior Management team and staff take time out for a photo opportunity with the Ookla Speedtest Awards Digicel recently received

Less than 1 week after processing documents…. 22 Grass Field Enmore residents receive land titles

Days after the Housing and Water Ministry announced that it would distribute land titles to residents of Plantation Hope (Enmore Grass Field), East Coast Demerara, the promise was kept as the first 22 families are now in possession of their Certificates of Title.

The first set of titles were presented to the families on Saturday by Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues, less than one week after processing of the ownership documents commenced.

Director of Community Development at the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA) Gladwin Charles, Head of CH&PA’s Conveyance Unit Esther Stephens and other offi -

cials were also present at the handing over ceremony.

Enmore Grass Field was initially identified as farmland for Enmore Hope West residents. In the late 90s, farmers began squatting in the area and regularisation began in 2011, during

President Ali’s tenure as Minister of Housing and Water. Minister Rodrigues stated that the regularisation process was then stalled under the previous Administration.

“We have picked up where we left off then and

today you will finally be able to put an end to that process to allow you to receive your title documents so that you can finally move on with the rest of your life and put an end to this chapter,” Minister Rodrigues told the residents.

Some 55 lots were created in the area and fifty-two persons were verified and issued allocation letters. Processing of titles commenced on May 15, 2023, following an outreach to the community. Minister Rodrigues stated that the titles play a crucial role in the homeownership process, as it gives each family a form of independence.

“It may seem like a piece of paper or just a document but it is an extremely empowering thing. It’s putting financial freedom in your hand and it is giving you a peace of mind that nothing else can give you.”

The remaining persons will be able to process and receive their titles at a lat -

er date. During the activity, residents also used the opportunity to interact with the Minister and raise issues affecting them.

Since Government took office in 2020, there has been an aggressive drive to distribute house lots of titles to Guyanese. In fact,

the Housing Ministry has been successful thus far in its quest to deliver 50,000 house lots by 2025.

The Ministry had also started the process of establishing about 16 new housing areas across Regions Three, Four, Five, and Six.

An official from the CH&PA handing over the land title to one of the residents

A family in smiles as they collect their land title from Minister Rodrigues on Saturday

Quamina Street motorcyclist dies after colliding with stray dog

A27-year-old motorcyclist tragically lost his life in the wee hours of Saturday after he collided with a stray dog along Rupert Craig Highway in the vicinity of the Infectious Diseases Hospital.

The dead man has been

identified as Shamar Frank Wilson, a resident of Quamina Street, Georgetown, who was at the time driving motorcycle CM 1892.

Police stated that Wilson was travelling westbound along the highway when the dog suddenly ran across the

road and into the path of his motorcyclist.

As a result, Wilson collided with the animal, thus causing him to lose control and crash onto the roadway.

Emergency services responded to the scene where they collected the injured mo-

torcyclist and rushed him to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation where he was subsequently pronounced dead.

Wilson's body was taken to the Hospital's Mortuary awaiting a post-mortem.

The news of the

GPF offers $10M reward for...

The Joint Services, he noted, will conduct extensive searches of homes and their surroundings. On this note, Benn called on citizens to exercise caution and fully cooperate with the Joint Services during the intensified search operation. Persons were warned that harbouring a fugitive is a criminal offence for which they can spend up to three years in prison.

Acknowledging the disruptions caused by the ongoing manhunt, he underscored that normalcy will not be restored until Williams is recaptured, urging the public's understanding and support.

Meanwhile, Prison Director (ag) Niklon Elliot stated that they are active-

ly pursuing all leads and reviewing their standard operating procedures (SOPs) to identify any weaknesses.

As such, a meeting was convened with senior ranks to discuss strengthening the system and preventing future escapes.

“At the level of the Joint Services, we are actively pursuing all leads in relation to this matter… we are reviewing our SOPs to see what went wrong and how we can prevent something like this from happening”, he explained.

“Smallie” escaped from the Mazaruni Prison during visitation on Friday. He was reportedly escorted to the visiting area where he met a Spanish-speaking wom-

an who brought toiletries for him. As Williams was returning to the holding cells, the All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) on which he was being escorted came under attack.

A man carrying an AK47 rifle reportedly opened fire on prison officials, causing mayhem. Despite being shackled, Williams managed to run towards the Mazaruni River and jumped overboard, followed by the alleged gunman.

They were picked up by a boat that quickly fled the scene. Williams has been convicted of murders stemming from the Bartica massacre in 2008, when he, along with other gunmen, ambushed and killed twelve

FROM PAGE 8

persons, including three policemen. Additionally, he had been sentenced to death in September last year over the killing of a GDF Corporal.

Williams had previously escaped from the Camp Street Prison on July 9, 2017, but was recaptured on October 10, 2017.

The Police advised that persons with any information on the whereabouts of Williams can contact them on telephone numbers: 2256940, 225-8196, 225-2317, 227-1149, or the nearest Police Station.

heart-breaking accident has resonated deeply, with friends and family of Wilson taking to social media to express their grief and emphasise the fragile nature of life and the un-

predictable risks present on our roads.

The man was described by those who knew him as a “good youth” who had a great life ahead of him.

Dead: Shamar Frank Wilson

Sexual offences, domestic violence take focus in Reg 9 outreach

The Human Services and Social Security Ministry recently concluded a three-day outreach to Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) during which over 3000 residents were engaged.

In addition to the central hub of Lethem, subject Minister, Dr Vindhya Persaud visited satellite villages such as Parikwarinau, Potarinau, Sand Creek, Tiger Pond and Karasabai.

“When the President, His Excellency Dr Irfaan Ali says One Guyana, he means everyone in this one Guyana and I am looking at the development that is happening here and the pace at which

it is happening. This is what our Government is all about, ensuring every one of you, irrespective of age or gender, have the opportunity to reach their full potential,” Dr Persaud told the residents.

Through both educational and interactive experiences, residents expanded their knowledge on topical issues such as sexual offences and domestic violence, gained assistance through the Difficult Circumstances Unit and the Child Care and Protection Agency, and addressed concerns around public assistance and old age pension.

“Never before in the his-

tory of this country have we seen so many pensioners or beneficiaries of Public Assistance and Permanent Disability. From 2020 when we got into Government to now, we moved from 60,000odd pensioners to 73,000 pensioners this year.”

“We started the sixmonth payment period and now we are working to see between six months and quarterly, how often we can have the direct payment come in more regularly and what we have been doing is to improve the system centrally,” Minister Persaud added.

Residents on the sidelines of the visit, complimented Minister Persaud for the drastic change that resulted in the prompt delivery of their old age pension and public assistance since assuming office.

“I am happy to see the Minister who is responsible for pensions come to see us, I must say thanks to her for making us receive it faster,” one pensioner, Edith Xavier, related.

The Human Services Ministry also promised members within most communities that they will be trained through the Ministry-led Women’s Investment and Innovative Network (WIIN), particularly in garment construction.

Regional Chairman

Bryan Allicock commended the work of Minister Persaud and expressed gratitude for her timely outreach.

“What you are seeing here is what was promised, and you see this Minister here, when she commits to something, she does it and we go all out to satisfy our

people,” Allicock said. As a testament of the Government’s commitment to development in far-flung communities, Toshao Peter Stainlaus of Potarinau shared that Dr Persaud was the sixth Minister to visit the community in the past three years.

A gathering at one of the engagements

Lucknow seal playoffs spot with thrilling one-run win

Lucknow

Super Giants survived a Rinku Singh scare to become the third team to qualify for the playoffs of IPL 2023, as they beat Kolkata Knight Riders by one run at Eden Gardens. They ended with 17 points, tied with Chennai Super Kings, but LSG's inferior net run rate meant they finished third. They will now face the fourth qualifying team in the Eliminator in Chennai on May 24.

At the start of the day, LSG had a chance to secure a top-two finish. However, CSK's 77-run win over Delhi Capitals in the earlier game meant LSG needed to beat KKR by a margin of around 97 runs to go above CSK. That was not going to be easy, especially after LSG posted 176 batting first. At 73 for 5 in the 11th over, they didn't look like scoring even that many, but Nicholas Pooran's 30-ball 58 lifted them.

KKR had a flying start before they lost their way in the middle overs. It came down to 56 needed from the last four overs, and then 41 from two. Rinku took 20 off Naveen-ul-Haq in the 19th, leaving 21 for the last.

Vaibhav Arora took a single on the first ball of the final over, bowled by Yash Thakur. That was followed by two dots and two wides, making it 18 required from three balls. Rinku hit the next one for a six, but could pick up only a four off the fifth. A six on the final delivery only reduced the margin of defeat.

LSG's hit-and-miss start

After being sent in, LSG lost a wicket in the third over of the innings when Harshit Rana bounced out Karan Sharma for 3. Prerak Mankad tried to attack, but he was more like a cat on a hot tin roof. After being on 4 off eight balls, he picked up five fours in the next two overs, but hardly looked comfortable. Once the powerplay ended, his attempted uppercut against Arora was taken at deep cover. Two balls later, Arora bounced out Marcus Stoinis for a duck, making it 55 for 3.

Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine dragged LSG back further. Narine had Krunal Pandya mistiming a slog sweep to deep square leg in the tenth over, and Varun got Quinton de Kock to top-edge to deep midwicket. De Kock, who picked up two sixes in the powerplay - his only boundaries on the night - ended with 28 off 27 balls.

Beyond the boundary

Pooran came in at #7, a ball after the halfway mark in the innings. Varun induced an outside edge straightaway, but Pooran had played it with soft hands, resulting in the ball falling short and to the left

of first slip, and going for four. The next ball, though, was too short, and Pooran cut it for four. Varun then overcompensated, erring on the fuller side, and was duly smashed for a straight six. With another six in the spinner's next over, Pooran moved to 23 off just ten balls.

KKR had brought in Suyash Sharma as the Impact Player for Harshit, who had bowled three overs and produced figures of 1 for 21. Pooran welcomed Suyash with yet another six, and ended the over with a four, making sure the legspinner didn't bowl another over in the game.

In the 19th over, Pooran brought up his half-century with a six off Shardul Thakur. He sent the next ball over the boundary line as well, but Thakur had him caught at deep third when

the batter attempted a hattrick of sixes.

Andre Russell conceded only three off the first four deliveries of the 20th over, before K. Gowtham hit the last two for a six and four to take LSG past 175.

Quick out of the blocks

KKR had an almost impossible task in front of them: they needed to win in 8.5 overs to lift their net run rate above Rajasthan Royals' in order to stay alive for the playoffs. Jason Roy and Venkatesh Iyer smashed 30 in the first two overs, but the next two brought only 15. Roy did hit three fours off Krunal's first three balls in the fifth over, but Iyer fell to Gowtham in the next, and KKR finished the powerplay on 61 for 1.

Rinku takes it close

As far as this match was

SCOREBOARD

Lucknow Super Giants (20 ovs maximum)

BATTING R B

Karan Sharma c Thakur b

Harshit Rana 3 5

Quinton de Kock † c

Russell b Varun 28 27

Prerak Mankad c Harshit

Rana b Arora 26 20

Marcus Stoinis c Iyer b Arora 0 2

Krunal Pandya (c)

c Singh b Narine 9 8 Ayush Badoni c Thakur b Narine 25 21

Nicholas Pooran c

Iyer b Thakur 58 30

Krishnappa Gowtham not out 11 4

Ravi Bishnoi b Thakur 2 2

Naveen-ul-Haq not out 2 3

Extras (b 4, lb 1, nb 2, w 5) 12

TOTAL 20 Ov (RR: 8.80) 176/8

Did not bat: Mohsin Khan Fall of wickets: 1-14 (Karan Sharma, 2.3 ov), 2-55 (Prerak Mankad, 6.3 ov), 3-55 (Marcus Stoinis, 6.5 ov), 4-71 (Krunal Pandya, 9.4 ov), 5-73 (Quinton de Kock, 10.1 ov), 6-147 (Ayush Badoni, 17.6 ov), 7-159 (Nicholas Pooran, 18.3 ov), 8-162

(Ravi Bishnoi, 18.5 ov) •

BOWLING O-M-R-W

Harshit Rana 3-0-21-1

Vaibhav Arora 4-0-30-2 Varun Chakravarthy 4-0-38-1

Nitish Rana

Shardul Thakur

Suyash Sharma 1-0-12-0

Andre Russell 1-0-12-0

Kolkata Knight Riders (T: 177 runs from 20 ovs)

BATTING R B Jason Roy b Pandya 45 28

Venkatesh

concerned, KKR were well ahead of the required rate. After eight overs, they were 78 for 1, but scored only 30 in the next six for the loss of three wickets. Ravi

Bishnoi

had Nitish Rana caught at extra cover, Krunal bowled Roy for 45 off 28, and Yash Thakur's slower ball accounted for Rahmanullah Gurbaz for 10 off 15.

With 63 needed from 28 balls, Russell hit Bishnoi for a six, but was bowled on the next ball. Rinku was still in the middle, and if there is one thing this season has taught us, it is that no game is over while Rinku is batting. En route to his unbeaten 67 off 33 balls, he took Naveen for three fours and a six in the 19th over, but with 18 needed from three balls, he could hit only 6, 4 and 6. (ESPNCricinfo)

Ravi Bishnoi and LSG celebrate after getting Nitish Rana

Nicholas Pooran hit a 28-ball fifty

Tata IPL 2023: Lucknow Super Giants vs Kolkata Knight Riders…

- compliments of Pooran, Bishnoi

GBI is beverage sponsor for KFC Elite League football

Following the signing of a non-alcoholic beverage sponsorship deal on May 19, the Guyana Beverages Inc. (GBI) is now a proud sponsor of the KFC Elite League football.

GBI is the official provider of juice, soft drink and water during the twomonth tournament organized by the Guyana Football Federation (GFF).

Corporate Guyana continues to respond to Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali and GFF President Wayne Forde’s calls to support football development and promotion initiatives in Guyana, including Season Five of the KFC Elite League, which officially kicked off on Sunday,

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Guyana’s top ten football clubs: Fruta

Conquerors, Guyana Police Force, Guyana Defence Force, Den Amstel, Victoria Kings, Buxton United, Milerock, Ann’s Grove, Guyana Police Force and Santos, will be competing against each other over the next two months for a chance to win more than four million dollars in cash prizes.

GFF President Forde has thanked Guyana Beverages Inc for supporting the league, which gives top local talent a competitive national platform.

“We are very happy to welcome Guyana Beverages Inc. to the community of

partners who have stepped forward to contribute generously to the successful staging of Season Five of the KFC Elite League. GBI has a long history in the development of football. Over the years, they have made significant investment in grassroots programmes, community football activities and international fixtures,” Forde said.

He added that football unites communities, and that the football fraternity is thankful for the beverage company’s continued support as the GFF focuses on elevating the game in Guyana.

“We are grateful for their steadfast support, and look forward to expanding

our collaboration in many new areas in the future, as the GFF continues to work assiduously towards moving football in Guyana to the higher level.”

The KFC Elite League is a priority for the GFF, with the champions automatically qualifying for the CONCACAF/ Caribbean Shield Championships. But teams first have to overcome the first hurdle of the knockout stages in this highly competitive league to make it to the two-million-dollar championship match.

Guyana Beverages Inc.

General Manager Samuel Arjoon has pledged his company’s continued support of GFF President Forde’s vision for football across Guyana.

“We are pleased to contribute to the Guyana Football Federation Elite League Championship. This Championship allows young talent to develop their skills at a competitive level. Guyana Beverages Inc. will continue to support the efforts of GFF in further developing the sport and football at all levels,” Arjoon added. The KFC Elite League is a key part of President Forde’s strategy to grow the football audience in Guyana, while giving players a competitive platform to showcase their talent.

Golden Jaguars to play ‘historic’ friendly against Ethiopia

Guyana Football Federation (GFF)

President Wayne Forde yesterday announced that the Golden Jaguars will play a historic international friendly against Ethiopia on July 8 in the United States.

The fixture between the Guyana senior men’s national team and the Ethiopian Football Federation men’s national team will take place at the Subaru Park in Philadelphia, and the action will start from 7:30pm.

This will be the first time Guyana will play an Africa team since the GFF was founded 121 years ago.

GFF President Forde on May 20 said the match is a proud and momentous moment for Guyana’s football, and that he is confident the Golden Jaguars would represent the nation well.

“The Guyana Football Federation is the oldest Federation in Concacaf. We became a Federation in 1902, and are now 121 years old and (are) among the oldest football federations on the planet. In all of these years, July 8th, 2023 will be the very first time our senior men’s team will face an African nation. This is truly an amazing opportunity to punctuate a proud and his-

toric moment in the storied history of our nation’s football. The game will be played on the heels of our beloved Golden Gold Cup qualification fixtures, so we are all confident of a solid performance (from) our boys,” Forde said.

Guyana’s top men are currently training for their June Gold Cup Prelims campaign.

FIFA World Ranking has Guyana’s senior men’s team at 170, and Ethiopia, the onetime Africa Cup of Nations champions, at 142 as at April 2023. Teams are ranked using a points system on international form based on their current performances. The July clash is expected to be memorable. Both teams are quick on the pitch, and have the ability to secure multiple goals. It will also be Ethiopia’s first time playing in the United States.

GFF President Forde has appealed to fans and corporate Guyana to support the ground-breaking international match as the GFF seeks to create elite opportunities for the Golden Jaguars.

“I would like to use this opportunity to appeal to our fans and corporate partners to come on board and share in this historic moment of Guyana’s most popular sport,” he said.

Guyana Beverages Inc Marketing Manager Fharis Hamid making a presentation to GFF General Secretary Ian Alves

2023 Regional Women's T20 Blaze tournament…

Guyana beat Windwards by four runs

Guyana’s senior wom en's team started the 2023 Regional Women's T20 Blaze tour nament on a positive note with a four-run win against Winward Islands in the opening game at Warner Park in St Kitts.

Winwards won the toss earlier, and opted to field first. Guyana posted 88-7 in 20 overs, while Windwards managed only 84-8 in their allotted 20 overs. Guyana had a new-look opening pair in Sheneta Grimmond and Katana Mentore, who contributed 42 runs to the score. Mentore scored a 33-ball 32, which had five fours, while Grimmond made 19 from 21 balls.

Bowling for Windwards was skipper Afy Fletcher, who claimed 4-10 in four overs with her leg-spin. She was supported by Pearl Etienne and Carena Noel, who each had one wicket.

In response, Qiana Joseph top-scored with 19 from 28 balls, being run out with the first ball of the last over bowled by Plafianna Millington. With 13 runs

Glasgow 3-0-14-0

Pearl Etienne 3-0-22-1

Qiana Joseph 4-0-23-0

Carena Noel 2-0-11-1

Afy Fletcher (c) 4-0-10-4

Zaida James 4-1-7-1

required off the final over, Windwards fell, and a misfield off the final ball, which went for four, saw them finish on 84-8, four runs short.

Five Guyanese bowlers featured in an all-spin attack which had a collective effort of each bowler claim-

Windwards Women Innings

Malika Edward c Plaffianna Millington b Nyia Latchman 8

Jannilea Glasgow run out

Shemaine Campbelle / Mandy Mangru 4

Afy Fletcher (c) c Nyia Latchman

b Plaffianna Millington 10

Zaida

ing one wicket. Ashmini Munisar had 1-7 from four overs, as she displayed good control.

Guyana will be in action again today, May 21, against Barbados from 14:30h at Warner Park in St Kitts.

Team Guyana defeated the Windwards by four runs

Independence Three-Stage Cycle Race 2023…

Crawford, Clarke take top honours on Day 1

By Brandon Corlette

Top Berbician cyclist Romello Crawford has emerged winner of the opening stage of the National Sports Commission’s (NSC’s) Independence ThreeStage Cycle Race, which commenced at Corriverton and ended in New Amsterdam yesterday.

With conditions overcast on the Corentyne Coast, Crawford dominated the field of 46 starters on his home turf to emerge winner of the 40-mile first stage, and finished the race under rainy conditions in New Amsterdam by stopping the clock at one hour, 48 minutes and 27 seconds.

Trailing him were Curtis Dey and Antiguan Emmanuel Gayral in that order. Fifteen -year-old Alexander Leung was the top junior, while Clevicia Spencer was the top female. Berbician Sidwell Sandy was the top juvenile, Phillip Clarke was the best over-45 rider in the first stage, and Kwame Ridley emerged winner in the Over-40 category.

At the end of this stage, Crawford described the conditions as difficult, but said he was being discreet in not sharing his secret to success.

Second Stage

In the gruelling second stage, which commenced at the Berbice River Bridge junction and ended at Carifesta Avenue in Georgetown, senior cycling statesman Phillip Clarke clinched a thrilling victory.

This second stage spanned a distance of 60 miles, at the end of which Phillip Clarke was able to pip Curtis “Chappy” Dey in a sprint home at Carifesta Avenue. Clarke made his significant attack at Belfield, ECD, to move into the lead group, and retained that position through dogged determination, experience and skill to claim the top spot.

Clarke and Dey had maintained a fierce rivalry on the East Coast high way to set up the grand finish at Carifesta Avenue.

After these two stages, Curtis Dey has the most points heading into the fi nal day today. Placements of the other contestants were not available up to press time, but will be featured in the next edition of this publication.

The third and final stage of this race will commence from 7:30am in Linden and conclude at Homestretch Avenue in Georgetown.

The4th edition of the ExxonMobil Boys’ and Girls’ Under-14 Schools’ Football tournaments kicked off on Saturday morning amidst much pomp and splendour resulting from the customary march past ceremony.

The tournaments are set to feature 32 boys’ teams and 20 girls’ teams at the Ministry of Education (MOE) Ground and the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) Ground, both on Carifesta Avenue in Georgetown, over the next few weeks.

ny, Guyana Football Federation (GFF)

President Wayne

Forde had some words of advice for the young prospective ballers.

“If you‘re only playing to win, then you’re making the wrong start in football. You’re going to learn many new things over the next couple of days; hold those experiences close to your heart, learn from them, and build. There is no one here that can say that before us right now isn’t the next Cristiano Ronaldo, the next Messi. But we will only know that through these initiatives,” Forde shared.

ExxonMobil’s

eagerness to see yet another edition of the tournament underway. Hoppie told the teams assembled at the NIS Ground, “ExxonMobil is indeed honoured to be investing through our strategic community investment area, one of our focus areas, youth development. And so, to do this through sport is indeed a pleasure for us.

“When we partner with organizations like Petra, we know that the investment is one that goes beyond, in this case, just the field,” the ExxonMobil Community

Bartica Secondary, Waramuri Top,

Ruimveldt Secondary in the Girls’ competition.

In the Boys’ tournament, Westminster Secondary, New Central High, Bartica Secondary, and East Ruimveldt Secondary recorded opening wins.

The ExxonMobil U14 tournament this year features school from Regions 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 10. The victorious male and female teams will cop a $300,000 grand prize that would go towards a school project of their choice. sored by ExxonMobil, GYSBI and MVP Sports. It will continue next Saturday at the aforementioned

A look at a few of the teams assembled for the tournament’s kick-off

ExxonMobil Community Relations Advisor Ryan Hoppie

Winners of stage one and two, Crawford and Phillip Top juvenile Sidwell Sandy

Alex Leung was the top junior in stage one

Spencer emerged as top female rider in stage one

Romello Crawford edging to victory in the opening stage in New Amsterdam

The top three senior finishers of the first stage