Guyana Times - Epaper Sunday, April 30, 2023

Liza Phase 2 oil production to increase to 250k bpd by year-end – Hess

…executive says wells performing above expectation

Oil production at the Liza Phase two development in the Stabroek Block, which currently averages between 220,000 and 230,000 barrels of oil per day, is expected to increase to 250,000 barrels

per day by year-end.

This was revealed by Hess Corporation Chief Operating Officer (COO) Greg Hill, during a recent conference call with shareholders. Hess is ExxonMobil’s partner in the Stabroek Block, where

the Liza Phase two project has been producing at least 220,000 barrels per day.

Asked on the conference call what oil production for the future would look like, Hill explained that Liza Phase Two production is expected to increase to 250,000 barrels of oil per day by yearend.

“The wells have been performing extremely well, above expectation. Subsurface going great. We continue to see further upside in the subsurface, as we produce the wells. And ExxonMobil and EEPGL are just doing an outstanding job of topsides reliability and also the debottlenecking side. Recall that phase one was debottlenecked, to 140,000.”

“It’s actually producing between 140,000 and 150,000, sort of in that range. And then when you look at phase two, it has a [minimum production] of 220,000. It’s on track to be debottlenecked towards 250,000 by the end of the year,” Hill said.

Hill also said that so far, oil production in Liza Phase Two has been averaging between 220,000 and 230,000 barrels of oil per day on a regular basis. The Unity floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel is currently producing oil in

the Liza Phase Two project, which came onstream back in 2022.

Out of 102 lifts last year that earned US$1 billion from sales, the Liza Phase Two project accounted for US$588.9 million in earnings.

The Liza Phase One project, which has been producing oil since 2019, accounted for US$510.2 million.

Exxon is currently conducting 3D and 4D mapping in the Stabroek Block, even as it also seeks authorisation for a 35 well drilling campaign. According to their application, if all requisite approvals are granted then the drilling of the wells is expected to start in the 2023 third quarter, with the proposed drilling campaign coming to an end by the fourth quarter of 2028.

The Cumulative Impact Assessment (CIA) of the 35 exploration/appraisal wells planned for the Stabroek Block, was done by ERM Guyana, which conducts environmental, health, safety and risk assessments. It had said that no major environmental impacts would result from the project.

Guyana, with US oil giant ExxonMobil as the operator, began producing oil on December 20, 2019, in the Stabroek Block. Guyana’s

oil revenues are being held in the Natural Resource Fund (NRF) at the New York Federal Reserve Bank, where it is earning interest.

The Stabroek Block is 6.6 million acres (26,800 square kilometres). EEPGL is the operator and holds 45 per cent interest in the Block. Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd holds 30 per cent interest and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of CNOOC Limited, holds the remaining 25 per cent interest.

Since last year, Guyana has been recording weekly lifts in the Stabroek Block, with oil production now at 340,000 barrels per day from the Liza Destiny and Liza Unity floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels. With EEPGL making weekly lifts, Guyana’s crude entitlement of one million

barrels occurs monthly from the two FPSOs.

ExxonMobil has said it anticipates at least six projects offshore Guyana will be online by 2027. Production has already started in the second phase, with the Liza Unity FPSO vessel in operation.

The third project – the Payara Development – will target an estimated resource base of about 600 million oil-equivalent barrels, and was at one point considered to be the largest single planned investment in the history of Guyana.

Yellowtail development, which will be oil giant ExxonMobil’s fourth development in Guyana’s waters, will turn out to be the single largest development so far in terms of barrels per day of oil, with a mammoth 250,000 bpd targeted.

And last week, just one day after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved Exxon’s Uaru petroleum project - the fifth project - and granted the Environmental Permit, the Natural Resources Ministry (MNR) on Friday announced that it has approved the Field Development Plan (FDP) and as such, issued the Petroleum Production Licence (PPL). (G3)

HESS COO, Greg Hill

BRIDGE OPENINGS

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

Sunday, Apr 30 – 01:30h – 03:00h and

Monday, May 1 – 02:30h – 04:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Sunday, Apr 30 – 12:30h – 14:00h and

Monday, May 1 – 13:25h – 14:55h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

There will be sunshine during the day. Expect clear skies at night. Temperatures should range between 23 degrees Celsius and 32 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Easterly to North-Easterly between 3.12 metres and 4.91 metres.

High Tide: 13:11 reaching a maximum height of 2.15 metres.

Low Tide: 06:44h and 19:12h reaching minimum heights of 1.15 metre and 0.99 metre.

Over US$1B invested in Public, Private Sector projects in Reg 3 – Ali

…says increased investments

a countrywide phenomenon

With over US$1 billion in new public and private sector investments in Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara) and the plethora of new investments countrywide, increased confidence in Guyana’s development is becoming all the more apparent.

This is according to President Dr Irfaan Ali, speaking during the opening of Sheriff General Hospital at Leonora, West Coast Demerara (WCD), on Saturday. According to the President, who himself hails from Leonora, the hospital is a manifestation of the boom in investments in the region and across the country.

LOTTERY NUMBERS

“In this region and I challenge any analytical mind to examine the entire region now. Look at the collective investment, as against this one region in Guyana alone, in ongoing roads and work alone in Region Three. More than US$1 billion is invested here in this region, from the public and private sector,” Ali said.

“Can you imagine a system that was designed to implement $10 billion, a system that has been institutionally designed, for Government and private sector, to implement a $10 billion programme in maybe five years, is now tasked with implementing $200 billion programme in three years. This is the reality.”

Examples of the large investments in Region Three are found spread out across sectors, including in housing, hospitality and oil. There is even the large scale, US$300 million Vreed-en-Hoop shore base investment, which will be operational by December.

“On my left and on my right alone, that is the private sector development, the new bank that is being developed and the thousands of house lots. And on my right, the new hospital, the mall, the apartment buildings, the condos,” President Ali pointed out.

“In this locality alone that we are sitting, on my left and right, is an investment of more than $25 billion. In our wildest dreams, we could not have imagined such a transformation. And this is not just the story of Region Three and Leonora. This is the story of every single region in this country,” President Ali said.

The Vreed-en-Hoop Shore Base Inc (VEHSI) is currently the largest Guyanese private sector investment in the oil and gas sector, and is expected to cost over US$300 million. According to the project directors, the support and encouragement given by the Government of Guyana have been reassuring, and augur well for additional investment and the future of Guyana.

Vreed-en-Hoop Shore base Inc is a joint venture

between NRG Holdings Inc — a 100 per cent Guyanese-owned consortium that is the majority shareholder – and Jan De Nul, an international maritime infrastructure company headquartered in Luxembourg.

One of the VEHSI directors, Nicholas Boyer, in a presentation at the International Energy Expo earlier this year, had outlined the pace of works and the long-term vision of the

along with the additional benefit of reducing shipping costs by 10 to 12 per cent of what currently obtains.

“Once fully realised, the Port of Vreed-en-Hoop will tie into the country’s vision to expand Guyana’s development,” he had said, adding that there is space for expansion, and VEHSI can facilitate other shore base buildings, thereby making unnecessary, the need for foreign bases to support

project, which will eventually see the full Port of Vreed-en-Hoop completed with as much as 800 acres of port facilities.

He had explained that Guyana needs deeper maritime accessibility, and VESHI can deliver this

operations in Guyana.

Region Three is also under major public infrastructural development, including the $13 billion Schoonord to Crane fourlane highway and the new Demerara Harbour Bridge.

A section of the gathering at the opening

President Dr Irfaan Ali speaking at the opening of the hospital

The Vreed-en-Hoop shore base, one of the largescale projects being completed in Region 3

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Looking at Entrepreneurship

Now that Guyana is an oil-producing state, there is an expectation by many that, since we have “the highest growth rate in the region, if not the world”, all Guyanese should be “rich”. We should be living like “Dubai”. But oil was struck at a time when almost half of our population (48%) were living on a daily income of below US$5, which qualifies them as “poverty stricken, based on the World Bank’s categorising of us as an emerging “Upper-Middle Income Country”. That in itself, however, is an improvement from two decades ago, when we were a ‘Highly Indebted Poor Country’ in which 36% were living on less than US$2.15 daily.

As the oil revenues generated from the approximately 14.5% of the oil produced become available since 2020, the PPP Government that were elected to office have unfurled a multi-pronged developmental plan to raise the standard of living. They have focused on maintaining and improving the social and other services that have been traditionally provided free of cost to the citizens. Medical care, education from nursery to secondary school (and soon to university), old-age pensions, etc. They are also diversifying the economy by starting with a structured Local Content Programme to ensure employment and profits from the oil sector; securing cheaper energy, and building infrastructure for industrialisation; and opening up the interior savannahs for large scale agriculture as part of a CariCom initiative to reduce importation of foods into the region.

At the same time, the Opposition have criticized the Government for not accepting their proposal for a modified “Universal Basic Income” (UBI) programme involving an annual cash transfer to the tune of US$5000 to each family in Guyana, to address the widespread poverty without being accused of discrimination. With there being approximately 220,000 families in the country, this payment would amount to US1,100,000,000 (US$1.1billion) annually. These programmes have been widely debated and dubbed “utopian” by many. The arguments against them are that they would create inflationary pressures that would wipe out much of the benefits, while creating stubborn structural disincentives for beneficiaries to work, thus generating less tax collection, to create a vicious cycle. There would also be the question of sustainability, since it is projected that our oil will be depleted in approximately thirty years. Trinidad and Tobago, for instance, is presently experiencing the withdrawal symptoms of oil depletion in an insufficiently diversified economy.

On the other hand, proponents of UBI insist that the infusion of income would not only assist in poverty reduction, but actually spur economic growth, since recipients would have invested in their education and skills that would lead to higher paying jobs. But, in Guyana, the Government has already launched the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) that has awarded thousands of scholarships, and intends to continue this indefinitely. With the latter programme in mind, even in the absence of a UBI, the increased opportunities that are opening up from the local content opportunities and the opening up of the hinterland should assist in creating growth outside of the petroleum sector.

However, this educational thrust will redound to the benefit of locals only if we can stimulate the spirit of entrepreneurship in our local population, so that foreigners do not snap up the opportunities from under our noses, as is presently occurring even in such a mundane area as up-scale coffee joints. As one expert in the field noted, “identification and opportunity exploitation appear to be two essential moments of the entrepreneurial process.” The first is cognitive, and opportunities to earn profit are noticed. The latter, however, is critical: taking the actual risks to engage in developing and selling the product or service.

Trinidad has shown that while higher income may lead to a greater willingness to take risks – which is a sine qua non of entrepreneurship – it may not be as widespread as it out to be to create a sustainable economy. But even more insidiously, Trinidad has shown that culture may play a role in stimulating entrepreneurship, and, in ethnically plural societies, may skew the benefits.

Swift execution of justice needed to confirm no tolerance for cheating, stealing elections

Dear Editor, Our country will soon have Local Government Elections, the first elections hosted by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) since the debacle following the March 2020 polling processes.

Accordingly, it is time to re-look at some of the core influencing factors to the problems that threatened the core fabric of democratic existence and took the country to the precipice of national incivility.

No loophole should prevent imposition of the most substantial penalties on those guilty of flagrant violations of the applicable laws, because of the need to eradicate Election rigging absolutely and to assure national confidence and credible election results. As a collective, our citizens are aware of the massive degree of caution undertaken by the newly-appointed administrators to lift the beleaguered credibility of the organization caused by the dirty works of former employees. One therefore anticipates the delivery of a more fluent results-driven agenda that will be instructive to commencing a necessary resuscitation of national confidence, required for an enhanced GECOM image.

Historically, there is much justification for condemnation of the roles officials of the GECOM played and were able to escape with

as they flagrantly abused the related laws and approved procedures. For decades, the key orchestrators were protected and rewarded for cheating the nation through clandestine manoeuvres, supported by the muscled manipulation of decision-making and controls of the Elections Commission.

Recorded history documents the unpleasant experiences of the PPP, who were kept in opposition due to the damning condemnatory controls of GECOM Commissioners.

Comparatively, one only has to take a cursory look at the decisions of President Granger’s imposed James Patterson as GECOM Chairman. Thankfully, the abuses of this power were wrenched away by the decisions of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) when the PPPC challenges were addressed.

Rational observation of the scenario points to the systemic cheating agenda and their seeming immunity to rigging. These influences stem from the core character of the PNC operatives, which informs the more challenging problem to dispel for long-term focus and address. What is certain is that the PNC's deliberate attempts to steal the Government by the senior functionary within GECOM must not be condoned.

Consequently, former top employees must face

the courts immediately, and stand the consequences for their deliberate and blatant attempts to ‘rig’ the National and Regional Elections in 2020. The swift execution of justice in this respect is required to unequivocally confirm that it is not at all okay to cheat and steal, in particular the rights and destiny of our people.

Since 1968, the PNC operatives have taken pride in rolling out an indoctrination agenda that achieving and maintaining power by any means necessary is a nationalistic ideal. Sadly, and duplicitously, those persons more strongly involved in the rigging elections in Guyana were naturally idolised in the PNC’s ranks. In this context, the PNC needed more than the complete control of GECOM to support their rigging support platform, but a mandatory component of their more expansive focused manipulation areas for strategic manipulation.

In 1973, the PNC used the army to rig the National Elections blatantly, and they murdered and killed in the process. We must never forget the Ballot Box Martyrs, who paid with their lives for standing up against the PNC-directed murderous assaults. The 1980 and 1985 Elections were massively rigged, and it was this massive rigging that caused the people of this country to unite in the formation of

the Political Committee for Democracy (PCD); eventually leading to the dawn of a new era in 1992, when the PPP/C won the National and Regional Elections.

Again, the APNU/ AFC attempts to steal the Government in 2020 forced the united Opposition to resist strongly. With the steadfast support of the International Community, the newly-formed ‘Guardians of Democracy' emerged from the Guyanese Electorate. They fought for five long months, eventually winning their truthful, people-elected democratic right to govern this country. However, during the process, it became clear that employees of the GECOM Secretariat had deliberately engineered and allowed the usage of the false spreadsheet of fictitious results.

Further, the more diligent our guardians were, the more he demonstrated his ulterior motives and denied using the legal statements of poll for the tabulation process. ‘As the CEO of the GECOM Secretariat,' his conduct dealt a deep body blow to the integrity of Guyana's electoral system and cherished democratic values. Such occurrences justly and forcefully must be condemned as the ultimate betrayal of trust in the highest election official in the land by the people of Guyana.

Storytime in the Park: This child was playing in the National Park during the National Library’s launch of Storytime in the Park, themed “Come Hear a Story”. During that activity, children also engaged in games and indulged in activities that highlighted aspects of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics (STEAM) (Education Ministry photos)

Steady decline at, and with, the Guyana Local Government Officers Union

Dear Editor, The Trade Union Movement in Guyana, which was founded by the late Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow in 1919, was once a powerful force in our country. However, today a number of trade unions in Guyana have lost their way, principal among them is the Guyana Local Government Officers (GLGOU) Union, and this is as a result of political affiliation, nepotism and cronyism.

Not only is this shameful

and unacceptable, but some members of this union have become so emboldened that, most recently, they held an election that was not only questionable, but was riddled with malpractice and manipulation. How could this union hold an election without calling an Annual General Meeting and without inviting each and every one of its members to attend and participate? How could vendors who are neither members of the union

nor municipal employees be attending and voting for office bearers to the executive of this union?

But, then again, this union has been suffering from poor leadership and the toxic effects of a line of hereditary succession of friends and family for the longest while; and so, finally, the chickens have come home to roost.

The representation provided by the GLGOU to municipal workers has, for de-

Establish in Iwokrama a larger garden with a library

Dear Editor, I was recently remembering the last time I visited our Botanical Gardens, and remembered the lack of diversity in the garden’s plants. Guyana has a very rich variety of plants and flowers that only the tropics can offer. It would be nice to see this diversity on display throughout the gardens and parks.

The work that the First

Lady is doing should be applauded, and she has brought renewed joy via her beautification project. His Excellency has found an excellent match, which the nation also cherishes. An undertaking that may also be worthwhile would be the establishment of a larger garden in Iwokrama, with a library. It would be a great addition to our tourism offerings, and make for

an attractive tourist destination for intellectuals and those interested in environmental sustainability and botany.

We, as a nation, do have the advantage of being a part of the Amazon. We should capitalise on it in support of our quest for environmental sustainability.

Best regards, Jamil Changlee

Swift execution of justice...

As for one particular former employee, her attitude and role in the rigging were most distasteful. She insulted the imminent foreign observers, and was certainly a stranger to the truth. Her remarks to the party agents and international observers were condescending, insulting, and distasteful as she attempted to force them out of the tabulation room, saying, “Take your rubbish with you and leave.”

Several persons continue in the employ of GECOM who were summoned to appear before the Commission of Inquiry, but did not appear. Our citizens note that GECOM will still have to further cleanse itself from the remnant rogue elements, and ensure adequate internal counter-checking mechanisms.

The commissioners of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry must be complimented for an excellent job. However, those the Police have placed to face charges before the court must be given a speedy trial, and when

FROM PAGE 4

found guilty, they must be prosecuted to send a clear message: ‘Down with Rigged Elections!”

Sincerely, Neil Kumar

Sunday, April 30, 2023

cades now, been woefully ineffectual, inadequate, and in fact useless, to say the least. This trade union organization should be about defending and advancing the rights, struggles and overall interests of municipal workers across the board, but this is only done for a very few. The lack of impartiality by the leadership of this union over time and the playing of politics with the lives and livelihoods of its members have been most distasteful and destructive.

In many of the instances, the presidents of this union have remained in office, to continue enjoying the perks and privileges, long after their membership to this union should have expired, upon their retirement from their municipal posts. In fact, to hang on to the presi-

dency long after they retired, they even toyed with the idea of expanding the membership base and parameters of the union by trying to rename it the ‘General and Local Government Workers’ Union (GLGWU)’. Of course, this effort was never legitimised, so this attempted sham never saw the light of day.

If this union is to earn respect and credibility in the wider Guyanese society and at the bargaining table, it must elect, through a legitimate process, an executive that has competent, qualified, experienced, reputable, eminent, and widely-known persons.

Indeed, one has to wonder whether the Registrar of Trade Unions is ensuring that this union is maintaining compliance with

Guyana’s Trade Union Act in the management of its affairs in a transparent and publicly accountable manner.

The Trade Union Act expressly requires every treasurer or other officer of a union to render to the trustees and the members of the union, at a duly constituted meeting of the union, a just and true account of monies received and paid, funds remaining, and all bonds and securities of the union. The general membership of this union has not been benefitting from this information or standard operational procedure for years now.

It is time for all members to demand better from this union.

Sincerely,

Abidemi James

Movie - Justin and the Knights of Valour (2013) 12:30 Movie - Diamond Dog Caper (2008) 14:30 Movie - Picture Perfect Mysteries: Dead

Over Diamonds (2022)

16:00 Explained

16:30

Payless Power Hour

17:30 The Healing Touch

18:00 Maths is Fun

18:30

Week-in-Review

19:00 Lucifer S3 E21

20:00 American Idol (ABC)

22:00 Arrow S4 E11

23:00 The Office S2 E22

23:30 Grace & Frankie S5 E7 00:00 Sign off

On two occasions, during the space of one week, I encountered two experiences which dictated that this topic must be addressed with readers of this column. Firstly, an article entitled “All Dogs are Inbred” appeared in a journal of some repute. Secondly, a client presented in the Clinic a patient with the grandiose sounding breed designation “Pit Monster,” which he had brought in (with all the necessary official paperwork) from Brazil.

Pit Monster? This sturdy, muscular dog looked as if it could ram a Hummer and emerge the

DOG BREEDS

winner. I had not heard of this breed before, so I resorted to Mr. Google. And there it was: a breed created in Brazil, but with most bloodlines of American origin; defined as a breed of 21st century, developed from the crossing between dogs of "monstrous" appearance, related or not to the pit bull , american bully and, indirectly, dogs molossers like the American Bulldog and the Old English Bulldog (Photo #1). I will not dwell on this breed. Enough information exists that will satisfy normal curiosity. My reflections today have to do with

the mixing of well-established purebred parents to produce what I can only call “Designer Breeds”. The classic “invention” that springs to mind is the “Labradoodle” which is a cross between a Labrador Retriever and a Poodle. I suppose that, in due course, I will be able to bend my mind around the answer to the question “why anyone

members, then it would seem to me that one can circumvent this potential problem by choosing a dog that does not produce much dander (small scales of dead skin shed from the dog’s body).

Where will this genetic engineering end? Over centuries, humankind, under the conviction of manufacturing a “cute” animal (a most subjective aspiration),

prevent us from mixing a bit- ofeverything resulting in random crosses? And let it be made clear: Even when the parents in the trial-and-error experiment are known and recognized, “it is impossible to predict with any degree of certainty which side of the family the puppies will favour” (The Dog Encyclopedia (TDE) – London, 2013, emphasizes this point).

The TDE has further documented that Labradoodles, for example, show little consistency from litter to litter – some puppies inheriting the curly poodle coat, while others are more obviously influenced by the Labrador parent. Clearly

then diluting and ultimately removing the negative condition may be justified.

Finally, can you imagine what dermatological (skin) and eye ailments these two breeds, the Hungarian Puli (Photo #6), and the Shar Pei (Photo#7) will suffer in their lifetimes?

If we are going to tinker with well-established breeds, please remember why these breeds were purposely manufactured. They were required as working dogs (e.g., to assist shepherds in herding sheep), scent dogs (e.g., Bloodhounds), Sight dogs (e.g., Greyhounds used in hunting), Companion dogs (e.g., Poodles),

would want to alter the most popular family favourite (not lastly in the USA) - Photo #2 – by breeding with a poodle (Photo # 3) produce the dog in Photo #4. What line of thought would one want to proceed along to manufacture a Goldendoodle (Golden Retriever x Poodle)? –

Photo #5.

If the argument is that the Golden Retriever may cause allergic reaction to family

humans have produced dogs with anatomical deficiencies, some of which cause canines to suffer great respiratory distress et al, because of their manufactured flat faces. It was harsh enough to create the French Bulldog (now among the most popular dogs in the USA), but to further tinker with the animal’s anatomy to compromise a part of the breathing apparatus on the altar of “cuteness” is inhumane and unacceptable. What will

such lack of standardization is common in “designer” crosses.

I have no doubts that this “Brave New World” exercise by “breeders’ (????) will continue. Allow me therefore to advise prospective owners of crossbred “designer dogs” that they should factor into their decisions the personalities and temperaments of both breeds participating in the breeding exercise. One just cannot predict, at this point in time, which characteristic will predominate. Moreover, they should seek out information of the health vulnerabilities associated with anatomical changes.

How often have we, as practising veterinarians, not heard the argument (or the belief) that crossbred dogs are more intelligent than pedigree dogs (registered in the official Breed Books of Kennel Clubs). Yet, there is no sound evidence for this assertion.

Nevertheless, I will in all fairness concede that if a prospective caregiver feels that by crossbreeding a dog whose breed is reliably known to have specific ailments (which, let’s face it, was originally bred for some specific reason but it turned out that the initial objective carried with it the cryptically the inherent ailment),

and so on.

Some breeds were originally bred to kill wild animals, for example Badgers, which invaded farmsteads and ate chickens and their egg but which in due course became cute house pets. The best example of this latter development is the Dachshund (literally meaning the “Badger Dog), which followed the badgers into their warrens and killed them. When the problems on the farm were solved, Dachshunds became “lap dogs” (lovingly sitting on the laps of the elderly and giving the owners much happiness). But remember, in their genes lurk viciousness. More on dog breeds next week!

#4 Labradoodle

#1 Pit Monster

#2 Labrador Retriever

#3 Poodle

#5 Goldendoodle

#6 Hungarian Puli

#8 Shar Pei

PUC cites GPL for failing to attain majority of targets, but will not impose sanctions

…says power company needs to make

The Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has called out the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) Inc for failing to meet its targets but has decided that it will not sanction the power company.

This decision was taken by the Commission after its recent Annual Public Hearing held in March to review the 2022 Operating Standards and Performance Targets of GPL. The hearing is in keeping with the amendments to GPL's Licence, which mandates the power company to report on its achievements of its Operating Standards and Performance Targets for the previous calendar year to the Commission at a Public Hearing.

In its report from that public hearing, the PUC said “GPL continually fails to attain the majority of its operating standards and performance targets as prescribed within the Company's approved Development and Expansion programme even though many of these targets are way below the industry norms.”

Notwithstanding GPL’s statutory failings, the Commission did recognise that

“greater

effort” to reduce losses

the power company continues to implement and explore innovative measures to bolster its commitment to its consumers.

One of the areas that the PUC has expressed grave concern over is GPL’s insistence on using the failure of handheld devices as a shield in the achievement of meter readings for maximum demand consumers. According to the Commission, however, it has noted the prospect of improvements as the power company continues to procure and deploy new handheld devices. It is hopeful that this target can be met in the current year, the report detailed.

Additionally, the Utilities Commission also went on to cite the high percentage of system losses which it says continues to be a “bane on the financial stability” of the power company.

“It is another cause for continued concern. GPL needs to make a greater effort to reduce these losses as it will continue to hamper efforts to reduce the price of electricity to consumers,” the Commission stated.

However, the PUC further outlined in the report that since many of GPL’s targets were ‘nearly met,’ there will be no

penalties imposed against the power company over its operational failures.

“…the Commission, after careful deliberation, has determined that the imposition of penalty on GPL for its non-achievements of the consumer interruptions, voltage regulation, meter reading and average availability standards and targets is not warranted at this time although the non-attainment negatively impacts on GPL's operations, especially in its drive to provide reliable, affordable and quality energy services to all its customers.”

Despite this decision, however, the PUC emphasised in the report that it will continue to vigorously monitor the electricity sector so that GPL would be properly positioned to reach its contractual obligations and legal mandate to the consumers of Guyana.

During last month’s public hearing, GPL had contended that it is not at fault for every occurrence of power outage, which in some cases are as a result of external forces such as damage to its utility poles and other infrastructure.

According to GPL’s Deputy

Chief Executive Officer (Support Services), Renford Homer, the destruction of these items during traffic accidents, building construction and other activities is affecting GPL’s electricity distribution. As such, he said the company has been going after the perpetrators, including reckless drivers and companies, to have them stand the costs of repair/replacement, but this has not been very fruitful.

Homer was at the time responding to queries made by PUC Commissioner, Dr Nanda Gopaul about the mechanisms in place to surcharge persons responsible for the destruction of properties along the roadways.

Dr Gopaul posited that GPL has become a “major victim” of road accidents.

But the GPL Deputy CEO explained, as of September 2022, GPL commenced a procedure that involves persons from its Transmission, Legal and Loss Reduction Departments and the Guyana Police Force (GPF).

“In this process, we have the evidence to support that this particular vehicle or this particular equipment owned by this particular contractor… Our Legal Department reaches

out to whoever is the individual or company that has caused the disruption. We look at basically, for that period [of disruption], what is the cost of the service and the cost of the bill…,” Homer outlined.

However, even though the bill would be handed over to the company/individual for them to compensate the power company, Homer confessed that GPL has not been very successful in this regard and has since intensified its efforts. This includes issuing notices outlining that those responsible for the disruption would be held liable.

In addition, GPL has also been working with the Public Works Ministry to enforce this policy, and to even sensitise the Ministry’s contractors on the issue.

Meanwhile, GPL’s Divisional Director (Power Generation and Distribution),

Bharat Harjohn, also reported to the PUC during the public hearing that an average of 96 hours of power interruption was experienced in 2022 – a 10 per cent reduction from the disruptions recorded the previous year.

According to Harjohn, a number of factors cause the frequency and duration of outages, including plant maintenance, emergency outages, transmission and feeder line trips, switching activities on the network to allow for maintenance or isolation of a fault, generation shortfall, and generation trips.

He noted, however, that GPL is working to address the liability of electricity and among the measures being taken is moving away from using wooden structures and instead introduce concrete structures, tubing steel poles and fibreglass poles. (G8)

Over US$1B invested in Public...

Works have been moving aggressively on the new four-lane highway in Region Three, which is expected to be completed by mid-2024.

In September 2022, some $11.8 billion in contracts were signed for the construction of the Schoonord to Crane four-lane highway – a project that is part of a much larger initiative to establish a secondary road link to Parika, East Bank Essequibo (EBE).

The highway will be a modern one with features that will allow for easy and free flow of traffic at both ends. These include two roundabouts, 11 reinforced concrete box culverts, 36 prestressed bridges, and road signage and markings.

The project was awarded to eight contractors – VR Construction Inc, Avinash Contracting & Scrap Metal Inc, L-Heureuse Construction and Services Inc, GuyAmerica Construction Inc, AJM Enterprise, Vals Construction, Puran Bros

Disposal Inc, and JS Guyana Inc.

Another mega project in Region Three is the gasto-shore project, which includes the construction of an integrated Natural Gas Liquid (NGL) plant and the 300-megawatt (MW) combined cycle power plant at Wales on the West Bank of Demerara (WBD).

Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, whose

office is responsible for the country’s energy sector, had said during the National Assembly’s consideration of Financial Paper No 4 of 2022 in February that $24.6 billion has already been injected into the start-up of the transformational project.

With a timetable to deliver rich gas by the end of 2024 and the NGL plant to be online by 2025, a net total of 250 MW of power is ex-

…killed coalition politics

pected to be delivered into the Guyana Power and Light Grid at a substation located on the East Bank of the Demerara River.

In addition to the US$759.8 million Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract, the supervision of the NGL and 300 MW power plant components of the project will cost another US$23 million.

They say “fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me”!! That nugget of folk wisdom, of course, means that if you fall for the same trick twice, you deserve what you get!! But it seems that suckers are really born every minute, and even the second distilled wisdom of “once bitten; twice shy” doesn’t seemed to have alerted some grifters in the Opposition that the snake oil of coalition politics – even under the fig leaf of “shared governance”has been killed by them. It ain’t gonna happen in Guyana; at least not if the PNC’s involved!!

We all know what Burnham did to D’Aguiar, back in the 1960s, don’t we?? Used him to oust the PPP, and then dumped him as he rigged his way going forward!! Fast forward to 2015, when the PNC under the Sanctimonious Gangster started courting the AFC. A skittish Ramjattan worried they’d become “dead meat” if they went ahead, but yet he took the plunge!! Why?? Well, as a lawyer, he seemed to have believed that the law of contracts extended to political agreements, and agreed to the Cummingsburg Accord!!

Its essence was that AFC’s Nagamootoo would become the PM in what would be a “shared Executive structure”, with David Granger as President if they won the elections. The “sharing” was key, since they boasted this was the solution to our ethnically divided politics, by including ALL ethnic groups in Government. The AFC was going to bring in 11% Indians into the coalition with the overwhelmingly African-based PNC/APNU.

The Accord therefore specifically spelled out - leaving no ambiguity - that the key “power sharing” device was a Prime Minister on steroids!! “The Prime Minister SHALL have responsibility for: Domestic Affairs and Chairing the Cabinet; Recommending Ministerial Appointments and providing the organisational structures of Ministries for the approval of the President; Appointing heads of Agencies and non-constitutional commissions; domestic security.”

So, WHICH OF THESE POWERS WERE ACTUALLY GIVEN TO PM NAGAMOOTOO?? Responsibility for Domestic Affairs?? Nada!! Strike one!! Did he ever chair Cabinet?? Well, your Eyewitness understands he had a “chair” to sitbut that was it!! Strike 2!! Did he recommend “Ministerial Appointments”?? Well, even the three Ministers everyone thought he recommended on behalf of the AFC - Dominick Gaskin, Raphael Trotman and Holder - were actually unilaterally appointed by Granger!! Strike 3!! Did PM Nagamootoo recommend any heads of Agencies; say, like Clive Thomas for SARA? Your Eyewitness thought not!! Strike 4!! But hold it, he was already out with strike 3!!

So, right now, the Opposition PNC’s calls for “shared governance” with the PPP is “dead meat”, in addition to being dead in the water!! And will be until the PNC can engender some trust!!

…is Guaido??

How quickly we forget!! You didn’t immediately know your Eyewitness was talking about the man whom over sixty countries had recognised as President of Venezuela just two years ago??!! That’s right!! It was announced that Maduro had rigged the last elections, and Guiado, as Opposition Leader, had actually won!! Well, just last month, he was voted out by his Opposition comrades - but it doesn’t seem he’s taken too kindly to it.

Last week, Colombia had a conference of LA Leaders to try to get Maduro’s Government to resume peace talks with the Opposition, in Mexico. Guaido, of course, wasn’t invited!! But he had the temerity to sneak across the border to crash the conference!! He was quickly nabbed and whisked to Miami!! But while we may chortle at Guaido’s fall, let’s not forget it really doesn’t matter WHO’s the Venezuelan President - they ALL want to grab our Essequibo.

So, right now - with the US playing footsies with Maduro for their 300 BILLION boe - let’s hope they never settle their squabble!!

…rigged the elections??

The Rodney COI declared unambiguously that while Smith might’ve killed Rodney, Burnham was the intellectual author. So, now that the Elections Rigging COI identified the three GECOM Musketeers who did the dirty, what about the intellectual authors??

The new Demerara River bridge, another such project

US$5M private hospital opens in Leonora

…Govt spending $100M in each region to improve healthcare delivery – Dr Anthony

Even as another private hospital has opened its doors, this time the US$5 million Sheriff General Hospital at Leonora, West Coast Demerara (WCD), Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony has assured that public sector healthcare is being addressed robustly by the Dr Irfaan Ali-led Administration.

Dr Anthony explained that on the public side of things, roughly $100 million has been allocated per region in Guyana to upgrade primary healthcare facilities. He noted that this is why patients will notice improvements as they visit these facilities.

“On the public side, what are some of the things we’re doing? We, very early, decided that we have to improve the infrastructure of all our health facilities. And starting from last year, the President has allocated $1 billion so that we can start fixing all our primary care facilities in this country.”

“So roughly we allocated

$100 million per region so we could improve the primary healthcare facilities. This year again, we got for each region another $100 million. And so you will see as you go to the various health centres, you would start seeing that type of improvement in the waiting areas and the things we are doing,” Anthony said.

According to Anthony, with the introduction of this new hospital it is expected that less persons from the region will feel the need to travel all the way to Georgetown for medical treatment. In fact, the reverse could happen as persons travel to Leonora to visit the hospital. The Government is also engaged in building new hospitals, including one on the West side.

“We also recognise that while primary healthcare is important and we want to ensure that we can deliver more services at the primary healthcare level, it’s also important that we improve hospital care. And in this region, one of

the big investments the Government is making is to make a new hospital, on the Government side, at De Kinderen.”

“And some people might say why are we going to De Kinderen? But we see the population growth in the Tuschen/Parika area. And many persons who come from the river who need that kind of healthcare, they would easily be able to get health care at De Kinderen. That project has already started. We had land, we already cleared the land. And very shortly, construction will commence.”

Dr Anthony stressed that the Government’s investments in healthcare is not restricted to Region Three. Indeed, he noted that President Dr Irfaan Ali has recognised the need to improve medical care in other regions as well.

“And so, a similar hospital is going to be built in Lima. Another one is going to be built in Diamond. One is going to be built at Enmore. Another one at

Bath. And another one at Number 64 in Region Six.”

“As you know, we want to provide the best services for our children who need those services. And so, one of the other projects we have that is currently being constructed, is a maternal and child health hospital at Ogle. And that hospital will have sub-specialty in various areas of paediatrics,” Anthony further explained.

Advances in the healthcare system in Guyana have been galloping along. Only a few months ago, Woodlands Hospital launched its stem cell services and immunotherapy – becoming the first in the country to offer such

ground-breaking medical technology to the population. At the time, President Ali had made a commitment that by 2030, Guyana will offer healthcare services that are internationally recognised.

“In the next seven years, we are not trying to, by the grace and help of God, in the next seven years we are building in Guyana, a First World healthcare system for our citizens and a healthcare system that is fit for purpose and one that will provide global healthcare services for the rest of the world. Mark this night,” the Guyanese leader had declared.

“There is no rest in this

sector in getting it to where we want to be.”

Moreover, he said as more and more innovations take place in the sector, he called in financial and medical specialists as well as policymakers to start discussions on modern health insurance plans. He had also announced the forthcoming establishment of a National Medical Scientific Council. This council, President Ali had noted, would bring the country’s best medical talent to investigate “not old technology but the best-inclass medical science development that can be applied in Guyana to help us here”. (G3)

Still a lot of misunderstanding, stigma surrounding autism – AREO …as

efforts get underway to raise awareness in Region 5

Efforts are being made by the Education Department of Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) to raise awareness of autism. Among those efforts was an Awareness Walk and Autism Outreach hosted on Friday.

Some 36 children in Region Five are autistic, and there are many more who are yet to be diagnosed, according to Assistant Regional Executive Officer Rohini Mooklal. There is, however, still a lot of misunderstanding and stigma surrounding autism, and too often, she said, people with autism are seen as being difficult or challenging, when in fact they are simply different.

According to Mooklal, society has to learn how to support and accommodate the needs of autistic persons.

“One of the most significant ways that we can do this is by investing in special needs education. Education is a fundamental right for every child, including those with special needs. Special needs education is critical in ensuring that children with dis-

abilities have access to quality education that meets their unique needs. Special needs education provides a tailored approach to teaching, so that it recognises and accommodates the individual needs of students with disabilities.”

Unfortunately, Mooklal added, special needs education has, until recently, been underfunded and under-prioritised. Without the right kind of support, these children could struggle academically, socially and emotionally, and may be at risk of developing mental health issues.

This year, Autism

Awareness Month is being observed under the theme ‘Celebrating our Differences Through Awareness, Acceptance and Support.’ Education Officer with responsibility for Special Educational Needs (SEN), Akehia Benjamin, pointed out that Friday’s activity has been aimed at advocating for better support towards persons with autism through public awareness and alliance building with other stakeholders. She said it also paves the way for the SEN Unit to advance its work in the delivery of services to children who are challenged.

“It is our hope that this activity will also provide the avenue for parents, teachers, and other members of the public to be sensitised on autism as a category of disability that children are challenged with, (and) support mechanisms and services, coping strategies and activities that can enhance learning, social skills and physical development, among others.”

It has further been revealed that this activity aims to promote greater public awareness that learners with autism can also be self-sufficient in the future, and can contribute to our country’s economy. Benjamin explained, “…if they are provided the necessary support at school, home, and in society as a whole.”

Additionally, in keeping with the theme for this event: “Celebrating our Differences through Awareness, Acceptance and Support”, this event also provides ample opportunity for persons to develop a positive attitude towards those who are challenged, and express solidar-

ity in acceptance and support for persons living with Autism.

Meanwhile, Education Officer Latchme Sharma noted that children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other categories of disabilities are challenged on a daily basis by the most essential human behaviours. Hence, educating the public to foster awareness and acceptance is one of the primary forms of support.

“We firmly believe that all children can learn, regardless of their different circumstances, and we fully endorse the initiative of the SEN Unit in promoting advocacy and awareness at this time-

ly event…

“Parents, please be reminded that we are committed to providing the necessary support to you as we endeavour to light their fires. We firmly believe that all children can learn, regardless of their different circumstances, and we fully endorse the initiative of the SEN Unit in promoting advocacy and awareness at this timely event in the form of an Autism Awareness Forum,” she said.

Education Officer Sharma has committed to providing parents the necessary support to ensure their children benefit from quality education delivery. (G4)

Autism Awareness activity held in Region Five

Indian Indentureship and its causes

This Friday’s Indian Arrival Day holiday reminds us that between 1838 and 1917, 239,000 Indians were brought as “indentured labourers” for the sugar plantations of Guyana. The question arises as to why they left their country when their custom forbade “crossing the “Black Waters” (Kala Pani)” on pain of “social death”. The short answer is that for most, it was a choice between life and death.

Attempts to “erode legal professional privilege” called out by Bar Association

President of the Guyana Bar Association, Pauline Chase has lamented on “efforts to erode legal professional privilege” for those in the profession, an issue which calls for serious attention.

Chase shared this position during the Association’s Law Week Symposium at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre.

Commenting on the matter, she stated, “This is not a problem which we face in Guyana alone in isolation. It has affected Bars all across the world, first brought about through the introduction of anti-terrorism and anti-money laundering legislation…And now, etching an expanded space in Guyana through Section 41 of the National Intelligence and Security Agency Bill 2023.”

Ravi Dev

While indentured labour might be seen as a transitory episode of human labour from chattel slavery to the so-called modern “free labour”, the conditions that herded Indians into that option were man-made. For the so-called “pull factors”, the Guyanese sugar planters were convinced the freed Africans would not sell their labour at a rate to make sugar profitable. Unlike islands such as Antigua and Barbados, available land could provide them with alternative sources of sustenance than the sites of their degradation.

That the planters would soon lose the preferential tariffs that made WI sugar more profitable than beet and slave-produced sugar from countries like Brazil, was the clinching argument. They therefore actively sought new supplies of labour that would guarantee cheap and disciplined bodies on demand, even before full freedom arrived with the end of Apprenticeship in 1838. They resuscitated indentureship, the form of labour that had preceded slavery, where workers were contractually bound for a number of years to work under specified conditions and low wages. But where would such rates – which could not even attract freed slaves – be a “pull factor” for indentureship?

The answer was famine-struck Madeira starting in 1835 (30,685 ), the smaller WI Islands especially Barbados, 1835 (42,512), “Liberated Africans”, 1838 (13,355), British India, 1838 (239,909) and China, 1853 (14,189). India provided the most indentureds due to enormous numbers of Indians thrown into destitution under British rule and, as in Barbados, the wages and conditions unacceptable to our freed slaves, were attractive to them.

The story of Indian immigration actually begins in 1757, when the troops of the British East India Company captured Bengal from the Moguls, and inexorable completed their conquest of the legendarily rich India within 50 years. Less than a decade later, between 1768 and 1771, in Bengal and Eastern Bihar (from where most Guyanese immigrants originated), more than 10 million persons – one third of the population – died from a “famine”. Why? Two reasons. Firstly, the farmers who supplied the bulk of the population with foodstuffs were forced by the British into producing cash crops for export – even while they were forced to pay onerous taxes at the threat of death and violence that left them penniless.

Of the food staples produced, at the height of the famine grain merchants exported a record 800,000 tons of wheat and 1.9 million tons of rice. As peasants starved and perished, officials were ordered “to discourage relief works in every possible way”. British Governor Warren Hastings, boasted to the Home Office: “Notwithstanding the loss of at least one-third of the inhabitants of the province, and the consequent decrease of the cultivation, the nett collections of the year 1771 exceeded even those of I768… It was naturally to be expected that the diminution of the revenue should have kept an equal pace with the other consequences of so great a calamity. That it did not was owing to its being violently kept up to its former standard.” Between the Bengal famine of 1768 and the end of Indentureship in 1917, conservatively, over 54 million Indians perished from famine.

The cash crops the farmers were forced to grow included cotton, poppy (for opium), and indigo and, as described above, staples like rice and wheat. This simply sufficed to pay the extortionate British tax demands or lose their lands, which many did. Millions also became jobless when the British forbade Indian weavers from producing cotton yarn and the cotton fabrics that had enthralled Europe. Henceforth, only cotton woven by British looms could be sold in India! Where were unemployed weavers to get the money to buy food, much less clothes? Incidentally, Britain became the largest drug dealers up to the present, with up to 800 tons opium shipped to China annually so that the British could buy Chinese tea.

Even before the start of indentureship, millions of Indians were migrants looking jobs within India: British Guiana and other colonies provided a vent.

Chase reiterated that legal professional privilege allows clients the ability to freely share information with their respective lawyer for fair representation and is the ‘bedrock’ of the profession.

“We therefore as a collective, must in preparing for the future, find a way to somehow address this. In whatever era, an efficient system of justice is imperative in a society.”

New developments in the wake of a booming oil industry will bring new frontiers to be addressed in the legal sector, which the Guyana Bar Association must be aptly prepared to handle, she noted.

In her address, it was positioned, “We are witnessing at head-spinning rate, the advancements which come with our new oil and gas exploration. Guyana is touted as being one of the

fastest growing economies in the world. With that, comes new challenges and issues which need resolution and therefore, open up new areas of the law. As a Bar, we must be ready to play our integral role in discharging our professional duties in addressing such matters.”

Technological advancements

Inarguably, Chase said there are positive changes to come, especially with technological advancements to effect greater efficiency.

On the same note, she recognised that there are threats which cannot be ignored.

“Artificial Intelligence, for instance, threatens our very existence as a profession. And while many of us have thought that this is not a problem that we would have to face in our lifetimes, the speed of development which technology is taking makes it a real and present-day reality.”

Emphasis was also placed on the need for a sufficient quorum of Judges to dispense justice in a timely manner. Meanwhile, efforts to have a functioning Judicial Service Commission in place was welcomed. (G12)

Guyana Bar Association President, Pauline Chase

National Library launches Storytime in the Park

…as Read Guyana challenge coming soon

The Juvenile Department of the National Library on Saturday launched Storytime in the Park at the National Park under the theme “Come Hear a Story.” Education Minister Priya Manickchand was the guest reader during this initiative, engaging the children present in the Dr Suess’s classic “Cat in the Hat.”

This activity forms part of the library’s mandate to advance literacy countrywide as it promotes reading, listening and comprehensive skills, according to Chief Librarian Emily King.

King also encouraged parents to help their children develop a love for reading as learning to read is one of the most important skills a child can have.

Assistant Chief Education Officer with responsibility for Literacy, Samantha Williams commended the National Library on this timely project, expressing that literacy is everybody’s business.

In light of this, Williams announced that the National Department of Literacy is launching the Read Guyana Challenge in May through which children will read a story from

a selection of books and write a book report every Monday.

At the end of the month, participating children will receive a Super Reader certificate.

Williams also shared that work is being done to resuscitate school clubs and libraries to promote reading.

As part of Storytime in the Park, children played games such as hopscotch, and ludo, were exposed to some aspects of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics (STEAM), toured the library bus and were encour-

aged to become members of the National Library.

The Education Ministry continues to push for increased literacy rates across Guyana. On April 23, the National Literacy Department held a literacy extravaganza at St Stanislaus Sports Ground in an effort to cultivate an interest and passion for reading and writing among attendees.

The event saw booths showcasing interactive and educational activities, an Animal Friends App station, educational games, book review and writing, an arts and craft station

and an opportunity to give or exchange a book.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the Education Ministry launched a Literacy and Robotics programme at Enterprise Primary School, the first of its kind in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica).

Executed by the National Department of Literacy and the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD), this is a strict six-week literacy programme where students will exclusively learn reading, phonics, pronunciation and letter sounds, along-

side a robotics component. This fast-paced remedial intervention aimed to fast-track the learners’ literacy skills will begin at the basic level, move onto the intermediate level and culminate at the advanced level, throughout which the students’ progress will be assessed.

Other programmes of this kind are already in place at Dem Amstel Primary School, Kawall Primary School, La Retraite Primary School and Blankenburg Primary School in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara).

Education Minister Priya Manickchand reading to children during the National Library’s Storytime in the Park

All schools designated as examination centres to be closed during NGSA

COVID-booster era demands up-to-date shots to remain safe – MCH Officer

Guyanese should remain up to date with their booster shots for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), especially if they are travelling to locations where the disease is still rampant.

Maternal and Child Health Officer, Dr Oneka Scott was featured in the Health Matters Programme as Guyana joined the observance of Vaccination Week in the Americas.

However, Dr Scott also drew focus on the migrant population in the country and the need to monitor potential measles outbreaks. While Guyana is measles-free, cases are detected in neighbouring Venezuela and Brazil.

The Education Ministry has announced the closure of all primary schools designated as examination centres on May 3 and 4, 2023, for the administration of the National Grade Six Assessment.

In a memorandum sent by the Chief Education Officer, Saddam Hussain, it was noted that this closure is applicable for all grades except Grade Six.

“In addition, the closure will also apply to all year groups and grades of those nursery and secondary schools located in the compound of primary schools being used for examination centres. This is necessary to ensure that NGSA 2023 is administered in a conducive environment,” the Ministry penned.

For those schools which

will be closed, the respective teachers will not be required to report for duty. However, all Head Teachers must ensure that the schools are opened early to be accessed by invigilators. Some 15,268 students will be writing the NGSA this year. In a social media announcement, Education Minister Priya Manickchand said that pupils writing NGSA will now have more time to complete their exams. Tested across four core subject areas: Mathematics, English, Science and Social Studies, each exam will last 70 minutes. The number of examination centres has increased to 517. This means pupils will no longer have to travel far distances to complete their examinations.

The Minister said authorities are aware of the challenges faced by pupils as they were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. To this end, she highlighted that the Ministry has made significant investments in support of learners to prepare them for the upcoming examinations.

Some of these were the distribution of textbooks to all primary school pupils, broadcasting curriculum-centred programmes on the Guyana Learning Channel and YouTube platforms, development of the Quiz Me platform and making NGSA past papers available on the Ministry’s website.

The results from the 2023 sitting of the placement examination are due by July 11, 2023. (G12)

She underscored that each vaccine is important to complete the cycle necessary for achieving immunity. It was pointed out that COVID primary and booster doses should be kept updated to remain safe from the deadly virus.

“Nobody has an excuse not to get up to date… Getting up to date also means that you remember that we are in the COVID booster era. By now, all of us should have gotten our primary series and six months after each primary series, you are entitled to your booster dose, especially if you’re travelling to places of the world where COVID-19 is still rampant,” she noted.

Generally, the healthcare professional shared that some persons are still unaware of their immunisation requirements – an issue which the Health Ministry is aiming to rectify.

“We really do have to focus on our local immunisation schedule. We find that many people don’t know at the age they are, what vaccine they should have had. We’ve had rather unfortunate circumstances of people not recognising the need for a travel vaccine. For example, yellow fever has been quite in the news lately – a vaccine required for countries that still have a threat of endemic yellow fever disease.”

Like last year, this Vaccination Week also provided special attention to vulnerable and high-risk populations, as well as the armed forces, educators, people with special needs, and elderly.

“We do have a migrant population in Guyana and some of those migrants are coming from areas where unfortunately, vaccines are not available. In the Caribbean and Latin American territories, we are still on alert for measles outbreaks that are actively occurring in Venezuela and in Brazil.”

The Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) has outlined that different diseases can be prevented through immunisation at different ages.

In newborns, Hepatitis B and tuberculosis can be prevented while in the first year of life, it is diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio, Hib disease, Hepatitis B, pneumococcal disease and Rotavirus.

In the second year of life, diseases which can be curbed include yellow fever, measles, rubella and mumps. In children, it is whooping cough, and COVID-19 among others. For adolescents, vaccination can reduce HPV infection, chickenpox and also COVID-19.

Maternal and Child Health Officer Dr Oneka Scott

SUNDAY, APRIL 30, 2023 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

22 students each win $210,000 in Guyana-China Youth Competition

Twenty-two secondary school students from each educational district in Guyana were individually awarded $210,000 on Friday at the Chinese Embassy during the second annual GuyanaChina Friendship Youth Leadership Development

Competition Awards.

This competition is a collaboration between the Education Ministry and the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Guyana, and it saw over

Mohanlall of Queen’s College emerged as one of the winners, with her community-based project being titled K.I.N.D. to stand for “Kindness Is Necessary and Deserving.”

300 applicants from across the country.

Open to students from Grades Eight to 10, the competition focuses on

This project, she relayed, involved distributing food hampers to vulnerable groups within her community after a survey

three areas: a community-based project, critique of a work of art and participation in physical activities such as gymnastics, athletics or swimming.

Linden resident Ariel

she carried out found that rising costs led many community members to cut back on certain essential purchases in order to make ends meet.

Chinese Ambassador to Guyana, Guo Haiyan

Ariel Mohanlall, one of the competition winners, addressing the audience at the Second Annual Guyana-China Friendship Youth Leadership Development Competition Awards ceremony on Friday

Chinese Ambassador to Guyana, Guo Haiyan, and Education Minister Priya Manickchand with winners of the Guyana-China Friendship Youth Leadership Development Competition Awards

Learning Lab aims to lift persons with disabilities out of poverty – Minister

…95% completed

The Learning Lab, a Human Services and Social Security Ministry initiative that aims to serve as a training and empowerment centre for persons with disabilities, is currently 95 per cent complete.

Human Services Minister, Dr Vindhya Persaud on Friday engaged with several stakeholders during an inspection of the facility at Mahaica, East Coast of Demerara.

“This is a facility that involves a lot of stakeholders and as we move to completion and the formal opening of this facility, we invited some of the stakeholders to be fully involved in how we make this facility functional and operational,” Dr Persaud said. “We want to ensure [that] when the centre is fully set up, we cater for all the varieties of disabilities so that persons will feel comfortable in the environment.”

The Learning Lab seeks to train persons with disabilities with technical and vocational skills so that they can

be more employable, with some of the programmes including Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and garment construction.

Programme coordinator for the Guyana Society for the Blind, Ganesh Singh commended the Human Services Minister for her commitment to this project and its progress thus far.

“What we are seeing will definitely lift persons with disabilities out of poverty… This is really making the lives of persons with disabilities a better one, a more meaningful one and are able to claim their rightful place in society,” Singh said. “I am very pleased with what I would have seen and what I have heard from the Minister, we have come a far way…the Minister’s approach of inclusivity is one we embrace…. including people who are the beneficiaries in the process of planning so that everything is as good as it could be for implementation.”

He added that this facili-

ty is transformative and will have a significant impact on the lives of people living with disabilities as there is now a space for not just training and recreational purposes but also upskilling.

“As we have seen since

[Minister Persaud] assumed the portfolio, a lot of what is in the Guyana Persons with Disabilities Act 2010 as it relates to the social services portfolio would have been implemented,” Singh said.

Sabane McIntosh of the

Deaf Association of Guyana shared that this facility is a “wonderful start” to providing persons with disabilities with a space for growth and empowerment, and hopes that initiatives like these continue.

“It is a beautiful building, very clean, we were given a guided tour and access for the blind, deaf and wheelchair users is everywhere,” McIntosh said. “When this building comes to life it is going to be a fantastic social space which is badly needed for persons with disabilities.”

This facility is in keeping with the Government’s commitment to aiding persons with disabilities across the country.

In 2022, a one-off cash grant of $100,000 was given to the parents of children living with disabilities, while this year, persons 18 years and older living with permanent disabilities are benefiting from public assistance of $16,000 per month for life.

In another effort, several students have been also been identified as requiring Special Education Needs (SEN) services and as such, over 700 persons, as of last year, started training in SEN services to enhance the learning methods provided in certain schools.

Human Services and Social Security Minister Dr Vindhya Persaud, with Labour Minister Joseph Hamilton, Ganesh Singh of the Guyana Society for the Blind, and Sabane McIntosh of the Guyana Deaf Association, during the inspection of the Learning Lab on Friday

Dr. Tariq Jagnarine Family meDicine, enDocrinology/DiabeTes

Buckle up, parents! A baby’s first year is a whirlwind of milestones. You’ve already seen them take their first breath, heard their first wail, and changed their first dirty diaper. (Only a couple thousand more to go, this year alone!)

So, what’s next?

Developmental milestones are behaviours and physical skills children reach and master as they grow. Some first year-of-life physical milestones include:

* Rolling over

* Reaching for objects

* Sitting up

* Crawling

* Behavioural/social milestones include mimicking your expressions, and crying or laughing to show emotions.

So, get the cameras ready; here are the milestones to expect during a baby’s magical first year of life!

FIRST MONTH

It may seem that a baby is simply an eating, pooping, and sleeping machine at this point. But a lot is

HEALTH TIPS

DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES IN INFANTS TO ONE YEAR

again.

going on in that tiny body. Milestones to watch for include:

* Bringing hands and fists towards the mouth (though not always with great accuracy)

* Developing reflexes — flinching at loud sounds, shutting eyes at bright lights

* Focusing on objects brought within 12 feet of their face.

* Turning towards familiar sounds and voices — like yours!

SECOND MONTH

Babies start to act, well, more baby-like. By the end of 2 months, they are likely to be:

* Gurgling/cooing

* Trying to follow movement with their eyes (called tracking), although it may not seem very coordinated.

* Holding their head up and pushing upward with their arms while lying on their tummy

THIRD MONTH

Babies are progressing from dependent newborns to being more independent. This is when some of that cuteness overload starts to kick in. Watch for:

* Smiling at the sound of voices

* Holding their head and chest up and kicking their legs when lying on their stomach

* Grasping toys

* Putting their hand in their mouth with more precision

* Making more vowel sounds (ooh and ah)

* Recognising familiar faces and objects from a distance

* Trying to imitate your facial expressions.

FOURTH MONTH

At this stage, a baby is taking the milestones already achieved

and perfecting them. For example, they may hold their head up more consistently and for longer periods, grasp toys with more coordination, and copy their expressions with more accuracy. Other milestones are:

* Holding a rattle and shaking it at the same time

* Perhaps starting to roll from tummy to back.

* Tracking movement more fluidly

* Pushing down on legs when held in a standing position.

FIFTH MONTH

The baby continues to grow, explore, and master. As their strength and coordination increase, parents may notice that their baby is:

* Rolling from tummy to back, and then back to tummy

* Grabbing their feet, and maybe even inserting them into their mouth

* Moving objects from one hand to another

* Showing interest in food, a sign they’re getting ready for solid foods.

SIXTH MONTH

The baby is all grown up! They may now be:

* Sitting up briefly without any support

* Saying consonant (mmmm) and vowel (eeee, ooooo) sounds

* Playing and expressing displeasure when playtime stops (keep those raspberries coming!)

* Trying to get things out of reach.

* Recognising their name

* Expressing emotion (by crying or whining when sad or angry, and laughing or squealing when happy)

Given that they are now getting better and better at grasping and holding objects, the American Academy of Pediatrics says 6 months

is a good time to begin to encourage a baby to use spoons and their hands to feed themselves. A sippy cup or regular cup can be introduced with help.

SEVENTH MONTH

The baby continues to build on what they’ve already learned. Milestones include:

* Sitting up without support for longer periods

* Responding to the word “No!”

* Recognising emotions (happy, stern, etc.) by your tone

* Using their hand like a rake to reach for something (called the “raking grasp”)

* Responding to expressions — smiling at a smiling face, looking uncertain at a fearful one

* Putting objects in their mouth to explore them.

* Tracking objects more smoothly

* Stringing more consonants together while babbling

EIGHTH MONTH

Parents might notice that their little one can now roll over, sit up, and move objects from hand to hand or hand to mouth like a pro.

* Rocking back and forth on their hands and knees or scooting along the floor (precursors to crawling)

* Pulling up to a standing position

* Drooling — a lot (some babies will be cutting their first teeth around this age)

* Continuing to babble

* Developing stranger or separation anxiety. This is a kind of distress babies feel when they’re separated from their parents or primary caregivers.

* Don’t worry, separation anxiety passes. We promise you’ll eventually be able to go to the bathroom alone

NINTH MONTH

Your baby is on the move! They may be:

* Crawling

* More confidently pulling up to a standing position

* Playing peekaboo or looking for an object that was hidden.

* Using the pincer grip (which involves holding a small object like a piece of cereal or pasta between their forefinger and thumb)

* Pointing at things they want

TENTH MONTH

The baby continues to explore and experiment. Watch your baby as they’re:

* Moving from pulling to standing or crawling to “cruising” or walking, while holding on to furniture or objects around a room

* Banging objects together just to hear the sound they make — a kind of auditory assault rivalled only by your neighbour’s garage band.

* Poking at things

* Putting objects into a container and then taking them out again

* Feeding themselves finger foods

* Shaking their head “no” and waving “bye-bye”

ELEVENTH MONTH

In addition to reaching, crawling, and cruising, a baby may be:

* Continuing to explore language, giving you more mamas, dadas, and maybe even the occasional uh-oh! using the right inflection.

* Understanding simple declarative statements, such as “Don’t touch.”

* Copying your behaviours, like pushing buttons on a play phone and

babbling to mimic conversation.

TWELFTH MONTH

Congratulations! Officially the baby is now a toddler. During their twelfth month, the baby would likely be:

* Cruising, standing briefly unsupported, and maybe even taking a step or two

* Exploring objects by banging, throwing, and dropping them

* Saying one or two simple words, such as hi, no, and bye

* Using objects correctly, if not clumsily (for example, using a spoon to eat and a comb to brush hair)

* Looking to the right object when you say, “Where’s the dog?” or “Where’s grandma?”

WHEN TO TALK WITH A PEDIATRICIAN

While most babies would reach milestones at roughly the same age, there’s a wide range of “normal.” Babies born prematurely, or with a health issue or congenital disorder can also take more time to reach milestones. And one 2018 study found that girls tend to reach milestones before boys (although the differences weren’t huge).

All along the way, the baby’s paediatrician will be looking out for milestones and watching the baby’s progress. If the baby’s doctor feels there’s a need for intervention (screening, testing, or therapies, for example), they’ll let parents know. Keep baby’s clinical appointments (typically 5 to 6 in the first year) and see them as an opportunity to chat with a doctor about what’s going on.

NEXT WEEK’S TOPIC: DEVELOPMENTAL DELAYS

22 students each win $210,000...

She wrote letters to several businesses urging them to donate monetarily or otherwise, briefly presented on 104.3 FM to raise awareness of her project and engaged with residents of her community which she said taught her to be vocal on important issues.

“Through this competition, we’re hoping that we can create fine leaders – not only people who will live and live well for themselves, but people who live and want to serve others,” said Permanent Secretary of the Education Ministry, Alfred King.

King added that leaders are required to be well-rounded and the competition, with its three components, provides a key

opportunity for these students and future leaders to not only gain certain skills but also learn to recognise the need to help others.

Chinese Ambassador to Guyana Guo Haiyan also commended the students for their achievements and encouraged them to see beyond its scope.

“I believe that for the participants, you have not only won applause, built self-confidence, acquired skills and made improvements out of this competition, but also gained two meaningful rewards for your life,” Haiyan said.

These are self-awareness and appreciation of another civilisation, the Ambassador shared, adding that only by

recognising their interests, aspirations, advantages and limits can the students unleash their full potential and truly contribute to the progress of our society.

“The competition includes [components] which are helpful to trigger or deepen your self-awareness,” Ambassador Haiyan said.

She added that as this year marks the 170th anniversary of Chinese arrival into Guyana, this initiative is also an opportunity to further expand on the pre-existing knowledge and cultural aspects that Guyanese have gained from their Chinese counterparts.

“Just as fried rice and fried noodles in local Chinese restaurants can bare -

ly speak for Chinese food, those cultural symbols are far from representing the entire Chinese civilisation,” Haiyan said, encouraging participants and others to explore China’s long history and modernisation achievements.

The first Guyana-China Friendship Youth Leadership Development Competition in 2021 saw 11 winners from each educational district, chosen from some 100 applicants.

The Chinese Embassy hopes to see this competition continue to grow over the years, with Counsellor Chen Xilai expressing the potential for some awardees in the future to travel to China and experience its culture directly.

10-year-old boy missing after visiting stepfather

…“How can I sell

Ten-year-old Jormin

Thomas, a resident of D’Edward Village on the West Coast of Berbice, has been missing since April 18, 2023. His family is now appealing for the public’s help in locating him as they are frustrated with the response from the Police.

According to the child’s mother, Carla Thomas, Jormin left his home at around 22:30h to visit his stepfather on the night of April 18, to collect some documents. She said she stood at the corner of the

son?” – mother on Police question

road and watched her son walk to the location that is not far from where they lived.

“The place is not far, and the street had light. When he collect the documents I watched and he was walking coming back to me with them in his hand. Same time, a car pulled up and distract me. The man was asking me questions about how many children I had and I point up the street and I show him that is my son.”

“The man look at me and say he ain’t see no-

body coming there…So me say uncle [the driver of the car]…he then tell me come in the car and we went and look for him. He told me to go home and my son will come home and he dropped me home,” the woman said.

Thomas said after being dropped home, she went back out on the road and searched for her son until 02:00h in the morning. She said she subsequently made a report to the Police and CCTV cameras in the area were reviewed.

The footage that was

also seen by Guyana Times showed the child heading toward his stepfather’s location before returning and heading in the direction of his mother, who was waiting for him at the head of the street.

However, the child never reached his mother. It has now been 10 days, and the family is increasingly anxious for Thomas’s safe return. They say that any information, no matter how inconsequential, could be crucial in finding their son.

“Today [Saturday] the

Police call me to the Police station and they did a video interview with me. They told me that they were told that I sell my son. How can I sell my son? For money?” the woman asked.

The family is asking for the public’s assistance in bringing Jormin home. He was last seen wearing a yellow t-shirt, boxers, and grey boots. His family is urging anyone who may have seen him or has information on his whereabouts to contact them at 682-4652 or the nearest Police station. (G9)

my

Missing: 10-year-old Jormin Thomas

NA gets compactor truck; 2 more to come – acting Mayor

The municipality of New Amsterdam now has a compactor truck which would assist the municipality to address the growing solid waste problem, and the acting Mayor has said two more such vehicles would be going to the municipality. The $2.5 million compactor vehicle was commissioned on Wednesday.

The town had been without a compactor truck for some time, according to acting Mayor Wainwright McIntosh. A dump truck was being used to remove solid waste from dwelling homes and the business sector. At Wednesday’s commissioning ceremony, McIntosh said that during the period when the dump truck was being used, the municipality’s focus was mainly on the business community. This had

resulted in a pile-up of solid waste in residential communities, and indiscriminate disposal.

The new equipment, he said, is geared towards im-

proving efficiency and effectiveness in the municipality’s service to residents.

“Immediately after this simple ceremony, we would be heading straight

into Constituency Seven, which covers Overwinning, Islington and Glasgow Housing Scheme, but specifically to Glasgow Housing Scheme, where the bins of

residents will be serviced,” he disclosed

He referred to the move as an improvement in the Town Council’s Health Department, and he called on residents to ensure they have garbage receptacles placed in their yards.

“As a matter of fact, Council’s policy stipulates that every home should be having a garbage receptacle.

So, at Council’s service, these garbage receptacles will be serviced frequently. This compactor truck will complement our Canter which is in use currently. This compactor truck will be complemented by two other trucks which will be arriving shortly,” he added.

Funding to acquire this equipment comes from the Council’s 2023 subvention. McIntosh explained that the

Council had been experiencing problems in the health department. Those challenges, he said, included a shortage of labourers and drivers; and machinery had also been sabotaged.

“We will be putting systems in place to minimise those challenges. We currently have vacancies for porters and drivers,” McIntosh disclosed.

Asked whether anything has been done to make the jobs more attractive, so that persons might be more inclined to remain with the entity, McIntosh said that with a collaborative approach being sought with the Government and the regional administration, it is hoped that more attractive remuneration packages would become available. (G4)

“Results promising” – Mustapha on wheat trial

Results are so far promising from the ongoing wheat trial in Guyana but more research is needed to determine if the country can produce this crop on a largescale, according to Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha.

“We did two or three indoor trials and it was very good, we are looking for some areas to do the outdoor trial. We started a part in Paramakatoi in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) and I had a report from our Chief Scientist, Dr Mahendra Persaud, who told me that the growth was very good. The results look very promising...it was a small trial so we have to continue to do the trial and ensure that it works. But the trial that we did so far was very promising,” Mustapha told this publication during an interview on Friday.

Expanding on the initiative, the Agriculture Minister explained that the Government has partnered with a renowned research institution to look at the “tropical wheat”. In this regard, he announced plans to

soon roll out trials in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo).

“I am hoping that we can start some trial in Santa Fe in Region Nine shortly. The principal of Santa Fe will be in the country in a few weeks’ time, I’ll talk to them, but we have already agreed and they will help to do the trial there too so that process is still going on.”

It was previously reported that in May 2022, Guyana received 49 lines of wheat from the Government of Mexico to start a trial phase. The initial indoor trial, which explored several varieties, was completed at the Burma Rice Station in Mahaicony, Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice).

The aim of this wheat trial is to ensure Guyana becomes self-sufficient by reducing its import of wheat.

“We are very determined! And as long as the trial is successful, we will be going to produce our own wheat because we can’t depend too much on imports… As a country, we have to ensure that we produce our own food and be self-sufficient,” Mustapha

remarked.

Mustapha had previously acknowledged that the COVID-19 pandemic played a major role in influencing the Government to explore this project.

Meanwhile, in April last year, Mustapha had told reporters, “We are in contact with our counterpart in Mexico. We are looking at a different variety of wheat. I am hoping by the end of this month or by next month latest, we can have the first trial with about 15 to 20 varieties

to see the best one that can be grown in Guyana,” he had stated.

The Agriculture Ministry is also examining the possibility of establishing nurseries at strategic locations across the country to test for better-growing results. The plan is to have the technical officers assess which of the varieties are better grown here.

Millet production

In another bid to realise its food security agenda,

Guyana will also soon begin the production of millets.

Local authorities are currently awaiting technical support from India to begin the project.

“We have already earmarked some land and I am now waiting on [India’s] side to provide the technical support and also the seed. We will start in a phased approach and I have asked that India provide the technical support and the help and also the seed, so very shortly we will start some form of millet production,” the Agriculture Minister told this publication on Friday.

Back in March, it was reported that cultivation trials for millets production would be rolled out in Regions Four, Nine, and 10.

During a virtual address at the Inauguration of the Global Millet Conference in New Delhi, India, President Dr Irfaan Ali had highlighted the instrumental role millet production plays in addressing the global food insecurity issue.

The Head of State had also noted that production in

Guyana can support poverty reduction.

India has been a global leader in the production of millets, and already the Government has committed to making 200 acres of land available to India for exclusive millet production.

“Guyana looks forward to strengthening its cooperation with India to kickstart large, medium, and small-scale production of millets. India is the largest millet producer in the world, and through collaboration, Guyana hopes to embark soon on the sustainable production of millets,” the Head of State had remarked.

Millets are a highly varied group of small seeds and cereal crops. They are a powerhouse of nutrients, rich in proteins, vitamins, minerals, and fibres, based on the required environmental conditions for millet germination, Guyana is considered an ideal zone for the growth and development of the seed.

Importantly, millet production would open up additional avenues for economic advancement, providing a new market for export.

Teacher’s vehicle damaged as speeding driver slams into car

…says Police claim mall parking lot a “private property”; refuse to intervene

Ateacher is calling for action to be taken after a speeding vehicle allegedly slammed into her car in the Amazonia Mall parking lot, rendering severe damages, and law enforcement have taken a step back on the case.

The woman detailed on social media that she was at the mall to purchase food when the other car attempted to speed out of the entrance and crashed into her vehicle. She noted that skid marks appeared where he applied the brakes in attempts to avoid a collision.

Nevertheless, after the crash, she engaged a nearby Police station but was told since it is private property “there is nothing the Police can do there”.

Should she pursue the case, she would have to file a civil suit to be awarded compensation.

The teacher noted that the 21-year-old, who hails from Eccles on the East Bank of Demerara, initial-

ly offered to pay for half of her damages.

She contended, “I explained to him, that I am a teacher…I worked since I was 17 and that is the first car I have owned. I bought that with my own

sweat and perseverance. I explained to him that he made a terrible judgement speeding out the parking lot and out the entrance at that, when he was supposed to follow the arrows and drive around to exit.

He acknowledged and accepted those sentiments. I said that that is my hard work there and, in all fairness, I cannot let you and your recklessness just accept part ownership. I am seeking full recovery of damages and downtime.”

While the driver left a contact number, her calls have been ignored.

“The young man left a contact number and collected mine. Calls to him to discuss the way forward are being completely ignored. So, because I have to go through the whole legal battle to be compensated, he feels he off the hook.”

She argued that while her car is completely damaged, the young man has just a couple of dents on

his.

“He jumped in his and went about his life. I hit my chest and was throwing up he did not even have the human decency to go and ask if me and my friend were okay. I had to get my car towed yesterday and I am left in the chaos. While the young man ignores all my calls and carries on with his life when I could've lost mine,” she posted on social media.

“We talk about mental health. How healthy is it that the regular man has to go all out to fight for justice? When the person committing the act gets to go about life as per normal? No one understands the rage I am feeling right now. How is any of this fair?” (G12)

The two vehicles after the collision

Carnegie hopes to launch Indigenous cuisine recipe book in 1 month

The Carnegie School of Home Economics (CSHE) is expected to launch Guyana’s first-ever recipe book for Indigenous cuisine later in May. This was revealed by the principal of Carnegie School of Home Economics (CSHE) Sharmaine Marshall during a telephone interview with this publication.

According to Marshall, the book is currently being reviewed by the Ministry of Agriculture and after it has been approved, printing will begin.

“We’re waiting for feedback from the Ministry, once they approve it, we have to send it to be signed and printed. We have like a month more I would say. They’re reviewing the book at the moment,” Marshall shared.

Earlier last month, the

CSHE hosted a three-day taste test kitchen where persons from the public were invited to taste various Indigenous cuisines which will be featured in the recipe

book. During a previous interview with this publication, Marshall disclosed that this initiative was birthed through a financing arrangement

with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) for a six-year project named the Hinterland Environmentally Sustainable Agricultural Development

(HESAD) Project.

The project developed a nutrition strategy and playbook that outlined the nutritional problems of the beneficiaries of the HESAD Project in Regions One and Nine, with the aim of making awareness interventions in nutrition, especially in relation to women, youth, and children.

“The purpose of it is to document the history of the… Indigenous recipes in Guyana, particularly from Region One and Nine. That is what the project is about, so we would have gathered these recipes from various Indigenous nations in Guyana, and we would have conducted…a test kitchen. Because the recipes submitted are from different formatting…what we wanted to do was to standardise it into a form where anyone can

pick up this book and use it,” Marshall explained.

The US$11.15 million HESAD Project aims to improve livelihood resilience through income generation, access to assets, improved nutrition, and adaptation to climate variability and change. The lead agency for the implementation of the HESAD Project is the Agriculture Ministry, through its Agriculture Sector Development Unit (ASDU).

The historical recipe book, which will feature 50 recipes, will be designed and printed by Carnegie and will be available free of cost. A total of 300 copies are expected to be printed and handed over to the National Toshaos Council, which will distribute them to various communities across the country.

Carnegie School of Home Economics

GEA appeals dismissal of charge against Atlantic Fuels

The Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) has filed an appeal against a March 2023 decision of Magistrate Dylon Bess in which he dismissed a charge relating to the furnishing of false information against Atlantic Fuels Inc (AFI). A nocase submission made by the fuel company’s lawyer, Siand Dhurjon, was upheld by Magistrate Bess, who presides at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

In August 2021, AFI’s Director, Dr Richard Van West-Charles, a former Chief Executive Officer of Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) was released on $100,000 bail after denying the charge.

The charge had read that on November 13, 2020, AFI submitted invoice #100 to the GEA of 295 Quamina Street, South Cummingsburg, Georgetown, regarding a shipment of diesel claimed

to have been purchased from Global Oil NV knowing the same to be false or misleading. The offence is contrary to Regulation 70 (2) of the Petroleum and Petroleum Products Regulation 2014. The charge was filed by GEA’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr Mahender Sharma.

“The Guyana Energy Agency is of the view that the Learned Magistrate erred in law and/or misdirected himself on the law when he held that a prima facie case was not made out against the Defendant

company and that the dismissal of the case after the prosecution closed its case was against the weight of the evidence which was before the court,” the GEA has said.

According to the GEA, it will continue its mandate in ensuring licence-holders comply with the Guyana Energy Agency Act 1997 as amended and the Petroleum and Petroleum Regulations Act of 2014 regarding the authenticity of all documents submitted to the agency.

Also in March 2023, the charge against AFI

for falsifying an invoice was dismissed by the said Magistrate who ruled that the falsity was not proven beyond reasonable doubt and therefore upheld the no-case submission presented by Dhurjon. That charge was filed in January 2021 by the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA).

It read that on November 12, 2020, at GRA’s Camp Street, Georgetown Headquarters, Atlantic Fuels Inc caused to be made and subscribed a false declaration on invoice number 100 valued at $40 million for customs declaration reference number GY 410C, contrary to the Customs Act.

AFI’s Director, Eugene Gilbert, had pleaded not guilty and was granted $300,000 bail.

This charge is contrary to Section 217 (1) (a) of the Customs Act.

Therein states: “Any person who, in any matter

relating to the customs, or under the control or management of the comptroller- (a) makes and subscribed, or causes to be made and subscribed, any false declaration; … on summary conviction, that person is liable to a fine of $25,000, together with imprisonment for three years.”

It is not immediately known if the GRA has appealed the Magistrate’s ruling.

The charges filed by the GRA and GEA stemmed from a quantity of fuel that was imported by AFI in November 2020 which was seized by the two State agencies, owing to their suspicion that the company had falsified an invoice in relation to the fuel.

AFI had approached the High Court and as a result, Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George, SC, on March 15, 2021, ruled that the fuel ought to be released to

AFI, because there was no lawful reason for its detention. Justice George also ordered the GRA and the GEA to pay AFI around $15 million, representing costs for storing the fuel and damages for their illegal detention of the fuel.

In relation to the revocation of the company’s fuel importation licence, the company had also sought the intervention of the High Court. Justice Franklyn Holder, after considering submissions from AFI and GEA, ruled that there was no basis in law for the revocation of the licence.

The GEA was ordered by the Judge to reinstate AFI’s licence.

In November 2015, AFI, which is located at Lot 16 Sublot ‘A’ Mudlot, Kingston, Georgetown, was granted a licence to import/ wholesale, and store fuel by the GEA. The licence was valid until 2025.

Around the World OIL NEWS

Russia blames Ukraine drone attack for major Crimea fuel depot fire

Analysts see oil prices rising to $90 by end-2023

Oil prices are set to rise toward US$90 per barrel by the end of this year, driven by Chinese demand and a tightening market following OPEC+’s latest production cuts, a Reuters survey of 40 analysts and economists showed on Friday.

According to the experts, Brent Crude prices are expected to average US$87.12 per barrel this year, a higher average forecast than in the previous poll in March.

So far this year, Brent prices have averaged around US$82, while they traded at just above US$79 early on Friday.

The US benchmark, WTI Crude, is set to average US$82.23 per barrel this year, the analysts in the April poll expect, compared to an average forecast of US$80.88 per barrel in the Reuters poll in March. Early on Friday, the frontmonth WTI Crude contract traded at around US$75 a barrel.

Most analysts, not only those polled by Reuters, expect the surprise additional OPEC+ cuts of 1.16 million barrels per day (bpd) between May and December to significantly tighten supply in the second half of this year. Rebounding demand in China is also set to reduce supply and potentially offset weakness in major mature economies if the ongoing interest rate hikes lead to recessions later this year.

Hours after OPEC+ announced the new cuts, Goldman Sachs raised its Brent Crude forecast to US$95 from US$90 at the end of the year. The bank also raised its Brent Crude forecast for 2024, now seeing it at US$100 at the end of the year from an earlier projection of US$97.

Despite concerns about economic growth, global oil demand is still set for a record high 101.9 million bpd this year, driven by a resurgent Chinese consumption, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said in its latest monthly report in the middle of April.

Solid demand from China raised global oil demand by 810,000 bpd year-on-year in the first quarter to 100.4 million bpd, the IEA said in its Oil Market Report for April.

“A much stronger increase of 2.7 mb/d is expected through year-end, propelled by a continued recovery in China and international travel,” the IEA noted. (Reuters)

AUkrainian

drone strike set ablaze a Russian fuel storage facility in the Crimean port of Sevastopol early on Saturday, sending a vast column of black smoke into the sky in the latest attack on the Russia-occupied peninsula.

The city’s Moscowinstalled governor blamed Ukraine and later said the fire had been put out before a disaster occurred.

A Ukrainian military intelligence official said more than 10 tanks of oil products with a capacity of about 40,000 tonnes intended for use by Russia’s Black Sea Fleet were destroyed, RBC Ukraine reported.

The strike came as

Ukraine prepares for a long-promised counter offensive to push Russian forces back from territory they seized since invading in February 2022.

Ukraine says control of all its legal territory, including Crimea, is a key condition for any peace deal.

Russian forces occupied the peninsula in 2014.

Moscow has accused Kyiv of sending waves of aerial and seaborne drones to attack Crimea.

Sevastopol Governor Mikhail Razvozhaev said only one drone hit the oil tanks.

“The enemy ... wanted to take Sevastopol by surprise, as usual, by staging a sneak attack in the morning,” Razvozhaev wrote on the Telegram app. Russian firefighters had shown how to defeat a major blaze “and prevent a catastrophe”, he added.

Ukraine lacks longer-range missiles that can reach targets in places such as Sevastopol, but has been developing drones to overcome this hurdle.

Ukrainian officials do not usually claim responsibility for explosions at military sites in Crimea, although they sometimes celebrate them using euphemistic language. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Gunman kills 5, including child, at Texas home

Police in Texas say they believe a man killed five of his neighbours after an argument about him practice shooting with a semi-automatic weapon nearby.

The victims were all from Honduras, and included an eight-year-old child.

The incident occurred late on Friday night in the small town of Cleveland, San Jacinto County, Texas.

Among those killed were two women who were found lying on top of two surviving children, according to local Sheriff Greg Capers.

“In my opinion, they were actually trying to take care of the babies and keep them alive,” Capers told a local station KTRK. He added that all the victims had been shot “from the neck up, almost execution style, basically in the head”.

The suspect, believed to be Mexican, has been named as Francisco Oropez. He is still on the run and thought to be armed.

Investigators believe that the victims had asked Oropez, who it is thought had been drinking, to stop shooting as they were trying to put a baby to sleep.

According to Sheriff Capers, the man replied, “I’ll shoot out in my front yard, do what I want to in my own residence.”

Cuba, US officials meet in Havana to discuss anti-terrorism measures

Cuban and US officials met on Friday in Havana to discuss anti-terrorism measures, Cuba’s Interior Ministry said, broaching a particularly thorny subject between the two long-time rivals in the latest in a series of bilateral talks.

Terrorism is a contentious issue as Cuba is on the US list of state sponsors of terrorism, a matter the two sides agreed to continue discussing, however the talks this week were mainly “technical”.

The meetings, which included the US State Department, Justice Department and Homeland Security and their Cuban counterparts, addressed the

hijacking of aircraft and maritime vessels and the use of digital networks for violent purposes.

“The realisation of this exchange is an expression of the commitment of the Cuban Government in the fight against (terrorism),” the Interior Ministry statement said.

Former US President Donald Trump placed Cuba on the US list of state sponsors of terrorism, a designation that Cuba’s Government has rejected.

The list imposes strict sanctions on the communist-run island, complicating financial transactions and contributing, Cuba says, to a severe economic

crisis that has led to shortages of fuel, food and medicine and a record-breaking exodus of migrants north to the United States.

The Interior Ministry statement said Cuba had expressed its opposition to the designation in this week’s meetings, which began Thursday, but said both parties agreed to continue the talks going forward.

The US State Department did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

The Biden Administration has said it is reviewing Cuba’s status on the terrorism list but has yet to make any changes.

(Reuters)

After both parties returned to their houses, the gunman “topped off his magazine, and walked down his driveway... into the people’s house and started shooting,”

Capers said.

A total of 10 people were at the property at the time. The adults were declared dead at the scene, and the eight-yearold died at a hospital.

Firearm incidents are the top cause of death for US children and teenagers, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

A view shows smoke rising following an alleged drone attack in Sevastopol, Crimea, April 29, 2023

Developments in local boxing…

Sebert Blake receives international cutman certification

History was created yesterday when three-star trainer Sebert Blake was officially presented with his IBA Cutman Technician certification following his successful completion of the programme. Blake is the only Guyanese with this distinguished certification.

As part of a cadre of three-star coaches in the Caribbean, Blake is the first-ever Guyanese to participate in, and successfully complete, the programme, which transpired at the Women’s World Championship in New Delhi, India from March 15-31. Blake scored in the 90th percentile to finish among the highest successful candidates.

President of the Guyana Boxing Association, Steve

Ninvalle, said, “This is another tangible achievement, representation, and overall testament of human development by the GBA in its technical officers. Coach Blake is already in exalted company as one of a minute cadre of three-star coaches in the Caribbean, and now adds to his developing portfolio by becoming the first Guyanese to secure such a prestigious certification.”

He added, “2023 has been earmarked as a year for progressive development, and the GBA will continue in this evolutionary route. The discipline, but more specifically the boxers and the coaches, will be provided with the avenues and tools to enhance and hone their individual faculties. In partic -

ular, the formation of an assembly line of competent technical officers is a major objective of the association, with Coach Blake simply serving as the start or template of such a procedure.”

GBA Technical Director Terrence Poole will be the second Guyanese to participate in this significant programme, which will be conducted at the Men’s World Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan from May 1st-4th. History was created yesterday when three-star trainer Sebert Blake was officially presented with his IBA Cutman Technician certification following his successful completion of the programme. Blake is the only Guyanese with this distinguished certifica -

tion.

As part of a cadre of three-star coaches in the Caribbean, Blake is the first-ever Guyanese to participate in, and successfully complete, the programme, which transpired at the Women’s World Championship in New Delhi, India from March 15-31. Blake scored in the 90th percentile to finish among the highest successful candidates.

President of the Guyana Boxing Association, Steve Ninvalle, said, “This is another tangible achievement, representation, and overall testament of human development by the GBA in its technical officers. Coach Blake is already in exalted company as one of a minute cadre of three-star coaches in the Caribbean, and now adds to his developing portfolio by becoming the first Guyanese to secure such a prestigious certification.”

He added, “2023 has been earmarked as a year for progressive development, and the GBA will continue in this evolutionary route. The discipline, but more specifically the boxers and the coaches,

will be provided with the avenues and tools to enhance and hone their individual faculties. In particular, the formation of an assembly line of competent technical officers is a major objective of the association, with Coach Blake simply serving as the start or tem-

plate of such a procedure.”

GBA Technical Director Terrence Poole will be the second Guyanese to participate in this significant programme, which will be conducted at the Men’s World Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan from May 1st-4th.

Historic! GBA President Steve Ninvalle (right) presenting the IBA Cutman Technician certification to three-star trainer Sebert Blake following his successful completion of the programme. Also in the photo is GBA executive Seon Bristol

TATA IPL 2023: Gujarat Titans vs Kolkata Knight Riders…

Clinical Titans take top spot

-through efforts of Noor, Little, Gill, Shankar

Filling in for the injured Jason Roy, Rahmanullah Gurbaz scored 81 off 39 against his former franchise, Gujarat Titans; but Kolkata Knight Riders managed to score just 179, which Titans overhauled with 13 balls to spare, despite a scare in the middle overs.

Gurbaz was sensational, especially in his takedown of Rashid Khan, who went for 50 or more for only the second time in the IPL; but the only support he received was from Andre Russell, who scored 34 off 19 at the death. Josh Little tied them down in the middle overs, and it resulted in wickets, and Noor Ahmad registered the Afghan presence with 4-0-21-2, including the wicket of Gurbaz.

Shubman Gill, a former Knight Rider, set up the chase, and Vijay Shankar and David Miller finished it off in style, after two quick wickets in the middle overs had threatened to turn this into a thriller.

Shami strikes early

The match started 45 minutes late because of a brief shower. That rumble of a thunderstorm at the time of the toss made Titans change their mind and choose to bowl. The pitch was spiced up, and Mohammed Shami found seam movement. He bowled through the powerplay to get the wickets of N Jagadeesan and the promoted and returning Shardul Thakur.

Gurbaz plays a different game

Even as the others struggled to hit boundaries, Gurbaz middled almost everything, and kept hitting to where the fielders weren't present. He began with a pick-up pull off Hardik Pandya, and followed it up with a wristy pick-up six.

The most awesome perhaps was the attack on compatriot Rashid, for whom he made room, picked his variations, and hit him down the ground for 30 off 11. The middle overs were unable to slow him down.

Little slows KKR down

With Rashid taken for plenty, it was Josh Little who pulled things back for Titans. He just extracted extra bounce from hard lengths to frustrate the batters. His first two oversseventh and ninth - went for just 10. At the start of his third, Venkatesh Iyer felt obliged to play a low-percentage shot, and was out lbw. In the same over, Nitish Rana found backward point with a cut.

That was when the arrival of Rinku Singh - hero of the last match against Titans, but under a-runa-ball against spin in the IPL - slowed Knight Riders further down. Eventually, Gurbaz fell to a Noor Ahmad full toss, having got only 54 off 53 from the other end, including extras. Only a late burst from Russell kept Knight Riders in the game, but Russell admitted in a sideline interview that they were 20 runs short.

Gill launches the chase

The way the ball sounded like gun shots off Gill's bat, it looked like Knight Riders were way more than 20 short. He raced away to 35 off 20 in the powerplay without even trying to hit a six. Like Gurbaz, he dominated by scoring 44 of the first 70 runs.

KKR spinners refuse to go down

Not for the first time, the Knight Riders’ spinners dragged them back into the contest with some tight overs. Just as Hardik began to open up, he got a

SCOREBOARD

Kolkata Knight Riders (20 ovs maximum)

BATTING R B

Narayan Jagadeesan †

lbw b Mohammed Shami 19 15

Rahmanullah Gurbaz c

Rashid Khan b Noor Ahmad 81 39

Shardul Thakur c Sharma

b Mohammed Shami 0 4

Venkatesh Iyer lbw b Little 11 14

Nitish Rana (c) c

Tewatia b Little 4 3

Rinku Singh c Little b

Noor Ahmad 19 20

Andre Russell c Tewatia

b Mohammed Shami 34 19

David Wiese not out 8 6

Extras (w 3) 3

TOTAL 20 Ov (RR: 8.95)179/7

Did not bat: Sunil Narine,

Harshit Rana, Varun

Chakravarthy, Suyash Sharma

Fall of wickets: 1-23

(Narayan Jagadeesan, 2.5 ov), 2-47

(Shardul Thakur, 4.6 ov), 3-84

(Venkatesh Iyer, 10.1 ov), 4-88

(Nitish Rana, 10.4 ov), 5-135

(Rahmanullah Gurbaz, 15.2 ov), 6-156

(Rinku Singh, 17.3 ov), 7-179

(Andre Russell, 19.6 ov) •

BOWLING O-M-R-W

Mohammed Shami 4-0-33-3

Hardik Pandya 3-0-34-0

peach from Harshit Rana, who was filling in for the injured Umesh Yadav. Having taken 10 balls to go from 40 to 49, Gill tried to hit Sunil Narine for a six, but ended

up giving him his first wicket in six matches. A grandstand finish looked likely, as Vijay and Miller absorbed some dots to make it 69 required off the last six.

Don't take it deep

The virtues of taking chases deep get spoken about often, because the ones finished early don't have the drama attached. Miller and Vijay could have absorbed three more overs of spin and wait for some pace in the end, but they decided otherwise. Miller first took on Suyash Sharma, and hit two six-

es, which hurried the return of pace. Now Vijay got into the act, hitting a six off Russell before dismantling his Tamil Nadu teammate Varun Chakravarthy with three sixes in the 17th over. Before it was realised, he was bringing up his fifty in just 24 balls, and Titans were back on top of the table with six wins out of eight. (ESPNCricifno)

Josh Little

Noor Ahmad

Mohit Sharma

Gujarat Titans (T: 180 runs from 20 ovs)

BATTING R B

Wriddhiman Saha † c

Harshit Rana b Russell 10 10

Shubman Gill c

Russell b Narine 49 35

Hardik Pandya (c)

lbw b Harshit Rana 26 20

Vijay Shankar not out 51 24

David Miller not out 32 18

Extras (lb 9, w 3) 12

TOTAL 17.5 Ov (RR: 10.09)180/3

Did not bat: Abhinav Manohar, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Mohammed Shami, Josh Little

Fall of wickets: 1-41 (Wriddhiman Saha, 4.1 ov), 2-91 (Hardik Pandya, 10.4 ov), 3-93 (Shubman Gill, 11.2 ov) •

BOWLING O-M-R-W Harshit Rana

Shubman Gill accelerated after getting his eye in in the first over

Rahmanullah Gurbaz made the most of the powerplay

TATA IPL 2023: Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Delhi Capitals…

SRH overcome Mitchell Marsh to end losing streak

Ina game of high drama, wherein both sides kept landing punches at each other with neither backing off, Sunrisers Hyderabad pipped Delhi Capitals to arrest a three-match losing streak on a low and slow pitch at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.

At one stage, Capitals were on track to gun down a 198-run target -- when Mitchell Marsh and Phil Salt put together 112 in just 11 overs, after David Warner had fallen for a second-ball duck -- but then one wicket led to another, and before Delhi could realise it, Sunrisers had clawed their way back into contention, courtesy of the guile of Mayank Markande, who picked up 2 for 20.

Sunrisers now have three wins in eight games, compared to Capitals' two wins in eight, thus they are kept rooted to the bottom of the points table.

Powerplay salvo

Back to opening the innings after a game in the middle order, Abhishek Sharma began positively. He lofted Ishant Sharma for two successive boundaries in the

opening over; and though Mayank Agarwal's dismissal to a short ball gave Ishant some joy in his second over, Abhishek wasn't in a mood to slow down. He took Ishant for four boundaries in the seamer's third over, and hit 43 of Sunrisers' 62 for 2 after the first six.

Capitals' comeback

The next four overs belonged to Capitals, as they conceded just 21. Marsh left his mark on the game during this phase by taking pace off, short boundaries notwithstanding, and allowing batters to force the pace on a surface where the ball was holding up. Two balls after he had Aiden Markram picking out deep midwicket, Harry Brook toe-ended a pull to the edge of the ring, and Axar Patel was the catcher on both occasions.

The Klaasen kick

After Abhishek had raced to a 25-ball half-century, Heinrich Klaasen got into the game by taking apart Mukesh Kumar as the 11th over went for 24. Abhishek began that over with two back-to-back fours, and Klaasen finished it with a monstrous six down

the ground off a legcutter.

Axar, though, proved difficult to get away, as he varied his pace and angles to finish with 1 for 29 from his four overs, the reward being the big wicket of Abhishek for a 36-ball 67. It could've been far more impressive if Klaasen hadn't belted him for two sixes to end his spell. A 53-run stand between Klaasen and Abdul Samad off 33 balls, and some late runs from Akeal Hosein helped Sunrisers muscle 62 off the last five overs.

Warner falls but Marsh fires Sunrisers couldn't have asked for a better start: Bhuvneshwar Kumar got

Warner to chop-on with the second ball of the chase, but Marsh and Salt raised the half-century of their partnership in just 29 balls by going after Hosein's left-arm darts. Sunrisers tried to get overs out of spin seemingly in a bid to negate dew, but Hosein was far too short, and the batters helped themselves to a nice spread against the short square boundaries.

After five overs, ESPNcricinfo's forecaster had pegged Capitals' chances of victory at 19.43%, but after seven, this figure had jumped to 45.68%. The reason for that partly was Marsh's take-

off against Umran Malik, who kept bowling short and into the body for Marsh to get inside the line and simply help it to beat long leg twice for sixes in a 22-run over. Salt opened and closed that over with two bludgeoning fours of his own against the short ball. That put Sunrisers under the pump.

Markande leads spinners into it Markande used the slow-

ness of the pitch to string together dots, before dismissing Salt with a return catch that he just managed to hold on to. It was a big wicket, considering Salt's maiden half-century had set the tone for the chase. Then, seven balls later, Manish Pandey ran down the track, only for Abhishek to shorten his length and beat him in the air and off the pitch.

It was now all on Marsh to see Capitals home, but that wasn't to be, as Hosein hit back superbly after the early onslaught by dismissing him. After being walloped out of the ground on the previous delivery, Hosein bravely tossed it up for Marsh to go again, except this one gripped and turned, and Marsh sliced it to Markram.

That, right there, was the game for Sunrisers. Axar muscled a few towards the end, but the middle-order slowdown after the SaltMarsh stand proved to be the difference. (ESPNCricinfo)

SCOREBOARD

Sunrisers Hyderabad (20 ovs maximum)

BATTING R B

Abhishek Sharma c Warner b AR Patel 67 36

Mayank Agarwal c †Salt b Sharma 5 6

Rahul Tripathi c Pandey b Marsh 10 6

Aiden Markram (c)

c AR Patel b Marsh 8 13

Harry Brook c AR Patel b Marsh 0 2

Heinrich Klaasen †not out 53 27

Abdul Samad c †Salt b Marsh 28 21

Akeal Hosein not out 16 10

Extras (lb 1, nb 1, w 8) 10

TOTAL 20 Ov (RR: 9.85) 197/6

Did not bat: Mayank Markande, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umran

Malik, T Natarajan Fall of wickets: 1-21 (Mayank Agarwal, 2.3 ov), 2-44 (Rahul Tripathi, 4.4 ov), 3-83 (Aiden Markram, 9.2 ov), 4-83 (Harry Brook, 9.4 ov), 5-109 (Abhishek Sharma, 11.3 ov), 6-162 (Abdul Samad, 16.6 ov) •

BOWLING O-M-R-W

Ishant Sharma 3-0-31-1

Anrich Nortje 4-0-44-0

Mukesh Kumar 2-0-38-0

Mitchell Marsh 4-1-27-4

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Abhishek Sharma going aerial

The reverse scoop, Heinrich Klaasen way

Alado to contend on newly-laid all-weather surface at Bush Lot, WCB

face, no one has any advantage."

Asked for more information on the track and facility, Mohamed explained, "The weather was like a seat belt, it helped. Belt was still against us, because of some of the work we needed to do. The rain impacted on that work, (but) the facility is now fully completed, but it is something for the people of Bush Lot. I am happy to announce that the people of Bush Lot will have a venue that is theirs, and it is for them to protect."

Top racing steed Alado would be in contention in the Race of Champions, according to his trainer Nasrudeen 'Junior' Mohamed. This highly anticipated meet is being staged at the Bush Lot United Turf Club (BLUTC) on the West Coast of Berbice today, April 30, 2023.

Unbeaten in his two career starts, in which he won the Guyana Cup and the President's Cup, Alado will today be contending alongside other top horses Ice Kreem Sundae, Queen Domina, Jessica’s Pride and Converter.

His trainer Junior

Mohamed has said, "In the interest of the animal, we did not race at Port Mourant. He was fit to race, but we took precautionary measures. He will be racing today. I am not worried about him sprinting, he is a versatile horse."

With the surface of the Bush Lot race track being newly relaid, transforming it into an all-weather track, Mohamed was asked if it would impact Alado's running style, and he responded, "The track will be a challenge for all horses, but it will be a better surface for all of them. As it will be the first time the horses will be competing on such a sur-

Mohamed declared, "I have to thank (BLUTC) President Dharmindra Dharamjit for the help his club has given us, and the opportunity to transform the facility. I have to thank the workers who worked several nights to make this race day possible."

Mohamed pleaded, "I am requesting horsemen and patrons to come early. All jockeys are also asked to be on the premises one hour before the post time of the first race. We will like to share some advice to them, so that all the races could run of on time. I will like to wish all a successful and an enjoyable day."

Headley-Weekes Tri-Series 2023…

West Indies Test opener Tagenarine

Chanderpaul

scored his 14th first-class half-century when the second match of the HeadleyWeekes Tri-Series ended in a draw. On day four at Coolidge Cricket Ground, Team Weekes ended on 107-3 after 41 overs, with Chanderpaul scoring 53 on a rain-hit day.

West Indies Academy had posted 435 all out in their first innings in replying to Team Weekes’s

Upper Demerara Cricket Assn executives re-elected

-Fredericks back as President

The Annual General Meeting and election of office-bearers of the Upper Demerara Cricket Association (UDCA) were held on Saturday at the Hymara Park in Linden. It was supervised by president of the Guyana Cricket Board, Mr. Bissoondyal Singh.

Those elected to serve in executive positions of the UDCA are as follows: President - Bradley Fredericks; VP - Andrew Forsythe; SecretaryJacquey Bourne; Assistant Secretary - Nick Hartman; Treasurer - Jeremy Johnson; Assistant Treasurer - Ryan Piggot. The Auditors are Fintech Accountants, and the Organizing Secretary/ PRO is Kollis Smith. The Committee Members are Karil Smith, Clayton Van

The

Prodigal Son has returned! GFF’s Elite League set for May 14th kick-off

By Jemima Holmes

The Police Sports Club

Ground at Eve Leary in Georgetown will, on Sunday May 14th, witness the long- awaited return of the Guyana Football Federation’s (GFF’s) Elite League competition. The League’s last sign of life was in 2019, when Tucville-based club Fruta Conquerors were crowned champions of the 4th edition of the tournament. Now, with the COVID-19 pandemic and return to play protocols being cited as a major hindrance, the Elite League will return in a truncated version.

This year’s 5th edition of the league will see the 10 teams which competed in the 4th installment returning to play 9 games each in a single round system. Each team will play every other team in the league once.

According to GFF Technical Director (ag) Bryan Joseph, these measures were taken to effect realignment with the football calendar. He said during a press briefing at the GFF’s Campbellville Headquarters on Saturday afternoon: “This shortened version of the Elite League is an attempt for us to have our elite players and clubs

Chanderpaul scores fifty on final day of drawn encounter

first innings total of 401. Resuming the final day on 378-4, Kirk McKenzie was eventually dismissed for an impressive 221 from 386 balls, having struck 26 fours and one six.

Guyanese Nial Smith produced a peach of a delivery, and it found McKenzie's outside edge.

The slide continued when the Barbadian Kevin Wickham fell at 421-6, having made 121 from 270 balls in an innings laced with nine fours and one six. Nyeem Young (14), Joshua Bishop (03), McKenny Clarke (09) and Ashmead Nedd (00) all fell cheaply as the Academy innings closed on 435. Bajan pacer Jair McAllister had 4-84 in

20 overs, veteran spinner Veerasammy Permaul had 3-106 in40.5 overs, and Kevin Sinclair picked up 2-71 in 21 overs. The rain started falling in Antigua after Zachary McCaskie (31) was bowled by Raymond Simmons. Keacy Carty made 21, while Chanderpaul had faced 118 balls for his 53, which had six fours. Alick Athanze was unbeaten on one, and Brandon King was yet to score when the match ended in a draw. Left-arm spinner Joshua Bishop had 2-1 in four overs for West Indies Academy.

The final match of the series will be played on May 3 between Team Weekes and Team Headley.

SCOREBOARD

West Indies Academy 1st Innings

Keagan Simmons b McAllister 7

Kirk McKenzie c Thomas b Smith 221

Ackeem Auguste b McAllister 21

Kevlon Anderson c

McCaskie b Sinclair 26

Tevin Imlach c King b Sinclair 0

Kevin Wickham b McAllister 121

Nyeem Young lbw b McAllister 14

Joshua Bishop c Sinclair b Permaul 3

McKenny Clarke lbw b Permaul 9

Ashmead Nedd lbw b Permaul 0

Ramon Simmonds not out 0

Hersel and Pheona David.

In an invited comment, Fredericks noted that he had contested an inter-district tournament recently and there were challenges in his previous term, until the UDCA were able to have a competition staged earlier this year and an Under-17 team played in an inter-district competi-

tion also this year. He said, “We were able to have three truckloads of dirt to build three wickets. Hopefully, with these three loads of stuff, we can have three grounds ready, to expand the game. In so doing, we will also have the Mackenzie Sports Club ground available for cricket.”

FOW: 27/1 (11.6) Keagan

Simmons 59/2 (21.4) Ackeem

Auguste 140/3 (47.4) Kevlon

Anderson 142/4 (49.1) Tevin

Imlach 401/5 (130.1) Kirk

McKenzie 421/6 (135.2)

Kevin Wickham 426/7 (137.2)

Nyeem Young 428/8 (138.4)

Joshua Bishop 428/9 (138.6)

Ashmead Nedd 435/10 (142.5) McKenny Clarke

Bowling

Nial Smith (25-6-61-1)

Dominic Drakes (28-6-86-0)

Jair McAllister (20-1-84-4)

Kevin Sinclair (21-2-71-2)

Veerasammy Permaul (40.5-6-106-3)

Alick Athanaze (8-1-16-0)

Team Weekes 2nd Innings

Tagenarine Chanderpaul c

Anderson b Bishop 53

Zachary McCaskie b Simmonds 31

Kacey Carty c Anderson

b Bishop 21

Alick Athanaze not out 1

Brandon King not out 0

Total (3 wickets, 41.0) (1 extras) 107

FOW: 70/1 (20.6) Zachary McCaskie 105/2 (38.2)

Kacey Carty 106/3 (38.6)

Tagenarine Chanderpaul

Bowling

Nyeem Young (13-3-33-0)

Ramon Simmonds (7-4-14-1)

McKenny Clarke (5-1-26-0)

Kevin Wickham (6-1-25-0)

Ashmead Nedd (6-3-8-0)

Joshua Bishop (4-3-1-2)

get us realigned to the football calendar.”

While the tournament is confirmed to kick off on May 14th, there has been no confirmation of further fixtures, since the GFF is still ironing out the best time to accommodate its FIFA+ partnership that would be utilised during the league.

The FIFA+ platform would allow the GFF to broadcast the games in the league for the purposes of visibility, marketing, and to some extent scouting.

“Because of the FIFA+ and us finalising the venues, match times, etc, out of that conversation, we’ll be able to say what match plays at what venue and what time, making best use of the FIFA+ platform,” Joseph indicated.

What has been confirmed, however, are the playing days for the league, which will be Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. It is estimated that the league will see eight matches per month until its completion, estimated in September.

Also in place for this year’s Elite League is a participation grant, which will see each of the 10 participating teams receiving $500,000. This sum is expected to cover logistics costs for each club’s involvement in the tournament. Aside from this, the league is set to cost the GFF a whopping $20M-$25M.

At the end of the 2019 league, a promotion and relegation process was supposed to be carried out.

However, with the league now resuming after that edition, the promotion and relegation will come after the completion of this year’s league. In that case, the bottom two teams in the Elite League will be relegated, while the top two teams (Champions and runners-up) in the Regional Member Association (RMA) National playoffs will be promoted to the league.

The Clubs in this year’s shortened Elite League will be two-time defending champions Fruta Conquerors FC, Western Tigers FC, Den Amstel FC, Guyana Defence Force (GDF) FC, Buxton United, Santos FC, Guyana Police Force (GPF) FC, Milerock FC, Victoria Kings and Ann’s Grove FC.

Champion horse Alado returns to contention today

GFF’s TD Bryan Joseph and General Secretary Ian Alves took a photo opportunity with Elite League Club representatives after presenting them with the ‘participation grant’. participating and competing against each other, but it also has a component of trying to

Kirk McKenzie scored a monumental 221

Sitting in front row at left are: Bissoondyal Singh, Bradley Fredericks and Andrew Forsythe. They are surrounded by other executives

MCYS to engage sports associations on travel protocols

he Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport (MCYS) and the National Sports Commission (NSC) are said to be pulling out all the stops to avoid any recurrence of the fiasco that occurred at CARIFTA

Games 2023.

As such, Sport Minister Charles Ramson jr. and Director of Sport Steve Ninvalle, together with Assistant Directors of Sport Melissa Dow-Richardson and Franklyn Wilson, met on Saturday morning with the heads of Guyana’s 12 core sports to flesh out protocols for teams travelling to represent Guyana.

“We discussed a number of things about the

method and the procedure of having Government’s involvement and support for any of the travelling teams for the core sports, and we’ve established a framework for them to do that,” the Minister shared with media operatives following the Saturday morning engagement.

Ramson jr. divulged, “This was just to give them the opportunity of having the engagement with me and the National Sports Commission; and the GOA was present as well, to say very firmly, ‘What happened in the past is never going to happen again’. We cannot allow the country to be embarrassed like that. No one from Guyana, or Guyanese from any part of the world, could ever be proud of our representation encountering that type of situation.”

While the Ministry and NSC had the opportunity to put forth protocols, representatives of the core sports were also given the

opportunity to agree, disagree, or suggest modifications to such protocols. In light of that, the Minister emphasised the importance of such an engagement.

“The changes we’ve outlined are important because, in the absence of it, it’ll continue to be a perennial problem; and without us taking a form position on it, the country will continue to be embarrassed. That’s why it was very important to have that session with them today,” Ramson jr. highlighted.

Only a few weeks ago, the Government of Guyana (GoG), through the MCYS, had to intervene to get Guyana’s CARIFTA Games team back home following alleged negligence on the part of the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG). The occurrence has spurred conversations about Government’s involvement in getting athletes to and from Guyana when representing the Golden arrowhead.

Headley-Weekes Tri-Series 2023…

Chanderpaul scores fifty on final day of drawn encounter