Guyana Times - Friday, January 12, 2024.pdf

Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 5609

THE BEACON OF TRUTH FRIDAY, JANUARY 12, 2024

Govt working assiduously to reduce unemployment, eradicate poverty – VP Page 3

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

PPP to elect new leadership in May – GS P10 CJ urges P14 Attorneys, litigants to use alternative dispute resolution

“Mental gymnastics” – Teixeira on Opposition’s claims of Venezuelans granted Guyanese citizenship for 2025 elections Man admits to Page 7

killing Cuban butcher P9

Opposition MPs reshuffled for more "effective, P2 efficient" representation – Norton …Figueira replaced by a "activistoriented" Nima Flue-Bess Mock exam: Grade Six students from the Annai Primary School, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) (right) and Aloysius Primary School, Georgetown (left) writing the first mock exam for the National Grade Six Assessment 2024 (Education Ministry photos)

No new taxes in Budget 2024 – Jagdeo Page 9

Stray bullet hits to expand 5-year-old in Linden, UGengineering programme to lodges in throat address labour

Over $3.2B worth of ganja destroyed along Berbice River

See story on page 16 Page 15

shortage

P11

…as lack severely affecting local industries

2 NEWS

FRIDAY, JANUARY 12, 2024 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Opposition MPs reshuffled for more "effective, efficient" representation – Norton …Figueira replaced by an "activist-oriented" Nima Flue-Bess

S

everal Opposition Members of Parliament, both from the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC), have had their portfolios reshuffled in a move which Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton claimed on Thursday would allow for more effective and efficient representation in the National Assembly.

This announcement came one day after Opposition MP Jermaine Figueira was stripped of his portfolio for Culture, Youth and Sport; he has not been reassigned.

Figueira told Guyana Times on Wednesday that the decision has taken him by surprise, and he has directed enquiries about the rationale behind the decision to the Opposition Leader himself. He has also written to the Central Executive Committee (CEC) of the People’s National Congress (PNC) – the leading party in the APNU – on the matter, in a bid to have the decision reversed.

Opposition MP Jermaine Figueira

Opposition MP Nima Flue-Bess

However, Norton said on Thursday that among the changes that were made to portfolios is AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan being removed from Agriculture and placed as shadow Home Affairs Minister.

Ramjattan had previously served as Public Security Minister under the Coalition Government.

Following her removal from Home Affairs, MP Geeta ChandanEdmond will now shadow Parliamentary Affairs and Governance.

Another significant reshuffle is AFC’s David

Patterson being removed from Natural Resources and put to shadow Public Works. He had previously served as Public Infrastructure Minister in the last Government.

Meanwhile, MP Coretta McDonald, a longstanding Executive at the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU), will now shadow Education, while MP Natasha Singh-Lewis will shadow Human Services and Social Security, and MP Nima Flue-Bess will now shadow Culture, Youth and Sport.

The Opposition Leader

Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton

said at his party’s weekly press conference on Thursday that these changes “give us the opportunity to bring institutional knowledge to each sector. The whole purpose of reshuffling is to make us more effective and efficient as Members of Parliament, and I think also it provides us the opportunity for those regional MPs to do more work in their regions.”

Despite this reshuffling, however, the Opposition Leader noted, those MPs with new port-

folios can still make contributions and debate on the sectors they had previously shadowed.

Norton has contended that Opposition Parliamentarians were aware that there was going to be a reshuffling after the last budget.

Illogical

In that letter to the Central Executive Committee of the PNC, Figueira said the Opposition Leader had often downplayed his political work by referring to it

as ‘social work’.

According to Figueira, based on performance alone, the political work he has been doing in the communities - particularly in Linden, from where he hails - made the decision to remove his portfolio responsibilities illogical. In fact, he said the reasons proffered for the removal of his portfolio were “most nonsensical and without merit”.

Further, Figueira has pointed to his tireless efforts on behalf of his party, which have sometimes seen him working with the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Government to bring assistance to his constituents. In fact, Figueira went on to question whether his willingness to work with the political other side for the greater good of the people is the reason why he has been singled out by Norton. He emphasised that he has always been willing to work with the PPP/C Government, because it is the custodian of the people’s resources.

TURN TO PAGE 3

NEWS

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 12, 2024 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS

BRIDGE The Demerara OPENINGS Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Friday, January 12 – 04:00h-05:30h and Saturday, January 13 – 05:30h-06:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Friday, January 12 – 05:00h-06:30h and Saturday, January 13 – 05:40h-07:10h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Thundery showers are expected during the morning and early afternoon, followed by sunshine, with clear skies at night.

Temperatures should range between 22 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.

Winds: North-Easterly to East North-Easterly between 2.23 metres and 4.02 metres.

High Tide: 17:22h reaching a maximum height of 2.77 metres.

Low Tide: 10:55h and 23:27h reaching minimum heights of 0.63 metre and 0.43 metre.

Govt working assiduously to reduce unemployment, eradicate poverty – VP T hrough a number of innovative policies and programmes executed over the course of Dr Irfaan Ali’s presidency, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration has managed to significantly reduce unemployment figures which has contributed to lower poverty levels.

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo disclosed during his Thursday press conference that just in the infancy stage of oil production, Government was able to reemploy 60,000 persons.

While this has brought down the unemployment rate, there are still pockets of persons who are without a job. The end goal is to ensure that every Guyanese is meaningfully employed.

“If we work hard, we will get wealthier. We will be able to end unemployment in Guyana totally. We have managed to get 50,000 to 60,000 people working back again, since we got into office…We still have pockets of poverty in the country. We never claimed we have eliminated that totally. But where have we come

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo

from over the years? The Ramprakash Study said in the 80s, 87 per cent of our people was living below the poverty line. Today, that figure has come down significantly,” Jagdeo contended.

In light of the existing unemployment, Jagdeo signalled at a nuanced policy which will allow foreigners to work on big projects locally but also allow greater opportunities for unemployed citizens to benefit.

Working towards the

goal of zero unemployment, the former Head of State zeroed in on the related link of investing in education.

He stressed, “We believe that we must do a number of things, that poor people need good quality education and access to education. Free education at the University, the online programme, the oil and gas training college that we’re building. We’re saying now if you want a job in healthcare or to go for training.

We will take you in and

train you.”

In September 2023, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in its “Caribbean Economies at a Crossroads” report noted that Guyana’s high rate of economic growth, driven by a growing oil production sector, has played a major role in reducing unemployment rates.

The Bank noted that Guyana’s high economic growth rate, driven by the growing oil sector, has played a major role in unemployment rates declining and access to finance for the Private Sector improving.

While persons have claimed that they are unemployed, the Government has consistently said that not only was Guyana on a trajectory of constant growth that would provide even more higher-paying jobs, but the current economic growth has already opened up enough jobs for the number of jobless people.

In fact, there have been consistent reports of more jobs being available than can be filled locally, leading to discussions about importing labour. (G12)

Opposition MPs reshuffled for more...

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DISCLAIMER: WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ERRORS IN PUBLICATION. PLEASE CALL THE HOTLINE FOR CONFIRMATION - TEL: 225-8902

COMMODITIES Indicators

US$

Change %

Crude Oil

$79.07/barrel

+2.14

Rough Rice London Sugar

$315.234/ton $624.70/ton

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Live Spot Gold Bid/Ask Low/High Change

USD Per Ounce $2033.50 $2012.90 +5.30

$2034.50 $2050.00 +0.26

he Opposition Leader was questioned about the Region 10 Parliamentary Representative’s claims during the press conference. He responded: “A lot of work should be done in Youth, Sport and Culture…and I thought (that) in the circumstances, we need an activist-oriented person there who is involved in sport, and that naturally led to Nima Flue-Bess. It is on that basis the decision was taken to put Nima Flue-Bess in the area of Youth, Sport and Culture…

“You know, somebody called me this morning and said only when they read the article that they recognised that Figueira was the Youth, Sport and Culture shadow Minister,” Norton said on Thursday as he took a jab at Figueira’s performance in the sector.

Figueira, who also serves as the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in the National Assembly, would nevertheless continue in that post.

Meanwhile, Figueira has questioned whether this decision to remove his sectorial portfolio was taken because he did not conform to the party’s position and shook President Dr Irfaan Ali’s hand at an event in Linden last week.

This was photographed and shared on social media.

In a previous encounter with the President, in October 2022, there

are reports that Figueira had been reprimanded for shaking the Head of State’s hand, and that instructions had been passed barring Opposition MPs from doing the same – something which Norton had denied in the past. In fact, the Opposition Leader insisted on Thursday that no such policy is in place in regard to shaking the

President’s hand.

Norton had come in for heavy criticism back in June 2022 when he refused a handshake from President Ali at a reception held at the British High Commissioner’s residence in Georgetown.

“My symbolic non-shaking of the President’s hand was to signal that it is not business as usual, and I

must just give you a photo-op… I have never instructed or said to any Member of Parliament not to shake (the) President’s hand… I’ve seen many [Opposition] MPs shake the President’s hand, and not one of them could say I called them and told them anything about shaking the President’s hands,” he posited. (G8)

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 12, 2024

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Editor: Tusika Martin News Hotline: 231-8063Editorial: 231-0544, 223-7230, 223-7231, 225-7761 Marketing: 231-8064Accounts: 225-6707 Mailing address: Queens Atlantic Industrial Estate Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, marketing@guyanatimesgy.com

171st anniversary of the arrival of Chinese in Guyana

T

oday marks the 171st anniversary of the arrival of Chinese in Guyana as indentured labourers: 262 allmale recruits from Amoy aboard the ship Glentanner, after 52 had died on the 177-day journey. Amoy (modern Xiamen) was a British-run treaty port in Fujian province.

Another all-male cargo of 85 passengers, who had survived the journey after 69 had perished, landed 5 days later. They were sent to West Demerara sugar plantations, mainly Windsor Forest and Blankenburg. By the time immigration from China was discontinued in 1879, thirty-nine ships had brought a total of 13,541 Chinese to Guyana, but only 17% were women, and few were from agricultural backgrounds.

The Chinese were very diligent workers, but because of higher transportation costs, reluctance to reindenture, low birth rates, and some returning to China, their numbers in the colony were never very high. Many of those who remained generally intermarried with the local Africans because of the paucity of Chinese women, and the remainder gradually opened up groceries or rum shops on the plantations or in Georgetown.

In one remarkable experiment, a Chinese missionary was facilitated by the Government to start a settlement on the Kamuni Creek (near what is now CJIA) with time-expired Chinese immigrants. A number of Christian converts had been recruited in China. They used the timber in the area to produce coal for the fast-growing Georgetown urban dwellers, and soon undersold the Portuguese merchants who had dominated the trade and moved into the Charlestown area. The settlement, unfortunately, collapsed after the missionary absconded with the settlement funds, and the settlers moved to Georgetown, where they went into commerce. They soon joined the Portuguese in the nascent middle class as they rose in business, entered the professions and the Civil Service. By intermarrying with the local African Guyanese populace, the Chinese never provoked any sustained hostilities against themselves.

The first President of Guyana, of course, was Arthur Chung, who fittingly hailed from Windsor Forest, where the first Chinese had been bound.

It was unfortunate that the arrival of the Portuguese, Chinese, and other immigrants from Africa and the West Indies were conflated into May 5th, the day the Indians first arrived. The public holiday was dubbed Arrival Day. It was therefore positive when President David Granger declared that January 12 and June 3rd, the days the Chinese and Portuguese respectively arrived, were duly given public recognition. Our Indigenous Peoples have Amerindian Heritage Month, and African Guyanese have Emancipation Day to acknowledge their roles in constituting our national mosaic. All groups must be commemorated.

In the modern era, it is noteworthy that Guyana was a pioneer in the English-speaking Caribbean to give official recognition to the Chinese Government in 1972, after US President Nixon had made his surprise visit early in the year. It is a little-known fact that Communist China’s first foreign aid programme was to Guyana, when its engineers arrived in the same year to establish a claybrick factory in Canal, WBD. They later supplied textile and other factories.

It should be noted that a Chinese company, CNOOC, owns 25% of the Stabroek Block’s 10 billion barrels of oil. There has since been a steady influx of new Chinese immigrants into Guyana, and their impact will definitely be significant, going forward.

Prime Minister, Brigadier (Retired) Mark Phillips received a courtesy visit from Guyana's Ambassador to the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Dr Richard Van-West Charles, on Thursday at his Camp Street, Georgetown office. Prime Minister Phillips wished Dr VanWest Charles a successful tour of duty and expressed confidence that he would serve with distinction. Ambassador Van-West Charles, son-in-law of the late founder/leader of the PNC, Linden Forbes Burnham, is a medical doctor and seasoned politician who served as an executive member for both the PNC and AFC (Office of the Prime Minister photo)

Can the Caribbean achieve the global AIDS targets by 2025 to end AIDS?

By Dr Richard Amenyah

U

nited Nations Secretary General António Guterres, in a sobering new year's message for 2024, described the world as being in peril and badly hurting. He cited the immense suffering, violence and climate chaos that marked 2023, as well as the ever-increasing poverty, hunger and wars that eroded confidence and trust.

Guterres painted a gloomy picture of how the UN, founded after the Second World War, is now politically paralysed and unable to solve the world's challenges through peaceful negotiations, multilateralism, and global solidarity. He lamented that the UN Charter has been repeatedly violated by some member states resorting to violence instead of dialogue, partnership, and respect for humanitarian law, international law, and human rights to resolve differences.

Guterres, however, offered hope to the world by stating that: "Humanity is stronger when it stands together... 2024 must be the year to restore trust and hope". He urged the UN to deliver on its mandate to build world peace, prosperity, and sustainable development.

One of the most pressing challenges the UN faces is ending the AIDS epidemic, which has claimed millions of lives and continues to pose a threat to public health and human dignity. Forty-three years since the first cases of AIDS were reported, the world is still grappling with the pandemic. Every minute, a life is lost to AIDS-related illnesses. Outside of sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean region has the highest HIV prevalence of 1.2 per cent, with about 44 people getting infected with HIV and 15 people dying of AIDS every day. Other pandemics have come and gone with resolute political action and resolve by member states (COVID-19, Mpox, etc) but the AIDS pandemic is still here without a vaccine or a cure. HIV treatment with antiretroviral drugs remain one of our greatest for HIV prevention and to keep people alive.

In the 2023 Global AIDS Report, UNAIDS stated that the world was off-

track in ending the AIDS epidemic. The report highlighted the path to ending AIDS and the need to remove inequality barriers and their intersections with poverty, human rights violations, gender-based violence, stigma, and discrimination. It also stressed the importance of removing punitive and discriminatory laws and policies that prevent people living with HIV, at risk of HIV or affected

by HIV from accessing HIV-related services.

Member states have committed in the 2021 Political Declaration to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 and to achieve the ambitious 2025 targets. These targets, known as the 9595-95 targets, aim to ensure that 95 per cent of all people living with HIV know their status, 95 per cent of those diagnosed receive antiretroviral treatment, and 95 per cent of those on treatment achieve viral suppression by 2025.

Despite the global uncertainties, the UN celebrated five countries, namely Botswana, Eswatini, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe, during the UN General Assembly, in 2023, for achieving these targets, demonstrating that it is possible. Other countries have been identified as getting close to attaining this target if they continue to stay on track.

Countries that have attained or are close to achieving the 95-95-95 targets have certain things in common: a) political leadership, political will and country ownership; b) a people-centred approach to policy making and programmatic response; c) a focus on removing punitive and discriminatory laws and policies that prevent people living with HIV, at risk of HIV or affected by HIV from accessing HIV-related services; d) community-led responses to ensure the full participation and engagement of civil society to create an enabling environment; e) Leveraging data and following the science by using epidemiological and programmatic data for policy changes and making targeting resources where they are needed most; and

f) closing the funding gap, sustaining financing and prioritising transitioning to domestic resourcing of the AIDS response. These elements of success emphasise the importance of political commitment to ending AIDS. The question arises: Can Caribbean countries reverse the tide and end the AIDS epidemic amid global uncertainties? Policymakers must grapple with this challenge amid competing priorities such as non-communicable diseases, climate change, high debt, and social issues. UNAIDS proposes a consistent approach: Countries must continue what works, and focusing on political commitment, people-centred responses, community leadership, removal of structural barriers, data-driven strategies, and long-term investments.

Ending AIDS in a time of uncertainty is not an easy task, but it is possible.

It requires a renewed commitment, a shared vision, and collective action from all stakeholders, especially the people most affected by the epidemic. It also requires a recognition that ending AIDS is not only a health issue, but a human rights, social justice, and development issue as well.

UNAIDS calls for unity and peace so that resources for war can be channelled to end pandemics for safety and global health security. The year 2024 should be one of concerted efforts to restore trust and hope in the fight against AIDS. We can alter the course of history in combating one of the world's greatest pandemics, minimising its human cost and development toll, through political leadership, global solidarity, and shared responsibility by countries, including those in the Caribbean.

Let us stand together and end AIDS by 2030 because as the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said: "Humanity is stronger when it stands together". (Jamaica Observer) (Dr Richard Amenyah is a medical doctor from Ghana and public-health specialist. He is the Director for the UNAIDS multi-country office in the Caribbean)

FEATURE

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 12, 2024| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

T

he first set of Chinese indentured immigrants arrived in Guyana on January 12, 1853. They came as a form of cheap labour to replace the freed slaves.

According to the records, plantation owners in Guyana began expressing interest in having Chinese labourers from the onset of emancipation but recruitment formally began in 1851. Because of the long travel distance from China, at first Chinese were not recruited since it was cheaper to transport Indians.

While it cost a planter 13 British pounds to transport

transported from the port of Amoy on the Lord Elgin. The ship departed on July 23, 1852 and after a journey of 177 days arrived in Georgetown on January 17, 1853. On this difficult voyage 69 of the passengers died.

Another ship, the Glentanner, chartered by Hyde, Hodge & Co, left Amoy with 305 men and boys and arrived in Georgetown on January 12, 1853. A total of 51 passengers died on the journey. The same Company recruited another 352 men and boys later in the year and they were shipped from Amoy on the Samuel Boddington

an Indian labourer from Calcutta or Madras, the cost was 15 pounds to transport a Chinese immigrant from any of the Chinese ports. But because of the growing need for labourers for the sugar estates, some planters decided to recruit Chinese especially during the period between 1848 and 1851 when Indian immigration was suspended.

In August 1851, the British Guiana Government agreed to pay the planters a bounty of $100 for each Chinese landed in the Colony. The following month George Booker, one of the sugar estate owners, arranged for the first shipment of Chinese to work as indentured labourers.

The 115 men and 39 boys who were recruited were

on November 25, 1852 and arrived in Georgetown on March 4, 1853, after a voyage which lasted only 98 days during which 52 passengers died. (On this journey, the Chinese mutinied and almost managed to take control of the ship).

Most of the Chinese who arrived during this period were assigned to estates in West Demerara.

The British Guiana Government expressed concerns about the physical quality of the Chinese who were recruited and also about the large number of boys who were apparently passed off as adults. Subsequently, the Government withdrew the bounty payment to the recruiting planters on August 1, 1853.

Earlier that year, James White, who had been the recruiting agent for the British Guiana Government in India, was appointed as Emigration Agent for the British West Indies in China. However, he was dismissed in June of the following year mainly because he failed to recruit any Chinese labourer.

In 1853 also, the British Government had decided to support a government-sponsored recruitment programme, but by May 1854 the British Guiana Government decided to halt immigration from China due to the transportation costs which had increased by over 66 per cent and also because of the failure to recruit women.

Chinese women began arriving in 1860, but in small numbers. The period from 1860 to 1866 saw a relatively large influx of immigrants, bringing the local Chinese population to a peak of 10,022 in 1866. Subsequently only two boats arrived with Chinese immigrants, one in 1874 and the other in 1879. After this Chinese immigrants came of their own free will and at their own expense.

The Chinese proved to be good workers on the estates to which they were indentured for a five-year period. The

distribution of Chinese labourers to the sugar plantations in the three counties of Berbice, Demerara, and Essequibo was made by the Immigration Agent-General, who based his decisions on the quotas submitted by the plantation owners several months previously. Families were kept together in the distribution.

Guyana’s first President was a Chinese man named Arthur Chung.

For the entire period of 1853 to 1879, a total of 13,541 Chinese landed in Guyana. (Excerpts from guyana.org)

FRIDAY, JANUARY 12, 2024 06:00 06:30 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 11:30 12:00 12:05 13:35 14:00 14:30 15:00 16:00 16:30 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 20:30 21:00 23:00 23:30 00:00

(Sign on) Inspiration Time Cartoons Evening News (RB) Stop Suffering Guy's Grocery Games Grand Designs Paternity Court Divorce Court News Break Movie - Halloweentown High (2004) Wheel of Fortune The Really Loud House E11 The Tom and Jerry Show S3 E25 Indian Soaps Sydney to the Max S3 E14 Austin & Ally S4 E18 The Young & The Restless Jewan Ki Roti The Evening News Stop Suffering Stand-up Comedy Friday Night Smackdown Ballers S4 E2 Kim's Convenience S5 E11 Sign off

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 12, 2024

Foundation ◄

Page

CONVERTING UNITS OF MEASUREMENT

The table shows some of the most common units and their equivalents. Make sure you know these conversions.

Converting measurements Length 1 kilometre (km) = 1000 metres (m) 1 m = 100 centimetres (cm) 1 cm = 10 millimetres (mm) Weight 1 tonne = 1000 kilograms (kg) 1 kg = 1000 grams (g) 1 g = 1000 milligrams (mg) Capacity 1 litre (l) = 100 centilitres (cl) 1 cl = 10 millilitres (ml) 1 l = 1000 ml

Converting larger units to smaller units

To convert a larger unit to a smaller unit (eg m to cm), first check the number of smaller units needed to make 1 larger unit. Then, multiply that number by the number of larger units.

Converting smaller units to larger units

To convert a smaller unit to a larger unit (eg cm to m), divide it by the number of smaller units which are needed to make 1 larger unit.

To convert from a larger unit to a smaller one, multiply. To convert from a smaller unit to a larger one, divide.

Example

1 m = 100 cm So, to convert from m to cm multiply by 100, and to convert from cm to m divide by 100.

For example: 3.2 m = 320 cm (3.2×100 = 320) 400 cm = 4 m (400÷100 = 4)

(for Cheryl, Gaye, Stephanie and Jill)

By Elly Niland

The mind wandered for a moment Drifted, returned home, untied. Soon Disappeared into memories of the time There was a cascade of change in the garden.

That Friday when it was haloed A thousand blossoms with day woke Saw pencils of lush light beaming

Exercises

On long white spikes of candles

Convert the following to the units given in brackets:

In the horse-chestnut trees.

Heat shimmered, pierced

(a) 5120 g (kg) (b) 15 cl (ml) (c) 245 mm (m)

Noon ground. Flowers Bruised, drooped their Heads and fell as a Congregation of silence.

When Monday broke

DO-IT-YOURSELF RAINSTICK

Supplies needed: Duct tape Mixture of corn kernels, rice, small noodles Aluminium foil Paper towel roll Construction paper

Step one: Cover one end of the paper towel roll with duct tape.

Step two: Insert a long piece of aluminium foil inside.

Step three: Fill the inside about ¼ full with the mixture

of corn kernels, rice, and small noodles.

Step four: Cover the other end with duct tape.

Step five: Wrap construction paper around the paper towel roll. (pbskids.org)

Easter lilies sprang From the soil—gathered In forgiveness To remind us that we Are. We are, all Only Lent to Each other.

WORD SEARCH

NEWS

7

FRIDAY, JANUARY 12, 2024 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

“Mental gymnastics” – Teixeira on Opposition’s claims of Venezuelans granted Guyanese citizenship for 2025 elections …says Govt to strengthen mechanisms to register migrants

P

arliamentary Affairs and Governance Minister Gail Teixeira has stated that the Guyana Government was looking at further strengthening mechanisms to ensure that all the migrants from Venezuela entering the country were documented.

At her Ministry’s closing press conference for 2023 on Wednesday, Teixeira addressed issues raised by the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and Alliance For Change (AFC) Opposition about the influx of migrants from the neighbouring Spanishspeaking nation. In fact, she rubbished claims that Government was giving citizenship to scores of Venezuelan migrants to gain political strength at the upcoming 2025 General and Regional Elections.

“The issue that people were getting citizenship for election purposes, that was a leap of faith by the person who was saying all of that. They moved from registering people to citizenship and then to the election list for 2025 – that’s quite a leap of faith or mental gymnastics. I won’t call it intellectual,” the Minister stated.

According to Teixeira, there has not been a sudden surge in Venezuelan migrants coming here in recent months other than the regular movement of these persons. She went on to re-

taken an “empathetic” approach towards those fleeing Venezuela as she reminded that there are many Guyanese-born citizens returning or those with Guyanese parentage coming here.

Parliamentary Affairs and Governance Minister Gail Teixeira

sponse to the Opposition claims by explicitly outlining the process for gaining citizenship in Guyana.

“You cannot become a citizen of Guyana unless you have five consecutive years of living in Guyana.

Secondly, if you marry a Guyanese… But we have to make sure that these are not marriages of convenience or marriages where there is money passing, and things like that...”

On this note, the Minister said that there may be a need to look at the archaic procedures in place for citizenship via marriage. Presently, persons can apply for citizenship status as early as one day after getting legally married to a Guyanese.

But Teixeira said requirements for married couples to spend one year living together before making such an application will have to be considered.

However, in the absence of such criteria, persons applying for citizenship status

in Guyana are still subjected to other procedures such as background checks and visits to their communities and so on, which sometimes take about one year to process.

“So, there is not rapid door for citizenship,” the Governance Minister contended.

She went on to note that while Venezuelans were given voting rights after becoming naturalized citizens, Guyana’s laws also give the same privilege to citizens of Commonwealth countries who are living here for one year.

“Any Commonwealth citizen who is legally in Guyana for one year can vote in our elections. No one seems to find that as a problem and it isn’t a problem. But you can’t be discriminatory with who you feel comfortable with voting and who we don’t feel comfortable with voting,” the Minister argued.

Teixeira went on to point out that Government has

There are approximately 30,000 migrants from Venezuela in Guyana – a quarter of whom are said to be Guyanese or from Guyanese lineage.

Registering Venezuelan migrants

The Minister noted that Government’s priority was more focused on ensuring those who come are registered. There are systems in place to ensure that all those entering Guyana from Venezuela, both legally and illegally, are documented by the local Immigration Office.

“We’ve been less concerned about deporting people and more concerned about know who is here and what they’re doing here, etc. And that’s how we get the data [of how much migrants are coming in from Venezuela], because in many cases in the interior, people cross over in the river or between the trees and they’re now in Guyana…

So, we have to find mechanisms of making sure that they report an immigrant point or Police Station to get their certificate or registration form,” the Minister stated.

Holders of these documents are required to have them renewed every three months.

According to Teixeira, Government is not worried about the steady influx of migrants from the neighbouring country, noting that Guyanese had done the same decades ago – moving to Venezuela and other nations in search of betterment.

Currently, those migrants coming from

Venezuela benefit from free healthcare and other social services including education, whereby Government is putting systems in place for the Spanish-speaking children to be integrated into local schools.

In addition, Government has also undertaken efforts to improve the living conditions of those who are squatting in various areas across the country. Moreover, many of them are allowed to operate small/roadside businesses to earn a living.

According to Minister Teixeira, some of the migrants coming here also bring technical expertise and have managed to gain reputable employment. (G8)

8 NEWS

FRIDAY, JANUARY 12, 2024 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Karasabai resident to be sentenced for killing fellow villager

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uri Nicholas, the man who pleaded guilty to unlawfully killing his fellow villager in May 2019, will return to the Demerara High Court on February 5 to be sentenced.

At his arraignment before Judge Priya Sewnarine-Beharry this week, Nicholas chose to enter a guilty plea to the lesser charge of manslaughter, despite having initially been charged with the murder of 23-year-old Elton Leonard, which took place on May 3, 2019.

The prosecution’s case is being led by State Counsel Caressa Henry and Joy Williams. Attorney Teriq Mohammed is defending Nicholas.

Leonard was reportedly stabbed to death after an argument had broken out among some men with whom he had been imbibing at a bar in the village of Karasabai, South Pakaraimas, North Rupununi, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo).

It was reported that Leonard had left his home while under the influence of alcohol, and some five hours later, had been engaged in a heated row with the three

Maximum…

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men, during which he was stabbed in his left side chest. He had reportedly collapsed and died almost immediately, while the three men had made good their escape as he lay dying on the ground in a pool of blood.

In a caution statement, Nicholas told the Police that he and the late Leonard had known each other, but had not been friends. He had said that whenever Leonard imbibed, he would “curse him up”. He had told the Police that on May 2, 2019, he was drinking with some of his friends in Karasabai Village when he

saw Leonard passing where they were drinking.

He said Leonard had started cursing at him, and he had decided that he was going to fight him.

He had continued drinking, and after midnight, he told his friends to let them go and fight with Leonard.

Nicholas claimed that when his friends gave him the okay, they went to “call out” Leonard.

According to him, Leonard emerged holding a piece of wood. He claimed that after he and his friends got into a fight with Leonard, “Bruce” pulled out a knife and stabbed Leonard

in the chest, since they were unable to defeat him, due to his strength. He told the Police that they continued beating Leonard, and when he fell, they stomped him on his head and abdomen. When people started coming out of their homes, he said, they ran away.

Nicholas was apprehended by the Police five days after the killing.

An autopsy found that Leonard had sustained a stab wound to the left chest, going to the right and slightly downwards. His death was caused by perforation of the heart due to a stab wound. (G1)

…leader

t’s truly said that “abused children become abusive parents”; and it can happen at the national level: look at the Jews, persecuted for millennia, now committing genocide on Palestinians. And at the personal level, your Eyewitness points to Opposition Leader Norton unilaterally stripping PNC MP Jermaine Figueira of his portfolio as the shadow Sports, Youth and Culture Minister. He’d already removed him as Campaign Manager of Reg 10. Figueira, however, has been one of the standout Opposition MPs as Chair of the PAC, carrying out the constitutionally defined Opposition function to keep the Government on its toes!

As he pointed out in a letter to his fellow Opposition MPs, Figueira was shocked by the sacking. That’s the only word for it, since it wasn’t discussed - much less approved - by the PNC’s Central Executive!! As such, he’s calling on them to rescind Norton’s intemperate action. While he didn’t say it, Norton’s implicit message was that Figueira was getting too big for his britches.

Was it because he was studying law, and would soon follow in the footsteps of their Founder Leader Burnham – unlike the uncredentialled and pugnacious Norton??

Was it because - as PNC Reg 10 MP - he raised funds to distribute “5000 toys, several hundred bicycles and footwear to thousands of Reg 10 children” last Christmas??

Or was it the earlier donations of sport gear to clubs and helping to foster new businesses in his region?? Evidently, Norton dismissed those initiatives as “social”, and not “political”, work!! And here your Eyewitness thought Figueira was demonstrating that even though the PNC weren’t in office, they didn’t have to concede the entire social assistance field to the incumbent PPP!! And Norton shoulda been telling other MPs from other areas to do the same!!

But Figueira figured that his greatest sin against Norton was to’ve suggested that the Leader mightn’t have made the best POLITICAL decision in refusing to shake Pres Ali’s outstretched hand!! And he, Figueira, went on to do just that, and recently bantered with the latter when he visited Reg 10!!

So, this SOCIAL grace by Figueira was a POLITICAL sin in Norton’s book?? The Leader’s truculence and bad manners had to be followed by all in HIS party?? If the dismissal, just before the Big Budget Debate coming up next Monday, isn’t petty and vindictive, what is? Maybe then PNC Leader Desmond Hoyte’s summary dismissal of Norton back in 1998 as General Secretary of the PNC because – as the one who’d appointed Norton – the latter was his “creature”??

The unkindest cut gotta be that Figueira was the most prominent MP who’d endorsed and campaigned for Norton to be the Leader of the PNCR after Granger and his crew had banished him!!

Ingrate!! …Budget 2024 Well, here we go again: the BIGGEST-ever budget in the history of our country is gonna be read out in Parliament next Monday! Of course, we’ve been hearing this line from the beginning of time, but this time the budget’s really gonna be big - not only in our monopoly-money GY Dollar, but even if it’s converted into Yankee greenbacks!!

Now, your Eyewitness isn’t going to bore you, dear readers, with details on any specific spending. The Minister of Finance has that honour annually when he regales us for five to six hours by reading a document that’s already been circulated!! Your Eyewitness usually keeps count of the number of glasses of water the Minister downs while reading – and the number of MPs who nod off!! The Government have already signalled the contours of their spending over the past three year – and there should be no major surprise. Infrastructure, baby!!

Even the jump in the GDF’s allocation should be expected after the high-level visits of US officials!! …punishment “Genocide” was defined in the Genocide Convention of 1948, following the Holocaust in which 6 million Jews were murdered by the Nazis. Today, the Convention is invoked

by South Africa against Israel’s Jews for slaughtering Palestinians in Gaza!!

The views expressed in this column are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Guyana Times’ editorial policy and stance

Readers are invited to send their comments by email to eye@guyanatimesgy.com

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 12, 2024 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

No new taxes in Budget 2024 – Jagdeo

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uyanese can expect zero new taxes in the upcoming Budget 2024, which will be presented to the National Assembly on Monday by the governing People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government.

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo disclosed at his press conference on Thursday that the Administration was continuing within the lines of its track record of introducing no additional taxes – a move which would decrease the disposable income within the population.

“It has been a trend of the PPP Governments and this is something we promised in our local government campaign, but I can say even at the national level, that there will be no new taxes,” Jagdeo informed.

After entering office in 2020, the Dr Irfaan Ali-led Government had reversed over 200 taxes which were imposed under the former APNU/AFC coalition. In Budgets 2021, 2022 and 2023, no new taxes were introduced by the incumbent Administration.

Budget 2024, the fifth budget to be presented by the current PPP/C Administration, is expected to continue along the lines of new economic infrastructure to increase productive capacity, support for industries, social infrastructure,

strike a balance between addressing the pressing needs and irritants of today, while simultaneously investing in the future.

Last year, the National Assembly approved a whopping $781.9 billion 2023 Budget – the first to be financed in part by revenues earned from Guyana’s historic carbon credit sale agreement and the largest-ever in Guyana’s histo-

ry.

In July, a $31 billion Supplementary Appropriation Bill was endorsed by the National Assembly, paving the way for funds to be injected into climate adaptation measures and support for Indigenous communities.

Then in August, Government approached the National Assembly for an additional $61.013 bil-

lion in supplementary funding, to be injected into several key sectors. A significant chunk of the money, to the tune of $33.37 billion, was for capital projects under the Public Works Ministry.

In December, two financial papers seeking approval for $1.8 billion and $24 billion respectively – were approved by the National Assembly. (G12)

Man admits to killing Cuban butcher Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo

significant support for vulnerable groups, and expansion of job creation among other measures.

The Vice President also responded to expectations shared by Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton that Budget 2024 would reflect ‘more of the same’. He contended that if this meant greater support for pensioners and children; the buildout of infrastructure or improved facilities or opportunities for Guyanese, then it was a compliment.

“If it will continue to support the expansion of health care or more scholarships to people, then the answer is yes. If it will continue to build recreational facilities for people in their communities and community roads, the answer is

yes. It’s more of the same.

If your path is a progressive one, more of the same is good. It’s when you have a destructive path like they [APNU/AFC], more of the same is bad. So, more of the same here is a compliment from Norton,” Jagdeo asserted.

It was highlighted that Government has been fulfilling the needs and requests of the people, and supporting initiatives that will enhance the lives of citizens. While the PPP has allowed its manifesto to limit the scope of its initiatives, Jagdeo informed that over 90 per cent of its promises were fulfilled, with others in the process of being realised.

Government had said the National Budget would

P

atrick Felix Smith is now awaiting sentencing after admitting to the murder of 35-year-old Otredis Duarte Campos, a Cuban national who was shot dead during a robbery on Cummings Street, between Middle and Quamina streets in Georgetown, on February 20, 2020.

During his arraignment before Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall at the Demerara High Court earlier this week, the 28-yearold Smith pleaded guilty to the capital offence of murder. The confessed killer has to return to court for sentencing on January 31, when the Judge will hear probation and other social impact reports.

State Counsel Rbina Christmas, Simran Gajraj and Praneta Seeraj are

Murdered: Otredis Duarte Campos

prosecuting this matter, while Smith is being represented by attorney Teriq Mohammed.

Based on reports received, Campos was shot at about 06:44h on February 20, 2020 by men on a motorcycle, one of whom was armed with a handgun.

Reports are that on the day in question, Campos

had left his East Street, Georgetown home at about 06:30h, and was heading towards his workplace when the duo, on a red and white “XR” motorcycle, approached him. The duo allegedly stopped in front of Campos, and a confrontation ensued between him and the pillion rider.

During that confrontation, the pillion rider whipped out a handgun and shot Campos thrice about his body before the duo rode away from the scene. Police later confirmed that Campos had been shot to his right wrist, upper chest, and under his chin.

Public-spirited persons had rushed the injured Campos to the Georgetown Public Hospital, but he was pronounced dead on arrival. (G1)

10 NEWS

FRIDAY, JANUARY 12, 2024 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

PPP to elect new leadership in May – GS T

he People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has decided that its highly-anticipated Delegates’ Congress will be held in the first week of May. PPP’s General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo made the announcement on Thursday at Freedom House.

The Party’s Executive Committee met last Saturday to finalise a date for the Congress, which was last held in 2016.

Jagdeo also weighed in on his future as General Secretary of the Party, as he disclosed, “It would be presumptuous of me to say

I will continue as General Secretary.

I’ll decide whether I’ll contest, but right now, I am General Secretary until those elections are held.”

At the Delegates’ Congress, the PPP is expected to elect a new

32-member Central Committee, as party members – both local and from the Diaspora – discuss critical issues within the Party as well as in the country.

The PPP, led by President Dr Irfaan Ali, re-

turned to office in August 2020 after losing the 2015 elections to the then A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition.

According to the Party’s constitution, the Delegates’ Congress is due every three years.

PPP’s last congress was held in December 2016 on the Essequibo Coast in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam).

Last year, Jagdeo had explained that the COVID-19 pandemic was one of the contributing factors to the delays in hosting the Party’s congress.

The 2016 Delegates’

Congress was a major one for the Party, during which there was an in-depth analysis of the results of the 2015 elections. Held under the theme “Strengthen the Party, Defend Democracy, Onward to Victory”, the PPP had said it was one of the largest in terms of the participation of delegates and observers.

One of the highlights of the Congress was the presentation of the Central Committee Report, which formed the basis for spirited and robust discussions at the several workshops.

The main issues and recommendations from the workshops were present-

ed to the plenary sessions for further deliberations, adoption, and implementation.

The PPP had said that the discussions, both at the plenary and workshop levels, centred on strengthening the Party politically and organisationally in order to win the next General and Regional Elections with an overwhelming majority. And this was achieved when the Party won the presidency with a commanding 233,336 votes, a remarkable lead of 15,416 over its nearest political rival, the APNU/AFC at the 2020 polls.

NEWS

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 12, 2024 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

UG to expand engineering programme to address labour shortage …as lack severely affecting local industries

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he local demand for engineers has doubled over the last three years, and is expected to be tripled in 2024.

Vice-Chancellor of the University of Guyana, Professor Paloma Mohamed- Martin, has disclosed that the institution plans to expand its Faculty of Engineering and Technology this year, in an effort to train more Guyanese.

According to her, the university recently had its highest number of graduates in the engineering sector, representing a 72% increase in the last six years.

This included the first batch of petroleum engineering graduates.

However, the number of persons entering the local workforce is relatively low, given that a large number of engineer students are taking up jobs within the international private sector.

Martin explained that this is severely affecting local industries.

“We have tripled the number of engineers we were producing since 2020 but still that’s not enough, because they’re getting absorbed before they graduate into the international

private sector, and the local private sector is losing them, the Government sector is losing them; and, of course, UG is also losing our own people that we are employing,” Martin stated.

Martin said the university is working assiduously to tackle this issue in 2024, and this will be done in a comprehensive manner that would benefit the local, regional and international labour markets.

In the latter part of 2023, the University of Guyana, in collaboration with the Greater Guyana Initiative, turned sod for the construction of a US$2.25 million building to service thousands of students looking to develop careers in science, technology, and engineering. The 15,000 square feet of new space would house the Faculty of Science and Technology and the Faculty of Earth and Environment Sciences. Slated for completion in July, the facility comprises a conference room, classrooms, offices, and laboratories. It also caters for the extension and rehabilitation of existing labs within the Faculty of Engineering and Technology.

Further, the University

will be implementing an Immerse Virtual Reality training programme for engineering students at its Tain Campus in Berbice this year. This initiative would allow students to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a tool for leaning, rather than having to travel to the Georgetown Campus weekly to manually do labs.

“It allows us to really speed up and escalate exactly how many people we can train at once. They can be in different places, because it’s device diagnostic. They can have it on their phone, whatever, and it is also very individualistic: cause if we set the bar at a grade of 90, you have to repeat this over and over until you get to 90,” Martin explained.

According to Martin, over the past six to seven years, the university has seen a massive increase in the number of applicants to the engineering and other technical programmes being offered. Most of them, she noted, are interested in the mechanical, electrical and computer engineering programmes, which are three of the five engineering courses being offered by the institution.

Artificial Intelligence

In 2023, the University of Guyana developed an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy to govern the use of technologies such as ChatGPT among students and researchers within the institution. However, the university is looking to further embrace AI as a tool for learning, and in this regard, works are ongoing to help teachers understand how to use the platform as a learning tool. She explained that the initiative would assist educators with crafting assignments and/or other kinds of assessment in keeping with the required learning objectives and examination requirements of courses.

According to Martin, technology is becoming increasingly crucial to teach-

ing and learning, and as AI becomes one of the latest technological advancements, UG must find ways of integrating it into students’ academic pursuits.

“We take a very proactive but responsible position on the use of AI and any technology at the University, but we can’t have a country that is moving as fast as ours, where we have teachers in schools who don’t understand how technology works; cannot transmit that to their students; who are themselves not using the technology; not experimenting with it, and not understanding how they could create a policy in the schools, and so on”.

Smart classrooms

A total of 25 smart classrooms were constructed and commissioned by

Government in 2023. These facilities are equipped with interactive boards, audio systems, smart cameras, a wireless television for remote access, and motion and voice-activated cameras complete with a face recognition feature.

Further, the Education Ministry, in collaboration with the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD), launched the Spark Programme in several schools last year with the aim of introducing students to AI technology.

Among schools participating in the programme are Queen’s College, the Bishops’ High School, St. Joseph High, St Rose’s High, Berbice High, and New Amsterdam Secondary School.

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 12, 2024 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

CJ urges Attorneys, litigants to use alternative dispute resolution …says settlement of cases only way to manage high volume of matters

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ttorneys-at-Law and parties involved in civil cases are being encouraged by Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George, SC, to use alternative dispute resolution (ADR) in order to reach mutually beneficial agreements and expedite the conclusion of cases.

While addressing the opening of the Law Year 2024 and the launch of the Judiciary’s seven-year Strategic Plan, Justice George told the gathering, “Let 2024 result in greater settlement of cases, more so through the court mediation services.”

ADR is the general term for any non-liti-

gation dispute resolution process. The most wellknown alternative dispute resolution techniques include transaction, negotiation, arbitration, conciliation, and mediation.

Making reference to the reality that Guyana is still a very litigious nation, particularly in the civil jurisdiction, Justice George said, “So I urge our Bar, especially the Demerara Bar, to persuade their clients to focus on Alternative Dispute Resolution and to be more open to mediation and the settlement of cases, thereby allowing for the timely disposition of matters.”

According to her,

the Supreme Court of Judicature has, over the years, sponsored mediation training for staff, lawyers, and justice sector partners; with the most recent being mediation training in family matters, which was done in 2023.

“Settlement of cases is the only way to manage the high volume of matters,” Justice George has posited.

President of the Guyana Bar Association, Attorney Ronald BurchSmith, also spoke at the gathering, and called for sanctions to be imposed on lawyers who file cases that are not meritorious.

Disciplinary Tribunal felt he could not believe to have merit.”

Backlog

Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George, SC

He said, “One of the greatest impediments to our efficient judicial system is the number of cases that are filed by attorneys. There is no way -- under ideal circumstances, and with all of the resources that could reasonably be made available -- that we can reasonably expect that the Judges can dispatch with all of those cases effectively. The number has to be reduced, (and) the only way in which that can be done is if there are conse-

quences for attorneys persisting in cases that don’t belong in court.”

To make his point, Burch-Smith expressed that he was “shocked” and “surprised” when a Judge of the Court of Appeal had resigned a few years ago under uncomplimentary circumstances.

According to him, he later learned that the Judge was urged to resign because he had been disbarred in England. “And he was disbarred because he had filed an appeal the

Meanwhile, to ease the backlog of cases and reduce remand times, the Government is moving to abolish time-consuming preliminary inquiries for serious criminal matters such as murder, manslaughter, rape and attempted murder. This will be substituted with Paper Committal Proceedings.

The complement of judges and magistrates has been increased, and Government has said it intends to make Guyana the arbitration hub of the Caribbean.

Attorney General Anil Nandlal, SC, had previously noted that arbitration is the ideal method of dispute resolution for the oil and gas sector.

According to him, a modern arbitration legislation would instill in international investors the confidence that Guyana can be a competent arbitration hub. In this regard, the Arbitration Bill was presented in the National Assembly for its first reading last December. (G1)

15 Over $3.2B worth of ganja destroyed along Berbice River NEWS

FRIDAY, JANUARY 12, 2024 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

A

n operation jointly conducted on Thursday by the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Defence Force

The plants, makeshift camps and house were destroyed by Joint Services ranks

Coast Guard has led to the discovery of over $3.2 billion worth of ganja in the Berbice River.

Police have said that

what were discovered were some 10 acres of land which contained 6,000 cannabis sativa plants ranging in height from three inch-

Man accused of Kaieteur News grenade attack shot dead O

ne of the three persons accused of throwing a grenade at Kaieteur News was on Wednesday evening shot dead at a gaming shop in Georgetown.

Dead is Leroy Williams, called “Buxton”.

The 34-year-old unemployed man of D’Urban Backlands, Georgetown, was fatally shot about 19:10h on Wednesday at a hotel located at Robb and Cummings Streets, Georgetown, Police said.

It is alleged that Williams was shot by a 48-year-old security guard employed with Castle Security Service, who was armed with one 9mm Glock pistol and 17 rounds of 9mm ammunition.

According to Police, enquiries disclosed that Castle Security Service provides armed and unarmed security services to Nova Gaming, located on the lower flat of the hotel, in the gaming area called Fantasy.

Police said that another guard at the location said that about 18:30h on Wednesday, he was on duty at the front door of the gaming area when he observed Williams enter the gaming area and approach a female staff.

The guard, Police said, told investigators that an argument ensued between the female staff and Williams during which Williams held on to the female staff and attempted to snatch the chain that she was wearing around her neck.

He said that he approached Williams and in response the now-deceased man threw a glass bottle at him, which hit him on the side of his head. Williams then pulled out a knife from the waist of his pants and ‘cut’ him on his right ear,

causing it to bleed, Police said.

Williams then ran out of the building while threatening to return and kill the guard and the female.

The 37-year-old guard said he went to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation where he was treated by a doctor on duty and later discharged.

About 19:10h, Williams returned to the building armed with a knife in his hand and attempted to enter the building. This time he was confronted by a 48-yearold security guard, who was on duty at the front door of the building. The guard stopped him and told him he could not enter because of his violent behaviour earlier in the evening.

It was alleged by the 48-year-old guard that Williams became annoyed and rushed at him with the knife in his hand. The guard drew his firearm and discharged a round at Williams, who ran a short distance before falling onto the roadway.

He was picked up by a public-spirited person and taken to the GPHC, where he died about 20:06h while receiving treatment.

Police said that the guard has been arrested and Police have taken possession of his firearm, along with 16 rounds of 9mm ammunition, and one spent shell.

According to Police, the area was canvassed for Closed-Circuit television (CCTV) cameras, which were found and the footage will be reviewed by investigators. Several persons in the area were questioned, and written statements were obtained from them, Police said.

Investigations are continuing.

In 2016, Williams, along with Alfie Garraway of Norton Street, Lodge, Georgetown, and Janiel Howard of Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, were all charged for unlawfully and maliciously conspiring to cause danger by way of an explosive metal device, being the grenade.

The Police had issued a wanted bulletin for Shemar Wilson, also known as “Abdue”, of Lot 43 North Sophia, Greater Georgetown and of Lot 51 West La Penitence, Georgetown in relation to the incident.

In February 2023, Wilson was gunned down in Suriname.

The live grenade was hurled at the luxury vehicle belonging to Glenn Lall on June 4, 2016 during the first night of the wake to pay last respects to deceased Assistant Editor Dale Andrews.

Persons who were at the wake recalled hearing a strange sound, but assumed that it was the sound of glass shattering. However, when a thorough check was made, the grenade was found lying next to the right tyre of Lall’s black Lexus vehicle.

The Police were summoned and the area was immediately cordoned off, while bomb experts deactivated the device.

After a review of footage from surveillance cameras, it was revealed that the grenade was thrown from a grey motor car. That vehicle was later found abandoned in the vicinity of Norton Street and Mandela Avenue, Georgetown. It had reportedly hit a woman before slamming into a utility pole in the area.

Following investigations, the men were charged.

es to six feet, and about 8000 pounds of dried cannabis sativa in a house at Gateroy, Upper Berbice River.

According to Police, two makeshift camps, a wooden house and a quantity of farming tools were also discovered.

Police have said the value of the cannabis sativa is estimated at $3,267,897,900. No one was arrested, but all of the plants, along with the makeshift camps and the wooden house, were destroyed.

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 12, 2024 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Stray bullet hits 5-year-old in Linden, lodges in throat

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five-year-old girl has been hospitalised at the Linden Hospital Complex with a

bullet lodged in her throat.

Reports are that on Thursday, at about 13:15h, Police were notified by

medical personnel from the Linden Hospital that a child was at that medical institution with a “warhead lodged in her throat.”

According to Police, at about 22:00h on Wednesday, the child was in bed at her Half Mile, Wismar Linden home when she started to scream.

Her 29-year-old mother, Terriann Caesar, said she had put the child to bed, and while she was trying to put her eight-month-old baby to sleep, she heard her daughter screaming.

Police said the mother said she went to the child

and enquired what was wrong, and the child said she had hit her throat. The mother said she applied petroleum jelly to the child's throat and put her back to bed.

According to the mother, at about 08:00h on Thursday, she saw her fiveyear-old daughter crying again, and upon examining her throat, she saw that it was swollen.

She then took her child to the Mackenzie Hospital, where she learnt that a bullet was lodged in her neck, Police said.

Investigations have re-

vealed that the child has a small entry wound on her neck.

Police said the child resides in an apartment which is on the northern-eastern bottom flat of a two-storey concrete structure. There is a wooden wall to the western side which separates Caesar’s apartment from the front apartment, which is occupied by a man by the name of Shemar.

According to Police, a small circular hole, suspected to be a bullet hole, was seen on the same wall.

The area was searched, but

no spent shell was found, and according to Police, no one was present in the front apartment when they went to the residents.

Investigations have so far revealed that a neighbour claimed that at some time around 22:00h, she had heard a loud explosion, but could not say from which direction the sound had emerged. However, just after hearing the explosion, she had heard the voice of a little child crying.

Police have said that, as investigations continue, they are attempting to locate Shemar.

Free tertiary education

Waiving of loans will be a “retroactive application” – Jagdeo

W

ith provisions to waiver outstanding student loans acquired within its current term in office and give free tertiary education, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo has indicated that the promise is technically already effective.

As he addressed the manifesto promise of ensuring free university education, Jagdeo on Thursday explained that students who took out loans and are yet to repay such within the timeframe of the Government’s term in office would be given a waiver. Retroactively, they will also benefit from free tertiary education as a result of this.

The Vice President de-

tailed, “We now have to work out the details of how we ensure that people who have taken loans, that they also have relief so that they don’t have to repay the loans. Effectively, if they don’t have to repay the

loans, what does this mean?

It means from the very first year that we got into office, we have actually implemented the free education.”

He further considered, “There are some people who may be paying who may

The University of Guyana

be disadvantaged. But for those who have not paid, [we] have effectively given them the free education, because they’re not going to pay the loans. It has a retroactive application.”

Jagdeo added that this route was taken, calculating that by the latter part of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic’s first term, the cash injection into the University could be made, having dealt with people who acquired loans.

“It is a studied policy. We don’t do things just off the top of our heads.

Effectively, the policy has been in place. The moment we decided we were going to make this retroactive by giving a waiver, then you have effectively implemented the policy.”

President Dr Irfaan Ali had already indicated this month that the Government’s plan to provide Guyanese with free University of Guyana (UG) education by 2025 would be rolled out in phases, starting with students who have pre-existing loans.

He also spoke about the Guyana Online Academy

of Learning (GOAL) scholarship programme, which has seen the Government partnering with educational institutions around the world to offer courses that will meet the challenges and demands of various sectors in Guyana, including the oil and gas, engineering and construction, and information security sectors. According to the Vice President, the anticipated influx of higher qualified persons into the workforce will create conditions in the public and private sector that have to be addressed.

The Government has already distributed over 20,000 online scholarships through GOAL. The 20,000 online scholarships programme is also the fulfilment of a pledge made to provide opportunities for educational development nationwide. Within the first year of its launch, over 8000 citizens applied for the free online programme.

While the Government had originally intended to make 20,000 of the online scholarships available, this target has since been revised owing to the over-

whelming interest shown by citizens.

GOAL is set to offer 187 programmes that can be accessed from 15 reputable academic institutions across the world, including in India, Africa, the United Kingdom, and Germany.

In 2016, a forensic audit into the operations of the UG Student Loan Agency had revealed that over a 21-year period, successive PPP/C Governments made available to the agency over $9 billion for loans.

During the period 1994 to May 2015, the Government of Guyana approved $9,489,453,973 through the National Budget or US$45.5 million (using the current rate of exchange of G$210 to US$1), the 77-page audit report, which was made public by the Finance Ministry, stated.

The report stated that during the period April 2011 to December 2014, $1.8 billion was received through a process whereby the Agency’s head was informed by the Budget Department that funds had been approved to be released to the Agency. (G1)

NEWS

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 12, 2024 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

No reduction in PAC meetings – Teixeira …says Opposition’s calls for weekly meeting “not always possible”

Parliamentary Affairs and Governance Minister Gail Teixeira

P

arliamentary Affairs and Governance Minister Gail Teixeira has stated that the Opposition’s calls for weekly meetings of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) were not always possible owing to the busy schedules of the Ministers.

She pointed out during her Ministry’s closing press conference on Wednesday, that the 10th and 11th Parliaments, comparatively, had less PAC meetings than the current parliament.

In current 12th Parliament, under the Dr Irfaan Ali presidency, there

have already been 59 PAC sittings to date.

Under the Donald Ramotar presidency in the 10th Parliament, some 57 meetings of the PAC were held between March 16, 2012, and November 3, 2014 – a period of 32 months. By comparison, the records show that in the 11th Parliament between September 9, 2015, and August 6, 2018 (40 months) just 44 meetings were held under the former David Granger-led A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change Government.

Despite this, however, there has been a push by the APNU/AFC Opposition for the PAC to meet more regularly – something which Minister Teixeira said was not possible.

“The fact is that the PAC, generally in most countries, meet once a month, but the members of the Opposition want to meet every week.

That’s not always possible…

And we have to remember that when you go to meetings, and you’re not a minister, you get accommodation, housing, travelling, meals [allowances], etc, which maybe an incentive to have weekly meet-

File photo of a Public Accounts Committee meeting held in November 2023

ings,” Teixeira posited.

The parliamentary Opposition had tabled a motion in November 2021, seeking to increase the PAC sittings to twice per week.

However, that motion was defeated by the Government side of the committee.

The PAC is made up of nine members – five from Government and four from the Opposition.

Back in April 2022, a motion tabled by Government amended the quorum required for PAC meetings,

Essequibo Coast man on $1M bail for armed robbery – victim shot 9 times during ordeal

Defendant Totram Bhomattie, called “Vick”

A

31-year-old man was on Thursday placed on $1 million bail after facing an armed robbery charge for an incident in which the victim was shot nine times, but survived.

Totram Bhomattie, called “Vick”, a Field Technician of Lot 174 Good Hope, Essequibo Coast, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam), was arrested and charged on Thursday with the offence of Robbery Under Arms Contrary to Section 222 (c) of the Criminal Law Offences Act, Chapter 8:01 committed on Gowtam Williams.

According to the Police, Williams was robbed of two gold chains valued G$4,320,000 and one iP-

hone 13 Pro Max valued G$360,000 – a total value of G$4,680,000. The incident occurred on January 2, 2024 at Good Hope, Essequibo Coast.

On Thursday, Bhomattie appeared before Magistrate Esther Sam at the Suddie Magistrate's Court, where the armed robbery charge was read to him and he pleaded not guilty.

The case adjourned to January 26 for statements.

Last week, Guyana Times reported that Williams, a 31-year-old excavator operator of Hibernia in Region Two, was attacked by two armed bandits during which he was shot nine times and robbed.

The incident occurred about 03:30h, when Williams went to use the urinal in front of the Prudence Rum Shop at Good Hope, Essequibo Coast. This newspaper was told that the armed assailants pounced on Williams, and after discharging their firearms, they seized Williams’s iPhone and two gold chains weighing a total of 12 ounces before hastily fleeing the scene.

Williams’s sister, Devika Williams, said her brother had gone to use

Robbery victim Gowtam Williams

the urinal when the two masked and armed gunmen attacked him and fired a shot to his foot.

She further related that the perpetrators then forcibly removed one of his gold chains and fired a shot at his abdomen. They then took the second chain along with his phone, and fired additional shots as they made good their escape.

The injured Williams was immediately rushed to the Suddie Public Hospital, where he was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). He sustained four gunshot wounds to his right foot, two to his left foot, and three to his abdomen.

The injured man has since been discharged from the hospital.

stating that sittings could now be held only if two members of Government, two members of the Opposition and the Chairman are present.

Prior to the amendment, only three members were required to form a quorum from either side of the house.

However, since the introduction of the quorum, the Opposition claimed that Government Ministers are deliberately causing delays in the work of the PAC. In fact, only earlier this week, a similar accusation was levelled by Opposition Member of Parliament, David Patterson, following the cancellation of the PAC meeting

on Monday.

But the Parliamentary Affairs Minister on Wednesday dismissed these claims, which she said are being used as a “red herring”.

“Look at the facts. Look at the number of meetings that were held. That’s the proof of the pudding and they show that the Opposition is wrong. The numbers of meetings held in 2023 after the quorum was introduced have not changed from the normal meetings held annually by the Public Accounts Committee, go to the data,” she insisted.

The PAC is a bipartisan parliamentary committee,

which reviews the Auditor General’s reports on the spending of public funds.

Some of the responsibilities of the committee include the examination of audited accounts, as presented in the Auditor General’s reports, showing the appropriation of sums approved by the National Assembly to meet public expenditure and other such accounts laid before the Assembly.

According to Teixeira, the Opposition was trying to rush through the Auditor General’s reports for the years that the APNU/AFC was in Office – something which Government would not allow. Currently, the PAC is dealing with the 2018 and 2019 AG reports.

“We’re trying to catch up but you can’t get to 2020…

We still have the ones that go back and there is a reason why the Opposition is in a hurry. They don’t want the examination of their tenure in Government and we can point in every single Auditor General report – 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 – of very, very bad practices; very shady practices, and very questionable practices under their tenure. They’re in a hurry to get to 2021 because they want to come to us. Well, we have to finish them first,” the minister maintained. (G8)

18

FRIDAY, JANUARY 12, 2024

guyanatimesgy.com

Regional

Argentina takes unwelcome Families of Ecuador hostages demand action as Noboa Latin America inflation details plans for new prisons crown from Venezuela

E

cuadorean President Daniel Noboa laid out plans for two new high-security prisons on Thursday, part of his pledge to wage war on drug gangs, as the families of nearly 180 prison staff being held hostage by inmates demanded action to rescue them.

A dramatic spike in violence this week – including the on-air storming of a TV station, unexplained explosions in multiple cities, and the kidnapping of Police Officers – appears to be a response by gangs to Noboa’s plans to tackle the country’s dire security situation, including with the

Signs announce vegetables and fruit prices in a green grocery store, as Argentina battles with an annual inflation heading towards 200 per cent, in Buenos Aires, Argentina December 8, 2023 (Reuters/Agustin Marcarian photo)

A

rgentina has taken the unwelcome regional inflation crown from Venezuela, becoming the Latin American country with the highest inflation rate in 2023 after prices rose over 200 per cent last year, the highest level in three decades.

The South American grains producer reported annual inflation of 211.4 per cent on Thursday, with prices rising 25.5 per cent in December alone.

In Venezuela, dogged by years of economic crisis

and where inflation in 2018 reached over one million per cent, consumer prices last year rose a far lower estimated 193 per cent, according to NGO the Venezuelan Observatory of Finance.

While there are doubts over official Venezuelan inflation data, consultancy Ecoanalitica also predicts prices rose 170 per cent.

Venezuela’s central bank said monthly inflation in November was just 3.5 per cent, the ninth consecutive month in single digits.

Venezuela’s socialist

Government has loosened currency controls, relaxed import restrictions and encouraged informal dollarisation to try and keep a lid on consumer prices in recent years, helping gradually bring inflation down.

Argentina’s CPI rises have accelerated in recent years, meanwhile, amid regular deep fiscal deficits, weak trust in the local peso and money printing by the central bank to prop up overly-indebted Governments.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

CCJ Judge retires because of ill health

Retired: Former CCJ Judge Jacob Wit (photo courtesy the CCJ)

J

ustice Jacob Wit, a Judge of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), has retired on the grounds of ill health. A member of the court’s inaugural bench, Justice Wit served in the CCJ for the past 18 years.

His health has been adversely affected since October, a CCJ press release said on Thursday.

CCJ President Justice Adrian Saunders said, “This is a sad day for the court, especially since Justice Wit

and I formed part of the inaugural bench (back in 2005).

“He was the lone civil-law judge on the current bench with rich experience in military law, administrative law, constitutional law, and international human rights law. His involvement with the CCJ’s Academy for Law and his role in coordinating the academy’s most recent biennial conference and regional town hall (meeting) focusing on crime, are rec-

ognised and deeply appreciated. I will certainly miss him and his contributions.”

Wit studied law from 1971-1977 at the Vrije Universiteit (Free University) of Amsterdam, from which he took the degree of Meester in de Rechten (Master of Laws) with honours.

Wit was sworn in as a Judge of the CCJ, at President’s House, St Ann’s on June 1, 2005. In November 2010, he was appointed President of the Constitutional Court of St Maarten – a part-time function.

As of April 2023, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Guyana and St Lucia have replaced the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, based in London, with the CCJ, which these five countries recognise as their highest and final appeal court. Trinidad and Tobago, where the CCJ is based, still recognises the Privy Council as its final appellate court.

(Excerpt from Trinidad Newsday)

new jails.

Since Monday, 158 prison guards and 20 administrative staff have been taken hostage in at least seven prisons. But there has been little information released on the status of the hostages by authorities.

The guards’ families and union criticised the Government’s response on Thursday.

“Tonight it will be five nights where we don’t know anything about our husbands, sons, daughters,” said the wife of a guard at a prison in the city of Latacunga, among a group of relatives gathered out-

side the jail. “The authorities don’t give any solution, they don’t say anything.”

“We are waiting for them with open arms,” said the woman, who asked not to be named for security reasons, through tears. “The Government must do something.”

Prisons agency SNAI said in a statement on Thursday that operations to liberate the hostages were ongoing.

Carlos Ordonez, Vice President of the prison workers’ association, called the situation “very worrying.”

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Huge ancient city found in the Amazon

A

huge ancient city has been found in the Amazon, hidden for thousands of years by lush vegetation.

The discovery changes what we know about the history of people living in the Amazon.

The houses and plazas in the Upano area in eastern Ecuador were connected by an astounding network of roads and canals.

The area lies in the shadow of a volcano that created rich local soils, but also may have led to the destruction of the society.

While we knew about cities in the highlands of South America, like Machu Picchu in Peru, it was believed that people only lived nomadically or in tiny settlements in the Amazon.

“This is older than any other site we know in the Amazon. We have a Eurocentric view of civilisation, but this shows we have to change our idea about what is culture and civilisation,” says Professor Stephen Rostain, director of investigation

Scientists found evidence of 6000 mounds thought to be the basis for ancient homes (Stephen Rostain photo)

at the National Centre for Scientific Research in France, who led the research.

“It changes the way we see Amazonian cultures.

Most people picture small groups, probably naked, living in huts and clearing land – this shows ancient people lived in complicated urban societies,” says co-author Antoine Dorison.

The city was built around 2500 years ago, and people lived there for up to 1000 years, according to ar-

chaeologists.

It is difficult to accurately estimate how many people lived there at any one time, but scientists say it is certainly in the 10,000s if not 100,000s.

The archaeologists combined ground excavations with a survey of a 300-sq km (116 sq mile) area using laser sensors flown on a plane that could identify remains of the city beneath the dense plants and trees.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Guatemala arrests former Minister accused of failing to quell election protests

G

uatemala’s former Interior Minister was detained on Thursday, authorities said, accused of failing to fulfil his duties after he refused to block last year’s protests that called on authorities to respect the result of the presidential election.

Napoleon Barrientos, a retired military officer, was interior minister from January 2022 until his resignation in October after being pressured by the prosecutors’ office and the top court to repress and disperse protesters. However, Guatemalan authorities allege that he refused to com-

ply.

“The arrest of Mr. David Napoleon Barrientos Giron took place over the possible crimes of breach of duties and disobedience,” the prosecutors’ office said in a statement.

Barrientos told reporters outside the courthouse that he was feeling “calm” and believed there was an ulterior reason for his arrest.

“I could have been called to testify, so there must be a message behind all this,” he said. “That was a very difficult situation, unprecedented ... with 400 blockades. It

was quite complicated to unblock, let alone to use irrational force,” he said.

Barrientos, after his resignation late last year, said in an interview with local radio that State institutions were there to “protect and privilege life”.

Barrientos’ arrest drew condemnation from the United States, with State Department official Brian Nichols in a social media post expressing his support for the former Interior Minister for “defending the right to peaceful protest.” (Excerpt from Reuters)

guyanatimesgy.com

FRIDAY, JANUARY 12, 2024

19

Around The World

ICJ hears South Africa’s genocide OILNEWS OIL NEWS case against Israel over Gaza war I

Iran seizes oil tanker involved in US-Iran dispute in Gulf of Oman - state media

I

ran seized a tanker with Iraqi crude destined for Turkey on Thursday in retaliation for the confiscation last year of the same vessel and its oil by the US, Iranian State media reported, a move likely to stoke regional tensions.

The seizure of the Marshall Islands-flagged St Nikolas coincides with weeks of attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi militias targeting Red Sea shipping routes.

“After the theft of Iranian oil by the United States last year, St Nikolas tanker was seized by Iran’s Navy this morning with a judicial order ... it is en route to Iranian ports,” the semiofficial Fars news agency reported, citing a statement by the Navy.

In Washington, the Pentagon said Iranian forces unlawfully boarded the St Nikolas in the Gulf of Oman and forced it to change course toward Iranian territorial waters.

The White House condemned the seizure.

“No justification whatsoever to seize it, none whatsoever.

They need to let it go,” White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said.

The U.S. seized the St Nikolas last year in a sanctions enforcement operation when it sailed under a different name, Suez Rajan. Iran warned the US the move would “not go unanswered”.

Armed intruders boarded the St Nikolas as it sailed close to the Omani city of Sohar, according to British maritime security firm Ambrey, and its AIS tracking system was turned off as it headed in the direction of the Iranian port of Bandar-e-Jask.

“Communication with the oil tanker, St Nikolas, under Marshall Islands flag and owned by the Greek shipowner Empire Navigation has been cut off around 06:30 on Jan. 11 in the waters of Oman,” Turkish oil refiner Tupras told Reuters in an emailed statement, confirming it had bought the cargo from Iraqi state marketer SOMO. “The incident has no impact on our refinery operations,” the Turkish firm - which operates the 241,500 barrel per day (bpd) capacity Izmir refinery in Aliaga - added.

The ship loaded around 145,000 metric tonnes of oil in the Iraqi port of Basra and was heading to Aliaga in western Turkey via the Suez Canal, Empire Navigation told Reuters. It said it had lost contact with the vessel, manned by a crew of 19 including 18 Filipino nationals and one Greek national.

Since October, Yemen’s Houthis have attacked commercial vessels in the Red Sea to show support for Palestinian militant group Hamas in its fight against Israel. Those incidents have been concentrated on the Bab al-Mandab Strait, to the southwest of the Arabian Peninsula.

Thursday’s incident is located closer to the Strait of Hormuz, between Oman and Iran.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) authority said earlier on Thursday it had received a report that a vessel around 50 nautical miles east of Oman’s coast was boarded by four to five armed persons.

The intruders reportedly were wearing military-style black uniforms and black masks.

The UK authority, which provides maritime security information, said it was unable to make further contact with the vessel and authorities were still investigating.

“Iran’s actions are contrary to international law and threaten maritime security and stability,” US Navy’s Fifth Fleet Commander Vice Admiral Brad Cooper said in a statement.

The Suez Rajan was carrying more than 980,000 barrels of Iranian crude oil last year when it was seized and the oil confiscated in the US sanctions enforcement operation.

The US said at the time that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had been trying to send contraband Iranian oil to China, in violation of US sanctions.

The vessel was unable to unload the Iranian crude for nearly 2-1/2 months over fears of secondary sanctions on vessels used to unload it. It was renamed the St Nikolas after unloading the cargoes. (Excerpt from Reuters)

srael faces accusations that it is subjecting Palestinians in Gaza to genocidal acts, as the International Court of Justice (ICJ) commenced a hearing on South Africa’s genocide case against it on Thursday.

Amid Israel’s ongoing three-month war in Gaza, more than 23,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed, lawyers told the top United Nations court. Most of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million has been displaced, and an Israeli blockade severely limiting food, fuel and medicine has caused a humanitarian “catastrophe”, according to the UN. South Africa’s case in The Hague argues that Israel violated the 1948 genocide convention, established in the aftermath of the Holocaust, which mandates that all countries prevent the recurrence of such crimes. It filed an 84-page document with the court detailing acts it says amount to genocide in Gaza.

Adila Hassim, a lawyer representing South Africa, told the ICJ that Israel had breached Article II of the Genocide Convention, which included the “mass killing” of Palestinians in Gaza.

“Israel deployed 6000 bombs per week … No one

is spared. Not even newborns. UN chiefs have described it as a graveyard for children,” she said.

“Nothing will stop the suffering, except an order from this court,” she added.

South Africa has demanded that the ICJ order Israel to suspend its military campaign.

Also called the World Court, the ICJ is the highest UN legal body that can adjudicate issues between member states.

Alanna O’Malley, a professor of UN and international history, told Al Jazeera that South Africa’s case was a “historic” one.

“We see from the invocation of the various articles of the Genocide Convention by the South African legal team the ways in which they are going to structurally present this case,” she said outside the court in The Hague, calling it “extremely compelling”.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said his nation was pursuing the case of what it called “the ongoing slaughter of the people of Gaza”.

Israel will respond to the allegations made by South Africa today.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that hypocrisy and lies had been presented to the UN’s top court, adding that

A pro-Palestinian demonstrator holds a placard during a protest near the International Court of Justice [Thilo Schmuelgen/Reuters]

South Africa’s accusation against Israel of genocide in Gaza could only happen in a world turned upside-down.

“We are fighting terrorists, we are fighting lies,”

Netanyahu said. “Today we saw an upside-down world.

Israel is accused of genocide while it is fighting against genocide.”

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Taiwan election: China warns voters, then condemns US ‘brazen chattering’

Trump’s New York fraud trial wraps up, with millions of dollars on the line C

William Lai of the DPP says he’s defending democracy, but has angered China in the past with comments about independence

D

onald Trump returned to Manhattan Supreme Court on Thursday for the last day of his fraud trial, lashing out in court at the Attorney General who brought the case.

A Judge has already determined that Trump family members and executives fraudulently inflated assets to secure favourable loans.

But the trial will determine damages.

New York Judge Arthur Engoron has said he will issue a final written ruling on the case by the end of the

month.

The outcome could be stiff penalties that may challenge the famous family’s legacy after it built its fortune in New York real estate.

New York Attorney General Letitia James is asking the judge for a US$370 million penalty.

She also aims to bar Donald Trump from ever doing business in New York again, a five-year ban for Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr and an independent monitor to oversee their company for the next five years.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

hina has warned voters in Taiwan to make the “right choice”, two days before presidential elections on the self-ruled island which Beijing claims.

A win for the ruling party candidate William Lai would pose a danger to relations, China said.

It also criticised “brazen chattering” by the US after Washington warned Beijing not to stoke tensions ahead of Saturday’s vote.

Who wins the poll could push the island further towards, or away from, Beijing.

Taiwan is a key flashpoint in the tussle between China and the US for supremacy in Asia.

China’s Taiwan Affairs office said Lai would further promote separatist activities if he were elected. “[He] would continue to follow the evil path of provoking ‘independence’ and... take Taiwan ever further away from peace and prosperity, and ever closer to war and decline,” it said in a statement.

Lai, of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), has called for voters to “choose the right path” to maintain Taiwan’s sovereignty. His main opponent, Hou Yu-ih of the Kuomintang (KMT), has called Lai a danger to relations with China. (Excerpt from Reuters)

US, Britain carry out strikes against Houthis in Yemen- officials

T

he United States and Britain have started carrying out strikes against targets linked to Houthis in Yemen, four U.S. officials told Reuters on Thursday, the first time strikes have been launched against the Iran-backed group since it started targeting international shipping in the Red Sea late last

year.

The Houthis, who control most of Yemen, have been targeting Red Sea shipping routes to show their support for Hamas, a Palestinian Islamist group. The attacks have disrupted international commerce on the key route between Europe and Asia that accounts for about 15 per cent of the world’s

shipping traffic.

These are believed to be the first strikes the United States has carried out against the Houthis in Yemen since 2016.

The officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said a formal statement was soon expected to detail the strikes.

Earlier on Thursday, the

Houthi leader said any US attack on the group would not go without a response.

The Houthis, who seized much of Yemen in a civil war, have vowed to attack ships linked to Israel or bound for Israeli ports.

However, many of the targeted ships have had no links to Israel.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

20

FRIDAY, JANUARY 12, 2024

guyanatimesgy.com

DAILY HOROSCOPES

ARCHIE

Attend a reunion or event that connects you with people who share your interests or background. Offering insight will open an interesting conversation. Romance is favored.

(March 21-April 19) Don't promise more than you can deliver. Opportunities are heading your way, and picking up skills will position you for success. Update your resume or find a new way to promote yourself.

PICKLES (April 20-May 20)

Refuse to let anyone take charge or ruin your day. Go where the action is and show everyone what you have to offer. Someone you least expect will show signs of jealousy.

(May 21-June 20) Don't put your future in someone else's hands. Take the initiative and be bold, and you will get what you want.

Now is not the time to be shy; you must show everyone what you can do.

PEANUTS (June 21-July 22)

Don't reveal too much information.

Show compassion and be a good listener, but keep your personal life and opinions to yourself. The best way forward is to use your charm and skills to help others.

(July 23-Aug. 22) Taking an educational course will lead to something new and exciting.

Having an active role in your community will encourage networking and the potential to get ahead.

CALVIN AND HOBBES (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

Don't settle for less when you want more. Align yourself with people who share your concerns and interests. Stop vacillating; take control and put your plan in motion. Love is on the rise.

(Sept. 23-Oct. 23)

SUDOKU

Be aware of how others react. An emotional incident can influence a change you want to pursue. Make it clear what you are willing to bring to the table to make your plan work.

(Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Push hard for what you want, but don't promise something you cannot honor. Be explicit regarding what you are willing to do and what you expect in return. Be wary of false information.

(Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Don't engage in extravagant pastimes. Stick to a healthy, moderate lifestyle. Stay focused on being positive and achieving something that will help you advance.

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Emotional situations will escalate quickly. Avoid joint financial ventures, lending to or borrowing from a friend or relative and shared expenses.

Concentrate on personal gain.

(Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Pay attention to detail. Put your energy into something meaningful. Say no to people trying to lead you astray or attempting to take advantage of you.

Discipline will be a must.

(Feb. 20-March 20)

FRIDAY, JANUARY 12, 2024

21

Playoff of “One Guyana” Basketball League…

GABA’s Slater expects competitive action T

he playoff action of the One Guyana Basketball League is set to start on Saturday, January 13, at the National Gymnasium, with jump-ball for the first playoff series set to begin at 19:00hrs.

The eight teams that advanced to the playoffs from the Harpy League Conference are: Pacesetters, Black Mambas, Ravens, Kwakwani Untouchables, and UG Trojans.

From the Jaguar Conference, the teams are: Stabroek Eagles, UG Trojans, Bounty Colts, McDoom/Prospect Kobras.

In the Harpy Eagle Conference, the Playoff will

see Pacesetters, who copped first place, coming up against Ravens in a three-game series.

Kwakwani Untouchables, coming in second, will play Black Mambas, who came in third, in a three-game series in which the winner will move on to the Conference Finals.

The Jaguar Conference will see Stabroek Eagles, unbeaten in the group stage, coming up against UG Trojans in a threegame series; while Bounty Colts, coming in second place, will battle Kobras, who have a mixture of young and experience, in a three-game series in which the winner will move on

President of the Georgetown Amateur Basketball Association, Jermaine Slater to the Conference Finals.

President of the Georgetown Amateur Basketball Association, Jermaine Slater, in an exclusive interview with Guyana Times Sport, emphasized that the level of basketball has improved, as have the teams and the expectation of the Playoffs.

He said, “All the teams that would normally play poorly have garnered some traction from this regular season that we had, thus they played far better. Trojans Basketball is one and Black Mambas is a very new team that has improved as their games went on and within the regular, so

we expect much more competitive basketball in the playoff, so it’s the top teams that went through. We fully expect competitive basketball to be played, we fully expect a lot of passion to be displayed, and we fully expect to have close games and heated rivalries to be formed.”

Slater expounded on the importance of the Playoff setup, saying it gives teams more game time to develop their basketball abilities.

He emphasized, “The level of basketball has increased to play, and now they are preparing to play in the playoffs with the 2-best of 3 series

which would give them even much more game time, as it is not just a one-game and knockout in this playoff. They will be able to get some time to get it together as a team.”

Winners of the playoff games will then advance to their Conference Finals, where they will play the best twoof-three series to determine who advances to the National Finals.

The tournament-winning team will receive $1 million along with trophies, while the runners-up will receive $500,000 plus trophies. (Omar McKenzie)

India vs Afghanistan: 2024 T20I series, Game 1 of 3…

Dube, Axar put India 1-0 up in chilly Mohali

R

ohit Sharma had a lowkey return to T20Is, run out for a duck, but India brushed Afghanistan aside in the first game in chilly Mohali.

Shivam Dube enjoyed a more productive return than his captain, though, following up figures of 1 for 9 in two overs with a punchy, unbeaten half-century that headlined India’s successful chase of 159.

After dismissing Afghanistan captain Ibrahim Zadran with a hard-length delivery, Dube showcased his batting chops against both spin and pace. Jitesh Sharma, who is among the most explosive finishers in the IPL, had an early entry point in the ninth over, and he, too, impressed with 31 off 20 balls.

Afghanistan, India trade blows Arshdeep Singh started with a maiden at his home ground, but Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim got into their groove with ramped fours later in the powerplay.

Ibrahim’s shot off the last ball of the sixth over was reminiscent of his ramp off Pat Cummins in the ODI World Cup last year.

Ibrahim could have been dismissed on 1 had Dube not dropped a low catch at mid-off in the third over, off Arshdeep.

He added 24 to his tally before Dube redeemed himself by having Ibrahim caught at short cover in the ninth over.

And just when Gurbaz threatened to kick into a higher gear, Axar Patel had him chopping on for 23 off 28 balls.

Axar, Washington do the job Axar was a popgun firing darts on the stumps or just a shade outside off. He also had Rahmat Shah, Afghanistan’s 30-year-old T20I debutant, chopping on, for 3 off 5 balls.

In the absence of Ravindra Jadeja, Axar came away with 4-0-23-2.

Kuldeep Yadav, India’s first-choice spinner, was rested, with the team manage-

parted in the same over, but Najibullah dragged Afghanistan to a competitive total.

India celebrating

ment giving Washington Sundar a go. The offspinner was asked to bowl an over each in the powerplay, middle, and the death. After giving up just three runs in the fifth over, and then 11 in the seventh, Washington was called upon to bowl the penultimate over of the innings.

Rohit’s other option was to try out Dube, but he went

in chilly conditions that made it difficult for spinners to grip the ball. He could have also dismissed Najibullah Zadran had he hung on to a tough return catch.

Afghanistan.

Dube dazzles Dube is Chennai Super

SCOREBOARD

Axar Patel celebrating his second wicket

Shivam Dube made a strong impression in the middle order

Mohammad Nabi nailed one down the ground

with Washington, who did a decent job with a 13-run over

Rohit’s no-show with bat It looked even more competitive when Rohit was run out for a duck in the first over of India’s chase after a mixup with Shubman Gill. Gill wasn’t even supposed to play this game. India’s coach Rahul Dravid had locked in Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rohit as India’s first-choice openers for this T20I series - India’s last before the T20 World Cup - but a groin injury to Jaiswal forced India to veer away from their plan. India were also without Virat Kohli, who was unavailable for this match for personal reasons.

Gill hit five fours in his 23 off 12 balls, before Mujeeb Ur Rahman had him stumped in the fourth over.

Kings’ designated spin-hitter in the IPL. On Thursday in Mohali, Mujeeb was turning the ball both ways, and even found a hint of swing in the early exchanges. Dube tempered his instincts and smartly saw him off, scoring just one off eight balls from the mystery spinner.

Ibrahim then matched Nabi up with Dube, but the left-hander took the offspinner for 14 off five balls. Dube was also comfortable against Afghanistan’s seamers, though they don’t have an express quick in their attack. He reached his fifty off 38 balls, and then finished the chase with a six and four off Naveenul-Haq. Jitesh, who retained his place ahead of Sanju Samson, dashed out of the blocks like he often does for Punjab Kings in the IPL. Mujeeb returned to have him hole out in the 14th over, but Dube and Rinku Singh iced the chase for India.

(ESPNCricinfo)

Afghanistan finish well Mohammad Nabi (42), Azmatullah Omarzai (29) and Najibullah Zadran (19*) gave Afghanistan’s flagging innings some impetus in the slog overs. Nabi turned 39 earlier this month. His son recently made his Under-19 debut for

Afghanistan have a number of spinners and allrounders working their way up through franchise T20 cricket, but Nabi proved once again that he can still cut it at the top level. When Mukesh Kumar brought mid-off up and darted short balls into Nabi’s body, he was ready for it, and tugged Kumar away over midwicket.

He also picked Ravi Bishnoi’s wrong’uns and put him away.

Omarzai and Nabi de-

Afghanistan (20 ovs maximum) BATTING R Rahmanullah Gurbaz † st †JM Sharma b Patel 23 Ibrahim Zadran (c) c RG Sharma b Dube 25 Azmatullah Omarzai b Mukesh Kumar 29 Rahmat Shah b Patel 3 Mohammad Nabi c Singh b Mukesh Kumar 42 Najibullah Zadran not out 19 Karim Janat not out 9 Extras (lb 3, nb 1, w 4) 8 TOTAL 20 Ov (RR: 7.90) 158/5 Did not bat: Gulbadin Naib, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen-ulHaq, Mujeeb Ur Rahman Fall of wickets: 1-50 (Rahmanullah Gurbaz, 7.6 ov), 2-50 (Ibrahim Zadran, 8.2 ov), 3-57 (Rahmat Shah, 9.6 ov), 4-125 (Azmatullah Omarzai, 17.1 ov), 5-130 (Mohammad Nabi, 17.6 ov) BOWLING Arshdeep Singh Mukesh Kumar Axar Patel Washington Sundar Shivam Dube

O-M-R-W 4-1-28-0 4-0-33-2 4-0-23-2 3-0-27-0 2-0-9-1

Ravi Bishnoi

3-0-35-0

India (T: 159 runs from 20 ovs) BATTING R Rohit Sharma (c) run out (Ibrahim Zadran/†Rahmanullah Gurbaz) 0 Shubman Gill st †Rahmanullah Gurbaz b Mujeeb Ur Rahman 23 Tilak Varma c Gulbadin Naib b Azmatullah Omarzai 26 Shivam Dube not out 60 Jitesh Sharma † c Ibrahim Zadran b Mujeeb Ur Rahman 31 Rinku Singh not out 16 Extras (w 3) 3 TOTAL 17.3 Ov (RR: 9.08) 159/4 Did not bat: Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Mukesh Kumar Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Rohit Sharma, 0.2 ov), 2-28 (Shubman Gill, 3.5 ov), 3-72 (Tilak Varma, 8.4 ov), 4-117 (Jitesh Sharma, 13.5 ov) BOWLING Fazalhaq Farooqi Mujeeb Ur Rahman Mohammad Nabi Naveen-ul-Haq Azmatullah Omarzai Gulbadin Naib

O-M-R-W 3-0-26-0 4-1-21-2 2-0-24-0 3.3-0-43-0 4-0-33-1 1-0-12-0

22

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

FRIDAY, JANUARY 12, 2024

RBLCPL further commits to promoting tourism with new hire T

he Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (RBLCPL) has further strengthened its commitment to develop sports tourism across the Caribbean by employing Deanna Weekes as its new Tourism Partner Manager.

Deanna is an experienced tourism professional who will work with CPL’s tourist board partners to create packages for travelling fans to visit all CPL host countries during the 2024 tournament.

According to figures from the UNWTO, sports tourism currently represents 10% of global tourist flow, with this expected to grow to 12% in 2024. With sports tourism being such a key economic driver for the industry, the Caribbean has much to gain

by growing its share of this lucrative sector.

In 2024, CPL will be working even more closely with partners across the region to develop sports tourism and build valuable market share.

Pete Russell, Republic Bank CPL CEO, said: “We are tremendously excited to be able to begin offering fans travel packages so they can watch CPL teams in six wonderful locations across the Caribbean. We are blessed with hugely passionate fans, and by employing a dedicated tourism manager who will work with hotels, airlines and tourist boards, we will be making it easier than ever for fans to travel to watch CPL cricket. With the ICC T20 World Cup in the Caribbean in June this year, 2024 will be

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CPL CEO, Pete Russell

a bumper year for sports tourism, and CPL look forward to continuing the momentum in August and September.”

Deanna Weekes, Republic Bank CPL’s newly appointed Tourism Partner Manager, said: “This is a really exciting opportunity to be involved in the biggest annual sporting event in the Caribbean. I am looking forward to working

ASTROLOGY The Coveted CPL Trophy with all CPL’s tourism partners to build on the existing strong relationships to push

CPL’s impact on the regional economies to another level.”

(CPLT20)

BCB/Ivan Madray T20 tournament…

Albion defeat Port Mourant Second double-header on this Sunday to advance to finals …with final Elite League spot up for grabs

A glimpse of what to expect this Sunday

A

nother double-header of senior men’s and women’s club football is on the cards this Sunday, as two teams battle for a final spot in the Elite League and the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Women’s League Division One tournament continues.

For the men, Sunday’s showdown will take place at 19:30hrs at the Ministry of Education Ground (MoE) on Carifesta Avenue in Georgetown, and will feature Slingerz FC getting another shot at the Elite League, this time against Victoria Kings, who are facing relegation.

The Eliminator Match gives Slingerz a renewed opportunity to return to the Elite League, and the struggling Victoria Kings, who finished second to last in Elite League Season Five, will have a crucial chance to retain their spot as an Elite League team. Competition Director Troy Peters foresees an intense showdown between two determined teams set on playing in the upcoming Elite League Season Six. “The GFF anticipates an exhilarating clash between these two teams, both fiercely committed to playing in the eagerly anticipated Elite

League Season Six. Fans should prepare for an electrifying and tension-filled showdown,” Peters said.

The GFF Elite League Promotional Playoff kicked off on December 17, and featured nine triumphant teams from the Member Associations’ Leagues bat-

League Division One encounter between Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and Potaro Strikers at 17:00hrs.

Guyana Defence Force holds the second position on the table, tallying 12 points from their games.

Meanwhile, Guyana Police Force leads the table with 12 points from five games.

Fruta Conquerors currently sits in third place with nine points accumulated from three wins and two losses.

Following closely in fourth is Potato Strikers with four points from four games — two losses, one draw, and one win. In fifth is Pakuri Jaguars with one point from three losses and one draw.

In contrast, Santos has yet to gain a point, suffering four losses across four games.

Women’s Football Association (WFA) President Andrea Johnson anticipates Sunday’s match

A glimpse of what to expect this Sunday

tling fiercely for a prized automatic entry into the esteemed Elite League Season Six. In the end, it was Berbice Football Association’s (BFA) Monedderlust FC who edged Slingerz to take the grand prize of an Elite League spot.

On the other hand, kicking off the action on Sunday will be the GFF Women’s

between Guyana Defence Force and Potato will be a memorable showdown.

“January 8 marked an exhilarating continuation of the GFF Women’s League Division One, witnessing a memorable clash between the top contenders, Guyana Defence Force and Guyana Police Force. This upcoming Sunday, we anticipate nothing short of the same excitement,” she said.

…To play RHT NAMILCO Thunderbolt Flour in the finals at #69 Village

T

Veerasammy Permaul

he long rivalry between Berbice powerhouses Albion Community Center Cricket Club and the Rose Hall Town NAMILCO Thunderbolt Flour team is slated to enter a new chapter when the two teams meet in the finals of the BCB/ Ivan Madray T20 tourney, to be played at the popular Number 69 Vikings ground in the Upper Corentyne area.

Albion reached the finals of the tournament by defeating Port Mourant by 35 runs at the Port Mourant ground, after the home team collapsed and lost their last nine wickets for 38 runs. They had been well set at 58 for 1 in chasing 131 for victory from 20 overs.

Batting first, Albion were restricted to 131 for eight from their allotted 20 overs, with Damien Cecil and Test player Veerasammy Permaul each top scoring with 33, while Kevin Umrao’s 13 and Sewnarine Chattergoon and Anthony Bramble with 10, also added crucial runs.

Bowling for Port Mourant Cricket Club, Salim Khan took 3 for 30 from 4 overs; Madhan Budhram took 2 for 21 from 4 overs, and Vicky Samaroo took 1 for 13.

Port Mourant openers Rampertab and Rampersaud Ramnath gave the home team a flying start with an enterprising 58 in nine overs, before Rampersaud was unnecessarily run out for a well-played 28. Elder brother Rampertab went on to score an attractive 45 before he was caught off the bowling of Permaul. Apart from Madhan Budhram’s 13, no other Port Mourant batsman reached

double figures in the disappointing batting display.

Bowling for Albion, Permaul took 4 for 40 from 4 overs; Leon Cecil took 3 for 18 from 4 overs; Afraz Budhoo took 2 for 8, and Davindra Bishoo took 1 for 9 from three overs.

The final is expected to be an exciting affair, with players like Kevlon Anderson, Junior Sinclair, Clinton Pestano, Jonathan Rampersaud, Sylus Tyndall

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Kevlon Anderson

and Eon Hooper playing for Rose Hall Town; while Albion’s efforts would be spearheaded by Veerasammy Permaul, Adrian Sukhwa, Leon Cecil, Afraz Budhoo and Anthony Bramble.

Teams

Rose Hall Town NAMILCO Thunderbolt Flour: Jason Sinclair, Vidal Crandon, Junior Sinclair, Kevlon Anderson, Clinton Pestano, Eon Hooper, Jonathan Rampersaud, Keith Simpson, Sylus Tyndall, Jeremy Sandia, Keon Sinclair, Romesh Bharrat, Matthew Pottaya Pattaya and Khemraj Tika.

Albion CCCC: Anthony Bramble, Adrian Sukhwa, Sewnarine Chattergoon, Leon Cecil, Damian Cecil, Veerasammy Permaul, Davindra Bishoo, Afraz Budhoo, Gaurav Ramesh, Kevin Umrao, Karen Arjpaul, Tamesh Mahadeo and Ari Afrizal Kadir.

The tournament is being sponsored by Mr. Chandradat Chitramani in memory of his late uncle, former West Indies player Ivan Madray.

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 12, 2024

23

West Indies come strong on day 2 of warm-up match W

hen day 2 of their 3-day warmup match concluded in the wee hours of Thursday, West Indies’ Test team were in firm control of proceedings against a Cricket Australia Select XI. Not only were the bowlers on song, but an unbeaten half-century from Joshua DaSilva led to the position of power, which saw the Men in Maroon

Joshua DaSilva raising his bat after a half-century

piling on a 214-run lead, after bowling out Cricket Australia’s XI for 174 in

what was an eventful day 2 of their practice match.

The Caribbean side ended day 1 on 251-8 with the Guyanese pair of Kevin Sinclair and Gudakesh Motie at the crease, but declared overnight and sent the home side in to bat first thing on day 2. The Aussies got an average start, losing the first wicket of Jayden Godwin for 18 from 39 to Shamar Joseph’s bowling.

They continued steadily, but three quickfire wickets before tea, and at the resumption for only 3 runs, was the beginning of their unravelling.

Tim Ward top-scored with 50 from 88 deliveries before falling prey to Motie, while the next best score came off the bat of Bradley Hope, who struck 24 runs from 33 balls.

No other batter got past 20, as the Windies bowlers shared the wickets. Kemar Roach, Alzarri Joseph and Shamar Joseph each had two wickets; while Motie, Sinclair, Akeem Jordan and Justin Greaves each had one.

Already with a 77-run lead, the West Indies would

Joshua DaSilva and Kavem Hodge walking off after a 78-run partnership

have begun their second innings on a good note, had

Tagenarine Chanderpaul’s wicket not fallen for a

duck in the first over.

Nonetheless, DaSilva, who was promoted up the order, persisted at the other end.

Kirk McKenzie came and went for 9 from 17 balls, while Alick Athanaze added 15 runs from 30 deliveries.

Kavem Hodge, however, after contributing a half-century in the first innings, stuck with DaSilva to see out the day’s play.

By close of play, DaSilva had reached 55 off 95 balls, while Hodge remained on 44 from 67 deliveries.

As such, West Indies had accumulated 137-3 in 35 overs in the second innings.

Guyanese fast bowler Shamar Joseph shared his thoughts on his performance at the end of the day’s play: “Yeah, well, I just adjust to conditions, I just stick to the basics, the wicket, bowl much fuller and the ball do much for me. So, I just stick to the basics, hit areas, and be as consistent as much as I could,” he shared with CWI media in Australia.

He added this about extras, “That’s just it. I think

Shamar Joseph

I was a bit too fast to the crease, so that’s what bring the no balls to me. So, I just adjust myself, get in back to my rhythm, and that work well for me today.”

The 3rd and final day of the warmup match continued on Thursday night and into Friday morning, while the West Indies will turn their attention to the official Test matches from January 17.

The first Test will run from January 17th to 21st (16th- 20th in the Caribbean), while the second is set to span January 25th to 29th (24th- 28th in the Caribbean).

Imlach earns first ODI call-up as CWI name ODI, T20I squads C

ricket West Indies (CWI) Senior Selection Panel has named both 15man squads to play against Australia in three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and three T20 Internationals (T20Is) from February 2-13.

The ODI squad features two debutants: Grenadian top order batsman Teddy Bishop and Guyanese wicketkeeper-batsman Tevin Imlach.

Bishop has impressed with the bat on assignments for the West Indies Academy during the recent CG United Super50 Cup and the Academy series against Emerging Ireland.

Imlach, who is currently in Australia with the Test team, averages 30.1, having played 26 List A matches.

Justin Greaves, who has recently returned from a hamstring injury sustained in the CG United Super50 Cup in November, has got a recall to the ODI team. He was particularly impressive at the top of the order in that tournament, amassing a total of 403 runs in his seven innings at an average of 80.59 for the Leeward Islands Hurricanes.

Also returning to the squad are Hayden Walsh Jr. and Kavem Hodge.

Walsh Jr. last played in the ODI format in July 2022, when the West Indies played India in the Caribbean. Hodge made his debut in June 2023 when he played in all three matches against the

Coach: Ronald Rogers Team Masseuse: Dane Currency Team Analyst: Avenesh Seetaram Media Officer: Dario Barthley

West Indies have named their squads for both the ODI and T20I series against Australia UAE in Daren Sammy’s nificant period, and a cou- Shepherd, Oshane Thomas, ple of returning players Hayden Walsh Jr. first series as Head Coach.

Missing from the last who we think will have an ODI squad that won the impact. For the T20I series, West Indies T20I series against England in this forms part of our cru- Squad: Rovman Powell December are Brandon King cial preparations for the (Captain), Shai Hope and Sherfane Rutherford, upcoming T20 World Cup, (Vice-Captain), Johnson who have both been giv- where we are hosts. We are Charles, Roston Chase, en the opportunity to take hoping to build on strong Jason Holder, Akeal performances Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, up T20 franchise contracts overall during this period, along against India and England, Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, with Shimron Hetmyer and and to keep improving as we Gudakesh Motie, Nicholas approach the major tourna- Pooran, Andre Russell, Yannic Cariah.

In the T20I format, ment,” Haynes said.

Sherfane Rutherford, The white ball se- Romario Shepherd, Oshane Alzarri Joseph, who was rested for the final two ries will follow the upcom- Thomas.

T20Is against England, re- ing Test series between MANAGEMENT STAFF turns to the team to replace Australia and West Indies, Team Manager: Rawl which begins on January 17 Matthew Forde.

CWI Lead Selector, the and concludes on January Lewis Head Coach: Daren Most Honorable Desmond 29.

Haynes, is anticipating anW e s t Sammy Assistant Coach: Floyd other competitive series in Indies ODI Squad: Shai both formats.

Hope (Captain), Alzarri Reifer Assistant Coach: Carl “On the back of a se- Joseph (Vice-Captain), Alick ries win against England, Athanaze, Teddy Bishop, Hooper Assistant Coach: Shaun we are expecting our ODI Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, team to be very competi- Matthew Forde, Justin Tait Physiotherapist: Denis tive in Australia. We have Greaves, Kavem Hodge, some new inclusions who Tevin Imlach, Gudakesh Byam Strength & Conditioning have impressed over a sig- Motie, Kjorn Ottley, Romario

Australia vs West Indies ODI Series schedule (Match starting time in brackets) 1st ODI – 2 February – Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne (2:30pm local time/12am Eastern Caribbean/11pm Jamaica) 2nd ODI – 4 February – Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney (2:30pm local time/12am Eastern Caribbean/11pm Jamaica) 3rd ODI – 6 February – Manuka Oval, Canberra

(2:30pm local time/12am Eastern Caribbean/ 11pm Jamaica) Australia vs West Indies T20I Series schedule (Match start time in brackets) 1st T20I – 9 February – Bellerive Oval, Hobart (7:00pm local time/4:30am Eastern Caribbean/3:30am Jamaica) 2nd T20I – 11 February – Adelaide Oval, Adelaide (6:30pm local time/4am Eastern Caribbean/3am Jamaica) 3rd T20I – 13 February – Perth Stadium, Perth (4pm local time/1:30am Eastern Caribbean/12:30am Jamaica)

SCOREBOARD Cricket Australia XI 1st Innings BATTING R Tim Ward c Athanaze b Motie 50 Jayden Goodwin c †Da Silva b S Joseph 18 Teague Wyllie b S Joseph 13 Peter Handscomb (c) c McKenzie b Roach 9 Jack Clayton c McKenzie b Roach 3 Jake Doran c Roach b AS Joseph 8 Liam Scott c Athanaze b AS Joseph 0 Bradley Hope b Akeem Jordan 24 Jack Nisbet c Hodge b Greaves 12 Doug Warren not out 12 Liam Haskett c Hodge b Sinclair 10 Extras (b 4, nb 10, w 1) 15 TOTAL 54.5 Ov (RR: 3.17)174 Did not bat: Harry Conway, Harry Matthias †, Campbell Thompson Fall of wickets: 1-46 (Jayden Goodwin, 12.4 ov), 2-94 (Tim Ward, 25.6 ov), 3-94 (Teague Wyllie, 26.4 ov), 4-97 (Jack Clayton, 27.5 ov), 5-110 (Peter Handscomb, 31.4 ov), 6-114 (Jake Doran, 32.3 ov), 7-116 (Liam Scott, 32.6 ov), 8-143 (Jack Nisbet, 39.6 ov), 9-155 (Bradley Hope, 42.3 ov), 10-174 (Liam Haskett, 54.5 ov) BOWLING Kemar Roach Alzarri Joseph Shamar Joseph

O-M-R-W 9-4-23-2 10-1-40-2 8-0-28-2

Akeem Jordan Justin Greaves Gudakesh Motie Kevin Sinclair

9-4-23-1 8-0-43-1 8-3-7-1 2.5-1-6-1

West Indians 2nd Innings BATTING R Tagenarine Chanderpaul c Ward b Haskett 0 Joshua Da Silva † not out 55 Kirk McKenzie c Wyllie b Haskett 9 Alick Athanaze c Hope b Scott 15 Kavem Hodge not out 44 Extras (b 4, lb 6, nb 2, w 2) 14 TOTAL 35 Ov (RR: 3.91) 137/3 Yet to bat: Justin Greaves, Kraigg Brathwaite (c), Alzarri Joseph, Akeem Jordan, Shamar Joseph, Gudakesh Motie, Kevin Sinclair, Kemar Roach, Tevin Imlach, Zachary McCaskie Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Tagenarine Chanderpaul, 0.3 ov), 2-16 (Kirk McKenzie, 4.5 ov), 3-59 (Alick Athanaze, 12.4 ov) BOWLING Liam Haskett Harry Conway Jack Nisbet Liam Scott Doug Warren Bradley Hope Tim Ward

O-M-R-W 7-1-39-2 7-1-23-0 5-1-21-0 6-1-10-1 8-2-18-0 1-0-9-0 1-0-7-0

FRIDAY, JANUARY 12, 2024

Sport is no longer our game, it’s our business

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Playoff of “One Guyana” Basketball League…

GABA’s Slater expects competitive action

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