Guyana times - Friday, January 5, 2024.pdf

Argyle Declaration

Pres Ali writes P Maduro for 1st meeting of technical teams in Brazil 7

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

Issue No. 5602

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 2024

Govt creating opportunities for population to grow wealth – Pres Ali See story on page 3

WHAT'S INSIDE:

“Patience is P15 required” – Croal on improving access to treated water countrywide

Jagdeo debunks APNU’s claims that NRF interest could fund higher salary increases

Page 13

Former cop P8 nabbed with illegal guns, ammo remanded

20 workplace deaths recorded P13 in 2023 …175 of 577 non-fatal accidents investigated

Temporary bridge completed as works progressing on the new DHB Page 14

Miner stabbed to death by P17 drinking buddy

Displaying Venezuelan map with Guyana’s Essequibo

“Inadvertence on my part” – PM Gonsalves admits Page 10

Mocha resident busted with ganja in motor car P16

…“it’s a credible explanation – VP Jagdeo

Contractor terminated as Govt toughen up on monitoring of home construction Page 11

AA adds another daily flight to Guyana-US route

P17

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 2024 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

NEWS

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 2024 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS

BRIDGE The Demerara OPENINGS Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Friday, January 5 – no retraction and Saturday, January 6 – 00:00h-01:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Friday, January 5 – 11:20h-12:50h and Saturday, January 6 – 12:15h-13:45h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Light rain showers and sunshine are expected during the day. Clear to partly cloudy skies and light rain showers are expected at night.

Temperatures should range between 23 degrees Celsius and 31 degrees Celsius.

Winds: North-Easterly to East North-Easterly between 2.23 metres and 4.47 metres.

High Tide: 11:12h and 23:47h reaching maximum heights of 2.23 metres and 2.19 metres.

Low Tide: 17:15h reaching a minimum height of 0.98 metre.

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Govt creating opportunities for population to grow wealth – Pres Ali

N

oting that the policies and programmes being implemented by his Government are ultimately aimed at wealth creation and growth for every Guyanese, President Dr Irfaan Ali on Thursday evening fired back at “propagandist messaging”, and highlighted the various ways in which the strategies rolled out by his Administration within the past three years have transformed communities and positively impacted the lives of almost all citizens.

“The purpose of Government is to invest and create the opportunity so that the population can grow wealth,” the Head of State outlined during a live broadcast to the nation.

“We are skilfully crafting a model that meets our social and economic transformation in a way that ensures what we call resilience in the framework… we cannot just say that we have projected finances in the future so that we are going to spend in a way that is not sustainable. So, we are creating a resilient approach to managing our finances; a careful and considerate approach to ensure that our current expenditure does not become bloated and to ensure that the capital investment itself is adding value and creating value to the population in general,” he explained.

Referencing the recent road network in the New Diamond Housing Scheme on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD), President Ali highlighted how the investments in that area have significantly increased the net present and future value of lands and properties there.

“The net present value of some of these properties would have increased by 25-30 per cent, some as much as 50 per cent, some areas more than 100 per cent…so, you have a public servant who would benefit from the 6.5 per cent increase this year, the total increase from a 2020 base is more than 24 per cent over the last number of years, that public servant…maybe at the low scale…might take home…$250,000… when you look at that person owning a low-income home that would have cost $6.5 million, and because of the investment in housing and the investment in infrastructure, the net value of that house now becomes $10 million.

“We’re talking now about an increase in value immediately within one

President Dr Irfaan Ali

year of $4 million. From a salary perspective, that would take you 20 years to accumulate. So, wealth is not only built in salaries, wealth is built on how the net effect of the impact of policies and programmes.”

Explaining that when the net value of someone’s property increases, “it means that [their] personal wealth also goes up”, President Ali said: “Many people then capitalise on this…in a way in which they now realise the full financial potential of their property, they can use that money to invest in a small business, some buy a taxi, some buy a truck, and that is how you grow wealth, that is how the transformation is linked to wealth creation.”

The President further explained that this was just a microscopic examination of the impact of Government’s policies and

programmes on citizens’ lives, and noted that when all the other initiatives were taken into consideration, the benefits were tremendous.

“When you take the initiative of the grant for dialysis, when you look at the grant for people living with disabilities, when you look at the investment in the healthcare system, when you look at the grant for the schoolchildren, all of this is removing a direct expenditure from your income pool, which makes more disposable income available for you,” he explained.

“The removal of the more than 200 taxes, what has this done? …in an annualised way, it put back tens of millions of dollars in the pockets of people,” President Ali asserted, noting that if the taxes were not removed, any given household’s disposable income would have been less.

Referencing the Local Content legislation which prioritises Guyanese nationals and Guyanese companies in the procurement of goods and services, President Ali highlighted that a number of local businesses were benefiting from billions of dollars of revenue. “Tens of billions of dollars that are now flowing into the system that was never there two years ago…”

According to President Ali, every sector of the economy has similar ripple effects. “…in tourism, in agriculture…in warehousing, in logistics, in transportation, in shore base facilities, in engineering, in training…”

Moreover, he emphasised that every region of the country was experiencing some form of development, which was directly and indirectly benefiting citizens.

“When we build 1000 homes in Region 10, the wealth creation, the increase in the value of asset; when we go to build a new Linden-Soesdyke Highway, the road to Maura, the new New Amsterdam Road, expanding the road in Region Three, all of this, what does it do? It increases the net present value and future value of the asset that surrounds infrastructure.

And who benefits from that increase in asset value? It is the individuals, the families, the communities, who can go to the bank with a higher asset value,” the Head of State posited.

(G11)

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 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

January: Cervical Cancer Awareness Month

J

anuary is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month. This type of cancer is the fourth most common cancer among women, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Statistics from WHO shows that an estimated 311, 000 deaths worldwide are recorded as a result of cervical cancer.

According to the WHO, cancer in general is the second leading cause of death globally, accounting for an estimated 9.6 million deaths, or one in six deaths. Lung, prostate, colorectal, stomach and liver cancer are the most common types of cancer in men, while breast, colorectal, lung, cervical and thyroid cancer are the most common among women.

The WHO has pointed out that the cancer burden continues to grow globally, exerting tremendous physical, emotional and financial strain on individuals, families, communities and health systems. Many health systems in low- and middleincome countries are least prepared to manage this burden, and large numbers of cancer patients globally do not have access to timely quality diagnosis and treatment. However, according to WHO, in countries where health systems are strong, survival rates of many types of cancers are improving thanks to accessible early detection, quality treatment and survivorship care.

What is very worrying is the fact that the number of cancer deaths could increase by over 50 per cent by 2030 if immediate global action is not taken, especially in the low- and middleincome countries where most of the deaths are likely to occur.

The statistics regarding cancer and its impact on individuals and society tell a sad tale. However, it should motivate us to work harder for better results.

It should be noted that between 30 and 40 per cent of cancer cases could be prevented and one third of cancer cases could be cured through early diagnoses and treatment. The sad thing, however, is that the medicines, technologies and services are not widely available in low- and middle-income countries and this results in the majority of premature cancer deaths each year.

In Guyana, cancer is one of the leading causes of death, and we, as guardians of our own destiny, should continue to make arduous efforts in our campaign to reduce the number of persons dying from the disease. For example, individuals could assist in the prevention of cancer by doing simple things such as: making sure they eat a healthy diet, engage in regular adequate physical activity and the overall maintenance of good health. Research has shown that physical inactivity is linked to breast and colon cancers. WHO’s Global Recommendations on Physical Activity for Health details how differing amounts and intensities of physical activity for all age groups can help reduce non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including some cancers. It is also worthy to note that the World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research has advised that cancer could be prevented if persons could be as lean as possible without becoming underweight; be physically active for at least thirty minutes each day, and avoid sugary drinks among other things.

The three main cancers in Guyana are breast cancer, cervical cancer and prostate cancer. Cervical cancer is easily prevented through regular screening and treatment of precancerous lesions, far too many women ignore the pre-testing option and seek medical advice and treatment only when they begin to develop signs of illness. In many cases, indications of physical illness or signs of discomfort often suggest that the cancer is at an advanced stage. Persons should, therefore, be encouraged to have regular tests done since pre-symptoms are not that visible. WHO estimates that cervical cancer could be the first cancer to be eliminated if 90 per cent of girls are vaccinated against HPV, 70 per cent of women are screened and 90 per cent of women with cervical disease receive treatment.

We can never overstate the importance of having more public awareness and education campaigns about the disease with the aim of changing lifestyles and getting persons to do regular testing so that treatment could be administered before the disease becomes life threatening.

Acting Commissioner of Police, Clifton Hicken, along with Deputy Commissioner (Operations) Ravindradat Budhram, and Officer-inCharge of the Tactical Services Unit, Superintendent Brian Lowenfield, held a muster with ranks from the Tactical Services Unit at the Tactical Services Unit, Drill Square, Police Headquarters, Eve Leary on Thursday (GPF photo)

“I teach in secret, defying the Taliban ban and fighting despair”

By Maryam Ahmadi (A pseudonym for an Afghan peace and women's activist)

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have sent the link and I am waiting for my students to join the Zoom session. I am teaching them English. I receive a notification that my students are in the waiting room. I put a big smile, I let them in, and greet them in English.

I know that they can’t see my smile because I don’t turn on my camera for security reasons, but I know they hear it in my voice. I know that I have to do everything and anything to keep up the spirits of my students. And I have to do it for myself as well.

Since 2021, we have had to struggle against two enemies: the Taliban ban on secondary and higher education for girls and women and the desperation and hopelessness that are slowly overcoming us.

According to the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), some 2.5 million girls and young women are out of school due to the ban. Before the universities were closed for us, one in three young women were enrolled; some 100,000 were denied their dreams of pursuing the degrees they wanted. Not only that, even when students have found opportunities to study abroad, the Taliban has denied them the right to do so.

Islamic scholars have repeatedly said and emphasised that there is no basis in our religion for this ban. Even economically, it does not make sense. The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) estimates that preventing girls from attaining secondary education costs the Afghan economy

some $500m per year.

The Taliban government has refused to change its decision despite the repeated appeals of international organisations and agencies. Afghan women and girls, for their part, have refused to give up.

The need and desire for education has been so great that soon after the bans were imposed, a few teachers got together and organised classes online. At first, it was a small group with just a few students. I joined them about a year and a half ago.

We teach English as well as all high school subjects and a few additional courses, like computer skills. News of our courses spread by word of mouth and more and more students joined. By 2023, we had grown to 400 students from across Afghanistan.

I consider myself lucky to have this opportunity – to be able to help a little my family financially and help other young women and girls who want to study and learn.

I had received training at a teacher training centre before 2021. I did the course without having the intention to be a teacher one day; my dear father had suggested that I do it and I followed his advice.

At the centre, they taught us how to approach education through different methods and how to interact with students to help them learn better. But a lot of what we learned could only be applied in a normal situation where the teacher and students are in a classroom together, not online struggling with a frustratingly bad internet connection.

So when I began teaching online, it was a challenge. I struggled and often thought about quitting, but the desire

of my students to learn kept me going and I found a way to make it work.

“Whenever I thought I couldn’t do it, you showed me somehow that I could. You are the best role model in my life,” one student wrote to me recently. Such messages really warm up my heart and motivate me to keep going.

But there are other times when I also get difficult questions that I struggle to answer.

“Teacher, if I had been allowed to go to school, now after two years, I would have graduated from school. But it would have been useless because I am not allowed to go to university. Or if I were to graduate from university, again it would be useless because I would not be allowed to work. So why should I study now?” another student asked me recently.

It was a heartbreaking question. I wonder how many girls and young women across the country are asking themselves this question.

Due to the prison-like conditions that Afghan women and girls live in, many suffer from mental health problems. According to statistics from medical facilities, there has been a sharp increase in Afghan women taking or trying to take their own lives.

Many don’t have hope for the future and I can see it in my students. I am often compelled to assume the role of a counselor and sit and listen to stories of suffering and depression. Some of my students have shared that they are mocked or blamed for what has happened to them – working hard and dreaming big, only for everything to come crashing down.

Hearing and knowing what my students are go-

ing through makes it all the more challenging to teach.

But I know I cannot give up and must keep going for their sake. I constantly try to keep them motivated, keep their spirits high, and encourage them to love learning and exploring.

I share inspirational stories and biographies of great people from across the world.

I ask them to write lists of their dreams and goals, to share their plans for their future and everything that keeps them hopeful and motivated. I try to help younger students discover their talents; I ask them to write stories and poems or to paint.

We try to break out of prison through learning and creativity.

The other teachers and I are doing our best to keep the hope of Afghan girls and young women alive. But we need support. It would make a huge difference for our students if the United Nations and international organisations could help us set up a mechanism to formalise the education we provide and grant valid documents certifying degrees attained. This would help motivate young women and girls and lessen the troubling feeling that they are wasting their lives.

Things in life often don’t go according to plan. I never planned to be a teacher, especially not one in hiding. But here I am teaching online, defying an unjust ban, trying to help my fellow Afghan girls and women, and fighting despair. It is a job I never wanted, but I love doing it. (Al Jazeera) (Maryam Ahmadi is a peace and women's activist based in Afghanistan. She is writing under a pseudonym for security reasons)

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 2024

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You can send your letters with pictures to: Guyana Times, Queens Atlantic Investment Estate Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown, Guyana or letters@guyanatimesgy.com

Good that Guyana is investing in coconut production Dear Editor, I hope we can all see the value inhering in the reality that “Guyana (is anticipating) 1,000 acres of coconut production this year.”

This means that, in time, Guyana can be a big part of the Global Coconut Market: valued at US$18,510.92 million in 2022, but is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.56% during the forecasted period, and thus reaching US$39,703.85 million by 2028.

So, Guyana is on a good ‘coconut’ drive, as “…the country continues to produce coconuts on a large scale, to make it one of the most significant crops in the nation as a result of the sector’s diversification.”

Looking back, during this year alone, Guyana received some 13,000 high-yielding

Brazilian Green Dwarf coconut seed nuts, at a cost of $12 million, to expand coconut production; and according to Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha, “…Guyana is in the process of bringing in another 13,000 coconuts, specifically since nurseries are being constructed across Guyana.”

Editor, maybe it is time to inform the public on what is taking place coconut-wise across the world in terms of awareness.

First, it is common knowledge that coconut milk products are growing in popularity across the globe, as a result of growing consumer concerns over animal health and the rise in the number of people who cannot tolerate lactose.

Increased awareness, the impact of the pandemic, expanding product portfoli-

os, and increased research & development are factors propelling the global coconut products industry.

Guyanese must understand this, and help push the coconut industry in the country.

Then we all know that coconut oil is increasingly being used by cosmetic industries to create soaps & oils for hair and skin care. Due to its moisturising properties, coconut oilbased personal care products are gaining popularity in the personal care industry. The market for coconut products is expected to grow over the coming years as a result of the massive demand for coconut oil in cosmetics, and its increasing popularity in food applications.

Here, again, knowing these ‘coconut’ facts, we

have to ‘cash-in’ and make use of our land, as the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic Government is investing heavily in this sector.

I note the word is quite good, as the Minister detailed, “We have seen an increase of over 5,000 acres in coconuts since we assumed office in August 2020. This year, we are hoping that we can achieve another 1,000 acres. And this came about because we have seen a great interest in the coconut industry.”

The forecast seems great, as already there are “…10 coconut nurseries spread across Regions One, Two, Three, Four, Six, Nine, and 10, and the PPP/C Government intends to expand the initiative to other regions, due to the excellent potential for coconuts.” Can anyone doubt

that we indeed have the potential?

The second thing on my mind is that coconut lends itself to so many by-products, as components of the waste materials are now being used in the agricultural sector for mulching and other agriculture-related purposes, including actual coconut cultivation. In this vein, the foresight of the Agriculture Minister is to be applauded.

He explained: “We have also brought in these fibre machines where we are now using the by-product of coconuts, and we are helping farmers’ groups across the country by making it available where they are using the husks for several purposes…A lot of by-products will be created from coconut. The industry is wellpoised.”

Then, on the actual science of the industry, two specialists from India, who recently visited Guyana, conducted a study, and a report was compiled.

This report will sure help in fine-tuning the industry. I hope we know that India has a specialised agricultural authority to support and maintain exports and domestic output. The job of the Indian Coconut Development Board is to strive to promote the integration, diversification, and sector productivity of coconut products. No wonder the Asia-Pacific region continues to drive market revenue growth due to climatic advantages and development resources.

Guyana can only benefit from this kind of backing.

Yours truly, HB Singh

Housing Ministry refutes allegations of corruption made by Javitree Lallbachan Dear Editor, The Ministry of Housing and Water hereby addresses the recent public discourse surrounding a matter with Ms. Javitree Lallbachan.

The Ministry vehemently refutes any allegation of corruption on its part. The key points to be clarified are as follows: 1. Ms. Lallbachan was, in 2005, allocated Lot 1730 in the Tuschen Housing Scheme. In 2018, she sold this lot, and the new owner, Mohamed Reiza Kassim, was issued Transport #312/2018.

2. Ms. Veerama Sukul, who owns Parcel 89, Pln. Tuschen (Railway Reserve), gave Ms. Lallbachan permission to reside at Parcel 89, after Ms. Lallbachan stated that she was in dire circumstances.

3. Ms. Lallbachan reapplied for a house lot, and was allocated Parcel 109, Pln. Edinburgh, West Coast Demerara; for which she paid $25,000 out of the total cost of $475,000, and is now seeking to transfer this land to her daughter.

4. Despite already being allocated the land at Parcel 109, Pln. Edinburgh, Ms. Lallbachan began pursuing ownership of Parcel 89, Tuschen (Railway Reserve), owned by Ms. Sukul.

5. In November 2022, the Ministry conducted a survey of Pln. Tuschen (Railway Reserve) for

regularisation, and Ms. Lallbachan was found occupying Parcel 89. Ms. Lallbachan asserted ownership of the land in question. Subsequently, a notice was issued for payment to be made on December 11, 2022, for the processing of the Certificate of Title. Ms. Lallbachan made a payment of $163,000 and received an allocation letter.

However, the Ministry noticed discrepancies during the processing, and the finalisation of the Agreement and Title was halted, as investigations revealed a dispute involving Ms. Sukul and Ms. Lallbachan regarding Parcel 89.

6. Private legal actions were taken against Ms. Lallbachan by Ms. Sukul, resulting in a decision being made in Ms. Sukul's favour by the Guyana Lands and Surveys (GLSC) Dispute Resolution Committee in 2021. Following this, GLSC took legal action in 2022, leading to a court-granted eviction of Ms. Lallbachan from Parcel 89, Pln. Tuschen.

7. Ms. Lallbachan is still pursuing ownership of the land at Parcel 89, Pln. Tuschen.

It is crucial to reiterate that the Ministry of Housing and Water was unaware of the dispute between Ms. Sukul and Ms. Lallbachan during the initial notification to Ms. Lallbachan, and our re-

cords later revealed her prior land allocation at Parcel 109, Pln. Edinburgh.

The Ministry has since taken a decision to rescind the allocation at Parcel 89, Pln. Tuschen from Ms.

Lallbachan, since we have no jurisdiction over the said portion of land, as it was settled privately in the court.

The agency has also since encouraged Ms.

Lallbachan’s daughter to apply for a house lot.

The Ministry of Housing and Water unequivocally affirms its unwavering

commitment to the equitable and impartial allocation of land.

Regards, CHPA PR Unit

FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 2024

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 2024

Foundation ◄

Page

WHOLE NUMBERS

SUBTRACTING

T

o subtract one whole number from another, line up the numbers by place value. Subtract each number separately beginning from the right. In the example below, how do you subtract 9 ones from 8 ones? The answer is by “regrouping”. You reach into the tens column of 548 and take 1 ten. You regroup that 1 ten with the 8 in the ones column to make 18. Then subtract 9. But remember that there are now only 3 tens in the tens column of 348, not 4. Now subtract the numbers in the tens column. Finally, subtract the numbers in the hundreds column. In this example, the answer is 19.

Exercises:

BIRDS OF PARADISE

0 18 The small numbers in the top row represent “regrouping” Example:

348

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329 19

By Elly Niland

Quarter moon in her hammock On Northern slopes of the Serra, close To Lisbon and its coast, surrounded by

GET IN SHAPE

Create a “shape-scape.” Draw a picture of nature or a neighbourhood, then incorporate shapes into it – a tree’s overarching shape may be a triangle, a lake an oval, a building a rectangle.

Builds skills in: Maths, Art

Countryside, and wooded hills nearby. In This captivating place, bundled, stood Birds Of-Paradise in enamel buckets, steeped in Water with chemical clouds. Waxy stems Bled, slashed from their roots at dawn, With sharp blades. Lifted before sundropped Their orange mouths opened nevertheless.

Wearing cellophane veils they shone In different lands, shrunk in their prime Colour-coded. Rubber-banded. Bound.

For smell or ornament.

WORD SEARCH

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 2024 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Argyle Declaration

Pres Ali writes Maduro for 1st meeting of technical teams in Brazil I

n keeping with the Argyle Declaration, President Dr Irfaan Ali has written his Venezuelan counterpart, Nicolás Maduro, for the technical teams from the two countries to meet for the first time in neighbouring Brazil.

This was revealed by St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves, in a January 4, 2024 letter to the two Presidents.

“I am profoundly encouraged by the letter dated January 2, 2024 from the President of Guyana to the President of Venezuela in respect of arranging the first meeting of "The Joint Commission" in Brasilia to advance further "the Argyle Declaration" and its purposes,” said PM Gonsalves, one of the main interlocutors in brokering the meeting between the two leaders amid increasing tensions over the ongoing border controversy.

Following the historic December 14, 2023 talks between Presidents Ali and Maduro in St Vincent and the Grenadines, the two Heads of State agreed, in an 11-point declaration, to “…establish immediately a joint commission of the Foreign Ministers and technical persons from the two States to address matters as mutually agreed. An update from this joint com-

mission will be submitted to the Presidents of Guyana and Venezuela within three [months]”.

Presidents Ali and Maduro also agreed to meet again in Brazil, within the next three months, or at another agreed time, to consider any matter with implications for the border controversy, including the update of the joint commission.

Only recently, the Guyanese Leader disclosed that technical teams from both countries will be meeting to set out a common framework that will lay the foundation of the second engagement between himself and President Maduro.

“We still have to iron out the modalities and so on, so I foresee a number of meetings before that meeting in Brazil,” President Ali indicated during a year-end interview with online media site News Room.

The historic face-to-face meeting of the Guyanese and Venezuelan leaders came on the heels of concern by regional leaders after the Maduro Government held a referendum on December 3, 2023 with the aim of annexing Guyana’s Essequibo region – two-thirds of the country’s territory.

Following the referendum, President Maduro subsequently announced

President Dr Irfaan Ali and President Nicolás Maduro’s historic in-person meeting on December 14, 2023 in St Vincent and the Grenadines

a series of actions including issuing identification cards to Guyanese living in Essequibo and issuing licences for mining and other activities in the Essequibo county.

Given Venezuela’s threatening posture, the Caricom/CELAC/Brazilbrokered meeting was held last month between the two Presidents in St Vincent and was geared towards maintaining peace in the region. The talks were led by Prime Minister Gonsalves in his role as President

Pro Tempore of CELAC (the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States), and supported by the Caribbean Community (Caricom).

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva also played a key role in organising the meeting.

After more than eight hours of engagements at SVG’s Argyle International Airport, Presidents Ali and Maduro came to several agreements including that Guyana and Venezuela, directly or indirectly, will not

threaten or use force against one another in any circumstance, including those consequential to any existing controversies between the two States.

Argyle Declaration

In the declaration, titled “Joint Declaration of Argyle for Dialogue and Peace between Guyana and Venezuela”, the two Presidents also agreed that any controversy between the two States would be resolved in accordance with international law, including

the Geneva Agreement dated February 17, 1966. The two countries have also committed to the pursuance of good neighbourliness, peaceful coexistence, and the unity of Latin America and the Caribbean.

It was also agreed that both States would refrain, whether by words or deeds, from escalating any conflict or disagreement arising from any controversy.

The joint declaration states: “The two States will cooperate to avoid incidents on the ground conducive to tension between them. In the event of such an incident, the two States will immediately communicate with one another, the Caribbean Community (Caricom), the Community of Latin America and the Caribbean (CELAC), and the President of Brazil to contain, reverse and prevent its recurrence.”

Importantly, it was “noted” in the joint declaration that “Guyana’s assertion that it is committed to the process and procedures of the International Court of Justice for the resolution of the border controversy” as well as “Venezuela’s assertion of its lack of consent and lack of recognition of the International Court of Justice and its jurisdiction in the border controversy”.

(G8)

8 NEWS

FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 2024 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Former cop nabbed with illegal guns, ammo remanded A

former Policeman has been remanded to prison after being arraigned before Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman in that Georgetown magistrate’s court on charges of unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition.

Before the magistrate on Wednesday, John Moore, 23, of East La Penitence Georgetown, denied the charges; the first of which detailed that, on December 30, 2023, Moore had in his possession a Glock 40 handgun and an AR-15 rifle when he was not the holder of a firearm licence.

The second charge detailed that Moore had in his possession one .233 spent shell and 19 live rounds of .233 ammunition when he was not the holder of a valid firearm licence.

Moore's attorney informed the court that the firearms and ammo were not discovered on her client, but in another yard -- in a bag containing the identification card of an individual who has not been charged.

Further, she contended that Moore had been repeatedly

Arrest

The items the Police seized included two illegal firearms and a quantity of ammo

abused by cops while he was detained.

The defence lawyer gave the presiding magistrate the assurance that, should bail be granted, her client would appear in court on scheduled dates, and he poses no flight risk.

Fled

However, the Police prosecutor opposed bail being granted the defendant by pointing out that Moore had fled when Police ranks were trying to apprehend

him. The prosecutor also informed the court that, while being questioned by the Police, Moore had acknowledged that he did in fact own the firearms and ammunition. Moreover, he said the prosecution possesses video evidence of Moore making this acknowledgement.

Based on the prosecution's submissions, the court denied Moore bail, and he has been remanded to prison until his next scheduled hearing on January 24.

The Police have said that at around 10:15h on the day in question, ranks were on anti-crime patrol duty along Freeman Street in East La Penitence, Georgetown when they observed the ex-Police Constable carrying an AR rifle in his right hand and a haversack on his back.

Upon seeing the ranks, Moore ran into his yard, where he placed the rifle into the haversack and threw it into the premises owned by a 59-year-old security guard.

The Police, however, gave chase, and he was apprehended. Further, the bag was retrieved, and when searched, contained an AR rifle with a magazine containing 19 live rounds of .223 ammunition and one .223 spent shell. In addition, the ranks found one Glock 9mm pistol with an empty magazine, and a .32 magazine without ammunition.

“The haversack also had Visa and bank cards from Republic Bank, GBTI, Demerara Bank, and Citizen’s Bank, and one National Identification Card all in favour of Moore’s reputed wife, Mellissa Lindo, a 21-year-old businesswoman operating a boutique at their home address in East La Penitence,” the Police have said in a release to the media.

The Police also said the haversack had one National Identification Card in favour of Lindo’s mother, as well as a Republic Bank Visa card in favour of her brother.

US$65, one motor car sensor, one yellow metal chain, and one cell phone were also found in the bag.

Upon discovery of the guns and ammunition, Moore was questioned about having a licence to carry the firearms, but he responded in the negative. The firearms, ammunition, and magazines found have been taken to the ballistics section of the GPF for examination.

Moore’s spouse has also been arrested. (G1)

223-7230-1 (Ext 55)

Coming…

W

…and going

hile we’re literally just across the river from Suriname, because of our common British rule, most of us, from very early on, became much more familiar with Trinidad - don’t know about Tobago!!

And, rather intriguingly, this greater familiarity continued even after Burnham’s dictatorship pushed so many of our friends and relatives to move to Suriname. Backtracking to Suriname – or Venezuela, for that matter - was like dropping into a Black Hole -unlike the easy backing-and-forthing that went on between us, TT and the other islands.

To cut to the chase, we became aware that while Trinidad had the same racial mix like us, the relations between their different groups were not as polarized as ours. And to a large extent, this was because their politics was never as divisive by their politicians, like what took place here. Well, one of those politicians – Basdeo Panday – who had been involved in politics since the sixties - just passed away at the ripe old age of 90. It might be useful for some of our local politicians to find out how “Bas” - as he was known to old and young – did it, and perchance they can apply some of the lessons here.

To begin with, Bas started out dirt poor in TT’s sugar belt – just like our Cheddi Jagan - so he knew from his lived experience the struggles of the poor. He took to education as a way out, and went up to England to study – starting out rather uniquely in drama!! He did finish up as a lawyer, and - returning to TT in the mid-sixties - got into politics with CLR James and a bunch of trade unionists, who were taking on Eric Williams with a new “Farmers and Workers Party”.

While they didn’t even garner a seat, Bas was bitten by the political bug!! And the important thing to note is that even though he was very much grounded in “Indian Culture”, he couldn’t be successfully pigeon-holed as a partisan one – but one focused on “labour”.

And he maintained this reputation throughout his long political career. Eventually his political vehicle became the UNC – but on the way, he was consistently involved with coalition building across the racial divide. He was also a firm supporter of women’s empowerment – appointing a female canecutter as a Senator in 1976. But even though, in one instance, one leader who benefitted from his national vision shafted him in the 1980s, he didn’t allow himself to become embittered. Upon winning the national elections in 1995 – to become the first “Indian” PM of TT -- he facilitated the poor to enter UW, and gave Shouter Baptists a holiday!

Next Tuesday, his state funeral will be the first to be performed according to Hindu rites. …and spinning In what’s gotta be an embarrassment for our Government, a pic has surfaced on social media that shows St Vincent’s PM, Dr Ralph Gonsalves, his Foreign Affairs Minister and two Venezuelan officials skinning their teeth over a map created by Venezuela that includes our Essequibo!! Now, our Foreign Affairs Minister has indicated that the is pic from 2022, but they’ve asked Gonsalves for an explanation.

Your Eyewitness would be very interested in this “explanation”!! That the pic was from 2022 doesn’t change a darned thing. Mad Maduro’s been beating his chest with increasing fervour over Essequibo since 2015, when Exxon struck oil. He’d rejected the ICJ’s jurisdiction in 2018, after we invoked the Geneva Agreement. In fact, in 2022, his VP Delcy Rodriguiz told that to the ICJ!! And your Eyewitness can’t help pointing out that it was the same year, 2022, that Mad Maduro wrote off St Vincent’s US$79M PetroCaribe oil debt and sent them free urea and asphalt!!

Maybe there’s no connection…but was the pic from then?? …hassle-free shopping?

Your Eyewitness notices signs that the authorities in GT and NA are finally making moves to remove the vendors from the urban pavements - who turn shopping into running a hurdles course! Can we hope someone will have the cojones?

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

9

FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 2024 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

10 NEWS

FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 2024 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Displaying Venezuelan map with Guyana’s Essequibo

“Inadvertence on my part” –…“It’sPM Gonsalves admits a credible explanation –VP Jagdeo P

rime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr Ralph Gonsalves, who serves as an interlocutor for peace talks between Guyana and Venezuela, has said the controversial photograph of him posing with a Venezuelan map that includes Guyana’s Essequibo region was an “innocent advertence” on his part.

Guyana’s Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo has since accepted the explanation, and expressed, “I don’t think that Ralph Gonsalves would

knowingly pose for a picture with a Venezuelan map that shows Essequibo as part of Venezuela.”

The photograph in question was posted by a social media page that supports Venezuela’s unsubstantiated claim to the Essequibo region, and it began to rapidly circulate, attracting widespread criticisms from Guyanese and their allies.

Guyanese authorities have since reached out to Gonsalves for an explanation.

Gonsalves is also

President Dr Irfaan Ali

Chairman of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), which brokered talks between Guyana and Venezuela on December 14.

In a letter dated January 4 and addressed to President Dr Irfaan Ali of Guyana and President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela, PM Gonsalves offered an explanation, highlighting that the photo in question had been taken at an event since in December 2022.

“I have been advised that the event at which this photograph was taken was one commemorating the life and work of the great Liberator Simon Bolivar; the place was at Villa, St Vincent and the Grenadines, on the grounds of the residence/office of the Chargé d’Affaires of the Bolivarian Republic

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo

of Venezuela to St. Vincent and the Grenadines,” PM Gonsalves outlined.

“I do not recall ever seeing this photograph before its current circulation. I am informed that photographs were being taken in front of the flags of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Venezuela and a bust of Bolivar. While the photographs were being taken, I am advised that someone attached to the Venezuelan Embassy placed the “papier-mâché” depiction of the said map in front of us.

I did not look at what the depiction was. I assumed that it was about Simon Bolivar,” the former leader of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) explained.

Inadvertence

In his letter, PM Gonsalves

said, “It is unfortunate that this innocent inadvertence on my part has been used by some to drum up, unnecessarily, antipathy of one kind or another.”

The regional leader said he understands the emotions surrounding the controversy, but noted that there will be “flare-ups” at times.

“As always though, we, as leaders, must maintain a patience and a calm, knowing that sun brightens stone even as the river burns”, he said.

Against this backdrop, PM Gonsalves expressed hope that the matter would be laid to rest, noting that he has already spoken with President Ali and Vice President Jagdeo, whom he referred to as his friends.

Credible explanation

At a press conference on

Thursday, Jagdeo commented on the explanation given by PM Gonsalves, noting that it is credible.

“This happens a lot with politicians…one time I went to the races and…I took a picture with (someone) and then the police said to me that that’s one of the biggest drug dealers in the country…so, I didn’t even know the man… what Ralph said, he didn’t know what was there in front of him, and it’s a credible explanation,” Jagdeo said.

The Vice President went on to remind that Guyana has the support of Caricom in the border controversy. “Ralph and every other Caribbean leader have expressed strong solidarity with Guyana, and you’ve seen the statements that they’ve issued…”

TURN TO PAGE 12

NEWS

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 2024 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Contractor terminated as Govt toughens up on monitoring of home construction A

t least one contractor has had his services terminated as the Housing Ministry bolsters its monitoring efforts in light of growing complaints about the quality of work being produced by the contractors working on the Home Construction Programme.

During the Ministry’s closing press conference for 2023, on Wednesday, Housing Minister Collin Croal acknowledged that his ministry is facing challenges with contractors working on the Home Construction Programme; and he said the Ministry has had to go after two contractors after complaints were received.

In this programme, there are two categories of homeowners: those who go through the bank system, and those who pay cash. For those taking loans, the banks release the funds to the contractors only in tranches, based on the stages of work executed. Those paying cash sometimes pay over most, if not all, of the monies upfront to the contractors.

One of the contractors, retained to build one set of Young Professional homes at Prospect, East Bank Demerara, has since had his services terminated.

According to Croal, “We’ve had to send legal documents to that contractor, and I’m told that he also owes other persons. In [this] contractor’s case, there are about five beneficiaries for whom we are seeking to recover their money. Meaning, we have terminated the contractor, and secondly, we’re levying, to be able to recover the necessary money [paid by the beneficiaries].”

continues to be a successful initiative.

Challenges with availability of contractors

One of the flat-three-bedroom Young Professional homes built on the East Bank of Demerara

The other case that the Housing Minister cited involves a contractor who is also building Young Professional homes at La Bonne Intention (LBI), East Coast Demerara.

“That person would have received their first tranche from the bank, but they didn’t do the level of work that was required. So, that is being addressed,” Croal stated.

Delayed and shoddy works

Meanwhile, in response to the complaints about delayed and shoddy works, as well as overcharging, the Housing Ministry has since boosted its monitoring capacity. According to the Minister, this type of intervention has necessary, especially at the Projects Department, where the workload continues to build.

“There is clerk of works that we have taken onboard, increased clerks of works to help with monitoring, because you would realise that, with the amount of projects that we’re doing etc in the Projects Department, we’ve

had to increase the staffing… for monitoring which is required on the spot. So, they are now required to have weekly visits to the particular assigned areas they have, so we can rectify some of these issues [faced with contractors],” he explained.

However, even as the Housing Ministry tackles complaints against these contractors, Croal pointed out that some of them, on the other hand, are facing challenges of their own. He said contractors have complained that the cost of building these homes is too low.

Currently, the Housing Ministry has two categories of pre-built homes: the low-income houses, which are each a two-bedroom flat unit measuring 600 square feet and carrying a total cost of $5.5 million, inclusive of the cost for the land, which is $300,000.

And there is the most popular option - the Young Professional homes. Two types of houses comprise the Young Professional homes: single flat units with three

bedrooms, including oneself contained, which are being sold at a total of $13.9 million plus the cost of the land – $1 million; and the two-storey, three-bedroom unit, which carries a total cost of $19.9 million, inclusive of the cost for the land – $1 million.

“The contractors have said that the cost for those houses at the respective levels is too minimal, too low.

That’s a reality… Many of them also expressed challenges in terms of labour, which the whole country has in terms of labour shortage,” Croal has said.

Despite these issues, however, the Home Construction Programme

Minister within the Housing Ministry, Susan Rodrigues, told reporters at Wednesday’s press conference that there are many persons who are opting for these pre-built homes, but the availability of contractors is an issue they are grappling with.

“We understood very early that, if we want to promote occupancy in areas, we should start by building homes. And that also gives us the opportunity to utilise economies of scale to make homeownership more affordable, especially for our low-income earners. So, that was the logic behind trying to construct as many houses as possible; and now we have a long list of people who are waiting for houses… So, we wish we can build more houses, but we’re also in a tight spot in terms of contractors who are available and willing to participate in our Housing Programme,” Rodrigues noted.

Meanwhile, during Wednesday’s press conference, Croal disclosed that under the Home Construction Programme, Government

has invested over $8 billion to build some 1,165 houses in order to promote homeownership and fast track occupancy.

The low-income category has seen the highest number of completed houses to date, at 580 units; followed by moderate income with 370 units, and then the Young Professional houses at 89 units. The construction of these homes is part of Government’s housing drive to deliver 50,000 house lots in five years.

Already, the Ministry has issued some 30,468 lands across Guyana over the past three years. These include 28,368 residential lots through the ‘Dream Realised’ housing initiative; 659 commercial and industrialisation lots, as well as 1,445 for regularised lands.

Most of these lands were issued to women and young persons (35 and under). Low, moderate, and middle-income earners accounted for 90 per cent of the total allocations.

Of these 30,000-plus allocations, 32 per cent, or 9,612 lots, were issued in 2023 alone. These include 8,578 residential lands; 181 commercial/industrial lands, and 860 regularised lands.

(G8)

12 NEWS

FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 2024 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Tuschen man busted “Inadvertence on my... with ganja during Police roadblock

FROM PAGE 10

L

estroy Archibald of Tuschen Old Scheme, East Bank Essequibo has been nabbed at a roadblock at Mango Landing in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), after he was found to have 21.4 grams of ganja in his possession.

Reports are that two ranks were performing 'stop-and-search' duty at the Mango Landing Police Outpost on Wednesday when they intercepted Route #72 minibus BXX 5372, being driven by a

63-year-old man.

The four passengers and their personal belongings were searched, and one transparent plastic bag was found hidden among some clothing in a haversack belonging to Archibald. A closer inspection of the plastic bag unearthed a quantity of cannabis.

The 29-year-old Archibald was taken to the Mahdia Police Station, where the cannabis was weighed and amounted to 21.4 grams. He is expected

The ganja that was found in the haversack

Caricom has issued a number of statements regarding the recent tensions in the Guyana/Venezuela border controversy, with one of the most recent calling on Venezuela to respect the conservatory measures determined by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) until a final resolution is had on the matter.

In a prior statement, Caricom had insisted that Venezuela complies with international law in all respects, and the Charter of the United Nations.

Referendum

Arrested: Lestroy Archibald

to be charged shortly.

Venezuela had, on December 3, hosted a referendum in which it sought the population’s approval to, among other things, annex the Essequibo region. However, the country’s Opposition has since reported that 89 per cent of eligible voters did not participate.

Following the vote, Maduro claimed that, among other things, he would now authorise oil exploration in Guyana’s Essequibo.

Maduro also claimed that he has announced the activation of a human and social care plan for the population of Guyana’s Essequibo that includes censuses and identity cards.

He also claimed to have announced the creation of the "High Commission for the Defense for Guyana’s Essequibo region; and the creation of the Comprehensive Defense Zone for Guyana’s territory.

The Venezuelan president also announced that in addition to oil, he will be issuing licences for mining and other activities to be conducted in Guyana’s Essequibo County.

This is in spite of the fact that the World Court, on December 1, ordered that ‘Venezuela shall refrain from taking any action which would modify the situation that currently prevails in the territory in dispute, whereby Guyana administers and exercises control over that area.’

Notwithstanding this level of aggression from Venezuela, President Ali had agreed to meet with Maduro for talks on December 14 in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The dialogue was brokered by Gonsalves in his role as President Pro Tempore of CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States), Caricom and Brazil.

Heading into the talks, President Ali had made it clear that the matter of the border controversy was not up for discussion.

Staying true to his commitment, the Guyanese Head of State, during the dialogue, did not waver on his position that the border controversy case shall be

Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr Ralph Gonsalves

settled by the ICJ, in keeping with the 1966 Geneva Agreement.

Will not threaten

After more than eight hours of engagement at the Argyle International Airport in St Vincent and the Grenadines, Presidents Ali and Maduro have agreed that Guyana and Venezuela, directly or indirectly, will not threaten or use force against one another in any circumstance, including those consequential to any existing controversies between the two States.

In addition to other agreements outlined in what is now known as the “Joint Declaration of Argyle for Dialogue and Peace between Guyana and Venezuela”, the two sides also agreed to meet again in March to further discussions.

The two countries have also committed to the pursuance of good neighbourliness, peaceful coexistence, and the unity of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Meanwhile, in a social media post on the issue of the photo with the inaccurate depiction of the Venezuelan map, Antigua and Barbuda’s Permanent Representative to the Organization of American States (OAS), Sir Ronald Sanders, a Guyanese by birth, has said he is of the opinion that Gonsalves was not aware that Essequibo was included in the Venezuelan map that he was displaying.

“I have known and highly regarded Dr Ralph Gonsalves for over 40 years.

I cannot be convinced that when he held up this map, showing the Essequibo incorporated into Venezuela, he was made aware of the image,” Saunders said.

He added that the Gonsalves he knows and respects “would not consciously do such a one-sided thing, while the world awaits a decision on the GuyanaVenezuela controversy from the International Court of Justice, and while he himself is playing the role of CELAC’s honest broker.”

Venezuela maintains that the border with Guyana, a former colony of The Netherlands and the United Kingdom (UK), was fraudulently imposed by the British, and it

has denounced the United Kingdom as a “land grabber”.

Guyana, on the other hand, maintains that the line was determined on October 3, 1899 by an arbitration panel (Arbitral Award of 3 October 1899).

The Anglo-Venezuelan Arbitral Tribunal met in Paris, France, and on October 3, 1899 — 122 years ago — gave its award defining the border between Venezuela and then-British Guiana.

After abiding by the 1899 Arbitral Award for over half a century, Venezuela, in 1962, claimed the Essequibo area of Guyana belongs inside its borders.

The Maduro regime has been untruthfully claiming that Venezuela demonstrated that the award issued in 1899 by the Paris Arbitration Court was “null and void”, and that the controversy under the Geneva Agreement must be amicably resolved in a manner that is acceptable to both parties; while ignoring that such discussions had failed for over 30 years, and that the Geneva Agreement provided for the Secretary General of the United Nations to choose another path for the settlement of the controversy, if not settled by discussion between the two countries.

Maduro also ignores that the Secretary General, in accordance with the Agreement, on January 30, 2018, advised both Venezuela and Guyana that: “having carefully analysed the developments in the good offices process during the course of 2017” and “significant progress not having been made toward arriving at a full agreement for the solution of the controversy”, he had “chosen the International Court of Justice as the means now to be used for its resolution”.

Within the framework of the 1966 Geneva Agreement between the two countries, the Secretary General conducted Good Offices processes from 1990 to 2017 to find a solution to the border controversy. On January 30, 2018, Secretary General António Guterres, following a careful analysis of developments in 2017, chose the ICJ as the means to be used for the solution of the controversy.

As a consequence, Guyana, on March 29, 2018, filed its application to the World Court. In the substantive case, Guyana seeks, among other things, to obtain from the ICJ a final and binding judgement that the 1899 Arbitral Award, which establishes the location of the land boundary between then-British Guiana and Venezuela, remains valid and binding; and a declaration that Essequibo belongs to Guyana. (G11)

NEWS

13

FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 2024 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

VP debunks APNU’s claims that NRF interest could fund higher salary increases V

ice President Bharrat Jagdeo, a trained economist, has dismantled the assertions of Elson Low, the economic advisor to the Opposition Leader, wherein he posited that an A Partnership for National Unity-led Government could have afforded to grant public servants a salary increases greater than 6.5 per cent utilising purely the interest earned on the monies in the country’s Natural Resource Fund (NRF).

Speaking during a press conference on Thursday, Jagdeo explained that there was about US$270 million available in the NRF in 2022 for the fund managers to invest.

“The money now is invested in safe instruments…they get an average about five per cent interest per annum. So, if you invest that money…you will get about US$13 million per year in interest from the NRF. That is about G$2.7 billion. Guess how much the 6.5 per cent cost us? G$7.9 billion but the interest on the NRF will only give you

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo

$2.7 billion and Elson Low said to the media…they will fund a higher salary increase only from the interest alone on the NRF…this is the sort of policy we can expect from APNU/AFC. Just a wild rhetoric,” the Vice President outlined.

“So, he lied to the country, lied blatantly, but nobody would ever fact-check this,” Jagdeo expressed, further lamenting that fact that the policies of the People’s National Congress (PNC)-led APNU seem to be aimed at plunging Guyana

into debt.

“So, when you earn interest on the sum of money you’ve set aside in the NRF to save for the future… the interest is then capitalised, you don’t take it out to fund recurrent expenditure again. Maybe at some point in time when NRF is of such a quantum and there is a need, because oil prices fluctuate, you may need to do that in the distant future, but we haven’t built up a NRF of that magnitude as yet,” Jagdeo explained.

“But he wants to start

spending money that we don’t even have. That is the philosophical underpinning of the APNU. Why do you think this country ended up with paying every cent of tax dollar we collect to service debt, it’s because of the same philosophy of past PNC Governments, they spent what we didn’t have and a whole generation suffered because of that…”

In 2021, the Government amended the NRF Act to bring greater transparency and accountability in the management of Guyana’s oil resource, including the requirement of the Government to seek annual parliamentary approval for withdrawals from the NRF as stated in Section 19 of the NRF Act 2021.

Under that provision, as part of its consideration of the budget process, the Parliament approved US$1.002 billion (equivalent to G$208.9 billion) to be withdrawn from the NRF in 2023.

Per the NRF Act 2021 and the approved Budget 2023, the Government made its eighth and final trans-

fer, totalling US$152.1 million (equivalent to G$31.6 billion) from the NRF on December 27, 2023, to the Consolidated Fund.

This transfer brought the accumulated withdrawals for 2023 to US$1.002 billion, as approved to be withdrawn in 2023.

Inflation

Meanwhile, the Vice President also debunked more inaccurate economic positions of APNU, this time, regarding inflation and the cost of living.

He revealed that Guyana’s inflation rate for 2023 was 1.9 per cent, when the global average was between four per cent and five per cent.

“In any part of the world, you have to assess how a Government has been able to address a phenomenon, which is natural, particularly in times of escalating prices, global uncertainties, etc.…there are real reasons for price movement,” Jagdeo explained.

“You have to assess the competence of a Government in terms of how they have

been addressing this issue, comparatively with others.

It is not in a vacuum,” he added, as he further fired back at criticisms from the Opposition camp regarding the cost of living.

“Norton can’t say…that there would be no inflation in the world, because then they would be creating new laws of economics,” Jagdeo added.

The Vice President also reminded that the Government has implemented a number of initiatives aimed at bringing relief to citizens.

These include the removal of VAT from water, electricity and data services along with its removal from some everyday commodities, fuel lubricants and construction materials; support for the construction of homes through the handout of steel and cement; one-off cash grants to sections of society, such as farmers, fishermen, persons with disabilities, hinterland and riverine households, and pensioners; and the distribution of free fertilisers to farmers.

20 workplace deaths recorded in 2023 …175 of 577 non-fatal accidents investigated

treat these as statistics and that is why we are doing everything possible to ensure that this can be reduced to zero,” Hamilton told the media.

He disclosed during the press conference that

Labour Minister, Joseph Hamilton

I

n 2023, the Labour Ministry recorded a total of 20 workplace deaths, owing to accidents in the mining, construction, agriculture and manufacturing sectors.

Of the 20 deaths recorded, nine occurred in the mining sector in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) while six were recorded in the construction sector.

The Ministry also recorded 175 non-fatal accidents that were investigated out of the 577 reports received. The majority of these reports emanated from the agriculture and manufacturing sectors.

Additionally, 950 inspections were conducted at workplaces across the 10 administrative regions, which directly impacted over 8000 workers.

In instances

where breaches of the Occupational Safety and Health Act were identified, the Labour Ministry offered written and verbal advice.

These statistics were provided by Labour Minister Joseph Hamilton, during his ministry’s endof-year press conference on Tuesday.

According to Hamilton, there was a decrease in workplace accidents in 2023 when compared to 2022.

In 2020, there were 32 workplace deaths; in 2021, that number decreased to 27 and then in 2022, there were 21 deaths.

“Over a three-year period, we have moved from 32 deaths in that area and now 20 deaths that should not have happened, at least most of them in my view…

Every death is a person, it’s not a statistic, somebody’s child, husband, father, set of people mourning and so for me, I don’t

Government would be addressing the issue of occupational deaths in a holistic way this year.

While engagement will continue with employers and workers in all the sectors, especially miners, sev-

eral joint technical committees were established with partner agencies in the public and private sectors, to develop target strategies that will aid in the reduction of occupational deaths.

TURN TO PAGE 15

14 NEWS

FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 2024 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Temporary bridge completed as works progressing on new DHB

Inspection on the western side of the temporary bridge

P

ublic Works Minister Juan Edghill on Thursday disclosed that the temporary bridge, which is in place for the swift completion of the new, four-lane high-span, Demerara River Bridge, was 100 per cent complete.

He made the revelation during an inspection of ongoing works on the entire western section of the construction site of the new bridge.

While there, the Public Works Minister was provided with a progress re-

port on the ongoing works by the project engineer, contractor, consultant and other engineers.

“This bridge, apart from its transformational nature, is also tied into a time-bound time-specific contract arrangement. And that means that we have to be able to meet significant milestones to ensure that we are keeping the progress going. They have completed, based on the reports that I have received, 100 per cent of the temporary bridge. And they are now

putting in the platforms that are required to do the work,” Minister Edghill disclosed.

The explained that another landmark will be achieved which is the pouring of the concrete to accommodate the 38 piles, which will form the platform.

He further explained, “So, the batching plants on both sides of the river, the landmark pouring of concrete that was estimated for the fifth of December, 2022, saw

Public Works Minister Juan Edghill and other officials at the temporary bridge

the pouring of concrete on the eastern side…Eight of those piles are completed.

The benchmark time for starting the pouring of concrete on the 38 piles, over this side, is the sixth of January.”

As the bridge is being constructed to comply with international standards, Minister Edghill highlighted that a team, comprising the project engineer, assistant engineer, consultant, and travelled to China for two weeks to inspect all the facilities where the materials are being fabricated before shipment.

With heavy focus to ensure that the bridge is being built in accordance with international standards, Minister Edghill emphasised that a team consisting of the project engineer, assistant engineer, and consultant visited China

for two weeks to inspect all the facilities where the materials are being fabricated before shipment.

In addition, Minister Edghill further emphasised that given the volume and scope of the work being undertaken there, maintaining an optimal level of material supply was the only other issue to which they needed to pay attention.

He also indicated that all the safety issues have been resolved for the works to be executed.

“And one of the significant movements is that they are able now to work day and night. That dayand-night work will continue. They have been given all the clear guidance and safety measures that are required to ensure transit is safe…the work of the contractor is not hindered and that no one is injured

while transiting…The contractor now has in place his platform so he could move in and out and expeditiously to get this contract sorted out,” Minister Edghill noted.

As part of the contractual agreement, the Minister was assured the project would be completed by the end of 2024, to meet the deadline.

The work is being undertaken by China Railway Construction (International) Limited (CRCCL).

The 2.6-kilometre crossing will link Nandy Park on the East Bank of Demerara with La Grange on the West Bank. It will have four lanes, with a total width of 23.6 metres that includes the median, shoulders, and four lanes, providing sufficient room for safe and effective traffic flow. (DPI)

NEWS

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 2024 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

“Patience is required” – Croal on improving access to treated water countrywide …access to potable water increased to 97.3% – Rodrigues

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ousing and Water Minister Collin Croal is calling on the Guyanese population to have “patience” as Government continues to make the necessary investments in the infrastructure that will improve the country’s access to treated water.

“When we get off of work in the afternoon, we want to be able to turn on the tap on in our yard or at our kitchen sink and must have running water 24 hours – that is what we desire. Your Government is on the path to ensuring that will happen; however, patience is required because we have started the investments already,” Croal said at the Housing Ministry’s closing press conference for 2023 on Wednesday.

Among these investments are the construction of seven new treatment plants that are underway and another five that are being tendered for as well as the upgrading of existing plants and new filter systems.

Moreover, Government

(L-R) Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal and Minister within the Housing and Water Ministry, Susan Rodrigues

has completed seven new wells since 2020 to the tune of $7 million. Additionally, 14 other wells are being drilled on the coastland – a $1.4 billion investment.

Another 24 new wells are on the cards for the next year and a half on the coastland.

These interventions, along with other interventions including in the hinterland, will see Guyana achieving 90 per cent access

to treated water by 2025.

Currently, this figure is at 55 per cent.

The Housing and Water Minister explained that the real progress by the Government will start to be seen in the first half of this year through major upgrades to the water system.

“We’ve only achieved three per cent since we’re in office and that is because the investment that is required.

20 workplace deaths recorded...

Further, works are ongoing to develop a medical first-aid training programme for companies and workers in the mining and forestry sectors.

This is a joint venture between the Labour Ministry, the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDA), the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) and the Health Ministry. “… You’ll have somebody on a mining site, or in a camp who have some first-aid training. We will have Red Cross and so as partners. So, that is something that will help… There is so much we can do, but to deal with this matter in a holistic way, the people themselves, they have to do several things, which seek to change [the] culture,” the Labour Minister explained.

Around 18:00h on March 15, search and recovery efforts to locate 59-year-old Neptrid Hercules, employee of BOSAI Minerals Group Guyana, concluded when his body was found in the bulldozer he was operating in the east Montgomery Mines at BOSAI Minerals, Linden, Region 10.

Hercules, an employee of BOSAI for more than four decades who was set to retire later last year,

was working on the overburden dump for around four hours when it caved in.

A joint venture was established by the Labour and Home Affairs Ministries and the GGMC to thoroughly investigate the cause of his death and prepare an analysis to identify solutions to prevent a recurrence.

BOSAI, who committed at the time to assist with the investigation, provided the bulldozer to the relevant authorities for observation.

In April, the Commission of Inquiry into Hercules’ death concluded its investigation and a report containing recommendations was provided to the Labour Ministry.

Among the recommendations were that a sectoral coordinating group comprising representatives of the Labour Ministry, GGMC, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and a representative of the workers union should be established; there be promulgation of the regulations under the Occupational Safety and Health Act; BOSAI Minerals Group Guyana establish a Health and Safety Committee for the Reclamation Dump Construction; BOSAI Minerals Group Guyana

FROM PAGE 13

must install and maintain geotechnical engineering, ground and surface water hydrology capacity supported by the appropriate field and laboratory equipment; BOSAI Minerals Group Guyana must prepare and submit the report required by Part 111 (13) (q) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act; BOSAI Minerals Group Guyana must submit a document to stack or dump any waste product resulting from mining operations to GGMC for approval; BOSAI Minerals Group Guyana must prepare and submit an Environmental Management Plan and Contingency and Emergency Response Plan as required by the 2005 Mining Amendments; BOSAI Minerals Group Guyana must commission and submit an updated Environmental Impact Assessment containing a description of best available technology and with a risk assessment and an Emergency Response Plan and BOSAI Minerals Group Guyana must provide a report to the Labour Ministry bearing the seal and the signature of a professional engineer addressing ground stability to ensure that a worker was not likely to be endangered.

It's not like you just drill a well, and you see changes.

These are huge infrastructures. So, you have seven new treatment plants, for which as I said by the first half of this year you will start seeing those completion. And with each one of those treatment plants, you also have new wells that are drilled to supply those plants.”

“You have five new major treatment plants, as I said that are being tendered now. So, in reality that should be completed by the end of next year, because we’ll be pushing the contractor for the end of 2025…

So that's why I asked for patience by our residents, vil-

lagers and homeowners, because we have already set on stream the investment that is required to bring the level of satisfactory service that we all desire,” Croal posited.

Over the past three years, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government has expended over $26 billion in the water sector and while these are aimed at achieving 90 per cent treated water by 2025, it also places the country on track to meet the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6, to ensure access to water and sanitation for all by 2030.

According to Croal, the $26 billion investment since 2020 is a 234 per cent increase over the amount spent over the five years under the coalition Government.

“Total mess”

In fact, Minister within the Housing and Water Ministry, Susan Rodrigues pointed out during the press conference that the Guyana Water Inc (GWI) was in a “total mess” – both infrastructure and finances – when the PPP/C assumed office.

“The company is now, and I am pleased to report, is now in a stable and solid financial position. There is no bank overdraft, there are

no outstanding debt to suppliers, we have solid bank accounts, we are constructing a new office, we have invested in the training of our employees, we have increased salaries for technical staff, we have invested in protective gear, in new rigs to drill wells in house which saves us a lot of money, we have been enhancing our capabilities across the sector,” she stated.

According to Rodrigues, Government’s investment in the sector has provided access to water to more than 35,000 citizens across the country within the last three years. She revealed that, “Access to potable water currently stands at 97.3 per cent, that’s nationally, over the last three years.”

Moreover, the Minister noted that more than 435 households along the coast benefited last year from first-time access in Regions Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara), Four (Demerara-Mahaica), Five (Mahaica-Berbice), Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) and Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).

With regard to the hinterland, access to potable water supply moved from 75 per cent at the end of 2022 to 82 per cent at the end of 2023, with the construction of more than 60 new wells.

(G3)

16 NEWS

FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 2024 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

“This is indeed worrying” – Judges, as Scotiabank “negligently misdirected” $28M

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ore Investments Incorporated paid $28 million to Scotiabank (Guyana), intending to repay a mortgage early, but that payment was "negligently misdirected” by the financial institution, according to a judgment by the Full Court of Demerara, dated December 1, 2023.

The ruling, delivered by Justices Priya SewnarineBeharry and Navindra Singh, essentially reverses the February 15, 2023 ruling delivered by Justice Damone Younge.

At the centre of the court case is a property owned by Justin Teixeira, who - according to reports - died by suicide in April 2022, after ingesting a poisonous compound: sodium cyanide.

This publication has access to court documents that show that on March 28, 2022, Core Investments (the Appellant), located at Lot 241 Baramita Street, South Ruimveldt Gardens,

Georgetown, entered into an agreement with Teixeira to purchase his property. That property, located along the East Bank of Demerara, was priced at $58M, and at time of the

by way of a Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited manager’s cheque to liquidate the mortgage; and $19M to the vendor, Teixeira.

The court file states that Core Investments properly acquired the manager's cheque for $28M from Republic Bank, made payable to the "Bank of Nova Scotia", and delivered it to Teixeira at the time of the signing of the agreement.

The documents further state that, after the agreement was signed, Teixeira put the cheque into Scotia Bank's "Express Deposit Box" the very next day, but the bank later deposited the check into Teixeira's account.

“If this is indeed the manner in which this financial institution conducts its business, this is indeed worrying, and ought to be inquired into by the Bank of Guyana” – Full Court Judges signing of the agreement, $47M was to be paid upfront.

At the time of signing of the agreement, the Bank of Nova Scotia (the Respondent) held a mortgage over the property. As a result, the agreement stipulated that the $47M must be paid in the following ways: $28M to Scotiabank

According to the judgment, on April 8, 2022, Teixeira purchased a manager’s cheque for the sum of $50M, payable to a relative, and made other withdrawals, leaving $169,133 in his account. The $28M contained in the cheque was never applied to the mortgage, and as a result, the property remained encum-

bered to the bank.

On November 28, 2022, Core Investments filed an application with the High Court, requesting, among other things, that Scotiabank return the $28M to it in restitution. The company contended that the bank could not have legitimately placed the $28M into Teixeira's account, because the cheque was not payable to him.

However, Scotiabank claimed Teixeira had given orders to pay the manager's cheque because of wording written on the reverse of the cheque, specifically "payee account number 312983." Additionally, the bank argued that it was not privy to the agreement, and, as a result, was not bound by its provisions, because it was not a party to the deal.

Absurd

In its ruling, the Full Court said it does not believe the words "payee account number 312983" that were allegedly on the back of the cheque were written

by Teixeira.

The Judges said a detailed inspection of the cheque revealed that the words were precisely lined up with the bank's twisted stamp that appears right below those words.

They emphasized how unlikely it was that those words, which were allegedly penned before the stamp

was positioned there, would have coincidentally aligned with the stamp, or that the words and the stamp would have been aligned.

The bank's argument that the wording on the back of the cheque was Teixeira's instructions was dismissed by the court as absurd.

The Judges went on to point out that, in addition to the language being in no way directive, it is a matter of fact and law that Teixeira was unable to give instructions regarding the manager's cheque, because he was not the payee listed on it. The court ruled that the bank, whether Bank of Nova Scotia or Scotiabank, should have known that the money was meant to be credited to them.

The Full Court held that "the only logical and judicious action" that the Respondent should have taken was to reject the cheque and return it to the drawer, Republic Bank, because it was extremely evident that it maintained no account in the name of the Bank of Nova Scotia.

Negligently misdirected

“If this is indeed the manner in which this financial institution conducts its business, this is indeed worrying, and ought to be inquired into by the Bank of Guyana. The Respondent has failed to establish any legal or factual basis that

justifies it depositing the manager’s cheque into (Teixeira’s) account,” said the Judges.

In the circumstances, it concluded that the bank “negligently misdirected the payment of the manager’s cheque, thereby causing loss to the Appellant.”

Consequently, the Full Court ordered that the monies due under the loan held

by Scotiabank be calculated up to March 29, 2022, and that the sum of $28M be credited toward such sum.

Further, it was ordered that should this sum be in excess of the sum owing on the mortgage, then such excess monies shall be paid to the company.

Should the sum owed under the mortgage be in excess of $28M, the Court has ordered, Core Investments would have to pay such excess to Scotiabank.

Additionally, the Full Court declared, “The mortgage is deemed to have been settled and repaid as per the forgoing orders.

It is further ordered that when the mortgage is repaid as aforementioned, the Respondent shall forthwith cancel the said mortgage.”

The Appellant was awarded damages in the sum of $1M for negligence, and court costs in the sum of $1M against the financial institution. These sums have had to be paid by the bank to Core Investment on or before January 3, 2024.

(G1)

Mocha resident busted with ganja in motor car

Arrested: Ivelaw Lissone

The ganja that was found in the vehicle

I

velaw Lissone, a 64-year-old resident of Nelson Street, Mocha, East Bank Demerara (EBD), was on Wednesday intercepted with a quantity

of cannabis during an operation conducted by ranks of the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU).

Based on reports received, CANU officers were

conducting an operation in Mocha Arcadia when they intercepted a motor vehicle driven by Lissone. A search conducted on that vehicle unearthed a plastic bag with several Ziplock bags containing ganja.

Lissone was taken to CANU Headquarters, where the narcotic was weighed and amounted to 72.2 grams. He is expected to make his court appearance before the end of the week.

NEWS

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 2024 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Govt engaging 5 potential investors regarding oil refinery here – Jagdeo V

ice President Bharrat Jagdeo has affirmed that an oil refinery remained a possibility for Guyana, and the Government was currently engaging with five potential investors in this regard.

He said this during a press conference at the Office of the President, Shiv Chanderpaul Drive, Georgetown, on Thursday.

“We’ve been having discussions with a number of people who have expressed interest. That group has narrowed down to about five,” he said.

Last year, during a

State visit to the Dominican Republic, President Dr Irfaan Ali and Dominican President Luis Abinader signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to address consideration of that country setting up a refinery in Guyana.

On Thursday, the Vice P{resident explained that the five groups included the DR group that signed this memorandum.

However, he said that the discussions have seen some divergence from the parameters originally established by the Government.

“The parameters we established at the beginning; people want to change those parameters. So, if you change the parameters, you often change the nature of the project and you’re wondering whether it would be fair to the other people. So, clearly, the need for energy security is vital,” he explained in a Department of Public Information (DPI) report.

Along this vein, the VP reminded that the Government was simultaneously exploring the possibility of strategic reserves, which may negate the eco-

nomic viability of an oil refinery.

According to the VP, the Government is exploring all options to ensure that the investment was one that was economically viable, sustainable, and would bring added benefits to the country.

“This is not something that we are just going to do on a whim. We are looking at every option, and all the studies and numbers, because often it’s the numbers that will ultimately influence the decision. These things have to be viable and good for our country in the

long run, because an investment of that nature is about 30, 40 years, so you have to think it through carefully,” he said.

A Request for Proposals was issued in 2022, for the design, finance, and construction of the refinery at Crab Island, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).

An oil refinery is an industrial processing plant where crude oil is refined into marketable petroleum products such as gasoline, asphalt, and kerosene.

The plan for the refinery’s construction ties into the Government’s vision of

promoting value-added production and securing energy security both for Guyana and the Caribbean.

The proposed refinery is expected to produce 30,000 barrels of oil per day, with the aim of meeting the regional demand.

With the operationalisation of a local oil refinery, Guyana would be able to market crude oil components to various industries for a broad range of purposes, including fuels for transportation, paving roads, and generating electricity and raw materials for chemical manufacturing.

Port Mourant fire

Teacher died from smoke inhalation – autopsy T

he Corentyne teacher who was killed when a fire destroyed two houses at Port Mourant, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) on Tuesday night died of smoke inhalation.

This was the finding of an autopsy conducted on the body of Tookant Deokarran on Thursday by Government Pathologist, Dr Vivekanand Bridgemohan.

The charred remains of the 43-year-old Deokarran, a teacher, employed by the Berbice Islamic School, were discovered about midnight close to a door amid debris at the Lot 24 Manager Compound, Port Mourant address.

He had lived alone in the one-storey building which was owned by an overseas-based Guyanese.

Tuesday night’s fire also destroyed a two-storey building owned and occupied by 75-year-old Amina Bacchus, leaving the pensioner homeless.

Residents said flames were initially seen coming from

Dead: Tookant Deokarran

Deokarran’s home about 22:00h.

In a release, the Guyana Fire Service said it was alerted to the fire at 22:17h, and two water tenders and seven firefighters were deployed. It took about two hours to bring the blaze under control.

Deokarran, who had

difficulty walking because of an injury to his right knee, had spent the day at a cousin’s home, where he had had lunch and had taken a nap before leaving to go and provide home tutoring to two 13-year-olds at Fyrish Village. He had last been seen returning home shortly after 17:00h. (G4)

AA adds another daily flight to Guyana-US route

Miner stabbed to death during argument with drinking buddy

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immy Edward Ashby of Barima River, North West District (NWD) has reportedly been stabbed to death by his drinking buddy in an incident that occurred between January 2 and 3, 2024 at Arimu Backdam, Cuyuni River, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).

Based on reports received, at about noon on January 2, 2024, the 58-year-old Ashby and the suspect, who has been identified as ‘One Hand Loyde’, were con-

suming alcohol at a popular shop at Four Miles Housing Scheme, Bartica when a heated argument erupted between them.

Upon hearing the commotion, the proprietor of the establishment went to enquire what had happened, and Ashby told him that the suspect had stabbed him in his chest.

Despite being urged by the businessman to seek medical attention, Ashby declared himself “okay”.

However, the following day, at about 6:30h, while

the businessman was on his way to make a telephone call, he observed Ashby’s lifeless body on a bench along the Arimu Trail.

The matter was reported, and upon arriving at the scene, detectives found Ashby's body in a sitting position with a single stab wound to the centre of his chest.

The body was transported to the Bartica Regional Hospital mortuary, and Police are on the hunt for the suspect.

A

merican Airlines will add an additional daily flight to its Guyana route beginning in June of this year.

Currently, the airline provides two daily flights between Guyana and New

York and Miami. The new flight is anticipated to be added to the GeorgetownMiami route as the oil and gas sector in Guyana continues to increase travel to and from Miami. The new service will launch in the

first week of June as part of the airline’s Summer 2024 plans.

American Airlines began service to Guyana in 2018, but the journey has not been without hiccups. (St Vincent Times)

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 2024

guyanatimesgy.com

Regional

Jamaican PM says brutal Bajan film to hit UK screens beating of 14-year-old B girl is “worrisome” arbadian film director Jonathan Temple is gearing up for the United Kingdom premiere of the locally-produced series “Camouflage”.

The pilot episode of the dramatic thriller shot and filmed in Barbados will be screened before a private audience at the Barbados High Commission in Great Russel Street, London, on January 13.

The screening is facilitated with the support of the National Cultural

J

amaica Prime Minister Andrew Holness lamented the recent beating of a 14-yearold girl in Clarendon as he addressed the media at Berrydale, Portland on Thursday, during a tour of damaged roads in the eastern section of the parish.

Holness was responding to a question raised regarding the proposed Ministry of Crime and Violence.

“I saw a terrible video of a young lady being circulated and I was very distressed, very distressed by this kind of savage violence being unleashed on a child by adults who seem to have no faculty of understanding that this is something that should not be done,” Holness said. “And even after they were taken away, it is as if they have done nothing wrong. It confounds me how people can be so brutish to each other. It is worrisome,” he stated.

Six females, aged 15 to 52, are currently in Police

T

A

Jamaican PM Andrew Holness

custody awaiting charges for their involvement in a mob attack on the teen. The genesis of the incident is reportedly linked to a love triangle, although the victim herself was not directly part of the romantic dispute.

The Child Protection and Family Services Agency

(CPFSA) says that it has been made aware of the incident and are currently investigating the matter. It also said it stands ready to provide the necessary support to the child and her family, in keeping with its mandate.

(Jamaica Observer)

Dr Rowley said the Tobago Self-Government Bill and the Tobago Island Administration Bill are still before a parliamentary joint select committee.

The bills were debated in the House of Representatives on June 28 and June 29, 2021. The debate reached the committee stage. The motion called for the House to adopt the JSC’s report on the bills, which requires a threefifths majority for passage.

The Opposition walked out of the House after Speaker Bridgid AnnisetteGeorge granted Dr Rowley an extension of speaking time during the debate.

The Opposition and Progressive Democratic

Patriots (PDP) have claimed the autonomy bill does not represent the wishes of Tobagonians.

Augustine, a former PDP member, subsequently left that party to form the Tobago People’s Party.

In April 2022, Charles called for Tobago self-government to be put back on the front burner.

Dr Rowley promised that this year, the bills would be brought back to Parliament and put to a vote. While he said he wished it was his power to grant greater self-government to Tobago, Dr Rowley said the only pathway to achieve this was through the Parliament.

(Excerpt from Trinidad Newsday)

t least four persons, including the pilot of a small aircraft, died when the plane crashed soon after take-off from the James Mitchell Airport in Bequia, St Vincent.

They have been identified as the pilot, Robert Sachs and passengers Christian Kelpser, 51, a citizen of the United States and his daughters, Annik, 13 and Madeira, 11.

Initial reports indicate that the small aircraft with registration number n4023b was on its way to St Lucia with the passengers who had arrived on Bequia on Boxing Day last year for a short vacation.

The Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) correspondent in St Vincent and the Grenadines, Kenton X. Chance, who travelled to the sister isle of Bequia soon after the crash, quoted eyewitnesses as saying that the bodies had been retrieved.

“Based on what I was told …witnesses said the aircraft had departed the airport … and a few min-

Divers at a nearby fisheries complex went to the area where the plane crashed “and after a few moments were able to locate the aircraft"

utes after they heard what they described as a sputtering sound and the aircraft continued to travel for a few moments before another sputtering sound was heard and then they saw the aircraft plunged nose first into the waters,” he reported.

He said divers at a nearby fisheries complex went to the area where the plane crashed “and after a few moments were able to locate the aircraft.

“One of them said they

F

The ex-President left prison on Wednesday evening, his lawyer, Cesar Calderon, told Reuters. “He left happy to be able to be with his family after eight years,” Calderon said.

To leave prison and enter house arrest, Perez had to pay a US$38,000 bond and put up two properties worth US$1.2 million as collateral, Calderon said.

In late 2022, Perez was sentenced to 16 years in

prison on charges of illicit association and customs fraud. Alongside his Vice President Roxana Baldetti, who remains imprisoned, Perez was accused of leading a customs fraud network that stole some US$3.5 million in State funds during their administration.

The case, known as “La Linea”, was originally investigated under the now-defunct International

saw four people inside of the aircraft, all strapped with their seat belts and they presumed they were dead,” Chance reported, saying “subsequently pronounced dead by a medical practitioner”.

Chance said the wreckage of the aircraft is located about 60 to 70 feet and that the bodies have been handed over to the local Coast Guard.

There has been no official statement as yet from the authorities. (CMC)

Military procession in PoS for Panday today

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he body of former Prime Minister Basdeo Panday will be led in a military procession through the streets of

Former Guatemalan President enters house arrest after 8 years in prison

ormer Guatemalan President Otto Perez entered house arrest after being imprisoned since 2015 on a corruption conviction, his lawyer said on Thursday.

Perez, a retired General, governed the Central American nation from 2012 until 2015, when he was forced to resign with just four months left in his term amid protests over graft scandals.

diverse spectrum of industry influencers, including financiers, actors, producers, and various stakeholders within the global filming community,” Temple said.

“The venture aims to spotlight the richness of Barbadian culture, unveiling the exquisite locations, the sheer talent of local actors, musicians, and a plethora of personalities who bring depth and vibrancy to the silver screen.” (Excerpt from Nation News)

4 dead in plane crash off Bequia

Rowley: Parliament will vote on Tobago bills this year rinidad and Tobago Prime Minister, Dr Keith Rowley has said the Parliament would be called upon this year to vote on two bills designed to give Tobago greater internal self-government.

Dr Rowley made this announcement at the funeral of former Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Chief Secretary Hochoy Charles at the Shaw Park Complex in Tobago on Thursday. The congregation included President Christine Kangaloo, THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine and United National Congress (UNC) deputy political leader Dr Roodal Moonilal.

Charles, 77, died on December 31, 2023.

Foundation (NCF) and Tourism Development Corporation (TDC), as well as the British High Commission.

Temple, the film-maker responsible for creating Camouflage, eyes the screening as a promising avenue with the capacity to propel the talents of Barbadian film-makers onto the international stage.

“The primary objective of this strategic move is to showcase “Camouflage” to a

Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG), backed by the United Nations.

Perez was sentenced to another eight years in prison last year on money laundering and fraud charges in a separate case.

Under Guatemalan law, Perez was allowed to enter house arrest after serving half of his sentence given good behaviour and payment of the fine. (Reuters)

The late Basdeo Panday

downtown Port-of-Spain to the Red House this morning, the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) has confirmed.

The OPM said the

procession will begin at 08:45h from Broadway, Port of Spain, then on to Independence Square south, proceeding west to Abercromby Street and north to the Red House.

Panday’s body will lie in honour as a former Prime Minister, at the following locations for public viewing: -The Red House (Rotunda area) on Friday, January 5, 2024, from 10:00h to 17:30h -The Southern Academy for the Performing Arts on Monday, January 8, 2024, from 09:00h to 17:30h.

The State Funeral of the late former prime minister will be held on Tuesday, January 9, 2024 at 08:30h at the Southern Academy for the Performing Arts (SAPA) (Trinidad Guardian)

guyanatimesgy.com

FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 2024

19

Around The World

Israeli Defence Minister OILNEWS OIL NEWS outlines new phase in Gaza war I Oil settles lower

on massive US fuel inventory builds

O

il settled lower on Thursday in a choppy see-saw session, as massive weekly gasoline and distillate stock builds overshadowed a larger-than-expected crude stock draw.

Brent crude settled down 66 cents, or 0.8 per cent, to US$77.59. During the session it both rose and fell over US$1.

West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures settled down 51 cents, or 0.7 per cent, to US$72.19.

Low fuel demand and large inventory increases in data from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) weighed on prices.

Gasoline stocks rose by 10.9 million barrels to 237 million barrels, their highest week-on-week rise in more than 30 years.

Distillate stocks rose last week by 10.1 million barrels to 125.9 million barrels. Distillate product supplied, a proxy for demand, fell to its lowest level since 1999, EIA data showed.

“The key Northeast region is still indicating relatively mild temperatures well into the third week of this month in likely limiting diesel gains,” said Jim Ritterbusch, President of Ritterbusch and Associates LLC in Galena, Illinois.

While crude inventories drew by 5.5 million barrels in the week, EIA data showed, much of that reflects shipping disruptions in the Red Sea, said Bob Yawger, director of energy futures at Mizuho.

“The situation in the Red Sea has forced a lot of refiners and buyers of crude oil to go to the United States rather than sail their boat around the Horn of Africa,” Yawger said.

Shipping concerns lingered after Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis on Wednesday said they had “targeted” a container ship bound for Israel. US Central Command said the militant group had fired two anti-ship ballistic missiles in the southern Red Sea the previous day.

Downbeat economic data sent prices lower earlier in the session. Eurozone business activity shrank in December.

German inflation rose, possibly offering the European Central Bank an argument in favour of keeping interest rates steady for some time.

Both oil benchmarks gained about three per cent on Wednesday to settle higher for the first time in five days. Oil also found support from American Petroleum Institute (API) data showing crude stocks fell by 7.4 million barrels, double the expected drawdown.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

sraeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on Thursday outlined a new stage of Israel’s war in Gaza: a more targeted approach in the north and further pursuit of Hamas leaders in the south while Israel seeks to free remaining hostages held by Hamas.

Under international pressure to shift to less intense combat operations and in the face of economic challenges, Israel has been drawing down its forces in Gaza to allow thousands of reservists to return to their jobs.

Gallant said in a statement that operations in the north would include raids, demolishing tunnels, air and ground strikes, and special forces operations.

In the south, where most

Israeli army tanks manoeuvre near the Israel-Gaza border, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Israel, January 3, 2024 (Reuters/Violeta Santos Moura photo)

of Gaza’s 2.3 million population now live in tents and other temporary shelters, the focus would be on wiping out Hamas leaders and

Mask mandates return Islamic State claims at some US hospitals responsibility for deadly Iran attack, Tehran vows revenge as COVID, flu jump

H

ospitals in at least four US states have reinstated mask mandates amid a rise in cases of COVID, seasonal flu and other respiratory illness.

Healthcare facilities in New York, California, Illinois, and Massachusetts have made masks mandatory among patients and providers.

New York City Health Commissioner, Dr Ashwin Vasan told WABC TV on Wednesday that mask mandates had resumed at all 11 of the city’s public hospitals, 30 health centers and five long-term care facilities.

“What we don’t want is staffing shortages, right?

When we saw the omicron wave in 2022, the biggest issues were not only people getting sick, but that we had a lot of frontline health workers, they were out with COVID,” Vasan

told WABC. The most recent weekly data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed there were over 29,000 hospitalisations from COVID across the US from December 1723, up more than 16 per cent from the previous week.

The CDC also reported over 14,700 flu hospitalisations in that same period.

Mask mandates were political and cultural flashpoints during the COVID pandemic, sparking anger among those who bucked medical advice and felt masks did little to suppress the spread of the illness.

A conservative-dominated Supreme Court struck down President Joe Biden’s federal vaccine-ortest mandate for companies, and a Judge appointed by his Republican predecessor struck down his public transportation mask mandate. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Putin offers citizenship to foreigners who fight for Russia

P

resident Vladimir Putin issued a decree on Thursday allowing foreign nationals who fight for Russia in Ukraine to obtain Russian citizenship for themselves and their families.

The order said people who have signed contracts during what Moscow calls its “special military operation” in Ukraine can apply to get Russian passports for themselves and their spouses, children and parents.

They must provide docu-

ments showing that they signed up for a minimum of one year.

Those eligible include people who have signed contracts with the regular armed forces or other “military formations” – a description that could apply to groups such as the Wagner mercenary organisation.

The measure appeared to be aimed at creating additional incentives for foreigners with military experience to apply to join Russian ranks.

rescuing some 130 Israeli hostages remaining of some 240 abducted on October 7.

After the war Hamas would no longer control

Gaza, Gallant said, adding that the enclave would be run by Palestinian bodies so long as there was no threat to Israel.

Aiming to help prevent the conflict from expanding, US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken was set to travel on Thursday to the Middle East for a week of diplomacy, the State Department said.

Earlier on Thursday Israeli shelling of the Gaza Strip killed more than 20 Palestinians, including 16 in Khan Younis in a southern coastal area packed with people who had fled from other parts of the enclave, Gaza health officials said.

Among the dead were nine children, they said.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Moscow does not publish data on the number of foreigners fighting on its side in Ukraine. However, Reuters has reported previously on Cubans who signed up for the military in return for bonuses equivalent to more than 100 times the average Cuban monthly salary, and three Africans recruited by Wagner, of whom two were killed in action.

A declassified U.S. intelligence report assessed that the Ukraine war has cost Russia 315,000 dead and

wounded troops, or nearly 90 per cent of the personnel it had when the conflict began, a source familiar with the intelligence told Reuters last month.

Russia drafted an extra 300,000 men in September 2022 in its first mobilisation since World War Two. There has been persistent speculation it could repeat the unpopular move, perhaps after the next presidential election in March in which Putin is set to stroll to a new six-year term. (Excerpt from Reuters)

People gather at the scene of explosions during a ceremony held to mark the death of late Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, in Kerman, Iran, January 3, 2024 (WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters photo)

I

slamic State claimed responsibility on Thursday for two explosions in Iran that killed nearly 100 persons and wounded scores at a memorial for top commander Qassem Soleimani.

In a statement posted on its affiliate Telegram channels, the militant Sunni Muslim group said two IS members had detonated explosive belts in the crowd that had gathered at the cemetery in the southeastern Iranian city of Kerman on Wednesday.

The memorial was marking the fourth anniversary of the death of Soleimani, who was assassinated in Iraq in 2020 by a US drone.

In Washington, White House spokesman John Kirby told reporters the United States was in no position to doubt Islamic State’s claim that it was responsible for Wednesday’s attack.

Tehran has vowed revenge for the bloodiest such attack since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The twin blasts also wounded 284 persons, including children.

“A very strong retaliation

will be meted out to them by the hands of the soldiers of Soleimani,” Iran’s First Vice President, Mohammad Mokhber told reporters in Kerman.

Iranian authorities have called for mass protests today, when the funerals of the victims of the twin blasts will be held, State media reported.

Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guard Corps described the attacks as a cowardly act “aimed at creating insecurity and seeking revenge against the nation’s deep love and devotion to the Islamic Republic”.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has condemned what he called Wednesday’s “heinous and inhumane crime”. Iran’s top authority, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, vowed revenge for the bombings.

The United Nations Security Council in a statement condemned what it called Wednesday’s “cowardly terrorist attack” and sent its condolences to the victims’ families and the Iranian Government.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

20

FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 2024

guyanatimesgy.com

DAILY HOROSCOPES

ARCHIE

Communication will be crucial to getting things done. Listen, learn, ask questions and take charge of your future. Refuse to let anyone decide what’s next for you.

(March 21-April 19) Start making changes that promote opportunity. Connect with people and share information. The path to success requires action and participation.

Follow your passion.

PICKLES (April 20-May 20)

Revise how you do things to ensure you maintain good health. Looking out for your interests instead of relying on others will put you in a better position and help you avoid mistakes.

(May 21-June 20) Attend events that can offer introductions to valuable people. Sign up for something that will broaden your awareness and connect you with someone who can help you achieve your goals.

PEANUTS (June 21-July 22)

Sulking won’t fix anything. Address situations directly, and use charm to get past anyone who tries to challenge you.

Taking the lead will help you realize your dreams.

(July 23-Aug. 22) Lighten up and look over your options. A change may not be something you want, but after observing what’s available, it could lead to an unexpected opportunity. Trust your abilities.

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

Gathering information will help you avoid a sticky situation. A positive approach, combined with kindness and understanding, will encourage better results. Romance is in the stars.

(Sept. 23-Oct. 23)

SUDOKU

Don’t allow emotional matters to boil over. Put your time and effort into an enjoyable pastime. Aim for a stable and secure future. It may be time to expand your skills.

(Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Surround yourself with like-minded people you can trust to tell the truth.

Don’t buy into someone else’s dream or pay for another’s mistakes. Look at the big picture.

(Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Cut to the chase and make your dreams a reality. Don’t linger on things you cannot change. Pay attention to what’s trending, and take advantage of what you know and can do to get ahead.

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Don’t get worked up over trivial matters. Letting your emotions take the reins will result in negative responses and loss. Bide your time and put your energy into personal growth.

(Jan. 20-Feb. 19)

(Feb. 20-March 20)

Put restrictions on spending, and concentrate on gaining knowledge and insight into what’s possible. Don’t expect everyone to have honest intentions.

It’s up to you to figure out what’s legitimate.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 2024

21

India vs SA, 2023/24 Test series: Game 2 of 2…

Siraj, Bumrah bowl India to victory in record time J

asprit Bumrah’s 6 for 61 paved the way for India’s seven-wicket win on the second day of the second Test in Cape Town, helping them level the two-match series 1-1.

After South Africa were bowled out for 176 in their second innings, India chased down the required 79 runs an hour after lunch. Lasting just 107 overs, this was the shortest Test ever to produce a result. It was also India’s first Test win at Newlands in seven attempts.

Mohammed Siraj, who picked up 6 for 15 to skittle out South Africa for 55 in the first innings, was named the Player of the Match.

But before all that, Aiden Markram scored a stunning hundred - 106 off 103 balls. It was the first time in Test history that a batter scored a hundred when none of his team-mates reached 20 in either innings; Kyle Verreynne’s 15 in the first innings was the next best for South Africa. Unfortunately for Markram and stand-in captain Dean Elgar, who retires after this Test, it ended in a losing cause.

South Africa didn’t have a great start to the day.

Resuming on 62 for 3, they lost a wicket in the first over itself.

David Bedingham was looking to be positive, and went for an on-the-up drive against Bumrah, only to edge it to the wicketkeeper.

Verreynne didn’t last long either. Trying to pull Bumrah, he skied one towards mid-on, where Mohammed Siraj took

over. He and Kagiso Rabada added 51 for the eighth wicket; Rabada’s contribution was 2.

He also enjoyed a slice of luck when KL Rahul dropped him off Bumrah on 73.

Eventually, it was Siraj who sent Markram back when, going for yet another big hit, the batter holed out to long-off.

Rabada fell in the next over; and 14 runs later, the innings came to an end.

Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal knew they needed to attack straight-

away, to deny South Africa a sniff. Not many shots came from the middle of the bat, but they had added 44 in 5.4 overs when Nandre Burger removed Jaiswal. Trying to pull a short ball, Jaiswal slipped and his pad brushed the stumps. While the bails didn’t come off, he was caught at deep-backward square leg.

Shubman Gill became a victim of low bounce, and Virat Kohli was caught down the leg side, before Shreyas Iyer hit the winning four.(Cricinfo)

SCOREBOARD Aiden Markram raised a stupendous hundred

the catch. Bumrah completed his five-for when he had Keshav Maharaj caught at gully, leaving South Africa 111 for 7.

Markram, though, seemed to be in a different zone altogether, and played some stunning shots on this treacherous pitch. Of his 106 runs, 47 came in the arc between backward point and extra cover.

Whenever the India seamers pitched the ball slightly full, he brought out the cover drive.

When it was on the shorter side, he got on the top of the bounce and punched it through cover-point, forcing India to put a sweeper cover in place.

Markram reached his fifty off 68 balls, and took just 31

KL Rahul was the first of three wickets to fall in one over off Lungi Ngidi more to reach his seventh Test hundred. En route, he smashed

Prasidh Krishna for two sixes and two fours in a 20-run

South Africa 2nd Innings BATTING R Aiden Markram c Sharma b Mohammed Siraj 106 Dean Elgar (c)c Kohli b Mukesh Kumar 12 Tony de Zorzi c †Rahul b Mukesh Kumar 1 Tristan Stubbs c †Rahul b Bumrah 1 David Bedingham c †Rahul b Bumrah 11 Kyle Verreynne †c Mohammed Siraj b Bumrah 9 Marco Jansen c & b Bumrah 11 Keshav Maharaj c Iyer b Bumrah 3 Kagiso Rabada c Sharma b Prasidh Krishna 2 Nandre Burger not out 6 Lungi Ngidi c Jaiswal b Bumrah 8 Extras (lb 1, nb 5) 6 TOTAL36.5 Ov (RR: 4.77) 176 Fall of wickets: 1-37 (Dean Elgar, 10.2 ov), 2-41 (Tony de Zorzi, 12.1 ov), 3-45 (Tristan Stubbs, 15.2 ov), 4-66 (David Bedingham, 17.6 ov), 5-85 (Kyle Verreynne, 21.1 ov), 6-103 (Marco Jansen, 23.5 ov), 7-111 (Keshav Maharaj, 25.2 ov), 8-162 (Aiden Markram, 31.4 ov), 9-162 (Kagiso Rabada, 32.1 ov), 10-176 (Lungi Ngidi, 36.5 ov) •

DRS BOWLING Jasprit Bumrah Mohammed Siraj Mukesh Kuma Prasidh Krishna

O-M-R-W 13.5-0-61-6 9-3-31-1 10-2-56-2 4-1-27-1

India 2nd Innings (T: 79 runs) BATTING R Yashasvi Jaiswal c Stubbs b Burger 28 Rohit Sharma (c) not out 16 Shubman Gill b Rabada 10 Virat Kohli c †Verreynne b Jansen 12 Shreyas Iyer not out 4 Extras (b 1, lb 2, nb 1, w 6) 10 TOTAL12 Ov (RR: 6.66) 80/3 Did not bat:KL Rahul †, Ravindra Jadeja,Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Mukesh Kumar Fall of wickets: 1-44 (Yashasvi Jaiswal, 5.4 ov), 2-57 (Shubman Gill, 8.3 ov), 3-75 (Virat Kohli, 11.1 ov) • DRS BOWLING O-M-R-W Kagiso Rabada 6-0-33-1 Nandre Burger 4-0-29-1 Marco Jansen 2-0-15-1

Anticipation high for Caribbean Premier Showcase …Provides platform for young footballers to parade skills for overseas scouts

I

t is every young footballer’s dream to play on the global stage, but first they would require the necessary platform to parade their skills with hopes of being recognized by astute overseas-based coaches.

Such is the case for some of the Caribbean’s top young players, who are provided an opportunity to take their talents beyond the shores and, by extension, bring their dreams of making it big on the global stage within reach, courtesy of the Caribbean Premier Showcase.

The Caribbean Premier Showcase, conceptualized

by Jamaican-born Oniqueky Samuels in 2014, was meant to be a mere recruitment drive for universities and colleges in the United States, but has since blossomed into a developmental workshop.

The event is designed to test the mettle and skills of players from across the region under the watchful eyes of over 30 coaches from universities, colleges, clubs and academies across the world.

Having made stops in Trinidad and Tobago and Grenada over the years,

Oniqueky Samuels, Showcase Coordinator and Special Advisor Samuels, the Men’s Head coach and International Advisor at the University of Maine, Fort Kent, has opted to bring the showcase back to Jamaica, with action scheduled for Friday and Saturday starting at 9:00am.

St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) Sports Complex in Santa Cruz will be the first stop, before Samuels and team cap things off at the UWIJFF Captain Horace Burrell Centre of Excellence in Kingston.

The showcase involves a number of games in the

morning from which coaches will select the various players they want to see advance.

In the afternoon, an Allscholastic team, selected by ISSA, will square off against an All-star team selected by the coaches.

Following those engagements, the All-manning and All-daCosta Cup teams will lock horns against the Allstar teams selected by the coaches.

After leaving Jamaica the Showcase will head to Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada and St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Samuels pointed out that his inspiration to launch such an initiative stemmed from his own journey, as he was awarded a scholarship to the University of Maine, Fort Kent in 2007, and has made full use of the opportunity.

The soft-spoken Samuels completed two degrees at Maine, Fort Kent, and later transitioned to Union College where he started his coaching career. After spending two seasons at Union as a graduate assistant, he was hired

by Maine, Fort Kent as an academic advisor and assistant

A glimpse of what to expect at the Caribbean Showcase coach, before taking the reins as of his current position in 2018.

“I’m excited about how everything is manifesting. It started as just an itch to give back to young Jamaicans as soon as I got an opportunity coaching. So, I wanted to recruit you know personnel from similar background as mine and it has transitioned into this that you’re seeing now,” Samuels, who is also the founder of the Samuels Soccer Foundation, shared.

“It is so satisfying, a lot of persons are hopping on board

and making this an official event. That’s the main objective, to make this an official annual event that can give young Caribbean players an opportunity to excel, whether you know excel in football or excel in academics because at the end of the day it started by just you know offering scholarships to universities and colleges,” he added.

According to Samuels, another key component to the Showcase is the fact that it also prepares the successful recruits mentally for their transition into a new envi-

ronment.

“It helps with the wantto-do-well mindset because you want to make better for your family. So, at the end of the day, you have me that have gone through with you have Rajay [Maragh] that has gone through it, many of the personnel who are assisting and volunteering for this showcase, have gone through it. We also offer that connection and relationship with the coaches as well, so if there are issues or any kind of conversation that needs to be had, you know we’re going to have those conversations. So, we kind of maintain somewhat of a relationship as a kid gets an opportunity. They’re not just thrown out into wherever they land and just expected to do well,” he explained.

That said, Rajay Maragh, the Showcase’s chief operating officer, argued that it would be remiss if they didn’t stress the need to balance academics and the athletics to allow for greater success.

This, he said is often an issue as some student-athletes forget that they are students first. (Sportsmax)

22

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 2024

‘One Guyana’ Premier League…

Domair Gladstone and Shamaar Huntley dominate Group action A

fter months of exhilarating action at the National Gymnasium, the Group Stage of the inaugural One Guyana Premier League -- which commenced on August 12, 2023 with Domair Gladstone playing for Kwakwani Untouchables – is being led in the points standings by the Untouchables with 111 points.

Despite the Ravens coming in fourth place after the group stage, Shamaar Huntley has been prolific as he follows Domair Gladstone in second with 99 points.

Eagles Travis Belgrave comes in third place with 93 points.

The Kwakwani outfit came out on top, with Linden showcasing their force as Jamal Gils led the two-point shot made, while 35 Ravens’ Shamaar Huntley continues to make his appearance.

One point separates these top players and makes the difference, with Shamaar having 34 points and Domair Gladstone sitting in third place with 32.

Domain Gladstone is once again in the spotlight, as he leads the 3 points made at this stage with 11, accompanied by Travis Belgrave, playing for the Eagles, with 11; while Ravens managed to find themselves on top with 6 points along with UG Trojans Kadeem Peterkin

Domain Gladstone of Kwakwani Untouchables and Kwakwani’s Stanton Rose, both with 6 points.

Shamaar Huntley made his spot at the free throw, as he leads the Free Throws Made with 25, followed by Kobras’ Carlos Edwards with 21, and despite the Pepsi Sonics not making it through to the next round, Junior Lovell stands out, as he is currently in third with 20.

Stanton Rose is team player for Kwakwani Untouchables, as he currently leads the assists table with 26 assists. He is followed by his teammate Domain Gladstone with 14 assists, then Pacesetters’ Nathan Saul with 11 assists.

Despite the Nets not making it out of the group stage, Shaquille Prescott showcased his skills as a defensive player. Currently sitting in first

Lyles targeting World Indoor 60m title in 2024

Outdoor World Champion Noah Lyles

S

ix-time World champion Noah Lyles says his next goal is to add some indoor hardware to his collection.

Speaking in an interview with Trinidadian legend Ato Boldon last week, Lyles says his next goal is to take home the 60m world title at the upcoming World Indoor Championships set for March 1-3 in Glasgow, Scotland.

“The goal is to win the World Championships indoor,” the 26-year-old told Boldon.

To win that crown, Lyles will likely have to beat countryman and current World indoor 60m record holder Christian Coleman, who took gold at the 2018 World Indoor Championships in Birmingham. Coleman set the current world record 6.34

earlier that year. 2022 World 100m champion Fred Kerley will also compete indoors this season.

Lyles is coming off a phenomenal 2023 outdoor season. He won a trio of gold medals at the World Championships in Budapest in August to become the first man since Usain Bolt to achieve the feat.

At those World Championships, Lyles produced a new personal best of 9.83 to win his maiden World 100m title.

Lyles also had one of his best indoor seasons last year, including a personal best 6.51 to win the 60m at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix in New York last February.

He has never competed at the World Indoor Championships. (Sportsmax)

place with 10 points, tied with Shamari Joseph from Leonora D-Up Rising Stars, he is followed by Daniel Anthony also of the Leonora D-Up Rising Stars, but occupying third place.

Travis Belgrave is an emerging game-changer who currently leads with 16 steals. He is followed by junior Lovell, who copped 15 steals, and Denzel Ross of Eagles, with 11 steals to his name.

With the playoff action of the One Guyana Basketball League set to start on January 14, the eight teams that advanced to the playoffs are from the Harpy League Conference Pacesetters, Black Mambas, Ravens, Kwakwani Untouchables, and the UG Trojans.

In the Harpy Eagle Conference, the Playoff will see Pacesetters, who copped first place against Ravens in a three-game series.

Kwakwani Untouchable coming in second will play Black Mambas in third place 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 against Kobras in a three-game series, while UG Trojans, coming in second place, will battle UG Trojans.

Bounty Colts, with a mixture of young and experience, play a three-game series in which the winner will move on to the Conference Finals.(Omar McKenzie)

Shamaar Huntley of Ravens

‘Hope they keep their ears and eyes open’…

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ohit Sharma has called out the ICC and the match referees for what he sees as double standards at rating pitches. After winning the shortest Test in the history of the game, thanks to a lottery pitch loaded too heavily in favour of seam bowlers, Rohit was scathing about the slander against pitches in India which don’t go the distance.

“I mean, we saw what happened in this match, how the pitch played and stuff like that,” Rohit said. “I honestly don’t mind playing on pitches like this. As long as everyone keeps their mouth shut in India and don’t talk too much about Indian pitches, honestly.

“Because you come here [in Test cricket] to challenge yourself. Yes, it is dangerous. It is challenging. So, when people come to India, it is again pretty challenging as well. Look, when you are here to play Test cricket, we talk about Test cricket, the ultimate prize, Test cricket being the pinnacle and stuff like that. I think it’s important that we also stand by it.

“When you are put up against a challenge like that, you come and face it; that’s what happens in India. But in India, on day one, if the pitch starts turning, people start talking about ‘puff of dust!

Puff of dust!’ There’s so much crack here on the pitch, people are not looking at that.”

Rohit singled out the match referees and some of the ratings pitches received in last year’s World Cup, held in India. “I think it’s important that we stay neutral everywhere we go,” Rohit said.

“Especially the match referees. You know, some of these match referees need to keep their eye on how they rate pitches. It’s quite important.

“I still can’t believe that the World Cup Final pitch was rated below average [it

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Rohit Sharma: “I honestly don’t mind playing on pitches like this, as long as everyone keeps their mouth shut in India and don’t talk too much about Indian pitches”

was rated average]. A batsman got a hundred there in the final, how can that be a poor pitch? So these are the things the ICC, the match referees, they need to look into, and start rating pitches based on what they see, not based on the countries. I think that’s quite important.

“So, I hope they keep their ears open, they keep their eyes open and look into those aspects of the game. Honestly, I’m all for pitches like this. We want to challenge playing on pitches like this. We pride ourselves playing on pitches like this. Uh, but all I want to say is, ‘Be neutral’.”

In the two-Test series that just concluded, South Africa didn’t bowl any spin at all.

India bowled only 19 overs of it in the first Test, and none in the second innings. That is what Rohit railed against, asking why a pitch that turns one day is considered inferior to one that seams.

“Honestly, I would like to see how the pitches are rated,” Rohit said. “I want to see that. Whatever…that chart, I would love to see it, how they rate the pitches. Because

Mumbai, Bangalore, Cape Town, Centurion, all different venues, overhead conditions are different. The pitches deteriorate quite fast when the sun is beating down that hard on the pitch.

“And in India as well, we know that the conditions in India will spin without a doubt, but obviously people don’t like it because it spins from day one. But that’s not the point. If the ball seams from ball one, that’s okay, right, for everyone? That’s not fair. The ball starts spinning from ball one, it should be okay, in my opinion.

“Otherwise, you stay neutral, and you start rating these kinds of pitches also bad, because if you want the ball only to seam and not turn, in my opinion that is absolutely wrong. So that’s my judgement, that’s my opinion on it; I’ll stick by it because I’ve seen enough of cricket now and I’ve seen enough of how these match referees and the ICC look into these ratings.

I have no issues in how they want to rate, but stay neutral to everything that you do.”

(ESPNCricinfo)

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23

Sod turned for 9-hole Timehri Sands Golf Course A

symbol of a family’s passion for a sport and an idea that was birthed out of the trials of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Timehri Sands Golf Course and Country Club is soon to establish another landmark of Guyana’s Tourism and Development capability in the Timehri area.

Currently, Guyana boasts just one venue for the sport: at Lusignan on the East Coast of Demerara (EBD). As such, the new Timehri Course will add variety at another end of the Region.

Set to cost approximately US$3M for its construction, the 9-hole course has been described as a natural one, given the sand dunes present in the area, and will fit into both the environmentally friendly and minimalist brackets.

Kurt DaSilva, son of the investors that will see the Timehri Sands venue to fruition in one and a half to two years’ time, detailed the story of how his parents

members of the diaspora.

“When things started to open back up, one of the first things, or only things you could do, was play golf, cause it’s one of the sports you can safely socially distance and still play as a group. So, all the cricket guys, who most of them had never played golf before, said, ‘Well, we want to get out there again as a team, what can we do and be competitive?’ so, we all took up golf, and the love just grew,” DaSilva shared of how his personal love for the sport was birthed.

He added, “My Dad, he started playing just a little before that, but I would say we all really increased our passion for the game of golf.”

“Around 2 years now, or maybe more, my parents started to talk about opening a golf course in Guyana.

Obviously coming from the fact that they’re approaching the age of retirement soon, and they’re approaching the next step in their journey, and they always

Minister Ramson teeing off at the Timehri Sands area

Sport Minister Charles Ramson Jr.

came up of moving back and opening this golf course.

“I think what’s important about that, with any project, not only do you need successful execution, good management, good skill, I think that a key part to any successful project is passion, and that’s what I see when I talk to my parents,” DaSilva went on to detail.

At a simple sod-turning ceremony on Thursday afternoon at the Golf Course’s Timehri location, Canadian Architect Jason Miller highlighted some key components of the soon-to-be constructed course, while discussing its expansion capability to an 18-hole venue.

“This is the (type) of land that original golf courses were built on 200 years ago, and then through the 1800s and 1900s, through the golden years…all the best lands were picked, and they’re all sand- based lands similar to this,” Miller said in words of praise for the land’s topography.

He went on to explain, “It would be a par-35, ends up being over 3000 yards, which is a traditional length for an average golf course. When I got to the site here, I realised the elevation change was even grander than I imagined.

We can make it as natural as any golf course has ever been made, although it was a sandpit.”

Turning his attention to the course’s expansion potential, Miller disclosed, “We’ve also designed this

land parcel, that this golf course could be expandable by design.

“You can see how holes come to the edge of properties. If we had more property, we’d play more holes and come back and play this one.

So, it’s quite expandable in the future. If Guyana wants to present a national championship, this would be a great golf course if we had an 18-hole course.”

Also gracing the sod-turning ceremony was an impressed Sport Minister Charles Ramson Jr., who declared that the venue is within Government’s vision for hosting international sport events, Tourism and development.

Ramson Jr. shared, “You can’t be a tourism destination if you don’t have a really good golf product, and if we’re going to be se-

Architect of the Timehri Sands course, Jason Miller

rious, this is in alignment with our overall vision for the country. President Ali’s overall vision for the country, one of it, is to be a premier destination for worldclass events.

“We’ve started to do that; you know that with CPL, and this year we’re going to be hosting T20 World Cup cricket, and we’ve started to do that with many, many different types of events, with athletics etc,” he explained.

“This will help to fortify amongst the variety that would help in developing the country,” the Minister added about the Course’s capabilities.

The initial stages of the Timehri

Sands project were facilitated through the Diaspora Unit at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, whose Head, Rosalina Rasul, also detailed the steps it took to being the plan to its current stages, including meetings with the unit, Sport Minister Ramson, and President Dr. Irfaan Ali. The Timehri Sands Golf Course and Country Club currently has a one and a half to two- years’ timeline

f o r completion.

(Jemima Holmes)

Guyana Cup set for August 11

… As horse-racing dates for 2024 announced

The Guyana Cup, feature event for horse-racing, will be held on August 11 at Rising Sun

T

A look at a part of the sandpit area that will soon be transformed into a 9-hole golf course

decided they want to invest in Guyana’s landscape, as

had aspirations to move back to Guyana, so this idea

9-hole golf course so, in the future, if we ever had the opportunity to add to the

he date is out for this year’s Guyana Cup. It will be held on Sunday August, 11 2024 at the Rising Sun Turf Club, West Coast Berbice.

Guyana Cup is the biggest horse-racing event in this country’s racing calendar, and it is the second biggest sporting event behind the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), which Guyana Amazon Warriors won last August, beating Trinidad & Tobago’s Knight Riders at Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD), Guyana.

This year’s CPL will start on August 17 - six days after the running of

the Guyana Cup - and the final is scheduled to be played on September 25 in Georgetown, Guyana.

Additionally, there will be 12 horse race days for this year. It has been shared up among three race tracks.

Rising Sun Turf Club (RSTC) will have six days, Port Mourant Turf Club will have four days, and two days have been allocated to the Kennard Memorial Turf Club at Bush Lot Corentyne Berbice.

List of race days for the 2024 racing season January 28: Rising Sun February 25: Rising Sun, Jumbo Jet Thoroughbred

Racing Committee March 17: Corentyne, Bush Lot, Judge Kennard March 31: Port Mourant April 28: Rising Sun, Jumbo Jet Thoroughbred Racing Committee May 26: Port Mourant July 1: Port Mourant, August 11: Guyana Cup, Jumbo Jet Thoroughbred Racing Committee, Rising Sun September 29: Rising Sun, Jumbo Jet Thoroughbred Racing Committee October 30:ising Sun, Fazal November 24: Port Mourant, December 26: To be announced

FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 2024

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

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Guyana Cup set for August 11

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