Guyana Times - Friday, July 1, 2022

Guyana will not abandon Amaila Falls Project – Pres Ali P9

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

Issue No. 5056

THE BEACON OF TRUTH FRIDAY, JULY 1, 2022

PRICE

Tackling transnational crime requires GuyanaUS collaboration – Ali See story on page 3

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Guyanese P17 woman, daughter stabbed to death in Canada

…calls for mutual support in energy security Gas-to-Energy Project

Berbice hairdresser murdered, body wrapped in plastic, dumped Page 11

Billions in annual savings for Govt, citizens – Head of State …will reduce poverty, improve quality of life …GDF rank arrested for questioning See story on page 13

$100 VAT INCLUDED

US prepared to deliver as many Pfizer vaccines as Guyana needs – Ambassador Page 17

Elderly woman P14 stabbed, chopped to death in ECD apartment

11 years' jail for taxi driver convicted of raping, beating sex worker P10

$145.3M in taxes collected during M&CC amnesty – P8 Mayor

A section of the main access road leading to El Paso/Tumatumari, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) is covered by floodwaters as creeks overflowed their banks after heavy rainfall. Vehicular traffic has completely ceased and persons have been forced to use boats to access the community

China Harbour completes expansion works at CJIA

…larger aircraft arrivals mean reduced rates, freight costs – Edghill

Page 7

Paul Slowe moves to block PSC from P12 promoting Police Officers 71-year-old P16 man is latest COVID-19 death

…Govt sourcing new antiviral pill with PAHO’s help

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FRIDAY, JULY 1, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

NEWS

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FRIDAY, JULY 1, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS OPENINGS BRIDGE

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

Friday, July 1 – 04:00h-05:30h and 10:00h-11:00h and Saturday, July 2 – 04:00h-05:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Tackling transnational crime requires Guyana-US collaboration – Ali …calls for mutual support in energy security

Friday, July 1 – 05:10h-06:40h and Saturday, July 2 – 05:45h-07:15h.

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President Dr Irfaan Ali

ddressing transnational crime and drug trafficking is a high-priority area in which the United States and Guyana should seek to deepen their collaboration and ties, President Dr Irfaan Ali has announced.

He made these remarks during the United States of America’s Independence Day observance, hosted by Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch on Thursday evening.

The Head of State underlined that the engagement with US President Joe Biden at the Summit of the Americas last month has cemented commitment on critical areas of collaboration, as well as laying the foundation for action in the Caribbean.

“We reinforce our commitment to working together with the US and working as hard as we can in areas like climate change, food security, transnation-

al crime – all very important areas…The opportunities afforded the Caribbean delegation for frank discussion can only lay the foundation for renewed focus and action towards strengthening the ties between our countries. These efforts should foster cooperation, collaboration, and development with the identified high-priority areas.

“I want to assure you that we stand committed with you in fighting drug trafficking. Not only that, but in the Region in partnering with you on issues of transnational crime and human trafficking. Be assured that in Guyana lies a strong and solid partner in pursuit of these goals and objectives,” the President asserted.

Valued support

President Ali underscored that upholding freedom and democracy is a shared value of both na-

tions. He lauded the US for its valued support, adding that it was a strategic and important partner for the country. Moving forward, he noted, collaboration in financing and energy security was also of paramount benefit for the two nations.

“The United States has emerged as the world's superpower and the largest economy. The USA is regarded as a defender of freedom and democracy.

We are pleased to associate ourselves with this prominent character of the United States of America.

Upholding freedom and democracy is an important attribute and duty not only of every government, but of every citizen around the world. Bonds of friendship, cooperation and human relations have unified Guyana or the United States of America,” Ali shared.

Collective efforts

Meanwhile, US Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch expressed that Independence Day is one of promise and probabilities.

Self-governance, equality, and justice are some of the qualities renewed. Looming crises have been averted, but more lay ahead.

Lynch underscored, “Looking forward, we must recognise that the world is truly at an inflection point right now with multiplier, interlocking crises impacting our daily lives, causing concern and worry for people around the globe

and compelling us to focus on critical long-term disruptions caused by climate change, energy insecurity, mass migration, the global pandemic, as well as global food insecurity, exacerbated by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Russia's unprovoked attack on Ukraine has also raised the important question of a country's right to sovereignty to develop and join alliances how it sees fit. With sovereignty, democracy, energy and food security being important to the US and Guyana, and the looming crises facing the world.”

As she lobbied for continued partnership in inclusive democracy, economic development, and citizen security, the diplomat asserted that these matters could not be addressed without collective efforts.

“Sovereignty, democracy, pandemic management, migration, climate, energy and food security these are all issues that are immensely important to both the United States as well as Guyana. These are complex issues that no one country can solve alone. These are problems that require partners to come together to discuss, to debate and to solve. And that's exactly what the United States and Guyana are doing – addressing these issues together, both in Guyana and in the Region, while strengthening and deepening our partnership,” Lynch added. (G12)

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FRIDAY, JULY 1, 2022

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

Pursuit of energy

E

ven as China Railway First Group (CRFG) indicated to Government its inability to execute the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project (AFHP) in keeping with the BuildOwn-Operate-Transfer (BOOT) model, it is encouraging news that President Dr Irfaan Ali made it pellucid the Government would continue to pursue the project.

Amaila Falls Hydropower Project (AFHP) is part of its energy mix that will ensure the nation is provided with clean, reliable and affordable electricity.

To quote President Ali: “Let me be very clear: we are not going to abandon this project…if we have to go out again and again, we are going to, because we know the studies and everything, including the independent review by Norway, has point to this project as being good for Guyana, being good for the environment, and bringing greater prosperity.”

From the onset, it should be stated that Guyana would have been in a better position regarding an affordable, reliable supply of electricity if there had been bipartisan support for the AFHP, which was proposed by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) years ago. In fact, had the Amaila Project gone through, it would have been in the system since 2017. By now the problem of constant blackouts would have been a thing of the past.

Therefore, it was refreshing for Guyanese to hear, coming out of the now-concluded International Energy Conference and Expo, that the AFHP is expected to get underway later this year, and that Government has committed to hiring international experts to both oversee and manage the project.

Petroleum Economist at the Natural Resources Ministry, Winston Brassington, in his most recent update, informed stakeholders that after over a decade since its conceptualisation, the transformational 165-megawatt (MW) project is very close to becoming a reality.

It could be recalled that the project was not given parliamentary support by the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and Alliance For Change (AFC) parties, which had controlled the National Assembly by a one-seat majority at the time. Further, in spite of pleadings from the PPP/C to continue the conversation and ensure the project was restarted, when the APNU/AFC took office in 2015, they moved ahead and killed the project.

However, now that the PPP/C has returned to Government and has a parliamentary majority, it is now a reality that this transformative project would get off the ground.

Amaila was expected to deliver a steady source of clean, renewable energy and was envisioned to meet approximately 90 per cent of Guyana’s domestic energy needs while removing dependency on fossil fuels. The Electric Plant was proposed to be a 165MW (installed capacity) hydropower generation facility located in west-central Guyana approximately 250 kilometres south-west of Georgetown.

In addition, it would have improved Guyana’s balance of payments by significantly reducing end-user costs for electricity, and improving reliability of energy supply and generation of clean energy, which would have helped to encourage economic growth and development by improving regional competitiveness, Private Sector investment, and Foreign Direct Investment.

An “objective and facts-based” assessment done by Norconsult, an engineering and design consultancy firm from Norway, had concluded and recommended that “the only realistic path” for Guyana moving towards an emission-free electricity sector and achieving its 2025 Green Agenda commitment was to develop its hydropower potential in general, and maintain the AFHP in particular.

In spite of assurances from the power company that blackouts would be a thing of the past, over the past couple of years, prolonged periods of blackout have actually increased across the country. Consumers have written several letters to this newspaper expressing their disgust over the situation.

The Government has now taken steps to ensure that citizens are provided with affordable and reliable electricity utilising an energy mix of wind, solar and hydro. It is also working seriously on the gas-to-shore energy project which would see additional megawatts of power being provided.

As we had stated before, energy is one area in which there could be a bipartisan approach by politicians; meaning, the Opposition and the Government could work together towards a lasting solution to Guyana’s electricity problems.

UK military attaché to the Caribbean visits GDF: The United Kingdom’s Military Attaché to the Caribbean, Lieutenant Colonel Simon Westlake paid a courtesy call to GDF Headquarters, Base Camp Ayanganna where he met with Chief of Staff (ag) Colonel Omar Khan and a team that included Colonel General Staff (ag), Colonel Kenlloyd Roberts; Colonel Administration and Quartering, Commander Vernon Burnett and Staff Officer One General Three – Training and Operations, Lieutenant Colonel Andy Pompey (GDF photo)

Avoid the truth and avoid our principles Dear Editor, It is quite apparent that the instigators who conspired to usurp the peace Guyanese want to blossom for a “One Guyana” paid no heed to the call to learn a lesson from the last election in Grenada, where democracy survived and there was no violence after the accepted results were declared, with a peaceful transition from one Mitchell to another Mitchell as Prime Minister.

Guyanese would recall the bitter lesson learnt from the 2020 General Elections, when, for five prolonged and agonising months, the APNU/AFC refused to accept the legitimate recounted results and hand over governance to the legal winner, the PPP/C party.

Mr Granger had to be referred to as “sanctimonious” by Dr Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and also be told to “take your licks like a man.”

But a party that comprises characters who do not know the meaning of shame and disgrace, pride and dignity, honour and integrity will not be embarrassed by spreading lies and propaganda, nor will they hesitate to be tongue-twisters or be dishonest in any move they make. They will not play any game fair and square.

Guyana has witnessed all the violence, high-handed attitude, the party card preference, the banning of essential items, the food shortages, unemployment, poverty, foreign exchange scarcity, the media censorship, the mass exodus of migration, the hardship, the suffering, the drug shortages, the wage freeze, the hurt and the cry of poor people, all under the rulership, dictatorship and leadership of Burnham, Hoyte and Granger for a spread of thirty-three years, when they assumed power to control Guyana and to flag the paramountcy of the PNC Party.

The elimination and limitation of one race employed in Government services and agencies remain evident from time immemorial. Let’s not even

mention the framework of the disciplined forces. The mantra of power-grabbing, retaining and maintaining by illegal means, is the root of their survival.

Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley had good reasons to observe, “There was one thing I said to my colleague at the time, who was the President of Guyana, is that if you have lost this election, lose it with dignity. There will be another chance; but if there is no dignity in this defeat, the next time you and your party will be of no use to your country, and that was the position of Trinidad and Tobago in Guyana.”

History continues to repeat itself with beating, hurting, murdering, robbing and burning of one particular community, residents of which are deemed anti-PNC, by another community, residents of which see themselves as the sole owner of this land and the right to preside and prosper with the wealth of this nation only for themselves.

It is a daunting picture to reflect on the evidences of the Wismar massacre, the 1964 strike, the looting and burning of Georgetown, the aftermath violence of the Jagdeo era and elections, the Buxton uprising, the PNC-inspired mayhem in West Coast Berbice in 2020, and now the Mon Repos 2022 fiasco! Who gained, and who suffered?

Guyana was led to economic chaos and bankruptcy every time the PNC was in power, and the small man never got a chance to be the real man, because only the chosen few enjoyed the good life. Mia Mottley, Barbados Prime Minister, reminds us, “The truth hurts…I have nothing more to say. The truth hurts, but what we must never do in Caricom is to avoid the truth and avoid our principles.”

“Justice for all” was the battle cry of the legitimate demonstrators who were peacefully picketing and protesting over the death of Quindon

Bacchus. The malicious and vicious attacks on harmless and innocent vendors spurred the inspired vandals into looters, and with direct intent to hurt and harm the members of the community. They were definitely instructed to carry out a job of destruction, and to create as much damage as possible.

Guyana can only knock on one door for the answer. President Irfaan Ali said, “While everyone has a right in a democracy to let their voices be heard, it does not give them the right to loot, steal, or harm anyone.” His Excellency urged patience, and to “let the system work,” as the Police Complaints Authority have their hands filled with the death of Bacchus.

Incidentally, there was no uproar when Deanraj Singh (Steve Singh) was shot and killed by the Police a few weeks ago in Riverview, Ruimveldt.

The investigation is being conducted by their Office of Professional Responsibility. The question is: why wasn’t there an uprise by that community to the magnitude as what we have seen this week? Again, we can only traverse one road for the response.

Does one wrong justify another?

An eye for an eye will make the world blind, Gandhi taught us. Definitely not, and this incident was staged as an excuse by the evil force to contaminate the tranquility of complacency.

To date, vendors have been compensated, as promised by the President, and some 16 persons have been charged for riotous behaviour, with only one pleading guilty.

Many sober minds have openly expressed their condemnation and disgruntlement, and registered their enragement over this sad and pathetic incident.

Guyana’s legal mind, Attorney General Mr. Anil Nandlall, summed it up: “A perceived injustice can never justify the commission of another injustice.”

Yours respectfully, Jai Lall

guyanatimesgy.com

FRIDAY, JULY 1, 2022

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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

Erosion of law and order

Dear Editor, It is evident that Guyana is poised for economic transformation and development, after moving out of the period of the ‘precondition for takeoff’ mode. This giant leap will require the maintenance of law and order, and the implementation of security interventions to support the protection of property. The newly-constructed 4-lane East Coast Demerara highway, damaged by the protesters when they set fire thereto, would require scarce financial resources to fix, as the contractor will not accept responsibility for the Damages, as the defect’s liability based on the contractual obligations are still in force.

There is an old adage says “progress breeds enemies”, and the wanton damage to public infrastructure is nothing more than hoo-

liganism. Economic stagnation and stagflation are not the solution to Guyana’s problems; economic transformation would definitely mean economic prosperity.

What we witnessed on June 28, 2022 on the East Coast of Demerara is an illegal act to destabilise Guyana, and it was nothing less than the breakdown of law and order, which drives fear in society. The criminal elements and hooligans quickly seized the opportunity to “catch dem hand” by creating chaos and mayhem on the streets and public roads, robbing innocent people, burning vehicles, looting merchandise and damaging market stalls in the process, thus disrupting the livelihoods of vendors. This barbaric act should be condemned by all right-thinking Guyanese.

It is sad to note that

while all this was happening, the timely response mechanism of the Guyana Police Force, which is strategically located in the ECD Region 4, was late in activating its Standard Operating Procedures, while the GPF is in receipt of increased budgetary allocations from the Irfaan Ali-led PPP/C Government. This is a dereliction of duties committed by the Guyana Police Force.

I can recall the Desmond Hoyte Doctrine, “Slow Fire and More Fire”, which commenced in 1992 and intensified in 1997, when he referred to the Police as “kith and kin”. Editor, the planners and intellectual authors of this protest should all be charged, and placed before the courts for creating public disorder and mischief by attacking innocent citizens at Annandale and Mon Repos.

While I share the pains of the alleged murder and loss of life of Quindon Bacchus, the law must be activated to take its course, where justice will be served. As a result, hooliganism should not be embraced as an alternative to the justice system.

Domestic terrorism leads to anarchy, and should not be promoted in society, as it impacts our national and international image.

It must be noted, however, that the maintenance of law and order and political stability is a prerequisite for poverty reduction, job creation, and economic development.

Editor, this is the opportune time to unite and build the “One Guyana” that we all want and will be proud of. Let’s do it!

Sincerely, Pharamdai Roberts

Attack on Mon Repos: A tale we have heard before Dear Editor, What did the people of Mon Repos have to do with the death of Quindon Bacchus? This is not justice. The attacking and looting of the innocent and their businesses was completely unrelated to the death of Mr. Bacchus, and will only cause more chaos.

This onslaught was reminiscent of the mayhem that occurred in our country in 1992, 1997, 2001,

and in Cotton Tree in 2020. What happened then was no different than what happened in Mon Repos.

Make no mistake, the attack on the Indiandominated community of Mon Repos was an ethnic one. And like the past occurrences mentioned, I have no doubt that rogue elements, hijacked the protest, resulting in the assault on the people of Mon Repos. I don't need to call names. The people

of Guyana are intelligent enough to deduce.

This is a tale we have heard far too many times.

All this will do is rip apart the social fabric of our country, and widen the divide even more. So-called news outlets spreading misleading information must be called out, and held accountable.

We also must not allow chaos to be incited by known mischief-makers at home or in the diaspora.

Moreover, we must desist from posting any racial remark or other hateful rhetoric on social media platforms like Facebook.

This encompasses racial remarks directed towards Indo-Guyanese AND AfroGuyanese.

Hate begets hate, and this must end. We must not descend to basal instincts. Not in 2022.

Perpetrators of mayhem must face full force of law Dear Editor, The PPP (UK Branch) vehemently condemns the violence perpetrated against innocent members of the public and vendors at the Mon Repos market by a band of marauding hooligans, who rampaged along the East Coast of Demerara, assaulting people, looting, destroying property, and committing arson.

We congratulate the President for his timely intervention to compensate the vendors of Mon Repos Market.

The perpetrators of this mayhem must face the full

force of the law, and the architects of this disturbance, some of whom preach on a daily basis for 'Boots On The Ground', must be held accountable for this public disorder.

We trust that the current Police investigation would swiftly reveal the circumstances surrounding the death of Quindon Bacchus, and we offer our sincere condolences to his family, who rightly deserves justice.

Yours sincerely, Dr Dave Singh Chairman, PPP (UK Branch)

Burning unanswered question

Dear Editor, The burning unanswered question in the case of the 19-year-old which the PME found died by drowning with no marks of violence is: How

did she end up in the river?

My condolences to the grieving family.

Sincerely, Shamshun Mohamed

Yours faithfully, Nikhil Sankar

FRIDAY, JULY 1, 2022

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FRIDAY, JULY 1, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

China Harbour completes expansion works at CJIA …larger aircraft arrivals mean reduced rates, freight costs – Edghill

Public Works Minister Juan Edghill, Ambassador Guo Haiyan and other officials inspecting the building (Public Works Ministry photo)

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hina Harbour E n g i n e e r i n g Company (CHEC) has finally completed extended works that were agreed upon with Government at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), in keeping with the deadline of June 30.

An extension to the structure will now enable larger aircraft to enter Guyana, creating additional benefits for travellers.

Public Works Minister Juan Edghill conducted an inspection of completed works on Thursday, along with officials from China Harbour and CJIA. The company was given until the ending of June to wrap up works.

“We're seeing the full realisation of that agreement; and the Chinese Embassy remained engaged with us and with the contractor to ensure that that agreement was kept.

Why I'm emphasising that the agreement for all the

additional works that were done, they were to be funded by China Harbour. And that required apart from a signature, good faith, political will and an understanding of cooperation and China Harbour was able to deliver that,” Minister Edghill related.

After assuming office in 2020, Government had inspected ongoing works

by CHEC at CJIA, which showed a deviation from the terms agreed upon in the initial fixed-price US$138 million contract.

In light of this, the Public Works Ministry entered into a new agreement with the company for the further expansion of the CJIA as well as completion of existing works.

The agreement was pegged at US$9 million and it stated that China Harbour would solely bear the costs for the new works to be executed.

The works involved an extension of the Airport’s boarding corridor in order

to accommodate two more passenger boarding bridges, providing the Airport with a total of six boarding bridges capable of facilitating larger Code D and Code E aircraft. It measures approximately 305 metres long and boarding bridges will arrive in July.

Total Solutions was awarded a $400 million contract for the supply of two air bridges.

When they arrive, contractors will need six weeks to have them connected to the boarding corridor. However, this was not part of China Harbour’s scope of works, but rather the responsibility the Government.

Lower rates

According to Edghill, the capacity to facilitate larger carriers enables lower airfares and reduced freight charges for travellers. It also opens up the country to other destinations.

“You could get cheaper

airfares because you could get wide aircraft, and in the economy of scale, you could start bringing in bigger aircraft. It would also benefit movement of products out of Guyana, the cost of air freight could go down because with wider-bodied aircraft, you can carry more produce and control price.”

He added, “That’s why we insisted on getting those two airbridges…

That was important for the future of where we’re going as a country. Very soon, you will hear about other airlines that are coming to Guyana because we are negotiating that…We want the world here. You think far and wide.”

Works also included a modern airport façade, covering the full length of the departure terminal.

The terminal building was extended to accommodate additional commercial space such as food courts and duty-free shops.

Additional works at the airport will see a tint being wrapped on the newly-installed façade, showcasing the colours of the Golden Arrowhead and the One Guyana logo. Another contractor is currently retrofitting the supercentre, with an expected completion time of February 2023.

Edghill reflected on the airport which was inherited from the former Administration, underscoring that it did not have the capacity to accommodate larger carriers.

He also responded to criticisms from the now Opposition to get the project completed, stating, “When you have leadership like President [Irfaan] Ali and his Cabinet and you have cooperating, under-

This terminal will feature two additional boarding bridges for larger aircraft

standing, and you make good agreements, you get what you want.”

Enhanced cooperation

Chinese Ambassador to Guyana, Guo Haiyan has signalled enhanced cooperation with the Guyana Government in several areas.

“Both China and Guyana would like to enhance our practical cooperation in many fields.

Infrastructure will be a priority because as developing countries, we will have the bottleneck of infrastructure and I think our cooperation will help to break this bottleneck.

We’re happy to do more contribution to the development of Guyana,” the Ambassador asserted.

The CJIA Modernisation Project was supposed to have been completed on December 31, 2018, under the former A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government.

The former Administration had settled for a downsized design while paying more than the allocated US$150 million. Some US$138 mil-

lion of the allocated costs was funded by the EXIM (Export-Import) Bank of China, while US$12 million was spent by the Guyana Government. It was not expected to surpass that sum, but Guyana had to stand additional expenses.

The CJIA, in its downgraded design expansion, had four fewer air passenger boarding bridges for arrivals and departures than the initial eight.

There was also a 450-seat departure area, escalators, and elevators, in addition to an incomplete extended runway.

Inspections revealed that a new apron that was supposed to support the additional four air bridges was non-existent. There was also no space for enough duty-free shops, restaurants, car rentals, and other facilities.

When this Administration entered office, there was a list of 71 critical works and a master list of 1500 works that were incomplete. As of January 2021, however, all critical works were completed. (G12)

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FRIDAY, JULY 1, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

$145.3M in taxes collected during M&CC amnesty – Mayor

G

eorgetown Mayor Ubraj Narine has announced that the City Council has collected in excess of $145 million during the amnesty that was created for errant taxpayers to pay outstanding dues.

During a press briefing this week, Narine said $145,369,996 was paid between December 7, 2021 and March 31, 2022. The committee handling the amnesty operations is yet to submit reports of monies collected in the subsequent months.

According to him, a system is now in place that allows for accountability and transparency in the case of amnesties. This model can be used for future Councils.

“The amnesty had helped us and helped many people out there. I’m looking to put forward a permanent policy and that will be for Councils after us to follow.

A precedent will be there to guide future councils.

Georgetown Mayor Ubraj Narine

The way the amnesty was done before was not right or good for accountability,” the Mayor outlined.

He added, “The way we put it now in the form: going to a committee, the investigation has to be launched and all these things, records will be there.”

Before the amnesty was launched, the Council had outlined that staffers were under the guidance of clear instructions when responding and handling amnesty cases in ensuring transparency. Any person, corporation, trust or other stakeholder that is required to

pay their rates in the city was required to apply for such.

An applicant was required to submit along with the application form, certified application of transport, title, lease, or letter of administration; a printout of arrears statement; copy of official form of identification; and an updated rate evaluation as may be required among other documents.

A Special Circumstances Committee was created to decide the exemption rate.

The Council also offered payment plans should the subject be unable to pay the arrears due in full. No person was given 100 per cent exemption.

The intention was focused on improving revenue collection for the city. In recent years, billions have been owed by taxpayers and commercial businesses to the Council. The last figure of rates owed stood at an enormous $9 billion. (G10)

Who pays...

O

…for the trauma at Mon Repos?

ne more protest…one more ethnic violent encounter wherein innocent Guyanese -- this time, as has happened on the West Coast of Berbice, Indian Guyanese -- were beaten and robbed while their properties were looted or burnt and destroyed. After the attempted rigging-coup in 2020, there were some Indian Guyanese riposte along these lines, but let’s face it: those are few and far between. When it comes to being at the receiving end of ethnically-directed violence, it’s Indian Guyanese down the line!!

Now, that’s a subject that should’ve received a lotta attention over the decades it’s been happening. But obviously nothing meaningful has been done about it, since it keeps on happening with numbing regularity. In these matters, there are two things those who unleash violence have in their minds. First thing is: what is the downside risk when they go after any group? If they know those groups would retaliate with force, they would think more than twice before they act.

In Guyana, if protestors know there’s a strong likelihood that Indians are armed – with cutlasses, as in the old days, or with guns nowadays – it is very unlikely they would attack. They played the odds right, and no one stood up to them. The solution is clear: be armed and ready to defend your body and property. Once you are attacked, no one can charge you for acting in self-defence.

The other thing is the “protestors’” idea of what the reaction of the Police and other upholders of law and order gonna be to the mayhem they create. In Guyana, they know that in most instances they’ll be treated with kid gloves, and so they’ve got absolutely no fear. Even if they’re arrested as some were after the Mon Repos Mayhem - they know that at best they’ll get a slap on the wrists. One person wrote that, rather than punish these miscreants, they should be trained, given jobs, food, the community should be counselled etc!! OK…then what?? What about that thing called “deterrence”?? Just like all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, all carrots and no stick make rioters into hard-core criminals!!

And now for the Indian Guyanese folks at the receiving end of the sticks at Mon Repos. OK…They’ll be compensated for their loss of goods – and hopefully for their stalls and cars etc that were vandalised. But what about the trauma they had to go through?? “How many more time, Bhagwan?”, they must be wailing. Who’s gonna compensate them for the uncertainty they’ll face about their lives for the rest of those lives?

But most of all, will the handful of Wild Men pay for stirring up hate among African Guyanese?? Guess not!! …for the Chinese Dragon??

We had four hundred years of colonisation by the West – never mind Gabriel Marquez’s “One hundred years of solitude”. We were never cut off from the tentacles of western power through the myriad forms assumed – art, culture, language, politics, economics and so on. But, in all those years, we in the south were never “settler colonies”.

The bottom line was, the British, for example, would live here for a while, crack their whips, but in the end return to Old Blighty to end their days.

Even when the Americans took over from the Brits - after they installed Burnham in power - they never descended on us like the proverbial swarm of locusts. And even before that, when they built our Airport and stationed troops there during WWII, didn’t they get out before Sparrow could say, Yankee dollar bill?? Well, there’s a new coloniser in town – the Chinese. But unlike the West, they send in their folks to actually settle here.

How’d we deal with locusts?? …for Paul??

Remember that old saying, “Peter pay for Paul and Paul pay for all?” Well, it looks like, in Guyana, Indian Guyanese are the incarnation of Paul, and they’re supposed to pay for whatever sins are cast their way.

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

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

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FRIDAY, JULY 1, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Guyana will not abandon Amaila Falls Project – Pres Ali P

resident Dr Irfaan Ali on Thursday made it clear that the Government will continue to pursue the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project (AFHP), even if it means it has to keep retendering “again and again”.

“Let me be very clear: we are not going to abandon this project,” the Guyanese Head of State told a gathering of Private Sector officials and diplomats during an event at State House.

“If we have to go out again and again, we are going to, because we know the studies and everything, including the independent review

by Norway, has point to this project as being good for Guyana, being good for the environment, and bringing greater prosperity,” he reasoned. “So, this project will get underway,” President Ali affirmed.

His remarks come on the heels of China Railway First Group (CRFG) indicating to Government its inability to execute the project in keeping with the Build-OwnOperate-Transfer (BOOT) model.

It was Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo who had revealed in May that the AFHP is at risk of being delayed and possibly reten-

Power and Light (GPL) Inc. at a cost not exceeding US$0.07737 per kWh, and wherein the company would provide the entire equity required by the project and undertake all the risks associated with the project.

The AFHP was first identified in 1976 by the Canadian company Monenco during an extensive survey of hydroelectric power potential in Guyana. Various studies have since justified and strongly supported the

dered, as CRFG – the firm that won the contract – has difficulties in meeting the contract obligations and wants the financing model changed. CRFG wants to enter into an Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract with the Government.

It is unclear whether a decision will be taken or has been taken to move the project forward, but the Vice President posited last month that the Government is not in agreement with any attempt to change the ba-

sis of the tender that went out last year. He had also made it clear that if China Railway cannot get the contract done under the BOOT model, then the contract would have to be scrapped and retendered.

The revival of the 165-megawatt AFHP was one of the promises made by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic in its manifesto. The project was initiated under the previous PPP/C Administration, but was scrapped by the Coalition Administration which had

controlled the National Assembly by a one-seat Opposition majority.

AFHP is expected to deliver a steady source of clean, renewable energy that is affordable and reliable, and is envisioned to meet approximately 90 per cent of Guyana’s domestic energy needs, while removing dependency on fossil fuels.

It is expected that the AFHP will be based on a BOOT model, wherein the company would supply electricity to the Guyana

construction of the AFHP. One such study is an independent assessment conducted by Norconsult, a Norwegian engineering and design consultancy firm that was contracted by the Government of Norway.

That report had concluded that the only realistic path for Guyana moving towards an emission-free electricity sector is by developing its hydropower potential, and the fastest way forward is through the AFHP. (G11)

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FRIDAY, JULY 1, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

11 years’ jail for taxi driver convicted of raping, beating sex worker

A

taxi driver from Tucville, Georgetown has been jailed for 11 years for rape and assault. Thurston Semple, 37, preyed on a vulnerable sex worker in February of 2021, arranging to have sex with the Venezuelan national for $10,000.

He was found guilty of the offence on March 25, following a trial before Justice Priya SewnarineBeharry and a jury at the Sexual Offences Court in Georgetown. The jurors, in returned guilty verdicts, found that Semple had sexually penetrated the woman against her will, and had assaulted her between February 24 and 25, 2021 at his home.

Condemned forever

In her impact statement, the victim, a mother of three, described Semple as a “monster”, noting that since the tragic ordeal, “I have a lot of fear, anger, hatred, and helplessness.” She besought the court to lock up the perpetrator for life, so that he cannot hurt anyone else.

“I want you to help me to get justice for myself and the other victims, because I wasn’t the only victim of that monster. I would want to kill him with my own hands, because that man destroyed our [her family] lives,” the rape survivor told the presiding Judge.

According to her, Semple has infected her with an incurable sexually transmit-

ted disease that would leave her condemned forever. She said she worked as a prostitute to provide for herself and her children back in her native home.

No remorse

During a sentencing hearing on Thursday, a forensic psychiatrist who examined Semple found him to be functioning at the psychopathic level, meaning that he understood the nature of their interview. Concerning his personality trait, the doctor noted that manipulation stood out, explaining that Semple has extremely high self-esteem, and does not recognise his mistakes.

The doctor diagnosed him as having anti-social personality disorder, which is, among other things, characterised by a tendency to disregard right from wrong, repeatedly violate the rights of others, and break the law through intimidation and dishonesty.

The doctor also informed the court that Semple had expressed no remorse for his wrongdoing. However, notwithstanding her findings, the psychiatrist did not recommend continuous psychiatric treatment for the rapist.

Lies

For his part, an evidently upset Semple, when given a chance to address the court, dismissed the psychiatrist’s diagnosis, stating that she could not arrive at such con-

Convicted rapist Thurston Semple

clusions after interviewing him for only 10 minutes.

He, moreover, professed his innocence. “The whole case is lies. Since I’m in jail, I’ve learned a lot. This is injustice. I didn’t do any of these things. I ain’t do no crime, so what am I doing time for? I’m being assaulted in jail because of lies. Whatever [sentence] you [Judge] give me, I will accept; but God knows my heart…,” the emotional man said.

Serious offence

Appearing for the prosecution, State Counsel Muntaz Ali urged the court to impose a 17-year jail sentence on the convict. In so doing, he highlighted the serious nature of the offence, and how it was committed.

He pointed out that, apart

from being exposed to sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), the woman is left to suffer serious psychological trauma, including fear, depression, anxiety, and sleeping disorder. In light of the foregoing, the prosecutor asked the Judge to impose a penalty that would serve as a deterrent.

Meanwhile, Semple’s lawyer, Everton SinghLammy, during a plea in mitigation, described his client as a “model prisoner” who is seldom likely to re-offend. Although the psychiatrist did not recommend further treatment for his client, the lawyer told the court that it is obvious that Semple needs to be assisted medically.

In her sentencing remarks, Justice SewnarineBeharry said that, given Semple’s age at the time he committed the offence, and because he was a man of “high intellect”, he ought to have been aware of the consequences of his unlawful actions.

According to the Judge, both probation and psychiatric reports reveal that Semple has been unable to recognise his own mistakes, and has shown no remorse for what he did to the woman. While the Judge noted the victim’s claim that Semple infected her with an STD, she said no evidence was presented to support this.

In the end, the Judge imprisoned Semple for 11 years on the rape charge and four years on the assault charge.

The sentences will, however, run concurrently.

Facts

The facts stated that, around 22:30h on February 24, 2021, Semple drove up alongside the woman, who was standing in front of a hotel in Georgetown. The two of them began conversing, during which Semple agreed to pay her $10,000 to have sex with him.

The woman left with Semple, who transported her to his home. Upon arrival, she sat on a bed and smoked a cigarette. They then engaged in sexual intercourse. During the sex act, the condom broke, resulting in the woman having to replace it.

While doing so, she told Semple that he only had 15 minutes remaining, and that if he does not “climax” within that time, she would leave, and that he would not have to pay her.

Semple replied by telling her “Okay”, before leaving for the kitchen. Upon his return, he grabbed the woman by her hair, placed a knife to her neck, removed the condom from his penis, and forced the woman to perform oral sex on him. When the woman stopped performing the act on him, Semple dealt her several slaps to her face.

At this point, she requested a drink of water.

When Semple turned his back, the naked woman escaped through a glass window. Semple ran behind her.

He grabbed her by her hair again, and dealt her several stabs with a knife. When the woman held onto the weapon, Semple lashed her about her body with a tube that

was filled with cement.

To get away from Semple’s wrath, the woman jumped a fence and began crying out for help. Persons came to her rescue. Shortly after, Police arrived on scene and arrested Semple.

The injured woman was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where she was treated for lacerations about her body and fractured ribs, among other injuries.

After the offences were put to him and he was cautioned, Semple replied: “Officer, I had sex with her.

I paid her for the service and she refused to do what I asked… and I assaulted her in her face with a PVC [polyvinyl chloride] pipe”.

Pending charges

Semple is presently listed for trial at the Demerara High Court for other rape charges. He is accused of raping two other female sex workers. The charges against him state that he raped one of the women between November 30, 2017 and December 1, 2017, and the other between January 3 and 4, 2018.

According to reports, he picked up the women at a location in Georgetown and promised to pay them $10,000 each to have sex with them.

After the women performed various sex acts on him, Semple reportedly threatened them.

He then dropped them off at the location from whence he had picked them up without paying them for their services. Semple was on bail on those charges. (G1)

NEWS

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FRIDAY, JULY 1, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Berbice hairdresser murdered, body wrapped in plastic, dumped …GDF rank arrested for questioning to the press, have said that the now-dead woman’s sister had last saw her sibling alive on Wednesday at about 08:00h at home. While at home, Park had told her sister that she was going to braid someone’s hair at Fort Ordinance, East Canje, Berbice.

“About 06:00h on Thursday, the sister called the individual whose hair Donalesa told her she was going to braid, but the indi-

an open plot of land.

Following the discovery, an uncle, Mortimer Amsterdam, explained that his niece had been in the hairdressing business for about 15 years. He said he had received a telephone call from his sister, who told him that her daughter had not been seen since Wednesday morning, when she had left the house. In addition, calls to her cellphone went unanswered for a short peri-

Residents gathered at the murder scene on Thursday

Dead: Donalesa Park

T

he lifeless body of a hairdresser was found wrapped in plastic at Courtland Village Public Road, Berbice on Thursday.

The dead woman has been identified as 29-year-old Donalesa Park of #2 Village, East Canje Berbice.

Based on information received, the mother of one had left home on Wednesday at about 8:00h to plait a client’s hair, but never showed up.

On Thursday morning, relatives became worried and started to call friends and other relatives to enquire about her whereabouts.

However, the woman’s body was discovered at about 7:00h wrapped in plastic on an open plot of land.

Police, in a statement

Detectives at the crime scene

vidual related that she never showed up, and explained that the woman called and told her she had to go to Corentyne”, the Police statement added.

At about 07:00h, the woman’s body was found wrapped in plastic along the Courtland Village Public Road, Corentyne, Berbice in

od, and the phone was later turned off.

He noted that the woman would conduct business with a serving member of the Guyana Defence Force, and she might have gone to collect the items.

“He does normally bring detergent for Donalisa from Lethem…so she went to col-

lect the stuff, and since then they ain’t see she back…,” Amsterdam added.

The aggrieved uncle further stated that they were

home when they received information that the woman’s body was found along the Corentyne.

“They find her in the grass opposite the main access road in a plastic wrapup… So far, we don’t know anything…the doctor and crime people at the scene ain’t tell we anything as yet,” the uncle related.

The family is suspecting the GDF rank is the main suspect in the murder of the mother of one.

“We were told the boy pickup he bag and went away early Thursday morning and say he going to work… we later understand that the army people say that he is not working till next week… when my other niece try to call him, he tell them to stop molesting he phone.”

The GDF rank, Amsterdam added, is known to the family. The identify and other particulars of the suspect have been handed over to the Police as they continue their investigations.

Meanwhile, Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum has confirmed that the information was passed on to the Guyana Defence Force. As such, the soldier was handed over to the Major Crime Unit late on Thursday afternoon, and he is being interrogated in connection with the murder.

The woman’s remains have been taken to Ramoo’s Funeral Home to await a post-mortem. The woman leaves to mourn her fiveyear-old son and other relatives.

12 NEWS

FRIDAY, JULY 1, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Paul Slowe moves to block PSC from promoting Police Officers

Paul Slowe

R

etired Assistant Commissioner of Police Paul Slowe has lodged an action at the Demerara High Court in which he is seeking to block the recently reconstituted Police Service Commission (PSC) from promoting or publishing a promotions list of officers of the Guyana Police Force (GPF).

Through his lawyers Dexter Todd and Selwyn Pieters, Slowe, the immediate past Chairman of the PSC, is asking a Judge to grant an injunction restraining the PSC from promoting officers until his legal challenge to President Dr. Irfaan Ali’s June 2021 suspension of the PSC is determined.

In May, the Demerara Full Court upheld a March 9 decision by Justice Gino Persaud that the challenge to the Head of State’s suspension of the constitutional commission can proceed.

The respondents in that case, namely the Prime Minister, Attorney General, and Police Commissioner, have filed at the Court of Appeal an appeal against the Full Court’s ruling.

Before Justice Gino Persaud, Nandlall had contended that, given the three-

year life of the PSC had expired in August 2021, during the course of Slowe’s challenge, the case was dead, and should be struck out.

In his ruling, however, Justice Persaud had held that the issues raised in the challenge are matters of public interest. Relying on several local, regional, and overseas case laws, he had reasoned that the issue of the legality of the [Commission’s] suspension “…should be heard and determined on its merits, being a matter of public interest.”

To hold otherwise, the Judge had noted, would be to leave the legality of the suspension hanging – never to be adjudicated upon simply because of the inescapable fact that the life of the Commission had come to an end after these proceedings were filed.

“This does not seem to me either logical or fair, but rather an affront to fairness; natural justice; access to justice; and, indeed, the rule of law. A hearing and determination would serve to bring clarity to the role of the Executive in such instances, and ensure that the constitutionally-granted autonomy of the PSC remains protected,” Justice Persaud had reasoned.

In the grounds in support of his new application, Slowe said that on August 9, 2018, he, retired Assistant Commissioner of Police Paul Esmond Slowe, and retired Assistant Commissioner of Police Clinton Conway, Vesta Adams, and Claire Jarvis were appointed Commissioners of the PSC by former President David Granger.

According to him, as part of the duties of the PSC, they drafted a list of 132 Police officers to be promoted, and sent it to the PSC’s Secretary to have it sent to then Police

Commissioner (ag) Nigel Hoppie for the promotions to be effected. However, Slowe said, the list was never sent to the Secretary, and was leaked to Senior Superintendent (admin) Calvin Brutus and the public.

Then, on June 16, 2021, President Ali “unconstitutionally and illegally” suspended the PSC by sending individual letters of suspension to its Commissioners, Slowe submitted. The promotions list was publicised on June 28, 2021, hours after Chief Justice Roxane George, SC, had dismissed a challenge filed by several senior Police officers who were aggrieved by their non-promotion. The challenge had delayed the promotion of ranks by more than six months. Later that day, the Government rejected as unlawful and illegal the list of purported promotions.

Fraud charges

President Ali had suspended the PSC after its Chairman Paul Slowe and a commissioner, Clinton Conway, were slapped with fraud charges. They, along with other retired and serving members of the GPF, have been implicated in a $10 million fraud over duties delegated to them for revising the Police Force’s raft of Standing Orders. It is alleged that they collected payments amounting to $10 million, but never provided the Force with a raft of revised Standing Orders.

In addition, Slowe is facing three counts of sexual assault. It is alleged that on three occasions in 2019, at Police Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown, he sexually assaulted a senior Policewoman by rubbing her left leg and foot without her consent.

The suspension, Slowe added, prompted the Commissioners to file a

Members of the newly appointed Police Service Commission: (from left) Mark Conway, Ernesto Choo-a-Fat, Pastor Patrick Findlay; along with President Dr Irfaan Ali, Attorney General Anil Nandlall, and Governance Minister Gail Teixeira

Fixed Date Application (FDA) seeking, among other things, a declaration that the President’s suspension of the PSC was contrary to, in violation of, and ultra vires the Constitution, and therefore was of no force or effect; an order directing the Commission’s Secretary to prepare formal letters to the ranks named on the official promotions list, informing them of their promotion; and an order nullifying the President’s suspension of the Chairman and members of the Police Service Commission.

The retired cop, in his new case, tells the High Court that he has been advised by his lawyers, and verily believes, that the injunction would assist in preserving the status quo of the pending proceedings. He reasoned that should the injunction be refused, the reconstituted PSC would be allowed to promote officers, causing inevitable difficulty at the end of the pending matter.

“When the promotions from the previous list are effected and those said officers were promoted, the previous list which this matter

touches and concerns, especially since from the previous list they may have been promoted, making them eligible for promotion to a higher rank,” he explained. Slowe pointed out, “For example, if a Sergeant was on the previous list promoted to the rank of Inspector, he would be entitled to not be promoted to the rank of Assistant Superintendent and not be promoted twice on two separate lists as an Inspector.”

The former PSC Chairman further pointed out that if the injunction is not granted, and this matter is subsequently completed and the previous promotions on the past list are effected, there would be inevitable issues as to which officers are of a higher rank than others, if the promotions would be backdated, and there would be future problems as to who will be entitled to be Commanders and even the Commissioner of Police.

Slowe contends that under the Civil Procedure Rules, the High Court has the authority to grant an interim injunction restraining the PSC from promoting members of the GPF until the

hearing and determination of the other matter.

On May 31, President Ali swore in the members of the PSC at the Office of the President. They are Attorneyat-Law Mark Conway, businessmen Ernesto Choo-a-Fat and Hakeem Mohammed, and Pastor Patrick Findlay, who will serve as Chairman.

Shortly after the members took the oath of office, Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton threatened to take legal action, citing that President Ali was carrying out constitutional duties without engaging him.

But the President responded by stating that the development of the country will not be held hostage by political objects.

The PSC is a constitutional body established under Article 137 (1) of the Constitution, and has been given the authority under Article 212(1) subject to the provisions of Article 211 (1) to make appointments to any office in the Police Force of or above the rank of Inspector, and exercise disciplinary control over and to remove persons holding or acting in such offices. (G1)

NEWS

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FRIDAY, JULY 1, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Gas-to-Energy Project

Billions in annual savings for Govt, citizens – Head of State …will reduce poverty, improve quality of life

President Dr Irfaan Ali delivering remarks at a forum aimed at providing an outline of the gas-to-energy project

T

he landmark gas-to-energy project, set to come on stream in a matter of years, is not just about slashing the costs for electricity and cooking gas, but it will drastically improve the quality of life of Guyanese, and contribute tremendously to the reduction of poverty nationwide.

This was the message delivered by President Dr Irfaan Ali at State House on Thursday as he addressed a group of Private Sector officials, members of the diplomatic community, and other stakeholders on the upcoming project, which will be developed at Wales on the West Bank of Demerara (WBD).

“The benefits of this project is not only about electricity and the costs for electricity; that is for those who want to, for different reasons, structure it in a narrow construct. This project is a transformational project that must be structured in the transformational construct, because it is directly linked to all the other sectors…,” he affirmed.

Some 150 acres of land

have been allocated for the project, which entails the laying of a 225-kilometre pipeline from the Liza Field offshore. This pipeline is expected to transport a minimum of 50 million cubic feet of natural gas per day initially, with the potential to increase to 120 million.

This project, President Ali expressed, will translate to huge savings at a household level, and for Government.

“We have just over 220,000 households connected to the grid now. The current revenue is about $40B; we cut that in half, it’s $20B. That is $20B in savings for the households of Guyana… $20B that will go back to your pocket…that is $20B of revenue that will now be freed up and made available to be spent in the economy,” the Head of State explained.

He also anticipates that there will also be some $7B in annual savings from cooking gas for households.

Explaining that the current retail price for a 20lb cylinder of cooking gas is $4,500, President Ali noted that “The annual value

of the market, as I speak to you now, is Gy$10.1B”, and with the gas-to-energy project, this will be “substantially less”.

The Government will also be saving big, he asserted.

“Every single month, the GPL and the Government will be saving US$11M…foreign currency that is used to pay for fuel,” President Ali further revealed. And with the savings from the Government end, President Ali reasoned, this will “free up” revenues that can be otherwise invested into other sectors.

He contended that, with these savings, Government spending can be directed to “eliminating hunger, working on infrastructure, expediting our plans on education, health and social security”.

In fact, he explained, the gas-to-energy project falls in line with the Government’s transformation agenda, which rests on six other pillars; being infrastructure, technology, services, food security, human transformation, and mental transformation.

Meanwhile, the gas-to-energy project also comprises the establishment of a gas processing plant and a natural gas liquids facility capable of producing at least 3,500 barrels per day, including the separation of liquefied petroleum gas, otherwise known as cooking gas.

However, President Ali explained that the total domestic demand is 780 barrels a day.

“All things being equal, we will have an excess of 2,600 barrels available… that is more than 330% of the local demand. The potential that this brings for expansion and opportunity is enormous,” President Ali remarked.

“When we talk about Guyana becoming a player

A section of the gathering at the forum providing an outline of the gas-to-energy project

in the regional energy mix and being part of the energy solution of the region, that is what we’re talking about,” he added.

The Guyanese Leader also highlighted that the gas-to-energy project is not just about the energy sector, but has the potential to reduce poverty and improve one’s quality of life.

“More people have access to cheaper energy; some people might decide they can now afford an AC in their room. Some people could decide that they could now invest in a small mill at home to do packaging of juice, to do something,” President Ali explained.

He added, “The project is directly linked to outcomes in relation to poverty reduction, food security, opening up the opportunities for agro-chemicals, fertilisers, and the value chain.”

President Ali further explained that natural gas is far less polluting than fossil fuel, and therefore, the

establishment of this facility would contribute to the country’s efforts to fight climate change.

It is expected that the pipeline system of the gas-to-energy project would be completed in 2024, while the NGL facility should become operational by mid2025.

The project is being undertaken by the Guyana Government in partnership with ExxonMobil’s local affiliate, EEPGL, which would contribute US$1.3B towards the subsea and pipeline network.

Already, nine companies that were prequalified for the project have been invited to submit their proposals for the construction of the project. These are expected to be submitted by September.

The goal is to conclude the contracts in the fourth quarter of this year.

The Government also plans to hire a firm to supervise the contract. “Another layer of independent scruti-

ny, another layer to advance transparency on this project,” Ali expressed.

Once completed, it is projected that the electricity generation costs would be between US¢4 and US¢5 per kilowatt/hour, and this includes paying back for the pipeline, the NGL facility, the powerplant, and operating costs.

“That is quarter what we’re paying now,” Ali highlighted.

In this regard, he pointed out that the gas from the gas-to-energy project “comes to the Government and the people of Guyana free of cost”.

President Ali emphasised that there is nothing to hide about the gas-to-energy project, which he noted has gone through every single test of scrutiny. In this regard, he posited that the initiative would take the country down a prosperous road, and that this “prosperity can only be derailed by our own actions”.

(G11)

14 NEWS

FRIDAY, JULY 1,, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Elderly woman stabbed, chopped to death in ECD apartment T he body of an elderly woman was on Thursday discovered in the bottom flat of a two-storey wooden building at Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

The body has since been identified as that of 87-yearold Agnes Dillon of Lot 32 Mon Repos North, ECD, who reportedly had lived alone.

When contacted, Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum confirmed that the woman’s body bore several injuries, and he said detectives were scoping the area for any information that would be helpful to the investigation.

However, based on information received, the now dead woman had been renting the bottom flat of the building, owned by another pensioner, who occupied the upper flat of the house.

The victim had last been seen washing clothes on Wednesday at about 17:00h.

On Thursday, the landlady did not see the victim, and as such called out to her, but there was no answer. As such, she contacted another neighbour and asked him to check on Dillon.

Upon checking, the neighbour found the main door reportedly secured from the

Dead: Agnes Dillon

inside. He, too, called out to the elderly woman, but to no avail. Suspecting something was amiss, he went to the woman’s bedroom window and managed to get it open.

Upon looking into the bedroom, he saw her lying in a motionless state on the bed. He returned to the main door, which he prised open and entered the house.

A closer inspection revealed that the woman was lying in a pool of blood. Without hesitation, he contacted the Beterverwagting Police Station and related what he had seen.

Police ranks respond-

ed and confirmed that the woman’s body bore several stab wounds to her left and right upper chest, and chops to her right hand and right-side face. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

The crime scene was processed, and a mud print of a shoe was seen on the floor next to a window located on the northern side of the bedroom. In addition, a brown handle knife with bloodstains was found next to the said window.

Dillon’s body has been taken to the Memorial Gardens Funeral Parlour to await a post mortem.

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FRIDAY, JULY 1, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

16 NEWS

FRIDAY, JULY 1, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

71-year-old man is latest COVID-19 death …Govt sourcing new antiviral pill with PAHO’s help

G

uyana’s novel coronavirus death toll has risen to 1,254 after the country recorded its latest COVID-19 death.

The latest COVID-19 fatality is a 71-year-old man of Demerara-Mahaica, who succumbed to the virus on Wednesday. His vaccination status is not known.

Additionally, 70 new COVID-19 cases have been recorded in the last 24 hours, taking the number of active cases to 849. There are two persons in institutional quarantine, 821 in home isolation, 26 in institutional isolation, and two in the ICU. Latest vaccination figures show that, so far, 443,742 persons, or 86.5 percent of persons 18 years and over (adults), have taken the first dose of a vaccine, while some 343,532 persons, or 66.9 percent of adults are fully vaccinated.

25,622 adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17, or 35.1 percent, are fully vaccinated, while 35,025 adolescents, or 48 percent, have taken the first dose of a vaccine.

Vaccination is also available for children between the ages of five and 11 years, and 3,571 of them have received the first dose thus far.

Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony announced on Thursday, during a recent COVID-19 update, that second dose vaccine administration for the 5-11 cohort is ex-

GUYANA COVID-19 DASHBOARD JUNE 30, 2022 UPDATE

NUMBER OF NEW CASES

70

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL ISOLATION

26

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN HOME ISOLATION

pected to begin next week.

Sourcing new treatment

Anthony also noted that, with the help of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Guyana is working on acquiring a new antiviral pill, Paxlovid, to treat high-risk COVID-19 patients in an effort to prevent hospitalisations and deaths.

“We have been working with PAHO and UNICEF to be able to source Paxlovid, and we’re hopeful that we will be able to get the supply of Paxlovid very soon,” Dr. Anthony said.

At present, COVID-19 patients are being treated with Remdesivir. In April, the United States Food and Drug

Administration (FDA) approved the antiviral Veklury (Remdesivir) as the first COVID-19 treatment for young children.

Paxlovid was granted an emergency use authorization (EUA) by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in December of last year for anyone aged 12 and older, who weighs at least 88 pounds and is at high risk for severe disease.

Paxlovid is an oral antiviral pill that can be taken at home to help keep highrisk patients from getting so sick that they need to be hospitalised. According to Yale University, the antiviral pill that was developed by Pfizer has a lot of positives, and is expected to work against the Omicron variant. (G2)

821

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN COVID-19 ICU

2

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL QUARANTINE

2

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (FEMALES)

36,466

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (MALES)

30,929

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES IN GUYANA SINCE 2020

67,395

NUMBER OF RECOVERED CASES

65,292

TOTAL 1st DOSE VACCINATED FULLY IMMUNISED

REGION 1

2575

REGION 2

2917

REGION 3

8418

REGION 4

33,485

REGION 5

2468

REGION 6

6509

REGION 7

2487

REGION 8

886

REGION 9

4079

REGION 10

3571

HERE IS HOW YOU CAN BE SAFE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC Wear a face mask.

443,529 343,324

TOTAL NUMBER OF DEATHS

DISTRIBUTION OF TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES SINCE MARCH 2020

1254

Keep a physical distance of at least 6 feet.

Wash your hands or use handsanitizer If you have any symptoms, call the COVID-19 Hotline.

GET MEDICAL ADVICE ON COVID-19 FROM MOH 24/7 HOTLINE NUMBERS: 2311166; 226 7480; 624 6674; 624 2819; 624 3067 OR 180/181.

Logo competition launched for trafficking in persons unit

I

n an effort to raise awareness and improve the branding of the Counter Trafficking in Persons (C-TIP) Unit, the Human Services and Social Security Ministry on Thursday launched a logo competition for artists and graphic designers countrywide.

Human Services and Social Security Minister, Dr Vindhya Persaud urged creatives to sign up and share their designs.

“Trafficking in Persons is considered modern day slavery; the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security has embarked on a concerted and comprehensive programme to tackle Trafficking in Persons across the country. We want people to be aware of this scourge, we want people to report instances of trafficking.

Human Services and Social Security Minister, Dr Vindhya Persaud

“Trafficking in Persons, in instances, can be right in front of your eyes and yet it is not apparent to you, so by looking at how we can interface better with you, by developing a logo that is easily identifiable from you and your perspective, we would like to create that nexus between the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security and the public, you, the people, so that together we can combat the worst effects of trafficking which really steals the life of a person,” she said.

The competition is not limited to any age but will require entrants to submit their artwork digitally in JPEG or PNG format no smaller than 1000x1000 pixels. Entries could be submitted via email at prmohsss@gmail.com with subject clearly named “C-TIP logo competition”

and the body including the applicant’s full name, age, address, contact information, and a description of the piece.

According to C-TIP Coordinator Tanisha Williams-Corbin, “The logo competition provides a great opportunity for the general populace to join in the fight against human trafficking from a safe space. It provides the opportunity for Guyanese to showcase their creative skills and present a culturally- diverse logo to represent Guyana's efforts in combating human trafficking.”

The competition will run from June 30 until July 15 with a trip for two to Kaieteur Falls up for grabs.

A hybrid system will be used to select the winner of the competition, including a panel from the Ministry.

17 US prepared to deliver as Guyanese woman, daughter many Pfizer vaccines as stabbed to death in Canada Guyana needs – Ambassador T NEWS

FRIDAY, JULY 1, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

U

nited States Ambassador SarahAnn Lynch on Thursday announced that the American Government is committing to deliver as many Pfizer vaccines that Guyana needs to vaccinate the population.

She made these remarks at an event organised to celebrate the 246th Independence anniversary of the US and 56 years of bilateral relationship between the US and Guyana.

Ambassador Lynch pointed out that since the pandemic stuck, many have lost their lives.

As such, the US Government will be donating shots for the paediatric, adolescent and adult categories, as well as booster shots.

“Sadly, during this unprecedented time, many of us lost colleagues, friends, and family, members of our community, and I know that their memories will be a blessing for all of us. In

view of this collective sacrifice, it gives me solace to announce that the United States Government is prepared to collaborate with Guyana and the Ministry of Health to donate as many Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines as Guyana needs. This includes booster and paediatric doses to fully vaccinate, and all of Guyana adults, adolescents and children who are eligible,” the diplomat shared.

Her pledge was welcomed by President Dr Irfaan Ali. The Health Ministry will liaise with the envoy to finalise the figures and shipments.

Since vaccines have been approved, the US Government has made tangible donations of COVID-19 vaccines to the Health Ministry which have been used to immunise Guyanese.

Last year, the US Government contributed 146,250 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines

to Guyana, which signalled a turning point in the country’s vaccination campaign.

The jabs were then introduced to children aged 12 and above.

At that time, 56,000 students enrolled in secondary schools across Guyana and anyone in the age category were eligible for the vaccine. Some from the primary level, TVET, Cyril Potter College of Education and University of Guyana were included.

With the US FDA recently granting approval for use of vaccines for children between six months and four years of age, Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony had positioned this week that Government would want to source the jabs.

However, there are challenges, but Government has initiated a process through its channels to bring the shots here. Generally, it would take some months to access the jabs. (G12)

hree days after a woman and her two teenage daughters were stabbed at their south Ottawa home — killing two of them — a clearer picture of the family is beginning to surface.

Anne-Marie Ready, who worked at Global Affairs Canada, was killed in the Monday night attack at the house she owned on Anoka Street, along with her 15-year-old daughter, Jasmine Ready.

All three stabbing victims are of Guyanese descent.

They had both received black belts together in a recent ceremony at Douvris Martial Arts, according to master sensei John Douvris, a co-founder of the company.

"Anne-Marie and Jasmine were kindhearted, compassionate, energetic and supportive people," Douvris wrote in an emailed statement Thursday.

"Their beautiful smiles and kind laughter made our dojo and karate community a better place. We will miss them immensely.... Our entire karate family is grieving this inexplicable and tremendous loss."

Anne-Marie Ready, 50, was a trade commissioner for Global Affairs Canada's Caribbean engagement division, according to her online LinkedIn page. She had worked at the department since 2017.

In an email to CBC, Global Affairs spokesperson Jason Kung said the department was aware of the "tragic death" of an employee and was reaching out to support relatives and colleagues.

"We extend our deepest sympathies, as well as our thoughts to the family, relatives, and to all those

Dead: Jasmine Ready

Anne-Marie Ready

close to the deceased," Kung wrote.

Prior to 2017, AnneMarie Ready worked in the Embassy of Canada to Peru and the High Commission of Canada to Barbados, according to her online employment history.

Raywat Deonandan, an associate professor at the University of Ottawa who knew her but hadn't spoken to her in several years, said he has "strong memories of a brilliant and caring woman."

"I have always found her to be intensely intelligent and insightful, as well as a devoted mother," he said.

Jasmine Ready had recently finished Grade 10 at the French Catholic high school Franco-Cité in their neighbourhood of Alta Vista.

Her elder sister, 19-yearold Catherine Ready, survived the attack. She was taken to the Ottawa Hospital's Civic campus trauma unit with multiple serious stab wounds and a gunshot wound — the latter sustained when three Ottawa police officers shot and killed her attacker.

Catherine Ready is a student at the University of Ottawa, according to her social media. She had graduated from Franco-Cité last year, according to Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est, which posted a statement about the two teens on social media.

The board wrote in French that its community "is in shock following the drama that occurred Monday in one of our own families."

"We invite you to join us in prayer, that they may find the comfort they need to go through this ordeal," the statement reads.

The girls' father is expected to arrive in Ottawa on Thursday, according to friends of the family.

Relatives of the killer, 21-year-old Joshua Graves, told CBC News he was interested in one of the daughters and had been told not to contact her.

Meanwhile, Ontario's police watchdog is investigating the fatal police shooting of Graves, as well as the shot sustained by Catherine Ready. (cbc.ca news)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

FRIDAY, JULY 1, 2022

Regional

Ecuador’s Government, Caribbean and US set to cooperate on zero hunger plan Indigenous leaders reach agreement ending protests C aricom and the United States will soon launch a zero hunger plan to promote food and nutrition security in the Caribbean.

Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs at the United States Department of State, Brian A Nichols, said this was one of the outcomes from the Summit of the Americas staged earlier in June in the American city of Los Angeles.

“During the Summit, the President (Joe Biden) and Vice President (Kamala Harris) co-hosted their Caribbean counterparts for an in-depth and substantive meeting that will further strengthen our partnerships with the Region,” Nichols said in a media statement released through the US Embassy in Bridgetown.

“Our Caribbean neighbours spoke of their economic challenges stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, the impact of climate change, food and energy insecurity, and lack of access

E

US Assistant Secretary of State, Brian A Nichols

to low-cost financing.

“Seized with these challenges, President Biden and Vice President Harris committed to working with Caricom and the Dominican Republic to form three high-level committees tasked with developing immediate and concrete, joint, and near-term solutions.”

Nichols will co-chair one of the committees that addresses the critical issue of food security for the US. “Food and nutrition insecurity are on the rise in

the Caribbean, with approximately 67.5 per cent of the population experiencing moderate or severe food insecurity,” he said.

“To address these challenges, the US and Caricom will launch a Caribbean Zero Hunger Plan to promote food and nutrition security in the Caribbean. President Biden also announced the US will provide US$28 million in new food security assistance to Caribbean countries.” (Excerpt from Nation News)

cuador’s Government and Indigenous groups’ leaders on Thursday reached an agreement to end more than two weeks of protests against the social and economic policies of President Guillermo Lasso which left at least eight dead, Indigenous leaders said.

Protests organised by Indigenous organisation CONAIE erupted across Ecuador on June 13, with demonstrators’ demands including lower fuel prices and limits to further expansion of the mining and oil industries.

The protests also led to food and medicine shortag-

es and severely impacted the oil industry, Ecuador’s main source of income, costing the country some US$213 million, according to Energy Ministry figures.

“We have achieved the supreme value to which we all aspire: peace in our country,” Lasso said in a message on Twitter that celebrated the end of the protests.

As part of the deal the Government agreed to again lower fuel costs, including on the most used gasoline and diesel, by an extra five cents, following previous cuts of 10 cents per gallon.

The total price cut of 15 cents on both fuels will cost

Much to consider for Caricom Heads of Government

200,000 persons in T&T without water due to bad weather

T

he Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) of Trinidad and Tobago has assured the almost 200,000 people who have been without pipe-borne water due to the inclement weather, that their supply should return soon.

“We are working to restore supply to affected areas over the next 12 to 24 hours, work has already begun in areas where the river level has returned to normal,” WASA’s acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Kelvin Romain said at a media briefing on Wednesday.

WASA Operations Director Shaira Ali told the media that 26 communities

have been affected.

“At this time, we are impacted by 16 of our water treatment facilities and 10 of the surface source intakes, in essence, some of the areas impacted across the country, including Tobago, were in the North East predominantly, in the South areas, in the North Coast areas, in the North West and, of course, in Tobago, there are several facilities out as well,” Ali said.

At the news conference, WASA officials sought to explain why heavy rainfall affects its water output and quality.

WASA said 60 per cent of its supply is dependent on surface water sources, which

include the country’s rivers.

But, as the river levels rise due to increased rainfall, that poses a threat to the utility’s infrastructure.

“When we experience heavy rainfall, it will result in river levels becoming extremely high and there are turbulent conditions, this turbidity or flooded rivers will cause clogging of our intake screens, it means that we could encounter significant damage to our pumps if we were to continue operation.

As such, these pumps must be taken out of operation to allow river conditions to settle and then resume once we have proper conditions,” said Ali. (Excerpt from Reuters)

US delegation fails to secure release of Americans in Venezuela visit

A

US delegation led by President Joe Biden’s chief hostage negotiator ended a visit to Venezuela on Thursday after failing to secure the release of any of the Americans detained there, US officials said.

Hostage affairs envoy Roger Carstens was part of a group that met Venezuelan officials this week to press for the handover of prisoners.

“The trip focused on discussions about the welfare and safety of wrongfully-detained US nationals in Venezuela and to press for their release,” a State Department spokesperson

said, adding that Carstens saw detainees to “assess their well-being”.

The visit also sought to coax President Nicolás Maduro’s Government to restart stalled negotiations with the country’s Opposition, according to people familiar with the matter.

Carstens and US Ambassador to Venezuela, James Story were especially focused on the case of Matthew Heath, a US Marine veteran hospitalised following what his family said was a suicide attempt last week after nearly two years of imprisonment.

The US officials were allowed to visit Heath in a Venezuelan military hospital, the sources said.

Heath is one of at least eight Americans known to be held in Venezuela. Others include five executives of Citgo Petroleum, a USbased unit of Venezuela’s State oil company PDVSA. Though the visit did not lead to releases, it was a fresh sign of tenuous re-engagement after years of hostilities between the United States and Venezuela, and comes as Russia’s war against Ukraine has hit global oil supplies. (Excerpt from Reuters)

some US$340 million a year, the Finance Ministry said.

The agreement could lift a declaration of force majeure over State-run Petroecuador’s exports of Oriente crude oil by July 7, a company executive told Reuters. The protests had cut daily oil production by more than half the prior level.

The Energy Ministry said a power station was being put back in service following the withdrawal of demonstrators and a nine-day suspension of service, another step to normalising the energy industry. (Excerpt from Reuters)

The 43rd Caricom Heads of Government conference will be held from July 3 to 5 in Paramaribo, Suriname

A

fter the schedule of international meetings held this month engaging Caricom Heads and Ministers, the 43rd Caricom Heads of Government Conference will be hosted by the President of Suriname, Chandrikapersad “Chan” Santokhi, from July 3 to 5 in Paramaribo.

Suriname becomes Chair of Caricom today, July 1, and this meeting provides an opportunity for this country, under its current leadership, to be show-

cased within the Region.

Suriname is not always in the regional news cycle, but the country, along with Guyana, has oil reserves, and the focus recently has been on forging a closer relationship between both countries.

The Caricom Heads meeting is usually organised around Caricom Day on July 4, which is only a public holiday in Guyana and only marginally observed in other Caricom countries.

This demonstrates the

trend in Caricom that a decision agreed by Heads of Government is still not fully implemented throughout the Caribbean.

As is the custom, newly-elected Caricom heads of government will address the conference, including the most recently-elected, Grenadian Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell.

He became leader of the National Democratic Congress party in St George’s in October 2021 and seems to be quite new to the political scene.

The NDC won Grenada’s general election on June 23, and Mitchell will be making his inaugural address, along with Philip Davis of The Bahamas and Philip Pierre of St Lucia.

The Heads of Government continue to have a heavy agenda before them that entails reporting on progress in the many actions emerging from the inter-sessional meeting held in March in Belize. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Suspect identified in murder of three Jamaicans in Queens

P

olice investigators in New York have named a suspect in the killing of three Jamaicans whose decomposed bodies were found last Friday at their South Jamaica home in Queens.

He has been identified as 29-year-old Travis Blake.

The New York Police Department (NYPD) released a photograph of the man on Wednesday.

The victims of the killings were identified by relatives as 55-year-old Karleen Barnett; her son, Dervon Brightly, 35; and a family friend Varshanna “Brittany” Malcolm, 22, who is believed to have been visiting.

All three victims were found with multiple stab wounds inside the single-family house, Police sources and media reports said.

Blake was allegedly dating Barnett, according to a report from the New York Post on Wednesday.

Malcolm, during a telephone conversation with her brother last Wednesday, had said Blake had stopped by the home to “pick up his property”, Police and other sources told New York Post.

Police have not yet determined a motive. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

guyanatimesgy.com

FRIDAY, JULY 1, 2022

19

Around the World

OILNEWS OIL NEWS Oil falls 3% on uncertainty over future OPEC+ output, recession fears

O

il prices sank around three per cent on Thursday as the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries plus (OPEC+) confirmed it would only increase output in August as much as previously announced despite tight global supplies, but left the market wondering about future output.

Brent crude futures for September delivery fell US$3.42, or three per cent, to settle at US$109.03 per barrel. The August contract, which expired on Thursday, fell US$1.45, or 1.3 per cent, to settle at US$114.81 a barrel.

West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures fell US$4.02, or 3.7 per cent, to settle at US$105.76 a barrel.

The OPEC+ group of producers, including Russia, on Thursday agreed to stick to its output strategy after two days of meetings. The producer club avoided discussing policy from September onwards.

Previously, OPEC+ decided to increase output each month by 648,000 barrels per day (bpd) in July and August.

Sanctions on Russian oil since Russia's invasion of Ukraine have helped send energy prices soaring, stoking inflation and recession fears.

Oil prices fell alongside Wall Street on Thursday. The S&P 500 was set up for its worst first six months since 1970, on concerns that central banks determined to tame inflation will hamper global economic growth.

Price declines in the oil market were exacerbated as US traders squared positions ahead of the three-day Fourth of July holiday weekend.

"People are taking money off the table," said Phil Flynn, analyst at Price Futures Group in Chicago.

But further disruptions to supply could limit price declines amid a suspension of Libyan shipments from two eastern ports while Ecuador output fell because of ongoing protests.

In Norway, 74 offshore oil workers at Equinor's Gudrun, Oseberg South and Oseberg East platforms will go on strike from July 5, the Lederne trade union said on Thursday, likely shutting about four per cent of Norway's oil production.

Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said on Thursday that a possible import price cap imposed on Russian oil could push prices higher. (Reuters)

Ketanji Brown Jackson sworn in to US top court

K

etanji Brown Jackson has been sworn in as the newest associate Supreme Court Justice, becoming the first black woman to serve on the nation's highest court.

The appointment follows one of the most consequential Supreme Court terms in recent memory, with significant rulings on abortion and gun rights.

Jackson, 51, will replace Justice Stephen Breyer, joining the court's three-member liberal minority.

She accepts "the solemn responsibility" of the role, she said in a statement.

The former public defend-

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson is sworn in as an Associate Justice of the US Supreme Court by Chief Justice John Roberts at the US Supreme Court in Washington, June 30, 2022. Holding the Bible is Jackson’s husband Patrick Jackson (Supreme Court of the United States/via Reuters)

er joins the court at a tumultuous period in its history. The nine-member court is currently split between

Russia abandons Black Sea outpost of Snake Island in victory for Ukraine

R

ussian forces abandoned the strategic Black Sea outpost of Snake Island on Thursday in a victory for Ukraine that could loosen the grip of Russia's blockade on Ukrainian ports.

Russia said it had decided to withdraw from the outcrop off Ukraine's southwestern coast as a "gesture of goodwill" to show Moscow was not obstructing United Nations attempts to open a humanitarian corridor allowing grains to be shipped from Ukraine.

Ukraine said it had driven

the Russian forces out after an artillery and missile assault overnight.

"KABOOM!" tweeted Andriy Yermak, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's Chief of Staff. "No Russian troops on the Snake Island anymore. Our Armed Forces did a great job."

In contrast, however, a Ukrainian official in the heavily-fought eastern province of Luhansk described difficulties for Ukrainian forces in the city of Lysychansk on Thursday.

Russian artillery shelled from different directions

Supreme Court ruling casts cloud over US leadership Sri Lanka makes progress in global climate fight towards IMF support

T

he International Monetary Fund (IMF) said its talks with crisis-hit Sri Lanka had been "constructive" on Thursday, raising hopes it would soon grant preliminary approval for a desperately-needed financial support package.

Sri Lanka has had to shut schools and stop providing fuel to all but essential services this week after years of economic mismanagement have seen it run out of money.

"The discussions will continue virtually with a view to reaching a staff-level agreement on the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangement in the near term," the IMF said following 10 days of talks with Sri Lankan officials.

A staff agreement is a key step in IMF deals. To be finalised, the agreement needs approval from the IMF's Executive Board, but importantly for the process, it lays out the measures Governments need to take in

return.

"Because public debt is assessed as unsustainable, Executive Board approval would require adequate financing assurances from Sri Lanka's creditors that debt sustainability will be restored," the IMF said.

Those assurances are likely to be highly sensitive in Sri Lanka.

Protests, some of them violent, in recent months have forced a number of key Ministers to resign, leaving President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe struggling to stabilise the nation.

The country also owes at least US$3.5 billion to China and other countries, and global investment funds that have also lent tens of billions to Colombo want assurances that any debt relief they provide will be matched

by Beijing. (Excerpt from Reuters)

six Republican-appointed Justices and three picked by Democrats.

In recent weeks it delivered

several blockbuster decisions – overturning the 50-year-old Roe v Wade decision on abortion, striking down a New York law restricting gun-carrying rights, and limiting the US Environmental Protection Agency's power to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The lifetime appointment will likely see Jackson on the bench for decades, but will not shift the current ideological balance of the court.

The addition of Jackson to the court means that its liberal minority – with Justice Elena Kagan and Justice Sonia Sotomayor – will be made up entirely of women.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

A

Supreme Court ruling on Thursday limiting Washington's authority to reduce carbon output from power plants will hurt global efforts to fight climate change by slowing America's emissions cuts and undermining US leadership efforts on the international stage, according to diplomats.

The conservative court's 6-3 ruling, the latest in a flurry of controversial judicial decisions from the bench, comes as the Administration of US President Joe Biden seeks to decarbonize the US economy and rally global ambition to move away from greenhouse gas-emitting fossil fuels to cleaner sources.

"It is very disappointing as it makes it very difficult for the US Administration to enforce the move to reduce emissions of GHGs," said Carlos Fuller, Belize's Ambassador to the United Nations. "It also puts the

Administration in a very weak negotiating position, as their attempts to get everyone to increase their ambition will be met with scepticism."

In a rare criticism of a member state, the United Nations on Thursday called the Supreme Court ruling "a setback in our fight against climate change."

"Decisions like the one today in the US or any other major emitting economy make it harder to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement for a healthy, liveable planet," United Nations spokesman Stephane Dujarric said, referring to a 2015 international deal to curb warming.

"But we also need to remember that an emergency as global in nature as climate change requires a global response, and the actions of a single nation should not and cannot make or break whether we reach our climate objectives."

(Excerpt from Reuters)

while the Russian army was approaching from different sides, regional governor Serhiy Gaidai said on Ukrainian television.

"Residents have been told to remain in underground shelters indefinitely as it is very dangerous," Gaidai said.

An official from the pro-Russian separatist administration in Luhansk

province told RIA news agency the Lysychansk oil refinery was now fully controlled

by Russian and pro-Russian forces, and all roads to Lysychansk were also under their control. Ukraine says the main road out is largely impassable because of fighting, but the city is not yet fully cut off. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Xi Jinping in Hong Kong to mark 25 years of handover

H

President Xi Jinping is in Hong Kong to mark 25 years of handover

ong Kong will today mark 25 years since the city was handed back by the British to China.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is visiting the city in what is his first trip outside mainland China since January 2020 when the pandemic broke out.

His last trip to Hong Kong was in 2017 during its 20th anniversary handover.

The anniversary used to be marked by protests, but these have been muted since the introduction in 2020 of a security law that has silenced dissent.

Various official events celebrating the handover will be held across the city today, a public holiday.

They typically culminate

in a firework display over Victoria Harbour.

This comes in the wake of an Omicron outbreak in Hong Kong which fuelled doubts over whether Xi would cancel his visit.

But he arrived in Hong Kong on Thursday via a high-speed train. He was greeted by outgoing chief executive Carrie Lam who spent her last day in office in COVID quarantine before she met Xi. Although details of his itinerary have not been made public, reports said he crossed the border again to spend the night in the nearby city of Shenzhen before returning to Hong Kong, today, where he is expected to deliver a speech. (Excerpt from BBC News)

20

FRIDAY, JULY 1, 2022

guyanatimesgy.com

DAILY HOROSCOPES

ARCHIE

Plan a fun outing or spend time with someone who makes you feel good about yourself. Make personal gain, romance and self-improvement your goals, and discuss your intentions with others.

(March 21-April 19) Be honest when dealing with domestic matters. Someone won't see things your way. Give others the freedom you expect in return. Set boundaries to avoid getting roped into sticky situations.

DILBERT (April 20-May 20)

Expand your interests and circle of friends. Consider what you can offer to improve your life and alleviate any concerns. A self-improvement project will fetch compliments.

(May 21-June 20)

PEANUTS (June 21-July 22)

Put things in perspective before disrupting your life or someone else's.

Gather facts and be willing to compromise. Try to discourage negativity by keeping the peace. Apply for something you find intriguing.

A sensitive issue will surface. Listen and take notes to ensure you get your facts straight, and use the information to set yourself up for success. An investment will pay off.

(July 23-Aug. 22) Don't let fear limit you. If change is necessary, jump in and make the adjustments required to improve your lifestyle and relationships. Social events will help you connect with someone influential.

CALVIN AND HOBBES

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Jump in and take advantage of every possible opportunity. Position yourself for success and mix business with pleasure. The more active and vibrant you are, the more persuasive you'll be.

(Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Take advantage of a sensitive situation instead of letting someone use you for their own gain. Don't take on responsibilities that don't belong to you.

Distance yourself from trouble.

SUDOKU (Oct. 24-Nov. 22)

Wheel and deal until you get what you want. Your chatter will stir interest and win approval from someone you respect. A positive change at home will allow you more freedom and space.

(Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Don't get angry; get moving. Put your energy into something that matters to you, and take a positive step toward improving your home, relationships and the way you do business.

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Focus on moving forward, and don't stop until you're satisfied. Using your wit and charm to bring out the best in others will gain you recognition and praise. Spend time with a loved one.

(Jan. 20-Feb. 19)

(Feb. 20-March 20)

Take the time to do a good job and finish what you start. Your reputation depends on how you handle other people and sensitive matters. Don't divulge secrets or give anyone access to personal data.

FRIDAY, JULY 1, 2022

21

Milo games on Sunday and Monday

T

The Milo School’s Football tournament will resume this Sunday

he Milo Under-18 School’s Football tournament will return this holiday

weekend, after taking a pause due to inclement weather.

The Milo tournament

returned on the weekend of June 18 and 19, following a twoyear hiatus as a result of the

COVID-19 pandemic. However, torrential rainfall in Georgetown took centre stage the following

week, forcing organisers, the Petra Organization, to put the tournament on pause for a week, owing to concerns about the host venue.

Nonetheless, the Ministry of Education (MoE) Ground on Carifesta Avenue, Georgetown will play host to eight games on Sunday and Monday.

Highlighting that they wished to take advantage of the national holiday on Monday, July 4th, the games intended for last weekend will finally be staged.

On Sunday, Carmel Secondary School will take on the fearsome defending champions Christianburg Wismar Secondary of Linden from 12:30 hrs. the next game, at 14:00hrs, will see Marian Academy and West Ruimveldt

Secondary going head-to-head, while Uitvlugt Secondary and Cummings Lodge Secondary do battle at 15:30hrs. the final game on Sunday will see North Ruimveldt Secondary and Canje Secondary hunting a spot in the next round of play.

On Monday, Caricom Day, an all-East Coast battle is up first, with Golden Grove Secondary and Annandale Secondary meeting in the first game, at 12:30hrs. Dolphin Secondary will lock horns with new Central High School at 14:00hrs, while Tucville Secondary and Friendship Secondary do battle at 15:30hrs. The final game on Monday would witness Lodge Secondary clashing with President’s College from 17:00hrs.

Diamond League Meet in Stockholm, Sweden…

G

reat Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith held on to claim a morale-

boosting 200m win in the Diamond League on Thursday.

The 26-year-old 200m

evin Durant has requested a trade away from the Brooklyn Nets, according to widespread reports.

With free agency due to start later on Thursday, the day’s biggest story is certain to centre around the former MVP. Durant is under contract until 2026, but ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said Nets general manager Sean Marks was working with the player and his business manager Rich Kleiman to find a trade. The 12-time All-Star forward is now 33, yet would command a huge trade package.

Wojnarowski described Durant as “one of the most valuable trade assets ever on the market”. He added the Nets had taken calls, and would expect “a historic return on players and draft picks”. The Phoenix Suns and the Miami Heat have been listed among potential destinations.

Murmurings of discontent around Durant, who joined the Nets from the Golden State Warriors in a 2019 sign-andtrade, had emerged in recent weeks. Durant had sought to turn the Nets into a contender when he and close friend Kyrie Irving went to Brooklyn, where they were later joined by James Harden.

But the ‘big three’ did not deliver, and Harden was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers last season, as Irving spent an extended period on

the sideline after refusing a coronavirus vaccine.

Irving eventually returned to play, and has opted in to his contract with the Nets, but Durant now appears determined to force his way out.

The two-time champion and two-time Finals MVP would likely make any suitor a major threat in the 202223 season.

(Sportsmax)

K

World champion, who will defend her title in Oregon next month, had been a surprise second to Daryll Neita over 100m at the UK Championships, but ran 22.364 seconds in Stockholm to edge out Switzerland’s Mujinga Kambundji (22.367).

Lorraine Ugen was GB’s other winner in the Swedish capital, with a season’s best of 6.81m in the women’s long jump. That was enough to finish ahead of Ukraine’s Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk (6.76m) and Sweden’s Khaddi Sagnia (6.74).

Denmark’s Ida Karstoft (22.90) was third in the women’s 200m, as AsherSmith claimed her first win over the distance in 2022, having previously come third at the Diamond League events in Doha and Rome.

Fellow Tokyo 2020 medalist Keely Hodgkinson came second in the women’s 800m, with Kenya’s Mary Moraa winning in a time of 1 minute, 57.68 seconds. Hodgkinson, the 2021 Diamond League champion, ran 1:58.18,

GB’s Dina Asher-Smith

while Australia’s Catriona Bisset was third in 1:58.54.

With Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs a late withdrawal for the 100m, Britain’s Reece Prescod also had to settle for second place, after running 10.15, with South Africa’s Akani Simbine taking the win (10.02) and Jimmy Vicaut of France placing third (10.19).

Olympic champion Armand Duplantis gave the home crowd something to cheer, as the Swede won the men’s pole vault with 6.16m - an outdoor World record. The record came on his second

attempt, and bettered by 1cm his previous outdoor best, set in Rome in September 2020.

The 22-year-old Olympic champion holds the overall World record of 6.20m, set at the World Indoor Championships in Belgrade in March.

On the outdoor record, Stockholm-based Duplantis said it felt “quite amazing… but really wasn’t that much of a surprise for me. There’s better things that I can do.”

He added, “I felt really good jumping today, but it wasn’t like I did everything so perfect that I don’t think I can do any

better.

“It’s extra special when you’re jumping on the track where you train. I live about 10 minutes away, so you want to defend your home territory first and foremost.”

Elsewhere, Brazil’s Olympic bronze medalist Alison dos Santos won the men’s 400m hurdles in a world-leading time of 46.80.

India’s Olympic javelin champion Neeraj Chopra threw a national record of 89.94m, but still finished behind Anderson Peters of Grenada (90.31m).

(BBC Sport)

U-20 Reggae Boyz fail to reach World Cup

-after 1-0 loss to Dominican Republic

J

Kevin Durant reportedly requested a trade on Thursday

amaica’s Under-20 Reggae Boyz failed in their bid to advance to the semifinals of the Concacaf Men’s U-20 Championship and FIFA U-20 World Cup following a 1-0 loss to qualifiers Dominican Republic.

In a match that saw few clear-cut scoring opportunities, Ángel Montes got the all-important goal for the Dominican Republic in the 10th minute. From a throwin, the forward slipped away from a napping defence and fired the ball wide of

The Dominican Republic celebrating their lone goal against Jamaica

Jamaican goalkeeper Coniah Boyce Clarke.

The Dominican Republic, who defended stoutly against

a listless Jamaican attack, seemed to have doubled their lead heading to halftime, but Edison Azcona’s 41st-minute strike was ruled to have been offside.

The Dominican Republic will now advance to play the winner of the GuatemalaMexico City match in the competition’s semifinal.

By virtue of making the final four, however, the team has advanced to the FIFA Under-20 World Cup for the first time in its history. (Sportsmax)

22

FRIDAY, JULY 1, 2022

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

CLASSIFIED ADS ACCOMMODATIONS right way, along with support from UEFA and the DFA. “There’s some good initiatives and projects in the works here, as far as I understand. So, it’s a good foundation to continue the work of developing football here, and I’m really looking forward to monitor the progress and see how the development is going to go,” Bjerg further related to this publication.

Through UEFA Assist, the DFU and GFF signed in 2019 a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which signalled the beginning of their partnership.

By Jemima Holmes

D

anish Football Union (DFU) E x e c u t i v e Secretary Mikkel Bjerg visited Guyana last week, alongside Barcelona and Danish National team forward Martin Braithwaite and family, for Martin’s introduction as the Goodwill Ambassador between Guyana and Denmark.

The DFU Executive Secretary has revealed that he enjoyed the food, culture and sites that Guyana had on display during his first visit here. However, Bjerg is even more excited about the DFU-GFF partnership that is taking flight.

While here, Guyana Times Sport had an exclusive sit- down with Bjerg as he spoke about the most memorable aspects of his trip to Guyana.

“We’ve waited a long time to actually be able to go here. With the pandemic hopefully in the background now, it’s so nice to be here to experience the culture, the food. The food is really, really good; a little bit spicier than I’m used to, but it’s really tasty. And it’s such a wonderful experience to see this country with all its natural richness and friendly people,” Bjerg said about his trip to Guyana.

DFU Executive Secretary, Mikkel Bjerg

Turning his attention to the reason for his visit, Bjerg expressed relief at being able to get the DFU-Guyana Football Federation (GFF) going after the pandemic’s halt.

“It’s a big relief. Martin was really eager to go here.

He was supposed to go here in 2020, but because of the pandemic it wasn’t possible; so, we talk about this as the second half of the cooperation, where we really kick off things and start the good initiatives that are on the table.”

Bjerg went on to state, “From there we can build, and who knows what’s go-

ing to happen in the future? Maybe we can extend the partnership.”

About Martin’s visit here, Bjerg is confident that it would do wonders for the partnership, and he hopes this would result in significant football development for Guyana in the future.

The DFU Executive Secretary said, “…really, really big impact. As Chris Milnes from UEFA mentioned, it’s the first time that they’ve actually had a global football star participate, which shows a lot about Martin’s character that he really wants to do

GCB U-17 50-Over tournament…

this. He’s invested in the project, so I think it will have a massive impact.

“Also, for the interested parties that want to help, I see the Blu Water (Shipping) really active here in the local society, so I think there’s a lot of strong forces to push the development in the

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‘Learning on the job’ Matthews finding the balance for player/captain role

Berbice beat Rising Stars by 13 runs

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Newly-appointed West Indies Women’s Captain, Hayley Matthews

The Berbice U-17 team defeated their Rising Stars U-17 counterparts

T

he Berbice Under-17 cricket team have defeated the Guyana Cricket Board’s Rising Stars Under-17 team by 13 runs in the GCB Under-17 InterCounty 50-Over tournament played at La Bonne Intention, East Coast Demerara.

Batting first, Berbice posted 132-9 in a game reduced by rain to 45 overs, then restricted Rising Stars to 119 all out in 45 overs. Player of the match

Matthew Pottoya, who plays locally for Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club, led the way for Berbice with 44 runs from 53 balls in an innings that included three sixes and one four. Rose Hall Canje’s Sanjay Algoo and Romesh Bharat each made 15 runs, while extras contributed 28 runs to the total.

Wavell Allen was the pick of the Rising Stars bowlers with 3-15 from five overs, while Nityanand Mathura

returned figures of 2-21.

In reply, Rising Stars lost wickets at regular intervals. Only Nyron Hicks offered resistance with his 40-ball 29; and Allen, who made 25 from 38 balls, batted at number ten.

Berbice gave 18 extras to Rising Stars, but still ensured a 13-run win. Legspinner Sanjay Algoo, who claimed 3-20, was the pick of the bowlers, while Afraz Budhoo had 2-20 and Salim Khan had 2-21.

ewly appointed West Indies Women’s Team Captain Hayley Matthews has admitted her new role would require plenty of learning on the job.

The 24-year-old all-rounder was named captain of the Caribbean team last week, taking over from Stafanie Taylor, who took charge of the team in 2015.

Matthews has been a rising star for the team over the last two years, and was the most outstanding player for the West Indies Women during the last ODI World Cup. However, leading a squad that still

has quite a few veteran players would be an entirely new experience.

“I’m still trying to balance being player and captain. As a player, I am still trying to perform as best as I can, and lead by example.

That’s something a captain needs to do, lead by example 100 percent,” Matthews told the Mason and Guest show.

“I know my success as a player is very important to the team, obviously going forward at the same time I am captain as well. It’s a lot to take on, it’s obviously a team-first mentality, and I have a lot of learning to do on the job.” (Sportsmax)

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23

Keemo Paul impresses Dr Desmond Haynes

-but Haynes feels Paul was overused in Four-Day tournament

Keemo Paul has had a five-wicket haul in T20Is Additionally, Paul bowled 142.2overs, the most by any eemo Paul is a man fast-bowler in the tournaon a mission. Set to ment. return to the T20I "I observed a few games in team for the first time since the Four-Day competition in November 2020, this son Trinidad, and I was very imof Guyana’s soil, who hails pressed with Keemo. I think from the Cinderella county what I am looking for as a of Essequibo, recently played selector, I want to have our an ODI against Pakistan on bowlers competing. I don’t June 12 2022, and has im- want it to seem like we are pressed Cricket West Indies the friendliest team in the Lead Selector Dr Desmond world, we are the nicest guys; Haynes during the Regional I want to see us with some atFirst-Class season. titude, where we are in peoSpeaking to the media ple’s faces and we are telling on Wednesday afternoon, Dr people we are here to comHaynes said Paul was over- pete,” Dr Haynes has said. used during the Four-Day He added: “We might tournament, in which he not be high up in the table, claimed 21 wickets, the sec- but we are here to compete ond most in the tournament. among the best, and I think

By Brandon Corlette

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that Keemo Paul showed me [he is] that type of person.”

As CWI Lead Selector, Dr Haynes further noted: “What my concern was, watching Keemo Paul in the Four-Day competition, was Guyana [Harpy Eagles] was overusing him, as far as I am concerned. Someone coming back from injury, you should be looking after these guys some more, so when they get the opportunity to play for West Indies, they can give us a lot.”

With four of the six whiteball matches between West Indies and Bangladesh set to be played at the Providence facility in Guyana, the 24-year-old Paul is expected to play a major role at home with both bat and ball.

“We don’t want to be in a situation where we are selecting guys and when they come into the squad they can’t give us 100% support. I was very impressed, and I think he can play a big role in our one-day side,” Dr Haynes has said of Keemo Paul.

The West Indies team for the T20 Internationals is as follows: Nicholas Pooran (Captain), Rovman Powell (Vice Captain), Shamarh Brooks, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri

BCB/Dr Puran Singh Financial Incentive Scheme…

BCB rewards National U19 female players with stipends

"W

e at the Berbice Cricket Board are very proud of each one of you. Our decision to invest heavily into female cricket (comes out of our) Dr Puran Singh Incentive Scheme.

Each one of you is proof that it was a wise (decision). Go out and make sure that you represent the legacy of Kanhai, Butcher and Kallicharran with pride, passion and dedication!

“You are following in the footsteps of Shemaine Campbelle who, without doubt, is the best female cricketer Guyana has ever produced; do not disappoint her."

Those were the words of Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) President Hilbert Foster at a special ceremony on Friday last at the St Francis Community Developers Centre, as the BCB handed over financial stipends worth ten thousand dollars each to nine under-19 players who gained selection to the Guyanese national team.

The nine players would shortly leave Guyana to participate in the Cricket West Indies Under-19 female tournament in Trinidad.

The financial stipend, totalling ninety thousand dollars, was handed out under the BCB/Dr Puran Singh Financial Incentive Scheme, under which the BCB would

The nine players posing with Courtney Walsh after receiving their stipends provide ten thousand dollars (US$50) to every Berbice player who gains selection to the national team at the under-15, under-17 and under-19 levels.

Foster, speaking on the importance of the girls understanding their role as ambassadors of the Berbice brand, has urged the players to follow the basics and to remember what they had learned from their cricket coaches during the numerous coaching sessions organised by the BCB. Apart from the local coaches, Berbice junior female players were involved in coaching sessions with coaches like Sir Andy Roberts, Sir Curtly Ambrose, Jimmy Adams, Dr Desmond Haynes, Roland Butcher, Courtney Walsh, Nolan McKenzie, Clyde Butts, Reon King and Sheik Mohamed.

West Indies cricketing legend Courtney Walsh congratulated the players on

their national selection and urged them to perform to their best. He also spoke on the importance of being disciplined, focused and dedicated. The former world record holder told the players he would be following their performance with keen interest, as they are the future of West Indies cricket.

Captain of the team, Ashmini Munisar, has expressed gratitude to the BCB and Dr Singh for the support, and has committed the players to making the ‘ancient county’ very proud. Apart from Munisar, the other players are Trisha Hardat, Priya Mahadeo, Leah Kamalall, Jamie Campbell, Niveena Ramnauth, Crystal Durant, Darshanie Subrammie and Realeanne Grimmond.

Dr Puran Singh, a Berbician, is a medical doctor who now resides in Barbados. He has been a major sponsor of Berbice Cricket since 2019.

Joseph, Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, Obed McCoy, Keemo Paul, Romario Shepherd, Odean Smith, Devon Thomas and Hayden Walsh Jr. The Reserve player is Dominic Drakes.

The squad for the OneDay Internationals is as follows: Nicholas Pooran (Captain), Shai Hope (Vice Captain), Shamarh Brooks, Keacy Carty, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph,

Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, Gudakesh Motie, Keemo Paul, Anderson Phillip, Rovman Powell and Jayden Seales.

The Reserve player is Romario Shepherd.

Team Guyana in action today as Caribbean Games commence

A

The 20-member Guyanese Contingent to the first-ever Caribbean Games

Guyanese contingent proudly sported the Golden Arrowhead for all to see on Wednesday night at the opening ceremony of the first ever Caribbean Games in Guadeloupe.

The Caribbean Games, which began on June 29 and will run until Sunday, July 3, 2022, is an under-23 competition at which Guyana will be represented by a 20-member team that includes 16 athletes, three coaches and a chef de mission.

The athletics team, which will be coached by Glenton Pantlitz, comprises Joanna Archer, Juvonna Cornette, Kieron De Souza, Kenisha Phillips, Chantoba

Bright, Revon Williams and Loneil Marks.

Coached by Sileena Arjune, the 3x3 Basketball team includes Kimol Grimmond, Stanton Rose, Timothy Thompson and Yonnick Tappin.

The swimming team comprises Paul Mahaica Jr., Patrice Mahaica, Sekhel Tzedeq, Zara Crane and Raekwon Noel, and is being coached by Paul Mahaica Snr. Deion Nurse is the team’s chef de mission.

While swimming commenced on Thursday, the 3x3 basketball team and the track and field team will spring into action today, Friday. Guyana’s Basketball Team will come up against

Guadeloupe, Cuba and St. Lucia at 1pm, 3.30pm and 6.30pm (Guadeloupe Time).

With regard to athletics, events like the 100m preliminaries and finals, the Long Jump and 400m prelims are scheduled for today.

The other sport disciplines that would see competition at the games are Judo, Netball and Futsal.

With Guyana’s Netball being dormant acting as the reason for that discipline’s omission from Guyana’s contingent, the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) have highlighted that they had reached out to the Futsal and Cycling bodies, but there were challenges barring them from competing at the games.

FRIDAY, JULY 1, 2022

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

Team Guyana in action today as Caribbean Games commence Pg 23

Guyana’s contingent during the Parade of Nations at the Caribbean Games’ opening ceremony

Pg 23

impresses Dr Desmond Haynes

Keemo Paul

-but Haynes feels Paul was overused in Four-Day tournament

keen on Guyana’s development through GFF-DFU collab Pg 22

DFU Executive Secretary Mikkel Bjerg

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