GPHC, Operation Walk Maryland conduct 57 joint replacement surgeries
Guyana has “big role” in creating new world order in Global South – PM Modi
– says India sees Guyana as “gateway” into LAC region
Arrest warrants issued for Netanyahu, Gallant & Hamas commander over alleged war crimes Teens among 4 charged with murder of chainsaw operator
Murder suspect among 2 arrested at Agatash
LCL preparing Guyanese companies to compete regionally, internationally – Dr Pertab
Govt to update laws to impose fines, revoke licences for illegal use of sirens
BRIDGE OPENINGS
The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:
Friday, November 22 – 20:30 hrs - 22:00 hrs and Friday, November 22 – 21:30h-23:00h.
The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:
Friday, November 22 - 8:35 hrs to 10:05 hrs and Friday, November 22 - 9:45 hrs to 11:15 hrs
FERRY SCHEDULE
Guyana has “big role” in creating new world order in Global South – PM Modi –
says India sees Guyana as “gateway” into LAC
region
Parika and Supenaam departure times – 05:00h, 10:00h-12:00h, 16:00h, 18:30h daily.
Celsius and 32 degrees Celsius.
Winds: East North-Easterly to East South-Easterly between 1.79 metres and 4.02 metres.
High Tide: 17:55h reaching a maximum height of 2.70 metres.
Low Tide: 11:29h reaching a minimum height of 0.69
aving already positioned itself as a voice for the Global South, India believes Guyana can play a key role in creating a new world order to correct many of the challenges facing this hemisphere and create a new global order.
This was the view of Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, during an address on Thursday to a Special Sitting of Guyana’s National Assembly at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown. The Indian Leader was on a historic three-day State Visit to Guyana, which wrapped up on Thursday evening following a meeting with the Indian diaspora at the National Cultural Centre.
According to Prime Minister Modi, many of the systems and institutions created after the Second World War are crumbling and demand a new global order to address the many challenges being faced by those in the Global South.
On this note, the Indian Leader outlined that his country’s mantra of ‘Democracy First, Humanity First’ underscores the importance of correcting the imbalances that affect nations in the Global South, which are now being forced to pay the highest price especially when it comes to climate change.
PM Modi believes that like India, Guyana could play a significant role in this regard.
“Whether it is India or Guyana, we also have our aspirations for development… And that is why it is of utmost importance that the Global South speaks in one voice. This is a moment of awakening for the countries of the Global South. This moment presents us with an opportunity to work together and to create a new world order. And in this, I see a big role for Guyana and for all of the people representatives present here today,” the Indian Leader told the Members of the 12th Parliament.
He pointed out that there is no better system than democracy to build an inclusive society – one that guarantees the protection of all its citizens’ rights and a bright future for them. However, he noted that this is only possible when countries let
‘Democracy First, Humanity First’ take centre stage.
“Both our countries have shown that democracy is not just a law. It is not just a system. We have shown, it is in our DNA. It is reflected in our vision and our actions. Friends, our human-centric approach, teaches us that every country is equally important and citizens of every country are equally important.”
“Even if, a single country or a single region is left behind, we would never be able to achieve our global goals. That is why India believes every nation matters… [And] I believe that whether it is space or the seas, these should not be zones of conflict but rather of universal cooperation for the world… This is not a time for conflicts. This is a time to identify and address reasons that give rise to conflicts,” the Indian PM asserted.
Modi reminded that both Guyana and India have faced similar historical challenges, and after coming out of colonialism, they are emerging as key global democracies.
“Today, our countries are strengthening democracy in
the world…I congratulate each member of Guyana’s Parliament…Every single effort by you to strengthen democracy in Guyana is contributing to development in the world. As we make efforts to strengthen democracy, we have also continuously [kept] an eye on what is happening around the world,” the Indian Leader stated.
Turning his attention to bilateral cooperation, PM Modi has recognised Guyana as a bridge to the Latin America and Caribbean regions (LAC). In fact, he stated that the already strong Guyana-India relations are entering a new stage of cooperation.
“Friends, for us, Guyana is a gateway to the vast Latin American continent. You can become a bridge of opportunities and possibilities between India and this vast continent. And together, we can further improve the India-CARICOM partnership.”
Only Wednesday, PM Modi co-hosted the second CARICOM-India Summit at the Marriott Hotel in
Georgetown, where an agreement was made to further expand existing partnership between the two.
Similarly, bilateral engagements between the Guyana Government and the Modi-led visiting Indian delegation will build on established cooperation between the two nations. According to the Indian Leader, this collaboration will continue.
“India is extending all possible support for Guyana’s development. India and Guyana are working together to ensure that there is investment here in infrastructure and that there is investment here in capacity-building…”
“We view Guyana as an important energy source. We are also making continuous efforts to ensure that our businesses invest more in Guyana… You are also aware that India has a huge youth capital. India has a quality education and skilled development ecosystem. India will be happy to host as many students as possible from Guyana,” the Indian PM stated. (G-8)
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing a Special Sitting of the Guyana National Assembly on Thursday
Attendees at Thursday’s Special Sitting of the Guyana National Assembly
Editor: Tusika Martin
News Hotline: 231-8063Editorial: 231-0544, 223-7230, 223-7231, 225-7761
Marketing: 231-8064Accounts: 225-6707
Mailing address: Queens Atlantic Industrial Estate Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown
Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, marketing@guyanatimesgy.com
Crackdown on illegal use of sirens & emergency lights
The announcement by President Dr Irfaan Ali, that Guyana’s laws would be updated to curb the illegal use of sirens and emergency lights, is a commendable step towards ensuring road safety and upholding the rule of law. This decisive move reflects a much-needed effort to address a pervasive issue that has long undermined public trust, road discipline, and traffic order in the country. The abuse of sirens and emergency lights, particularly by private individuals and unauthorized entities, has become a growing concern. Originally intended for use by emergency services such as ambulances, fire trucks, and police vehicles, these tools are essential for public safety. However, when used improperly, they create chaos on the roads, endangering lives and eroding the legitimacy of their intended purpose. President Ali’s call for action is not only timely, but is also vital for restoring sanity and fairness on the roadways.
The proliferation of unauthorized sirens and flashing lights has led to a climate of lawlessness on Guyana’s roads. Motorists are often forced to yield to vehicles that have no legitimate claim to such privileges, while legitimate emergency vehicles may face delayed responses due to the dilution of their authority. This is both unfair to law-abiding citizens and dangerous for those in genuine need of emergency assistance.
President Ali’s directive to impose fines and revoke the licences of offenders is a strong deterrent against this illegal practice. Financial penalties and the threat of losing one’s driving privileges send a clear message: Guyana’s roads are not arenas for reckless or entitled behaviours. By targeting both individuals and entities, such as security companies that abuse their privilege, Government is addressing the issue holistically. This approach ensures that no one, regardless of status or affiliation, is above the law.
The Head of State’s focus on security companies is particularly noteworthy. These entities, often granted limited permission for the use of sirens and emergency lights, are sometimes among the worst offenders. By overstepping their bounds, they not only jeopardize public safety, but also tarnish the reputation of their industry. The proposed law’s provision for revoking security licences in cases of abuse is a necessary safeguard. It places accountability squarely on the shoulders of these companies, compelling them to adhere to regulations or face significant consequences.
Moreover, the planned crackdown on the sale and installation of illegal sirens and lights is a critical element of the strategy. By targeting the supply chain, the Government is addressing the root of the problem. It is a proactive measure that demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of the issue and a commitment to eradicating it at its source.
The abuse of sirens and flashing lights creates an unnecessary layer of confusion and risk on Guyana’s roads. When these devices are used indiscriminately, they undermine the public’s ability to recognize genuine emergencies; which could lead to tragic consequences, particularly in life-or-death situations, where every second counts. Government’s proposed amendments would not only restore the integrity of emergency signals, but also foster a safer environment for all road users.
President Ali’s approach aligns with international best practices. In countries with strict regulations on the use of emergency equipment, such as the United States and the United Kingdom, violations result in heavy fines, licence suspensions, and, in some cases, criminal charges. These measures have proven effective in maintaining road safety and ensuring that emergency signals are respected. Guyana’s decision to adopt similar policies reflects a commitment to modernising its traffic laws and prioritising the welfare of its citizens.
This initiative also highlights the Government’s dedication to addressing public grievances and tackling issues that impact everyday life. The presence of senior police officials, including Acting Commissioner Clifton Hicken and Traffic Chief Mahendra Singh, during the President’s announcement underscores the seriousness with which this issue is being treated. It sends a message that the authorities are united and resolute in their efforts to restore order on the roads.
By involving the Attorney General in drafting these amendments, the administration is ensuring that the proposed changes are legally sound and enforceable. This level of coordination between the executive, law enforcement, and legal branches of Government is essential for the successful implementation of the new measures.
The public must now play its part by reporting violations and supporting law enforcement efforts. Together, society can create a culture of respect for the law, and ensure that emergency signals are reserved for their rightful purpose: saving lives and protecting citizens.
Prime Minister the Honourable
Georgetown on Thursday.
independence.
PM Modi’s visit to Guyana is historical
Dear Editor,
The Indian Prime Minister’s visit to Guyana was a momentous occasion that underscored the deep historical ties and evolving partnership extant between these two nations. Not only is it a significant step in advancing our country’s bilateral relations, but it also elevates Guyana’s standing on the global stage.
This visit draws on a legacy of collaboration initiated by former Prime Minister Forbes Burnham, strengthened by leaders like President Desmond Hoyte, President Cheddi Jagan and President Bharrat Jagdeo, and now carried forward in a global context by President Ali and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, one of the world’s most influential leaders.
It is important to note that Guyana’s diplomatic relationship with India began under Forbes Burnham, who recognized the cultural and historical connections between the two countries. His partnership with India’s Prime Minister Indira Gandhi laid the foundation for collaboration in areas such as education, agriculture, and technical assistance.
Burnham’s foresight established Guyana as a friend of India, reinforcing ties between the two nations’ peoples. This relationship was further nurtured by President Cheddi Jagan, who shared a commitment to advancing the welfare of
developing nations. Under Jagan, Guyana deepened its ties with India, particularly in areas of mutual benefit, such as trade and capacity-building initiatives. President Bharrat Jagdeo expanded on this foundation by focusing on economic cooperation and India’s support for Guyana’s developmental projects, including our sugar industry, which is presently failing to be self-reliant and profitable. President Jagdeo’s focus was also on renewable energy, which now holds much economic potential and possibilities.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit represents an opportunity to transform these historical ties into modern economic partnerships.
India is one of the fastest -growing economies in the world, and India is a leader in sectors such as energy. With Guyana fast emerging as a significant oil and natural gas producer, India’s expertise and demand for energy resources align perfectly with Guyana’s needs. Collaboration in the sectors of oil, natural gas, and renewable energy can drive significant investment and economic growth, to the benefit of both countries.
India’s advancements in agricultural technology and practices could provide invaluable support to Guyana’s farming, fishing, livestock, and poultry sectors, boosting productivity and sustainability. With
such collaboration, Guyana could be closer to achieving food security and becoming the proverbial breadbasket of the Caribbean.
India’s global leadership in information technology and infrastructure development can offer Guyana access to expertise, training, and resources to modernise and rapidly develop our potential for growth in these fields.
Prime Minister Modi is a globally respected leader, who has positioned India as a key player on the international stage. His visit places Guyana in the global spotlight. Modi’s leadership has been instrumental in India’s active role in forums like the G20, BRICS, and the United Nations. His presence in Guyana signals our country’s growing importance as a regional leader in the Caribbean and South America.
Hosting Prime Minister Modi highlights Guyana as a key partner for India in advancing the interests of the Caribbean community and the Global South. It enhances Guyana’s image as a forward-looking nation that is capable of fostering strong international alliances.
Leaders like Burnham and Jagan were strong advocates for the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and the interests of developing countries. Modi’s visit continues this tradition, offering a platform for Guyana to engage in multilateral co-
operation on pressing global issues such as climate change, sustainable development, respect for international law, sovereignty of countries’ borders, and food security. With Prime Minister Modi’s focus on South-South cooperation, this visit is an opportunity for Guyana to strengthen its role in regional and global discussions.
Further, this visit honours the shared cultural heritage between India and Guyana, rooted in the significant Indian diaspora in Guyana. Prime Ministers Burnham and Gandhi recognized this bond, which has grown stronger over the years through cultural exchanges and mutual respect. Modi’s visit reinforces these connections, and celebrates the contributions of the Indian community to Guyanese society.
Our country stands to benefit immensely from India’s advancements in education, healthcare, science, and technology. Prime Minister Modi’s visit could lead to agreements and collaborations in these areas, ensuring Guyana’s continued growth and development while fostering stronger people-to-people ties.
I join my fellow Guyanese brothers and sisters in welcoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi to our beautiful country of 83 thousand square miles.
Yours sincerely, Jermaine Figueira, MP
India’s
Narendra Modi paid homage to the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in the Promenade Gardens of
Gandhi led a non-violent mass movement against the British rule of India which ultimately resulted in India’s
Mahatma Gandhi is revered in India as ‘The Father of the Nation’
Clutching at straws
Dear Editor,
An old adage says, “A drowning man will clutch at a straw”, and this is what the Opposition parties are doing.
Besides their usual ‘corruption’ shibboleth, they are now presenting new non-issues, such as the need for biometrics; ‘foreigners voting’; and irrelevant issues such as renegotiation and referendum in regard to the oil and gas sector.
When the Coalition was in Government from 2015 to 2020, it never saw the need for biometrics, and had no issue with ‘foreigners’ voting at the general elections, since it had complete control over GECOM - from the Chairman to the CEO and his deputy, to some Returning Officers and to other officials. Coalition parties were never in doubt about their innate ability to rig elections. It was ingrained, nurtured,
and honed to perfection since 1968; but, in 2020, they underestimated the PPP/C and all democracy-loving organizations and countries, which stood steadfastly with the Guyanese people to ensure that the correct 2020 General Election Results were declared.
The PNC/R and its partners can no longer depend on their rigging machinery, hence they are setting the foundation to claim that the PPP/C rigged the 2025 General and Regional Elections. Why are the APNU (PNC) and the AFC not spearheading the demand for a speedy trial for the infamous nine, which includes former PNC/R General Secretary Volda Lawrence? The trial began on July 29, and had to be aborted because of the magistrate’s prolonged illness, which bore a striking resem-
blance to Mingo’s ‘illness’ drama at Ashmin’s Building during the tabulation of the Region 4 votes in 2020.
If the APNU have their ‘winning’ SoPs, why are they not as vociferous as the PPP/C to have the Elections Fraud Case over and done with? Or are they afraid that the trial would further their involvement in the attempted 2020 election riggings?
The world has already concluded that the PNC/R and the AFC were the masterminds of the attempted rigging, and that is indelibly etched in the minds of all Guyanese who witnessed this first-hand.
The Opposition’s second electioneering slogan concerns ‘renegotiation’ and ‘referendum’. It has already been emphasized that, regardless of the outcome of a referendum, ExxonMobil must agree to renegotiate the
‘No’ to electronics and biometrics in 2025 Guyana elections
Dear Editor,
Just recently, Anil Nandlall, AG and Minister of Legal Affairs, succinctly and definitively commented that “They (the PNC especially), will do everything within their power to compromise and sabotage any electronic machinery or technological device employed in the electoral process…and yes, they will try to blackout the whole country, if they think it will help them rig the next election.” (Kaieteur News’ “PPP’s capture of GECOM continues unabated,” Oct 31, 2024, by Desmond Trotman, Charles Corbin and Vincent Alexander (GECOM Commissioners).
So, for me, based on the last Guyana Elections (March 2020), I will not be surprised if these ‘barefaced attempted riggers’ resort to utter violence; as they are not only in denial, but in a mood and mode of desperation.
Now, concerning what the AG said, I submit that it is not only about the potential ‘humbugging’ of the PNC, but about ‘best practices’ as well. Even in the United States of America, citizens keep urging elected officials to choose optical scanners that count ‘voter-marked paper ballots.’ While it may seem old-fashioned in a high-tech world, election integrity experts recommend this voting system as the most effective way to achieve security, accuracy, verifiability, accessibility, and resiliency.
Let me quote from the US (How to Choose the Best Voting System): Votermarked paper ballots put as little technology between
the voter and their vote as possible, preventing the possibility of errors due to machine malfunction, miscalibration, or hacking. Paper ballots are reliable. Even if power is lost and machines fail, voters can still vote. No wonder, then, that Nandlall sought to add ‘some necessary perspective’ regarding his unambiguous utterance on electronic voting’, which he is against.
I add from the article ‘Online Voting Threatens the Security of Elections’, where it reads: “There is currently “no known technology that can guarantee the secrecy, security, and verifiability of a marked ballot transmitted over the Internet.” This was the word from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine 2018 report, Securing the Vote: Protecting American Democracy.
It reiterated that “All internet voting systems and technologies, including email and mobile voting apps, are currently ‘inherently insecure.’ There is no technical evidence that any internet voting technology is safe, or can be made so in the foreseeable future; (as) all research to date demonstrates the opposite. Thus, on April 9, 2020, more than 60 scientists and election experts signed a letter to governors, and secretaries of state and state election directors, urging them to refrain from allowing the use of any internet voting system.
Editor, best practices for voting must be pursued relentlessly, and more so as the AG recalled Guyana’s dismal history in pointing out that “Guyana is not a
normal place.” Reason: “We have major political parties that have succeeded in massively rigging elections for over half of a century. It is beyond dispute that the 1968, 1973, 1980 and 1985 Elections were stupendously rigged by the People’s National Congress (PNC). Further, it is equally beyond doubt that desperate attempts were made by that very Party to rig the 1992, 1997 and 2001 Elections.”
Let’s remember that ‘prevention is better than cure’. Guyana must not endure another post-March 2020 scenario. Let’s bear in mind, too, that when a hacker steals money online, the theft is easily discovered.
Online voting poses a much tougher problem: lost votes are unacceptable. Unlike paper ballots, electronic votes cannot be “rolled back” or easily recounted. The twin goals of anonymity and verifiability within an online voting system are largely incompatible with current technologies. I recall that Russian state-sanctioned hackers brought almost all of Estonia’s online activities to a halt in 2007.
And just for humour: The March 2020 Guyana Elections were under the aegis of the APNU/AFC Government. So, any criticism of the GECOM mechanism by them is an admission of how incompetent they were, and still are.
Finally, their now infamous SOPs may likely prove ‘les bombes dans leurs propres poches.’
Sincerely, Hargesh B
Singh
2016 PSA (Stability Clause). However, it must be borne in mind also that the oil company would have invested more than US$29 billion, which represented high investment risk, with Guyana benefitting immensely and not in a position to lose a dime.
Moreover, it has been evidenced that the 2016 PSA, given the risk from renewable energy, would be more favourable to Guyana in the future, when it is expected that oil prices would fall drastically.
All things being equal, the 2016 PSA is an equitable one. It is pellucid that the entire game plan is to use ‘renegotiation’ and ‘referendum’ as political ploys against the PPP/C government by appealing to the emotions of the more gullible, telling them that they are losing US millions from the 2016 PSA; money which can fill their pockets.
Fortunately, the masses know too well that their lives are improving steadily, and they will not be fooled
and deceived by the APNU and the AFC, like they were in 2015. The Opposition are aware that they can no longer campaign on their own strength and past ‘achievements’, hence the need to clutch at straws. Guyanese must beware of this Stephen King quote: ‘Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me three times, shame on both of us’
Yours sincerely, Haseef Yusuf
Mr Norton, GECOM’s voting rules should prevail
Dear Editor, I refer to a narrative, and specific parts therein, by PNC Leader Norton at a public meeting at Calcutta, Mahaicony, ECD, carried by a section of the media titled, “PNC polling Agents will block foreigners from voting”. Not sure if this statement is incendiary, divisive, calculated, a bluff, or a synthesis thereof.
INCENDIARY
If Mr Norton’s statement is to be considered incendiary, the voting public understands that GECOM ELECTION LAWS, currently immutable, with subsets that specifically address “foreign/foreigners voting.”
The polling stations are staffed with polling agents representing ALL political parties, and are traditionally mentored and equipped with the necessary legal tools to avoid ambiguity in the voting process.
For example, if a voter does not comprehend our native English language, in FORM 20, a SWORN Interpreter shall be the communicator between the Presiding Officer and the Elector, to ensure a fluid voting experience for the Elector. This is an enforceable action, and the Guyana Judicial System can be leveraged for redress.
DIVISIVE
If Mr Norton’s exhortation is perceived as divisive, the OLE (Official List of Electors) undergoes enhanced due diligence to ensure that it can stand up to scrutiny. ALL GECOM staffers are paid with our tax dollars, including the three Opposition Commissioners. The Commissioners are all privy to the OLE, and can granularly pore over the OLE, ad nauseam for inconsistencies, omissions etc. and reconciliation BEFORE publication.
CALCULATED
If Mr Norton’s declaration is calculated to sow discord and apprehension among the voting public, Mr Norton should be aware that, sorrowfully, credibility took an unrecoverable bludgeoning during the 2020 Election fiasco. The voting public is sensitised, aware, and now numb to this perennial “modus operandi’ threatened mayhem.
BLUFF
If Mr Norton is trying to bamboozle the voting population to not turn out and vote, the cast votes will ultimately reveal a hoax or severity. The voters can call his bluff.
SYNTHESIS THEREOF
If Mr Norton is expecting a combination of the above as stated, the GECOM Commissioners are all privy to voting information. The Commissioners’ valued input can be discussed civilly within the confines of GECOM before dissemination to the public. As currently structured, inherent in GECOM’s bylaws are excerpts that serve to streamline and mitigate any voting inconsistencies. An orderly, civil, and mature approach on voting day is an expectation, not a default, because……!
Sincerely, Jonathan
Subrian Esq.
Page Foundation
Order of operations
There are rules for which computations you do first, second, third and so on. Order of operations is the set of rules that tells you what steps to follow when doing a computation. The order of operations is BODMAS. These letters stand for:
Brackets (first)
Orders ( that is: Powers – also called indices and exponents – and square roots, etc)
Division and Multiplication (rank equally and go left to right)
Addition and Subtraction (rank equally and go left to right)
Note:
the only strange name is “Orders”. “Exponents” is used in Canada, and so you might prefer “BEDMAS”. There is also “Indices” which makes it “BIDMAS”. In the US. they say “Parentheses” instead of Brackets, so it is “PEMDAS”.
Example: 20 – 3 x 4 + 8 ÷ 22 – ( 3 – 2) = ?
We need to solve this problem using the order of operations.
Step 1: Solve the parts that are inside brackets: ( 3 – 2) = 1.
Now you have this: 20 – 3 x 4 + 8 ÷ 22 – 1 = ?
Step 2: Solve the parts that have orders (in this case exponents or indices in standard notation: 22 = 4.
So now you have this: 20 – 3 x 4 + 8 ÷ 4 – 1 = ?
Step 3: Solve division problems: 8 ÷ 4 = 2
The string is becoming shorter!
Now you have: 20 – 3 x 4 + 2 – 1 = ?
Step 4: Solve multiplication problems: 3 x 4 = 12
Again, the problem is starting to look even simpler: 20 – 12 + 2 – 1 = ?
Step 5: Add and subtract as you move along from left to right. First, 20 – 12 = 8. Then 8 + 2 = 10. Then 10 – 1 = 9.
Do not group the additions separately from the subtractions, unless they are in brackets! As 20 – 12 + 2 – 1 is not equal to 20 – ( 12 + 2) – 1 .
Remember
You can remember BODMAS best if you make up a phase to guide your memory. Here is one that may help: Brown Oranges Don’t Make Awesome Smoothies.
Convert to scientific notation (round to six decimal places to the right of the decimal)
By Edgar allan PoE
Ah broken is the golden bowl! the spirit flown forever!
Let the bell toll!--a saintly soul floats on the Stygian river;
And, Guy De Vere, hast thou no tear?--weep now or never more!
See! on yon drear and rigid bier low lies thy love, Lenore!
Come! let the burial rite be read--the funeral song be sung!--
An anthem for the queenliest dead that ever died so young--
A dirge for her the doubly dead in that she died so young.
“Wretches! ye loved her for her wealth and hated her for her pride,
“And when she fell in feeble health, ye blessed her--that she died!
“How shall the ritual, then, be read?--the requiem how be sung
“By you--by yours, the evil eye,--by yours, the slanderous tongue
“That did to death the innocent that died, and died so young?”
Peccavimus; but rave not thus! and let a Sabbath song
Go up to God so solemnly the dead may feel so wrong!
The sweet Lenore hath “gone before,” with Hope, that flew beside
Leaving thee wild for the dear child that should have been thy bride--
For her, the fair and debonair, that now so lowly lies,
The life upon her yellow hair but not within her eyes--
The life still there, upon her hair--the death upon her eyes.
“Avaunt! to-night my heart is light. No dirge will I upraise,
“But waft the angel on her flight with a Pæan of old days!
“Let no bell toll!--lest her sweet soul, amid its hallowed mirth,
“Should catch the note, as it doth float up from the damnéd Earth.
“To friends above, from fiends below, the indignant ghost is riven--
“From Hell unto a high estate far up within the Heaven--
“From grief and groan, to a golden throne, beside the King of Heaven.”
Pres Ali announces suspension of drivers’ licences after 3 speeding violations, to combat road lawlessness
In light of the increasing recklessness on Guyana’s roadway particularly by trucks and public transportation operators, President Dr. Irfaan Ali on Thursday announced that law enforcement officials will be moving to suspend the licenses of drivers who have been caught speeding more than three times along the Heroes Highway.
“We cannot continue to have this type of indiscipline on our roadways, especially with the trucks and truck drivers… we will hold truck drivers responsible.
I’ve asked the AG to exam-
ine the laws to see where there are gaps so that truck owners can also have a responsibility in ensuring their drivers work within guidelines,” the president stated.
As it is now, the law provides for the suspension of licenses, and President Ali has asked the Traffic Chief, Commissioner of Police, and other top brass of the Guyana Police Force to take immediate steps to have this law implemented.
“With all the speeding that is taking place on our roadways, only 18 suspensions this year does not
speak to the magnitude of the issue we have on our roadways.”
For the year thus far, some 893 speeding tickets were issued to speeding drivers who were caught on camera along the Heroes Highway.
On this note, the president stated that of the tickets issued, the authorities will be tasked with examining each case to determine who committed the offence more than three times, after which, the police will move to suspend their licences.
Adding to the clampdown, the Head of State
announced that the government will soon move to publicize speed advisories and erect digital boards to indicate the speed of drivers along major roadways.
He noted, too, that additional body cameras are being procured for traffic ranks while urging better usage of CCTV footage to clamp down on errant drivers.
“Drivers on the whole, but especially those truck drivers and public transportation drivers, I’m asking you, not to do anything special. All I’m asking you to do, in the interest of saving lives, is to comply with the law, comply with the rules,” President Ali emphasized.
President Ali called for traffic ranks to better enforce the updated traffic laws pertaining to the responsibility of bar owners when it comes to selling alcohol to drivers.
According to Ali, the wording for the signage must be placed in every bar across the country. So far, he has asked the Attorney General earlier to see whether they can also amend the laws to have the licenses of bars suspended if they are not complying with this regulation and this law.
It was reported that 99 people lost their lives in fatal accidents so far for the year 2024 when compared to 148 in 2023.
In addition, 263 serious accidents, 366 minor accidents, and 1039 damage accidents were recorded thus far for 2024 bringing the total number to 1767 compared to 2491 last year.
As part of a stepped-up effort to reduce traffic violations, the force has issued around 60,000 tickets this year, totaling an astounding $400 million in traffic fines.
Only recently, the government had already made amendments to the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act as well as the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing (Amendment) Bill to toughen up the penalties for drunk drivers – and the bars that serve them. Among other things, the legislative changes make causing the death of someone through drunk driving a case of vehicular manslaughter.
The penalty for driving while over the legally allowed limit of alcohol in the blood system has been changed from a $7500 fine to now $200,000, and the sentence from 12 months to 24 months. The penalty for driving under the influence and losing control of your vehicle has been increased from $30,000 to $60,000 fine and 12 months’ imprisonment to now $200,000 fine for first-time offenders and $300,000 for second-time offenders.
President Dr Irfaan Ali and members of the leadership of the Guyana Police Force
Murder suspect among 2 arrested at Agatash Village –
guns, ammo discovered during search of premises
Aman
place at Granny Landing, Omai Backdam back in October 2023 was arrested
on Thursday during a police operation at Agatash Village, Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).
The wanted man was identified as 55-year-old Heimraj James also called 'Ricky' or 'Sawman', a chainsaw operator. In addition to his arrest, the police discovered several shotguns and several rounds of ammunition.
Based on reports received, Commander Dion Moore led a team of police ranks from Bartica Police Station and travelled to the
home of Frederick Singh, a 71-year-old farmer to apprehend the wanted man after receiving information that he
was staying at that location.
Upon arrival, one of the ranks contacted James and was told of the allegation levelled against him, cautioned and arrested. Under caution, he reportedly admitted that on October 14, 2023, at Granny Landing, Omai Backdam, he was involved in an altercation with Budram during which he inflicted several wounds to his body.
Calling card…
…from the motherland
As the state visit by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi comes to an end this evening at our National Cultural Center, there’s gonna be an outpouring of emotions as the historical connections and bonds between our two nations are celebrated by ordinary folks from all over Guyana. They will be showing up to see in the flesh the man who epitomises India’s rise in the world from being a poster child of poverty to being placed at number 4 in the size of its economy – long pipping its erstwhile colonial ruler, Britain!!
We in Guyana are locked in fraternal squabbles, and the bitterest fights are within families!! Some in Guyana think that India might take a “side”, based on the fact that one of those sides has a common origin. They, however, forget that countries don’t act on sentiments, but on cold, calculated assessments of their interests. There’s the old truism that, in international relations, there are no permanent friends or permanent enemies; only permanent interests!! And countries will pursue those interests at all costs at the national level, rather than getting involved in any internecine squabble!!
Matters like cultural ties and commonalities in religion are lumped as “soft power” – to be deployed to cultivate friendships and loyalties to satisfy those interests. Let there be neither ambiguity nor doubt about that!! Eating food from lotus leaves would only earn you a good-natured chuckle, at best!!
Take India’s stance vis-a-vis Venezuela, which under Mad Maduro is our most implacable foreign enemy. India’s interest is to secure supplies of oil to fuel its industrial growth; and, as such, India has turned a blind eye to Maduro’s domestic and international bullyism, while its giant conglomerate Reliance exploits the US by waiving its oil sanctions against Venezuelan crude. But knowing that Trump’s most likely gonna remove the waiver, we just learnt that Modi asked for an agreement with us for two million barrels of oil – the exact quantity Reliance gets from Venezuela!! The point of it all is that Brazil – because of its own strategic concerns about Venezuela’s pompousness about its South American preeminence – would be a more reliable ally against Venezuela than India!!
But, in the meantime, India came bearing gifts -- for all Caricom, not just Guyana: scholarships, ferries, pharma, mobile hospitals, and turning seaweed into fertilizer. Compared to our singular vote, Caricom has FIFTEEN votes at the UN!! Interests, baby!! Interests!!
So, what are OUR interests, that India can help with while pursuing its own interests?? Your Eyewitness has spoken repeatedly that mega-farming should form the core of that engagement.
India has got hundreds of millions of mouths to feed, while we have millions of acres of land to farm!!
…on Gaza Genocide
As an example of pursuing interests and not sentimentsabout even morality - the US just VETOED a UNSC resolution demanding an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Israel's assault on the Gaza Strip!! Guyana was among the 10 non-permanent members pushing for implementing the resolution passed back in June, but the 10 were trumped by the US veto!! Now, we know that the US’ interest in supporting Israel in its cold-blooded drive to push all Palestinians into the sea has to do with them looking at Israel as a base for securing control over the strategic MidEast oil. But what were our interests in voting for the resolution?? Not entirely sentiments!! It’s in our interest to push as best as possible for the continuation of the multilateral dispute settlement that was promised at the end of WWII. As a small sardine swimming among sharks in the international order, it is in our interest that settlements are “rules-based”. So, we gotta also push for abolishing UNSC vetoes!!
…of Opposition
With the Opposition frantically contemplating another five years in the (political) wilderness, your Eyewitness was surprised they didn’t come out complaining to Modi about “rigged elections”.
But hold it!! Mia was there, and would’ve burst their bubble!!
wanted for the murder of Perry Budram which took
The guns found at Singh’s home
Wanted murder suspect Heimraj James
Arrested: Frederick Singh
The 12-guage cartridges found during the search
$100k cash grant initiative designed to bring relief to every Guyanese, regardless of political affiliation – Govt
– condemns opposition's disinformation
In light of recent press statements by the People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R) and the Working People's Alliance (WPA) regarding the registration process for the $100,000 cash grant initiative, the Government has since condemned the disinformation campaign and reiterated its commitment to safeguarding the process.
The opposition political parties on Wednesday reportedly issued baseless and mischievous press releases seeking to invite confusion by falsely claiming that registrants are being interrogated about their voting history in the last General and Regional Elections.
The parties further alleged that the initiative is a ploy to collect data for rigging the 2025 General and Regional Elections which is
a preposterous and unfounded accusation aimed at sowing distrust among the population in hopes of derailing the cash grant initiative.
A release issued by the Government on Thursday reiterated that the cash grant initiative is designed to bring financial relief to every Guyanese citizen aged 18 and older, regardless of political affiliation, and it is underpinned by a transparent process.
“The opposition’s deliberate attempts to distort this stringent effort are not only irresponsible but also a blatant disservice to the very people they claim to represent. Their actions reveal a strategy rooted in divisiveness and fear-mongering, seeking to undermine a programme that benefits all Guyanese.
As part of efforts to en-
sure a robust and transparent process that upholds the integrity of the $100,000 cash grant initiative, the Government of Guyana has implemented strict measures to ensure accountability and fairness,” the release stated.
Further, the Government related that to register, individuals must present their valid National Identification Card (ID) or valid passport. Photocopies will not be accepted. These official documents are the only acceptable forms of identification used to confirm that the applicant is a Guyanese citizen aged 18 or older, making them eligible to receive the cash grant.
“During registration, a photo of the applicant will be taken to verify their physical presence and ensure that the person who collects the
Murder suspect among 2 arrested...
Budram later succumbed to his injuries.
campaign
cash grant is the same individual who registered. Additionally, a photo of the applicant's ID or passport will also be taken to validate that the information on the document matches the person registering,” the release added.
It stated that each eligible individual is entitled to register and receive the $100,000 cash grant only once while adding that attempts to defraud the sys-
tem or manipulate the process will lead to serious legal consequences under the laws of Guyana.
“The Government also cautions citizens to ignore deceptive advice from the political opposition, which has irresponsibly encouraged individuals to provide only their ID number. Failure to comply with the full registration requirements will result in disqualification from receiving the cash grant.”
The Government posited that it remains steadfast in its commitment to delivering equitable and meaningful assistance to every eligible citizen. On this note, it urged all Guyanese to reject the falsehoods and focus on the facts.
“This initiative is for the people, and the Government will not be derailed by political opportunism and deceit from the opposition operatives.”
Singh admitted ownership of the firearm and ammunition claiming the they were being used for
However, the ranks searched Singh's home and its surroundings where one 16-gauge shotgun and two 12-gauge shotguns along with six 12-gauge cartridges were discovered.
hunting purposes. He was cautioned and arrested.
Both James and Singh were taken to the Bartica Police Station where they are assisting with the investigations. FROM PAGE 8
Demerara Bank Ltd's 30th anniversary Bank's current market capital now stands at almost US$750M – Chairman
– remains committed to improve, expand services
Demerara Bank Ltd on November 21, 2024, commemorated its 30th anniversary, celebrating three decades of excellence and impact in the banking industry. During this landmark event, the Chairman of Demerara Bank Ltd, Komal Samaroo reflected on the bank's remarkable journey, its accomplishments and its aspirations for the future.
The Chairman began by honouring the pioneers who have gone to the great beyond, the individuals whose vision in conceptualising, creating and continuously leading the growth of Demerara Bank over the past 30 years.
Samaroo stated that
they played a crucial role in laying the foundation for the bank's success. Special recognition was also given to the late Dr Yesu Persaud, along with respected directors Hemraj Kissoon and Chandra Gajraj, whose vision, perseverance and commitment have left a lasting legacy.
Further, he highlighted the bank's impressive growth from an initial equity investment of US$2 million by its founding shareholders to a current market capitalisation approaching almost US$750,000 million.
This phenomenal growth not only signifies Demerara Bank Ltd's financial success but also its substantial contributions to the national
economy through taxes, job creation, shareholder dividends and stimulating economic activities.
Beyond these tangible achievements, the Chairman emphasised the bank's vital role in instilling self-confidence and belief in the potential of the Guyanese people and what they can achieve once they are determined to work hard, be disciplined in their approach and committed to lofty goals, even when they face challenges.
He also expressed sincere gratitude to the Executive leadership team, management and dedicated staff members, whose efforts have been pivotal to the bank's success. He
also conveyed his gratitude to the group of young professionals who bought into the vision and left their secured positions elsewhere to start creating the institution, long before it opened its doors for business and to those who joined after the commencement of the journey 30 years ago.
Special appreciation was bestowed upon Pravinchandra Dave, who admirably served as CEO for 22 years and extended congratulations to the current CEO, Dowlat Parbhu, expressing confidence in his ability to lead the bank towards an innovative banking experience in Guyana.
Samaroo thanked the members of the board of
Directors, both those who served in the past and those presently serving for their guidance, insights and leadership as they have helped
to shape a great institution!
Finally, express gratitude to the thousands of customers across the length and breadth of Guyana who supported the bank from the very beginning and throughout its 30 years, who were proud to do business with the only bank that has so far been born out of the indigenous Guyanese Private Sector and provides world-class services to meet the evolving needs of customers.
The Chairman assured that the bank is more committed than ever to continuously improve and expand its services to its customers as Guyana continues on its phenomenal growth path.
GPHC, Operation Walk Maryland conduct 57 joint replacement surgeries – over 500 remain on list for replacements
The Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) in collaboration with Operation Walk Maryland USA conducted a
50 specialised medical professionals. The medical mission’s efforts this year took place over an intensive four-day
total of 57 joint replacement surgeries on 53 patients between November 14 and 21, 2024. The surgeries were conducted by a team of over
period during which surgeries were performed on patients requiring knee and hip replacements.
Chairman of Demerara Bank Ltd, Komal Samaroo
Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony standing with CEO of GPHC and some of the team members
Indian companies interested in exploration, production in Guyana
Even as India pursues a long-term deal to buy Guyana’s light sweet crude oil, companies in the energy-hungry nation are also interested in exploration and production activities offshore Guyana.
This has been indicated by Secretary (East) of India’s Ministry of External Affairs, Jaideep Mazumdar, on Thursday during a press briefing on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s historic State Visit to Guyana. According to Mazumdar, Guyana’s proven and estimated oil and gas reserves are very promising.
“We would be interested in participating in the exploration and production phase as well. Our oil companies are certainly looking at this, and if they do get an opportunity, they would be willing to invest as we have invested in many countries of the world far from the shores of India,” the Indian official told reporters at the press conference.
In the past, Guyana Government officials had said Indian companies were interested in acquiring stakes in Guyana’s budding petroleum sector through negotiations, rather than the bidding process – a route the Guyana Government has opted to use in expanding offshore developments to promote transparency and accountability.
When it comes to a longterm oil purchase agreement, Mazumdar explained, it would be up to the Guyana Government to decide how this is done; but he has reiterated India’s preference for a Government-to-Government (G2G) arrangement.
“We would like to have [a] long-term commitment. We would like to have G2G commitments as well, that bring in greater predictability, but it’s really for the Government of Guyana to decide when they are comfortable doing this…I would expect that as the volumes available to the Guyanese side in terms of crude and gas availability rise, they would be in a position to enter into longer-term contracts; because those are things that will help us to offtake larger volumes more predictably, and make our transportation of such large volumes also economically feasible,” the Indian Secretary has said.
During high-level bilateral discussions that took place at State House on Wednesday, the Guyana and Indian Governments signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for cooperation in the hydrocarbon sector. In a joint statement following those engagements between President Dr Irfaan, along with his
Citibank exploring expansion into Guyana with new representative office – VP Jagdeo
Global banking giant
Citibank is considering establishing an office in Guyana, according to Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo.
This development signals a growing international interest in Guyana’s burgeoning economy, driven by its expanding oil and gas sector.
During his weekly press briefing on Thursday, Dr Jagdeo explained that the Government has already engaged a representative of the financial institution, and while the administration was optimistic about the establishment of a local branch, an office will be equally effective.
On this point, he highlighted that the office coupled with Guyana’s growing economy will play a crucial role in enhancing financial services by providing access to international expertise, advanced banking solutions, and global networks.
Additionally, the initiative has the ability to boost foreign investment by increasing investor confidence in the local economy, facilitating international trade through better financial infrastructure, and supporting businesses with access to capital and resources.
“We had discussions with Citibank about the possibility of having a commercial bank here and they told us
they’ve exited the entire retail banking in the entire Latin America. The only place they had a presence in was in Mexico, and I think they may exit that too”.
“So that’s retail banking but they’re still open to a representative office here in Guyana, which would allow them to be able to provide loans to Guyanese business through a representative office. So those discussions are ongoing, and we hope that we can do things,” the Vice President stated.
Although details regarding timelines and the scope of Citibank’s operations remain under wraps, the Vice President assured that the government is committed to creating a conducive environment for such ventures.
Secretary of India’s External Affairs Ministry, Jaideep Mazumdar
Cabinet Ministers, and Prime Minister Modi, along with his visiting delegation, it was explained that the two leaders emphasised the importance of energy cooperation in achieving sustainable development goals, and committed to a fair and equitable energy transition.
It was noted that they agreed to the strengthening of bilateral hydrocarbon trade and cooperation in petroleum
products; sharing of best practices; technology transfer; and investment in the gas-to-energy project, fertilizer production, mining collaboration, deep-water port infrastructure, and clean energy initiatives.
During his remarks after those bilateral talks on Wednesday at State House, Prime Minister Modi highlighted the importance of Guyana’s oil and gas sector to India’s high-demand energy needs.
“Guyana will play an important role in India’s energy security,” a live English translation of PM Modi’s address, which was done in Hindi, stated.
Guyana currently has an estimated 11 billion barrels of oil equivalent in the prolific Stabroek Block, where United States oil major ExxonMobil, along with its co-venturers, has been producing oil since 2019.
Exploration activities are also ongoing in other oil blocks offshore Guyana.
India, the world’s third-largest oil consumer and importer, as well as one of the biggest oil refiners, has been looking to diversify its crude sources. Currently, the energy-hungry nation imports between 85 and 90 per cent of its crude oil.
In fact, India has already bought some US$149 million of Guyana’s crude between 2021 and 2022, and has been seeking a multi-year deal. As a result, the Cabinet in New Delhi had, back in January, approved the signing of a fiveyear MoU with Guyana. On the sidelines of Wednesday’s engagements, Secretary Mazumdar was asked by local reporters whether the Indian Government were disappointed that they were unable to secure an exclusive deal to buy Guyana’s crude.
“There are so many prospects for cooperation that we don’t really [need to] express any disappointment. The future is open. We have so many prospects for cooper-
ation in this area… projects like hydrocarbon, like petroleum refinery projects, gasification projects and also capacity building of people from Guyana,” he pointed out in response.
According to Mazumdar, there was no discussion during Wednesday’s high-level engagement on why that exclusive deal was not approved.
Currently, ExxonMobil and its partners are operating three floating, production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels – Liza Destiny, Liza Unity, and Prosperity – in the oil-rich Stabroek Block offshore Guyana.
The Guyana Government had estimated that the US oil major would produce some 228 million barrels of oil equivalent this year. Based on local reports, Government has, to date, already received over US$2 billion in revenues from the sector, with several hundred million more expected before the end of 2024. (G8)
Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2024 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM
Scenes from the Special Sitting (87th) of the National Assembly as Shri Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of the Republic of India, addressed Members of the 12th Parliament
(Parliament of Guyana photos)
Scenes from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Saraswati Vidya Niketan school at Cornelia Ida, WCD and the Indian Monument Gardens (IMG)
(Photos by Tariq Mohamed, PM Modi FB Page)
(IMG)
(IMG)
(IMG)
(IMG)
(IMG)
Ten young women from along the East Bank Demerara (EBD) are ready to set the stage on fire as the compete for the Miss East Bank title on Saturday evening at Kings and Queens Hotel, Soesdyke Junction.
The journey to the crown officially got underway with the sashing ceremony on November 10, 2024, at the Plasma Rock Resort, Soesdyke Junction. The event introduced the ten dynamic contestants.
In addition to the sashing ceremony, the contestants faced their first challenge in the intelligence segment on Wednesday evening at the Sunrise Hotel. This segment tested the participants’
knowledge, communication skills, and critical thinking abilities as they responded to a series of questions crafted to showcase their intellect and poise.
The Intelligence Segment was judged by an esteemed panel, including John Edghill, Nikita Campbell, and Jamel Graham. This segment is a key part of the
competition, emphasizing the pageant’s focus on empowering young women to shine beyond beauty by highlighting intelligence, ambition, and advocacy.
On coronation night, the contestants will compete in several segments including cultural wear, evening wear, talent and intelligence.
This pageant is not only a platform to celebrate the diverse talents of these young women but also a means to promote youth empowerment and community development across the East Bank. Tickets for the event cost 2000 and 5000 for the VIP experience.
Representing Timehri, Aaliyah is an aspiring surgical doctor currently studying Physics and Chemistry. She joined the pageant to gain knowledge about modeling and inspire the youth in her community.
A teacher, small business owner, and advocate for women’s empowerment from Diamond, Tamihez aims to promote female entrepreneurship and education in her community.
Representing Kaneville Grove, Martha, 21, is an aspiring accountant passionate about encouraging youth and bringing positive recognition to her community.
Hailing from Grove Housing Scheme, Tameshia entered the pageant to challenge herself and represent her community with pride.
Kimberly, from Pearl, aspires to experience life as a model and motivates young girls to pursue their dreams with confidence.
Representing Soesdyke, Keziah is a teacher dedicated to inspiring young minds and advocating for education and resilience within her community.
Dreann, from Waiakabra, is focused on inspiring others to step out of their comfort zones and follow their passions.
Representing Supply, Nikita is a creative and motivated individual eager to make a positive impact in her community.
Representing Coverden, Yungani is a 17-year-old student at Global Technology studying Computer Literacy. She sees this pageant as a way to overcome her introversion and embrace new experiences.
Representing Land of Canaan, Akesha is determined to showcase her strengths and inspire confidence and ambition among her peers.
Voters’ list
Govt to empower presiding officers to ensure transparency at 2025 polls
The government has announced plans to bolster the authority and responsibilities of Presiding Officers ahead of the 2025 General and Regional elections to ensure greater transparency and accountability during the voting process.
This initiative, revealed during Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo’s weekly press conference, aims to enhance the efficiency and integrity of elections managed by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).
This is in response to controversial remarks made by Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton, who during a public meet-
ing in Calcutta, Mahaicony said that his party polling agents would not tolerate people with foreign accentsexcept English-speaking Venezuelans whose parents are Guyanese- turning up to vote.
While GECOM has already issued a statement addressing Norton, VP Jagdeo believes that more must be done to prevent the rigging of an election next year.
“We are open to enhancing the powers of the presiding officers to ensure that only people who are edible to vote get to vote on election day, but everything has to be done in accordance with the laws of this country and the constitution of Guyana, we are not going to do anything unconstitutional,” VP said.
According to GECOM, Guyanese by birth, descent or naturalisation or a citizen of a Commonwealth country residing in Guyana for one year or more are eligible to be on the voters’ list. GECOM said the law allows for an interpreter to be provided for voters who do not understand English. The Elections Management Organisation made it clear that party officials could not block people from voting. In addition, GECOM
cautioned that election officials and security personnel could face prosecution for obstructing or interfering with the voting process or intimidating voters. The Commission called on political stakeholders to exercise responsibility in their public statements, warning that inflammatory comments could undermine the electoral process and have severe repercussions.
The opposition has intensified its demands for the introduction of digitalized biometrics as a precondition for voter registration and voting.
However, the Vice President rejected these proposals and reiterated that
the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) party will never support proposals that hinder the process and will not fall for the traps being set by the opposition.
“This is how APNU distorts everything and it's all every night, all the defunct parties, the WPA, every one of them, this is their mantra the last week, biometrics, oh padding the list, we're collecting, we're trying to rig the elections through the cash grant program, all nonsense. They see the writing
on the wall, and they admit it among themselves, they're going to lose the elections, they know this. So, they have to come up with excuses again, like they always did in the past. So please don't pay too much attention to this,” he added.
The role of GECOM (Guyana Elections Commission) Presiding Officers is crucial in ensuring the smooth conduct of elections at polling stations. They are responsible for managing the voting
process, maintaining order, and ensuring compliance with election laws and procedures.
It is customary that these officers receive enhanced training and resources to better manage the voting process and address any irregularities on election day. According to officials, this empowerment will include clearer guidelines for decision-making, improved logistical support, and greater authority to enforce electoral laws.
Citibank exploring expansion...
VP further explained that work to digitise the local market will continue as the Government forges ahead with plans to attract larger banking institutions to Guyana.
“So, to get more financial sector sophistication, deepening the financial sector, we’ll work with the local players. We’d have to create and then try to get new entrants into the market. We expect that by the digitization of bio-
metrics and moving to a digital society, we may be able to better intermediate credit in the future and have a faster way of intermediating it, but through digital means too.
So, a lot of that kind of discussion is ongoing. We’re hoping to have more retail banking in Guyana from the large banks.”
Guyana’s economic transformation, fueled by its oil boom, has made it a focal point for foreign investment.
Citibank, a leading financial services provider with operations in over 100 countries, has a reputation for supporting economic development in emerging markets. Its interest in Guyana underscores the country’s rising profile on the global stage.
Dialogue with Citibank commenced back in September 2023, which provides credit cards, mortgages, personal loans, commercial loans, and lines of credit.
Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton
Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo
Teens among 4 charged with murder of chainsaw operator
Four persons, including two teenagers, were on Thursday charged and remanded to prison for the murder of 40-year-old Davanan Hosea who was brutally stabbed to death after a brawl at Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara (EBD).
Charged are Javon Granstuart,24, and Rodwell Fraser, 21, both of whom are construction workers from Victory Valley, Timehri,
EBD along with two 16-yearolds.
The men appeared before Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Diamond Magistrate's Court and were not required to plead to the indictment.
As such, the two juveniles were sent to the Holding Centre at Sophia, Greater Georgetown. The matter was adjourned to January 15, 2025.
It was reported that on November 17, 2020, the nowdead man had been consuming alcohol on Saturday evening with his reputed wife and brother, Levon Hosea at a Chinese Restaurant in Coverden, EBD.
The brother told investigators that he left the couple and went home. He then received a telephone call from his now-dead brother at around 21:00 to meet him
at the Raghoo Sports Bar, Soesdyke Junction, EBD.
While at the bar, the brothers started to consume alcoholic beverages. Later that evening, Davanan informed his brother that he was being looked at by a group of men.
Soon after, the men approached Davanan, grabbed hold of him in the presence of his brother and relieved him of his valuables.
As a result, the brother confronted the suspects and a brawl ensued at the drinking spot. The brothers managed to escape by running through
Shawnee Service Station and into a track behind the establishment. The brothers were pursued by the perpetrators, who managed to catch up with Davanan and a scuffle ensued.
Levon intervened and told his brother to run but the two men continued to pursue them. Levon stated that he ran in a different direction from Davanan.
He further told investigators that when he saw his brother again, he observed blood on the chest area of his t-shirt. Davanan had collapsed in the vicinity
of Hillfoot Soesdyke/Linden highway.
According to police, Davanan’s body was examined and stab wounds were seen on the right side of his face, on the left side of his abdomen, at the centre of his chest, and on the right side of his chest.
Meanwhile, police were able to review CCTV footage collected from Raghoo’s Sports Bar which showed that several persons were seen fighting with the now-deceased man. Due to an intelligence-led operation, the suspects were arrested.
Charged: Rodwell Fraser and Javon Granstuart
Govt to update laws to impose fines, revoke licences for illegal use of sirens
To tackle growing road safety concerns, President Dr Irfaan Ali said that the Government plans to tighten regulations around the illegal use of sirens and emergency lights on authorised vehicles.
On this note, he stated that the Government will be updating its laws to introduce provisions for the imposition of fines and the revocation of drivers’ licences for the illegal use of sirens and emergency lights on vehicles.
Speaking in a prerecorded message flanked by top officials from the Guyana Police Force (GPF), including acting Commissioner Clifton Hicken and Traffic Chief Mahendra Singh, the President warned that those who continue to abuse these devices will face strict legal action.
“If you have sirens and emergency lights illegal-
ly on your vehicle, I’m asking you to remove them immediately… “I’ve asked the Attorney General (AG) to amend the laws with a fine and suspension of licences for persons who are illegally using them,” the president stated.
The Head of State further stated that, the amended law will clamp down on security companies whose drivers are abusing the use of sirens and emergency lights.
“Security companies granted permission for the
use of lights, the law will also provide for the removal of those lights and suspension of security licences if you are abusing them,” the President warned, adding that “we are seeing tremendous abuse.”
Some months ago, Senior Superintendent and Traffic Chief Mahendra Singh called out businesses that sell these products, as well as officials at Customs and Excise, who are responsible for preventing the importation of such items into Guyana,
Operation Walk Maryland...
FROM PAGE 10
Despite elective surgeries typically being scheduled on weekdays, GPHC implemented special arrangements to facilitate this extraordinary mission and optimise outcomes for our patients.
The visiting team included a diverse group of healthcare specialists such as surgeons, anesthesiologists, internal medicine specialists, nurses, technicians, and physiotherapists. Working alongside GPHC’s dedicated local staff, their efforts significantly addressed a critical surgical backlog.
To date, GPHC’s orthopaedic team has performed 109 joint replacement surgeries from January to November 2024, with this mission adding 57 more to that total.
As the only public facility in Guyana offering joint replacement surgeries, the medical facility continues to face an overwhelming demand for these life-changing procedures, with a current surgical waiting list of over 500 patients.
While joint replacement surgeries are essential for improving the quality of life
for those suffering from advanced arthritis, non-surgical management such as therapy and medication remains the initial course of treatment for most patients. Surgery is typically reserved as the final step when these methods prove insufficient.
As the mission concludes, all 53 patients have been successfully discharged, with comprehen-
sive post-operative care plans in place.
GPHC extends its heartfelt gratitude to Operation Walk Maryland for their unwavering support and dedication to improving lives since our initial collaboration in 2018. Further, it commended its medical team for their exceptional efforts in ensuring the success of this mission.
expressing his disappointment.
However, President Ali revealed that he has also asked the Commissioner of Police and his team to move immediately on all entities that are selling these illegal lights and sirens, as well as those who are installing them.
Whilst stressing about this ongoing issue, President Ali relayed that he has gone above and beyond because this situation is important to him, and it must stop. However, it was made clear that it can only come to a halt if the Guyanese population works in unison.
“These matters are important to me, the Government, the police, and more importantly the people of our country. We have to stop this nonsense on our roadways. And we can only do so if we do so collectively, together as a people. So, drivers, I’m appealing to you. No one is
going after you.”
He made it clear that the biggest request the law officials are making is simply that road users comply with the law so that they can save their own lives and others while on the roadways.
In July of 2024, Traffic Chief Senior Superintendent Mahendra Singh pointed out that a worrying trend had emerged, with private citizens installing these devices on their vehicles, mimicking emergency vehicles and potentially causing confusion and danger on the roads.
To this end, he declared that once caught, there would be straight court proceedings, nothing else.
By targeting unauthorised use of sirens and flashing lights, the police are not only ensuring compliance with the law but also fostering a safer environment for all road users.
Only recently, the GPF
issued a stern warning to private security vehicles that have been using sirens.
The Road Traffic (Guyana Fire Service) Order, made under Section 49, specifically states: “Approved Police Vehicle means any vehicle carrying a lamp showing to the front an amber light and sounding continually a bell, gong, or siren. Vehicles of the Fire Service means any engine, pump, trailer, or another vehicle of the Guyana Fire Service (GFS), and includes any vehicle carrying a lamp showing an amber light and sounding continually a bell, gong, or siren, in which any member of the Guyana Fire Service is being conveyed to any fire or suspected fire.”
Citizens have been moving to install sirens and flashing lights on their vehicles to clear the road during traffic congestion, particularly during rush hours.
Local medical staff with Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony
Guyana-India joint statement following Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 3-day State Visit to Guyana
His Excellency Dr Mohamed Irfaan
Ali, President of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, was pleased to host the Honourable Shri Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of the Republic of India, for a State Visit to Guyana from November 19-21, 2024.
President Ali and Prime Minister Modi held extensive discussions on bilateral, regional and multilateral issues of mutual interest, demonstrating their shared commitment to bolstering their bilateral relations as well as advancing cooperation at the multilateral level.
The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the partnership between the two countries and expressed satisfaction with the work of the joint working groups in the areas of ICT, defence, agriculture, infrastructure, energy, health and ayurveda and wellness, and human resources and capacity building.
They welcomed the signing of bilateral Agreements/MOUs in the fields of hydrocarbons, health, pharmaceuticals, ICT, broadcasting, culture and agriculture, aimed at further strengthening bilateral cooperation and collaboration between Guyana and India.
The two leaders emphasized the importance of energy cooperation in achieving sustainable development goals and committed to a fair and equitable energy transition. They agreed to the strengthening
of bilateral hydrocarbon trade and cooperation in petroleum products, sharing of best practices, technology transfer, and investment in the gas-to-energy project, fertilizer production, mining collaboration deep-water port infrastructure, and clean energy initiatives.
• They reaffirmed the importance of creating partnerships aimed at developing solar energy and committed to continued collaboration bilaterally and through the International Solar Alliance to promote the development of renewable energy and building capacity in the field of solar technology applications, to enhance energy access and ensure energy security.
The two sides commended the formation of the Global Biofuels Alliance (GBA) and recognized biofuels as a sustainable, low-carbon option to achieve decarbonization commitments and deliver greater economic and social development for the people of both countries.
The two leaders recognized the vital role technology plays in economic growth and social development and pledged continued collaboration in
the areas of digital transformation governance and capacity building.
• The two leaders agreed to enhance cooperation in defence and security, recognizing the importance of a stable and secure environment. Guyana and India committed to increasing joint exercises, training and capacity building, information sharing, joint projects and collaboration in counter-terrorism efforts. They decided to focus on defence-industrial cooperation, particularly in armaments and infrastructure development.
They acknowledged the crucial role of the agricultural sector in advancing food security and nutrition and expressed a shared commitment to strengthening collaboration. Emphasis will be placed on exchanging information technology and expertise to enhance the efficiency of the agriculture and allied sectors. This collaboration aims to promote climate resilient and precision agriculture, foster Digital Public Infrastructure and create a supportive ecosystem for farmers, particularly smallholders.
• Recognizing the critical role of infrastruc-
ture in economic growth, the two leaders agreed to promote collaboration on urban infrastructure projects which would enhance connectivity and promote sustainable development, focusing on transportation, smart city initiatives and affordable housing.
The two leaders underscored their commitment to working together to enhance the provision of healthcare through sharing of expertise, especially in advancing telemedicine and capacity building in training health workforce.
• The leaders welcomed the establishment of the Guyana/India Chamber of Commerce as a platform for intensifying collaboration between the private sectors of Guyana and India and for promoting trade and investment. They also welcomed, in this context, the holding of the 9th Edition of the CII India-LAC Business Conclave held in New Delhi in August 2023, the exchange of trade delegations and the organization of information webinars.
They highlighted the vital role of capacity building in sustainable development and committed to continued collabo-
ration through the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Programme in various fields including information technology, agriculture, and healthcare. They committed to the expansion of the ITEC mechanism to strengthen human resource development.
• The two sides acknowledged the urgency of addressing climate change and its global multidimensional challenges. They acknowledged that both countries were vulnerable to its impacts and pledged to cooperate on initiatives aimed at climate change mitigation and adaptation, promotion of low carbon development, and assisting in the conservation of biodiversity.
The two leaders took note of the evolving global situation, including geopolitical stresses and a heightening of conflicts, as well as opportunities for enhanced international cooperation and strengthened South-South cooperation. They underscored the importance of respect for the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter and International Law. They stressed the importance of dialogue and diplomacy in addressing regional and global challenges.
• The two leaders supported the need for a comprehensive reform of the United Nations, including the UN Security Council through the expansion in permanent and non-permanent categories to make it more reflective
and representative of contemporary realities, including enhanced representation of small island developing states. Guyana reaffirmed its full support to India for permanent membership of an expanded United Nations Security Council.
• The leaders agreed to hold regular high-level meetings and consultations to ensure sustained progress of their bilateral relations.
• Both nations are committed to working together to achieve shared goals, foster peace, stability, and prosperity in their respective countries, regions and beyond.
In recognition of Prime Minister Modi’s exemplary leadership both in the Republic of India and on the global stage, His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, conferred Guyana’s highest National Award, “The Order of Excellence” on the Honourable Shri Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of the Republic of India. The Honourable Prime Minister was also afforded the honour of addressing the National Assembly of the Parliament of Guyana to a warm welcome from all sides.
• The Honourable Shri Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of the Republic of India, expressed sincere appreciation to the Government and people of Guyana for the hospitality accorded to him and his delegation.
LCL preparing Guyanese companies to compete regionally, internationally – Dr Pertab
Guyana’s landmark Local Content Law (LCL) is not only paving the way for Guyanese companies to secure employment and procurement opportunities in the oil and gas industry. It is also providing the enabling environment to help them build the capacity needed to compete regionally and internationally, says Local Content Director, Dr Martin Pertab.
Speaking on the Energy Perspectives Podcast, a programme powered by the Guyana Energy Conference and Supply Chain Expo (GECSCE), Dr Pertab emphasised the importance of preparing local companies to survive well beyond the oil and gas industry. However, he noted that there is a need
to foster an environment of growth and competition locally first.
The Director explained that handing a Guyanese company a local content certificate is not enough to
make that company competitive in the oil and gas sector or to guarantee entry into the supply chain.
Dr Pertab underscored the finite nature of resources, like oil, and urged local
companies to boost their capacity now, not only to compete at home but also abroad. He encouraged local businesses to use the current environment to their advantage.
“Once they can compete locally among themselves and get into the supply chain when you remove that barrier, the local content barrier which protects them, they can compete regionally and that is what we want. And once you can compete regionally and internationally [it is] because we created that environment for them to compete, and to innovate…” the Director explained.
Moreover, Dr Pertab also spoke about building the portfolios of small and me-
dium-sized businesses. He warned that without intervention, larger companies could dominate the sector, thereby sidelining smaller enterprises.
He said, “We need to start changing the mindset where the wall is there protecting them yes, but it wouldn’t be there forever; we need them to become competitive and you can’t have competition if there’s one dominant company, because that very same company would eventually keep dominating, and the small ones that can’t get in would eventually fall out.”
Dr Pertab explained that while some large-scale contractors might be willing to work with smaller businesses, the oil industry has zero
tolerance for error so most companies are inclined to use the services of specialised companies. As such, he said the Secretariat has decided to make changes to its approach to ensure that there are not only a few dominant local companies in the sector, but the landscape is such that it enables broad-based growth and development of companies, particularly small and medium-sized businesses. Dr Pertab added, “We want to create an environment where there is competition, where we have growth and development for not only one company, but several companies providing those services, so as long as there is competition, it helps stabilise prices, it helps with innovation.”
Local Content Director Dr Martin Pertab
Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro charged with plotting coup d’état
The former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro and some of his closest allies are among dozens of people formally accused by federal police of being part of a criminal conspiracy designed to obliterate Brazil’s democratic system through a rightwing coup d’état.
Federal police confirmed on Thursday that investigators had concluded their long-running investigation into what they called a coordinated attempt to “violently dismantle the constitutional state”.
In a statement, police said the report – which has been forwarded to the supreme court – formally accused a total of 37 people of crimes including involvement in an attempted coup, the formation of a criminal organization, and trying to tear down one of the world’s largest democracies.
The accused include Bolsonaro, a disgraced army captain turned populist politician, who was president from 2018 until the end of 2022, as well as some of the most important members of his far-right administration.
Alexandre de Moraes.
At
least 150
people killed over past week in Haiti’s Port-au-Prince – UN
They included Bolsonaro’s former spy chief, the far-right congressman Alexandre Ramagem; the former defense ministers, Gen Walter Braga Netto and Gen Paulo Sérgio Nogueira de Oliveira; the former minister of institutional security, Gen Augusto Heleno; the president of Bolsonaro’s political party, Valdemar Costa Neto; and Filipe Martins, one of Bolsonaro’s top foreign policy advisers.
Shortly before police announced the end of their inquiry, Lula voiced gratitude that the attempt to poison him had failed. “I’m alive,” the 79-year-old leftist said during a speech.
AThe long-awaited conclusion of the police investigation comes just days after federal police officers made five arrests as part of a roundup of alleged members of a plot to assassinate Bolsonaro’s leftwing successor Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and his centre-right vice-president, Geraldo Alckmin, as well as the supreme court judge
Bolsonaro has denied involvement in an attempt to overturn the result of the 2022 election, which he lost to Lula. Braga Netto and Heleno made no immediate comment about reports that they had been named in the federal police report, which the police statement said was based on a large trove of evidence gathered through plea deals, searches and the analysis of financial, internet and phone records.
(Guardian)
Cuban agriculture reels as Hurricane Rafael worsens food shortages
Cuban farmer
Leonardo Abreu
clambered over fallen banana plants in a field beside his home, taking stock of the wreckage two weeks after Category 3 Hurricane Rafael ripped across Cuba.
He lost beans, yucca, mango and avocado trees and an almost unfathomable number of bananas. Fences, too. His power lines are down, his generator broken. He has not had
electricity for two weeks. He has no water to irrigate crops.
“We’re starting again from scratch,” said the 47-year old resident of Caimito, his head in his hands. “Everything has been wiped out.”
His family’s pain will reverberate in Cuba’s capital, Havana. Nearly 2 million residents there depend on farms like this one, in neighboring Artemisa province, for food.
Even before the storm, Cubans across the island - including Havana - had seen prices soar, government subsidies dry up and food grow increasingly scarce, the result of the island’s worst economic crisis in decades.
The hurricane strike underscored the increasing vulnerability of Cuba’s already ailing agricultural system - and difficulties many Cubans face finding food.
“If you think things are bad now, wait a month,” says Abreu, who has dedicated his life to farming on land he inherited from his grandfather. “We’ll be eating the skins off the bananas.”
Farmers like Abreu “rescued” as many crops as they could ahead of and immediately after the storm, harvesting not quite ripe fruits and vegetables and rushing them to market.
Cuba’s government said on Tuesday it had restored electricity to 62% of Artemisa province. (Reuters)
t least 150 people have been killed in Port-au-Prince over the past week, the United Nations says, as the Haitian capital reels from a surge in gang violence.
In a statement on Wednesday, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights said more than half of the deaths – at least 55 percent – came “from exchanges of fire between gang members and police”.
Another 92 people were injured in the violence, and about 20,000 others have been forcibly displaced from their homes.
“Port-au-Prince’s estimated four million people are practically being held
hostage as gangs now control all the main roads in and out of the capital,” Volker Turk, the high commissioner, said in the statement.
“The latest upsurge in violence in Haiti’s capital is a harbinger of worse to come. The gang violence must be promptly halted. Haiti must not be allowed to descend further into chaos.”
Haiti has reeled from years of violence as powerful armed groups – often with ties to the country’s political and business leaders – have vied for influence and control of territory.
But the situation worsened dramatically after the July 2021 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel
Moise, which created a power vacuum.
Earlier this year, the gangs launched attacks on prisons and other state institutions across Port-auPrince, fuelling a renewed political crisis.
The campaign of violence led to the resignation of Haiti’s unelected prime minister, the creation of a transitional presidential council, and the deployment of a UNbacked, multinational police mission.
That Kenya-led police force – formally known as the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) –has failed to take control back from the gangs, however. (Al Jazeera)
Nicaragua’s Ortega seeks to expand presidential powers
Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega proposed a constitutional reform to expand presidential powers over other branches of government, according to an official document seen by Reuters on Wednesday.
The reform also seeks to increase the presidential term to six years from five and formally change the role of vice president, held by the 79-year-old Ortega’s wife, Rosario Murillo, to that of “co-president.”
Lawmakers of the government-controlled National Assembly would also have their terms increased to six years, from five, the document said.
Murillo, married to Ortega since 2005 and made vice president in 2017, has become the face of the government as Ortega rarely makes public appearances. For years rumors have circulated that Ortega is in poor health.
The proposal also looks to expand state control over media outlets in order to “prevent them from being subjected to foreign inter-
ests.”
Nicaragua already has a so-called cybercrime law in which anyone found guilty of publishing fake news on social media or news outlets can face prison terms of up to four years.
Ortega’s reform proposal allows for the presidency to order the army to intervene “in support of” the country’s national police when necessary. It would also authorize military and police officials to “temporarily occupy” executive branch positions “when the nation’s supreme interest demands.”
The proposal was sent to the National Assembly on Tuesday and is expected to be debated and approved quickly. Since 2018, the government of Ortega has led a crackdown on political opponents, jailing critics and leading to backlash and sanctions from the international community, including the United States and Europe.
Nicaraguan rights group the CALIDH said on X that the proposal was an “irreversible distortion” of the constitution’s text. (Reuters)
Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega
Jair Bolsonaro addressing supporters during a rally in São Paulo, Brazil, on 25 February 2024 (Photograph: André Penner/AP)
People carrying their belongings while fleeing their neighbourhood following gang attacks in Portau-Prince, Haiti on November 19, 2024 [Ralph Tedy Erol/Reuters]
Farmer Erwin Sanchez, 52, picking beans at a field in Caimito, Cuba, November 18, 2024 (REUTERS/Alexandre Meneghini)
Around the World
Arrest warrants issued for Netanyahu, Gallant & Hamas commander over alleged war crimes
Judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) have issued arrest warrants for Israel’s prime minister and former defence minister, as well as the military commander of Hamas.
A statement said a pre-trial chamber had rejected Israel’s challenges to the court’s jurisdiction and issued warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant.
A warrant was also issued for Mohammed Deif of Hamas, although Israel has said he was killed in an air strike in Gaza in July.
The judges said there were “reasonable grounds” the three men bore "criminal responsibility" for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity during the war between Israel and Hamas. Both Israel and Ha-mas have
rejected the allegations.
The Israeli prime minister’s office condemned the ICC’s decision as “antisemitic”, while Hamas said the warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant have set an "important historical precedent".
The impact of these warrants will in part depend on whether the ICC’s 124 member states - which do not include Israel or its main ally, the United States - decide to enforce them or not.
In a statement, the White House said the US rejected the ICC decision.
However, the EU’s foreign policy chief said it should be respected and implemented.
The ICC has been part of the global justice system since 2002. It has the authority to prosecute those accused of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes on
the territory of states party to the Rome Statute, its founding treaty.
Israel is not a member of the ICC and rejects its jurisdiction, but the court ruled in 2021 that it had juris-diction over the occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza because the UN’s secretary general had accepted the Palestinians were a member.
In May, the ICC prosecutor Karim Khan sought warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant, Deif and two other Ha-mas leaders who have since been killed, Ismail Haniyeh and Yahya Sinwar.
Although Israel believes Deif is dead, the chamber said it had been notified by the ICC prosecution that it was not in a position to determine whether he was killed or remained alive. (BBC)
Trump attorney general pick Matt Gaetz drops bid in face of Senate opposition
Hardline Republican Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration as Presidentelect Donald Trump's attorney general after the former lawmaker faced opposition from Senate Republicans over his past conduct.
Gaetz, who resigned from the U.S. House of Representatives last week, was the subject of an Ethics Committee probe into allegations of having sex with a 17-year-old girl. He has denied wrongdoing.
The nomination was an early test of Trump's power over Congress, where his Republican Party will hold majorities in both chambers next year. Gaetz was disliked by many fellow Republicans for having orches-trated the ouster last year of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, throwing the House into chaos for weeks.
Republicans in the Senate had bristled at the idea of being asked to vote on Gaetz without seeing the findings of the House Ethics Committee's investigation into the allegations of sexual misconduct.
Gaetz, in a post on X,
said he wanted to avoid becoming a distraction to the incoming Trump admin-istration.
"There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle, thus I'll be withdrawing my name from consideration to serve as Attorney General," Gaetz wrote. "Trump's DOJ must be in place and ready on Day 1."
Gaetz, who was nominated last week, faced questions over his qualifications to serve as the country's top law enforcement official and his past conduct. He was investigated by the Justice Department for nearly three years into potential sex traf-
ficking violations, a probe that ended last year without charges being brought.
Trump was also the subject of multiple Justice Department investigations, and faced two federal indict-ments related to his conduct during and after his 2017-2021 term in office. He has denied all wrongdo-ing, described the prosecutions as politically motivated and vowed to use the department to go after political enemies when he returns to power on Jan. 20.
Gaetz earned a reputation as a firebrand and loyal Trump ally during his time in the House and his nomi-nation was viewed as an indication Trump would follow through on his vows to use the Justice Department to exact retribution against his foes.
"He was doing very well but, at the same time, did not want to be a distraction for the Administration, for which he has much respect," Trump wrote on Truth Social.
A spokesperson said Trump would "announce his new decision when it is made." (Reuters)
Indian tycoon Adani's US indictment rattles stocks, Kenya spikes deal
Indian billionaire Gautam Adani has been indicted for fraud by U.S. pros-ecutors and arrest warrants issued for him and his nephew for their alleged roles in a $265 million scheme to bribe Indian officials to secure power-supply deals.
The crisis is the second in two years to hit the ports-topower conglomerate founded by Adani, 62, one of the world's richest people. The fallout was felt immediately, as billions of dollars were wiped off the market value of Adani Group companies and Kenya's president canceled a massive airport project with the group.
Adani Group said in a statement that the allegations made by the U.S. Department of Justice and by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in a parallel civil case were "baseless and denied," adding that it would seek "all possible legal recourse."
U.S. authorities said on Wednesday that eight peo-
ple, including Adani and his nephew Sagar, agreed to pay about $265 million in bribes to Indian government officials to obtain contracts expected to yield $2 billion of profit over 20 years, and to develop India's largest solar power plant project.
It is unclear whether Gautam or Sagar Adani will appear in court, as they could try to get the indictment dismissed without appearing in the United States. Gautam Adani's whereabouts are unclear, and none of the defendants are in custody, a spokesper-
son for U.S. Attorney Breon Peace in Brooklyn said.
Kenyan President William Ruto said on Thursday he ordered the cancellation of a procurement process that was expected to hand control of the country's main airport to Adani Group in a deal worth nearly $2 billion.
Following the news, Adani Green Energy (ADNA.NS), opens new tab, the company at the center of the case, canceled a scheduled $600 million U.S. bond sale. (Reuters)
Israeli attacks on Gaza kill at least 88, including children in their sleep
Israel has unleashed a series of air attacks on the Gaza Strip that killed nearly 90 people, including many children in their sleep, as its main ally the United States once again vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution demanding a ceasefire.
At least 66 people were killed in an attack early on Thursday that hit a residential neighbourhood in Beit Lahiya, in Gaza’s besieged north, Palestinian health officials said.
Hussam Abu Safia, the director of the nearby Kamal Adwan Hospital, told Al Jazeera most of the victims “were asleep when they were killed”.
“A very large number of casualties has arrived, and there are still many bodies hanging on the walls, ceilings. It’s mostly children and women,” he said in a voice message.
Abu Safia said hospital
staff rushed to the site, retrieving bodies, collecting remains and rescuing trapped people.
“We are already operating with the bare minimum resources, that is why most of our staff are now busy rescuing the injured … due to the lack of ambulances and resources,” the paediatrician added.
“The situation is honestly very dire. We cannot cope with this massive number of injured and casualties that have arrived to Kamal Adwan Hospital.”
Separately on Thursday, at least 22 people, including 10 children, were killed in Israeli bombardment of Gaza City’s Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood, a civil defence spokesman said.
More than 13 months of Israeli attacks on Gaza have killed some 44,000 people, including more than 17,000 children, and wounded 104,000. With aid largely cut
off, many in the densely populated territo-ry are now facing the threat of starvation. Israel launched its ferocious military campaign after an estimated 1,139 people, mostly civilians, were killed in an attack led by the Palestinian armed group Hamas on October 7 last year, with some 250 peo-ple taken captive. About 100 of them were released after a truce and prisoner swap deal a year ago but negotiations have largely stalled since then.
Thursday’s overnight attacks took place hours after a Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of the captives failed to pass when permanent member, the US, cast a lone No vote in the 15-member body. This was the fourth time that US President Joe Biden’s administration has vetoed such a resolution since the start of the war.
Indian billionaire Gautam Adani
More than 60 were killed in Israeli attack on residential area in Beit Lahiya
Republican Matt Gaetz
Benjamin Netanyahu, Yoav Gallant and Mohammed Deif
Big picture: Bangladesh return to dreaded Antigua
Bangladesh will get their usual Caribbean welcome. They will play the first Test at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua, where they have opened the two previous tours with scores of 103 and 43 all out. This time, the visitors are also without two of their best batters, Mushfiqur Rahim and Najmul Hossain Shanto, so the job to tackle West Indies’ pace and bounce would become that much harder for an under-par batting line-up.
Jayden Seales and Shamar Joseph have the returning Alzarri Joseph to form a lethal attack. Kemar Roach is also in the squad, and given his superb record against Bangladesh, a four-man attack could be the way West Indies go. Add Anderson Phillip in the mix, and Bangladesh’s problems are likely to be amplified.
Bangladesh Tour of West Indies 2024/25: Test 1 of 2…
Battle between two misfiring batting units and stellar fast bowling attacks
Few would envy Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s job at the moment. Appointed vice-captain ahead of the Test series, Mehidy has to now step up as captain following Shanto’s injury.
Mehidy led the side in the last ODI against Afghanistan, but it would be a taller order against West Indies minus Mushfiqur and Shanto. Mehidy also has been off-colour with the ball recently, but the team would look up to him for his 2024 batting heroics.
Team news: Who will fill the big boots of Mushfiqur and Holder?
11 Hasan Mahmud.
Pitch and conditions: Rains and pace
The pitch at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium traditionally favours fast bowling. However, rain is the forecasted on all five days around North Sound.
West Indies, on the other hand, would like their batting unit to fire. The likes of Alick Athanaze, Kavem Hodge, Mikyle Louis, Keacy Carty and Justin Greaves are relatively new to the scene, but it has been a year of promise for this batting line-up. They hold the key for the future, but their top seven have the lowest batting average among all teams this year. West Indies have won just one out of the seven Tests in 2024, so the batting, despite its lack of experience, must now step up.
As tennis great Rafael Nadal bid a poignant farewell to the sport, he says he would like to be remembered as “a kid who followed their dreams”.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion’s 23-year career came to an end in Malaga on Tuesday night after Spain were beaten by the Netherlands in the Davis Cup quarter-finals.
Nadal retires as the second-most successful men’s singles player of all time, behind only long-time rival Novak Djokovic.
The 38-year-old has said he hopes to be remembered primarily as “a good person”.
“I’d like to be remembered as a kid that achieved more than I ever dreamed,” Nadal said during an on-court presentation. “I have been very lucky in the life I have had the opportunity to live. I have lived unforgettable experiences because of tennis.
“I was just a kid that followed their dreams, worked as hard as possible to be where I am today. The way I’d like to be remembered most is as a good person from a small village in Mallorca,” he has said.
Their opponents are also undergoing a batting nightmare. South Africa brushed aside Bangladesh at home in a 2-0 defeat that
would rankle for a long time. Bangladesh’s overall batting has been ordinary, and now without Mushfiqur and Shanto, these West Indies Tests would feel like an uphill climb.
Two misfiring batting line-ups and impressive fast bowling attacks could produce a tight contest. It would be up to the likes of Kraigg Brathwaite and Mominul Haque to get their respective batting line-ups in order.
The fast bowlers, meanwhile, would want to ensure that the runs come at a premium.
In the spotlight:
Shamar Joseph and Mehidy Hasan Miraz
Shamar Joseph would be licking his lips at the prospect of having a crack against an inexperienced Bangladesh line-up. He has the opportunity for a big finish in the last Test series of his breakthrough year. Joseph started 2024 with a stunning five-wicket haul on debut in Adelaide, followed by his famous 7 for 68 in Brisbane. While he didn’t have a great time against England, having the red ball back in his grip could fire him up.
Nadal’s legacy will be eternal – Alcaraz
In what proved to be the final match of his outstanding career, Nadal suffered a 6-4 6-4 defeat to Botic Van de Zandschulp in the opening contest of the quarter-final tie, ending a remarkable 29-match winning streak in Davis Cup singles matches over 20 years.
Speaking after his loss, Nadal said: “In some ways
it is good maybe, if that was my last match. I lost my first match in the Davis Cup, and I lost my last one. We close the circle.”
Carlos Alcaraz, who kept the hopes of Nadal and the nation alive by beating Tallon Griekspoor in the second singles match, has said he “did it for Rafa”.
However, the 21-year-old Alcaraz and team-mate Marcel
Granollers were unable to complete a dramatic comeback in the deciding doubles contest and extend the career of Alcaraz’s idol.
Alcaraz partnered Nadal in the men’s doubles at the Paris Olympics in the summer, and has already proved his potential to succeed Nadal as Spain’s next men’s tennis star by winning four Slams in the past three years. He said after-
Justin Greaves and Alzarri Joseph are likely to replace Jason Holder and Gudakesh Motie as West Indies look to bolster their batting and fast bowling attack.
West Indies (Confirmed): 1 Kraigg Brathwaite (capt), 2 Mikyle Louis, 3 Keacy Carty, 4 Alick Athanaze, 5 Kavem Hodge, 6 Justin Greaves, 7 Joshua Da Silva (wk), 8 Alzarri Joseph, 9 Kemar Roach, 10 Jayden Seales, 11 Shamar Joseph.
Litton Das will return to the Bangladesh side, but there’s going to be debate about who would get the other batting spot in the absence of Mushfiqur and Shanto.
Bangladesh (probable): 1 Mahmudul Hasan Joy, 2
Stats and trivia: Roach’s backyard West Indies, with 309 caps, have a slightly more experienced squad than Bangladesh (301) in this series. Nine members of the Bangladesh squad haven’t played in the Caribbean. Roach has a stunning record at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium: 50 wickets in nine Tests at 17.44. Roach is also on top of the wicket-takers list among fast bowlers against Bangladesh. He has taken 44 wickets at an average of 20.79 No Bangladesh batter has struck a century in the West Indies since Mushfiqur Rahim’s 116 in Kingstown in 2014. (ESPNCricinfo)
wards that Nadal’s legacy “is going to be eternal”.
“He has been great for tennis, for the sport in general. It is difficult, at least for me, to feel that I should continue the legacy that he has left,” Alcaraz has said. “It is difficult, almost impossible. I will just try to do my best. Right now, it’s time to say great things about Rafa.”
Spain captain David Ferrer told Nadal: “There are people who will be remembered for their achievements in life, others until the end of their days, and others eternally. You will be remembered eternally.”
“I have peace of mind that I have left a legacy” Nadal was invited on to the court to address the crowd, while an emotional tribute video featuring messages from many of his rivals was also played.
“I leave with the peace of mind that I have left a legacy, which I really feel is not just a sporting one, but a personal one,” Nadal said. “I understand that the love I have received, if it was just for what
happened on the court, would not be the same.”
Nadal achieved his 22 major titles during the ‘Big Three’ era, in which he competed with fellow greats Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer for the sport’s major prizes; and his two greatest rivals were among those keen to pay tribute to his career.
In a post on Instagram, Federer, who famously cried alongside Nadal when he retired in 2022, said Nadal had “made the whole tennis world proud” during his “epic career”.
Djokovic, meanwhile, was among those who left a video message for Nadal, saying: “I have been very honoured and thrilled to be called your rival”.
Britain’s Andy Murray said: “The passion and intensity you played with was something I think all tennis players aspire to, and what all tennis fans will remember you for. It has been incredible watching you.”
American great Serena Williams posted on Instagram: “Congratulations on a career that most won’t dare to dream of. Your legacy will never die.”
(BBC Sport)
Shadman Islam, 3 Zakir Hasan, 4 Mominul Haque, 5 Shahadat Hossain, 6 Litton Das (wk), 7 Jaker Ali, 8 Mehidy Hasan Miraz (capt), 9 Taijul Islam, 10 Nahid Rana,
Kemar Roach has a stunning record in Antigua
Mehidy Hasan Miraz will now have to step up as captain
Shamar Joseph has had a breakthrough 2024
Known as the ‘King of Clay’, Rafael Nadal lifted the French Open singles title a record 14 times
CG United Super50 tournament 2024…
BARBADOS PRIDE SOAR INTO FINAL
153-run win over Red Force
Barbados Pride delivered a clinical performance to storm into the final match of the CG United Super50 Cup when they hammered defending champions Trinidad and Tobago Red Force by a massive 153 runs in their semifinal clash at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy on Wednesday.
This victory propelled the Pride into contention for their seventh title. They last tasted glory in the 2016/17 season, and reached their last final in 2017/18.
Scores at the end of the match were: Barbados Pride 339-7 (50 overs); Trinidad and Tobago Red Force 186 all out (36.3 overs).
Sent in to bat, the Pride’s openers Zachary McCaskie and Leniko Boucher laid the foundation with a scintillating 142-run partnership. McCaskie, the more aggressive of the pair, entertained with a blistering 94 off just 82 deliveries, smashing six boundaries and six towering sixes; and his departure, courtesy of Mark Deyal, did little to disrupt the Pride’s momentum.
Pride captain Raymond Reifer joined the fray with
“Messi
a brisk 65, and added another crucial 50-run stand with Boucher, who con-
seven boundaries. His 60ball knock, which included six fours and a six, was the
tributed a steady 69 off 84 balls in a knock that had
epitome of controlled aggression, and applied fur-
ing about ex-Barcelona player Messi: “Lionel Messi is the greatest player of all time, without any doubt. Cristiano has managed to match Messi without innate talent, but those of us who have played against them can see the difference. We didn’t want Cristiano to step into the box, because he was lethal there; but with Messi, the danger was everywhere on the pitch.”
Manchester City and Spain star Rodri has suggested that Lionel Messi pips Cristiano Ronaldo as the greatest footballer of all time.
ther pressure to the Red Force bowlers.
Even when Boucher fell to Deyal and Kevin Wickham (14) went to spinner Khary Pierre, Reifer and Roston Chase (43), on return from West Indies duties, added another 50 for the fourth wicket. Chase’s quick-fire 31-ball knock, which had only two fours and a six, ensured the Pride capitalized on the foundation laid by the top order.
Reifer eventually became Deyal’s third scalp, and Chase fell to the bowling of Shannon Gabriel, but the damage was already done, as the Pride were at 297-5 at that point.
The lower order contributed the remaining runs to the Pride’s daunting total. Deyal stood out for the Red Force with figures of 4-53, but his efforts were insufficient to stem the tide.
Facing a mountain of runs, the Red Force faltered early, and never recovered. The only bright spot in their
Jangoo (16). Webster’s aggressive 56 off 47 balls, which featured eight boundaries and
reply was a 68-run second wicket partnership between Tion Webster and Amir
SCOREBOARD
Barbados (50 ovs maximum)
Batting R Zachary McCaskie c Goolie b Deyal 94
Leniko Boucher † st †Jangoo b Deyal 69
Reifer (c) c Goolie
Extras (lb 6, nb 2, w 3) 11
Total 50 Ov (RR: 6.78) 339/7
Did not bat: Chemar Holder, Demetrius Richards
Fall of wickets: 1-142 (Zachary McCaskie, 23.3 ov), 2-192 (Leniko Boucher, 31.5 ov), 3-225 (Kevin Wickham, 36.5 ov), 4-275 (Raymon Reifer, 43.5 ov), 5-297 (Roston Chase, 46.3 ov), 6-316 (Nyeem Young, 47.4 ov), 7-324 (Matthew Jones, 48.3 ov)
Bowling O-M-R-W
Khary Pierre 10-0-56-1
Shannon Gabriel 6-0-52-1
Jyd Goolie 3-0-19-0
Terrance Hinds 9-0-68-1
Bryan Charles 9-0-43-0
Isaiah Rajah 1-0-20-0
Mark Deyal 10-0-53-4
Tion Webster 2-0-22-0
Trinidad & Tobago (T: 340 runs from 50 ovs)
Batting R Kjorn Ottley c Drakes b Holder 9
Tion Webster b Chase 56
Amir Jangoo † c McCaskie b Jones 16
Jason Mohammed run out (Holder/†Boucher) 1
Isaiah Rajah lbw b Drakes 28
Jyd Goolie c †Boucher b Chase 4
Terrance Hinds c †Boucher b Smith 22
Mark Deyal c McCaskie b Smith 34
Khary Pierre (c) not out 3
Bryan Charles b Drakes 0 Shannon Gabriel b Drakes 1
Extras (lb 1, w 11) 12
Total 36.3 Ov (RR: 5.09) 186
Fall of wickets: 1-15 (Kjorn Ottley, 3.5 ov), 2-83 (Amir Jangoo, 12.5 ov), 3-91 (Jason Mohammed, 14.5 ov), 4-91 (Tion Webster, 15.2 ov), 5-101 (Jyd Goolie, 19.3 ov), 6-125 (Terrance Hinds, 23.3 ov), 7-178 (Mark Deyal, 33.6 ov), 8-180 (Isaiah Rajah, 34.2 ov), 9-180 (Bryan Charles, 34.4 ov), 10-186 (Shannon Gabriel, 36.3 ov)
Bowling O-M-R-W Dominic Drakes 4.3-0-24-3
Chemar Holder 4-0-24-1 Nyeem Young 2-0-20-0
Roston Chase 10-1-40-2
Matthew Jones 8-0-35-1 Kemar Smith 8-0-42-2
a six, gave fleeting hope, before he became the fourth wicket to fall with the score at 91.
After his dismissal, Deyal (34) and Isiah Rajah (28) added a brief 53-run stand for the seventh wicket, but the Red Force were ultimately bowled out for a paltry 186 in just 36.3 overs.
Dominic Drakes led the Pride’s bowling charge with 3-24, and Chase (2-40) and Kemar Smith (2-42) also did some damage. The Pride’s dominance sets up a highly anticipated final against the winner of the Jamaica Scorpions versus Leeward Islands Hurricanes semi-final, scheduled for Thursday. (Sportsmax)
Messi has won three of the last four Ballon d’Ors prior to Rodri, and Rodri is claiming that Messi is the greatest “without any doubt”.
During an interview on Spanish TV, the midfielder Rodri speaking to El Hormiguero, said the follow-
The 28-year-old Rodri has recently been awarded the 2024 Ballon d’Or in recognition of a period in which he won the Champions League in 2023 and Euro 2024 with Spain the next year.
Ronaldo has scored a total of 928 goals in his career for club and country, and has won 34 major trophies, including five Champions League titles. He has also won the Ballon d’Or on five occasions.
Messi, meanwhile, has scored 877 goals, and has won the Champions League on four occasions and the Ballon d’Or five times, most recently in 2023.
Messi is now at Inter
Miami, while Rodri is recovering from an ACL injury at Manchester City, although the two faced each other in La Liga during the midfielder’s spells at Villarreal and Atletico Madrid before his Premier League move.
“When Messi got the ball, you’d think: ‘Oh, danger’,” he added. “When I first started playing against him, I tried to take the ball from him, and he dodged you as if you were a bull in the ring. The feeling I had was that something bad was about to hap pen.” (Sportsmax)
Ballon d’Or winner Rodri
Snippets from the first CG United Super50 semifinal featuring Barbados Pride and T T Red Force
Rodri
‘Building something that will last’ – Dover
…Dover eyeing Golden Jags Head Coach position
In spite of an underwhelming run in their CONCACAF Nations League 2024/ 2025 League A debut, Guyana’s senior men’s national football team, the Golden Jaguars, managed to end the 2024 international window on a high by sealing a spot in the CONCACAF Gold Cup Preliminaries next March.
That will not be the only major assignment for the local team however, since they will need to lace up their boots in June for two World Cup 2026 qualifier matches. Interim Head Coach Wayne Dover is already looking at aspects of the team that need strengthening ahead of 2025, which he discussed during a post- match press conference after Guyana defeated Barbados on Tuesday night.
Dover divulged, “We will start to prepare our minds towards analysing
this group, to see where we need to strengthen up and try to build a team that could go out and play collectively and win games. Definitely, one of the things we want to stamp out from this whole sojourn with this group is poor attitude, and that we’ll declare a zero-tolerance against.”
He explained, “As we push forward, we hope to
build something that is lasting.”
While discussing some improvements already made this season, the stand-in head Coach also touched on some of the lessons they learnt from their League A campaign.
“We all know that this group of players been together for a while, and we’ve seen some great football be-
ing played over the last 2-3 years with this particular group. You know, when we start the preparation for this campaign here, we spent a lot more time working on our transitional play out of possession. Once we out of possession, we want to collapse and be organized, and we try to win the ball back; and as we do that, we want to play very quick out, because we know we have very quick players up front,” Dover explained. He went on to elucidate, “Like Barbados said, they learnt a lesson playing against us, and we learnt a lesson playing against the League A teams. So, we know the areas that we have to work on. Definitely, fitness is a key element that has to be improved on, and lit-
tle bit more quality in the squad. The squad need a little but more depth. We won’t shy away from that, cause to compete at the level in A League, you have to have good quality players and fit players.”
Region 10 teams secure tourney’s semifinal spots
Region 10 teams
Kwakwani
Untouchables and Victory Valley Royals have booked their spots in the semifinals of the Guyana Basketball Federation Elite 16 Knockout Basketball tournament, after showcasing their prowess in come-from-behind victories against Georgetown teams on Wednesday evening at the National Gymnasium.
The Kwakwani Untouchables decimated the Pacesetters in the first game, despite the Untouchables’ offensive unit not powering in the first quarter, when The Pacesetters had a 24-17 advantage.
In the second quarter, the Untouchables, showing glimpses of their shooting ability, managed to reduce the Pacesetters’ lead by putting up 14 points. The scoreline read 37-31 at the end of that period.
With the Pacesetters enjoying a nine-point lead at the end of the third quarter, they appeared to be on course for a win, but the determined Untouchables managed to convert that 9-point deficit to a 3-point lead, and the scoreline at the end of the game read 6966.
Guyana Times Sport spoke with Kimmol Grimmond of the Kwakwani Untouchables after the game, and he emphasized that the team focused on defence and talks within the group coming from the first half.
Grimmond said, “Honestly, we focused more on defence tonight, because we were slacking up a lot.
We realized we were slacking up since the last game, and tried to do better this game. What we talked about in the line-up is: ‘Just don’t lose confidence. Keep being aggressive, and just don’t
lot of fouls and giving a lot of free throws to opponents to nine in the third quarter.
“The final scoreline for that quarter was 68-49, giving the Untouchables a significant lead. We need to cut
The University of Guyana Trojans saw their powerful season come to an end in the night’s final game, as the Victory Valley Royals, with their emphatic performance and their abili-
give up. Even if we’re down 11-8, just don’t give up’. We still need to stop making a
down on that and maintain our composure and keep our offensive.”
ty to make penetrative passes, secured a 16–point win. The scoreline read 91-75.
Dover, who has stood in the position for the last two games, admitted a desire to wear the Head Coach cap on a permanent basis once again.
Foremost of the things that would need to be ironed out for the Golden Jaguars in 2025 is their leadership.
“Every coach is aspiring to be head coach of the senior national team, and I have that aspiration to become the head coach once again; and I do hope these performances weigh heavily on the administration minds,” he divulged.
“You know, we don’t know, maybe they decide it’s time to give Dover a chance and back him full time. So, we wait and see what comes out of that,” he responded to inquiries about his aspirations.
Exact dates for Guyana’s home and away Gold Cup Preliminary matches against Guatemala have not yet been announced, but the Golden Jaguars would also face Nicaragua and Montserrat, on June 6 and 10 respectively, for the World Cup qualifiers.
Thus far in the World Cup 2026 qualifiers, the Golden Jaguars have enjoyed a 3-1 victory over Belize, but have suffered a 2-0 loss to Panama earlier this year.
GBA appoints new Technical Director
Following the void that was created by the sudden passing of Technical Director Terrence Poole, the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) has officially appointed International Technical Officer (ITO) Elton Chase to that position with immediate effect.
Chase holds the distinction of being Guyana’s first ITO and a member of the small cadre within the English-speaking Caribbean. He is now tasked with administering the GBA’s developmental programmes and policies which have been instrumental in maintaining the country’s dominance in the region, especially at the junior level.
The Technical Director void emanated after then incumbent Poole unexpectedly passed away on October 2nd. He was 60. According to reports, Poole complained of feeling unwell following the conclusion of his routine morning jog. He was rushed to the hospital when he experienced difficulty breathing; and unfortunately passed away, throwing the fraternity into a state of mourning.
GBA President Steve Ninvalle has said, “Development is a continuous process, and we are very proud to announce the appointment of Elton Chase to the (position) of Technical Director. This decision was made following a period of consultation and assessment within the fraternity of the potential candidates who we believed had the ca-
pacity for such a post. We are confident that he possesses the requisite knowledge and experience to build on the success of the work that was implemented by the late Terrence Poole. This position at times is even more important than the executive portfolio, as you are directly responsible for the direction and development of the sport for the immediate and long-term future.”
Ninvalle further stated, “The GBA believes that Mr. Chase will bring a different but equally effective approach to the implementation of new policies and the continuation of existing programmes which, most importantly, (are) for the common good and the interests of the boxing community, especially at our nursery strata, which has been the foundation for our continued regional success.”
Newly appointed GBA Technical Director, Elton Chase
Play between the University of Guyana Trojans (red) and Victory Valley Royals Action between Kwakwani Untouchables(blue) and Pacesetters
Wayne Dover has his eyes set on becoming Head Coach of the Golden Jaguars
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday had an interaction with leading Guyanese cricketers. The sport Modi posted on social media has brought the two nations closer and deepened the cultural linkages. Also at the interaction were President Dr Irfaan Ali; Chairman of the Guyana Amazon Warriors (GAW) Bobby Ramroop; former West Indies Test Captains, Sir Clive Lloyd, Alvin Kalicharan and Shivnarine Chandrapaul; Sport Minister, Charles Ramson Jr.; President of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB), Bissoondyal Singh and other officials (Prime Minister Narendra Modi/FB)